In Escherichia coli, DNA replication termination is orchestrated by two clusters of Ter sites forming a DNA replication fork trap when bound by Tus proteins. The formation of a ‘locked’ Tus-Ter complex is essential for halting incoming DNA replication forks. However, the absence of replication fork arrest at some Ter sites raised questions about their significance. In this study, we examined the genome-wide distribution of Tus and found that only the six innermost Ter sites (TerA-E and G) were significantly bound by Tus. We also found that a single ectopic insertion of TerB in its non-permissive orientation could not be achieved, advocating against a need for ‘back-up’ Ter sites. Finally, examination of the genomes of a variety of Enterobacterales revealed a new replication fork trap architecture mostly found outside the Enterobacteriaceae family. Taken together, our data enabled the delineation of a narrow ancestral Tus-dependent DNA replication fork trap consisting of only two Ter sites.

Plant life-long organogenesis involves sequential, time and tissue specific expression of developmental genes. This requires activities of Polycomb Group (PcG) and trithorax Group complexes, respectively responsible for repressive Histone 3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and activation-related H3K4me3. However, the genome-wide dynamics in histone modifications that occur during developmental processes have remained elusive. Here, we report the distributions of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 along with transcriptional changes, in a developmental series including Arabidopsis leaf and three stages of flower development. We found that chromatin mark levels are highly dynamic over the time series on nearly half of all Arabidopsis genes. Moreover, during early flower morphogenesis, changes in H3K4me3 prime over changes in H3K27me3 and quantitatively correlate with transcription changes, while H3K27me3 changes occur after prolonged expression changes. Notably, early activation of PcG target genes is dominated by increases in H3K4me3 while H3K27me3 remains present at the locus. Our results reveal H3K4me3 as greater predictor over H3K27me3 for transcription dynamics, unveil unexpected chromatin mechanisms at gene activation and underline the relevance of tissue-specific temporal epigenomics.

The objective of the this study was to reduce the benzo[a]pyrene-induced hepatotoxicity method in herbal medicine products and to give proof that neferine, daidzein, genistein possess antihepa-totoxic effects. B[a]P which classified as a group 1 carcinogen and metabolized to B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) causes mutagenic DNA addition products. The reduc-tion of BPDE-DNA adduct formation by B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) was derived by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). In HepG2 cells, B[a]P exhibited toxicity and substance treatment of the cells with B[a]P with neferine in lotus and daidzein, genistein in soybean reduced the BPDE-DNA ad-ducts level. The level of B[a]P-metabolites in the substance treatment of the cells was presented that BPDE levels were reduced by neferine in lotus and daidzein, genisten in soybean. These results suggest that neferine in lotus and daidzein, genistein in soybean prevent B[a]P-induced hepato-toxicity for BPDE-DNA adduct formation.

In this paper we investigate analytic automorphisms of complex topological vector spaces and their applications to linear and nonlinear transitive operators. We constructed some examples of polynomial automorphisms which show that a natural analogue of the Jacobian Conjecture for infinite dimensional spaces is not true. Also, we prove that any separable Fréchet space supports a transitive analytic operator which is not a polynomial. We found some connections of analytic automorphisms and algebraic bases of symmetric polynomials and applications to hypercyclisity of composition operators.

Molecules sourced from marine environments hold immense promise for the development of novel therapeutic drugs, owing to their distinctive chemical compositions and valuable medicinal attributes. Notably, Talarolide A and Talaropeptides A-D have gained recent attention as potential candidates for pharmaceutical applications. This study aims to explore the chemical reactivity of Talarolide A and Talaropeptides A-D through the application of molecular modeling and computational chemistry techniques, specifically employing Conceptual Density Functional Theory (CDFT). By investigating their chemical behaviors, the study seeks to contribute to the understanding of the potential pharmacological uses of these marine-derived compounds. The investigation involves the utilization of molecular modeling and computational chemistry tools, with a specific focus on Conceptual DFT. These techniques are applied to examine the chemical reactivity of Talarolide A and Talaropeptides A-D, shedding light on their potential for interacting with various biological targets. The research reveals insights into the chemical reactivity of Talarolide A and Talaropeptides A-D, uncovering active reaction sites and potential biological targets. Talarolide A demonstrates robust anti-inflammatory properties and antitumor activity against diverse cancer cell lines, while Talaropeptide A displays antimicrobial efficacy against both bacteria and fungi. The study underscores the significance of comprehending the chemical reactivity of natural marine products for advancing pharmaceutical development. By employing computational tools such as Conceptual DFT, this research uncovers crucial information about the active sites and potential targets of Talarolide A and Talaropeptides A-D. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of marine-derived peptides and their prospects as pharmaceutical agents, though further investigations are necessary to fully elucidate their pharmacological attributes.

Several biomedical products, like scaffolds, implants, prostheses, and orthoses, require materials having superior physicochemical and biological properties. Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) is being increasingly used for various biomedical applications. There are a few studies on PETG-based composites, however, natural fibers like silk short fibers reinfored PETG composites have not been attempted. Being a cost-effective widely available material, PETG-Silk combination can be potential biocomposite for several biomedical applications. Here, we report a novel short silk fiber reinforced PETG composite prepared by a wet-mixing route, ensuring homogenous dispersion of the filler. Different ratios (2-10%) of short silk fibers were used to prepare composites with varied compositions. The mechanical, physicochemical, and biological properties of the prepared composites were analyzed. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that such composites are thermally stable up to 390 °C and can be used for thermal extrusion-based manufacturing. The tensile modulus of the samples increased with fiber content; however, the failure strain reduced with fiber content. Furthermore, upon annealing, the tensile modulus increased but, the failure strain of the composites decreased, XRD study revealed that heat treatment has altered the crystalline nature of the composites. Finally, we evaluated the cytocompatibility of the prepared composites to assess their suitability for various biomedical applications.

In this paper, a prototype of an automatic lab on PCB for agarose preparation and electrophoresis is developed. The dimensions of the device are 38×34 mm2 and includes a conductivity sensor for detecting the TAE buffer (Tris-Acetate-EDTA buffer), a microheater for mixing, a NTC thermistor for controlling the temperature, a LDR sensor for measuring the transparency of the mixture, and two electrodes for performing the electrophoresis. The agarose preparation functions are governed by a microcontroller. The device requires a PMMA structure to define the wells of the agarose gel, and to release the electrodes from the agarose. The maximum voltage and current that the system requires are 40 V to perform the electrophoresis, and 1 A for activating the microheater. The chosen temperature for mixing is 80ºC, with a mixing time of 10 min. In addition, the curing time is about 30 min. This device is intended to be integrated as a part of a larger lab on PCB system for DNA amplification and detection. However, it can be used to migrate DNA amplified in conventional thermocyclers. Moreover, the device can be modified for preparing larger agarose gels and performing electrophoresis in an automatic manner.

This research paper contributes to the literature of deterrence theory in general, and in particular with respect to white-collar crime, offering valuable inside by using a unique data set of fraud and violation of trust incidents for Paraguay. Descriptive evidence show a clear and continuous misallocation of funds and human capital, and therefore providing less efficient services for the public. Regression analysis suggests that clearance rate exerts a highly significant effect in deterring fraud but results are not clear for violation of trust incidents. Despite the limitations of available data, results confirm deterrence theory in Paraguay. However, to more than two-thirds of victims, not even the attempt was made to seek justice. As a side-result, it seems that a soft on crime strategy, induced from the former German penal code, has led to an increasing share of pre-trial diversion and therefore enhancing white-collar crimes like fraud and violation of trust due to impunity.

Biometric based access control system acts as a weapon against the challenges for reliable authentication mechanism. Although there are many advantages of biometric system, still it is vulnerable to attacks, which decline its security. This leads to propose a new approach to address these open issues and challenges for biometric data security. Smart card have been already used in past with various degree of success to store biometric credentials. Match-on-card biometric framework locks the biometric data inside the microcontroller of the smart card, which leads to minimal risks if card is lost or stolen. It is fast and accurate, balancing security and convenience by never exchanging user data outside the system of smart card and performs fingerprint enrollment as well as matching within a tamperproof environment of smart card.

In this work we identify combinations of technological activities that signal the presence local capabilities in a country to successfully export a product. We use country-level patent and trade data to generate a multi-layer network, and we apply maximization of entropy to generate synthetic data to effectively divide signal from noise. We show that in several sectors the signal far exceed the noise. Our exercise provides robust evidence of the presence of synergies between technologies to explain trade performances in specific markets. This can be highly useful for policy makers, to inform industrial and innovation policies.

Gene regulation is vital for cellular function and homeostasis, involving diverse mechanisms controlling specific gene products and contributing to tissue-specific gene expression. Dysregulation leads to diseases, emphasizing the need for understanding these mechanisms. Non-coding regions, notably enhancers and super-enhancers (SEs), act as crucial gene regulators, orchestrating transcriptional activity via transcription factors (TFs). SEs, with high activity, are pivotal in cell identity and disease progression. Current computational approaches focus on individual regulators like TFs and miRNAs, neglecting SE interactions. We emphasize incorporating SEs into models to enhance understanding. Experimental studies have recently linked miRNAs and TFs to SEs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) provides valuable SE information. In this review, we categorize computational methods leveraging TF and miRNA data into three areas and explore challenges integrating enhancers/SEs. These include unraveling indirect regulatory networks, identifying network motifs, and enriching pathway identification by dissecting gene regulators, including SEs. We hypothesize that addressing these challenges will enhance our understanding of gene regulation, aiding in identifying therapeutic targets and disease biomarkers. We believe that understanding the role of ChIP-Seq data in predicting the effect of miRNA on gene regulation is crucial to construct statistical/computational model that would tackle these challenges.

The experiments described in this research article were designed to test the effect of rare variants into genomic prediction in dairy cattle. Common polymorphisms are able to explain only a small proportion of the underlying genetic variation of complex phenotypes. Variants representing functional mutations with large effects on complex phenotypes are expected to be rare due to natural (humans) or artificial (livestock) selection pressure. Therefore, it is important to check whether the use of rare variants could increase the accuracy of ranking of animals by providing the tool for more precise differentiation among the bulls with high additive genetic merit. The goal of our study was to verify whether including rare variants in a genomic selection model allows for a more accurate description of the additive genetic background of traits under selection in dairy cattle. We used the linear mixed model for comparison SNP estimates for Holstein-Friesian cattle of the two data sets – a set containing only single nucleotide polymorphisms defined by minor allele frequency ≥ 0.01, which is routinely used in the Polish genomic evaluation system (46,216 SNPs), and a set containing SNPs selected based only on the call rate (54,378 SNPs). Based on the SNP estimates we also calculated DGV and GEBV and compared them between both data sets. In all the analyses we used production, fertility, conformation and udder health traits. We also assessed the time required for the two most computationally demanding components of genomic selection: preparing genotype data, and estimation of SNP effects between those two data sets. The results of our study indicated that the analysis including rare variants resulted in changes in the individual ranking of the top 100 male and female candidates, but had no effect on the outcome of the quality of EBV prediction as expressed by the Interbull validation test.

Gravity-aided inertial navigation system (GAINS) is an important development in autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) navigation. An effective path planning algorithm plays an important role in the performance of navigation in long-term underwater missions. By combining the gravity information obtained at each position with the error information from the INS, the posterior Cram\'er-Rao bound (PCRB) of GAINS is derived in this paper. The PCRB is the estimated lower bound of position variance for navigation along the planned trajectory. And the sum of PCRB is used as the minimum cost from the initial state to the current state in the state space, and the position error prediction variance of inertial navigation system (INS) is used as the minimum estimated cost of the path from the current state to the goal state in the A* algorithm. Thus, a path planning method with optimal navigation accuracy is proposed. According to simulation results, traveling along the path planed by the proposed method can rapidly improve the positioning accuracy while consuming just slightly more distance. Even when measuring noise changes, the planned path can still maintain optimal positioning accuracy, and high positioning accuracy is possible for any trajectory located within a certain range of the planned path.

This study presents a transversal investigation, that we performed at Fundeni hospital, into the therapeutic benefits and efficacy of Emicizumab, a non-factor therapy, in the context of hemophilia A. Ten patients diagnosed with hemophilia A were closely monitored, using clinical and laboratory resources, during the course of Emicizumab treatment, with an average of 12.8 months. Among these patients, six exhibited anti-factor VIII inhibitors, changing the medical approach and adding complexity to their clinical profiles. A comprehensive approach was adopted to assess the coagulation status of patients under Emicizumab therapy. The study employed several key coagulation monitoring tools, of which including thrombin generation time (TGT) and thrombelastography (TEG). These methodologies proved highly valuable results in evaluating the patients' coagulation profiles during the treatment regimen. Additionally, traditionally coagulation assays were utilized to gain a comprehensive understanding of the overall coagulation dynamics. Noteworthy, impressive outcomes emerged from the study. During prophylaxis with Emicizumab all patients had experienced a reduced number of bleeding events. Moreover, a subset of these patients underwent major surgical procedures (orthopedic joint replacements) with successful outcomes. These findings underscore the potential of Emicizumab therapy as an effective option for hemophilia A patients, including those that presented a prompt production of anti-factor VIII inhibitors. As for the outcomes, this transversal study sheds some light on the positive impact of Emicizumab therapy in addressing the coagulation challenges posed by hemophilia A. The utilization of global coagulation assays, such as thrombin generation time, thrombelastography and combined with traditional coagulation assays, used as monitoring tools highlights their significance once more in evaluating the therapeutic response. This research contributes by providing physicians with valuable insights to the field, offering a potential avenue for improved patients’ care and treatment strategies that translate in enhanced quality of life for hemophilia A patients undergoing Emicizumab therapy.

Smart, reliable, and connected multi-modal mobility has been a long-standing goal of transit services. This paper focuses on the smart, seamless, and multi-modal mobility service in the context of “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS). Intelligent mobility is the smarter, greener, and more efficient movement of passengers around the world. Increasingly, mobility is approached as a service. This study first conducts an extensive literature review on mobility behavior and demand pattern of MaaS end-users. It then extends the mechanism of supply chain, MaaS, synergy (i.e., vertical cooperation synergy, horizontal competition synergy), and coopetition to develop the multi-tier closed-loop intelligent mobility service supply chain network. This paper explains the intelligent mobility service supply chain network from following perspectives: (i) mobility service taxonomy of MaaS; (ii) aims of intelligent mobility service supply chain network; (iii) urban rail transit (URT)-centered alternatives for integrated multimodal journey planning, i.e. access + URT + egress, and both access and egress can be served by Mobility-On-Demand (MOD) transport; (iv) node member imperatives. From a synthesis of insights from the ‘during’ journey, this study puts forward the synergetic design of intelligent mobility service supply chain network, including: (i) multi-tier closed-loop structure; (ii) key nodes identification for the physical multimodal transport network in the supply chain; (iii) hybrid synergy mechanisms among the partners, i.e., synergy principle, temporal splitting approach for coopetition synergy; (iv) index systems and evaluation methods for synergy measurement. This study also contributes to the integrated multimodal journey planning. In concluding, the paper highlights the important implications of the proposed intelligent mobility service supply chain network for MaaS bundle design and adverse effects reduction, resulting from 1 + 1 > 2 synergy effects.

In this paper, I investigate Hyers-Ulam-Rassias stabilities of the general quintic functional equation and the general sextic functional equation.

Worldwide, among older adults, infection is the leading mortality cause; chronic nutritional deficits confer significant mortality risk and increase healthcare costs. The association of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM)-defined malnutrition with infection-related mortality, especially with renal dysfunction in older patients, remains unevaluated. In older patients hospitalized with infection, stratified by renal function, we investigated the association of malnutrition severity with mortality. This single-center, retrospective cohort study of 1220 participants (age ≥65 years) admitted to Aichi Medical University from 2019 to 2020 used a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to determine the association of GLIM-defined nutritional status (no, moderate, or severe malnutrition) with all-cause mortality. Compared to no malnutrition, moderate and severe malnutrition conferred significantly higher mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [confidence interval ]: 1.00 [reference], 1.76 [1.28-2.42], and 2.44 [1.78-3.33], respectively), with the highest all-cause mortality in malnutrition with a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73m2; 7.35 [4.57-11.8]) compared to no malnutrition and normal eGFR (≥60 mL/min/1.73m2). GLIM-defined malnutrition confers higher all-cause mortality risk in older adults with infection, especially those with renal dysfunction. This information enables the identification of high-risk older patients with infection and targeted clinical management of those with malnutrition, renal dysfunction, and infection.

Oncological changes in the prostate are a common cause of death among elderly men. Malignant cells are difficult to identify at early stages, which are asymptomatic. The patient often seeks medical assistance when the disease has already progressed, and the treatment is less effective. Early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC) is thus one of the priority tasks of modern urology and healthcare in general. The aim of this study is the detection of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are known to be associated with PC. The detection of the target miRNAs in human plasma samples has been performed with a nanoribbon biosensor system, which was based on "silicon-on-insulator" structures (SOI-NR biosensor). In order to provide biospecific detection of the target miRNAs, the surface of individual nanoribbons has been modified with DNA oligonucleotide probes (oDNA probes), whose nucleotide sequences were complementary to those of the target miRNAs. The high detection sensitivity has been demonstrated with the use of model oDNAs, which are complementary to nanoribbon-immobilized oDNA probes, in buffer solutions. The sensitivity threshold was 1.1 × 10^-17 M. The successful detection of target miRNAs, isolated from real plasma samples of PC patients, has also been demonstrated. We believe that the development of highly sensitive nanotechnology-based biosensors for PC markers is a step towards personalized medicine.

The one pot hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation reaction of maltose to 2 moles of sorbitol has been carried out over different supported Cu catalysts in water at 180°C and 40 bar of H2. Only the catalysts supported on silicas were found to be effective in this reaction giving up to 86% yield in the desired product while the bare supports and the catalysts supported on alumina or silica alumina gave messy reactions. The peculiar activity of the two Cu/Silica systems tested was ascribed to high metal dispersion and suitable polarity of the catalyst surface. The reduced catalyst, exposing metallic Cu particles on the surface, showed unusual stability in the presence of water as a solvent and could be reused several times without any treatment.

This paper aims to describe the geometrical structure and explicit expressions of family of finitely parametrized probability densities over smooth manifold $M$. The geometry of family of probability densities on $M$ are inherited from probability densities on Euclidean spaces $\left\{U_\alpha \right\}$ via bundle morphisms, induced by an orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms $\rho_\alpha:U_\alpha \rightarrow M$. Current literature inherits densities on $M$ from tangent spaces via Riemannian exponential map $\exp: T_x M \rightarrow M$; densities on $M$ are defined locally on region where the exponential map is a diffeomorphism. We generalize this approach with an arbitrary orientation-preserving bundle morphism; we show that the dualistic geometry of family of densities on $U_\alpha$ can be inherited to family of densities on $M$. Furthermore, we provide explicit expressions for parametrized probability densities on $\rho_\alpha(U_\alpha) \subset M$. Finally, using the component densities on $\rho_\alpha(U_\alpha)$, we construct parametrized mixture densities on totally bounded subsets of $M$. We provide a description of inherited mixture product dualistic geometry of the family of mixture densities.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique is one of the molecular methods in amplifying DNA for the detection of malaria. However, the limitations of PCR especially when used for routine clinical practice can hamper its sensitivity and specificity. With that, this study focuses on designing a microfluidic device that will mimic the function of a conventional genus-specific PCR based on 18S rRNA gene to detect malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum) at low grade parasitemia. The design was drawn and simulated using ANSYS 14.5 Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The simulation shows that adding loops to the design increases its relative deviation but to a minimal extent as compared to having only a straight path design, which indicates that looping is acceptable in designing a microfluidic device to minimize chip length. Also, increasing the cross-sectional area of the fluid path decreases the efficiency of the design, thus, the design with a relatively smaller cross-sectional area is favored. And lastly, among the three materials utilized, the chip made of polypropylene is the most efficient with a relative deviation of 0.94 as compared to polycarbonate and polydimethylsiloxane which have relative deviations of 2.78 and 1.92, respectively.

The market for microfluidic chips is experiencing significant growth; however, their development is hindered by a complex design process and low efficiency. Enhancing microfluidic chips’ design quality and efficiency has emerged as an integral approach to foster their advancement. Currently, the existing structural design schemes lack careful consideration regarding the impact of chip area, microchannel length, and the number of intersections on chip design. This inadequacy leads to redundant chip structures resulting from the separation of layout and wiring design. This study proposes a structural optimization method for microfluidic chips to address these issues utilizing a simulated annealing algorithm. The simulated annealing algorithm generates an initial solution in advance using the fast sequence pair algorithm. Subsequently, an improved simulated annealing algorithm is employed to obtain the optimal solution for the device layout. During the wiring stage, an advanced wiring method is used to designate the high wiring area, thereby increasing the success rate of microfluidic chip wiring. Furthermore, the connection between layout and routing is reinforced through an improved layout adjustment method, which reduces the length of microchannels and the number of intersections. Finally, the effectiveness of the structural optimization approach is validated through six sets of test cases, successfully achieving the objective of enhancing the design quality of microfluidic chips.

As one of the most critical parameters to evaluate the quality and performance of mobile phones, real-time temperature monitoring of the mobile phone integrated chips is vitally important in the electronics industry. Although several different strategies for chip surface temperature measurement have been proposed in recent years, distributed temperature monitoring with the high spatial resolution is still a hot issue to be solved urgently. In this work, a fluorescent film material with photothermal properties containing thermosensitive upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is fabricated for chip surface temperature monitor-ing. The presented fluorescent films have thicknesses ranging from 23 to 90 μm and are both flexible and elastic. Using the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique, the temperature sens-ing properties of these fluorescent films are investigated. The maximum sensitivity of the fluo-rescent film was measured to be 1.43% K-1 at 299 K. By testing the temperature at different posi-tions of the optical film, a distributed temperature monitoring with a high spatial resolution down to 10 μm on the chip surface is successfully achieved. It is worth mentioning that the film maintains stable performance even under pull stretch up to 100%. The correctness of the method is verified by taking infrared images of the chip surface with an infrared camera. These results demonstrate that the as-prepared optical film is a promising anti-deformation material for high spatial resolution temperature monitoring on-chip surfaces.

The motivation for investigating the issues presented in this article stemmed from a need to understand better the relationship in long-established physics formulas and extract the information they provided using conventional methods. Based on the definition of magnetic flux quantization, which is based on a combination of fundamental physical constants, the Planck constant, and the particle’s elementary charge, this work explores the results that arise when this equation is combined with the equation of the Bohr-level electrostatic force acting on the electron, which leads to a new mathematical relationship between the combined expressions. The new relationship yields novel theoretical findings related to the known universal constants. Following this insight, the formalism developed in this paper indicates that the mass of the electron and other subatomic particles is associated with the magnitude of the square of the magnetic flux quantum, which makes up the particle. This conclusion is not as strange as it may seem, as the square of the magnetic flux quantum appears in the context of magnetic energy in a current loop and, according to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, energy is equivalent to mass. Another aspect described at the end of this paper demonstrates the connection between the square of the magnetic flux quantum through the Bohr radius and the significance of the wave function in the atom. The theoretical results are in full accordance with experimental results published by NIST CODATA 2018 that I’ve used, which validates the existence of the relationship.

The aim of this work is to compare two softwares (MAUD and TOPAS) based on the Rietveld algorithm and to test the concept of tolerance factor using the dissolution at high temperature of yttrium into BaTiO₃. In general, both softwares give up different values of the crystalline parameters however the trends are similar in most cases but the analysis of the strain and crystallite size in the BaTiO₃ crystals suggests that, in this particular case, MAUD offered results more consistent with the expected behavior. Using the crystalline parameters calculated by Rietveld, the tolerance factor values were obtained and these data suggest even better stability in the crystalline structure than that expected using theoretical parameters. Tolerance factor concept also indicates that Ti⁴⁺ should be preferred.

Data is present in the data sources like Files and Data bases, Retrieval of information from that data sources is one of the important issue nowadays. So for retrieval information from the data sources clustering is used. In the present market different types of clustering algorithms were available. But opting of the clustering is based on user requirements. This paper focuses on the study of hierarchical clustering approach on different conditions or measures or with customer choices like clustering process number of clusters generated at each level, number of levels, attributes range for performing the clustering on the given data set. In brief overview we discuss the hierarchical approach for clustering algorithm with the user opting choices.

We define degree of dependence of two events A and B in a probability space by using Boltzmann-Shannon entropy function of an appropriate probability distribution produced by these events and depending on one parameter (the probability of intersection of A and B) varying within a closed interval I. The entropy function attains its global maximum when the events A and B are independent. The important particular case of discrete uniform probability space motivates this definition in the following way. The entropy function has a minimum at the left endpoint of I exactly when one of the events and the complement of the other are connected with the relation of inclusion (maximal negative dependence). It has a minimum at the right endpoint of I exactly when one of these events is included in the other (maximal positive dependence). Moreover, the deviation of the entropy from its maximum is equal to average information that carries one of the binary trials defined by A and B with respect to the other. As a consequence, the degree of dependence of A and B can be expressed in terms of information theory and is invariant with respect to the choice of unit of information. Using this formalism, we describe completely the screening tests and their reliability, measure efficacy of a vaccination, the impact of some events from the financial markets to other events, etc. A link is available for downloading an Excel program which calculates the degree of dependence of two events in a sample space with equally likely outcomes.

An efficient approach to the previously unknown furo[2',3':2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline deriv-atives from readily available 1-R-1-ethynyl-2-vinylisoquinolines is described. The reaction fea-tures a simple procedure, occurs in hexaflouroisopropanol and does not require elevated tem-peratures. It has been found that the addition of glacial acetic acid significantly increases the yields of the target spirolactone products. Using trifluoroethanol instead of hexaflouroisopro-panol results into formation of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolines.

Here we report a comparative study of the pyhtochemical profile and a biological activity of the two onion extracts, namely A. cepa L. and A. × cornutum (Clementi ex Visiani 1842). Identification of flavonoids and anthocyanins and their individual quantities were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The potency of both extracts to scavenge free radicals was determined by DPPH (2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical-scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) methods. DNA protective role was further tested by single-cell gel electrophoresis (COMET) assay and by Fenton’s reagent causing double strand brakes on pUC19 plasmid. In the presence of both extracts, a significant decrease in the DNA damage was observed, which indicates a protective role of A. cepa and A. × cornutum on the DNA strand brakes. Additionally, cytotoxicity was tested on glioblastoma and breast cancer cell lines. The results showed that both extracts had antiproliferative effect, but the most prominent decrease in cellular growth was observed with glioblastoma cells

The Standard Model is not a complete description of reality; it omits the existence of dark matter, dark energy, and an explanation as to why no CP violation has been observed. However, some of these phenomena could be explained through a new force mediated by a new boson. If such a boson were massless it would result in a power law potential and if massive the interaction would be Yukawa-like. A previous experiment employing a micro-mechanical oscillator and a spherical test mass interactions was successful in placing the best limits on a mass-mass Yukawa-like interaction, but the data was never analyzed in the context of a power law. Here that data is analyzed considering a power law for powers n = 1-5 where n is the number of boson exchanges. The results show that the limits obtained through power law analysis of this data are not better than the currently accepted limits. A discussion of an experiment design capable of producing better limits on power law extensions to the Standard Model is presented, and suggests micro mechanical oscillators based experiment remains capable of improving the limits by at least one order of magnitude.

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) promise to perform tasks currently done by classical artificial neural networks (ANNs) faster, in smaller footprints and using less energy. Neuromorphic processors are set out to revolutionize computing at a large scale, but the move to edge-computing applications calls for finely-tuned custom implementations to keep pushing towards more efficient systems. To that end, we have examined the architectural design space for executing spiking neuron models on FPGA platforms, focusing on achieving ultra-low area and power consumption. This work presents an efficient clock-driven spiking neuron architecture used for the implementation of both fully-connected cores and 2D convolutional cores, which rely on deep pipelines for synaptic processing and distributed memory for weight and neuron states. With them, we have developed an accelerator for an SNN version of the LeNet-5 network trained on the MNIST dataset. At around 5.5 slices/neuron and only 348 mW, it is able to use 33% less area and 4 times as less power per neuron as current state-of-the-art implementations while keeping low simulation step times.

This paper sheds light on how crisis management affects post-disaster re-covery. Based on the study of the management of a major environmental disaster, hurricane IRMA, we consider how post-disaster recovery is impacted by crisis management strategies. The perspectives of local stakeholders from the islands of St Martin and St Barthélémy will be shared. We analyze how territories exposed to the same natural phenomena have different outcomes and consider some of the possible reasons. This study reveals underlying risk drivers, to address governance reorganization with a view to better managing socio-economic recovery.

This article presents a wide-band antenna designed for the Cube Satellite (CubeSat). Based on a quadrifilar structure, the antenna provides circular polarization radiation, which is suitable for satellite communication. Moreover, the antenna is designed and fabricated using two 1.6 mm thickness FR4-Epoxy boards that connect together by the metal pins. In order to improve the robustness, a ceramic spacer is placed in the centerboard, and four screws at the corners are added to fix the antenna with the CubeSat structure. These additional parts reduce antenna damage caused by vibrations in the launch vehicle lift-off stage. The proposal has a dimension of 77mm x 77mm x 10mm and covers the LoRa frequency bands of 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 923 MHz. According to the measurements in an anechoic chamber, antenna gains are obtained with the values of 2.3 dBiC and 1.1 dBiC for the 870 MHz and 920 MHz, respectively. Finally, the antenna is integrated into a 3U CubeSat that was launched by a Soyuz launch vehicle. The terrestrial-to-space communication link was measured, and the antenna performance was confirmed in the real-life scenario.

The purpose of this work is to define optimal growth conditions for batch culture of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira maxima and the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloropsis gaditana. Thus, we study the effect of three variables on algae growth: i.e., inoculum:culture medium ratio, light:darkness photoperiod and type of culture medium, including both synthetic media and wastewaters. The results showed that the initial inoculum volume did not affect the amount of biomass at the end of the growth (14 days), whereas an excess (18 h) or defect (6 h) in the number of hours of light is determinant for its development. The contribution of nutrients from different culture media modified the growth of the different species. A. maxima was favoured in seawater enriched with Guillard's F/2 as well as C. vulgaris and N. gaditana but in fresh water medium. I. galbana had the greatest growth in the marine environment enriched with Walne’s media. Nitrate was the limiting growth reagent at the end of the exponential phase of growth for C. vulgaris and N. gaditana, while iron was for A. maxima and I. galbana. All species demonstrated their capability to grow in effluents from a wastewater treatment plant and they efficiently consume nitrogen, especially the three microalgae species.

Drug resistance has become an extremely serious problem worldwide. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) entering the environment with wastewaters promote replenishment of the resistome of natural microbioms. Distribution of several clinically significant ARGs in wastewaters of Rostov-on-Don (Southern Russia), lower reaches of the Don River and natural waters of the neighboring region was investigated. Metagenomic DNA samples isolated from 250 ml of wastewaters or natural waters and 200 mg of surface sediments were used for the study. Identification of the ARGs was carried out with end-point detection PCR. Presence of NDM, OXA-48, CTX-M, VanA, VanB, ErmB, and TetM/TetO genes was detected in urban wastewaters. Samples of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sewage were enriched with ARGs in contrast to non-treated wastewaters from the sewage collector. NDM, VanA, ErmB, TetM/TetO genes were found only in wastewaters and were absent in samples of natural waters and surface sediments. Only OXA-48, VanB and CTXM genes were found in natural waters and surface sediments. The described ARGs are quite typical for urban and hospital wastewaters. The target ARGs were detected in the samples connected to the anthropogenous sources of pollution such as Rostov municipal WWTP or livestock enterprise effluents.

We report magnetic silver nanoshells (M AgNSs) that have both magnetic and SERS properties for SERS-based detection. The M AgNSs are composed of hundreds of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for rapid accumulation and bumpy silver shell for sensitive SERS detection by near-infrared laser excitation. The intensity of the SERS signal from the M AgNSs was strong enough to provide single particle-level detection. We obtained much stronger SERS signal intensity from the aggregated M AgNSs than from the non-aggregated AgNSs. 4-Fluorothiophenol was detected at concentrations as low as 1 nM, which corresponds to 0.16 ppb. The limit of detection for tetramethylthiuram disulfide was 10 μM, which corresponds to 3 ppm. The M AgNSs can be used to detect trace amounts of organic molecules using a portable Raman system.

Background: Artificial intelligence can help improve the quality of healthcare by analyzing vast amounts of data and providing more effective and personalized treatment plans. Researchers are working on developing AI-powered solutions that can help improve the outcomes of patients. Objective: To explore the potential of AI in improving healthcare outcomes and patient experience. Results: The study suggests that AI can improve healthcare efficiency and patient outcomes but cannot fully replace human healthcare professionals. AI can assist healthcare professionals in their work, leading to better resource utilization and improved patient care. However, there is still a need for human healthcare professionals to oversee AI systems and provide empathy and personalized care to patients. Conclusion: While there is immense potential for AI in healthcare, it is not yet feasible to replace human healthcare workers. Instead, it should be viewed as a tool that can help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of human healthcare.

Time-series analysis is a widely used technique across various fields and industries, as it helps in understanding, predicting, and forecasting the behavior of data points over time. These fields include but are not limited to finance, economics, healthcare, transportation, etc. In the case of this paper, we have focused on finance. Predicting future values of financial time series offers several benefits. Accurate forecasts can help investors make better decisions about their investments. To predict future values, deep learning algorithms are commonly used since it is an effective method with complex data. In this study, we conduct a study that investigates the use of different data pre-processing techniques on deep learning algorithms in predicting the time series values. To conduct this experimental study, we utilize an open source software, which using long short-term memory technique as the representative deep learning technique, published in github software code repository platform. With this study, we investigate the effects of autoencoder and discrete wavelet transform data pre-processing techniques in time-series prediction. We discuss the details of the experimental study and report our results. The results show that time series prediction (using backtesting methodology) without any data pre-processing leads to 12.6% for mean absolute percentage error. The results also show that, time series prediction with the data preprocessing techniques (Wavelet Transform and Stacked Autoencoder) lead to 3.4%

The consequences of manipulations in structure and amino acid composition of native cyclolinopeptide A (CLA) from linen seeds and its linear precursor on their biological activities and mechanisms of action are reviewed. The modifications included truncation of the peptide chain, replacement of amino acid residues with proteinogenic or non-proteinogenic ones, modifications of peptide bond, and others. The studies revealed changes in the immunosuppressive potency of these analogs investigated in a number of in vitro and in vivo experimental models, predominantly in rodents, as well as differences in their postulated mechanism of action. The modified peptides were compared with cyclosporine A and parent CLA. Some of the synthesized and investigated peptides show potential therapeutic usefulness.

Bare slope instability is a prevalent concern. The root system of, herbaceous vegetation enhances the shear strength of shallow–slope soil. Indoor experiments were conducted on rootless undisturbed soil (RUS) and undisturbed soil with a root system (USRS) using a triaxial compression apparatus to analyze the slope stability of composite soil with a Tagetes erecta root system. Significance tests and correlation analysis of the factors affecting shear performance were conducted using R software. The slope reinforcement, effect by the plant root system was simulated under 24 working conditions using the MIDAS finite element method. The results revealed the influence of the–root content (RC), moisture content (MC), and stress on the shear strength of USRS, the contribution degree, and the variables’ influences on slope stability. Both RUS and USRS exhibited strain hardening during shearing. The internal friction angle (φ) and cohesion (c) of USRS were negatively and positively correlated with the RC and MC (root burial depth), respectively, and a good fit was obtained for the relationship. The maximum deviatoric stress during shear failure was 1.29 times higher for USRS than for RUS. The RC (root depth) was positively correlated with the slope safety coefficient and the slope of the line under different working conditions, whereas the slope gradient was negatively correlated with the slope safety coefficient. The reinforcement effect by the root system resulted in a 13.2% increase in the safety coefficient and improved stability of slopes with a gradient larger than 1.5%. This article investigated the mechanism of the root–soil system and, the effects of different influencing factors on the shear strength of the soil, and slope stability. The findings provide new insights into shallow slope stability in practical slope protection projects.

The article analyzes the problems connected with ensuring the coordinated operation of slipway drives that arise during the launch of a ship. The dynamic model of load of the electric drive of the ship's cart is obtained taking into account the peculiarities of the construction of the ship-lifting complex, which allows to analyze the influence of external factors and random influences during the entire process of launching the ship. A linearized mathematical model of the dynamics of a complex vessel movement in the process of descent in the space of states is developed, which allows to identify the mode of operation of the multi-drive system, taking into account its structure. The analysis of efficiency of application of recurrent methods of identification (stochastic approximation and least squares) of the parameters of the linearized model in the space of states is carried out. A decision support system has been developed in the automated system of operational control by the module for estimating the situation and the control synthesis to ensure a coherent motion of a complex ship-carts object in a two-phase environment.

Optimizing input parameters not only improves production efficiency and processing quality but also plays a crucial role in the development of green manufacturing engineering practices. The aim of the present study is to conduct a comparative evaluation at cutting performance and machinability process during the turning of AISI 4340 steel under different cooling conditions. The study analyses cutting operations during turning using dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), and nano-MQL. As control parameters in the experiments, three different cooling types, cutting speed (100, 150, 200 m/min), and feed rate (0.1, 0.15, 0.20 mm/rev) levels were applied. The experiment results present that the optimal output values are found as Vb=0.15 mm, Ra=0.81µm, 88.1 dB for sound intensity, and I=4.18 A for current. Moreover, variance analysis (ANOVA) was performed to determine the effects of input parameters on response values. Under dry, MQL, and nano-MQL processing conditions, parameters affecting tool wear, surface roughness, current by the motor shaft, and sound level were examined in detail, along with the chip morphology. The responses obtained were optimized according to the Taguchi S/N method. As a result of optimization, it was concluded that the optimum values for cutting conditions (A3B1C1) were nano-MQL cooling and V=100 m/min, f=0.1 mm/rev cutting. Last but not least, it was observed that there was a 13% improvement in tool wear, 7% in current, 9% in surface roughness, and 8% in sound intensity compared to the standard conditions. In conclusion, it was determined that nano-MQL and the lowest level of cutting and feed rate values provided the optimum results.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histone residues shape the landscape of gene expression by modulating the dynamic process of RNAPII transcription. The contribution of particular histone modifications to the definition of distinct RNAPII transcription stages remains poorly characterized in plants. Chromatin Immuno-precipitation combined with next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) resolves the genomic distribution of histone modifications. Here, we review histone PTM ChIP-seq data in Arabidopsis thaliana and find support for a Genomic Positioning System (GPS) that guides RNAPII transcription. We review the roles of histone PTM “readers”, “writers” and “erasers”, with a focus on the regulation of gene expression and biological functions in plants. The distinct functions of RNAPII transcription during the plant transcription cycle may in part rely on the characteristic histone PTMs profiles that distinguish transcription stages.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an overwhelming serious difficulty globally. This necessitates the exploration of novel sources of antibiotics to overcome this challenge. Aim of the study: Bacterial Myxopyronin A production from various soil environments Egypt; as well as testing its antimicrobial activity in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Different soil environments in Egypt were screened for the growth of bacterial isolates producing Myxopyronin A as an antimicrobial agent. Purification of Myxopyronin A was performed via reversed-phase HPLC. Paper disc diffusion assay, as well as the Broth dilution technique, were exploited to assess the invitro antimicrobial and minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) of the test antibiotic. Furthermore, in vivo antimicrobial spectrum, adverse drug reactions, and pharmacokinetics were detected during animal model testing stages and human randomized clinical trials phases 1/2. Results: From the culture supernatant of the Myxobacterium Myxococcus fulvus 124B02 which was the predominant soil bacterial isolate grown on the Casein yeast peptone plate, Myxopyronin A was produced. The test antibiotic blocked the growth of many Gram +ve bacteria with MICs less than 100 mcg/ ml. In contrast, it inhibited the growth of a few Gram -ve bacteria such as Escherichia coli at MICs greater than 100 mcg/ ml. On the other hand, Eukaryotic cells such as fungal and human cells were not affected. Prokaryotic DNA-dependant-RNA polymerase( RNLP) was noticed to be inhibited via the test antibiotic suggesting its bactericidal action. The maximum concentration was 7-8 mcg/ ml at a maximum time of 2 hours when 600 mg dose was orally administered in randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2, and T1/2 reached 2.5 hours following first-order kinetics of elimination. The duration of its action was nearly 12 hours after oral administration. Rare toxicity was detected during preclinical and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2 in the form of mild diarrhea and cholestatic jaundice in less than 5 % of experimental candidates. Conclusion: The present study was promising due to the bactericidal antibiotic Myxopyronin A production from Myxococcus fulvus 124B02 isolated from different soil environments in Egypt.

The objective of this study was to detail the monomer composition of resin-based dental materials sold in the market in 2023 and to evaluate the proportion of BPA derivatives in relation with their applications. A search on manufacturers’ websites was performed to reference resin-based dental materials currently on the market. Their monomer composition was determined from material safety data sheets and completed with a search on PubMed database. Among the 543 material compositions exploitable, 382 (70.3%) contained BPA derivatives. Among them, 56.2% contained BisGMA, 28% BisEMA, the most frequently reported. A total of 59 monomers of which 6 BPA-derivatives were found. 309 materials (56.9%) contained UDMA and 292 (53.8%) TEGDMA. Less than one third of materials identified contained no BPA derivatives. These proportions vary a lot depending on their applications with materials dedicated to dental care of young populations containing the highest proportions of BPA-derivatives monomers. The long-term effects on human health of the different monomers identified including BPA-derivatives monomers is a source of concern. For children and pregnant or lactating women arises the question to take a precautionary principle and avoid the use of resin-based dental materials likely to release BPA by opting for alternative materials.

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, his note as regards descent with modification, added greatly to the knowledge that we already possess of how species have survived down the ages. It is evident that this does not provide the necessary knowledge about the origin of the life on earth. However, it provides remarkable evidence about how life has survived. Looking fundamentally at the cellular construct of organisms, we arrive at the fact that cells, both unicellular and multicellular, have organelles that enable them communicate with one another. This ability for living organisms, down to the lowest - cellular life - to communicate is what I refer to as Biological interaction. It is necessary that we articulate more about this concept and see how this all comes to bear as regards Homeostasis. In reference to the latter, it is to be made known that every living organism is also intrinsically aimed towards a projected linear motion in its time riddled existence. This is to say that every living organism operates on an foundational process, amongst others, known as Homeostasis. We understand this term to mean balance that the living system strives to maintain. However etymologically speaking it means staying the same. How has this homeostatic process added to the fostering of life via biological interaction? How is biological interaction fundamental to the theory of evolution?

Introduction: Indonesia consists of a plural society with different ethnic, religious, racial, skin color, and other cultures. The difference must be understood by everyone, especially the younger generation in the digital age. If the younger generation does not have a sufficient understanding of multicultural education values, it will impact the moral crisis of the Indonesian nation. This research emphasizes the importance of multicultural education to the younger generation to understand the differences (pluralism) in society and respect them. Method: The method uses a qualitative method with the literature review method by collecting data on ten journals published in 2019, 2020, 2021. Results: The rise of socio-cultural conflicts in Indonesia is why applying multicultural values to the younger generation. Multiculturalism is needed to establish morals and sensitivity for a young person in the face of various social problems and symptoms at a growing age. Conclusion: Multicultural education is vital to the younger generation considering Indonesia has diverse nations and cultures. The efforts that can make to improve the morale of the nation's children, namely by learning citizenship education and religious education and utilizing information technology to spread things related to the values of multicultural education to the broader community

A challenging problem in the aquaculture industry is bacterial disease outbreaks which results in the global reduction of fish supply and foodborne outbreaks. Biofilms in marine pathogens protect against antimicrobial treatment and host immune defence. Zeolites are minerals of volcanic origin made from crystalline aluminosilicates which are useful in agriculture and in environmental management. In this study, silver ion-exchanged zeolite A of four concentrations; 0.25M (AgZ1), 0.50M (AgZ2), 1.00M (AgZ3)and 1.50M (AgZ4) were investigated for biofilm inhibition and antimicrobial properties against two predominant marine pathogens V. campbelli and V. parahemolyticus by employing the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration(MIC), Crystal Violet Biofilm Quantification assays as well as Scanning Electron Microscopy. In the first instance, all zeolite samples AgZ1-AgZ4 showed antimicrobial activity for both pathogens. For V. campbellii AgZ4 exhibited the highest MIC at 125.00 µg/ml while for V. parahaemolyticus the highest MIC was observed for AgZ3 at 62.50 µg/ml. At sublethal concentration, biofilm inhibition of V. campbelli and V. parahemolyticus by AgZ4 were observed at 60.2% and 77.3% inhibition respectively. Scanning electron microscopy exhibited profound structural alteration of the biofilm matrix by AgZ4. This is the first known study that highlights the potential application of ion-exchanged Zeolite A against marine pathogens and their biofilms.

Nitroxyl radical catalysts oxidize alcohols under an applied electric potential. It is possible to quantify the alcohol concentration from the resulting oxidation current. In this work, we evaluated the catalytic activity of nitroxyl radicals (or their corresponding hydroxylamines), including 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) as representative nitroxyl radicals, acetoamido-TEMPO, which shows higher oxidation potential than TEMPO owing to the acetoamido group, AZADO, Nor-AZADO, and NNO as less-hindered bicyclic nitroxyl radicals, and NHPI as an N,N-diacyl-type hydroxylamine, in acetonitrile solution. TEMPO, AZADO and NNO were also evaluated for their ability to oxidize alcohols in organic solvents, and their reactivity was compared with the electrochemical response. The most active NNO was used for electrochemical detection of cyclosporin A, a drug with a hydroxyl group.

Saikosaponin (SS) a is a compound with various pharmacological properties and easily degraded into SSb1 and SSg in acid condition. In present work another two new degradation products of SSa formed under acid hydrolytic condition were detected and isolated by analytical and semi-preparative liquid chromatography technology, furthermore their structures were characterized as hydroxyl-saikosaponin a and SSb2 by spectral analysis, which is not only essential in stability-indicating method development and validation but also could be used as a worst case to assess the analytical method performance of SSa. Moreover their structural transformation pathways were also proposed.

(1) Background: This manuscript introduces the "Lines and Dots" (LAD) technique, a novel method for administering Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNT-A) in treating horizontal forehead lines. This technique emphasizes precision in targeting nerve endplates, considering individual anatomical variations, and optimizing treatment efficacy. (2) Methods: The LAD technique focus on using the frontalis muscle contraction dynamics to identify the specific distribution of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves It involves creating a grid of predetermined lines and points on the forehead that align with nerve paths and motor endplate zones. (3) Results: By targeting injections along these precise lines and points, the LAD technique ensures more effective utilization of BoNT-A. This approach not only enhances the toxin's effect but also allows for a reduction in the overall dosage. The strategic placement of injections results in a more natural, symmetrical, and sustained therapeutic effect, ensuring an improved aesthetic outcome. (4) Conclusions: The LAD technique represents a significant advancement in the realm of cosmetic injectables. It offers a tailored, patient-specific approach, maximizing the effectiveness of BoNT-A injections for treating forehead lines while minimizing risks and enhancing patient satisfaction. This method underscores the importance of a deep anatomical understanding and precision in cosmetic procedures.

The article presents a methodology for modeling the impact of factors of both on-farm activity and environmental factors on the resulting indicators of an international company. The dataset includes the company's profit, revenue, valuation, share price, and market share from 2012 through 2022. This empirical period is optimal for such a type of modeling. Modeling the impact of carbon emissions factors on the resulting indicators is considered based on complex systems theory. Endogenous model variables include indicators of the development of the international company. Predefined model variables reflect the influence of both the external environment and internal factors on the development indicators of an international company. An approach of picture fuzzy rough sets based on time series of endogenous and exogenous variables can provide an opportunity to analyze and consider the consequences of feedback changes in the systems of which they are a part. Based on the results of the analysis of the model construction, it is concluded that picture fuzzy rough sets can be an excellent way to model interdependent social processes.

Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification based-Lateral Flow Testing (INAA-LFT) has emerged as a robust technique for on-site pathogen detection, providing a visible indication of pathogen nucleic acid amplification that rivals or even surpasses the sensitivity of real-time quantitative PCR. The isothermal nature of INAA-LFT ensures consistent conditions for nucleic acid amplification, establishing it as a crucial technology for rapid on-site pathogen detection. However, despite its considerable promise, the widespread application of isothermal INAA amplification-based lateral flow testing faces several challenges. This review provides an overview of the INAA-LFT procedure, highlighting its advancements in detecting plant viruses. Moreover, the review underscores the imperative to address existing limitations and emphasizes ongoing research efforts dedicated to enhancing the applicability and performance of this technology in the realm of rapid on-site testing.

Recent literature has seen a rapid expansion in the reference to front-end forensics as an indication of the untapped value of forensic science. While some of these contributions have centered on development of forensic intelligence from a single area of investigation, others call for a more fundamental change in the relationship between crime laboratories and policing, particularly relating early laboratory analysis with big datasets to provide leads to investigators. We highlight several recently implemented tactical strategies of crime laboratories that contribute to the body of forensic intelligence. Beyond the scientific gains from these tactical applications, the corresponding details on associated efficiencies, costs, time savings, and quality improvements offer insights towards patterns of success for the community of crime laboratories. Further details expand an interpretation of what constitutes success with an eye on the contributions of the crime laboratory towards public health, safety, and protection of the innocent in addition to societal gains from conviction of the guilty. The economic interpretation of the value provided by the forensic laboratory assists in the cost-benefit review of strategic and tactical decisions and supports the justification for laboratory public funding with measures of the return on investment from public support of the forensic laboratory

The short-lived positron-emitter carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min; b+, 99.8%) is prominent for labeling tracers for use in biomedical research with positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11 is produced for this purpose with a cyclotron, nowadays almost exclusively by the 14N(p,a)11C nuclear reaction, either on nitrogen containing a low concentration of oxygen (0.1–0.5%) or hydrogen (~ 5%) to produce [11C]carbon dioxide or [11C]methane, respectively. These primary radioactive products can be produced in high yields and with high molar activities. However, only [11C]carbon dioxide has some utility for directly labeling PET tracers. Primary products are required to be converted rapidly and efficiently into secondary labeling synthons to provide versatile radiochemistry for labeling diverse tracer chemotypes at molecular positions of choice. This review surveys known gas phase transformations of carbon-11 and summarizes the important roles that many of these transformations now play for producing a broad range of labeling synthons in carbon-11 chemistry.

The mechanical effects of membrane compositional inhomogeneities are analyzed in a process analogous of neck formation in cellular membranes. We cast on the Canham-Helfrich model of fluid membranes with both the spontaneous curvature and the surface tension being non-homogeneous functions along the cell membrane. The inhomogeneous distribution is determined by the equilibrium mechanical equations and the boundary conditions as considered in the axisymmetric setting compatible with the necking process. To establish the role played by mechanical inhomogeneity, we focus on the catenoid, a surface of zero mean curvature. Analytic solutions are shown to exist for the spontaneous curvature and the constrictive forces in terms of the border-radii. Our theoretical analysis shows that the inhomogeneous distribution of spontaneous curvature in a mosaic-like neck constrictional forces potentially contributing to the membrane scission under minimized work in living cells.

The way Norway is spearheading electrification in the transport sector is of global interest, and details of its policies and emission impacts represent a reference. We used the NERVE model, a bottom-up high-resolution traffic emission model, to calculate all exhaust emissions in Norway (2009-2020). This allows us to evaluate the co-benefit of policies to target climate change mitigation and air quality. We have analyzed local municipal data with regards to traffic growth, road network influences, vehicle composition, emissions and energy consumption. Light vehicle CO2 emissions per kilometre have been reduced by 22% since 2009, mainly driven by an increaseing bio-fuel mixing and BEV share. BEVs are mostly located in and around the main cities, areas with young vehicle fleets, and strong local incentives. Beneficiaries of all BEVs incentives have been a subset of the population with strong economic indicators. The incentivized growth in the share of diesel-fuelled passenger vehicle has been turned, and together with Euro6 emission standards, light vehicle NOx emissions have been halved since peaking in 2014. BEV represent an investment in emission reductions in years to come and current sales set up for an accelerated decline in emissions despite growth in traffic.

The on-state voltage of MOSFETs is a convenient and powerful temperature-sensitive electric parameter (TSEP) to determine the junction temperature, thus enabling device monitoring, protection, diagnostics and prognostics. The main hurdle in the use of the on-state voltage as a TSEP is the per-device characterization procedure, to be carried out in a controlled environment, with high costs. In this paper we compare two novel techniques for MOSFET junction temperature estimation: controlled shoot-through and direct heating by resistive heaters embedded in two Kapton (polyimide) films. Both allow in-place characterization of the TSEP curve with the device mounted in its final circuit and assembly, including the working heat sink. The two methods are also validated against the conventional procedure in a thermal chamber.

Introduction: In general, everyone believes that the smallest preterm infants should achieve normal intrauterine growth rates, but many thinks that this is not possible with current nutrition guidelines. There is resistance to giving enough nutrition for fear of "toxicity". The difference in weight Z-score between birth and a corrected gestational age (CGA) at discharge is assess in postnatal growth in our unit. Material and methods: An observational study was done between January 2018 and December 2020 where all cases that had ≤ 29 weeks of GA at birth and survived to 36 weeks corrected GA or that were discharged home. An aggressive nutrition protocol including parenteral as well as enteral nutrition was followed. Patients and their weight trajectory was plotted on the Fenton 2013 growth curve. The patients who had had a smaller WZP difference were also plotted. Results: A total of 32 cases were found. The median change in Z-score between birth and discharge of the whole group was -0.52 (IQR 0.53). Six of 32 (19%) had a more than one WZP, all of whom had severe pathologies. The median decline in Z score for this group with poor growth was 1.24 (IQR 0.22). There were 26 cases with a < 1 WZP (81%) and a median Z score fall of 0.39 (IQR 0.55). No important complications secondary to the ingested volumes or parenteral nutrition were reported. Conclusion: The group of cases with a > 1 WZP drop had severe pathologies. All the other cases had adequate growth parallel to normal weight growth charts and a few cases had some catch-up growth. The study showed that it is possible for many preterm infants to achieve normal intrauterine growth rates if they are given enough nutrition, but bigger multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Saiga (Saiga tatarica) was extirpated in China. Since Mid-1980s, attempts have been made for revival the species in the country, however, only a breeding herd of Saiga was successfully established at Wuwei, Gansu, China. The reintroduced Saiga population experienced a bumpy growth. Then, the population collapsed following the catastrophe die-off in the Saiga ranging countries in Central Asia, then population started to rebound when 6 new lams were born in 2019. After reviewing the population trend and conservation breeding of Saiga in China, we concluded that to establish a migratory species that needs vast range size like Saiga on central Asia steppe, an international collaboration is needed for introducing new genes. We recommend China to ratify the CMS in order to facilitate international conservation efforts to restoring the species in its former range.

Manufacturing of grinding wheels is continuously adapting to new industrial requirements. New abrasives and new wheel configurations, together with wheel wear control allow for grinding process optimization. However, the wear behavior of the new abrasive materials is not usually studied from a scientific point of view due to the difficulty to control and monitor all the variables affecting the tribochemical wear mechanisms. In this work an original design of pin on disk tribometer is developed in a CNC grinding machine. An Alumina grinding wheel with special characteristics is employed and two types of abrasive are compared: White Fused Alumina (WFA) and Sol-Gel Alumina (SG). The implemented tribometer reaches sliding speeds of between 20 and 30 m/s and real contact pressures up to 190 MPa. The results show that the wear behavior of the abrasive grains is strongly influenced by their crystallographic structure and the tribometer appears to be a very good tool for characterizing the wear mechanisms of grinding wheels, depending on the abrasive grains.

This article presents and discusses analytical data on the scientific publication record from 1910 to 2020 on two topics: "climate" and "climate change/global warming/climate emergency". The goal is to visualize how the publication record on these two topics has evolved over time, from different classification perspectives (year, country, source and organization). Three hypotheses are tested using data collected from Web of Science and various graphical representations of the data. It is found that research output related to the Earth’s contemporary changing climate overtook that of general climate research in 2011, and the publication ratio has been expanding in the last decade. There are significant differences in the publication countries and sources between the two topics, and conversely less significant differences in terms of organizations publishing these works. Differentiation factors that affect the level of research output and engagement on the climate challenge include: island versus landlocked nations, specialized versus general scientific journals, academic versus institutional organizations. The future of the publication records is discussed, such as the emergence of new terms to refer to the climate challenge, such as “climate emergency”.

Gastric cancer is a challenging public health concern worldwide and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The primary risk factor implicated in gastric cancer development is infection with Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori induces chronic inflammation affecting the gastric epithelium, which can lead to DNA damage and promotion of precancerous lesions. Disease manifestations associated with H. pylori are attributed to virulence factors with multiple activities and its capacity to subvert host immunity. One of the most significant H. pylori virulence determinants is the cagPAI gene cluster, which encodes a type IV secretion system and the CagA toxin. This secretion system allows H. pylori to inject the CagA oncoprotein into host cells, causing multiple cellular perturbations. Despite the high prevalence of H. pylori infection, only a small percentage of affected individuals develop significant clinical outcomes, while most remain asymptomatic. Therefore, understanding how H. pylori triggers carcinogenesis and its immune evasion mechanisms is critical in preventing gastric cancer and miti-gating the burden of this life-threatening disease. This review aims to provide an overview of our current under-standing of H. pylori infection, its association with gastric cancer and other gastric diseases, and how it subverts the host immune system to establish persistent infection.

This study addresses the pressing energy constraints in nations like Bangladesh by proposing the implementation of photovoltaic (PV) microgrids. Given concerns about environmental degrada-tion, limited fossil fuel reserves, and volatile product costs, renewable energy sources are gaining momentum globally. Our research focuses on a grid-connected solar PV system model at Char Jazira, Lalpur, Natore, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Through PVsyst simulation software, we assess the performance ratio (PR) and system losses, revealing an annual solar energy potential of 3375 MWh at Standard Test Condition (STC) efficiency. After considering losses, the system generates 2815 MWh annually, with 2774 MWh exported to the grid. We analyze an average PR of 78.63% and calculate a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of 2.82 BDT/kWh [1 USD = 110 BDT]. The financial assessment indicates a cost-effective LCOE for the grid-connected PV system, with an annual gross income of 27744 BDT from selling energy to the grid and operating costs of 64060.60 BDT/year. Remarkably, this initiative can prevent 33074.061 tCO2 emissions over the project’s 25-year lifespan.

Mathematical algorithms relate satellite data of ocean color with the surface Chlorophyll–a con-centration (Chl-a), a proxy of phytoplankton biomass. These mathematical tools work best when they are adapted to the unique bio-optical properties of a particular oceanic province. Ocean color algorithms should also consider that there are significant differences between datasets derived from different sensors. Common solutions are to provide different parameters for each sensor or use merged satellite data. In this paper we use satellite data from the Copernicus merged product suite and in situ data from the southernmost part of the California Current System to test two widely used global algorithms, OCx and CI, and a regional algorithm, CalCOFI2. The OCx al-gorithm gave the best result, therefore, it was regionalized and, again, tested. The database was then separated according to (a) dynamic boundaries in the area, (b) bio-optical properties and (c) climatic condition (El Niño/La Niña). Regional algorithms were obtained and tested for each partition. The Chl-a retrievals for each model were tested and compared. The best fit for the data was for the regional algorithms that considered the climatic conditions (El Niño/La Niña). These results will allow the construction of consistent regionally adapted time-series and, therefore, demonstrates the importance of El Niño/La Niña events on the bio-optical properties of the area.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Clostridium perfringens in stool samples and swabs collected from wild mammals in the Amazon biome. Sixty-five faecal and swab samples were collected in situ and ex situ from 16 species and three genera of wild mammals, some of which were in good health and some of which had diarrhoea. After pre-enrichment, the samples were plated on selective agar for C. perfringens. Characteristic colonies were subjected to multiplex PCR for the detection of genes encoding the main C. perfringens toxins (alpha, beta, epsilon, and iota toxin and enterotoxin). Among the 65 samples, 40 (61.5%) were positive for the gene encoding the alpha toxin and were classified as type A. Faecal samples were more than four times more likely to be positive for C. perfringens than were swab samples. No other toxinotypes were found. The findings of this study suggest that C. perfringens type A is commonly found as a commensal in mammal species of the Amazon biome. This seems to be the first study to identify C. perfringens type A in species such as B. variegatus (common ground sloth), C. didactylus (two-toed sloth), P. flavus (Jupará), T. tetradactyla (anteater), S. collinsi (squirrel monkey), S. niger (black marmoset), and S. apella (Guyana capuchin) and in the genus Didelphis sp. (opossum).

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a kidney disease that is characterized by the deposition of IgA (immunoglobulin A) in the kidney tissue, leading to inflammation and damage. This disease is a common chronic glomerulopathy that affects people worldwide (1). Therefore, it is crucial to identify factors that worsen the disease, monitor its activity, and predict appropriate treatments. Complement component 4d (C4d) is a protein that is involved in the activation of the complement system, which is a part of the immune system.

The microglia, displaying diverse phenotypes, play a significant regulatory role in the development, progression, and prognosis of Parkinson's disease. Research has established that glycolytic reprogramming serves as a critical regulator of inflammation initiation in pro-inflammatory macrophages. Furthermore, the modulation of glycolytic reprogramming has the potential to reverse the polarized state of these macrophages. Previous studies have shown that levetistilide A (LA), a phthalide component derived from Angelica sinensis, possesses a range of pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. In our study, we have examined the impact of LA on inflammatory cytokines and glucose metabolism in microglia induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Furthermore, we explored the effects of LA on the AMPK/mTOR pathway and assessed its neuroprotective potential both in vitro and in vivo. The findings revealed that LA notably diminished the expression of M1 pro-inflammatory factors induced by LPS in microglia, while leaving M2 anti-inflammatory factor expression unaltered. Additionally, it reduced ROS production and suppressed IκB-α phosphorylation levels as well as NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. Notably, LA exhibited the ability to reverse microglial glucose metabolism reprogramming and modulate the phosphorylation levels of AMPK/mTOR. In vivo experiments further corroborated these findings, demonstrating that LA mitigated the death of TH-positive dopaminergic neurons and reduced microglia activation in the ventral SNpc brain region of the midbrain and the striatum. In summary, LA exhibited neuroprotective benefits by modulating the polarization state of microglia and altering glucose metabolism, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

Proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) are constantly exposed to potentially toxic metabolites and xenobiotics. The regenerative potential of the kidney enables the replacement of damaged cells either via the differentiation of stem cells or the regain of proliferative properties of the PTEC. Nevertheless, it is known that renal function declines, suggesting that the deteriorated cells are not replaced by fully functional cells. To understand the possible causes of this loss of kidney cell function, it would be beneficial to understand the role of toxins during the regeneration process. Therefore, we investigated the sensitivity and function of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), hiPSC differentiating, and hiPSC differentiated into proximal tubular epithelial-like cells (PTELC) to known nephrotoxins. hiPSC were differentiated into PTELC, exhibiting a similar morphology to PTEC, expressing prototypical PTEC markers and performing albumin endocytosis. When treated with two nephrotoxins, hiPSC and differentiating hiPSC were more sensitive to cisplatin than differentiated PTELC, whereas all stages were equally sensitive to cyclosporin A. Both toxins also had an inhibitory effect on albumin uptake. Our results suggest a high sensitivity of differentiating cells towards toxins, which could have an unfavorable effect on regenerative processes. To study this, our model of hiPSC differentiating into PTELC appears suitable.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of duodenal origin are an unusual subset among all NETs, comprising only about 3% of this neoplasm class. In general, NETs are characterized by overexpression of somatostatin receptors and carry an excellent prognosis with early diagnosis and intervention. Chromogranin A (CgA), a protein originating in secretory vesicles of neurons and endocrine cells, has gained wide usage in NET diagnosis and surveillance. Lanreotide is a synthetic octapeptide somatostatin analog with potent anti-proliferative action which has been approved by the FDA (U.S.) and EMA (E.U.) for NET treatment. It is known for its inhibitory effects on growth hormone, serotonin, CgA, and other markers. Here we describe a 56yr-old female with functional NET of duodenal origin, where serum CgA was successfully reduced from 3636 to <100 ng/mL after multidose lanreotide within five months. Of note, no metastatic spread was identified on positron emission tomography/computed tomography with 64Cu-labeled somatostatin analog tracer. Surgical resection of distal antrum, pylorus, and proximal duodenum followed without complication. Histology revealed several foci of well-differentiated tumor cells with characteristic neuroendocrine features and clear surgical margins; low proliferation index (2%) was noted on Ki-67 staining. While select laboratory and imaging modalities are available for diagnosis and monitoring of duodenal NET, this is the first reported therapeutic use of lanreotide in this NET setting. The observed serum CgA attenuation, even before surgery, supports its effectiveness in management of primary nonmetastatic duodenal NET.

In this paper, MnO2 nanowire (MnO2-NW) modified carbon paper (CP) electrode was developed as a novel electrochemical sensor for sensitive determination of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). MnO2 nanowire was prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis method, and the morphology and structure of MnO2 were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical performance of TBBPA on MnO2-NW/CP was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, and the result confirmed that MnO2-NW/CP exhibited excellent sensitive for the determination of TBBPA due to the high specific surface area and good electrical conductivity of the nanowire-like MnO2. Moreover, the important electrochemical factors such as pH value, incubation time and modified material proportion were systematically studied to improve the determination sensitivity. The interferences from similar structure compounds on TBBPA have also been investigated. Under the optimal conditions, MnO2-NW/CP displayed the linear range of 70 500 nM for TBBPA with the detection limit of 3.1 nM, which was superior to some electrochemical methods in references. The work presents a novel and simple method for the determination of TBBPA.

This study aimed to assess the variations in the nutritional attributes of thirteen Moringa oleifera cultivars. Leaves from six-month-old plants were harvested and tested for various nutritional attributes. There were significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences in the carbohydrates, energy, some of the sugars and fibre amongst the cultivars. The levels of moisture in the cultivars ranged from 7.10% to 8.20%. Additionally, there were significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences across the cultivars in microelements studied except for zinc (Zn). These data revealed that plants from different geographical provenances differed in their adapting to varied environments. In general, under the same cultivation, management and environmental conditions, the main reasons for these differences occurred in cultivars could be associated with the genetic background of each M. oleifera germplasm. However, the study cautions on the differences of nutritional properties, as some of the cultivars have been reported not to be pharmacological potent.

A sensitive electrochemical sensor based on AuPtPd trimetallic nanoparticles functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes coupled with chitosan modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE/CS/MWCNTs-AuPtPd) for the rapid detection of bisphenol A (BPA) was proposed. AuPtPd trimetallic nanoparticles were first assembled on MWCNTs to obtain MWCNTs-AuPtPd nanocomposite. Then the MWCNTs-AuPtPd was further dispersed on the surface of chitosan modified electrode surface to fabricate the GCE/CS/MWCNTs-AuPtPd sensor. Due to the superior catalytic properties of MWCNTs-AuPtPd and the good film formation of chitosan, the constructed sensor displayed good performances for BPA detection. The structural morphology of CS/MWCNTs-AuPtPd was characterized by many methods, such as SEM, UV-vis and TEM. Under the optimal conditions, the designed sensor showed a linear range from 0.05 to 100 µM for BPA detecting with a low detection limit of 1.4 nM. The designed sensor was further used to realize the determination of BPA in real samples and the recoveries ranged from 94.4% to 103.6%. The results demonstrated that the electrochemical sensor designed by CS/MWCNTs-AuPtPd nanocomposites was reliable and could be a useful tool for the monitoring of food safety.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a major type of primary brain tumors without ideal prognosis and it’s necessary to find novel compound possessing therapeutic effect. Chrysomycin A (Chr-A) has been reported to inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of U251 and U87-MG cells, but the mechanism of Chr-A against glioblastoma in vivo and whether Chr-A modulates apoptosis of neuroglioma cells is unclear.The present study was to elucidate the potential of Chr-A against glioblastoma in vivo and how Chr-A modulates apoptosis of neuroglioma cells. Briefly, The an-ti-glioblastoma activity was assessed in human glioma U87 xenografts nude mice. Chr-A-related targets were identified by RNA-seq. Apoptotic ratio and caspase 3/7 activity of U251 and U87-MG cells were assayed by flow cytometry. Apoptosis-related proteins and possible molecular mecha-nism were validated via Western blotting. The results showed that Chr-A treatment significantly inhibits glioblastoma progression in xenografts nude mice, and enrichment analysis suggested that apoptosis, PI3K-Akt and Wnt signaling pathway were involved in the possible mechanism. Chr-A increased apoptotic ratio and the activity of caspase 3/7 in U251 and U87-MG cells. Western blot revealed that Chr-A broke the balance between Bax and Bcl-2 activating caspase cascade re-action and downregulated the expression of p-Akt and p-GSK-3β, suggesting that Chr-A may contribute to glioblastoma regression modulating Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway to promote apoptosis of neuroglioma cells in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, Chr-A may hold therapeutic promise for glioblastoma.

Due to increased energy intensive human activities resulting accelerated demand for electric power coupled with occurrence of natural disasters with increased frequency, intensity, and duration, it becomes essential to explore and advance renewable energy technology for sustainability of the society. Addressing the stated problem and providing a radical solution has been attempted in this study. To harvest the renewable energy, among variety of solar cells reported, a composite a-Si/CZTS photovoltaic devices has not yet been investigated. The calculated parameters for solar cell based on the new array of layers consisting of a-Si/CZTS are reported in this study. The variation of i) solar cell efficiency as a function of CZTS layer thickness, temperature, acceptor, and donor defect concentration; ii) variation of the open circuit current density as a function of temperature, open circuit voltage; iii) variation of open circuit voltage as a function of the thickness of the CZTS layer has been determined. There has been no reported study on a-Si/CZTS configuration-based solar cell, analysis of the parameters, and study to address the challenges imped efficiency of the photovoltaic device and the same has been discussed in this work. The value of the SnO2/a-Si/CZTS solar cells obtained from the simulation is 23.9 %.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is an innovative transport concept, anticipated to provide travelers with different kinds of travel services, more sustainable than a private car, in a simpler, packaged way. It combines different transport modes to offer a tailored mobility package, like a monthly mobile phone contract. The rapid development of intelligent transportation system and the shared economy has speeded up the development of MaaS in these years. In this paper, we aim at classifying the existing research on MaaS and the characteristics of MaaS into different categories, in order to answer the following questions after reviewing the existing literature: What is MaaS? Who are the main actors in MaaS? How can MaaS be implemented? Why should it be implemented? Where will MaaS end up in this wave of disruption? When we talk about MaaS, what are we focusing on? What is the future leading frequency of MaaS? Finally, based on the existing literature, we envision the leading future of MaaS.

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes invasive infections such as otitis media, pneumonia and meningitis. It produces pneumolysin (Ply) toxin, which forms a pore to host cell membrane and has multiple functions in S. pneumoniae pathogenesis. The Ply C-terminal domain 4 mediates binding to membrane cholesterol and induces the formation of pores composed of up to 40 Ply monomers. Ply has a key role in the establishment of nasal colonization, pneumococcal transmission from host to host and pathogenicity. Altogether, 27 hydrolyzable tannins were tested for Ply inhibition in hemolysis assay and tannin-protein precipitation assay. Pentagalloylglucose (PGG) and gemin A showed nanomolar inhibitory activity. Ply oligomerization on the erythrocyte surface was inhibited with PGG. PGG also inhibited Ply cytotoxicity to A549 human lung epithelial cells. Molecular modelling of Ply interaction with PGG suggested that it binds to the pocket formed by domains 2, 3 and 4. In this study, we reveal the structural features of hydrolyzable tannins that are required for interaction with Ply. Monomeric hydrolysable tannins containing a sufficient number of polyvalent and flexible galloyl groups have highest inhibitory power to Ply cytotoxicity, and are followed by oligomers. Of the oligomers, macrocyclic and C-glycosidic structures were weaker in their inhibition than the glucopyranose-based oligomers. Accordingly, PGG-type monomers and certain oligomers might have therapeutic value in the targeting of S. pneumoniae infections.

Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by a series of clinical features such as hypertension and proteinuria associated with endothelial dysfunction and the impairment of placenta vascular endothelial integrity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of serum copper (Cu) level on some angiogenesis-related factors including vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sVEGF-R1), soluble endoglin (sEng) and cerruloplasmin (Cp) in Iraqi women with preeclampsia (PE) and control pregnant women. Therefore, 60 women with PE in addition to 30 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Serum concentration of sEng, VEGF-A, sVEGF-R1, and Cu in PE group significantly increased (p<0.05) in the PE group compared with that in the control group. Increased production of antiangiogenic factors, soluble VEGF-A and sEng contribute to the pathophysiology of PE, indicating the involvement of these parameters in the angiogenic balance in patients with PE. Tests for between-subject effects showed that the circulating angiogenesis factors and Cu were significantly associated with the presence of PE. Serum Cu level was significantly correlated with VEGF- A and VEGF-R1 levels but not with sEng. Multiple regression analysis revealed that only Cp and BP can significantly predict the complications in women with PE. In conclusion, serum Cu has a role in the angiogenesis in women with PE and may be a new drug target in the prevention or treatment of PE.

Dewetting transition - a concept borrowed from fluid mechanics - is a physiological process which takes place inside the hydrophobic pores of ion channels. This transient phenomenon causes a metastable state which forbids water molecules to cross the microscopic receptors’ cavities. This leads to a decrease of conductance, a closure of the hole and, subsequently, severe impairment of cellular performance. We suggest that artificially-provoked dewetting transition in ion channels’ hydrophobic pores could stand for a molecular candidate to erase detrimental organisms, such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. We describe a novel type of high-affinity monoclonal antibody, which: a) targets specific trans-membrane receptor structures of harmful or redundant cells; b) is equipped with lipophilic and/or hydrophobic fragments that prevent physiological water flows inside ion channels. Therefore, we achieve an artificial dewetting transition inside receptors’ cavities which causes transmembrane ionic flows discontinuity, channel blockage and subsequent damage of morbid cells. As an example, we describe dewetting monoclonal antibodies targeting the M2 channel of the Influenza A virus: they might prevent water to enter the pores, thus leading to virion impairment.

A novel virus with distinct genome features was discovered by high throughput sequencing in a symptomatic blackcurrant plant. The virus tentatively named as blackcurrant virus A (BCVA) has distinct genome organization and molecular features bridging genera in the order Tymovirales. The genome consists of 7106 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail. Five open reading frames were identified with the first encoding a putative viral replicase with methyl transferase (MTR), AlkB, helicase and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains. The other four putative proteins exhibit no significant homology to other virus proteins. The genome organization downstream of the replicase resembles that of members of the order Tymovirales with an unconventional triple gene block (TGB) movement protein arrangement. Phylogenetic analysis using replicase conserved motifs loosely placed BCVA within the Betaflexiviridae whereas it was evolutionarily distant to existing members of the family when using the putative TGBp 1-like and coat protein sequences. Our analysis strongly suggests that BCVA is a novel virus that should be classified as a species in a new genus in the Betaflexiviridae or a new family in the order Tymovirales.

HER2/neu positive breast tumors predict a high mortality and comprise 25-30% of breast cancer. We have shown that Flavokawain A (FKA) preferentially reduces the viabilities of HER2 overexpressing breast cancer cell lines (i.e. SKBR3 and MCF7/HER2) versus those with less HER2 expression (i.e. MCF7 and MDA-MB-468). FKA at cytotoxic concentrations to breast cancer cell lines also has minimal effect on the growth of non-malignant breast epithelial MCF10 cells. FKA induces G2M arrest in cell cycle progression of HER2 overexpressing breast cancer cell lines through inhibition of Cdc2 and Cdc25C phosphorylation and down-regulation of Myt1 and Wee1expression leading to increased Cdc2 kinase activities. In addition, FKA induces apoptosis in SKBR3 cells by increasing the protein expression of Bim and BAX and decreasing expression of Bcl₂, Bcl_x/L , XIAP and survivin. FKA also down-regulates the protein expression of HER-2 and inhibits AKT phosphorylation. Herceptin plus FKA treatment leads to enhanced growth inhibitory effect on HER-2 overexpressing breast cancer cell lines through down-regulation of Myt1, Wee1, Skp2, Survivin and XIAP. Our results suggest the promise of FKA as a novel apoptosis inducer and G2 checkpoint abrogating agent in combination with Herceptin for treatment of HER2 overexpressing breast cancer.

(1) Background: Since the pandemic, adolescent girls have increasingly faced mental health challenges. We examined prevalence trends and associated risk factors for depression among adolescent girls. 2) Methods: Data for girls aged 12 to 17 years (N=4346) from the 2021 cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed. Factors associated with depression were examined using multiple regression analysis. (3) Results: Rates of severe depression were significantly higher (p&lt;.001) in older girls (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.63, 1.61, those who did not have authoritative parents (AOR: 3.40), and those with negative school experiences (AOR: 4.03). Black and Asian/Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders were less likely to report severe depression than white girls. As previously reported, non-White girls were significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression (p&lt;.05). Parents’ characteristics and school experiences had no effect on the likelihood of receiving mental health treatment. (4) Conclusion: Depression has become increasingly common among American adolescent girls, who are now three times as likely as adolescent boys to have had recent experiences with depression. Our results show that family structure, parenting style, and negative school experiences significantly contribute to the rate of depression and that treatment disparities exist with regard to race and ethnicity.

This proposed research explores a novel approach to image classification by deploying a complex-valued neural network (CVNN) on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), specifically for classifying 2D images transformed into polar form. The aim of this research is to address the limitations of existing neural network models in terms of energy and resource efficiency, by exploring the potential of FPGA-based hardware acceleration in conjunction with advanced neural network architectures like CVNNs. The methodological innovation of this research lies in the Cartesian to polar transformation of 2D images, effectively reducing the input data volume required for neural network processing. Subsequent efforts focused on constructing a CVNN model optimized for FPGA implementation, emphasizing the enhancement of computational efficiency and overall performance. The experimental findings provide empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of the image classification system developed in this study. One of the developed models, CVNN_128, achieves an accuracy of 88.3% with an inference time of just 1.6ms and a power consumption of 4.66mW for the classification of the MNIST test dataset consists of 10,000 frames. While there is a slight concession in accuracy compared to recent FPGA implementations that achieve 94.43%, our model significantly excels in classification speed and power efficiency—surpassing existing models by more than a factor of 100. In conclusion, the paper demonstrates the substantial advantages of FPGA-implementation of CVNNs for image classification tasks, particularly in scenarios where speed, resource, and power consumption are critical. The study’s reproducible results and corresponding code are available on GitHub at the following link: https://github.com/mahmad2005/CVNNonFPGA

Influence of reaction time on silver nanoparticles-catalyzed oxidation of 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) was evaluated via probing the oxidation process by recording the UV-Visible absorbance of the resulting colored products of TMB oxidation by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of silver nanoparticles as peroxides mimics. The time curve of the oxidation process was constructed, revealed that the concentration of the oxidation product was increased by increasing the reaction time and then levled off because the nanozyme active nodes were saturated after a certain reaction time and consequently the steady-state condition can be observed. The maximal activity of the silver nanozymes was achieved after a very short reaction time as short as 3.0 min and after this time, the color intensity of the oxidation products remained constant, revealing saturation of active nodes of nanoparticles with nanozyme-substrate.

Keywords: Kenaf; liquid cultivation; solid cultivation; in vitro propagation, life on land

The idea of an extension of life for CubeSats is proposed to reduce space debris in a low-earth orbit. In this work, a gripper is designed for geometry-based grasping in berthing tasks. The grasping operation is outlined for square- and rectangle-profiled CubeSats. Equilibrium conditions are used to choose fingertips shape and parameters for grasping the CubeSat body. A design scheme is proposed to provide the required accuracy. A design concept is developed into a lab prototype by using low-cost 3D printing technique, and a mock-up grasping task that is representative of the berthing operation is evaluated with the lab prototype. Center-mass hanging setup for the prototype and grasped body is used to evaluate the impact of grasping, partially replicating the conditions in space by reducing the effect of gravity on the system.

MultiCal is an affordable, high-precision measuring device designed for the on-site calibration of industrial robots. Its design features a long measuring rod with a spherical tip that is attached to the robot. By restricting the rod’s tip to multiple fixed points under different rod orientations, the relative positions of these points are accurately measured beforehand. A common issue with MultiCal is the gravity deformation of the long measuring rod, which introduces measurement errors into the system. This problem becomes especially serious when calibrating large robots, as the length of the measuring rod needs to be increased to enable the robot to move in a sufficient space. To address this issue, we propose two improvements in this paper. Firstly, we suggest the use of a new design of the measuring rod that is lightweight yet has high rigidity. Secondly, we propose a deformation compensation algorithm. Experimental results have shown that the new measuring rod improves calibration accuracy by 20% to 39%, while by using the deformation compensation algorithm, the accuracy increases by 6% to 16%. In the best configuration, the calibration accuracy is similar to that of a measuring arm with a laser scanner, producing an average positioning error of 0.274 mm and a maximum positioning error of 0.838 mm. The improved design is cost-affordable, robust, and has sufficient accuracy, making MultiCal a more reliable tool for industrial robot calibration.

This article aims to reflect upon the relevance of Decolonization methodologies with the Theses on Feuerbach. Somehow, all the Indigenous scholars started from new Marxist like Paulo Freire, Frantz Fanon, but not from classic Marx. To us, the German Ideology of young Marx only resembles the pioneering sources of Indigenous methodology. This discussion is thus a reflection of our studies and a philosophic endeavor to talk about the marginal people of the world, and the scholars who engaged in and with the oppressed. However, we are not prepared to turn our attention away from all the vastness of Marx to a collection of potentially equally relevant to Indigenous methodology. This article concludes that the Theses on Feuerbach is the core of Marxist archaeology of knowledge or philosophy as a whole and has been wading in the Indigenous paradigm.

Marine mortar was the goal material and its multi-scale physical-chemical-mechanical characteristics were the principal interest in this study. The on-line multi-scale damage detection experiments art was designed to quantify the characteristics mathematically and graphically. The normal cylinder specimen with 70-day age was produced and investigated by dynamically global MSHCT scan and local detection of EDS, SEM and XRD. The experiments results indicated that the marine mortar offered the appreciable strength at the early age at least, although some saline minerals were generated during the preparation. The micro-interfacial behavior and the parental foci controlled the damage development of the marine mortar the performance of which was still the adjustable one by the composition optimization.

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of capital structure on firms’ profitability with special emphasis on Ethiopian Large Private Manufacturing Firms using panel data of five consecutive years (2006/07-2010/11G.C). The secondary data sources (audited financial statements) have been collected from the randomly selected thirty three large private manufacturing firms in Ethiopia. Linear regression model has been employed to analyze the relationship between firms’ profitability and capital structure. Specifically, Random-effect Generalized Least Square of panel data regression model has been selected to empirically test the literature driven hypotheses. Finally, the findings of this study revealed that a significant positive relationship between firms’ profitability and total debt ratio which indicate firm’s capital structure.

Hypercytokinemia, or cytokine storm, is one of the severe complications of viral and bacterial infections, involving the release of abnormal amounts of cytokines, resulting in a massive inflammatory response. Cytokine storm is associated with COVID-19 and sepsis high mortality rate by developing epithelial dysfunction and coagulopathy, leading to thromboembolism and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The anticoagulant therapy is an important tactic to prevent thrombosis in sepsis and COVID-19, but recent data show the incompatibility of modern direct oral anticoagulants and antiviral agents. It seems relevant to develop dual-action drugs with antiviral and anticoagulant properties. At the same time it was shown that azolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines are heterocycles with a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. We have synthesized a new family of azolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines and their condensed polycyclic analogs by cyclocondensation reactions and direct CH-functionalization and studied their anticoagulant properties. Five compounds among 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-ones and 5-alkyl-1,3,4-thiadiazolo[3,2-a]purin-8-ones demonstrated higher anticoagulant activity than the reference drug, dabigatran etexilate. Antithrombin activity of lead compounds was confirmed using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated blood to mimic conditions of cytokine release syndrome. The studied compounds affected only the thrombin time value, reliably increasing it 6.5–15.2 times as compared to LPS-treated blood.

N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) is an endocannabinoid-like compound first encountered within lipid fractions of specific foods and has intrigued researchers since the 1950s due to its therapeutic effects. This study aims to explore the therapeutic promise held by PEA as an anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agent. Therapeutic impact of PEA reverberates across diverse physiological systems, as the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, vascular network, digestive and respiratory system. Additionally, it was effective in pain management, reduction of inflammation and immune responses. These attributes have fostered collaborations targeting conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral ischemia, neuroinflammation, general inflammation, pain, coagulopathy, steatohepatitis, and acute lung injury. PEA operates both independently and in synergy with other compounds, like paracetamol, luteolin, and oxymetazoline. This efficacy stems from its interactions with pivotal targets including PPARα, PPAR-δ, PPAR-γ, CB1, CB2, GPR55, and TRPV1. Additionally, PEA exerts a direct influence on the inflammatory cascade, orchestrating precise adjustments in immune responses. Numerous animal studies have elucidated the inherent potential of PEA. Nevertheless, the imperative of reinforcing clinical investigation is evident. This review notably underscores the pivotal necessity for methodologically rigorous clinical trials to definitively establish the translational efficacy of PEA in ameliorating diverse inflammatory pathologies within the human milieu.

This research work aims to develop a mathematical modeling for production-inventory systems. Two mathematical models are present: An infinite dimensional, partial differential equation (PDE), production level modeling is present and a finite dimensional system for a coupled dynamic pricing, production rate and inventory level ordinary differential equations (ODE), integrating a proper Lyapunov stability analysis of the dynamical system and simulations.

The power utility, Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) is faced with challenges of supplying adequate power to the ever-increasing demand. To this end, this paper explores the installed Ubungo Gas Power Plant (UGP II) located in Dar es Salaam to find means of utilizing it in co-generation method. The study embarked on detailed modelling of the system and run simulations which indicated that the co-generation can result to power generation efficiency increase between 10.42 to 50.92%. It is recommended to change the UGP II to exploit this co-generation method. Further, the study could be improved by including more parameters of the gas and steam plant and verify them experimentally.

A novel five-surface phosphor-in-ceramic (FS-PiC) for high illumination and excellent color uniformity in larger-scale LEDs for sensor light source application is demonstrated. YAG phosphor (Y3Al5O12:Ce3+) was uniformly mixed with ceramic and sintered at 680°C to form a phosphor wafer. A sophisticated laser engraving was employed on the phosphor wafer to form a saddle-shaped large-scale FS-PiC LEDs. The performance of the FS-PiC LEDs exhibited the illumination of 401lm, average color temperature (CCT) of 5488K±110K, and color coordinates (CIE) of (0.3179±0.003, 0.3352±0.003). In contrast to convention single-surface phosphor-in-ceramic (SS-PiC) LEDs, the performance exhibited the illumination of 380lm, average CCT of 5830K±758K, and CIE of (0.3083±0.07, 0.3172±0.07). These indicated that the performance of the FS-PiC LEDs was higher than the SS-PiC LEDs for illumination, CCT, and CIE of 1.1, 7, and 23 times, respectively. Furthermore, the FS-PiC LEDs demonstrate lower lumen loss of 2% and less chromaticity shift of 5.4x10-3 under accelerated aging at 350°C for 1008 hours, owing to the high ceramic melting temperature of up to 510°C. In this study, the proposed FS-PiC larger-scale LEDs having excellent optical performance and high reliability may be the promising candidates to replace the convention phosphor-in-organic silicone material used in high-power LEDs for the next generation of sensor light sources, display, and headlight applications.

Blood image intensity has been used to detect erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). However, it does not give an information on biophysical properties of blood sample under continuous ESR. In this study, three physical properties, including, τ₀, ESR_τ, and AI_I, are suggested to quantify mechanical variations of blood under continuous ESR. To demonstrate the proposed method, blood sample is loaded into a driving syringe. The blood flow rate is set in a periodic on–off pattern. Blood sample is then supplied into a capillary chip, and microscopic blood images are captured at specific intervals. Blood shear stress is quantified from the interface of blood stream in the coflowing channel. Both τ₀ and ESR_τ are then obtained by analyzing the blood shear stress. Simultaneously, the AI_I is evaluated by analyzing the image intensity of blood flow. According to the experimental results, the τ₀ exhibits consistent trends with respect to hematocrit as well as diluent. The ESR_τ and AI_I showed a reciprocal relationship each other. Three suggested properties represented substantial differences for suspended blood samples (i.e., hardened red blood cells, different concentration of dextran solution and fibrinogen). In conclusion, the present method can detect variations of blood sample under continuous ESR effectively.

Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) can transmit the phloem restricted bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). In Europe, Lso causes severe losses to carrot and represents a threat to the potato industry. A rising concern of Lso transmission from carrot to potato and within potato has driven the need for monitoring populations of psyllid species that could serve as vectors on both crops, which would provide a fundamental understanding of the epidemiology of this pathogen. Different sampling methods were used to survey populations of psyllid species in commercial carrot and potato fields in Central and Eastern mainland Spain from 2015 to 2017. Two psyllid species, Bactericera trigonica and Bactericera nigricornis were found to be mainly associated with carrot and potato crops. In carrot fields the most abundant species was B. trigonica occurring from crop emergence to harvest, whereas in potato crops the most abundant psyllid species was B. nigricornis. The maximum psyllid population occurred between June and October its timing depending on the field location. Since B. nigricornis was found on both carrot and potato and is the only psyllid species able to feed and breed on both these crops in Europe, there is the potential risk of Lso transmission from carrot to potato

Promoter is a small region of DNA sequence in response to various transcription factors, which initiates a particular gene expression. The promoter-engineered bio-sensor can activate or repress gene expression through transcription factor recognizing specific molecules, such as polyamine, sugars, lactams, amino acids, organic acids or redox molecule, however, the reported applications of promoter enhanced bio-sensor are not too much. This review paper highlights the strategies of construction of promoter-gene engineered bio-sensor with human and bacteria’s genetic promoter array for high-throughput screening (HTS) molecular drugs, study of membrane protein’s localization and nucleocytoplasmic shuttling mechanism of regulating factor, enzyme activity, detection of the toxicity of intermediate chemicals, and probing bacteria density to improve value-added product titer. These bio-sensors’s sensitivity and specificity can be further improved by proposed approaches of Mn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ added random Error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis which is applied for construction of bacteria’s “mutant library”. It is expected to establish flexible HTS platform (Bio-sensor array) to large-scale screen transcription factor-acting drugs, reducing the toxicity of intermediate compounds, and constructing gene dynamic regulatory system in “push and pull” mode to effectively regulate the valuable medicinal product production. This proposed novel promoter-engineered biosensors aided synthetic genetic circuit construction will maximize the efficiency of bio-synthesis of medicinal compound, which will greatly promote the development of microbial metabolic engineering and biomedical science.

Emulsion stabilisation of base layers surfaced with chip seals often proves problematic with chips punching into the base and early distress. This can be aggravated by the use of modified binders that restricts the evaporation of moisture from pavement layers. The introduction of New-age (Nano) Modified Emulsion (NME) stabilisation has the advantage that water is chemically repelled from the stabilised layer resulting in an accelerated development of strength. A need was identified to evaluate the early life performance of selected chip seals, together with identified binders. Three different chip seal surfacings with unconventional modified binders were constructed and evaluated using Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) with the MMLS3. The objectives of the experimental design and testing were to evaluate binder performance, early loss of chips before chip orientation at low temperatures, punching of the chips into the NME stabilised base, deformation characteristics of a Cape seal and the effect of the use of a standard normal modified binder. This paper contains details of the NME base layer, the binder and seal selection and the test results. It is shown that a cost-effective thin chip seal in combination with a suitable binder can be used on a NME stabilised base with confidence.

It is well known that the photon trajectories follow a curved path in a gravitational field. We explore here the gravitational bending of electric field lines. It seems that the electric field lines of a charge, supported in a gravitational field, follow exactly the trajectories of photons emitted isotropically from a source situated at the charge location. From a detailed examination of the electrostatic field of a charge accelerated uniformly in the instantaneous rest frame, exploiting the strong principle of equivalence, one can determine the bending of the electric field lines of a charge in a gravitational field. The fraction of electric field lines crossing a surface, stationary above or below the charge in the gravitational field, is shown to be exactly similar to the fraction of photon trajectories, emitted from a source placed at the charge location, intersecting that surface. On the other hand, for a freely falling charge in the gravitational field there is no such bending of electric field lines. The field lines continue to extend in radial straight lines from the instantaneous 'present' position of the charge, as do the trajectories of photons streaming away from the instantaneous position of a freely falling source in the gravitational field. The electric field configuration of a freely falling charge in the gravitational field is shown to be exactly the same as that of a charge moving uniformly in an inertial frame with velocity equal to the instantaneous ``present'' velocity of the freely falling charge.