Although the water absorption feature (WAF) at 970 nm is not very well-defined, it may be used alongside other indices to estimate the canopy water content. The individual performance of a number of existing vegetation water content (VWC) indices against the WAF is assessed using linear regression model. We developed a new Combined Vegetation Water Index (CVWI) by merging indices to boost the weak absorption feature. CVWI showed a promise in assessing the vegetation water status derived from the 970 nm absorption wavelength. CVWI was able to differentiate two groups of dataset when regressed against the absorption feature. CVWI could be seen as an easy and robust method for vegetation water content studies using hyperspectral field data.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to apply the Composite Radiographic Index modified (CRIm) in CBCT scans of patients with Medication related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) in order to detect its validity, and corelate the radiologic findings with the clinical staging of the disease. Methods: This study included 43 patients with MRONJ diagnosis and CBCT scans performed in the School of Dentistry and approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Clinical staging for every patient (0-3) was provided according to AAOMS 2022 guidelines. In cases of patients with both jaws affected, each jaw was evaluated independently resulting to 52 CBCT scans. The 52 CBCT scans were assessed under standardized viewing conditions by 2 observers who evaluated independently the following 8 radiologic features: lytic changes, sclerosis, periosteal reaction, sequestration, non-healing extraction sockets and other findings (sinus implication, inferior alveolar canal involvement, jaw fracture). The CRIm index was constructed to assess the extent of osseous changes. The radiologic features were scored as absent (0), localized/single (1), extensive/multiple (2), yielding a theoretical range of 0–12. For statistical analysis Fisher’s exact test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient were performed. Results: A statistically significant association of clinical stage with lytic changes, sequestration and inferior alveolar canal involvement was found. Also, a statistically significant correlation of clinical stage with CRIm index classification was obtained. Conclusions: The CRIm index tends to increase as the clinical stages of MRONJ advance, suggesting a correlation between the clinical stage of MRONJ and the CRIm index.

Although migraine belongs to the main causes of disability worldwide the mechanisms of its pathogenesis are poorly known, which is among the reasons that this disease is underdiagnosed and undertreated. As migraine diagnosis is based on the subjective assessment of symptoms, there is a need to establish objective markers of its occurrence and severity. Tryptophan (TRP) metabolism has been associated with the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the present work, we investigated an association between migraine and the urine concentration of TRP and its metabolites 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QA) in 21 low-frequency episodic migraine patients and 32 controls. Migraine patients displayed lower urinary levels of 5-HIAA and KYNA, but KYN and QA were enhanced as compared with the controls. Consequently, the patients were characterized by different values of the 5-HIAA/TRP, KYN/TRP, KYNA/KYN, and KYNA/QA ratios. Furthermore, urinary concentration of 5-HIAA was negatively correlated with Migraine Disability Assessment score, monthly migraine, and monthly headache days. A negative correlation between Patient Health Questionnaire 9 scores assessing depression. In conclusion, the urinary 5-HIAA level may be an easy-to-determine marker of migraine occurrence and severity and may contribute to the identification of migraine patients with depression.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that is commonly considered to be a potent driver of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and related mortality. A growing body of evidence supports the role of the immune system, mainly played by alveolar macrophages (AMs), as key axes regulating the development of COPD or NSCLC phenotypes in response to harmful agents. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that influence most biological processes and interfere with several regulatory pathways. The purpose of this study was to assess miRNA expression patterns in patients with COPD, NSCLC, and ever- or never-smoker controls to explore theirinvolvment in smoking-related diseases. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens were collected from a prospective cohort of 43 sex-matched subjects to determine expression of hsa-miR-223-5p, 16-5p, 20a-5p, -17-5p, 34a-5p and 106a-5p by RT-PCR. In addition, bioinformatic analysis of miRNA target genes linked to cancer was performed. Distinct and common miRNA expression levels were identified in each pathological group suggesting their possible role as an index of NSCLC or COPD microenvironment. Moreover, we identified miRNA targets linked to carcinogenesis using in silico analysis. In conclusion, this study identified miRNA signatures in AMs, allowing us to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying smoking-related conditions and potentially providing new insight for diagnosis or pharmacological treatment.

Abstract: Exercise has been repeatedly shown to be safe and beneficial for cancer survivors. However, there is no normative guideline for exercise prescription, and it is under exploration. Therefore, this literature review aims to provide some advice for the formulation of exercise prescriptions for patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) from the perspective of reducing lymphedema severity. A review of relevant studies published before November 2023 was conducted using three scientific databases PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. A total of 2696 articles were found. Eventually, 13 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this literature review. We concluded daily, or nearly daily exercise at home can be recommended. Moreover, reduced lymphedema severity may not be maintained after ceasing the exercise program, so exercise should be a lifelong practice.

To investigate the associated mechanisms concerning collagen and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in porcine skin injuries induced by laser exposure, pig skin was treated with a 1064 nm laser. The healing process of the laser-treated areas, alterations in collagen structure, and changes in apoptosis were continuously observed and analyzed from 6 hours to 28 days post-irradiation. On the 28th day following exposure, wound contraction and recovery were notably sluggish in the medium-high dose groups, displaying more premature and delicate type III collagen within the newly regenerated tissues. The collagen density in these groups was roughly 37-58% of that in the normal group. Between days 14 and 28 after irradiation, there was a substantial rise in apoptotic cell count in the forming epidermis and granulation tissue of the medium-high dose group, in contrast to the normal group. Notably, the expression of proapoptotic proteins bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 surged significantly 14 days after irradiation in the medium-high dose groups and persisted at elevated levels on the 28th day. During the later stage of wound healing, the augmented apoptotic cell population and insufficient collagen generation in the newborn skin tissue of the medium-high dose groups were closely associated with delayed wound recovery.

Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) affects approximately 20% of women after breast cancer therapy. Advances in treatment have increased life expectancy, thus the prevalence of BCRL will continue to rise with the number of cancer survivors. Hence the need to develop strategies to prevent this condition. We provide a systematic review of the literature on primary prevention of BCRL by prophylactic lymphatic surgery (PLS). Between June and August 2022, we conducted a search of PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane. In the end a total of eighteen papers were selected. The eleven studies without a control group reported only 15 of 342 patients who developed lymphedema at least six months after PLS (4.59%). The seven studies with a control group included 569 patients, 328 cases and 241 controls. Among the cases, 36 (10%) developed lymphedema. In contrast, the incidence of lymphedema in controls was 40% (98 of 241 patients). Formulation of definite recommendations in favour of PLS is hindered by low-quality studies. There is no consensus on which technique should be preferred, nor on whether adjuvant radiotherapy might affect the efficacy of PLS. Randomized controlled trials are mandatory to conceive evidence-based recommendations.

Online transportation services, initially presented as an innovative employment approach by categorizing workers as 'independent contractors', have come to be recognized for their exploitative nature. The notion of 'flexibility' suggests that workers have the autonomy to tailor their hours and location according to their income goals. However, this disguises the true situation for informal workers who lack rights and protections. This study delves into these issues from a psychological standpoint to uncover the mental and emotional interplay between the motivations and exploitation experienced by online drivers affiliated with multiple platforms. The study adopts a qualitative methodology with a phenomenological lens. Data was gathered through thorough interviews, observations, and document analysis, with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) employed as the data analysis technique. The study's participants were five male multi-platform online drivers from the Special Region of Yogyakarta, ranging in age from 18 to 64, and had been associated with at least two platforms for more than a year. The findings highlight two primary themes: firstly, the decision to join multiple platforms is chiefly driven by economic reasons, including a decline in orders, daily earnings, bonus incomes, and the conclusion of the initial profitable phase. Secondly, the exploitative conditions are linked to the platforms' algorithms, which exert control and influence the psychological state of the drivers. Nonetheless, the participants have developed effective strategies to manage fatigue, anxiety, and stress.

The Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) mediates the actions of vitamin D, which has important roles in bone homeostasis, growth/differentiation of cells, immune functions and reduction of inflammation. Emerging evidences suggest that epigenetic modifications of the VDR gene, particularly DNA methylation, may contribute to the onset and progression of many human disorders. This review aims to summarize the available information on the role of VDR methylation signatures in different pathological contexts, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cancer and others. The reversible nature of DNA methylation could enable the development of therapeutic strategies, offering new avenues for the management of these worldwide diseases.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a prevalent condition affecting women worldwide. This study aimed to develop a rapid qPCR assay for accurate identification of VVC etiological agents and reduced azole susceptibility. One hundred and twenty nine vaginal samples from an outpatient clinic (Bilbao-Spain) were analyzed using culture-based methods and multiplex qPCR targeting fungal species, Candida albicans being the predominant species. Antifungal susceptibility tests revealed reduced azole susceptibility in three (3,48%) isolates. Molecular analysis identified several mutations in genes associated with azole resistance and novel mutations in TAC1 and MRR1 genes were also identified, which could contribute to drug resistance.

Introduction: congenital ureteral stenosis is one of the leading causes of impaired urinary drainage and subsequent dilatation of urinary collecting system, known as hydronephrosis or ureterohy-dronephrosis. Mechanism that leads to obstruction is not clearly known. Multiple studies in rat models have shown increased angiotensin 11 and TGFβ levels in obstructed ureteral tissue. The aim of the study is to investigate expression of fibrosis related genes in obstructive and normal ureteral tissue. Material and methods: it is a monocentric study in which nineteen patients were selected prospec-tively. 17 patients of which underwent Hynes-Anderson pyeloplasty due to the PUJO, 2 patients underwent ureteroneocystostomy due to ureterovesical junction obstruction (UVJO) and 6 patients were chosen for control group: 5 underwent nephrectomies due to the kidney tumor and 1- upper pole heminephrectomy due to the duplex kidney with normal pyeloureteric junctions in all. Tissue RNA was chemically extracted after freezing the biopsy samples in liquid nitrogen, with cDNA synthesis performed immediately after nucleic acid isolation. qPCR to evaluate the relative expres-sion of Tgfb1, Mmp1, Timp1, Pai1, Ctgf and Vegfa was performed. Expression levels of Gapdh and Gpi genes (geometric average) were used to calculate the relative expression of the investigated genes. Outliers were removed prior to calculating confidence intervals for the experimental groups, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed to determine statistical significance of the differences. Results: significant differences between healthy and stenotic tissue samples in Ctgf gene expression levels were observed, with the samples from afflicted tissue showing lower expression. No statistical difference in expression levels of Tgfb1, Timp1, Vegfa, Mmp1, Pai1 was found. Discussion and conclusions: These findings suggest that tissue fibrosis similar to other tissues and organs is not the leading cause of stenosis, at least at the moment of surgery. Decreased CTGF ex-pression is indicative of developmental origin of obstruction.

The vacuolar H+-ATPase is a multisubunit enzyme which plays an essential role in the acidification and functions of lysosomes, endosomes, and synaptic vesicles. Many genes encoding subunits of V-ATPases, namely ATP6V0C, ATP6V1A, ATP6V0A1 and ATP6V1B2, have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. The autosomal dominant ATP6V1B2 p.Arg506* variant can cause both deafness, congenital, with onychodystrophy, autosomal dominant (DDOD) and deafness, onychodystrophy, osteodystrophy, mental retardation, and seizures syndromes (DOORS). Some but not all individuals with this truncating variant have intellectual disability and/or epilepsy, suggesting incomplete penetrance and/or variable expressivity. To further explore the impact of the p.Arg506* variant in neurodevelopment and epilepsy, we generated Atp6v1b2emR506* mutant mice and performed standardized phenotyping using the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC) pipeline. In addition, we assessed the EEG profile and seizure susceptibility of Atp6v1b2emR506* mice. Behavioral tests revealed that the mice present locomotor hyperactivity and show less anxiety-associated behaviors. Moreover, EEG analyses indicate that Atp6v1b2emR506* mutant mice have interictal epileptic activity and that both heterozygous (like patients) and homozygous mice have reduced seizure thresholds to pentylenetetrazol. Our results confirm that variants in ATP6V1B2 can cause seizures and that the Atp6v1b2emR506* heterozygous mouse model is a valuable tool to further explore the pathophysiology and potential treatments for vacuolar ATPases-associated epilepsy and disorders.

In this study, we de novo assembled whole genomes of two small body-sized West Pacific sciaenids (Larimichthys polyactis and Collichthys lucidus) and compared them with published genome data of two closely-related, large body-sized species (Larimichthys crocea and Miichthys miiuy) and one distantly-related, large body-sized outgroup species (Dicentrarchus labrax). The phylogeny constructed using 7,403 single-copy orthologs shared among the five species indicated that L. crocea and L. polyactis diverged about 42 MYA. The two sibling taxa are more closely-related to C. lucidus than M. miiuy. We further identified four growth-related genes (CDHR2, PGC, PTN and PDGFA) that host five diagnostic amino acid variants on body size traits in the fishes, splitting small-body sized L. polyactis and C. lucidus from large-body sized L. crocea, M. miiuy and D. labrax. The results provide new genomic resources and guidelines to facilitate future endeavors in studying functional genomics and developing selective breeding programs for desirable growth traits in sciaenids.

Exposure to extreme heat is a known risk factor that is associated with increased heat-related illness (HRI) outcomes. The relevance of heat wave definitions could change across the health conditions and geographies due to the heterogenous climate profile. This study compared the sensitivity of 28 heat wave definitions associated with HRI emergency department visits over five summer seasons (2011-2016), stratified by two physiographic regions (Coastal and Piedmont) in North Carolina. The HRI rate ratios associated with heat waves were estimated using the generalized linear regression framework assuming a negative binomial distribution. We compared the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values across the heat wave definitions to identify an optimal heat wave definition. In the Coastal region, heat wave definition based on daily maximum temperature with a threshold >90^th percentile for two or more consecutive days had the optimal model fit. In the Piedmont region, heat wave definition based on the daily minimum temperature with a threshold value >90^th percentile for two or more consecutive days was optimal. Additionally, we observed that the optimal heat wave definitions from this study captured moderate and frequent heat episodes than the national weather service (NWS) heat products that worked best for extreme heat episodes. This study compared the HRI morbidity risk associated with epidemiologic-based heat wave definitions and with NWS heat products. Our findings could be used for public health education and suggest recalibrating NWS heat products.

Abstract: Windtech device is a novel tool for measuring the sensation of the ‘cold’. Cold poses numerous challenges for industrial operations, human survival, and living convenience. The impact of the cold is not possible to be quantified just based on temperatures; however other factors such as wind speed, humidity, irradiance have to be taken into consideration. Efforts have been made to develop combined indices such as wind chill temperature (WCT), AccuWeather RealFeel®, and others. The presented article discusses these along with the industrial standards that emphasize on the quantification of the ‘cold’. The following article introduces the Windtech device and its operating principle involving ‘heated temperature’, where the ‘heated temperature’ is affected by environmental parameters including ambient temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and irradiance. The discussed Windtech device is calibrated for operation according to the ISO 11079:2007 standard.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted from January 2017 to June 2018. One-hundred and four consecutive patients with DM2 were given lateral lumbar X-rays in order to quantify aortic abdominal calcification AAC. Circulating levels of AGEs and classical cardiovascular risk factors were determined. Clinical history was also registered. Patients with higher AGEs values had higher grades of aortic calcification and higher number of diabetic related complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being older, male and having high levels of AGEs and triglycerides were the independent risk factors associated to moderate-severe AAC when compared to no-mild AAC. Our results suggest that AGEs plays a role in the pathogenesis of aortic calcifications. In addition, the measurement of AGEs levels may be useful for assessing the severity of AAC in the setting of diabetic complications.

Objective: To examine the associations between menstruation features and symptoms and hormone-immune-metabolic biomarkers. Methods: Forty-one women completed questionnaires assessing characteristic menstruation symptoms, duration of menstrual cycle and number of pads used/day and completed the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) during the consecutive days of their menstrual cycle. Menses-related symptoms (MsRS) were computed from the sum of 10 pre- and post-menses symptoms and the menstruation blood and duration index (MBDI) was computed based on the daily number of pads and duration of menses. We assayed serum levels of various biomarkers at days 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the subjects’ menstrual cycle. Results: MBDI was significantly associated with a) MsRS including low abdominal cramps, and gastro-intestinal (GI) and pain symptoms (positively); b) plasma levels of haptoglobin (Hp), CCL5, insulin growth factor (IGF)-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)1 (all positively); and c) estradiol and paraoxonase (PON)1 arylesterase activity (both inversely). MsRS were significantly predicted by CCL5 and IGF-1 (both positively) and progesterone (inversely). Low-abdominal cramps, and gastro-intestinal and pain symptoms were associated with lower progesterone levels. The MBDI+MsRS score was significantly predicted by the cumulative effects of (in descending order of importance): Hp, IGF-1, PON1 arylesterase, estradiol and PAI. Conclusion: Menstruation-related features including estimated blood loss, duration of menses, cramps, pain and GI symptoms are associated with hormone-immune-metabolic biomarkers, which mechanistically may explain those features. Women with an increased MBDI+MsRS index ≥ 0.666 percentile may be considered to have menstruation-related distress, including dysmenorrhea symptoms.

Disease related malnutrition (DRM) is prevalent in hospitals and is associated with increased care needs, prolonged hospital stay, delayed rehabilitation and death. Nutrition care process related activities such as screening, assessment and treatment has been advocated by scientific societies and patient organizations but implementation is variable. We analyzed the cross-sectional nutritionDay database for prevalence of nutrition risk factors, care processes and outcome for medical patients. In 59126 medical patients included between 2006-2015 the prevalence of recent weight loss (45%), history of decreased eating (48%) and low actual eating (53%) was more prevalent than low BMI (8%). Each of these risk factors was associated with a large increase in 30 days hospital mortality. Nutrition care processes increases slightly with presence of risk factors but never done in more than 50% of patients. Only a third of patients not eating in hospital receive oral nutritional supplements or artificial nutrition. We suggest that political action should be taken to raise awareness and formal education on all aspects related to DRM for all stakeholders, to create and support responsibilities within hospitals, and to create adequate reimbursement schemes. Collection of routine and benchmarking data is crucial to tackle DRM.

Background: Antibiotic lock therapy is an interventional modality used for treatment and prevention of central-line associated bloodstream infections. Stability and compatibility data for combinations are lacking, limiting clinical use. Objective: Compatibility and stability of daptomycin lock solutions in combination with azithromycin, gentamicin, and heparin or sodium citrate were evaluated up to 96 hours. Methods: Eight candidate lock solutions were prepared for compatibility and stability testing. All solutions were prepared in glass vials, and included daptomycin 1mg/mL in varying combinations with heparin 100 – 1,000 units/mL, trisodium citrate, azithromycin and/or gentamicin. Lactated Ringer’s solution was added as a diluent in a sufficient quantity to bring the total volume up to 5mL. Drug stability in the admixture was determined by the degradation of the components. The quantification of drugs was performed using Waters Alliance HPLC using Phenomenex Luna C8 (2), 150*2.6mm, 5µ column. A gradient run was executed for 20 minutes with 0.45% ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 3.25 as eluent A and acetonitrile as eluent B at a flow rate of 1.0mL/min. Each solution was visually inspected for particulates and color change. Lock solutions were tested in triplicate. Results: Daptomycin degradation was <10% for all solutions at 48 hours, and for 7 of the 8 solutions at 72 hours. Gentamicin degradation was <5% for solutions in combination with daptomycin and trisodium citrate. No physical incompatibilities were detected. Conclusion: Study data support the stability and compatibility of daptomycin with additives in solution, allowing for fewer exchanges and longer dwell times for a lock solution. The addition of azithromycin or gentamicin may offer synergy and/or extended spectrum of activity. Daptomycin bioactivity with trisodium citrate needs confirmation.

The link between language processing and motor systems has been the focus of increasing interest to Cognitive Neuroscience. Some classical papers studying Event Related Potentials (ERPs) induced by linguistic stimuli have found differences in electrophysiological activity when comparing action and non-action words; more specifically, a bigger p200 for action words. On the other hand, a series of studies have validated the use of a grip force sensor (GFS) to measure language-induced motor activity during both isolated words and sentence listening, finding that action words induce an augmentation in the grip force around 250-300 ms after the onset of the stimulus. The purpose of the present study is to combine both techniques to assess if the p200 is related to the augmentation of the grip force measured by a GFS. We measured ERP and GFS changes elicited by listening to action and non-action words while maintaining an active grasping task in 10 healthy subjects. Our results show that the amplitude of the p200 in central electrodes is correlated to the augmentation in the GFS around 300 ms induced by linguistic stimuli. To our knowledge, this is the first study where the electrophysiological activity and the changes in the grip force induced by auditory language processing are put together, opening new venues of interpretation for the sensorimotor interaction in language processing.

The mechanization of agricultural activities has led to indiscriminate deposition of toxic xenobiotics, including organophosphates in the biomes, and this has led to intoxication characterized with deleterious oxidative and neuronal changes. This study investigated the consequences of oxidative and neurogenic disruptions that follow exposure to two organophosphates, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and dichlorvos (DDVP) on neuro-cognitive performance and anxiety-like behaviors in rats Thirty-two adult male Wistar rats (150 – 170g) were randomly divided into 4 groups, orally exposed to normal saline (NS), DDVP (8.8mg/kg), CPF (14.9mg/kg) and DDVP+CPF for 14 consecutive days. On day 10 of exposures, anxiety-like behaviors and amygdala dependent fear learning were assessed using Open Field and Elevated Plus Maze paradigms respectively, while spatial working memory was assessed on day 14 in the Morris water maze paradigm, following 3 training trials each on days 11, 12 and 13. On day 15, the rats were euthanized, and their brains excised, hippocampus and amygdala removed, 5 of which were homogenized and centrifuged to analyze nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, total reactive oxygen species (ROS), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and the other three processed for histology (cresyl violet stain) and proliferative marker (Ki67 immunohistochemistry). Marked (p≤0.05) loss in body weight, AChE depletion, and overproduction of both NO and ROS were observed after repeated exposure to individual and combined doses of CPF and DDVP. Insults from DDVP exposure appeared more severe owing to the observed greater losses in the body weights of exposed rats. There was also a significant (p≤0.05) effect on the cognitive behaviors recorded from the exposed rats, and these deficits were related to the oxidative damage and neurogenic cell loss in the hippocampus and the amygdala of the exposed rats. Taken together, these results provided an insight that oxidative and neurogenic damages are central to the severity of neuro-cognitive dysfunction and increased anxiety-like behaviors that follow organophosphate poisoning.

The analysis and simulation of water quality in distribution networks is a complex issue of great concern today. The analysis of the evolution of water age, as a simple indicator of water quality in the network, is of great interest in both design and operation phases. Understanding the factors that have the strongest influence on water quality is key to developing adequate strategies aimed at preserving it. This paper firstly analyses the factors with biggest influence in the tanks water age, to support the selection of the most appropriate configuration from the point of view of water quality during design phases. Then, the main considerations when modelling tanks following the different mixing models considered in Epanet have been presented. Also, a real tank behaviour has been characterised through field measurements and Epanet simulations in order to determine the best fitted mixing model.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have emerged as a viable alternative energy production source for stationary and transportation applications. Reliable and sustainable fuel cell operation requires effective water management. Membrane water content can vary along the stack during transients which can lead to losses in fuel cell performance. To control these variations a model that predicts the internal humidity dynamics of the stack is needed. In this study, a control-oriented model for predicting membrane water content variation was developed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink. A lumped parameter model was initially developed and then further discretized into smaller control volumes to track humidity distribution along the stack. To validate the model’s predictions, the predicted results were compared to computer simulation results from GT-Suite. The root mean square error (RMSE) between the model’s prediction and GT-Suite’s simulation results was found to be within 1.5 membrane water content for all cases, demonstrating the model’s capability to capture the variation of membrane water content along the stack. The developed model will be useful for real-time control of membrane water content variation in PEM fuel cells.

Despite much published literature on the impacts of agriculture on water quality, knowledge gaps persist regarding which farming systems are of most concern for these relationships, which could help water resource planners better target water management efforts. This study addresses these subjects, seeking to understand how this relationship varies across different farming systems. We used data on water quality status in watersheds of an agricultural region in southern Portugal and crossed it with a map of farming systems for the same region provided by a previous study. By overlaying both data layers, we characterized the areal shares of the farming systems in the watersheds and inspected how these shares relate with water quality status through logistic regression. Results support that the impact of agriculture on water quality is mostly related with specific farming systems. We believe this type of information can be of high interest for agricultural planners and policymakers interested in meeting water quality standards, and we conclude by suggesting innovative policy options based on payments to farmers operating selected farming systems, as a cost-effective way to reconcile agricultural and environmental policy objectives.

Japanese plums form part of a multi-billion rand deciduous fruit industry in South Africa. Despite this, there is a paucity of knowledge on the seasonal water requirements of plum orchards. In a time of changing climatic conditions and diminishing water resources, this gap in literature poses an imminent threat to the long-term sustainability and global competitiveness of the South African plum industry. Therefore, this paper aimed to provide a review of the available literature on the crop water requirements of full-bearing well-irrigated Japanese plum orchards for improved agricultural water management. Full-year water requirements for well-watered full-bearing Japanese orchards ranged between 921 and 1 211 mm a-1 with a mean value of 1 084 ±140 mm a-1. Canopy growth and pruning appeared to be the most common causes of differences in water requirement estimates. Growing season length also plays a role with late-season maturing orchards having higher water requirements than their early and mid-maturing counterparts. The knowledge review provided benchmark figures for the annual water requirements of Japanese plums. However further research is required to determine the water requirement of plums from planting to full-bearing age and the response of plum trees to water stress, in a South African context.

Despite the popularity of infant swimming programs, no evidence exists to determine whether they influence infants’ judgements and behavior when confronted with bodies of water. In the current study we examined whether the total number of swimming sessions an infant had participated in predicted whether they avoided a body of water they could enter via an edge (n = 101 infants) or a slope (n = 77 infants). An initial regression analysis revealed no association between the number of sessions and avoidance of the water via either type of entry. However, a secondary analysis of infants who had participated in fewer or more than 10 sessions revealed a significant interaction between number of sessions and type of entry into the water. Infants who participated in more than 10 sessions were more likely to avoid the water if they could access it via an edge but significantly more likely to enter the water if they could access it via a slope. Because we tested the two groups of infants in different countries, further research is warranted to determine if cultural differences in child rearing practices or variations in the content and/or teaching of the swimming programs might explain these intriguing findings.

This review evaluates the trajectory and sustainability of the global and Mexican aquaculture industry. Globally, the sector is experiencing rapid growth, catalyzed by evolving consumption patterns and technological advancements. Notwithstanding the benefits, environmental concerns necessitate an urgent shift towards sustainable practices. The focus then narrows to Mexico's aquaculture, tracing its history from the late 19th century. With an emphasis on species diversification, the country's sector demonstrates resilience and potential, with an impressive yield of 249,613.71 tons in 2021 despite regional consolidation. However, persistent challenges such as technological limitations, funding shortages, and access to quality seeds hinder progress. Risks, including disease outbreaks, negative environmental impact, economic volatility, regulatory compliance, and climate change, further underscore the need for sustainable strategies. With government support and unique geographical and climatic advantages, Mexico shows promise for a significant % growth projection of 25% over the next five years. This review underscores the importance of embracing technological innovation, implementing sustainable practices, and enacting supportive legislation for the long-term success of the aquaculture sector worldwide, with a particular focus on Mexico.

A model is proposed that describes the transfer of ions and the process of water dissociation in a system with a bipolar membrane and adjacent diffusion layers. The model considers the transfer of four types of ions: the cation and anion of salt and the products of water dissociation – hydrogen and hydroxyl ions. To describe the process of water dissociation, a model for accelerating the dissociation reaction with the participation of ionogenic groups of the membrane is adopted. The boundary value problem is solved numerically using COMSOL® Multiphysics 5.5 software. An analysis of the results of a numerical experiment shows that, at least in a symmetric electromembrane system, there is a kinetic limitation of the water dissociation process, apparently associated with the occurrence of water recombination reaction at the of the bipolar region. An interpretation of the entropy factor (β) is given as a characteristic length which shows the possibility of an ion that appeared as a result of the water dissociation reaction to be removed from the reaction zone without participating in recombination reactions.

High quantities of wastewater produced from producing natural gas and oil from the aquifer, which called produced water. The produced water was comprised of dissolved solids, suspended solids, emulsified oil, and organic and inorganic compounds. That should be treated it's before disposal because it causes harm to the environment. This study takes the produced water from the southern Iraqi oilfield drilling company to adsorption by the Cane papyrus as natural and low-cost adsorbent. The analysis completed by using Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, EDX spectra and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) for Cane papyrus. Investigating the effect of many parameters such as adsorbent dosage, temperature, solution pH, mixer speed and contact time. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Harkins-Henderson isotherm models were tested, the results were 0.998,0.966, 0.931 and 0.966 respectively. The Langmuir model was more suitable described the adsorption process than the other models. The kinetics results were, 0.984 for Pseudo-first-order, 0.938 for Pseudo-second order is, 0.979 for Intra particle diffusion study and 0.912 for the Elovich model, the Pseudo-first-order kinetic equation best described the kinetics of the reaction. The thermodynamics study effect temperature changes on the thermodynamic parameters such as standard free energy change (∆G°), standard enthalpy change (∆H°) and standard entropy change (∆S°). The experimental data obtained demonstrated that Cane papyrus is a suitable adsorbent for removing oil from produced water.

The paper presents a model of moisture transport in wood taking into account diffusion and the accompanying adsorption of water vapour through the skeleton. A two-parameter form of the source term was proposed, depending on the distance of the current mass concentration of bound water from the equilibrium state. The tests on cubic samples with a side of 2 cm were carried out which allowed to determine the coefficients of the proposed model on the basis of the reverse method. The tests were performed for pine, larch, oak and ash in all directions of orthotropy. Also the tests on thin samples were performed to verify the source term.

Effective water resources management requires assessments of water availability within a framework of complex institutions and infrastructure employed to manage extremely variable stream flow shared by numerous often competing water users and diverse types of use. The Water Rights Analysis Package (WRAP) modeling system is fundamental to water allocation and planning in the state of Texas in the United States. Integration of environmental flow standards into both the modeling system and comprehensive statewide water management is a high priority for continuing research and development. The public domain WRAP software and documentation are generalized for application any place in the world. Lessons learned in developing and implementing the modeling system in Texas are relevant worldwide. The modeling system combines: (1) detailed simulation of water right systems, interstate compacts, international treaties, federal/state/local agreements, and operations of storage and conveyance facilities; (2) simulation of river system hydrology; and (3) statistical frequency and reliability analyses. The continually evolving modeling system has been implemented in Texas by a water management community that includes the state legislature, planning and regulatory agencies, river authorities, water districts, cities, industries, engineering consulting firms, and university researchers. The shared modeling system contributes significantly to integration of water allocation, planning, system operations, and research.

To address the question whether there is evidence that drinking water in general or mineral water in particular is effective in preventing diabetes; we performed a literature search of randomized controlled trials (PubMed). The search resulted in very few trials (N = 9) investigating this topic: one trial investigates the effect of increasing water consumption on glycemic control in diabetic patients; two trials investigate the effect of drinking water with a meal in diabetic patients; while six trials compare the effect of mineral rich water with that of low mineralized water on glucose metabolism in healthy subjects. There is evidence that increasing water consumption can improve glucose metabolism and randomized controlled trials with mineral water suggest that waters containing relevant amounts of magnesium can exert an additional effect. The role of bicarbonate; which is present in all the mineral waters used in the trials; will be discussed. Future research needs to investigate the effect of mineral water in prediabetic individuals or individuals with impaired glycemic control.

The goods and services produced by forest and vegetation ecology system is the power by which human society can be promoted fast in high-quality and sustainable way. With the increase of population and economic development in water-limited regions, there is an increasing demand for the quantity and variety of forest vegetation ecosystem products and services. To meet the demands of this situation, most of the original forest has changed into farmland, non-native forest and grass land. As a result, water-plant relationship changed from equilibrium to non-equilibrium, which led to soil drought, soil degradation and vegetation decline in dry years or waste of soil water in rainy years in most of water-limited regions. In order to solve the questions and realize the sustainable utilization of soil water resources and the high quality and sustainable development of social economy, it is necessary to apply the utilization limit theory of soil water resources by plants and the theory of soil water carrying capacity for vegetation to adjust the relationship between plant growth and soil moisture to obtain the maximum yield and benefit of vegetation and serve high-quality and sustainable development.

Abstract: Urban population growth and the expansion of the built environment, pollution, overexploitation of water, inequality in water distribution, and the impacts of climate change in future availability of water, are all elements that jeopardize urban water security. Due to the complexity of urban water systems and their relevance for urban life, a holistic and integrative perspective is therefore needed to address such challenges. In this paper, Urban Water Metabolism (UWM) has been used for comprehensively understanding water (in)security in the City of Puebla (Mexico) and its metropolitan area. Water inflows and outflows have been estimated using a Material Flow Analysis (MFA) method with data either obtained from official sources or simulated with the Monte Carlo method. Our findings show that the UWM configuration in the City of Puebla and its metropolitan area is effective for generating profits to service providers and water related business, yet ineffective to guarantee citizens’ Human Right to Water and Sanitation (HRWS), a right recognized in the Constitution of Mexico. We conclude that to advance towards an inclusive and sustainable provision of water, economic interests must be reconsidered and therefore adjusted so they can be in line with such aspirational socioecological goals. UWM accounting can therefore inform new water governance arrangements, those based on both the best available knowledge and a vibrant participation of all relevant stakeholders.

Ad- and desorption forces move water in living xylem/wood from the root to the leaf thermodynamically. The doctrine of plant water transport, the so-called cohesion- or cohesion-tension theory, postulates however that the process is physically based on a hydraulic fluid flow with negative pressure in water conducting tubes originating from the leaves. Lower pressure (suction) driven volume flow is physically a branch of mechanics. Moisture absorbed from the soil via the root is thought to be pulled up the stem by the leaves in continuous and tensioned threads of water. It is assumed that the hydraulic Hagen/Poiseuille flow law, derived for tubes, applies in the xylem. In a textbook of botany you can find the opinion: "Just as the pipes of a water pipe supply necessary water to each household, leaf nerves supply water and nutrient salts to each individual cell.” (Translated from German). Many plant physiologists consider this hydraulic principle to be correct, but it does not remain unchallenged. Doubts are repeatedly expressed. The question arises: How does water transport actually take place? It is shown how the diffusive/adsorption transport principle works. The partial dehydration (desorption) of the plant, driven by the diffusive process of transpiration, forms a combined concentration and adsorption-site gradient for water in the xylem matrix. Especially with open stomata the lowest moisture concentration and the highest number of adsorption-sites for water (sites with free van der Waals forces), can be found in the mesophyll cell walls at the liquid/vapor boundary in the leaf. The water taken up by the root moves spontaneously in the direction of this boundary and can thus partially or completely compensate for the existing concentration- and adsorption-site- differences for water. Thus, a thermodynamic overlapping diffusive/adsorptive movement of moisture along the stationary xylem/wood takes place. After the introduction and a review of some controversies with cohesion theory, the physiology of the processes associated with long-distance water displacement is mentioned below. A thermodynamic adsorption hypothesis of the natural water transport in plants, based on known facts, is presented.

Abstract: Current models in design of urban water management systems and their corresponding infrastructure using centralized designs have commonly failed from the perspective of cost effectiveness and inability to adapt to the future changes. These challenges are driving cities towards using decentralized systems. While there is great consensus on the benefits of decentralization; currently no methods exist which guide decision-makers to define the optimal boundaries of decentralized water systems. A new clustering methodology and tool to decentralize water supply systems (WSS) into small and adaptable units is presented. The tool includes two major components: (i) minimization of the distance from source to consumer by assigning demand to the closest water source, and (ii) maximization of the intra-cluster homogeneity by defining the cluster boundaries such that the variation in population density, land use, socio-economic level, and topography within the cluster is minimized. The methodology and tool are applied to Arua Town in Uganda. Four random cluster scenarios and a centralized system were created and compared with the optimal clustered WSS. It was observed that the operational cost of the four cluster scenarios is up to 13.9 % higher than the optimal, and the centralized system is 26.6% higher than the optimal clustered WSS, consequently verifying the efficacy of the proposed method to determine an optimal cluster boundary for WSS. In addition, optimal homogeneous clusters improve efficiency by encouraging reuse of wastewater and stormwater within a cluster and by minimizing leakage through reduced pressure variations.

Tourism, and particularly residential tourism, has led to a change in the urban and demographic model of towns along the European Mediterranean coastline. Water as a limited and limiting resource for the growth of tourism is a popular topic in the scientific literature. However, the incorporation of non-conventional resources (desalination) has meant, in theory, that this limitation has been overcome. The aims of this paper are: a) to identify the different tourism models implanted in this territory and describe them from the point of view of their consumption of water in the demand cycle from 2002 to 2017; b) analyse the hydrosocial cycle, highlighting the measures aimed at satisfying water demand; and c) identify the limitations associated with these hydrosocial systems. To this end, different types of information will be processed, and various complex indicators produced. The results show the importance that demand management and the use of desalinated water in increasing the resilience of this territory to aridity. However, this has generated other problems associated with a tsunami of construction and the continuity of a non-sustainable territorial model.

Global warming and the global energy crisis are two major challenges humanity is currently confronting that are pressuring the scientific community to find efficient, low cost and environmentally sustainable solutions. Within this context, hydrogen has emerged as a clean and efficient energy carrier promising to replace the environmentally hazardous fossil fuels. The present study, of relevance to the water splitting domain, concerns the synthesis of two novel hybrid structures, based on perovskite materials functionalized with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The water electrolysis catalytic activity of these new materials was evaluated in a strongly alkaline medium. Perovskite-based modified electrodes were manufactured through four different procedures. The samples displayed electrocatalytic activity for the O2 evolution reaction and the most active electrode was the one obtained by drop-casting a mixture of LaMnO3:Ag/PVP, Carbon Black and Nafion on graphite support. The study is aimed at and succeeds in increasing the scientific database concerning the role of perovskite oxides in the water splitting field.

In the context of global warming and increasing scarcity of fresh water resources, it becomes siginificant to evaluate the contribution and evolution of non-rainfall waters such as dew. This study therefore evaluates the relative dew and rain contributions in three sites in south-western of Madagascar (Ifaty, Toliara and Andremba), a semi-arid region which suffers of a strong water deficit. The studied period is 1991 – 2023, with extrapolation to 2033. Dew is calculated from meteo data using a well-established energy model. The extrapolation uses an artificial neural network approach. While the yearly dew/rain ratio remains modest (3-4%) dew forms regularly (2-3 days in average between events), in contrast to rain (10-15 days). The evolutions of dew and rain are similar, with an increase from 1991 to 2000, a decrease up to 2018 and a further increase till 2033. These oscillations follow the Indian Ocean dipole variations and should be influenced by the climate change. Dew contribution to the water balance is important during the dry season (Apr.-Oct.), up to 80%. Dew therefore appears to be a reliable and sustainable resource for plants, small animals and population, especially during droughts.

The use of zeolite in agriculture as a soil conditioner is becoming an important field of research in crop growth. To study the effect of synthetic zeolite and deficit irrigation on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation, an experiment in a controlled environment was conducted. In particular, sweet pepper was cultivated in a glasshouse using polypropylene pots filled with sandy-loam soil to which 2% of zeolite was added. The zeolite employed in the experiments was obtained using coal fly ash as raw material. The experiment was planned in order to have two main treatments consisting of a) soil with zeolite at 2% (Z) and b) soil without zeolite, as control (C), and three subplot treatments consisting of 1) full irrigation at 100% of available water content (AWC) (100); 2) deficit irrigation at 70% of AWC (70); 3) deficit irrigation at 50% of AWC (50). Sweet pepper cultivation started on the 24th April 2023 and lasted until the 23th June 2023 and during the trial environmental data, such as soil humidity, air temperature and relative humidity, and some crop parameters, such as plant height, leaf number, SPAD index, were monitored. At the end of the trial, fresh and dry plant weight, dry matter content, and leaf water potential were measured. Results showed that for plant fresh weight and dry matter content, no significant differences were observed by treatments and their interactions whereas for the other parameters the statistical analysis returned significant differences. The study suggests that the soil structural benefits, resulting from the zeolite application, are not followed by an equal positive effect in terms of sweet pepper growth under deficit irrigation conditions.

This study identified and mapped worldwide surveillance actions and initiatives of drinking water quality implemented by government agencies or public health services. The scoping review was conducted between July 2021 and August 2022 based on the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search was performed in relevant databases and grey literature; 49 studies were obtained. Quantitative variables were presented as absolute and relative frequencies, while qualitative variables were analyzed using the IRaMuTeQ software. The actions developed worldwide and their impacts and results provided four thematic classes: (1) assessment of coverage, accessibility, quantity, and drinking water quality in routine and emergency situations; (2) analysis of physical-chemical and microbiological parameters in public supply networks or alternative water supply solutions; (3) identification of household water contamination, communication, and education with the community; (4) and investigation of water-borne disease outbreaks. Preliminary results were shared with stakeholders to favor early knowledge dissemination.

Abstract: The concept of sustainability applied to sports activities means ensuring that the economic benefits brought about by their development are not obtained at the expense of causing ecological damage or interference in local cultural habits. A cable-ski is a nautical ski system whereby a motorboat is substituted by a cable traction system powered by an electric motor. The effect on the quality of the water in those places that can boast cable-ski facilities has been described in cold freshwater lakes. Objective: Our purpose was to study the evolution of water quality in a ten-year period after the installation of a cable-ski facility in a warm, salted, semi-stagnant pond. Material and Method: Review of the data gathered from the routine test carried out by the Laboratory of the Council of Alcúdia from 2010 to 2019 Results: The levels of dissolved oxygen have increased, being significantly higher in the period 2016 – 2019 than in that of 2010 – 2015. The turbidity of the water has also seen a reduction in the second period with respect to the first. Conclusion: It seems that cable-ski improves the quality of water even warm, high-conductivity, semi-stagnant conditions

This article discusses the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Netherlands and intends to show how law and politics combine in river basin management. Initially, the implementation of the WFD in the Netherlands was approached as a technical and administrative issue, handled by water quality and ecology experts, but in 2003 this approach was broken open by the agricultural sector, who were worried about stricter regulation. Subsequently, the environmental objectives of the WFD were set as low as possible and they are not used in authorising individual projects. Yet, in 2015 of the European Court of Justice determined that the environmental objectives have binding effect and that Member States have to refuse authorisation for projects that endanger the achievement of these objectives. In the future, the European Court of Justice and national courts may force the Dutch government to change its approach. They may only do so because and as long as they enjoy sufficient social and political support and function relatively independently. The article concludes that, to understand river basin management fully, one has to open up the black box of water law and become a kind of water lawyer.

Rainwater harvesting could be an optional water source to fulfil the emergency water demand in different setups. The aim was to assess if the rainwater harvesting potential for households and selected institutions were sufficient to satisfy the emergency water demand for the prevention of COVID-19 in Dilla town, Southern, Ethiopia. Rain water harvesting potential for households and selected institutions were quantified using 17 years’ worth of rainfall data from Ethiopian Metrology Agency. With an average annual rainfall of 1464 mm, households with 40 and 100 m2 roof sizes have a potential to harvest between 15.71-31.15 m3 and 41.73-82.73 m3 of water using Maximum Error Estimate. Meanwhile 7.2-39.7 m3 and 19.11-105.35 m3 of water can be harvested from the same roof sizes using Coefficient of Variation for calculation. Considering mean monthly rainfall, the health centres and Dilla University can attain 45.7% and 77% of their emergency water demand, while the rest of the selected institutions in Dilla Town can attain more than 100 % of their demand using only rainwater. Rain water can be an alternative water source for the town in the fight against COVID-19.

This paper presents a device for measuring and maintaining the constant water level in a tank. The device uses a capacity sensor to measure the water level. The sensor has a DC voltage output proportional to the water level in the tank. This voltage can be used in other automation too. The water level, in percentages, is displayed on a vu meter with 8 LEDs. The circuit for maintaining the constant level consists in a comparator with hysteresis. The level of the water is adjustable, using a reference voltage from a potentiometer (marked in percentages). The level of the water is compared with the prescribed level and the difference between them commands the start/stop of the water pump which supplies the tank through a relay. The device is powered by 220 V and is isolated from the environment.

To alleviate the contradiction between the increasing demand for water and the shortage of resources and to provide a favorable institutional environment for water rights trading, the Chinese government has strengthened the top-level design of water management system. However, the water-rich regions (southern regions of China) have good water resource endowment and a surplus of total water consumption indicators. Does this mean that there is no incentive and no need to conduct water rights trading in these regions? Through the investigation of water rights circulation cases in the Taihu Basin, a typical water-rich region of China, we established the existence of trading demand and some difficulties in conducting transactions. This paper argues that the needs of trading include alleviating the water gap in regional development, solving the water demand for large new projects, coordinating trans-jurisdiction water disputes. The plight of trading includes the lack of awareness, irregular process, excessive administrative intervention, and imperfect trading system.

Recent research has highlighted associations between sleep and microbial taxa and pathways. However, the causal effect of these associations remains unknown. To investigate this, we performed a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from 412 gut microbiome traits (N = 7,738) and GWAS studies from seven sleep-associated traits (N = 345,552 to 386577). We employed multiple MR methods to assess causality, with Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) as the primary method. We further applied Cochran’s Q statistical analysis, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO for heterogeneity and pleiotropy assessment, alongside a Bonferroni correction ((P

The growth of the wind power sector has been marked by environmental, economic, and political drivers. Its starring role is also visible in the emergence of the so-called “green jobs”. Notwithstanding, its evolution ought not to compromise issues related to occupational risks. This exploratory study examines psychosocial risks in the operation and maintenance of onshore wind turbines in a leading Portuguese company. We conducted interviews with main stakeholders (Human Resources, OHS professionals, and team leaders); developed an “activity diary” for the operation and maintenance technicians to describe their activity and perceived impacts on health, complemented with collective interviews; and applied the Work and Health Survey. The results revealed particular risks and health impacts: working under adverse weather conditions; working at heights and in confined spaces; spending long work hours inside of the nacelles to achieve an optimum balance between favorable wind slots to intervene and avoiding additional trips up and down the wind turbines without lifts (70m-120m); and the feeling of early ageing. At a time when these workers are striving for recognition of their profession as a “rapid wear profession”, it is a key moment to discuss these results to guarantee sustainable conditions for future generations of workers.

Electroencephalography (EEG) enabled earbuds represent a promising frontier in evaluating brain activity beyond traditional laboratory settings. However, these devices need more comprehensive characterization before widespread health related usage. A toolbox was developed to facilitate and expand the assessment of ear-EEG devices. The first component of this toolbox is a desktop application (“EaR-P Lab”) that integrates EEG validation paradigms. This application is designed to be used with EEG amplifiers compatible with the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL) protocol. The second element of the toolbox introduces an adaptation of the phantom testing concept, to the domain of ear-EEG by using 3D ear scans of the tested individuals, allowing controlled assessment of ear-EEG devices. The EEG paradigms were validated for scalp acquisitions and applied on ear-EEG measurements, under wet ear electrode conditions. The ear-EEG phantom was successful in measuring useful metrics in EEG system characterization, highlighting performance differences within the electrodes on the tested earpieces. This knowledge was factored in to select an optimal electrode reference which resulted in increased response power on the auditory steady-state response (ASSR). Through this work, an ear-EEG evaluation toolkit is made available with the intention to enable future and systematic assessment of novel ear-EEG devices from the hardware to the neural signals.

Better understanding of the quality of life among nursing home residents with dementia is im-portant for developing interventions. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to examine factors associated with poor health-related quality of life in older adults with dementia living in nursing homes in Hanoi, Vietnam. In-person interviews were conducted with 140 adults 60 years and older with dementia and information about their quality of life was obtained using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease scale (QOL-AD). A number of sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (lowest tertile) were assessed through the results of physical tests, interviews with nursing home staff, and review of medical records. The average age of the study sample was 78.3 years, 65% were women, and their av-erage QOL-AD total score was 27.3 (SD = 4.4). Malnutrition, total dependence in activities of daily living, and urinary incontinence were associated with poor quality of life after controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Our findings show that Vietnamese nursing home residents with dementia have a moderate quality of life and interventions based on comprehen-sive geriatric assessment remain needed to modify risk factors associated with poor health-related quality of life.

The world is facing an energy crisis. Governments are seeking to provide universal energy access and guarantee energy security while trying to mitigate climate change. One possible solution is energy transitions towards low carbon energy systems. Among other things (physical infrastructure, public policy and regulatory enablers and knowledge and capacities) changes in the energy systems require a well informed and participative citizenship. Within this context the concept of energy literacy appears. Energy literacy is the understanding of how energy is generated, transported, stored, distributed and used, awareness about its environmental and social impacts and the knowledge to use it efficiently in the different sectors of the economy. This paper provides a systematic literature review in the Web of Science’s Core Collection. Most of the work done around energy literacy addresses its evaluation among different groups, particularly students at different levels, and the construction, application and evaluation of tools for improving energy literacy. Other frequently studied issues are the influence of energy literacy in decision making, its drivers and conceptual research about the topic. Energy enables citizens to effectively contribute to energy efficiency and sustainable development, nevertheless energy literacy is not strongly correlated to energy consumption habits.

Abstract: Sarcopenia poses a significant challenge to public health and can severely impact the quality of life of aging populations. Despite extensive efforts to study muscle degeneration using traditional animal models, there is still a lack of effective diagnostic tools, precise biomarkers, and treatments for sarcopenia. Zebrafish models have emerged as powerful tools in biomedical research, providing unique insights into age-related muscle disorders like sarcopenia. The advantages of using zebrafish models include their rapid growth outside of the embryo, optical transparency during early developmental stages, high reproductive potential, ease of husbandry, compact size, and genetic tractability. By deepening our understanding of the molecular processes underlying sarcopenia, we may develop novel diagnostic tools and effective treatments that can improve the lives of aging individuals affected by this condition. This review aims to explore the unique advantages of zebrafish as a model for sarcopenia research, highlight recent breakthroughs, outline potential avenues for future investigations, and emphasize the distinctive contributions that zebrafish models offer. Our research endeavors to contribute significantly to addressing the urgent need for practical solutions to the impact of sarcopenia on aging populations, ultimately striving to enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by this condition.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness world-wide. We recently reported that polyethylene glycol (PEG) can activate the alternative pathway of the complement system and induce choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice. Currently, no other investigator has demonstrated CNV after PEG injection in the mouse eye. The aim of this article is twofold: we review the histologic changes in mouse retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) after treatment with PEG, and we summarize a model of wet and dry AMD pathogenesis in mice through subretinal PEG treatment of RPE cells and retinal layers. We injected (subretinal) male C57BL/6 mice with 2 μL of solution containing 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg of PEG or PBS in control groups. Eyes were harvested at day 1, 3 and 5 after injection and processed for analysis. Sections were immunohistochemically stained for complement component C3, mem-brane attack complex (MAC), and cytokeratin 18. Light and laser confocal microscopy was used for image capturing. PEG increased deposition of C3 and MAC on RPE cells and on all retinal layers after 1.0 mg injection. PEG induced loss of cellular contacts between RPE cells and migration of RPE cells in the subretinal space at day 1 after PEG injection. After 0.5 mg PEG injection, increased size of RPE cells was detected at day 3 and 5. Apoptotic bodies were observed in outer nuclear layer at day 3 and 5 after 0.5 mg PEG treatment. RPE cells with dark cytoplasm and condensed chromatin were observed. Higher doses of PEG induce CNV, encouraged RPE cell proliferation and death, and damage photoreceptors in mice. This simple and fast model may be useful to explore the pathogenesis of both dry and wet AMD.

Plants respond to drought by major reprogramming of gene expression enabling the plant to survive this threatening environmental condition. One major upstream signal inducing this multifaceted process is the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). In this report, we investigate the drought response in barley plants (Hordeum vulgare, cv. Morex) at both epigenome and transcriptome levels. Leaves of barley plants after 10 days of drought treatment, when soil water content was decreased by about 40%, were compared to well-watered controls. Due to the drought treatment, chlorophyll content and photosystem II-efficiency were decreased by about 10% and some known drought-related genes were already induced. Global ChIPseq analyses were used to identify genes where histones 3 associated with promoter or gene body were modified with euchromatic K4 trimethylation or K9 acetylation during drought. Using stringent exclusion criteria, 129 genes loaded with H3K4me3 and 2008 genes loaded with H3K9ac in response to drought were identified, indicating that H3K9 acetylation reacts to drought more sensitive than H3K4 trimethylation. Comparison with differentially expressed genes enabled to identify those genes, which are loaded with the euchromatic marks and are induced in response to the drought treatment. The results show that a major part of these genes is involved in ABA-signaling and related pathways. Intriguingly, two members of the protein phosphatase 2C family (PP2Cs), which are involved in the central regulatory machinery of ABA signaling, were also identified by this approach.

The durability of ecological concrete in a marine environment was studied. Specimens of a six-year-old submerged ecological concrete from a breakwater located in the East Mediterranean sea were analyzed for their biological carbonate deposition cover, chloride effective diffusion, carbonation, and mineralogy. About 57% of the surface was found to be covered by biogenic-deposited carbonates. The effective chloride diffusion coefficient and the carbonation rate were found to be reduced proportionally to the biogenic-carbonate cover. Most of the aluminates were found in non-crystalline minerals. No evidence of a sulfate attack was found.

In northern Thailand, the problem of small particulate matter happens every year, with the pri-mary source being agricultural weed burning and wildfire. The tourism industry is strongly impacted and has been the spotlight for the past few years. Thus, the study aims to investigate the effect of small particulate matter on tourism and related SMEs in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The data was collected from 286 entrepreneurs in the tourism and related SMEs sectors. The data was analyzed using data mining and association rule techniques. The study revealed that small particulate matter has a considerable impact on customer factors, especially the number of customers has decreased. Operational factors and prod-uct/service factors are also affected by the dust in the form of adjustments to keep the business running and the protection of the health of employees and customers. Certainly, financial factors are affected by the small particulate matter situation, both lower revenues and higher costs.

The combination of statistical learning technologies with large databases of psychophysiological data has appropriately generated enthusiastic interest in future clinical applicability. It is argued here that this enthusiasm should be tempered with the understanding that significant obstacles must be overcome before the systematic introduction of psychophysiological measures into neuropsychiatric practice becomes possible. The nonspecificity of psychophysiological measures complicates their use in diagnosis. Low test-retest reliability complicates use in longitudinal assessment, and quantitative psychophysiological measures can normalize in response to placebo intervention. Ten cautionary observations are introduced and, in some instances, possible directions for remediation are suggested.

Abstract Background The number of immune-related endocrine dysfunctions (irEDs) has concurrently increased with the widespread use of immunotherapy in clinical practice and further expansion of the approved indications for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations using different modalities of anti-cancer treatment. Method A retrospective analysis was conducted on consecutive patients >18 years of age with advanced solid malignancies who had received at least one dose of anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) and/or anti-CTLA4 antibodies between January 2014 and December 2019 at a Hong Kong university hospital. Patients were reviewed for up to two months after the last administration of an ICI. The types, onset times and grades of irEDs, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and immune-related diabetes mellitus, were recorded. Factors associated with irEDs were identified using multivariate analysis. Result A total of 953 patients (male: 603, 64.0%; median age: 62.0 years) received ICIs during the study period. Of these, 580 patients (60.9%) used ICI-alone, 132 (13.9%) used dual-ICI, 187 (19.6%) used an ICI combined with chemotherapy (chemo+ICI), and 54 (5.70%) used immunotherapy with a targeted agent (targeted+ICI). A significantly higher proportion of patients using targeted+ICI had irEDs and hypothyroidism; in contrast, a higher proportion of patients using dual-ICI had adrenal insufficiency. There was no significant difference in the incidence of irED between the younger (<65 years) and older (>65 years) patients. Using logistic regression, only treatment type was significantly associated with irEDs. Notably, older patients had a higher risk of having immune-related diabetes mellitus. Conclusions This large, real-world cohort demonstrates that combining ICI with targeted therapy has a higher risk of overall irED and hypothyroidism. Immunotherapy is safe and well-tolerated regardless of age, but close monitoring of fasting glucose is needed in older populations.

With a highly efficient optical absorption capability, bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) nanomaterial can be used as an outstanding photothermal agent for anti-tumor treatment and shows promise in the field of nanotechnology-based biomedicine. However, little research has been done on the relevant mechanism underlying the photothermal killing effect of Bi2Se3 nanomaterial. Herein, the photothermal effects of Bi2Se3 nanoparticles on A549 cells were explored with emphasis put on autophagy. Firstly, we characterized the structure and physicochemical property of the synthesized Bi2Se3 and confirmed their excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (35.72%), photostability, biocompatibility and ability of photothermal killing on A549 cells. Enhanced autophagy was detected in Bi2Se3-exposed cells under an 808 nm laser. Consistently, an elevated expression ratio of LC3-II to LC3-I, a marker of autophagy occurrence, was induced in Bi2Se3-exposed cells upon NIR irradiation. Meanwhile, the expression of cleaved-PARP was increased in the irradiated cells dependently on the exposure concentrations of Bi2Se3 nanoparticles. Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine (3-MA) further strengthened the photothermal killing effect of Bi2Se3. Meanwhile, stress-related signaling pathways including p38 and SAPK/JNK were activated coupled with the attenuated PI3K/Akt signaling. Our study figures out that autophagy and the activation of stress-related signaling pathways were involved in the photothermal killing of cancerous cells by Bi2Se3, which provides a more understanding of photothermal nanomaterials.

Apathy is a fundamental neuropsychiatric symptom of Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) and has also been reported in patients with alcohol use disorder with no (AUD) or less severe cognitive disorders (ALC). However, research on the nature of apathy is limited in these groups. Aim of this study was to examine the multidimensional nature of apathy in patients with KS, ALC and AUD. Moreover, we examined differences between apathy ratings by patients and their professional caregivers, and related apathy to everyday functioning and overall cognition. Twenty-four patients with KS, 24 patients with ALC and 21 patients with AUD participated in this study. Apathy was measured using the Apathy Motivation Index (AMI), which distinguishes behavioral, emotional and social apathy. Both patients and professional caregivers reported social apathy as most prominent symptom, compared to behavioral and emotional apathy. Apathy ratings did not differ across the three patient groups. Discrepancies between patient and caregiver ratings were observed in patients with KS and ALC, with more severe apathy reported by caregivers. Caregiver-reported behavioral and social, but not emotional, apathy was related to everyday functioning. These results show that apathy is present in a substantial proportion of patients with alcohol addiction with or without cognitive impairments.

Emotional dysfunction, including flat affect and emotional perception deficits, is a specific symptom of schizophrenia disorder. We used a modified multimodal odd-ball paradigm with fearful facial expressions accompanied by congruent and non-congruent sounds to investigate the impairment of emotional perception and reaction to other people's emotions. We analyzed subjective assessments and ERP data for emotionally charging congruent and non-congruent stimuli in patients with schizophrenia and healthy peers. The results showed the deficit of multimodal perception of fearful stimuli in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. The amplitude of N50 was significantly higher in subjects of the control group for non-congruent stimuli than congruent and did not differ in patients with schizophrenia. The dynamics of P100 and N200 components confirmed the impaired sensory gating in patients with schizophrenia. The lower amplitude of P3a could be associated with deficits in verbal memory and attention, less emotional arousal, or incorrect interpretation of emotional valence as specific features of patients. The difficulties in identifying the incoherence of facial and audial components of emotional expression could be significant in understanding the psychopathology of schizophrenia.

Daphne wolongensis described on the basis of a few known individuals was investigated in the wild, in Baoxing Valey, Sechuan. Its status of valid species was verified morphologically and genetically. Three newly found populations were compared to the closely related species Daphne retusa, D. tangutica, D. longilobata, D. acutiloba, D. sureil, to clones available in cultivation and selected cultivars. The high bootstrap values indicate a good level of genetic differentiation between each of the studied species. The hypothesis whether D. wolongensis is a hybridogenous species was rejected, it is a well-defined independent species. Based on morphological and genetic data, it seems likely that another species, D. limprichtii can be a mountain form of D. tangutica. Variability of populations in Wolong gives a good opportunity to select genotypes with a higher or better performance of combination of traits. From 51samples collected in Wolong it was possible to select the top ten different types as genetic resources for breeding. Daphne wolongensis, in the visited sites of Wolong area, occupies less than 1 km2. Together with isolated finds, the number of found individuals is less than 500 and the area is not larger than 10 km2, thus it falls to the IUCN category of “Critically Endangered” plants.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) and age-related degeneration (ARD) are stimulants for the development of the fabella in the knee joint. This meta-analysis updates previous studies and reviews on the prevalence of the fabella in OA or ARD knee joints. In addition, it provides a quantitative estimation of the fabellar prevalence in knees having OA and ARD. Methodology: Twenty studies comprising of data from 11,056 knee joints were included in the analysis, consisting of 6,819 Knees of OA subjects (including those with age more than 40 years) and 4,237 knees of non-OA subjects (including less than 40years) knees, respectively. 2,434 knees had fabellae present in OA subjects (including more than 40years), and 844 fabellae were present in non-OA subjects (including less than 40years). The Odds and Risk Ratios were calculated. Sensitivity analysis and cumulative analysis were conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. Results: Prevalence of fabella was found to be higher in OA knees, where the Risk Ratio of developing fabella was 2.50 (2.07-3.01). Compared with this, the Risk Ratio for the incidence of fabella in OA with ARD knee was 1.84 (1.66-2.03). The bilateral occurrence of fabella was more common than unilateral. The risk of developing fabella in individuals aged less than forty-year was 63% less than individuals aged more than forty years. Conclusion: OA and ARD would increase the prevalence of fabella by 84%, thus acting as stimulants and risk factors for ossified fabella.

Sensitive and precise nucleic acid detection is critical for clinical diagnostics and biotechnological advancements. Diagnostic in infectious disease field is very unique from diagnosing any other disease, that is time is of the essence; in outbreaks people die even with each passing hour in some cases, if the correct diagnosis wasn't make; for example Zika in particularly is a very challenging virus to diagnose, because it's in very few numbers of copies in the infected person, so it need high sensitive diagnostic approach to spot it, In particular, the advanced tools SHERLOCKv2 and DETECTR, give almost an immediate detection of attomolar amounts of pathogenic nucleic acids with specificity similar to that of PCR but with slight technical settings and that will guide the correct intervention for the patient. SHERLOCKv2 and DETECTR technologies are game changers for our ability to identify infectious disease and rapid detection of tumor DNA or cancer-related viruses with ultra-sensitive tests that don’t require a lot of complicated processing to go through. In this paper, we will review cutting-edge infectious disease diagnosis by CRISPR-Cas systems.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of tea polyphenol （TP） on serum hormone, serum enzyme activity, antioxidant-related and immune-related gene expression of laying hens under heat stress. A total of 288 Chinese yellow chicken (186 days old) were randomly distributed among two treatments, each of which included 6 replicates of 24 hens. Dietary treatments were that the basal diet was supplemented with 200 mg / kg tea polyphenol. The study lasted for 7 weeks, including 1 week of adaptation and 6 weeks of the formal test. The content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total protein (TP) in serum significantly decreased by dietary supplementation with tea polyphenol. Dietary tea polyphenol supplementation improved serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activity and decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content in treatments compared to the control. However, supplementation of tea polyphenol did not affect the activity of serum catalase (CAT). The results indicated that long-term feeding of tea polyphenols help to increase the amount of hormones (FSH, E2) associated with reproduction in laying hens and thus improve egg production. It also improved the immune function of laying hens in high temperature environments. Adding tea polyphenols to the diet can significantly increase the serum IgG, IgM content of the laying hens and can upregulate the IgA content. Dietary supplementation of tea polyphenols in the laying hens significantly increased the expression of antioxidant enzyme-related genes (SOD, CAT and GPX1) in the liver. Moreover, the addition of tea polyphenols significantly increased the expression of immune-related genes (Interferon-γ (INF-γ), Interleukin 2 (IL-2) and Interleukin 4 (IL-4)) in the spleen. It is concluded that addition of tea polyphenols has a positive effect on antioxidant activity and immune function of laying hens.

EZH2 overexpression is associated with tumor proliferation, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Targeting and inhibiting EZH2 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We previously analyzed EZH2 mRNA expression in a well-characterized dataset of 230 (110 original and 120 validation cohorts) human head and neck cancer samples. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inhibiting EZH2, either via RNA interference or via pharmacotherapy, on HNSCC growth. EZH2 upregulation was significantly correlated with recurrence (P < 0.001) and the methylation index of tumor suppressor genes (P < 0.05). DNMT3A was significantly upregulated upon EZH2 upregulation (P = 0.043). Univariate analysis revealed that EZH2 upregulation was associated with poor disease-free survival (log-rank test, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, EZH2 upregulation was evaluated as a significant independent prognostic factor of disease-free survival (hazard ratio: 2.085, 95% confidence interval: 1.390–3.127; P < 0.001). Cells treated with RNA interference and DZNep, an EZH2 inhibitor, showed the most dramatic changes in expression, accompanied with a reduction in the growth and survival of FaDu cells. These findings suggest that EZH2 upregulation is correlated with tumor aggressiveness and adverse patient outcomes in HNSCC. Evaluation of EZH2 expression might help predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients.

Recent evidence suggests the existence of shared neural resources for rhythm processing in language and music. Such overlaps could be the basis of the facilitating effect of regular musical rhythm on spoken word processing previously reported for typical children and adults, as well as adults with Parkinson’s disease and children with developmental language disorders. The present study builds upon these previous findings by examining whether musical rhythmic priming also influences visual word processing, and the extent to which such cross-modal priming effect of rhythm is related to individual differences in musical aptitude and reading skills. EEG was recorded while participants listened to a rhythmic tone prime, followed by a visual target word with a stress pattern that either matched or mismatched the rhythmic structure of the auditory prime. Participants were also administered standardized assessments of musical aptitude and reading achievement. ERPs elicited by target words with a mismatching stress pattern showed an increased fronto-central negativity. Additionally, the size of the negative effect correlated with individual differences in musical rhythm aptitude and reading comprehension skills. Results support the existence of shared neurocognitive resources for linguistic and musical rhythm processing, and have important implications for the use of rhythm-based activities for reading interventions.

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a key pathological feature of several of the leading causes of vision loss including neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Here we show that a calreticulin anti-angiogenic domain (CAD)-like peptide 27, CAD27, inhibited in vitro angiogenic activities, including tube formation and migration of endothelial cells, and suppressed vascular sprouting from rat aortic ring explants. In rat model of laser-induced CNV, we demonstrate that intravitreal injection of CAD27 significantly attenuated the formation of CNV lesions as measured via fundus fluorescein angiography and choroid flat-mounts (19.5% and 22.4% reductions at 10μg and 20μg of CAD27 injected, respectively). Similarly, the reduction of CNV lesions was observed in the groups of rats that had received topical applications of CAD27 (choroid flat-mounts: 17.9% and 32.5% reductions at 10μg/mL and 20μg/mL of CAD27 installed, respectively). Retinal function was unaffected, as measured using electroretinography in both groups received interareal injection or topical applications of CAD27 at least for 9 days. These findings show that CAD27 can be used as a potential therapeutic alternative for targeting CNV in the diseases such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Garment sector has crucial working field in Turkey.It has also very high risky occupational health conditions and safety.The objective of this study is to define level of job level, work-related stress’ symptoms, social support and coping mechanisms of garment workers and to determine any related factors.This study is descriptive and cross-sectional. The study population comprised garment workers in the 16-65 age range. The data was collected by Assessment Form, The Brief Stress Coping Profile and Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. The level of work-related stress was statistically higher among the workers who had chronic disease, low economic, education status and poor quality of sleep. Psychological and physical physiological reactions to stress were found higher among women workers and those with chronic disease.It also was seen that job stress scores had a meaningful relationship with “emotional expression involving others” (r =.20) and “Avoidance and suppression” coping profile (r =.16; p <.01).Psychological symptom scores were found to have a low level of meaningful relationship with “Seeking help for solution” (r =-.08), “changing point of view” (r=.13) and “emotional expression involving others” coping profiles (r=.21). Work-related stress causes many health and behavioral problems. Work related reasons and coping profiles have powerful effects on stress.

Age-related diseases (ARDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and contribute to 90% of mortality in developed countries. Interestingly, the mortality rates of individual ARDs increase exponentially with age. Processes described by the exponential growth function typically involve a branching chain reaction or, more generally, a positive feedback loop. Here I propose that each ARD is mediated by one or several positive feedback loops (vicious cycles). I then identify critical vicious cycles in five major ARDs: atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. I also propose that the progression of ARDs can be halted by selectively interrupting the vicious cycles and suggest the most promising targets. An evolutionary perspective is also offered.

In water scarcity regions, using data-driven approaches to predict groundwater level is challenging due to limited data availability. However, these regions have substantial water needs and require cost-effective groundwater utilization strategies. In this study, we use artificial intelligence to predict groundwater levels to provide guidance for drilling shallow boreholes for subsistence irrigation. The Bilate watershed, which is located in southern Ethiopia, was selected as the study area. This is typical of areas in Africa with high demand for water and limited availability of well data. Using a non-time-series database of 75 boreholes, machine learning models including multiple linear regression, multivariate adaptive regression spline, artificial neural networks, random forest regression, and gradient boosting regression (GBR) were constructed to predict the depth to the water table. 20 independent variables were considered in the models. GBR performed the best of the approaches with an average 0.77 R-squared value on testing data. Finally, a map of predicted water levels in the Bilate watershed was created based on the best model with water levels ranging from 1.6 to 245.9 meters. With the limited set of borehole data, the results show a clear signal that can provide guidance for borehole drilling decisions for sustainable irrigation with additional implications for drinking water.

Production and transport of reactive species through plasma-liquid interactions plays a significant role in multiple applications in biomedicine, environment, and agriculture. We experimentally investigated the transport mechanisms of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 and ozone O3, as the typical plasma species, into water. We measured the solvation of gaseous H2O2 and O3 in airflow into water bulk vs. electrosprayed microdroplets while changing the gas and water flow rates, applied voltage that determines the gas-liquid interface area, and treatment time. The solvation rate of H2O2 and O3 increased with the treatment time and the gas-liquid interface area. The total surface area of the electrosprayed microdroplets was larger than that of the bulk, but their lifetime was much shorter. We estimated that only microdroplets with diameters below ~ 40 µm could achieve the saturation by O3 during their lifetime, while the saturation by H2O2 was impossible due to its depletion from air. Besides the short-lived flying microdroplets, the longer-lived bottom microdroplets substantially contributed to H2O2 and O3 solvation in water electrospray. This study contributes to a better understanding of the gaseous H2O2 and O3 transport into water as a function of different parameters and will lead to design optimization of the plasma-liquid interaction systems.

The goods and services produced by forest vegetation ecosystem are the driving force for the rapid, high-quality and sustainable development of human society. In history, with the increase of population and economic development, there is an increasing demand for the quantity and variety of forest vegetation ecosystem products and services in a country or a region. To meet the demands, most of the original forest has become farmland, plantation and grass and crops land. As a result, the plant water relationship changed from equilibrium to non-equilibrium, which easily led to soil drought, soil degradation and vegetation decline in dry years or waste of soil water in rainy years in most of water-limited regions. In order to solve the question and realize the sustainable utilization of soil water resources and the high-quality sustainable development of forest, it is necessary to apply the limit theory of plant utilization of soil water resources and the vegetation carrying capacity theory in the critical period of plant-water relationship regulation to adjust the relationship between plant growth and soil moisture to obtain the maximum yield and benefit and realize high-quality and sustainable development.

The European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) aims to achieve a good ecological and chemical status of all bodies of surface water by 2027. The development of an integrated guidance on surface water chemical monitoring (e.g. WFD Guidance Document No. 7/19) has been transferred into national German law (Ordinance for the Protection of Surface Waters, OGewV). For the majority of compounds, this act requires a monthly sampling frequency to assess the chemical water quality status of a surface water body. To evaluate the representativeness of the sampling strategy under the OGewV, high-frequency online monitoring data is investigated under different sampling scenarios and compared with current, monthly grab sampling strategy. About 23 million data points were analyzed for this study, three chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, nitrate-nitrogen, chloride concentration) and discharge data were selected from four catchment of different sizes ranging from 51391 km² to 84 km² (Elbe, Vereinigte Mulde, Neiße and two stations at Lockwitzbach). In this paper we proposed short-term online-monitoring (STOM) as a sampling alternative. STOM considers the placement of online sensors over a limited duration and return interval. In general we: (I) compare the results of conventional grab sampling with STOM, (II) investigate the different performance of STOM and grab sampling using discharge data as proxy for analyzing event-mobilized pollutants and (III) investigate the related uncertainties and costs of both sampling methods. Results show, that STOM outperforms grab sampling for parameters where minimum/maximum concentrations are required by law as the probability to catch a single extreme value is higher with STOM. Furthermore, parameters showing a pronounced diurnal pattern, like dissolved oxygen, are also captured considerably better. The performance of STOM showed no substantial improvements for parameters with small concentration variability, as nitrogen-nitrate The analysis of discharge events as a proxy parameter for event-mobilized pollutants proved that the probability of capturing samples during events is significantly increased by STOM.

Groundwater represents a pivotal asset in conserving natural water reservoirs for potable consumption, irrigation, and diverse industrial uses. Nevertheless, human activities intertwined with industry and agriculture contribute significantly to groundwater contamination, highlighting the critical necessity to appraise water quality for safe drinking and effective irrigation. This research primarily focused on employing the Water Quality Index (WQI) to gauge water's appropriateness for these purposes. However, the generation of an accurate WQI can prove time-intensive owing to potential errors in sub-index calculations. In response to this challenge, an artificial intelligence (AI) forecasting model was devised, aiming to streamline the process while mitigating errors. The study collected 422 data samples from Mirpurkash, a city nestled in the province of Sindh, for a comprehensive exploration of the region's WQI attributes. Furthermore, the study probed into unraveling the interdependencies amidst variables in the physiochemical analysis of water. Diverse machine learning classifiers were employed for WQI prediction, with findings revealing that random forest and gradient boosting eclipsed other algorithms, achieving an accuracy rate of 99%. In close pursuit were SVM and XGBoost, registering accuracy scores of approximately 95% and 93%, respectively, while KNN and Decision Trees garnered accuracy rates of 88% and 87%, respectively. In addition to WQI prediction, the study conducted an uncertainty analysis of the models using the R-factor, providing insights into the reliability and consistency of predictions. This dual approach, combining accurate WQI prediction with uncertainty assessment, contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of water quality in Mirpurkash and enhances the reliability of decision-making processes related to groundwater utilization

The increasing demand for water resources in urban areas, such as Bangladesh, due to population growth is a significant concern. One potential solution under consideration is the use of air conditioning (AC) condensate water. A study conducted at the European University of Bangladesh (EUB) focused on assessing the quality and quantity of AC condensate water from various systems. The results indicate that the collected water generally adhered to the quality standards established for drinking and household use in Bangladesh. Parameters such as pH (averaging 6.8), turbidity (1.08 NTU), total dissolved solids (TDS) (averaging 219 mg/L), iron content (0 mg/L), alkalinity (averaging 41.67 mg/L), arsenic (0 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (averaging 3.67 mg/L), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (averaging 1.33 mg/L), chloride content (averaging 30.77 mg/L), and other factors were evaluated. Moreover, the AC units at EUB, varying in cooling capacity (1 ton, 2 tons, and 4 tons), produced substantial monthly volumes of 96, 177, and 354 liters of condensate water, respectively. This underscores the potential of AC condensate water as a valuable resource for addressing urban water scarcity. As a result, there is a pressing need for local decision-makers and policymakers to establish well-defined guidelines for the effective utilization of AC condensate water to mitigate water scarcity issues in urban areas.

A very important role in determining the quality of water is the assessment of its microbiological quality. Water quality control, which could pose a direct threat to human health and life, is performed in the case of water produced at the water treatment plants, tap water or water in swimming pools. However, these traditional methods used to assess its quality are laborious and time consuming. In emergency and incidental situations, in the era of terrorist threats, the need for quick, reliable and reproducible microbiological determinations seems to be essential. In this study, an attempt was made to compare various methods of assessing the microbiological quality of water. The assessment was carried out for waters with different microbiological characteristics: surface waters, rainwater, groundwater, and water supply. The evaluation was carried out using traditional culture methods and high-speed methods: flow cytometry and luminometry. The analysis of microbiological parameters were the basis for the statistical analysis. The conducted microbiological analysis of various types of water, along with their statistical evaluation, showed different dependencies for each of the analysed waters.

Knowledge of water availability in terms of spatial (i.e., depth) and temporal variability of soil water is essential to describe soil water infiltration and storage processes accurately. Therefore, performing simulations of soil water dynamics can be a valuable tool to evaluate different land uses and their impact on water availability. Consequently, this study aimed to model the volumetric soil water content (θ, cm3 cm-3) under agroforestry systems (AFS) with cocoa. For this purpose, the θ was monitored at different depths (0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80, 80-100 cm) in the soil profile of four plots (20 × 50 m) of cocoa under agroforestry systems. Environmental conditions significantly influenced the water balance of the cocoa crop. There were seven moments when evapotranspiration (ET0) was higher than 5 mm d-1. During those moments, the environment exhibited higher PAR values of 1041 µmol m-2 s-1, very low atmospheric relative humidity (RHa) levels (around 45%), higher ambient temperatures of 32.2 ºC and a vapor pressure deficit of 1.6 kPa whose θ levels reached 0.32 cm3 cm-3 and a water balance of -5.7 mm, which presented negative values during most of the study period. The θ obtained from the HYDRUS-1D model presented a slight bias as a high level of coherence between the observed values, based on the model's goodness-of-fit estimators. The above provides accurate simulations of soil water content at various depths, much-needed information for management schemes for cocoa cultivation under agroforestry systems.

Within this paper, a machine learning algorithm is used to investigate the importance of certain setpoints and parameters in the filtration processes of a large-scale water treatment facility. Previously, a model for the filtration process based on Run-to-Run Control was proposed and tested against sample data from the treatment plant, but it was quickly found that such a model was incompatible for successfully computing setpoints of operation which minimize the energy cost of running the filtration systems. The machine learning model described herein is an attempt to elucidate the importance of the available data on the filtration systems and to identify the most important variables that influence the filtration run time.

With permafrost degenerating caused by climate change, water accumulation increases in permafrost regions during last decades. Water accumulation will deteriorate existing status of engineering in cold regions. Water accumulation can make a thermal effect on permafrost under construction, even result in failure of the subgrade. Moreover, the thermal effect is related to water temperature. However, temperature variation of water accumulation is complex, and its influence factors include air temperature, environment, scope of water accumulation and so on. In order to make analysis of the damage mechanism of water accumulation on permafrost, it is necessary to explore the internal temperature change of water accumulation. This paper proposes a review about temperature calculation method of water accumulation in cold environment. The thermal calculation method between air and water boundary of water accumulation is summarized. Water temperature change of water accumulation with various type is analyzed. The thermal calculation considering phase transformation in water accumulation is discussed, and heat transfer from the bottom of water accumulation to the underlying soil is further studied. Finally, the key factors which are advantageous to make research about the thermal effect of water accumulation in permafrost is proposed to optimize calculation method.

Since the second half of the second millennium AD, water management among the Chagga people of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania has involved community collaboration in the construction, ownership and management of water infrastructure. Chagga settlement on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro transformed the landscape significantly to reflect an agrarian society characterised by decentralised forms of socio-political and economic organisation. Such organization involved conception, construction, and post-construction management of water distribution systems, constituting high-level socio-political complexity. The study employs ethnography, archaeological surveys and GIS to document water infrastructures on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro. We conclude that community collaboration was key in management of the water infrastructure and by extension, agriculture, which sustained Chagga and chiefdoms for centuries.

Rocks are materials with a wide variety of structures and properties. These can be unprocessed conglomerates of conglomerated minerals as well as crystallized outcrop or metamorphic rocks. Their processing, especially shaping, poses many technological difficulties. Therefore, it is very important to answer the question of how these natural materials yield to high-pressure water jet and abrasive water. It is equally important to determine the effect of key process parameters such as pressure, water nozzle diameter and feed rate on cutting efficiency. The first two parameters determine the water output and power of the jet, while the third determines the jet erosion time per unit volume of material. Their interdependence, using appropriate evaluation indicators, allows to determine the energy intensity of processing and directions for its minimization.

This study looks at the application of delayed action Passive InfraRed (PIR) sensors in the control of water use for urinal flushing. In this we briefly review the literature on urinal controls before reviewing four different approaches to PIR urinal controls. Existing literature discusses some of the pros and cons of different types of urinal control. However, the literature doesn’t consider the marked differences that can occur within individual approaches, based on the way controls operate. This study was initiated at the University of Surrey during 2019 following a water saving audit, in an attempt to bring down what had been identified as one of the largest users of water. This paper therefore aims to identify the most effective way to reduce water consumption of urinal systems, through retro-fitting PIR control systems within the variety of settings found across university campuses. This paper also reviews the different reductions achieved over periods of different levels of use, linked to term time, holidays, Covid-19 related lockdowns, and the ‘new normal’. It found that grouped delayed action flushing was the most effective form of urinal control for reducing water use. The delayed action, grouped PIR sensors, achieved between, a 59-64% adjusted reduction against the control group during non-Covid19 periods, and a 35% reduction against the control group during lockdowns.

Turbulence is a fluid dynamic problem refractory to mathematical treatment. Examining a theoretical model of liquid water flowing in a cylinder at different Raleigh numbers, we propose a novel approach to elucidate the first stages of turbulent flows. The weakly bonded molecular assemblies of liquid water form a fluctuating branched polymer in which every micro-cluster displays different density. Against the common view of liquid water as an incompressible and continuous fluid, we suggest that the occurrence of transient local aggregates could be able to generate the vortices and eddies that are the hallmarks of turbulence. We quantify the local changes in velocity, diameter and density required to engender “obstacles” to the average flow. Then, we show how these microstructures, equipped with different Raleigh numbers and characterized by high percolation index, could generate boundary layers that contribute to micro-vortices production. We conclude that the genesis of turbulence cannot be assessed in terms of collective phenomena, rather is sustained, among many other factors, by the underrated microscopic inhomogeneities of fluids like liquid water.

Stable isotope concentrations in the soil, rain and ground water have been used to trace the water extraction zones of plants in different environments. The need to identify the plant water use by plants in afforestation programs to control desertification increases the importance of sap water partitioning of plants in sand dune areas. However, the introduction of new plant covers exerts pressure on the water resources and can affect the local soil water conditions. In this study, we analyzed the isotope concentrations in rain, soil, sap, and ground water after the summer of 2010. Two experimental plots established in the Hailiutu catchment (Shaanxi province, northwest China) were selected to gather the water samples between September and October 2010. One plot is dominated by Salix bushes (Salix psammophila C. Wang \& Chang Y. Yang) and the other by the tree species Willow (Salix matsudana Koidz.). The total precipitation at the experimental site was 401 mm/yr during 2010, while 88.7 mm was collected in total for the period September to October. Willow trees transpired 12.82 kg/d being almost three times larger than Salix shrubs (4.57 kg/d). Despite the transpiration rates of both plant species and the few rain events in the region, the soil water beneath the plant covers is not depleted. Stable isotope signature of soil water beneath both covers shows the fractionation front in Salix at 20 cm depth and at Willow at 40 cm depth. However, soil water signature is closer to the groundwater than the collected rain water.

In this article, the quality of water in the reservoirs of Lake Arpi, Lake Yerevan, Akhuryan, Azat, Aparan and Kechut was estimated with usage of the Armenian Water Quality Index. It was established that in the waters of reservoirs the the maximum permissible concentration of copper, vanadium, aluminum, chromium, manganese, iron, NH4+ and NO2- regularly increases. The following computational algorithm was used for determination of the Armenian Water Quality Index values: to determine the number of cases of MPC excess of i-substance or indicator of water –n; to estimate the total amount of cases of the maximum permissible concentration (N) – N = ∑n; to computes log2N, nlog2n and ∑nlog2n; to determine geoecological syntropy (I) and entropy (H): I = ∑ nlog2n/N and H = log2N – I. Then, Geo-Ecological Evolving Organized index index was determined: G = H/I. Further, the total amount multiplicity of MAC exceedances was estimated: (M) - M=∑m and log2M was computed. Finally, Armenian Water Quality Index was obtained: AWQI = G + 0.1log2M. It was established that the Armenian Water Qquality Index showed a linear dependence on the Water Contamination Index, the Specific Combinatory Water Quality Index, the Geo-Ecological Evolving Organized index and an inverse dependence on the Canadian Water Quality Index.

For decades, the Ébrié Lagoon in Côte d'Ivoire has been the receptacle of wastewater effluent and household waste transported by runoff water. This work assesses the spatio-temporal variability of the Ébrié lagoon water quality at the city of Abidjan. The methodological approach used in this study is summarized in three stages: the choice and standardization of the parameters for assessing water quality for uses such as aquaculture, irrigation, watering, and sports and recreation; the weighting of these parameters using the Hierarchical Analysis Process (AHP) of Saaty; and finally, the aggregation of the weighted parameters or factors. Physicochemical and microbiological analysis data on the waters of the Ébrié lagoon for June and December of 2014 and 2015 were provided by the Ivorian Center for Anti-Pollution (Centre Ivoirien Anti-Pollution, CIAPOL) and the concentrations of trace elements in sediments (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn) were used. The aggregation of standardized and weighted parameters allowed the determination of the Water Quality Indices (WQI) by usage for each bays of the lagoon. The results show that in both 2014 and 2015, the waters of the Ébrié lagoon were generally of poor quality for the different uses examined in this study (aquaculture, irrigation, watering and sport and recreation) with an accentuation in 2015. However, some bays of the lagoon have waters of dubious to satisfactory quality. This study contributes an improved evaluation of the Ébrié lagoon waters.

This study estimates rainfall interception losses from natural wetland ecosystems based on maximum canopy storage measurements. Rainfall interception losses play an important role in water balance, which is crucial in wetlands, and has not yet been thoroughly studied in relation to this type of ecosystem. Maximum canopy storage was measured using the weight method. Based on these measurements, daily values of interception losses were estimated and then used to calculate long term interception losses based on precipitation and potential evapotranspiration data for the 1971–2015 period. Depending mainly on the number of days with precipitation, the results show that total interception losses for the growing season as well as monthly interception losses are around 13% of gross rainfall. This value is similar to the values observed for some forests. Hence, interception losses should not be disregarded in hydrologic models of wetlands, especially because data trends in meteorological conditions (mainly number of days with precipitation) show that interception losses will increase in the future if those trends stay the same.

There is a balanced plant-water relationship in the primary vegetation of desert area. With the increase of population and social development in desert areas, people’s need for forest vegetation ecosystem’s goods and service have been changed. To meet the growing demand for plant community goods and services, more original vegetation has been changed into non-native vegetation such as in China loess plateau. However, with the plant growth, sometime soil drying happens and then becomes gradually serious with times in most of desert regions. Serious drying of soil eventually result in soil degradation, vegetation decline and agriculture failure，which influence the produce and supply of forest vegetation goods and service in market in dry year or waste of soil water resources in wet year, which wastes precious nature resources. In order to solve these problems, the soil water resources have to be used in sustainable way and plant-water relationship have to be regulated on Carrying Capacity of Soil Water for Vegetation in the key period of plant water relationship regulation, to carry out sustainable use of nature resources, high-quality and sustainable development of forest and grass or high-quality produce of fruit and crop in desert re-gions.

Radical reactions in water or aqueous media are important for organic synthesis, realizing high yielding processes under non-toxic and environmentally friendly conditions. This overview includes (i) a general introduction to organic chemistry in water and aqueous media, (ii) synthetic approaches in-, on- and with-water as well as in heterogeneous phase, (iii) reaction of carbon-centered radicals with water (or deuterium oxide) activated through coordination with various Lewis acids, (iv) photocatalysis in water and aqueous media, and (v) synthetic applications bioinspired from naturally occurring processes. A wide range of chemical processes and synthetic strategies under different experimental conditions have been reviewed that lead to important functional group translocation and transformation reactions, leading to the preparation of complex molecules. These results reveal how water as a solvent/medium/reagent in radical chemistry has matured over the last two decades and how further discoveries are foreseen to come in the near future.

This article presents a field-performance investigation on an Integrated Solar Water Supply System (SWSS) at two isolated agricultural areas in Thailand. The two case-study villages (Pongluek and Bangkloy ) have experienced severe draughts in the last decades, and therefore water supply has become a major issue. A stand-alone 15.36 kW solar power and a 15 kW solar submersible pump were installed along with the input power generated by solar panels supported by four solar trackers. The aim is to lift water at the static head of 64 and 48 m via piping length of 400 metres for each village to be stored in 1,000 m3 and 1,800 m3 reservoirs at an average of 300 m3 and 400 m3 per day, respectively for Pongluek and Bangkloy villages. The case study results have shown that the real costs of electricity generated by SWSS using solar PV systems intergraded with the solar tracking system yield better performance and are more advantageous compared with the non-tracking system. This study illustrates how system integration has been employed. System design and commercially available simulation predictions are elaborated. Construction, installation, and field tests for SWSS are discussed and highlighted. Performances of the SWSS in different weather conditions such as sunny, cloudy, and rainy days were analysed to make valuable suggestions for higher efficiency of the integrated solar water supply systems.

Drought-induced plant mortality has increased globally during the last decades and is forecasted to influence global vegetation dynamics. Timely information on plant water dynamics is essential for understanding and anticipating drought-induced plant mortality. The most common metric that has been used for decades for measuring water stress is leaf water potential (Ψ_L), which is measured destructively. To obtain information on water dynamics from trees and forested landscapes, remote sensing methods have been developed. However, the spatial and temporal resolution of the existing methods have limited our understanding of water dynamics and diurnal variation of Ψ_L within single trees. Thus, we investigated the capability of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) intensity in observing diurnal variation in Ψ_L during a 50 hour monitoring period and aimed to improve understanding on how large part of the diurnal variation in Ψ_L can be captured using intensity observations. We found that TLS intensity at 905 nm wavelength was able to explain 78% of the variation in Ψ_L for three trees of two tree species with a root-mean square error of 0.137 MPa. Based on our experiment with three trees, time-series of TLS intensity measurements can be used in detecting changes in Ψ_L, and thus it is worthwhile to expand the investigations to cover a wider range of tree species and forests and further increase our understanding of plant water dynamics at wider spatial and temporal scales.

This narrative review provides a thorough examination of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), encompassing its etiology, the role of drug holidays, and contemporary treatment approaches. By systematically analyzing literature from 2022 to 2023, this paper synthesizes the latest findings and trends in MRONJ research. The study emphasizes the importance of a holistic understanding of MRONJ, beginning with its etiological factors, assessing the therapeutic implications of drug holidays, and evaluating the efficacy of current treatment modalities. This review aims to offer clinicians and researchers a consolidated resource, highlighting the intricacies of MRONJ management and proposing directions for future research. Through this comprehensive approach, the paper seeks to advance the understanding and treatment of MRONJ, ensuring an evidence-based, patient-centric approach in clinical practice.

Human resources management (HRM) development aims at career sustainability. Work-related flow, as originated and defined by Csikszentmihalyi, is a process experienced by those optimally challenged by their work, considered the optimal work-related experience. Happiness is a judgment-dependent state of a pleased satisfaction with one’s current experience that one hopes will continue. PERMA (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) represents five measurable factors of positive psychology that constitute well-being. As the optimal work-related experience, flow determines career sustainability compared with either happiness or PERMA factors. HRM development programs focused on happiness or PERMA factors thus represents risk factors regarding an inability to develop career sustainability. Established from this publisher’s founding ongoing concern with sustainability, articles published in MDPI journals with the keywords “flow, Csikszentmihalyi, work” were searched, excluding those pertaining to education, health, leisure, marketing, non-workers, and spirituality. Of 628 results returned, 28 reports were included for potential assessment. Although current studies on flow represented only three, the results regarding flow position it as the best indicator of career sustainability, contrasted to either happiness or PERMA. Consequently, HRM is advised to concentrate on developing practices for assessing and encouraging employees’ engagement with work-related flow in its aim of career sustainability.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not only common in the general population but even more so in patients with tumors of the head and neck region. Untreated, it leads to reduced quality of life, increased daytime sleepiness, and other comorbidities. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in the occurrence of OSA in the patient population with head and neck tumors compared to the general population as represented by the Trend cohort of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) , and to assess the influence of tumor treatment. Methods: Between July 2018 and December 2021, preoperative polysomnography was conducted in 47 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma in the oropharynx, hypo-pharynx, or larynx. A follow-up polysomnography was performed in 23 patients 2-11 months af-ter completing treatment. The collected data was correlated with tumor treatment and tumor size. Results: Of the included patients, 43 were male and four were female. Age ranged from 54 to 90 years. The pretherapeutic measurement found no significant difference in the prevalence of a pathologically elevated apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in our patients compared to the SHIP-Trend cohort. In the follow-up measurement after treatment completion, a significant deterioration in AHI was observed. Initially, 70 % of patients had an AHI > 5, after therapy this increased to 87 %. The effect was particularly pronounced in the group of patients with advanced tumor stages who had received primary chemoradiation. Conclusion: OSA is a relevant condition in patients with head and neck cancer. Tumor treatment can lead to an increased occurrence of sleep-related breathing disorders, especially in patients with advanced tumor stages undergoing primary chemoradiation. Additional studies are neces-sary to better understand the exact mechanism involved.

Both scleroderma and immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) are systemic fibro-inflammatory diseases characterised by lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. IgG4-RD and systemic Sclerosis (SSc) may share common pathophysiological mechanisms, but no examples of co-occurrence of the diseases have been found. Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is implemented in selected rapidly progressive SSc with high risk of organ failure. However, existing guidelines are based on clinical trials that do not represent the entire patient population and exclude critically ill patients with no therapeutic alternatives. Examples of AHSCT in IgG4-RD are absent. We report the case of AHSCT in a female patient with overlapping progressive diffuse SSc and sinonasal IgG4-RD. Despite immunosuppressive therapy, IgG4-RD developed and clinically manifested shortly before AHSCT. Lacking therapeutic alternatives, after 11 years of SSc therapy, the 44-year-old successfully underwent AHSCT. The 63-month follow-up showed regression of symptoms. Only after surgical treatment (bilateral ethmoidectomy, sphenoidotomy, intranasal buccal antrostomy) the initially progressive clinical course of IgG4-RD remained indolent.

Appropriate diagnosis, treatment and care contributes to better service engagement, improvements to wellbeing, cost savings, reductions in morbidity and mortality for people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage. In the North-East of England large amounts of alcohol are consumed, reflected in the number of alcohol-related deaths in the region. However, the pathway for people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage to receipt of diagnosis, treatment and care is unknown and could be unwittingly influenced by stigma. Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews were completed with 25 health and social care professionals from organisations involved with people with Alcohol Related Brain Damage recruited via snowball-sampling. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analysed. People with Alcohol Related Brain Damage were stigmatised both by society and professionals which inhibited entry into services therefore Alcohol Related Brain Damage remained underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. There was no dedicated service but silos with revolving doors and underfunded generic care with long waiting lists typically excluding those with alcohol or neurological problems. Professionals need to be challenged on the assumption that Alcohol Related Brain Damage is self-inflicted via training aimed at challenging unconscious bias. Reducing stigmatising processes associated with Alcohol Related Brain Damage could counteract professionals’ reluctance to provide care.

Pathologic angiogenesis is responsible for much of the vision loss that stems from several chorioretinal vascular diseases including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Because vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) serves as a pivotal angiogenic molecule, it has emerged as the primary target for therapeutic drugs. Current anti-VEGF therapy is dominated by bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept, all of which have been available for more than a decade, but new drugs, both biosimilars (Byooviz and Cimerli) and drugs whose primary aim is to decrease treatment burden (brolucizumab, faricimab, and the ranibizumab port delivery system), have been approved. Recent failures (conbercept, abicipar, and KSI-301) emphasize the complexity of drug development and the difficulties faced by innovators. Most therapies under development, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors and gene therapy, include VEGF-A blockade as their primary function and aim to extend durability rather than increase peak efficacy. But even as many new drugs look to extend durability, cost containment with mandated use of biosimilars serves to balance the therapeutic landscape.

The ongoing conflict in Syria and Iraq has caused many residents of these countries to flee. This study explored how these refugees cope with traumatic experiences from pre-migration to post-migration phases and how they develop resilience experiences at the individual, familial, and community levels. Data were collected through individual interviews and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. A discussion of the findings revealed (1) a cumulative effect of prolonged adversity from pre-migration to resettlement phases; (2) the impacts of post-migration context as it facilitates refugees’ adjustment or leads to re-traumatization through increased marginalization; and (3) finally, an overview of refugees’ ongoing survival. Clinical implications are presented along with policy implications and future directions for research.

Purpose The objective of this study was to eliminate any ambiguity by examining the correlation between gut microbiota and both AMD and glaucoma. Methods Mendelian randomization studies were conducted utilizing the data sourced from the GWAS database for the gut microbiome, AMD, and glaucoma. SNP estimates were summarized through five MR methods. We utilized Cochran's Q statistic to evaluate the heterogeneity of the instrumental variables. Additionally, we employed a "leave-one-out" approach to verify the stability of our findings. Results IVW suggests that Eubacterium (oxidoreducens group) and Parabacteroides had a protective effect on AMD. Both weighted median and IVW suggests that Lachnospiraceae (NK4A136 group) and Ruminococcaceae (UCG009) had a protective effect on AMD. However, both weighted median and IVW suggests that Dorea had a risk effect on AMD. Similarly, The IVW of Eubacterium (ventriosum group) showed a risk effect on AMD. The weighted median of Eubacterium (nodatum group), Lachnospiraceae (NC2004 group), and Roseburia had a risk effect on glaucoma. IVW suggested that Ruminococcaceae (UCG004) had a risk effect on glaucoma. Reverse MR analysis found a causal link between Eubacterium (nodatum group) and glaucoma. No causal relationships were found between AMD or glaucoma and the other mentioned bacterial groups. No significant heterogeneity or evidence of horizontal pleiotropy was detected. Conclusions This study found that certain gut bacteria had protective effects on AMD, while others may be risk factors for AMD or glaucoma. Besides, reverse MR found that glaucoma led to increased abundance of certain gut bacteria. Further trials are needed to clarify the specific mechanisms involved.