Enteric septicemia of catfish, columnaris disease, and streptococcosis, caused by Edwardsiella ictaluri, Flavobacterium columnare, and Streptococcus iniae, respectively, are the most common bacterial diseases of economic significance for the pond-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus industry. Several management practices are used by catfish farmers to prevent large financial losses from these diseases such as the use of commercial antibiotics and other chemicals. In order to discover environmentally benign alternatives, using a rapid bioassay, we evaluated a crude extract from the roots of muscadine Vitis rotundifolia against these fish pathogenic bacteria and determined that the extract was most active against F. columnare. Subsequently, several isolated compounds from the root extract were further evaluated against F. columnare. Among these isolated compounds, (+)-hopeaphenol (2) and (+)-vitisin A (3) were found to be the most active against F. columnare, with 24-h 50% inhibition concentrations of 4.0±0.7 and 7.7±0.6 mg/L, respectively, and minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9.1±0 mg/L for each compound. Efficacy testing of 2 and 3 is necessary to further evaluate the potential for these compounds to be used as antibacterial agents for managing columnaris disease.

Predicting trip purpose from comprehensive and continuous smart card data is beneficial for transport and city planners in investigating travel behaviours and urban mobility. Here we propose a framework, ActivityNET, using machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict passengers’ trip purpose from smart card data and Points-of-Interest (POIs) data. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated in two phases. Phase I focuses on extracting activities from individuals’ daily travel patterns from smart card data and combining them with POIs using the proposed ‘activity-POIs consolidation algorithm’. Phase II feeds the extracted features into an artificial neural network (ANN) with multiple scenarios and predicts trip purpose under primary activities (home and work) and secondary activities (entertainment, eating, shopping, child drop-offs/pick-ups and part-time work) with high accuracy. As a case study, the proposed ActivityNET framework is applied in Greater London and illustrates a robust competence to predict trip purpose. The promising outcomes demonstrate that the cost-effective framework offers high predictive accuracy and valuable insights into transport planning.

(1) Background: The present study was carried out to provide new information about the relation between angiogenesis, tumor stage Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); (2) Materials and methods: Thirty formalin-fixed paraffin embedded blocks were used, 10 of them were previously diagnosed as well differentiated OSCC, 10 moderate differentiated OSCC and 10 poorly differentiated OSCC. To determine the expression of CD31 and D2-40 proteins, streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining technique was used. The areas with the most vascular density (hot spots) were determined. The stained vessels were counted independently in intratumoral and peritumoral stroma in five areas of hot spot at ×400 magnification; (3) Results: Immunohistochemical staining using CD 31 protein showed that CD31-positive vessels in the peritumoral and intratumoral stroma subjacent to the malignant invading nests which was recorded highest values in poor differentiated OSSC followed by moderate differentiated OSSC then well differentiated OSSC. D2-40 expression was positive in lymphatic vessel in the peritumoral and intratumoral stroma subjacent to the malignant invading nests. Poorly differentiated OSSC tissue sections recorded the highest vessels count followed by moderate differentiated OSSC then well differentiated OSSC. There was statistically significant difference found between the three studied groups regarding CD31 and D2-40 levels. Also there was statistically significant positive correlation found between CD31 level and D2-40 level and vice versa; (4) Conclusion: CD31 and D2-40 are related to stage of OSCC and are consistent with angiogenesis in tumor progression.

Objectives: The present study was performed to compare between two different fixation techniques and evaluate the histopathological changes which occur in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of the dogs after surgically induced unilateral subcondylar fracture. Methods: Twenty- One healthy beagle male dogs with a mean age of 30 months were used in the present study. One of these animals was sacrificed to study the normal histology of the dog TMJ. The rest of the animals (20 animals) were operated on to induce a displaced unilateral subcondylar fracture then, the animals were randomly equally divided into 2 groups. After surgery, 5 dogs of each group were sacrificed at 2 months after surgery (Short-Term), while the remaining 5 were sacrificed at 4 months after surgery (Long-Term). The heads were separated and fixed, oscillating saw was used to articulate the entire TMJ. Specimens were decalcified, then the specimens were washed, grossed and sectioned in a sagittal plane. Tissue sections of 4 um thick were cut and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin to be studied microscopically. Results: In group I animals, at 2 months after surgery, there was a marked hypertrophy of the articular fibrous covering of the condylar head, while at 4 months after surgery, the articular fibrous covering appeared thinner than normal, with marked decrease in thickness of the articular cartilage layer. In group II, at 2 months after plate insertion, the articular fibrous covering became hypertrophic, and the articular cartilage was markedly reduced but it was of a uniform thickness, while at 4 months after subcondylar fracture and plate fixation, no significant changes could be detected either in thickness or structure of the articular fibrous covering. Conclusion: Based on this study, it is obvious that the plate fixation group gave the most favorable results, when compared with maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) group.

The purpose of the current study was directed to investigate the effectiveness of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a chemopreventive agent on experimentally induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis; Material and methods: 40 Syrian male hamsters, five weeks old, were divided into 4 groups of 10 animals in each as follows, GI: Topical application of liquid paraffin alone (thrice a week for 14 weeks), GII: Topical application of 7, 12 dimethyl benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) alone (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks), GIII: Topical application of DMBA (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks) + Oral administration of DHA (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks on alternative days of DMBA application), GIV : Oral administration of DHA alone (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks); Results: Gross observations and histopathological findings revealed a-GI: normal stratified squamous epithelium b- GII: well and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) c-: GIII: showed variable results ranges from hyperkeratosis, hyperkeratosis and focal hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, and well differentiated SCC with superficial invasion of tumor cells not extended to deeper areas d: GIV: normal similar to GI. Immunohistochemical results revealed that oral DHA treatment to DMBA treated hamsters restored the normal expression of bcl-2; Conclusion: DHA has the potential to be a dietary chemopreventive agent due to its capacity to improve carcinogen detoxification and to block/suppress the initiation and promotion stages of experimentally produced HBP carcinogenesis.

We have synthesized quinoxaline analogs (1-25), characterized by 1HNMR and HREI-MS and evaluated for thymidine phosphorylase inhibition. Among the series, nineteen analogs showed better inhibition when compared with the standard inhibitor 7-Deazaxanthine (IC50 = 38.68 ± 4.42 µM). The most potent analog among the series is analog 25 with IC50 value 3.20 ± 0.10 µM. Sixteen analogs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21and 24 showed outstanding inhibition which is many folds better than the standard 7-Deazaxanthine. Two analogs 8 and 9 showed moderate inhibition. A structure- activity relationship has been established mainly based upon the substitution pattern on the phenyl ring. The binding interactions of the active compounds were confirmed through molecular docking studies.

The article presents an innovative method for synthesizing radiation patterns efficiently by 1 combining the Taguchi method and neural networks, while validating the results on a 10-element 2 antenna array. The Taguchi method aims to minimize product and process variability, while neural 3 networks are used to model the relationship between antenna design parameters and radiation 4 pattern characteristics. This approach utilizes Taguchi parameters as inputs for the neural network, 5 which is then trained on a dataset generated by the Taguchi method. After training, the network is 6 validated using a real 10-element antenna array. Analytical results demonstrate that this method 7 enables efficient synthesis of radiation patterns with a significant reduction in computation time 8 compared to traditional approaches. Furthermore, validation on the antenna array confirms the 9 accuracy and robustness of the approach, showing a high correlation between predicted performances 10 by the neural network model and actual measurements on the antenna array.In summary, our article 11 highlights that the combined use of the Taguchi method and neural networks, with validation on a 12 real antenna array, offers a promising approach for efficient synthesis of antenna radiation patterns. 13 This approach combines speed, accuracy, and reliability in antenna system design.