Background Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) is a dissociative anaesthetic that is sometimes used recreationally. The prevalence of N₂O use is difficult to quantify but appears to be increasing. Research on N₂O harms and application of harm reduction strategies are limited. The aim of this mixed method systematic review was to collate and synthesise the disparate body of research on recreational nitrous oxide use to inform harm reduction approaches tailored for young people. Methods To identify publications reporting recreational use of N₂O, a search of public health, psychology and social science databases was conducted. Databases included PubMed, CIHNAL, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Gray literature and Google advanced search were also used. Due to limited published literature on the recreational use of N₂O, no limit was placed on publication date or study type. A thematic synthesis extracted descriptive and analytical themes from the selected studies. Quality appraisal was conducted using the CASP Tool for Qualitative studies and the Joanna Briggs Institute case report assessment tool Results The search retrieved 407 reports. Thirty-four were included in the final analysis including sixteen case reports. The included studies were primarily concerned with raising awareness of the apparently increasing use and subsequently increasing harms of recreational N₂O use. There was limited reference to policy or legislative responses in any published studies, no suggestions for harm reduction strategies or application of service level responses. In general, individuals lack awareness of N2O related harms. Conclusion The review found three key areas that deserve further consideration including: 1) policy, 2) service delivery, and 3) harm associated with N₂O use. We recommend a top-down (policy) and bottom-up (services delivery/services users) approach to harm reduction for N₂O use which also includes further consultation and research with both groups. Future research could explore young people’s experience of N₂O use including benefits and problems to inform contextually relevant harm reduction strategies.

We propose a new binary formulation of the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP), with which we overcame the best formulation of the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) in terms of the minimum number of necessary variables. Furthermore, we present a detailed study of the constraints used and compare our model (GPS) with other frequent formulations (MTZ and native formulation). Finally, we have carried out a coherence and efficiency check of the proposed formulation by running it on a quantum annealing computer, D-Wave\_2000Q6.

Glycosylation is a complex post-translational modification that conveys functional diversity to glycoconjugates. Cell surface glycosylation mediates several biological activities such as induction of intracellular signaling pathway and pathogen recognition. Red blood cell (RBC) membrane N-glycans determine blood type and influence cell lifespan. Although several proteomic studies were carried out, glycosylation of RBC membrane proteins has not been systematically investigated. This work aims at exploring the human RBC N-glycome by high-sensitivity MALDI-MS techniques to outline a fingerprint of RBC N-glycans. To this purpose, MALDI-TOF spectra of healthy subjects harboring different blood groups were acquired. Results showed the predominant occurrence of neutral and sialylated complex N-glycans with bisected N-acetylglucosamine, core- and/or an-tennary fucosylation. In the higher mass region these species presented with multiple N-acetyllactosamine repeating units. Amongst the detected glycoforms, the presence of glycans bearing ABO(H) antigens allowed us to define a distinctive spectrum for each blood group. For the first time, advanced glycomic techniques have been applied to a comprehensive exploration of human RBC N-glycosylation, providing a new tool for the early detection of distinct glycome changes associated with disease conditions as well as to understand pathogens molecular recognition.

The production and N-glycosylation of recombinant human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a model highly glycosylated therapeutic protein, in a transgenic rice cell suspension culture treated with kifunensine, a strong α-mannosidase I inhibitor, was studied in a 5 L bioreactor. A media exchange was performed at day 7 of cultivation by removing spent sugar rich media (NB+S) and adding fresh sugar free (NB-S) media to induce the rice α-amylase 3D (RAmy3D) promoter to produce rice recombinant human BChE (rrBChE). Using a 1.25X concentrated sugar-free medium together with an 80% reduced working volume during the media exchange lead to a total active rrBChE production level of 79 ± 2 µg (g FW)^-1 or 7.5 ± 0.4 mg L^-1 in the presence of kifunensine, which is 1.5-times higher than our previous bioreactor runs using normal sugar free medium with no kifunensine treatment. Importantly, the amount of secreted active rrBChE in culture medium was enhanced in the presence of kifunensine, comprising 44% of the total active rrBChE at day 5 post-induction. Coomassie stained SDS-PAGE gel and Western blot analyses reveal different electrophoretic migration of purified rrBChE bands with and without kifunensine treatment, which is attributed to different N-glycoforms. N-Glycosylation analysis shows substantial increase of oligomannose glycans (Man5/6/7/8) in rrBChE treated with kifunensine compared to controls. However, mass transfer limitation of kifunensine is likely the major reason for incomplete inhibition of α-mannosidase I in this bioreactor study.

Halophytic plants are, by definition, well adapted to saline soils. However, even halophytes can face nutritional imbalance and accumulation of high levels of compounds such as oxalic acid (OA), and nitrate (NO₃^¯). These compounds compromise the potential nutritional health benefits associated with salt tolerant plants such as Portulaca oleracea. Thus, preventing the accumulation of non-nutritional compounds will allow plants to be grown in saline conditions as crops. To this end, two ecotypes (ET and RN) of Portulaca oleracea plants were grown under growth room conditions with two levels of salinity (0, 50 mM NaCl) and three ratios of nitrate: ammonium (0:100%; 33:66%; 25:75% NO₃^¯:NH₄⁺). The results showed that both ecotypes exposed to elevated NO₃^¯, showed severe leaf chlorosis, high levels of OA, citric acid, and malic acid, while plants of ecotype ET exposed to elevated NH₄⁺ concentrations (33% and 75%) and 50 mM NaCl displayed a marked reduction in OA content, increased total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, crude protein content, total fatty acid (TFA) and α-Linolenic acid (ALA) thus enhancing leaf quality. This opens the potential to grow high biomass, low OA P. oleracae crops. Lastly, our experiments suggest that ecotype ET copes with saline conditions and elevated NH₄⁺ through shifts in leaf metabolites.

This study aimed to investigate the airborne release of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as a result of the dry heat cooking of some meats using charcoal grilling and pan broiling methods. Three types of meat, beef sirloin, pork belly, and duck, were chosen and cooked in a temporary building using the above methods. Air samples were collected in Thermosorb-N cartridges, which were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed for NDMA using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography–fluorescence detection, respectively. Overall, the charcoal grilling method showed higher average NDMA concentrations than the pan broiling method for all types of meat. The highest average concentration was observed for charcoal-grilled beef sirloin (410 ng/m3) followed by pork belly, suggesting that meat protein content and cooking duration are important determinants of NDMA formation. Cancer risk assessment showed that the charcoal grilling of such meats can pose an additional cancer risk for restaurant customers.

Metal oxide p-n heterojunction nanofibers (NFs) are among the most promising approaches to enhancing the efficiency of gas sensors. In this paper, we report the preparation of a series of p-NiO-loaded n-ZnO NFs, namely (1 − x) ZnO-xNiO (x = 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1 wt%), for hydrogen gas sensing experiments. Samples were prepared through the electrospinning technique followed by a calcination process. The sensing experiments showed that the sample with 0.05 wt% NiO loading resulted in the highest sensing performance at an optimal sensing temperature of 200 °C. The sensing mechanism is discussed in detail and contributions of the p-n heterojunctions, metallization of ZnO and catalytic effect of NiO on the sensing enhancements of an optimized gas sensor are analyzed. This study demonstrates the possibility of fabricating high-performance H₂ sensors through the optimization of p-type metal oxide loading on the surfaces of n-type metal oxides.

Background and objectives: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), is an acute renal damage due to contrast agents. This study is conducted to determine the potential diagnostic value of hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha (HIF2-α) and to evaluate the renal protective effects of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and sildenafil in a rat CIN model. Material/Methods: This randomized, controlled, interventional animal study was conducted on Wistar rats. Totally, rats (n = 36) were randomly assigned to four groups: control (n = 9), CIN group (n = 9), CIN+NAC group (n = 9), and sildenafil (n = 9). The rat model was used to form iohexol-originated CIN. During the modelling, prophylactic treatment was performed at 24th and 48th hours. After 48 hours of the modelling; blood, urine, tissue samples were obtained for biochemical analyses. HIF-2-α levels were measured in renal tissue, serum and urine samples. Renal sections were performed in order for histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluations. Results: In the CIN model, HIF-2α levels and other biochemical parameters were significantly increased (p < 0.01). Both sildenafil and NAC, efficiently decreased the renal damage due to contrast agents (p < 0.05). Similarly, after treatment with sildenafil and NAC, HIF-2α levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The current study constructs an experimental base for the use of HIF-2α for clinical prevention and treatment of CIN. Several mechanisms may be postulated for the changes in HIF-2α levels. Besides, the increased HIF-2α levels with CIN and decreased HIF-2α levels after treatment may be used for the treatment and follow-up of patients with CIN.

Soil above a platinum-group element (PGE)-bearing horizon within the Freetown Layered Intrusion, Sierra Leone contains anomalous concentrations of n-alkanes (CnH2n+2) in the range C14 to C22 not readily attributable to an algal or lacustrine origin. Longer chain n-alkanes (C23 to C31) in the soil were derived from the breakdown of leaf litter beneath the closed canopy humid tropical forest. Spontaneous breakdown of the longer chain n-alkanes to form C14-22 n-alkanes without biogenic or abiogenic catalysts is unlikely as the n-alkanes are stable. In the Freetown soil, the catalytic properties of the PGE (Pt in particular) may lower the temperature at which oxidation of the longer chain n-alkanes can occur. Reaction between these n-alkanes and Pt species such as Pt2+(H2O)2(OH)2 and Pt4+(H2O)2(OH)4 can bend and twist the alkanes, and significantly lower the Heat of Formation. Acknowledging the possibility of microbial catalysis and the difficulty of identifying a direct organic geochemical source of the lighter n-alkanes, this paper explores the theoretical potential for abiogenic Pt species catalysis as a mechanism of breakdown of the longer n-alkanes to form C14-22 alkanes. This novel mechanism could substantiate the presence of the PGE in solution predicted by soil geochemistry and illustrate processes involving the PGE. Graphical Abstract

The appropriate concentration of vitamin D in the athlete’s body is essential for its proper functioning, especially in terms of muscular health, by enhancing recovery and oxygen consumption. Soccer players are required to perform frequent sprints and change of directions during training and competition. The aim of the present study was to establish whether the level of vitamin D (measured by 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations- 25(OH)D) in blood serum has any influence on speed (s) and change of direction (COD, s) performance. Material and methods: Twenty male soccer players from the top league in Poland participated in the study. All subjects' were evaluated for the serum concentration of 25(OH)D at the beginning of the preseason. . The linear sprint test was performed at 5m and 30m and COD (time and deficit), was evaluated at 30m at the beginning and after 6 weeks of preparatory period. Results: The results revealed that 50% of soccer players had an insufficient level or a deficit of 25(OH)D (≤ 30 ng/ml), with 20% having a significant deficiency of 30 ng/ml).There were no statistically significant correlations between the training effect for the variables ∆5m (before - after) and ∆30m (before - after). Statistically significant positive correlations were found between the training effect for the variables ∆COD (before - after) (R=0.62/p=0.003) and ∆deficit (before-after) (R=0.47/p=0.039). With a higher concentration of vitamin D in the blood, the training effect for COD and the deficit increased, which was visible in the faster performance of the COD test. No statistically significant differences were found for the mean values of the variables ∆5m (before - after) and ∆30m (before - after) in the group of subjects whose 25(OH)D concentration was 30mg /ml. Significant differences were noticed for the variables ∆COD (m=0.60 [s]) and ∆deficit (m=0.56[s]) in the group of subjects whose 25(OH)D concentration was 30mg /ml. The training effect was significantly higher for the group of subjects whose 25(OH)D concentration was above 30 mg/ml, which was observed by the faster performance of the COD test in this group of subjects. Conclusions: The serum concentration of vitamin D affects training adaptations of muscles. A lower concentration of Vitamin D seems to have a detrimental effect on the change of direction performance. Soccer players whose blood serum 25(OH)D concentrations were >30mg/ml achieved better results in the applied fitness tests.

A relativistic positioning system is a set of four emitters broadcasting their proper times by means of light signals. The four emitter times received at an event constitute the emission coordinates of the event. Covariant quantities associated with relativistic positioning systems are analysed relatively to an observer in Minkowski space-time by splitting them in their relative space-like and time-like components. The location of a user in inertial coordinates from a standard set of emission data (emitted times and satellite trajectories) is solved in the underlying 3+1 formalism. The analytical location solution obtained by Kleusberg for the GPS system is recovered and interpreted in a Minkowskian context.

. Protein cysteine S-glycosylation is a relatively rare and less well characterized post-translational modification (PTM). Creating reliable model proteins that carry this modification is challenging. The lack of available model or natural S-glycosylated proteins significantly hampers the development of MS-based methodologies for detecting protein cysteine S-glycosylation in real-world proteomic studies. There is also limited MS-sequencing data describing easier to create synthetic S-glycopeptides. Here, we present the results of an in-depth manual analysis of automatically annotated CID/HCD spectra for model S-glucopeptides. The CID spectra show a long series of y/b-fragment ions with retained S-glucosylation, regardless of the dominant m/z signals corresponding to neutral loss of 1,2-anhydroglucose from the precursor ions. In addition, the spectra show signals manifesting glucosyl transfer from the cysteine position onto Lys, Arg side chains, and a peptide N-terminus. Other spectral evidence indicates that the N-glucosylated initial products of transfer are converted into N-furanosylated (i.e., glycated) structures due to Amadori rearrangement. We discuss the peculiar transfer of the glucose oxocarbenium ion (Glc+) to positively charged guanidinium residue (ArgH+) and propose a mechanism for the gas-phase Amadori rearrangement involving a hydride ion shift.

Recent studies have shown that the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) of the brain is essentially involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), influencing its symptoms by regulating the level of endogenous cannabinoids and altering the activation of cannabinoid receptors (CBR). Therefore, modulation of ECS with new drugs developed for this purpose may prove to be a promising strategy in the treatment of PD. However, fine regulation of ECS is quite a challenge due to the functional diversity of CBR in the basal ganglia. Our review analyses the effects of ECS modulators on experimental PD models and in patients with PD, as well as presents the outlooks for the development of new cannabinoid drugs for the treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms in PD.

Objective: To explore motivation to exercise, support, and self-management needs among people with Parkinson’s (PwP), family-members and physiotherapists. Methods: Purposeful and maximum difference sampling methods (age, sex, geographical setting, and disease severity) were employed. PwP and family-members were recruited through physiotherapy services and local support groups. Semi-structured interviews with 12 PwP, focus groups with four family-members, and five physiotherapists were conducted. Interview guides were informed by patient-public input, and a recent systematic review. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Four common themes emerged: 1) The value of an intrinsic connection with exercise: but there are challenges. A greater connection to exercise led to long-term compliance. 2) Tailoring exercise is essential. Preferred exercises and environments were mixed, with differences emerging between sexes. 3) Physiotherapists’ aim to only maintain physical function led to frustration. Limited self-management opportunities, stigma and dehumanisation were discussed. 4) Non-motor symptoms, stigma, fear, and determination. Apathy, pain, and low mood were discussed. Conclusion: Exercise provided physical, emotional, and social rewards. Supports are necessary; however, challenges arise when PwP’s motivation are mismatched to family-members’ and physiotherapists’ goals. Co-created goals, tailored to their preferences, and exercise plans with supported self-management are recommended.

Defining integrals over volume element in curved spacetime together with the mass and energy densities within that region of spacetime is apparently equivalent to the given energy and mass of that body or particle. With this in mind equations involving energies and mass can be rewritten in terms of their densities and the integral over the volume element. The idea find its place in the Hamiltonian formulations, and can be carried over into quantum mechanical frameworks systematically accounting for the effect of spacetime volume structures and gravity on dynamics of quantum systems. This article briefly explores this concept and runs through various frameworks and equations relevant to this idea, particularly the schrodinger-Newton equation and discusses the cosmological constant as a vacuum energy density.

Ecuador is an important center of biodiversity of the plant family Amaryllidaceae, specially the subfamily Amaryllidoideae, known as a source of important bioactive molecules. The aim of this study was to assess the chemical and biological potential of four different species of Amaryllidoideae collected in Ecuador: Urceolina formosa, Urceolina ruthiana, Clinanthus incarnatus, and Stenomesson aurantiacum. Sixteen alkaloids were identified in the bulb extract of these species by GC-MS, which the extract of S. aurantiacum exhibiting the greatest structural diversity. The potential of these three genera against Alzheimer’s disease was evaluated by measuring their AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity, revealing that C. incarnatus and U. formosa (from Sucumbíos province) showed the best results with IC50 values of 1.73 ± 0.25 and 30.56 ± 1.56 g·ml-1, respectively. Molecular dynamic assays were conducted to elucidate the possible interactions that occurs among 2-hydroxyanhydrolycorine and AChE enzyme, suggesting some similarity with those observed for galanthamine. This study enhances our understanding of the biodiversity of Amaryllidoideae species from Ecuador, highlighting their potential as a source of chemical compounds with pharmaceutical potential.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) presents a significant challenge in the wake of its multifaceted nature, characterized by cognitive decline, memory impairment, and neuroinflammation. Despite extensive research, effective pharmacological interventions remain elusive, prompting exploration into non-pharmacological approaches. Microcurrent therapy (MC), utilizing imperceptible currents, has emerged as a potent clinical protocol. While previous studies have focused on its therapeutic effects, this study investigates its impact on neuronal damage and neuroinflammation in an AD mouse model, specifically addressing potential side effects. Utilizing 5xFAD transgenic mice, we examined the effects of MC therapy on neuronal integrity and inflammation. Our findings suggest that MC therapy attenuates memory impairment and reduces neurodegeneration, as evidenced by improved performance in memory tests and preservation of neuronal structure. Additionally, MC therapy significantly decreases amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque deposition and inhibits apoptosis, indicating its potential to mitigate AD pathology. Our study discovered that MC therapy effectively reduces glial activation by inhibiting the TLR4-MyD88-NFκB pathway, consequently leading to decreased levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, thus implicating TLR4 in neurodegenerative disease-related neuroinflammation. Furthermore, while our study did not observe significant adverse effects, further clinical trial into potential side effects and neuroinflammatory responses associated with MC therapy is warranted.

In Mexico viticulture represents the second source of employment in the agricultural area after the fruit and vegetable sector. In developed countries, remote sensing is widely used for vineyard monitoring, however, this tool is barely used in developing countries of Iberoamerica. In this re-search, our overall objective is to characterize two vineyards in the state of Queretaro (Mexico) using Sentinel-2 and meteorological data, specifically spectral and thermal indices. Results showed that spectral indices obtained from Sentinel-2 bands have characterized adequately the phenolog-ical evolution of the different varieties of the vineyards. The Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) was adequately used to discriminate the first stages of vineyards, while the Nor-malized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was useful to monitor vineyards during the rest stages of vineyards. Thermal indices have shown that the best grape varieties were those that can adapt to both cooler and warmer temperatures, have a reasonable ripening period, and can produce wines with balanced acidity and flavors. In conclusion, the combination of meteorological (including thermal indices) and remote sensing data (NDVI and MSAVI) provide information for choosing the suitable grape variety for this region.

Entropy as a mathematical concept is the first of its own kind, and second to none. Barely one or two papers in literature have investigated fractal dimensions of very basic entropies, such as Shannon, Tsallis, and Rényi entropic expressions. This was a thoughtful inspiration to delve into a step forward towards a unified information- theoretic fractal theory. The storytelling of this current paper starts by introducing my third entropy formula, namely Ismail’s entropy, , as a novel generalization to Shannonian entropy with a visionary link to both long- and short-range interactions, (LRIs), (SRIs) respectively. Clearly, this would generate a fourfold unification with statistical mechanics as well as contemporary physics. Hence, this adds more credibility and weight for this study. The fractal dimension of , is identified in this paper. As an essential part of this work, it was influential to spotlight the importance of fractal geometry to space industry as well as education, which is crucial to develop our societies. Thus, some potential fractal applications to CubeSat Technologies and Education are highlighted. So, will the deep search for more ground-breaking research has come to an end. Certainly, not. This was another inspiration to propose new open problems to widen research gates to the scientific community for more research pathways. Consequently, the paper ends with closing remarks combined with some challenging open problems and the next phase of research.

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

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of corona-virus disease 19 (COVID-19) and employs angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the recep-tor. Although the expression of ACE2 is crucial for cellular entry, we found that the interaction of ACE2 with the Spike (S) protein in the same cells led to its downregulation through degradation in the lysosomal compartment via the endocytic pathway. Interestingly, the ability of the S protein from previous variants of concern (VOCs) to downregulate ACE2 was variant-dependent and correlated with disease severity. The S protein from the Omicron variant, associated with milder disease, exhibited a lower capacity to downregulate ACE2 than that of the Delta variant, which is linked to a higher risk of hospitalization. Chimeric studies between the S proteins from the Delta and Omicron variants revealed that both the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and S2 subunit played crucial roles in the reduced ACE2 downregulation activity observed in the Omicron var-iant. In contrast, three mutations (L452R/P681R/D950N) located in the RBD, S1/S2 cleavage site, and HR1 domain were identified as essential for the higher ACE2 downregulation activity ob-served in the Delta variant than that in the other VOCs. Our results suggested that dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system due to the ACE2 downregulation activity of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 may play a key role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) are commensal on human body surfaces and for years, they were not considered a cause of bloodstream infection and were often regardered as contamination. However, the association of CoNS with nosocomial infection is increasingly recognized. The insertion of cannulas and intravascular catheters represents the first source of CoNS entry into the bloodstream, causing bacteremia and sepsis. They owe their pathogenic power to their ability to produce biofilms on surfaces, such as medical devices. In this study, we evaluate the adhesive capacity of CoNS isolated from blood cultures by comparing spectrophotometric phenotypic assay with genotypic analysis based on the evidence of the ica operon. We retrospectively reviewed the database of CoNS isolated from blood cultures, that were considered to be responsible for 361 bloodstream infections. Among them, we selected 89 ones who had full records. Our data show that S. epidermidis was the predominant species isolated, and with greater adhesive capacities, especially those with the complete operon. Knowing the adhesive capabilities of a microorganism responsible for sepsis can be useful in implementing appropriate corrective and preventive measures, as conventional antibiotic therapy cannot effectively eradicate biofilms.

Staphylococcus aureus are commensal bacteria present on skin and mucosae in both humans and animals, but they can also be found in food, water and in various environments. They are also considered a major pathogen having a great morbidity leading to a wide range of infections. They are included in the list of most virulent and antimicrobic resistant bacterial pathogens (ESKAPE, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and faecium)) by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and S. aureus is part of the worldwide threat represented by the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The outcomes of an epidemiological investigation on 26,430 S. aureus isolates from a global public database (NPDIB; NCBI Pathogen Detection Isolate Browser) support the evidence of significant differences in the distribution of isolates and ARGs (Antimicrobial Resistance Genes) clusters among geographical areas of origin and among sources of the isolates. Moreover, the ARGs cluster patterns suggest an association between the isolates from human and animal populations. This outcome and the large diffusion of the pathogens among human and animal populations support the importance of gaining information on the epidemiology of these infections with a One Health approach.

Recently, we demonstrated the validity of anomalous numbers law, known as Newcomb-Benford´s law, at the mammalian neuromuscular transmission, considering different extracellular calcium concentrations . The present work continues to examine how alterations in extracellular solution modulate the first digit law in the context of the spontaneous release of acetylcholine from the neuromuscular junction. We investigated if the intervals of miniature potentials collected at the neuromuscular junction obey the law in a hyperkalemic environment. The analysis showed that the interval between the miniature potentials at high potassium concentrations follows Newcomb-Benford´s law. Also, our data allowed us to uncover a conformity fluctuation as a function of the number of intervals of the miniature potentials. Finally, we discuss the biophysical implications of the present findings.

Polymyositis is a rare condition with an unknown etiology occurring more frequently in adult women. There is a lack of evidence on the coexistence of PM and CMV infection in a patient with Hashimoto Thyroiditis hypothyroidism. However, the increasing incidence of CMV infection and autoimmune diseases overlapping points out a relationship, while the association direction remains unclear. Case outline: A 32-year-old woman recently treated for HT hypothyroidism was admitted to the hospital two weeks after being treated for common flu by the family doctor, complaining about a worsening condition with muscle pain, weakness, frequent falls, and fatigue. The first tests showed a normalized thyroid function, with elevated values of troponin and serum creatinine kinase (KC). The immunological tests revealed the presence of a high titer of CMV IgG antibodies and raised levels of CMV DNA. Pelvis MRI images demonstrated markedly elevated signals on the STIR sequences in the pelvis, thighs, and calves, indicating active and severe multifocal myositis. The diagnosis of PM was confirmed with the muscle biopsy on day 7 of hospitalization. The patient showed significant improvements within two weeks after the medical therapy and physiotherapy.

The humoral response of the COVID-19 vaccine varies from person to person. It largely depends on prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, obtaining an adequate immune response, and leaving a trace of changing antibody concentration over time. We retrospectively analyzed five clinical cases from selected patients and employees of the oncology hospital. All mild COVID-19 convalescents received the BNT162b2-Comirnaty mRNA vaccine three or four times. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgM- and IgG-specific antibodies, as well as S-RBD antibodies, were analyzed for two years. The concentration of antibodies was assessed in the laboratory using the chemiluminescent immunoassay CLIA, MAGLUMI. Results: (1) Active autoimmune disease stabilized the level of IgG-specific antibodies after systemic mRNA vaccination for at least six months. (2) Post-vaccination IgG and S-RBD levels decreased when vaccination was performed within three months of onset. (3) The booster dose administered only increased the S-RBD antibody levels. Declining IgG-specific antibodies were observed. (4) The S-RBD IgG levels were not correlated with the SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels in the vaccinated convalescents. (5) Subsequent reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination three times released a more significant specific antibody response. Based on the collected data, we suggest that monitoring S-RBD antibodies is sensitive but not equivalent to a specific humoral response for SARS-CoV-2 IgG. We suggested that administering at least three doses of the mRNA vaccine should serve as the basis for immunization. The three-month interval may be the best alternative to an immunization schedule for non-immunocompromised people.

The relationship between Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, and palmitoylation, a post-translational lipid modification, is not well understood. In this study, we have analyzed the differential palmitome present in the cerebral cortex of PD patients compared to controls (n=4 per group) to better understand the role of protein palmitoylation in PD and the pathways altered in this disease. Data-mining of the cortical palmitome from PD patients and controls has allowed to: i) detect a set of 150 proteins with altered palmitoylation in PD subjects in comparison with controls, ii) describe the biological pathways and targets predicted to be altered by these palmitoylation changes, and iii) depict the overlap between the differential palmitome identified in our study with protein interactomes of the PD-linked proteins α-synuclein, LRRK2, DJ-1, PINK1, GBA and UCHL1. In summary, we have partially characterized the altered palmitome in the cortex of PD patients which is predicted to impact cytoskeleton, mitochondrial and fibrinogen functions, as well as cell survival. Our study points out that protein palmitoylation could have a role in the pathophysiology of PD, and that comprehensive palmitoyl-proteomics offers a powerful approach for elucidating novel cellular pathways modulated in this neurodegenerative disease.

From the hospital wastewater, a novel bacteriophage was isolated and characterized. According to characterization properties, this bacteriophage belongs to the Siphoviridae family, the maximum bacteriophage titer was recorded at 37°C and a pH of 7.2, had a 44,789 bp linear double-strand DNA genome, and within the genome sequence, there are 61 genes, all of which are encoded into proteins. Although this bacteriophage does not have any virulence factors or antimicrobial resistance genes and had specific lytic activity against some antimicrobial resistance S. aureus clinical isolates.

Abstract The present work was designed to investigate antiviral potential of novel mono and oligomeric Chitosan derivatives through in-silico approaches to find potent broad-spectrum anti-viral and promising drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 and augmentation of their mode of action. Chitosan biopolymer and its derivatives were screened virtually against spike glycoprotein and human ACE2 receptor of nCoV-19. HTCC a polymeric Chitosan has been reported to interact with the corona viral Spike (S) protein and blocks its interaction with ACE2 receptor. Better biocompatibility, structural correlations, variation in degree of decetylation and molecular weight of modified Chitosan derivatives are the key attributes for enhancement of anti-viral activity. The Chitosan derivatives constructively interact with viral S protein. N-Carboxy methyl Chitosan (NCMC) among the Chitosan derivatives displayed efficient binding affinity. NCMC, when compared to mHTCC, a monomeric Chitosan for its interaction with the S protein, RBD site and ACE2 receptor, displayed efficient binding affinity with binding energy of -7.9, -6.3 and -7.4; -6.2, -4.8 and -5.5 Kcal/mol respectively. The interaction of S protein with ACE2 and ligand mHTCC-S protein complex and NCMC-S protein complex with ACE2 was calculated through flexible docking resulted in efficient reduction of binding energy from -901.2kJ/mol to -765.06kJ/mol and-814.72kJ/mol respectively, elucidated that the binding affinity of the viral S protein for its receptor ACE2 decreases in the presence of NCMC/mHTCC. The computational study envisages the antiviral efficiency of NCMC, mHTCC and biocompatible Chitosan derivatives for the first time,as preventive intervention against Covid-19.

Critical care of neonates involves substantial usage of antibiotics and exposure to multidrug resistant (MDR) nosocomial pathogens. These pathogens are often exposed to sub-MIC doses of antibiotics which might result in a range of physiological effects. Therefore, to understand the outcome of sub-inhibitory dosage of antibiotics on Staphylococcus populations, nasal swab specimens were collected from 34 neonates admitted to the Sick Newborn Care Unit between 2017-2018, a total of 41 non-repetitive isolates were included in this study. Staphylococcus haemolyticus was the prevalent species (58.54%) with high non-susceptibility to cefotaxime (CTX) (79.16%), gentamicin (87.50%), and meropenem (54.17%). Biofilm forming abilities of S. haemolyticus isolates in the presence of sub-optimal CTX (30μg/mL), the predominantly prescribed β-lactam antibiotic, were then determined by crystal violet assays and extracellular DNA (eDNA) quantitation. CTX was found to significantly enhance biofilm production among the non-susceptible isolates (p-valueWilcoxin test- 0.000008) with increase in eDNA levels (p-valueWilcoxin test- 0.000004). Additionally, no changes in non-susceptibility were observed among populations of two MDR isolates, JNM56C1 and JNM60C2 after >500 generations of growth in the absence of antibiotic selection in vitro. These findings demonstrate that sub-MIC concentration of CTX induces biofilm formation and short-term non-exposure to antibiotics does not alter non-susceptibility among S. haemolyticus isolates.

This single-blind and cross-sectional study evaluated the role of Rho-kinase (ROCK) as a biomarker of the cardiovascular remodelling process assessed by echocardiography in competitive long-distance runners (LDR) during the training period before a marathon race. Thirty-six healthy male LDR (37.0±5.3 years; 174.0±7.0 height; BMI: 23.8±2.8; VO2-peak: 56.5±7.3 mL·kg-1·min-1) were separated into two groups according to previous training level: high-training (HT, n=16) ≥100 km·week-1 and low-training (LT, n=20) ≥70 and &lt;100 km·week-1. Also, twenty-one healthy nonactive subjects were included as a control group (CTR). A transthoracic echocardiography was performed and ROCK activity levels in circulating leukocytes were measured at rest (48-hr without exercising) the week before the race. HT group showed higher left ventricular mass index (LVMi) and left atrial volume index (LAVi) than other groups (p&lt;0.05, for both), also higher levels of ROCK activity were found in LDR (HT=6.17±1.41 vs CTR=1.64±0.66 (p&lt;0.01); vs LT=2.74±0.84; (p&lt;0.05)). In LDR a direct correlation between ROCK activity levels and LVMi (r=0.83; p&lt;0.001), and LAVi (r=0.70; p&lt;0.001) were found. In conclusion, in male competitive long-distance runners, the load of exercise implicated in marathon training is associated with ROCK activity levels and the left cardiac remodelling process assessed by echocardiography.

The most common form of mixed dementia (MixD) is constituted by abnormal protein deposits associated with Alzheimer´s disease (AD) that coexist with vascular disease. Although olfactory dysfunction is considered a clinical sign of AD-related de-mentias, little is known about the impact of this sensorial impairment in MixD at molecular level. To address this gap in knowledge, we have assessed olfactory bulb (OB) proteome-wide expression in MixD subjects (n=6) respect to neurologically intact controls (n=7). Around 9% of the quantified proteins were differentially expressed, pinpointing aberrant proteostasis involved in synaptic transmission, nucleoside monophosphate and carbohydrate metabolisms and neuron projection regeneration. In addition, net-work-driven proteomics revealed a modulation in cell-survival related pathways such as ERK, AKT and PDK1-PKC axis. Part of the differential OB protein set was not specific of MixD, being also deregulated across different tauopathies, synucleinopathies and tardopathies. However, the comparative functional analysis of OB proteome data between MixD and pure AD pathologies deciphered commonalities and differences between both related phenotypes. Finally, olfactory proteomics allowed to propose serum Prolow-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) as a candidate marker to differentiate AD from MixD phe-notypes.

Since December 2019, the worldwide spread of COVID-19 has brought the majority of the world to a standstill, affecting daily lives as well as economy. Under these conditions, it is imperative to develop a cure as soon as possible. On account of some of the adverse side effects of the existing conventional drugs, researchers all around the world are screening natural antiviral phytochemicals as potential therapeutic agents against COVID-19. This paper aims to review interactions of some specific phytochemicals with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and suggest their possible therapeutic applications. Literature search was done based on the wide array of in-silico studies conducted using broad spectrum phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. We shortlisted 26 such phytochemicals specifically targeting the S protein and its interactions with host receptors. To validate the previously published results, we also conducted molecular docking using the AutoDockVina application and identified 6 high potential phytochemicals for therapeutic use based on their binding energies. Besides this, availability of these compounds, their mode of action, toxicity data and cost-effectiveness were also taken into consideration. Our review specifically identifies 6 phytochemicals that can be used as potential treatments for COVID-19 based on their availability, toxicology results and low costs of production. However, all these compounds need to be further validated by wet lab experiments and should be approved for clinical use only after appropriate trials.

Glyceraldehyde 3–phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is a key glycolytic enzyme, which is crucial for the breakdown of glucose to provide cellular energy. Over the past decade, GAPDH has been reported to be one of the most prominent cellular targets of post-translational modifications (PTMs), which divert GAPDH towards different non-glycolytic functions. Hence, it is termed a moonlighting protein. During metabolic and oxidative stress, GAPDH is a target of different oxidative PTMs (oxPTM), e.g. sulfenylation, S-thiolation, nitrosylation and sulfhydration. These modifications alter the enzyme’s conformation, subcellular localization and regulatory interactions with downstream partners, which impact its glycolytic and non-glycolytic functions. In this review, we discuss the redox regulation of GAPDH by different redox writers, which introduce the oxPTM code on GAPDH to instruct a redox response; the GAPDH readers, which decipher the oxPTM code through regulatory interactions and coordinate cellular response via the formation of multi-enzyme signaling complexes; and the redox erasers, which are the reducing systems that regenerate the GAPDH catalytic activity. Human pathologies associated with the oxidation-induced dysregulation of GAPDH are also discussed, featuring the importance of the redox regulation of GAPDH in neurodegeneration and metabolic disorders.

Spike (S) protein of Coronaviruses help in receptor attachment and virus entry into the host cells. While S protein is required for virus entry, it is also important as an immunogen as it is the most accessible part of the virus architecture. S protein form knob like structures (viral spikes) protruding outwards in the form of homotrimers containing an S1 and S2 as monomers. Mutations in structural proteins of virus play crucial role in determining virulence and also in many instances influencing emergence of antibody escape variants and cellular tropism. In this paper we have performed in depth analyses of spike protein sequences from various parts of the world and tried to correlate the data with possible functional relevance of such mutations.

Much of the debate on Plan S seems to concentrate on how to make toll access journals open access, taking for granted that existing open access journals are Plan S compliant. We suspected this was not so, and set out to explore this using DOAJ's journal metadata. We conclude that an overwhelmingly large majority of open access journals are not Plan S compliant, and that it is small HSS publishers not charging APCs that are least compliant and will face major challenges with becoming compliant. Plan S need to give special considerations to smaller publishers and/or non-APC-based journals.

Adlay seed samples were collected from 3 adlay growing regions (Yeoncheon, Jeonnam and Eumseong regions) in Korea during 2012. Among all the samples collected, 400 seeds were tested for fungal occurrence by standard blotter and test tube agar methods and different taxonomic groups of fungal genera were detected. The most predominant fungal genera encountered were Fusarium, Phoma, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Cochliobolus and Leptosphaerulina. The occurrence of Fusarium species were 45.6% and based on the combined sequences of two protein coding genes, EF-1a, Beta-tubulin and phylogenetic analysis, 10 species were characterized as F. incarnatum (11.67%), F. kyushense (10.33%), F. fujikuroi (8.67%), F. concentricum (6.00%), F. asiaticum (5.67%), F. graminearum (1.67%), F. miscanthi (0.67%), F. polyphialidiom (0.33%), F. armeniacum (0.33%) and F. thapsinum (0.33%). The ability of these isolates to produce mycotoxins fumonisin (FUM) and zeralenone (ZEN) were tested by ELISA quantitative analysis method. The result revealed that fumonisin (FUM) was produced only by F. fujikuroi and zeralenone (ZEN) by F. asiaticum & F. graminearum. Mycotoxigenic species were then examined for their morphological characteristics to confirm their identity. Morphological observations of the species correlated well with their molecular identification and confirmed as F. asiaticum, F. fujikuroi and F. graminearum.

Gilbert's syndrome (GS) is a common hereditary condition characterized by mild increases in serum bilirubin levels due to inherited defects in bilirubin metabolism. This review, based on data from peer-reviewed articles and journals spanning from 1977 to January 2024, provides a comprehensive overview of over four decades of research on GS. Early studies primarily focused on defining the clinical and genetic characteristics of the syndrome, laying the foundation for subsequent investigations. More recent research has delved into the genetic mechanisms underlying the reduced expression of bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, which has significantly enhanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of GS. Furthermore, recent studies have shed light on the clinical implications of GS, including its association with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and mortality risk, highlighting the complex interplay between genetic factors, bilirubin metabolism, and clinical outcomes. Despite its generally benign nature, thorough research is essential to fully understand the impact of GS on patients' lives. This review emphasizes the importance of ongoing research to deepen our understanding of GS and its broader implications.

: This Systematic Review focused on the use of Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium breve in neurodegenerative diseases. The study of metabolomics has demonstrated the relationship between dysbiosis and neuronal death. The modulation of the gut microbiota in the intervention of these pathologies has become a promising area of study, showing beneficial results such as the improvement of synaptic function, the reduction of neuroinflammation, as well as the improvement of associated neuropsychiatric symptoms. Several studies have addressed the administration of Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium breve, alone, in conjunction or in combination with other strains, in the intervention of neurodegenerative diseases. This Systematic Review includes the results of 17 research articles (n=5 in humans and n=12 in animal models) and the main result was that the use of these Bifidobacterium strains, alone, in conjunction or in combination with other strains, produced improvements in neurodegenerative disease-related symptomatology and degenerative cellular processes. However, some studies shown neutral results in certain variables. These data suggest that the use of these probiotics has a neuroprotective effect that may delay the progression of the disease. This research provides relevant and updated information on the use of these Bifidobacterium strains in neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

The present study describes the preparation of a composite material consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane-poly (n-isopropylacrylamide) (TPU-PNIPAM), which was employed for the se-lective adsorption separation of alcohol/water mixed solutions for the first time. The findings revealed that TPU and PNIPAM were interconnected through interchain hydrogen bonding, resulting in exposed hydrophobic isopropyl groups while covering the hydrophilic hydrogen bond sites. Selective separation of alcohols from alcohol/water mixed solutions occurred via London dispersion forces between alkyl groups. Increasing the PNIPAM load on the TPU surface led to a decrease in available hydrogen bond sites capable of bonding with water molecules, an increase in dispersible isopropyl groups interacting with alcohol alkyl groups, and enhanced selective adsorption capacity of TPU-PNIPAM towards alcohol/water mixed solutions. Moreover, TPU-PNIPAM exhibited a characteristic fast-slow-fast-equilibrium ad-sorption curve for different initial concentrations of alcohol/water mixtures, and its selective adsorption capacity increased when temperature reached 55℃. In addition to these general trends, under identical conditions, the selective adsorption capacity of TPU-PNIPAM gradually increased by methanol < ethanol < isopropyl alcohol < propyl alcohol, thus indicating a positive correlation between selectivity performance and hydrophobicity level.

The field of fluorescence sensing, leveraging various supramolecular self-assembled architectures constructed from macrocyclic pillar[n]arenes, has seen significant advancement in recent decades. This review comprehensively discusses, for the first time, the recent innovations in the synthesis and self-assembly of pillar[n]arene-based supramolecular architectures (PSAs) containing metal coordination sites, along with their practical applications and prospects in fluorescence sensing. Integrating hydrophobic and electron-rich cavities of pillar[n]arenes into these supramolecular structures endow the entire system with self-assembly behavior and stimulus responsiveness. Employing the host–guest interaction strategy coupled with complementary coordination forces, PSAs exhibiting both intelligent and controllable properties are successfully constructed. This provides a broad horizon for advancing fluorescence sensors capable of detecting environmental pollutants. This review aims to establish a solid foundation for the future development of fluorescence sensing applications utilizing PSAs. Additionally, current challenges and future perspectives in this field are discussed.

In this paper the thermodynamic and reactivity study of light alcohol fuels was prepared, based on experimental and numerical results. We also tested the influence of water addition on fundamental properties of the combustion reactivity dynamics in closed vessels, like the maximum explosion pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise and the explosion delay time of alcohol-air mixtures. Substances that we investigated were: methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and iso-propanol. All experiments were conducted at initial conditions of 323.15 K and 1 bar in a 20 dm3 closed testing vessel. We investigated the reactivity and thermodynamic properties during the combustion of liquid fuel-air mixtures with equivalence ratios between 0.3-0.7 as well as some admixtures with water, to observe water mitigation effects. All light alcohols samples were prepared at the same initial conditions on a volumetric basis by mixing the pure components. The volumetric water content of the admixtures was varied from 10 to 60 vol%. The aim of water addition was to investigate the influence of thermodynamic properties of light alcohols and to find out to which extent a water addition may accomplish mitigation of combustion dynamics and thermodynamic reactivity.

A enantioselective tandem transformation concerning asymmetric allylic decarboxylative addition and cyclization of N-nosylimines with vinylethylene carbonates (VECs) in the presence of [Rh(C2H4)2Cl]2, chiral sulfoxide-N-olefin tridentate ligand has been developed. The reaction of VECs with various substituted N-nosylimines proceeded smoothly under mild conditions, giving highly functionalized oxazolidine frameworks in good to high yields with good to excellent enantioselectivity.

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an affective-sexual education programme among 14-15 year-old adolescents and its impact on their perception of their health. Design: This is a quantitative, descriptive and prospective quasi-experimental study, employing various cross-sections throughout the school year. It constitutes an educational promotion intervention where a health blog serves as a supplementary component to the "Health and School" programme. This phase is assessed using specific tools designed to evaluate scales. The study aims to assess the programme's effectiveness in the areas of knowledge and attitudes related to sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and affectivity. Additionally, it aims to evaluate the intervention's impact on 292 secondary school students, divided into a control group (N=144) and an intervention group (N=148). Both groups belong to the same population and have undergone affective-sexual education interventions focusing on gender and sexual diversity perspectives. The assessment considers perceptions and behaviours related to knowledge about HIV and other STDs/STIs, attitudes towards HIV, health anxiety, and AIDS phobia. Cross-sectional comparisons between the control and intervention groups are conducted at three points during the school year: longitudinal study, baseline, at month 4, and at month 9 post-intervention. Methods: Median and interquartile range, Wilcoxon test for numerical variables and Fisher's test for categorical variables were calculated according to intervention group. Results: 53% of the students reported a very good perception of health, compared to 45% with a good perception. Boys reported a good perception of health (85%) and had perceptions of their physical appearance and health (p=0.023) and (p<0.001) in the intervention group. Differences were found between perceptions of physical appearance in the control group, which was close to normal (p=0.429). In terms of level of knowledge about HIV and other STDs/STIs, the most significant difference was found in knowledge about HIV transmission, which varied between groups. Conclusions: Early affective-sex education sessions have an impact on health perception and behaviours related to knowledge about HIV and other STDs/STIs, leading to reduced anxiety in adolescents. School nurses should focus on health promotion, prevention of sex-related diseases, healthy attitudes from a gender perspective and integrated affective relationships in all their dimensions.

Inflammation is a conserved process that involve the activation of immune and non-immune cells aiming at protecting the host from bacteria, viruses, toxins and injury. However, unresolved inflammation and permanent release of pro-inflammatory mediators are responsible for the promotion of a condition called “low-grade systemic chronic inflammation”, characterized by tissue and organ damages, metabolic changes and increased susceptibility to non-communicable diseases. Several studies have demonstrated that different dietary components may influence modifiable risk factors for diverse chronic human pathologies. Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), mainly eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are well recognized anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents able to influence many aspects of the inflammatory process. The aim of this article is to review the recent literature that relates to the modulation of human disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, by n-3 PUFAs.

Ransomware attacks have risen alarmingly, with encryption techniques becoming more complex. This paper introduces a novel detection model tailored for ransomware's distinctive characteristics. The Intel PIN tool extracts Windows API invocation sequences related to file operations. These sequences are used to construct n-grams, forming feature vectors enhanced by a new Class Feature Weighting (CFW) metric to improve malware detection. Preliminary results demonstrate elevated accuracy and precision versus existing methods. The major contributions are: (1) Introducing an innovative deep learning model for few-shot ransomware classification using entropy features and transfer learning. (2) Achieving high weighted F1-score in classifying ransomware variants into families with limited training data. (3) Demonstrating the potential of entropy-based features to capture intricacies lost in image-based approaches, improving detection of new strains.

Rapid analysis and characterization of compounds by mass spectrometry may overlook trace compounds, although targeted analysis methods can significantly improve detection sensitivity, it is difficult to discover novel scaffold compounds. This study developed a strategy for discovering trace compounds in the aging process of traditional Chinese medicine based on MS fragmentation and known metabolic pathway. Specifically, we found that the characteristic component of C. reticulata 'Chachi', methyl N-methylanthranilate (MMA), fragmented in ESI-CID to produce rearrangement ion 3-hydroxyindole, which has been proven to exist in trace amounts in C. reticulata 'Chachi' comparing with the reference substance by LC-MS/MS. By combining the known metabolic pathways of 3-hydroxyindole and the possible methylation reactions that may occur during aging, 10 possible indole derivatives were untargeted predicted. These compounds were confirmed to originate from MMA by purchasing or synthesizing reference substances and all of them were detected in C. reticulata 'Chachi' through LC-MS/MS analysis, achieving trace compound analysis from untargeted to targeted. It may contribute to explain the aging mechanism of C. reticulata 'Chachi' and the strategy of CID-induced special rearrangement ion binding metabolic pathway has potential application value in discovering trace compounds.

Audio recording in classrooms is a common practice in educational research, with applications ranging from detecting classroom activities to analysing student behaviour. Previous research has employed neural networks for classroom activity detection and speaker role identification. However, these recordings are often affected by background noise that can hinder further analysis, and the literature has only sought to identify noise with general filters and not specifically designed for classrooms. Although the use of high-end microphones and environmental monitoring can mitigate this problem, these solutions can be costly and potentially disruptive to the natural classroom environment. In this context, we propose the development of a neural network model that can specifically detect and filter out background noise in classroom recordings. This model would allow the use of lower quality recordings without compromising analysis capability, thus facilitating data collection in natural educational environments and reducing the costs associated with high-end recording equipment.

Microwave absorbers with lightweight, good stability and high efficiency have attracted much attention for their applications in many contemporary fields. In this work, the 3D porous (Ni@NO-C)n/NO-C composite absorber was prepared by a wet chemistry method with Ni chains and melamine as precursors, in which NO-C (N,O-doped carbon) encapsulated Ni particles are homogenously dispersed in the 3D porous networks of NO-C in the form of (Ni@NO-C)n chains. The special microstructure of the as-prepared material is proved to be benefit for the improvement of its microwave adsorption performance. The as-synthesized (Ni@NO-C)n/NO-C composite ab-sorber exhibited an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.1 GHz and an extremely large reflection loss of -72.3 dB. The excellent microwave absorbing performances can be ascribed to the coopera-tive consequence of dielectric loss and magnetic loss along with the balance between attenuation capability and impedance match.

Bimetallic (or multimetallic) catalysis has emerged as a powerful tool in modern chemical synthesis, offering improved reaction control and versatility. This review focuses on the recent de-velopments in bimetallic sequential catalysis for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles, essential building blocks in pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. The cooperative action of two (and sometimes more) different metal catalysts enables intricate control over reaction pathways, enhancing selectivity and efficiency of N-heterocyclic compounds synthesis. By activating less reactive substrates, this multimetal catalytic strategy opens new synthetic possibilities for challenging compounds. The use of catalytic materials in bimetallic systems reduces waste and improves atom efficiency, aligning with green chemistry principles. With a diverse range of metal combinations and reaction conditions, bimetallic catalysis provides access to a broad array of N-heterocyclic compounds with various functionalities. This paper highlights the significant progress made in the past decade in this topic, emphasizing the promising potential of bimetallic catalysis in drug discovery and the fine chemical industries.

Seafood products are the main dietary source of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), which are essential for human health. However, due to the widespread use of processed fish products, the presence of these n-3 PUFAs may be subject to changes related to different processing methods. The aim of this study was to determine the fatty acid composition, with a focus on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), in different processed fish and shellfish food of EU and non-EU origin purchased in supermarkets and ethnic food shops in Messina (Italy), using gas chromatography with flame-ionization detector (GC-FID). From the fatty acid profile, the atherogenic index (AI), thrombogenicity index (TI) and flesh-lipid quality index (FLQ) were determined: 0.13-1.04 (AI), 0.31-9.84 (TI) and 0.41-29.90 (FLQ). The percentages of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids had the following ranges: 13.55-50.48%, 18.91-65.58%, 13.84-52.73%, respectively. All samples showed a good presence of PUFAs and, in particular, eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) were the main n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA).

Soil nitrogen (N) is a common limiting factor where soil N cycling is a key component of agro-ecosystems. Soil N transformation processes are largely mediated by microbes and understanding bacteria involvement in soil N cycling in agricultural systems has both agronomic and environmental importance. This 2-yr field scale study examined the abundances and spatial distributions of total bacterial community (16s RNA), bacterial involved in nitrification (amoA), and de-nitrification (narG, nirK, and nosZ) and soil physicochemical properties of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) – soybean (Glycene max L.) double cropping with 2-3 weeks of spring grazing (WGS) and without grazing (WS) and of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea (L.) Schreb.) pasture (TF) managed to near natural conditions with similar grazing. The TF had a significantly higher abundance of 16S rRNA, amoA, narG, nirK, and nosZ genes than the WS and WGS, which had similar levels between themselves. Soil organic matter (OM) and soil pH had a stronger effect on the N-cycling bacteria gene abundance. All bacterial gene concentrations and soil pH showed non-random distribution patterns with 141-186 m range autocorrelation. These results indicate that biological N transformation processes are more important in natural agricultural systems and the abundance of N-cycling bacteria can be manipulated by field scale management strategies.

Differences in the physical and chemical properties of reclaimed water (RW) and natural surface water (SW) lead to the differences in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus release when pipeline sediments enter these water bodies. The nitrogen and phosphorus release kinetics from pipe sediments with different particle sizes have been investigated. The results demonstrated that both SW and RW had a pH buffering effect after sediment addition, and the final pH (approximately 8.1) of RW was lower. The release of total phosphorus (TP) and ammonia nitrogen ( NH₄⁺-N) fitted the first-order kinetic model where the release of TP reached equilibrium; TP release was inhibited in both SW and RW, where RW exhibited the lowest (by a factor of 1.23~2.44) release (0.002 mg/g). The release of NH4+-N was promoted in both SW and RW; the maximum release in RW was 0.0188 mg/g. The amounts of NH₄⁺-N released in SW and RW were 1.02-1.40 and 1.30-1.80 times that of the control group (CG), respectively. The percentage of TP and NH₄⁺-N release in the three groups was highest in 75-154 μm pipe sediment, reaching 34.53% and 43.51% in SW and RW, respectively. These results can assist in the development of water quality evolution models for specific urban scenarios, and provide important guidance for the precise regulation of recharge water quality during and after rainfall.

The development of antimicrobial resistance to conventional antibiotics is a major global health challenge. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria have been named one of the most urgent global health threats. Considerable efforts are devoted to developing new antibiotic drugs and investigating the mechanism of antibiotic resistance. Recently, Anti-Microbial Peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a new platform for the target and design of novel drug resistant anti-microbial agents promising a new therapeutic strategy. AMPs are rapid, potent, possess an unusually broad spectrum of activity, and have shown efficacy as topical agents. Unlike traditional therapeutics that interfere with essential bacterial enzymes, AMPs interact with microbial membranes through electrostatic interactions and physically damage cell integrity. However, naturally occurring AMPs have limited selectivity and modest efficacy. Therefore, recent efforts have focused on the development of synthetic AMP analogs as suitable drug targets. This work explores the development of novel antimicrobial agents which mimic the structure of graft-copolymers and mirror the mode of action of an AMP. Chitosan-graft-polypeptide side chains are synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides of L-lysine and L-leucine initiated from the functional groups of chitosan. The derivatives with random- and block-copolymer side chains are explored as drug targets. These graft copolymer systems exhibit activity against clinically significant pathogens and disrupt biofilm formation. This work highlights the potential of chitosan-graft-polypeptide structures in biomedical applications.

The cytosolic PNGase (peptide:N-glycanase; Png1 in yeast; NGLY1/Ngly1 in human/mice), also known as peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)-asparagine ami-dase, is a well-conserved deglycosylation enzyme (EC 3.5.1.52) which catalyzes the non-lysosomal hydrolysis of an N(4)-(acetyl-β-D-glucosaminyl) asparagine residue into N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminylamine and a peptide containing an aspartate residue. This enzyme (NGLY1) plays essential roles in clearance of misfolded or unassembled gly-coproteins through a process named ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Accumulating evidence also points out that NGLY1 deficiency can cause an autosomal recessive hu-man genetic disorder associated with abnormal development and congenital disorder of deglycosylation. In addition, the loss of NGLY1 can affect multiple cellular pathways, including but not limited to NFE2L1 pathway, Creb1/Atf1-AQP pathway, BMP path-way, AMPK pathway, and SLC12A2 ion transporter, which might be the underlying reasons for a constellation of clinical phenotypes of NGLY1 deficiency. The current comprehensive review indeed uncovers the detailed NGLY1’s structure and its im-portant roles for participation in ERAD, involvement in CDDG and potential treatment for NGLY1 deficiency.

Surface modification of polypropylene (PP) films is achieved using gamma-irradiation-induced grafting to proffer with antimicrobial activity. The copolymer was obtained through a versatile two-step route; pristine PP is exposed to gamma rays and grafted using methyl methacrylate (MMA), then N-vinylimidazole (NVI) is grafted onto the copolymer PP-g-MMA by simultaneous irradiation. The characterization included Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and physicochemical analysis of swelling and contact angle. The copolymer (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI was loaded with vancomycin, and the drug released was quantified by UV-vis spectrophotometry at different pH. The surface of (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI exhibited pH-responsiveness and moderate hydrophilicity, suitable properties for controlled drug release.

In our tactic to construct bio-active molecules, a series of novel pyrimido[2,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-3,4-diones based heterocycles, were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial impacts. The exploratory bioassay results declared that, the majority of the evaluated compounds exhibited considerable anti-microbial activity comparable to the reference drugs. Conjugates 15j, 15f, 15i, 15h, 15g and 15a were found to be the most potent antibacterial, indicating that conjugates bearing electron-attracting substituents exhibited higher potency than these with electron-releasing substituents.

This study investigated the removal characteristics of N-nitrosamines and their precursors at three pilot-scale water reclamation plants. These plants applies different integrated membrane systems: (1) microfiltration (MF) / nanofiltration (NF) / RO; (2) sand filtration/three-step RO; and (3) ultrafiltration (UF) / NF and UF / RO. Variable removal of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by the RO membrane processes could be attributable to membrane fouling and feed water temperature. The effect of membrane fouling on N-nitrosamines removal was extensively evaluated at one of the plants by conducting one month of operation and chemical cleaning of the RO membrane element. Membrane fouling enhanced N-nitrosamines removal by the pilot-scale RO membrane process. This finding contributes to better understanding of variable removal of NDMA by RO membrane processes. This study also investigated the removal characteristics of N-nitrosamines precursors. The NF and RO membrane processes greatly reduced NDMA formation potential (FP), but the UF process had little effect. The contributions of MF, NF, and RO membrane processes for reducing FPs of NDMA, N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) were different, suggesting different size distributions of their precursors.

Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A protein (CagA) has been associated with the increase in virulence and risk of cancer. It has been demonstrated that CagA's translocation is dependent on its interaction with phosphatidylserine. We evaluated the variability of the N-terminal CagA in 127 sequences reported in NCBI, by referring to molecular interaction forces with the Phosphatidylserine and the docking of 3 mutations chosen from variations in specific positions. The major sites of conservation of the residues involved in CagA-Phosphatidylserine interaction were 617, 621 and 626 which had no amino acid variation. Position 636 had the lowest conservation score, so mutations in this position were evaluated to observe the differences in intermolecular forces of the CagA-Phosphatidylserine complex. We evaluated the docking of 3 mutations: K636A, K636R and K636N. The models of the crystal and mutations presented a ΔG of −8.919907, −8.665261, −8.701923, −8.515097 Kcal/mol, respectively, while mutations K636A, K636R, K636N and the crystal structure presented 0, 3, 4 and 1 H-bonds, respectively. Likewise, the bulk effect of the ΔG and amount of H-bonds was estimated in all of the docking models. The type of mutation affected both the ΔG (χ²(1) = 93.82, p-value < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶) and the H-bonds (χ²(1) = 91.93, p-value < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶). In all the data, 76.9% of the strains that exhibit the K636N mutation produced a severe pathology. The average H-bond count diminished when comparing the mutations with the crystal structure of all the docking models, which means that other molecular forces are involved in the CagA-Phosphatidylserine complex interaction.

We demonstrate for the first time efficient mechanical to electrical energy conversion using InGaN/GaN nanowires (NWs). Using an atomic force microscope equipped with a modified Resiscope module, we analyse the piezoelectric energy generation of GaN NWs and demonstrate an important enhancement when integrating in their volume a thick In-rich InGaN insertion. The piezoelectric response of InGaN/GaN NWs can be tuned as a function of the InGaN insertion thickness and position in the NW volume. The energy harvesting is favoured by the presence of a PtSi/GaN Schottky diode which allows to efficiently collect the piezo-charges generated by InGaN/GaN NWs. Average output voltages up to 330 ± 70 mV and a maximum value of 470 mV per NW has been measured for nanostructures integrating 70 nm-thick InGaN insertion capped with a thin GaN top layer. This latter value establishes an increase of about 35% of the piezo-conversion capacity in comparison with binary p-doped GaN NWs. By considering these output signals, we estimate a maximum power density generated by one layer of dense InGaN/GaN-based NW of about 3.3 W/cm². These results settle the new state-of-the-art for piezo-generation from GaN-based NWs and offer a promising perspective for extending the performances of the piezoelectric sources.

The excessive and prolonged use of the electronic devices with digital screens may cause some serious health problems. The ocular surface problems particularly Dry Eye Syndrome may be the most common and preventable one of them. In this study, unfavourable and potentially harmful effects of digital screens on lacrimal system and tear functions were evaluated in 221 participants. Their ocular surface conditions were evaluated by Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores and their lacrimal functioning was measured by Schirmer’s test.. A reciprocal and statistically significant relationship was found between dry eye symptoms and OSDI scores. This relationship was more prominent especially in long duration use of smartphones with brighter background lights..

To protect skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV), zinc oxide (ZnO) with tannin from gallnuts was treated on cotton and polyester fabrics in this study. Before the treatments, the fabrics were dyed with shikonin and xanthophyll from Gromwell and Cape Jasmine. First, this study found that xanthophyll was more effective at preventing light fade or discoloration than shikonin. Despite the highest K/S, the untreated cotton in violet faded the most intensely when exposed to UV. The color variation of untreated polyester was narrow, with little change in L, a*, and K/S. Due to the non-photochemical xanthophyll, the yellow-dyed samples treated with ZnO/polyphenol did not vary yellowness (b*: 28.838) significantly, while the violet fabrics displayed a significant decrease in K/S and an increase in b*. The combination of ZnO and polyphenol treatment improved UV absorption at 350 to 250 nm. Cu-mordanting after ZnO/polyphenols treatment caused the violet cotton to turn reddish from blueish (negative to positive b*), with a hue change of 316° to 59° and the highest ΔE (25.90±4.34) after UV exposure. In this study, the combination of ZnO/polyphenol with Cu-mordants contributed the xanthophyll-dyed polyester to achieve a minimum ΔE and keep chroma and hue after UV exposure.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common degenerative disease which may cause blood pressure abnormalities due to autonomic dysfunction. Early morning rise of blood pressure which is called morning surge is found to be related with some cardiovascular diseases when it is exaggerated. We wanted to search the relation of Morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) and inflammation in PD. Method: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for 24 hours, fibrinogen to albumin ratio, hs-CRP are used in this retrospective study. Fifty idiopathic PD patients and 50 age and sex matched control cases were included. MBPS, it has been defined as the difference between morning BP (measured 2 hours after awakening) and the lowest night-time BP. Body mass index (BMI) is used as an independent variable. Results: Median value of MBPS for PD group (21,63) was significantly different from the control group values (18,63) (p

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is characterized by the brain deposition of senile plaques composed by amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) that increase inflammation. An endogenous peptide derived from the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, glycine-proline-glutamate (GPE) has IGF-I-sensitizing and neuroprotective actions. Here, we examined the effects of GPE on Aβ levels and hippocampal inflammation generated by the intracerebroventricular infusion of Aβ25-35 during 2 weeks (300 pmol/day) in ovariectomized rats and the signaling-related pathways and levels of Aβ-degrading enzymes associated with these GPE-related effects. GPE prevented the Aβ-induced increase in the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the reduction in activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, insulin receptor substrate-1 and Akt, as well as on interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-13 levels in the hippocampus. The functionality of somatostatin, measured as the percentage of inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity and the levels of insulin-degrading enzyme were also preserved by GPE co-treatment. These findings indicate that GPE co-administration may protect from Aβ insult by changing hippocampal cytokine content and somatostatin functionality through regulation of leptin- and IGF-I-signaling pathways that could influence the reduction in Aβ levels through modulation of levels and/or activity of Aβ proteases.

With the increasing occurrence of rotator cuff injuries every year, there is a great need for a reliable treatment option. Wharton’s Jelly contains several components that can positively impact the replacement and repair of musculoskeletal defects. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the improvement of patient-reported pain scales after applying Wharton’s Jelly (WJ) in rotator cuff defects. Eighty-seven patients with rotator cuff defects who failed at least eight weeks of conservative treatment were selected from the retrospective repository. 2cc of WJ flowable allograft was applied to the specific affected anatomy, the most common being supraspinatus tendon, biceps tendon insertion, labral tear, and subscapularis tear. No adverse reactions were reported. Statistically significant improvements were found from the initial to Day 90 in all scales. Patient satisfaction was calculated using minimal clinically important differences. No statistically significant differences were found in mean changes between gender, BMI, and age. Scanning Electron Microscopy images reveal the similarities between the collagen matrix in WJ and the rotator cuff. The significant improvement in patient outcomes coincides with current literature analyzing WJ applications with other structural defects around the body. WJ is a promising alternative for musculoskeletal defects when the standard of care fails.

Cow’s Milk (CM) is a healthy food consumed worldwide by individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, 'lactase deficient' individuals cannot digest milk's carbohydrate lactose depriving themselves of highly beneficial milk proteins like casein, lactoalbumin and lactoglobulin, due to lactose intolerance (LI), while other individuals develop cow milk allergy specifically against these proteins (CMPA). The management of these conditions is distinctly different and an inappropriate diagnosis or treatment may have significant implications for the patients, especially if they are infants or very young children, resulting in unnecessary dietary restriction or avoidable adverse reactions. Omics technologies play a pivotal role in elucidating the intricate interactions between nutrients and the human body, spanning from genetic factors to the microbiota profile and metabolites. This comprehensive approach enables the precise delineation and identification of distinct cohorts of individuals with specific dietary requirements, so that tailored nutrition strategies can be developed. This is what is called personalized nutrition or precision nutrition (PN), the area of nutrition that focuses on the effects of the nutrients over the genome, proteome and metabolome, promoting well-being and health, preventing diseases, reducing chronic disease incidence, and so increasing life expectancy. Here, we report the scientific community opinion proposing to replace the approach “one size fits all” with tailor-made nutrition programs, designed by integrating nutrigenomic data together with clinical parameters and microbiota profiles, taking into account the individual lactose tolerance threshold and needs in terms of specific nutrients intake. This customized approach could help LI patients to improve their quality of life, overcoming depression or anxiety, often resulting from the individual perception of this condition as different from a normal state.

This research proposes an algorithm to sign messages using the ElGamal asymmetric cryptosystem, called: Digital signature algorithm based on ElGamal, Diffie-Hellman protocol and the number π (DSAπ). This proposal has a high level of security like the DSA standard, in addition, execution times are reduced in relation to it. The Diffie-Hellman protocol and the number π were used in the construction of the digital signature algorithm in conjunction with the Hash-Sha-512 function. Some experiments are presented to provide evidence that the bits on the right side of the decimal point of π appear randomly, such as: a color image was constructed of a string of consecutive bits chosen at random, of the number π. Subsequently, parameters such as: entropy, correlation, discrete Fourier transform, goodness-of-fit test χ2 were evaluated. It is mentioned that an S-box 8×8 is involved in the signature. The sensitivity of the signature was measured, that is, when small changes are made to the sender’s private key, or small changes to the message. Finally, an image was constructed using the signatures of random texts, and subsequently the randomness of its pixels was obtained, to verify that there is no relationship between the different signatures.

Intrusion detection is generally carried out by matching network traffic patterns with known attack patterns or by identifying abnormal network traffic patterns. One statistical methodological approach used in intrusion detection is Statistical Process Control (SPC) by constructing a control chart. Hotelling’s T2 control chart is a multivariate control chart commonly used to monitor the mean process. The performance of the T2 chart in monitoring mean shifts can be increased if a robust estimator is utilized. Based on previous research, T2 based on the Fast-MCD estimator has good performance in monitoring low to medium outlier contaminated data. Therefore, the MRCD estimator can be used to detect intrusion. On the other hand, this research focuses on developing a bootstrap-based robust Hotelling’s T2 charts with Fast-MCD and MRCD estimators for evaluating performance in detecting intrusion on intrusion detection datasets. Based application of UNSW-NB15, the proposed chart has better performance than the conventional T2 and Fast-MCD-based T2 despite the longer execution time.

The Sidi Bou Othmane (SBO) pegmatite district is in the Central Jebilet massif, Occidental Meseta domain, Morocco. The SBO district is hosted essentially in a volcano-sedimentary series composed of the Late-Devonian Sarhlef shales. Pegmatite bodies crop out as dykes, which are oriented from N-S to E-W and are generally variably deformed with ductile and/or brittle structures with ante, syn- or post kinematic criteria. Petrographic observations of pegmatite dykes show that feldspars (i.e., albite, microcline) are the most abundant mineral phases, followed by quartz, micas, with tourmaline and accessory mineral as garnet, and zircon and secondary minerals as clinochlore, sericite, and illite. The geochemical study indicates that, according to the major pegmatite elements dykes of SBO have mainly a S-type granitic composition and are peraluminous granite with calc-alkalic affinity. The study of trace elements pointed out that SBO pegmatite formed under post-orogenic syn-collision context during the Variscan orogeny, by the partial melting of argilliferous sediment and can be ascribed to the muscovite-bearing pegmatite; moreover, they have a good potential on ceramic and contain minerals, such as feldspar, recently assessed as Critical raw materials by European Union.

The work is devoted to the development of methods for constructing asymptotic formulas as x→∞ of a fundamental system of solutions of linear differential equations generated by a symmetric two-term differential expression of odd order. The coefficients of the differential expression belong to classes of functions that allow oscillation (for example, those that do not satisfy the classical Titchmarsh-Levitan regularity conditions). As a model equation, the 5th order equation i2p(x)y′′′′′+p(x)y′′′′′+q(x)y=λy, for which various cases of behavior of the coefficients p(x),q(x), is investigated. New asymptotic formulas are obtained for the case when the function h(x)=−1+p−1/2(x)∉L1[1,∞) significantly influences the asymptotics of solutions to the equation. The case when the equation contains a nontrivial bifurcation parameter is studied.

Blood biomarkers represent a promising future for studying cognitive impairment, particularly in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), as they offer a non-invasive alternative to cerebrospinal fluid tests and have potential as population screening tools. However, the relationships between these biomarkers and specific cognitive functions, as well as their utility in predicting longitudinal cognitive decline, are not yet fully understood. This descriptive review surveys the literature from 2018 to 2023, focusing on the associations between Amyloid-β, Total Tau, Phosphorylated Tau (p-tau), Neurofilament Light (Nfl), and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) with cognition. The reviewed studies are heterogeneous, varying in design and population (mixed, cognitively impaired, or unimpaired), and show results that are sometimes conflicting. Generally, cognition positively correlates with Aβ levels, especially when evaluated through the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio. In contrast, Tau, Nfl, and GFAP levels typically show a negative correlation with cognitive performance. While p-tau measures tend to show stronger associations with cognitive functions than other biomarkers, no single blood marker has emerged as predominantly associated with a specific cognitive domain. These findings add to our understanding of the complex relationship between blood biomarkers and cognitive performance and underscore their potential utility in clinical evaluations of cognition.

It is important to develop new antibacterial drugs since the emergence of bacterial resistance to available antibiotics. Metal nanoparticles have the potential to combat antibiotic resistance and are effective antibacterial agents. Here, we demonstrate the biogenic production of zinc nanoparticles using Rhododendron arboreum stem bark. The biosynthesized ZnNPs were characterized through different analytical techniques such as UV-vis, FTIR, EDX, SEM, and XRD. Clinical isolates such as E. coli, S. aureus, and K. pneumonia were used to check the antibacterial efficacy of the biosynthesized zinc nanoparticles. The MIC and MBC values against K. pneumonia, S. aureu, and E. coli were found to be 34±0.21 and 11.71±0.47, 47±0.11 and 23.86±0.84 and 94±0.18 and 40.43±0.16 µg/mL, respectively. It dramatically decreased the integrity of the cell membrane and markedly increased the permeability of both inner and outer membranes. The green synthesized ZnNPs have good catalytic activity. It degraded 65% of methyl orange dye within 6h when the mixture was kept in direct sunlight, thus demonstrating good photodegradation potential and can be employed as a good photocatalyst. According to these results, biosynthesized zinc nanoparticles could be a potential therapy option for controlling bacterial pathogenesis and an effective photocatalyst for the elimination of hazardous water contaminants.

Perinatal stress experienced by mothers of very premature newborns may influence the mother’s milk and the infant’s intestinal microbiota. This prospective study of mothers of very preterm infants fed with mother´s own milk (MOM) was carried out in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period. Assessment of maternal stress in 45 mothers of 52 very preterm newborns using the parental stress scale (PSS:NICU) that revealed an inverse relationship between stress and MOM production in the first days of life (p=0.012). The greatest contributor to stress was the one related to the establishment of mother-child bond. Maternal stress was lower in mothers in whom the kangaroo method was established early (p=0.011) and in those with a higher educational level (p=0.032). Levels of fecal calprotectin (FC) decrease with the passage of days and were directly correlated with birthweight (p=0.044). FC levels 7 days post-delivery were lower in newborns that received postnatal antibiotics (p=0.027). High levels of maternal stress resulted in progressive decreases and increases in the proportions of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria species, respectively, over 15 days post-delivery, both in MOM and in fecal samples from premature newborns. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and appropriately managing maternal stress in neonatal units, given its marked influence on both the microbiota of maternal milk and the intestinal microbiota of premature newborns.

Currently, a wide variety of velocity profiles are used in motion control. Thus, this paper compares the energy consumption of three parabolic, trapezoidal, and S-curve profiles. We studied the case of using embedded systems since they are a powerful solution to monitor and coordinate the movement of devices and machinery in various industries combined with motion control applications. These integrated systems allow precise and efficient control of motors and actuators through control and feedback algorithms. In addition, we propose an alternative methodology for implementing motion controllers using an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) microcontroller, which computes the trajectory and the control action in real-time. We conducted an experiment using a linear plant composed of a direct current (DC) motor coupled to an endless screw where a carriage is mounted that can move mechanically along a rail a distance of 1.16m. In addition, a 4096 pulses per revolution (PPR) encoder is connected to the motor to measure position and angular velocity, which compute the distance the carriage has moved in meters. A current sensor is used to assess the energy consumption, and 40 tests for each profile were carried out to compare the energy consumption for the three-motion profiles considering cases with and without load on the carriage.

A simulation test system for the two-dimensional (2D) fuze overload loading process was designed to address the loading issues of recoil overload and centrifugal overload in fuze safety and arming (S&amp;A) devices. By incorporating centrifuge rotation energy storage, impact acceleration simulation, and equivalent centrifugal rotation simulation, a block equipped with a fuze S&amp;A device was accelerated instantly upon being impacted by a centrifuge-driven impact hammer, simulating recoil overload loading. The impact hammer was retracted instantaneously by adopting an electromagnetic brake, which resulted in the centrifugal rotation of the block around its track, to simulate the centrifugal overload loading. The dynamic equations of the simulation test system and the equations of impact hammer motions were established, whereby the rotation speed of the centrifuge and the braking force of the electromagnetic brake were calculated and selected. A dynamic model of the collision between the impact hammer and block was established using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software for simulation analysis. The acceleration curves of the recoil overload and centrifugal overload with variations in the centrifuge speed, cushion material, and buffer thickness were obtained, which verified the feasibility of the proposed loading simulation method. 2D overload loading simulation tests were performed using the developed simulation system, and the acceleration curves of the recoil overload and centrifugal overload were measured. The test results indicated that the proposed system can accomplish 2D overload loading simulations for a recoil overload of several 10000 g and centrifugal overload of several 1000 g.

A newly UHPLC-MS/MS method development and validation for S-Allyl Cysteine was used to evaluate the comparative pharmacokinetic parameters. SC PLGA NPs were developed by the emulsion solvent evaporation method. SC PLGA NPs showed their drug loading and encapsulation efficiency i.e. 5.13±0.10% and 82.36±4.01%, respectively. SC PLGA NPs showed a spherical morphology on an average size (134.8±4.61nm), PDI: 0.277±0.004, and −25.3±1.03mV zeta-potential is suitable for oral delivery. Development and validation of the UHPLC-MS/MS bioanalytical method were performed successfully for PK-parameters examinations with 1.219-minutes RT, MS (162.00/73.10), and a total run-time was 2.0-minutes. 1.0–1000.0ng/mL was a linear-range with inter & intra-day accuracy (92.55–99.40%) followed by precision (1.88–4.23%). SC PLGA NPs oral bioavailability was significantly higher (**p<0.01) as compared to SC-S treated groups (iv & oral). We found that the antimicrobial activity of SC PLGA NPs was more effective than pure S-Allyl-L-Cysteine with significant results (p<0.01) as compared to SC-S. SC PLGA NPs showed fitted physicochemical and enhanced antimicrobial properties which can be helpful for oral administration. On the basis of our observations, SC PLGA NPs suggested the highest potential for the improvement of oral bioavailability with a sustained and controlled release of S-Allyl-L-Cysteine delivery.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen and is the leading cause of infection in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The ability of P. aeruginosa to evade host responses and develop into chronic infection causes significant morbidity and mortality. Several mouse models have been developed to study chronic respiratory infections induced by P. aeruginosa, with the bead agar model being the most widely used. However, this model has several limitations, including the requirement for surgical procedures and high mortality rates. Herein, we describe novel and adapted biologically relevant models of chronic lung infection caused by P. aeruginosa. Three methods are described, a clinical isolate infection model, utilizing isolates obtained from patients with CF, an incomplete antibiotic clearance model, leading to bacterial bounce-back and the establishment of chronic infection, and an adapted water bottle chronic infection model. These models circumvent the requirement for surgical procedure and importantly, can be induced with clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa and in wild-type mice. We also demonstrate successful induction of chronic infection in the transgenic βENaC murine model of CF. We envisage that the models described will facilitate the investigations of host and microbial factors, and the efficacy of novel antimicrobials, during chronic P. aeruginosa respiratory infections.

The research is a deep study of the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which represent the market sentiments of the S & P 500 Index (SPX) over a period of 33 years. It evaluates how the two indexes perform in the stock market crash and how reliable VIX is in predicting market sentiments. The research distributes the market rally in two forms, and one is a trust rally, when investors are happy to see the market in a stable form, and investors' sentiments are positive towards the stock market. Second is a fear rally, where investors' sentiments are negative, and their outlook is bearish for various reasons. It observes the pattern of rallies, like the longest trust or fear rally, in which year and its duration. The research analyzes data to reach a meaningful conclusion and various inferences that can be drawn from the study of historical data.

Methyl Salicylate (MS), the principal constituent of Wintergreen oil (WO) was obtained from acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) by sequential transesterification-esterification reaction promoted by NbCl5for the first time. The reagents were added simultaneously, and the reaction process involved the transesterification and esterification reactions, which were accompanied by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The conversion rate via GC was 100%, and the MS yield was 94%. A cytotoxicity of 50% and 64% for cultured S. aureus and metastatic melanoma cells, respectively, was observed for a concentration of 0.6 mg/mL, whereas no cytotoxicity for non-tumor cells was observed for this concentration, and it is considered to be the optimum concentration.

In response to the new concept of the impact of total climate production factors on plant phenology, this study will verify the feasibility of simulating plant phenology and triggering thresholds based on total climatic production factors by using the phenological and meteorological observation data of S. krylovii plant from 1985 to 2018 at the Xilinhot National Climate Observatory of China Meteorological Administration. The results indicate that the total climate production factors influencing plant phenological changes can be well used for phenological simulation and its triggering thresholds. The mutation of cumulative climate production potential based on total climate production factors can effectively indicate the green-up date and the wilting date of S. krylovii plant, and their triggering thresholds depend on the parameters of climate resource change and plant biology, which are (0.085, –5.363) and (0.086, –27.620), respectively. The cumulative climate production potential based on total climate production factors can effectively indicate the heading date of S. krylovii plant, and its triggering thresholds also depends on the parameters of climate resource change and plant biology, which is (394.632，–38026.268). Furthermore, the results support the viewpoint that the climate abrupt changes determine the beginning and the ending of plant growth, while the accumulative climate resources determine the other phenological dates. This study provides new ideas for the study of plant phenology.

With the explosion of the generation, transmission and sharing of image data over the Internet and other unsecured networks, the need and significance for the development of novel image encryption algorithms is unprecedented. In this research work, we propose a novel framework for image encryption that is based on two hyperchaotic maps, utilized in conjunction with the single neuron model (SNM). The framework entails three successive stages, where in every stage, a substitution box (S-box) is applied, then XORing with an encryption key is carried out. The S-boxes and the encryption keys are generated from the numerical solutions of the hyperchaotic maps and the SNM. The performance of the proposed framework is gauged through a number of metrics, reflecting superior performance and complete asymmetry between the plain images and their encrypted versions. However, the main advantages of this work are: (1) The attained width of the key space; and (2) The achieved efficiency in software implementation. The superior key space of 2^{2551} is the result of employing the two hyperchaotic maps, while the improved efficiency, resulting in an average encryption rate of 8.54 Mbps, is the result of the utilization of the single neuron model, as well as the employment of optimized parallel processing techniques. In addition, the proposed encryption framework is shown to output encrypted images that pass the NIST SP 800 suite.

From the merge of arts and crafts towards a practice for mass production of desirability, consumption and product development in a capitalist economy of scale, design has lost its natural ability of problem comprehension and tension alleviation. The modern world needs the creativity, flexibility, and responsiveness embedded into design practices, mostly when a behavioural change, either individual or organizational, is intended. Still, the informality nature of the field is creating a gap between the study, research, and industrial design practice. Here it is presented the Biology of Creativity Model (BoC) which is a design-by-analogy method that promotes an empowered design practice through analysis of mostly biology reference texts for enhanced creativity and innovation performance in a diverse array of contexts.

Cotton is one of the most important economic crops in the world, whereas insect attacks is a prime cause of its losses on yield and quality. Despite it is important, little is known about the mechanism of cotton response to insect. In this study, we simulated insect feeding by applying insect oral secretions (OS) to wounds, and combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis to comprehensively investigate how OS from two major pest species (Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura) affect cotton defense responses. Obvious differences were observed that 12,668 and 13,379 genes differently expressed respectively in cotton after being treated with different OS when compared with wounding along. Upon the addition of OS, JA-signaling pathway were rapidly and strongly induced, however SA-biosynthesis related gens were significantly down-regulated. By constructing the co-expression gene network, we identified a hub gene which encoding a leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase may play important role in recognition and signal transduction at early stage. We also found that OS from different insect species altered abundance of flavonoid related compound with different patterns. Interestingly, Gossypol which is a well-known anti-insect compound was kept a relative low content after OS application relative to wounding which implied the existence of the suppression effects of OS to cotton defense response. This study illustrated the transcriptional and metabolic changes of cotton in responding to OS from two chewing insect species, identified potential key gene during the interaction process and finds the evidence for OS’s inhibition effects on cotton defense response.

In this paper, we introduced many new notions and new contraction named as S-weakly contraction after that we obtained the p-common best proximity point theorems for different types of contractions in the setting of complete metric spaces by using weak P_p-property and proved the uniqueness of these points. Also we presented some examples to prove the validity of our results.

The existences of the N→C dative bonds in the complexes between N-containing molecules and fullerenes have been verified both theoretically and experimentally. However, finding stable N→C dative bonds is still a highly challenging task. In this work, we investigated computationally the N→C dative bonds in the complexes formed by fullerene C60 with 1,2,5-chalcogenadiazoles, 2,1,3-benzochalcogenadiazoles and 1,2,4,5-chalcogenatriazoles, respectively. It was found that the N→C dative bonds are formed along with the formation of the N–Ch···C (Ch = S, Se, Te) chalcogen bonds. In the gas phase, from S-containing complexes through Se-containing complexes to Te-containing complexes, the intrinsic interaction energies become more and more negative, which indicates that the N–Ch···C chalcogen bonds can facilitate the formation of the N→C dative bonds. The intrinsic interaction energies are compensated by the large deformation energy of fullerene C60. The total interaction energies of Te-containing complexes are negative, while both of the total interaction energies of S-containing complexes and Se-containing complexes are positive. This means that the N→C dative bonds in the Te-containing complexes are more easily observed in experiments in comparison with those in the S-containing complexes and Se-containing complexes. This study provides a new theoretical perspective on the experimental observation of the N→C dative bonds in the complexes involving fullerenes. Further, the formation of stable N→C dative bonds in the complexes involving fullerenes can significantly change the properties of fullerenes, which will greatly simulate and expand the application range of fullerenes.

The early elongation events in transcription or translational control in the N-terminal of genes are assuming critical roles in their heterologous expression. The secretory expression of the alkaline pectin lyase APL in B. subtilis were studied to explore the effects of the N-terminal 5-7 amino acids sequences of different signal peptides on gene transcription and protein secretion in this study. The first 5 amino acid sequences of the N-terminal of the signal peptide LipA were identified to play an important role in promoting the expression of APL for the first time. Meanwhile, it also revealed that the signal peptide LipA could lead to higher secretory expression than other signal peptides not because of its sequence structure associated with secretion is stronger but because the N-terminal sequences showed greater advantages in gene transcription. At this basis, the recombinant strain structed in this work showed a new record for the highest extracellular yields (12 295 U/ml) of APL in B. subtilis which was 1.9 times higher than that expressed in the recombinant Escherichia coli strain we had reported before. The novel theories revealed in this study would assuming significance roles for improving expression of foreign proteins in or out of the cells.

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are the main class of ionotropic receptor for the ex-citatory neurotransmitter glutamate. It plays a crucial role in the permeability of Ca2+ ions and excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. Being heteromeric receptors, they are composed of sev-eral subunits, including two obligatory GluN1 subunits (eight splice variants) and regulatory GluN2 (GluN2A~D) and/or GluN3 (GluN3A~B) subunits. Widely distributed in the brain, they regulate other neurotransmission systems and are therefore involved in essential functions such as synaptic transmission, learning and memory, plasticity, excitotoxicity. The present review will discuss the physiopathological impacts of NMDAR and particularly GluN2A and GluN2B subu-nits in cognitive processes and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease). The pharmacology of different NMDAR antagonists and their po-tentialities will be presented. In particular, a focus will be given on fluoroethylnormemantine (FENM), an investigational drug with very promising developments as a tomography radiotracer for NMDARs, an anxiolytic in post-traumatic stress disorder and a neuroprotective agent in Alzheimer's disease.

The objective of this study was to analyze the mental workload using EEG and eye tracking data and classify it using machine learning algorithms. The machine learning model was developed based on the simultaneous recording of eye tracking and EEG measurements during the experimental process. The experiments involved 15 university students, consisting of 7 women and 8 men. Throughout the experiments, the researchers utilized the n-back memory task and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) subjective rating scale to assess various levels of mental workload. The findings revealed that as the task difficulty increased, there was an increase in the diameter of both the right and left pupils, the number of fixations, the number and duration of saccades, and the number and duration of blinks. Conversely, variables related to fixation duration decreased. The EEG results indicated that theta power in the prefrontal, frontal, and front central regions increased with task difficulty. Additionally, alpha power increased in the frontal regions but decreased in the temporal, parietal, and occipital regions as the task became more challenging. Furthermore, low beta power significantly decreased in almost all brain regions as the task difficulty increased. In terms of the four-class classification problem, the mental workload level can be predicted with an accuracy rate of 76.59% using 34 selected features. This study has made a significant contribution to the literature by presenting a four-class mental workload estimation model that utilizes different machine learning algorithms.

In archaea, the interaction of HerA helicase and NurA nuclease is required for 3' end resection during DNA double-stranded break repair, and its disruption results in unfaithful DNA repair. Interactions transpire by the four conserved domains, including the N-terminal HAS domain (HerA-ATP synthase), which serves as a binding site for the exonuclease NurA. As a HerA hexamer between its two subunits, the conserved C-terminal brace extension functions as an adjacent brace. DBD serves as a location for DNA binding, which causes the DNA strands to be propelled into the HerA pocket to begin unwinding. The putative pore entrance is made up of four helix coils, which provide a suitable charged surface for guiding DNA into the pore. The crystal structure of the complex HerA-NurA allows for the identification of key residues for protein-protein interaction. This allows us to predict that most archaeal HerA orthologs will be able to interact with one another. Archaeal HerA is a homo-hexameric assembly featuring a DNA-binding domain that is conserved. It also features distinctive ATP and NurA binding domains. Following the structure and sequence conservation criteria, we find one HerA ortholog in Pyrobaculum calidifontis and multiple HerA paralogs, but the role of none is established yet.Interestingly, orthologous HerA is part of an Mre11-Rad50 gene neighborhood while paralogous HerA is not, which could be misleading. As a result, it sought to describe the criteria that may be used as a possible fingerprint for identifying orthologous genes, as well as the cloning procedures and tactics that would aid in the confirmation of the HerA helicase in P. calidifontis. Their confirmation is based on PCR cloning and characterization following HerA construct creation.

The efficiency and performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are primarily influenced by ORR electrocatalysts. In recent years, atomically dispersed met-al-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts have gained significant attention due to their high active center density, high atomic utilization, and high activity. These catalysts are now considered the preferred alternative to traditional noble metal electrocatalysts. The unique properties of M-N-C catalysts are anticipated to enhance the energy conversion efficiency and lower the manufac-turing cost of the entire system, thereby facilitating the commercialization and widespread ap-plication of fuel cell technology. This article initially delves into the origin of performance and degradation mechanisms of Fe-N-C catalysts from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. Building on this foundation, the focus shifts to strategies aimed at enhancing the activity and durability of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts. These strategies encompass the use of bi-metallic atoms, atomic clusters, heteroatoms (B, S, and P), and morphology regulation to optimize catalytic active sites. The article concludes by detailing the current challenges and future pro-spects of atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalysts.

The utilization of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a photocatalyst for the treatment of wastewater has attracted significant attention in the environmental field. Herein, we have prepared a NH2-MIL-125-derived TiO2@N-doped C Visible Light Catalyst through an in-situ calcination method. The nitrogen element in the organic connector is released through calcination, simul-taneously doping into the sample, thereby enhancing its spectral response to cover the visible region. The as-prepared TiO2@N-doped C catalyst exhibited preserved cage structure even after calcination, thereby alleviating the optical shielding effect and further augmenting its photo-catalytic performance by increasing the reaction sites between the catalyst and pollutants. The calcination time of the TiO2@N-doped C-450 °C catalyst was optimized to achieve a balance be-tween the TiO2 content and nitrogen doping level, ensuring efficient degradation rates for basic fuchsin (99.7%), Rhodamine B (89.9%), and tetracycline hydrochloride (93%) within 90 minutes.

We report on recent experimental results on β decay into self-conjugate (N=Z) nuclei with mass number 58≤A≤70. Super-allowed β decays from the Jπ=0+ ground state of a Z=N+2 parent nucleus are to the isobaric analogue state, through so-called Fermi transitions, and to Jπ=1+ states, by way of Gamow–Teller (GT) transitions. The operator of the latter decay is a generator of Wigner’s SU(4) algebra and as a consequence GT transitions obey selection rules associated with this symmetry. Since SU(4) is progressively broken with increasing A, mainly as a consequence of the spin–orbit interaction, this symmetry is not relevant for the nuclei considered here. We argue, however, that the pseudo-spin–orbit splitting can be small in nuclei with 58≤A≤70, in which case nuclear states exhibit an approximate pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. To test this conjecture, GT decay strength is calculated with use of a schematic Hamiltonian with pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. Some generic features of the GT β decay due to pseudo-SU(4) symmetry are pointed out. The experimentally observed GT strength indicates a restoration of pseudo-SU(4) symmetry for A=70.

Based on the elasticity theory, this paper deals with the static analysis of a cracked double beam system in presence of a Winkler medium. The double-beam system is also supposed to be constrained at both ends by elastically flexible springs, with transverse and rotational stiffness. Using a variational formulation, the static governing equations are derived and solved by using analytical and numerical approaches. In the first approach, the closed-form solutions for the displacements functions are obtained based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. In the second approach, the Cell-Discretization Method (CDM) is performed, according to which the two beams are reduced to a set of rigid bars linked together by means of elastic constraints, where the bending stiffness of the bars is concentrated. The resulting stiffness matrix is easily deduced, and the governing equations of the static problem can be immediately solved. A comparative analysis is performed in order to verify the accuracy and validity of the proposed method. This study focuses on the effect of various parameters including the crack depth and position, boundary conditions, elastic medium and slenderness. The validity of the proposed analysis is confirmed by comparing the present results with those obtained from the other approach. In particular, the results obtained by closed-form solution and Cell-discretization method (CDM) are compared by Finite element method (FEM). Accuracy of the results has been evaluated by making comparisons with the results in literature and reported in bibliography. It is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm provides a simple and powerful tool in dealing with the static analysis of a double-beam system. Finally, some concluding remarks are made.

Japanese pepper (sansho, Zanthoxylum piperitum) contains several types of sanshools belonging to N-alkylamides. Because of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids present in their structure, sanshools are prone to oxidative deterioration, which poses problems in processing. Here, we evaluated the effects of antioxidants from the genus Zanthoxylum in preventing sanshool degradation using accelerated tests. An ethanolic extract of segment membranes of the sansho fruit pericarp was incubated at 70 °C for 7 days with different antioxidants to determine the residual amount of hydroxy-α-sanshool (HαS) in the extract. α-Tocopherol (α-Toc) showed excellent HαS-stabilizing activity at low concentrations. Among phenolic acids, we noted that the HαS-stabilizing activity increased with the number of hydroxy groups per molecule. For example, gallic acid and its derivatives exhibited excellent sanshool-stabilizing activity. Quercetin was found to be a superior HαS stabilizer compared with hesperetin and naringenin. However, the effective concentration was much higher for phenolic compounds than for α-Toc. These substances are believed to play a role in preventing the decomposition of sanshools in the pericarp of sansho. These sanshool stabilizers should be useful in the development of new beverages, foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals that take advantage of the taste and flavor of sansho.

N-Acetyl-L-glutamate kinase (NAGK) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the ornithine/arginine biosynthesis pathway in eukaryotic and bacterial oxygenic phototrophs. NAGK is the most highly conserved target of the PII signal transduction protein in Cyanobacteria and Archaeplastida (red algae and Chlorophyta). However, yet there is still much to be learnt on how NAGK is regulated in vivo. The use of unicellular green Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model system has already been instrumental in identifying several key regulation mechanisms that control nitrogen (N) metabolism. With a combination of molecular-genetic and biochemical approaches, we show the existence of the complex CrNAGK control at transcriptional level, which is dependent on N source and N availability. In growing cells, CrNAGK requires CrPII to properly sense the feedback inhibitor arginine. Moreover, we provided primary evidence that CrPII is only partly responsible for regulating CrNAGK activity to adapt to changing nutritional conditions. Collectively, our results suggest that in vivo CrNAGK is tuned at transcriptional and post-translational levels, and CrPII and additional as yet unknown factor(s) are integral parts of this regulation.

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

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a sulfhydryl-containing compound, is mainly used as a mucolytic and as an antidote for acetaminophen overdose. Flow injection and sequential injection systems were designed and optimized with the aim of providing precise, accurate and reliable flow methods for NAC determination in pharmaceuticals with very low sample and reagent consumption. Proposed methods are based on a redox reaction wherein NAC reduces a complex of Cu(II) and bathocuproine disulfonate (BCS) to orange [Cu(BCS)2]3– complex, which absorption was measured at λmax = 483 nm. The optimized FIA and SIA configuration yielded a linear calibration curve with correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.9999 and R2 = 0.9996) in the concentration range of 3.0 × 10–7 – 3.0 × 10–5 mol L–1 and analytical frequency of 120 h–1 for the FIA method and 4.0 × 10–7 – 4.0 × 10–5 mol L–1, at sampling rate 60 h–1 for the SIA method. The proposed flow methods were successfully applied for the determination of NAC in pharmaceutical products, as the results showed good agreement with the standard method prescribed by Pharmacopoeia. Recoveries were in the range from 98.4% to 101.9% for the FIA method and from 97.2% to 101.8% for the SIA method.

The chelating aluminum complex [2-(Me2NCH2)C2B10H10]AlX2 (X = Br 3, CH3 4) was synthesized using 2-dimethylaminomethyl-o-carboranyl lithium (2) with aluminum tribromide or dimethylaluminum bromide, resulting in a modest yield. Compound 4 was obtained by reacting compound 3 with CH3Li in toluene. All compounds were characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, 1H, 11B, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. X-ray structural studies of CabNAlBr2 (3) and CabNAlMe2 (4) indicated that the Al atom was located at the center of a distorted tetrahedron. Crystal structures of the CabNAlBr2 (3) [a = 8.9360(3) Å, b = 12.0358(9) Å, c = 14.7730(4) Å, α = β = γ = 90°] and the CabNAlMe2 (4) [a = 8.9551(3) Å, b = 11.9126(9) Å, c = 14.7711(4) Å, α = β = γ = 90°] were obtained. The reactivity of aluminum complexes 3 and 4 with Lewis bases, such as H2O, pyridine, alkylamines, and arylamines, confirmed their rapid decomposition.

This study aimed to investigate the possibility of using one-shot hyperspectral airborne images to recognize crops for an area with many small plots. The results showed that unsupervised clustering methods could classify crops with an accuracy of 80%, which improved to 90% when restricted to only grain crops, using a single airborne hyperspectral recording. However, additional layers such as NDVI, DTM, slope, and aspect did not improve classification accuracy. For comparison, the accuracy of clustering time series Sentinel-2 images with NDVI layers and DTM-derived data yielded an accuracy of: 74% ,Sentinel-2 time series 68% and single one registration before harvest - 39%. The results of the random forest classification were slightly less accurate due to a lack of sufficient reference data. However, it is challenging to verify the reported accuracy of crop recognition in the literature above 90% due to differences in analysis methodologies, reference data selection, pixel/object approaches, metric choice, and calculation formulas used.

We recently proposed that topological quantum computing might be based on $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ representations of the fundamental group $\pi_1(S^3\setminus K)$ for the complement of a link $K$ in the $3$-sphere. The restriction to links whose associated $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ character variety $\mathcal{V}$ contains a Fricke surface $\kappa_d=xyz -x^2-y^2-z^2+d$ is desirable due to the connection of Fricke spaces to elementary topology. Taking $K$ as the Hopf link $L2a1$, one of the three arithmetic two-bridge links [the Whitehead link $5_1^2$, the Berge link $6_2^2$, the double-eight link $6_3^2$] or the link $7_3^2$, the $\mathcal{V}$ for those links contains the reducible component $\kappa_4$, the so-called Cayley cubic. In addition, the $\mathcal{V}$ for the later two links contains the irreducible component $\kappa_3$, or $\kappa_2$, respectively. Taking $\rho$ to be a representation with character $\kappa_d$ ($d<4$), with $|x|,|y|,|z| \le 2$, then $\rho(\pi_1)$ fixes a unique point in the hyperbolic space $\mathcal{H}_3$ and is conjugate to a $SU(2)$ representation (a qubit). Even though details on the physical implementation remain open, more generally, we show that topological quantum computing may be developed from the point of view of three-bridge links, the topology of the $4$-punctured sphere and Painlev\'e VI equation. The $0$-surgery on the $3$ circles of the Borromean rings L6a4 is taken as an example.