Endemic freshwater sponges (Demosponges, Lubomirskiidae) dominate in Lake Baikal and are multicellular filter-feeding animals represent a complex consortium of many species of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In recent years, mass disease and death of the L. baicalensis have been an urgent problem of Lake Baikal. The etiology and ecology of these events remain unknown. Bacteria in microbiomes of diseased sponges of the families Flavobacteriaceae and Oxalobacteraceae were dominant. Both species are opportunistic pathogens common for freshwater ecosystems. The aim of our study is to analyze the genomes of strains Janthinobacterium sp. SLB01 and Flavobacterium sp. SLB02, isolated from diseased sponges to identify the reasons for their joint dominance. The first one attacks the other cells using type VI secretion system, suppress gram-positive bacteria with violacein pigment and regulate its own activity via quorum sensing. It makes the floc and strong biofilm by exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and PEP‐CTERM proteins expression. The second one utilizes the fragments of cell walls produced of polysaccharides. Named two strains have noticeable difference in carbohydrates acquisition. We described the possible way of joint occupation of ecological niche into freshwater sponge microbial community. This study expands understanding about symbiotic relationship of microorganisms with freshwater Baikal sponges.

A small phylogenetically conserved sequence of 11,231 bp termed FAM247 is repeated in human chromosome 22 by segmental duplications. This sequence forms part of diverse genes that span evolutionary time, the protein genes being the earliest as they are present in zebrafish and/or mice genomes, the long non-coding RNA genes and pseudogenes the most recent as they appear to be present only in the human genome. We propose that the conserved sequence provides a nucleation site for new gene development at evolutionary conserved chromosomal loci where the FAM247 sequences reside. The FAM247 sequence also carries information in its open reading frames that provides protein exon amino acid sequences; one exon plays an integral role in immune system regulation, specifically, the function of ubiquitin specific protease (USP18) in the regulation of interferon. An analysis of this multifaceted sequence and the genesis of genes that contain it are presented.

Soft-matter systems when driven out-of-equilibrium often give rise to structures that usually lie in-between the macroscopic scale of the material and microscopic scale of its constituents. In this paper we review three such systems, the two-dimensional square-lattice Ising model, the Kuramoto model and the Rayeligh-Bénard convection system which when driven out-of-equilibrium give rise to emergent spatio-temporal order through self-organization. A common feature of these systems is that the entities that self-assemble are coupled to one another in some way, either through local interactions or through a continuous media. Therefore, the general nature of non-equilibrium fluctuations of the intrinsic variables in these systems are found to follow similar trends as order emerges. Through this paper, we attempt to look for connections between among these systems and systems in general which give rise to emergent order when driven out-of-equilibrium.

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

A series of MgAl-layered double hydroxide (MgAl-HT), the calcined form at 500^oC (MgAlO_x) and the re-hydrated one at 25^oC (MgAl-HT-RH) were synthesized. Physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface area of the as-synthesized, calcined and re-hydrated catalysts was determined by N₂ physisorption at -196^oC. CO₂-teperature programmed desorption (CO₂-TPD) was applied to determine the basic sites of catalysts. The catalytic test reaction was carried out using benzaldehyde and their derivatives with nitromethane and their derivatives. The Henry products (1-15) were obtained in a very good yield using MgAl-HT-RH catalyst either by conventional method at 90^oC in liquid phase, or under microwave irradiation method. The mesoporous structure and basic nature of re-hydrated solid catalyst were responsible for their superior catalytic efficiency. The robust nature was determined by using the same catalyst for five times, where the product % yield was almost unchanged significantly.

Angiogenesis is a complex process that involves interactions between endothelial cells and various other cell types as well as the tissue microenvironment. Several previous studies have demonstrated that mast cells accumulate at angiogenic sites. In spite of the evidence suggesting a relationship between mast cells and angiogenesis, the association of mast cells and endothelial cells remains poorly understood. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between mast cells and endothelial cells during in vitro angiogenesis. When endothelial cells were co-cultured with mast cells, angiogenesis was stimulated. Furthermore, there was direct intercellular communication via gap junctions between the two cell types. In addition, the presence of mast cells stimulated endothelial cells to release angiogenic factors. Moreover, conditioned medium from the co-cultures also stimulated in vitro angiogenesis. The results from this investigation demonstrate that mast cells have both direct and indirect proangiogenic effects and provide new insights into the role of mast cells in angiogenesis.

This article explores the relationship between convex functions defined on integers ($\mathbb{Z}$) and their extension to real numbers ($\mathbb{R}$). We introduce key definitions and investigate the hypothesis that there exists a unique convex curve within this family of functions, leading to a proof by contradiction. Our findings highlight the preservation of convexity as functions transition from integers to real numbers.

Among the alternatives pointed out as able to make livestock a more efficient activity and reduce its environmental impact, the use of feeds with high digestibility and the use of non-conventional fodder species can be highlighted. Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (TD) has already gained attention as a feed for ruminants. Nonetheless, there has been little discussion about the impacts of this plant on the rumen dynamics that lead to better animal performance. The aim of this study was to assess how increasing levels of TD could affect ruminal microbial biomass synthesis, degradability, and in vitro gas production (IVGP) of diets. Four diets were evaluated: a control diet (TD0: 400 g kg-1 soybean meal and corn grain, and 600 g kg-1 Tifton 85 hay (Cynodon spp)) and three increasing levels of TD (TD9: 90, TD27: 270, and TD45: 450 g kg-1 – dry matter basis) as a replacement for dietary roughage. A 96-hour IVGP assay was carried out and five incubation times (2, 4, 10, 24, and 96 hours) were used for degradability determination. Gas produced, methane (CH4), degradability of organic matter (IVDOM), short-chained fatty acid (SCFA) production, partitioning factor (PF), and microbial biomass (MB) were evaluated among treatments. There was no significant effect (P>0.05) between TD inclusion and IVGP at most incubation times; only at 6 hours of incubation did gas production increase linearly with TD inclusion (R2=0.19; P<0.05). TD inclusion had no effects on CH4. IVDOM increased linearly with TD inclusion at 6 and 10 hours, with TD45 being more degradable than the control diet at 6 hours only. There was a positive linear relationship (R2=0.20; P<0.05) between TD inclusion and PF. TD45 had significantly higher PF values than the control. MB also increased linearly (R2=0.30; P<0.05) with TD inclusion, and all diets with TD had significantly more MB than the control diet. The inclusion of TD at the levels used in this work was revealed to have a positive impact on microbial protein synthesis, which could be related to the higher microbial efficiency of increased substrate quality.

Oxalate, a compound produced by many edible plants and as a terminal metabolite in the liver of mammals, is a toxin that has a detrimental role to human health. Humans and other mam-mals do produce the enzymatic machinery to degrade oxalate. However, numerous oxa-late-degrading bacteria reside in the mammalian gut and thus provide an important function for hosts. The current review focuses on the environmental factors that influence the efficacy of pro-biotic oxalate-degrading bacteria, relative to oxalate metabolism. We describe the mechanism of oxalate catabolism and its consumption by obligate and facultative anaerobic oxalate-degrading bacteria, in both in vitro and in vivo environments. We also explore the environmental variables that impact oxalate degradation. Studies on single species degrade oxalate have not shown a strong impact on oxalate metabolism especially in high oxalate conditions such as consumption of foods high in oxalate (such as coffee and chocolate for humans or halogeton in animal feed). Considering effective variables which enhance oxalate degradation could be used in application of effective probiotic as a therapeutic tool in individuals with hyperoxaluria. This study indicates probiotics can be considered a good source of naturally occurring oxalate degrading agent in human colon

The World Anti-Doping Agency has prohibited gene doping in the context of progress in gene therapy. There is a risk that the artificial regulation of genes using plasmids could be applied for gene doping. However, no gold standard method to detect this has been established. Here, we aimed to develop a method to detect multiple transgene fragments as proof of gene doping. First, gene delivery model mice as a mimic of gene doping were created by injecting firefly luciferase plasmid with polyethylenimine (PEI) into the abdominal cavity. The results confirmed successful establishment of the model, with sufficient luminescence upon in vivo imaging. Next, multiple transgene fragments in the model were detected in plasma cell-free (cf)DNA, blood-cell-fraction DNA, and stool DNA using the TaqMan-qPCR assay, with the highest levels in plasma cfDNA. Using just a single drop of whole blood from the model, we also attempted long-term detection. The results showed that multiple transgene fragments were detected until 11 days. These findings indicate that the combination of plasma cfDNA or just one drop of whole blood with TaqMan-qPCR assay is feasible to detect plasmid-PEI-based gene doping. Our findings could accelerate the development of methods for detecting gene doping in humans.

Bioactive fractions were isolated from the leaves extract of Kalanchoe pinnata and subjected to scrutiny for their prospective anti-obesity properties. An array of in vitro phytochemical, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibition assays were executed, which dis-cerned fractions F1 and F2 as the most effective fractions. These fractions were sub-sequently studied through in vivo experiments, affirming that F2 as the most potent fraction. Further characterization of F2 was conducted via HPTLC MS-MSn tech-niques. The outcomes demonstrated that F2 produced a notable anti-obesity effect in obese mice, reducing their body weight and lipid metrics, and leading to advanta-geous changes in their organs. An analytical examination of F2 revealed the existence of four principal compounds, which were subsequently subjected to in silco molecular docking and dynamic analysis, confirming their aptitude for binding to selected pro-teins. These findings imply that the utilization of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves could pro-vide a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of obesity.

Analysing the human body by direct observation can lead to misinterpretation of underlying trends, whereas in vitro organ models facilitate their understanding. Likewise, in vitro organ models serve as valuable tools for assessing the toxicity of compounds. However, none of the existing models had the features we considered critical for toxicity assessment, so we developed an in vitro liver model for toxicity assessment. We used four different types of primary liver cells: Hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. We cultured them in different combinations of composition and volume of cell medium, hepatocyte proportion of total cells, and addition of extracellular matrix. We added rifampicin, ibuprofen and 5-fluorouracil to this model and observed the microanatomy and physiology changes for a week with preclinical and clinical instruments. Among the different model configurations, we selected the feature combination of the in vitro model that had similar biomarker values to those measured by the clinical instruments used in clinical diagnostics. When we exposed the selected model configuration to rifampicin, ibuprofen and 5-fluorouracil, the viability of Kupffer cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells was significantly lower than in the untreated samples. In contrast, we observed negligible viability of hepatocytes compared to the untreated samples. We have built an in vitro liver model that resembles the liver microenvironment and we have analysed it with clinical instrumentation to facilitate the data translation. In this sense, we have established that Kupffer and LSEC cells are suitable candidates for the search for clinical diagnostic markers of liver function.

Knowledge about ecological conditions and processes in centers of endemism (CoEs) is still limited with respect to various systematic groups of organisms, ecosystem types, ecological conditions and ecosystem functions. Endemics and CoEs play a prominent role in nature conservation monitoring and management, and in the organization of zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens. We review the meaning of different groups of organisms and indicators for the characterization of endemic-rich regions, the importance of heterogeneity in space, continuity in time, isolation and ex-situ management for the survival of endemic and threatened species. Currently, conversion of land cover and land use change are the most important causes of biodiversity decline and extinction risk of endemic and endangered species concentrated in CoEs. These are followed by climate change, including severe weather, and then natural processes such as volcanism, landslides or tsunamis. For conservation purposes the management of zoos, aquaria, botanical gardens, of regional land use, and social aspects of the diversity of endemics and CoEs have to be taken into account as well. We need better answers to questions about the relationship between ecoregions, CoEs and regional awareness of biodiversity, which is linked with human culture including the management of zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens, aesthetics, wellbeing, health and trade.

Introduction: The combination of Virtual Screening (VS) techniques with in vivo screening in the zebrafish model is currently being used in tandem for drug development in a faster and more efficient way. Areas covered: We review the different virtual screening techniques, the use of zebrafish as a vertebrate model for drug discovery and the synergy that exists between them. Expert opinion: We highlight the advantages of combining virtual and zebrafish larvae screening for drug discovery. On the one hand, VS is a faster and cheaper tool for searching active compounds and possible candidates for therapy than in vivo screening when processing large compound libraries. On the other hand, zebrafish larvae form a vertebrate model which allows in vivo screening of large amounts of the compounds. Importantly physiology and chemical response are mostly conserved between zebrafish and mammals. The availability of the transgenic and mutant zebrafish lines allows an analysis of a specific phenotype upon treatment along with toxicity, off-target effect, side effects, and dosage. Advantages of VS, in vivo whole animal approach screening, and the screening combinations are also reviewed.

Human eye is a specialized organ with complex anatomy and physiology, because it is characterized by different cell types with specific physiological functions. Given the complexity of the eye, ocular tissues are finely organized and orchestrated. In the last few years many in vitro models have been developed, in order to meet the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) for eye toxicity testing. This procedure is highly necessary to ensure that the risks associated with ophthalmic products meet appropriate safety criteria. In vitro preclinical testing is now a well-established practice of significant importance for evaluating the efficacy and safety of cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical products. Along with in vitro testing, also computational procedures, herein described, for evaluating the pharmacological profile of potential ocular drug candidates including their toxicity, are in rapid expansion. In this review the ocular cell types and functionality are described providing an overview about the scientific challenge for the development of three-dimensional in vitro models.

This paper introduces an Agent-Based Model (ABM) for investigating the dynamics of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, specifically focusing on dynamic coalition formation among IoT Service Providers (SPs). Extending our prior work in 5G network modeling, the ABM captures intricate interactions among device, network operator, SP, and customer agents, offering a versatile framework for studying IoT ecosystem dynamics. The simulation portrays the adaptive nature of collaborations, providing insights into the role of dynamic coalition formation in shaping the collaborative landscape of IoT.

With the increase of mining range from shallow coal seam outcrops to deep With the increase of mining range from shallow coal seam outcrops to deep mining and the improvement of mining intensity in the mining area, there has been a phenomenon of no water inrush in shallow coal mines and abnormal water inrush in deep coal mines in karst landform areas of Guizhou.The project conducted a study on the water source of water inrush in the Xinhua mining area of Jinsha County, Guizhou Province. The research results indicate that the overlying Changxing Formation limestone of the Longtan Formation is a weak (conductive) aquifer, and there is no possibility of water inrush in normal stratigraphic blocks. The spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the water inrush working face have verified that the Changxing Formation limestone in the shallow mined area has been damaged by mining activities, resulting in a large number of cracks in the rock mass and the formation of a large-scale water accumulation area, becoming a water source for the water inrush in the working face below and a fast supply channel for atmospheric precipitation. The analysis of surface water and mine water quality data shows that the water quality types of mine water and surface water are basically the same, and they are HCO3•SO4-Na type water. The correlation curve between mine water inflow and atmospheric precipitation verifies that the cycle of atmospheric precipitation supplying the mine in Jinyuan Coal Mine is about 10 months before pit closure, and 1 month after pit closure; The Changxing Formation limestone serves as a water-conducting channel, and atmospheric precipitation serves as a source of replenishment for mine water. The research results provide scientific basis for the treatment of atmospheric precipitation water damage in sudden water inrush mines (areas) under similar hydrogeological conditions.

A survey of the trends in metal-ligand coordination and hydrogen bonding has been carried out on complexes of singly deprotonated cyanuric acid CY− and alkaline earth metals, synthesised from aqueous solution and characterised by X-ray crystallography. Involvement of cyanurate in the metal coordination increases from Mg through Ca and Sr to Ba relative to coordination by water, in parallel with the increasing ionic radius and coordination number. The incidence of bridging of metal centres by both water and cyanurate also increases in this series. The Mg complex contains hexaaqua-coordinated cations, uncoordinated CY− anions, and additional water molecules. Ca and Sr complexes feature polymeric chains of coordinated metal ions, the Ca complex with uncoordinated anions and the Sr complex with all potential ligands coordinated. The Ba complex has a two-dimensional coordination network. Extensive hydrogen bonding plays a key role in generating a three-dimensional network in all four structures. The competition between cyanurate and water for coordination to the alkaline earth metal cations, and that between coordination and hydrogen bonding propensities of the cyanurate anion, appear to be finely balanced, with the structural outcomes depending on the relative sizes and degrees of hardness of the four cations of the group.

This work compares the multi-element analysis of human hair and nails using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with an easy, fast, cheap, non-destructive method using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDX-RF). The ICP-MS-based method was more sensitive (over 30 elements could be quantified) and costly (requiring more time, sample, and chemicals). The EDX-based method required laboratory and certified reference materials made of hair for instrument calibration. It was less sensitive (16 elements could be quantified: S, Si, Ca, Br, Fe, Cu, Cr, Mg, Si, K, Mn, Ni, Zn, Se, Sr, Pb), but it allowed to replace troublesome grinding with the dissolution of keratin-based material with alkalic agent (tetramethylammonium hydroxide, TMAH) and formation of stable for days pellets. The method is simple, enables automation, and, due to the modification of wells in the autosampler of the EDX system by immersion of home-designed inserts, it requires smaller amounts of biological material and binder (down to 70 mg instead of 500 mg required by commercially available instrument) to perform analysis. It was concluded that the EDX-based method offers complementary selectivity and sensitivity to ICP-MS with the possibility of the reuse of the sample for further analysis.

A silicified, thick-shelled, smooth-surfaced nuculanoid bivalve has been recovered by acid maceration of the Late Triassic (Carnian-Norian) strata of the Luning Formation, Nevada. Comparable modern nuculanoid clams inhabit water depths from 525-2,562 meters, and the living clam (an undescribed species of Pseudoneilonella from Caleta Sierra, Coquimbo, Chile) most similar to the fossil lives at 878-933 m. The Triassic nuculanoid clam (possibly a neilonellid) is inferred here to have inhabited marine waters at approximately 1000 m deep during deposition of the Shaly Limestone Member of the Luning Formation. This new fossil discovery falsifies hypotheses that the ichthyosaurs (Shonisaurus popularis) of Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, Nevada, USA, were deposited, respectively, in either shoreline deposits or in strata that accumulated above storm wave base.

Polychlorinated phenoxathiins (PCPTs), polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes (PCDTs), and polychlorinated thianthrenes (PCTAs) are sulfur analogues of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/DFs). Chlorothiophenols(CTPs) and chlorophenols (CPs) are key precursors to form PCTA/PT/DTs, which can form chloro(thio)phenoxy radical, sulfydryl/hydryl-substituted phenyl radical and (thio)phenoxyl diradicals. The available radical/radical PCTA/DT formation mechanism failed to explain the higher concentration of PCDTs than that of PCTAs under the pyrolysis or combustion conditions. Thus in this work, a detailed thermodynamics and kinetic calculations were carried out to investigate the pre-intermediates formation for PCTA/PT/DTs from radial/molecule coupling of 2-C(T)P with their key radical species. Our study found that the radial/molecule mechanism can thermodynamically and kinetically contribute to the gas-phase formation of PCTA/PT/DT/s. The S/C coupling modes to form thioether-(thio)enol intermediats are preferable over the O/C coupling modes to form ether-(thio)enol intermediats. Thus, although the radial/molecule coupling of chlorophenoxy radical with 2-C(T)P have no effect on the PCDD/PTs formation, the radial/molecule coupling of chlorothiophenoxy radical with 2-C(T)P play an important role in the PCDT/PT formation. Most importantly, the pre-PCDT intermediates formation pathways from the coupling of sulfydryl/hydryl-substituted phenyl radical with 2-C(T)P and the coupling of (thio)phenoxyl diradicals with 2-C(T)P are more favorable to pre-PCTA/PT intermediates formation pathways from the coupling of chlorothiophenoxy radical with 2-C(T)P, which can give reasonable explanation for the high PCDT-to-PCTA ratio in the environment.

The article analyzes Bernoulli 's binary sequences in representation of empirical events about the distribution of natural resources and population sizes. Considering the event as a nonlinear system, and consisting of two dependent random variables, with memory and probabilities in maximum finite or infinite lengths, constant and equal to ½ for both variables (stationary process). The expressions of the possible trajectories remain constant in sequences that are repeated alternating the presence or absence of one of the variables at each iteration (asymmetric). There are constant oscillations in the event except if the variables X₁ and X₂ are regulated as a function of time Y. It is observed that the variables X₁ and X₂ assume in time T_k → ∞ specific behaviors (geometric variable) that can be used as management tools for random systems. In this way, the article seeks to know from this analyzes, the maximum entropy of information in the system by a theoretical view and how to model resources distribution or containment in the given problem.

Zn–Ni plating is indispensable in various industries because of its high corrosion resistance. However, Ni has been reported to trigger allergies; thus, an alternative Ni-free plating is desired. Zn–Fe plating is considered to be a promising candidate, albeit its corrosion resistance still needs to be improved. The corrosion resistance of Zn–Fe plating is expected to increase by the addition of Mo as the third alloying element as it is more noble than Zn and Fe. In this study, Zn–Fe–Mo plating with a corrosion resistance nearly equivalent to that of the Zn–Ni plating was fabricated. Zn–Fe–Mo plating was electrically deposited from continuously agitated plating baths prepared by mixing ZnSO₄, FeSO₄, Na₂MoO₄, Na₃C₆H₅O₇, and Na₂SO₄ using Fe or Ni plates as the substrate. The surface morphology, composition, crystal phase, and electronic state of Mo of the platings were investigated by SEM-EDS, XRD, and XPS. The anti-corrosion performance was evaluated by Tafel extrapolation method. Formation of plating comprising a Mo containing alloy phase was found to be crucial for improving corrosion resistance. The Zn–Fe–Mo plating demonstrates promise for replacing anti-corrosion Zn–Ni platings.

Substituted bis(iminophosphoranyl)methanes are CH acidic compounds that can form complexes with formally dianionic central carbon centres. The reaction of H₂C(Ph₂P=NDip)₂ (≡ H₂L), Dip = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl, with one equivalent of di-n-butylmagnesium afforded the methanide complex [HLMgnBu] 1. Treatment of complex 1 with phenylsilane in aromatic solvents at elevated temperatures afforded the methanediide complex [(LMg)₂] 2 presumably via the MgH intermediate [(HLMgH)_n] (n = 1 or 2). The reaction of 1 with LiAlH₄ in diethyl ether yielded the AlH complex [HLAlH₂] 3. Alternatively, this complex was also obtained from the reaction of H₂L with AlH₃∙NMe₃. The molecular structures of [HLMgnBu] 1, [(LMg)₂] 2, and [HLAlH₂] 3 are reported. Complex 3 shows no sign of H₂ elimination to a methanediide species at elevated temperatures in contrast to the facile elimination of the putative reaction intermediate [(HLMgH)_n] (n = 1 or 2) to form [(LMg)₂] 2. The chemical properties of complex 2 were investigated and this complex appears to be stable against coordination with strong donor molecules.

This comprehensive study delves into the implementation and effectiveness of the flipped classroom model in engineering EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) courses in Taiwan. Situated within the strategic framework of Taiwan's Bilingual Nation 2023 policy, this research aims to enhance the global competitiveness of Taiwan's semiconducting manufacturing engineering sector. The study’s primary focus is on understanding the perceptions and learning outcomes of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students in engineering courses. Through a methodical approach using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, the study analyzes data from 33 junior engineering students specializing in mechanical and mechatronic fields. The findings highlight a significant positive influence of the flipped classroom model on various aspects of student learning, including increased engagement, heightened creativity, and enhanced problem-solving skills. Additionally, the study emphasizes the critical role of timely L1 support in facilitating effective learning in EMI settings. These outcomes not only demonstrate the flipped classroom's viability as a sustainable educational approach but also provide crucial insights for educators and policymakers. By aligning cutting-edge teaching methods with the evolving needs of engineering education, this study contributes to the discourse on educational innovation. It ultimately guides the development of future engineering programs that cater to diverse student needs and fosters the cultivation of skilled engineering professionals.

This study was to designed to develop sorafenib-loaded polymeric nanoparticles, surface-modified with pluronic F-127 for the effective treatment of hepatocellular (HCC) and renal cell carcinomas (RCC). Poly lactic coglycolic acid (PLGA) was used to encapsulate different concentrations of sorafenib by a simple modified solvent evaporation method applying pluronic F-127 as a surfactant and coating agent. The preformulation and characterization studies were conducted to evaluate the incompatibilities among sorafenib, PLGA and pluronic F-127, and physicochemical properties of the formulations, respectively. The sizes of the coated and plain PLGA nanoparticles were ~140 ± 14.7 nm and ~ 120 ± 10.1 nm, respectively. It has been confirmed from the in vitro release studies that PLGA sustained the release of sorafenib, avoiding the initial burst release, while the in vivo studies demonstared that surface-modified nanoparticles have greater affinity in the target aorgans than plain PLGA nanoparticles and free drug keeping the dose constant (20 mg/kg body weight). The delivery of sorafenib-loaded polymeric PLGA nanoparticles into the target tissues and their pharmacokinetic parameters have been improved significantly compared to the reported formulations.

The pinning force density FpJc,B=Jc×B (where Jc is the critical current density and B is the applied magnetic field) is one of the main parameters that characterize the resilience of a superconductor to carry a dissipative-free transport current in an applied magnetic field. Kramer (1973 J. Appl. Phys. 44 1360), and Dew-Hughes (1974 Phil. Mag. 30 293) proposed a widely used scaling law for the pinning force density amplitude: FpB=Fp,max×p+qp+qppqq×BBc2p×1-BBc2q, where Fp,max, Bc2, p, and q are free-fitting parameters. Since the late 1970-s till now, several research groups have reported experimental data on the dependence of Fp,max on the average grain size, d, in Nb3Sn-based conductors. Godeke (2006 Supercond. Sci. Techn. 19 R68) proposed that the dependence obeys the law Fp,maxd=A×ln1d+B. However, this scaling law has several problems, for instance, the logarithm is taken from a non-dimensionless variable, and Fp,maxd<0 for large grain sizes, and Fp,maxd→∞ for d→0. Here, we reanalysed the full inventory of publicly available Fp,maxd data for Nb3Sn conductors and found that the dependence can be described by Fp,maxd=Fp,max0×exp-dδ law, where the characteristic length, δ, varies within a remarkably narrow range, that is, δ=175±13 nm, for samples fabricated by different technologies. The interpretation of the result is based on the idea that the in-field supercurrent flows within a thin surface layer (thickness of δ) near the grain boundary surfaces (similar to London’s law, where the self-field supercurrent flows within a thin surface layer with a thickness of the London penetration depth, λ, and the surface is a superconductor-vacuum surface). An alternative interpretation is that δ represents the characteristic length of the exponential decay flux pinning potential from the dominant defects in Nb3Sn superconductors, which are grain boundaries.

The Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word “model” as a noun and other 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For in-stance, “model railways” refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a “model student” refers to an exemplar individual. In some cases, a specific context, like cancer research, may not be sufficient to provide one specific meaning of a model. Even if the context is narrowed, specifically to the research related to the tumour microenvironment, a “model” can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from an animal model, to a mathematical expression. This paper presents a review of the different “models” of the tumour microenvironment grouped by the different def-initions of the word into four categories: model organisms, in vitro models, mathematical models, and computational models. Then, the frequency of different meanings of the word “model” related to the tumour microenvironment is measured from the number of entries in the MEDLINE database of the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. The frequency of the main components of the microenvironment and the organ-related cancers modelled are also assessed quantitatively with specific keywords. Whilst animal models, in particular xenografts and mouse models are the most common used “models”, the number of entries have been slowly de-creasing. Mathematical models, prognostic and risk models follow in frequency and these have been growing in use.

In this review we look at the developments in the field of artificial intelligence (A.I) and their current impact as well as future implications in the field of cardiology, we as physicians and cardiologists have tried to put our perspective on the rapidly evolving field, In light of the fact that many of the healthcare workers and professionals across the world still find the concept of A.I quite complicated, elusive and somewhat paradoxical, we have tried to simplify the concept of artificial intelligence and make it easy for everyone to understand from all walks of life. The Databases utilized for our review are PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar. The Keywords used for our Data Search are “Artificial Intelligence”, “A.I Cardiology”, “A.I in Cardiovascular Medicine”, “Machine Learning in Cardiology”. We screened all relevant since inception till March 25th and included 44 relevant articles after careful consideration into our paper. We have discussed the implementation of and scope of artificial intelligence across a broad spectrum of applications including cardiovascular imaging and diagnostics like electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, cardiac CT/MRIs to novel cardiac monitoring devices, CRISPR gene editing in cardiology and implementation of artificial intelligence in the field of Cardiovascular Bioprinting. This is the initial review in a series of reviews regarding A.I in Cardiology.

The Environmental interactions contributed to the processes of settlement and development of the first settlers at southern Peru 15,000 BC. The determination of this process is based on paleoclimatic studies at southern Peru and ethnoarchaeological evidence. The determination of this process is based on paleoclimatic studies of southern Peru and ethnoarchaeological evidence; establishing as a result of this analysis the hypothesis of environmental interaction and territorial occupation of the first hunter-gatherer populations until their consolidation, dominating the geographical space from Tacna. The Disruptive disaster events and their effects on climate during the Peruvian Paleolithic resulted in the origin of local societies that shaped the Tiawanaku societies of the early horizon at Southern Peru and Northern Chile.

The utilization of selective laser melting (SLM) for high entropy alloys (HEAs) holds significant promise in commercial applications, and substantial experimental research efforts have been directed toward this domain. To take advantage of the reported experimental data of SLM manufactured (SLM-ed) HEAs and reduce unnecessary experimentation, this study incorporates machine learning (ML) techniques for the phase and tensile properties prediction of SLM-ed HEAs, thus presenting a novel avenue for accelerating the discovery of new SLM-ed HEAs. Through the adjustment of material descriptors and machine learning models, a model has been developed with an impressive accuracy of 93.8% in distinguishing between face-centered cubic (FCC), body-centered cubic (BCC), and dual-phase (FCC+BCC). Additionally, optimized models have been devised for the prediction of tensile properties, namely ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation (δ), achieving noteworthy MAPEs (mean absolute percentage errors) of 10.33%, 8.55%, and 28.48%, respectively. Furthermore, several HEAs were fabricated using SLM, and the experimental outcomes exhibited a favorable alignment with the predicted results. These efforts carry significant implications in advancing the utilization of SLM for HEAs.

This paper explores the interactions of dynamic dark energy with other components of the cosmos, such as dark matter and baryonic matter, and its wide-ranging implications in cosmology. By investigating the interplay between dynamic dark energy and the universe's large-scale structure, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of cosmic evolution and the behavior of dark energy in different cosmological epochs. We also examine the potential of dynamic dark energy to offer novel insights into long-standing cosmological puzzles and their impact on the formation and evolution of cosmic structures.

Kluyveromyces marxianus is an attractive thermotolerant yeast species for ethanol production because of its ability to utilize various carbon sources as a fermentation substrate. The use of thermotolerant microbes enables performance of high-temperature ethanol fermentation, which has several advantages including reduction of cooling costs and minimization of contamination risk. To improve K. marxianus for ethanol fermentation under stress conditions, two strains, DMKU 3-1042 and DMKU 3-118, were adapted for heat resistance and toxic substances in pulp wastewater from a paper mill, respectively, resulting in the generation of KMR1042 and KMR118, respectively. Both adapted mutants exhibited clumpy clusters of cells as pseudohyphae and altered colony morphology, and their sedimentation speeds were much faster than those of the corresponding parent strains. The two mutants showed stronger tolerance to various stresses and higher performance for ethanol production than those of the corresponding parent strains at high temperatures or in the presence of toxic substances. Genome sequencing analysis revealed that both mutants had disruption of the same gene, SWI5, despite adaptation under different stress conditions, suggesting that the formation of pseudohyphae is a common strategy of K. marxianus for coping with stresses.

Stark widths for 23 transitions in Al IV have been calculated employing modified semiempirical method. The results are obtained for an electron density of 10^17 cm−3 and temperatures from 10,000 K up to 160,000 K. The results obtained in this investigation are used for the examination of the influence of Stark broadening in Al IV stellar spectra, as well as to check Stark width regular behavior and similarites within Al IV spectrum.

Physics lacks a confirmed description of dark matter, has yet to develop an adequate understanding of dark energy, and includes unverified conjectures regarding new elementary particles. This essay features modeling that addresses those problems and explains otherwise unexplained data. Our modeling starts from five bases – multipole expansions for the electromagnetic and gravitational fields associated with an object, the list of known elementary particles, some aspects of mathematics for isotropic harmonic oscillators, concordance cosmology, and a conjecture that the universe includes six isomers of most elementary particles. The multipole expansions – which have use in conjunction with Newtonian kinematics modeling, special relativity, and general relativity – lead to a catalog of kinematics properties such as charge, magnetic moment, mass, and repulsive gravitational pressure. The multipole expansions also point to all known elementary particles, some properties of those particles, and properties of some would-be elementary bosons and elementary fermions. The harmonic-oscillator mathematics points to Gauge symmetries regarding some elementary bosons. The would-be elementary fermions lack charge and would measure as dark matter. The conjecture regarding six isomers of most elementary particles rounds out and dominates our specification for dark matter. Five of the isomers form the basis for most dark matter. Our modeling explains ranges of observed ratios of dark matter effects to ordinary matter effects – for the universe, galaxy clusters, two sets of galaxies observed at high redshifts, three sets of galaxies observed at modest redshifts, and one type of depletion of cosmic microwave background radiation. Our description of repulsive gravitational pressure points toward resolution for tensions – between data and modeling – regarding the recent rate of expansion of the universe, resolution for possible tensions regarding large-scale clumping, and resolution for possible tensions regarding interactions between neighboring galaxies. Our work regarding gravity, dark matter, and elementary particles suggests characterizations for eras that might precede the inflationary epoch, a mechanism that might have produced baryon asymmetry, mechanisms that govern the rate of expansion of the universe, and insight about galaxy formation and evolution.

Galls are characteristic plant structures formed by cell size enlargement and/or cell proliferation induced by parasitic or pathogenic organisms. Insects are a major inducer of galls, and insect galls can occur on plant leaves, stems, floral buds, flowers, fruits, or roots. Many of these exhibit unique shapes, providing shelter and nutrients to insects. To form unique gall structures, gall-inducing insects are believed to secrete certain effector molecules and hijack host developmental programs. However, the molecular mechanisms of insect gall induction and development remain largely unknown due to the difficulties associated with the study of non-model plants in the wild. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed us to determine the biological processes in non-model organisms, including gall-inducing insects and their host plants. In this review, we first summarize the adaptive significance of galls for insects and plants. Thereafter, we summarize recent progress regarding the molecular aspects of insect gall formation.

Ferrite body is the origin of crack and corrosion initiation of steels. Distribution and density of ferrite in seven steel ingots were examined by light optical microscopy and computational modeling in the study to explore the correlation of ferrite formation to chemical composition and mushy zone temperature in ingot forming. The central segregation phenomenon in ferrite distribution was observed in all the examined steel specimens except 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb stainless steel. No significant difference was found in distribution and density of ferrite amongst zones of the surface, ½ radius and core in neither risers nor tails of 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb ingots. Additionally, fewer ferrite was found in 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb compared to other examined steels. The difference of ferrite formation in 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb elicited a debate on the traditional models explicating ferrite formation. Considering the compelling advantages in mechanical strength, plasticity and corrosion resistance, further investigation on the unusual ferrite formation in 0Cr17Ni4Cu4Nb would help understand the mechanism to improve steel quality. In summary, we observed that ferrite formation in steel was correlated with mushy zone temperature. The advantages of 0Crl7Ni4Cu4Nb in corrosion resistance and mechanical stability could be resulted from that fewer ferrites formed and distributed in a scattered manner in microstructure of the steel.

Discovery of inhibitors for endothelial-related transcription factors can contribute to the development of angiogenic therapies that treat diseases ranging from cardiovascular to cancer. The role of transcription factor Vezf1 in vascular development and regulation of angiogenesis has been defined by several earlier studies. Through construction of a computational model for Vezf1, work here has identified a novel small molecule drug capable of inhibiting Vezf1 from binding to its cognate DNA binding site. Using structure-based design and virtual screening of the NCI Diversity Compound Library, 12 shortlisted compounds were tested for their ability to interfere with the binding of Vezf1 to DNA using electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays. We identified one compound, T4, which has an IC50 of 20uM. Using murine endothelial cells, MSS31, we tested the effect of T4 on endothelial cell viability and angiogenesis by using tube formation assay. Our data show that addition of T4 in cell culture medium does not affect cell viability at concentrations lower or equal to its IC 50 but strongly inhibits the network formation by MSS31 in the tube formation assays. Given its potential efficacy, this inhibitor has significant therapeutic potential in several human diseases raging from wound healing to cancer.

The early-mid Paleocene Farewell Formation is stratigraphically distributed across the southern Taranaki Basin (STB) which is also encountered within the Maui Gas Field. Using available 3D seismic and well log data, a challenging task to delineate the spatial distribution and geobody patterns of the potential reservoir sands of the formation was performed. Object based modeling coupled with sequential indicator simulation were used to analyze the spatial distribution of facies configuration and a conceptual model was developed based on the outputs from the structurally- modeled grids. The facies modeling followed a hierarchical object-based mechanism which was set to perform with constraints like channel geometry and heterogeneity within the formation. The resultant 3D geobody model showed that the distributary channels, mainly braided geobodies flowed from northeast cutting through several regional normal-fault systems to the southwest. Overbank facies was adhered to the fringe of the channels whereas the floodplain facies was at the periphery of the model. Meandering channel-sand facies were mostly observed at the center of the model flowing in a more random manner, occupying major flow directions of northwest to southwest and southeast to northwest within the model.

This study analyzes how Perceived Credibility of a 360-degree feedback and Evaluation of Outcome impact on ratees’ attitudes towards behavioral change. The study adopts a qualitative-quantitative mixed method approach. Reasoned Action Theory was selected as the theoretical framework, and ten 360-degree assessment ratees were interviewed on their perceived credibility, evaluation of outcome and attitude toward behavioral change in the 360-degree assessment practices. The qualitative inputs were analyzed under the methodology of grounded theory. Additional 159 respondents participated in the quantitative research phase of the research to validate the findings in the qualitative research phase. It was validated that Perceived Credibility, Evaluation of Outcome has impact on Attitude Toward Behavioral Change in 360-degree assessment.

This study empirically analyzes the effectiveness of resource optimization utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) within cloud computing environments. It compares systems that have been transitioned from a Monolithic structure to Microservices Architecture (MSA) with those adopting a simple Rehost strategy, to validate the operational efficiency of two systems whose resource efficiency has been enhanced compared to traditional legacy systems. The research is based on systems that determined resource efficiency post-cloud migration using APM tools. It points out the limitations of traditional heuristic operation methods in resource optimization, which lead to issues such as application performance degradation, resource over-allocation, and increased operational costs. This study aims to overcome the conventional resource optimization standards that depended on the average peak usage of CPU and memory infrastructure, by introducing AI-based optimization tools, and applying on-premise standards to cloud and container environments to achieve resource optimization. The paper emphasizes the importance of resource optimization through AI-based automation tools, exploring the possibilities of resolving real-world application performance issues in cloud environments, reducing unnecessary resource usage costs, and cutting down on labor risks and operational expenses. Through this, it presents strategic directions on how AI technology can offer financial and operational advantages in managing cloud resources.

Al has very good corrosion resistance and corrosion properties. The corrosion resistance of Al cast alloys is different because these alloys contain a lot of elements. Especially in secondary alloys which contain more impurity elements from which Fe is the most common. This study deals with secondary AlSi7Mg0.3 cast alloys which contain more Fe and are affected by a chloride corrosion environment. This environment was selected based on the application of castings in the automo-tive industry. The main object was to research the effect of such an environment on basic me-chanical properties and fatigue properties. The results show that a higher Fe content does not lead to a significant reduction in the properties of the casting and the chloride environment is not so harmful. Therefore, can be stated that the investigated secondary sand-cast experimental materials can replace the primary alloys without losing the required corrosion and mechanical properties.

The effect of the melt cooling rate on the atomic ordering of austenite and, as a consequence, on the martensitic transformation of a nonstoichiometric alloy of the Ni-Mn-In system has been studied. In-situ TEM observations revealed differences in the mechanism of phase transformations of the alloy subjected to different cooling conditions. It is shown that during quenching a high density of antiphase boundaries (APB) is formed and the alloy is in the austenite-martensitic (10M and 14M) state up to a temperature of 120K. In a slowly cooled alloy, a lower APB density is observed, and a two-stage transformation L21/B2 → 10M → 14M occurs in the range of 150–120 K.

Purpose: When it comes to improving citizen service delivery standard and processes, or broadly, management in government (MIG), many reform programs and improvement efforts are ongoing across different ministries, departments, and agencies. This paper is part of a larger empirical research where we are interested to know what those programs and projects are, and how they are doing, and what the gaps are. Design/methodology/approach: Analyzing the publicly available data on the government portal and donors’ website, this article provides an overall idea of current reforms in various places of government. In parallel, field research was conducted through visiting agency offices, observing office environment and mechanisms, and interviewing public managers who are working at district and sub-district level offices of directorates or agencies.Findings: As a trend, state-led development process and the traditional mode of administration have moved to New Public Management based quality and performance approach. All donors have their own strategy framework document like ‘Country Assistance strategy’, ‘Country Operations and Business Plan’, Logical Framework Document, Focus or Priority Streams, etc. Many of the projects are sectoral and agency or ministry specific and have an inherent limitations, due to ‘cadre’ based organizational structural arrangement. So, it is common ‘not to own the projects’, rather ‘using the fund as much as possible anyway within the given project duration’. When the fund ends, implementing units, either government or NGOs, abandon the projects. That is why many projects are actually half done without significant and sustained direction.Originality/value: We can conclude that the typical ‘top-down’ or ‘trickle down’ conception is still dominant in design and implementation of reforms programs and service quality efforts. So, how to reach systemically at the bottom where public managers provide services to citizens, needs even more deliberation.

Policies are adopted and implemented to achieve specific goals. In this regard, the Government of Zambia in 2019 adopted the higher education policy with many objectives which include, the expansion of access to higher education; reduction of gender and other forms of inequity in accessing higher education; the improvement of quality of higher education by increasing funding to higher education institutions, construction, and repair of infrastructure in higher and improvement in the provision of learning materials in higher education institutions (HEIs).This paper, therefore, sought to evaluate the higher education policy of 2019. The four criteria were used namely; effectiveness, equity, policy sustainability, and consistency. Other principles such as political and social acceptability of a policy were not used because the policy is already adopted and being implemented. Further, the principle of efficiency was not used because it would have been problematic to gauge the expenditure against the outcomes.The findings have revealed that the policy to some extent has been effective; some of the objectives such as increased access to higher education and reduction of inequality have been partially achieved. It has been established that the number of students pursuing higher education has been increased to 114,049 in 2020 from 91,969 in 2017. Further, in 2021, 48.5% of scholarships in public universities were awarded to female students while 51.5% were awarded to female students. Further, more students are encouraged to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and more women are pursuing studies in STEM-related fields. However, the policy has not helped to achieve the quality of higher education as funding in public HEIs has not improved. Further, infrastructure remains very poor and inadequate; and access to update and relevant learning materials also remains a challenge in HEIs. However, the policy seems to be duplicated by the recent re-launched Technical Education Vocation Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) national policy.Given the above findings, it has been recommended that the government among other things improve funding and build infrastructure in public HEIs. There is also a need to harmonise the TEVET national policy with the higher education policy.

Malassezia is a lipid-dependent genus of yeasts known for being an important part of the skin mycobiota. These yeasts have been associated in the development of skin disorders and cataloged as a causal agent of systemic infections under specific conditions, making them opportunistic pathogens. Little is known about the host-microbe interaction of Malassezia spp., and unraveling this implies the implementation of infection models. In this mini review we present different models that have been implemented in the fungal infections study with greater attention in Malassezia spp. infections. These models range from in vitro (cell cultures and ex vivo tissue), to in vivo (murine models, rabbits, guinea pigs, insects, nematodes, and amoebas). We additionally highlight the alternative models that reduce the use of mammals as model organisms, which have been gaining importance in the study of fungal host-microbe interactions. This is due to the fact that these systems have shown to have reliable results, which correlate with those obtained from mammalian models. Example of alternative models are Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Tenebrio molitor, and Galleria mellonella. These are invertebrates that have been implemented in the study of Malassezia spp. infections in order to identify differences in virulence between Malassezia species.

Academic entrepreneurship focuses on commercialization of research. Even though it is practiced worldwide for decades, Bangladesh is a newcomer in this segment. In Bangladesh only 2 Universities have Technology Transfer Offices or TTOs which are established with the sole focus of commercialization of researches of the students and the faculty members of the Universities. This article focuses on worldwide practices of technology transfer and academic entrepreneurial activities and also explores the opportunities and challenges of such entrepreneurs through detail investigation of the existing body of knowledge. Apart from exploring the problems and prospect of academic entrepreneurship in Bangladesh, this article also introduces the concept of Full-Service Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO), which existing literatures do not offer. The authors believe that by establishing such KTOs as a self-sustaining body, it is possible for an academic entrepreneur to stimulate, support and sustain their activities in Bangladesh. The concept of full service KTOs can also become models for other nations, specially the developing ones, to establish and nurture a culture of academic entrepreneurship.

Far-red fluorescent reporter genes can be used for tracking cells non-invasively in vivo using fluorescence imaging. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of the far-red fluorescent protein, E2-Crimson (E2C), for tracking mouse embryonic cells (mESCs) in vivo following subcutaneous administration into mice. Using a knock-in strategy, we introduced E2C into the Rosa26 locus of an E14-Bra-GFP mESC line, and after confirming that the E2C had no obvious effect on the phenotype of the mESCs, we injected them into mice and imaged them over 9 days. The results showed that fluorescence intensity was weak, and cells could only be detected when injected at high densities. Furthermore, intensity peaked on day 4 and then started to decrease, despite the fact that tumour volume continued to increase beyond day 4. Histopathological analysis showed that although E2C fluorescence could barely be detected in vivo at day 9, analysis of frozen sections indicated that all mESCs within the tumours continued to express E2C. We hypothesise that the decrease in fluorescence intensity in vivo was probably due to the fact that the mESC tumours became more vascular with time, thus leading to increased absorbance of E2C fluorescence by haemoglobin. We conclude that the E2C reporter has limited use for tracking cells in vivo, at least when introduced as a single copy into the Rosa26 locus.

The purpose of this article is to review a two year long implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) system at the outpatient department of a private hospital in Kathmandu, possibly a first implementation of its kind in Nepal. Procedures: The strategy designed for EHR implementation was based on Professor John P. Kotter's work on successful change management. Main findings: We found that keeping a close watch on the social dynamics affecting adoption decisions among users of the system was crucial for implementing the EHR; this was partly because the project received limited support from an erratically changing hospital leadership and lacked an EHR system suited to the needs of the users. Conclusions: The implementation described in this article is a good lesson on moving from control to drift in information systems implementation, and we hope this work will be useful to health IT professionals working in the space of digital transformation in resource-constrained environments.

Ovariectomy appears to be the best method to control the density of wild ungulate populations. The aim of the present study was to compare two surgical approaches, via the flank and midline, in mouflon’s ovariectomy in field conditions. Twenty female mouflons were enrolled in the study. The animals were divided randomly in two groups, Group F animals were gonadectomized via flank approach, while Group A animals were sterilized via linea alba access. The parameters evaluated were duration of surgery, duration of anaesthesia, recovery time, intra- and post-operative complications, intra-operative nociception and pain in the post-operative period. There were no intra- and post-operative complications. The evaluated parameters showed a very similar trend in both groups. Both techniques are found to be effective and safe in execution.

Recently, the indications for Cochlear Implant (CI) have also been extended to subjects with Single Sided Deafness (SSD) in order to restore binaural hearing. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the advantages of CI following one year of usage in SSD subjects. Secondarily we want to assess the long-term stability of the CI. 57 participants performed a complete audiological assessment (speech audiometry in quiet and in noise and localization test). For each was also evaluated subjective hearing profile (with Speech Spatial and Qualities_SSQ questionnaire) and the impact of tinnitus (with the use of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory_THI questionnaire) After one year of CI usage, we observed a significant improvement in speech-to-noise ratio, in sound localization abilities, in the Speech (p-value 0.001) and Spatial (p-value 0.001) subscales of the SSQ questionnaire and in THI questionnaire (p-value 0.001). The improvements in speech in noise and localization abilities and the reduction of the SSQ and THI questionnaires scores were maintained over time (6th to 60th month follow-up). Only eight participants did not fully utilize the CI. CI in SSD represents an effective method for improving speech recognition in noisy environments, restoring sound localization abilities, reducing tinnitus and improve subjective listening skills.

Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive and resistant tumor types which is often accompanied by poor prognosis when spread to nearby or distant tissues. Even though an increasing number of second-line therapies are available for cancer patients, the 5-year survival rate of melanoma patients with regional and distant metastases is still rather low. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new, highly efficient treatments. Melanocortin-1-receptor (MC1R) is a cell surface receptor for α-MSH. It is responsible for melanogenesis and is shown to be overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells in a subset of melanoma patients. Here, we designed and synthesized α-MSH analogs and conjugated them to daunomycin through oxime linkage. Using our peptide-drug conjugates (Dau-α-MSHs), we performed comparative in vitro and in vivo evaluations to reveal their suitability for tumor targeting. Firstly, the expression level of MC1R was determined in various melanoma cell lines via RT-qPCR. Then, we examined the antiproliferative effect of our Dau-α-MSHs, moreover we determined the cellular uptake profile and intracellular localization of Dau-α-MSHs. The most efficient Dau-α-MSHs were investigated in vivo using a murine xenograft melanoma model. We found that various cell lines show differential expression on the mRNA levels. We also showed that healthy primary cells have lower expression of MC1R compared to tumor cell lines. Moreover, the concentration-dependent cellular uptake profile of Dau-α-MSHs was detected and the compounds exhibited a great antiproliferative effect on melanoma cell lines. We also provided evidence that our novel Dau-α-MSHs can inhibit tumor expansion significantly and are suitable for targeted tumor therapy.

The non-structural protein (NS) and nucleoprotein (NP) of the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) encoded by the S segment are crucial for viral pathogenesis. They reside in viroplasm-like structures (VLS), but their interaction and their significance in viral propagation remain unclear. Here, we investigated the significance of the association between NS and NP during viral infection through in-silico and in-vitro analyses. Through in-silico analysis, three possible binding sites were predicted, at NSs1-32, NSs56-82, and NSs207-237. Rationally, three mutant NSs were developed by site-directed mutagenesis and tested for NP interaction by co-immunoprecipitation. NSsW61Y failed to interact with the nucleoprotein, which was substantiated by the conformational changes observed in the structural analyses. Additionally, molecular docking analysis corroborated that the NSW61Y mutant protein does not interact well compared to wild-type NS. Over-expression of wild-type NS in HeLa cells increased the SFTSV replication by five folds, but NSsW61Y exhibited 1.9-folds less viral replication than wild-type. We demonstrated that the W61Y alteration was implicated in the reduction of NS-NP interaction and viral replication. Thus, the present study identified a critical NS site, which could be targeted for development of therapeutic regimens against SFTSV.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor system of the human body. Currently, the available treatments are limited and often have undesirable side effects. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop a novel combinational formulation of Apomorphine and Quetiapine and evaluate its efficacy in a rat model of PD. The formulation was prepared using the solvent evaporation technique and characterized for its physicochemical properties. The in-vitro drug release was evaluated using the Franz diffusion cell method, and the pharmacokinetics of the combination was studied in rats. The behavioural and biochemical parameters were evaluated in the rats using the Rotarod, pole test, and biochemical assays. The results showed that the developed formulation had satisfactory physicochemical properties and exhibited sustained drug release. The pharmacokinetic studies showed that the combination exhibited a longer residence time than the individual drugs. The behavioural and biochemical parameters showed that the combination was effective in improving motor function and reducing oxidative stress. In conclusion, the developed Apomorphine and Quetiapine combination formulation showed promising results in improving motor function and reducing oxidative stress in rat model of PD. Further studies are required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the developed formulation in humans.

The use of nanomaterials has been increasing in recent times, and they are widely used in industries such as cosmetics, drug, food, water treatment and agriculture. The rapid development of new nanomaterials demands a set of approaches to evaluate the potential toxicity and risks related to them. In this regard, nanosafety has been using and adapting already existing methods (toxicological approach), but the unique characteristics of nanomaterials demand new approaches (nanotoxicology) to fully understand the potential toxicity, immunotoxicity and (epi)genotoxicity. Also, new technologies, such as organ-on-chip and sophisticated sensors, are under development and/or adaptation. All the information generated is used to develop new in silico approaches trying to predict the potential effects of newly developed materials. The overall evaluation of how from the production to final disposition chain of nanomaterials is evaluated under Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is becoming an important element of nanosafety considering sustainability and environmental impact. In this review we give an overview of all these elements of nanosafety.

Biofouling is the unwanted adsorption of cells, proteins, or intracellular and extracellular bio-molecules that can spontaneously occur on the surface of metal nanocomplexes. It represents a major issue in bioinorganic chemistry because it leads to the creation of a protein corona, which can destabilize a colloidal solution and result in undesired macrophage-driven clearance, consequently causing failed delivery of a targeted drug-cargo. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a bioactive, natural mucopolysaccharide with excellent antifouling properties, arising from its hydrophilic and polyanionic characteristics in physiological environments which prevent opsonization. In this study, hyaluronate-thiol (HA-SH) (MW 10 kDa) was used to surface-passivate gold nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesized using a citrate reduction method. HA functionalized GNP complexes (HA-GNPs) were characterized using absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. GNP cellular uptake and potential dose-dependent cytotoxic effects due to treatment were evaluated in vitro in HeLa cells using ICP-OES and Trypan blue and MTT assays. Further, we quantified the in vivo biodistribution of intratumorally injected HA functionalized GNPs in Lewis Lung carcinoma (LLC) solid tumors grown on the flank of C57BL/6 mice and compared localization and retention with nascent particles. Our results reveal that HA-GNPs show overall greater peritumoral distribution (**p<0.005, 3 days post-intratumoral injection) than citrate-GNPs with reduced biodistribution in off-target organs. This property represents an advantageous step forward in localized delivery of metal nano-complexes to the infiltrative region of a tumor, which may improve the application of nanomedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

To mitigate the COVID-19 infection, many world governments endorsed the cessation of non-essential activities, such as the school attendance. Thereby, forcing the evolution of the teaching model to the virtual classroom. In the present work we show the application of a modified version of the adapted COVID-19 stress scales (ACSS) which also included teaching anxiety and preparedness, and resilience for academic professionals in Mexico, during the unprecedented transformation of the education system undergone in the COVID-19 quarantine. Most of the studied variables: gender, age, academic degree, household occupants, having a disease, teaching level, teaching mode, work hours, resilience, teaching anxiety and preparedness, and fear of being an asymptomatic patient (FOBAP), showed significant statistical correlation between each other (p<0.050) and to the 6 areas of the ACSS (danger, contamination, social economical, xenophobia, traumatic stress and compulsive checking). Our results further showed that the perceived stress and anxiety, fell into the category of absent to mild with only the danger section of the ACSS falling into the moderate category. Finally, resilience generated throughout the quarantine, seems to be a predictor of the adaptation the academic professional has undergone to cope with stress.

Based on the geochemical analysis of the volcanic material from the sediment core AMK-340, central zone of the Reykjanes Ridge, we could detect two ash-bearing sediment units accumulated during the Termination I. They correlate to the Ash Zone I in the North Atlantic Late Quaternary sediments having an age of 12170-12840, within the Younger Dryas cold chronozone, and 13600-14540 years, within and Bølling-Allerød warm chronozone. The ash of the Younger Dryas unit is presented mostly by the mafic and persilicic material originated from the Icelandic volcanoes; Vedde Ash is presented in one sediment sample from this unit. The ash of the Bølling-Allerød unit is presented mostly by the mafic shards which are related to the basalts of the rift zone on the Reykjanes Ridge, having presumably the local origin. A detection of Vedde Ash helped to specify the timing of the previously reconstructed paleoceanographic changes for the Termination I in the point of study: a significant warming in the area could occur as early as 300 years prior to the end of the conventional Younger Dryas cold chronozone.

Microencapsulation of polyherbal formulation (PHF) extract was carried out by freeze drying method, by employing gum arabic (GA), gelatin (GE), and maltodextrin (MD) with their designated different combinations as encapsulating wall materials. Antioxidant components (i.e total phenolic contents (TPC),Total flavonoids contents (TFC), and total condensed contents (TCT)), antioxidant activity (i.e. DPPH, β-carotene & ABTS⁺ assays), moisture contents, water activity (aw), solubility, hygroscopicity, glass transition temperature (T_g), particle size, morphology, in vitro alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibition and bioavailability ratios of the powders were investigated. Amongst all encapsulated products, T_B (5% GA and 5% MD) and T_C (10% GA) has proven to be the best treatments with respect to the highest preservation of antioxidant components and their antioxidant potential by DPPH and β-carotene assays and noteworthy for an ABTS⁺ assays, in addition, the aforesaid treatments also demonstrated lower moisture content, aw, particle size and higher solubility, hygroscopicity and glass transition temperature (T_g). All freeze dried samples showed irregular (asymmetrical) microcrystalline structures. Furthermore, T_B and T_C also illustrated the highest in vitro anti-diabetic potential due to great potency for inhibiting alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase activities. In the perspective of bioavailability, T_A, T_B and T_C demonstrated the excellent bioavailability ratios (%).Futhermore, the phytochemo-profiling of ethanolic extract of PHF was also revealed to find out the bioactive compounds.

Based on our recent thermodynamic formulation of the Friedmann equation, we demon- strate how the age of the universe must be approximately 14.6 billion years. This is about 800 million years older than predicted by the Λ-CDM model and therefore greatly alleviates the early galaxy formation problem.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent the largest class of materials among the crystalline porous materials ever developed and have attracted attention as core materials for separation technology. Their extremely uniform pore aperture and nearly unlimited structural and chemical characteristics have attracted great interest and promise in applying MOFs to adsorptive and membrane–based separations. This paper reviews the recent research and development of MOF membranes for gas separation. Strategies for polycrystalline membranes and mixed matrix membranes are discussed, with a focus on separation systems involving hydrocarbon separation and CO2 capture. Challenges and opportunities for the industrial deployment of MOF membranes are also be discussed, providing guidance for the design and fabrication of future high-performance membranes. The contributions of the underlying mechanism to separation performances, and the adopted strategies and membrane processing technologies for breaking the selectivity/permeability trade–off are discussed.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are notorious foodborne pathogens capable of causing severe diarrhea and other life-threatening complications in humans. Cattle remain a major reservoir and asymptomatic carriers of STEC. In reservoir animals, the rectoanal junction (RAJ) serves as the primary colonization site of STEC playing a critical role in its transmission to humans through contaminated food sources. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the adaptation of STEC in the RAJ of the asymptomatic reservoir host and its subsequent infection of human colonic epithelial cells in an event of a foodborne transmission to cause diarrhea remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to unravel the intricate dynamics of STEC O157:H7 serotype in these two distinct host environments: bovine RAJ cells and human colonic epithelial cells, during initial colonization. In this context, comparative transcriptomics analysis was employed to investigate the differential gene expression profiles of STEC O157:H7 during its interaction with these cell types. The bacterial cells were cultured under controlled conditions to simulate the microenvironments of both bovine RAJ and human colonic epithelial cells. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we identified key bacterial genes and regulatory pathways that were significantly modulated in response to each specific host environment. Our findings reveal distinct expression patterns of bacterial genes involved in virulence, including adherence, metal iron homeostasis and stress response in STEC O157:H7 grown in bovine RAJ cells as op-posed to human colonic epithelial cells six hours post-infection. Additionally, the comparative analysis highlights the potential role of certain genes in host adaptation and tissue-specific pathogenicity. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the potential factors contributing to the survival and persistence of STEC O157:H7 in the bovine reservoir, and its ability to colonize in-testinal epithelium and cause disease in humans.

Quorum sensing (QS), a well-established phenomenon in microorganisms, involves the communication between cells through chemical signals, which is dependent on cell density. Extensive research has been conducted on this microbial ability, encompassing the early stages of understanding QS to the latest advancements in the identification and characterization of its mechanisms. This minireview comprehensively examines the role of QS in various aspects, including biofilm formation, virulence in pathogenic bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori and Pseudomonas sp., as well as its influence on biogeochemical cycling in deep-sea environments. Furthermore, future progress in the field will be achieved by combining state-of-the-art methods for observing QS in the deep sea with a deeper understanding of the underlying processes, which will facilitate the engineering of microorganisms for improved degradation of persistent environmental pollutants and other biotechnological applications.

During the last years, epigenetic processes have emerged as important factors for many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s diseases (AD). These complex diseases seem to have a heritable component; however, genome-wide association studies failed to identify the genetic loci involved in the eatiology. So, how can these changes be transmitted from one gen-eration to the next? Answering this question would allow us to understand how the environ-ment can affect human populations for multiple generations and explain the high prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD. This review pays particular attention to the relationship among epigenetics, cognition, and neurodegeneration across generations, deepening the under-standing of the relevance of heritability in neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, we highlight some recent examples of EI induced by experiences, focusing on their contribution of processes in learning and memory, to point out new targets for therapeutic interventions. Here, we first describe the prominent role of epigenetic factors in memory processing. Then, we briefly discuss aspects of EI. And ends, we summarize evidence of how epigenetic marks inherited by experi-ence and/or environmental stimuli contribute to cognitive status offspring, since better knowledge of EI can provide clues in the appearance and development of age-related cognitive decline and AD.

The -blocker (S)-practolol ((S)-N-(4-(2-hydroxy (isopropylamino)propoxy)phenyl)acetamide) was synthesized with 96% enantiomeric excess (ee) from the chlorohydrin (R)-N-(4-(3-chloro-2 hydroxypropoxy)phenyl)acetamide, which was produced in 97% ee and with 27% yield. Racemic building block 1-((1H-indol-4-yl)oxy)-3-chloropropan-2-ol for the -blocker pindolol was produced in 53% yield and (R)-1-((1H-indol-4-yl)oxy)-3-chloropropan-2-ol was produced in 92% ee. The chlorohydrin 7-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one, a building block for a derivative of carteolol was produced in 77% yield. (R)-7-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one was obtained in 96% ee. The S-enantiomer of this carteolol derivative was produced in 97% ee in 87% yield. Racemic building block 5-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)- 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one, building block for the drug carteolol was also produced in 53% yield, with 99% ee of the R-chlorohydrin (R)-5-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropoxy)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one. The yield of all four chlorohydrins increased by use of catalytic amounts of base. The reason for this was found to be less formation of the dimeric by-products compared to use of higher concentration of the base. An overall reduction of reagents and reaction time was also obtained compared to our previous reported data of similar compounds. The enantiomers of the chlorohydrin building blocks were obtained by kinetic resolution of the racemate in transesterification reactions catalyzed by Candida antarctica Lipase B (CALB) from SyncoZymes Co, Shanghai, China. Optical rotations confirmed the absolute configuration of the enantiopure drugs.

The Yangtze River is cross-linked with numerous lakes within its floodplain and is a worldwide biodiversity hotspot. There is no evidence indicating when this unique river-lake system developed. The endemic East Asian cyprinid clade has evolved diverse spawning adaptations to different flow conditions. Our ancestral egg-type reconstruction showed an ancestral state of adhesive eggs and later demersal eggs origination (both stream adaptations). Semi-buoyant eggs emerged ~18 Mya as a fast-flowing river adaptation, with increased hydration via three yolk protein degradation pathways, ion transport pathways and egg envelope permeability transition pores. Adhesive eggs evolved secondarily ~14 Mya with the egg envelope increasing to four layers and an adhesive layer, along with an increase in adhesiveness via microfilament/adhesive-related protein crosslinking and enhanced glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, improving adherence to submerged lake plants, indicating that the cross-linked river-lake system formed in the mid-Miocene. This study provides a unique biological evidence for large-scale water system evolution.

Interaction of an electromagnetic field with matter in a laser cavity without the assumption of a fixed direction of the transverse electric field, described by the two-level Maxwell-Bloch equations, is studied. By using a perturbative nonlinear analysis, performed near the laser threshold, we report on the derivation of the laser (3+1)D vectorial complex cubic-quintic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. Furthermore, we study the modulational instability of the plane waves both theoretically using the linear stability analysis, and numerically, using direct simulations via the split-step Fourier method. The linear theory predicts instability for any amplitude of the primary waves. Our numerical simulations confirm the theoretical predictions of the linear theory as well as the threshold of the amplitude of perturbations. The system understudy shows a deep dependence on the laser cavity parameters, for which there appear wave patterns in accordance with the predictions from the gain spectrum.

Auxin and ethylene pathways cooperatively regulate a variety of developmental processes in plants. Growth responses to ethylene are largely dependent on auxin, the key regulator of plant morphogenesis. Auxin, in turn, is capable of inducing ethylene biosynthesis and signaling making the interaction of these hormones reciprocal. Recent studies discovered a bunch of molecular events underlying auxin-ethylene crosstalk. In this review, we summarize the results of fine-scale and large-scale experiments on interaction of auxin and ethylene pathways in Arabidopsis. We integrate the knowledge on the molecular crosstalk events, their tissue specificity and associated phenotypic responses to decipher the crosstalk mechanisms at a systems level. We also discuss the prospects of applying systems biology approaches to study the mechanisms of crosstalk between plant hormones.

UAV cooperative control has been an important issue in UAV-assisted sensor network, thanks to the considerable benefit obtained from cooperative mechanism of UAVs being applied as a flying base station. In coverage scenario, the tradeoff between coverage performance and transmission performance often makes deployment of UAVs fall into a dilemma, since both indexes are related to the distance between UAVs. To address this issue, UAV coverage and data transmission mechanism is analyzed in this paper, then an efficient multi-UAV cooperative deployment model is proposed. The problem is also modeled as a coalition formation game (CFG). The CFG with Pareto order is proved to have a stable partition. Then, an effective approach consisting of coverage deployment and coalition selection is designed, wherein UAVs can decide strategies cooperatively to achieve better coverage performance. Combining analysis of game approach, a coalition selection and position deployment algorithm based on Pareto order (CSPDA-PO) is designed to execute coverage deployment and coalition selection. Finally, simulation results are shown to validate the proposed approach based on efficient multi-UAV cooperative deployment model.

Different dopamine receptor (DR) subtypes are involved in pathophysiological conditions such as Parkinson´s Disease (PD), schizophrenia and depression. While many DR-targeting drugs have been approved by the FDA, only a very small number is truly selective for one of the DR subtypes. Additionally, most of them show promiscuous activity at related G-protein coupled receptors, thus suffering from diverse side-effect profiles. Multiple studies have shown that combined in silico / in vitro approaches are a valuable contribution to drug discovery processes. They can also be applied to divulge the mechanisms behind ligand selectivity. In this study, novel DR ligands were investigated in vitro to assess binding affinities at different DR subtypes. Thus, nine D2R/D3R-selective ligands (micro- to nanomolar binding affinities, D3R-selective profile) were successfully identified. The most promising ligand exerted nanomolar D3R activity (KI = 2.3 nM) with 263.7-fold D2R/D3R selectivity. Subsequently, ligand selectivity was rationalized in silico based on ligand interaction with a secondary binding pocket, supporting selectivity data determined in vitro. The developed workflow and identified ligands could aid in the further understanding of structural motifs responsible for DR subtype selectivity, thus, benefitting drug development in D2R/D3R-associated pathologies like PD.

This paper discussed the concept of quality assurance (QA) in higher education and its implications to higher education institutions (HEIs) and the possible challenges. The study evaluated literature concerning QA in Zambia and elsewhere. The findings of the study show that QA is implemented through external and internal mechanisms such as accreditation, registration, institutional auditing, and the use of external examiners, self-evaluation, and peer reviews. The QA implications to HEIs in Zambia are that there is a need for accreditation of academic programmes with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) by HEIs. Further, HEIs should establish QA units to spearhead quality issues, reactive, and introduce the use of external examiners to ensure quality. The challenges identified in the implementation of QA in HEIs include inadequate funding, infrastructure, shortage of qualified academic staff, and lack of standalone QA units in some HEIs. In this regard, it has been recommended among other things, government improve funding in public HEIs, construct infrastructure, HEIs establish QA units, and recruit and retain qualified academic staff to ensure the quality of education.

We present a summary of the main results within the Scale Invariant Vacuum (SIV) paradigm based on the Weyl Integrable Geometry (WIG) as an extension to the standard Einstein General Relativity (EGR). After a brief review of the mathematical framework, where we also highlight the connection between the weak-field SIV equations and the notion of un-proper time parametrization within the reparametrization paradigm, we continue with the main results related to early Universe; that is, applications to inflation, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, and the growth of the density fluctuations within the SIV. In the late time Universe the applications of the SIV paradigm are related to scale-invariant dynamics of galaxies, MOND, dark matter, and the dwarf spheroidals where one can find MOND to be a peculiar case of the SIV theory. Finally, within the recent time epoch, we highlight that some of the change in the length-of-the-day (LOD), about 0.92 cm/yr, can be accounted for by SIV effects in the Earth-Moon system.

When the formation flying consists of satellites that are independent from each other and forms a virtual synthetic aperture telescope that replaces a single large telescope with all of its optical elements it is required mutual coordination between the satellites with high accuracy in order to achieve good optical observations. In this paper we consider the problem of developing a control system for a tetrahedral satellite formation flying representing a synthetic aperture telescope in the geostationary orbit for high resolution monitoring of fire in the forest area in infrared spectrum. Synthesizing the image with good quality requires to keep the configuration of formation with µm-class accuracy. Study of dynamics of passive uncontrolled motion of formation flying showed a significant deviation of the configuration from the required shape with a high frequency due to the action of gravitational forces. To keep the configuration in the required form with µm accuracy the analysis of efficiency of various controllers was carried out in the process of numerical simulation. The simulation results made it possible to highlight the features of using various approaches to the development of control system for the satellite formation flying representing a synthetic aperture telescope.

Near-neutral pH and low redox potentials (EH) are considered favorable conditions for radionuclides immobilization in deep repository systems in clay geological formations. Cigeo is a future Industrial Centre for Geological Disposal for Nuclear Waste (NW) for high-level and intermediate level long-lived radioactive waste, to be built in France, at 500 m depth within the Callovo-Oxfordian clay formation. Deep knowledge of the mechanisms and kinetics of corrosion occurring at the external surface of tubings made of API 5L X65 carbon steel (CS-X65) in contact with COx pore water, is essential for a reversible NW management of the Cigeo site. By using robust handmade electrodes and electrochemical and gravimetric techniques, this work aimed to determine the corrosion phenomenology and kinetics of CS-X65 in contact with COx pore water flowing continuously through a Multi-Parameter Probe (MPP) device, placed at 500 m depth, for more than 180 days. It also aimed at demonstrating the reliability and the robustness of the measurement methodology for the corrosion evaluation of the metallic liner of the future nuclear waste disposal site. Two iron oxidants were encountered, oxygen, who was depleted, and proton, who was accompanied by hydrogen sulfide. Corrosion mechanisms and kinetics were well established for two CS-X65, electrochemically perturbed and not. The corrosion thickness loss rates stand between 0.016 and 0.032 mm/y.

The dynamic response of structural elements subjected to blast loading is a problem of growing interest in the field of defense and security. In this work, a novel computational tool for the rapid evaluation of the effects of explosions, hereafter referred as SimEx, is presented and discussed. The classical correlations for the reference chemical (1 kg of TNT) and nuclear (106 kg of TNT) explosions, both spherical and hemispherical, are used together with the blast wave scaling laws and the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) model to compute the dynamic response of Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) systems subject to blast loading. The underlying simplifications in the analysis of the structural response follow the directives established by UFC 3-340-02 and the Protective Design Center Technical Reports of the US Army Corps of Engineers, which offer useful estimates with a low computational cost, enabling in particular the computation of damage diagrams in the Charge Weight-Standoff distance (CW-S) space for the rapid screening of component (or building) damage levels. SimEx is a computer application based on Matlab and developed by the Fluid Mechanics Research Group at University Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M), which has been successfully used for both teaching and research purposes in the Degree in Security Engineering, taught to the future Guardia Civil officers at the Spanish University Center of the Civil Guard (CUGC). This dual use has allowed the development of the application well beyond its initially objective, testing on one hand the implemented capacities by undergraduate cadets with end-user profile, and implementing new functionalities and utilities by Masters and PhD students. With this experience, the application has been continuously growing since its initial inception in 2014 both at a visual and a functional level, including new effects in the propagation of the blast waves, such as clearing and confinement, and incorporating new calculation assistants, such as those for the thermochemical analysis of explosive mixtures; crater formation; fragment mass distributions, ejection speeds and ballistic trajectories; and the statistical evaluation of damage to people due to overpressure, body projection, and fragment injuries.

We present a summary of the main results within the Scale Invariant Vacuum (SIV) paradigm as related to the Weyl Integrable Geometry. After a brief review of the mathematical framework, we will highlight the main results related to inflation within the SIV [9], the growth of the density fluctuations [8], and the application of the SIV to scale-invariant dynamics of Galaxies, MOND, Dark Matter, and the Dwarf Spheroidals [7]. The connection of the weak-field SIV results to the un-proper time parametrization within the reparametrization paradigm is also discussed [14].

The study uses annual time series data from the South Africa Reverse Bank (SARB) from 1980 to 2020 to examine the effectiveness of fiscal policy on economic growth in South Africa. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) unit root tests, as well as the Johansen Co-integration test, Granger causality test, and Vector Auto-Regression (VAR) method, were used in the study. Real GDP per capita (RGDP) is used as proxy of economic growth and gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), government expenditure (GEXP) and government deficit (GOVD) as the proxies of fiscal policy. The ADF test results show that all variables are stationary at the first difference, with the exception of GFCF and GEXP, which are stationary at I(0), whereas the PP test results show that all variables are stationary at I(1), with the exception of GEXP, which is stationary at I(0). At Maximum Eigenvalue, the four variables are not cointegrated. The findings of the Granger causality test demonstrated a unidirectional causation from GOVD to RGDP, as well as a bidirectional causality from RGDP to GFCF and GEXP. Error Correction Model Estimated using VAR shows that GFCF, GEXP have positive effect on RGDP whereas GOVD has a negative effect on RGDP in the short run. The findings also presented that the VAR's residuals are homoscedastic, which means they are normally distributed and have no serial correlation.

^{We consider the collective pricing orders in a minimum supply chain that is composed of a monopolistic manufacturer and many retailers that belong to the same chain store firm. The retailers have the freedom to raise or lower the local price. The chain store firm sets up the commercial rules for local retail stores to maximize its total payoff. The monopolistic manufacturer firm controls the total quantity supplied for the market to achieve maximum benefits. We applied the two dimensional Ising model in statistical physics to map the collective distribution of microscopic strategy of local retailers into the macroscopic total payoff of the chain store firm. The local stores choose to raise the price or lower the price based their own mind when the supply in market surpasses the demand. When the supply in market is far less than the demand, the stores synchronously raise prices, even though a local store only have the incomplete information of their nearest neighboring supermarket. We find the critical equation for the balance point between the action of supplier and the action of chain store management based on game theory and statistical physics. The critical equation can identify the Nash equilibrium point of the non-cooperative game between the manufacturer and the chain-store seller, and reveal different levels of collective operations. This statistical physics method also holds for more complicate supply chains and economic systems.}

The primary cilium plays a pivotal role during embryonic development of vertebrates. It acts as a somatic signaling hub for specific pathways, such as sonic hedgehog signaling. In humans, mutations in genes that cause dysregulation of ciliogenesis or ciliary function lead to severe developmental disorders called ciliopathies. Beyond its obvious role in early morphogenesis, growing evidence points towards an essential function of the primary cilium in neural circuit formation in the central nervous system. However, very little is known about a potential role in the formation of the peripheral nervous system. Here, we investigated the presence of the primary cilium in neural crest cells and their derivatives in the trunk of the developing chicken embryo in vivo. We found that neural crest cells, sensory neurons, and boundary cap cells all bear a primary cilium during key stages of early peripheral nervous system formation. Moreover, we described differences in the ciliation of neuronal cultures of different populations from the peripheral and central nervous system. Our results offer a framework for further in vivo and in vitro investigations on specific roles that the primary cilium might play during peripheral nervous system formation.

Korenaga and coworkers present evidence to suggest that 4.3 billion years ago the Earth’s mantle was dry and water filled the ocean to twice its present volume.[2] CO₂ was constantly exhaled during the mafic to ultramafic volcanic activity associated with magmatic plumes that produced the thick, dense and relatively stable oceanic crust. In that setting two distinct major types of sub-marine hydrothermal vents were active: ~400 °C acidic springs whose effluents bore vast quantities of iron into the ocean, and ~120 °C, highly alkaline and reduced vents exhaling from the cooler, serpentinizing crust at some distance from the heads of the plumes. When encountering the alkaline effluents, the iron from the plume head vents precipitated out forming mounds likely surrounded by voluminous exhalative deposits similar to the banded iron formations known from the Archean. These mounds and the surrounding sediments likely comprising nanocrysts of the variable valence FeII/FeIII oxyhydroxide, green rust. The precipitation of green rust, along with subsidiary iron sulfides and minor concentrations of Ni, Co and Mo in the environment at the alkaline springs may have established both the key bio-syntonic disequilibria, and the means to properly make use of them – those needed to drive the essential inanimate-to-animate transitions that launched life. In the submarine alkaline vent model for the emergence of life specifically it is first suggested that the redox-flexible green rust microcrysts spontaneously formed precipitated barriers to the complete mixing of carbonic ocean and alkaline hydrothermal fluids, barriers that created and maintained steep ionic disequilibria; and second, that the hydrous interlayers of green rust acted as 'engines' that were powered by those ionic disequilibria and drove essential endergonic reactions. There, aided by sulfides and trace elements acting as catalytic promoters and electron transfer agents, nitrate could be reduced to ammonia and carbon dioxide to formate, while methane may have been oxidized to methyl and formyl groups. Acetate and higher carboxylic acids could then have been produced from these C1 molecules and aminated to amino acids, and thence oligomerized to offer peptide nests to phosphate and iron sulfides and secreted to form primitive amyloid-bounded structures, leading conceivably to protocells.

Epistemological naturalism dismisses the notion that epistemology is a basis for the empirical sciences. In particular, it rejects the demand for a general justification of induction. Making inductive generalisations is a basic habit among humans. There is no such thing as a logic of inductive inference. The role of induction in science is heuristic; it is our way of inventing new theoretical predicates and developing theories. We discover new laws by applying inductive thinking; but this is not any kind of inference which can be evaluated as more or less rational.

The domain of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education has garnered significant consideration in recent times. However, several challenges are inherent to this area of study, including monetary expense, temporal factors, pedagogical environment, teacher training programs, incentive, syllabus design, and health-related concerns. This paper presents an analysis of the difficulties encountered in the realm of ICT education in Japan, taking into account ten different perspectives.

In the rapidly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), this study presents a critical evaluation of the resilience and cybersecurity efficacy of leading AI models, including ChatGPT-4, Bard, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot. Central to this research is the use of innovative adversarial prompts designed to rigorously test the content moderation capabilities of these AI systems. The study introduces new types of adversarial tests and the Response Quality Score (RQS), a metric specifically developed to assess the nuances of AI responses. Additionally, the research spotlights FreedomGPT, an AI tool engineered to optimize the alignment between user intent and AI interpretation. The empirical results from this investigation are pivotal for assessing the current robustness and security of AI models. They highlight the necessity for ongoing development and meticulous testing to bolster AI defenses against an array of adversarial challenges. Importantly, the study also delves into the ethical and societal implications associated with employing advanced 'jailbreak' techniques in AI testing. The findings are significant for understanding AI vulnerabilities and formulating strategies to enhance the reliability and ethical soundness of AI technologies, paving the way for safer and more secure AI applications.

Contrast agents developed for X-ray computed tomography (CT) offer extremely valuable tools and techniques in diagnostics via contrast enhancements. Heavy metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) can provide high contrast in CT images. These result from a high density of heavy metal atoms with high X-ray attenuation coefficients that exceed that of iodine (I), which is currently used in hydrophilic organic CT contrast agents. Nontoxicity and colloidal stability are vital characteristics in designing heavy metal-based NPs as CT contrast agents. In addition, the particle size must be small for in vivo renal excretion. In vitro phantom imaging studies can provide X-ray attenuation efficiency, which is a critical parameter for CT contrast agents, and the imaging performance of CT contrast agents can be demonstrated via in vivo experiments. This review focuses on in vitro and in vivo studies of various heavy metal-based NPs (metal: Au, Pt, Pd, Ag, Ce, Gd, Dy, Ho, Yb, Ta, W, and Bi) and provides an outlook on their use as high-performance CT contrast agents.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a chronic granulomatous enteritis caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) that affects a wide variety of domestic and wild animals. It is considered as one of the diseases with the highest economic impact in the ruminant industry. Despite many efforts and intensive research, PTB control is still controversially discussed and diagnostic and immunoprophylactic tools lack great limitations. Thus, models play a crucial role in understanding the pathogenesis of infection and disease, and in testing novel vaccine candidates. Here, we review the potential and limitations of different experimental approaches currently used in PTB research, focusing on laboratory animals and cell based models. The aim of this review is to offer a vision of the models that have been used and what has been achieved or discovered with each one so that the reader can choose the best model to answer their scientific questions and prove their hypotheses. Also, we bring forward new approaches that we consider worth exploring in the near future.

Recently, in a previous study, we have experimentally shown the existence of an optimal injected steam mass flow rate, per unit length, ϕopt, which produces the maximal recovery of con- densate in a preformed steam chamber with an elliptical cross section of horizontal semi-major axis. Mutatis mutandis, in this work we present experimental studies in preformed steam chambers, one elliptical and the other circular. In both cases, we also have found the existence of unique optimal values. These configurations try to recreate the steam condensation, at a given time lapse, as it would occur during the growth stage of the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process, a method used in the recovery of heavy and extra-heavy oil from homogeneous reservoirs. Finding the optimal mass flow rates in actual recovery process could become useful in the design of optimized SAGD processes.

Based on the historical research on the shape of armor in Ming Dynasty, this paper explores the shape characteristics of general armor in Ming Dynasty in China through field research on the general stone statue of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing. Through Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum general stone carving 3D animation technology restoration project, virtual material heritage practice is carried out. Through the modeling of the general stone statue in Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum by MAYA and Zbrush, UE4 realizes the construction of scenes and the output of interactive effects, so as to explore a mode of application engine animation that can preserve and propagate general stone carving in Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.

This review examines the relationship between blackhole activity and kinematic gas-star misalignment in brightest group galaxies (BGGs) with different merger rates. The formation history of galaxy groups is assessed through "age-dating" as an indicator of distinct major mergers involving the BGG. BGGs within groups characterized by a higher frequency of major mergers are more likely to host active SMBHs. A consistent correlation is identified between the level of black hole activity, as indicated by the 1.4 GHz and 325 MHz radio emissions, and the degree of kinematic misalignment between the gas and stellar components in BGGs. In dynamically relaxed groups, where blackhole accretion rate is relatively (∼1 dex) lower due to the lack of recent ( ≤1 Gyr) major mergers, there is reduced (∼ 30%) misalignment between the gas and stellar components of BGGs compared to unrelaxed groups. Additionally, the study reveals that BGGs in unrelaxed groups show higher levels of star formation rate and increased occurrence of mergers, contributing to observed color differences. Exploring the properties and dynamics of the gas disc influenced by mechanical AGN feedback through hydrodynamic simulations suggests that AGN wind-induced effects further lead to persistent gas misalignment of the disk around the supermassive blackhole.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is the main mineral component of bones and teeth. It is widely used in medicine as a bone filler and coating for implants to promote new bone growth. Ion substitutions into the HAP structure highly affect its properties. One of the important substituents is manganese. This paper presents the new results obtained by high-precision density functional theory calculations using hybrid functionals, for studies of the Mn/Ca substitutions in HAP in a wide manganese concentration range within 2x2x2 supercell model. The experimental data on the mechanochemical synthesis of HAP-Mn samples with different Mn concentrations are also presented. The comparison between experiment and theory showed good agreement: the HAP-Mg unit cell parameters and volume decrease with increasing degree of Mn/Ca substitution. It is shown that electronic energy levels appear inside the band gap Eg of HAP, which depend on the concentration of Mn and change the photo-excitation energy of HAP, making its effective value Eg* less than the band gap Eg, and generally changing the photoelectronic properties of HAP. It was established that the energies of formation of the substitutions Mn/Ca depend on the position of the Ca atom (Ca1 or Ca2) and on the concentration of manganese. It has been shown that the replacement of calcium cations with manganese occurs predominantly at the Ca2 position.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major food-borne pathogen. The ability of S. aureus to produce biofilm is a significant virulence factor triggering its persistence in hostile environments. In this study, we screened a total of 420 different food samples and human hand swabs to detect S. aureus and to determine their biofilm formation ability. Samples analyzed were meat, milk, egg, fish, fast foods, and hand swabs. S. aureus were detected by culturing, staining, biochemical, and PCR. Biofilm formation ability was determined by Congo Red Agar (CRA) plate and Crystal Violet Microtiter Plate (CVMP) tests. The icaA, icaB, icaC, icaD, and bap genes involved in the synthesis of bio-film-forming intracellular adhesion compounds were detected by PCR. About 23.81% (100/420; 95% CI: 14.17-29.98%) samples harbored S. aureus as revealed by detection of the nuc gene. CRA plate revealed 20% of S. aureus isolates as strong biofilm producers, while 69% and 11% as in-termediate and non-biofilm producers, respectively. By the CVMP staining method, 20%, 77%, and 3% of the isolates were found strong, intermediate, and non-biofilm producers. Furthermore, 21% of S. aureus isolates carried at least one biofilm-forming gene, where icaA, icaB, icaC, icaD, and bap genes were detected in 15%, 20%, 7%, 20%, and 10% of the S. aureus isolates, respectively. Bivariate analysis showed high significant correlations (p<0.001) between any of the two adhesion genes of S. aureus isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Bangladesh describing the detection of biofilm-forming S. aureus from foods and hand swabs with molecular-based evidence. Our findings suggest that food samples should be deemed a potential reservoir of biofilm-forming S. aureus that indicates a potential public health significance.

The one-to-one structural correspondence between any conjugated hydrocarbon CnHm and the borane BnHm+n is extended here, with the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ model, to pure conjugated carbon systems with the example of buckminsterfullerene C60 with the corresponding icosahedral isoelectronic system closo-borane B60H60, and the fluorine substituted systems B60F30H30 and B60F60 , all with icosahedral Ih symmetry. All systems correspond to energy minima in the potential energy hypersurface, except for B60(F30)in(H30)out . Selected electronic structure methods are used to characterize all systems: molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP), atomic charges, bond orders, and topological properties of the electron density within quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) and electron-localization function (ELF) theory. In the particular case of B60H60 we use the recently developed Hückeloid model to characterize this system. The stability of the energy minimum icosahedral structure B60F60 could have an origin in F···F attractive interactions of the inner fluorine atoms of the cage.

The conformational dependence of the matrix element for spin-orbit coupling and of the electronic coupling for charge separation are determined for an electron donor-acceptor system containing a pyrene acceptor and a dimethylaniline donor. Different kinetic and energetic aspects that play a role in the spin-orbit charge transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) mechanism are discussed. This includes parameters related to initial charge separation and the charge recombination pathways using the (Semi-Classical) Marcus Theory for electron transfer. The spin-orbit coupling, which plays a significant role in charge recombination to the triplet state can be probed by (TD-)DFT, using the latter as a tool to understand and predict the SOCT-ISC mechanism. The matrix elements for spin-orbit coupling for acetone and 4-thio-thymine are used for benchmarking. (Time Dependent-) Density Functional Theory (DFT and TD-DFT) calculations are applied using the quantum chemical program Amsterdam Density Functional (ADF).

Keyhole laser beam welding (LBW) of stainless steel sheets with a gap in between is numerically simulated with a three-dimensional, transient multi-physical model for laser material processing. At first, the model’s ability to reproduce experimental results on a relatively coarse computational mesh within reasonable computing time, so as to serve as process optimization tool, is presented. An example of process optimization, where a given set of weld seam quality criteria is fulfilled by iteratively optimizing a secondary laser beam, is shown. The relatively coarse mesh, in combination with a good model calibration to the experimental conditions, allows for sufficiently fast simulations to use this approach for optimization tasks. Finally, using a finer spatial and temporal discretization, the dynamic processes in the vicinity of the keyhole leading to the formation of pores are investigated. The physical phenomena predicted by the simulation are coherent with experimental observations found in literature.

The coevolution of species drives diversity in animals and plants and contributes to natural selection, whereas in host–parasite coevolution, a parasite may complete an incomplete evolutionary/developmental function by utilizing the host cell’s machinery. Analysis of related older data suggests that Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum), the pathogen of malaria tropica, cannot survive outside its human host because it is unable to perform the evolutionarily first protein glycosylation of serologically A-like, O-GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr-R, Tn antigen (“T nouvelle”) formation, owing to its inability for synthesizing the amino sugar N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc). This parasite breaks the species barrier via hijacking the host's physiological A-like/Tn formation through abundantly expressing serine residues and creating hybrid A-like/Tn structures, which in the human blood group O(H) are attacked by the germline-encoded nonimmune polyreactive immunoglobulin M (IgM), exerting the highly anti-A/B/H-aggressive isoagglutinin activities. These activities physiologically undergo the ABO(H) blood group phenotype formation, occurring on the surfaces of red blood cells (RBC), epithelial and endothelial cells and on plasma proteins by identical glycosylation, performed by the ABO(H)-allelic glycotransferases, phenotypically downregulating the anti-A/B/H-reactive IgM (isoagglutinin) activities in the non-O blood groups. ABO(H) phenotype diversity, this way glycosidically linked and molecularly connected to humoral immunity, becomes exposed to the evolution.

The Sharing Economy (SE) has dawn great attention from several stakeholders in society in the last five years. While business actors are interested in financial opportunities to meet consumer needs, new business models, the academia and governmental organizations are concerned with potential unintended effects on the society and environment. In the process of making a clearer comprehension of the SE phenomenon, researchers have identified that, despite its notable global growth, there still persists a lack of a more solid ground in understanding its origins and respective mechanisms under which it has been evolving over time as a category. In this research, we address the problematics of the origins and ascendency of the SE by examining the process by which the SE is arising as a new category, searching for conceptual clarification and pinpointing the legitimacy granted by key stakeholders. Our guiding research questions are: (1) how the SE was formed and evolved as a market category; and (2), as a market category, is the SE legitimate? Additionally, we attempt to identify the nature of the SE as a category. To answer these questions, we conducted an historical analysis of the expression SE and its equivalents. This paper deepens the discussion about the nature of the SE by providing evidence that (i) the SE has predominantly been formed by emergence processes, comprising social movement, similarity clustering and truce components. It is the combination of all these aforementioned processes that renders the SE a special case of market category formation, which, in turn, has been allowing communication, entrepreneurship, regulation and research about what really is the SE, and despite the evident lack of agreements regarding both the label and its content; (ii) there is a generalized legitimacy granted to the SE by a vast number of stakeholders, even though still lacking on the consolidation of socio-political legitimation, and (iii) the nature of the SE seems to fall in a metaphorical approach, particularly, the notion of radial categories.

Cost-effective and functionalized scaffolds are in high demand for stem-cell-based regenerative medicine to treat refractory bone defects in craniofacial abnormalities and injuries. One potential strategy is to utilize pharmacological and cost-effective plant polyphenols and biocompatible proteins, such as gelatin. Nevertheless, the use of chemically modified proteins with plant polyphenols in this strategy has not been standardized. Here, we demonstrated that gelatin chemically modified with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major catechin isolated from green tea, can be a useful material for dedifferentiated fat cells and adipose-derived stem cells and can induce bone regeneration in a rat congenial cleft-jaw model in vivo. Vacuum-heated gelatin sponge modified with EGCG (vhEGCG-GS) induced superior osteogenesis from these two cell types compared with vacuum-heated gelatin sponge (vhGS). The EGCG-modification converted the water wettability of vhGS to a hydrophilic property (contact angle: 110° to 3.8°) and the zeta potential to a negative surface charge; the modification enhanced the cell adhesion property and promoted calcium phosphate precipitation. These results suggest that the EGCG-modification with chemical synthesis can be a useful platform to modify the physicochemical property of gelatin. This alteration is likely to provide a preferable microenvironment for multipotent progenitor cells, inducing superior bone formation in vivo.

There is much interest in effective copper chelators to correct copper dyshomeostasis in neurodegenerative and oncological diseases. In this study, a recombinant fusion protein for expression in E. coli cells was constructed from glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the N-terminal domain (ectodomain) of human high affinity copper transporter CTR1 (hNdCTR1), which has three metal-bound motifs. Several biological properties of the GST-hNdCTR1 fusion protein were assessed. It was demonstrated that in cells, the protein was prone to oligomerization, formed inclusion bodies and displayed no toxicity. Treatment of E. coli cells with copper and silver ions reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cells expressing GST-hNdCTR1 protein demonstrated resistance to the metal treatments. These cells accumulated silver ions and formed nanoparticles that contained AgCl and Ag0. In this bacterial population, filamentous bacteria with length about 10 μm were often observed. The possibility for the fusion protein carrying extracellular metal binding motifs to integrate into the cell’s copper metabolism and its chelating properties are discussed.

Euler-Poisson equations of a charged symmetrical body in external constant and homogeneous electric and magnetic fields are deduced starting from the variational problem, where the body is considered as a system of charged point particles subject to holonomic constraints. The final equations are written for the center-of mass-coordinate, rotation matrix and angular velocity. General solution to the equations of motion is obtained for the case of a charged ball. For the case of a symmetrical charged body (solenoid), the task of obtaining the general solution is reduced to the problem of a one-dimensional cubic pseudo-oscillator. Besides, we present a one-parametric family of solutions to the problem in elementary functions.

The regional recycling of plant waste from municipal green space maintenance, private households and private gardens is traditionally carried out in partially open composting plants. In addition to climate-relevant gases, dust, germs and odours are emitted. Compared to aerobic rotting the pyrolysis at higher temperatures and/or reforming offers industrial utilisation of plant based biowaste, with additional availability of energetic by-products. A high-quality plant charcoal derived from a pilot plant is used in a one-year field trial to establish a theoretical comparability with substrates from composting. The advantages and disadvantages of composting and high-quality pyrolysis is shown for comparison, to foster further investigation in advanced technologies for production of plant charcoal aiming the sequester of biogenic Carbondioxide.

This study aimed to develop extended–release tablets containing 25 mg IMM−H014, an original drug formulated by a direct powder pressing method based on pharmaceutical–grade hydrophilic matrix polymers, such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, to establish an in vitro−in vivo corre-lation (IVIVC) to predict bioavailability. The tablets’ mechanical properties and in vitro and in vivo performance were studied. The formulation was optimized using a single factor experiment and the reproducibility was confirmed. The in vitro dissolution profiles of the tablet were de-termined in five dissolution media, in which the drug released from the hydrophilic tablets fol-lowed Ritger–Peppas model kinetics in 0.01 N HCl medium for the first 2 h, and in phosphate buffer saline medium (pH 7.5) for further 24 h. Accelerated stability studies (40°C, 75% relative humidity) proved that the optimal formulation was stable for 6 months. The in vivo pharmaco-kinetics study in beagle dogs showed that compared to the IMM−H014 immediate release prep-aration, the maximum plasma concentration of the extended release (ER) preparation was sig-nificantly decreased, while the maximum time to peak and mean residence time were significantly prolonged. The relative bioavailability was 97.9% based on an area under curve, indicating that the optimal formulation has an obvious ER profile. And a good IVIVC was established, which could be used to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics from the formulation composition.