The reinforcement of concrete by using polyolefin fibres may be considered in structural design to meet the requirements of the applicable code rules. In order to achieve a reliable use of such a composite material, use of full-scale real structures is needed. The conversion of lab testing data into real practice properties is challenging and significantly influenced by various aspects, among which the size effect is a key one. Given that the available literature does not report coinciding conclusions about such an effect on quasi-brittle materials reinforced with fibres, further research is justified. Therefore, this work studies the behaviour of notched beams with three proportional sizes by using self-compacting polyolefin reinforced concrete with a fibre volume fraction of 1.1%. Flexural testing was carried out according to the standard EN-14651, with the results revealing the existence of the size effect. In addition, a reduction of the residual strength identified in the larger specimens was observed in fracture surfaces with equal fibre content.

The involvement of NK and other cytotoxic cells is considered the first defense' line against cancer. However, a significant lack of information prevails on the possible roles played by factors considered characteristic of primitive cells, such as c-kit and Sca-1, in activating these cells, particularly in melanoma models subjected to treatments with substances under investigation, such as the case of norcantharidin. In this study, B16F1 murine melanoma cells were used to induce tumors in DBA/2 mice, estimating the proportions of NK and iNKT cells, the presence of activation (CD107a+) and primitive/activation (c-kit+/Lya6A+) markers, some tumor parameters, such as the presence of mitotic bodies, nuclear factor area, NK and iNKT cell infiltration in the tumor, infiltrated tumor area, and infiltrating lymphocyte count at 10x and 40x in specimens treated with pentoxifylline, norcantharidin and the combination of both drugs. Possible correlations were estimated with Pearson's correlation analysis. Despite having demonstrated multiple correlations, it should be noted that immaturity/activation markers were related to these cells' activation. At the tumor site, iNKT cells are the ones that exert the cytotoxic potential on tumor cells, but they are confined to specific sites in the tumor. Due to the higher number of interactions of natural killer cells with tumor cells, it is concluded that the most effective treatment was PTX at 60 mg/kg + NCTD at 0.75 mg/kg.

The performance of the presurgical test (preSurg) for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was evaluated via video-electroencephalography (VEEG), electroencephalography (EEG), 99mTc-HmPAO single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) and 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a group of 112 men (37.0 ± 1.1 years) and 106 women (39.7 ± 1.1 years) operated on for TLE. The epileptic zone (EZ) was adequately identified to determine whether the patient reached an Engel I grade (EI) at least one year postop. Accuracy was evaluated by the coefficient α, ranging from 3 (when result = EZ) to 2 (result in the same hemisphere as the EZ), 1 (noninformative result) or 0 (EZ in the contralateral hemisphere). The simplicity of diagnosis was defined as the number of preSurg surgeries needed to identify the EZ. EI was obtained in 85.8% of patients even though 42.2% of patients had noninformative MRI results. For preSurg α was (mean ± SEM) = VEEG (2.83 ± 0.04) > MRI (2.14 ± 0.08) > EEG (1.87 ± 0.09) > SPECT (1.71 ± 0.09). The accuracy (combination of sensitivity and specificity) was calculated as follows: VEEG (0.797) > MRI (0.518) > EEG (0.446) > SPECT (0.360). The likelihood positive ratio was greater, and the likelihood negative ratio was lower for VEEG. The most relevant factor for the regression model was VEEG (3.106) > MRI (2.558) > EEG (1.905), and the factors were not significantly related to SPECT. EZs in EI patients with low simplicity were identified mainly by VEEG. A very good postoperative outcome can be obtained even in TLE patients with no lesions on MRI. The VEEG is the most reliable preSurg test and may be the only reliable test for patients with very low simplicity (i.e., difficult).single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions.

Existence of hybrid electric vehicles nowadays is one of the emerging technologies worldwide. Different countries are using this technology on their transportation, and nowadays, a lot of other countries are gradually adapting on using this kind of innovation in their transport system. Philippines is among these countries which aims to have a sustainable mobility by embracing the use of hybrid - electric vehicles but still lots of consumers are lacking awareness on this technology. Lack of information on the social, environmental, and economic potential benefits are among the main issues of Philippines consumers that really affect its uptake. The goal of this study was to evaluate the consumer’s perception and purchase intention on the transition of hybrid - electric vehicles for sustainable mobility and transportation here in the Philippines. It aimed to assess consumer awareness with hybrid - electric vehicles and its potential benefits to human beings in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. The study also gauged the impact of this perception on consumer’s purchase intention on hybrid - electric vehicles. These objectives were attained using the Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis. Using these methods, the results revealed that majority of the consumers believed on the positive benefits of transitioning to hybrid - electric vehicles in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. This study also showed that these benefits have high impact on the consumer’s intention of buying or having a hybrid – electric vehicle. Electric vehicle is one of the most effective measure of decarbonizing the transport system. Furthermore, government and automotive businesses must strengthen their drive in spreading awareness of hybrid – electric vehicle’s benefits to consumers to further support country’s effort for development.

The assessment of disability related costs among children remains a largely under-researched subject with related questions rarely included in surveys. This paper addresses this issue through a unique mixed methods study conducted in the Philippines combining a nationally representative survey and in-depth interviews with families and health professionals. To quantify the extra costs associated with disability the research used the standard of living approach, whereby expenditure levels of families with children with and without disabilities are compared in relation to different measures of living standards. The results find consistent evidence of high extra costs among households that have children with disabilities and point to health expenses as the leading source. Using an asset index as the indicator of living standards, a child with disability is estimated to require between 40 and 80% extra expenditure to reach the same living standard of other children. However, the size of extra costs is substantially higher when the measure of standard of living relies on a broader set of deprivations. In such cases, higher estimates of extra costs are likely to be the result of the lack of an inclusive environment. Critically, this points to the need not only to provide financial support, but also inclusive services, especially in health and education.

The morphology and maturation process of gonads of 70 Burmeister´s porpoises, with body lengths ranging 135–183 cm (n= 34 females) and 64.5-182 cm (n= 36 males) were described. Samples were collected in six ports of central and northern Peru in 1987-1999. In the field, females were classified as immature, mature (resting, lactating, pregnant) and males as immature, pubescent and mature based on, respectively, the presence of ovarian corpora and the relative quantity of semen in cut epididymides. The ovaries of P. spinipinnis are ovoid or bean-shaped and flattened, with corpora modifying surface appearance. In the laboratory, ovaries were examined macro- and microscopically, measured, weighed and sliced in 1-3 mm sections. The number of corpora ovarica (lutea, albicantia, atretica) found in each ovary as well as their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics were documented in some detail. The follicles, their oocytes and nucleus were measured. Follicular development in P. spinipinnis is predominantly left-sided, but occurs in both ovaries in 16.3% of females, mainly in those with numerous corpora. Macroscopically, several corpora atretica with luteinization had characteristics similar to those of corpora albicantia, making microscopic determination essential. Inconclusive evidence of recent ovulation was found in January. Two of three immature females showed good follicular development in March and April. The body length at 50% sexual maturity in females was estimated at 152.7 cm. There was no evidence of reproductive senescence. The testes of P. spinipinnis are elongated and cylindrical. Of the 36 males examined macroscopically, 7 were immature, 5 pubescent and 24 mature. The histological analysis determining the presence and abundance of Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa, the relative amount of interstitial tissue, the elongation and mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules and the relative size of the lumen allowed to confidently determine sexual maturity status. The field evaluation of maturity based on the presence of sperm in the epididymides is a useful but, in 8.3% of cases, not exact method. For males the body length at 50% sexual maturity was estimated at 157 cm. No histological evidence of male reproductive seasonality was found. Spermatogenesis was perceptible year-round and tubule diameters had non-specific variations for each month.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health threat associated with serious clinical consequences worldwide. The WHO reports an estimated 58 million people globally living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with 1.5 million new cases and over 350,000 deaths annually due to HCV-related diseases. Despite the existence of multiple diagnostic methods, the accessibility of diagnosis and treatment is often hindered across the continent by limited resources, insufficient healthcare infrastructure, and low public awareness of Hepatitis C virus Hepatitis C virus infection is a major public health concern in African countries, which have the highest prevalence rates of HCV in the world (1–26%). Egypt, African country which had the highest prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in the world. Its national hepatitis C elimination initiative emerges as an exemplary case of success an having screened over 60 million individuals, and treated more than 4 million, thereby markedly diminishing both the prevalence and incidence of the disease. The strategies employed by Egypt offer critical insights and adaptable frameworks for other African Countries facing analogous challenges. The Aim of this Review is to highlight the triumphs and hurdles of Egypt's approach, while also providing strategic guidance for African Countries to accelerate the journey towards the eradication of hepatitis C.

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

β-Ga2O3 is a well-known semiconductor material for power devices and other applications. Recently, β-Ga2O3 has also been reported as a scintillator material with a light yield of approximately 8400 ph./MeV, scintillation decay time of <1 μs, and density of 6.44 g/cm3. In this study, 2-inch diameter β-Ga2O3 single crystals were prepared by oxide crystal growth using the cold crucible (OCCC) method under various oxygen partial pressures. In the OCCC method, as in the cold crucible method, a high frequency is applied directly to the oxide materials, which are heated and melted, and the melt is held by the outermost solid material itself that is cooled by water using a copper hearth. In the OCCC method, crystal growth is performed while rotating the seed crystal, as in the Czochralski method, to increase the crystal diameter. The optical properties and radiation responses of the crystals grown under various oxygen partial pressures were evaluated.

For the last two decades, an increasing demand for low-cost adsorbents for drinking water treatment has been challenged in the rural areas of developing countries that have problems with arsenic (As) contamination. In this work, spent bleaching earth (SBE), a residual material that is formed during the process of refining vegetable oil, has been utilized to prepare the new magnetic adsorbent Fe-SBE/C by modifying its surface area through calcination and co-precipitation with iron. The experimental results demonstrate that Fe-SBE/C exhibits a substantial adsorption capacity towards both arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)). Optimal pH conditions were found to be pH 10 for As(III) and pH 3 for As(V), resulting in adsorption percentages of 76.7% and 94.1%, respectively. Other experimental parameters such as calcination conditions, adsorbent dosage, iron-loading ratio, and the presence of co-existing ions were thoroughly investigated. The kinetic study revealed that the adsorption processes follow the Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models, suggesting a combined adsorption mechanism of boundary layer control and chemisorption. Furthermore, the isotherm followed the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 202.61 μg g-1 for As(III) and 187.61 μg g-1 for As(V). Through thermodynamic analysis and reinforcement by activation energy data, this research validates that the observed adsorption process is indicative through chemisorption. The regeneration study revealed the potential for multiple cycles of arsenic removal, highlighting the practical applicability of Fe-SBE/C in environmental contexts. In conclusion, the findings of this study underscore the efficacy of Fe-SBE/C in arsenic removal and present it as a promising and environmentally friendly solution for mitigating arsenic pollution.

Since the discovery of transposable elements (TEs) in Maize in the 1940s by Barbara McClintock [1] transposable elements have been described as junk, as selfish elements with no benefit to the host, and more recently as major determinants of genome structure and genome evolution. TEs are DNA sequences that are capable of moving to new sites in the genome and make additional copies while doing so. To limit the propagation of TEs, host silencing mechanisms are directed at transposon-encoded genes that are required for mobilization. The mutagenic properties of TEs, the potential of TEs to form new genes and affect gene expression, together with the host silencing mechanisms shape eukaryotic genomes and drive genome evolution. While TEs constitute more than half of the genome in many higher eukaryotes, transposable elements in the nematode C. ele-gans form a relatively small proportion of genome, about 15% [2]. Genetic studies of transposon silencing and the discovery of RNAi in C. elegans, propelled C. elegans to the forefront of studies of RNA-based mechanisms that silence TEs. Here, I will review the transposable elements that are present and active in the C. elegans genome, and the host defense mechanisms that silence these elements.

L-Theanine, a unique non-protein amino acid, is an important bioactive component of green tea. Previous studies have shown that L-theanine has many potent health benefits, such as anti-anxiety effect, regulation of immune response, relaxing neural tension, reducing oxidative damage. However, little is known concerning whether L-theanine can improve the clearance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage in organisms. Here, we reported that L-theanine treatment increased ATP production and improved mitochondrial morphology to extend the lifespan of UVC-exposed nematodes. Mechanistic investigations showed that L-theanine treatment enhanced the removal of mtDNA damage and extended lifespan by activating autophagy, mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in UVC-exposed nematodes. In addition, L-theanine treatment also up-regulated the expression of genes related to mitochondrial energy metabolism in UVC-exposed nematodes. Our study provided a theoretical basis for the possibility that tea drinking may prevent mitochondrial related diseases.

Let's define $\delta(x) = (\sum_{{q\leq x}}{\frac{1}{q}}-\log \log x-B)$, where $B \approx 0.2614972128$ is the Meissel-Mertens constant. The Robin theorem states that $\delta(x)$ changes sign infinitely often. Let's also define $S(x) = \theta(x) - x$, where $\theta(x)$ is the Chebyshev function. It is known that $S(x)$ changes sign infinitely often. We define the another function $\varpi(x) = \left(\sum_{{q\leq x}}{\frac{1}{q}}-\log \log \theta(x)-B \right)$. We prove that when the inequality $\varpi(x) \leq 0$ is satisfied for some number $x \geq 3$, then the Riemann hypothesis should be false. The Riemann hypothesis is also false when the inequalities $\delta(x) \leq 0$ and $S(x)\geq 0$ are satisfied for some number $x \geq 3$ or when $\frac{3 \times \log x + 5}{8 \times \pi \times \sqrt{x} + 1.2 \times \log x + 2} + \frac{\log x}{\log \theta(x)} \leq 1$ is satisfied for some number $x \geq 13.1$.

P versus NP is considered as one of the most fundamental open problems in computer science. This consists in knowing the answer of the following question: Is P equal to NP? It was essentially mentioned in 1955 from a letter written by John Nash to the United States National Security Agency. However, a precise statement of the P versus NP problem was introduced independently by Stephen Cook and Leonid Levin. Since that date, all efforts to find a proof for this problem have failed. Another major complexity class is NP-complete. It is well-known that P is equal to NP under the assumption of the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for some NP-complete. We show that the Monotone Weighted Xor 2-satisfiability problem (MWX2SAT) is NP-complete and P at the same time. Certainly, we make a polynomial time reduction from every directed graph and positive integer k in the K-CLOSURE problem to an instance of MWX2SAT. In this way, we show that MWX2SAT is also an NP-complete problem. Moreover, we create and implement a polynomial time algorithm which decides the instances of MWX2SAT. Consequently, we prove that P = NP.

Robin criterion states that the Riemann Hypothesis is true if and only if the inequality $\sigma(n) < e^{\gamma } \times n \times \log \log n$ holds for all natural numbers $n > 5040$, where $\sigma(n)$ is the sum-of-divisors function and $\gamma \approx 0.57721$ is the Euler-Mascheroni constant. Let $q_{1} = 2, q_{2} = 3, \ldots, q_{m}$ denote the first $m$ consecutive primes, then an integer of the form $\prod_{i=1}^{m} q_{i}^{a_{i}}$ with $a_{1} \geq a_{2} \geq \cdots \geq a_{m} \geq 0$ is called an Hardy-Ramanujan integer. If the Riemann Hypothesis is false, then there are infinitely many Hardy-Ramanujan integers $n > 5040$ such that Robin inequality does not hold and $n < (4.48311)^{m} \times N_{m}$, where $N_{m} = \prod_{i = 1}^{m} q_{i}$ is the primorial number of order $m$.

In this paper, we present a new concept of the generalized core orthogonality (called the C-S orthogonality) for two generalized core invertible matrices $A$ and $B$. $A$ is said to be C-S orthogonal to $B$ if $A^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}B=0$ and $BA^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}=0$, where $A^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}$ is the generalized core inverse of $A$. The characterizations of C-S orthogonal matries and the C-S additivity are also provided. And the connection between the C-S orthogonality and C-S partial order has been given using their canonical form. Moreover, the concept of the strongly C-S orthogonality is defined and characterized.

Redox regulation and oxidative stress have become areas of major interest in spermatology. Alteration of redox homeostasis is recognized as a significant cause of male factor infertility and is behind the damage that spermatozoa experience after freezing and thawing or conservation in a liquid state. While for a long time, oxidative stress was just considered an overproduction of ROS, nowadays it is considered as a consequence of redox deregulation. Many essential aspects of spermatozoa functionality are redox regulated, with reversible oxidation of thiols in cysteine residues of key proteins acting as an “on-off” switch controlling spermatic function. However, if deregulation occurs, these residues may experience irreversible oxidation and oxidative stress leading to spermatic malfunction and ultimately death. Stallion spermatozoa are “professional producers” of ROS due to their intense mitochondrial activity, and thus sophisticated systems to control redox homeostasis are also characteristic of this species. As a result, combined with the fact that embryos can easily be collected in this species, horses are a good model for the study of redox biology in the spermatozoa and its impact on the embryo.

This study presents the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of nitrogen-doped vanadium oxide (N-V2O3/C) as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), using a hydrothermal method. Compared to undoped V2O3/C, N-V2O3/C exhibits enhanced electrical conductivity, capacity, and electrochemical kinetics, attributed to the incorporation of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen. Initial charge-discharge cycles indicate phase transitions to amorphous vanadium oxides, enhancing conductivity. N-V2O3/C shows a high specific capacity of 168.4 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 and remarkable reversibility, highlighted by the transient existence of intermediate species during cycling. Optimal electrochemical performance is achieved with a vanadium to nitrogen molar ratio of 2:3, indicating the significant impact of nitrogen doping concentration on the material’s efficiency. This work underscores the potential of N-V2O3/C as a superior cathode material for AZIBs.

Several clinically useful anticancer drugs selectively kill cancer cells by inducing DNA damage; the genomic instability and DNA repair defects of cancer cells make them more vulnerable than normal cells to the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents. Because epoxide-containing compounds can induce DNA damage, we have used the MTT assay to evaluate the selective cytotoxicity of three epoxyalkyl galactopyranosides against A549 lung cancer cells and MRC-5 lung normal cells. Compound (2S,3S)-2,3-Epoxydecyl 4,6-O-(S)-benzylidene-β-D-galactopyranoside (EDBGP) showed the highest selective anticancer activity and was selected for mechanistic studies. After observing that EDBGP induced cellular DNA damage (comet assay), we found that cells deficient in nucleotide excision repair were hypersensitive to the cytotoxicity of this compound; this suggests that EDBGP may induce bulky DNA adducts. EDBGP did not inhibit glycolysis (glucose consumption and lactate production). Pre-treatment of lung cancer cells with several antioxidants did not reduce the cytotoxicity of EDBGP, thereby indicating that reactive oxygen species do not participate in the anticancer activity of this compound. Finally, EDBGP was screened against a panel of cancer cells and normal cells from several tissues, including three genetically modified skin fibroblasts with increasing degree of malignancy. Our results suggest that epoxyalkyl galactopyranosides are promising lead compounds for the development of new anticancer agents.

Lightning discharges in electric power networks generate voltage and current surges that are propagated through the electrical network causing damage and shutdowns in the electrical system. To protect the system against these phenomena, surge arresters are very effective and widely used by electrical utilities in their electric grids. This paper presents a methodology for optimized surge arrester allocation based on genetic algorithm (GA), creating a simulation environment in the software ATP (Alternative Transients Program) to implement the proposed methodology. The optimized allocation procedure is based on a fitness function that minimizes the cost of surge arresters and maximizes the number of protected equipment. To carry out this optimized arrester allocation procedure using ATP may demand too much processing time when running large distribution grids. To overcome this difficulty a procedure is proposed to obtain an overvoltage severity description of the grid and select the most critical electric nodes for the incidence of lightning discharges, in the GA allocation procedure. The case study is applied to the IEEE 123-bus electrical feeder to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

In patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), the choice of surgical strategy for histopathologic assessment is still controversial, particularly in terms of preoperative corticosteroid (CS) therapy. To provide further evidence for clinical decision-making, we retrospectively analyzed data from 148 consecutive patients who underwent surgery at our institution. Although patients treated with corticosteroids preoperatively were significantly more likely to require a second or third biopsy (p=0.049), it was only necessary in less than 10% of the cases with preoperative corticosteroid treatment. The choice of surgical procedure did not affect diagnostic accuracy (p&gt;0.05). Preoperative CSF sampling did not provide additional information but was associated with delayed surgery (p=0.02). Surprisingly, diagnostic accuracy was significantly lower when patients were treated with anticoagulation or dual antiplatelet therapy (p=0.015). In conclusion, preoperative CS therapy can challenge the histological diagnosis of PCNSL. At the same time, our data suggest that preoperative CS treatment only presents a relative contraindication for an early surgical intervention. The standard surgical approach is stereotactic biopsy, but other approaches can be individually considered. If a definitive diagnosis cannot be made after the first surgical intervention, the timing of a repeat biopsy after discontinuation of CS remains a case-by-case decision.

The knowledge of the precise anatomy and dimensions of the pulp chamber in the different teeth allows the odontologist to perform correct diagnosis, as well as treatment planning and moni-toring. The clinical practice has introduced cone-beam computed tomography (CB-CT) as a method to evaluate the morphology and dimensions of the pulp chamber. Nevertheless, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is regarded as the gold standard in approaching those topics. Here we have designed an algorithm that takes as input DICOM images from in vivo CB-CT of permanent molars to determine the accuracy CB-CT for evaluation of pulp chamber volume. The values were compared with those from in vivo CB-CT (rough and expert manipulated) and ex vivo micro-CT. The relative errors obtained with the volume calculated by the algorithm vs. the volume measured by micro-CT do not exceed 5.7%; also, no significant differences were found between algorithm volumes vs. manipulated CB-CT volumes while all volumes were different from those obtained with automatic CB-CT software. These data demonstrate that volume algorithm CB-CT based may be a reliable technique for evaluation of the pulp chamber volume in permanent molars and can be useful in the diagnosis of pulp diseases, as well as in the planning and monitoring of their treatments.

Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the innate immune system, protects against pathogens and tumor cells and are the main cell effectors of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generating antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC). Hence it is relevant to understand NK physiology and status to investigate the biological effect of mAbs in the clinic. The presence of viral-sculpted NK cell populations has already been described, but the presence of cancer-sculpted NK remains unknown. Cancer induces a broad NK cell dysfunction. We investigated the NK cell population by Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) embed maps in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients at diagnosis and at least 30 days after treatment, which correlates with tumor cell clearance. The NK lineage largely responded to the tumor by generating antitumor NK cells and renewing the population with a subset of immature NK cells. However, we failed to identify specific “memory-like” subsets. Moreover, in patients in relapse we found essentially the same NK populations that at diagnostic, suggesting that NK cells equally respond to the first or second tumor rise. Finally, previous CMV infection largely affects tumor-associated changes in NK population, but the CMV-associated CD57+NKG2C+ NKs do not appear to play any role in tumor immunity.

Currently, metal nanoparticles have varied uses for different medical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural applications. Nano-biotechnology combined with green chemistry has great potential for the development of novel and necessary products that benefit human activities, while encourages the reduction of hazardous reagents for nanoparticle production. Green chemistry has an important role due to its contribution to unconventional synthesis methods of gold and silver nanoparticles from plant extracts, which have exhibited antimicrobial potential among other outstanding properties. Biodiversity-rich countries need to collect and convert knowledge from biological resources into processes, compounds, methods, and tools, which need to be achieved along with sustainable use and exploitation of biological diversity. Therefore, this review focuses on the importance of metal nanoparticles, the use of plant extract for their synthesis as well as other available methods, and the relevant antimicrobial activity that can be exploited in a sustainable model of agricultural management through a modern nanotechnological approach.

We recently screened a series of new aziridines β-D-galactopyranoside derivatives for selective anticancer activity and identified 2-methyl-2,3-[N-(4-methylbenzenesulfonyl)imino]propyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4,6-O-(S)-benzylidene-β-D-galactopyranoside (AzGalp) as the most promising compound. In this article, we explore possible mechanisms involved in the cytotoxicity of this aziridine and evaluate its selective anticancer activity using cancer cells and normal cells from a variety of tissues. Our data show that AzGalp induces DNA damage (detected with the comet assay). Cells deficient in the DNA repair pathway nucleotide excision repair (NER) were hypersensitive to the cytotoxicity of this compound. These results suggest that AzGalp induces bulky DNA adducts, and that cancer cells lacking a functional NER pathway may be particularly vulnerable to the anticancer effects of this aziridine. Several experiments revealed that neither the generation of oxidative stress nor the inhibition of glycolysis played a significant role in the cytotoxicity of AzGalp. The combinations of AzGalp with either oxaliplatin or 5-fluorouracil slightly improved the ability of both anticancer drugs to selectively kill cancer cells. AzGalp also displayed selective cytotoxicity against a panel of malignant cells versus normal cells; the highest selectivity was observed for two acute promyelocytic leukemia cell lines. Additional preclinical studies are necessary to evaluate the anticancer potential of AzGalp.

A mild, efficient, and photocatalytic synthesis of 6-phosphorylated phenanthridines via tandem radical addition/cyclization/aromatization of 2-isocyanobiphenyls with diarylphosphine oxides is reported. The method features operational simplicity, metal-free conditions, using low-cost rose Bengal as catalyst and sustainable air as terminal oxidant at room temperature, and providing the desired products in moderate to good yields.

Heart failure (HF) is a growing issue in developed countries and most patients present with a reduced ejection fraction. This condition significantly impairs quality of life and represents a threat not only for patients, but also for the entire healthcare system due to its high management cost. In the last decade, new medical treatments and devices have been developed to reduce HF hospitalizations and improve prognosis, while reducing the overall mortality rate. Medical therapy does not achieve the same results in all patients and, whenever it fails, technology comes in handy: novel devices for the management of HF have reduced symptoms. They have also improved the treatment of fluid retention and life threatening arrhythmias. The present review article gives to the readers a comprehensive overview of the most recent and important findings that need to be considered in HF with reduced ejection fraction patients. Both novel medical treatments and devices have been presented and discussed.

Two polyurethanes (PUs) were similarly synthesized by reacting a cycloaliphatic isocyanate with 1,4 butanediol and two polyols of different nature (polyester, polycarbonate diol) with molecular weights of 1000 Da. The PU made with polycarbonate diol polyol (YCD) was the only showing intrinsic self-healing at 20 °C. For assessing the mechanism of intrinsic self-healing of YCD, a structural characterization by molecular weights determination, infrared and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopies, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was carried out. It was concluded that the self-healing at 20 °C of YCD was due to non-covalent dynamic exchange interactions among the carbonate groups of the soft segments. Therefore, the chemical nature of the polyol played a key role in developing PUs with intrinsic self-healing at 20 °C.

Negative temperature coefficient (NTC) materials are usually based on ceramic semiconductors and electrons are involved in their transport mechanism. A new type of NTC material, adequate for alternating current (AC) applications, is represented by zeolites. Indeed, zeolites are single-charge carrier ionic conductors with a temperature-dependent electrical conductivity. In particular, electrical transport in zeolites is due to the monovalent charge-balancing cations, like K⁺, capable of hopping between negatively charged sites in the aluminosilicate framework. Owing to the highly non-linear electrical behavior of the traditional electronic NTC materials, the possibility to have alternative types of materials, showing linearity in the electrical behavior, is very desirable. Among different zeolites, the natural clinoptilolite has been selected for investigating the NTC behavior since it is characterized by high zeolite content, convenient Si/Al atomic ratio, good mechanical strength, due to its compact microstructure, and low toxicity. Clinoptilolite has shown a rapid and quite reversible impedance change under heating, characterized by a linear dependence on temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been used to identify the natural zeolite, to establish all types of crystalline phases present in the mineral, and to investigate the thermal stability of these phases up to 150°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis has been used for the chemical characterization of the natural clinoptilolite sample, providing important information on the cationic content and framework composition. In addition, since electrical transport takes place in the zeolite free-volume, a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis of the mineral has been also performed.

This paper presents the robotic platform, PiBot, that has been developed and that is aimed at improving the teaching of Robotics with vision to secondary students. Its computational core is the Raspberry Pi 3 controller board, and the greatest novelty of this prototype is the support developed for the powerful camera mounted on board, the PiCamera. An open software infrastructure written in Python language was implemented so that the student may use this camera, or even a WebCam, as the main sensor of this robotic platform. Also, higher level commands have been provided to enhance the learning outcome for beginners. In addition, a PiBot 3D printable model and the counterpart for the Gazebo simulator were also developed and fully supported. They are publicly available so that students and educational centers that do not have the physical robot or can not afford the costs of these, can nevertheless practice and learn or teach Robotics using these open platforms: DIY-PiBot and/or simulated-PiBot.

Concrete contributes 8% of all global carbon emissions making the need to find substitute critical for environmental sustainability. Research has indicated the potential for recycled plastics to be used as concrete substitutes. This study extends existing research by investigating the use of polycarbonate (PC) in plastic sand bricks as a mechanical equivalent to concrete. PC has high compressive strength, durability, impact strength, thermal resistivity, clarity, fatigue resistance, and UV resistance. This work provides a method and mold to produce a matrix of sand-plastic sample compositions with dimensions adhering to ASTM D695 standard for compressive properties of rigid-plastic. Compositions of 0% (control), 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% sand by weight were tested. Samples were tested for compressive strength until yield and stress-strain behaviors plotted. The results for 100% PC demonstrated an average and maximum compressive strength of 71 MPa and 72 MPa, respectively. The 50% PC and 50% sand composition yielded an average and maximum compressive strength of 71 MPa and 73 MPa respectively with an increase in compressive stiffness, and transition to shear failure resembling cement. With a composite density of 1.86 g/cm3 against concrete’s average 2.4 g/cm3, and a compressive strength exceeding commercial concrete demands of 23.3 MPa to 30.2 MPa, this lightweight alternative meets the strength demands of concrete, reduces the need for new construction materials, and provides an additional recycling opportunity for nonbiodegradable waste plastic.

Mitochondrial introgression raises questions of biogeography, and extent of reproductive isolation and natural selection. Previous phylogenetic work on the Sorex araneus complex revealed apparent mitonuclear discordance in Iberian shrews indicating past hybridization of S. granarius and the Carlit chromosomal race of S. araneus, enabling introgression of the S. araneus mitochondrial genome into S. granarius. To further study this, we genetically typed 61 S. araneus/coronatus/granarius from localities in Portugal, Spain, France and Andorra at mitochondrial, autosomal and sex-linked loci, and combined our data with the previously published sequences. Our data are consistent with the earlier data that S. coronatus and S. granarius are the most closely related of the three species and confirm that S. granarius from the Central System mountain range in Spain captured the mitochondrial genome from a population of S. araneus. The mitochondrial capture event can be explained by invoking a biogeographical scenario whereby S. araneus was in contact with S. granarius during the Younger Dryas in central Iberia despite the two species currently having disjunct distributions. We discuss whether selection favoured S. granarius with an introgressed mitochondrial genome. Our data also suggest recent hybridization and introgression between S. coronatus and S. granarius and between S. araneus and S. coronatus.

Resistance to therapy and disease progression are the main causes of mortality in most cancers. In particular, the development of resistance is an important limitation affecting the efficacy of therapeutic alternatives for cancer, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Signaling pathways are largely responsible for the mechanisms of resistance to cancer treatment and progression, and multiple myeloma is no exception. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) is downstream of several signaling pathways specific to treatment resistance and progression. Therefore, in recent years, developing therapeutic alternatives directed at p38 MAPK has been of great interest, in order to reverse chemotherapy resistance and prevent progression. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the role of p38, including recent advances in our understanding of its expression and activity as well as its isoforms, and its possible clinical role based on the mechanisms of resistance and progression in multiple myeloma.

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

The α(1,2)fucosyltransferase (Se enzyme) encoded by FUT2 is involved in the secretor status of ABH(O) blood group antigens. The sedel2 allele is one of the non-functional FUT2 (se) alleles in which 9.3 kb containing the entire coding region of FUT2 is deleted by Alu-mediated nonhomologous recombination. In addition to this allele, three SNPs of FUT2, c.375A>G, c.385A>T, and c.571C>T, appear to be prevalent in certain Oceanian populations such as Polynesians. Recently, we developed an endpoint genotyping assay to determine the sedel2 zygosity, using a FAM-labeled probe for detection of the sedel2 allele and a VIC-labeled probe for detection of FUT2. In this study, instead of the VIC probe, a HEX-labeled probe covering both c.375A>G and c.385A>T and a Cy5-labeled probe covering c.571C>T were added to the sedel2 allele assay mixture to allow simultaneous detection of these four variations by endpoint genotyping for the sedel2 zygosity and fluorescence melting curve analysis for c.375A>G, c.385A>T, and c.571C>T genotyping. The results obtained from 24 Samoan subjects with this method were identical to those obtained with previous methods. Therefore, it appears that present method can accurately determine these four variations simultaneously.

We report, for the first time in onychophorans, food hiding, parental feeding investment and an ontogenetic diet shift, from adhesive to prey, after their first two weeks of life.

A series of dinuclear copper(I) N,C,N- and P,C,P-carbodiphosphorane (CDP) complexes using multidentate ligands CDP(Py)2 (1) and (CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) have been isolated and characterized. Detailed structural information was gained by single crystal XRD analyses of nine representative examples. The common structural motive is the central double ylidic carbon atom with its characteristic two lone-pairs involved into binding of two geminal L-Cu(I) fragments at Cu-Cu distances in the range 2.55 – 2.67 Å. In order to enhance conformational rigidity within the characteristic Cu-C-Cu triangle, two types of chelating side arms were symmetrically attached to each phosphorus atom: two 2-pyridyl functions in ligand CDP(Py)2 (1) and its dinuclear copper complexes 2-9 and 11, as well as two diphenylphosphinomethylene functions in ligand CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) and its di- and mononuclear complexes 14-18. Neutral complexes were typically obtained via reaction of 1 with Cu(I) species CuCl, CuI, and CuSPh or via salt elimination reaction of [(CuCl)2(CDP(Py)2] (2) with sodium carbazolate. Cationic Cu(I) complexes were prepared upon treating 1 with two equivalents of [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6, followed by the addition of either two equivalent of an aryl phosphine (PPh3, P(C6H4OMe)3) or one equivalent of a bisphosphine ligands DPEPhos, XantPhos or dppf. For the first time carbodiphosphorane CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) could be isolated upon treating its precursor [CH(dppm)2]Cl (12) with NaNH2 in liquid NH3. A protonated and a deprotonated derivative of ligand 13 were prepared and their coordination was compared to neutral CDP ligand 13. NMR analysis and DFT calculations reveal, that the most stable tautomer of 13 does not show a CDP (or carbone) structure in its uncoordinated base form. For most of the prepared complexes, photoluminescence upon irradiation with UV light at room temperature was observed. Quantum yields (PL) were determined to 36% for dicationic [(CuPPh3)2(CDP(Py)2)](PF6)2 (4) and to 60% for neutral [(CuSPh)2(CDP(CH2PPh2)2] (16).

In this paper, several two-dimensional clustering scenarios are given. In those scenarios, soft partitioning clustering algorithms (Fuzzy C-means (FCM) and Possibilistic c-means (PCM)) are applied. Afterward, VAT is used to investigate the clustering tendency visually, and then in order of checking cluster validation, three types of indices (e.g., PC, DI, and DBI) were used. After observing the clustering algorithms, it was evident that each of them has its limitations; however, PCM is more robust to noise than FCM as in case of FCM a noise point has to be considered as a member of any of the cluster.

DNA Topoisomerase IIa (Top2A) is a nuclear enzyme that is a cancer drug target, and there is interest in identifying novel sites on the enzyme to inhibit cancer cells more selectively and to reduce off-target toxicity. The C-terminal domain (CTD) is one potential target, but it is an intrinsically disordered domain, which prevents structural analysis. Therefore, we set out to analyze the sequence of Top2A from 105 species using bioinformatic analysis including the PSICalc algorithm, entropy analysis, and other approaches. Our results demonstrate that large (10th-order) interdependent clusters are found including non-proximal positions across the major domains of Top2A. Further, CTD-specific clusters of 3rd, 4th, and 5th-order were identified that included positions that had been previously analyzed via mutation and biochemical assays. Some of these clusters coincided with positions that when mutated either increased or decreased relaxation activity. Finally, sites of low entropy (i.e., high information content) were identified and mapped as key positions in the CTD. Included in the low entropy sites are phosphorylation sites and charged positions. Together, these results help to build a clearer picture of the critical positions in the CTD and provide potential sites/regions for further analysis.

Lithium-ion batteries are key elements in the development of electrical energy storage solutions. However, due to cycling, environmental and operating conditions, battery capacity tends to degrade over time. Capacity fade is a common indicator of battery state of health (SOH) because it is an indication of how capacity has been degraded. However, battery capacity cannot be measured directly, so there is an urgent need to develop methods for estimating battery capacity in real time. By analyzing the historical data of a battery in detail, it is possible to predict the future state of the battery and forecast its remaining useful life. This paper develops a real-time, simple and fast method to estimate the cycle capacity of a battery during the charge cycle using only data from a short period of each charge cycle. This proposal is attractive because it does not require data from the entire charge period, since batteries are rarely charged from zero to full. The proposed method allows simultaneous and accurate real-time prediction of the health and remaining useful life of the battery over its lifetime. The accuracy of the proposed method has been tested using experimental data from several lithium-ion batteries with different cathode chemistries under various test conditions.

Using a safe subset of C++ is a promising direction for increasing the safety of the programming language while maintaining its performance and productivity. In this paper, we examine how close existing C/C++ code is to conforming to a safe subset of C++. We examine the rules presented in existing safe C++ standards and safe C++ subsets. We analyze the code characteristics of 5.8 million code samples from the Exebench benchmark suite and 5 modern C++ applications using a static analysis tool. We find that raw pointers, unsafe casts, and unsafe library functions are used in both C++ code at large and modern C++ applications. In general, C++ code at large does not differ much from modern C++ code, and continued work will be required to transition from existing C/C++ code to a safe subset of C++.

Collagen, the most abundant structural protein found in mammals, plays a vital role as a constituent of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds cells. Collagen fibrils are strengthened through the formation of covalent cross-links, which involve complex enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is responsible for catalyzing the oxidative deamination of lysine and hydroxylysine residues, resulting in the production of aldehydes, allysine, and hydroxyallysine. These intermediates undergo spontaneous condensation reactions, leading to the formation of immature cross-links, which are the initial step in the development of mature covalent cross-links. Additionally, non-enzymatic glycation contributes to the formation of abnormal cross-linking in collagen fibrils. During glycation, specific lysine and arginine residues in collagen are modified by reducing sugars, leading to the creation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These AGEs have been associated with changes in the mechanical properties of collagen fibers. Interestingly, various studies have reported that plant polyphenols possess amine oxidase-like activity and can act as potent inhibitors of protein glycation. This review article focuses on compiling literature describing polyphenols with amine oxidase-like activity and antiglycation properties. Specifically, we explore the molecular mechanisms by which specific flavonoids impact or protect the normal collagen cross-linking process. Furthermore, we discuss how these dual activities can be harnessed to generate properly cross-linked collagen molecules, thereby promoting the stabilization of highly organized collagen fibrils.

The Galápagos archipelago is a vast reservoir of terrestrial and marine biodiversity and is particularly susceptible to human, animal, and environmental impacts. Climate change, globalization, and the blurring of human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces are poised to bring new threats and challenges to the region. A One Health perspective that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health is imperative in assessing and mitigating the challenges facing the Galápagos Islands. Many challenges facing biodiversity in the Galápagos Islands can ultimately be linked to anthropogenic factors. In Part I of this review, we reviewed the impacts of invasive species and identified infectious diseases of importance. In Part II of this review, we discuss the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, and highlight the effects of several direct human activities, including tourism, overfishing, pollution, land use, and human-wildlife conflict. We also review the socioeconomic and political context of the Galápagos Islands, including current challenges in water and energy use, sanitation, and economic stability. We examine the importance of investment in local development for building resiliency and sustainability in the archipelago. Finally, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Throughout this two-part review, we build a cohesive picture of One Health in the Galápagos Islands by integrating past work, current needs, and emerging threats. We also consider overarching goals for conservation, ecosystem management, and socioeconomic sustainability that have been previously defined by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, and identify discrete, implementable, and interdisciplinary recommendations that will facilitate achievement of those goals.

Weight loss solutions are on the rise, and there is growing interest in natural alternatives to the pharmaceuticals in the market, which are not devoid of relevant side effects. To this end, the objective of the current study is to assess the effects of a botanical-based blend comprised of lemon verbena and hibiscus extracts in weight management, body fat, appetite, lipid, and glucose profiles, in an overweight population, for 90 days. As a result, the volunteers presented significant weight loss in absence of diet, which coincided with decreased body fat. Body fat was assessed by anthropometry, electrical bioimpedance and DEXA scan. Cholesterol levels were also significantly decreased. Satiety assessment revealed that the product contributed to increased feeling of fullness and satisfaction after a meal, compared to the placebo group, which could contribute to the weight loss observed. Blood glucose and blood pressure levels remained unchanged, which was expected as the volunteers were normoglycemic and their blood pressure was in the healthy range. In conclusion, daily supplementation of a botanical-based blend contributes to weight loss in overweight individuals, in absence of diet, while not affecting other parameters that are in the healthy range. This product could be a candidate alternative or add-on to other weight loss products, as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Galápagos archipelago is a vast reservoir of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, owing in large part to its relatively recent volcanic genesis and colonization by humans. This unique ecological system is particularly susceptible to human, animal, and environmental impacts. Climate change, globalization, and the blurring of human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces are poised to bring new threats and challenges to the region. A One Health perspective that simultaneously considers human, animal, and environmental health is imperative in assessing and mitigating the challenges facing the Galápagos Islands.In Part I of this review, we provide the historical context for biodiversity in the archipelago; discuss the role of invasive species in habitat destruction, fragmentation, and competition with endemic species; and summarize the established and emerging infectious disease threats. We also discuss the imperative to implement research, surveillance, and preventative measures to identify and manage future threats from a One Health perspective, with a specific emphasis on implications for wildlife health. In Part II, we outline the socioeconomic context of life in the Galápagos Islands, evaluate the current and predicted effects of climate change, and discuss direct anthropogenic factors affecting Galápagos biodiversity, such as tourism, fishing, pollution, and the illegal wildlife trade. We also examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Throughout this two-part review, we build a cohesive picture of One Health in the Galápagos Islands by integrating past work, current needs, and emerging threats. We also consider overarching goals for conservation, ecosystem management, and socioeconomic sustainability that have been previously defined by both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, and we identify discrete, implementable, and interdisciplinary recommendations that will facilitate achievement of those goals.

We consider a discrete-time random walk (xt) which at random times is reset to the starting position and performs a deterministic motion between them. We show that the quantity Prxt+1=n+1|xt=n,n→∞ determines if the system is averse, neutral or inclined towards resetting. It also classifies the stationary distribution. Double barrier probabilities, first passage times and the distribution of the escape time from intervals are determined.

Two series of novel [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]- and [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]quinazoline fluorophores with 4’-amino[1,1′]-biphenyl residue at position 5 have been prepared via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling Suzuki-Miyaura reactions. The treatment of 2-(4-bromophenyl)-4-hydrazinoquinazoline with orthoesters in solvent-free conditions or in absolute ethanol leads to the formation of [4,3-c]-annulated triazoloquinazolines, whereas [1,5-c] isomers are formed in acidic media as a result of Dimroth rearrangement. 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR spectroscopy as well as single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis unambiguously confirmed the annelation type and determined the molecular structure of p-bromophenyl intermediates and target products. Photophysical properties of the target compounds were investigated in two solvents and solid state and compared with those of related 3-aryl-substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]quinazolines. The excluding of aryl fragment from triazole ring has been revealed to improve fluorescence quantum yield in solution. Most of the synthesized structures show moderate to high quantum yields in solution. Additionally, the effect of solvent polarity on the absorption and emission spectra of fluorophores has been studied and considerable fluorosolvatochromism was stated. Moreover, electrochemical investigation and DFT calculations have been performed, their results are consistent with the experimental observation.

Developmental hazard evaluation is an important part of assessing chemical risks during pregnancy. Toxicological outcomes from prenatal testing in pregnant animals result from complex chemical-biological interactions, and while New Approach Methods (NAMs) based on in vitro bioactivity profiles of human cells offer promising alternatives to animal testing, most of these assays lack cellular positional information, physical constraints, and regional organization of the intact embryo. Here, we engineered a fully computable model of the embryonic disc in the compucell3d.org modeling environment to simulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition of epiblast cells and self-organization of mesodermal domains (chordamesoderm, paraxial, lateral plate, posterior/extraembryonic). Cell fate in the model is determined by an autonomous homeobox (HOX) clock driven by morphogenetic signals (e.g., FGF, WNT, ATRA, CDX). Executing the model renders a quantitative cell-level computation of mesodermal subpopulations and consequences of perturbation based on known embryogeny. For example, synthetic perturbation of the control network rendered altered phenotypes (cybermorphs) mirroring experimental mouse embryology, with 50% reductions in FGF4, FGF8 and BMP4 signaling resulting in 86%, 98% and 59% reductions, respectively in the posterior mesodermal population, while ATRA exposure also resulted in a 78% decrease in this population. This model enables integration of in vitro chemical bioactivity data for specific molecular targets with known embryology to test mechanistic veracity and quantitative prediction of altered development.

In this work, an entropy-stable and well-balanced numerical scheme for a one-dimensional blood flow model is presented. Such scheme is obtained from an explicit entropy conservative flux along with a second order discretization of the source term by using centered finite differences. We prove that the scheme is entropy-stable and preserves steady-states solutions. In addition, some numerical examples are included to test the performance of the proposed scheme.

This study analyzed the CO2 capture potential for Parque Natural Regional Serrania de las Quinchas buffer area in Colombia. For this purpose, multitemporal analysis for land covering for years 1989, 2000, 2006, 2011, 2017 and 2021 was made using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Corine Land Cover (CLC) methodology. In the same way, Aboveground Biomass (AGB) was measured for representative parcels by measuring tree’s diameters and heights and applying the adequate allometric models; carbon content in soils was measured too. Results show that dense forest has grown since 1989 and the carbon stock in all the vegetation covers increased by 14,3% from 1989 until 2021, using literature data for tropical humid forests. If measured AGB values obtained in this study are used, the carbon stock average is 3 times this value. Measured carbon average content in AGB was 374,3 Ton C/Ha, well above the average for the content reported for humid tropical forests in Colombia; carbon content in soils was 897,19 Ton/Ha, 2,4 times that found in the AGB. In total, an average of 1271,49 Ton C/Ha (AGB+ soil) was found and a pattern of dense forest recovery was found, but in a more dispersed way than in the past. A very interesting potential for existing forests recovery was found for this area. Strategies for this include the development of sustainable practices, land use management, everything pursuing biodiversity preservation and the participation and leading of the local communities.

This study introduces and demonstrates a comprehensive, accurate, unbiased approach to robust quantitative comparison of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) appropriate for establishing substantial equivalence (or lack thereof) between tobacco products. The approach is demonstrated across a family of thirteen pen- and pod-style ENDS products. Methods employed consist of formulating a robust emissions surface regression model, quantifying the empirical accuracy of the model as applied to each product, evaluating relationships between product design characteristics and maximum emissions characteristics, and presenting results in formats useful to researchers, regulators, and consumers. Results provide a response surface to characterize emissions (total particulate matter and constituents thereof) from each ENDS appropriate for use in a computer model and for conducting quantitative exposure comparisons between products. Results demonstrate that emissions vary as a function of puff duration, flow rate, E-Liquid composition, and device operating power. Further, results indicate that regulating design characteristics of ENDS devices and consumables may not achieve desired public health outcomes; it is more effective to regulate maximum permissible emissions directly. Three emissions outcome measures (yield per puff, mass concentration and constituent mass ratio) are recommended for adoption as standard quantities for reporting by manufacturers and research laboratories. The approach provides a means of (a) quantifying and comparing maximal emissions from ENDS products spanning their entire operating envelope, (b) comparative evaluation of ENDS devices and consumable design characteristics, and (c) establishing comparative equivalence of maximal emissions from ENDS. A consumer-oriented product emissions dashboard is proposed for comparative evaluation of ENDS exposure potential. Maximum achievable power dissipated in the coil of ENDS is identified as a potentially effective regulatory parameter.

Abstract Women victims of abuse can suffer neuropsychological sequelae that affect memory and attention, as well psychopathological disorders such as depression. These consequences affect their daily life and physical and psychological health. Objective: To analyze sequelae that affect attention and memory, as well a possible association of these sequelae to depression. Method: A total of 68 women victims of gender-based violence participated in the study. The participants were between 15 and 62 years of age and resided in Spain at the time of data collection. The Luria DNA Battery (Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Adults) by Manga and Ramos (2000); and the Beck Depression Inventory were applied. Results: Women victims of gender-based violence suffer neuropsychological sequelae, presenting low short-term memory and attentional control; and score low on the Luria-DNA battery. Of these women, 60% suffer from some relevant type of depression, and there are significant differences according to their degree of memory. Through the HJ-Biplot, a direct relationship was found between memory and attentional control with the total score of the Luria battery. On the other hand, an inverse relationship was found between short-term memory and depression. Lastly, three well-differentiated gender clusters of women victims of gender-based violence were identified. Conclusions: A lower rate of depression is observed in women victims of abuse when they have a more intact short-term memory.

Misuse of measurement units and orientations leads to errors in scientific applications, Cyber Physical Systems (CPS), and IoT C/C++ programs. Standard type system are inadequate in preventing such errors. Although dimensional and orientational analysis in physics can manually detect these errors in equations, analyzing complex code with intricate physical computations is impractical. To overcome this challenge, we propose an advanced type system that incorporates units and orientations as integral components within a specialized type library. Our enhanced type system automatically detects potential errors during compile time by representing physical quantities as types and utilizing dimensional analysis, orientational analysis, and metaprogramming techniques. Our improved type system enables formal verification of C++ software, successfully verifying programs with extensive codebases. We also employ it for runtime verification of dynamic linking and pointer operations in C++ programs. The integration of compile-time verification, dimensional analysis, orientational analysis, and advanced type system enhances the robustness and accuracy of scientific applications, CPS, and IoT C/C++ programs. By leveraging these approaches, we ensure precise calculations and prevent errors related to measurement units and orientations, resulting in substantial improvements in reliability and accuracy.

Suzuki cross-coupling reaction has developed one of the furthermost effectual approaches for the synthesis of biaryls or substituted aromatic moieties from aryl halides and arylboronic acids with a palladium-catalyst in the past two era’s. Herein, Pd-free layered double hydroxide containing nickel catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation method under ultrasonic irradiation and N2 atmosphere with different molar ratios of Ni: Mg: Al and coded as (1NiLDHs-Dr), (1.5NiLDHs-Dr) and (2NiLDHs-Dr). A series of reduced catalysts under 5%H2/N2 at different temperatures were coded as 1NiLDHs-R200, 1.5NiLDHs-R200 and 2NiLDHs-R200. As-synthesized 2NiLDHs-Dr was the superlative catalyst when coupling different aryl halides with different boronic acids derivatives. Deep investigation of all catalysts was done using different techniques such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) connected with energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) and N2-physisorption at -196 ℃. The results attained verified that ɑ-Ni(OH)2 was fashioned for 2NiLDHs-Dr catalyst and the enclosure of nickel ions in the cationic sheet of layered structure were responsible for the fascinating catalytic efficacy rather than the basic nature of material. The Ni-containing LDHs catalysts encourage forthcoming studies in Pd-free catalyzed C-C coupling reactions.

Introduction: Carcinoid heart disease is a rare cause of right-sided valvular dysfunction, an important complication in patients with carcinoid syndrome. Objectives: We aim to present our own experience regarding early myocardial dysfunction in patients with carcinoid syndrome. Methods: 64 patients (35-90 year old, 62,5% female, 37,5% male patients) with carcinoid syndrome were evaluated be-tween October 2017 and June 2021. All patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography with additional tissue Doppler and speckle-tracking techniques. For all patients there were measured urinary level of 5- hydroxyindolacetic acid, serotonin and NT-proBNP values. Results: The following echocardiographic features: global longitudinal strain of both ventricles, mean systolic velocity of the left ventricle, systolic velocity of the free wall of right ventricle, correlated with high values of specific biomarkers: serotonin, and urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, and also with the presence of hepatic metastases and poorly differentiated tumors. Discussion: In this study we identified several patients with early myocardial dysfunction due to carcinoid syndrome, representing a predictive model of poor prognosis, requiring further investigations. Conclusion: Echocardiographic assessment based on the measurement of systolic velocities, as well as the global longitudinal strain of both ventricles, together with specific biomarkers may contribute to better recognition of carcinoid heart disease in clinical practice, but this needs validation through further studies enrolling larger number of patients.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type E (PTPRE) is a member of the “classical” protein tyrosine phosphatase subfamily and regulates a variety of cellular processes in a tissue-specific manner by antagonizing the function of protein tyrosine kinases. PTPRE plays a tumorigenic role in different human cancer cells, but its role in retinoblastoma (RB), the most common malignant eye cancer in children, remains to be elucidated. Etoposide resistant RB cell lines and RB patients display significant higher PTPRE expression levels compared to chemosensitive counterparts and the healthy human retina, respectively. PTPRE promotor methylation analyses revealed that PTPRE expression in RB is not regulated via this mechanism. Lentiviral PTPRE knockdown (KD) induced a significant decrease in growth kinetics, cell viability, and anchorage independent growth of etoposide resistant Y79 and WERI RB cells. Caspase-dependent apoptosis rates were significantly increased and a re-sensitization for etoposide could be observed after PTPRE depletion. In vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays revealed decreased tumor formation capacity as well as reduced tumor size and weight following PTPRE KD. Expression levels of miR631 were significantly downregulated in etoposide resistant RB cells and patients. Transient miR631 overexpression resulted in significantly decreased PTPRE levels and concomitantly decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis levels in etoposide resistant RB cells, impacts mirroring PTPRE KD effects and indicating PTPRE regulation via this miR. Additionally, PTPRE KD led to altered phosphorylation of protein kinase SGK3 and - dependent on the cell line - also AKT and ERK1/2, suggesting potential PTPRE downstream signaling pathways. In summary, these results indicate an oncogenic role of PTPRE in chemoresistant retinoblastoma.

Planning and implementation of construction projects are difficult processes and are burdened with many risk elements. The budget spread over time, which is developed on the basis of the schedule, presents the expected distribution of costs throughout the duration of the works, which during the implementation of the project is subject to constant changes resulting from time, cost and organizational factors. Managing construction contracts requires managers to be able to analyze on an ongoing basis the variances of production costs - from the values calculated in the offer cost estimate and assumed in the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled. The article attempts to analyze the emerging time and cost variances using proprietary C-S and S-C monitoring, based on simple indicators of the EVM method. An example of construction of a multi-family housing development was used to study the variances of planned and incurred costs.

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents 1/3 of the weight of all-waste produced. Increasing their recycling and reutilization with recycled aggregates (RA) means closing the life cycle of construction materials. Research has been carried out on artificial aggregates from the exclusive crushing of structural concrete waste in selective demolitions (CDWRConc). This study analyses the use of recycled concrete as graded aggregate (GARConc) and in cement soil (CSRConc). The material complies with the requirements as a road base, although due to the low values of resistance to fragmentation these materials are adequate for use in sensitive road systems and other places such as urban roads and car parks. The sensitive road systems are infrastructures in places of great natural wealth and low traffic intensity, with an annual average of heavy vehicle traffic (AADTh) below 50 vhp/d. As soluble salt contents have been detected, additional waterproofing or drainage measures must be adopted to prevent water infiltration into the layers made up of CDWRHorm. Finally, the high initial values of UCS allow the temporary passage of light vehicles over CSRConc after 3 days.

This review article seeks to systematically identify appropriate ways to measure managerial skills. The systematic literature review was conducted according to the criteria in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guide, and the eligibility criteria were declared through the PICOS tool (population, interventions, comparators, outcomes and study); a tool based on 6,803 records identified bibliometrically in the Web of Science database. The literature review stages determined a reduced set of articles that presented valid and reliable measurement scales covering some determinant constructs on managerial skills for employability such as fundamental, emotional, managerial, leadership, decision-making, communication and teamwork skills.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and despite advances in treatment, survival rates are still low; therefore, the development of novel drugs is imperative. Acetylcorynoline (ACN) is derived from Corydalis ambigua. The effect of ACN on colon cancer is still unknown. Therefore, we investigated its potential effects. Our data showed that ACN inhibited cell viability and proliferation. Moreover, ACN induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by inhibiting cell growth. In the present study, we hypothesized that ACN regulates c-Myc through CNOT2 or MID1IP1. ACN reduced the protein expression of oncogenic genes, decreased c-Myc half-life, and rapidly inhibited the serum stimulation response. Moreover, knockdown of CNOT2 and MID1IP1 with ACN increased apoptosis and further reduced the expression of oncogenes. In addition, ACN exhibited a synergistic effect with low-dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin (Dox). Collectively, our data demonstrates that ACN inhibited c-Myc expression through CNOT2 and MID1IP1 and induced apoptosis. These findings indicate the potential of ACN as a therapeutic agent against colon cancer.

Abstract: Hyperuricemia is commonly diagnosed in subjects with abnormal purine metabolism. Prolonged hyperuricemia often associated with gout, which is a vital risk factor for joint dysfunction. The current study was designed to determine the efficacy of vitamin C supplements for treatment of high serum uric acid (UA) among hyperuricemic and gouty patients, and finding-out the effect of supplementation on serum creatinine (Cr) level and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This intervention study was started in April, 2013, till two months. A convenient sample of 30 adults aged between 24-75 years of both genders was assigned into two study groups: hyperuricemic (n=15) and gouty (n=15) groups. Each participant supplemented with 500 mg/day vitamin C chewable tablets for 2 months. Serum UA, Cr, and GFR were measured before and after treatment. At the end of this study, Cr and GFR enhanced insignificantly in both groups. UA increased insignificantly in gouty group after 2 months by about 0.31 mg/dl. On the other hand, hyperuricemic group showed significant (P ≤0.05) decrease in UA (-0.78 mg/dl) after 2 months duration. In conclusion, supplementation with 500 mg/day vitamin C for 2 months significantly attenuated serum UA for hyperuricemic patients and insignificantly affected serum UA in gouty patients. The uselessness of vitamin C supplements on gouty patients could be associated to a number of possible reasons.

Nonparametric assessments of police technical and scale efficiency is challenging because of the stochastic nature of criminal behavior and because of the subjective dependence on multiple decision criteria, which can lead to a more or less efficiency prospect depending on the regulation, necessity, or organizational objective. There is a trade-off between efficiency and effectiveness in many police performance assessments, i.e., efficient departments (producing more clear-ups with a given resource) are crime-specialized or cannot reproduce those good results effectively on more severe or complex occurrences. This study proposes a combined methodology for carrying out efficiency and effectiveness analysis of Police departments. A conditional non-parametric approach, which allows to include crime as an external factor in the analysis, is combined with a non-compensatory ranking based on the PROMETHEE II methodology for the approach illustrated on the multidimensional efficiency and effectiveness comparison of 145 Pernambuco (Brazil)'s police departments. The application results offer compelling perspectives for public administrations concerning the strategic prioritization of units for rewards or interventions.

We study an air-fluidized granular monolayer, composed in this case of plastic spheres, which roll on a metallic grid. The air current is adjusted so that the spheres never loose contact with the grid, so that the dynamics may be regarded as pseudo two-dimensional (or two-dimensional, if the effects of sphere rolling are not taken into account). We find two surprising continuous transitions, both of them displaying two coexisting phases. Moreover, in all cases, we found the coexisting phases display strong energy non-equipartition. In the first transition, at weak fludization, a glassy phase coexists with a disordered fluid-like phase. In the second transition, a hexagonal crystal coexists with the fluid phase. We analyze, for these two-phase systems, the specific diffusive properties of each phase, as well as the velocity correlations. Surprisingly, we find a glass phase at very low packing fraction and for a wide range of granular temperatures. Both phases are characterized also by a strong anti-correlated velocities upon collision. Thus, the dynamics observed for this quasi two-dimensional system unveils phase transitions with peculiar properties, very different from the predicted behavior in well know theories for their equilibrium counterparts.

Biochar is a carbonaceous material derived from the thermochemical conversion of biomass under oxygen-lean conditions. Its properties render it many applications in agriculture, environmental remediation, and catalysis. Commonly produced by pyrolysis under a nitrogen atmosphere, the biochar composition is influenced mainly by residence time, heating rate, and process temperature. The existing literature primarily assesses biochar properties, such as ultimate, proximate, calorific, porosity, and combustibility, generated under various thermo-conversion conditions. However, there is a notable lack of sufficient investigation and attention given to the practical application of biochar. This article seeks to bridge that gap by enhancing the comprehension of the necessary experimental assessment for specific biochar applications and proposing process optimization methods using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). By delving into these aspects, the study offers a concise overview of biochar production and presents a comprehensive panorama based on articles and patents. Additionally, the research explores the physicochemical characterization techniques associated with biochar and its various applications in conjunction with MCDA. This comprehensive approach aims to uncover valuable insights that could further advance the practical and sustainable utilization of biochar in a wide range of fields.

Little is known about public knowledge of meat chicken production and how it influences attitudes to birds’ welfare and consumer behaviour. We interviewed 506 members of the public in SE Queensland, Australia, to investigate this. Knowledge was assessed from 15 questions, and low scores were supported by respondents’ self-assessed report of low knowledge levels and agreement that their knowledge was insufficient to form an opinion about which chicken products to purchase. Older respondents and single people without children were most knowledgeable. There was uncertainty about whether chicken welfare was adequate, particularly in those with little knowledge. There was also evidence that lack of empathy towards chickens related to lack of knowledge, since those that thought it very acceptable that some birds are inadequately stunned at slaughter had low knowledge scores. More knowledgeable respondents ate chicken more frequently and were less likely to buy products with accredited labelling. Approximately half of the respondents thought the welfare of the chicken to be more important than the cost. It is concluded that the public’s knowledge has an important connection to their attitudes and consumption of meat chickens. Respondents with little knowledge demonstrated that they had both lack of empathy and intolerance to religious slaughter practices.

Infectious as well as most non-infectious diseases share certain common molecular mechanisms. Among them, oxidative stress and the subsequent inflammatory reaction are of particular note. Metabolic disorders induced by external agents, be they bacterial or viral pathogens, excessive calorie intake, poor-quality nutrients, or environmental factors, produce an imbalance between the production of free radicals and endogenous antioxidant systems; the consequence being the oxidation of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Oxidation and inflammation are closely related, and whether oxidative stress and inflammation represent the causes or consequences of cellular pathology, they produce metabolic alterations that influence the pathogenesis of the disease. In this review we highlight two key molecules in the regulation of these processes: Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2). PON1 is an enzyme bound to high-density lipoproteins. It breaks down lipid peroxides in lipoproteins and cells, participates in the protection conferred by HDL against different infectious agents, and is considered part of the innate immune system. With PON1 deficiency, CCL2 production increases, which induces migration and infiltration of immune cells in target tissues, and is involved in disturbing normal metabolic function. This disruption involves pathways controlling cellular homeostasis as well as metabolically-driven chronic inflammatory states. Hence, an understanding of these relationships would help improve treatments and, as well, identify new therapeutic targets.

The complete structure and connectivity of the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system was first published in 1986. The ‘mind of a worm’ was the first organism to have its nervous system to be reconstructed at the level of synapses, and represented a critical milestone considering today it remains the only organism to be mapped to that level of connection. Recently, the extrasynaptic connectome of neuropeptides and monoamines has been described. This review discusses recent technological advances used to perturb whole-organism neuronal function, such as: whole brain imaging, optogenetics, sonogenetics and mutant analysis, which have allowed for interrogations of both local and global neural circuits, leading to different behaviors. A better understanding of a whole organism requires combining experimental datasets with biophysical neuronal modelling, and behavioral quantification. Combining these approaches will provide a complete understanding of the worm nervous system and shed light into how networks function and interact with the synaptic network to modulate information processing and behavioral output.

The cancelation factor (CF) is a model for the ratio between gravity wave perturbations in the airglow intensity to that in the ambient temperature. The CF model allows to estimate the momentum and energy flux of gravity waves seen in nightglow images as well as the divergence of these fluxes due to waves propagating through the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region, where the nightglow and the Na layers are located. This study uses a set of T/W Na Lidar data and zenith nightglow image observations of the OH and O(1S) emissions to test and validate the CF model from the experimental perspective. The dataset analyzed was obtained during campaigns carried out at the Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO), Chile in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The CF modeled function was compared with observed points from an empirical method for vertically propagating waves that calculates directly the ratio of the gravity wave amplitude seen in nightglow images to the wave amplitude seen in lidar temperatures. We show that the CF analytical relationship underestimates the observed results generally. However, the O(1S) emission line has better agreement respect to the theoretical value due to simpler nightglow photochemistry. In contrast, the observed CF ratio from the OH emission deviates by a factor of two from the modeled asymptotic value.

Injury to the peritoneum during surgery is followed by a healing process that frequently results in the attachment of adjacent organs by a fibrous mass, referred to commonly as adhesions. Because injuries to the peritoneum during surgery are inevitable, one must understand the mechanisms of adhesion formation to prevent its occurrence. This requires a thorough understanding of the molecular sequence that results in the attachment of injured peritoneum and the development of fibrous tissue. Recent data show that fibroblasts from the injured peritoneum may play a critical role in forming adhesion tissues. Therefore, identifying changes in gene expression patterns in the peritoneal fibroblasts during the process may provide clues to the mechanisms by which adhesion develops. This review presents many papers discussing genes implied in peritoneal adhesion.

Vitamin C status is known to be associated with several demographic and lifestyle factors. These include gender, age, ethnicity, pregnancy/lactation, body weight, smoking status and dietary habits. In the present study, our aim was to interrogate the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 datasets to assess the impact of these factors on vitamin C dose-concentration relationships to establish if there are higher requirements for vitamin C in certain subpopulations and the possible extent of these additional requirements. The relevant data were extracted from the NHANES 2017-2018 datasets, the final cohort of which comprised 2828 non-supplementing adult males and females (aged 18 – 80+ years) with both vitamin C serum concentrations and dietary intake data available. The data was subsequently stratified by gender, age tertiles (≤36, 37-58, ≥59 years), ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and total Hispanic), socioeconomic tertiles (poverty income ratios: &gt;3.0, 1.36 – 3.0, ≤1.35), weight tertiles (≤72, 72-91, ≥91 kg), BMI tertiles (≤26, 26-32, ≥32 kg/m2) and smoking status. Sigmoidal (four parameter logistic) curves with asymmetrical 95% confidence intervals were fitted to the dose-concentration data. We found that males required vitamin C intakes ~1.2-fold higher than females to reach ‘adequate’ serum concentrations of 50 µmol/L. Males had both higher body weight and a higher prevalence of smoking than females. Smokers required vitamin C intakes ~2.0-fold higher than non-smokers to reach adequate vitamin C concentrations. Relative to adults in the lighter weight tertile, adults in the heaver weight tertile required ~2.0-fold higher dietary intakes of vitamin C to reach adequate serum concentrations. We did not observe any impact of ethnicity or socioeconomic status on the vitamin C dose-concentration relationship, and although no significant difference between younger and older adults was observed at vitamin C intakes &gt; 75 mg/day, at intakes &lt; 75 mg/day, older adults had an attenuated serum response to vitamin C intake. In conclusion, certain demographic and lifestyle factors, specifically gender, smoking and body weight, have a significant impact on vitamin C requirements. Overall, the data indicate that the general population must consume ~110 mg/day of vitamin C to attain adequate serum concentrations, smokers require ~165 mg/day relative to non-smokers, and heavier people (100+ kg) require ~155 mg/day to reach the same vitamin C concentrations. These findings have important implications for global vitamin C dietary recommendations.

Knowledge is not merely the characteristic of certain pieces of information being deemed true and justifiable, but rather a process. Within an axiomatic system, the set of information that reaches the status of knowledge forms a universe that provides an interpretation of the reality one aims to describe. Language exchanges information through communication and the process of justification (exchange of information), if it consistently justifies a particular piece of information, it elevates it to knowledge. In this paper, we provide a framework for knowledge within an axiomatic model where we define the fundamental elements of communication and grammar. As a result, the structure dictates that knowledge, to be considered as such, must be investigateable by anyone who utilizes it in its entirety, both in form and content. Ultimately, the development of knowledge processing, referred to as \emph{knowmatics}, represents a clear evolution of the computer science that processes information (subset of knowledge).

Modified nucleobases are potentially useful building blocks when containing catalytically active functionalities and could be introduced in chiral tridimensional molecules such as nucleic acids, which creates the premises for the development of novel catalytic species. Herein we describe the synthesis of a novel β-C-nucleoside bearing a diol group at anomeric position, amenable as metal ligand or as organo-catalyst. The abasic ligand was successfully prepared and inserted into complementary DNA strand.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), one of the largest superfamilies of cell-surface receptors, are heptahelical integral membrane proteins that play critical roles in virtually every organ system. G-protein-coupled receptors operate in membranes rich in cholesterol, with an imbalance in cholesterol level within the vicinity of GPCR transmembrane domains affecting the structure and/or function of many GPCRs, a phenomenon that has been linked to several diseases. These effects of cholesterol could result in indirect changes by altering the mechanical properties of the lipid environment or direct changes by binding to specific sites on the protein. There are a number of studies and reviews on how cholesterol modulates class A GPCRs, however, this area of study is yet to be explored for class C GPCRs, which are characterized by a large extracellular region and often form constitutive dimers. This review highlights specific sites of interaction, functions, and structural dynamics involved in the cholesterol recognition of the class C GPCRs. We summarize recent data from some typical family members to explain the effects of membrane cholesterol on the structural features and functions of Class C GPCRs and speculate on their corresponding therapeutic potential.

Background: Several kinds of research say that adjuvant blood glucose and blood pressure are usual, but an efficient solution for medical application count remains. This review analyzes the pandemic blood pressure and blood glucose to identify the publications which tell about the clinical practices and research gaps in systematic research.Methods: A study guides to identify the research of Blood Pressure (BP) and Blood Glucose. In order to analyze the recent innovations and research on BP and Blood glucose, the relevant publications and literature from journals were identified.Results: Co-morbidity of BP and Blood glucose is reported as very high. The commonness of blood pressure is thrice as high in type I diabetes patients and almost two times higher in type II diabetes patients when compared to others without Diabetes. The pervasiveness of getting depression is more in the female when compared with men. A detailed study about the linkage of BP and blood glucose tells that the relationship between them is not exactly clear.Limitations: Nearly all reviews providing the linkage of BP and blood glucose are with some limitations and they are not providing any clear conclusion.Conclusions: Present research tells that people having high blood glucose will have a greater chance of getting high blood pressure. More research is needed to state the linkage between BP, blood glucose, and the growth of diabetes mellitus issues and to provide support for managing Diabetes.

An 8-months old male American Staffordshire terrier was referred for a no weightbearing lameness of the right pelvic limb, hyperthermia, lethargy and inappetence caused by hematogenous osteomyelitis. Orthopedic, radiographic and tomographic examinations revealed a bone sequestrum of 4 x 1.4 cm and active periosteal reaction of the caudo-lateral cortical in the metaphysis and the distal third of the right femoral diaphysis, medullary osteolysis and interruption of the cranio-medial cortical profile, with involvement of the femoral trochlea leading to a secondary medial patella luxation. Once skeletally mature, after 4 months from surgical debridement and aggressive antibiotic therapy against Klebsiella oxytoca revealed by bacteriological exam, the patient underwent prosthetic surgery for the application of a custom-made patellar groove replacement (PGR) to fill the bone defect and restore the femoral trochlea surface. Despite the serious injury that afflicted the right pelvic limb, the surgery had satisfactory outcomes until the last 18-months postoperative follow up.

This work presents a Fault-Tolerant Model Predictive Control (FTMPC) algorithm applied to a simulation model for sewer networks. The control system will aim to prevent contaminated water from escaping the network, especially during periods of heavy rainfall, that can cause combined sewer overflows (CSO), while maintaining the flow of water towards the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) as close as possible to its nominal value. The main purpose of the work is to preserve the operation of the predictive controller as much as possible, in accordance with its operational objectives, when there may be anomalies affecting the elements of the control system, mainly sensors and actuators. Comparing the results obtained considering various types of faults, with situations of normal controlled operation and with the behavior of the sewer network when no control is applied, will allow some conclusions to be drawn at the end.

Although the need to assess hydration is well recognized, laboratory tests and clinical impressions are impractical and lack sensitivity to be clinically meaningful. Different approaches use bioelectrical impedance measurements to overcome some of these limitations and aid in classification of hydration status. One indirect approach utilizes single or multiple frequency bioimpedance in regression equations and theoretical models, respectively, with anthropometric measurements to predict fluid volumes (bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy; BIS) and estimate fluid overload based on deviation of calculated to reference extracellular fluid volume. Alternatively, bioimpedance vector analysis (BIVA) uses direct phase-sensitive measurements of resistance and reactance, measured at 50 kHz, normalized for height, then plotted on a bivariate graph, resulting in a vector with length related to fluid content normalized by standing height, and direction with phase angle that indexes hydration status. Comparison with healthy population norms enables BIVA to classify (normal, under- and over-) and rank (change relative to pre-treatment) hydration independent of body weight. Each approach has wide-ranging uses in evaluation and management of clinical groups with overhydration with an evolving emphasis on prognosis. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of BIS and BIVA for hydration assessment with comments on future applications.

Battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, while their single-charge driving distances under cold conditions are significantly limited due to the high energy consumption of heating systems. Heat pumps can provide an effective heating solution for EVs, but their coefficient of performance (COP) is hampered by heat transfer deterioration due to frost accumulation. This study proposes a solution to this issue by introducing a microchannel heat exchanger (MHE) with superhydrophobic surface treatment (SHST) as a heat pump evaporator. A computational-fluid-dynamics MHE model and a dynamic heat pump model are developed and rigorously validated to examine the detrimental impact of frost accumulation on heat transfer, airflow resistance, and heat pump performance. When the frost layer thickness is 0.8 mm at a given air-side velocity of 1.0 m/s, the air-side heat transfer coefficient can be reduced by about 75%, and the air-side pressure drop sharply increases by 28.4 times. As frost thickness increases from 0 to 0.8 mm, the heating effect drops from 3.97 to 1.82 kW, and the system COP declines from 3.17 to 2.30. Experimental results show that the frost thickness of the MHE with SHST reaches approximately 0.4 mm after 30 minutes, compared to that of 0.8 mm of the MHE without SHST, illustrating the defrosting capability of the superhydrophobic coating. The study concludes by comparing the performance of various heating methods in EVs to highlight the advantages of SHST technology. As compared to traditional heat pumps, the power consumption of the proposed system is reduced by 48.7% due to the defrosting capability of the SHST. Moreover, the single-charge driving distance is extended to 327.27 km, an improvement of 8.99% over the heat pump without SHST.

Lung cancer is a prevalent and aggressive neoplasm worldwide, contributing to significant mortality rates. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) constitutes the bulk of the steroid hormone in human plasma, has a robust antiproliferative effect, and induces cell death in various tumor cells. However, its role in lung cancer cells remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the influence of DHEA on the proliferation, viability, autophagy, and migration of several lung cancer cell lines, including A549, HCC827, and NCI-H2347. Cell proliferation was assessed through crystal violet staining; cell number and viability were evaluated using trypan blue staining; viability was confirmed by MTT reduction, a method that is also an indicator of metabolic activity; migration was assessed via a wound healing assay. Autophagy was evaluated using a specific kit, while cell death was determined by annexin-V-FITC/propidium iodide staining and caspase-3/7 activity assay. The results indicate that DHEA significantly reduced proliferation, cell number, metabolic activity, and migration in all examined lung tumor cells. These effects correlate with an increased autophagy induced by DHEA. No signs of apoptosis or necrosis were observed across the range of DHEA concentrations used. Although these findings are preliminary, they suggest that DHEA could hold promise as an alternative treatment option for various subtypes of lung cancer.

The central nervous system (CNS) is the final frontier in drug delivery because of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which poses significant barriers to the access of most drugs to their targets. Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a tryptophan (Trp) metabolite, plays an important role in behavioral functions and abnormal KYNA levels have been observed in neuropsychiatric conditions. The current challenge lies in delivering KYNA to the CNS owing to its polar side chain. Recently, C-3 side chain modified KYNA analogs have been shown to cross the BBB; however, it is unclear whether they retain the biological functions of the parent molecule. This study examined the impact of KYNA analogs, specifically SZR-72, SZR-104, and the newly developed SZRG-21, on behavior. The analogs were administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.), and their effects on the motor domain were compared with those of KYNA. Specifically, open field (OF) and rotarod (RR) tests were employed to assess motor activity and skills. SZR-104 increased horizontal exploratory activity in the OF test at a dose of 0.04 μmol/4 μL, while SZR-72 decreased vertical activity at doses of 0.04 and 0.1 μmol/4 μL. In the RR test, however, neither KYNA nor its analogs showed any significant differences in motor skills at either dose. Side chain modification affects affective motor performance and exploratory behavior, as the results show for the first time. In this study, we showed that KYNA analogs alter emotional components such as motor-associated curiosity and emotions. Consequently, drug design necessitates the development of precise strategies to traverse the BBB while paying close attention to modifications in their effects on behavior.

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

Senescence is a stable cell cycle arrest that is either tumor suppressive or tumor promoting depending on context. Epigenetic changes such as histone methylation are known to affect both induction and suppression of senescence by altering expression of genes that regulate the cell cycle and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. A conserved group of proteins containing a Jumonji C (JmjC) domain alter chromatin state, and therefore gene expression, by demethylating histones. Here, we will discuss what is currently known about JmjC demethylases in induction of senescence and how these enzymes suppress senescence to contribute to tumorigenesis.

Emerging pollutants as pharmaceuticals have been focusing international attention for few decades. Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a common drug widely found in effluents from hospitals, industrial and different wastewater treatment plants, as well as rivers. In this work, the lab-scale 3D-BER system was established, and more than 90% of the antibiotic CIP removal from the Low C/N wastewater. Best results were obtained with current intensity, and different C/N ratio significantly improve the removal of CIP and nitrates, when the ideal conditions were; C/N = 1.5-3.5, pH =7.0-7.5, and I = 60 mA. The highest removal efficiency of CIP = 94.20 %, NO3--N= 95.53 % and total nitrogen (TN) = 84.27 %, respectively. In this novel system, the autotrophic-heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria played vital role for the removal of CIP and enhanced denitrification process. Thus, autotrophic denitrifying bacteria uses CO2 and H2 as carbon sources to reduce nitrates to N2. This system has the assortment and prosperous community revealed at the current intensity of 60 mA, and the analysis of bacterial community structure in effluent samples fluctuates under different condition of C/N ratios. According to the results of LC-MS/MS analysis, the intermediate products were proposed after efficient biodegradation of CIP. Microbial community on biodegrading was mostly found at phylum, and class level was dominantly responsible for the NO3--N and biodegradation of CIP. This work can provide some new insights towards the biodegradation of CIP and the efficient removal of nitrates from low C/N wastewater treatment by the novel 3D-BER system.

No system nor standardized analytical procedures at commercial laboratories exist to facilitate and accurately measure potential viable virus contamination in feed ingredients and complete feeds globally. As a result, there is high uncertainty of the extent of swine virus contamination in global feed supply chains. Many knowledge gaps need to be addressed to improve our ability to prevent virus contamination and transmission in swine feed. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge involving: 1) the need for biosecurity protocols to identify production, processing, storage, and transportation conditions that may cause virus contamination of feed ingredients and complete feed, 2) challenges of measuring virus inactivation, 3) virus survival in feed ingredients during transportation and storage, 4) minimum infectious doses, 5) differences between using a Food Safety Objective versus a Performance Objective as potential approaches for risk assessment in swine feed, 6) swine virus inactivation from thermal and irradiation processes, and chemical mitigants in feed ingredients and complete feed, 7) efficacy of virus decontamination strategies in feed mills, 9) benefits of functional ingredients, nutrients, and commercial feed additives in pig diets during a viral health challenge, and 10) considerations for improved risk assessment models of virus contamination in feed supply chains.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the 3D point cloud density derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and structure from motion (SfM) and multi-view stereopsis (MVS) techniques, the interpolation method for generating a digital terrain model (DTM), and the resolution (grid size) of the derived DTM on the accuracy of estimated heights in small areas, where a very accurate high spatial resolution is required. A UAV-photogrammetry project was carried out on a bare soil of 13 × 13 m with a rotatory wing UAV at 10 m flight altitude (equivalent ground sample distance = 0.4 cm). The 3D point cloud was derived, and five sample replications representing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90% of the original cloud were extracted to analyze the effect of cloud density on DTM accuracy. For each of these samples, DTMs were derived using four different interpolation methods (Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW), Multiquadric Radial Basis Function (MRBF), Kriging (KR), and Triangulation with Linear Interpolation (TLI)) and 15 DTM grid size (GS) values (20, 15, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.67, 0.5, and 0.4 cm). Then, 675 DTMs were analyzed. The results showed, for each interpolation method and each density, an optimal GS value (most of the cases equal to 1 cm) for which the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) is minimum. IDW was the interpolator which yielded best accuracies for all combination of densities and GS. Its RMSE, considering the raw cloud, was 1.054 cm. The RMSE increased 3% when a point cloud with 80% extracted from the raw cloud was used to generate the DTM. When the point cloud included the 40% of the raw cloud, RMSE increased 5%. For densities lower than 15%, RMSE increased exponentially (45% for 1% of raw cloud). The grid size minimizing RMSE for densities of 20% or higher was 1 cm, which represents 2.5 times the ground sample distance of the pictures used for developing the photogrammetry project.

Lymphedema refers to a group of disorders characterized by the accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the interstitial tissues, resulting from an imbalance between lymph production and it’s drainage via lymphatic vessels. More than 10 types of isolated primary LD is described, and among them CELSR1-associated lymphedema are one of the less studied. A family with two sibs, a 17-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl, both diagnosed with primary LD, presented to the clinic. Both patients were observed with primary symptoms of LD at 2-3 months of age, presented by the swelling of right foot. Lymphatic pathologies were not diagnosed in parents or close relatives. The rare c.7664A>C variant, resulting in the H2555P missense mutation in the intracellular loop of CELSR1 transmembrane domain, was discovered in a patients. The clinical signs, MRL scanning data, in silico predictors and the absence of known pathogenic mutations or rare variants of unknown significance in other genes, associated with the development of primary lymphedema, allow us to assume that c.7664A>C variant of CELSR1 may be responsible for pathogenesis of the disease in the presented family case.

Microwave absorbers with lightweight, good stability and high efficiency have attracted much attention for their applications in many contemporary fields. In this work, the 3D porous (Ni@NO-C)n/NO-C composite absorber was prepared by a wet chemistry method with Ni chains and melamine as precursors, in which NO-C (N,O-doped carbon) encapsulated Ni particles are homogenously dispersed in the 3D porous networks of NO-C in the form of (Ni@NO-C)n chains. The special microstructure of the as-prepared material is proved to be benefit for the improvement of its microwave adsorption performance. The as-synthesized (Ni@NO-C)n/NO-C composite ab-sorber exhibited an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.1 GHz and an extremely large reflection loss of -72.3 dB. The excellent microwave absorbing performances can be ascribed to the coopera-tive consequence of dielectric loss and magnetic loss along with the balance between attenuation capability and impedance match.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) attack the vine's wood, devastating vineyards worldwide. Chile is the world's fourth largest wine exporter, and Cabernet Sauvignon leads the red wine varieties. Botryosphaeria dieback is an important GTDs and Diplodia seriata is one of the main pathogenic species. Biocontrol studies of these pathogens are commonly carried out at different incubation times but at a single temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the biocontrol effect of native Chilean bacteria against D. seriata isolates at different temperatures. We analyzed the biocontrol effects of Pseudomonas sp. GcR15a, Pseudomonas sp. AMCR2b and Rhodococcus sp. PU4, with three D. seriata isolates (PUCV 2120, PUCV 2142 and PUCV 2183) at 8, 22 and 35°C. Agar plug diffusion and double plate methods were used to evaluate the effect of diffusible and volatile organic compounds (DOC and VOC), and an in vivo test was performed with Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings. Pseudomonas strains showed the most significant inhibition in the DOC assay, and a demelanizing activity was observed. Rhodococcus sp. PU4 showed VOC biocontrol potential at high temperatures (35°C). In vivo, a biocontrol effect was observed against two D. seriata isolates, while the PUCV 2142 isolate proved to be more resistant to being controlled. The biocontrol ability at low temperatures is promising for effective control in the field, where infections occur primarily in winter.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-born flavivirus which human infection became relevant dur-ing recent outbreaks in Latin America, due to its unrecognized association with fetal neurologi-cal disorders. Currently there are no approved effective antivirals or vaccines for treatment or prevention of ZIKV infections. Amantadine and rimantadine are approved antivirals used against susceptible influenza A virus infections, that have been shown to have antiviral activity against other viruses, such as dengue virus (DENV). Here, we report the in vitro effectiveness of both amantadine and rimantadine hydrochlorides against ZIKV replication, resulting in a dose-dependent reduction in viral titers of a ZIKV clinical isolate and two different ZIKV refer-ence strains. Additionally, we demonstrate similar in vitro antiviral activity of these drugs against DENV-1 and yellow fever virus (YFV), although at higher drug concentrations for the later. ZIKV replication was inhibited at drug concentrations well below cytotoxic levels of both compounds, as denoted by the high selectivity indexes obtained with the tested strains. Further work is absolutely needed to determine a potential clinical use of these antivirals against ZIKV infections, but our results suggest the existence of a highly conserved mechanism across fla-vivirus, susceptible to be blocked by modified more specific adamantane compounds.

This review article conducts an in-depth analysis of the role of next-generation technologies in soilless vegetable production, highlighting their groundbreaking potential to revolutionize yield, efficiency, and sustainability. These technologies, such as AI-driven monitoring systems and precision farming methods, offer unparalleled accuracy in monitoring critical variables like nutrient concentrations and pH levels. However, the paper also addresses the multifaceted challenges that hinder the widespread adoption of these technologies. The high initial investment costs pose a significant barrier, particularly for small and medium-scale farmers, thereby risking the creation of a technological divide in the industry. Additionally, the technical complexity of these systems demands specialized expertise, potentially exacerbating knowledge gaps among farmers. Ethical considerations are scrutinized, including data privacy concerns and potential job displacement due to automation. Regulatory challenges, such as international trade regulations and policy frameworks, are discussed as they may need revision to accommodate these new technologies. The paper concludes by emphasizing that while these sustainable technologies offer transformative benefits, their potential for broad adoption is constrained by a complex interplay of financial, technical, ethical, regulatory, and social factors. Comprehensive, multi-faceted solutions are therefore essential for their ethical and equitable implementation.

Recent studies highlight the need to introduce objectives in Initial Teaching Education focused on the development of oral language competence (OLC). The main aim of the study is to examine activities to promote the development of OLC that are carried out in university classrooms and their evaluation, to analyze the relationship between students’ awareness of OLC work and class activities and to identify proposals to improve students’ OLC. Participants were 175 university teachers who teach on the bachelor’s degree in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the master’s degree in Secondary Education (MSE) at seven Catalan universities. The data collection instrument was an online questionnaire with 69 questions. The results indicate that 92.5% of participants work on OLC in their subjects, that 76.5% propose activities that are specifically linked to OLC and that 65.1% of participants evaluate OLC in their subject. A total of 39.4% of participants reported the need to increase discussions to generate processes of collaborative and interdisciplinary reflection between university teachers from different areas of knowledge, among others. We conclude that professional development processes need to be designed for ITE teachers to reflect on how they help students to develop OLC from a pragmatic perspective.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. Chronic infection by HCV can lead to liver cirrhosis or cancer. Although some immune-competent individuals can clear the virus, others develop chronic HCV disease due to viral mutations or an impaired immune response. IFNs type I and III and the signal transduction induced by them are essential for a proper antiviral effect. Research on the viral cycle and immune escape mechanisms have generated the basis of therapeutic strategies to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR). The first therapies were based on IFN-, then IFN-α plus ribavirin (IFN-RBV); then, pegylated-IFN--RBV (PEGIFNα-RIV) to improve cytokine pharmacokinetics. However, the maximum SVR was 60%, and several significant side effects were observed, decreasing the patients' treatment adherence. The development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) significantly enhanced SVR (&gt; 90%); the compounds were able to inhibit HCV replication without significant side effects, even in pediatric populations. The management of coinfected patients HBV-HCV and HCV-HIV has also improved based on DAA and PEG-IFNα-RBV (HBV-HCV). CD4 cells are crucial for an effective antiviral response. IFNλ3, IL28B, TNF-α, IL-10, TLR-3, and TLR-9 gene polymorphisms are involved in viral clearance, therapeutic responses, and hepatic pathologies. Future research focuses on searching for strategies to circumvent resistance-associated substitution (RAS) to DAAs, develop new therapeutic schemes for different medical conditions, including organ transplant, and develop vaccines for long-lasting cellular and humoral responses with cross-protection to different HCV genotypes. The goal is to minimise the probability of HCV infection, HCV chronicity and hepatic carcinoma.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes both acute and chronic disease of the liver that can lead to liver cirrhosis, cancer and liver failure. HCV is characterized by high genetic diversity and substantial variations in prevalence of specific HCV genotypes in different countries of the world. Many effective regimens of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), including pan-genotypic, can successfully treat HCV infection. However, genotype-specific treatments for HCV are being actively employed in the national plans for elimination of HCV infection around the world. Evaluation of HCV genotype prevalence in a country is mandatory for successful implementation of the national plans for elimination of HCV infection and allocation of financial resources to DAAs most effecting for specific HCV genotypes prevalent in a country. Here, we analyzed HCV genotypes, subgenotypes and recombinants in 10,107 serum samples from patients with chronic HCV infection from all Federal districts of Russia collected in 2015-2017. This is the first, largest evaluation of HCV genotypes performed on samples from all territories of Russia, from its Central Federal district to the Far East. Moreover, we have updated retrospective epidemiological analysis of chronic and acute HCV infection in Russia in 2001-2021. We demonstrate that the incidence of acute HCV infection in Russia reduced from 16.7 cases per 100,000 population in 2001 to 0.6 cases per 100,000 population in 2021. The number of cases of chronic HCV infection decreased from 29.5 to 16.4 per 100,000 population during this period. HCV genotype analysis indicated that HCV genotype 1 dominates in Russia (53.6%). Genotypes 3 and 2 were detected in 35.4% and 7.8% of patients respectively. These proportions are virtually identical in all regions of Russia except for Far East, where HCV genotype 2 amounts only to 1%. HCV genotypes 1 and 2 are more widespread in women, while HCV genotype 3 in men. The highest frequency of identification of genotype 3 was found in the age group of 31-40 years old (44.9%, respectively), and genotype 1 was more prevalent in a group of over 70 years old (72.2%). The proportion of HCV genotype 2 is predominant among HCV-infected persons older than 40 years. Discriminating HCV genotype 2 and recombinant RF1_2k/1b, which are frequently misclassified, is important for successful antiviral treatment of such patients. For the first time, we demonstrate the countrywide prevalence of HCV RF1_2k/1b in different regions of Russia. HCV RF1_2k/1b amounts to 3.2% in the structure of HCV genotypes, reaching 30% among samples classified as genotype 2 by some commercial genotyping tests. The highest proportion of HCV RF1_2k/1b was detected in the north-west (60%), southern (41.6%) and central (31.6%) federal district. Its frequency in Far Eastern and North Caucasus Districts was ~ 14.3%. HCV RF1_2k/1b was not detected in the Volga, Ural and Siberian districts. To conclude, this is the first and most complete evaluation of HCV epidemiology and genotype/subgenotype distribution in Russia.

In an attempt to correct misunderstandings this article brings together the observations on Calcium, Myosin Binding Protein-C and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in the basic function of cardiac muscle. A finding of many years ago is reiterated in a novel enzyme kinetic format with defined rate limiting step which makes CaATP the apparent substrate of the actomyosin cross-bridge. The relationship of these kinetics to recent observations on disruption of myosin binding protein-C is described along with how this bears on the understanding of the related cardiomyopathies.

Concept Knowledge (C-K) theory has been used in engineering and science-based research for more than a decade. Design of an Information Technology (IT) artefact is mostly pragmatic in nature. Design Science Research (DSR) methodology applied and studied in many Information Systems (IS) research. Many sub design decisions involved through the design of an IT artefact from a concept (idea) to a working prototype. A DSR artefact is based on a combination of decisions made during several sub-design stages. Artefacts are built based on the selection of elements in each sub-design space. Recording the design decisions on each sub-design space would be beneficial for future researchers. By knowing the design decisions on each sub-design space, researchers would be able to try different combinations of the design. C-K theory provides the ability to capture the design processes’ several sub-design spaces. In this paper, we discuss the DSR research methodology by looking at the stages proposed in the literature, and the application of C-K theory in an IT-based DSR. This paper also proposed a C-K theory-based protocol called Concept Tree for tracking and reporting artefact design steps. The application of C-K theory in DSR is exhibited using the implementation of the Concept Tree for a prototype design IT artefact.

Vitamin C is important in preventing and slowing the progression of many diseases. There is significant evidence linking periodontal disease and vitamin C. We aimed to systematically review studies addressing the relationship between vitamin C and periodontal disease and the preventive ability of vitamin C against periodontal disease. Electric searches were performed using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Studies addressing the relationships between periodontal disease and vitamin C in adults aged over 18 years were included. Quality assessment was done using Critical Appraisal Skills Program guideline and GRADE-CERQual. Seventy hundred and sixteen articles were retrieved and fifteen articles (7 cross-sectional studies, 2 case-control studies, 2 cohort studies, and 4 randomized controlled trial [RCT]) were selected by reviewing all articles. Vitamin C intake and blood level were negatively related to periodontal disease in all 7 cross-sectional studies. Subjects who suffer from periodontitis presented lower vitamin C intake and lower blood vitamin C level than subjects without periodontal disease in the two case-control studies. Patients with lower dietary intake or lower blood level of vitamin C showed greater progression of periodontal disease than did the controls. Intervention using vitamin C administration improved gingival bleeding in gingivitis but not in periodontitis. Alveolar bone absorption was also not improved. The present systematic review suggested that vitamin C contributes to reduced risk of periodontal disease.

We compare the effect on amyloid fibril formation by two homologous proteins from the family of cystatins, human stefin B (stB) and cystatin C (cysC) in presence of 3 polyphenols: curcumin, resveratrol and quercetin and 2 non-phenolic anti-oxidants: vitamin C (VitC) and N-acetyl cystein (NAC). Some of the experimental data have already been presented, here we compare, further discuss and highlight the results. The amyloid fibril formation was followed by ThT fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Inhibitory effects on amyloid fibrillation reaction depended on anti-oxidant class and concentration. The fact that different effect of polyphenols was observed with the two cystatins; Cur acted inhibitory on stB but not on cysC fibril formation, could be explained if the 3 polyphenols would not bind to the same binding site in the fibrils core. Other differences are pointed out and discussed. Synergistic effects of VitC and chosen polyphenols on amyloid fibrilllation of human stB have been explored and are reported here for the first time.

Thermal processing of Zr-loaded ion-exchangers is a facile route to synthetize (ZrO2, ZrC)@C composites. The chemical character of the functional groups in the cation exchanger is an essential factor in the composition and properties of the (ZrO2, ZrC)@C composites. In the present paper furnace and RF-thermal plasma processing of ZrOCl2 loaded thiourea-functionalized styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer was investigated that led to various composites containing ZrO2 and ZrC. Depending on the synthesis conditions, different ZrO2@C composites were formed between 1000 and 1400 °C in 2 h, whereas the composite containing ZrC was created at 1400 °C in 8 h. The ratio of ZrO2/ZrC, the prevailing ZrO2 modifications, and the crystallite sizes strongly depend on the synthesis conditions. The ZrC-containing composites formed only at 1400 °C in 8 hours and by the plasma treatment of the ZrO2@C sample prepared in the furnace, resulting in 8 and 16% ZrC content, with 44 and 41 nm ZrC crystallite sizes, respectively. The ZrO2-containing composites (tetragonal, monoclinic, and cubic modifications with 65–88 nm ZrO2 crystallite sizes and 15–43 m2/g BET surface areas, depending on the carbonization temperature) formed in a tube furnace between 1000 and 1400 °C in 2 h. The tube furnace–prepared sample formed at 1400 °C in 8 h contained ZrC, ZrO2 modifications, and amorphous carbon, whereas the plasma-treated sample contained ZrC, ZrO2 modifications, and graphite. All ZrO2@C composites had both amorphous carbon and graphite, and their ratio is temperature-dependent. The carbonaceous compounds of the prepared composites were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, with analysis of the G and D band intensities. XPS studies showed the surface oxidation of ZrC.

Background: Biomarkers are essential for identification of individuals at high risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for potential prevention of dementia. We investigated DNA methylation in the ApoE gene and plasmatic apolipoprotein E (ApoE) levels as MCI biomarkers in Colombian subjects with MCI and controls. Methods: 100 participants were included (71% women, average age, 70 yrs., range 43-91). MCI was diagnosed by neuropsychological testing, medical and social history, activities of daily living, cognitive symptoms and neuroimaging. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted by age and gender were performed to examine the risk association of MCI with plasma ApoE and APOE methylation Results: MCI was diagnosed in 41 subjects (average age, 66.5±9.6 yrs.) and compared with 59 controls. Elevated plasma ApoE and APOE methylation of CpGs 165, 190, and 198 were risk factors for MCI (P<0.05). Higher CpG-227 methylation correlated with lower risk for MCI (P=0.002). Only CpG-227 was significantly correlated with plasmatic ApoE levels (correlation coefficient=-0.665; P=0.008). Conclusion: Differential APOE methylation and increased plasma ApoE levels were correlated with MCI. These epigenetic patterns can be used as potential biomarkers to identify early stages of MCI.

In recent years, advancements in brain science and neuroscience have significantly influenced the field of computer science, particularly in the domain of reinforcement learning (RL). Drawing insights from neurobiology and neuropsychology, researchers have leveraged these findings to develop novel mechanisms for understanding intelligent decision-making processes in the brain. Concurrently, the emergence of quantum computing has opened new frontiers in artificial intelligence, leading to the development of quantum machine learning (QML). This study introduces a novel model that integrates Quantum Spiking Neural Networks (QSNN) and Quantum Long Short-Term Memory (QLSTM) architectures, inspired by the complex workings of the human brain. Specifically designed for reinforcement learning tasks in energy-efficient environments, our approach progresses through two distinct stages mirroring sensory and memory systems. In the initial stage, analogous to the brain’s hypothalamus, low-level information is extracted to emulate sensory data processing patterns. Subsequently, resembling the hippocampus, this information is processed at a higher level, capturing and memorizing correlated patterns. We conduct a comparative analysis of our model against existing quantum models such as Quantum Neural Networks and their classical counterparts, elucidating its unique contributions. Through empirical results, we aim to underscore the effectiveness of our approach in optimizing energy consumption in practical scenarios.