In this paper, we study the well-posedness and asymptotic behaviour of solutions to a laminated beam in thermoelasticity of type III. We first give the well-posedness of the system by using the semigroup method. Then, we show that the system is exponentially stable under the assumption of equal wave speeds. Furthermore, it is proved that the system is lack of exponential stability for case of nonequal wave speeds. In this regard, a polynomial stability result is proved.

Here we studied Bianchi type-III string cosmological models generated by means of a cloud of strings with particles connected to them in the framework of Lyra geometry considering five-dimensional space-time. To obtain the exact solutions of field equations we consider that the shear scalar and the scalar expansion are proportional, σ∞θ which leads to D=cn and secondly we adopt the assumption considering the Reddy String Condition, ρ+λ=0. From the two different cases obtained here, first case leads to the Bianchi type-III string cosmological model in Lyra geometry in five-dimensional space-time and the second case leads to the five-dimensional vacuum universe in general relativity. The Geometrical and physical properties of the model universe are studied comparing with the present day’s observational findings. The model universe obtained here starts with the big bang and as time progresses both particle density ρp and energy density ρ decreases with expansion of our Universe.

Glycogen storage disease type III (GSDIII) is a hereditary glycogenosis caused by deficiency of the glycogen debranching enzyme (GDE), an enzyme, encoded by Agl, enabling glycogen degradation by catalyzing alpha-1,4-oligosaccharide side chain transfer and alpha-1,6-glucose cleavage. GDE deficiency causes accumulation of phosphorylase-limited dextrin, leading to liver disorder followed by fatal myopathy. We tested here the capacity of the new autophagosomal activator GHF-201 to alleviate disease burden by clearing pathogenic glycogen surcharge in the GSDIII mouse model Agl-/-. We used open field, grip strength and rotarod tests for evaluating GHF-201’s effects on locomotion, biochemistry panel to quantify hematological biomarkers, indirect calorimetry to quantify in vivo metabolism, transmission electron microscopy to quantify glycogen in muscle, and fibroblast image analysis to determine cellular features affected by GHF-201. GHF-201 was able to improve all locomotion parameters and partially reversed hypoglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and muscle malfunction in Agl-/- mice. Treated mice burnt carbohydrates more efficiently and showed significant improvement of aberrant ultrastructural muscle features. In GSDIII patient fibroblasts, GHF-201 restored mitochondrial membrane polarization and corrected lysosomal swelling. In conclusion, GHF-201 is a viable candidate for treating GSDIII as it recovered a wide range of its pathologies in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo.

Bianchi type III string cosmological models (massive and geometric) in presence of magnetic field with vacuum energy density following the techniques used by Letelier (1979) and Stachel (1980) are obtained. We find that the energy conditions (dominant as well as weak) given by Hawking and Ellis (1974) are satisfied for the models. Also the solutions obtained satisfy conservation equation for massive string with magnetic field and vacuum energy density. The models in general, represent anisotropic phase of space-time due to the presence of string. However, the models isotropize at late time and in special case. It has also been shown that the magnetic field is directly linked with the matter. For string dust model, the state finder parameters {r,s} are in excellent agreement with Planck results (Sahni et al. (2003)). The physical and geometrical aspects of the models with special cases are also discussed.

Background/Objectives: Infusion pumps are critical in clinical settings, precisely delivering fluids such as medications and blood products. However, maintaining accuracy and preventing hemolysis is essential when administering blood, particularly to neonates. Conventional pumps may cause hemolysis due to pressure variations during transfusion. This study compares the blood transfusion accuracy and hemolysis rate between the conventional pump, Terufusion TE-LM700 (Terufusion) and the novel cylinder-type infusion pump, Anyfusion H-100 (Anyfusion); Methods: The study evaluated six different infusion rates (10-180cc/hr) and conducted 57 transfusion trials, 20 of which used a 1:1 blood-saline dilution. Blood transfusion accuracy was measured using research-grade packed red blood cells, and hemolysis rates were assessed before and after transfusion by chi-square tests and independent sample t-tests; Results: Anyfusion demonstrated an average transfusion error rate of 3.77%, compared to 4.00% for the Terufusion, with no statistically significant difference in hemolysis rates (p=0.697). Bland-Altman plots confirmed equivalent performance, with hemolysis rates of 0.566 ± 0.095% for Anyfusion and 0.518 ± 0.126% for Terufusion; Conclusions: Anyfusion provides accurate and reliable blood transfusion performance comparable to Terufusion, with no significant difference in hemolysis rates. Its integration of syringe and infusion methods shows potential for safer and more efficient transfusion practices, especially in pediatric and emergency settings.

To evaluate new circulating markers related to macrovascular complications (MVC) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we recruited 30 controls (CG), 34 patients with T2DM (DG), and 28 patients with T2DM and vascular complications (DG+C), among them, 22 presented MVC. Pe-ripheral blood was used to determine redox status (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione reductase, GRd; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PD) and markers of oxidative damage (advanced oxidation protein products, AOPP; lipid pe-roxidation, LPO). Inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, MCP-1, TNF-α) and the relative expression of c-miRNAs were analyzed. The real-time PCR results showed that the expressions of miR-155-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-146a-3p, and miR-210-3p were significantly higher in the DG group compared to CG. DG+C group presented statistically relevant differences with CG for four miRs: the increased expression of miR-484-5p, miR-21-5p, and miR-210-3p, and decreased for miR-126a-3p. Moreover, miR-126a-3p was significantly less expressed in DG+C compared to DG. The application of binary logistic regression analysis and construction of receiving operator characteristic curves (ROC) revealed two models with high predictive value for vascular complications presence: 1) HbAc1, creatinine, total cholesterol (TC), LPO, GPx, SOD, miR-126, miR-484. 2) HbAc1, creatinine, TC, IL-6, LPO, miR-126, miR-484. Moreover, our data demonstrated that gender, TC, GPx, CAT, and miR-484 were associated with MVC and exhibited higher predictive values than classical variables. miR-126, miR-484, IL-6, SOD, CAT, and GPx participate in vascular damage development in the studied diabetic population and should be considered for future studies.

Background: This is a propensity matched, single centre study of limited versus extended resections for Type A acute aortic dissections (AAAD). Methods: Retrospective data for 440 patients with acute Type A aortic dissection repairs (Limited Resection, LR-215, Extended Resection, ER-225). 109 pairs were propensity matched to LR versus ER. Multivariate analysis was performed for inpatient death, long term survival and composite of inpatient death/TIA/stroke. Kaplan Meier survival curves were compared at 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 years using the log-rank test. Results: Mean age was 66.9±13 years and mean follow up was 5.3±4.7 years. 48.9% had LR. In-hospital mortality was 10% (LR;6% vs ER;13.8%, p<0.01). ER, NYHA class, salvage surgery and additional procedures were predictors of increased mortality in unmatched data. Propensity matched data showed no difference in TIA/stroke rates, LOS, in-patient mortality or composite outcomes. LR had better survival (LR; 77.1% vs ER; 51.4%, p<0.001). ER (OR; 1.97, 95%CI; 1.27, 3.08, p=0.003) was a significant predictor of worse long term survival. At 15 years, aortic re-operation was 17% and freedom from re-operation and death was 42%. Conclusions: Type A aortic dissection repair has high mortality and morbidity although results have improved over two decades. ER was predictor of worse perioperative results and long term survival.

Since atopic dermatitis (AD) is a heterogeneous condition, subtyping of AD is a crucial issue. The classical subtypes of AD are represented by extrinsic and intrinsic subtypes, European American and Asian subtypes, and adult and pediatric subtypes. While subtyping of AD was historically conducted based on the phenotype, recent findings on the mechanisms of AD have revealed importance of the endotype, which can characterize individual patients more accurately. Considering the current development of AD therapies, AD endotyping is prerequisite for personalized therapeutic choice. Endotypes of AD can be stratified from different viewpoints, including cytokine expression patterns, allergen properties, epidermal barrier conditions, ceramide variation, involvement of innate immunity, and serum biomarkers. Among them, the cytokine-based endotype seems to be the most useful one and is categorized into type 2 cytokine (IL-4, IL-13 and IL-31)-high, type 1 cytokine (interferon-g)-high, and/or type 3 cytokine (IL-22 and IL-17)-high, or mixed subtypes. The recently biomarker-proposed endotyping aims at individualized treatment options, although the daily clinical use of endotypes is a future issue. To better understand the endotypes for clinicians, attempts to adjust each of the classical subtypes to the endotypes are required. This review will discuss the correspondence of the classical subtypes to the various endotypes that have recently been proposed.

In this article, a new class of $q$-Hermite based unified Apostol type polynomials is introduced by means of generating function and series representation. Several important formulas and recurrence relations for these polynomials are derived via different generating methods. We also introduce $q$-analog of Stirling numbers of second kind of order $\nu$ by which we construct a relation including aforementioned polynomials.

The purpose of this paper is to prove strong convergent theorems for Browder's type iterations and Halpern's type iterations of a family of nonexpansive mappings in a complete geodesic space with curvature bounded above by a positive number. Moudafi's viscosity type methods are also discussed without the nice projection property.

A finite-type immersion or smooth map is a nice tool to classify submanifolds of Euclidean space, which comes from eigenvalue problem of immersion. The notion of generalized 1-type is a natural generalization of those of 1-type in the usual sense and pointwise 1-type. We classify ruled surfaces with generalized 1-type Gauss map as part of a plane, a circular cylinder, a cylinder over a base curve of an infinite type, a helicoid, a right cone and a conical surface of $G$-type.

A construction for the systems of natural and real numbers is presented in Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Thoery, that allows for simple proofs of the properties of these systems, and practical and mathematical applications. A practical application is discussed, in the form of a Simple and Linear Fast Adder (Patent Pending). Applications to finite group theory and analysis are also presented. A method is illustrated for finding the automorphisms of any finite group $G$, which consists of defining a canonical block form for finite groups. Examples are given, to illustrate the procedure for finding all groups of $n$ elements along with their automorphisms. The canonical block form of the symmetry group $\Delta_4$ is provided along with its automorphisms. The construction of natural numbers is naturally generalized to provide a simple and sound construction of the continuum with order and addition properties, and where a real number is an infinite set of natural numbers. A basic outline of analysis is proposed with a fast derivative algorithm. Under this representation, a countable sequence of real numbers is represented by a single real number. Furthermore, an infinite $\infty\times\infty$ real-valued matrix is represented with a single real number. A real function is represented by a set of real numbers, and a countable sequence of real functions is also represented by a set of real numbers. In general, mathematical objects can be represented using the smallest possible data type and these representations are calculable. In the last section, mathematical objects of all types are well assigned to tree structures in a proposed type hierarchy.

This study tested the association between FecXG point mutation located in exon 2 of BMP15 gene and the prolificacy of Dubasi, Shugor and Watish sheep ecotypes, under dryland farming, Sudan. Blood samples were randomly collected from unrelated 100 ewes (Dubasi; n= 30, Shugor: n= 30, and Watish: n= 40). Bone Morphogenetic protein (BMP15) gene was amplified using PCR-RFLP. Two genotypes were found in all studied breeds (heterozygous and wild type). The calculated total genotype frequencies of BB, Bb and bb genotypes were 0.31, 0.69 and 0.00, respectively, while allele frequencies were 0.66 for B and 0.34 for b. Litter size was influenced by the genotypes of BMP15 gene, parities and subtypes (p<0.05), highest for Watish and 4th parity. Alignment of BMP15 samples along with database reference sequence revealed that most sequence regions were identical except for one variable nucleotide at position 111 bp where a guanine (G) was replaced by adenine (A) in Watish and Shugor samples. All amino acids were the same at residue 275. Watish and Shugor breeds are more related. The study concluded that the presence of one copy of FecXG point mutation of BMP15 gene increased the litter size by 0.17 lambs in the studied ecotypes.

By generalizing the notion of pointwise 1-type Gauss map, the generalized 1-type Gauss map has been recently introduced. Without any assumption, we classified all possible ruled surfaces with generalized 1-type Gauss map in a 3-dimensional Minkowski space. In particular, null scrolls do not have the proper generalized 1-type Gauss map. In fact, it is harmonic.

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of various conditions, including erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Despite their clinical efficacy, these drugs quite often cause visual disturbances due to off-target effects on Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE6) in the retina. This review explores the application of a general intermolecular binding affinity calculator (GIBAC)-based binding selectivity strategy in the design of PDE5 inhibitors, aiming to enhance binding selectivity and minimize visual side effects. This GIBAC strategy integrates computational structural biological approaches to iteratively refine drug-target binding affinities, thereby improving target specificity and the structural biophysical limit for the efficacy-safety balance of PDE5 inhibitors. Through detailed analysis of PDE5’s and PDE6’s biological role and the molecular mechanisms underlying visual disturbances, this article underscores the necessity of target binding selectivity in PDE5 inhibitor design in future. Additionally, this article discusses the practical applications of GIBAC in computational drug discovery and design, along with the future directions and the potential for GIBAC to transform PDE5 inhibitor development, ultimately enhancing therapeutic outcomes and patient safety. Finally, this article calls for a GIBAC-based paradigm shift in computational drug discovery and design towards the continued development of the pharmaceutical industry.

This work is mainly focused on improving the differential evolution algorithm with the utilization of shadowed and general type 2 fuzzy systems to dynamically adapt one of the parameters of the evolutionary method. In this case, the mutation parameter is dynamically moved during the evolution process by using a shadowed and general type-2 fuzzy systems. The main idea of this work is to make a performance comparison between using shadowed and general type 2 fuzzy systems as controllers of the mutation parameter in differential evolution. The performance is compared with the problem of optimizing fuzzy controllers for a D.C. Motor. Simulation results show that general type-2 fuzzy systems are better when higher levels of noise are considered in the controller.

This work reports the role of structure and composition on the determination of the performances of p-type SnOx TFTs deposited by rf magnetron sputtering at room temperature, followed by a post-annealed step up to 200 °C at different oxygen partial pressures (Opp), between 0% and 20%, but where the p-type conduction was only observed between 2.8–3.8%. The role of structure and composition were evaluated by XRD and Mössbauer spectroscopic studies. The study allows to identify the best phases/compositions and thicknesses (around 12 nm) to be used that lead to the production of TFTs with a bottom gate configuration, on glasses coated with conductive Indium Tin Oxide, followed by Aluminium Titanium Oxide dielectric layer with saturation mobility of 4.6 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹ and on-off ratio above 7 × 10⁴, operating at the enhancement mode with a saturation voltage of −10 V.

The main aim of this paper is to establish two generalized integral formulas involving the extended Mittag–Leffler function based on the well known Lavoie and Trottier integral formula and the obtain results are express in term of extended Wright-type function. Also, we establish certain special cases of our main result.

We discuss two queueing-inventory systems with catastrophes in the warehouse. Catastrophes occur according to Poisson process and upon arrival of a catastrophe all inventory in the system is instantly destroyed. But consumer customers in the system (in the server or in the buffer) continue still waiting for the replenishment of the stock. The arrivals of the consumer customers follow a Markovian Arrival Process (MAP) and they can be queued in an infinite buffer. Service time of a consumer customer follows a phase-type distribution. The system receives negative customers whose have Poisson flows to service facility and upon arrival of a negative customer one consumer customer is pushed out from the system, if any. One of two replenishment policies can be used in the system: either (s,S) or (s,Q). If upon arrival of the consumer customer, the inventory level is zero, then according to the Bernoulli scheme, this customer is either lost (lost sale scheme) or join the queue (backorder sale scheme). The system is formulated by a four-dimensional continuous-time Markov chain. Steady state distribution is obtained using the matrix-geometric method. A comprehensive numerical study is performed on the performance measures under various replenishment policies. Finally, an optimization study is presented.

Several studies have shown promising treatments for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using developing gene therapy methods. This review article focuses on summarizing possible new treatment options and outlining their pros and cons, since there is no cure for T1DM as of yet. New treatments involve islet and stem cell transplantation, genetic vaccination, and immunological precursor cell-mediated therapy. Since most of these methods are still in their early stages, efficacy in human trials of this type of treatment is still largely unknown, however, researchers are hopeful after numerous successes in trials with non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice.

Let $m$ and $n$ be the fixed positive integers. Suppose $\mathcal{A}$ is a von Neuman algebra with no central summands of type $I_{1}$ and $L_{m}$ be a Lie type higher derivation i.e., an additive (linear) map $L_{m} :\mathcal{A}\to \mathcal{A}$ such that \begin{equation}\label{def2} \[L_{m}(p_{n}(\mathfrak{S}_{1},\mathfrak{S}_{2},\cdots,\mathfrak{S}_{n}))=\sum_{l_1+l_2+\cdots+l_n=m}p_{n}\big(L_{l_1}(\mathfrak{S}_{1}),L_{l_2}(\mathfrak{S}_{2}),\cdots,L_{l_n}(\mathfrak{S}_{n})\big)\] %L_{m}(p_{n}(\mathfrak{S}_{1},\mathfrak{S}_{2},\cdots,\mathfrak{S}_{n}))=\sum_{l_1+l_2+\cdots+l_n=m}p_{n}\big(L_{l_1}(\mathfrak{S}_{1}),L_{l_2}(\mathfrak{S}_{2}),\cdots,L_{l_n}(\mathfrak{S}_{n})\big)\nonumber \end{equation} for all $\mathfrak{S}_{1},\mathfrak{S}_{2},\cdots,\mathfrak{S}_{n}\in \mathcal{A}$. In the present paper, we study Lie type higher derivations on von Neuman algebras and prove that every additive Lie type higher derivation on $\mathcal{A}$ has a standard form at zero product as well as at projection product. Further, we discuss some more related results.

The genome of Vibrio cholerae contains three structural genes for the NhaP-type cation-proton antiporter paralogues, Vc-NhaP1, 2 and 3 mediating exchange of K+ and or Na+ for protons across the membrane. Based on phenotype analysis of chromosomal Vc-NhaP1, 2 and 3 triple deletion mutants we suggested that Vc-NhaP paralogues might play a role in the Acid Tolerance Response (ATR) of V. cholerae as it passes through the gastric acid barrier of the stomach. Comparison of the biochemical properties of Vc-NhaP isoforms revealed that Vc-NhaP2 is the most active among all three paralogues. Therefore, Vc-NhaP2 antiporter is a plausible therapeutic target for developing novel inhibitors targeting these ion exchangers. Our structural and mutational analysis of Vc-NhaP2 identified a putative cation binding pocket formed by antiparallel extended regions of two transmembrane segments (TMSs V/XII) along with TMS VI. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations suggested that the flexibility of TMS-V/XII is crucial for the intra-molecular conformational events in Vc-NhaP2. In this study, we developed some putative Vc-NhaP2 inhibitors from Amiloride analogs (AAs). Amiloride is a potent inhibitor of human Na+/H+ exchanger-1 (NHE1). Based on the pharmacokinetic properties and potential binding affinity scores we chose six AAs showing high binding affinity scores to Vc-NhaP2. In silico, the six AAs interacted with the functionally important amino acid residues located in TMSs III, IV, V, VI, VIIII and IX either from the cytoplasmic side (three AAs) or the periplasmic side (three AAs) of Vc-NhaP2. Four AAs were modified to reduce their toxicity profile compared to the original AAs. Molecular docking of the modified AAs revealed promising binding. The four selected drugs interacted with functionally important amino acid residues located on the cytoplasmic side of TMS VI, the extended chain region of TMS V and TMS XII and the loop region between TMSs VIIII and IX. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that binding of the selected drugs destabilized the Vc-NhaP2 and altered the flexibility of functionally important TMS VI.

Recent reports suggest that the clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in previously healthy children is usually milder as compared to adults. However, children with comorbid conditions such as diabetes are at increased risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Experience in adults with diabetes shows that they are prone to faster metabolic decompensation, develop diabetes-related complications, and have a poor prognosis when hospitalized with COVID-19. Data on children are limited. The aim of this mini-review is to discuss the possible risks to children and adolescents with diabetes during the current pandemic and the special considerations in management in those affected with COVID-19. The challenges for children who develop new-onset type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 lockdown, especially in accessing healthcare, are also discussed.

Fiber-rich green river Aonori alga is mass-cultivated in Japan; it has been reported to reduce inflammation and improve metabolic health in humans. Peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor (PPARs) are associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We evaluated the effects of supplementation with NBF2, a formula made of algal and junos citrus biomaterials, on metabolic markers in obese and diabetic rats. An experimental study was performed using 18 obese and hyperglycemic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats randomly assigned to high dose NBF2 (20mg/kg; n=6), low dose (10mg/kg; n=6) NBF2 drink for 6 weeks, whereas OLETF control rats received similar amount of tap water (vehicle; n=6). LETO rats were used as normal controls (n=8). Biospecimens were taken for ELISA and real-time PCR. Both high dose and low dose NBF2 increased brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass and adiponectin (APN), improved insulin sensitivity, and significantly improved glycemic and lipid (TG, LDL-c) profiles in NBF2-supplemented OLETF rats after a 6-week supplementation with NBF2 (vs. OLETF controls), as well as LDL-c (p<0.05). During the glucose tolerance test (OGTT), both NBF2 groups and LETO rats had normal glycemia by 90-minute time-point (vs. OLETF controls; p<0.01). Furthermore, intake of NBF2 up-regulated PPARa/g-mRNA and Sirt2-mRNA gene expressions in BAT, and improved blood pressure profile in OLETF rats. Findings from this research suggest that intake of NBF2 formula induces dual PPAR-a/g and Sirt2 activation, providing insights on beneficial prophylactic and therapeutic effects of this NB2 formula on dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia in T2DM.

We have investigated the interfacial dislocations in InxGa1–xN/GaN (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20) heterostructures using diffraction contrast analysis in a transmission electron microscopy. The analysis indicate that the structural properties of the interface dislocations depend on the indium composition. For lower indium composition up to x = 0.09, we observed that the screw-type dislocations and dislocation half loops occurred at the interface even though the former do not contributes toward elastic relaxation of the misfit strain in the InGaN layer. With the increase of indium composition (0.13 ≤ x ≤ 0.17), in addition to the network of screw-type dislocations, edge-type misfit dislocations were found generated with their density gradually increasing. For higher indium composition (0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.20), all the interfacial dislocations are transformed into a network of straight misfit dislocations along the <10-10> directions leading to partially relaxation of the InGaN epilayer. The presence of dislocation half loops may be explained by slip on the basal plane, the formation of misfit dislocations are attributed to punch-out mechanism.

Should our planet be visited by an extraterrestrial civilization, the prevailing assumption would undoubtedly be that the extraterrestrial civilization is Type I i.e. its capacity for interstellar travel results from its technological development. This assumption is dangerous for it unnecessarily leads to the Extraterrestrial Tandem Hypothesis (ETH): the belief than an extraterrestrial civilization technologically capable of interstellar travel must also be technologically compatible with the inexorably rapid annihilation of life on Earth. Such a state of things would compromise the planet’s capacity to stage a confident defense should the extraterrestrials prove belligerent. The presumption of Type I extraterrestrials (on the premise of the capacity for interstellar travel alone) is unfounded as extraterrestrials may be Type II i.e. capable of interstellar travel by virtue of natural intrinsic or extrinsic factors. This paper advances, most importantly, that the fundamental policy of first contact should be the employment of various strategies toward the evaluation of the technological capacity of visiting extraterrestrials. This evaluation must be particularly devoted to the detection of Type II extraterrestrials masquerading as Type I (using concealment and Wizard of Oz strategies). Integral to this detection are the concepts of the precedence relation and The Extraterrestrial Exclusion Principle (EEP). A precedence relation is a qualitative relation expressing the relative difficulty of producing a technological action. The Extraterrestrial Exclusion Principle states that a Type I extraterrestrial life form is excluded from certain actions. Such actions are lower in precedence than interstellar travel and may be described as in violation of the EEP or EEP forbidden. EEP actions reveal extraterrestrials to be Type II. As an example, the value of the Hawking Warning is subjected to EEP analysis. Furthermore, a hypothetical conundrum in linguistics termed the Kryptonian Linguistic Paradox (KLP) is discussed as a case of an EEP forbidden act. Finally, the paper explores the limitations of the stated fundamental policy of first contact.

Abstract: Several publications have raised the issue that the development of diabetes is preceded by alteration of the microbiome (dysbiosis) and hence, the role of environmental factors, triggering dysbiosis, should be considered. Antibiotics are powerful agents inducing dysbiosis and the authors wanted to explore the possible relationship between the consumption of different major classes of antibiotics and the prevalence of diabetes (type-1, /T1D/, type-2 /T2D/) in thirty European countries. According to our hypothesis, if such association exists, the dominant use of certain major antibiotic classes might be reflected in the prevalence of T1D and T2D in different countries. Comparisons were performed between the prevalence of diabetes (T1D and T2D) estimated for 2019 and featured in the Diabetes Atlas with the average yearly consumption of major antibiotic classes of the previous 10 years (2010-19) extracted from the ECDC yearly reports on antibiotic consumption in Europe. Pearson correlation and variance analysis were used to estimate the possible relationship. Strong, positive (enhancer) associations were found between the prevalence of T1D and the consumption of tetracycline (J01A /p: 0.001/) and the narrow spectrum penicillin (J01CE /p: 0,006/, CF /p: 0.018/). Strong negative (inhibitor) association was observed with broad-spectrum, beta-lactamase resistant penicillin (J01CR /p: 0.003/), macrolide (J01F /p: 0.008/) and quinolone (J01M /p: 0.001/). T2D showed significant positive associations with cephalosporin (J01D /p: 0.048/) and quinolone (J01M /p: 0.025/), and a non-significant negative association was detected with broad-spectrum, beta-lactamase-sensitive penicillin (J01CA /p: 0.67/). Countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes (first 10 positions) showed concordance with the higher consumption of “enhancer” and the lower consumption of “inhibitor” antibiotics (first 10 positions) as indicated by variance analysis. Countries with high prevalence of T1D showed high consumption of tetracycline (p: 0.015), and narrow spectrum, beta-lactamase sensitive penicillin (p: 0.008), and low consumption of “inhibitor” antibiotics (broad-spectrum, beta-lactamase resistant, combination penicillin (p: 0.005), cephalosporin (p: 0.036), and quinolone (p: 0.003). Countries with a high prevalence of T2D consumed more cephalosporin (p: 0.084), quinolone (p: 0.54), and less broad-spectrum, beta-lactamase sensitive penicillin (p: 0.012) than other countries. Conclusion/Interpretation: The development of diabetes-related dysbiosis might be attached to higher consumption of specific classes of antibiotics, showing positive (enhancer) associations with the prevalence of diabetes, and the low consumption of other classes of antibiotics shoving negative (inhibitory) associations. Those groups of antibiotics are different in T1D and T2D

The incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the Arab world, particularly, oil and gas rich Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries has more than doubled in the last twenty years. Therefore, there is a dire need for careful systematic familial cohort studies, especially in high-risk populations. Several immunogenetic factors affect the pathogenesis of the disease. Genes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) account for the major genetic susceptibility to the disease. The triggering agents initiate disease onset by destruction of pancreatic β-cells. The autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), insulinoma antigen-2 (IA-2A), insulin (IAA), and zinc transporter-8 (ZnT-8A) comprise the most reliable biomarkers for T1D in both children and adults. Although three of the GCC countries, namely Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are among the top 10 countries with high incidence rate of T1D, no proper diagnostic and prediction tools were applied in the region. Understanding the disease sequelae in a homogenous gene pool with high consanguinity in the GCC could help solve the challenges in understanding pathogenesis, as well as hasten the prevention of T1D. Arab states must incorporate T1D predictive and intervention policies on a war-footing basis to minimize the burden of this serious disease.

The mechanisms underlying the effects of γ-globulin therapy for bacterial infections are thought to involve bacterial cell lysis via complement activation, phagocytosis via bacterial opsonization, toxin neutralization, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, recent advances in the study of pathogenicity in gram-negative bacteria have raised the possibility of an association between γ-globulin and bacterial toxin secretion. Over time, new toxin secretion systems like the type III secretion system have been discovered in many pathogenic gram-negative bacteria. With this system, the bacterial toxins are directly injected into the cytoplasm of the target cell through a special secretory apparatus without any exposure to the extracellular environment and, therefore, with no opportunity for antibodies to neutralize the toxin. However, because antibodies against the V-antigen, which is located on the needle-shaped tip of the bacterial secretion apparatus, can inhibit toxin translocation, this raises the hope that the toxin might be susceptible to antibody targeting. Because multi-drug resistant bacteria are now prevalent, inhibiting this secretion mechanism is attractive as an alternative or adjunctive therapy against lethal bacterial infections. Thus, it would not be unreasonable to define the blocking effect of anti-V-antigen antibodies as the fifth mechanism for immunoglobulin action against bacterial infections.

Older people with sleep disturbances also have other chronic pathologies that may interfere with these disturbances. One of the comorbidities that is frequently present is type II diabetes. Objetives: This research aims to find out whether type 2 diabetes mellitus present in elderly people affects the level of severity of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study, with a sample of 75 elderly people who attended the Sleep Unit of Doctor Sagaz Hospital in Jaen to be diagnosed with OSAS, and classified according to severity. Results: Significant differences were obtained in the severity of OSAHS between the participants who had type II diabetes mellitus and those who did not, with the former showing higher scores (U=326, p=0.02). Conclusions: Therefore, the presence of type 2 diabetes in the el-derly in our study was associated with more severe OSA. The main discrepancies when compar-ing this research with other studies result from the lack of research addressing these variables in this population group, as well as from the great heterogeneity of methods and techniques used in the different studies (different sample sizes, age range of the population, and diagnostic methods used), causing great variability in the results found. Given the findings obtained in this research, we hope to contribute to future translational research and improve the quality of life of this population.

While there are millions of reptile images available online, they are not well organized and not easily findable, accessible, interoperable, or reproducible (FAIR). More importantly, they are not standardized and thus hardly comparable. Here we present a reference database of more than 14,000 standardized images of 1,045 reptile species (969 lizard and 76 snake species), that are based on preserved specimens in 20 different collections, including 533 type species of genera and type specimens of 72 species. All images were taken with standardized views, including dorsal and ventral body shots as well as dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of the heads and other body parts. Although only 11 out of the 20 collections are cross-referenced in Vertnet, some others are indexed in GBIF, and this fraction will certainly grow in the near future. The utility of this and similar image collections will further grow with additional material and further cross-referencing, e.g., to DNA sequence databases or citizen science projects. The images are searchable and freely available on Morphobank.org (Project 5121) and on Figshare.com.

Gastric-type endocervical adenocarcinoma (GAS) is a rare non-human papillomavirus associated mucinous adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Its clinical manifestations are extremely atypical, with hidden lesions and difficulty in obtaining materials, resulting in a low positive rate of screening and biopsy. The pathological morphological features are similar to benign lesions, but the biological characteristics are highly malignant, posing great challenges to diagnosis. The preoperative diag-nostic rate is low, which is prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis, leading to delayed treatment and seriously affecting the prognosis of patients. Here，we reported a case of ovarian endometriosis cyst combined with GAS confirmed by surgery and postoperative pathology, with "pelvic mass" as the initial symptom. Through case report and literature review, the characteristics and current re-search progress of GAS were summarized, in order to provide references for diagnosis of GAS, and provide theoretical guidance for formulating reasonable treatment strategy and improving patient prognosis.

Background: Over the past years, there has been a rise in the incidence of type 1 diabetes, partic-ularly among younger individuals. This concerning trend has prompted investigations into po-tential contributing factors, with intestinal dysbiosis emerging as a likely culprit for the escalating annual rates of the disease; (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective ecologic correlational study involving 37 children from the southern region of Romania between 2019-2021. All participants were within the first six months following the onset of the disease; (3) Results: In the microbiota of the patients we observed a dysbiosis marked by an overabundance of bacteria (Clostridium coccoides, Faecalibacterium, Bacterioides, Enterobacteriaceae) and fungi, compared to the healthy control group. The Spearman correlation revealed a positive association between the presence of Bacteroides (p=0.0442), Butyricicoccus (p=0.0164), and Clostridium leptum (p=0.0023) with recent diabetes onset. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between younger age at onset and the pres-ence of Butyricicoccus (p=0.019). The use of antibiotics in the month preceding admission was linked to the presence of fungi in the microbiota (Candida, p=0.0442); (4) Conclusions: The dysbiosis of Romanian type 1 diabetes children correlates with inflammation, more severe onset of the disease and other au-toimmune diseases.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a polygenic metabolic disease described by hyperglycemia, which is caused by insulin resistance or reduced insulin secretion. Interaction between various genetic variants and environmental factors triggers T2DM. The main aim of this study was to find the risk associated with genetic variant (rs5210) of KCNJ11gene in the development of T2D in Indian Population. A total number of 300 cases of T2D and 100 control samples were studied to find the polymorphism in KCNJ11 through PCR-RFLP. The genotype and allele frequencies in T2DM cases were significantly different from the control population. We found a significant association of KCNJ11 (rs5210) gene polymorphism with T2DM in North Indian patients indicating the role of this variant in developing risk for T2DM.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major driver of health care costs, thus treatments enabling T2D reversal may reduce expenditures. We examined the impact of a T2D continuous care intervention (CCI) on health care utilization. Previous research documented that CCI, including individualized nutrition supported by remote care, simultaneously reduced hemoglobin A1c and medication use and improved cardiovascular status after two years; however, the impact on utilization is unknown. Methods: This study used four years of data (two years pre-intervention, two years post-intervention) from the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC) health record. Two methods estimated the impact of CCI on utilization. First, an interrupted time series (ITS) including only CCI participants (n=193) compared post-intervention utilization to expected utilization had the pre-intervention trend persisted. Deviation from the trend was estimated non-parametrically for each 6-month interval after the implementation of CCI . Second, a 1:3 matched comparator group (n=579) was constructed and used for a difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis. The primary outcome was annualized outpatient encounters. Secondary outcomes included emergency encounters and hospitalizations. Results: In two years prior to intervention, CCI participants had a mean of 5.77 annualized encounters (5.62 outpatient, 0.04 hospitalizations, 0.11 emergency). The CCI group showed a reduction in outpatient utilization after intervention. In ITS analysis, 1.6 to 1.9 fewer annualized outpatient encounters occurred in each 6-month interval post-intervention relative to expected utilization based on pre-intervention trends (p<0.01 each 6-month period; 28-33% reduction). The DiD analysis suggested a larger reduction; 5 fewer annualized outpatient encounters in the quarter after intervention, diminishing to 2.5 fewer after 2 years (p<0.01 each quarter). The study was underpowered to draw conclusions about hospitalization and emergency encounters due to the limited number of CCI patients and the rarity of encounters. Conclusions: Outpatient encounters were significantly reduced for a T2D patient population up to 2 years after receiving an individualized intervention supporting nutrition and behavior change through remote care.

In the present study, we introduce the two dimensional Chlodovsky type Bernstein operators based on (p,q)−integer. We examine approximation properties of our new operator by the help of Korovkin-type theorem. Further, we present the local approximation properties and establish the rates of convergence by means of the modulus of continuity and the Lipschitz type maximal function. Also, we give a Voronovskaja type theorem for this operators. And, we investigate weighted approximation properties of these operators and estimate rate of convergence in the same space. Finally, with the help of Maple, illustrative graphics show the rate of convergence of these operators to certain functions . The optimization of approximation speeds by operators during system control provides significant improvements in stability and performance. As a result, the control and modeling of dynamic systems become more efficient and effective through innovative methods. These advancements in the fields of modeling fractional differential equations and control theory offer substantial benefits to both modeling and optimization processes, expanding the range of applications in these areas.

Background: Maternal diabetes mellitus (MDM) is associated with increased risks for adverse neonatal outcomes. However, the impact of MDM on neonatal outcomes in Bisha, a city in Saudi Arabia, is not well-documented. This study aims to investigate the impact of MDM on neonatal outcomes in the Maternity and Children’s Hospital (MCH), Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 181 pregnant women with diabetes and their neonates diagnosed at Maternity and Children’s Hospital (MCH), Bisha, Saudi Arabia, between October 5, 2020, and November 5, 2022. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse neonatal outcomes, including stillbirth, neonatal death, macrosomia, preterm birth, respiratory distress syndrome, hypoglycemia, and congenital anomalies. Logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for potential confounders. Results: The total sample size was 181. The average age of patients was 34 years (SD=6.45). The majority of the patients were diagnosed with GDM, 147 (81.2%), and pre-GDM, 34 (18.8%). Neonates born to mothers with MDM had a higher risk of adverse neonatal outcomes compared to those born to mothers without MDM (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-1.70). The risks of macrosomia (aOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.38-2.19), LBW (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.06-1.66), and RDS (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.28-1.93) were significantly higher among neonates born to mothers with MDM. Types of DM were statistically significant with some neonatal outcomes: hypoglycemia (p-value = 0.017), macrosomia (p-value = 0.050), and neonatal death (p-value = 0.017). Conclusion: MDM is associated with an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes in Bisha. Early identification and management of MDM may improve neonatal outcomes and reduce the burden of neonatal morbidity and mortality in this population.

We provide an axiomatic base for the set of natural numbers, that has been proposed as a canonical construction, and use this definition of $\mathbb N$ to find several results on finite group theory. Every finite group $G$, is well represented with a natural number $N_G$; if $N_G=N_H$ then $H,G$ are in the same isomorphism class. We have a linear order, on the quotient space of isomorphism classes of finite groups, that is well behaved with respect to cardinality. If $H,G$ are two finite groups such that $|H|=m<n=|G|$, then $H<\mathbb Z_n\leq G\leq\mathbb Z_{p_1}^{n_1}\oplus\mathbb Z_{p_2}^{n_2}\oplus\cdots\oplus\mathbb Z_{p_k}^{n_k}$ where $n=p_1^{n_1}p_2^{n_2}\cdots p_{k}^{n_k}$ is the prime factorization of $n$. We find a canonical order for the objects of $G$ and define equivalent objects of $G$, thus finding the automorphisms of $G$. The Cayley table of $G$ takes canonical block form, and we are provided with a minimal set of independent equations that define the group. We show how to find all groups of order $n$, and order them. We give examples using all groups with order smaller than $10$, and we find the canonical block form of the symmetry group $\Delta_4$. In the next section, we extend our results to the infinite case, which defines a real number as an infinite set of natural numbers. A real function is a set of real numbers, and a sequence of real functions $f_1,f_2,\ldots$ is well represented by a set of real numbers, as well. In general, we represent mathematical objects using the smallest possible data-type. In the last section, mathematical objects are well assigned to tree structures. We conclude with brief comments on type theory and future work on computational aspects of these representations.

In this paper, a new class of q-Hermite based Frobenius type Eulerian polynomials is introduced by means of generating function and series representation. Several fundamental formulas and recurrence relations for these polynomials are derived via different generating methods. Furthermore, diverse correlations including the q-Apostol-Bernoulli polynomials, the q-Apostol-Euler poynoomials, the q-Apostol-Genocchi polynomials and the q-Stirling numbers of the second kind are also established by means of the their generating functions.

We introduce a new kind of extended Hermite-based Frobenius type Eulerian polynomials and then derive diverse explicit and implicit summation equations including some symmetric formulas by utilizing series manupulation method. Multifarious summation formulas and identities given earlier for some well known polynomials such as Eulerian polynomials and Frobenius type Eulerian polynomials are generalized.

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and different forms of cancers are among the leading human diseases and highly complex in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Diabetes and cancer are among the most frequent and complex diseases and based on epidemiological evidence and study it can be concluded that the patients suffering from diabetes are considered to be significantly at higher risk for a number of cancer types. Both these diseases are among the highly complex and heterogeneous in nature. There are a number of evidences which support the hypothesis that these diseases interlinked and obesity may aggravate the risk(s) of both these diseases type 2 diabetes and different types of cancers. Multi-level unwanted alterations such as (epi-)genetic alterations, changes at the transcriptional level, and altered signaling pathways (receptor, cytoplasmic, and nuclear level) are the major source which promotes a number of complex diseases and such heterogeneous level of complexities are considered as the major barrier in the development of therapeutic. With so many known challenges, it is critical to understand the relationships and the common shared causes between type 2 diabetes and cancer which is difficult to unravel and understand. Furthermore, the real complexity arises during diagnosis from contended corroborations that specific drug(s) (individually or in combination) during diagnosis process of type 2 diabetes may increase or decrease the cancer risk or affect cancer prognosis. In this review article, we have presented the recent and most updated evidences from the studies where the origin, biological background, correlation between them have been presented or proved. Furthermore, we have summarized the methodological challenges and tasks that are frequently encountered. we have also outlined the physiological links between type 2 diabetes and cancers. Finally, we have presented and summarized the outline of the hallmarks for both these diseases diabetes and cancer.

Positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) viruses comprise many (re-)emerging human pathogens that pose a public health problem. Our innate immune system and in particular the interferon response form the important first line of defense against these viruses. Given their genetic flexibility, these viruses have therefore developed multiple strategies to evade the innate immune response in order to optimize their replication capacity. Already many molecular mechanisms of innate immune evasion by +ssRNA viruses have been identified. However, research addressing the effect of host innate immune evasion on the pathology caused by the viral infection is less prevalent in literature, though very relevant and interesting. Since interferons have been implicated in inflammatory diseases and immunopathology in addition to their protective role in infection, the influence of antagonizing the immune response may have an ambiguous effect on the clinical outcome of the viral disease. Therefore, this review discusses what is currently known about the role of interferons and host immune evasion in the pathogenesis of emerging viruses belonging to the coronaviruses, alphaviruses and flaviviruses.

Background/Objectives: Research on calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in adult migraine is extensive, but its role in childhood migraine remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate serum CGRP levels in children experiencing migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) during interictal periods, comparing these levels to age-matched healthy controls. Methods: A total of 66 migraine patients, 59 with TTH, and 53 controls were recruited and strat-ified by headache onset age: under 7, 7-12, and over 12 years. CGRP levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Migraine patients showed significantly higher serum CGRP levels than both TTH pa-tients and controls (p < 0.001) with no significant difference between the latter two groups. Among migraine patients, those without aura (MO) exhibited higher CGRP levels than those with aura (MA). CGRP levels were lower in MA patients whose headaches began between ages 7-12 compared to subjects with MO, while no significant differences were found in patients whose headaches began after age 12. Conclusions: These findings suggest elevated serum CGRP is indicative of pediatric migraine, with variations based on migraine type and age of onset. The difference in CGRP in preadolescent migraineurs with and without aura suggest that CGRP levels may vary depending on the age and on migraine type.

One of the goals of modern orcharding is to have a high production of fruits that are uniform in size, organoleptic parameters, and health characteristics. The aim of the work was to study the assortment of different shoot types and their prevailing position along the cane and how shoot type can contribute to on shoot type on fruit quality in Actinidia tree. The experiment was carried out over two years in a commercial orchard of Actinidia chinensis, cv Gold 3. Along the cane, the shoots were classified as Spur shoot (SP), terminate shoot (TE), no terminate shoot (NT), and cut no terminate shoot (CNT). The data were statistically processed using ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (ACP). Four different fruit categories were obtained from to the four shoot type to compared: a prevailing category (55% of total fruits), which is characterised by its higher soluble solids content, sweetness, and excellent health characteristics, but with a lower hardness of the pulp, which would lead to the hypothesis that harvesting could be brought forward; a second category of fruit (19% of total fruit) with the lowest soluble solids content, but a high antioxidant capacity detached from CNT shoot; another category of fruit (13% of total fruit) produced from NT shoots, with the lowest health value, but good sweetness perception; finally the category with the lowest fruit percentage over total fruit harvested (10%) from SP shoots, characterised by its smaller size. It is to be verified what the performance of each category will be after post-harvest to speculate whether it is possible to differentiate the product at harvest into quality categories or possibly to differentiate the harvest time.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic systemic disease with a complex etiology, characterized by insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction in various cell tissues. To explore this relationship, we conducted a secondary analysis of complete mtDNA sequences from 1,261 T2D patients and 1,105 control individuals. Our findings revealed significant associations between certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and T2D. Notably, the variants m.1438A>G (controls: 32 [27.6%], T2D: 84 [72.4%]; OR: 2.46; 95%CI: 1.64-3.78; p<0.001), m.14766C>T (controls: 498 [36.9%], T2D: 853 [63.1%]; OR: 2.57, 95%CI: 2.18-3.04, p<0.001), and m.16519T>C (controls: 363 [43.4%], T2D: 474 [56.6%]; OR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.05-1.47, p=0.012) were significantly associated with diabetes probability. The variant m.16189T>C Previously reported in multiple studies in different populations, it was not found to be associated with T2D in our analysis (controls: 148 [13.39] T2D: 171 [13.56%]; OR: 1.03; 95%CI: 0.815-1.31,; p=0.83). These results provide evidence suggesting a link between some mtDNA polymorphisms and T2D, probably related to association rules and topological patterns and three-dimensional confirmation associated to regions where the changes are, rather than to point mutations in the sequence.

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease in patients with diabetes, which can develop simultane-ously with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in postmenopausal women. Bisphosphonate (BP) is administered to pa-tients with both the conditions and may cause medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ). It affects the differentiation and function of osteoclasts as well as thickness of cortical bone through bone mineralization. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of T2D on osteoclast differentiation and activity as well as cortical bone formation in postmenopausal patients with MRONJ. Tissue samples were collected from 10 patients diagnosed with T2D and Stage III MRONJ in the experimental group and from 10 patients without T2D in the control group. Histological examination was conducted, and expres-sion of dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) was assessed. Cortical bone formation was analyzed using CBCT images. The number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts and DC-STAMP-positive mononuclear cells were significantly less in the experi-mental group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the thickness and ratio of cortical bone were significantly greater in the experimental group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, T2D decreased the differentiation and function of osteo-clasts, and increased cortical bone formation in postmenopausal patients with MRONJ.

In this work, we report the carbon fiber-based wire-type asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). The highly conductive carbon fibers were prepared by the carbonized and graphitized process using the polyimide (PI) as a carbon fiber precursor. To assemble the ASC device, the CoMnO2-coated and Fe2O3-coated carbon fibers were used as the cathode and the anode materials, respectively. FE-SEM analysis confirmed that the CoMnO2-coated carbon fiber electrode exhibited the porous hierarchical interconnected nanosheet structures, depending on the added amounts of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidizing agent, and Fe2O3-coated carbon fiber electrode showed a uniform distribution of porous Fe2O3 nanorods over the surface of carbon fibers. The nanostructured CoMnO2 were directly deposited onto carbon fibers by a chemical oxidation route without high temperature treatments. In particular, the electrochemical properties of the CoMnO2-coated carbon fiber with the concentration of 6 mmol APS presented the enhanced electrochemical activity, probably due to its porous morphologies and good conductivity. Further, to reduce the interfacial contact resistance as well as improve the adhesion between transition metal nanostructures and carbon fibers, the carbon fibers were pre-coated with the Ni layer as a seed layer using an electrochemical deposition method. The fabricated ASC device delivered a specific capacitance of 221 F g-1 at 0.7 A g-1 and good rate capability of 34.8% at 4.9 A g-1. Moreover, the wire-type device displayed the superior energy density of 60.16 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 490 W kg-1 and excellent capacitance retention of 95% up to 3,000 charge/discharge cycles.

Diabetes is a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, how the clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetic patients with MCI are linked to sarcopenia and/or its criterion remain to be elucidated. Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were categorized into the MCI group for MoCA-J (the Japanese version of the Montreal cognitive assessment) score <26, and into the non-MCI group for MoCA-J ≥26. Sarcopenia was defined by a low skeletal mass index along with low muscle strength (handgrip strength) or low physical performance (walking speed <1.0 m/s). Univariate and multivariate-adjusted odds ratio models were used to determine the independent contributors for MoCA-J <26. Among 438 participants, 221 (50.5%) and 217 (49.5%) comprised the non-MCI and MCI groups, respectively. In the MCI group, age (61 ± 12 vs. 71 ± 10 years, p < 0.01) and duration of diabetes (14 ± 9 vs. 17 ± 9 years, p < 0.01) were higher than those in the non-MCI group. Patients in the MCI group exhibited lower hand grip strength, walking speed, and skeletal mass index, but higher prevalence of sarcopenia. Only walking speed (rather than muscle loss or muscle weakness) was found to be an independent determinant of MCI after adjusting for multiple factors, such as age, gender, BMI, duration of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, drinking, eGFR, HbA1c, and history of coronary heart diseases and stroke. In subgroup analysis, a group consisting of male patients aged ≥65 years, with BMI <25, showed a significant OR for walking speed. This is the first study to show that slow walking speed is a sole determinant for the presence of MCI in patients with type 2 diabetes. It was suggested that walking speed is an important factor in the prediction and prevention of MCI development in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Researches on flexible thermoelectric (TE) materials usually focus on conducting polymers (CPs) and CP-based composites; however, it is a great challenge to obtain high TE properties comparable to inorganic counterparts. Here, we report an n-type Ag₂Se film on flexible nylon membrane with an ultrahigh power factor ~987.4 ± 104.1 μWm⁻¹K⁻² at 300 K and an excellent flexibility (93% of the original electrical conductivity retention after 1000 bending cycles around a 8-mm diameter rod). The flexibility is attributed to a synergetic effect of the nylon membrane and the Ag₂Se film intertwined with numerous high-aspect-ratio Ag₂Se grains. A TE prototype composed of 4-leg of the hybrid film generates a voltage and a maximum power of 19 mV and 460 nW, respectively, at a temperature difference of 30 K. This work opens opportunities of searching for high performance TE film for flexible TE devices.

In order to understand the effect of Pb-CuI co-doping on the thermoelectric performance of Bi₂Te₃, n-type Bi₂Te₃ co-doped with x at% CuI and 1/2x at% Pb (x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.10) were prepared via high temperature solid state reaction and consolidated using spark plasma sintering. Electron and thermal transport properties, i.e., electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, of CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te₃ were measured in the temperature range from 300 K to 523 K and compared to corresponding x% of CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ and undoped Bi₂Te₃. The addition of a small amount of Pb significantly decreased the carrier concentration, which could be attributed to the holes from Pb atoms, thus the CuI-Pb co-doped samples show a lower electrical conductivity and a higher Seebeck coefficient compared to CuI-doped samples with similar x values. The incorporation of Pb into CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ rarely changed the power factor because of the trade-off relationship between the electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient. The total thermal conductivity(κ_tot) of co-doped samples (κ_tot ~1.4 W/m∙K at 300 K) is slightly lower than that of 1% CuI-doped Bi₂Te₃ (κ_tot~1.5 W/m∙K at 300 K) and undoped Bi₂Te₃ (κ_tot ~1.6 W/m∙K at 300 K) due to the alloy scattering. The 1% CuI-Pb co-doped Bi₂Te₃ sample shows the highest ZT value of 0.96 at 370 K. All data on electrical and thermal transport properties suggest that the thermoelectric properties of Bi₂Te₃ and its operating temperature can be controlled by co-doping.

Aims/Hypothesis): Type 1 diabetes is an immune-mediated disease with destruction of the pancreatic β-cells, a process that is conditioned by multiple genes and other factors. HLA counts as the major susceptibility gene. Significant variations in HLA genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes between Caucasians, African and Asian and other ethnic groups may have led to the variation in incidence of type 1 diabetes globally. Type 1 diabetes is characterized upon HLA identification. In this chapter we discuss global variations in genetic susceptibility of HLA with regard to type 1 diabetes globally with a particular attention to Arab population. Methods): Haplotype configuration of HLA class I A, B, C and Class II –DR/DQ/DP were studied in Caucasians, African and Asian and in Arab population to see if that is responsible for the exponential rise in the rate of type 1 diabetes. Results): Although Arabs have one of the highest global incidence and prevalence rates of type 1 diabetes, unfortunately, there is a dearth amount of information regarding HLA genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in the Arab world. HLA haplotype configurations contribute to its risk value. However, out of an insufficient present study there are examples of misjudgment of HLA risk according to HLA alleles rather than haplotypes. Conclusion): To date HLA outlooks for the characterization of type 1 diabetes. There is an ethnicity difference in HLA characteristics which is responsible for variation in type 1 diabetes. Although Arab population have contributed heavily in the rise of burden of type 1 diabetes, however, there is significantly a dearth amount of studies on HLA in Arab population. Obviously, any future prediction, prevention or cure of the disease will be based on the HLA genetics. There is a dire need for a systematic screening of HLA for Arab population with type 1 diabetes, identification of Arab HLA-risk values and identify those who are prone to get the disease.

Dominant mutations in COL3A1 are known to cause vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) by impairing extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis. This disruption leads to the fragility of soft connective tissues and a significantly increased risk of life-threatening arterial and organ ruptures. Currently, treatments for vEDS are primarily symptomatic, largely due to a limited understanding of its underlying pathobiology and molecular mechanisms. In this study, we conducted a com-prehensive analysis of the intracellular proteome of vEDS fibroblasts, integrating these findings with our previous transcriptome results to identify key molecular pathways that drive the disease. Additionally, we explored the therapeutic potential of inhibiting miR-29b-3p as a proof of concept. Our integrative multi-omics analysis revealed complex pathological networks, emphasizing the critical role of miRNAs, particularly miR-29b-3p, in impairing ECM organization, autophagy, and cellular stress responses, all of which contribute to the pathogenesis of vEDS. Notably. the inhi-bition of miR-29b-3p in vEDS fibroblasts resulted in the upregulation of several differentially expressed target genes involved in these critical processes, as well as increased protein expression of essential ECM components, such as collagen types V and I. These changes suggest potential therapeutic benefits aimed at improving ECM integrity and restoring intracellular homeostasis. Overall, these insights not only enhance our understanding of the complex biological mechanisms underlying vEDS but also provide a solid foundation for future research focused on developing targeted treatment strategies to address this life-threatening disorder effectively.

Mevcut çalışmada, (p, q)−tam sayıya dayalı iki boyutlu Chlodovsky tipi Bernstein operatörlerini tanıtıyoruz. Yeni operatörümüzün yaklaşıklık özelliklerini Korovkin tipi teorem yardımıyla inceliyoruz. Ayrıca, yerel yaklaşıklık özelliklerini sunuyoruz ve süreklilik modülü ve Lipschitz tipi maksimal fonksiyon vasıtasıyla yakınsama oranlarını belirliyoruz. Ayrıca, bu operatörler için bir Voronovskaja tipi teorem veriyoruz. Ve, bu operatörlerin ağırlıklı yaklaşıklık özelliklerini inceliyoruz ve aynı uzayda yakınsama oranını tahmin ediyoruz. Son olarak, Maple'ın yardımıyla, açıklayıcı grafikler bu operatörlerin belirli fonksiyonlara yakınsama oranlarını göstermektedir. Sistem kontrolü sırasında operatörler tarafından yaklaşıklık hızlarının optimizasyonu, kararlılık ve performansta önemli iyileştirmeler sağlar. Sonuç olarak, dinamik sistemlerin kontrolü ve modellenmesi yenilikçi yöntemlerle daha verimli ve etkili hale gelir. Kesirli diferansiyel denklemlerin modellenmesi ve kontrol teorisi alanındaki bu gelişmeler, hem modelleme hem de optimizasyon süreçlerine önemli faydalar sunarak bu alanlardaki uygulama yelpazesini genişletmektedir.

Understanding the structural intricacies of RNA molecules is essential for deciphering numerous biological processes. Traditionally, scientists have relied on experimental methods to gain insights and draw conclusions. However, the recent advent of advanced computational techniques has significantly accelerated and refined the accuracy of research results in several areas. A particularly challenging aspect of RNA analysis is the prediction of its secondary structure, which is crucial for elucidating its functional role in biological systems. This paper deals with the prediction of pseudoknots in RNA, focusing on two types of pseudoknots: K-type and M-type pseudoknots. Pseudoknots are complex RNA formations in which nucleotides in a loop form base pairs with nucleotides outside the loop and thus contribute to essential biological functions. Accurate prediction of these structures is crucial for understanding RNA dynamics and interactions. Building on our previous work in which we developed a framework for the recognition of H- and L-type pseudoknots, an extended grammar-based framework tailored to the prediction of K- and M-type pseudoknots is proposed. This approach uses syntactic pattern recognition techniques and provides a systematic method to identify and characterize these complex RNA structures. Our framework uses context-free grammars (CFGs) to model RNA sequences and predict the occurrence of pseudoknots. By formulating specific grammatical rules for type K and type M pseudoknots, we enable efficient parsing of RNA sequences to recognize potential pseudoknot configurations. This method ensures an exhaustive exploration of possible pseudoknot structures within a reasonable time frame. In addition, the proposed method incorporates essential concepts of biology, such as base pairing optimization and free energy reduction, to improve the accuracy of pseudoknot prediction. These principles are crucial to ensure that the predicted structures are biologically plausible. By embedding these principles into our grammar-based framework, we aim to predict RNA conformations that are both theoretically sound and biologically relevant.

In this work, we introduce a new concepts for $\alpha$-type $F$-Suzuki contraction and $\alpha$-type $F$-weak-Suzuki contraction in the context of $b$-metric spaces. Compared to the $\alpha$-type $F$-contraction and $F$-Suzuki contraction mappings, these contractions are essentially weaker. For these type of contraction mappings, sufficient conditions are established for the fixed point's existence and uniqueness in $b$-metric spaces. As a result, the findings encompass several generalizations. To show the usability of our obtained results, we provide a supportive example and an application to a non-linear differential equation with fractional order.

We address weighted composition operators ψCφ from α-Bloch spaces to Bers-type spaces of bounded holomorphic functions on Y, where Y is a generalized Hua domain of the first kind, and obtain some necessary and sufficient conditions for the boundedness and compactness of those operators.

Detection of PLA2R and THSD7A among primary membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) patients transformed the diagnosis, treatment monitoring and prognosis. Anti-PLA2R can be detected in 70-90% of primary MGN patients while anti-THSD7A in 2-3% of anti-PLA2R negative primary MGN patients depending on the technique used. Serum and urine samples are less invasive and non-invasive respectively and can detect the presence of anti-PLA2R and anti-THSD7A with higher sensitivity and specificity, significant in patients’ monitoring and prognosis better than exposing patients to frequent biopsy which is an invasive procedure. Different techniques of detection of PLA2R and THSD7A in patients’ urine and sera were reviewed with the aim of providing newer and alternative techniques. We proposed the use of biomarkers (PLA2R and THSD7A) in making the diagnosis, treatment decision and follow up of patients with primary MGN. We also reviewed other prognostic renal biomarkers like retinol binding protein (RBP) and beta-2 microglobulin in order to detect progression of renal damage for early intervention.

This study presents a vibration control using actively tunable vibration absorbers (ATVA) to suppress vibration of a thin plate. The ATVA’s is made of a sandwich hollow structure embedded with the electrorheological fluid (ERF). ERF is considered to be one of the most important smart fluids and it is suitable to be embedded in a smart structure due to its controllable viscosity property. ERF’s apparent viscosity can be controlled in response to the electric field and the change is reversible in 10 microseconds. Therefore, the physical properties of the ERF-embedded smart structure, such as the stiffness and damping coefficients, can be changed in response to the applied electric field. A mathematical model is difficult to be obtained to describe the exact characteristics of the ERF embedded ATVA because of the nonlinearity of ERF’s viscosity. Therefore, a fuzzy modeling and experimental validations of ERF-based ATVA from stationary random vibrations of thin plates are presented in this study. Because Type-2 fuzzy sets generalize Type-1 fuzzy sets so that more modelling uncertainties can be handled, a semi-active vibration controller is proposed based on Type-2 fuzzy sets. To investigate the different performances by using different types of fuzzy controllers, the experimental measurements employing type-1 fuzzy and interval type-2 fuzzy controllers are implemented by the Compact RIO embedded system. The fuzzy modeling framework and solution methods presented in this work can be used for design, performance analysis, and optimization of ATVA from stationary random vibration of thin plates.

Identification of the individuals having impaired kidney function is essential in preventing the complications of this disease. We measured 1 009 metabolites at the baseline study in 10 159 Finnish men of the METSIM cohort and associated the metabolites with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). A total of 7 090 men participated in the 12-year follow-up study. Non-targeted metabolomics profiling was performed at Metabolon, Inc. (Morrisville, NC, USA) on EDTA plasma samples obtained after overnight fasting. We applied Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify the metabolites (the Metabolon DiscoveryHD4 platform). We performed association analyses between the eGFR and metabolites using linear regression adjusted for confounding factors. We found 108 metabolites significantly associated with a decrease in eGFR, and 28 of them were novel including 12 amino acids, 8 xenobiotics, 5 lipids, 1 nucleotide, 1 peptide, and 1 partially characterized molecule. The most significant associations were with five amino acids, N-acetylmethionine, N-acetylvaline, gamma-carboxyglutamate, 3-methylglutaryl-carnitine, and pro-line. We identified 28 novel metabolites associated with decreased eGFR in the 12-year follow-up study of the METSIM cohort.

Accurate and prompt determination of fire types is essential for effective firefighting and reducing damages. However, traditional methods such as smoke detection, visual analysis, and wireless signals pose unavailability in identifying fire types. This paper introduces FireSonic, an acoustic sensing system that leverages commercial speakers and microphones to actively probe the fire using acoustic signals, effectively identifying indoor fire types. By incorporating beamforming technology, FireSonic first enhances signal clarity and reliability, thus mitigating signal attenuation and distortion. To establish a reliable correlation between fire types and sound propagation, FireSonic quantifies the Heat Release Rate (HRR) of flames by analyzing the relationship between fire heated areas and sound wave propagation delays. Furthermore, the system extracts spatiotemporal features related to fire from channel measurements. Experimental results demonstrate that FireSonic attains an average fire type classification accuracy of 95.5% and a detection latency of less than 400 ms, satisfying the requirements for real-time monitoring. This system significantly enhances the formulation of targeted firefighting strategies, boosting fire response effectiveness and public safety.

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease of autoimmune etiology that is highly prevalent in childhood. In the last decade, the possibility of using the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine for the treatment of this disease has been studied thanks to its immunomodulatory action . Objectives: The objective of this work is to carry out a systematic review of the available scientific evidence on the relationship between the tuberculosis vaccine and the treatment of diabetes in childhood. Secondarily, the aim is to study the incidence of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in a cohort of children from the Basque Country according to whether or not they have received the vaccine. Methods: An exhaustive bibliographic search has been carried out on the evidence available to date. For the epidemiological study in Euskadi, a comparison of accumulated incidences between vaccinated and unvaccinated population groups was made. Results: According to the literature analyzed, There is more and more evidence about the possible use of the tuberculosis vaccine in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. The results of our study were not conclusive, but we believe that it is necessary to continue with long-term studies to eliminate biases. Conclusions: The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine could be used for the treatment of autoimmune, allergic, infectious or oncological processes, although more studies are still necessary in this regard.

Lipoprotein (a) is a highly atherogenic, lipid particle whose concentration is genetically determined, and represents an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, metabolic syndrome represents a cluster of interconnected cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, insulin resistance, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia) that are a direct consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle. Some evidence suggests a connection between each component of metabolic syndrome and high levels of lipoprotein (a). Still, the exact mechanisms are not fully understood and may involve complex interactions between various metabolic pathways. High levels of lp(a) are associated with insulin resistance, a key feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. Although there is no significant association between lp(a) and other lipid levels (LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides), studies have shown a strong synergistic effect of genetically elevated LDL-C and Lp (a) on the development of cardiovascular events. Also, there is supporting evidence that hypertensive patients with high levels of lp(a) have higher cardiovascular risk, there is no direct association between hypertension and lp (a). Treatment of metabolic syndrome is often long-term and challenging but very important to reduce the overall cardiovascular risk, especially in individuals with higher levels of Lp (a), in whom the risk of developing cardiovascular disease is much higher.

Background and Objectives Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1 MIM # 162200), also known as von Recklinghausen disease, is among the most common autosomal dominantly transmitted disorders characterized mainly by neurocutaneous manifestations such as café au lait spots, intertriginous freckling, various types of neurofibromas (cutaneous neurofibromas or plexiform tumors), neurological manifestations, and bone abnormalities. It occurs with an incidence of 1:3000–1:4000 cases. Cone-rod dystrophies belong to the large group of retinal dystrophies, a highly heterogeneous group of disorders clinically manifested mainly by damage to cone and rod cells and have a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Many genes are involved in their etiology, with more than 100 currently identified, including the CRX gene responsible for the autosomal dominant form of cone-rod dystrophy (ad CORD). Materials and Methods: The authors present an intriguing case of a patient diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) as an infant and ocular involvement (myopia and astigmatism onset at age 15), which yielded a surprising molecular testing result. Results: Molecular DNA analysis identified a rare occurrence of two mutational variants, including a pathogenic variant in the NF1 gene, c.3871-2A, and a likely pathogenic variant in the CRX gene c.119G>A. Conclusions: The authors present this case to highlight the surprises offered by molecular testing in a condition where the diagnosis is usually based on clinical criteria, thus providing patients with competent genetic advice.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are comorbidities that result from the sharing of common genes. The molecular background of comorbidities can provide clues for the development of treatment and management strategies. Here, the common genes involved in the development of the two diseases and in memory and cognitive function are reviewed. Network clustering based on protein-protein interaction networks identified tightly connected gene clusters that have an impact on memory and cognition among the comorbidity genes of AD and T2DM. Genes with functional implications were intensively reviewed, and relevant evidence was summarized. Gene information will be useful in the discovery of biomarkers and the identification of therapeutic targets for AD.

(1) Background: Little research is done on the link of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression and diabetic gastroenteropathy in type 1 diabetes (T1D). (2) Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study with 100 T1D patients, 27 of them had progressive DKD, defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline≥3 ml/min/year or increased albuminuria stage over the mean follow-up time of 5.89±1.73 years. Newly developed score with 17 questions on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms was used. Faecal calprotectin was measured by ELISA. Lower GI endoscopies were performed in 21 patients. (3) Results: Gastrointestinal symptom score demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's α=0.78). Patients with progressive DKD had higher GI symptom scores compared to those with stable DKD (p=0.019). The former group demonstrated more frequent bowel movement disorders (p=0.04). The scores correlated negatively with eGFR (r = -0.335; p = 0.001), positively with albuminuria (r=0.245; p=0.015), Hba1c (r=0.305, p=0.002), diabetes duration (r=0.251, p=0.012). Faecal calprotectin levels did not differ between DKD groups significantly. The most commonly reported histopathological findings of enteric mucosa were infiltration with eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasmacytes, presence of lymphoid follicles and lymphoid aggregates. Conclusion: progression of DKD positively correlated with gastrointestinal symptoms, but more research is needed to clarify the causal relationships of the gut-kidney axis in T1D.

Alexithymia as the inability to describe one's own feelings, is being increasingly researched. According to contemporary psychodynamic theories, negative emotions cannot be adequately named and externalized, but remain trapped in the body. Recent research shows the connection of alexithymia with numerous somatic diseases. Diabetes mellitus type 2 and obesity represent a great challenge in treatment, and the psychological profiles in these diseases are being studied more and more often. Therefore, alexithymia enters the focus of some research as one that could play a significant role namely in these diseases as the factor that makes a difference. The aim of this paper is a review of the literature with the purpose of understanding the current knowledge about the interconnection between alexithymia, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has surged in recent decades and the identification of differential glycemic responders can aid tailored treatment for prevention of pre-diabetes and T2DM. A mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT) based on regular foods offers potential to uncover differential responders in dynamical postprandial events. We aimed to fit a simple mathematical model on dynamic postprandial glucose data from repeated MMTTs among partic-ipants with elevated T2DM risk, to identify response clusters and investigate their association with T2DM risk factors and gut microbiota. Data were used from a 12-week multi-center dietary inter-vention trial involving high-risk T2DM adults, comparing high- versus low-glycemic index foods within a Mediterranean diet context (MEDGICarb). Model-based analysis of MMTTs from 155 participants (81 females, 74 males) revealed two distinct plasma glucose response clusters that were associated with baseline gut microbiota. Cluster A, inversely associated with HbA1c and waist circumference and directly with insulin sensitivity, exhibited a contrasting profile to cluster B. Findings imply that a standardized breakfast MMTT using regular foods could effectively distin-guish non-diabetic individuals at varying risk levels for T2DM using a simple mechanistic model.

Background: The number of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing daily, and therefore effective therapy is needed to successfully regulate glycemia and reduce the risk of associated complications. Recently, an oral formulation of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) semaglutide has become available. Therefore, the aim of our study was to compare the effectiveness of the new oral formulation and the existing injectable formulation of semaglutide in terms of glycemic and body weight control in a real-world setting. Patients and methods: This was a single-center retrospective observational study conducted at the Rijeka Clinical Hospital Centre. A total of 106 patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1 ≥ 7%) on different oral or basal insulin supported oral therapy were recruited from the diabetes outpatient clinic, and data from electronic medical records were retrospectively collected and analyzed from May 2021 to November 2022. All subjects were GLP-1 RA naive and consequently prescribed 0.5 or 1.0 mg once weekly injectable semaglutide (IS) or 7 mg or 14 mg once daily oral semaglutide (OS) for at least 6 months. Glycated hemoglo-bin (HbA1c), body weight, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed prior to semaglutide administration and after a 6-month follow-up period. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in HbA1c, and sec-ondary endpoints were the change in body weight and the proportion of participants with a reduction in body weight of ≥ 5% and ≥ 10%, respectively, 6 months after the initiation of semaglutide treatment. Results: At 6-month follow-up, no significant difference was observed between the two formulations in terms of HbA1c reduction (IS -1.1% vs OS -1.4%, p=0.126) and weight loss (IS -6.50 kg vs OS -5.90 kg, p=0.714). Exactly the same proportion of participants in both groups achieved a weight loss of ≥ 5% (56.7%, n=30). A weight loss ≥ 10% was observed in 20.7% (n=11) of participants administered IS and 15.1% (n=8) of participants adminis-tered OS, respectively (p=0.454). Conclusion: In a real-world setting, oral semaglutide as add-on therapy to ongoing antihyperglycemic treatment in patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes who had not previously received GLP-1 RA demonstrated the same effectiveness as injectable semaglutide in terms of gly-cemic control and weight loss after 6 months of treatment.

The Ni-laterite deposit at the San Felipe plateau, located 30 km northwest of Camagüey, in cen-tral Cuba, is the best example of a clay-type deposit in the Caribbean region. San Felipe resulted from weathering of mantle peridotites of the Cretaceous Camagüey ophiolites. In this study, a geochemical and mineralogical characterization of two profiles (83 and 84) from the San Felipe deposit has been performed by XRF, ICP-MS, quantitative XRPD, oriented aggregate mount XRD, SEM, FE-SEM and EMPA. Core 83 with a length of 23 m, and drilled in the central part of the plateau, presents a notable concentration of cryptocrystalline quartz fragments and a rather poor content in NiO, averaging 0.87% wt. Core 84, which is 12 m long, and drilled at the border of the plateau, lacks silica fragments and presents a higher NiO content, averaging 1.79 %wt. The smectite structural formulae reveal that they evolve from trioctahedral to dioctahedral towards the top of the laterite profiles. Quantitative XRD analyses indicate that smectite is a dominant Ni bearing phase, accompanied by serpentine and minor chlorite. Serpentine, as smectite, is en-riched in the less soluble elements Fe3+, Al and Ni towards the top of the profiles. Core 83 seems to have been affected by collapses, replenishments, whereas core 84 may have remained undis-turbed.

Research on climacteric syndrome among middle-aged men remains scant than the research among women. Research is also scant on climacteric syndrome among older adults living alone, particularly men, who are more vulnerable than such females. This cross-sectional study investigated whether the prevalence of climacteric syndrome is associated with the type of household middle-aged men live in and identified the determinants of climacteric syndrome based on the household type. Six hundred middle-aged men living in multi-person households and 600 living alone were surveyed about general characteristics, diet-related factors, and climacteric syndrome. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression. The risk of climacteric syndrome in single-person households was found to be 1.6 times higher than that among in multi-person households (p = 0.006). In multi-person households, income and breakfast frequency predicted climacteric syndrome (p < 0.05), while age, breakfast frequency, dinner frequency, and weekly eating out frequency predicted climacteric syndrome in single-person households (p < 0.05). Thus, dietary factors are more closely linked to the prevalence of climacteric syndrome in single-person households than in multi-person households. This highlights the need for climacteric syndrome interventions for middle-aged men whose health concerns may persist into older adulthood.

Soil aggregates, as the basic component of soil, make great contributions to the stability of soil structure and soil carbon (C) sequestration. Recently, grassland is experiencing continuous grazing, which greatly affects soil aggregation and soil C storage. However, how soil aggregates and soil C in different grassland respond to grazing remain unclear. In this study, three national fenced grassland monitoring field stations which represented mountain meadow (MM), temperate steppe (TS), temperate steppe desert (TSD) were selected, soil samples at 0–10 cm depth of inside and outside the fence were collected to explore the effect of grazing and grassland type on composition, stability and nutrients of soil aggregates. The results showed that the bulk soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available nitrogen (AN) and available phosphorus (AP) varied greatly among the three grassland types, with the highest values in MM. Soil aggregates composition showed significantly response to both grassland type and grazing, especially the proportion of soil aggregates &gt;2 mm, which significantly decreased 51.68% on average in grazing plots compared with fenced plots, whereas sharply decreased in MM and TSD. A significant decrease (on average 25.08%) of the mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates under grazing was detected across all grassland types. The effect of grazing on nutrients in macroaggregates (&gt;0.25 mm) was greater than that in microaggregates (&lt;0.25 mm). Aggregate-associated SOC concentration decreased under grazing in MM and TSD, however, SOC density showed different response to grazing across all grassland types, with minor effect on MM, decreasing SOC density in TS and increasing on TSD, respectively. The magnitude of grazing effect size on aggregate-associated SOC varied in different soil particle size, with greater response in aggregates &gt; 2 mm and the biggest value in TDS. In addition, correlation analysis showed that MWD of soil aggregates had significant negative correlation with soil bulk density, but significant positive correlation with SOC, TN and TP concentration. Results of RDA showed that BD, soil nutrients were the main influence factors of the composition and stability of aggregates. Overall, grazing had significant influence on soil aggregation, stability and SOC, played a crucial role in grassland soil stability and the accumulation of SOC.

Mountain summit in Madagascar have generally a specific habitat and that figure home a local endemicity of herpetofauna. Mantidactylus pauliani, a typically aquatic and critically endangered amphibian from Ankaratra Mountain, is among of them. This species inhabits high elevation with restricted distribution range. Our study highlights here a new data of this species and its viability with environmental change. So that, we carried out annual monitoring from 2018 to 2021. Nine fixed transects of 100 m were done along the streams between 1762 and 2378 m a.s.l. We followed the herpetofaunal standard technique for collecting data (systematic ecological niche searching and direct observation), and data analysis was performed using χ² tests and Fac-tor Correspondence Analysis. Here we present the new ecological data of M. pauliani. This spe-cies home between 1900 - 2378 m a.s.l. within the humid forest and savannah habitat. We noticed also a fluctuation in population size and migration to the upper throughout the years across the season, and the stream quality and volume of water variation. This habitat change makes it vul-nerable and the annual bushfire surrounding plays a negative impact. Knowledge and under-standing of its ecological guilds is needed for running and updating conservation activities

The objective of this study is to assess the hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echointensity ratios in ultrasonography in patients with and without diabetic nephropathy. This retrospective study included patients with diabetes mellitus who underwent ultrasound examinations at our hospital between January 2023 and May 2023. Ultrasound examinations done with renal cortical echogenicity and cortico-medullary differentiation by using B-mode ultrasonography. The hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echo intensity ratios were compared among study groups (diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy and without nephropathy). The diabetic nephropathy group exhibited significantly higher right renal echointensity and left renal echointensity compared to the non-nephropathic group. Additionally, the splenic/renal echointensity ratio and hepatic/renal echointensity ratio were significantly lower in the diabetic nephropathy group. Urinary microalbumin levels was significantly correlated with Right renal echointensity (r=0.65, p&lt;0.001) and Left renal echointensity (r=0.69, p&lt;0.001). There was also a significant inverse correlation between urinary albumin and splenic/renal echointensity ratio (r=-0.58, p&lt;0.001). Ultrasonography, specifically the assessment of hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echointensity ratios, shows promise as a non-invasive and cost-effective method for evaluating morphological changes in the kidneys in patients with diabetic nephropathy. These findings suggest that ultrasonography can be a valuable tool for monitoring the progression of diabetic nephropathy and contributing to its early detection and management.

Edaravone is a mitochondrially targeted drug with a suggested capability to modify the course of diverse neurological diseases. Nevertheless, edaravone has not been tested yet in the context of spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1), an incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized mainly by cerebellar disorder with a strong contribution of inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study aimed to address this gap, exploring the potential of edaravone to slow down SCA1 progression in a mouse knock-in SCA1 model. SCA1154Q/2Q and healthy SCA12Q/2Q mice were getting either edaravone or saline daily for more than 13 weeks. The functional impairments were assessed via a wide spectrum of behavioral assays reflecting motor and cognitive deficits and behavioral abnormalities. Moreover, we used high-resolution respirometry to explore mitochondrial function, and immunohistochemical and biochemical tools to assess the magnitude of neurodegeneration, inflammation and neuroplasticity. Data were analyzed using (hierarchical) Bayesian regression models combined with the methods of multivariate statistics. Our analysis pointed out various previously documented neurological and behavioral deficits of SCA1 mice. However, we did not detect any plausible therapeutic effect of edaravone on either behavioral dysfunctions or other disease hallmarks in SCA1 mice. Thus, our results did not provide support for the therapeutic potential of edaravone in SCA1.

Polynomial recurrence bounds for a class of stochastic differential equations with a gradient type drift and an additive Wiener process are studied without Lyapunov functions.

(1) Background: There are links between tension-type headache and/or migraine with dysfunctions of the cervical and masticatory muscles and with psychosocial factors. The study aims to highlight the connections between primary headaches, bruxism and psychosocial issues, the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach in decreasing the intensity and frequency of the headache episodes and bruxism. (2) Methods: 67 patients with primary headache and bruxism were divided into two equal groups. The subjects attended manual therapy sessions twice a week and a weekly counselling session for three months. (3) Results: an overall comparison before and after three months show a significant decrease of the qualitative variables (tension-type headache, migraine, awake bruxism, limited jaw opening, anxiety and stress) after 3 months. Comparing the efficiency of the procedures after 3 months between the two groups, awake bruxism and perceived stress are significantly different. (4) Conclusions: Although the differences are not radical when comparing MT with MT+C at three months, the patients who received either manual therapy or this treatment combination showed an improvement in pain relief, in the frequency and complexity of their symptoms, a reduction in functional disability and an overall improvement of the quality of their lives after three months of treatment.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a neurotropic virus that, occasionally, may spread to the central nervous system (CNS), being the most common cause of sporadic encephalitis. One of the main neurovirulence factors of HSV-1 is the protein ICP34.5 that, although initially seemed to be relevant only in neuronal infections, it can also promote viral replication in non-neuronal cells. New ICP34.5 functions have been discovered during the recent years, and some of them have been questioned. This review describes the mechanisms of ICP34.5 to control cellular antiviral responses and debates its most controversial functions. One of the most discussed roles of ICP34.5 is autophagy inhibition. Although autophagy is considered a defense mechanism against viral infections, current evidence suggests that this antiviral function is only one side of the coin. Different types of autophagic pathways interact with HSV-1 impairing or enhancing the infection, and both the virus and the host cell modulate these pathways to tip the scales in its favor. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress on the interplay between autophagy and HSV-1, focusing on the intricate role of ICP34.5 in the modulation of this pathway to gain the battle against cellular defenses.

Whole-genome sequencing has advanced our understanding of the population structure of the pathogenic species complex Cryptococcus gattii, which has allowed for the phylogenomic specification of previously described major molecular type groupings and novel lineages. Recently, isolates collected in Mexico in the 1960s were determined to be genetically distant from other known molecular types and were classified as VGVI. We sequenced four clinical isolates and one veterinary isolate collected in the southwestern U.S. and Argentina during 2012-2021. Phylogenomic analysis groups these genomes with those of the Mexican VGVI isolates, expanding VGVI into a clade and establishing this molecular type as a clinically important population. These findings also potentially expand the known Cryptococcus ecological range with a previously unrecognized endemic area.

To demonstrate if botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) improves mandibular range of motion and muscle sensibility to palpation in refractory myofascial pain (MFP) patients. METHODS: Eighty consecutive female subjects with refractory MFP, were randomly divided into four equal groups (n=20): BoNT-A low (BoNTA-L/10 U in each temporalis and 30 U in each masseter), BoNT-A medium (BoNTA-M/20 U in each temporalis and 50 U in each masseter), BoNT-A high (BoNTA-H/25 U in each temporalis and 75 U in each masseter) and saline solution 0.9% (SS, placebo control group/0.4 mL in each temporalis and 0.6 mL in each masseter). Clinical measurements of the mandibular movements included: pain-free opening, maximum unassisted and assisted opening, and right and left lateral movements. Palpation tests were performed bilaterally in masseter and temporalis muscle. Results were expressed as median, minimum, maximum, and means ± standard deviation (SD). Chi-Square Test was used to compare differences among groups. A 5% probability level was considered significant in all tests RESULTS: Regardless of dose, all parameters of mandibular range of motion significantly improve after 180 days in BoNT- A groups, when compared to the control group. Pain to palpation on muscles, significantly reduced in all BoNT- A groups regardless of dose, when compared to the control group, after 28 and 180 days of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Independent of doses, BoNT-A improved mandibular range of motion and muscle sensibility to palpation in refractory MFP patients when compared to SS injections.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and usability of a novel continuous glucose moni-toring (CGM) system designed for needle-free insertion and reduced environmental impact. We assessed sensor performance of two GlucoMen® Day CGM systems worn simultaneously in eight participants with type 1 diabetes. Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) was performed reg-ularly over 14 days at home. Participants underwent two standardized 5-hour meal challenges with frequent plasma glucose (PG) measurements using a laboratory reference instrument at the research center. When comparing CGM to PG the overall mean absolute relative difference (MARD) was 9.7 [2.6-14.6]%. The overall MARD of CGM vs SMBG was 13.1 [3.5-18.6]%. In the consensus error grid (CEG) analysis, 98% of both CGM/PG and CGM/SMBG pairs were in the clinically acceptable zones A and B. The analysis confirms that GlucoMen® Day CGM meets the clinical requirements for state-of-the-art CGM. The needle-free insertion technology is well toler-ated by users and reduces medical waste compared to conventional CGM systems.

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous disease of complex etiology and pathogenesis. Hyperglycemia leads to many serious complications, but also directly initiates the process of β cell apoptosis. A potential strategy for the preservation of pancreatic β cells in diabetes may be to inhibit the implementation of pro-apoptotic pathways or to enhance the action of pancreatic protective factors. The HIPPO signaling pathway is proposed and selected as a target to manipulate the activity of its core proteins in therapy - basic research. MST1 and LATS2 as major upstream signaling kinases of the Hippo pathway are considered as target candidates for pharmacologically induced tissue regeneration and inhibition of apoptosis. Manipulating the activity of components of the HiPPO pathway offers a wide range of possibilities, and thus is a potential tool in the treatment of diabetes and the regeneration of β cells. Therefore, it is important to fully understand the processes involved in apoptosis in diabetic states and to fully characterize the role of this pathway in diabetes. Therapy consisting in slowing down or stopping the mechanisms of apoptosis may be an important direction of diabetes treatment shortly.

Abstract: The effect of collagen type 1 (Col I) oxidation on Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ADMSCs) remodeling is described as a model for acute oxidative stress. Morphologically, remodeling was presented by a mechanical rearrangement of adsorbed FITC-Col I and a trend for its organization in a fibril-like pattern - a process strongly abrogated in oxidized samples, but without visible changes in cell morphology. The cellular proteolytic activity was quantified in multiple samples utilizing fluorescence de-quenching (FRET effect). In the presence of ADMSCs a significant increase of native FITC-Col I fluorescence was observed, almost absent in the oxidized samples. Parallel studies in cell-free systems confirmed the enzymatic de-quenching of native FITC-Col I by Clostridial collagenase, again showing significant inhibition in oxidized samples. The structural changes in the oxidized Col I was further studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry: an additional endotherm at 33.6°C along with the typical for native Col I at 40.5°C with sustained enthalpy (∆H) was observed in oxidized samples. Collectively, it has been evidenced that remodeling of Col I by ADMSCs is altered upon oxidation due to the intrinsic changes in the protein structure, thus presenting a novel mechanism for the control of stem cells' behavior toward collagen.

Type-2 fuzzy sets were introduced by L. Zadeh aiming at modelling some settings in which fuzzy sets (usually called type-1 fuzzy sets) are not sufficient to reflect certain uncertainty degrees - loosely speaking, they are fuzzy sets whose membership degrees are ordinary fuzzy sets. On the other hand, fiber bundles are topological entities of extreme importance in Mathematics itself and many other scientific areas, like Physics (General Relativity, Field Theory etc.), finance modelling, and statistical inference. The present work introduces a conceptual link between the two ideas and conjectures about the potential mutual benefits that can be obtained from this viewpoint.As an objective and usable product of the presented ideas, it is described a framework for defining type-2 fuzzy hedges, proper to operate on interval type-2 fuzzy sets.

Copper, which can potentially be a highly toxic agent, is an essential nutrient due to its role as a co-factor for cuproenzymes and participation in signaling pathways. In mammals, the liver is a central organ that controls copper turnover throughout the body: copper absorption, distribution, and excretion. In ontogenesis, there are two types of copper metabolism: embryonic and adult, which maintain the balance of copper in each of these periods, respectively. In the liver cells, these types are characterized by specific expression patterns and activity levels of the genes encoding ceruloplasmin, which is the main extracellular ferroxidase and copper transporter and proteins mediating ceruloplasmin metalation. In newborns, the molecular-genetic mechanisms responsible for copper homeostasis and the ontogenetic switch from embryonic to adult copper metabolism are highly adapted to milk ceruloplasmin as a dietary source of copper. In the mammary gland cells, the level of ceruloplasmin gene expression and the alternative splicing of its pre-mRNA govern the amount of ceruloplasmin in milk, and thus, the amount of copper absorbed by the newborn is controlled. In the newborns, absorption, distribution, and accumulation copper are adapted to milk ceruloplasmin. In the newborns, which are not breast-fed at the early stages of postnatal development, the control for alimentary copper balance is absent. We tried to focus on the neonatal consequences of a violation of the balance of copper in the mother / newborn system. Although there is still much to be learned, the time to pay attention to this problem came because the neonatal misbalance of copper may provoke the development of copper related disorders for future life.

This paper presents a) the novel hybrid learning method to train the type-1 non-singleton interval type-3 (IT3) fuzzy logic systems (IT3 NSFLS-1) and b) the novel method named enhanced Wagner-Hagras (EWH) IT3 NSFLS-1 fuzzy systems which includes the level alpha 0 output to calculate the output y alpha using the average of the outputs y alpha k instead of their weighted average. The development of the proposed methodology uses the orthogonal least square (OLS) method to train the consequent parameters and the back propagation (BP) method to train the antecedent parameters. This proposal dynamically changes the parameters of only the level alpha 0 minimizing some criterion function as new information becomes available to each level alpha k. The antecedent sets are type-2 fuzzy sets, the consequent sets are fuzzy centroids, the inputs are type-1 non-singleton fuzzy numbers with uncertain standard deviations, and the secondary membership functions are modeled as two Gaussians with uncertain standard deviation and the same mean. Based on the firing set of the level alpha 0, the proposed methodology calculates each firing set of each level alpha k to dynamically construct and update the EWH IT3 NSFLS-1 (OLS-BP) system. The algorithm was tested in a hot strip mill facility to predict the transfer bar surface temperature showing its superior capability to obtain the industrial pyrometer’s knowledge uncertainty for tuning and its better performance when compared with IT2 SFLS, IT2 NSFLS-1, GT2 SFLS, GT2 NSFLS-1, IT3 SFLS, and IT3 NSFLS-1 trained with the BP-BP algorithm.

Mediterranean Diet (MD), rich in minimally processed plant foods and in monounsaturated fats, but low in saturated fats, meat and dairy products, represents one of the most studied diets for cardiovascular health. It has been shown, from both observational and randomized controlled trials, that MD reduces body weight, improves cardiovascular disease surrogates such as waist-to-hip ratio, lipids, and inflammation markers, and even prevents the development of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases. However, it is unclear whether it offers cardiovascular benefits from its individual components or as a whole. Furthermore, limitations in the methodology of studies and meta-analyses have raised some concerns on its potential cardiovascular benefits. MD is also associated with characteristic changes in the intestinal microbiota, mediated through its constituents. These include increased growth of species producing short-chain fatty acids, such as Clostridium leptum and Eubacterium rectale, increased growth of Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii species, and reduced growth of Firmicutes and Blautia species. Such changes are known to be favorably associated with inflammation, oxidative status, and overall metabolic health. This review will focus on the effects of MD on cardiovascular health through its action on gut microbioma.

The main goal of this article is the characterization of Herz-type Besov-Morrey spaces K˙p,qαN˙μ,rs and Triebel-Lizorkin-Morrey spaces K˙p,qαE˙μ,rs via ball means of differences, atomic, molecular and wavelet decompositions. There are provided necessary facts for implying these results, which can help to explore such spaces on different domains in further researches. Proposed spaces allow to extend the class of studying functions, containing Leray projection, heat semi-group and other operators, which can be helpful in exploring weak, strong and mild solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations.

A Cooperstein ovoid is a set of q^8+q^4+1 pairwise non-collinear points in the Lie incidence geometry E_{6,1}(q). They were introduced by Cooperstein twenty-six years ago motivated by the fact that possible non-existence of them would imply non-existence of ovoids in hyperbolic quadrics of rank 5. Since then, no progress has been made on their existence question. We prove that Cooperstein ovoids do not exist under some natural additional conditions. In particular, Cooperstein ovoids intersecting every symplecton of E_{6,1}(q) do not exists, Cooperstein ovoids which are the fixed points of a collineation do not exist, and Cooperstein ovoids which are the absolute points of a polarity of E_{6,1}(q) do not exist.

In our country, the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is still very high (35.7-39.6%), especially in youths. We aimed to determine the efficacy of awareness campaigns to prevent DKA on multiple outcomes and identify success predictors. The review included studies that focused on children under 18 years old, and outcomes were measured by comparing before and after implementing the campaigns in the same area and between areas where interventions took place or not. Of 177 records identified, 15 were eligible for analysis. The pooled difference in DKA frequency after a campaign implementation was between 1% and 65.5%. A decrease in the rate of acute complications, such as cerebral edema, was reported. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at onset showed a mean reduction of 0.7%- 5.1%; C-peptide increased in patients without DKA at diagnosis, and length of hospitalization decreased. Campaign costs were lower than costs of treating subjects with DKA. This review demonstrated that DKA awareness campaigns effectively reduce DKA incidence and improve other parameters, such as acute complications, HbA1c and C-peptide levels, length of hospitalization, and costs, among youths with T1D. To be effective, campaigns must follow specific principles of target population, modality, and minimal duration, reported in this review.

This research was conducted to study the incidence of seed-borne fungi in stored sunflower seeds under ambient conditions as well as their influence on seed viability and vigour. Certified seeds, Quality Declared Seeds (QDS) and Farmer saved seeds (FSS) were stored for six months. Seed samples were taken every month testing for fungal infection percent (FIP), germination percentage (G%) and seedling vigour index (SVI). Eight fungal species namely as Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Alternaria padwickii, A. zinniae, Botrytis cinerea, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium vericillioides and Rhizopus arrihizus were identified. At the end of experiment, the maximum species infection percentage were recorded on F. vericillioides (14.39), B. cinerea (14.28) in FSS and the minimum by A. zinniae (1.83) with QDS. Maximum total fungal infection incidence was recorded with FSS (73.11%) and minimum with QDS (66.94%) and certified seeds (67.06%). The QDS recorded the highest G% (81.56) and certified seeds (81.33%), the maximum SVI (96.76) was in certified seeds and 95.69 (in QDS). The minimum G% (60.67) and SVI (65.98) were found in FSS. The highest G% and SVI were recorded in seeds with minimum FIP. These results suggest that, fungal infections may negatively affect the seed viability and vigour. For the first time, the incidence of seed-borne fungi in stored sunflower seeds have been determined in Tanzania.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial disease, influenced by dietary and environmental factors that can modify the intestinal microbiota. The aim was to evaluate changes in composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota, associated with carbohydrate (CH) consumption in T2DM patients. Forty patients participated, with and without T2DM. Feces samples were collected for the characterization of microbial diversity from the massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Carbohydrate consumption was quantified from the FCF, the groups were categorized according to BMI and BMI + CH consumption. The group without T2DM showed normal biochemical and anthropometric parameters, although it had high carbohydrate consumption compared to the group with T2DM. At the Phylum level, there were differences in relative abundance, Control overweight group (CL–OW&gt;CH) and T2DM-Normal Weight &gt; CH patients, had increased Bacteroides and decreased Firmicutes. In contrast, CL–OW&gt;CH and T2DM-OW&lt;CH, showed reduced Bacteroidetes and elevated Firmicutes amount. At the genus level, the differences were in the relative abundance of Roseburia, Clostridium_IV, Prevotella, and Sporobacter, associated with the consumption of carbohydrate. The groups that consumed high amounts of carbohydrates, regardless of whether they had diabetes mellitus and overweight, had a significantly reduced proportion of Faecalibacterium, an altered proportion of Bacteroides. The high consumption of carbohydrate showed considerable modifications in the composition and diversity of the bacterial communities.

Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes are closely related. They are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Obesity is the most important risk factor for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by insulin resistance and elevated blood glucose levels, among other conditions. These disorders contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, which can exacerbate other metabolic disorders. Numerous studies indicate that diet and nutrients can have a major impact on preventing and treating these conditions. One such ingredient is lycopene. It exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can affect metabolic processes in the body. According to the research presented, lycopene supplementation may have significant potential in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is recognized as one of the most potent neurotoxins, with a lethal dose as low as 2 ng/kg, but it has also demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in controlled doses. Produced by the gram-positive anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, BoNT exists in eight distinct serotypes (A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F, and G) that disrupt neuronal transmission by targeting the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) complex at the neuromuscular junction, inhibiting the release of acetylcholine and inducing flaccid paralysis. While BoNT is notorious for its toxicity, it has been repurposed for medical use across various clinical indications. Following their approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these toxins have been associated with significant improvements in patient outcomes, particularly for individuals with specific neuromuscular disorders such as spasticity, dystonia, and cerebral palsy, as well as non-neuromuscular conditions like hyperhidrosis and cosmetic concerns. This broad spectrum of therapeutic applications that botulinum neurotoxins offer has made them an integral part of contemporary healthcare. Considering their growing importance, a detailed evaluation of their pharmacological properties, available formulations, and clinical uses is crucial. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of BoNT's molecular structure, mechanism of action, and therapeutic applications, with a particular emphasis on the most widely used BoNT-A formulations: OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox), AbobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport), and IncobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin). We examine their clinical efficacy, safety profiles, and differences in pharmacological properties to guide healthcare providers in selecting the most appropriate treatment for various conditions. Additionally, the review explores the challenges of BoNT therapy, such as immunogenicity and dosing considerations, while highlighting its evolving role in neurorehabilitation and conservative treatment strategies.

Porcine circovirus-associated diseases, caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), are widespread and result in significant economic losses to the global swine industry. It is generally believed that PCV2 can be divided into nine genotypes (PCV2a to PCV2i), with the dominant being the PCV2d genotype. In this study, 2675 samples from pig farms in 13 cities in Jiangsu Province, China, were collected between 2014 and 2021 and subjected to polymerase chain reaction analysis to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of PCV2. The results showed that 41.42% (1108/2675) of samples tested positive for PCV2. The researchers further analyzed the genetic characteristics of 251 PCV2 strains and found that they belonged to the following four genotypes: PCV2a, PCV2b, PCV2d, and PCV2i. The dominant genotype was PCV2d, with a prevalence of 49.80% (125/251). The detection rate of PCV2b was significantly higher than those of PCV2a and PCV2i, at 35.46% (89/251), 7.57% (19/251), and 7.17% (18/251), respectively. We have further revealed the fingerprint of PCV2i genomic nucleotides for the first time. In conclusion, this study illustrates the high prevalence and evolutionary features of PCV2 in Jiangsu Province over the past few years.

More than half of the states in the U.S. report that over 30% of adults are obese. Obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and can even reduce one’s lifespan. Similarly, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes follows a comparable trend. As a result, researchers are striving to find solutions to reduce obesity rates, with a particular focus on gut health, which has been previously linked to both obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies suggest that Akkermansia muciniphila(AKK) may have a positive probiotic effect on preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes and obesity. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 15 qualified animal studies investigating the effects of AKK administration as a probiotic. The statistical analyses showed that AKK administration significantly reduced body weight gain by 10.4% and fasting blood glucose by 21.2%, while also significantly improving glucose tolerance by 22.1% and increasing blood insulin levels by 26.9%. However, our analysis revealed substantial heterogeneity between the control and experimental groups across all subgroups. Overall, AKK appears to be effective at reducing the onset of type 2 diabetes and diet-induced obesity. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these beneficial effects, as the current animal studies were of short duration (less than 20 weeks).

Background: Parity and vaginal delivery may contribute to female urinary incontinence prev-alence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of parity and type of child delivery on pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS). Material and Methods: 140 healthy women were prospectively evaluated and distributed into 4 groups: G1 (n=34) 30-40 years old; G2 (n=38) 41-50; G3 (n=35) 51-60 and G4 (n=33) over 60. De-mographic data, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained using a clinical questionnaire. Sub-jective PFMS assessments were performed using transvaginal digital palpation (TDP), and ob-jective evaluation was obtained using a portable perineometer. Results: BMI was significantly higher in G4 compared to G1. There was a positive linear rela-tionship between age and BMI. The number of pregnancies was higher in G4 compared to G2 and vaginal delivery was more frequent in G4 compared to G1 and G3. There was no statistical correlation among different groups in PFMS assessed either by TDP and perineometer. Like-wise, we did not observe any negative linear relationship between PFMS and parity or number of vaginal deliveries. Conclusion: Our data demonstrates that both the number of pregnancies and of vaginal deliv-eries had no impact on PFMS in continent women.

Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive effect on the health outcomes of individuals with Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however, it is still underutilised in developing countries. This study investigated diabetes-related knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward exercise and its benefits among individuals with T2DM. A total of one hundred and ninety-nine participants (male= 21.6% and female= 78.4%) with T2DM, aged between 18- 75, 43.77 (SD ±14.78) years participated in the study. A validated diabetes-related knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire, evaluated by true/false or unsure was utilised in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics analysis was used to analyze data with the significance set at p<0. The study results demonstrated significantly poor diabetes-related knowledge of exercise (p<0.001). The majority of the study participants 163 (81.90%) with T2DM did not know that physical activity and exercise are different. Regarding the attitude of the individuals with T2DM, 158 (70.40%) of the study participants felt that their regular work was an adequate substitution for exercise. More than 50% of the study participants demonstrated a positive practice towards exercise and its benefits towards T2DM (p<0.001). The study revealed that participants’ knowledge and attitudes were poor towards exercise and its benefits, but their practice was good.

The purpose of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the latest literature on bariatric and metabolic surgery for diabetes mellitus type II and obesity (diabesity) and to discuss its implications for future research and clinical practice.

Rural landscapes are acknowledged for their potential to restore human health due to their natural characteristics. However, few studies have systematically analysed the impact of naturalness, landscape types, and combinations of landscape elements on restorativeness using both subjective and objective measurements. This study investigated the restorative effects of various rural landscapes in Guangzhou, employing electroencephalography and eye-tracking technologies to record physiological responses and using the Restorative Components Scale and the Perceived Restorativeness and Naturalness Scale to evaluate psychological responses. The results indicated the following: (1) There was a significant positive correlation between perceived naturalness and restorativeness, surpassing the impact of actual naturalness. (2) Different landscape types had a varying impact on mental health at the equal perceived naturalness. Natural forest landscapes and artificial forest landscapes exhibited the most substantial restorative effects among the natural and semi-natural landscapes examined, respectively, while settlement landscapes showed the highest restorative potential among the artificial landscapes. (3) Restorative properties varied across landscape elements, with identical elements yielding different benefits in different environments. Trees and water significantly enhanced restorativeness, whereas constructed elements such as roads and infrastructure reduced it. This study provides a scientific basis for restorative rural landscape design to enhance mental health and well-being.

To achieve n-type doping in diamond, extensive investigations employing first principles have been conducted on various models of phosphorus doping and boron-phosphorus co-doping. The primary focus of this study is to comprehensively analyze the formation energy, band structure, density of states, and ionization energy of these structures. It is observed that within a diamond structure solely composed of phosphorus atoms, the formation energy of an individual carbon atom is excessively high. However, the substitution of two carbon atoms leads to the conversion of diamond into a p-type semiconductor. Upon examining the P-B co-doping structure, it is revealed that the doped impurities exhibit a tendency to form more stable cluster configurations. As the separation between the freely doped atoms and the cluster impurity structure increases, the overall stability of the structure diminishes, consequently resulting in an elevation of the ionization energy. Analysis of the electronic density of states demonstrates that the electron orbit of the B atom makes negligible contributions to the impurity levels during P-B doping.