How does fiscal devolution affect the probability of a sovereign debt crisis? Using annual cross-country panel data from 82 advanced and developing countries, the association between the sovereign debt crisis and fiscal decentralization is investigated. We employ an instrumental variable panel probit model to address potential endogeneity. The results reveal that local tax autonomy reduces the probability of a sovereign debt crisis. In contrast, expenditure devolution is found to increase the probability of a sovereign debt crisis. These favorable and unfavorable effects of fiscal devolution are found to be more evident in the case of decentralization to local governments than in the case of decentralization to subnational governments. In terms of relative magnitudes, our discrete choice analysis demonstrates that the undesirable effects of expenditure decentralization are greater than the favorable effects of tax revenue decentralization. Therefore, countries should be cautious about risks associated with fiscal devolution, particularly the contrasting impact of tax revenue and spending decentralization on the likelihood that sovereign debt crises occur.

Oil revenues and external debt might have stimulated economic growth in the oil exporting countries via investment in capital projects. The paper estimated economic growth on oil revenues and external debt after controlling public investment and population growth over the period 1970-2015. Following the confirmation of the order of integration, our analysis is based on autoregressive distributed lag bound testing to cointegration approach. The key findings are that oil revenues and public investment contributes to Nigeria’s economic growth. However, our findings also indicate that external debt and population growth retards growth. The study suggests that minimizing fiscal deficits and unnecessarily foreign loans by creating tax avenues through the development of the non-oil sectors would reduce the dependency syndrome on a single commodity (oil) in Nigeria.

This paper investigates the dynamic stability of public debt and its solvency condition on the face of crises periods (1980-2021) in a sample of 11-euro area countries. The focus is on the feedback loop between dynamic stability of public debt and interest rates, discounted by the economic growth, in conjunction with budget deficits during tranquil and turbulent periods. Using the GMM panel dynamic model, the results show that dynamic stability was the case before the global financial crisis (GFC), while from GFC to pandemic, dynamic instability prevailed on the evolution of public debt. Moreover, dynamic instability exerted a highly persistent effect on the evolution of debt. Furthermore, panel threshold estimates show that dynamic instability of debt starts to violate the solvency condition when the borrowing cost is above 3.29%, becomes even stronger when it is above 4.39% and exerts even more pressure when the level of debt is greater than 91%. However, the debt sustainability condition reverses course when economic growth is higher than 3.4%. The main policy implication drawn from the results is that low interest rates can create a self-reinforcing loop of high debt, which is an issue for further research.

The current health crisis derived from COVID 19 has become a serious threat to humanity. The collateral effects related to economic aspects are affecting companies, workers and, of course, families in general. The problems of financial insolvency are frequently present in debtors who have contracted a debt with their creditor. Therefore, the objective of the study is focused on modeling a debt restructuring proposal, through three hypothetical scenarios in which the debt is reconvened when some documents have expired and others are yet to expire. In each of the scenarios, the mathematical model is designed and subsequently corroborated in an Excel spreadsheet. The predominant variables in the restructuring are the adjustment rates used to update the past due promissory notes and the discount rates of those promissory notes that have not yet expired, capitalizations, transaction costs and, if applicable, whether the debt is in foreign currency. In this case, it is converted to the local currency, then the spot exchange rate is used.

It is well established in literature that the public debt and economic growth bear positive and non-linear relationship. However, in recent literature, evidence of no causal relationship is found when accounted for endogeneity in case of advanced economies (Panizza & Presbitero, 2014). Chudik, Mohaddes, Pesaran, & Raissi, (2017) analyse the data on forty countries and find no evidence of universally applicable threshold effect in the relationship between debt and growth. These advancements in the debt-growth literature provides the motivation to re-explore the relationship between public debt and economic growth under non-linearity and endogeneity in context of developing economies of South Asia including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka for the period 1980-2014. There exists a significant, positive but nonlinear relationship between the public debt and economic growth for the selected set of developing countries when accounted for endogeneity and non-linearity. The negative association between the public debt and economic growth for SAARC region is found when the debt level is higher than 61% of GDP which is quite lower than developed economies (90% of GDP). Individual threshold levels for debt-to-GDP ratio divulge that Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India need to control their public borrowings as their current debt levels are higher and/or around the respective threshold levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic, has underscored the critical importance of sustainability across various sectors, particularly within the global economy and corporate responses to pandemic-induced challenges. Companies worldwide have grappled with unprecedented financial and operational hardships, pushing some to the brink of closure. A crucial dimension of sustainability in this context pertains to corporate financing policies. Analyzing how the pandemic has impacted these policies reveals significant insights. Government support has been instrumental in mitigating pandemic-induced disruptions, but often proved insufficient for severely affected companies. Companies, seeking financial resilience, turned to state-guaranteed lines of credit as a lifeline. Additionally, moratoriums on existing credits provided temporary relief, but long-term consequences, particularly regarding corporate indebtedness. As companies adapted financing strategies, corporate indebtedness increased. Coupled with rising interest rates in late 2022, corporate financing costs surged, emphasizing the need for sustainable financial approaches addressing both short-term crises and long-term stability. In conclusion, corporate sustainability during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a comprehensive approach. Governments must provide adequate support, companies should pursue sustainable financing solutions, and a careful consideration of the long-term consequences of financial policy changes is essential. Prioritizing sustainability in the corporate sector prepares businesses for future crises while safeguarding global economic stability.

This paper investigates the relationship between public debt and economic growth in the context of a panel kink regression with latent group structures. The proposed model allows us to explore the heterogeneous threshold effects of public debt on economic growth based on unknown group patterns. We propose a least squares estimator and demonstrate the consistency of estimating group structures. The finite sample performance of the proposed estimator is evaluated by simulations. Our findings reveal that the nonlinear relationship between public debt and economic growth is characterized by a heterogeneous threshold level, which varies among different groups, and highlight that the mixed results found in previous studies may stem from the assumption of a homogeneous threshold effect.

In this work, we apply ensemble formalism to a geometric agents model to study the effect of saving propensity in a system with money, credit, and debt. We calculate the partition function to obtain the total money of the system, with which we give an interpretation of the economic temperature in terms of the different payment methods available to the agents. We observe an interplay between the fraction of money that agents can save and the debt that can be financed. We also observe that the system’s entropy increases as the saved proportion increases and increases, even more, when debt is present.

This study examines whether government spending efficiency is associated with differential effects of public investment on debt-to-GDP ratio for a panel data consisting of 16 developing countries in Asia-Pacific region over the period 2007-2017. Public investment is central to implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — but high debt-to-GDP ratio poses a key risk. The empirical results indicate that public investment efficiency moderates debt-to-GDP ratio whereas public investment in the midst of public sector corruption accentuates debt-to-GDP ratio. The results have important policy implications.

Over recent years, the Ghanaian economy has struggled to find its feet on the ground despite rising public debt and unending inflows of foreign aid. Against this backdrop, this study employs the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) estimation technique on data from 1970 to 2020 to test the usefulness of the debt overhang hypothesis and the dependency theory in the special case of Ghana. The results confirm evidence of the debt overhang hypothesis and the center-periphery wisdom of the dependency theory in Ghana. The findings depict that an increase in external debt stock and total debt service on external debt have both short and long-run growth-limiting effects on the Ghanaian economy. Similarly, foreign aid catalyzes growth only in the short run and later suppresses rather than stimulates economic growth in Ghana over the long run. The study recommends that harnessing domestic resources, maintaining fiscal discipline by cutting down unproductive expenditures, enhancing an effective tax system, and promoting institutional capabilities to counteract corruption and openness to trade are better ways to fast-track growth development in Ghana.

This paper investigates the impact of debt financing on dividend payments when they face the agency costs of free cash flow. Focusing on a sample of 120 firms listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange during the period 2011-2021. The study found a negative association between agency cost of free cash flow and dividend payment. More importantly, our research highlights the significant role of long-term debt in making more prudent use of free cash flow. The obligation to meet interest and principal payments acts as an incentive for them to steer clear of unprofitable expenses and risky investments. Concurrently, long-term debt imposes restrictive clauses in debt contracts, such as minimum dividend distribution requirements, which further encourage higher dividend payments. Since interest and debt repayments are fixed obligations, using free cash flow for dividend disbursement is considered a more profitable and beneficial approach for shareholders in the context of Saudi Arabia.

During the 2008 financial crisis, central banks (such as the Fed) adopted quantitative easing (QE) policy to stimulate their economies and overcome severe economic and financial recessions. However, apart from stimulating the economy by issuing a substantial amount of currency to purchase long-term bonds and suppress interest rates, QE policy also contributed to a boom in the real estate and construction sectors. Therefore, this study employs Data Envelopment Analysis to measure the business performance (BP) of construction companies and explores the impact of QE policy on the BP of construction companies between 2004 and 2015 using ordinary least squares regression. Also, we examine the moderating role of debt ratio on the relationship. Focused on publicly listed construction companies in Taiwan, this research reveals three encouraging find-ings. Firstly, QE policy indeed enhanced the BP of Taiwanese construction companies. Secondly, the performance improvement of construction companies due to QE policy shows a time-diminishing trend, suggesting the importance of seizing the initial policy benefits of QE implementation. Lastly, construction companies with appropriate financial leverage may exhibit better BP. These findings can provide valuable insights for relevant government entities and de-cision-makers in the industry for policy and investment decisions.

Long COVID, a name often given to the persistent symptoms following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, poses a multifaceted challenge for health. This review explores the intrinsic relationship between comorbidities and autoimmune responses in shaping the trajectory of long COVID. Autoantibodies have emerged as significant players in COVID-19 pathophysiology, with implications for disease severity and progression. Studies show immune dysregulation persisting months after infection, marked by activated innate immune cells and high cytokine levels. The presence of autoantibodies against various autoantigens suggests their potential as comorbid factors in long COVID. Additionally, the formation of immune complexes may lead to severe disease progression, highlighting the urgency for early detection and intervention. Furthermore, long COVID is highly linked to cardiovascular complications and neurological symptoms, posing challenges in diagnosis and management. Multidisciplinary approaches, including vaccination, tailored rehabilitation, and pharmacological interventions, are used for mitigating long COVID's burden. However, numerous challenges persist, from evolving diagnostic criteria to addressing the psychosocial impact and predicting disease outcomes. Leveraging AI-based applications holds promise in enhancing patient management and improving our understanding of long COVID. As research continues to unfold, unravelling the complexities of long COVID remains paramount for effective intervention and patient care.

To reduce the cost of small wind turbines, a prototype of a butterfly wind turbine (6.92 m in diameter), a small vertical-axis type, was developed with many parts made of extruded aluminum suitable for mass production. An over-speed control system with movable arms that operated using centrifugal and aerodynamic forces was installed for further cost reduction. Introducing this mechanism eliminates the need for large active brakes and expands the operating wind speed range of the wind turbine. However, although the mechanism involving the use of only bearings is simple, the violent movement of the movable arms can be a challenge. To address this in the present study, dampers were introduced on the movable arm rotation axes to improve the movement of the movable arms. To predict the behavior of a movable arm and the performance of the wind turbine with the mechanism, a simulation method was developed based on the blade element momentum theory and the equation of motion of the movable arm system. Comparison of experiments and predictions with and without dampers demonstrated qualitative agreement. In the case with dampers, measurements confirmed the predicted increase in the rotor rotational speed when the shorter ailerons installed perpendicularly to the movable arms were used to achieve the inclination. The movable arm system with dampers is expected to be a useful device for vertical-axis wind turbines that are difficult to control.

Brown rice is a familiar whole grain in Japan. We examined national trends in brown rice consumption among Japanese adults aged ≥ 20 years old, using individual-level data from the National Health and Nutrition Surveys conducted between 2012 and 2019. We employed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with brown rice consumption. The 95th percentile of daily brown rice intake remained at 0.0 grams throughout the study period. The percentage of brown rice consumers increased from 1.8% (95% confidence interval: 1.6–2.1) in 2012 to 2.3% (95% confidence interval: 1.8–3.0) in 2019. Compared with individuals who consumed only white rice, brown rice consumers had significantly higher mean intake levels of macronutrients, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Brown rice consumption was positively associated with certain sociodemographic characteristics (being female, older age, residing in a major city, living without very young children, and having higher education levels) and health behaviors (lower body mass index, engaging in regular exercise, and being a former or never smoker). Despite its potential nutritional benefits in balanced diets, only a small fraction of adults in Japan consume brown rice, indicating a need for further promotion, particularly among individuals with characteristics associated with brown rice consumption.

Background: Across the world, antibiotic resistance is a critical challenge. To address such a problem, it has to be done to investigate new antibiotic sources. Aim of the study: Study of the antibacterial activity of Corallopyronin A in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials stages 1/2, as well as investigating the purification of Corallopyronin A from different soil conditions in Egypt. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Egypt's various soil conditions were tested to develop bacterial isolates that produced the antibiotic compound Corallopyronin A. Reversed phase HPLC was used to purify Myxopyronin A. The broth microdilution method and the paper disc diffusion assay determined the test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity. Moreover, in vivo antibacterial spectrum, adverse medication responses, and pharmacokinetics were found in phases 1/2 of randomized clinical studies involving humans and animal models. Results: Corallopyronin A was generated from the culture supernatant of the soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides M2, cultivated on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate. The test antibiotic prevented the growth of several Gram-ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, at MICs higher than 100 mcg/ ml; while blocking the development of many Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 3 to 15 mcg/ ml. However, eukaryotic cells—such as those found in fungi and humans—were unaffected. A bactericidal consequence of the test antibiotic was detected in the inhibition of prokaryotic DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP). Conclusion: The synthesis of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin A from Corallococcus coralloides M2 isolated from different soil settings in Egypt intrigued the current investigation.

CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as the predominant method for genome editing due to its cost-effectiveness and broad applicability, playing a crucial role in advancing sustainable practices across various sectors. This systematic review leverages the PRISMA methodology to explore CRISPR/Cas9's impact on environmental protection, thereby supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Analyzing data from the Web of Science, the review found significant growth in related publications, with a 30% increase since 2014, predominantly from the US, China, Germany, and the UK. The study categorizes the scientific developments into three trends: advancements in agriculture, gene editing techniques, and biofuel production. Key discussions include the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in developing fourth-generation biofuels and environmental biosensors, as well as its applications in enhancing genetic resilience and controlling invasive species. These innovations highlight CRISPR/Cas9's potential in promoting sustainable resource management and energy generation, marking a pivotal contribution to ecological conservation and sustainability efforts.

Corneal biomechanics is a hot topic in ophthalmology. The biomechanical properties of the cornea (BMPs) have important implications in the management and diagnosis of corneal diseases such as ectasia and keratoconus. In addition, the characterization of BMPs is crucial to model the predictability of a corneal surgery intervention, the outcomes of refractive surgery or follow-up of corneal diseases. The biomechanical behavior of the cornea is governed by viscoelastic properties that allow, among other structural implications, the damping of excess of intraocular pressure and reduce damage to the optic nerve. Currently, the most versatile and complete methods to measure corneal viscoelasticity are based on air-puff corneal applanation. However, those methods lack the ability to directly measure corneal viscosity. The aim of this work is to propose a new methodology based on the analysis of corneal air-puff measurements through the Standard Linear Solid model (SLSM) to provide analytical expressions to separately calculate the elastic and time-dependent (corneal retardation time and viscosity) properties. The results shown the mean values of elasticity (E), viscosity (Ƞ) and corneal retardation time (τ) in a sample of 200 young and healthy subjects. The influence of elasticity and viscosity on viscoelasticity, high-order corneal aberrations and optical transparency is investigated. Finally, the SLSM fed back from experimental E and Ƞ values was employed to compare the creep-relaxation response between normal, an ocular hypertension patient and Ortho-K user.

High average power narrow-linewidth tunable solid-state lasers in the wavelength region between 2 to 3 μm are attractive light sources for many applications. This paper reports a narrow-linewidth widely-tunable laser system based on the polycrystalline Cr2+:ZnSe elements pumped by the repetitively-pulsed 2.1 µm Ho3+:YAG laser operating at the tens of kilohertz pulse rate. An advanced procedure of ZnSe-element doping and surface improvement was applied to increase the laser-induced damage threshold, which resulted in an increase of the output power of the Cr2+:ZnSe laser system. The high-average-power laser system comprised double master-oscillators and power amplifiers: Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe laser oscillators, and Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe power amplifiers. The output wavelength was widely tuned within 2.3-2.7 µm by an acousto-optical tunable filter inside the Cr2+:ZnSe master oscillator cavity. The narrow-linewidth operation at the pulse repetition rate of 20-40 kHz in a high-quality beam with the average output power up to 9.7 W was demonstrated.

Mechanical equipment is composed of several parts, the interaction between the parts exists throughout whole life cycle leads to the widespread phenomenon of fault coupling and the diagnosis of independent faults cannot meet the requirements of the health management of mechanical equipment under actual working conditions. In this paper, the topological structure of graph neural network is used to describe the correlation of coupling faults and multiple fault types are regarded as network nodes respectively. The fault features are fused and extracted by graph convolution to achieve the classification of coupling faults. In this paper, dynamic vertexes are defined in data topology and the parameters of DIGNN classification model are optimized by changing the fault type of dynamic vertexes during training stage. The data is loaded into dynamic vertexes for classification and analysis during testing stage. The one-dimensional vibration data is converted into two-dimensional time-frequency domain data by wavelet transform making the input features of the model interpretable to reduce the uncertainty of model training. The data topology is then fed into DIGNN for fault classification, and GCN's node aggregation gives interpretability to each layer of network data processing. The method proposed in this paper can realize accurate diagnosis of independent faults on the data set, and can effectively judge the coupling mode of coupling faults, which is suitable for coupling fault analysis of mechanical equipment.

Present work investigates, in photon energy domains of specific interest for medical imaging, the effect of the escape of X-ray fluorescence from the scintillator materials on the energy resolution of scintillation detector itself. Monolithic as well as pixelated crystals differently sized are considered, in the case of the NaI because it is the gold standard in the field. The volumetric ratio is introduced, as a figure of merit, taking into account, alongside the surface-to-volume ratio, the geometric shape, the elemental composition and also the mean-free-path for the given scintillator and energy. The inter-crystal XRF escape is finally suggested to be considered among the effects producing image blurring in segmented scintillatros due to the spread of events between the primary pixel and the first neighbors ones.

We evaluated the macroscopic and histopathological aspects of skin healing by secondary intention in equine wounds, surgically induced and topically treated with bacterial cellulose hydrogel with alginate (BCAG) or frog skin (FSG), compared with ringer lactate (CG). Three wounds were created on each side of the lumbar region, one side for gross evaluation with photos and measurement of the area and contraction rate and the other for histopathological evaluation, with the sides selected randomly, in 5 horses. All wounds received daily treatment, and clinical and histopathological evaluations were conducted on postoperative days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Although no statistical differences were observed, the BCAG presented a reduced wound area and a high wound contraction percentage on days 14 and 21. At 28 days, the average contraction rates were 96.08%, 92.87%, and 88.6% for the CG, BCAG, and FSG, respectively. Although there was no statistical difference between the groups in wound healing in this study in horses, in clinical evaluations an early start of filling the area of the wounds treated with frog skin was observed, and on D14 and D21, a smaller area and higher contraction rate were observed in BCAG, which can be attributed to more efficient re-epithelialization and fibroblast proliferation.

Biomaterials are the basis for the development of medicine because they allow safe contact with a living organism. The aim of this work was to produce innovative oxide layers with a porous microstructure on the surface of commercially pure titanium Grade 4 (CpTi G4), and to characterize their properties as drug carriers. Anodization of the CpTi G4 subjected to mechanical grinding and electrochemical polishing was carried out in a solution of 1M ethylene glycol with the addition of 40 g of ammonium fluoride at a voltage of 20 V for 2, 18, 24 and 48 hours at room temperature. It was found that the longer anodization time, the greater the number of pores formed on the CpTi G4 surface as revealed by FE-SEM method, and the greater the surface roughness determined in profilometric tests. As the anodizing time increases, the amount of the drug in the form of gentamicin sulfate incorporated into the resulting pores decreases. The most favorable drug release kinetics profile determined by UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy was found for the CpTi G4 anodized for 2 h making them the best choice when it comes to the drug carrier allowing full use of the therapeutic dose of the drug.

The prevalence of autism has been increasing at an alarming rate. Even accounting for the expansion of autism spectrum disorder diagnostic (ASD) criteria throughout the 1990’s, there has been an over 300% increase in ASD prevalence since the year 2000. The often debilitating personal, familial, and societal sequelae of autism are generally believed to be lifelong. However, there have been several encouraging case reports demonstrating reversal of autism diagnoses with a therapeutic focus on addressing the environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors believed to be largely underlying the condition. This case report describes the reversal of autism among dizygotic, female twin toddlers and provides a review of related literature describing associations between modifiable lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and various clinical approaches to treating autism. The twins were diagnosed with Level 3 severity ASD “requiring very substantial support” at approximately 20 months of age following concerns of limited verbal and non-verbal communication, repetitive behaviors, rigidity around transitions, and extensive gastrointestinal symptoms, among other common symptoms. A parent-driven, multidisciplinary, therapeutic intervention involving a variety of licensed clinicians focusing primarily on addressing environmental and modifiable lifestyle factors was personalized to each of the twin’s symptoms, labs, and other outcome measures. Dramatic improvements were noted within several months in most domains of the twins’ symptoms, which was manifested in reductions of Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) scores from 76 to 32 in one of the twins and from 43 to 4 in the other twin. The improvement in symptoms and ATEC scores has remained relatively stable for six months at last assessment. While prospective studies are required, this case offers further encouraging evidence of ASD reversal through a personalized, multidisciplinary approach focusing predominantly on addressing environmental and lifestyle risk factors.

In an effectively managed grazing system, goats as grazers can benefit the land's physical, chemical, biological, and economic aspects. However, little research has evaluated rotational and continuous goat grazing in Kentucky. This observational study investigated the impact of rotational and continuous grazing on forage production and goat performance. One group of 10 does was placed on a rotational pasture, and another group of 10 does were placed on a continuous pasture, each pasture measuring two acres. The pastures were side-by-side with similar forage types and compositions. Goat performance was measured by body weight and eye color score (FAMCHA). Forage production was measured weekly by collecting forage heights at three random spots in each pasture. The rotational grazing field displayed a more evenly grazing pattern, while the continuous field experienced overgrazing in some areas and overgrown of the less desired forage. Goats on the continuous field had a decrease in body weight, while the weights were more consistent in the rotational grazing field. The FAMACHA score was temporarily reduced on the rotational grazing pasture, indicating that properly managed rotational grazing may prevent anemia, possibly by reducing the shedding of gastrointestinal parasites. However, due to drought and lack of forage, the FAMACHA score of goats in the rotational grazing system reverted to its original status by the end, indicating that more extensive management and timely adjustments are necessary to ensure optimal goat performance. Our results suggest that rotational grazing may support more consistent forage yields and body weights of goats and has the potential to reduce the incidence of anemia and parasitic infestations in goats in Kentucky.

We previously reported nano-pulse treatment (NPT), a pulsed power technology, resulted in 4T1-luc mammary tumor elimination and a strong in situ vaccination, thereby completely protecting tumor-free animals against a second live tumor challenge. The mechanism whereby NPT mounts effective antitumor immune responses in the 4T1 breast cancer predominantly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unanswered. In this study, orthotopic 4T1 mouse breast tumors were treated with NPT (100 ns, 50 kV/cm, 1000 pulses, 3 Hz). Blood, spleen, draining lymph nodes and tumors were harvested at 4-hour, 8-hour, 1-, 3-, 7-day. Additional studies were conducted over 3-month posttreatment intervals for the analysis of frequencies, death and functional markers of various immune cells in addition to suppressor function of regulatory T cells (Tregs). NPT was verified to elicit strong in situ vaccination (ISV) against breast cancer and promoted both acute and long-term T cell memory. NPT abolished immunosuppressive dominance systemically and in the TME by substantially reducing Tregs, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). NPT induced apoptosis in Tregs and TAMs. It also functionally diminished the Treg suppression capacity, likely explained by the downregulation of activation markers, particularly 4-1BB and TGFβ, and a phenotypic shift from predominantly activated (CD44+CD62L-) to naïve (CD44-CD62L+) Tregs. Importantly, NPT selectively induced apoptosis in activated Tregs and spared effector CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These changes were followed by a concomitant rise in CD8+CD103+ tissue-resident memory T cells and TAM M1 polarization. These findings indicate that NPT effectively switches the TME and secondary lymphatic systems from an immunosuppressive to an immunostimulatory state allowing cytotoxic T-cell function and immune memory formation to eliminate cancer cells and account for the NPT in situ vaccination.

Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative disease of skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although Australian possums are known to be susceptible to Buruli ulcer, many aspects of the disease in possums, including welfare impacts, remain largely unreported. Severe clinical Buruli ulcer was identified in four common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) from Melbourne, Victoria. All four possums were euthanised due to welfare concerns and poor prognosis, based on the presence of deep ulcerative lesions to paws, some of which exposed carpal or tarsal bones. These lesions were considered likely to cause partial or complete loss of limb function, which would severely affect the welfare and survival of these wild arboreal animals. Histologically, there was severe ulcerative necrotising pyogranulomatous dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis, with intralesional acid-fast bacteria. M. ulcerans was detected by real-time PCR in all swabs and biological tissues collected from all four cases. Buruli ulcer may be an important and under-recognised cause of poor possum welfare in endemic areas. In addition to severe cutaneous lesions, infection extends to underlying bones and joints, and the systemic distribution of M. ulcerans throughout all major tissues and internal organs, as observed in these four cases, may further impact the health and fitness of infected possums. Further research is needed to investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis and impacts of Buruli ulcer in possums, and to inform the design of interventions that may protect the health and welfare of possums and other affected animal species.

The development and evaluation of techniques that increase the efficiency of selection for planta plant resistance to pathogens is a challenge in all breeding programmes for disease resistance. Under field and laboratory conditions, hybrid populations (F1) of Coffea arabica derived from sources that carry the rust resistance gene SH1 and the CX.2385 line obtained from the Caturra variety × Timor Hybrid CIFC-1343 were evaluated. By means of survival curves, under controlled conditions, the probable times (P<0.05) for the development of symptoms associated with coffee rust were found to be highly variable. Similarly, phenotypic variation in resistance reactions was detected, and plants with incomplete resistance to rust, late development of the incubation period (PI), and no development of a latency period (PL) were identified. The results suggest the use of the detached leaf method as an alternative for the preselection of genotypes for resistance to coffee rust, which could reduce the number of plants used for field evaluations.

The pressing threat of global warming poses significant risks to plant survival, adversely affecting their growth and agricultural productivity. It is crucial to understand how plants react to heat stress at the molecular level to develop crops that can withstand higher temperatures. In our study, we investigated the proteome dynamics of *Arabidopsis thaliana* seedlings under moderate heat stress conditions (30°C) using a combination of 15N-stable isotope labeling and the ProteinTurnover algorithm. This approach allowed us to closely examine the proteomic changes across different cellular compartments. Our findings revealed significant changes in the turnover rates of 571 proteins, with an average increase of 1.4-fold, indicating enhanced protein dynamics under heat stress. Notably, root soluble proteins showed more subtle changes, suggesting tissue-specific responses. We also detected significant turnover variations in proteins involved in redox signaling, stress response, and metabolism, highlighting the complex nature of these adaptive mechanisms. In contrast, proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial ATP synthesis showed little change, underscoring their stability. This detailed analysis illuminates the proteomic adaptations of *Arabidopsis* seedlings to moderate heat stress, enhancing our understanding of plant thermal resilience and supporting efforts to develop thermotolerant crops.

Deterministic simulations using the SWAN model were conducted along a stretch of the Tietê-Paraná waterway in the Ilha Solteira dam reservoir, São Paulo, Brazil, to assess the water waves generated by winds. Simultaneously employs a probabilistic metamodeling approach (PCE) and Sobol indices, to quantify uncertainty of the five involved physical parameters (wind velocity and direction, bottom friction (JONSWAP), whitecapping and depth-induced breaking index). In the deterministic part, Janssen’s formulation yielded the most successful and accurate estimations of wave heights. Probabilistic analysis underscored the importance of wind data and the whitecapping parameter in model calibration, with a significant influence of wind speed indicated by Sobol indices. The results not only refined the model calibration process, but also allowed the creation of contour maps for wave height and period that offer practical pre-project applications. This work advances understanding of wind wave hydrodynamics deterministically and probabilistically, with good concordance and performance indices compared to field data, despite being scarce.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that is associated with a wide variety of health conditions, including cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic, neoplastic, and neurocognitive manifestations. OSA is mainly characterized by repeated upper airway obstructions during sleep that cause episodes of chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH), resulting in tissue hypoxia-reoxygenation. Decreased arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) and hemoglobin saturation (SatO2) stimulate reflex responses to overcome the obstruction. The prevalence of OSA is significant worldwide, particularly in women during pregnancy, due to the physiological changes associated with this stage of life, especially in its later stages. It is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, pre-eclampsia and diabetes, among others. OSA during pregnancy can interfere with normal fetal development and is associated with growth retardation, preterm birth, or low term weight. Carotid body stimulation and hypoxia-reoxygenation episodes contribute to cardiovascular disease and oxidative stress, that can harm both, mother and the fetus, even into the adulthood. Because gestational intermittent hypoxia (GIH) is the hallmark of OSA in pregnancy, this review examines the impact of GIH on maternal, fetal, and offspring respiratory outcomes. Most adverse outcomes can be prevented by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy and lifestyle changes if gestational OSA is detected early and treated appropriately.

The difficulties faced by the society in its goal of reducing mortality and improving the health status during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that it is necessary to develop new approaches in the therapy of infectious diseases, leading to higher treatment efficiency and few side effects. The subject of the present study is the formation and characterization of the proper-ties of stable liposomes loaded with extracts from Bulgarian medicinal plants and monitoring their antiviral action against the human strain of coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) in vitro. The hydrodynamic diameter and -potential of the liposomes containing each type of payload were determined with DLS and electrokinetics. The encapsulated amount of extracts was evaluated against quercetin and gallic acid by using colourimetric methods. The BALB 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake (NRU) phototoxicity/cytotoxicity assay was used to estimate the safety of the compounds. For assessment of the antiviral activity against HCoV-OC43 of liposomes (Lip) containing medicinal plant extracts, the cytopathic effect inhibition test was used. Measurements of the virucidal activity and the effect on the virus adsorption stage was carried out using the endpoint dilution method, and ∆lgs were calculated by comparison with untreated controls. The estimated photo irritation factors (PIF) for the Lip containing extracts were < 2 which assigns them to the category of non-phototoxic substances. When the extracts were introduced into the liposomes as their carriers, the antiviral activity of the vesicles against the replication of HCoV-OC43 in vitro in-creased by several times compared to their individual activity described in our previous study. The determination of the effect of structures loaded with extracts on the extracellular virions and the stage of their adsorption to sensitive HCT-8 cells proved that the liposomes do not affect directly the viral surface or cell membrane, but only perform a function of carriers of the active substances and the observed result is due solely to the intracellular action of the extracts.

Lyme disease is a highly prevalent tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in North America and Eurasia. Diagnosis of the early disease remains difficult with the currently approved serological tests in the absence of noticeable tick bite or erythema migrans due to presentation of non-specific symptoms and the absence of antibodies early in infection. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish persistence of disease and reinfection in the endemic regions. If not treated early, infection spreads throughout the body and affects most organs with disease manifestations including arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, neuroborreliosis and acrodermatitis chronicum atrophicans. Although most patients recover after antibiotic treatment, ~10-12% of show recurrence of symptoms known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Various causes of PTLDS are not well-defined; however, the spirochete persisters, antigenic debris, dysregulation of immunological response in individuals or a combination of these factors are proposed to result in continuation of Lyme disease manifestations. Based on these considerations, this review highlights currently employed treatment approaches with antimicrobials and vaccines being tried for prevention of B. burgdorferi infection. We also summarize combinatorial approaches that could be employed to alleviate symptoms to improve the quality of life of the individuals suffering from long Lyme disease.

This study aimed to investigate whether non-fasting plasma triglycerides were associated with diabetes mortality. It included 7,312 US adult participants. Diabetes mortality data were obtained via linkage to the National Death Index (NDI) records. Hazard ratios of non-fasting plasma triglycerides for diabetes mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, obesity, poverty-income ratio, education levels, physical activity, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking status, survey period, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and family history of diabetes. Among these participants, 1,180 had diabetes. A total of 420 diabetes-caused deaths were recorded during a mean follow-up of 16.8 years. A 1-natural-log-unit increase in non-fasting plasma triglycerides was associated with a 41% higher diabetes mortality risk (hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.67). Participants with non-fasting plasma triglycerides in the highest quintile, versus those in the lowest quintile, had a 144% higher diabetes mortality risk (hazard ratio, 2.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-4.02). The positive association of non-fasting plasma triglycerides with diabetes mortality was independent of diabetes status at the baseline. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that non-fasting plasma triglycerides were positively associated with diabetes mortality, independent of diabetes status at the baseline. Non-fasting triglycerides may be a therapeutic target for diabetes-related complications.

Viral pathogens pose a substantial threat to public health and necessitate the development of effective remediation and antiviral strategies. This short communication aimed to investigate the antiviral efficacy of disinfectants on the surface proteins of human pathogenic viruses. Using in silico modeling, ligand binding energies (LBEs) of selected disinfectants were predicted and combined with their environmental impacts and costs through eco-pharmaco-economic analysis (EPEA). Results revealed the binding affinities of chemical disinfectants to viral proteins varied significantly (p

This study delves into innovative approaches and pragmatic remedies to surmount software access barriers in educational contexts. Financial impediments and limited software installation know-how can impede students from fulfilling course requirements.

In this work SiC-Ti3AlC2 and TiC-Ti3AlC2 composites produced by additive manufacturing are investigated. The fused granules fabrication (FGF) method as one of the material extrusion additive manufacturing (MEAM) technology is used to obtain composite samples. Composites with different ratios between components and different powder:polymer ratios are investigated. The technological features of the additive formation of composites are investigated, as well as their structure and properties. The optimal sintering temperature to form the best mechanical properties for both composites is 1300 °C. The composites have a regulatable porosity. Ti3AlC2 content, sintering temperature, and polymer content in the feedstock are the main parameters that regulates the porosity of FGF samples.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the most important constraints to potato production worldwide. There is an increasing occurrence of recombinant PVY strains PVYNTN and PVYN-Wi and a decline in the incidence of the nonrecombinant PVYO. We hypothesized that this may be due to the ability of these recombinant strains to antagonize and/or outcompete PVYO in mixed infections. To deter-mine this, we investigated interactions between PVYO and three recombinant PVY strains com-mon in North America: PVYNTN, PVYN-Wi, and PVYN:O. Overall, our study showed that these inter-actions are tissue dependent. Specifically, PVYNTN, the main causal agent of potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (PTNRD), was found to be more adaptable than PVYO, especially in potato leaves due, at least in part, to the Ny gene that confers hypersensitive resistance (HR) to PVYO. Further-more, PVYN-Wi was found to repress PVYO in potato tubers but act synergistically in potato leaves. The PVYO-induced foliage necrosis in cultivar ‘Ranger Russet’ was observed to be more severe in plants co-infected by PVYN-Wi and PVYN:O, respectively, resulting in plant death. Strikingly, this PVYO -induced necrosis was suppressed by PVYNTN in doubly infected plants. These interactions may, at least partially, explain the decreasing incidence of PVYO in United States potato produc-tion regions, especially given that many cultivars contain the Ny gene, which likely limits PVYO enabling PVYNTN and PVYN-Wi to outcompete. We also found that replication and cell-to-cell movement of these PVY strains in tubers at 4C was similar to levels at ambient temperature.

Structured science summaries or research contributions using properties or dimensions beyond traditional keywords enhances science findability. Current methods, such as those used by the Open Research Knowledge Graph (ORKG), involve manually curating properties to describe research papers' contributions in a structured manner, but this is labor-intensive and inconsistent between the domain expert human curators. We propose using Large Language Models (LLMs) to automatically suggest these properties. However, it's essential to assess the readiness of LLMs like GPT-3.5, Llama 2, and Mistral for this task before application. Our study performs a comprehensive comparative analysis between ORKG's manually curated properties and those generated by the aforementioned state-of-the-art LLMs. We evaluate LLM performance through four unique perspectives: semantic alignment and deviation with ORKG properties, fine-grained properties mapping accuracy, SciNCL embeddings-based cosine similarity, and expert surveys comparing manual annotations with LLM outputs. These evaluations occur within a multidisciplinary science setting. Overall, LLMs show potential as recommendation systems for structuring science, but further finetuning is recommended to improve their alignment with scientific tasks and mimicry of human expertise.

In this paper, we study the effect of decreasing aperture diameter on signal transmission from the scintillator to the PMT. The apertures have been inserted directly between the scintillator and the photomultiplier. Three different aperture diameters have been used over a wide energy range.A newly developed fast digital spectrometer has been utilised for experimental measurement in the radial channel of the VR-1 research reactor. The detector signals with and without inserted apertures have been measured and evaluated. The aim of our research was to determine the effect of the apertures on the spectral quality, energy range and the evaluated physical quantities.

This study analyzed eye examination data from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to investigate the relationship between cataract prevalence and sunlight exposure among Koreans. Out of 952 individuals from 192 districts surveyed from January to December, statistical analyses using SPSS version 26, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, were conducted. Results: Results showed that the incidence of cataracts was higher in people exposed to sunlight for more than 5 hours. Regarding gender, the incidence of cataracts was higher in female in the 2-5 hours of sunlight exposure group, and in male in the group exposed to sunlight for more than 5 hours. Age significantly increased cataracts after age 45 in both groups. Additionally, the prevalence was higher among college graduates in the 2 to 5 groups, and among elementary school graduates in the more than 5 hours usage group. In urban areas, the cataract prevalence rate was higher in the 2-5-hour usage group, and in rural areas, the cataract prevalence was higher in the more than 5-hour usage group. In conclusion, prolonged sunlight exposure, particularly over 5 hours, correlated with higher cataract prevalence among Koreans, with various demographic factors influencing incidence rates.

Students have historically fared poorly on the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) mathematics exam. This study investigated senior high school students’ difficulties with studying Geometry in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Central Region, Ghana. Using the descriptive survey design, data were collected from 300 Senior High School Two (SHS 2) students using simple random sampling. Students responded to the questionnaire and a 30-item multiple-choice achievement test on geometry. Four geometry concepts students perceived difficult to study are Circle theorems, Perpendicularity of Tangent and radius of a circle, Angle between Tangent and a chord and Tangents from an external point. The reasons for the difficulty in studying geometry topics are the unavailability of instructional materials, the geometry topics being complex, and teachers not teaching geometry concepts to the students’ understanding. Students’ gender did not influence the learning of concepts in geometry at a 0.05 level of significance. There was an insignificantly weak positive correlation between the students’ performance and their perceived difficult geometry concepts. It was concluded that the Ministry of Education does not provide relevant instructional materials to the various schools to teach geometry concepts. Schools do not organise workshops and seminars for teachers on effectively teaching geometry concepts in mathematics.

The wide circulation of conspiracy narratives and their frequent intertwining with populist rhetoric is both an element of concern and a topic of intense scientific and philosophical debate. The depth of the link between conspiracy theories and populism represents a crucial issue whose comprehension can facilitate understanding their specific nature and the factors behind their diffusion in public communication. To this end, it is necessary to cultivate an interdisciplinary approach and great critical attention, eschewing monocausal explanations. This paper addresses the question of the essentially political nature of conspiracism confronting the recent epistemological debate that, by putting the positivist paradigm aside, has sought to explore and understand the socio-cultural roots of conspiracy rhetoric, with its sceptical, antagonistic and hermetic traits. By integrating the reflections of epistemologists such as Cassam or Harris with the considerations of political scientists such as Taggart and with Schmitt's radical reflections on politics, it is perhaps possible to reintegrate the different approaches to populist conspiracism into an overall social genealogical perspective, thanks also to recent demographic elaborations. Thus, we could ascribe the spread of conspiracism to the prevalence in societies of a hyper-political discursive regime, i.e. founded on the principle of opposition, without the possibility of compromise, between different groups and interests. At the basis of such Manichaeism, it is plausible to place in the first place the growing inequalities and related social disintegration, which hinder the circulation of trust and recognition between individuals and groups, thus ending up undermining democracy at its roots, as a political system that legitimises and thus peacefully regulates conflict.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to assess the influence of integrating ChatGPT on enhancing the academic writing performance and engagement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduate students at Delhi, India, who are enrolled in Academic Writing during the first semester of the academic year 2024/2025. Given the unique challenges within the Indian undergraduate education system, innovative technological interventions are essential to improve writing skills and increase engagement among EFL learners.

The study aimed to compare the cardiovascular benefits of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from fish oil versus krill oil in different forms and dosages. Following PRISMA 2015, data analysis with R software, and databases were searched from 1993 to 2023, (ID PROSPERO: CRD42024502338). Sixty high-quality studies were analyzed, covering various forms of fish oil and krill oil at different dosages (fish oil (ethyl ester-EE, triglyceride-TG, re-esterified triglycerides-rTG, capsules, emulsion-EM); krill oil (phospholipid/free fatty acid-PL/FFA, high concentration phospholipid-HPL, low concentration phospholipid-LPL)). Meta-analysis revealed that krill oil with phospholipid/free fatty acid at doses 2000-2900 mg effectively lowered triglycerides, while fish oil in ethyl ester form at doses above 3000 mg significantly reduced total cholesterol. Fish oil in triglyceride form at doses 2000-2900 mg and other variations positively impacted HDL-C levels. Fish oil in EE form above 3000 mg and triglyceride form below 2000 mg notably reduced LDL-C. However, there was limited effectiveness observed for other interventions. Analysis for LDL-C exhibited publication bias, while other parameters demonstrated reliability (Egger's test). In conclusion, krill oil - PL/FFA, Fish oil - EE above 3000 mg, Fish oil - TG 2000-3000 mg, and fish oil - rTAG 300-1900 mg effectively in reducing heart risk patients.

This investigation explores the potential of enhancing aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) through the introduction of a novel cathode material, NH4V4O10 (NVO), combined with redox graphene oxide (rGO). Utilizing Density Functional Theory (DFT), it was hypothesized that the incorporation of rGO would increase the interlayer spacing of NVO and diminish the charge transfer interactions, thus promoting enhanced diffusion of Zn2+ ions. These theoretical predictions were substantiated by experimental data acquired from hydrothermal synthesis, which indicated a marked increase in interlayer spacing. Significantly, the NVO-rGO composite exhibits remarkable cyclic durability, maintaining 94.54% of its initial specific capacity of 506.9 mAh g−1 after 600 cycles at a current density of 5 A g−1. The electrochemical performance of NVO-rGO not only surpasses that of pristine NVO but also outperforms the majority of existing vanadium oxide cathode materials reported in the literature. This study underscores the effective integration of theoretical insights and experimental validation, contributing to the advancement of high-performance energy storage technologies.

Marine industries are dependent on the ocean and often have a direct impact on the marine environment. Although previous studies have talked about pollution from marine industries, it is not known to what extent and to what extent these behaviors affect the ocean. Therefore, this study examines the impacts of major marine industries on the marine environment, using China as an example. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China categorizes the quality of seawater into Class I, Class II, Class III, Class IV, and Inferior Class IV in descending order according to the quality from good to poor. In this study, water quality of Class I and Class II are defined as good quality seawater, Class III as average quality, Class IV and Class IV as poor quality, and the proportion of the area of seawater with different water quality to the total area of the sea area symbolizes the overall quality of the marine environment. We use panel data from 11 provinces and cities along the coast of mainland China from 2006 to 2020, estimated by the full feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) method, to study the impacts of the development of coastal tourism, marine transportation, marine shipbuilding, marine salt, mariculture, and marine fishing on the marine environment. The empirical results show that, in descending order of the degree of influence, the marine industries that cause a decrease in the area of good quality seawater are coastal tourism, mariculture and shipbuilding, and the marine industries that cause an increase in the area of poor quality seawater are marine transportation and shipbuilding, while the marine salt industry has no obvious influence on the marine environment, and the development of the marine fishing industry indirectly contributes to the improvement of the marine environment.

Recently, polyacetylene (PA) is receiving a renewed scientific attention because of its unique properties potentially useful also for non-electrical applications (e.g., hydrogen storage, drug delivery, adsorbent of organic compounds in aqueous systems, gas and liquid separation, oxygen absorbent in gas analysis, etc.). Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) is a very common type of polymer, widely exploited in different technological areas, and it can be used as a precursor for the PA synthesis. Here, a new scheme for a large-scale chemical synthesis of PA, based on a simple and low-cost PVOH dehydration reaction by absolute sulfuric acid, has been developed. In this process, PVOH, shaped in form of film, is dipped in absolute sulfuric acid (i.e., H₂SO₄ at 95-97%) and, after complete chemical-dehydration at room temperature, it is mechanically removed from the liquid phase by using a plastic sieve. This reaction leads to a complete PVOH film conversion to PA as it has been proved by infrared spectroscopy (ATR-mode). Indeed, the ATR spectrum of the reaction product included all characteristic absorption bands of PA. To the best of our knowledge, this very easy and effective PA synthesis method based on the PVOH chemical-dehydration reaction by absolute sulfuric acid has never been described in the literature.

Traditional methodologies for measuring combat effectiveness rely on various contribution factors, where the main challenge lies in the complexity and subjectivity of these factors. Using frontline variation to measure combat effectiveness circumvents the limitations of many previous methods regarding complexity and subjectivity. Employing this methodology, we have quantitatively measured the combat effectiveness of both parties in the Russo-Ukrainian War across various temporal scales. Utilizing the time series data derived from our measurements, we constructed Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Annual Candlestick Charts to illustrate the variation trends in combat effectiveness between the two sides across different temporal scales. This comprehensive approach facilitated a nuanced and all-encompassing analysis of the conflict, capturing the intricate dynamics of individual military engagements and the broader strategic operations' context. This case underscores the distinctive utility of our method in quantifying combat effectiveness, offering detailed and strategically significant insights.

A joint analysis of solar wind, geomagnetic field, and earthquake catalog data showed that before the catastrophic M7.8 and M7.5 Kahramanmaras earthquake sequence on February 6, 2023, the closed strong magnetic storm occurred on November 7, 2022, SYM/H=-117 nT. Storm started at 08:04 UT. At this time, the high latitudinal part of Turkey's longitudinal region of future epicenters was located under the polar cusp, where the solar wind plasma would directly access the Earth's environment. The time delay between storm onset and earthquake occurrence was ~91 days. We analyzed all seven strong (M7+) earthquakes from 1967 to 2020 to verify the initial findings. A similar pattern has been revealed for all events. The time delay between magnetic storm onset and earthquake occurrence varies from some days to some months. To continue these investigations, a retrospective analysis of seismic and other geophysical parameters just after preceded geomagnetic storms in the epicenter areas is desirable.

In this paper we explore the known connection among sustainability, resilience, and well-being within the framework of active inference. Initially, we revisit how the notions of well-being and resilience intersect within active inference before defining sustainability. We adopt a holistic concept of sustainability denoting the enduring capacity to meet needs over time without depleting crucial resources. It extends beyond material wealth to encompass community networks, labor, and knowledge. Using the Free Energy Principle, we can emphasize the role of fostering resource renewal, harmonious system-entity exchanges, and practices that encourage self-organization and resilience as pathways to achieving sustainability, both in an agent and in collectives. We start by connecting Active Inference with well-being, building on exsiting work. We then attempt to link resilience with sustainability, asserting that resilience alone is insufficient for sustainable outcomes. While crucial for absorbing shocks and stresses, resilience must be intrinsically linked with sustainability to ensure that adaptive capacities do not merely perpetuate existing vulnerabilities. Rather, it should facilitate transformative processes that address the root causes of unsustainability. Sustainability, therefore, must manifest across extended timescales and all system strata, from individual components to the broader system, to uphold ecological integrity, economic stability, and social well-being. We explain how sustainability manifests at the level of an agent, and then at the level of collectives and systems. To model and quantify the interdependencies between resources and their impact on overall system sustainability, we introduce the application of network theory and dynamical systems theory. We emphasize the optimization of precision or learning rates through the active inference framework, advocating for an approach that fosters the elastic and plastic resilience necessary for long-term sustainability and abundance.

This study describes the implementation of IoT sensors in drinking water systems and fog collector systems in low-income communities in Ecuador. The influence and handling of these sensors are analyzed, as well as the materials and methods used in their implementation. The importance of validating the accuracy and reliability of IoT sensors compared to professional devices, especially in mountain areas, is highlighted. In addition, it is mentioned that the cost-benefit of using IoT sensors in fog catchers and drinking water networks depends on several factors, such as the scale of the project, specific objectives, and available resources. Finally, it is highlighted that the use of IoT sensors in smart construction and water collection systems has proven to be beneficial in preventing effects on the operation.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of medicinal plants and phytochemicals as potential treatments for acne vulgaris. This condition, characterized by chronic inflammation, predominantly affects adolescents and young adults. Conventional treatment typically targets the key factors contributing to its development: the proliferation of Cutibacterium acnes and the associated inflammation. However, these treatments often involve the use of potent drugs. As a result, the exploration of herbal medicine as a complementary approach has emerged as a promising strategy. By harnessing the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants and phytochemicals, it may be possible to address acne vulgaris while minimizing the reliance on strong drugs. This approach not only offers potential benefits for individuals seeking alternative treatments but also underscores the importance of natural remedies in dermatological care. The primary aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of plants and their phytochemical constituents in the management of mild acne vulgaris. A comprehensive search of scientific databases was conducted from 2018 to September 2023. The findings of this review suggest that medicinal plants and their phytochemical components hold promise as treatments for mild acne vulgaris. However, it is crucial to note that further research employing high-quality evidence and standardized methodologies is essential to substantiate their efficacy and safety profiles.

The toxic cadmium (Cd) poses a serious threat to plant growth and human health. Populus euphratica CPK21 has previously been shown to attenuate Cd toxicity by reducing Cd accumulation, enhancing antioxidant defense and improving water balance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Here, we confirmed a protein-protein interaction between PeCPK21 and AtNF-YC3 by yeast two-hybrid, HaloTag pull-down and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. AtNF-YC3 was induced by Cd and strongly expressed in PeCPK21-overexpressed plants. Overexpression of AtNF-YC3 in Arabidopsis reduced salt inhibition of root length, fresh weight and membrane stability under Cd stress conditions (100 µM, 7 d), suggesting that AtNF-YC3 appears to contribute to the improvement of Cd stress tolerance. AtNF-YC3 improved Cd tolerance by limiting Cd uptake and accumulation, activating antioxidant enzymes, and reducing H2O2 production under Cd stress. We conclude that PeCPK21 interacts with AtNF-YC3 to limit Cd accumulation, enhance the ROS scavenging system, and thereby positively regulate plant adaptation to Cd environments. This study highlights the interaction between PeCPK21 and AtNF-YC3 under Cd stress conditions, which can be utilized to improve Cd tolerance in higher plants.

Volunteering has many social, emotional and health benefits and could be an option for people with younger/early onset dementia to engage in stage/age-appropriate, personally meaningful activity within their local community. Audio data of people with young onset dementia discussing their volunteering experiences were taken from the Dementia Diaries and co-analysed. This study explored how people with dementia volunteer in the UK, the benefits and barriers, and how we can improve access to volunteering opportunities. The findings suggest that stigma is the overarching concept (or net) which influences people’s experiences of volunteering with dementia. Within the stigma net, three themes were developed that employed a lifespan approach to challenging said stigma: 1) Valuing the past, 2) Valuing the present and 3) Valuing the future, each with additional subthemes. This research contributes to the limited pool of literature that highlights the clear benefits of volunteering for people with young onset dementia, while also considering how dementia stigma can create practical and institutional barriers to accessing volunteering. Guidance is provided for how to deliver meaningful and accessible volunteering opportunities.

The development of multidrug resistance by pathogenic bacteria and yeast is a significant medical problem that needs to be addressed. One possible answer could be the combined use of antibiotics and silver nanoparticles, which have different mechanisms of antimicrobial action. Nanoparticles can be combined with antifungal agents in the same way. Biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using environmentally friendly technology using extracts of biologically active plants are an effective nanomaterial that needs to be comprehensively investigated for implementation into medical practice. In this study, the synergistic effects arising from their combined use with antibiotics and fungicides against various bacteria and yeasts, included in the ESKAPE list, were studied. Effective concentrations of substances were established, recommendations for the studied pathogenic species were presented and the effect of destruction of the bacterial membrane was illustrated. The most significant synergistic effect was manifested in pathogenic candida and brewer's yeast.

Stroke survivors often face diverse unmet needs, highlighting the significance of identifying and addressing these needs to enhance rehabilitation outcomes and overall quality of life. This study aimed to validate the modified Needs Assessment Questionnaire (mNAQ) as a reliable and valid tool for assessing the needs of stroke patients in the Greek context. Additionally, the research sought to identify potential differences in the assessment of stroke patients' needs based on their stroke phase and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores. A sample of 71 adult stroke survivors, adhering to World Health Organization guidelines and providing autonomous consent, participated in the study. The mNAQ, comprising 141 items across 12 domains, was uti-lized to evaluate stroke patients' needs. The NIHSS and Barthel Index (BI) were employed for functional independence and mobility assessment. Data analysis incorporated confirmatory fac-tor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and Cronbach's reliability analysis to establish con-struct validity and internal consistency. Concurrent and known-groups validity analyses were conducted, and Spearman’s rho correlation explored the relationship between mNAQ and BI scores. Non-parametric analyses were applied to identify differences based on stroke phase and NIHSS scores. The study revealed that the mNAQ initially lacked satisfactory psychometric properties in the Greek context. Subsequent modifications, guided by confirmatory and explora-tory factor analyses, resulted in a refined three-factor scale encompassing 31 items in the domains of communication, mobility, and social functioning needs. This adapted measure effectively dif-ferentiated between acute and chronic stroke patients and those with minor and moderate strokes. In conclusion, the validated 31-item Greek mNAQ emerges as a crucial tool for compre-hensively assessing the needs of stroke patients. Its application holds promise for optimizing post-stroke care, improving functional outcomes, and ultimately enhancing the overall well-being and quality of life for stroke survivors.

Measurement of Globe temperature is essential for investigating thermal comfort in street canyon. Globe thermometer is the most common instrument used to measure globe temperature (GT), however its application in scale models is still uncertain and not thoroughly investigated as of today. Therefore, this study is explicitly conducted to investigate globe thermometer measurements and proposed an improvised customization of the globe thermometer size to enhance reliability in scale models. The experiments were carried out outdoors using a typical street canyon model (scale 1:100) with East-West street orientation. The experiment presented a comparison between a low solar reflective street canyon (albedo of 0.4) and a high solar reflective canyon (albedo of 0.6) in terms of surface temperatures, heat flux and globe temperature. Furthermore, this study also investigated the influence of solar orientation on the globe temperature using both experimental using scale models and microclimatic modelling using ENVI-met. It is observed that although the surface temperatures are lower with high solar reflective canyon compared to that with low solar reflective canyon, GT is higher in high reflective canyon during daytime, which could be due to combined effect of direct radiation and shortwave reflection. However, for hours after the sun set, GT becomes lower (up to 1°C) in the case of high reflective canyon compared to low reflective canyon.

Patients with Peripheral-artery-disease (PAD) are prone to risks of major-adverse-limb-events (MALE), and major-adverse-cardiovascular-events (MACE). CHA2DS2-VASc is a prognostic score for Atrial fibrillation stroke risk, however, no study exists that evaluated its predictability for MALE and MACE in PAD patients. In this study, patients with PAD were stratified into four risk groups based on CHA2DS2-VASc score. Cox-proportional hazards models,10-fold cross-validation and Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were utilized to evaluate the predictability of CHA2DS2-VASc for predicting MALE, MACE, and MALE+MACE. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated the survival-probability of risk-groups. CHA2DS2-VASc was found to be a significant predictor of MACE (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval; P) = 3.47 (0.99 - 12.18; 0.052), 4.12 (1.19 - 14.14; 0.024), and 5.06 (1.48 – 17.28; 0.009), for moderate-, high- and very-high-risk groups, respectively, while for MALE and MALE+MACE significance was achieved only for high-risk group. MACE demonstrated AUC > 0.8, good-discrimination (c-index > 0.8) and good-calibration. However, MALE and MALE+MACE models failed to achieve good performances. Based on all findings, CHA2DS2-VASc could potentially serve as a risk stratification score for predicting MACE in patients with PAD but failed to qualify as a good predictor for MALE.

Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thunderclouds, produced from extreme bushfires, can initiate frequent cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes containing extended continuing currents. This, in turn, can ignite new spotfires and inflict massive harm on the environment and infrastructures. This study presents a 3D numerical thundercloud model for estimating the lightning of different types and its striking zone for the conceptual tripole thundercloud structure which is theorized to elucidate the lightning phenomenon in pyroCb storms. More emphasis is given to the lower positive charge structure thundercloud to thoroughly examine various electrical parameters including the longitudinal electric field, electric potential, and surface charge density. The simulation outcomes on pyroCb thunderclouds with a tripole structure confirm the presence of negative longitudinal electric field initiation at the cloud’s lower region. This initiation is accompanied by enhancing the lower positive charge region, resulting in an overall positive electric potential increase. Consequently, negative surface charge density appears underneath the pyroCb thundercloud which has the potential to induce positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning flashes. The suggested model would establish the basis for identifying the potential area impacted by lightning and could also be expanded to analyze the dangerous conditions that may arise in wind energy farms or power substations in times of severe pyroCb events.

The intricate interplay between driver cognitive dysfunction, mental workload (MWL), and heart rate variability (HRV) provides a captivating avenue for investigation within the domain of transportation safety studies. This article presents a comprehensive review and examines cognitive hindrance stemming from mental workload and heart rate variability. It scrutinizes the mental workload experienced by drivers by leveraging data gleaned from prior studies that employed heart rate monitoring systems and eye tracking technology, thereby illuminating the correlation between cognitive impairment, mental workload, and physiological indicators such as heart rate and ocular movements. The investigation is grounded in the premise that the mental workload of drivers can be assessed through physiological cues, such as heart rate and eye movements. The study discovered that heart rate variability (HRV) and infrared (IR) measurements played a crucial role in evaluating fatigue and workload for skilled drivers. However, the study overlooked potential factors contributing to cognitive impairment in drivers and could benefit from incorporating alternative indicators of cognitive workload for deeper insights. Furthermore, investigated driving simulators demonstrated that an eco-safe driving Human-Machine Interface (HMI) significantly promoted safe driving behaviors without imposing excessive mental and visual workload on drivers. Recommendations were made for future studies to consider additional indicators of cognitive workload, such as subjective assessments or task performance metrics, for a more comprehensive understanding.

The tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 1 (TRAF1) plays a key role in promoting lymphocyte survival, proliferation, and cytokine production. Recent evidence showed that TRAF1 plays opposing roles in monocytes and macrophages where it controls NF-B activation and limits pro-inflammatory cytokine production as well as inflammasome-dependent IL-1 secretion. Importantly, TRAF1 polymorphisms have been strongly linked to an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, whether and how TRAF1 contributes to RA pathogenesis is not fully understood. Moreover, investigating the role of TRAF1 in driving RA pathogenesis is complicated by its multifaceted and opposing roles in various immune cells. In this study, we show that intraarticular injection of TRAF1 deficient macrophages into knee joints of wildtype (WT) mice subjected to the collagen antibody induced arthritis (CAIA) model of RA significantly exacerbated joint inflammation, immune cell infiltration and tissue damage compared to mice injected with WT macrophages. This study may lay the groundwork for novel therapies for RA that target TRAF1 in macrophages.

Recently, a concept known as μTRISTAN, which involves the acceleration of μ+, has been proposed. This initiative has led to considerations of a new design for a neutrino factory. Additionally, leveraging the polarization of μ+, measurements of T violation in neutrino oscillations are also being explored. In this paper, we present analytical expressions for T violation in neutrino oscillations within the framework of standard three flavor neutrino oscillations, a scenario involving nonstandard interactions, and a case of unitarity violation. We point out that examining the energy spectrum of T violation may be useful for probing new physics effects.

Laser-Powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED-LB/Powder) is an additive manufacturing process that is gaining popularity in the manufacturing industry due to its numerous advantages, particularly in repairing operations. However, its application is often limited to case studies due to some critical issues that need to be addressed, such as the degree of internal porosity. This paper investigates the effect of the most relevant process parameters of the DED-LB/Powder process on the level and distribution of porosity. Results indicate that, among the process parameters examined, porosity is less affected by travel speed and more influenced by powder mass flow rate and laser power. Additionally, a three-dimensional finite element transient model was introduced, which was able to predict the development and location of lack-of-fusion pores along the building direction.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) has long been a dominant paradigm in software development, but it's not without its challenges. One major issue is the problem of tight coupling between objects, which can hinder flexibility and make it difficult to modify or extend code. Additionally, the complexity of managing inheritance hierarchies can lead to rigid and fragile designs, making it hard to maintain and evolve the software over time. This paper introduces a software development pattern that seeks to offer a renewed approach to writing code in Object-Oriented (OO) environments. Addressing some of the limitations of the traditional approach, the Puzzle Pattern focuses on extreme modularity, favoring writing code exclusively in interfaces. Concrete classes are subsequently assembled through the implementation of those interfaces, reducing coupling and introducing a new level of flexibility and adaptability in software construction. The highlighted pattern offers significant benefits in software development, promoting extreme modularity through interface-based coding, enhancing adaptability via multiple inheritance, and upholding the SOLID principles, though it may pose challenges such as complexity and a learning curve for teams.

The DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X is a multifunctional protein involved in RNA metabolism and stress responses. In this study, we investigated the role of RG/RGG motifs in the dynamic process of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of DDX3X using cell-free assays and explored their potential link to cancer development through bioinformatic analysis. Our results demonstrate that the number, location, and composition of RG/RGG motifs significantly influence the ability of DDX3X to undergo phase separation and form self-aggregates. Mutational analysis revealed that the spacing between RG/RGG motifs and the number of glycine residues within each motif are critical factors in determining the extent of phase separation. Bioinformatic analysis of cancer genomic datasets uncovered a significant enrichment of DDX3X mutations in RG/RGG motifs across multiple cancer types, particularly in the N-terminal region of the protein. Furthermore, we found that DDX3X is co-expressed with the stress granule protein G3BP1 in several cancer types and can undergo co-phase separation with G3BP1 in a cell-free system, suggesting a potential functional interaction between these proteins in phase-separated structures. DDX3X and G3BP1 may interact through their RG/RGG domains and subsequently exert important cellular functions under stress situation. Collectively, our findings provide novel insights into the role of RG/RGG motifs in modulating DDX3X phase separation and their potential contribution to cancer pathogenesis.

We present a novel approach to quantum theory construction that involves maximizing the Shannon entropy of quantum measurements relative to their initial preparation. By constraining the maximization problem with a phase that vanish under measurements, we obtain quantum mechanics (vanishing U(1)-valued phase), relativistic quantum mechanics (vanishing Spin^c(3,1)-valued phase), and quantum gravity (vanishing ${\rm SL(4,\mathbb{R})}$-valued phase). The first two cases are equivalent to established theory, whereas the later case yields a quantum theory of accelerated reference frames, in which a quantized version of the Einstein field equation lives. Specifically, the spacetime interval is promoted to an observable, effectively building the metric tensor from the underlying quantum structure. Subsequently, the Schrödinger equation generates metric tensor diffeomorphisms and SO(3,1) transformations. Remarkably, the quantized Einstein Field Equations are provably non-perturbatively finite. Moreover, the SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) gauge symmetries of the Standard Model arise naturally without additional assumptions. Finally, the solution is consistent only with 3+1 spacetime dimensions, as it encounters obstructions in all other dimensional configurations. This framework integrates quantum mechanics, relativistic quantum mechanics, quantum gravity, spacetime dimensionality, and particle physics gauge symmetries from a simple entropy maximization problem constrained by a vanishing phase, yielding the most parsimonious formulation of fundamental physics to date.

Non-enzyme-catalyzed thiol addition onto the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl system is associated with several biological effects. Kinetics and diastereoselectivity of non-enzyme catalyzed nucleophilic addition of GSH and NAC to the six-membered cyclic chalcone analogs 2a and 2b were investigated at different pH values (pH 3.2, 7.4 and 8.0). The selected compounds displayed in vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity (IC50) of different orders of magnitude. The chalcones intrinsically reacted with both thiols under all incubation conditions. The initial rates and compositions of the final mixtures depended both on the substitution and the pH. The stereochemical outcome of the reactions was evaluated by HPLC-UV method. The structure of the formed thiol-conjugates and the retro-Michael products (Z)-2a and (Z)-2b were confirmed by HPLC-MS. The frontier molecular orbitals and the Fukui function were carried out to investigate their effects on the six-membered cyclic analogs. Data were compared with those obtained with the open-chain (1) and the seven-membered (3) analogs. The observed reactivities do not directly relate to the difference in in vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity of the compounds.

The growing congestion in delivery rooms and maternity wards in Israeli hospitals is the underlying issue of the current study. The study sought to examine various alternatives for an effective public policy aimed at reducing congestion. The choice of Israel as a case study derives from its conspicuous imbalance between supply and demand in the maternity, resulting from the high demand for prenatal and birthing services on one hand and the low supply, both in absolute terms and relative to OECD countries, of medical resources such as physicians, nurses, and hospital beds. The research findings present fertility and birth data for Israel in the last decade, which are leading to increased congestion and crowding in delivery rooms and maternity wards at local hospitals. At the same time, two possible alternatives are proposed for designing and implementing public policy capable of contributing to the regulation of this congestion. One alternative is the option of home birth and the second is promoting the establishment of private birthing centers outside the hospitals. The research conclusions indicate that policy makers in Israel must anticipate the increasing congestion in hospital delivery rooms and maternity wards and expedite efforts at designing alternative solutions before the emergence of a crisis situation that will make it essential to identify immediate solutions. The study recommends exploring and advancing the adoption of the two alternatives simultaneously as part of public policy, in the assumption that the increasing demand for pregnancy and childbirth services in Israeli society will persist and therefore it is necessary to act to increase the supply of childbirth facilities.

To examine the effect of synchronous dance movements on social bonding and perceived closeness between generations, 168 young (20-45 years) and older (65-90 years) participants were randomly assigned to six dyad conditions. These included dancing synchronously or asynchronously with an in-age-group or an out-age-group unfamiliar partner for 11 minutes. Participants completed social bonding and groups’ closeness questionnaires. To assess variation across individuals’ and dyads’ measurements, a generalized estimating equations modeling analysis was conducted. In line with the first two hypotheses, synchronized dance increased social bonding, and young adults showed enhanced perception of closeness between generations. Hypothesis 3 that synchronous dance with out-age-group members would foster greater perceived closeness compared to in-age-group members was not confirmed. Surprisingly, results indicated that asynchronous movements with the in-age-group led to a higher degree of closeness between generations than asynchronous movements with the out-age-group. The study offers new directions for practitioners in welfare, nursing, and therapy fields, particularly for engaging young adults in intergenerational dance interventions.

Aquifer karstic structures, due to their complex nature, present significant challenges in accurately mapping their intricate features. Traditional methods often rely on invasive techniques or sophisticated equipment, limiting accessibility and feasibility. In this paper, we propose a new approach to non-invasive, low-cost 3D reconstruction using a camera that observes the light projection of a simple diving lamp. Our method capitalizes on the principles of structured light, leveraging the projection of light contours onto the karstic surfaces. By capturing the resultant light patterns with a camera, we reconstruct three-dimensional representations of the structures. The simplicity and portability of the equipment required make this method highly versatile, enabling deployment in diverse underwater environments. We validate our approach through extensive field experiments conducted in various aquifer karstic settings. The results demonstrate the efficacy of our method in accurately delineating intricate karstic features with remarkable detail and resolution. Furthermore, the non-destructive nature of this technique minimizes disturbance to delicate aquatic ecosystems while providing valuable insights into the subterranean landscape. This innovative methodology not only offers a cost-effective and non-invasive means of mapping aquifer karstic structures but also opens avenues for comprehensive environmental monitoring and resource management. Its potential applications span hydrogeological studies, environmental conservation efforts, and sustainable water resource management in karstic terrains worldwide.

We introduce two symmetric concepts to physics: “distance” (space and time in one) and “wavematter” (electromagnetic wave packet and matter in one). We claim that physics has chosen the wrong concept of time: It is not aware that the time of a moving object flows in a direction other than my time. We provide 15 proofs for our claim by solving 15 mysteries of physics graphically! For example, we prove that length contraction and time dilation are actually geometrical effects in a 4D manifold that we call “Euclidean spacetime” (ES). We prove that the discrepancy in calculating the Hubble constant stems from a systematic error in the redshift measurement. We prove that what I deem wave, deems itself matter, which solves wave–particle duality. We even untangle quantum entanglement without the issue of non-locality. We finally understand why alternative theories of Euclidean relativity have failed: They are all based on four dimensions of space rather than distance. A huge amount of energy was injected into ES at a point that we take as origin. Ever since has this energy been moving radially away at the speed of light. We live in the 3D hypersurface of an expanding 4D hypersphere. Hyperspherical coordinates have the great advantage that they reduce all that is ever happening to just one formula. So, it is the Theory of Everything in these coordinates: “Energy is covering radial distance which, divided by Euclidean time, is equal to the speed of light.” Acceleration and force like gravitation emerge from a rotation of objects in ES and a subsequent projection to 3D space. Matching the symmetry simplifies physics.

The paper provides a methodological framework based on Multiple Criteria Decision Aid methods for determining relative regional vulnerabilities associated with forest fires that occurred during a given period. Different notions of ex-post vulnerability are defined based on the forest area burned and the frequency of forest fires, and their relation to the regions’ area and several socioeconomic characteristics. The methodology is applied to Greece and its administrative regions for the period 2000–2022. Linking the forest fire events with summer and spring temperatures and precipitation and using econometric count data analysis, the paper explores the climatic drivers of forest fire occurrence and provides projections of the expected change in the frequency of fires of specific size classes conditional on the evolution of mean seasonal regional temperature and precipitation according to IPCC scenarios. The results regarding relative regional vulnerabilities and expected forest fires could be useful in designing policies for preserving forests as natural capital and promoting sustainability.

Introduction – Gender influences the presentation and progression of various diseases. Studies regarding the impact of gender on the course and outcome of HIV demonstrate conflicting data. Studies may be biased due to socioeconomic status differences between females and males and uneven gender representation, among other factors. In order to minimize the effect of non-biological elements this study cohort compares HIV males and females with similar ethnicity and social class in 2 Israeli AIDS centers. Methods –the study is a retrospective study. The cohort consists 334 females and 223 males diagnosed with HIV during the years 2000-2015. All patients were immigrants from Ethiopia who acquired HIV heterosexually and had a similar socioeconomic status. Data regarding demographics, clinical status, virological (viral load; VL), immunological (CD4) and treatment modalities were collected for each patient. Results - At the time of HIV diagnosis, males were older (43.2 ±13.2 vs. 35.4±11.95 years; p

Mesenchymal stem cells due to their multipotent ability are considered one of the best candidates to be used in regenerative medicine. The most used source of those stem cells long the last decades was the bone marrow, despite its limited cell resources and the painful and very invasive surgical treatment. Therefore, the scientific community investigated many alternative sources for the harvesting of these stem cell subpopulations. Adipose tissue attracted the biggest interest thanks to special features, such as great tissue abundance, easy availability, and in the end the large amount of positive mesenchymal stem cells. Once it was verified that these stem cell subpopulations possess the same bone marrow differentiation potential, it became evident that they would be the ideal candidate to be used in regenerative and tissue engineering applications. Even the regenerative use of these cells long become a sensitive point because not all the acquired phenotypes resulted in the best source for plastic procedures. As documented in the literature, the ideal fillers for regenerative is represented by stem cell population. Therefore, it became crucial to investigate any kind of biological mechanism on the differentiative ability of those mesenchymal stem cells, especially their regulative factors. One of the most studied and important regulators are the miRNAs. Indeed, miRNA play a crucial role in the differentiation process of adipose stem cell cultures isolated from patients or obtained by commercial cell lines toward osteocytes, chondrocytes, and adipocytes differentiated populations.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with high rates of transmission and low case detection rates. This paper presents the challenges of TB screening and the existing gaps in Contact Investigation (CI). This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 8 local government areas with high TB burdens in Oyo and Osun States, Nigeria. Twenty-four focus group discussions and 27 key informant interviews were conducted among TB patients, household TB contacts, and government TB staff, among others. Respondents' ages ranged from 17-85 years with a mean of 42.08±14.9 years, and (4.0%) had a postgraduate degree. The unwillingness of the majority of TB contacts who tested negative for TB to be placed on TB preventive therapy because of the belief that only a sick person should take drugs and hostility from the TB contacts to the contact tracers during the house-to-house screening of presumptive TB cases due to community stigma associated with TB were some of the existing gaps reported in TB contact investigations. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored approaches in TB prevention and control, addressing challenges in testing and contact investigations; this necessitates investments in community engagement strategies to enhance the cooperation of TB contacts.

Motor intention is a high-level brain function related to planning for movement. Although studies have shown that motor intentions can be decoded from brain signals before movement execution, it was unclear whether intentions relating to mental imagery of movement could be decoded. Here, we investigated whether differences in spatial and temporal patterns of brain activation were elicited by intentions to perform different types of motor imagery and whether the patterns could be used by a multivariate pattern classifier to detect such differential intentions. The results showed that it is possible to decode intentions before the onset of different types of motor imagery from functional MR signals obtained from fronto-parietal brain regions, such as the premotor cortex and posterior parietal cortex, while controlling for eye movements and for muscular activity of the hands. These results highlight the critical role played by the aforementioned brain regions in covert motor intentions. Moreover, they have substantial implications for rehabilitating patients with motor disabilities.

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is a necessary requirement for high-emitting CO2 industries to significantly reduce volumes of greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere and mitigate the climate change. Geological CO2 storage into depleted oil and gas fields is the fastest and most accessible option for CCS deployment allowing for re-purposing of existing infrastructure and utilizing the significant knowledge about the subsurface acquired during the field production operations. Location of such depleted fields in neighbourhood of high-emitting CO2 industries is additional advantage available for matured on-shore Europe fields. Considering these advantages, the oil and gas operators are now evaluating different possibilities for CO2 sequestration projects for the fields approaching end of production. This article describes an integrated approach to reservoir simulations focused on evaluating CO2 injection pilot at one of such matured fields operated by MND and located in the Czech Republic. The potential CO2 injection site in focus is a naturally fractured carbonate reservoir. This oil-bearing formation has a gas cap at the top and a limited aquifer at the bottom of the reservoir and was produced mainly by pressure depletion with quite limited pressure support from water injection. The article summarizes results of efforts taken by the multi-disciplinary team to develop and apply an integrated approach to reservoir simulation started from geological modelling of the naturally fractured reservoir and integrating results of laboratory studies and their interpretation (geomechanical and geochemistry laboratory experiments) and dynamic field data analysis (pressure transient analysis including time-lapse) into the history matching of the reservoir model and simulations of pilot CO2 injection. Attention is given to evaluating and modelling stress-sensitive fracture properties and safe injection envelope preventing induced fracturing as well as impact of potential salt precipitation in the near wellbore area. These effects are considered in the context of pilot CO2 injection and addressed in reservoir simulations of the injection scenarios. Single porosity and permeability reservoir simulations with dominating fracture flow and black-oil formulation with CO2 simulated as a solvent were used in this study and arguments for such choice of the simulation approach for the site in focus are shortly discussed. The reservoir simulations have indicated larger site injection capacity than required for the pilot injection and allowed to evaluate CO2 migration pathway within the reservoir. The application of the approach to the site in focus has also revealed large uncertainties, related to fracture description and geomechanical evaluations, resulted in an uncertain safe injection envelope. These uncertainties should be addressed in further studies in preparation to the pilot. The article concludes with an overview of the outcomes of the integrated approach and its application to the field in focus including discussion of issues and uncertainties revealed.

This study investigated the adaptability of Dunaliella salina to different salinity levels, with emphasis on growth, pigment concentration, and desalination potential. It was found that among the 21 salinity levels (0-20%), 75‰ salinity produced consistently favorable results in cell count (13.08 x 103 ± 1.41 x 103 cells/mL), dry biomass (2.46 ± 0.06 g/L), pigment content (chlorophyll a = 9.75 ± 0.01 µg/L, chlorophyll b = 12.36 ± 0.03 µg/L), and desalination (9.32 ± 0.47 % reduction). Therefore, 75‰ salinity level was selected for the final trial (scale-up), which revealed unanticipatedly high cell counts (58.96 x 103 ± 535.22 cells/mL), with dry biomass weight being statistically extremely different (higher) than the expected (4.21 ± 0.02 g/L) (p&lt;0.0001), most likely due to high cell count and energy reserve storage for high salinity adaption in the form of bio-compounds. Pigment growth continued (chlorophyll a = 9.54 ± 0.2 µg/L, chlorophyll b = 12.81 ± 0.51 µg/L), indicating pigment production under salt stress. Notably, desalination did not occur in this stage, possibly due to the necessity for a bigger initial inoculate, prolonged exposure or bioaccumulation becoming the prevailing mechanism over desalination. Despite this, the microalgae thrived in high salinity conditions. These findings point to further study into the mechanics of salt build-up within cells, which might lead to successful desalination technologies. Dunaliella salina adaptation to high salinity settings suggests its possible usage in natural pools or soils that are normally inappropriate for traditional production, giving a chance for enterprises to function in rough extreme salinity conditions.

To understand dynamics in climate change, informing policy decisions and prompting timely action to mitigate its impact, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the short-term trend of year-on-year CO2 emission changes across ten countries, considering a broad range of factors including socioeconomic, CO2-related industry, and education. This study uniquely goes beyond the common country-based analysis, offering a broader understanding of the interconnected impact of CO2 emissions across countries. Our preliminary regression analysis, using the ten most significant features, could only explain 66% of variations in the target. To capture emissions trend variation, we categorized countries by the change in CO2 emission volatility (high, moderate, low with upward or downward trends), assessed using standard deviation. We employed machine learning techniques, including feature importance analysis, Partial Dependence Plots (PDPs), sensitivity analysis, and Pearson and Canonical correlation analyses, to identify influential factors driving these short-term changes. The Decision Tree Classifier was the most accurate model, with an accuracy of 96%. It revealed population size, CO2 emissions from coal, the three-year average change in CO2 emissions, GDP, CO2 emissions from oil, education level (incomplete primary), and contribution to temperature rise as the most significant predictors, in order of importance. Furthermore, this study estimates the likelihood of a country transitioning to a higher emission category. Our findings provide valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of factors influencing CO2 emissions changes, contributing to global efforts to address climate change

The raw material purchasing (RMP) problem is to determine the purchasing quantities of raw materials in given periods or cycles. Raw material purchasing optimization is crucial for large-scale steel plants because it is closely related to the supply of raw materials and cost savings. The raw material purchasing of large-scale steel enterprises is characterized by many varieties, large quantities, and high costs. The RMP objective is to minimize the total purchasing cost consisting of the price of raw materials, purchasing set-up costs, and inventory costs and meet product demand. We present a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model and a column generation (CG) solution for the resulting optimization problem. The column generation algorithm is the generalization of the branch & bound algorithm with solving the linear programming (LP) relaxation of MILP using column generation (CG), and its advantage is to handle large-sized MILPs. Experimental results show the effectiveness and efficiency of the solution.

This study presents a detailed computational investigation aimed at identifying and evaluating potential small organic molecular scaffolds as inhibitors targeting the Pks13 protein, a critical enzyme in tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery. Our approach integrates multiple computational techniques, including quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelling, compound library generation, molecular docking, biological activity prediction, re-evaluation of screened compounds, molecular dynamics (MD) analysis, and binding free energy estimation using the MM-GBSA approach. We developed a robust QSAR model using multiple linear regression (MLR) techniques, specifically tailored to predict the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of potential anti-TB agents. This model demonstrated excellent predictive performance, validated through rigorous internal and external validation procedures. Through molecular docking simulations, we identified five promising inhibitors Ethyl (R,Z)-2-(2-((2-chlorobenzyl) oxy)benzylidene)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-methyl-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-5H-thiazolo [3,2-a] pyrimidine-6-carboxylate (PKD1), (7R,9aR)-7-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-7,8,9,9a-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-b]quinolin-5(6H)-one (PKD2), (7-(4-methoxy phenyl)-2-methyl-3-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-5-yl)(4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) piperazin-1-yl)methanone (PKD3), (8S,10S)-10-(((2R,4S,5S,6S)-4-amino-5-hydroxy-6-methyl tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-6,8,11-trihydroxy-8-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-1-methoxy-7,8,9,10-tetra-hydrotetracene-5,12-dione (PKD4), 3-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-5-((2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl) thio)-6-phenyl-2-thioxo-2,3,5,7a-tetrahydrothiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-7(6H)-one (PKD5)with high binding affinities, prioritizing them based on their binding energies. These selected compounds were further assessed for their biological activity predictions, guiding the selection of candidates for experimental validation. Subsequent re-evaluation using absolute binding free energy estimation and MD simulations provided insights into the stability and dynamics of the protein-ligand complexes over time. Our findings highlighted the potential of identified compounds as stable binders within the Pks13-TE domain binding pocket, underscoring their viability as drug candidates. Additionally, binding free energy analysis using MM-GBSA reaffirmed the strong affinity of the proposed compounds towards Pks13. Our integrated computational approach offers a systematic and detailed framework for the identification and characterization of potential Pks13 inhibitors with specific relevance to TB drug discovery.

Climate warming is expected to have pronounced effects on Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems, especially regions underlain by discontinuous and relatively warm permafrost. The main goal of this research is to evaluate the vulnerability and dynamics of permafrost under climate warming across the various ecotypes in respect of ecosystem stability, socioeconomic impact, and for better understanding possible future environmental changes. We suggested the new version of the spatially distributed permafrost dynamics model (GIPL2-MPI), which is developed in the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks. This model is based on the ecosystem approach to simulate the permafrost dynamics, which we are discussing in this paper. We combined ground-based observations and numerical freeze/thaw modeling using climate-ecosystem-permafrost interactions to understand the physical processes and mechanisms controlling permafrost physical state. We predict the changes in permafrost conditions using output from two GCMs (NCAR-CCSM4 and GFDL-CM3) and Five-Model Average Ensemble for the RCP-4.5 and RCP-8.5 scaled down to 1 by 1 km spatial resolution (https://uaf-snap.org/) across entire Alaska. Our result shows that by the end of the current century widespread near-surface permafrost degradation could begin everywhere in Alaska southward of the Brooks Range as well as across some spots at the North Slope Alaska.

Age is the primary risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and a leading cause of death in the elderly population of the United States. No effective treatments for these diseases currently exist. Identifying effective treatments for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases is a major current focus of national scientific resources, and there is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies. Here we investigate the potential for targeting the kynurenine pathway metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) using Caenorhabditis elegans expressing amyloid-beta or a polyglutamine peptide in body wall muscle, modeling proteotoxicity in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease-related, respectively. We show that knocking down the enzyme that degrades 3HAA, 3HAA dioxygenase (HAAO) delays age-associated paralysis in both models. This effect on paralysis was independent of protein aggregation in the polyglutamine model. We also show that the mechanism of protection against proteotoxicity from HAAO knockdown is mimicked by 3HAA supplementation, supporting elevated 3HAA as the mediating event liking HAAO knockdown to delayed paralysis. This work demonstrates potential for 3HAA as a targeted therapeutic in neurodegenerative disease, though the mechanism is yet to be explored.

This study investigates how customers’ technological readiness affects service quality and the adoption of self-service banking by developing an empirical model. The model was proposed to explore the relationships between technology readiness, self-service quality, and customer satisfaction. The hypotheses and stability of the model were tested using structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that technology readiness, including the optimism, innovation, and insecurity dimensions, had a significant positive impact on self-service quality. In addition, service quality fully mediated the relationship between technological readiness and customer satisfaction. These results suggest that when customers are ready to embrace and use new technology, their evaluation of service quality is high. Thus, bank managers should drive customer perceptions of the quality of self-service banking by improving their technological readiness through various measures. Furthermore, based on the mediating effect of self-service quality, banks must be aware that improving service quality can enhance customer satisfaction and maintain a competitive advantage.

An important issue concerning the inspection of the technical condition of electrical power components and systems is thermal imaging investigation. This paper presents how the thermograms obtained from these measurements should be interpreted correctly according different standards and how operators should react when a specific anomaly is detected. It is also a review article in which all currently applicable international standards are referred to. The motivation of the article relates to the fact that these standards seems to be too general and not cover all practical situations even though in many countries thermal imaging diagnostics of overhead lines or overhead outdoor and indoor power stations has been used for years on the basis of industry standards or good practices. The purpose of writing this article is precisely to encourage and provoke the global community of metrologists, scientists and engineers involved in thermographic measurements to discuss, strengthen efforts and establish relevant international standards for the interpretation of thermograms containing the relevant temperature anomalies.

Here, using the theory of electrical-quantum modelling of the neutron and proton as a three-phase alternating current electrical generator, we will analyse the proton decay and the inverse neutron decay and determine the following subatomic particles, Dproton, Protoniu, Dneutron and Neutroniumd.

Recent discoveries of potential ice particles and ice-cemented regolith on celestial bodies like the Moon and Mars have ushered in new opportunities for developing technologies to extract water, facilitating future space missions and activities on these celestial surfaces. This study delves into the potential for water extraction from regolith through an experiment designed to test water recuperation from regolith simulant under varying gravitational conditions. The resultant water vapor extracted from the regolith is re-condensed on a substrate surface and collected in liquid form. Three types of substrates, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and grooved, are explored. The system’s functionality was assessed during a parabolic flight campaign simulating three distinct gravity levels: microgravity, lunar gravity, and Martian gravity. Our findings reveal that the hydrophobic surface demonstrates the highest efficiency due to drop-wise condensation, and lower gravity levels result in increased water condensation on the substrates. This experiment aims to provide insights into in-situ water recovery, which is pivotal for establishing economically-sustainable water supplies for future missions.

Increasingly large numbers of people are using digital weight-loss services (DWLSs) to treat overweight or obesity. Although it is widely agreed that digital modalities improve access to care in general, obesity stakeholders remain concerned that many DWLSs are not comprehensive or sustainable enough to deliver meaningful health outcomes. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach to assess why and after how long patients tend to discontinue Austral-ia’s largest DWLS, a program that combines behavioural and pharmacological therapy under the guidance of a multidisciplinary care team. We found that in a cohort of patients who commenced the Eucalyptus DWLS between January and June 2022 (n=5604), mean program adherence was 171.2 (±158.2). Inadequate supply of a patient’s desired Glucose-like peptide-1 receptor agonist medication was the most common reason for discontinuation (43.7%), followed by program cost (26.2%), result dissatisfaction (9.9%), and service dissatisfaction (7.2%). Statistical tests revealed that ethnicity and age both had a significant effect on patient adherence. These findings suggest that DWLSs have the potential to improve access to comprehensive, continuous obesity care, but that care models need to improve upon the one observed in the Eucalyptus Australia DWLS to maximise program adherence.

Consumers often cite cognitive improvements as reasons for making dietary changes or using dietary supplements, a motivation that if leveraged could greatly enhance public health. However, rarely is it considered whether standardized cognitive tests that are used in nutrition research are aligned to outcomes of interest to the consumer. This knowledge gap presents a challenge to the scientific substantiation of nutrition-based cognitive health benefits. Here we combined qualitative consumer research and expert group methodology to (1) understand how consumers comprehend the potential benefits of nutrition for brain health, and (2) determine the alignment between consumers' articulated brain benefits and validated tests and tools. We derived a ‘Consumer Taxonomy of Cognitive and Affective Health in Nutrition Research’ which describes the cognitive and affective structure from the consumers' perspective. Experts agreed that validated tests exist for some consumer benefits including focused attention, sustained attention, episodic memory, energy levels, and anxiety. Prospective memory, flow, and presence represented novel benefits that require the development and validation of new tests and tools. Closing the gap between science and consumers, and fostering co-creative approaches to nutrition research, are critical to the development of products and dietary recommendations that support realizable cognitive benefits that benefit public health.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an oncogenic virus that causes chronic liver disease in more than 80% of patients. During the last decade, efficient direct acting antivirals were introduced into clinical practice. However, clearance of the virus does not reduce risk of end-stage liver diseases to the level observed in patients that have never been infected. So, investigation of HCV pathogenesis is still warranted. Virus-induced changes in cell metabolism contribute to the development of HCV-associated liver pathologies. Here we studied the impact of the virus on the metabolism of polyamines and proline as well as on the urea cycle, which plays a crucial role in liver function. It was found that HCV strongly suppresses the expression of arginase, a key enzyme of the urea cycle, leading to accumulation of arginine and upregulates proline oxidase with a concomitant decrease in proline concentrations. Addition of exogenous proline moderately suppressed viral replication. HCV upregulated transcription but suppressed protein levels of polyamine-metabolizing enzymes. This resulted in a decrease in polyamine content in infected cells. Finally, compounds targeting polyamine metabolism demonstrated pronounced antiviral activity pointing to spermine and spermidine as compounds affecting HCV replication. These data expand our understanding of HCV’s imprint on cell metabolism.

Traditional population-based metaheuristic algorithms are effective in solving complex real-world problems but require careful strategy selection and parameter tuning. Parameter-less population-based optimization algorithms have gained importance due to their simplicity and efficiency. However, research on their applicability for solving large systems of nonlinear equations is still incipient. In this paper, a systematic review and detailed description of metaphor-less optimization algorithms is made, including the Jaya algorithm, the main Jaya variants for continuous optimization problems, with a focus on the Enhanced Jaya (EJAYA) algorithm, the three Rao algorithms, the best-worst-play (BWP) algorithm, and the very recent max-min-greedy-interaction (MaGI) algorithm. This paper also discusses a few previous parallelizations of the Jaya optimization algorithm, as well as recent GPU-based massively parallel implementations of the Jaya, Enhanced Jaya (EJAYA), Rao, and BWP algorithms developed by the authors. In addition, a novel GPU-accelerated version of the MaGI algorithm is proposed. The GPU-accelerated versions of the metaphor-less algorithms developed by the authors were implemented using the Julia programming language and tested primarily on GeForce RTX 3090 and NVIDIA A100 GPUs, as well as on Tesla V100S and Tesla T4 GPUs, using a set of difficult, large-scale nonlinear equation system problems. The computational experiments carried out produced quite significant speedups, which highlights the efficiency of the GPU-based versions of the metaphor-less algorithms developed for solving large-scale systems of nonlinear equations.

Lactoperoxidase (LP) is an important enzyme of the salivary and mammary glands. It has been proven to increase the shelf life of raw milk by inhibiting the growth of bacteria, especially Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas spp. The aim of this work was to verify the use of LP to extend the shelf life of meat products. In vitro experiments showed inhibitory effects against selected bacteria (Listeria innocua (ATCC 33090), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (CP054440.1), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (ATCC 13525) due to prolongation of the lag phase of growth curves. A lower increase in viable counts (P &lt; 0.05) was also found by testing the pork cubes surface treated with LP solution (5%) + L. innocua and stored for 7 days at 15 °C. LP has also been studied at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.50% in meat products (pork ham and pâté) during refrigerated storage (4 °C for 28 days). Lower viable counts were observed throughout the storage experiment, especially for 0.50% LP (P &lt; 0.05). Meat products containing LP also showed lower levels of oxidation (MAD) (P &lt; 0.05). According to these results, LP could extend the shelf life of a wider range of products.

In response to the issues of sensor noise and accumulated motion errors that lead to low positioning accuracy and insufficient robustness during large maneuvers or continuous flight of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in complex environments, this paper proposes a multi-source and multimodal data fusion method. Initially, it employs a multimodal data fusion of various sensors including GPS (Global Positioning System), IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and visual sensors to complement the strengths and weaknesses of each hardware component, thereby eliminating motion errors to enhance accuracy. To mitigate the impact of sudden changes in sensor data, the method introduces a digital twin UAV data source. By utilizing the Extended Kalman Filter algorithm, it fuses data from both the real UAV and its digital twin, and the filtered positional information is fed back into the control system of the real UAV. This enables real-time correction of UAV positional deviations caused by sensor noise and environmental disturbances. The multi-source multimodal fusion Kalman filter method proposed in this paper significantly improves the positioning accuracy of UAVs in complex scenarios and the overall stability of the system. This method holds significant value in maintaining high-precision positioning in variable environments and has important practical implications for enhancing UAV navigation and application efficiency.

The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) networks is increasing, driven by their capacity to deliver automated services tailored to the varied demands of numerous smart city applications. Trust, security, and privacy remain paramount in the public domain. Traditional centralized network designs fall short of ensuring device authentication, data integrity, and privacy within UAV networks’ highly dynamic and adaptable environments. Decentralized reputation systems emerge as a promising solution to enhance the reliability and trustworthiness of data and communications within these networks while safeguarding UAV security. This paper presents an exhaustive survey of trust and reputation systems, exploring existing frameworks and proposed innovations alongside their inherent challenges. It highlights the crucial role of reputation systems in strengthening trust, security, and privacy throughout these networks and discusses various strategies to mitigate existing vulnerabilities. As a useful resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance the state of the art in UAV network security, we hope this survey will spark further community discussion and stimulate innovative ideas in this burgeoning field.

Introduction: Glomerulopathy is a term used to describe a broad spectrum of renal diseases, character-ized by dysfunction of glomerular filtration barrier, especially of podocytes. Several podocyte-associated proteins have been found and proved their usefulness as urine markers of podocyte dysfunction. Two of them are nephrin (NEP) and prodocalyxin (PDC). Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the association of podocyte damage, as it is demonstrated via the concentrations of urinary proteins, with clinical and histological data from patients with several types of glomerulonephritis. Methods: We measured urine levels of two podocyte-specific markers, NEP and PDC (corrected for urine creatinine levels), in patients with a wide range of glomerulopathies. Serum and urine parameters as well as histological parameters from renal biopsy were recorded. Results: In total, data from 37 patients with glomerulonephritis and 5 healthy controls were analyzed. PDC and NEP concentrations correlated between them and with serum creatinine levels (p=0.001 and p=0.013 respectively), and with histological lesions associated with chronicity index of renal cortex, such as severe interstitial fibrosis, severe tubular atrophy and hyalinosis (for PDC/NEP, all p3gr/24h with diffuse fusion of podocyte foot processes (p=0.016) was identified. Conclusions: Podocalyxin and nephrin concentrations in urine represent markers of podocyte dysfunction and in our study they were associated both with serum creatinine and histological chronicity indices.

Friction, one of the oldest technologies harnessed by humanity, has thus far eluded a theoretical model capable of predicting kinetic friction forces across a broad range of sliding velocities. This study employs the first principle of thermodynamics to delve into sliding friction. For the first time, a general expression for the friction force has been derived, revealing that the damping of sliding friction is inversely proportional to the relative sliding velocity between the two interfaces in motion, contrary to the assumption in traditional models that it is directly proportional to the relative velocity. To simplify the general result, the concept of a friction boundary layer is introduced. An approximate expression is found to reveal the mechanism for reducing friction, which involves increasing the sliding velocity while decreasing the vibration velocity of the object perpendicular to the sliding interface.

Over the past decade and a half, dynamic functional imaging has revolutionized the neuroimaging field. Since 2009, it has revealed low dimensional brain connectivity measures, has identified potential common human spatial connectivity states, has tracked the transition patterns of these states, and has demonstrated meaningful alterations in these transition and spatial patterns in neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, and over the course of development. Recently, researchers have begun to analyze this data from the perspective of dynamic system and information theory in the hopes of understanding how these dynamics support less easily quantified processes, such as information processing, cortical hierarchy, and consciousness. Consciousness, in particular, appears to be strongly linked to entropy production in the brain. Little attention has been paid to the effects of psychiatric disease on entropy production in the human brain, however. Even disorders characterized by substantial changes in conscious experience have not been widely analyzed from this perspective. We begin to rectify this by examining the complexity of subject trajectories in state space through the lens of information theory. Specifically, we identify a basis for the dynamic functional connectivity state space and track subject trajectories through this space over the course of the scan. The dynamic complexity of these trajectories is assessed along each dimension of the proposed basis space. Using these estimates, we demonstrate that schizophrenia patients display substantially simpler trajectories than demographically matched healthy controls, and that this drop in complexity concentrates along specific dimensions. We also demonstrate that entropy generation in at least one of these dimensions is linked to cognitive performance. Overall, results suggest great value in applying dynamic systems theory to problems of neuroimaging and reveal a substantial drop in the complexity of schizophrenia patients’ brain function.

Deep eutectic solvents have emerged as a greener alternative and have attracted so much interest in the last two decades. This paper present alternative synthesis method to classical heating-stirring. The ultrasound method is one of the most promising syntheses DESs in terms of yield and energy. So, ultrasound synthesis method was studied to obtain hydrophobic (Aliquat 336: L-Menthol 3:7; Li-docaine: decanoic acid 1:2) and hydrophilic DESs based on Choline chloride and urea, ethylene glycol and oxalic acid. The physical characterization of DESs by comparison of FTIR spectra no show difference between DESs obtained by heating-stirring and ultrasound synthesis methods. The RMN spectra of the DESs obtained by heating-stirring revealed the DESs formation. Density and viscosity properties of DESs were evaluated. The density values are similar for both synthesis methods. However, lower viscosity values are obtained to the hydrophilic DESs prepared by ul-trasound methods.

Galectins are a family of beta-galactoside-binding proteins that are characterised by their carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) and include galectin-1 and galectin-3. These galectins have been implicated in numerous diseases due to their pleiotropic nature, including cancer and fibrosis, with therapeutic inhibitors being clinically developed to block the CRD. One of the early methods developed to characterise these galectins was hemagglutination of red blood cells. Although insightful this approach has been hampered by a lack of sensitivity and accurate quantification of the agglutination observed. In this study we aimed to validate a more precise and quantitative method to enable further investigation of differences between galectins in respect to agglutination induction in different blood groups as well as characterisation of small molecule inhibitors. Quantification of hemagglutination was shown to be optimal using U-bottom plates imaged and analysed with FIJI ImageJ rather than flat bottom plates read for absorbance on an optical density plate reader. Galectin-3-induced red blood cell agglutination efficacy increased significantly from blood group O to A to B. However, for both the galectin-1 monomer and concatemer a more comparable effect was observed between blood group B and O but with more potent effects than in blood group A. Inhibition assays for both galectin-3 and galectin-1 induced-hemagglutination were able to demonstrate clear concentration-responses and expected selectivity profiles for a set of small molecule glycomimetics, confirming historical profiles obtained in biochemical binding and functional cellular assays.