The Maastricht VI/Florence consensus recommends, as one of the measures to enhance the efficacy of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection eradication, a personalized treatment approach involving the selection of an antimicrobial agent based on the pre-determined resistance of H. pylori. To meet the need to develop test systems for personalized drug selection, we conducted a study of H. pylori molecular resistance in Moscow using a self-developed Sanger sequencing test platform. We validated our test system on 25 pure culture samples of H. pylori with known resistance. Sensitivity and specificity for detecting resistance to clarithromycin was 100%, and to levofloxacin - 93% and 92%, respectively. Then we tested our platform on 112 H. pylori -positive patients who had not previously received proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or antibacterial drugs. Mutations indicating resistance to clarithromycin were found in 27 (24%) samples, and to levofloxacin in 26 (23%) samples. Double resistance was observed in 16 (14%) samples. The most common mutations leading to clarithromycin resistance were 2143G and 2142G, to levofloxacin resistance – 261A and 271A in the gyrA gene, which account for 69% of all identified genetic determinants in levofloxacin-resistant bacteria. Thus, a personalized approach to the selection of H. pylori eradication therapy based on the detection of bacterial resistance before prescribing first-line therapy could help avoid the prescription of ineffective H. pylori eradication therapies and, overall, contribute to the control of antibiotic resistance of H. pylori.

This paper is devoted to the study of multi-dimensional integral transform with Fox H-function in the kernel in weighted spaces integrable functions in the domain R+n with positive coordinates. Mapping properties such as the boundedness, the range, the representations of the considered transformation are established.

Fibroin-chitosan composites, especially those containing nanohydroxyapatite, show potential for bone tissue regeneration. The physicochemical properties of these biocomposites depend on the compatibility between their components. In this study, the intermolecular interactions of fibroin and chitosan were analyzed using a molecular dynamics approach. Two types of systems were investigated: one containing acetic acid and the other containing calcium (Ca²⁺) and hydrogen phosphate (HPO₄²⁻) ions mimicking hydroxyapatite conditions. After obtaining the optimal equilibrium structures, the distributions of several types of interactions including hydrogen bonds, ionic contacts, and hydrophobic contacts along with the structural and energetical features were examined. The calculated binding energy values for the fibroin-chitosan complexes confirm their remarkable stability. The high affinity of fibroin for chitosan can be explained by the formation of a dense network of interactions between considered biopolymers. These interactions were found to be primarily hydrogen bonds and ionic contacts involving ALA, ARG, ASN, ASP, GLN, GLU, GLY, LEU, PRO, SER, THR, TYR, and VAL residues. As it was established, the complexation of fibroin with chitosan maintains the β-sheet conformation of the peptide. β-Sheet fragments in fibroin are involved in the formation of significant amount of hydrogen bonds and ionic contacts with chitosan.

The treatment of the bulky Rind-based dibromosilanes, (Rind)2SiBr2 (2) [Rind = 1,1,7,7-tetra-R1-3,3,5,5-tetra-R2-s-hydrindacen-4-yl: EMind (a: R1 = Et, R2 = Me) and Eind (b: R1 = R2 = Et)], with two equivalents of tBuLi in Et2O at low temperatures resulted in the formation of blue solutions derived from the diarylsilylenes, (Rind)2Si: (3). Upon warming the solutions above −20 °C, the blue color gradually faded, accompanying the decomposition of 3 and yielding the cyclic hydrosilanes (4) via intramolecular C−H bond insertion at the Si(II) center. The molecular structures of the bulky Eind-based 3b and 4b were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Thus, at −20 °C, blue crystals were formed (Crystal-A), which were identified as mixed crystals of 3b and 4b. Additionally, colorless crystals of 4b as a singular component were isolated (Crystal-B), whose structure was also determined by an X-ray diffraction analysis. Although the isolation of 3 was difficult due to their thermally-labile nature, their structural characteristics and electronic properties were discussed based on the experimental findings complemented by computational results. We also examined the hydrolysis of 3b to afford the silanol, (Eind)2SiH(OH) (5b).

The quinoline derivative, N-(7-chloro-4-morpholinoquinolin-2-yl)benzamide, was synthesized in a conventional three-step procedure from 4,7-dichloroquinoline using N-oxidation reaction/C2-amidation reaction/C4 SNAr reaction sequence. The structure of the compound was fully characterized by FT-IR, 1H‐, 13C-NMR, DEPT-135°, and ESI-MS techniques. Its physicochemical parameters (Lipinski’s descriptors) were also calculated using the online SwissADME database. Such derivatives are relevant therapeutic agents exhibiting potent anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties.

A four-step synthesis of bifunctional, noncovalent organocatalysts based on the chiral (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine scaffold containing a 1,2-benzenediamine H-bond donor was developed. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution of the 2-fluoronitrobenzene derivative with the commercial (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine was followed by selective alkylation of the primary amino group, reduction of the aromatic nitro group and final derivatization of the primary aromatic amino group, i.e. acylation, sulfonation, reductive alkylation and arylation, leading to the four subtypes of organocatalysts. All new compounds were fully characterized. The prepared organocatalysts (32 examples) were tested in the Michael addition of acetylacetone to trans-β-nitrostyrene, yielding the addition product with incomplete conversions (up to 93%) and enantioselectivities of up to 41% ee.

(S)-Atenolol ((S)-2-(4-(2-Hydroxy-3-(isopropylamino)propoxy)phenyl)acetamide) has been synthesized in >99% ee with use of Candida antarctica lipase B from Syncozymes (Shanghai, China), in a kinetic resolution of the corresponding racemic chlorohydrin. Deprotonation of the starting phenol building block was base catalyzed. The enantiopurity of the chlorohydrin building block remained unchanged upon subsequent amination. All four steps in the synthesis protocol have been optimized compared to previously reported methods, which makes this new protocol more sustainable and in accordance with green chemistry principles compared to previously reported protocols.

In the conservation of monumental heritage, the collection and utilization of information are of primary importance. The Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) procedure harnesses the potential of three-dimensional models, offering significant advantages in accessing documentation, interoperability, multidimensionality of intervention design, cost evaluation and maintenance management. Attention here is focused on the Certosa di Pisa, a large historical complex built in the 14th century as a monastery of the Carthusian order, currently in a state of deterioration and in need of restoration and re-functionalization. The multifaceted nature of this monumental complex, with its intricate interplay of architectural elements spanning different historical periods and featuring diverse techniques, poses a significant challenge for structural safety assessment. This case study presents an opportunity to explore an HBIM approach to streamline the diagnostic process and facilitate the intervention design phase. The goal is achieved by utilizing an accurate 3D model enriched with data from multiple sources and automating certain operations for structural assessment. The usefulness of the HBIM methodology is highlighted as a valuable tool in the realm of Cultural Heritage structures for both technicians and scholars alike.

In recent years, an interest in multimedia services has grown expeditiously where the main part is comprised of video. Firms as well as subscribers require higher resolutions, framerates and sampling precision which results to higher amount of data need for processing, storing and transmitting. Therefore, a big challenge arises for researchers to develop new compression standards which should reduce the huge amount of data and keep quality at the same level. This paper examines compression performance of the latest and currently most used video codecs, namely H.266/VVC, AV1, H265/HEVC and H.264/AVC. The test set consists of seven sequences with various content at 8K, Ultra HD and Full HD resolution and encoded to bitrates from 1 to 15 Mbps for Full HD and Ultra HD resolutions and from 5 to 50 Mbps for 8K resolution, respectively. Codec performance was measured using PSNR, SSIM and VMAF objective quality metrics. In terms of the Bjøntegaard-Delta (BD) model, the results showed that H.266/VVC outperforms all other codecs, namely H.264/AVC,H.265/HEVC and AV1, respectively. Averaged bitrate savings were approximately 78\% for H.266/VVC, 63\% for AV1 and 53\% for H.265/HEVC relative to H.264/AVC, 59\% for H.266/VVC, 22\% for AV1 compared to H.264/AVC and 46\% for H.266/VVC relative to AV1, all for 8K resolution. The results also showed that the performance varies depending on resolution – with higher resolution, the efficiency of newly developed codecs such as H.266/VVC and AV1 is greater, which confirmed the fact that the H.266/VVC and AV1 codecs have been primarily developed for videos at high resolutions as 8K and/or UHD.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the validity of three alternative methods compared to the gold standard 24-h urine collection for estimating dietary sodium intake, a modifiable risk factor for hypertension, among middle-aged and older adults with elevated blood pressure. These included spot urine collection (using Kawasaki, Tanaka, and INTERSALT equations), 24-h dietary recall, and food frequency questionnaire responses, compared against 24-h urine collection in a subset of 65 participants (aged 50–75 years, 58.5 % women, 61.6 % hypertensive) from the DePEC-Nutrition trial. The validity of the methods was assessed using bias, Spearman correlation coefficient (SCC), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman analysis. Among the alternative methods, spot urine collection using the Kawasaki equation showed the strongest correlation (SCC 0.238; ICC 0.119, 95 % CI -0.079 to 0.323) but it exhibited a significant bias (1414 mg/day, p-value < 0.001) relative to 24-h urine collection. Conversely, dietary surveys had a smaller bias but wider limits of agreement. These findings underscore the complexities of accurately estimating dietary sodium intake using spot urine collection or dietary surveys in this specific population, suggesting that a combination or refinement of existing methodologies might improve accuracy. Further research with larger samples is necessary to develop more reliable methods for assessing sodium intake in this high-risk group.

This research aims to deepen the understanding of the relationship between conductivity and morphology in polypyrrole (PPy) via a comparison of the bipolaron to polaron ratios with a focus on the C-H deformation area. PPy samples were synthesized with different surfactants: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and tween 80 (TW). The study revealed that SDS significantly altered the bipolaron and polaron in C-H deformation region and showed higher conductivity than other surfactants. Notably, the morphological shifts to a sheet-like structure when using ammonium sulfate (APS) contrasted with the particle-like form observed with ferric chloride (FeCl3). These results showed that if the oxidant changed, the bi-polaron and polaron ratios in C-H deformation were unrelated to PPy morphology. However, this work showed a consistent relationship between SDS use, the bipolaron and polaron ratios in the C-H deformation, and the conductivity properties. Moreover, the natural positive charge of PPy and negatively charged SDS molecules may lead to an electrostatic interaction between PPy and SDS. This work assumes that this interaction might cause the transformation of polaron to bipolaron in the C-H deformation region, resulting in improved conductivity of PPy. This work offers more support for the future investigation of PPy characteristics.

Edible oils have commercial and nutritional value due to the presence of essential fatty acids. They can be consumed fresh in the form of capsules known as nutraceuticals. The quality of such products is of interest to the consumer. In this context, this study describes a method based on high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopic analysis (FTIR), combined with statistical analyzes to differentiate different edible oils used as nutraceuticals in Brazil by fatty acid content. Through the analysis of 1H NMR spectra, the levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in edible oils were characterized and quantified. Statistical analysis of the data confirmed the real distinction between nutraceutical raw materials, with emphasis on ω-9, ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids. The analytical approach presented also demonstrated potential to identify the origin (animal or vegetable) of edible oils used as nutraceuticals.

Glioblastoma, a deadly brain tumor, shows limited response to standard therapies like te-mozolomide (TMZ). Recent findings from the REGOMA trial underscore a significant survival improvement offered by regorafenib (REGO) in recurrent glioblastoma. Our study aimed to propose a 3D ex vivo drug response precision medicine approach to investigate recurrent glio-blastoma sensitivity to REGO and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in tumor resistance or responsiveness to treatment. 3D glioblastoma organoids (GB-EXPs) obtained from 18 patients’ resected recurrent glioblastoma tumors were treated with TMZ and REGO. Drug responses were evaluated using NAD(P)H FLIM, stratifying tumors as responders (Resp) or non-responders (NR). Whole-exome sequencing was performed on 16 tissue samples, and whole-transcriptome analysis on 13 GB-EXPs treated and untreated. We found 35% (n=9) and 77% (n=20) of tumors responded to TMZ and REGO, respectively, with no instances of TMZ-Resp be-ing REGO-NR. Exome analysis revealed a unique mutational profile in REGO-Resp tumors compared to NR tumors. Transcriptome analysis identified distinct expression patterns in Resp and NR tumors, impacting Rho GTPase and NOTCH signaling, known to be involved in drug response. In conclusion, recurrent glioblastoma tumors were more responsive to REGO com-pared to TMZ treatment. Importantly, our approach enables a comprehensive longitudinal ex-ploration of the molecular changes induced by treatment, unveiling promising biomarkers in-dicative of drug response.

Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has beneficial effects on physical functions in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying these functional improvements are still unclear. This study aims at comparing acute responses in spinal excitability, as measured by soleus Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex), between MS patients and healthy individuals, following three experimental conditions involving the ankle planta flexor muscles: 1) passive NMES (pNMES); 2) NMES superimposed to isometric voluntary contraction (NMES+); and 3) isometric voluntary contraction (ISO). Methods: 20 MS patients (MSp) and 20 healthy individuals as control group (CG) took part in a single experimental session. During each condition, participants performed 15 repetitions of 6 seconds at 20% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction, with 6 seconds of recovery between repetitions. Before and after each condition, H-reflex amplitudes were recorded. Results: In MSp, H-reflex amplitude did not change following any experimental condition (ISO: p = 0.506; pNMES: p = 0.068; NMES+: p = 0.126). In CG, H-reflex amplitude significantly increased following NMES+ (p = 0.01), decreased after pNMES (p = 0.000) and was unaltered following ISO (p = 0.829). Conclusion: the different H-reflex responses between MS and CG might reflect a reduced ability of MS patients in modulating spinal excitability.

This case study focuses on exploring the potential of biogas as a direct substitute for conventional fossil fuels in industrial applications. Instead of being limited to its common uses as a vehicle fuel or for power generation, this research aims to investigate how biogas can be integrated into industrial processes as an advanced and sustainable energy solution. By conducting a detailed analysis of the financial implications associated with the utilization of landfill gas and gas derived from biomass, a comprehensive understanding of their practical applications in the industrial sector can be obtained. This research goes beyond a superficial examination and delves into the intricate aspects of incorporating biogas as a viable alternative fuel source. When we say that utilizing biogas is technically feasible, it means that the necessary infrastructure and technologies are available to support its integration into industrial processes. This implies that there are existing methods and systems in place that can efficiently harness and utilize biogas for various industrial applications. These technologies ensure a seamless transition from conventional fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, leading to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly industrial landscape. Moreover, the statement that utilizing biogas is economically feasible emphasizes that the financial viability of employing biogas in industrial processes is advantageous. This research explores the potential cost savings and benefits associated with substituting conventional fuels with biogas. By carefully examining the economic aspects, such as initial investments, operational costs, and potential revenue streams, a comprehensive understanding of the financial impact of adopting biogas solutions in the industrial sector can be gained. By expanding and broadening the understanding of the technical and economic feasibility of biogas integration, this research aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of advanced biogas solutions for industrial applications. Indeed, to make biogas a viable and sustainable option as a raw material, it is necessary to establish farming subsidies and financial support specifically tailored for biogas production, similar to the existing support provided for food production. These subsidies and financial incentives play a crucial role in promoting and encouraging the growth of the biogas industry. By establishing such support systems, farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector can be incentivized to participate in the production of biogas. This can involve the utilization of agricultural waste, organic residues, or dedicated energy crops for biogas generation. The financial assistance can help offset the initial investment costs, provide incentives for production, and ensure the economic viability of biogas projects. Moreover, when considering large-scale landfills or situations where industrial demands for energy are relatively low, landfill gas becomes a viable and practical option. Landfill gas, which is generated by the decomposition of organic waste in landfills, can be harnessed and utilized for various industrial purposes. This not only helps in managing waste but also provides a valuable source of renewable energy. In summary, while farming subsidies and financial support are crucial for promoting biogas production, landfill gas remains a viable option for large landfills or situations with minor industrial demands. The combination of these two approaches offers a comprehensive outlook on utilizing biogas as a renewable energy source for industrial applications.

Using the h-index to assess individual researchers is not only unethical and unfair but also inaccurate and misleading. This index fails to offer a reliable measure of a researcher's impact based on their citation scores. Beyond statistical and conceptual considerations, authorship practices, especially in the case of multi-authored publications, give rise to significant problems that often go unnoticed. While some modifications of the h-index have been proposed to mitigate these weaknesses, the fundamental deficiencies persist. Most of these flaws have been effectively addressed by the c-score, a composite citation index. The c-score excludes self-citations, normalizes the number of citations by considering the number of authors in each paper, and takes into account first, single, and last authorship. This approach provides a more realistic measure of the impact of each individual researcher based on raw citations.

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) have a loss of presynaptic inhibition (PSI) during anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) for step initiation. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MRL) has connections to the reticulospinal tract that mediates inhibitory interneurons responsible for modulating PSI and APAs. Here, we hypothesized that MLR activity during step initiation would explain the loss of PSI during APAs for step initiation in freezers. Thirty-four freezers were assessed in the ON-medication state. During a functional magnetic resonance imaging protocol of simulated APA task, we assessed beta of blood oxygenation level-dependent signal change of areas known to initiate and pace gait (e.g., MLR), in addition to PSI of the soleus muscle during APA for step initiation, and clinical (e.g., disease duration) and behavioral (e.g., FOG severity and APAs amplitude for step initiation) variables. A linear multiple regression model showed that MLR activity (R2=0.32, P=0.0006) and APA amplitude (R2=0.13, P=0.0097) explained together 45% of the loss of PSI during step initiation in freezers. Decreased MLR activity during a simulated APA task is related to a higher loss of PSI during APA for step initiation. Deficits in central and spinal inhibitions during APA may be related to FOG pathophysiology.

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a devastating, potentially fatal T lymphocyte malignancy affecting the skin. Despite all efforts, the etiology of the disease remains unknown. Infectious agents have long been suspected as factors or co-factors in CTCL pathogenesis. This review deals with the panel of bacterial and viral pathogens that have been investigated so far in an attempt to establish a potential link between infection/carriage and CTCL development. A special focus is given to a recently discovered human protoparvovirus, namely the cutavirus (CutaV), which has emerged as a plausible CTCL etiological agent. Available evidence in support of this hypothesis as well as alternative interpretations and uncertainties raised by some conflicting data are discussed. The complexity and the multifacetedness of the Parvoviridae family of viruses are illustrated by presenting another protoparvovirus, the rat H-1 parvovirus (H-1PV). H-1PV belongs to the same genus as the CutaV but carries a considerable potential for therapeutic applications in cutaneous lymphoma.

Nanoindentation load-depth (P-h) plots is the basis for determination of mechanical properties of the samples and is especially vital for thin coatings deposited on substrates of various mechanical makeup from amorphous-brittle (borosilicate glass) to Silicon (having different crystallographic texture) to ductile substrates like stainless steel as well other aspects like indenter tip shape. The elastic-plastic response by simulated P-h plots as per modified empirical relations have been presented. The outcomes of this computational studies enlighten the database on the P-h plots for various coating/substrate systems and shall aid in the analysis of experimental P-h plots obtained,

Biodiesel is one of the most popular biofuels as it is a promising substitute of the conventional diesel fuel, but for now it cannot be used as a stand-alone fuel due to its low oxidative stability. For this reason, the last years there have been efforts for its upgrading through the partial hydrogenation of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) that biodiesel consists of. This procedure succeeds in resolving the problem of low oxidative stability, but in some cases a new problem arises as the non-selective hydrogenation is deteriorating the fuel’s cold flow properties, which are crucial for its operation without damaging the vehicle’s engine. More specifically, the problem of deteriorated cold flow properties is caused by the formation of trans-monounsaturated FAMEs and fully saturated FAMEs while the hydrogenation reaction is taking place. The hydrogenated biodiesels are preferred to contain more cis-monounsaturated FAMEs, because these are considered to have the best combination between high oxidative stability and good cold flow properties. As a result, various systems and methods have been tested in order to achieve a selective partial hydrogenation of biodiesel’s FAMEs. In this review article, the catalytic systems and methods that stood out in various researches are presented and the factors that lead to the best possible outcome are investigated and discussed.

We report on the occurrence of natural Magnesium Alumina Silicate Hydrate (M-(A)-S-H) cement at Feragen and Leka in eastern and western Trøndelag Norway, respectively. Both occurrences are located in the sub-arctic climate zone and form in glacial till and moraine material deposited on ultramafic rock during the Weichselian glaciation. Weathering of serpentinized peridotite dissolve brucite and result in a relative high pH alkaline fluid that subsequently reacts with the felsic minerals of the till (quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar) to form a cement consisting of an amorphous material or a mixture of nanocrystalline Mg-rich phyllosilicates, including illite. The presence of plagioclase in the till results in the enrichment of alumina in the cement, i.e., forms M-A-S-H instead of the M-S-H cement. Dissolution of quartz results in numerous etch-pits and negative quartz crystals filled with M-A-S-H cement. Where the quartz dissolution is faster that the cement precipitation, a honeycomb-like texture is formed. Compositionally the cemented till (tillite) contains more MgO and has a higher loss of ignition than the till, suggesting that the cement is formed by a MgO fluid that previously reacted with the peridotite. The M-(A)-S-H cemented till represent a new type of duricrust, coined magsilcrete. The study of natural Mg-cement provides information on peridotites as a Mg-source for Mg-cement and as a feedstock for CO2 sequestration.

We discuss slip bonds, catch bonds and the tug-of-war mechanism using mathematical arguments. We propose simple 2-dimensional surface models to demonstrate how the potential energy surface of a molecule under an external force behaves. Examples are selectines. Catch bonds in particular are explained in more detail. We demonstrate that Newton trajectories are a powerful tool to describe these phenomena. Newton trajectories form the theoretical background of Mechanochemistry.

Sumatriptan is a serotonin receptor agonist approved by FDA in 1992 to treat migraines. Its’ solid form used in commercially available drugs Imitrex, Treximet, Onzetra Xsail and Zembrace symtouch is sumatriptan succinate. Herein we report on crystal structure of sumatriptane succinate hemi(ethanol solvate), HSum+·HSucc–·0.5EtOH, its comparison with previously reported solids containing derivatives of sumatriptan.

Support effect is an important issue in heterogeneous catalysis while the explicit role of a catalytic support is often unclear for catalytic reactions. A systematic density functional theory computational study is reported in this paper to elucidate the effect of a model boron nitride (BN) support on the first N-H bond activation step of NH3 on Run (n =1, 2, 3) metal clusters. Geometry optimizations and energy calculations were carried out using density functional theory (DFT) calculation for intermediates and transition state from the starting materials undergoing the N-H activation process. The primary findings are summarized as follows. The involvement of the model BN support does not significantly alter the equilibrium structure of intermediates and transition state in the most favorable pathway (MFP). Moreover, the involvement of BN support decreases the free energy of activation, ΔG≠, thus improving the reaction rate constant. This improvement is more obvious at high temperatures like 673 K than low temperatures like 298 K. The BN support effect leading to the ΔG≠ decrease is most significant for the single Ru atom case among all three cases studied. Finally, the involvement of model BN may change the spin transition behavior of the reaction system during the N-H bond activation process. All these findings provide a deeper insight into the support effect on the N-H bond activation of NH3 for supported Ru catalyst in particular and for supported transition metal catalysts in general.

The role of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) tumor testing in colon and endometrial carcinomas is well-established, yet the universal application of this testing faces challenges due to limited data on its efficacy in diverse populations. This retrospective study at a community hospital in Northern Indiana examined MMR immunohistochemistry (IHC) results across 549 cases. Our analysis found intact MMR expression in 469 cases, while 80 demonstrated MMR deficiency, translating to MMR deficiency rates of 10% in colon cancers and 22% in uterine carcinomas. Notably, only 16 patients (2.9%) were categorized as high microsatellite instability (MSI-H), a rate significantly lower than the 3-5-fold higher incidences reported in other Midwestern populations, including Ohio. These findings suggest that the benefits of universal cascade methylation testing, particularly in MLH1/PMS2 IHC-negative tumors, may vary significantly based on regional demographics. Given the notably lower MSI-H incidence in this study, re-evaluating reflex testing protocols in low-resource settings could lead to more targeted, cost-effective approaches without compromising diagnostic accuracy. This study challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to MMR testing, highlighting the need for tailored strategies that consider regional variations in cancer genetics.

The removal of H2S from natural gas and other gases such as biogas, refinery gases, and coal gas is required because H2S is toxic and corrosive, even in traces. Zeolites are widely used in the removal of H2S from the above-mentioned gases. In this work, we prepared an Ag-exchanged 13X molecular sieve by using different concentrations of AgNO3 to increase its adsorption properties. XRD, SEM, and BET techniques were used to characterize samples. When compared to unmodified 13X, the adsorption capacity of AgII-13X increased by about 50 times. The results of this study suggest that the silver-modified 13X molecular sieve is highly effective at extracting H2S from natural gas.

This paper addresses a mode-dependent state-feedback H∞ control for descriptor hybrid systems, considering both the absence and presence of actuator saturation. Firstly, the necessary and sufficient conditions for the stochastic admissibility criterion with H∞ performance ? of the closed-loop system is proposed. Given the proposed non-convex condition, the author reformulates it into linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Then, to extend the result to the systems with actuator saturation, the actuator saturated control input is expressed as a linear combination of given state-feedback control input and a virtual control input that remains under the saturation level. To verify this expression, the set invariant condition is also suggested by using the singular mode-dependent Lyapunov function candidate. Therefore, the LMI conditions for the existence of the mode-dependent state-feedback H∞ control and the ellipsoidal shape of invariant set are successfully derived. Two numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in optimizing H∞ performance $\gamma$ and identifying the largest invariant set.

Hypsizygus marmoreus has become one of the most popular edible mushrooms due to its high nu-tritional and economic value. Previous researchers found that Serratia odorifera could promote the growth of H. marmoreus by producing and secreting some of its inducers. However, the specific mechanism of action was still unclear. In this study, we found that exogenous addition of sterile fermentation filtrate (HZSO-1), quorum sensing (QS signaling molecules, 3-oxo-C6-HSL, cy-clo(Pro-Leu), and cyclo(Tyr-Leu) could significantly promote the growth of H. marmoreus, increase the number of clamp junctions, and the diameter of mycelium (P < 0.05). In addition, non-targeted metabolomic analysis has revealed that 706 metabolites were detected in the treated group. Of these, 307 metabolites were significantly different (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, 54 and 86 metabolites were significantly increased and decreased in the HZSO-1 group, respec-tively (P < 0.05). We speculated that the sterile fermentation filtrate of S. odorifera could mediate the carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism of H. marmoreus by influencing the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) to increase the energy supply for the growth and development of the mycelium. The above results will further reveal the growth-promoting mechanism of S. odorifera on H. mar-moreus.

The regulation of intracellular pH in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cells is critical for cell function and viability. In yeast, protons (H+) can be excreted from cell by the plasma membrane ATPase Pma1 and pumped into vacuoles by the vacuolar H+-ATPase. Because Pma1 is critical to the survival of yeast cells, it is unknown whether other compensatory components are involved in the pH homeostasis in the absence of Pma1. To elucidate how intracellular pH is regulated independently of Pma1, we employed a screening approach by exposing the yeast haploid deletion mutant library (ver 4.0) to the selective plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase inhibitor PS-1, which we previously reported. After repeated screenings and verification, we identified two proteins, ALY1 and ALY2, that play a role in the regulation of intracellular pH when Pma1 is deficient. Our research uncovers a new perspective on the regulation of intracellular pH related to Pma1 and also preliminarily reveals a role for ALY1 and ALY2 in the regulation of intracellular pH.

This paper presents various procedures for determining the optimal control law for a wing section in compressible flow. The flow regime includes subsonic as well as supersonic flows. For the evolution of the system in the Laplace plane the present method makes use of the exact unsteady aerodynamic forces in the Laplace plane once the control law is established. This is a great advantage against other results previously published, where the unsteady aerodynamics in the Laplace plane are just approximations of the curve-fitted values in the frequency domain (imaginary axis). Different control techniques are investigated like pole-placement, LQR and H-infinity norm. Among these, the H-infinity norm emerges as the optimal choice, exhibiting a norm magnitude approximately two orders of magnitude lower than the LQR case. Furthermore, the H-infinity controller demonstrates lower pole values that those of the pole placement and LQR compensator, showing the advantage of the H-infinity controller in terms of economic efficiency.

The human body contains 60-70% of water, depending on age. As a body fluid, it is not only a medium in which physical and chemical processes take place, but it is also one of the active mediators. Water is the richest substance with non-covalent hydrogen bonds. Water molecules, by themselves (in vacuum), are diamagnetic, but when organized into clusters, become diamagnetic or paramagnetic. Also, biomolecules (DNA, collagen, clathrin, and other proteins) have non-covalent hydrogen bonds in their structure. The interaction, as well as signal transmission, between water and biomolecules is achieved through the vibrations of covalent and non-covalent hydrogen bonds, which determine the state and dynamics of conformational changes of biomolecules. Disruptive conformational changes of biomolecules, cells, and tissues lead to their dysfunctionality, so they are a frequent cause of many disorders and diseases. For example, the rearrangement of hydrogen bonding due to mitochondrial disease mutation in cytochrome bc1 disturbs heme bH redox potential and spin state. In order to prevent and repair the dysfunctional conformational changes, a liquid substance was developed based on the second derivative of the C₆₀ molecule (SD-C₆₀), which has classical and quantum properties. Characterization of SD-C₆₀ by UV-VIS-NIR, FTIR, TEM, and AFM/MFM was done and it is shown that SD-C₆₀ water layers generate vibrations with near-zero phase dispersion which are transmitted through the Fibonacci’s water chains to biomolecules. In comparison to previously published SD-C₆₀ derivate (3HFWC, size until 10 nm, and 1-5 water layers), improved formulation (3HFWC-W, size 10-25 nm, and 6-9 water layers) showed multiplied cytotoxic activity against melanoma cell lines of different aggressiveness. Apart from this, the mode of action was preserved and based on induction of senescence rather than cell death. Importantly, high selectivity toward malignant phenotype was detected. Observed effects can be ascribed to a machinery of hydrogen bonds, which are generated in SD-C₆₀ and transmitted through water to biomolecules. This approach may open a new field in science and healthcare - a “water-based nanomedicine”.

A two-step, one-pot synthesis of 3-substituted 1H-dibenzo[e,g]indazoles in good to high yields via a LiOtBu-promoted intramolecular cyclization of 2’-alkynyl-biaryl-2-aldehyde N-tosylhydrazones, formed in situ by the reactions of 2’-alkynyl-biaryl-2-aldehydes with p-methylbenzenesulfonohydrazide was developed. Two kinds of hydrogen bonds forming in several products were observed in DMSO-d6 solution in 1H NMR spectroscopic data, which were assigned to the formation of solvated products and dimers of products, supported by the studies of density functional theory (DFT).

Three novel iron(II) coordination polymers, [Fe(H2O)2(ttmb)2](ClO4)2·4H2O (1), [Fe(H2O)2(ttmb)2](BF4)2·4H2O (2), [Fe(ttmb)2(NCS)2] (3), were synthesized with the linker 1,3,5-tris(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methyl)benzene (ttmb). The single-crystal structures show that all three compounds form a double chain structure with the adjacent iron atoms being bridged by two ttmb linkers. The iron(II) ions are octahedrally surrounded by four N4 donor atom from the 1,2,4-triazol-1-yl groups of four different ttmb linkers which form an equatorial plane and two trans-coordinated aqua ligands in 1 and 2 or isothiocyanato ligands in 3 in the axial positions. In view of the neutral bridging ttmb linker, there is a counter-anion in all structures; uncoordinated ClO4– and BF4–in 1 and 2 or coordinated NCS–in 3. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural. Interestingly, the ttmb linker only utilizes two of its three potentially coordinating triazole groups. All iron(II) coordination networks are colorless or have a light-yellow color, being indicative of the high-spin state.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) as a semiconductor in its crystalline or amorphous form is still a promised material, especially under isobaric and isothermal ensembles. In this work, Parallel and Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics and DL_POLY_4 software are employed to predict the relationship between the behavior of ZnO chemical bonds and the phase transition literatures, using correlation function g(r) of Zn-Zn, Zn-O, and O-O pairs. Our system is composed of 5832 atoms of ZnO rocksalt structure (2916 atoms of Zn2+ and 2916 atoms of O2-), under the temperature of 300 (K) and the range of pressure 0-400 (GPa). The lengths of ZnO bonds, the standard error, standard deviation, the maximum of g(r), and the percentage of the variation of the bonds are analyzed. The interatomic interactions are modeled by the potential of Buckingham for short-range and Coulomb for long-range interactions. The calculations were run on the RAVEN Supercomputer of Cardiff University (UK). Our data are mostly in the vicinity of available information of bonds lengths; the rest can be deduced from the pressure of phase transition to use it as a new approach of phase transition confirmation. However, the rest of our results are still a prediction because of no results under extended pressure used in this work.

There were designed and synthesized two new sulfone 2-aminobenzimidazole derivatives. Coordination compounds were obtained with nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) and these novel ligands. There were fully characterized by spectroscopic and analytical techniques. Single crystal X-ray structural analysis was performed on order to study the relevant intra and inter non-covalent interactions, mainly H...π, lone pair·...π, π...π, highlighting the difference between the ethyl and phenyl groups in such interactions. Dimeric and trimeric supramolecular syntons were found for some of these compounds. Their biological activity was investigated, being the copper(II) compounds with the sulfone phenyl derivative the most active.

Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers (NHEs) are known to be important regulators of pH in multiple intracellular compartments of eukaryotic cells. Sperm function is especially dependent on changes in pH and thus it has been postulated that NHEs play important roles in regulating the intracellular pH of these cells. For example, in order to achieve fertilization, mature sperm must maintain a basal pH in the male reproductive tract and then alkalize in response to specific signals in the female reproductive tract during the capacitation process. Eight NHE isoforms are expressed in mammalian testis/sperm: NHE1, NHE3, NHE5, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, NHE10, and NHE11. These NHE isoforms are expressed at varying times during spermatogenesis and localize to different subcellular structures in developing and mature sperm where they contribute to multiple aspects of sperm physiology and male fertility including proper sperm development/morphogenesis, motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. Previous work has provided evidence for NHE3, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, and NHE10 being critical for male fertility in mice and NHE10 has recently been shown to be essential for male fertility in humans. In this article we review what is known about each NHE isoform expressed in mammalian sperm and discuss the physiological significance of each NHE isoform with respect to male fertility.

Using the colloidal method, Au NP’s were deposited onto 6 different supports (TiO2,  and -Al2O3, HFeO2, CeO2, and C), and their catalytic activity and selectivity were compared in the alkylation of aniline by benzyl alcohol. Correlations were made between the nature of the support, the Au NP size and H-binding energy.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is a challenge for global health services, affecting millions and leading hundreds to end-stage liver disease each year. This comprehensive review explores the interactions between HBV and the host, examining their impact on clinical outcomes. HBV infection encompasses a spectrum of severity, ranging from acute hepatitis B to chronic hepatitis B, which can potentially progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI), characterized by low HBV DNA levels in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative individuals, can reactivate and cause acute hepatitis B. The identification of diverse HBV genotypes reveals distinct geographical distributions and associations with clinical outcomes. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the host genome have been linked to several clinical outcomes, including cirrhosis, HCC, OBI, hepatitis B reactivation, and spontaneous clearance. The immune response plays a key role in controlling HBV infection by eliminating infected cells and neutralizing HBV in the bloodstream. Furthermore, HBV can modulate host metabolic pathways involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and bile acid absorption, further influencing disease progression. HBV clinical outcomes correlate with three levels of viral adaptation. In conclusion, the clinical outcomes of HBV infection could result from complex immune and metabolic interactions between the host and HBV. These outcomes can vary among populations and are influenced by HBV genotypes, host genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle. Understanding the degrees of HBV adaptation is essential for developing region-specific control and prevention measures.

Licochalcone H (LCH), a regioisomer of licochalcone C derived from the root of Glycyrrhiza inflata. CRC treatment has always been challenged by the development of resistance. We investigated the antiproliferative activity of LCH in oxaliplatin (Ox)-sensitive and -resistant CRC cells. LCH significantly inhibited cell viability and colony growth in both Ox-sensitive and Ox-resistant CRC cells. We found that LCH decreased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and AKT kinase activities and related activating signaling proteins including phospho (p)-EGFR and pAKT. A computational docking model indicated that LCH may interact with EGFR, AKT1, and AKT2 at the ATP-binding sites. LCH induced ROS generation, as verified by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) treatment, and increased the expression of the ER stress markers. LCH treatment of CRC cells induced depolarization of MMP and increased. Multi-caspase activity was induced by LCH treatment and confirmed by Z-VAD-FMK treatment. LCH increased the number of subG1 cells and arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase. LCH inhibits the growth of Ox-sensitive and Ox-resistant CRC cells by targeting EGFR and AKT, and inducing ROS generation and ER stress-mediated apoptosis. Therefore, LCH could be a potential therapeutic agent for improving not only Ox-sensitive but also Ox-resistant CRC treatment.

Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative bacteria usually found in stomach and first part of small intestine, is known to cause infections and ulcers and may have association with cancer. Normally, the treatment options include combinations of antibiotics with proton pump inhibitors and antiinflammatory drugs. However, all of them have high systemic exposure, and hence, unfavourable side effects, whereas their exposure in stomach mucus, the predominant location of the bacteria, is very limited. We have attempted to develop a predominantly gut-restricted formulations of antibiotic + adjuvant combinations as a basis for potentially more safe and efficacious treatment of gastrointestinal tract infections. We have considered E. coli (as a model of H. pylori) and Lactobacilli to study the antibacterial activity of nanogel with combined drugs (classical antibiotics and individual components of essential oils). It has been shown that levofloxacin (LF) in combination with zephirol demonstrates synergy effect against E. coli (cell viability has decreased by about 50%) and weakens the effect against Lactobacilli. A number of other combinations of antibiotic + adjuvant is also shown to be effective. Using FTIR and UV spectroscopy, it has been proved that chitosan nanogels with the drug are well adsorbed on the mucosal model, thereby increasing the bioavailability of drugs. Using ABTS assay, the antioxidant properties of flavonoids and other drugs are shown, which is potentially necessary to minimize the harmful effects of toxins and radicals produced by pathogens. Thus, chitosan nanogels loaded with a combination of drugs can be considered as a new strategy for the treatment of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and applicable to difficult-to-treat bacteria.

Power converter technologies have become increasingly vital in various applications due to their efficient management of electrical energy. With the growing prominence of renewable energy sources like solar and wind, the high penetration of power electronic converters has been justified. However, ensuring power quality has emerged as a significant challenge for grid-connected power converters. The divergence from the ideal sinusoidal waveform in terms of magnitude and frequency impacts both grid-side currents and voltages. Several studies have proposed solutions to address power quality issues at the load side. The advancement of power converters has been fueled by the development of high-performance microprocessors and the emergence of high-speed switching devices, such as SiC-MOSFETs. This paper focuses on the design of voltage source converters, particularly those based on SiC-MOSFET semiconductor devices. The article presents the design of H-Bridge cells, discusses two-level voltage source converters based on cascade H-Bridge cells in parallel configuration with experimental fault analysis, addresses the seven-level voltage source converters topology, and explores the design and experimental results of the matrix converter. The findings underscore the importance of considering the entire converter design for improved performance at high switching frequencies. The article concludes by summarizing the main outcomes and implications of this research.

The increased emergence of multidrug-resistant Helicobacter pylori influences the prevention of stomach cancer. Zingiber officinale is a plant usually used in folk medicine to treat a variety of diseases involving infections, nausea, vomiting, peptic ulcer, dyspepsia, and inflammation. This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Z. officinale extract to combat resistant H. pylori. The disc diffusion, microdilution, and microplate assays were performed to evaluate the susceptibility to antibiotics, and the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of the Z. officinale extracts. Using the checkerboard method, the combined effects of the gentamicin and Z. officinale extract were investigated. In addition, anti-inflammatory activity and GC-MS analysis were determined by the modified protocol. According to the findings, H. pylori isolates exhibited resistance rates of 56.33, 50.0, and 45.85 for metronidazole, gentamicin, and tetracycline, respectively. The methanolic extract of Z. officinale had the strongest effectiveness against resistant H. pylori isolates with MIC of 20.0 to 50.0 µg/ml against both H. pylori isolates and the stranded strain NCTC 11637. Z. officinale extract suppress the biofilm formed by H. pylori isolates with a percentage of 92.96% at 50.0µg/ml, compared with 97.19% for gentamicin at the same concentration. According to FICI values, combination of methanolic Z. officinale extract to gentamicin increases bacterial sensitivity to such drugs. Moreover, the Z. officinale extract exhibits strong anti-inflammatory activity. The GC-MS analysis of Z. officinale extract exhibits 17 different chemical compounds. Conclusions: The Z. officinale extract contain the anti-inflammatory compound gingerol as the main constituent which inhibits the growth of H. pylori and its biofilm, are a promising natural therapeutic alternative or enhance antibiotics activity

Aim. To study the processes of lipid peroxidation and the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes depending on the chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes in patients with gastric cancer associated with H. pylori infection, depending on the stage. Materials and methods. 39 patients with stage I-II gastric cancer and 30 patients with stage III-IV gastric cancer were examined. The study of the chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes was carried out, the parameters of the lipid peroxidation system and antioxidant protection in plasma were determined using the spectrophotometric method. Statistical data processing was performed using the Statistica 7.0 software package (StatSoft, USA). Results. In patients with gastric cancer associated with H. pylori infection, regardless of stage, the proportion of neutrophilic granulocytes with normal activity does not exceed 1/3 of the total number of patients, the remaining 2/3 of patients have an altered chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes: in patients with gastric cancer by I -II stage of the disease, the majority revealed a reduced function of neutrophilic granulocytes, and in patients with gastric cancer stage III-IV of the disease, the majority showed increased chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes. In all patients with gastric cancer associated with H. pylori infection, regardless of the stage of the disease, an increase in lipid peroxidation processes with activation of antioxidant defense enzymes was detected. Conclusion. In all patients with gastric cancer associated with H. pylori infection, regardless of the stage of the disease, an increase in lipid peroxidation processes with activation of antioxidant defense enzymes was detected. At the same time, there are no statistically significant differences between the indicators of the system lipid peroxidation - antioxidant protection depending on the stage of gastric cancer and the chemiluminescent activity of neutrophilic granulocytes, which probably indicates that all reactive oxygen species produced by neutrophilic granulocytes in the respiratory burst are consumed locally, minimally affecting the development of oxidative stress in the blood plasma.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) represent a cornerstone in the complexity of the proteome, significantly contributing to diversifying protein structure and function. PTMs can significantly influence protein function, stability, localization, and interactions with other molecules. Therefore, it is important when choosing a protein expression system to ensure the precise incorporation of PTMs during protein synthesis, which is paramount for producing biologically active proteins. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system has emerged as a powerful protein synthesis platform and research toolkit in synthetic biology. The open nature of the system allows the reaction environment to be tailored to any protein of interest to promote specific PTMs, thus allowing for the production of a protein with the desired modifications. This review presents various PTMs achieved in the CFPS systems, providing insights into the current challenges, successes, and future prospects.

Low-sodium salt substitute (LSSS) has the potential in regulating sodium and potassium intake and has been available in China market for years. However, its real-world use and impact to sodium\potassium intake is unclear. Baseline data of 4000 adult participants who participated in three similar-designed randomized controlled trails were pooled together for this study. Self-reported awareness and use of LSSS were collected using the uniform questionnaire, and the 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion was used to estimate their dietary intake. Mixed-effects models were developed to assess the relationship between LSSS and 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion. 32.0% of the participants reported awareness of LSSS and 11.7% reported its current use. After adjusting location, sex, age, and education, compared with the group of participants unaware of LSSS, participants who were aware but not using LSSS and those who were using LSSS had a lower 24-h urinary sodium excretion by –356.1(95% CI: –503.9, –205.9) mg/d and –490.6(95% CI: –679.2, –293.7), respectively (p&lt;0.001). No significant difference was found for 24-h urinary potassium excretion and sodium-to-potassium ratio among the three groups (p&gt;0.05). In conclusion, although associated with lower sodium intake, the awareness and real-world use of LSSS are still very low in China.

Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is a promising polymer in the packaging field owing to excellent hydrolysis, heat resistance and gas barrier properties, but there are limited in application due to poor toughness. For this reason, a covalently bonded chain extender is introduced to increase compatibility with flexible polymers. However, covalent bonds are unfavorable for application to degradable plastics because of require a lot of energy for reverse reactions. Therefore, it is intended to effectively control the ductility of blending plastics by using a novel ionic chain extender having a relatively weaker non-covalent bond than the existing covalent bond. Polycaprolactone (PCL), which has biodegradability and flexibility, was selected as a blending polymer. For comparison, a covalently reactive chain extender (G-CE) and a non-covalently ionic chain extender (D-CE) were synthesized and compounded to blending plastics. Each chain extenders were improved the compatibility between PGA and PCL, and the ductility of the PGA/PCL blending plastics were greatly enhanced with non-covalently bonding D-CE than with covalently bonding G-CE. At this time, the ductility of PGA/PCL blending plastic without CE is 7.2%, the ductility of 10D with D-CE is 26.6%, and the ductility of 10G with G-CE is 18.45%. Therefore, it was confirmed that the novel ionic chain extender inducing non-covalent bonds improves the compatibility between PGA and PCL and is more advantageous in enhancing ductility through a reversible reaction.

Protons are gaining increasing attention as neurotransmitters due to their extraordinary abilities to rapidly transfer electrical charge, mobilize cellular calcium and modulate ion channels. How all this is possible is currently the subject of in-depth studies and discussions concerning not only neurophysiology, but also biological materials for artificial intelligence. In this short review, some biochemical mechanisms are described by which protons, in combination with calcium, can initiate firing in sensory neurons and transmit impulse across synapses. Furthermore, mechanisms are put forward concerning how three neurotransmitters, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine, are able to generate protons. The results of the numerous experimental works taken into consideration indicate that protons can play a fundamental role both in the generation and in the transmission of the nerve impulse.

In the present paper we introduce three new classes of bi-univalent functions connected with Gregory coefficients. For functions in each of these three bi-univalent function classes we have derived the estimates of the Taylor--Maclaurin coefficients $\left|a_{2}\right|$ and $\left|a_{3}\right|$ and Fekete-Szeg\H{o} functional problems for functions belonging to these new subclasses. We defined three subclasses of the class of the bi-univalent functions $\Sigma$, namely $\mathfrak{HG}_{\Sigma}$, $\mathfrak{GM}_{\Sigma}(\mu)$ and $\mathfrak{G}_{\Sigma}(\lambda)$ by using the subordinations with the function whose coefficients are Gregory's numbers. First, we proved that these classes are not empty, i.e. contains other functions than the identity one. Using the well-known Carath\'eodory Lemma for the functions with real positive parts in the open unit disk, together with an estimation due to P. Zaprawa (see https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/357480) and another one of Libera and Zlotkiewicz, we gave upper bounds for the above mentioned initial coefficients and for the Fekete-Szeg\H{o} functionals. The main results are followed by some particular cases, and the novelty of the definitions and the proofs could involve further studies for such type of similarly defined subclasses.

The conventional theory of neutron beams interacting with many-body systems treats the beam as a classical system, i.e. with its dynamical variables appearing in the quantum dynamics of the scattering process not as operators but only as c-numbers. Moreover, neutrons are described with plane waves, i.e. the concept of neutron's (finite) coherence length is here irrelevant. The same holds for electron, atom or X-ray scattering. This simplification results in the full decoupling of the probe particle's dynamics from the quantum dynamics of the scatterer---a well-known fact also reflected in the standard formalism of time-correlation functions (see textbooks). Making contact with modern quantum theoretical approaches (e.g., quantum entanglement, 'which-path detection' versus interference, von Neumann measurement, Week Values, etc.) new observable effects may be exposed and/or predicted, for instance, a momentum-transfer deficit and an intensity deficit in neutron scattering from protons of hydrogen-containing samples. 7

Nonconventional luminescent materials (NLMs) that do not contain traditional aromatic chromophores are of great interest due to their unique chemical structures, optical properties and their potential applications in various areas such as cellular imaging and chemical sensing. However, most reported NLMs show weak or no emission in dilute solutions, severely limiting their applications. In this work, the dynamic hydrogen bonds were utilized to design NLMs with efficient emission in dilute solutions. To further validate the results, polymers P1 and P2 were successfully prepared and investigated. It was found that luminescence quantum efficiency of P1 and P2 at concentration of 0.1 mg/mL in water solution is 8.9 and 0.6%, respectively. The high efficiency can be attributed to the fact that polymer P1 has more intra- or intermolecular dynamic hydrogen bonds and other short interactions than P2 in dilute solutions, allowing P1 to achieve the through-space conjugation effect to increase the degree of system conjugation, restrict molecular motion, and decrease non-radiative transitions, which can effectively improve luminescence. In addition, polymer P2 exhibits the characteristics of clustering-triggered emission, excitation wavelength-dependent and concentration-dependent fluorescence properties, excellent photobleaching resistance, low cytotoxicity and selective recognition of Fe3+. This work is a preliminary study of the luminescence properties of NLMs in dilute solutions via modulating dynamic hydrogen bonds, which can be used as a semi-empirical method to design and construct novel NLMs in future.

This paper aims to unify q-derivative/q-integral and h-derivative/h-integral in a single definition, this will be called q−h-derivative/q−h-integral. These notions are further extended on finite interval [a,b] in the form of left and right q−h-derivatives and q−h-integrals. Some inequalities are studied for q−h-integrals which are directly connected with well known results. In diverse fields of science and engineering the theory based on q-derivatives/q-integrals and h-derivatives/h-integrals can be unified by using the concept of q−h-derivative/q−h-integral.

A wave is an energy that can propagate with a medium, the propagation of a wave moves with respect to time by carrying energy that moves with velocity per unit of time. Sea waves are one of the propagating wave problems that are broken down to produce wave propagation with a relatively inhomogeneous minimum amplitude and speed of sea waves which have their own difficulties in solving them numerically. This study aims to analyze the stability of wave propagation of submerged breakwaters using the Boundary Element Method. This research will approximate the boundary discretization of the breakwater domain and then combine it with the Finite Element Method in determining the moving elements of the velocity of fluid flow through a porous submerged breakwater. This study varies the magnitude of the incoming propagation velocity and the influence of the breakwater distance. The results of this study indicate that the resulting minimal wave assuming v = 1 m/s and the breakwater distance of s = 20 m gives a wave reflection with a minimum wave speed and amplitude of 0.12515 m

A fundamental tool in mathematical physics is the logarithmic Sobolev inequality. A quantitative version proven by Carlen with a remainder involving the Fourier-Wiener transform is equivalent to an entropic uncertainty principle more general than the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. In the stability, the remainder is in terms of an entropy, not a metric. Recently, a stability result for H¹ was obtained by Dolbeault, Esteban, Figalli, Frank, and Loss in terms of an L^p norm. Afterwards, Brigati, Dolbeault, and Simonov discussed the stability problem involving a stronger norm. A full characterization with a necessary and sufficient condition to have H¹ convergence is identified in this paper. Moreover, an explicit H¹ bound via a moment assumption is shown. Also, the L^p stability of Dolbeault, Esteban, Figalli, Frank, and Loss is proven to be sharp.

This paper introduces extensions H4,p and X8,p of Horn’s double hypergeometric function H4 and Exton’s triple hypergeometric function X8, taking into account recent extensions of Euler’s beta function, hypergeometric function, and confluent hypergeometric function. Among the numerous extended hypergeometric functions, the primary rationale for choosing H4 and X8 is their comparable extension type. Next, we present various integral representations of Euler and Laplace type, Mellin and inverse Mellin transforms, Laguerre polynomial representation, transformation formulae and a recurrence relation for the extended functions. In particular, we provide a generating function for the X8,p and several bounding inequalities for the H4,p and X8,p.

The ability of 2D hybrid structures formed by boron, nitrogen and carbon atoms (h-BNCs) as potential substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection of dioxin-like pollutants is theoretically analyzed. The strong confinement and high tunability of the electromagnetic response of the carbon nanostructures embedded within the h-BNC sheets point out that these hybrid structures could be promising for applications in optical spectroscopies, such as SERS. In this work, two model dioxin-like pollutants, TCDD and TCDF, and a model h-BNC surface composed by a carbon nanodisk of ninety-six atoms surrounded by a string of borazine rings, BNC96, are employed for the simulation of the adsorption complexes and the static and pre-resonance Raman spectra of the adsorbed molecules. A large affinity of BNC96 by these pollutants is reflected on the large interaction energies obtained for the most stable stacking complexes, with dispersion being the most important contribution to their stability. The large vibrational coupling of some active modes of TCDF and, specially, of TCDD makes the Raman static spectra display a ‘pure’ chemical enhancement of one order of magnitude. On the other hand, due to the strong electromagnetic response of BNC96, confined within the carbon nanodisk, pre-resonance Raman spectra obtained for TCDD and TCDF display large enhancement factors of 108 and 107, respectively. Promisingly, laser excitation wavelengths frequently used in SERS experiments also provoke significant Raman enhancements, around 104, for the TCDD and TCDF signals. Both the strong confinement of the electromagnetic response within the carbon domains and the high modulation of the resonance wavelengths within the visible and/or UV ranges in h-BNCs should lead to a higher sensitivity than graphene and white graphene parent structures, solving one of the main disadvantages of using 2D substrates for SERS applications.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of conventional and rotary NiTi files for Gutta-Percha (GP) removal in straight roots during retreatment root canal treatment (RCT), using manual Hedstrom files and ProTaper Universal System, respectively. Methods: It was an in-vitro experimental study using non-probability consecutive sampling. Sixty extracted single rooted maxillary and mandibular permanent teeth with straight canals were selected for this study. Following preparation, the root canals were filled with GP along with a sealer and kept for two weeks in a moist environment at room temperature. Thirty teeth were randomly allocated to the study and control groups each. GP removal was accomplished with Hedstrom files and Pro Taper retreatment files in group 1 and group 2, respectively. Digital radiographs were obtained using Kodak RVG digital radiography system software version VER.6.10.8.3-A and analyzed for the difference of opacities indicating residual GP. AutoCAD 2006 software was used to outline the root canal and the residual root filling. Independent sample t test was used to compare the total residual GP in both groups. Results: No significant difference in the residual root filling was observed following removal with conventional Hedstrom files versus ProTaper universal retreatment files. In both groups, the residual GP was confined to the apical third of the roots. Conclusion: ProTaper Universal Retreatment files and manual Hedstrom files are equally effective in the removal of GP in straight canals.

Hypotrochoidal profile contours have been produced in industrial applications in recent years using twin-spindle processes, and they are considered effective high-quality solutions for positive shaft–hub connections. This study mainly concerns analytical approaches to determine the bending stresses in hypotrochoidal profile shafts. The formulation was developed according to bending principles using the mathematical theory of elasticity and conformal mappings. The loading was further used to investigate the rotating bending behaviour. The stress factors for the classical calculation of maximum bending stresses were also determined for all those profiles presented and compiled in the German standard DIN3689-1 for practical applications. The results were also compared with the corresponding numerical and experimental results, and very good agreement was observed. Additionally, based on previous work, the stress factor was determined for the case of torsional loading to calculate the maximum torsional stresses in the standardised profiles, and the results are listed in a table. This study contributes to the further refinement of the current DIN3689 standard.

Heavy Ion Beam Probing (HIBP) diagnostic is a powerful tool for electric field studies in hot dense plasma of modern day toroidal magnetic confinement devices. On the TUMAN-3M to-kamak, the HIBP have been used in regimes with improved plasma confinement to clear up the role of radial electric field in the transition to good confinement regimes. Recently, a moderni-zation of the TUMAN-3M HIBP diagnostics was performed aiming to reconfigure it for a work with a reversed plasma current direction and improvement of overall stability of the diagnostic. The results of first measurements of plasma potential in co-NBI scenario are reported and dis-cussed.

Although most people are infected with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) during their lifetime, only a minority of them develop an EBV-associated malignancy. EBV acts in both direct and indirect ways to transform infected cells into tumor cells. There are multiple ways in which the EBV, host, and tumor environment interact to promote malignant transformation. This paper focuses on some of the mechanisms that EBV uses to transform the tumor microenvironment (TME) of EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) for its benefit, including overexpression of IDO1, synergism between H pylori and EBV coinfection, and M1 to M2 switch. In this review, we expand on different modalities and combinatorial approaches to therapeutically target this mechanism.

This work presents the first evidence that dissolved globular proteins change the arrangement of hydrogen bonds in water, with different proteins showing quantitatively different effects. Using ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection – Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopic analysis of OH-stretch bands, we obtain quantitative estimates of the relative amounts of the previously reported four subpopulations of water structures coexisting in a variety of aqueous solutions. Where solvatochromic dyes can measure the properties of solutions of non-ionic polymers, the results correlate well with ATR-FTIR measurements. In protein solutions to which solvatochromic dye probes cannot be applied, NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy was used for the first time to estimate the hydrogen bond donor acidity of water. We found strong correlations between the solvent acidity and arrangement of hydrogen bonds in aqueous solutions for several globular proteins. Even quite similar proteins are found to change water properties in dramatically different ways.

A simple undirected graph $\Gamma=(V_\Gamma,E_\Gamma)$ admits an $H$-covering if every edge in $E_\Gamma$ belongs to at least one subgraph of $\Gamma$ that isomorphic to a graph $H$. For any graph $\Gamma$ admitting $H$-covering, a total Labelling $\beta: V_\Gamma \cup E_\Gamma \longrightarrow \{1,2,\dots,p\}$ is called an $H$-irregular total $p$-labelling of $\Gamma$ if every two different subgraphs $H_1$ and $H_2$ of $\Gamma$ isomorphic to $H$ have distinct weights where the weight $w_\beta(K)$ of subgraph $K$ of $\Gamma$ is defined as $w_f(K):=\displaystyle \sum_{v\in V_K} f(v) + \sum_{e\in E_K} f(e)$. The smallest number $p$ for which a graph $\Gamma$ admits an $H$-irregular total $p$-labelling is called the total $H$-irregularity strength of $\Gamma$ and is denoted by $ths(\Gamma)$. In this paper, we determine the total $H$-irregularity strength of edge comb product of two graphs.

Research with deuterium-depleted water (DDW) in the last two decades proved that deuterium/hydrogen ratio has a key role in cell cycle regulation and cellular metabolism. The present study aimed to investigate the possible effect of deuterium-depleted organic compounds (DDOC) alone and in combination with DDW on cancer growth in two in vivo mouse models. To produce DDOC, drinking water of laying hens was replaced with DDW (25 ppm) for 6 weeks, resulting in 60 ppm D level in dried egg yolk that was used as deuterium-depleted food additive. In one model, 4T1, a cell line with high metastatic capacity to the lung, was inoculated in the mice’s mammary pad. After three weeks of treatment with DDW and/or DDOC, the tumor volume in the lungs was smaller in all treated groups vs. controls with natural D level. Tumor growth and survival in mice transplanted with MCF-7 breast cancer cell line showed that the anticancer effect of DDW was enhanced by food containing the deuterium-depleted yolk. The study confirmed the importance of D/H ratio not only in consumed water but also in metabolic water produced by the mitochondria while oxidizing nutrient molecules. This is in line with the concept that initiation of cell growth requires the cells to generate a higher D/H ratio, but DDW, DDOC, or the naturally low-D lipids in a ketogenic diet, have significant effect on tumor growth by preventing the cells from raising D/H ratio to the threshold.

This article will briefly review the progress of h-BN based solid-state metal semiconductor metal (MSM) neutron detectors. In the last decade, several groups have been working on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) based solid-state neutron detectors. Recently, the detection efficiency of 59% has been reported. Efficient, low-cost neutron detectors made from readily available materials are essential for various applications. Neutron detectors are widely used to detect fissile materials and nuclear power plants for security applications. The most common and widely used neutron detectors are 3He based, which are sometimes bulky, difficult to transport, have high absorption length, need relatively high bias voltage (>1000 V), and have low Q-value (0.764 MeV). Also, 3He is not readily available material. Thus, there is a strong need to find an alternative detection material. 10B isotope has a high neutron absorption cross-section, and it has been tested as a coating on the semiconducting materials. Due to the two-step process, neutron capture through 10B, and then electron-hole pair generation in a typical semiconducting material, the efficiency of these devices is not up to the mark. The progress in h-BN based detectors requires a review to envision the further improvement in this technology.

A major challenge in the clinical management of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is identifying those who do not respond to antiseizure medication (ASM), allowing for the timely pursuit of alternative treatments, such as epilepsy surgery. Here, we investigated changes in plasma metabolites as biomarkers of pharmacoresistance in patients with MTLE. Furthermore, we used the metabolomics data to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and response to ASM. We performed an untargeted metabolomic method using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and multi- and univariate statistical analyses to compare data obtained from plasma samples of 28 patients with MTLE compared to 28 controls. The patients were further divided according to response to ASM: 20 patients were refractory to treatment, and eight were responsive to ASM. We only included patients using carbamazepine in combination with clobazam. We compared the group of patients with controls and found that the profiles of glucose (p = 0.01), saturated lipids (p = 0.0002), isoleucine (p = 0.0001), β-hydroxybutyrate (p = 0.0003), and proline (p = 0.02) were different in patients compared to controls (p &lt; 0.05). In addition, lipoproteins (p = 0.05), lactate (p = 0.05), glucose (p = 0.05), unsaturated lipids (p = 0.05), isoleucine (p = 0.05), and proline (p = 0.05), could discriminate between the two groups of patients classified according to response to ASM. The identified metabolites were linked to different biological pathways related to cell energy metabolism, and pathways linked to inflammatory processes and the modulation of neurotransmitter release and activity in MTLE. In contrast, we found that pyruvate metabolism may be linked to resistance to ASM. In conclusion, in addition to insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and the response to treatment with ASM, our results suggest that plasma metabolites may be used as biomarkers of disease and response to ASM in patients with MTLE. These findings warrant further studies exploring the clinical use of metabolites to assist in decision-making when treating patients with MTLE.

The paper is an investigation on the impact of financial markets on the volatility of green bonds credit risk component, measured by the option-adjusted spread/swap curve (OAS) of the Global Bloomberg Barclays MSCI Green Bond Index, for both the non and pandemic periods. For these purpose, after observing the dynamic joint correlations between all the variables through a DCC-GARCH, we adopt GARCH(1,1) and EGARCH(1,1) models, putting the OAS as dependent variable. Our main results show that the conditional variance parameters are significant and persistent in both times, testifying the overall impact of the other markets on the OAS. In more detail, we highlight that the gamma in the two EGARCH models is positive: so the “green” credit risk volatility is more sensitive to positive shocks than negative ones. With reference to the conditional mean, we note that if during the non pandemic time only the stock market is significant, during the pandemic also conventional bonds and gold are impacting. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study that analyzes the specific credit risk component of green bond yields: we deem our findings useful to observe the change of green bonds creditworthiness in a complex market context.

H-adaptivity is an effective tool to introduce local mesh refinement in FEM-based numerical simulation of crack propagation. The implementation of h-adaptivity could benefit the numerical simulation of fatigue or accidental load scenarios involving large structures such as ship hulls. In engineering applications, the element deletion method is frequently used to represent cracks. However, the element deletion method has some drawbacks such as strong mesh dependency and loss of mass or energy. In order to mitigate this problem, the element splitting method could be applied. In this study, a numerical method called ‘h-adaptive element splitting’ (h-AES) is introduced. The h-AES method is applied in FEM programs by combining h-adaptivity with the element splitting method. Two examples using the h-AES method to simulate cracks in large structures under linear-elastic fracture mechanics scenario are presented. The numerical results are verified against analytical solutions. Based on the examples, the h-AES method is proven to be able to introduce mesh refinement in large-scale numerical models that consist of structured coarse meshes. By employing the mesh refinement introduced in this paper, very small cracks are well represented in large structures.

Helicobacter pylori is the most common human gastric infection. H. pylori stool antigen lateral flow immunochromatography assay (HpSA-LFIA) is considered one of the most cost-effective and rapid non-invasive assays (active tests). The evaluation of this test is crucial for accuracy and utility assurance. This study aimed to evaluate the polyclonal antibody-based HpSA-LFIA in comparison to a monoclonal antibody-based ELISA kit. Methodology: Stool samples were collected from 200 gastric patients for HpSA-LFIA and semi-quantitative HpSA-ELISA. Statistical analysis of the diagnostic values was performed using MedCalc software. Chi-square tests were used to determine the effects of gender and age. Results: The obtained results found that HpSA-LFIA achieved promising sensitivity (93.75%) and NPV (98.00%). However, it had poor specificity, PPV, and accuracy, respectively, 59.76%, 31.25%, and 65.31%. LR+ & LR- were 2.33% & 0.1%, respectively. Gender had no significance on the di-agnostic parameters of HpSA-LFIA. Age groups had irrelevant sensitivity; however, specificity was significantly higher in patients over 45 years. Conclusion: It was concluded that HpSA-LFIA was not accurate enough to be the sole test for di-agnosis and needs other confirmatory tests in case of positive conditions

Copper-catalyzed and organocopper-involved reactions are of great significance in organic synthesis. To have a deep understanding of the reaction mechanisms, the structural characterizations of organocopper intermediates become indispensable. Meanwhile, the structure-function relationship of organocopper compounds would advance rational design and development of new Cu-based reactions and organocopper reagents. Compared to the mono-carbonic ligand, the C,N- and C,C-bidentate ligands better stabilize the unstable organocopper compounds. The bidentate ligands can chelate to the same copper atom via ?2-mode, forming a mono-cupra-cyclic compounds with at least one acute C-Cu-C angle. When the bidentate ligands bind to two copper atoms via ?1-mode at each coordinating site, the bimetallic macrocyclic compounds will form nearly linear C-Cu-C angles. The anionic coordinating sites of the bidentate ligand can also bridge two metals via ?2-mode, forming organocopper aggregates with Cu-Cu interactions and organocuprates with contact ion pair structures. The reaction chemistry of some selected organocopper compounds is highlighted, showing their unique structure-reactivity relationships.

Recently, it was reported that the physical cross-linking exhibited by some biopolymers could provide multiple benefits to biomedical applications. In particular, grafting thermoresponsive polymers onto biopolymers may enhance the degradability or offer other features, as ther-mothickening behavior. Thus, different interactions will affect the different hydrogen bonds and interactions from the physical cross-linking of CMC, the lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs), and the presence of the ions. This work focuses on the study of blends composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(N-ethylacrylamide), and carboxymethyl cellulose in water and water/methanol. The molecular features, the thermoresponsive behavior, and gelation phenomena are deeply studied. The ratio defined by both homopolymers will alter the final properties and the gelation of the final structures, showing that the presence of the hydrophilic groups modifies the number and contributions of the diverse hydrogen bonds.

Most Acinetobacter baumannii strains are naturally competent. Although some information is available about factors that enhance or reduce the frequency of transformation of this bacterium, the regulatory elements and mechanisms are barely understood. In this article, we describe studies on the role of H-NS in the regulation of expression of genes related to natural competency and the ability to uptake foreign DNA. The expression levels of the natural transformation-related genes pilA, pilT, pilQ, comEA, comEC, comF, and drpA were significantly increased in a Δhns derivative of Acinetobacter baumannii A118. Complementation of the mutant with a recombinant plasmid harboring hns restored expression levels of six of these genes (pilT remained expressed at high levels) to those of the wild-type strain. The transformation frequency of the A. baumannii A118 Δhns strain was significantly higher than that of the wild-type. Similar, albeit not identical, effects occurred when hns was deleted from the hypervirulent A. baumannii AB5075 strain. Reduction of gene expression in a few cases was not as pronounced as to reach wild-type levels, and expression of comEA was enhanced further. In conclusion, the expression of all seven transformation-related genes was enhanced after deleting hns in A. baumannii A118 and AB5075, and these modifications are accompanied by an increase in the cells’ transformability. The results demonstrate a role of H-NS in A. baumannii’s natural competence.

Phenol is added to acetophenone (methyl phenyl ketone) and to six of its halogenated derivatives in a supersonic jet expansion to determine the hydrogen bonding preference of the cold and isolated 1:1 complexes by linear infrared spectroscopy. Halogenation is found to have a pronounced effect on the docking site in this intermolecular ketone balance experiment. The spectra unambiguously decide between competing variants of phenyl group stacking due to their differences in hydrogen bond strength. Structures where the phenyl group interaction strongly distorts the hydrogen bond are more difficult to quantify in the experiment. For unsubstituted acetophenone, phenol clearly prefers the methyl side despite a predicted sub-kJ/mol advantage which is nearly independent of zero point vibrational energy, turning this complex into a challenging benchmark system for electronic structure methods which include long range dispersion interactions in some way.

There is an increasing pressure by community and customers forcing companies to insert environmental concerns in their practices. To help companies initiatives, the green bonds market was incepted. Our research question is how to select bonds in a growing billion-dollar market. This paper presents a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) model to enable investors identify opportunities based not only in opinions, but grounded on objective facts. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) are two MCDA methods applied in this paper. Top-fifteen green bonds ranked by specialized media were assessed with the proposed MCDA model. Criteria included the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) proposed by Yale University, and common financial indicators as assets, risks (β), and dividends. The new AHP–COPRAS rank is compared with another published by specialized media.

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

Understanding surfactant self-assembly in deep eutectic solvents (DES) is important to their potential use in industrial formulations. We have recently reported the formation of a fracto-eutectogel comprising SDS fractal aggregates at a concentration as low as 1.6 wt% in glyceline (a DES comprising glycerol and choline chloride) at room temperature. The building units of the fractals consisted of multilayers of self-assembled SDS lamellae arranged in a dendritic pattern. Here we report that this fractal phase transitions into a fluid phase above a critical gelation temperature, TCG ~ 45 oC, evident from polarized light microscopy (PLM) observations. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) reveals that this phase transition is underpinned by the nanoscopic morphological transformation of the SDS lamellae into cylindrical micelles at T &gt; TGC. Fitting SANS profiles confirms that the morphology of the micelles is SDS-concentration (cSDS) dependent at T &gt; TGC: cylindrical at cSDS &gt; 0.6 wt% and spherical at cSDS = 0.6 wt%. At cSDS &lt; 0.6 wt%, only isotropic scattering was observed in the SANS profiles. Such SDS self-assembly behaviors contrast with those we have previously observed in glycerol, which we attribute to the presence of ions (i.e. choline chloride) in glyceline. Our findings have general implications to surfactant self-assembly in DES, solvents that are rich in hydrogen bonding and ions.

In this work we explored how solvents can affect olefin oxidation reactions catalyzed by MCM-bpy-Mo catalysts and whether their control can be made with those players. The results of this study evidenced that polar and apolar aprotic solvents modulated the reactions in different ways. Experimental data showed that acetonitrile (aprotic polar) could hinder largely the reaction rate whereas toluene (aprotic apolar) did not. In both cases product selectivity at isoconversion was not affected. Further insights were obtained by means of neutron diffraction experiments, which confirmed the kinetic data allowing to propose a model based on substrate-solvent crosstalk by means of hydrogen bonding. In addition, the model was also validated in the ring-opening reaction (overoxidation) of styrene oxide towards benzaldehyde, which progressed when toluene was the solvent (reaching 31% styrene oxide conversion) but was strongly hindered when acetonitrile was used instead (reaching only 7% conversion), due to the establishment of H-bonds in the latter. Although this model was confirmed and validated for olefin oxidation reactions, it can be envisaged that it may also be applied to other catalytic reaction systems where reaction control is critical, while widening its use.

The construction of carbon-carbon bonds by direct involvement of two unactivated carbon-hydrogen bonds, without any directing group, ensures an high atom economy of the entire process. Here it is described a simple protocol for the Pd(II)/Cu(II)-promoted intermolecular cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of 5-arylimidazoles, benzimidazoles, benzoxazole and 4,5-diphenylimidazole at their C-2 position with functionalized styrenes. This specific CDC, known as Fujiwara-Moritani reaction or oxidative Heck coupling, allowed also the C-4 alkenylation of the imidazole nucleus when both 2 and 5 positions are occupied.

Fractal behavior and long-range dependence are widely observed in measurements and characterization of traffic flow in high-speed computer networks of different technologies and coverage levels. This paper presents the results obtained when applying fractal analysis techniques on a time series obtained from traffic captures coming from an application server connected to the Internet through a high-speed link. The results obtained show that traffic flow in the dedicated high-speed network link have fractal behavior when the Hurst exponent is in the range of 0.5, 1, the fractal dimension between 1, 1.5, and the correlation coefficient between –0.5, 0. Based on these results, it is ideal to characterize both the singularities of the traffic and its impulsiveness during a fractal analysis of temporal scales. Finally, based on the results of the time series analyses, the fact that the traffic flows of current computer networks exhibit fractal behavior with a long-range dependency is reaffirmed.

Background: Fullerenes and metallofullerenes can be considered promising nanopharmaceuticals themselves and as a basis for chemical modification. As reactive oxygen species homeostasis plays a vital role in cells, the study of their effect on genes involved in oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory response is of particular importance. Methods: Human fetal lung fibroblasts were incubated with aqueous dispersions of C60, C70, and Gd@C82 in concentrations of 5 nM and 1.5 µM for 1, 3, 24, and 72 hours. Cell viability, intracellular ROS, NOX4, NFκB, PRAR-γ, NRF2, heme oxygenase 1, and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 expression have been studied. Results &amp; conclusion: The aqueous dispersions of C60, C70, and Gd@C82 fullerenes are active participants in ROS homeostasis. Low and high concentrations of AFDs have similar effects. C70 was the most inert substance, C60 was the most active substance. All AFDs have both a “prooxidant” and “antioxidant” effect, but with a different balance. Gd@C82 was a substance with more pronounced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while C70 had more pronounced “prooxidant” properties.

The closed forms of the non-resonant thermonuclear function in the Maxwell-Boltzmann and Tsallis case with depleted tail are obtained in generalized special functions. The results are written in terms of H-function of two variables. The importance of the results in this paper lies in the fact that the reaction rate probability integrals in Maxwell-Boltzmann and Tsallis cases are not obtained by the conventional method of approximation or by means of a single variable transform technique but by means of a two variable transform method. The Behaviour of the depleted non-resonant thermonuclear functions are examined using graphs. The results in the paper are of much interest to astrophysicists and statisticians in their further work in this area.

The paper presents data from a monthly campaign for the elemental composition of PM10 in a specific receptor Kotórz Mały (Opole Voivodeship) located in the vicinity of a moderately inhabited rural area, measured in one-hour samples with the use of the PX-375 analyzer by the Horiba company. The hourly variability of SO2, NO, NO2, CO, O3 concentrations as well as the variability of meteorological parameters were also determined. On average, during the entire measurement period, the elements related to PM10 can be arranged in the following order: As<V<Ni<Pb<Cr<Mn<Cu<Ti<Zn<K<Fe<Ca<Al<Si<S. Trace elements, including toxic elements, such as As, V, Ni, Pb, Cr, Mn, were present in low concentrations, not exceeding 10 ng/m3 (average daily value). These elements had fairly even concentrations, daily and hourly. The concentrations of the main elements in the PM10 in the receptor are subject to strong hourly changes related not only to changes in the structure of the sources identified in the statistical analysis but mainly to wind speed and direction changes (soil and sand particles pick-up and inflow of pollutants from coal combustion). It has been shown that the transport emission in the receptor can have an intense effect on PM10 in the afternoon.

The compound, C27H23N3 (1), crystallizes in the triclinic system of the P-1 space group. The unit cell comprises a dimer of 1, in which the monomers are linked by two complementary hydrogen bonds between N1 and H1-C1 of another molecule. The dimers form chains along the a-axis through intermolecular interactions between the N2 acceptor atoms and C17 donors from molecules in the nearest neighbouring dimer. These interactions form extended sheets of the dimers of 1, along the ab plane. The quinolinylmeth-2-yl groups of 1 lie in almost orthogonal planes and their N1/2(q) donor atoms being away from the apical amino N3 atom.

In this paper, we consider the relation of more than four harmonic points in a line. For this purpose, starting from the dependence of the harmonic points, Desargues’ theorems, and perspectivity, we note that it is necessary to conduct a generalization of the Desargues’ theorems for projective complete n-points, which are used to implement the definition of the generalization of harmonic points. We present new findings regarding the uniquely determined and constructed sets of H-points and their structure. The well-known fourth harmonic points represent the special case (n=4) of the sets of H-points of rank 2, which is indicated by P42.

An extension of the models used to generate fractal traffic flows is presented by means of the formulation of a model that considers the use of one-dimensional chaotic maps. Based on the disaggregation of the temporal series generated by the model, a valid explanation of behavior of the values of Hurst exponent is proposed and the feasibility of their control from the parameters of the proposed model is shown.

Structural self-organizing and pattern formation are universal and key phenomena observed during growth and cluster-assembling of the carbyne-enriched nanostructured metamaterials at the ion-assisted pulse-plasma deposition. Fine tuning these universal phenomena opens access to designing the properties of the growing carbyne-enriched nano-matrix. The structure of bonds in the grown carbyne-enriched nano-matrices can be programmed by the processes of self-organization and auto-synchronization of nanostructures. We propose the innovative concept, connected with application of the universal Cymatics phenomena during the predictive growth of the carbyne-enriched nanostructured metamaterials. We also propose the self-organization approach for increase stability of the long linear carbon chains. The main idea of suggested concept is manipulating by the self-organized wave patterns excitation phenomenon and their distribution by the spatial structure and properties of the nanostructured metamaterial grows region through the new synergistic effect. Mentioned effect will be provided through the vibration-assisted self-organized wave patterns excitation along with simultaneous manipulating by their properties through the electric field. We propose to use acoustic activation of the plasma zone of nano-matrix growing. Interaction between the inhomogeneous electric field distribution generated on the vibrating layer and the plasma ions will serve as the additional energizing factor controlling the local pattern formation and self-organizing of the nano-structures. Suggested concept makes it possible to provide precise predictive designing the spatial structure and properties of the advanced carbyne-enriched nanostructured metamaterials.

This paper proposes a multifractal model, with the aim of providing a possible explanation for the locality phenomenon that appears in the estimation of the Hurst exponent in stationary second order temporal series representing self-similar traffic flows in current high-speed computer networks. It is shown analytically that this phenomenon occurs if the network flow consists of several components with different Hurst exponents.

Arabidopsis contains eight different h-type thioredoxins (Trx) being distributed in different cell organelles. Although Trx h2 is deemed to be localized in mitochondria, its subcellular localization and function remains a matter of debate. Here, Trx h2 localization and function were investigated using cell fractionation studies and reverse genetics. Differential centrifugation and immunodetection showed the Trx h2 protein to be distributed to the microsomal fraction rather than to mitochondrial preparations. To analyze whether Trx h2 has different roles than mitochondrial Trxs, Arabidopsis mutants lacking Trx h2 were compared with mutants deficient in mitochondrial Trx o1 and double mutants with joint deficiencies in both Trxs. Under constant medium light, trxh2 grew as the wild type, while trxo1 and trxo1h2 mutants showed impaired growth. This was accompanied by differences in the metabolite profiles. The trxo1 and trxo1h2 mutants clustered differently from the wild type during the night, revealing a decrease in ascorbate and glutathione redox states. In fluctuating light intensities, genotypic differences in growth rates were attenuated. Compared to the wild type, the fluctuating-light induced decrease in the NADPH/NADP ratio was diminished in the mutants, with the trxo1h2 double mutant showing the strongest effect. This was accompanied by an increase in the photosynthetic efficiency of the trxo1h2 mutant, specifically in the high light phases of fluctuating light. Conclusively, these results support the view that Trxs o1 and h2 are localized in different subcellular compartments, and have different effects on ascorbate and glutathione redox states and growth in medium light, but cooperatively affect NADP(H) redox state and photosynthetic efficiency in fluctuating light.

Antisense technologies consist of the utilization of oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs to interfere with undesirable biological processes, commonly through inhibition of expression of selected genes. This field holds a lot of promise for the treatment of a very diverse group of diseases including viral and bacterial infections, genetic disorders, and cancer. To date, drugs approved for utilization in clinics or in clinical trials target diseases other than bacterial infections. Although several groups and companies are working on different strategies, the application of antisense technologies to prokaryotes still lags with respect to those that target other human diseases. In those cases where the focus is on bacterial pathogens, a subset of the research is dedicated to produce antisense compounds that silence or reduce expression of antibiotic resistance genes. Therefore, these compounds will be adjuvants administered with the antibiotic to which they reduce resistance levels. A varied group of oligonucleotide analogs like phosphorothioate or phosphorodiamidate morpholino residues, as well as peptide nucleic acids, locked nucleic acids and bridge nucleic acids, the latter two in gapmer configuration, have been utilized to reduce resistance levels. The major mechanisms of inhibition include eliciting cleavage of the target mRNA by the host’s RNase H or RNase P, and steric hindrance. The different approaches targeted resistance to β-lactams including carbapenems, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones.

Current therapeutic protocols for the treatment of HIV infection consist of the combination of diverse anti-retroviral drugs in order to reduce the selection of resistant mutants and to allow for the use of lower doses of each single agent to reduce toxicity. However, avoiding drugs interactions and patient compliance are issues not fully accomplished so far. In this respect the identification of single agents with multitarget potential might represent the ideal solution. Accordingly, a small library of biphenylhydrazo 4-arylthiazoles derivatives has been synthesised and evaluated to investigate the ability of the new derivatives to simultaneously inhibit both associated functions of HIV reverse transcriptase. All compounds were active towards the two functions, although at different concentrations. The substitution pattern on the biphenyl moiety appears relevant to determine the activity.

A new generation of nano-technologies is expanding solid propulsion capabilities and increasing their relevance for versatile and manoeuvrable micro-satellites with safe high-performance propulsion. We propose the innovative concept, connected with application of new synergistic effect of the energetic materials performance enhancement and reaction zones programming for the next generation small satellite multimode solid propulsion system. The main idea of suggested concept is manipulating by the self-organized wave patterns excitation phenomenon, by the properties of the energetic materials reaction zones and by localization of the energy release areas. This synergistic effect can be provided through application of the functionalized carbon-based nanostructured metamaterials as a nano-additives along with simultaneous manipulating by their properties through the electrostatic field. Mentioned effect will be controlled through predictive programming both by the spatial structure and physics-chemical properties of the functionalized carbon-based nano-additives and through the electromagnetic control of the self-organized wave pattern excitation and micro- and nano- scale oscillatory networks in the energetic material reaction zones. Suggested new concept makes it possible to increase the energetic material regression rate and increase the thrust of the solid propulsion system with minimal additional energy consumption.

Protein oligomerzation is key to countless physiological processes, but also to abnormal amyloid conformations implicated in over 25 mortal human diseases. Angiogenin (h-ANG), a ribonuclease A family member, produces RNA fragments that regulate ribosome formation, the creation of new blood vessels and stress granule function. Too little h-ANG activity leads abnormal protein oligomerization resulting in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Parkinson’s disease. While a score of disease linked h-ANG mutants has been studied by X-ray diffraction, some elude crystallization. There is also debate regarding the structure that RNA fragments adopt after cleavage by h-ANG. Here, to better understand the beginning of the process that leads to aberrant protein oligomerization, the solution secondary structure and residue-level dynamics of WT h-ANG and two mutants: H13A and R121C, are characterized by multidimensional heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy under near physiological conditions. All three variants are found to adopt well folded and highly rigid structures in solution, although the elements of secondary structure are somewhat shorter than those observed in cystallography studies. R121C alters the environment of nearby residues only. By constrast, the mutation H13A affects local residues as well as nearby active site residues residues K41 and H119. The conformation characterization by CD and 1D 1H NMR spectroscopies of tRNAAla before and after h-ANG cleavage reveals a retention of most duplex structure and little or no G-quadruplex formation.

The research paper presents a new approach towards constructing motion equations for structures with attached MTMDs (multiple tuned mass dampers). A primary system, with MDOF (multiple dynamic degrees of freedom) was reduced to an equivalent system with a SDOF (single degree of freedom) through the modal approach, and equations from additional MTMDs were added to a thus-created system. Optimization based on H2 and H∞ for the transfer function associated with the generalized displacement of an SDOF system. The research work utilized GA (genetic algorithms) and SA (simulated annealing method) optimization algorithms to determine the stiffness and damping parameters for individual TMDs. The effect of damping and stiffness (MTMD tuning) distribution depending on the number of TMDs was also analyzed. The paper also reviews the impact of primary system mass change on the efficiency of optimized MTMDs, as well as confirms the results of other authors involving greater MTMD effectiveness relative to a single TMD.

In this paper, the design and performance investigation of the permanent magnet machines have been done to increase the mechanical and electrical outputs improvement of the systems. A permanent magnet Dc motor (PMDM) and generator (PMDG) have been modelled and designed to improve the angular position and generated current respectively. In this work, augmentation based H 2 optimal and H infinity synthesis controllers have been designed as a controller for the two systems and a comparison between the proposed controller for tracking a reference inputs and a promising results have been obtained.

Noise reduction is the major issue in the loudspeaker for the application of the musical instruments and related areas. In this paper, a noise disturbance control of a loudspeaker with optimal and robust controllers has been done successfully. The noise of the loudspeaker has been analyzed by simply track a reference cone displacement with the actual cone displacement. Static output feedback and H infinity optimal loop shaping controllers have been used to compare the actual and reference cone displacements by using a sine wave and random cone displacement signals and a promising results have been analyzed.

Many academics are critical of the current publishing system, but it is difficult to create a better alternative. This review relates to the Sciences and Social Sciences, and discusses the primary purpose of academic journals as providing a seal of approval for perceived quality, impact, significance, and importance. The key issues considered include the role of anonymous refereeing, continuous rather than discrete frequency of publications, avoidance of time wasting, and seeking adventure. Here we give recommendations about the organization of journal articles, the roles of associate editors and referees, measuring the time frame for refereeing submitted articles in days and weeks rather than months and years, encouraging open access internet publishing, emphasizing the continuity of publishing online, academic publishing as a continuous dynamic process, and how to improve research after publication. Citations and functions thereof, such as the journal impact factor and h-index, are the benchmark for evaluating the importance and impact of academic journals and published articles. Even in the very top journals, a high proportion of published articles are never cited, not even by the authors themselves. Top journal publications do not guarantee that published articles will make significant contributions, or that they will ever be highly cited. The COVID-19 world should encourage academics worldwide not only to rethink academic teaching, but also to re-evaluate key issues associated with academic journal publishing in the future.

The influence of distant London dispersion forces on the docking preference of alcohols of different size between the two lone electron pairs of the carbonyl group in pinacolone is explored by infrared spectroscopy of the OH stretching fundamental in supersonic jet expansions of 1:1 solvate complexes. Experimentally, no pronounced tendency of the alcohol to switch from the methyl to the bulkier tert-butyl side with increasing size is found. In all cases, methyl docking dominates by at least a factor of two, whereas DFT-optimized structures suggest a very close balance for the larger alcohols, once corrected by CCSD(T) relative electronic energies. Together with inconsistencies when switching from a C4 to a C5 alcohol, this points at deficiencies of the investigated B3LYP and in particular TPSS functionals even after dispersion correction, which cannot be blamed on zero point energy effects. The search for density functionals which describe the harmonic frequency shift, the structural change and the energy difference between the docking isomers of larger alcohols to unsymmetric ketones in a satisfactory way is open.

A brand-new approach to the understanding of breast cancer (BC) is urgently needed. In this contribution, the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of this disease is approached from the new pH-centric anticancer paradigm. Only this Unitarian perspective based upon that the hydrogen ion (H+) dynamics of cancer, allows understanding and integrating the many dualisms, confusions, and paradoxes of the disease. The new H+-related wide range model can embrace under a unique frame of mind the many aspects of the disease and at the same time therapeutically interfere with most, if not with all, the hallmarks of cancer known to date. The pH-related armamentarium available for the treatment of BC here reviewed may be beneficial for all types and stages of the disease. In this vein, we have attempted a mega synthesis of traditional and new knowledge in the different areas of breast cancer research and treatment based upon the wide range approach afforded by the hydrogen ion dynamics of cancer. The concerted utilization of a pH-related drugs nowadays available for the treatment of breast cancer is advanced.

Specifically this work is based on the concept of ‘dark energy’ as a phenomenal effect of expansion through which a theoretical value of Hubble’s constant has been introduced. It is a constant that is based on a postulate that the square root of ratio of the Siva’s constant ‘K’ and Hubble’s constant ‘H’ is exactly equal to the diameter of the neutral hydrogen atom. That is the, exact theoretical value of Hubble’s constant. This is always constant .However, space-time conversions and the changes in the velocity of light will affect the distance and velocity in Hubble’s equation. Deviation factors in velocity, distance and the Hubble’s constant have been calculated separately which are affected by change of velocity of light with expansion of space time. The observations are related to red shift. So the change factor in terms of Hubble’s constant has been calculated with respect to red shift. Thus a factor which affects the theoretical Hubble’s constant has been calculated to find the exact value of Hubble’s constant that satisfies the experimental results. The present theoretical value of Hubble’s constant has been calculated. The experimental results by plank, ACT (Atacama Cosmology Telescope), WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) etc. experiments are at par with the theoretical result. Thus the ontology of space time introduced in this theoretical work supposed to be correct and leads to a new theory of origin of universe for which a brief description has been provided.

The sound field properties for non-cavitating marine propellers are studied using FW-H (Ffowcs William-Hawkings) acoustic analogy and BEM (Boundary Element Method) approach. For the first time, the FW-H formula to calculate acoustic pressure generated by the propeller wake sheet is proposed. The corresponding sound signal can be dominant up to several kilometres. Secondly, non-physical fictitious volume flux is observed when the permeable FW-H approach is used together with BEM. The reason is explained and a virtual source correction method is proposed to solve this problem. Furthermore, analytical analyse show that the second thickness term and the first two loading terms in Farassat 1A formula are important, and the others are negligible. The numerical studies show that the permeable FW-H approach produces underestimation when compared to the direct FW-H method, and the underestimation is severer for larger permeable surface and higher frequency. It is also found that the first loading term in Farassat 1A formula is the dominant source term in the direct FW-H method, while the first thickness term is dominant when the permeable FW-H approach is used.

In this paper a full state feedback control of a double inverted pendulum on a cart (DIPC) are designed and compared. Modeling is based on Euler-Lagrange equations derived by specifying a Lagrangian, difference between kinetic and potential energy of the DIPC system. A full state feedback control with H infinity and H 2 is addressed. Two approaches are tested: open loop impulse response and a double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity and H 2 controllers. Simulations reveal superior performance of the double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity controller.

A methodology based on the concepts that arise from Density Functional Theory named Conceptual Density Functional Theory (CDFT) was chosen for the calculation of some global and local reactivity descriptors of the Discodermins A-H family of marine peptides through the consideration of the KID (Koopmans in DFT) technique that was successfully used in previous studies of this kind of molecular systems. The determination of active sites of the studied molecules for different kind of reactivities was achieved by resorting to some CDFT-based descriptors like the Fukui functions as well as the Parr functions derived from Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT). A few properties identified with their ability to behave as a drug and the bioactivity of the peptides considered in this examination were acquired by depending on a homology model by studying the correlation with the known bioactivity of related molecules in their interaction with various biological receptors. With the further object of analyzing their bioactivity some parameters of usefulness for future QSAR studies, their predicted biological targets and the the ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) parameters related to the Discodermins A-H pharmacokinetics are also reported.