In order to establish the formation patterns of the Co–Mg oxide system, samples with different Co:Mg ratios and heat treatment temperatures were synthesized and studied. Study of the sam-ples confirmed the phase transition of MgxCo2–xO4 spinels into corresponding solid solutions at 800–900 °C. The similarity of formation patterns for different compositions is shown. The rock-salt oxide in low-temperature samples is an anion-modified paracrystalline phase that forms a “true” solid solution only upon spinel decomposition. TPR profiles of decomposed Co3O4 spinel show surface Co3O4 peaks and a wide peak corresponding to well-crystallized CoO, while par-tial Co3O4 TPR up to 380 °C results in dispersed and amorphous CoO. High-temperature non-stoichiometric samples are poorly reduced, indicating their low oxygen reactivity. Spinel reoxidation after heat treatment to 1100 °C by calcination at 750 °C showed complete regenera-tion for MgCo2O4–Co3O4 samples and its absence in case of an excess of MgO relative to stoi-chiometry. Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that the processes governing the formation of Co–Mg oxide systems are determined by both Co:Mg ratio and the heat treatment conditions, potentially providing the possibility of fine tuning for specific catalytic processes.

A techno-economic model was developed to investigate the influence of components on the system costs of redox flow batteries. Sensitivity analyses were carried out based on a example of a 10 kW/120 kWh vanadium redox flow battery system and the costs of the individual components were analyzed. Particular consideration was given to the influence of material costs and resistances of bipolar plates and energy storage media as well as voltages and electric currents. Based on the developed model it was possible to formulate statements about the targeted optimization of existing battery systems and general aspects for future developments of redox flow batteries.

The electrical percolation of alternating current through two-phase polyethylene/graphite composite electrodes with different contents of graphite microparticles immersed in aqueous KCl solutions has been studied. Above the graphite content of the first percolation threshold, the electrochemical impedance response of this electrode is associated with an equivalent circuit of resistance Ru in series with a constant phase element CPE. An insulator material+conductive filler model is proposed in which the electroactive surface is considered as the intersection of the percolation cluster through the solid and the cluster associated with the interfacial region. CPE is analyzed assuming a distribution of micro-capacitors of the graphite particles in contact with the dielectric solution and inside the dielectric polymeric phase.

Demand for environmentally friendly types of energy is growing all over the world, which naturally increases the intensity of work on the production of hydrogen-containing fuel mixtures. Steam reforming of methanol is one of the most effective areas of research, as it is a process with low energy consumption. The results of steam reforming of methanol on the catalysts prepared by solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and impregnation by moisture capacity are presented. Investigation of the activity of Cu-Ce-Al catalysts of different composition was carried out for production of hydrogen and comparison of SCS with traditional impregnation method. Methanol conversion reaches 99%, while the selectivity of H2 was 88%, at 500 °C. It was found that CuAl2O4 spinel formation is due to substitution of Al3+ with Cu2+ Ce3+ cations. A consequence CuAl2O4 and CeAlO3 lattice parameters increase because of difference in ionic radius of Al3+ (0.53 Å) and Cu2+ (0.73 Å), Ce3+ (1.07 Å). Advantages of SCS catalysts in steam reforming of methanol were shown. The aim of this research is to develop a new catalyst for conversion of methanol into hydrogen containing fuel mixtures, which will further promote the organization of a new era of environmentally friendly energy-saving production methods.

The current state-of-the-art does not provide a universal and rapid method of determining the state of health (SOH) of a battery or a supercapacitor without carefully examining the degradation of hundreds of full charge/discharge cycles. Lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors of different cell chemistries were studied by impedance spectroscopy during lifetime tests. Faradaic and capacitive charge storage are distinguished by the relationships between stored electric charge and capacitance. For batteries, impedance spectroscopy is best applicable in the flat region of the voltage-charge curve. An approximately linear correlation between pseudocapacitance and Ah capacity is observed as long as overcharge and deep discharge are avoided. The correct calculation of quantities related to complex impedance and differential capacitance is outlined – which may also be useful as an introductory text and tutorial for newcomers to the field. Novel diagram types are proposed for the purpose of instant performance and failure diagnosis of batteries and supercapacitors.

Two ferrocene derivatives, namely, 1,2-(tetramethylene)-ferrocene and 1,2,1’,2’-bis(tetramethylene)-ferrocene, were synthesized in a four-step reaction sequence starting from ferrocene. Friedel-Craft acylation of ferrocene with succinic anhydride gave mono- or bis(3-carboxypropinoyl)ferrocene depending on the stoichiometry of succinic anhydride. The reduction of the keto groups to methylene, followed by ring-closing using trifluoroacetic anhydride gave 1,2-(α-ketotetramethylene)-ferrocene or 1,2,1’,2’-bis(α-ketotetramethylene)ferrocene. The diastereomeric mixture of the latter diketones was separated by column chromatography, characterized by single-crystal X-ray analysis, and assigned their stereochemistry. Reduction of the keto groups to methylene under Clemmensen conditions gave homoannular mono- or bis(tetramethylene) ferrocene derivatives. The molecular structure of 1,2-(tetramethylene)-ferrocene revealed that the ipso carbon atoms of the cyclopentadienyl group are 0.023(3) Å farther away from Fe(II) compared to the remaining three carbon atoms. Both complexes exhibit lower half-wave oxidation potentials than ferrocene, possibly due to the electron-releasing effects of the tetramethylene bridges.

An electrochemical bioassay based on the rotating droplet electrochemistry by using electron transfer mediator was developed for the evaluation of a wide variety of pollutants such as antibiotics, heavy metals and pesticides in the water environment. Ferricyanide was used as electron transfer mediator for obtaining the catalytic response of Escherichia coli. The electrochemical response of E.coli was measured via hydrodynamic chronoamperometry in a microdroplet on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The constructed electrode system successfully evaluate the catalytic response of E.coli solution in presence of ferricyanide. The assay for antibiotic toxicity on E.coli was carried out. The EC50 for ampicillin, sulfamonomethoxine, chlorotetracycline, tetracycline and oxytetracycline valuated by the pre-incubation method were 0.26, 0.77, 5.25, 18.5, 19.0 µM, respectively. The toxicity order was ampicillin > sulfamonomethoxine > chlorotetracycline > tetracycline>oxytetracycline. The proposed method can be used to evaluate the antibiotic toxicities in different real sample, such as pond water, powder and raw milk. Recoveries were found in the range 90 and 99%. The developed methods do not require additional incubation time to evaluate toxicity.

Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a rapidly growing research area due to importance of VOCs in environmental pollution, human health assessment, food quality control, and homeland security. Optical sensing materials based on porphyrins are particularly appealing for VOCs detection, owing to availability of porphyrins, their exceptional optical and binding properties, as well as their photo- and chemical stability. As research and technology continue to advance, optical sensors involving these materials are expected to play an increasing role in various applications. This article presents a comprehensive overview of porphyrin-based sensing materials developed for use as optical sensors for VOCs. First, sensing films composed exclusively of porphyrin molecules are discussed followed by materials obtained by grafting or incorporation of porphyrins into organic and inorganic polymer matrices. Considering growing interest to multianalyte analysis with porphyrin-based sensor arrays, special section is devoted to this area.

A novel catechol (CA) biosensor was developed by the immobilization of tyrosinase (Tyr) onto in situ electrochemical reduction graphene (EGR) on choline functionalized gold nanoparticals (AuNPs–Ch) film. The results of UV–visible spectra indicated that Tyr retained its original structure in the film. And electrochemical investigation of the biosensor showed a pair of well–defined, quasi–reversible redox peaks with E_pa= –0.0744V and E_pc= –0.114 V (vs. SCE) in 0.1 M, pH 7.0 sodium phosphate buffered saline at the scan rate of 100 mV/s. The transfer rate constant k_s was 0.66 s^–1. The Tyr–EGR/AuNPs–Ch showed a good electrochemical catalytic response for the reduction of CA, with the linear range from 0.2 to 270 μM and a detection limit of 0.1 μM (S/N= 3). The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant was estimated to be 109 μM.

8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was the most widely used oxidative stress biomarker of the free radical-induced oxidative damage product of DNA, which may allow a premature assessment of various diseases. This paper designed a label-free, portable biosensor device to direct detect 8-OHdG by plasma coupled electrochemistry on transparent and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. We reported a flexible printed ITO electrode made from particle-free silver and carbon inks. After inkjet printing, the working electrode was sequentially assembled by gold nanotriangles (AuNTAs) and platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). This nanomaterial-modified portable biosensor showed excellent electrochemical performance for 8-OHdG detection from 10 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL by our self-developed constant voltage source integrated circuit system. This work demonstrated a portable biosensor for simultaneously integrating nanostructure, electroconductivity, and biocompatibility to construct advanced biosensors for oxidative damage biomarkers. The proposed nanomaterial modified ITO-based electrochemical portable device was a potential biosensor to approach 8-OHdG point-of-care testing (POCT) in various biological fluid samples, such as saliva and urine samples.

Recent trends concerning hydrogen as a fuel of the future and problems related to its production, storage and utilization increase the demand for efficient technologies related to these problems. A large part of such technologies is related to application of advanced materials based on various complex oxides which are used as efficient catalysts for fuel transformation into hydrogen and syngas, materials for membranes with selective permeability for hydrogen and syngas production, components of solid oxide fuel cells/electrolyzers as well as many other applications in energy, electrochemistry and catalysis. Such materials are typically based on oxides and solid solutions with perovskite and fluorite structures or their derivatives. Attention is also paid to the materials based on spinel, apatite, mayenite, sheelite, fergusonite structures. The above-mentioned materials are continuously studied in order to modify and optimize their functional properties. On the other hand, other classes of materials (weberites, monazites, etc.) are recently discovered and considered as candidate materials for the aforementioned applications due to their specific functional properties or a great potential of their improvement. In this review, some of these materials are considered.

Multifunctional coatings based on Sn-Ni materials with and without titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) incorporation were prepared using the electrochemical deposition technique at 70°C. TiO2NPs were dispersed in the electrolyte bath, and their influence on both surface texture, crystalline phase, and properties was investigated. Various techniques such as X-ray phase analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) were used to characterize the prepared coatings. The anti-corrosion effectiveness of the coatings was assessed using potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in an artificial sweat medium, while the bactericidal activity of the composite coatings (the ability to induce cell death) was evaluated in accordance with ISO 27447:2009 test. The influence of the TiO2NPs on the composition, structure and properties of the deposited coatings was established. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the anticorrosive and bactericidal properties of the coatings and their structure and composition. The synergistic effect of the various properties was investigated and discussed.

This study employed High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Diode Array De-tector and Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS) to characterize bioactive compounds in olive leaf extracts. The analysis revealed a diverse metabolic profile, predominantly composed of tyrosol, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acid. The antioxidant activity of the extracts demonstrated their efficacy, with variations observed between neutral and acidic pH conditions. Encapsulation was explored as a preservation method, successfully maintaining the integrity of phenolic compounds in both liquid and powdered forms. All four extracts have an undeniable antimicrobial effect. Moreover, the antibacterial activity tested on E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923 strains significantly improved post-encapsulation, particularly for the acidic pH extract. The findings suggest that encapsulation can potentially conserve and/or enhance the antimicrobial activity of olive leaf extract, paving the way for developing functional products with improved shelf life and nutritional properties. Further investigations are recommended to elucidate underlying mecha-nisms and optimize encapsulation processes to maximize the benefits of olive leaf extract in di-verse applications.

Materials based on platinum metals with very good catalytic activity were tested in the reduction of p–nitrophenol (pNP) to p–aminophenol (pAP). The majority of presented catalytic materials are based on the adsorption of p–nitrophenol on the surface of the catalyst simultaneously with molecular hydrogen, coming from sodium borohydride in an aqueous medium, which reduces it. In the present paper, a catalytic material based on osmium dispersed in n–decanol or n–dodecanol is presented, which also works as an emulsion membrane, for the absorption of p–nitrophenol and molecular hydrogen at the n–alcohol aqueous solution interface. The hydrogenation of p–nitrophenol is carried out in a reaction and separation column in which the acid receiving phase emulsion is dispersed in the osmium nanodispersion, in n–alcohols. This emulsion circulates from the base of the column to its upper part in co-current or counter-current with the source phase consisting of p–nitrophenol and sodium borohydride. Experiments show that the circulation of counter-current phases is superior to that in co-current, and the emulsion based on n–decanol is more efficient than the one based on n–dodecanol. The increase in the pH difference between the source and receiving phases leads to the increase in the conversion of p–nitrophenol to p–aminophenol. The efficiency of separation of the reaction product in the receiving phase is lower than the conversion at the same operating time. The apparent catalytic rate constant (kapp) of the new catalytic material based on the emulsion membrane with nanodispersion of osmium nanoparticles (0.1×10−3 for n–dodecanol and 0.9×10−3 for n-decanol) is lower by an order of magnitude compared to those based on adsorption on catalysts from platinum metal group. The advantage of the tested membrane catalytic material is that it extracts p–aminophenol in the acid receiving phase. The paper proposes a mechanism of the studied reduction system.

Water treatment is one of the most research-challenging areas, and continuously requires the development of efficient sustainable materials for catalytic total mineralization of organic compounds. Herein, Moringa oleifera biomass was converted to "black gold" biochar loaded with ZnO nanoparticles (MOFB@ZnO) by slow pyrolysis, at 500 °C under an inert atmosphere, (MOFB@ZnO). This composite catalyst was used for the total degradation of Congo Red, a model organic pollutant. SEM confirmed the uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles, while XPS and XRD indicated the presence of ZnO, primarily in the wurtzite crystalline structure. Optimization was conducted using the central composite design (CCD) method and STATISTICA 12.0 software. The composite catalyst was applied in the electrochemical degradation of Congo Red dye, using a platinum anode and a carbon felt cathode to generate H2O2 from O2 reduction. The ZnO-decorated Moringa oleifera biochar catalyst permitted to achieve of 98% removal of total organic carbon in less than 6h. It is 10-fold more efficient than pristine biochar and can be recycled up to 4 times without any significant loss. The process is highly efficient producing sustainable low-cost catalysts for water purification from organics, and contributes to sustainable chemical processes therefore addressing SDGs 6, 9, and 13.

Some glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), first used in the treat-ment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), have been approved for the treatment of obe-sity in patients with or without T2DM (liraglutide – LIR, semaglutide - SEM, and tir-zepatide - TIR). Social media had an important influence on the off-label use of GLP-1 RAs for obesity, especially for SEM. We analysed the Google queries related to SEM to assess people's interest in this drug. We also investigated the occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by searching the EudraVigilance database (EV) for Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) that reported SEM as the suspected drug and performed a descriptive and a disproportionality analysis. Data obtained for SEM were compared to other GLP-1 RAs. SEM had the highest proportions of searches on Google associated with the term “weight loss” and presented the lowest number of severe ADRs, but it also had the highest number of ICSRs reported in EV. Even though no unexpected safety issues have been reported for it until now, SEM has a high tendency for overdose reports. The most frequent off-label use was reported for SEM and TIR. In order to lower the ADRs’ risks, the off-label use should be reduced and carefully monitored.

In 1989, we first reported the utilisation of the radial artery as a secondary conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. However, subsequent randomised trials have reported discrepancies in clinical outcomes between the radial artery and alternative grafts. As we have now accumulated over 50 years of experience with radial artery grafting, we sought to identify the second-best target vessel for coronary operations by conducting a review of the literature. The radial artery has been demonstrated to be a consistently effective second target conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. The results indicated improved outcomes and patency rates in comparison to those observed for saphenous vein grafts. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective conduit in the territory of the right coronary artery. The lack of available literature and the scarcity of similar case series restrict the application of the gastroepiploic artery. After five decades of utilisation, it can be unequivocally stated that the radial artery is the optimal conduit for coronary bypass surgery following the left internal thoracic artery to the left anterior descending artery.

5-Bromo-N'-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)furan-2-carbohydrazide (1) was successfully synthesized in 81% yield from commercially available isatin and 5-bromofuran-2-carbohydrazide in acidic conditions under reflux. The structure of synthesized compound 1 was confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, and HRMS spectrometers. This study used in vitro models to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of compound 1, which included the inhibition of BSA denaturation, proteinase activity, and heat- and hypotonicity-induced hemolysis. Compound 1 displayed an inhibitory effect comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium. Compound 1 inhibited 50% of BSA denaturation, proteinase activity, and heat- and hypotonicity-induced hemolysis at concentrations of 3.54, 3.04, 2.25, and 1.82, respectively, while diclofenac sodium was 1.99, 3.38, 2.28, and 2.00 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, compound 1 was considered a drug-like candidate with no violation of Lipinski’s rule of five, had good ADME properties, and did not show any toxic properties. A molecular docking study of compound 1 (binding energy -9.63 kcal/mol) revealed that compound 1 occupied a unique channel of the cyclooxygenase active site, contributed to the specificity of COX-2 protein, and interacted with some channel hydrophobic residues. These findings indicated that compound 1 has the potential to be optimized into an anti-inflammatory agent.

The human gastrointestinal microbiota plays a vital role in maintaining host health and preventing diseases, prompting the creation of simulators to replicate this intricate system. The Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®), a multicompartment dynamic simulator, has emerged as a pivotal in vitro model for studying the interactions and interferences within human gut microbiota. The continuous and real-time monitoring hallmarks, along with the programmatically flexible setup, bestow SHIME® mimicking the entire human intestinal ecosystem with high dynamics and stability, allowing the evaluation of various treatments on bowel microbiota in a con-trolled environment. This review outlines recent developments in SHIME technology, highlighting its applications in food and nutritional science, drug development, and gut health research. Additionally, the prospect of SHIME integrating with other advanced technologies is also discussed.

Background/Objectives: Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder within the autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Difficulties in social and communication skills characterise it despite individuals typically having average intelligence and language development. Improving socialisation skills in individuals with ASD requires a tailored approach that addresses their specific needs and encompasses a range of targeted strategies. This study investigates the effectiveness of a structured social skills training programme for adolescents and young adults with AS; Methods: Patients diagnosed with AS, irrespective of gender, were consecutively recruited from an outpatient clinic. The programme consisted of activities within the Social Skills, Autonomy, and Awareness module, designed for adolescent and young adult groups, conducted fortnightly, with sessions lasting between 1.5 to 3 hours each over 17 months. The Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) assessed adaptive behaviour at enrolment and upon intervention completion. Data were statistically analysed using SPSS version 22.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Statistical analysis included automatic clustering, employing the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) to determine the optimal number of clusters within the dataset. The Pearson Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied to assess whether variable distributions among the clusters differed significantly; Results: Thirty-one individuals (77.4% female) with AS participated in the study, with a mean age of 20.1 years (SD 7.0). The TwoStep algorithm identified two distinct clusters. The mean age at enrolment was significantly higher in Cluster 1 (n. 8) than in Cluster 2 (n. 23; p = 0.005). Additionally, the mean enrolment score on the Vineland II socialisation scale was significantly higher in Cluster 1 (93.9; SD 5.7) compared to Cluster 2 (49.0, SD 18.2; p < 0.001). At follow-up, the mean scores for both Cluster 1 (104.6, SD 13.3) and Cluster 2 (57.8, SD 18.0) showed significant increases (p < 0.05), with over 50% of participants demonstrating improvement in social skills; Conclusions: This study highlights distinct profiles among individuals with AS, revealing a clear association between age and social skills development. The intervention effectively enhanced social skills in most participants, regardless of the age at which treatment commenced. For some individuals, alternative or enhanced treatment options may be considered to achieve optimal outcomes.

The diverse, heterogeneous, and dynamic nature of urban data poses challenges for semantic integration and knowledge sharing in smart city applications. Traditional urban governance sectors often develop domain-specific data standards, which are insufficient for integrating and applying multi-source heterogeneous data. This article proposes the Smart City Ontology Framework (SMOF), leveraging ontology technology for semantic-level data sharing and interoperability across different industries. SMOF adopts a top-down integration strategy, harmonizing diverse data standards from IoT, BIM, and GIS into a cohesive structure. This research delineates the foundational components of SMOF, encompassing entities, relationships, properties, events, and rules, and outlines the methodology and principles underpinning its construction. We further develop a scalable, hierarchical classification system for entities, properties and relationships, adaptable for specific semantic applications. Through a fire emergency scenario, we exemplify SMOF's practical utility in knowledge representation and data mapping, highlighting its capacity for semantic querying within complex urban data ecosystems. Our findings indicate SMOF's significant role in fostering integrated urban data management, thereby enhancing data interoperability and applicability in diverse urban governance contexts.

General Theory of Information (GTI) offers a groundbreaking framework for designing "mindful machines" that bridge the divide between biological intelligence and digital automation. GTI reimagines traditional computing by introducing cognitive, autopoietic (self-regulating) capabilities in digital systems, enabling them to perceive, adapt, and respond autonomously to changing conditions. Unlike conventional AI and AGI models that operate within predefined algorithmic constraints, GTI-based systems go beyond by incorporating self-awareness and a resilient digital "self," capable of storing interaction histories and learning from them. This paper explores GTI’s practical applications in systems requiring resilience, cognition, and ethical safeguards. In video streaming and medical assistance, GTI-based digital genomes enable systems to function independently, actively self-correct, and conform to policy-driven ethical standards. These mindful machines embody unique traits rarely achieved with traditional AI: robust resilience through self-corrective mechanisms, adaptive learning from accumulated experiences, and alignment with ethical principles that govern system behavior. In demonstrating how GTI can cultivate resilience, autonomy, and ethical decision-making, this paper reveals GTI’s potential to empower digital automata with human-like adaptability and values. As such, GTI emerges as a bridge to a new generation of digital systems designed not merely to execute but to understand, adapt, and ethically engage within complex real-world environments.

Abstract: New paradigms have emerged in mapping since the 20th century due to theoretical and practical advances in computer technology, communications, and cartography. For the design of the Expert-Topographic Map Service in Mexico, we adopted a theoretical framework of Cybercartography and expanded to incorporate expert systems and eventually other artificial intelligence resources. Using a transdisciplinary approach, our efforts could focus on the interconnection between knowledge and geotechnology to offer solutions to societal complex problems. This paper explores the theoretical pillars supporting the design of an Expert-Topographic Map Service, including cybercartography, knowledge-based systems and surface mathematical modeling. For the first time, cybercartography is applied in the realm of topographic mapping. As shown, a map conceived solely as an information system has been transformed, in the digital era, into a container of knowledge through the abstract representation of features like relief via the Triangular Irregular Network Model. Thereby, we can bridge from digital topographic maps to other knowledge-based models such as expert systems. The societal demand and empirical context for this research demonstrate that topographic maps and services are still at the core of cartographic initiatives in the 21st century.

Strategies followed to improve SBA-15 surface (essentially inert) included modifications by adding acidic or basic (or both) species during or after silica synthesis. Amphoteric properties are especially important as some reactions (alcohols dehydrations, for instance) require of both type of sites to efficiently take place. In this work, single Zr (nominal 3, 5 and 10 wt%, as ZrOCl2•8H2O) direct addition during SBA-15 synthesis was used to impart amphoteric characteristics (as determined by NH3 and CO2 TPD) to mesostructured SiO2 matrices. Additional materials characterization included textural (N2 physisorption) and structural (XRD, FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopies, and HRTEM as well) studies. Actual solids composition was also determined (EDS). Degree of Zr incorporation to mesoporous silica was enhanced with nominal content in binary formulations, although not necessarily integrated in SBA-15 walls forming Zr-O-Si linkages. It seemed that single ZrO2 domains (framework and extra-framework) could provide suitable amphoteric properties by significantly increasing number and strength of both acid and basic sites (especially formulation containing nominal 5 wt% Zr), as to those over mesostructured silica matrices. Also, potentially deleterious strong acid sites were avoided. The binary oxides present great potential to be applied in reactions requiring vicinal acid-basic pairs (alcohols dehydration, for instance).

This study aimed to assess the predictive performance of first and second-order regression models in optimizing bedaquiline (BQ) solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) formulations. Employed a central composite design and graphical optimization process using three steps. A design of experiments to evaluate the impact of BQ, Tween 80 (T80), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and lecithin on the formulations' response variables: Z-average (PSD), polydispersibility index (PdI), and Zeta potential (ZP). Secondly, quantified the relationship between experimental variables using the regression model coefficients. Lastly, predicted the responses and verified the models’ adequacies to ensure accurate representation and effective optimization. First-order polynomial showed poor model adequacy that required further refinement. The second-order models provided superior fitness, sensitivity to variability, complexity, and prediction consistency. The optimized formulation achieved a desirability value of 0.9998 indicating alignment with the desired criteria. Specifically, the levels of BQ (19.4mg), T80 (25.2mg), PEG (39.2mg), and Lecithin (200mg) corresponded to PdI (0.41), PSD (250.99 nm), and ZP (-25.95 mV). Maintaining BQ concentration between 10-20% and T80 between 15-18% is vital for maximizing ZP and minimizing PdI and PSD, ensuring stable SLN formulations. The study underscores significance of precise model selection and statistical analysis in pharmaceutical formulation optimization for enhanced drug delivery systems.

The aim of this study is to examine the short-run and the long-run equilibrium relationship between banking sector’s efficiency and stability and its endogenous and exogenous determinants such as inflation and international oil prices shocks in Saudi Arabia over the period 2004–2022. This study differentiates between the direct and indirect effects of international oil price changes on bank efficiency and stability to investigate the extent to which these changes can affect the banking sector through inflation. The first stage consists of using a panel Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL). The empirical result confirms the existence of a long/short run relationship between oil price shocks and stability and efficiency of banks. In the long run the relationship is statistically significant and positive and is negative in the short run. On the other hand, this study finds that oil price shocks directly affect the stability and efficiency of banks. In the second stage, this study uses a nonlinear ARD (NARD) to examine the short- and long-run asymmetric impacts of oil price shocks on the stability and efficiency of banks by decomposing the oil price index into positive and negative changes. The finding confirms an asymmetric relationship between oil prices and the stability and efficiency of banks in Saudi Arabia. In addition, a positive change in oil price can affect the stability and efficiency of banks more than a negative one. Overall, the finding highlights the need for policymakers in Saudi Arabia to be vigilant in addressing the potential risks arising from oil price fluctuations and to adopt appropriate policy measures to maintain stability and efficiency in the banking sector.

Antimicrobial preservatives are essential components of multidose pharmaceutical formulations to prevent microbial growth and contamination, many of which contain lipophilic and poorly water-soluble drugs in need of solubilizing excipients such as cyclodextrins (CDs). However, CDs frequently reduce or even abolish the antimicrobial activities of commonly used pharmaceutical preservatives. The degree of inactivation depends on the CD complexation of the preservatives, which in turn depends on their chemical structure and physiochemical properties. In general, lipophilic preservatives are more likely to be inactivated; however, CDs are also known to inactivate highly water-soluble preservatives. In some drug formulations, preservative inactivation has been offset by including excipients that possess some antimicrobial activity on their own. In this review we explain how CDs interact with some commonly used pharmaceutical preservatives and why some preservatives are more susceptible to CD inactivation than others are.

This article reviews the transformative impact of single-cell whole genome sequencing (scWGS) on cancer biology research. ScWGS has revolutionized our understanding of tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and the tumor microenvironment by enabling high-resolution analysis of individual cells' genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic profiles. The technology's unique capabilities, including detection of rare genomic events, simultaneous capture of multiple genomic features, and association with phenotypic data, have opened new avenues for cancer research and precision medicine. Integration of scWGS with other single-cell omics technologies has provided a multidimensional view of cellular states and regulatory mechanisms in cancer. Advanced data analysis tools, including machine learning and AI algorithms, have been crucial in interpreting the vast amounts of data generated, leading to the identification of new biomarkers and development of predictive models for patient stratification. The article also discusses emerging technologies like spatial transcriptomics and in situ sequencing, which promise to further enhance our understanding of tumor spatial organization and cellular interactions. As scWGS and related technologies continue to evolve, they are expected to drive significant advances in personalized cancer diagnostics, prognosis, and therapy, ultimately improving patient outcomes in the era of precision oncology.

The neurobiology of depression establishes a close relationship between this psychiatric disorder and alterations in neuroplasticity associated with neuronal atrophy and a reduction in dendritic arborization in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. In this sense, the therapeutic effect of antidepressants is associated with changes in the brain associated with neuroplasticity, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis through the activation of intracellular signaling pathways associated with changes at the neurochemical and behavioral level in animal models used to study depression. Antidepressants increase the synaptic availability of monoamines (monoaminergic hypothesis) such as serotonin, noradrenaline and GABA by inhibiting their reuptake or degradation and activating intracellular signaling pathways such as the cAMP-CREB cascade, which regulates the expression of genes related to neuroplasticity and neurogenesis in various brain structures associated with depression. Although acute treatment alters the number of receptors, the therapeutic effect lasts 3-4 weeks and depends on the increase in the density of dendritic spines and the expression of proteins such as BDNF and GAP-43 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. This review focuses on the effects of acute and chronic treatment with monoaminergic antidepressants and new drugs and other pharmacological alternatives in preclinical studies with the aim of demonstrating their mechanism of action and relationship to neuroplasticity.

Big data quality is all about ensuring that the huge amounts of data are accurate, reliable, and useful. It is important because decisions made based on this data can affect many things, like business strategies, customer experiences, and even public policies. Many researchers are studying data quality in the context of big data. This study aims to analyze the research trends and patterns within the domain of big data quality. This method reveals hidden themes in large datasets, helping to understand data quality better. The findings show that Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is effective for topic modeling in big data, highlighting data quality challenges and opportunities. The research identified key trends and effective assessment methods. For researchers, using LDA in a systematic review helps summarize existing studies and find gaps, guiding future research. Practitioners and future researchers get useful direction for managing data quality and improving efficiency and decisions in various industries.

The Santa Faz Pilgrimage, with over 600 years of history and as Spain’s second most significant pilgrimage, is at a critical point due to urbanization and inadequate planning. This study ex-plores revitalizing and enhancing the historical Santa Faz routes, integrating cultural tourism, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic benefits. Recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage, the pilgrimage impacts Alicante’s cultural landscape, yet faces pressure from modern urban development. Using a multidisciplinary approach aligned with the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the study proposes alternative routes, such as a “green route” through ancient paths and water routes, a Villafranqueza route, and one from the former Monastery of Los Ánge-les. These paths would be revived through local reforestation, sustainable tourism infrastructure, and rest areas for pilgrims. The restoration of the Santa Faz paths is seen as vital for cultural her-itage conservation, sustainable tourism, and job creation, with both opportunities and challenges in integrating these routes into the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes. The study advocates modifying the urban plan and promoting employment in heritage and tourism management, em-phasizing the need for ongoing research and cross-disciplinary collaboration to secure the long-term preservation and development of these culturally significant spaces.

Earthquakes present a significant risk to marine and underwater structures such as seawalls, piers, dolphins, breakwaters, buried pipelines, and sheet-piled constructions. These structures are particularly susceptible to the destabilizing effects of seismic events, which can result in severe damage. Furthermore, earthquakes can indirectly threaten these installations by destabilizing the underlying soil. Soil liquefaction, induced by seismic shaking, can undermine the stability and integrity of structures. This review discusses advanced simulation programs that have been systematically developed and validated using comparisons with commercial software and existing research . It extensively examines various factors that influence earthquake-induced dynamics in marine environments, including soil conditions, quality of structural components, tunnel length, mooring intervals, seismic wave propagation, and seaquake impacts . Over the past four decades, significant insights have been gained into the seismic design of marine structures, leading to the development of comprehensive guidelines. Recently, the simulation of marine infrastructure—such as breakwaters, platform jackets, and tunnels—has progressed considerably, driven by rapid economic growth and technological advancements in engineering. This review aims to evaluate and categorize recent studies on the numerical simulation of marine structures under seismic forces, with a focus on mitigating earthquake-related damage.

There is a growing interest among researchers in the creation of innovative power supply systems that incorporate a range of generators, with a specific emphasis on renewable energy sources, especially wind energy. Battery-operated independent Microgrids powered by wind energy are increasingly recognized worldwide as a standalone power source for consumers. The power produced by the wind power conversion system depends on the wind speed, which can change quickly and without warning. It is essential to establish a robust energy management system accompanied by a responsive control approach to attain optimal energy balance and guarantee the delivery of high-quality power. In order to facilitate a rapid and efficient reaction to unexpected variations in the power supply system, the control strategy for the inverter and bidirectional DC to DC converter employs super twisting sliding mode controllers. The voltage at the DC link is controlled to maintain energy equilibrium within the standalone Microgrid, while a distinctive control approach for the three-phase inverter guarantees the delivery of high-quality power to AC loads. The proposed control methodologies in this paper employ super twisting sliding mode controllers to achieve rapid and effective responses during rapid changes in the system, whether on the generation or load side. The Hippopotamus optimization method is developed to obtain accurate values of various parameters used in super twisting sliding mode controllers under various operating conditions. The paper emphasizes the diverse outcomes and knowledge acquired through the execution of Hardware-in-the-Loop simulations utilizing the OPAL-RT platform. By employing this cutting-edge technology, researchers successfully tested and validated various hardware components within a simulated environment, facilitating a more efficient and cost-effective approach to analyzing and optimizing system performance. Further, detailed small signal analysis for the proposed methodology is also included in this paper.

For over a decade, endoscopic hemostatic powders have been used to manage upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Various preclinical benchtop and animal models have been developed to evaluate these devices. Multiple companies have released hemostatic powders to market, assessing their safety and efficacy using an established porcine gastric vessel bleed model. This model simulates an aggressive arterial bleed, allowing prototypes to be tested under challenging conditions. It requires a surgeon to insert an artery segment into the gastric lumen and puncture it to produce a bleed. In our study, we tested a control group not included in prior research. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between intragastric pressure and bleed severity by injecting gas used to deliver hemostatic powder to the bleed site, without administering hemostatic powder. Our results indicate that elevated intragastric pressures alone can cause bleed cessation. Additional findings suggest that other factors in the model can lead to false positive hemostasis. This study highlights flaws in the porcine gastric vessel bleed model and underscores the need to develop more robust models for testing hemostatic devices, as no valid endoscopic bleed model currently exists. These experiments stress the importance of vetting preclinical models before acquiring efficacy data.

Age-strengthened aluminum alloys as important structural lightweight materials have much lower fatigue properties than conventional steel. This study focuses on the effect of the precipitation-free zone (PFZ) on the mechanical properties of age-strengthened aluminum alloys. A polycrystalline model containing PFZ was created by secondary development of the traditional polycrystalline model and combined with the crystal plasticity finite element method to simulate the stress-strain response and local plastic deformation behaviors under different microstructures. The presence of PFZ significantly reduces the yield strength of the alloy and concentrates the stresses in the PFZ region, especially under cyclic loading, and the strain energy dissipation in the PFZ region is significantly higher than that in the intracrystalline region, and far exceeds that without the precipitation zone. region and far exceeds the model without PFZ, indicating that PFZ is the main region for fatigue crack initiation. In addition, the introduction of a rotation factor to simulate the inhomogeneous rotation within the grain reveals that the additional stress concentration in the PFZ introduced by the aluminum alloy forming process further increases the fatigue crack initiation driving force.

Aiming to address the issue that the existing multi-view stereo reconstruction methods have insufficient adaptability to the repetitive patterns and weak textures in the multi-view images, this paper proposes a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction algorithm based on feature enhancement and weight optimization MVSNet (Abbreviated as FEWO-MVSNet). To obtain accurate and detailed global and local features, we first develop an adaptive feature enhancement approach to obtain multi-scale information from the images. Second, we introduce an attention mechanism and a spatial feature capture module to enable high-sensitivity detection for weak texture features. Third, based on the 3D convolutional neural network, the fine depth map for multi-view images can be predicted and the complete 3D model is subsequently reconstructed. Last, we evaluated the proposed FEWO-MVSNet through training and testing on the DTU, BlendedMVS, and Tanks&Temples datasets. The results demonstrate significant superiorities of our method for 3D reconstruction from multi-view images, with our method ranking first in accuracy and second in completeness when compared to the existing representative methods.

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

Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) such as CuO, and ZnO can have significant effects on plant root cells, depending on factors like concentration, size, and surface properties of the nanoparticles. These metal oxide nanoparticles can cause toxic and genotoxic effects on plant root cells, affecting overall plant growth and development. This study evalaute the cytological and oxidative effect of varying concentration (100v/v, 80 v/v, 40 v/v and 20 v/v) of CuO-NPs, ZnO-NPs and CuO/ZnO-NPs on Onion (Allium cepa L) root tip cells. The synthesized CuO-NPs, ZnO-NPs and CuO/ZnO-NPs were of average particle sizes of 12.78nm, 13.76 nm and 13.35 nm respectively as revealed from the XRD study. The SEM analysis showed that CuO-NP and ZnO-NP appeared to have an irregular and granular particle shape, while the CuO/ZnO-NPs appeared to have a flower like structure. The chromosomal aberrations of nanopartcle treated Allium cepa L exhibited anormolies. The study revealed that at higher concentration (100% and 80%) of CuO-NPs, ZnO-NPs and CuO/ZnO-NPs exhibited higher chromosomal damage as evidence from the higher abnormality percentage (72.50 and 56.2%), (69.10% and 61.20%), and (81.10% and 74.25%) respectively. The effect of concentration revealed that the mitotic index was concentration dependent with 20v/v concentration showing reduced mitotic activities across all samples. The study reveals that the uncontrolled application of these nanoparticles may have harmful effect on plants cell growth when exposed in polluted soil.

The zoonotic disease known as monkeypox, which is related to smallpox, can be difficult to diagnose since it resembles other illnesses that might cause the same symptoms. In this study, we present an accurate technique for monkeypox detection based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Our method improves diagnosis reliability by having the CNN model incorporate a dataset of nine important symptoms. For creating CNN-based monkeypox detection system, the researchers used a collection of high-definition photos and nine symptoms. The model was constructed using TensorFlow's Keras API and Python 3.10, classifying lesions based on a probabilistic score. A likelihood greater than 50% on CNN indicated that the case was really monkeypox. If not, five or more symptoms suggested that monkeypox may be present with metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. The study developed a CNN model to predict monkeypox from lesion images and symptom analysis. The model, built with layers including convolutional, pooling, and fully connected, achieved high accuracy and low loss, with metrics like ROC AUC (0.84), precision (0.78), and recall (0.90). The model effectively differentiates between monkeypox and other conditions. Tables illustrate the model's predictions based on various symptom combinations, highlighting its capability to assess monkeypox risk with high confidence. The study developed a CNN model integrating patient symptoms and skin lesion images for accurate monkeypox diagnosis. With a balanced accuracy of 82%, F1-Score of 84%, and sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 85%, respectively, the model effectively distinguishes monkeypox from similar illnesses. It demonstrated resilience despite limited high-resolution images, emphasizing the potential of CNNs in medical diagnosis. The model's performance can be further improved by incorporating additional data and advanced techniques, enhancing early detection in future outbreaks.

Age is an influential factor in the Second Language Acquisition (SLA). The debate on whether young learners are more successful than older learners has been going on for more than half of a century, starting from the Critical Period Hypothesis, which is based on brain structure. This study examines a range of studies revolving around the Critical Period Hypothesis in the past several decades to analyze the common SLA belief ‘Younger learners are more skillful than older learners in acquiring second language.’ The study disagrees that all younger learners are more advantageous than older learners in all areas of SLA. In fact, learners from different age categories have unique advantages and disadvantages in SLA. Moreover, the study approves a more holistic perspective on a wider range of non-biological factors that impact the success of SLA. At the end, the study puts forward a diversity of instructional methods that suit children and adolescents specifically in Vietnamese English Education context.

Preserving natural biodiversity of forest ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges of modern, multifunctional forest management. Among the many different groups of forest organisms trees are of major importance as they often act as the so-called foundation species, i.e. species that create conditions on which the existence of virtually all other organisms depends, either directly or indirectly. The essential condition for trees to permanently play this role is their demographic sustainability, which is reflected in the balanced proportions of individuals representing different developmental stages (from seedlings and saplings to mature trees). The main goal of this study was to assess the possibility of tree species occurring in the Białowieża Forest (important biodiversity hotspot) to maintain the role of foundation species in a sustainable manner. Comparison of species-specific, equilibrium vs. actual size distributions revealed that almost half of all trees growing in the Białowieża Forest represent "inappropriate", i.e. occurring in excess compared to the balanced model, species and/or diameter ranges. Similarly high was also the amount of deficits, concerning primarily the smallest trees. It is suggested that, in order to permanently preserve a high biological diversity of the Białowieża Forest, active actions should be taken to bring the current tree diameter distributions as close as possible to the desired sustainable model.

In order to address environmental and climate change in a sustainable manner, it is necessary for corporations to make commitments in accordance with sustainable principles, which can be communicated through the use of indicators. In certain cases, indicators are subject to manipulation for the benefit of corporations, a strategy also referred to as "greenwashing". One method of misleading is the transfer of non-sustainable activities of a company to other collaborating companies. This paper proposes and defines the Sustainability meta-Indicator (SmI) which can serve as a tool for the assessment of misleading sustainability claims. Its value depends on the sustainability indicators of the other collaborating companies where the company in question pays money and the corresponding amount of paid money. The results of the use of SmI on synthetic data demonstrate that the proposed meta-indicator facilitates the assessment of misleading sustainability claims. Additionally, it can be used as a communication mechanism to enhance the value of companies and to support new partnerships and business strategies. For policymakers, this meta-indicator serves as a tool to support measures against consumer misinformation and deception.

This paper presents a three-dimensional model of pollutant diffusion in the atmosphere. The model is based on the advection-diffusion equation taking into account pollution sources and decay processes of substances. The numerical solution of the equation is realized using the finite difference method on a three-dimensional grid. The model takes into account the spatial distribution of pollutant concentrations, the influence of wind and atmospheric diffusion. Key parameters include diffusion coefficient, wind speed components, intensity of pollution sources and decay coefficient of substances. Special attention is paid to the vertical distribution of pollutants, which allows for more accurate modeling of atmospheric processes. The presented model can be used to predict the spread of pollutants, assess the impact of different sources on air quality and develop strategies to reduce air pollution in urban and industrial areas.

One of the major challenges in gene therapy (GT) is the efficient and safe introduction of nucleic acids (NA) into eukaryotic cells. This process requires overcoming various biological barriers and navigating complex pathways to reach target cells and achieve their biological function. To address this obstacle, numerous transfection methods have been developed, including physical techniques and the use of genetic vectors, both viral and non-viral. However, until now, no transfection method is 100% safe and efficient. Within the spectrum of non-viral genetic vectors, cationic liposomes formed by cationic lipids (CL), stand out for their ability to protect and deliver therapeutic NA. These liposomes offer greater biocompatibility and lower immunogenicity compared to viral vectors, although they still do not match the efficiency of viral delivery systems. Consequently, ongoing research focuses on synthesizing a wide variety of cationic lipids in the search for compounds that provide high transfection efficiency with minimal cytotoxicity. This study aimed to design and synthesize a novel CL (CholCadLys) derived from natural cellular molecules for transferring genetic material to eukaryotic cells. The lipid was synthesized using: cholesteryl chloroformate for the hydrophobic region, cadaverine as a linker, and lysine for the polar region, connected by carbamate and amide bonds, respectively. Identification was confirmed through thin-layer chromatography, purification by preparative chromatography, and characterization via infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The synthesis yielded a 60% success rate, with stable nanoliposomes averaging 76 nm in diameter. Liposomes were formed using this CL and commercial neutral lipids, characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. These liposomes, combined with plasmid DNA, formed lipoplexes used to transfect Hek-293 FT cells, achieving up to 40% transfection efficiency without cytotoxicity in the mixture of CholCadLys and CholCad. This novel CL demonstrates potential as an efficient, safe, and cost-effective gene transfer system, facilitating further development in gene therapy.

The instability of double-diffusive convection of an Oldroyd-B fluid in a vertical porous layer caused by temperature and solute concentration differences with the Soret effect is studied using a modified Darcy–Brinkman–Oldroyd model. Under the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation, the validity of Squire's theorem is demonstrated, allowing for considering only the two-dimensional linear instability. Based upon perturbation theory, an Orr-Sommerfeld eigenvalue problem is derived and numerically simulated using the Chebyshev collocation method. We examine the effects of the relevant dimensionless parameters on the neutral stability curves. It is discovered that PrD and λ1 have dual effects on the instability, respectively. When PrDc1 < PrD < PrDc2, PrD boosts flow stability. The impact of λ1 on fluid stability is influenced by PrD. Furthermore, Le and η have dual effects on the instability. When η< 0.8, it promotes flow instability. Le enhances the flow in-stability when Le < 0.7 and inhibits the instability when Le > 0.7. In addition, the magnitude of Le influences the role of Sr. There exists a critical value for Le. When Le < Lec2, Sr strengthens the in-stability of the flow, and when Le> Lec2, Sr plays an inhibiting role. Finally, the relaxation pa-rameter λ2 promotes flow stability.

This study investigates the relationship between shipping connectivity, environmental quality, financial development, and economic growth among 14 countries in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) from 2006 to 2019. Using panel-corrected standard error, Dynamic Seemingly Unrelated Regression, and Driscoll-Kraay estimation methods, the analysis reveals that shipping connectivity significantly contributes to financial development and economic growth, while also exerting a negative impact on environmental quality. These findings underscore the dual role of shipping connectivity in fostering economic prosperity and increasing environmental challenges, highlighting the trade-offs between growth and sustainability. The study also emphasizes that as trade between RCEP countries grows, driven in part by the removal of customs tariffs, shipping activities—and consequently environmental pollution—will likely increase. To achieve sustainable development in the maritime sector, policymakers must devise strategies that maximize economic benefits while mitigating environmental harm. These strategies include promoting environmentally friendly green ports, adopting low-carbon and advanced technologies, and strengthening policies to control emissions and marine pollution. Collaboration among shipping companies, local governments, and environmental organizations is also essential.

Eggplant is a vegetable grown worldwide, and due to quality standards, large amounts of biomass are generated after harvest. Biomass is considered a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate microencapsulated alkaloids' bioaccessibility (BA) and antioxidant capacity from eggplant fruit biomass. Eggplant biomass was collected, and the total alkaloid content, antioxidant capacity, and alkaloid profile were determined before and after the digestion in vitro for encapsulated and non-encapsulated alkaloids. The bioaccessibility of microencapsulated alkaloids (12 % BA) increased three-fold compared to non-encapsulated (4 %BA). The antioxidant capacity of digested microcapsules measured by ORAC and TEAC assays was increased (30 and 8 µmol TE/g powder, respectively), and their bioaccessibility was higher than non-encapsulate alkaloids. Solamargine and solasonine decreased during in vitro digestion by 17 and 15 %BA, respectively. However, microencapsulation showed the protection of these alkaloids during in vitro digestion. This study demonstrates that microencapsulated alkaloids from eggplant biomass manage to protect bioactive compounds from in vitro digestion, having antioxidant potential mainly through hydrogen atom transfer. Therefore, microencapsulation represents an alternative to protect alkaloids and give added value to eggplant plant biomass.

Besides the intensity and wavelength, the ability to analyze the optical polarization of the detected light can provide a new degree of freedom for numerous applications, such as object recognition, biomedical applications, environmental monitoring and remote sensing imaging. However, the conventional filter-integrated polarimetric sensing systems require complex optical components and complicated fabrication process, severely limiting its on-chip miniaturization and functionalities. Herein, the reconfigurable polarimetric photodetection with photovoltaic mode are developed based on a few-layer MoS2/PdSe2 heterostructure channel and a charge-trap structure composed of Al2O3/HfO2/Al2O3 (AHA) stacked dielectric. Because of the remarkable charge-trapping ability of carriers in AHA stack, the MoS2/PdSe2 channel exhibits a high program/erase current ratio of 105 and memory window exceeding 20 V. Moreover, photovoltaic mode of MoS2/PdSe2 Schottky diode can be operated and manipulable, resulting into high and distinct responsivities in the visible broadband. Interestingly, the linear polarization of device can be modulated under program/erase states, enabling the reconfigurable capability of linearly polarized photodetection. This study demonstrates a new prototype heterostructure-based photodetector with capability of both tunable responsivity and linear polarization, demonstrating great potential application toward reconfigurable photosensing and polarization-resolved imaging applications.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is an opportunistic infection affecting immunocompromised patients. Current clinical guidelines support the use of voriconazole for the treatment of IA, although this treatment is not free of interactions in this group of patients who are often treated with polytherapy; in these cases, isavuconazole may be a safe alternative with a lower risk of interactions. The oral route is commonly preferred to the parenteral route, but in patients who do not have access to the enteral route, the use of isavuconazole is limited to the parenteral route only, since the technical information sheet does not recommend the handling of tablets for enteral administration, stating that the capsules should not be chewed, crushed, dissolved or opened. This paper presents the case of a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with confirmed AI on treatment with isavuconazole by enteral tube. It is detailed here that isavuconazole concentrations are maintained when administered by enteral tube, as measured by therapeutic pharmacokinetic monitoring of its plasma concentrations. Administering isavuconazole by enteral tube was found to be a safe practice with monitoring of its plasma concentrations.

Dogs with chronically elevated blood pressure require prompt treatment to prevent systemic hypertension-related tissue damage. Non-invasive oscillometry and Doppler sphygmomanom-etry are the conventional techniques to ascertain this indication, but imaging modalities may enable easier blood pressure assessments based on vascular geometry. This area is little studied in canine medicine, with only one report on abdominal ultrasonography, and none on computed tomography (CT). Accordingly, we retrospectively evaluated 32 dogs which underwent CT ex-aminations and blood pressure measurements on the same day, to determine whether CT-derived abdominal aortic diameter ratios (versus the caudal vena cava [Ao/CVC] and the first lumbar vertebra [Ao/L1]) differed between hypertensive and normotensive dogs. Neither Ao/CVC nor Ao/L1 ratio showed any such significant difference (P=0.393 or P=0.229). We concluded that CT-derived abdominal aortic ratios demonstrated no utility for blood pressure assessments in this study population, an inconsistency with previously reported ultrasonographic findings. Our results may reflect the inappropriateness of CT as an imaging modality, or aortic diameter as an index, for assessing hypertension in dogs. Further large-scale studies are needed to address this question.

The poor impact resistance of carbon fiber reinforced composites limits their application in broader fields. In this study, a toughened epoxy resin (E2) modified with toughening agents and a micron-sized toughening particle (TP) were developed. Standard epoxy resin (E1), toughened epoxy resin (E2), and TP-toughened E2 resin (E3) were prepared into prepregs with SYT55-12K carbon fiber and ultimately fabricated into carbon fiber reinforced composites. The mechanical properties of the resins and the composites, particularly the compression properties, were characterized. The failure morphology of the composites and the distribution of toughening particles were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultrasonic C-scan testing, and metallographic microscopy. It was found that the toughening agents improved the bending strength of the resin by approximately 12%, while the incorporation of TP enhanced the impact performance of the resin by 122%. Further characterization of the mechanical properties of the carbon fiber reinforced composites revealed that, with the addition of toughening agents, the resin increased the 0° bending strength of the composites by 29.9% and the 0° compressive strength by 34.3%. Additionally, significant enhancements were observed in interlaminar shear strength and open-hole compressive strength. After the addition of TP, the compressive strength of EC3 compared to EC2 increased by 74.3% after impact, while the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness increased by 34.8% and the mode II interlaminar fracture toughness improved by 67.9%. C-scan analysis indicated that the damage area of EC3 decreased by 60.7% compared to EC2, demonstrating that the particle toughening significantly enhanced the impact resistance of the composites. The compression failure of the TP-toughened EC3 exhibited typical characteristics of kink band failure, and the micron-sized particles were able to significantly balance and absorb loads. The findings of this study indicate that resin toughening can significantly improve the 0° compressive strength of carbon fiber reinforced composites, and that the use of micron-sized toughening particles can markedly enhance the post-impact compressive strength of the composites through interlaminar toughening. This research provides insights for improving the compressive and impact resistance performance of carbon fiber reinforced composites, with implications for industrial application and guidance for further industrialization trials.

Abstract: In this study, we present an analytical tool that can be used to predict the nonlinear structural response of seaplanes advancing through sinusoidal head-sea waves. Seaplanes exhibit a unique instability phenomenon known as porpoising, which is an oscillatory motion along the heave and pitch axes that can cause serious structural damage. The heaving and pitching equations of motion are presented in the form of coupled, forced, and nonlinear Duffing-type equations with cubic nonlinearity. The analytical model developed in this study leverages the Poincaré–Lindstedt perturbation method to express the amplitude and frequency of motion in terms of all physical parameters. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed model were validated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations based on incompressible unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. The results show a strong agreement between the analytical tool and the CFD simulations, with minor discrepancies due to assumptions inherent in the 2D simulations, particularly the assumption that seawater only passes beneath the hull, resulting in increased buoyancy forces and reduced damping. This study offers a novel and practical method for predicting the dynamic stability of seaplanes under realistic sea conditions, potentially enhancing safety and operational efficiency by mitigating the risks associated with porpoising.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates among Brazilian residents, stratified by sex. This study evaluated the behavior of monthly suicide rates based on an interrupted time series analysis of the months preceding (from January 2017 to February 2020) and following (from March 2020 to December 2022) the first diagnosed case of Covid-19 in Brazil. We used an interrupted time series model (quasi-Poisson), accounting for the presence of serial autocorrelation in the residuals and seasonality.Among men, we identified an abrupt decrease (RR&lt;1, p&lt;0.05) in monthly suicide rates at the onset of the pandemic, followed by a progressive increase (RR&gt;1, p&lt;0.05). An exception to this trend occurred in the Northeast region and among elderly men, where there was an abrupt increase in suicide rates at the start of the pandemic. For women, a reduction in monthly suicide rates was observed during the early stages of the pandemic only in the Central-West and Northeast regions, as well as in the 20-39 age group.The pandemic's effect was not uniform across Brazilian men and women, according to stratification variables; however, we observed a progressive upward trend over the course of the pandemic.

This study explores the classification of seven registered dry bean species using a dataset of 13,611 grain samples characterized by 16 features, including both dimensional and shape measurements. The primary objective was to develop robust Machine Learning models to accurately identify species while addressing challenges related to class imbalance and feature redundancy. A series of classification algorithms, including Decision Trees (DT), Random Forests (RF), k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLP), were applied to evaluate their performance under various data conditions. Notably, the MLP model exhibited superior performance due to its capacity to capture complex patterns in high-dimensional data, achieving the highest classification accuracy. Random Forest models showed resilience to class imbalance, though misclassifications between similar species highlighted the need for improved feature selection. The results indicate that effective feature engineering and careful model tuning are crucial for enhancing classification accuracy in agricultural applications. The study concludes that future work should aim to expand the dataset and explore advanced data augmentation techniques to further improve model robustness and applicability in food security contexts. All code to recapitulate the analysis is available along with documentation of pipeline usage at https://github.com/jesusch10/beans_classification.

Learning and memory formation rely on synaptic plasticity, the process that changes synaptic strength in response to neuronal activity. In the tripartite synapse concept, molecular signals that affect synapse strength and morphology originate not only from the pre- and post-synaptic neuronal terminals but also from astrocytic processes ensheathing many synapses. Despite sig-nificant progress made in understanding astrocytic contribution to synaptic plasticity, only a few astrocytic plasticity-related proteins have been identified so far. In this study, we present evi-dence indicating the role of astrocyte-secreted Lipocalin-2 (Lcn2) in neuronal plasticity. We show that Lcn2 expression is induced in astrocytes in a kainate-evoked aberrant plasticity model. Next, we demonstrate that chemically induced long-term potentiation (cLTP), similarly increases Lcn2 expression in astrocytes of mix hippocampal cultures and that glutamate causes the immediate release of Lcn2 from these cultures. Additionally, through experiments in primary astrocytic cultures, we reveal that Lcn2 release is triggered by calcium signaling and we demonstrate that brief treatment of hippocampal neurons with Lcn2 alters morphology of dendritic spines. Based on these findings, we propose Lcn2 as an activity-dependent molecule released by astrocytes that influences dendritic spines morphology.

Background/Objectives: The University of Wisconsin (UW) solution is the gold standard for kidney preservation. The addition of quercetin (QE) to the preservation solution reduces damage to renal kidney tubular cells, and the addition of sucrose (Suc) is beneficial for kidney preservation. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of QE and Suc and to evaluate whether their use improves mitigates ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury after simple cold storage (CS) in porcine kidneys. Methods: Kidney grafts were procured after 30 min of warm ischemia, followed by preservation under two conditions for 22 h: group 1, preserved with CS/UW solution (n = 4), and group 2, preserved with CS/UW solution containing QE (33.1 μM) and Suc (0.1 M; (n = 6). All grafts were evaluated using an ex- vivo isolated kidney- reperfusion model with oxygenated, diluted, autologous blood at room temperature. Results: At the end of reperfusion, creatinine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly lower in group 2 than those in group 1. Additionally, group 2 had a significantly higher number more of anti-ERG-positive endothelial- cell nuclei than group 1 at the end of reperfusion. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the addition of QE and Suc to the UW solution can improve mitigate I/R injury to the donated kidney after CS.

Insurance companies have a risk of bankruptcy if the funds disbursed exceed the reserves owned, or the surplus is negative. The risk of bankruptcy can be predicted using a mathematical model to anticipate the possibility of bankruptcy early on, so the surplus process needs to be observed in its evolution over time, assumed to be discrete time because it refers to the budget year period. The surplus process model is generally determined by three components, namely company capital, total premiums, and total claims. The sharia insurance scheme separates the management of the company's capital account from the premium and claim fund accounts, making it easier to monitor the evolution of its surplus process. This study systematically reviews the surplus process model for the sharia insurance scheme. The systematic review method is carried out by collecting scientific papers published in the Scopus, ScienceDirect, Dimensions, and Google Scholar databases. The PRISMA flowchart selects and then produces three scientific papers that are relevant to the topic. The results of this study provide insight into the form of the surplus process model and four sharia insurance schemes, namely mudharabah, wakalah, hybrid, and waqf. However, the scheme introduced is still a general description, there is no scheme based on needs or social problems in society such as the integration of productive waqf with welfare benefits for groups in need such as fishermen. This research was conducted towards the transition towards sustainable development of sharia insurance.

The introduction of effective systemic therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and molecular-targeted agents, along with advancements in precision medicine, has significantly improved survival outcomes for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, recurrence or progression remains common, and only a fraction of patients can achieve long-term control. For a subset of patients with more localized metastatic disease—referred to as oligometastases—emerging evidence suggests that a multimodal approach combining systemic therapy with local ablative therapies (LAT), such as radiotherapy or surgical resection, may offer curative potential. The concept of oligo-recurrence is defined by the presence of a limited number of metastases and recurrences in patients with controlled primary lesions. A key distinction between oligometastasis and oligo-recurrence lies in the status of the primary lesion: whether it is controlled or uncontrolled. In cases of oligo-recurrence, all gross recurrent or metastatic sites are potentially treatable with LAT. According to a European consensus, oligo-recurrence is regarded as the most favorable subgroup among various oligometastatic classifications, showing a promising response to LAT. However, this classification remains a topic of ongoing debate and requires further exploration. In addition to an ongoing randomized clinical trial on oligo-recurrent NSCLC, further rigorous studies focusing specifically on oligo-recurrence could help refine treatment strategies for this advanced but potentially curable state. These investigations are essential for developing effective, tailored approaches to optimize outcomes for patients within this prognostically favorable subgroup.

Electromagnetic coil is the key component of rotating equipment, and its reliability is very important for the normal operation of the equipment. In order to accurately evaluate the health status of electromagnetic coil, a health evaluation and anomaly detection method based on Mahalanobis distance (MD) and Box-Cox transformations is proposed. With the help of accelerated fatigue experiment, the whole life electrical data of high, medium and low frequency spectrum of electromagnetic coil is collected, and the low and medium frequency spectrum data are constructed as the initial feature set. And then, the initial feature set is mahalanized, and Mahalanobis distance is taken as the feature to evaluate the health state of the electromagnetic coil. With the help of Box-Cox transformations, MD is transformed into normal distribution form, and the electromagnetic coil fault early warning is realized according to 3 σ criterion. The results show that MD can accurately evaluate the degradation state of the electromagnetic coil and realize early warning.

This study presents a novel lake ecosystem model that captures the intricate dynamics of nutrient cycling through nonlinear interactions. The model incorporates external phosphorus loading and internal recycling rates to explore a range of ecological outcomes, from stable equilibria to chaotic oscillations. We investigate the bifurcation phenomena within this model, revealing how changes in parameters can lead to significant shifts in ecosystem behavior. Our analysis demonstrates that the model can replicate behaviors similar to the Hénon map under specific parameter settings. Through numerical simulations, we examine the system's sensitivity to variations in nutrient parameters, uncovering the potential for unpredictable dynamics and chaos as the recycling rate increases. The emergence of chaotic behavior is further supported by entropy analysis, highlighting the model's complexity and its implications for real-world ecosystems. Notably, our findings resonate with the work of Tay et al., demonstrating that increased nutrient recycling can lead to bistability and abrupt shifts in ecosystem stability, emphasizing the critical importance of effective nutrient management to avert detrimental ecological consequences. This research contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of freshwater ecosystems, underscoring the intricate interplay between nutrient inflow, recycling, and bifurcation in maintaining ecological balance.

Fungi play an increasingly important role in the biological control of insect pests. Aspergillus oryzae XJ1 is highly virulent to locusts, which are a destructive economic pest worldwide. Because of its host association with locusts, which is unique in Aspergillus, in this study we examined the genetic relationships of A. oryzae XJ1 within Aspergillus. We sequenced the genome of A. oryzae XJ1 and compared it with the genomes of other Aspergillus species. The complete genome of A. oryzae XJ1 is 37.9 Mb, comprising 11,720 putative genes, assembled into eight chromosomes. The genome size is similar to that of other A. oryzae strains. Phylogenomic analysis indicated that A. oryzae XJ1 was most closely related to A. flavus. Core/pan-genome analysis of A. oryzae XJ1 and other Aspergillus species revealed that A. oryzae XJ1 had 704 strain-specific genes, whereas A. flavus NRRL 3357, A. oryzae KDG 21, and A. parasiticus NRRL 2999 had 646, 955, and 779 unique genes, respectively. These results indicate that A. oryzae XJ1 is genetically distinct at the genome level from other Aspergillus species, including A. oryzae and A. flavus, and its recognition as a distinct species is supported.

Desmoplasia is a hallmark feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that contributes significantly to treatment resistance. Approaches to enhance drug delivery into fibrotic PDAC tumors continues to be an important unmet need. In this study, we have engineered a tumor-colonizing, E.coli-based agent that expresses both collagenase and hyaluronidase as a strategy to reduce desmoplasia and enhance intratumoral perfusion of anticancer agents. Overall, we observed that the tandem expression of both these enzymes by tumor-colonizing E.coli resulted in the reduced presence of intratumoral collagen and hyaluronan, which likely contributed to enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy observed when used in combination. These results highlight the importance of combination treatments involving the depletion of desmoplastic components in PDAC prior to, or during, treatment.

This study investigates the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on eggshells from table eggs sold in Lagos markets, a major concern given eggs' role as a staple in the Nigerian diet. Fifty-one eggs were sampled from three poultry farms and three supermarkets, with bacterial isolation and identification conducted via microbiological assays and biochemical testing. The findings revealed that all eggshell samples (100%) were contaminated with various bacterial genera, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella typhimurium. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism, indicating a high potential risk for foodborne illness. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests indicated widespread resistance to first-line antibiotics, such as erythromycin and penicillin, with isolates only susceptible to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. This study underscores the public health threat posed by contaminated eggs in Lagos and highlights the need for improved biosecurity measures, enhanced market hygiene, public awareness campaigns, and systematic surveillance under the One Health framework to combat bacterial contamination and antimicrobial resistance.

Background: COVID-19 mainly affects the respiratory system, although its manifestations are multisystemic. Increasingly, complications presented after the acute phase are still being rec-ognized and are associated with impaired functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective was assess the functional status and HRQoL of patients with post-COVID-19. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving individuals affected by COVID-19 who had persistent symptoms for one month after the acute phase of the disease. HRQoL was verified through the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) and, functional status was assessed using the six-minute walk test (6MWT), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Med-ical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnea Scale and, the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale (PCFS). Results: Were included 123 patients, 73 (59.35%) were male, with a mean age of 49.17±13.48 years and a body mass index of 31.02±6.56 stratified into three groups, not recov-ered group (NRG=23), ward recovered group (WHG=60), and intensive care unit group (ICUG=40). The main symptoms were muscle weakness (74.17%) and dyspnea (68.33%). In rela-tion to the distance covered in the 6MWT, the GNR group walked 12.83% below the predicted values, GNR 20.21% and the UGCI 28.82%, respectively. The MRC dyspnea scale had a mean value of less than 3 and the FSS scale had a mean value over 4, indicating considerable fatigue. In the PCFS scale, a significant difference was observed (p>0.0005); while in the SF-36, all HRQoL domains were compromised. Conclusion: Post-COVID-19 patients involved in this study showed a significant decline in functional status and an impairment of HRQoL.

Protecting sensitive data, such as data collected from sensors, is crucial for ensuring the accurate assessment of sensing devices and preventing unauthorized access. In this regard, Internet of Things (IoT) devices offer a promising alternative for in-situ monitoring. However, IoT sensing devices are often constrained by limited processing power and memory. Therefore, lightweight and efficient security algorithms are essential. This review paper assesses the implementation of lightweight cryptographic algorithms for power-constrained microcontrollers in IoT systems using symmetric cryptography. The implemented algorithms analyze the resource constraints of the IoT devices and compare their performance for efficient implementation of secure monitoring systems. Experimental results demonstrate the performance of various lightweight encryption algorithms on low-power microcontrollers. The analysis reveals the comparative performance of these algorithms in terms of average power and energy consumption, memory usage, latency, and throughput.

The inseparability criterion provides a straightforward and efficient method for identifying and quantifying two-mode Gaussian quantum entanglement, making it a crucial tool in quantum optics experiments. However, it is crucial to recognize that the inseparability criterion serves only as a sufficient condition for entanglement assessment, thereby posing a risk of missed detection during evaluation. This paper investigates the use of the inseparability criterion in assessing two-mode squeezed states, with a particular focus on examining missed entanglement detection due to entanglement asymmetry. The results show that when decoherence symmetrically affects both modes, the inseparability criterion effectively detects entanglement. In contrast, when this symmetry is broken, the criterion may fail to identify entanglement, with the likelihood of missed detection increasing alongside rising asymmetry. By comparing these results with the positive partial transpose criterion, which serves as a necessary and sufficient condition, the occurrence of missed detections by the inseparability criterion is confirmed. Our research not only provide valuable insights into the application of the inseparability criterion in quantum information tasks but also deepens the understanding of its operational principles and limitations.

Novel ternary photocatalyst TiO₂-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ was synthesized via a ball milling-assisted sol-gel method and its photocatalytic performance was tasted in photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) and metoprolol (MTP) under UV and Visible light. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen physisorption. Optical measurements confirmed that the combination of TiO₂, ZnO, and g-C₃N₄ extended the visible light absorption to 2.63 eV. SEM and FTIR revealed correct coupling between the three semiconductors, and hole density analysis suggested a synergistic effect reducing charge recombination. Additionally, reuse tests demonstrated the chemical stability of the material. In terms of pollutant degradation, the TiO₂-ZnO/g-C₃N₄ composite efficiently removed 97.75% of MO under UV-LED light and 98.57% under visible light in 300 minutes. Similarly, MTP degradation test reached 86.42% and 86.08% under UV-LED and visible light, respectively, after 300 minutes. These results highlight the material's potential for environmental applications, particularly in contaminant removal through photocatalysis.

In the realm of System Biology, it is a challenging endeavor to infer a gene regulatory network from time-series gene expression data. Numerous Boolean network inference techniques have emerged for reconstructing a gene regulatory network from a time series gene expression dataset. However, most of these techniques pose scalability concerns given their capability to consider only 2 to 3 regulatory genes over a specific target gene. To overcome this limitation, a novel inference method, LBF- MI, has been proposed in this research. This two-phase method utilizes limited Boolean functions and multivariate mutual information to reconstruct a Boolean gene regulatory network from time-series gene expression data. Initially, Boolean functions are applied to determine the optimum solutions. In case of failure, multivariate mutual information is applied to obtain the optimum solutions. This research conducted a performance-comparison experiment between LBF-MI and two other methods: Context Likelihood Relatedness, and Relevance Network. When examined on artificial as well as real time-series gene expression data, the outcomes exhibited that the proposed LBF-MI method outperformed Context Likelihood Relatedness and Relevance Network on artificial datasets, and two real Escherichia Coli datasets (E. coli gene regulatory network, and SOS response of E. coli regulatory network).

This review explores recent advances in the design of fermentation processes for producing alternative proteins, with a focus on the utilization of agro-industrial waste and renewable substrates. Key bioprocess strategies, such as optimized bioreactor designs and strict fermentation parameter control, are discussed to enhance substrate conversion efficiency into protein biomass. The role of enzyme technologies in improving digestibility and protein quality is also highlighted. The article underscores the importance of developing cost-effective fermentation solutions that minimize environmental impact while addressing technical challenges such as scalability and contamination control. Furthermore, it emphasizes the growing need for innovations in fermentation process design to ensure the sustainability of industrial protein production. The review concludes that improvements in process design are fundamental to overcoming technological and regulatory barriers, particularly in increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of non-meat proteins in the global market.

This review explores methodological considerations for maximizing the precision and accuracy of observational cohort studies assessing the risk profiles of tobacco and nicotine products. These considerations, informed by the ROBINS framework for minimizing statistical bias, are anchored in a comprehensive characterization of exposure to all tobacco products currently or formerly used, with corroboration of dose-response relationships. Best-practice considerations for non-randomized observational studies of exposure are enumerated, to most precisely and accurately inform future waves of databases, studies and meta-analyses. These principles are then considered within the context of a recent comprehensive meta-analysis, representing 107 observational studies, which evaluated the health effects of using electronic cigarettes (EC) compared to non-use, use of combusted cigarettes (CC) and dual-use of both products (DU). The meta-analysis had previously reported the relative risk from all-sources, including tobacco use and non-tobacco use. We now report the magnitude of risk reduction associated with displacing CC use with EC use indicated from the primary references, along with considerations regarding the precision of characterization of dose, duration, and timing of CC and EC use in the cited studies.

In this study, broilers were selected as the research object to investigate the effects and mechanism action of dietary gallic acid (GA) supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and muscle fiber-related gene expression. A total of 750 one-day-old healthy 817 male crossbred broiler chickens were divided into five treatment groups, with six replicates per group: control group (CON), basal diet, basal diet with lipopolysaccharide challenge (LPS), basal diet with 150, 300, 450 mg/kg GA supplementation and LPS challenge (GA150, GA300, GA450). On days 14, 17, and 20, chickens in the LPS, GA150, GA300, and GA450 groups received intramuscular injections of LPS, while chickens in the CON group received saline. Compared with the LPS group, adding GA (GA150 and GA300) significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG) of broiler chickens from 1 to 50 days old (p < 0.05), and had the tendency to increase average daily feed intake (ADFI) (p = 0.078). Dietary addition of 450 mg/kg GA significantly reduced the pH value of breast muscle at 45min after slaughter (p < 0.05), and as the level of GA addition increased, the pH value first decreased and then increased. Compared with the LPS group, adding 450mg/kg GA significantly increased the brightness of breast muscles at 45min and 24h after slaughter (p < 0.001). Dietary supplementation of 450 mg/kg GA significantly decreased the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content of post-mortem breast muscle (p < 0.05). Adding 450 mg/kg GA could significantly increase C22:6n-3 concentration in breast muscle (p < 0.05). Different GA levels had no significant effect on the intramuscular fat (IMF) content of broiler breast muscle (p > 0.05). Adding GA (GA150 and GA300) significantly increased (p < 0.05) the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in the breast muscle after LPS stimulation, significantly increased (p < 0.05) the catalase (CAT) activity, and significantly reduced (p < 0.05) malonic dialdehyde (MDA) production, and had the tendency to increase glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity (p = 0.066). In addition, dietary supplementation of GA significantly increased the expression levels of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) I and MyHC IIa in breast muscles (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased the expression level of MyHC IIx (p < 0.05). In summary, dietary addition of GA can alleviate the stress response on the growth performance of broiler chickens and improve antioxidant capacity and meat quality. The appropriate amount of dietary GA at each stage was 300 mg/kg.

Camphora longepaniculata is an important economic crop renowned for its rich volatile terpene compounds. Terpene synthases (TPS) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of these compounds, playing significant roles in plant growth, development, and secondary metabolism. In this study, a total of 86 TPS genes were identified in Camphora longepaniculata, which were classified into five groups based on their evolutionary relationships. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements revealed associations between TPS genes and processes related to plant growth, development, and environmental stress responses. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that these TPS genes are predominantly linked to various enzymatic activities. Furthermore, analysis of duplication events revealed that tandem duplications (TD) and whole genome duplications (WGD) are major driving forces in the evolution of the TPS gene family. Notably, 18 TPS genes were found to be upregulated in high essential oil content varieties of Camphora longepaniculata. These findings lay a solid foundation for further exploration of the functions of TPS genes in Camphora longepaniculata.

Carotenoids from different sources have different structures and functions and as a dietary component have potential health benefits for a wide range of organisms. The effects of halophilic Archaea-derived C50 carotenoids on poultry egg quality and gut microbiota remain largely unexplored. In this study, we isolated and obtained a strain of Halalkalicoccus paucihalophilus, named TRM89021, from the Pamir Plateau. It secretes large amounts of carotenoids. We characterized the carotenoid pigments produced by this strain and found that its main components were bacterioruberin and its derivatives. Effects of these carotenoids on egg quality and cecal microbiota composition of hens were investigated. Compared to the BDG, the supplementation with carotenoids in the CDG resulted in significantly lower a* and b* scores at week 5 and a lower b* score and Haugh units at week 2, while egg strength and weight were higher. The CDG also showed increased yolk antioxidant capacity, higher glutathione peroxidase levels, and significantly lower catalase levels (p<0.05). Plasma analysis revealed elevated total bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase levels, along with reduced inorganic phosphorus levels in the CDG (p<0.05). No significant differences in cecal microbiota diversity were observed between groups at any taxonomic level (p>0.05). This result suggests that halophilic archaea-derived carotenoids display potential to be a natural feed supplement to improve egg quality. Our study provides a theoretical basis for application of archaea-derived carotenoids in poultry diets.

The analysis of suspended particle size distribution in produced water for hydraulic fracturing and for water injection operations is vital for the effective development of tight reservoir formations like the Middle Bakken. Several reservoir engineering studies and industry guidelines recommend that particle sizes fall between 1/7th and 1/3rd of the square root of the formation permeability measured in millidarcies, to avoid pore throat clogging and subsequent formation damage. In the tight Bakken formation, with an average permeability of 0.04 millidarcies, the ideal particle size range for total suspended solids should fall within the 0.03 to 0.06 microns range. This study evaluates whether produced water used for hydraulic fracturing and enhanced oil recovery in the Middle Bakken meets this recommendation, as there are no established regulations in North Dakota addressing this issue. Using laser diffraction, particle size distribution was measured in treated and untreated produced water samples. The results show that current treatment methods do not reduce particle sizes to the recommended range. Treated water had particle diameters ranging from 8.5 to 40 μm, while untreated water had diameters ranging from 8.2 to 10 μm. None of the samples met the particle size requirements for safe use in hydraulic fracturing and water injection. This study highlights the inadequacy of current water recycling practices and offers empirical evidence that may guide future regulations on produced water reuse hydraulic fracturing and water injection in the Bakken.

The convergence of artificial intelligence, robotics, and gaming has sparked critical discussions about the nature of life and the potential for artificial systems to replicate biological traits. This paper examines the defining characteristics of life—such as growth, reproduction, regulation, and sensitivity—and applies these criteria to AI-driven game entities and autonomous robots. By reviewing advancements in AI and robotics from 2015 to 2023, and grounding the analysis in biological theories, this study explores whether these artificial systems can be considered "alive" or if they are merely sophisticated simulations. The findings suggest that while artificial systems can mimic life-like behaviours, they lack essential biological traits, such as metabolism and autonomous reproduction. However, human tendencies to anthropomorphise these systems raise ethical and philosophical questions about the boundaries of life and the need for new frameworks to address the evolving role of artificial intelligence and robotics. This paper concludes by proposing directions for future research on the ethical, social, and technical implications of artificial life.

In engineering practice, information data in the detection process can not be avoided by the working environment and equipment performance and other factors, resulting in unpredictable measurement errors, greatly affecting the reliability of the manufacturing system and decision-making system decision-making scientific. This paper analyzes the application characteristics of untraceable Kalman filter (UKF) and BP neural network algorithm (BPNN) in information data fusion, and tries to realize the complementary advantages of the two through the combination of UKF and BPNN (UKF+BPNN). The information data fusion algorithm based on UKF-BPNN is established to effectively fuse the information data measurement errors brought by multiple influencing factors in order to improve the detection accuracy of the information data, and the feasibility and validity of the method are verified through the application of the algorithm in the measurement of key information data of rolling bearings.

To cope with the complexity, the digital transformation of cyber-physical and socio-technology systems demands the utilization of heterogeneous tailorable development environments with dynamic configuring ability and transparent integration of independently developed dedicated frameworks. Hyper-frameworks, aka Framework-of-Frameworks, correspond to the System-of-Systems paradigm and designate a software-supported, meta-model-based generator of executable configurations. Armed with a meta-modeling layer, the incremental development of hybrid architecture instances focuses on language-based models and their transformations into functional, interpretable environments. Data-driven reasoning and decision support for the entire life cycle of digitally transformed systems critically depends on the effectiveness of involved generative mechanisms and the trustworthiness of related information resources. The Architecture, Meta-Configuration, and Information Resource Handling are the essential segments of the initial version of the proposed evolution prototype. In this article, we formulate five essential hypotheses founding the proposed digital transformation hyper-framework project that integrates the framework model with a meta-configuration-based generative mechanism. The Life Cycle Modeling component framework creatively integrates System, Software, and Operation Engineering. Specification and development of the additional component frameworks, in compliance with specified generative mechanisms, direct further refinements of the proposed Hyper-framework.

GNAO1 encephalopathies are a group of neglected genetic disorders primarily occurring due to de-novo point mutations in the Gαo protein-encoding gene in human GNAO1. This gene is reported to be highly conserved among Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and humans, with a sequence similarity of nearly 80%. Signaling pathways involved in various neurotransmitters, including GPCR pathways can be easily studied in the C. elegans model system. Therefore, using this model system to delineate downstream effectors and clinical targets to Gαo can be highly advantageous. Mutations that cause GNAO1 encephalopathy can be easily replicated in transgenic C. elegans and validated by rescuing phenotypic defects, primarily locomotion and egg-laying defects in worms. Although there are recent technical advancements in understanding the interacting proteins, there are unclear and uncertain hypotheses that explain the effect of Gαo mutations in humans. Coming to the clinical aspect of this disorder, there are no available approved diagnostic procedures to detect GNAO1 encephalopathy in the early stages of life. The present diagnostic procedures reiterate symptoms and overlap with other neurological symptoms that record neglected data of cases. Therefore, here we provide an overview of past research and a perspective of future work, with the primary objective of focusing on GNAO1 encephalopathy.

High-grade advanced ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal (HGAOC) cancer are malignancies in which, apart from surgical treatment, systemic treatment plays an important role. The improvement in treatment results is associated with the introduction of polyADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPis). The aim of this study is to present a cross-section of patients treated for HGAOC, in one center, including the distribution of treatment principles following the most up-to-date guidelines. We observed patients who reported to the Department of Gyneacological Oncology between January 2018 and December 2023. We analyzed 437 women with a first diag-nosis of HGAOC, who had not been treated before. The introduction of combined treatment with bevacizumab and PARPi into the first line of treatment, regardless of any remnants left during cytoreductive surgery, was introduced in November 2022. Since then, 30% (18/60) of patients (14 with olaparib and 4 with niraparib) have used the above regimen. Previously, in May 2021 - Oc-tober 2022, it was 27% of patients (13/81 with olaparib and 9/81 with niraparib). Among patients starting treatment in January 2018 - April 2021, only 4.7% (5/106) received the platinum + paclitaxel + olaparib regimen. In both groups – with and without BRCA1/2 pathogenic or likely- pathogenic variant, significantly more patients used PC + PARPi or PC + BEV + PARPi in periods II and III than in period I (p<0.01). The introduction of modern treatment in our center very quickly changed the structure of patient treatment. Carriers of BRCA1/2 pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant had previously received only chemotherapy, disappeared after the introduction of PARPi, in favor of new therapies. Most patients with no BRCA1/2 pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant, who used PARPi in therapy in our center – received niraparib and therefore they are beneficiaries of mo-lecular diagnostics in the field of HRD.

When the power converter connected to the high-frequency transformer breaks through the bottleneck and reaches a frequency of 100kHz or even higher, the high-frequency transformer's inter-turn insulation faces more serious high-frequency discharge and high temperature problems. In order to improve the service performance of oil-immersed high-frequency transformer insulation paper, composite K-BNNSs particles are prepared by ultrasonic stripping, heat treatment and thermomagnetic stirring. Then, K-BNNSs particles are mixed with PMIA slurry to produce composite aramid paper. And the effects of K-BNNSs particles with different contents on the thermal conductivity, dielectric properties, partial discharge properties and mechanical properties of aramid paper are explored. It can be found that when the addition of composite particles (K-BNNSs) is 10%, the comprehensive performance of composite aramid paper is the best. Compared with Nomex paper, the in-plane and through-plane thermal conductivity of composite insulating paper F-10 is increased by 668.33% and 760.66% respectively. Besides, the high-frequency breakdown voltage is increased by 48.73% and the tensile strength is increased by 2.49%. The main reason is that the composite particles form a complete thermal conductive network in the aramid paper matrix and a large number of hydrogen bonds with the matrix, which enhances the internal interface bonding force of the material and changes the charge transport mechanism.

Although enriched biodiversity and ecological services, most of Ethiopia’s protected areas currently operate at minimum functionality status with terrible biodiversity loss due to anthropogenic‑driven land use change(LUC) and degradation. Despite efforts made to quantify a few aspects, there is no full information regarding the entire LUC patterns and processes which are vital for better understanding and feasible interventions. This study quantified the LUC characteristics compressively at interval, category and transition levels(1986 to 2002 and 2002 to 2020) in Nechsar National Park(NNP) using intensity analysis model, based on the area coverage data of six land types extracted from Landsat imageries. Results revealed ≈78% of the study area exhibited LUC, of which 50.41% was net change during the last 34 years. The change intensity was faster(1.8%) in 2^nd time interval than 1^st (1.7%). Besides >82% persistent land, net gain was observed in bush/shrub(147%), cultivated(127%) and water(15%) at the cost of 39%(10435ha) net loss from woodland, forest and grassland. The most active gain of cultivated and bush/shrub was intensively targeted forest and woodland, respectively, and avoided others. Beyond losing ≈50% of land, woodland followed by forest experienced the most active loss, profoundly attributed to the intensiveness of the drivers rather than area proportion, while its gain was dormant. Generally, the study indicates NNP has been under serious transition processes with negative implications for biodiversity and ecosystem services. It also provides adequate evidence regarding stationarities, highly vulnerable ecosystems and targeted interventions to sustain and scale up the parks’ functionality.

Despite significant progress in drug discovery and the promising antitumor potential of Combretastatin-A4 (CA-4) in selectively targeting rapidly dividing cancer cells, its effects on non-dividing human cells, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), remain unclear. This study aims to assess the in vitro bioactivity of CA-4 in human PBMCs, with a focus on its antigenotoxic and antioxidant properties, while comparing its cytotoxic potency against PBMCs, cancer cell lines (JAR and HeLa), and the normal trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo. Cell viability and metabolic activity was assessed using MTT assay. ROS production in PBMCs was measured by H2DCFDA assay, and DNA damage was evaluated through comet assay. CA-4 exhibited cytotoxicity in PBMCs and HTR-8/SVneo cells at concentrations above 200 µM, while cancer cells, JAR and HeLa, demonstrated cytotoxicity at 100 µM and 1 µM, respectively. CA-4 also reduced ROS levels in PBMCs under oxidative stress, showing antioxidant effects across concentrations ranging from 1 to 200 µM. Additionally, CA-4 demonstrated antigenotoxic effects against H2O2-induced DNA damage in PBMCs at concentrations up to 1 µM. CA-4 exhibited lower cytotoxicity in human PBMCs compared to cancer cells, inhibited ROS production, and demonstrated antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties, offering insights into its potential therapeutic efficacy and safety.

(1) Background: The literature has demonstrated several pathways which links obesity and stress. Thus, new approaches of weight management programs must also integrate health coach-ing and telemonitoring for overall health and wellbeing. The aim of the study is to measure stress, anxiety, and depression scales (DASS-21) in overweight and obese participants who joined a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) and the association between changes in DASS-21 scores and changes in anthropometric measures.; (2) Methods: 50 participants have been enrolled in a ran-domized controlled trial and divided in two groups; Intervention group who received a hy-pocaloric diet remotely, weekly telemonitoring and monthly health coaching; Control group who only followed a the hypocaloric diet without any support. The Arabic version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure depression, anxiety, and stress scales; (3) Results: Data revealed that participants from the intervention group had a significant decrease in anxiety scales after 3months when compared to the control group. In addition, correlation be-tween depression, anxiety, stress, and all anthropometric measures in the intervention group showed a moderate significant positive correlation between changes in waist circumference and depression. (4) Conclusions: Findings confirms that integrating health coaching and telemonitor-ing have a strong potential in improving wellbeing and weight loss.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the playing position (backs vs. pivots vs. wings) and the player role (starter vs. non-starter) on internal match-load and well-being status of female handball players after official matches. Fourteen female handball players from the Spanish 2^nd Division were monitored during a half-season (13 matches, n = 102 individual observations) using rate of perceived exertion (match-RPE) and the Hooper questionnaire in MD+1 and MD+2. Differences between playing positions and player role were determined by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. Furthermore, epsilon-squared (ε²) and Cohen's d (ES) were calculated and interpreted using Hopkins' categorization criteria. The results reveal that backs registered moderately more match-RPE compared to pivots (p < 0.05, ES = 0.84). In contrast, wings experienced the highest values of fatigue and muscle soreness in MD+1 and MD+2 compared to all other playing positions (p < 0.05, ES = 0.66-0.93). Also, wings reported moderately more Hooper index in MD+1 and MD+2 than backs (p < 0.01, ES = 0.73-0.77). Furthermore, starters reported higher absolute values of match-RPE, fatigue, muscle soreness and Hooper index in MD+1 compared to non-starters (p < 0.05, ES = 0.25-0.29). However, no differences were found in MD+2. Therefore, handball coaches and practitioners should consider the internal match-load and the well-being status of the players to implement different training stimulus (e.g., recovery or compensatory strategies) in MD+1 according to playing positions and player role to equalize the total weekly load of the players.

Diseases such as diabetes are known to reduce blood circulation in the capillaries and arterioles; however, there are no devices that can easily measure this on a daily basis. In this study, we developed a tool for measuring finger photoplethysmograms using green-light and near-infrared LEDs. We then conducted photoplethysmography on 25 diabetic inpatients/outpatients as well as 21 adult males and females who had not been diagnosed or treated for diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease (as a control group). In the diabetic patients, the inverse full width at half maximum velocity plethysmogram (1/FWHMVPG) tended to be smaller compared to the control group, and the delay in the green light a-wave peak relative to the near-infrared light a-wave peak in the acceleration plethysmogram was significantly increased. The results suggest that peripheral hemodynamics could be easily estimated at home using a photoplethysmography device mounted on a ring-wearable device.

The electric vehicle market is constantly evolving, with research and development efforts to improve motor technologies and address current challenges to meet the growing demand for sustainable transportation solutions well underway. Electric vehicles are crucial to the global initiative to reduce carbon emissions. The core component of an electric vehicle is its motor drive technology, which has seen significant advancements and diversification in recent years. Although alternating-current motors, particularly induction and synchronous motors, are widely used for their efficiency and low maintenance, direct-current motors provide high torque and cost-effectiveness advantages. This study examines various electric motor technologies used in electric vehicles and compares them using several parameters such as reliability, cost, and efficiency. This study presents a multi-criteria comparison of the various electric motors used in the electric traction system to provide a picture that enables selecting the appropriate electrical motor for the intended application. Although the permanent magnet synchronous motor appears to be the popular choice among electric car makers, the proposed comparative study demonstrates that the induction motor matches the essential requirements of electric vehicles.

Background/Objectives: Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis syndrome, often referred to as PFAPA syndrome, may enigmatically recur for an undetermined time in the affected children: a potential reason to explain its recurring pattern for an unpredictable period and its self-limitation is currently unknown. We explored the relationship of PFAPA symptom evolution during a variable follow-up with PFAPA disease pictures and breastfeeding for less than 6 months during infancy. Methods: In the Outpatients Clinic of Pediatric Rheumatology of our Institution we have retrospectively screened 150 Italian children with history of PFAPA syndrome during the period 2014-2024, all without any recognized chronic diseases: 88 males, 62 females, mean age at onset of 2.5±1.7 years, age range of 0.3-9.4 years, and mean age at diagnosis of 4.5±2.0 years. Results and Conclusions: After dividing patients into two groups based on either the disappearance or persistence of PFAPA symptoms during a variable median follow-up we found that positive family history of recurring fevers, cervical lymphadenopathy, arthralgia, myalgia, and breastfeeding for less than 6 months were associated with the persistence of the disease over time. Inherited autoinflammatory disorders were excluded on a genetic basis in 16.3% of the cohort. Performing a multivariate analysis adjusted for sex and age we found that only breastfeeding for more than 6 months and a higher level of education in PFAPA patients’ mothers were independently associated with the resolution of the recurring PFAPA symptoms.

Cellular reprogramming of somatic cells towards induced pluripotency is a multistep stochastic process mediated by the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc (OSKM), which orchestrate global epigenetic and transcriptional changes. We performed a large-scale analysis of integrated ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data and revealed the spatiotemporal highly dynamic pattern of OSKM DNA binding during reprogramming. We found that OSKM show distinct temporal patterns of binding to different classes of pluripotency-related enhancers. Genes involved in reprogramming are regulated by the coordinated activity of multiple enhancers, which are sequentially bound by OSKM for strict transcriptional control. Based on these findings, we developed an unbiased approach to identify Reprogramming Inducible Enhancers (RIEs), constructed enhancer-traps and isolated cells undergoing reprogramming in real-time. We used a representative RIE taken from the Upp1 gene fused to GFP and isolated cells at different time points during reprogramming and found that they have unique developmental capacities as they are reprogrammed with high efficiency due to their distinct molecular signatures. In conclusion, our experiments have led to the development of an unbiased method to identify and isolate reprogrammable cells in real-time by exploiting the functional dynamics of OSKM, which can be used as efficient reprogramming biomarkers.

As modern technology enables instant access to virtually limitless information, students may perceive memorization of information as lacking in practical importance. The current study investigated the relationship between attitudes toward remembering and metamemory as well as objective memory performance. University students completed the Importance of Remembering questionnaire (IORQ) as a measure of attitudes toward remembering. Subjective components of memory were measured by immediate and delayed judgements of learning (JOLs), global judgements of learning (global JOLs), retroactive confidence judgements (RCJs), as well as subjective mental workload. Objective memory performance was measured using a cued recall test. The IORQ was only significantly correlated with absolute accuracy of delayed judgements of learning for words and pictures such that higher IORQ ratings were associated with less accurate judgments about how well they learned the items. No other correlations were significant. This suggests that a student’s lack of belief in the importance of remembering, at least as conceptualized on the IORQ, may not affect most aspects of memory performance, including those related to academic outcomes.

The first postpartum year is a period of elevated risk for experiencing psychological distress. Guilt and shame have been identified as significant predictors of other forms of psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression. However, guilt and shame are poorly distinguished in pre-existing literature. The current study used inductive thematic analysis to explore lived experiences of guilt and shame in the early postpartum period. All those interviewed had internalised unrealistic mothering ideals. Physical constraints on one’s parenting abilities, due to birth recovery, exacerbated postpartum guilt and shame. Other sources of guilt and shame included body dissatisfaction and making comparisons against other mothers and media depictions of motherhood. Participants were hesitant to confide in others about parenting challenges due to fears of judgement, which perpetuated the shame-concealment cycle. Future research should prioritise the development of interventions designed to target a harsh parenting inner critic, and the re-framing cognitive biases, to nurture more realistic and self-compassionate beliefs about motherhood. For practice, current findings mirror previous calls for intimate partners to be actively included in routine appointments, to provide healthcare practitioners with specialist training in postpartum mental health, and to educate mothers on responsible social media use.

This study examines the evolution and eventual decline of the spirit of primitive federalism within Confucianism, tracing its trajectory from the time of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius to the significant reinterpretations by Dong Zhongshu. The Duke of Zhou's establishment of a confederation-like system and the "Zhou ritual norms" laid the groundwork for a political structure that embraced diversity and distributed power among states, reflecting a proto-federalist concept. Confucius's teachings continued this legacy, advocating for a return to the systems of the Duke's era, where both the central government and local states shared responsibilities and rights. The crux of this study lies within its fourth section, which narrates a tale of transformation happened under Emperor Wu of Han, where Dong Zhongshu distorted the original Confucianism and reinterpreted it as a centralized ideology. In Confucian theory, the shift involved the suppression of alternative philosophies, the establishment of Confucianism as the state's dominant ideology, and a reinterpretation of Confucianism that supported an centralized framework and cultural assimilation. In political practice, he re-envisioned the role of feudal lords as administrative extensions of a centralized government, effectively eroding local autonomy and shifting towards a unified, centralized system. Under the auspices of political authority, Confucian theory was transformed from a federalist theory promoting diversity, inclusivity and advocating decentralization, to one that legitimized a centralized and unified system.

This paper presents a novel solution aimed at enhancing news web pages for seamless integration into the Semantic Web. By utilizing advanced pattern mining techniques alongside OpenAI’s GPT-3, we rewrite news articles to improve their readability and accessibility for Google News aggregators. Our approach is characterized by its methodological rigor and is evaluated through quantitative metrics, validated using Google’s Rich Results Test, which confirms the effectiveness of our generated structured data. The impact of our work is threefold: it advances the technological integration of a substantial segment of the web into the Semantic Web, promotes the adoption of Semantic Web technologies within the news sector, and significantly enhances the discoverability of news articles in aggregator platforms. Furthermore, our solution facilitates the broader dissemination of news content to diverse audiences. This submission introduces an innovative solution substantiated by empirical evidence of its impact and methodological soundness, thereby making a significant contribution to the field of Semantic Web research, particularly in the context of news and media articles.

Poultry farming faces significant challenges due to viral diseases, which lead to high mortality and economic losses. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators in the host immune response to viral infections. This review explores the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in chicken viral diseases, including avian leukosis, Marek’s disease, infectious bursal disease, avian influenza, infectious bronchitis, and Newcastle disease. LncRNAs influence gene expression at various levels, such as chromatin remodeling, transcriptional regulation, and post-transcriptional modifications. They interact with viral and host genes, modulating immune responses and viral replication processes. Specific lncRNAs, such as ERL lncRNA, linc-GALMD3, and loc107051710, have been identified as key players in the pathogenesis and immune response to these viral infections. Understanding the mechanisms of lncRNA action provides insights into potential diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to enhance disease resistance in poultry. This review highlights the importance of lncRNAs in the complex interplay between host and virus, paving the way for future research and applications in poultry health management.

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of widely available biomarkers longitudinally measured throughout pregnancy to predict all and term (delivery at ≥ 37 weeks) preeclampsia (PE). Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study performed at Hospital Universitario de Torrejón (Madrid, Spain) and Shterev Hospital (Sofia, Bulgaria) between August 2017 and December 2022. All pregnant women with singleton pregnancies and non-malformed live fetuses attending their routine ultrasound examination and first-trimester screening for preterm PE at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks' gestation at the participating centers were invited to participate in a larger study for the prediction of pregnancy complications. The dataset was divided into two subsets to develop and validate a joint model of time-to-event outcome and longitudinal data, and to evaluate how the area under the receiving operating characteristic curve (AUROC) evolved with time. Results: 4056 pregnancies were included in the training set (59 all PE, 40 term PE) and 944 in the validation set (23 all PE, 20 term PE). For the joint model and all PE, the AUROC was 0.84 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.94) and the detection rate (DR) for a 10% screening positive rate (SPR) was 56.5 (95% CI 34.5 to 76.8). For term PE, AUROC was 0.80 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.91), and DR for a 10% SPR was 55.0 (95% CI 31.5 to 76.9). The AUROC using only information from the first trimester was 0.50 (95% CI 0.37 to 0.64) and it increased up to 0.84 (0.73 to 0.94) when using all information available. Conclusions: Routinely measuring MAP and UtA-PI throughout pregnancy may improve the predictive prediction power for all and term-PE.

Textbooks tell us that the coupling constant of Dirac magnetic monopoles is 34.259. Here I show by using the quark hypothesis that at zero temperature the coupling constant is as high as 308.331. Moreover I show that it is a running coupling constant and is smaller than 0.5 at the Planck temperature.

The occurrence of Leptospira in mammals is an indicator for assessing potential health risks, particularly in tropical regions. Understanding their hosts' habitat characteristics and spatial occurrence is essential to surveil them. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of the peridomiciles associated with the spatial occurrence of Leptospira hosts. We inventoried the characteristics of the peridomiciles. Blood serum was gathered from dogs, opossums, and rodents for a microagglutination essay to detect exposure to several serogroups of Leptospira. A generalized linear model with binomial distribution helped estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals between a seropositive animal's occurrence and the peridomiciles' characteristics. For estimates with the occurrence of one or more seropositive animals, a multinomial model was fitted. The seroprevalence in rodents was 81.8%; in opossums 31.2%; and 56.5% for dogs. The most frequent serogroup in dogs and rodents was Canicola. In opossums, the seroreaction was against Tarassovi, Ballum, Sejroe, and Cynopteri. Results showed that the peridomicile area (m2), the geographic polygon, and the accumulation of plastic containers (PET) were characteristics related to the occurrence of seropositive animals. The results revealed that the peridomicile's characteristics and spatial distribution in the locality help explain the occurrence of Leptospira hosts.

Youth mental health interventions incorporating trained therapy animals are increasingly popular, but more research is needed to understand the specific interactive behaviors between participants and therapy dogs. Understanding the role of these interactive behaviors is important for supporting both intervention efficacy and animal welfare and well-being. The goal of this study was to develop ethograms to assess interactive behaviors (including both affiliative and stress-related behaviors) of participants and therapy dogs during a social stress task, explore the relationship between human and dog behaviors, and assess how these behaviors may vary between experimental conditions with varying levels of physical contact with the therapy dog. Using video data from a previous experimental study (n = 50 human-therapy dog interactions, n = 25 control group), we successfully developed behavioral ethograms that could be used with a high degree of interrater reliability. Results indicated differences between experimental condition in dog and human behaviors based on whether participants were interacting with a live or a stuffed dog, and whether they were allowed to touch the dog. These findings suggest that physically interacting with a live dog may be an important feature of these interventions, with participants demonstrating increased positive behaviors such as laughing and smiling in these conditions. Dog behaviors also varied based on whether they were in the touching/petting condition of the study. Future research should focus on identifying specific patterns of interactive behaviors between dogs and humans that predict anxiolytic outcomes.

The insertion of the Amazon into the global commodities market requires ensuring the rational use of resources to meet market and political-social demands, such as the UN 2030 Agenda. Therefore, responsible production practices, given the current demand for sustainable use of land and its re-sources, are essential. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify opportunities and challenges linked to the implementation and consolidation of sustainable production systems in the Amazon through a systematic literature review. To this end, articles were prospected in four databases (Science Direct, SpringerLink, Scopus and Wiley) covering the period from 2004 to 2024. A total of 5,385 articles were evaluated, and after the selection stages, only 39 were included. A low distri-bution of studies among states in the Brazilian Amazon was observed, with a peak in studies star-ting in 2015. The studies developed mostly addressed agroforestry systems and forest management. Although there are sustainable production systems and practices, research and public policies need to be promoted to help the different actors involved in agricultural production in the Amazon, generating income and quality of life.

We present an innovative method for dual band mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) reflectors. By using double-sided metasurfaces, two high reflection bands can be generated with a single device. As individual guided-mode resonance (GMR) reflectors are combined with interlayer (or substrate) on the top and bottom sides, we achieve high reflection in the MWIR and LWIR bands simultaneously. Each GMR reflector is optimized as a germanium (Ge) grating structure on a potassium bromide (KBr) substrate. In our analysis, it is found that the transparency of the interlayer is critical to produce the dual-band reflection. The simulation results on the Ge/KBr/Ge double-sided metasurfaces demonstrate wideband reflection from ~3.3 to 4.8 μm and ~8.8 to 11 μm. Additionally, the device exhibits favorable angular tolerance. The work contributes to developing capability of metasurface technologies in various application fields.

Since the advent of Fourier Domain Mode-Locked (FDML) lasers, they have demonstrated outstanding performance in several fields. They achieve high-speed, narrow-linewidth laser output with the new mode-locking mechanism, which has been intensively researched in the past decades. Compared with conventional wavelength-scanning light sources, FDML lasers have successfully increased the scanning rate of frequency-sweeping lasers from kHz to MHz. They are widely used in optical coherence tomography, spectral analysis, microscopy, measurement, and microwave signal generation. With the deepening research on FDML lasers, several performance metrics have been optimized and improved, offering superior performance for FDML laser-based applications. This paper reviews the principles and key performance indicators of FDML lasers, as well as the recent progress made in some important applications, and highlights further research directions for FDML lasers in the future.