This aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between lifestyle factors, insulin resistance, and male fertility in 73 men with and without insulin resistance. The participants were divided based on insulin resistance status. Their physical activity, diet, perceived stress, sleep quality, libido level, and the duration of sexual abstinence were assessed on the basis of a number of parameters, including indices proposed by the authors. The results highlighted associations between a number of parameters, i.e., micronutrient and vitamin intake, diet quality, body composition, insulin resistance, and the duration of sexual abstinence, and semen quality, as measured by sperm motility. Significantly, the presence or absence of insulin resistance was linked to male fertility. A multivariate model was developed, incorporating parameters such as the Matsuda index, vitamin intake, and sexual abstinence duration, to predict motility scores. The study underscores the negative impact of modern civilization’s lifestyle choices on male fertility. Notably, vitamin and mineral consumption, especially from antioxidant-rich diets like the Mediterranean diet, emerged as key modifiable factors affecting fertility. Routine diagnostics for insulin resistance in fertility-related interventions is recommended. The study also highlights the importance of considering sexual abstinence duration during semen collection for accurate diagnostic results. Future research should focus on validating the proposed multivariate model and exploring the effects of lifestyle modifications, particularly vitamin supplementation, on fertility outcomes in men, especially in the context of insulin resistance.

Microarray gene expression analysis is a powerful technique used in cancer classification and research to identify and understand gene expression patterns that can differentiate between different cancer types, subtypes, and stages. However, microarray databases are highly redundant, inherently nonlinear, and noisy. Therefore, extracting meaningful information from such a huge database is a challenging one. The paper adopts the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Mixture Model (MM) for dimensionality reduction and utilizes the Dragonfly optimization algorithm as the feature selection technique. The classifiers employed in this research are Nonlinear Regression, Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree, Random Forest and SVM (RBF). The classifiers' performances are analyzed with and without feature selection methods. Finally, Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam) and Random Adaptive Moment Estimation (RanAdam) hyper-parameter tuning techniques are used as improvisation techniques for classifiers. The SVM (RBF) classifier with the Fast Fourier Transform Dimensionality Reduction method and Dragonfly feature selection achieved the highest accuracy of 98.343% with RanAdam hyperparameter tuning compared to other classifiers.

The information on the land use and soil conservation practice based on year 2006, 2010 and 2014, hence offering an opportunity to model the impacts of land use change on erosion, deposition and surface water runoff. Limitation in the use of hydrological models had been their inability to handle the large amount of input data that describe the heterogeneity of the natural system. In this study, a procedure that takes into account soil conservation practice based on the land use change, the response of soil erosion and sediment export from the George Town Conurbation catchment area, and average annual sediment yields were estimated for each grid cell of the watershed to identify the critical erosion areas of rural and urban planning proposes. Average annual sediment yield and data on a grid basis estimated using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and an emerging technology represented by Geographic Information System (GIS) used as a tool to produce a map for erosion rate. The changing of the land use from forest to agriculture and then to an urban area is a challenging task to research on land use demand for population, and environmental impact assessment is important for the planning of natural resources management, allowing research the modification of land use properly and implement more sustainable for long term management strategies. The challenge is to formulate strategies that would promote an integrated approach to the land use planning at an appropriate level as to address the issues that arose. Modelling for creating urban growth boundary for the George Town Conurbation must have to be controlled surface runoff and soil loss and sediment export from land use of the George Town Conurbation catchment.

A traditionally salient topic of empirical investigation in the sociology of religion, this paper seeks to offer a recent investigation into the intergenerational transmission of religion and the parental forms of religious engagement that predict adult engagement with religion. The study of this paper explores the intergenerational transmission of religion, focusing on the parental forms of religious identity and engagement that influence religious identity, beliefs, and practices in adulthood. By analyzing the 2018 GSS dataset in the United States with multiple regression analyses, I find strong parental and childhood influences on adult religiosity, religious service attendance, and belief in God. Indeed, this engagement often mirrors parental engagement for these variables. However, while paternal religious identity often predicts these religious variables, I find that the religious identity and engagement of parents generally does not predict religious identity in adulthood. Ultimately, while these results generally show strong predictive mechanisms of intergenerational transmission, they also illustrate that these relationships are variably dependent on the form of parental and adult religious engagement and which parent participates or is associated with that engagement.

Tourmalines are a group of minerals which may concentrate various accessory components, e.g. Cu, Ni, Zn, Bi, Ti, Sn. The paper presents fluor-elbaite and elbaite from a dyke of the Julianna pegmatitic system at Piława Górna, at the NE margin of the Bohemian Massif, SW Poland, containing up to 6.32 and 7.37 wt.% ZnO, respectively. Such high amounts of ZnO are almost two times higher than in the second most Zn-enriched tourmaline known to date. The compositions of the Zn-rich tourmalines from Piława Górna, studied by electron microprobe and Raman spectroscopy, correspond to the formulae: (Na0.73Ca0.01•0.25)Σ1(Al1.03Li0.79Zn0.76Fe2+0.33Mn0.09)Σ3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(F0.66OH0.34), and (Na0.78Ca0.01•0.21)Σ1(Al1.06Li0.87Zn0.88Fe2+0.10Mn0.09)Σ3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH0.84F0.16), respectively, with Zn as one of the main octahedral occupants. A comparison with other tourmalines and associated Zn-rich fluor-elbaite and elbaite from the pegmatite indicates that atypically high Zn-enrichment is not a result of Zn-Fe fractionation, but dissolution and reprecipitation induced by a late (Na,Li,B,F)-bearing fluid within the assemblage of gahnite spinel and primary schorl-type tourmaline. This strongly suggests Na-Li-B-F metasomatism of gahnite-bearing mineral assemblages as that is the only environment that can promote crystallization of a hypothetical Zn-dominant tourmaline. The compositions of the Zn-rich fluor-elbaite and elbaite suggest three possible end-members for such a hypothetical tourmaline species: NaZn3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH), •(Zn2Al)Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH) and Na(Zn2Al)Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3O.

(1) Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the full arch scan accuracy (precision and trueness) of nine digital intra-oral scanners and four lab scanners. Previous studies have compared the accuracy of some intra-oral scanners, but as this is a field of quickly developing technologies, a more up-to-date study was needed to assess the capabilities of currently available models.; (2) Methods: The present in vitro study compared nine different intraoral scanners (Omnicam 4.6; Omnicam 5.1; Primescan; CS 3600; Trios 3; Trios 4; Runyes; i500 and DL206) as well as four lab light scanners (Einscan SE; 300e; E2 and Ineos X5) to investigate the accuracy of each scanner by examining the overall trueness and precision. Ten aligned and cut scans from each of the intra-oral and lab scanners in the in vitro study were brought into CloudCompare. A comparison was made with the master STL using the CloudCompare 3D analysis best-fit algorithm. The results were recorded along with individual standard deviation and a colorimetric map of the deviation across the surface of the STL mesh; a comparison was made to the master STL, quantified at specific points. ; (3) Results: In the present study, the Primescan had the best overall trueness (17.3 ± 4.9). Followed by (in order of increasing deviation) the Trios 4 (20.8 ± 6.2), i500 (25.2 ± 7.3), CS3600 (26.9 ± 15.9), Trios 3 (27.7 ± 6.8), Runyes (47.2 ± 5.4), Omnicam 5.1 (55.1 ± 9.5), Omnicam 4.6 (57.5 ± 3.2) and Launca DL206 (58.5 ± 22.0). Regarding the lab light scanners, the Ineos X5 had the best overall trueness with (0.0 ± 1.9). Followed by (in order of increasing deviation) the 3Shape E2 (3.6 ± 2.2), Up3D 300E (12.8 ± 2.7), and Einscan SE (14.9 ± 9.5); (4) Conclusions: This study confirms that all current generations of intra-oral digital scanners can capture a reliable, reproducible full arch scan in dentate patients. Out of the intra-oral scanners tested, no scanner produced results significantly similar in trueness to the Ineos X5. However, the Primescan was the only one to be statistically of a similar level of trueness to the 3Shape E2 lab scanner. All scanners in the study had mean trueness of under 60-micron deviation. While this study can compare the scanning accuracy of this sample in a dentate arch, the scanning of a fully edentulous arch is more challenging. The accuracy of these scanners in edentulous cases should be examined in further studies.

Currently Single Board Computers (SBCs) are sufficiently powerful to run Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOSs) and applications with real-time attributes and requirements. SBCs serve as a foundation in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The NXP Semiconductors produces a series of SBCs based on ARM-processors for a variety of industrial applications. The continuous increase in real-time data generated by IoT devices adds further research issues about the efficiency of such systems and applications. The purpose of this research was to investigate the timing performance of an NXP TWR-K70F120M device with μClinux OS on running concurrently tasks with real-time features and constraints. A custom-built multithreaded application with specific compute-intensive sorting and matrix operations was developed and applied to obtain measurements in specific timing metrics, including task’s execution time, threads waiting time, and response time, under different threads variations. The performance of this device was additionally benchmarked and validated against favorite platforms, a Raspberry Pi4 and BeagleBone AI SBCs. The experimental results showed that this device stands well both in terms of timing and efficiency metrics. Execution times were quite lower than the others, by approximately 56% in the case of two threads, and by 29% in the case of thirty-two threads configurations.

Introduction: The term 3D printing is commonly used to depict an assembling method whereby the final form of an object is the result of the addition of different layers to build the frame of an object. This procedure is more accurately portrayed as additive manufacturing and is likewise alluded to as fast prototyping. The term 3D printing, in any case, is generally new and has been an active part of current developments in Dentistry. Much publicity encompasses the evolution of 3D printing, which is hailed as an innovation that will perpetually change CAM manufacturing, including in the dental sector. This review is the first part in a 3D Printing series that looks at the history of 3D Printing, the technologies available and reviews the literature relating to the accuracy of these technologies. Conclusions: The recent advancement in digital dentistry to incorporate these tools has modernised dental practices by paving the way for computer-aided design (CAD) technology and rapid prototyping. The use of 3D printing has led to 3D digital models produced with intraoral scanners (IOS), which can be manipulated easily for diagnosis, treatment planning, mockups, and a multitude of other uses. Combining 3D Printing with a 3D intraoral scan eliminates the need for physical storage but makes it to retrieve a 3D models for use within all dental modalities.

This paper examines hybrid threats to maritime transportation systems, and their governance re-sponses; focusing on the congested Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) as an illustrative case study. The methodology combines secondary sources with primary data from 42 expert in-terviews, a 30-respondent survey, and two maritime security roundtables. Key findings were that ships’ critical systems are increasingly interconnected, yet aging IT infrastructure and minimal cybersecurity awareness among crews heighten risks. Meanwhile, regional terrorist groups have previously targeted shipping and shown considerable skill in exploiting online tools, aligning with broader calls for jihadist violence. Further, opportunistic piracy persists in the SOMS with the po-tential to disrupt shipping. Experts confirmed maritime cybersecurity lags other critical infra-structure sectors and needs updated governance. Initial International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines lack specificity but revisions and updated IMO guidance are in process, while Port state implementation of maritime cybersecurity standards varies. Crucially, information sharing remains inadequate, even as recorded attacks increase. Findings underscore that although major hybrid incidents have not occurred, simulations and threat actors’ capabilities demonstrate potential for catastrophic collisions or cascading disruption in congested waterways. Mitigating factors like redundancy and crew training are deficient currently. Some alignment between SOMS states on maritime security cooperation exists, but not cyber threats specifically. Key recommen-dations include an anonymous cyber-attack reporting system, reinforced training and shipboard systems, and consolidated regional frameworks. Until these priorities are addressed, the analysis concludes that hybrid vulnerabilities in this vital global chokepoint remain a serious concern.

Large-span post-tensioned (PT) beams play a crucial role in maximizing the benefits of post-tensioning techniques. Bonded and unbonded systems are prevalent, with the latter being more widespread in the United States. While bonded systems are advantageous for creating long spans when multiple tendons are grouped in ducts, limited literature exists on their demolition. In a case study, this paper addresses the unique challenge of demolishing large-span bonded post-tensioned beams due to a building's functional change. Emphasizing insights for engineers, it explores the use of cutting and dismantling methods, considering the presence of prestressed cables. The demolition process is distinctive due to the presence of numerous pre-stressed cables along the beams, necessitating a specialized and cautious cutting approach. This is accomplished through the use of a drilling technique that selectively distresses the tendons, ensuring they are not all affected simultaneously. An intriguing observation discussed in this paper pertains to the occurrence of horizontal cracks accompanied by loud sounds following the drilling process, offering insights from the design perspective of PT systems. The paper details an innovative method for safely demolishing large-span bonded PT beams, using ground-penetrating radar and computer models to navigate structural complexities and ensure nearby structures' safety.

The access to agricultural information in Sudan continues to be challenging to farmers due to use of inadequate sources and traditional extension approaches. The rapid growth of smart-mobile phones usage in developing countries resulted in several advantages compared to other alternatives in term of costs, geographic coverage and ease of use. This research was conducted in North Kordofan Sate to explore the role of smart-mobile phone in accessing agricultural information. Primary data were obtained by structured questionnaires and focus group discussion through participatory rural appraisal and observation while secondary data were collected from scientific journals, books and authenticated web sources. A number of 230 respondents (10% from total farmers) were interviewed and five focus group discussions were done. Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 22 was used to analyze the data with aid of descriptive statistics and Chi-squire Test. The result indicated that most of the respondents fall in age group between 21-40 years, and they depend on farm activity. There was 90% of farmers processed mobile phone since more than three years ago, 90.8%continuedto use smart mobile phone to access agricultural information and showed positive contribution towards income generation. The results also revealed that there was positive perception towards using mobile phones which showed more efficient in use than radio and TVs. The results showed great advantages of using smart mobile phone where 75.2 % of respondents preferred to get agricultural information, logistics and other needs through successful communication in the mid of agricultural season. Results of Chi-squire test showed significant differences between the parameters tested. The study recommended that farmers should be connected with mobile phones to admit ease communication with agricultural extension offices and quick access to their needs and logistics.

Blood has certain significant physical properties, which the authors investigated. This paper provides values of surface tension and viscosity of blood at 37 °C, as well as relationship between them plotted on a cross-plot. By applying Hagen- Poiseuille equation and Jurin's law to the experimentally obtained data, the authors calculated with great accuracy viscosity and surface tension of blood. Evaluating both of the properties using described methods required from the authors to know the density of investigated liquid, which was found to be on average $\rho=1063,56 \frac{kg}{m^3}$. The authors took blood samples from 30 healthy subjects and determined aforementioned physical properties. There has been made a distinction in regard of a sex of the blood donor. Results indicate that both surface tension and viscosity are independent from sex of a subject, as well as indicate that there is no correlation between viscosity and surface tension of blood at 37\degree C. Average values of surface tension and viscosity were found to be $\sigma=5,241\pm 0,262 \cdot 10^{-2}\frac{J}{m^2}$ and $\eta=3,352\pm0,360 \cdot 10^{-3} Pa \cdot s$, respectively.

To advance probiotic research, a comprehensive understanding of bacterial interactions with human physiology at the molecular and cellular levels is fundamental. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LGG® is a bacterial strain that has long been recognized for its beneficial effects on human health. Probiotic effector molecules derived from LGG®, including secreted proteins, surface-anchored proteins, polysaccharides, and lipoteichoic acids, that interact with host physiological processes have been identified. In vitro and animal studies have revealed that specific LGG® effector molecules stimulate epithelial cell survival, preserve intestinal barrier integrity, reduce oxidative stress, mitigate excessive mucosal inflammation, enhance IgA secretion, and provide long-term protection through epigenetic imprinting. Pili on the cell surface of LGG® promote adhesion to the intestinal mucosa and ensure close contact to host cells. Extracellular vesicles produced by LGG® recapitulate many of these effects through their cargo of effector molecules. Collectively, the effector molecules of LGG® exert a significant influence on both the gut mucosa and immune system, that promotes intestinal homeostasis and immune tolerance.

Determining the vibration environment is crucial to analyzing a design of any mechanical system, especially such dynamic systems as sounding rockets. Accuracy of measurement using accelerometers could be improved by application of mechanical vibration filtering and amplifying devices. This work presents a theoretical description of a tunable filter and amplifier. Principle of work is provided as well as results from application of the device on a sounding rocket are provided. It is shown that implementation of such devices allowed for enhancing the accuracy of acceleration measurements. Conclusions on future implementations are also provided.

This feature study attempts on setting a granules involving mesoscopic matter-aggregation context as a problem of passing locally by the matter-aggregating system from classical stochastic (mesoscopic limit) to a quantum description (nanoscale quantum-size effect limit). A d-dimensional entropy-production aggregation of the granules-involving matter is considered in terms of a (sub)diffusive realization. It turns out that when taking a full d-dimensional pathway of the aggregation toward the nanoscale, one is capable of disclosing a Heisenberg type (diffusional) relation, setting up an upper uncertainty bound for the (sub)diffusive very slow granules-including environment that matches the quantum limit of h/2pm (m– average mass of a granule; h – the Planck’s constant) for the diffusion coefficient of the aggregation, likely first proposed by Fürth in 1933, and qualitatively foreseen by Schrödinger some years before, both in the context of a diffusing particle cluster. The classical-quantum passage uncovered here, also termed insightfully the quantum-size effect (as borrowed from the quantum dots’ parlance), works properly for the three-dimensional (d=3) case, making use of a substantial physical fact that the (nano)granules interact readily via their surfaces with the also granular surroundings in which they are immersed. This natural observation is embodied in the basic averaging construction of the diffusion coefficient of the aggregation of interest. Certain, possibly biomedical, applications of the model can also be viewed by prospective inspection of tiny inhomogeneities in nanofibrillar and/or lamellar matter for which certain numerical realizations are plausible to prepare based on thorough nanoscale experiments.

This paper presents four key results in the philosophy of language. Firstly, it distinguishes between partial and consistent assertion of a sentence, and introduces the concept of an equivocal sentence, which is both partially asserted and partially denied. Secondly, it proposes a novel definition of truth, stating that a true sentence is one that is consistently asserted. This definition avoids the Liar paradox, does not restrict classical logic, and applies to declarative sentences in the language used by any particular person. Thirdly, the paper introduces an epistemic model of language, called assertional language, which formalizes the definition of truth. Finally, it provides an argument for the falsity of so-called Liar sentences. The proposed definition of truth can be viewed as a formal account of the correspondence theory. The epistemic model is a powerful concept that allows for combining different languages in a meaningful way. This model is uniquely capable of reflecting on epistemic inconsistencies, such as logical paradoxes, in a consistent manner and without resorting to non-classical solutions.

This literature review has been compiled to form an evidenced-based review on the standards for Dental Practices in their choice and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) within the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond: it is prepared on the basis of the current best available evidence. The review encompasses risk management strategies for both Dental Personnel and Patients in the application and use of Face Masks & Respirators.In summation, from the evidence available, it is apparent that in the lab setting N95/FFP2 masks are superior in their efficiency but in the clinical setting such a difference is not seen as clearly. As such the minimum standard of care should be that of a standard surgical mask. Faced with the emergence of the virulent disease that is Covid-19, it is logical to use FFP2/N95 respirator masks in aerosol generating procedures where they offer greater resistance to fluid penetration and a better face seal when adequately fit tested as a gold standard. But if a dry field isolation technique involving high volume evacuation is used, there is no clear benefit of respirator masks (N95/FFP2 or N99/FFP3) when balanced with the extra risk of compliance, cost and comfort in wearing a standard fluid-resistant surgical mask.

The BRightest Target Explorer (BRITE) is the pioneering nanosatellite mission dedicated for photometric observations of the brightest stars in the sky. The BRITE CCD sensors are poorly shielded against extensive flux of energetic particles which constantly induce defects in the silicon lattice. In this paper we investigate the temporal evolution of the generation of the dark current in the BRITE CCDs over almost 4 years after launch. Utilizing several steps of image processing and employing normalization of the results it was possible to obtain useful information about the progress of thermal activity in the sensors. The outcomes show clear and consistent linear increase of induced damage despite the fact that only about 0.14% of CCD pixels were probed. By performing the analysis of temperature dependencies of the dark current, we identified the observed defects as phosphorus-vacancy (PV) pairs, which are common in proton irradiated CCD matrices. Moreover, the Meyer-Neldel empirical rule was confirmed in our dark current data, yielding E_MN=24.8 meV for proton-induced PV defects.

The paper presents research results on biocomposites made from a combination of extruded apple pomace (EAP) and potato starch (SP). The products were manufactured by hot pressing using a hydraulic press with a mold for producing samples. The prepared biocomposites were subjected to strength tests, surface wettability was determined and color analysis was carried out. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and cross section observed in Scanning electron microscope (SEM) were also performed. The obtained test results showed that the combination of apple pomace (EAP) and starch (SP) enabled the production of compact bicomposite materials. At the same time, it was found that each increase in the share of starch in the mixture for producing biocomposites increased the strength parameters of the obtained materials. With the highest share of starch in the mixture, 40%, and a raw material moisture content of 14%, the material had the best strength parameters and was even characterized by hydrophobic properties. It was also found that materials with a high content of starch are characterized by increased temperature resistance. Analysis of SEM microscopic photos showed well-glued particles of apple pomace, pectin, gelatinized starch and a smooth external structure of the samples. Research and analyzes have shown that apple pomace reinforced only with the addition of starch can be a promising raw material for the production of simple, biodegradable biocomposite materials.

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of cognitive and physical disability worldwide, affecting 15% of the global population. Due to the demographics of aging, the prevalence of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, will double over the next two decades. Unfortunately, while available therapies provide symptomatic relief for cognitive and motor impairment, there is an urgent unmet need to develop disease-modifying therapies that slow the rate of pathological progression. In that context, biomarkers could identify at-risk and prodromal patients, monitor disease progression, track response to therapy, and parse causality of molecular events to identify novel targets for further clinical investigation. Thus, identifying biomarkers that discriminate between diseases and reflect specific stages of pathology would catalyze the discovery and development of therapeutic targets. This review will describe the prevalence, known mechanisms, ongoing or recently concluded therapeutic clinical trials, and biomarkers of three of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease (PD).

The 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 deviations using proprietary T/S and T/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.

Green spaces localized in cities create favourable environmental conditions for Ixodes ricinus, the most widespread and important vector of tick-borne pathogens in Central Europe. In this study, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among I. ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, west-central Poland. Two tick groups were examined: (i) a group of 1,029 host-seeking ticks (460 nymphs, 289 females, and 280 males and (ii) a group of 1,268 engorged female ticks removed from 1,115 tick-infested animals, dogs and cats. The overall prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. found in host-seeking ticks was almost two-fold higher in comparison to ticks derived from pets (8.7 vs. 4.7%, respectively, χ2 test, P = 0.001). Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii were the most prevalent species both in ticks from vegetation (3.7% and 3.7%, respectively) and from pets (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Babesia infections were slightly more common in feeding ticks compared to those from vegetation (6.0 vs. 4.7%, respectively), however, the difference was not significant. Three Babesia species including Ba. microti, Ba. venatorum and Ba. canis were identified. Babesia canis and Ba. microti were the most prevalent in host-seeking (2.6% and 1.4%, respectively) and feeding ticks (2.8% and 2.2%, respectively), whereas Ba. venatorum was the rarest piroplasm. All Ba microti obtained sequences (n=42) were identical to Ba. microti genotype "Jena/Germany" that is considered as pathogenic to humans. Furthermore, the sequences of Ba. venatorum (n=17) were identical with those isolated from patients in Italy, Austria and Poland. Altogether, out of 121 Babesia-positive ticks, 19.8% were simultaneously infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. spirochetes. We found similar prevalences of co-infections in host-seeking (1.1%) as well as in feeding ticks (1.0%). In the first group, Ba. canis prevailed in coinfections (73%), mostly with B. afzelii and B. garinii, in the second group, Babesia microti dominated with B. afzelii (92.7%). This is the first finding documenting the co-occurrence of both pathogens in ticks from companion animals. The detection of Ba. microti and Ba. venatorum sequences identical to strains pathogenic to humans as well as predominance of LB spirochetes, B. afzelii and B. garinii in I. ricinus from vegetation and animals indicates that there is a potential risk of acquiring human babesiosis and/or Lyme borreliosis in urban areas of the city of Poznań. Although, the overall risk of encountering a Ba. microti and B. burgdorferi s.l. co-infected tick was low (1.0%), the potential for more severe clinical symptoms and complications deserves notice. A relatively high infection rates of Ba. canis in dog-derived ticks (3.2%) and in host-seeking ticks (2.6%), suggests that I. ricinus could potentially be involved in the circulation of this piroplasm in areas, where the competent vector, Dermacentor reticulatus is absent or rare.

Rice provides ~20% of human dietary energy and, for many people, a similar share of their protein. Rice cultivation, however, produces significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, comparable to those from the aviation sector. The main GHG from rice production is methane, mostly a result of conventional rice cultivation (CRC) keeping rice fields continuously flooded during the crop cycle. There is extensive evidence that alternate wetting and drying (AWD) of rice fields substantially reduces methane emissions. AWD is one component of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), an agroecological approach to the management of plants, water, soil and nutrients practiced by millions of farmers in both lowland irrigated rice and upland rainfed cultivation. Thirteen countries have included SRI in their Nationally Determined Contributions to GHG reduction or climate change mitigation. This article reviews 16 field studies of the net reduction in GHG emissions from the adoption of AWD, eight from the adoption of SRI, and two that compared SRI and AWD. Where available, the review includes data on yield and therefore on carbon dioxide-equivalent GHG emissions per kilogram of rice produced. The evidence indicates that AWD and SRI offer a similar and substantial reduction (~35–41%) in GHG emissions per hectare compared with conventional rice cultivation. However, SRI offers ~66% greater yield than CRC, and therefore greater reduction in emissions per kilogram of rice, ~54% more than AWD. The limited data directly comparing SRI and AWD support this finding. SRI also appears to have greater potential to sequester carbon in the soil. SRI lowers rice farmers’ costs of production, adds to their income and can make climate-friendly methods more attractive. Both AWD and SRI are greatly preferable to current conventional practices, but SRI offers opportunities to contribute to food security while directly addressing the drivers of climate change.

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.

The AtomDB project provides models of X-ray and EUV emitting astrophysical spectra for optically thin, hot plasma. We present the new software package, PyAtomDB, which now underpins the entire project, providing access to the underlying database, collisional radiative model calculations, and spectrum generation for a range of models. PyAtomDB is easily extensible allowing users to build new tools and models for use in analysis packages such as XSPEC. We present two of these, the kappa and ACX models for non-Maxwellian and Charge-Exchange plasmas respectively. In addition, PyAtomDB allows full open access to the apec code which underlies all of the AtomDB spectra and has enabled development of a module for estimating the sensitivity of emission lines and diagnostic line ratios to uncertainties in the underlying atomic data. We present these publicly available tools and results for several X-ray diagnostics of Fe L-shell ions and He-like ions as examples.

Introduction: The current generation of 3D printers are lighter, cheaper, and smaller, making them more accessible to the chairside digital dentist than ever before. 3D printers in general in the industrial and chairside setting can work with various types of materials including, metals, ceramics, and polymers. Evidence presented in many studies show that an ideal material used for dental restorations is characterised by several properties related to durability, cost-effectiveness, and high performance. This review is the second part in a 3D Printing series that looks at the literature on material science and applications for these materials in 3D printing as well as a discussion on the potential further development and future evolution in 3D printing materials. Conclusions: Current materials in 3D printing provide a wide range of possibilities for providing more predictable workflows as well as improving efficiency through less wasteful additive manufacturing in CAD/CAM procedures. Incorporating a 3D printer and a digital workflow into a dental practice is challenging but the wide range of manufacturing options and materials available mean that the dentist should be well prepared to treat patients with a more predictable and cost effective treatment pathway. As 3D printing continues to become a commonplace addition to chair side dental clinics, the evolution of these materials, in particular reinforced PMMA, resin incorporating zirconia and glass reinforced polymers offer increased speed and improved aesthetics that will likely replace subtractive manufacturing milling machines for most procedures.

The voluminous daily output of autism research has become increasingly disconnected, existing largely within highly specific subspecialty areas, and lacking cross-disciplinary linkages of context, theory, and findings to inform a unified body of knowledge. Robust syntheses of published research across the fields of psychiatry, cellular and molecular biology, neurology, endocrinology, immunology, behavioral and social sciences, and pedagogy may help clarify and extend current knowledge by guiding more efficient future research efforts investigating underlying causes, developmental divergences, novel treatments, and specific, sensitive biological markers in autism. This synthesis of interdisciplinary research indicates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress axis may be at the center of an interaction among sex steroids, immune function, signaling protein transcriptions, neurogenesis, and dysregulation of brain structures sending or receiving projections from the HPA stress axis. These interaction manifest observably as a range of sexually dimorphic behaviors and functional limitations often falling within the current diagnostic features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The pathogenicity of endocrine dysregulation may serve as a valuable model for developing a cohesive theory of ASD by explaining how the HPA and connected brain areas respond to extreme conditions of dysregulated endocrine signaling to cause symptoms associated with autism.

The study of the concentrations and effects of fine particulate matter in urban areas have been of great interest to researchers in recent times. This is due to the acknowledgment of the far-reaching impacts of fine particulate matter on public health. Remote sensing data have been used to monitor the trend of concentrations of particulate matter by deriving aerosol optical depth (AOD) from satellite images. The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) has released the second version of its global PM_2.5 data with improvement in spatial resolution. This paper revisits the study of spatial and temporal variations in particulate matter in Saudi Arabia by exploring the cluster analysis of the new data. Cluster analysis of the PM_2.5 values of Saudi cities is performed by using Anselin local Moran’s I statistic. Also, the analysis is carried out at the regional level by using self-organizing map (SOM). The results show an increasing trend in the concentrations of particulate matter in Saudi Arabia, especially in some selected urban areas. The eastern and south-western parts of the Kingdom have significantly clustering high values. Some of the PM2.5 values have passed the threshold indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) standard and targets posing health risks to Saudi urban population.

This review describes how resonance in amides is greatly affected upon substitution at nitrogen by two electronegative atoms. Nitrogen becomes strongly pyramidal and resonance stabilisation, evaluated computationally, can be reduced to as little as 50% that of N,N-dimethylacetamide. However, this occurs without significant twisting about the amide bond, which is borne out both experimentally and theoretically. In certain configurations, reduced resonance and pronounced anomeric effects between heteroatom substituents are instrumental in driving the HERON (Heteroatom Rearrangement On Nitrogen)^† reaction, in which the more electronegative atom migrates from nitrogen to the carbonyl carbon in concert with heterolysis of the amide bond, to generate acyl derivatives and heteroatom-substituted nitrenes. In other cases the anomeric effect facilitates S­_N1 and S_N2 reactivity at the amide nitrogen.

The paper presents an analysis of the possibility of producing traction brushes from waste materials. Brushes are used to ensure good electrical contact between the rail and the pantograph. Slides are produced in the process of hot pressing, with parameters of heating up to max 175 ⁰C, at the minimal pressure value of 200 MPa. The developed brushes with a high (55-60%) content of recycled materials have comparable characteristics to commercial brushes, and some of the prototypes are even more durable and break-resistant.

The present paper presents findings from the follow-up of 185 of these nurses who had been involved in the front-line care of COVID-19 patients in urban centres in Northern England, during and after the “second wave” of COVID patients in November, 2020. Measures of adjustment, stress (including PTSD), and Maslowian self-actualization were added to earlier measures of personality, adjustment, work-life stress, and career intention. Cluster analysis identified three types in the 2020-2023 cohort: I ‘Actualizing Professionals’; (N=62); II ‘Strong Professionals’ (N=56); III ‘Highly Stressed Nurses’ (N=45). These latter very stressed nurses included all nurses (N=16) identified as having PTSD symptoms.

To close the nutrient-related yield gaps in maize, balanced nutrition using primary and secondary macronutrients as well as micronutrients is recommended. Multi-nutrient diagnostic field trials were conducted in Guinea Savanna of Nigeria to assess the interactive effects of macronutrients and micronutrients on maize grain yields, nutrient uptake as well as N, P and K use efficiencies. The treatments consisted of a control (zero fertilizer applied), an NPK treatment and 10 other treatments in which macronutrient (Mg, S) and/or micronutrients (B, and Zn) were added to the NPK. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. Data collected were subjected to mixed model with nutrient management strategy as fixed effects while replication nested in location and interaction between location and nutrient management strategy as random effects. The results revealed significant effects (P < 0.05) of nutrient management strategy on maize yield, nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiencies of N, P and K. The study revealed that yield advantage over the recommended NPK fertilizer as a result of application macronutrients and micronutrients were highest with Mg in Lere (2.4 t ha⁻¹), S + B + Zn in Faskari (2.8 t ha⁻¹), S + B in Doguwa (1.5 t ha⁻¹) and S + Zn in Toro (2.4 t ha⁻¹). Addition of Mg, S and B significantly increases macronutrient uptakes over the recommended NPK only. Agronomic use efficiency, internal utilization efficiency, apparent recovery efficiency and partial factor productivity were significantly increased with the addition of S, Mg, and B but were not improved with Zn application. It was concluded that nutrient limitations to maize in the Guinea Savanna go beyond N, P and K. This study recommends that S, Mg, and B are needed to improve maize productivity and engender improve the use efficiency of NPK fertilizers.

Abstract Aim of the study: Presentation of ophthalmic symptoms of Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infracts and Leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Material and methods: Clinical presentation of female patient with diagnosed CADASIL, manifested by transient loss of vision, migraine, convergence insufficiency, diplopia, increased deep tendon reflexes of upper left limb, subcortical infarcts, mood disturbances and dementia. Results: Confirmed NOTCH3 gene mutation (p.Cys212Gly), and presence of granular osmiophilic material (GOM) in cutaneous small vessel wall in immunohistochemistry laboratory test (IHC). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed bilateral focal vasogenic lesions in white matter of cerebral hemisphere with single micro-focal infarct in the left external capsule. Furthermore, a left eye exophoria, a bilateral peripheral visual field loss of 20 degrees and a loss of nasolabial fold was confirmed during ophthalmic tests. An eye fundus examination as well as a fluorescein angiography (FA) revealed vessel constriction of retinal arteries and a peripheral retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy with focal drusen in the left eye. The doppler ultrasonography (USG) confirmed a decreased blood flow and an increased vascular resistance of the extraocular vessels. The pattern electroretinogram (PERG) revealed a reduced P50 wave amplitude in the patient’s left eye. Conclusions: intermittent blindness, migraine, convergence failure, diplopia with specific MRI signs, NOTCH3 mutation, and the presence of GOM in the skin of small blood vessels in a young or middle-aged patient suggests CADASIL. New observations include: atrophic changes in the RPE, hemodynamic disturbances in blood flow in the short posterior ciliary arteries and in the central retinal artery, single drusen in the retina, and a reduced amplitude of the P50 wave in PERG.

Highly-doped graphene samples show the conductance reduced and the shot-noise power enhanced compared to standard ballistic systems in two-dimensional electron gas. These features can be understood within a model assuming incoherent scattering of Dirac electrons between two interfaces separating the sample and the leads. Here we find, by adopting the above-mentioned model for the edge-free (Corbino) geometry and by means of the computer simulation of quantum transport, that another graphene-specific feature should be observable when the current flow through a doped disk is blocked by high magnetic field. In case the conductance drops to zero, the Fano factor approaches the value of $F\approx{}0.56$, with a very weak dependence on the disk radii ratio. The role of finite source-drain voltages and the system behavior upon tuning the electrostatic potential barrier from a rectangular to parabolic shape are also discussed.

Dams are a critical infrastructure system for many communities, but they are also one of the most challenging to inspect. Dams are typically very large and complex structures, and the result is that inspections are often time-intensive and require expensive, specialized equipment and training to provide inspectors with comprehensive access to the structure. The scale and nature of dam inspections also introduces additional safety risks to the inspectors. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have the potential to address many of these challenges, particularly when used as a data acquisition platform for photogrammetric three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and analysis, though the nature of both UAV and modern photogrammetric methods necessitates careful planning and coordination for integration. This paper presents a case study on one such integration at the Brighton Dam, a large-scale concrete gravity dam in Maryland, USA. A combination of multiple UAV platforms and multi-scale photogrammetry was used to create two comprehensive and high-resolution 3D point clouds of the dam and surrounding environment at intervals. These models were then assessed for their overall quality, as well as their ability to resolve flaws and defects that were artificially applied to the structure between inspection intervals. The results indicate that the integrated process is capable of generating models that accurately render a variety of defect types with sub-millimeter accuracy. Recommendations for mission planning and imaging specifications are provided as well.

Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global and planetary health challenge. Links between climate change, antibiotic use and the emergence of antibiotic resistance have been well documented, but less attention has been given to the impact(s) of earth systems on specific bacterial livestock diseases at a more granular level. Understanding the precise impacts of climate change on livestock health – and in turn the use of antibiotics to address that ill-health – is important in providing an evidence base to tackle such impacts and to develop practical, implementable and locally acceptable solutions within and beyond current antibiotic stewardship programmes. In this paper, we set out the case for better integration of earth scientists and their specific disciplinary skill set (specifically, problem-solving with incomplete/fragmentary data; the ability to work across four dimensions and at the interface between the present and deep/geological time) into planetary health research. We then discuss a methodology that makes use of risk mapping, a common methodology in earth science but less frequently used in health science, to map disease risk against changing climatic conditions at a granular level. This will enable predictions of future disease risk and risk impacts based on predicted future climate conditions, and thus provide an evidence base for planetary health activists to influence policy and develop mitigations. Our case study – of climate conditions’ impact on livestock health in Karnataka, India – clearly evidences the benefit of integrating earth scientists into planetary health research.

Late onset Pompe disease is a recessive lysosomal storage disease. Clinical features include skeletal muscles deficiency and diaphragm weakness. Clinical management relies on supportive treatment and mechanical ventilation in patents with chronic respiratory failure. M mode ultrasound and tissue Doppler imaging can be used to assess and to follow up diaphragm function.

Areas covered with vegetation play a key role for life on Earth and should be inventoried in a clear and complete manner in order to improve the process of its protection and development. Data showing the amount of greenery in areas most deformed by humans, i.e. urbanized areas, are particularly important. Local governments need to know how to invest theirs limited sources in the quality of life of residents by supplementing the urban fabric with additional vegetation. The article presents a proposal for how to calculate the degree of greenness of cities based on remote sensing data. Additionally, a novel method was proposed to help in planning the development of areas covered with vegetation, taking into account the spatial distribution of the local population. The result was a comprehensive method presenting the actual natural situation in a specific city.

This scientific article outlines the Artificial Intelligence Integrated Energy Education Framework (AI-IEEF), a transformative model designed to revolutionize energy education and management practices. The framework is organized into five distinct layers: Organizational (AI-enhanced administration systems), Financial (dynamic AI financial models), Technology (advanced simulation and modeling), Methodology (AI in curriculum development and personalized learning), and Social (AI for community engagement and impact). An expert panel used the fuzzy Delphi method to achieve consensus on twenty key factors within these layers, establishing a solid foundation for analysis. Following this, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to calculate precise weights for each layer and their respective factors, providing a quantitative assessment of their relative importance. These weight calculations are crucial, as they guide resource allocation and strategic decision-making to ensure the framework is optimized for the evolving needs of energy management. Furthermore, the article introduces five tailored variants of the AI-IEEF, each addressing specific aspects of energy education and offering a comprehensive approach to navigating the challenges in the field. The five variants include the Smart Campus Energy Education, Global Energy Policy Analysis, Renewable Energy Research and Development, Energy Workforce Development, and Community Engagement and Outreach variants. Each provides a distinct approach to energy education, from transforming campuses into living labs for hands-on learning to fostering international collaborations that explore the global implications of energy policy. These variants emphasize practical skills, policy analysis, and community-focused solutions, ensuring that students are well-prepared to contribute effectively to the energy sector.

This paper considers the application of two selected algorithms (Cuckoo Search CS, Firefly Algorithm FA) to determine and maximize the reliability of a two complex system known from the literature. This system operates with resource constraints. In addition, several classical methods for determining the reliability of systems have been applied. Although the CS algorithm is known for its effectiveness as it uses the Lévy flight, for the presented optimization tasks the FA firefly algorithm in the considered parameter range proved to be more effective. The presented results broaden the existing discussion on the application of nature-inspired algorithms for solving RRAP (Reliability Redundancy Allocation Problem) problems. From this point of view, two described test scenarios can be considered as a suitable tool for validating other algorithms in RRAP problems. Not only the values of the criterion functions can be compared, but also other introduced parameters and statistical analyse of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc RIR Tuckey test was discussed.

Analgesic products for piglet castration are critically needed. This requires extensive animal experimentation such as to meet regulatory-required proof of efficacy. At present, there are no validated methods of assessing pain in neonatal piglets. This poses challenges for investigators to optimize trial design and to meet ethical obligations to minimize the number of animals needed. Pain in neonatal piglets may be subtle, transient and / or variably expressed and, in the absence of validated methods, investigators must rely on using a range of biochemical, physiological and behavioural variables, many of which appear to have very low (or unknown) sensitivity or specificity for documenting pain, or pain-relieving effects. A previous systematic review of this subject was hampered by the high degree of variability in the literature base both in terms of methods used to assess pain and pain mitigation, as well as in outcomes reported. In this setting we provide a narrative review, to assist in determining the optimal methods currently available to detect piglet pain during castration and methods to mitigate castration-induced pain. In overview, the optimal outcome variables identified are nociceptive motor and vocal response scores during castration, and quantitative sensory-threshold response testing and pain-associated behaviour scores following castration.

Magnetic properties of soft magnetic composites are highly sensitive to the processing conditions. In this paper we focus on the possibility to model this effect using the Jiles-Atherton-Sablik theory. It is assumed that the effect of varying compaction pressure may be described by direct introduction of stress-dependent term in the model equations. The values of model parameters are kept constant. Verification of the proposed approach is carried out using measurement data from self-developed iron-based composite cores.

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 require community water systems in the United States to send consumers Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs). CCRs contain information on detected contaminants and required educational information about drinking water. The authors of this study developed a survey to evaluate how utilities track consumer feedback, understanding, and the role of the CCR in shaping consumer perceptions about water quality. Responses from this survey indicate it is common for utilities to indirectly track the effectiveness of their CCRs, but few utilities indicated directly evaluating consumer understanding or the effect of CCRs on consumer perceptions.

Road alleys, especially on areas of Warmia (north-east Poland), are multifunctional features in open landscapes. They serve as ecological corridors connecting habitats and play an important role in sustaining ecological stability. However, multiple road authorities claim that tree-lined routes are a threat for traffic safety and therefore should be removed. The aspect of safety seems to be crucial to them, significantly overwhelming alley benefits. The vitality problems of the trees (which are mainly mature and aging) deliver arguments to cutting them down. The aim of this paper is examination of environmental and natural value of the road alleys (based on a 14 km long-distance of the Gamerki – Jonkowo road), and verification of the degree of hazard posed by trees designated for cutting because of safety reasons. The six-examination framework for the research was developed. Tree risk assessment and vitality evaluation, pulling tests, examination of protected beetle species - hermit beetle, the lichens species, and examination of bat fauna were performed. The results revealed no trees in the resignation phase and confirmed that the alley is a unique natural and landscape habitat with protected species of lichens, a few bats species and valuable insect species, among others hermit beetle (Osmoderma barnabita) existing there. The environmental value of the alley is, therefore, hard to overestimate and cannot be perceived only as a component of the road infrastructure. The maintenance of the trees seems to be essential when taking into account environmental stability of the region.

Fire accidents are common accidents amongst residential house occupants in Libya. Some of the factors that can mitigate fire accidents in Libyan residential houses include fire safety awareness and knowledge. This study investigated the level of awareness and knowledge of fire safety amongst residential house occupants in Libya. The possibility and consequences of fire hazards and risk existing in residential houses in Libya were also studied. Experimental data obtained for 1.5 m/s and 3.5 m/s as walking and running evacuation time, respectively amongst residential house occupants in Libya were also compared. The sample consist of 90 respondents with instruments of fire safety awareness and knowledge, fire hazard and consequences, and the involvement of residential house occupants in fire emergency. Statistical analysis was performed at p < 0.05 to determine the levels of residential awareness and knowledge regarding fire safety and the hazard and consequences. The findings illustrated that the items were highly reliable (α > 0.7) and normally distributed. Also, the results illustrated that the majority of residential house occupants in Libya have fair level of fire safety awareness and knowledge with overall percentage of 80% and 90%, respectively. On the other hand, the results further showed that majority of residential house occupants have good level of fire emergency involvement with 90%. This paper proposes a fire safety assessment method which may form the basis of future fire safety practice in Libya.

Generative adversarial networks (GAN) opened new possibilities for image processing and analysis. Inpainting, dataset augmentation using artificial samples or increasing spatial resolution of aerial imagery are only a few notable examples of utilizing GANs in remote sensing. This is due to a unique construction and training process expressed as a duel between GAN components. The main objective of the research is to apply GAN to generate an artificial Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using panchromatic images. The NDVI ground-truth labels were prepared by combining RGB and NIR orthophoto. The dataset was then utilized as input for a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN) to perform an image-to-image translation. The main goal of the neural network was to generate an artificial NDVI image for each processed 256px × 256px patch using only information available in the panchromatic input. The network achieved 0.7569 ± 0.1083 Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM), 26.6459 ± 3.6577 Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PNSR) and 0.0504 ± 0.0193 Root-Mean-Square Error (RSME) on the test set. The perceptual evaluation was performed to verify the usability of the method when working with a real-life scenario. The research confirms that the structure and texture of the panchromatic aerial remote sensing image contains sufficient information for NDVI estimation for various objects of urban space. Even though these results can be used to highlight areas rich in vegetation and distinguish them from urban background, there is still room for improvement in terms of accuracy of estimated values. The purpose of the research is to explore the possibility of utilizing GAN to enhance panchromatic images (PAN) with information related to vegetation. This opens interesting possibilities in terms of historical remote sensing imagery processing and analysis. The panchromatic orthoimagery dataset was derived from RGB orthoimagery.

In the following work, the assessment of the strength properties of the critical area of the rotor stage of the turbine jet engine was undertaken. This is the place of fixing the blade in the rotor disc. An important aspect of this issue are characteristic geometrical dimensions and operating factors e.g., change in rotor speed. In this paper, the assessment of the strength properties of the existing trapezoidal blade-disc connection was undertaken using parametric analysis considering FSI. Virtual models of the compressor rotor stage were developed, including parametric blade-disc connections and discrete models for FEM and CFD analyses. In the parametric analysis of the blade-disc connection, one-way fluid-structure coupling was used. The parametric analysis was aimed at assessing selected geometric parameters in terms of their impact on the maximum reduced stresses in the blade root. It was examined how the adopted value of the friction coefficient influences the maximum reduced stresses in the rotor stage of the compressor.

Oxalate is a divalent organic anion that has implications across many biological and commercial processes. It is derived from plant sources, such as spinach, rhubarb, tea, cacao, nuts, and beans, and therefore is commonly found in raw or processed food products. Oxalate can also be made endogenously by humans and other mammals as a byproduct of hepatic enzymatic reactions. It is theorized that oxalate is useful for plants to store calcium and protect against herbivory. Clinically, oxalate is best known to be a major component of kidney stones, which commonly contain calcium oxalate crystals. Oxalate can induce an inflammatory response that decreases the immune system’s ability to remove renal crystals. When formulated with platinum as oxaliplatin (an anticancer drug), oxalate has been proposed to cause neurotoxicity and nerve pain. There are many sectors of industry that are hampered by oxalate, and some that depend on it. For example, calcium oxalate is troublesome in the pulp industry and the alumina industry as it deposits on machinery. On the other hand, oxalate is a common active component of rust removal and cleaning products. Due to its ubiquity, there is interest in developing efficient methods to quantify oxalate. Over the past four decades several diverse methods have been reported. These approaches include electrode-based detection, liquid chromatography or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, enzymatic degradation of oxalate with oxalate oxidase and detection of hydrogen peroxide as a product, and indicator displacement-based methods employing fluorescent or UV light-absorbing compounds. It has become clear that no single method will work best for every purpose. This review describes the strengths and limitations of each method, and may serve as a reference for investigators to decide which approach is most suitable for their work.

The recent approval of 177Lu PSMA-617 (Pluvicto®) by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the culmination of decades of work in advancing the field of targeted radionuclide therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. 177Lu PSMA-617, along with the bone specific radiotherapeutic agent, 223RaCl2, are now commonly used in routine clinical care as a tertiary line of therapy for men with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer and for osseus metastatic disease respectively. While these radiopharmaceuticals are changing how metastatic prostate cancer is classified and treated, there is relatively little guidance to the practitioner and patient as to how best utilize these therapies, especially in conjunction with other more well-established regimens including hormonal, immunologic, and chemotherapeutic agents. This review article will go into detail about the mechanism and effectiveness of these radiopharmaceuticals and less well known classes of targeted radionuclide radiopharmaceuticals including alpha emitting prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) -, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) -, and somatostatin targeted radionuclide therapeutics. Additionally, a thorough discussion of the clinical approach of these agents is included and required futures studies.

Victor Vasarely’s (1906-1997) important legacy to the study of human perception is brought to the forefront and discussed. A large part of his impressive work conveys the appearance of striking three-dimensional shapes and structures in a large-scale pictorial plane. Current perception science explains such effects by invoking brain mechanisms for the processing of monocular (2D) depth cues. Here in this study, we illustrate and explain the local effects of 2D color and contrast cues on the perceptual organization in terms of figure-ground assignments, i.e. which local surfaces are likely to be seen as “nearer” or “bigger” in the image plane. Paired configurations are embedded in a larger, structurally ambivalent pictorial context inspired by some of Vasarely’s creations. The figure-ground effects these configurations produce reveal a significant correlation between perceptual solutions for “nearer” and “bigger” when no other monocular depth cues are given in the image. In consistency with previous findings on similar, albeit simpler visual displays, a specific color may compete with luminance contrast in resolving the planar ambiguity of a complex pattern context. Vasarely intuitively understood, and successfully exploited, this kind of subtle context effect in his art, well before empirical investigations had set out to study and explain their genesis in terms of information processing by the visual brain.

Abstract: The contribution of breakfast to diet quality (DQ) can inform future dietary guidelines. This study examined breakfasts that were associated with highest-quality diets. Dietary data came from the first reported day of the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 (n=14,488). DQ measures were the Nutrient Rich Foods Index (NRF9.3) and the USDA Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI 2015). Analyses of breakfast intakes were conducted by NRF9.3 tertiles and by age and socioeconomic groups. Four out of 5 NHANES participants ate breakfast. Breakfast provided 19-22% of dietary energy depending on age. Breakfast intakes of complex carbohydrates and total sugars were higher and intakes of protein and fats were lower relative to energy intakes. Breakfast provided more that 20% of daily intakes of B vitamins, vitamins A and D, folate, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. Eating breakfast was associated with higher NRF9.3d scores. Breakfasts associated with top tertile of NRF9.3d had more carbohydrates and less added sugars and fats. Such breakfasts had more fruit and juices, more whole grains, more milk and yogurt and less meat and eggs. Breakfast patterns that favored fruit, whole grains, and dairy were associated with healthiest diets.

Recent studies have demonstrated silk fibroin’s ability to extend the shelf life of foods by mitigating the hallmarks of spoilage, namely oxidation and dehydration. Due to the potential for this protein to become more widespread, its safety was evaluated comprehensively. First, a bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) was conducted in five bacterial strains. Second, an in vivo erythrocyte test was conducted with Sprague Dawley rats at doses up to 1,000mg/kg-bw/day. Third, a range-finder study was conducted with Sprague Dawley rats at the highest consumption amount given solubility and oral gavage volume constrains (500mg/kg-bw/day). Fourth, a 28-day study in Sprague Dawley rats was conducted at the 500mg/kg-bw/day amount. Fifth, an in vitro pepsin digestion assay was performed to assess the potential for protein allergenicity. Sixth, allergenic potential was further assessed using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy for detection of allergenic insect proteins. Seventh, the protein sequences were subjected to bioinformatic analyses. Together, these studies raise no mutagenic, carcinogenic, toxicological, or allergenic concerns with the oral consumption of silk fibroin.

Natural vegetation restoration can take decades to achieve and requires information on species composition and trend to inform management strategies. Here we demonstrate the potential and portability of drone, dove and Sentinel-2 imagery for species level classification and trajectory monitoring using three study sites with different revegetation histories. Drone imagery (4 cm) was classified using random forests. Dove (3 m) and Sentinel-2 (10 m) images were acquired close to the anniversary of the drone flights and converted into fractional cover maps showing the proportion of exotics, natives and other land covers using ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR). The time series of fractional cover maps were converted into positive and negative slope and second-order curvature and summarised as one RGB composite to illustrate trend and observe exotic expansion. Drone classification accuracies ranged from 73%-76% when applied to the full plant species list and between 93% and 97% when grouped into natives, exotics, and other land covers. GWR outperformed OLS for all fractional cover mapping and GWR with dove imagery was more accurate than with Sentinel imagery. The combination of very high-resolution drone acquired imagery with the versatility of dove acquired imagery arms land managers with highly accurate species composition and their spatio-temporal dynamics to promote timely intervention.

Plant transcriptomes are an extremely dynamic entities shaped spatially and temporally by many intracellular and environmental cues. In this review, we first summarize the complexity and diversity of plant genomes and transcriptomes as a start point for the multitude of transcriptomic responses. Numerous alterations within various tissue and organ-specific transcriptomes as well as the most relevant transcriptomic responses associated with plant acclimation to selected abiotic and biotic stress conditions, from the current studies employing high-throughput transcriptomic analysis are widely discussed. Understanding changes within plant transcriptomes, revealed by in silico functional analysis, allows for the characterization of stress-affected genes and stress acclimatory mechanisms, as well as allows to perform plant metabolic engineering. The latter allow cultivars to produce more secondary metabolites in the future, which are often desirable substances in the biomedical industry. Accordingly, in this review special attention was also paid to characterize the potential of transcriptomic analyses of medicinal species, particularly to search for new cultivars. Extensive characterization of transcriptomic responses in stress would also result in the development of new cultivars that display physiological and molecular mechanisms that allow them to cope with adverse environmental conditions more adequately.

This paper continues the review study on antimicrobial properties relevant to the periodontal diseases. Inflammation as a major response of the periodontal tissues attacked by pathogenic microbes can significantly exacerbate the condition. However, the bidirectional activity of phytochemicals that simultaneously inhibit bacterial proliferation and proinflammatory signaling can provide a substantial alleviation of both cause and symptoms. The modulatory effects on various aspects of inflammatory and overall immune response has been covered, including confirmed and postulated mechanisms of action, structure activity relationships and molecular targets. Further, the clinical relevance of flavan-3-ols and available outcomes from clinical studies has been analyzed and discussed. Among the numerous natural sources of flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins the most promising are, similarly to antibacterial properties, constituents of various foods, such as fruits of Vaccinium species, tea leaves, grape seeds, and tannin-rich medicinal herbs. Despite a vast amount of in vitro and cell-based evidence of immunomodulatory there is still much less studies using animal models and only a few clinical studies. Most of the studies, regardless of the used model indicated efficiency of these phytochemicals from cranberries and other Vaccinium species and tea extracts (green or black). Other sources such as grape seeds and traditional medicinal plants, were seldom. In conclusion, the potential of flavan-3-ols and their derivatives in prevention and alleviation of periodontitis is remarkable but clinical evidence is urgently needed for issuing credible dietary recommendation and complementary treatments.

The importance of various markers such as sclerostin, Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), Irisin, receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL), and Vitamin D have been well studied in bone metabolism. Additionally, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukine-6 (IL-6) have been identified to hinder muscle protein synthesis, leading to the loss of muscle and strength. However, a research gap exists in the understanding their role in muscle function and physical activity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the serum levels of sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, IL-6, RANKL, Vitamin D, and TNF-α and assess their relationships with upper and lower body strength in young adults. In this study, 38 college-aged students 18-23 years participated and completed the protocols. The participants’ lower and upper body strength were assessed by the vertical jump test (Just Jump, Probotic, AL) with a Tendo FitroDyne (Tendo Sports Machines, Trencin, Slovak Republic) and handgrip (HG) dynamometry (Takei Scientific Instruments, Yashiroda, Japan), respectively. Fasting morning blood samples were analyzed for serum levels of the biomarkers by ELISA. The results indicate significant sex differences in sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, and vitamin D levels (p<0.05). Furthermore, a positive association was observed between sclerostin, DKK-1, and vitamin D, with lower body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). Conversely, a significant negative correlation was observed between TNF-α and upper-body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). The results suggest that these markers may have a distinct effect on muscle performance, underscoring the need for further investigation to elucidate the concept of muscle-bone crosstalk.

(1) Background: The prediction of cervical lesions evolution is a challenge for clinicians. The prospective study aimed to determine and compare the predictive accuracy of cytology, HPV genotyping, and p16/Ki67 dual staining alone or in combination with personal risk factors for the prediction of progression, regression or persistence of cervical lesions in human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected patients; (2) Methods: This prospective study included HPV-positive patients with or without cervical lesions that underwent follow-up. Descriptive statistics and sensitivity analysis for individual or combined index tests were used for data analysis; (3) Results: The highest predictive performance for the progression of cervical lesions was achieved by a model that comprised a Pap smear suggestive of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), the presence of 16/18 HPV strains, a positive p16/Ki67 dual staining result along with the presence of at least 3 clinical risk factors, which had a sensitivity (Se) of 74.42%, a specificity of 97.92%, an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.961, and an accuracy of 90.65%. The prediction of cervical lesions regression or persistence was modest; (4) Conclusions: Multiple testing or new biomarkers should be used to improve HPV-positive patient surveillance, especially for cervical lesion regression or persistence prediction.

This document serves as supplemental information to Shapero et al. (2023), which is itself a comment on Nowell et al. (2022). Environmental Health Perspective’s publishing standards for article comments have strict word counts and do not allow the addition of new primary data analyses; therefore, this document provides an additional level of detail and supporting analyses that serve as an important backup to and expansion of Shapero et al. (2023) and that also respond to some comments within the author’s reply to our comments (Holmes and Nowell, 2023). Nowell et al. (2022) evaluated potential PM_2.5 community impacts from sugarcane harvesting. However, their analysis is flawed by erroneous assumptions and misapplied technical approaches, as discussed in Shapero et al. (2023) and as detailed in this supplemental information document. Additionally, the authors ended their analysis with 2018 data, but later data shows no marginal increase in PM_2.5 during sugarcane harvest following 2019 even using the authors’ approach (Holmes and Nowell, 2023). Therefore, the authors’ evaluations have no relevance to current conditions. Nonetheless, even their evaluation and conclusions regarding PM_2.5 concentrations purportedly attributable to sugarcane harvesting prior to 2019 are unsupported and technically unsound as detailed below.

The modern diet, which consists of food produced with high level of industrial processing, is associated with an increased risk of the development of lifestyle diseases. Current nutritional science is, however, focused on chemical composition of food, and not on the type and degree of processing used during the food production. Here, we take a fresh perspective on the relationship between the extent and type of food processing, and evaluate its impact on consumer health. We argue that the preference for consumption of minimally processed foods, and restriction of ultra-processed foods should be an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, disease prevention, and even treatment. We also present a simple, user-friendly consumer guide, which is intended to be used as a practical, ready-to-go identifier of ultra-processed foods.

Background Popular movement-based injury risk screens have been shown to lack predictive precision, leading to interest in multifactorial models. Furthermore, there is a lack of research regarding injury risk assessment for those currently or planning to be recreationally active. This study aims to provide injury risk insights by analyzing multifactorial injury risk models and as-sociated clinical measures in the U.S. population. Methods Data related to injury, inflammatory markers, physical functioning, body composition, physical activity, and other variables from 21,033 respondents were extracted from NHANES. Odds ratios for self-reported injury were calculated for single predictors and risk models. Case-control and principal component analyses (PCA) were conducted to elucidate confounders and identify risk factor clusters, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to test the precision of a risk factor cluster to identify pain points and functional difficulties. Results Sociodemographic, individual, and lifestyle factors were strongly associated with higher odds of injury. Increases in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein were significantly associated with all risk groups. Membership to the high-risk group (age over 40, obesity, no muscle-strengthening activities, sedentary lifestyle, and low back pain) predicted at least one functional difficulty with 67.4% sensitivity and 87.2% specificity. In the injury group, bone turnover markers were higher, yet confounded by age and there was a significantly higher prevalence of self-reported osteoporosis compared to the control. In males, low testosterone was associated with injury, and higher estradiol was associated with pain and functional difficulties. In females, higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone were associated with functional difficulties. PCA revealed four high-risk profiles, with markers and activities showing distinct loadings. Conclusion A comprehensive approach to injury risk assessment should consider the nexus of aging, lifestyle, and chronic disease to enhance tailored injury prevention strategies, fostering safe and effective physical activity participation and reducing the burden of musculoskeletal disorders.

Research indicates that painful experiences can significantly affect the fear of cancer recurrence among cancer survivors, which is a distressing concern that influences both physiological and psychological recovery. Yet, the role of potential factors and mechanisms in these relationships is not fully known. This cross-sectional study aimed to advance our comprehension of the associa-tions between total pain and the fear of recurrence in post-treatment cancer patients by examining two potential mediators: psychological flexibility and mentalization. Three hundred and thirty-five participants (aged 22 to 88, 49.1% female) who had finished their cancer treatment completed self-report assessments of total pain, fear of recurrence, psychological flexibility, and mentalization. The serial mediation analysis showed that all dimensions of total pain were positively related to the fear of recurrence indirectly through psychological flexibility and mentalization, in serial. Additionally, gender moderated these serial mediational effects. In line with the psychological flexibility model, personal capacities to face difficult internal/external problems and interpret one’s behaviour in motivational terms can counterbalance patients’ negative emotions and feelings related to the illness.

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in some healthcare-associated infections. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on rates and molecular epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) within one VA Hospital. We anticipated that the potential widespread use of antibiotics for pneumonia during the pandemic might increase CDI rates given that antibiotics are a major risk for CDI. Hospital data on patients with CDI and recurrent CDI (rCDI) were reviewed pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2015 to 2019) and during the pandemic (2020 - 2021). Restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) strain typing was performed on CD isolates recovered from stool samples collected from 10/2019 – 3/2022. CDI case numbers declined 43.2% in 2020 – 2021 compared to the annual mean over the previous 5 years. Stool test positivity rate was also lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (14.3% vs. 17.2%; P = 0.013). Although inpatient volume declined, rates of CDI among inpatients were reduced by 34.2% in 2020 – 2021. Mean monthly cases of rCDI also declined significantly after 2020 [3.38 (95% CI: 2.89 – 3.87) vs. 1.92 (95% CI: 1.27 – 2.56); P = &lt;0.01]. Prior to the pandemic, REA group Y was the most prevalent CD strain among the major REA groups (27.3%). During the first wave of the pandemic from March 8, 2020, through June 30, 2020, there was an increase in the relative incidence of REA group BI (26.7% vs. 9.1%. After adjusting for CDI risk factors, a multivariable logistic regression model revealed that odds of developing an REA group BI CDI increased during the first pandemic wave (OR 6.41, 95% CI: 1.03 – 39.91) compared to the pre-pandemic period. In conclusion, the incidence of CDI and rCDI decreased significantly during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, REA BI (Ribotype 027), a virulent, previously epidemic CD strain and frequently associated with hospital transmission and outbreaks, reappeared as a prevalent strain during the first wave of the pandemic.

The main purpose of this work was to tests of form and size of fatigue wear of the top layer of oil gear pump wheel (3PW-BPF-24). The object of tests was operated during a determined number of hours at strictly controlled operational and environmental parameters. A microscope of focal differentiation by Alicona InfiniteFocus G4 (with Focus-Variation optical measuring technology) was used for an identification, measurement and description of noticed superficial defects, which resulted from the fatigue process of the top layer and an earlier thermochemical treatment. The work was finished with an analysis of obtained results (based on the analysis of 3D scans) and conclusions concerning about optimization of the thermal treatment. Taking into consideration the presented results (suggestions) in the technology of improving strength properties of gear wheels (of this type oil pumps) may render it possible to obtain an appropriate fatigue endurance of the top layer, i.e. a minimization of observed superficial defects.

The article is devoted to the preliminary concept of the Future Planetary Defense System (FPDS), emphasizing Astroballistics. This paper is intended to support international efforts to improve the planetary security of the Earth. The work covers three areas of knowledge: Astronautics, Astrodynamics, and Astroballistics. The most important part of the presented article is dynamic, contact combat modeling against small, deformable celestial bodies. For these purposes, the original, proprietary hydrocode of the Free Particle Method (HEFPM-G) with gravity was used. The main aim of combat is to redirect the Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHOs) to orbits safe for the Earth or destroy them. This concept's first task is to find, prepare and use dynamic three-dimensional models of celestial bodies' motion and spacecraft or human-crewed spaceships in the Solar System's relativistic frame. The second task is to prepare the FPDS' architecture and computer simulation space missions' initial concepts in the internal part of the solar system. The third and main task covers simulating, using hydrocodes, selected methods of fighting 100 m and 140 m diameter asteroids. The order of the article is as follows. The first part of the article presents an architecture and FPDS' modus operandi. Preliminary design and development of FPDS' space missions, including navigation, mission dynamics simulation, is prepared using an open-source space mission analysis and design tool. E.g., Asterank and Trajectory Browser or GMAT are presented in the second part. The third part of the article is devoted to computer hydrocodes (HEFPM-G) and the modeling and simulation of asteroid–asteroid collision, laser radiation effects on an asteroid, and FPDS spacecraft's warhead contact interaction on the small celestial body. The authors formulated the Main Planetary Defense Problem (MPDP) in this paper. The proposition of this problem solving has been realized by preparing its concepts, architecture, and modus operandi of the FPDS mission. Finally, a series of realistic simulations were made using hydrocode to deflect or destroy dangerous asteroids. The summary and conclusions can be found in the fourth part of the article.

Recently there has been growing interest in the application of game theory (GT) to solve many diverse problems in the field of construction, including i.a.: tender preparation, selection of a contractor for construction works, negotiating terms and conditions of cooperation of the parties to the contract, analysis and modeling of investment risk. In the authors opinion, the use of GT by general contractor (GC) of construction works to indicate the best strategy leading to winning court proceedings in a situation of conflict with investor (IN), so far has not been the subject of research. Taking into account the above, the aim of the presented paper is to indicate the optimal strategy from the GC point of view in the conflict situation with IN. The article presents a list of the most common causes of conflicts between parties of the construction works' contract, defines the background of the problem and the cause of the dispute, and on its basis, the authors generate the theoretical model of the game. Based on the analyzed game model, expected payoffs for players were calculated and the probability border value at which GC should apply the indicated strategy determined. The results of the study show that in the case when the probability of issuing a judgment favorable for GC is at least equal to 69.23%, it is justified to use an aggressive strategy. The analysis also confirms that from the financial perspective, litigation in most cases of conflicts in the area of construction should be the last choice.

Carrying out technological tests and research is indispensably connected with high costs and elongation of implementation time of new casting technologies and their modifications in industry. Hence, the application of specialised computer software, enabling the simulation and analysis of metallurgical and casting processes in modern foundry industry is of special interest. The present work presents an experimental application of MAGMASoft software in casting process of EV31A magnesium alloy structural element of helicopter engine. The results of computer simulation have been compared with industrial cast of the simulated element, fabricated in the same conditions. It has been revealed that the computer simulation provides a complex information on the analysed process, leading to reduction of costs and time, connected with technological tests in implementation of new casting technologies.

There is a growing interest in fibers supporting optoelectrical properties for textile and wearable display applications. Solution-processed electroluminescent (EL) material systems can be continuously deposited onto fiber or yarn substrates in a roll-to-roll process, making it easy to scale manufacturing. It is important to have precise control over layer deposition to achieve uniform and reliable light emission from these EL fibers. Slot-die coating offers this control and increases the rate of EL fiber production. Here, we report a highly adaptable, cost-effective 3D printing model for developing slot dies used in automatic coating systems. The resulting slot-die coating system enables rapid, reliable production of alternating current powder-based EL (ACPEL) fibers and can be adapted for many material systems. The benefits of this system over dip-coating for roll-to-roll production of EL fibers are demonstrated in this work.

The two main chronic obstructive diseases are asthma – affecting 1-18% of adult population – and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalent in up to 6% of adults. In both cases the treatment depends on diseases’ severity. In management of these conditions, spirometry and complete blood count are two major monitoring tests. Our aim was to compare blood morphology results and spirometry values between patients in groups of different treatment intensity in asthma and COPD. By measuring that, we expected to study whether asthma/COPD patients have a need of stepping-up their treatment steps. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients admitted in 2013-2019 to an outpatient pulmonology clinic in Łódź (Poland). Spirometry values, complete blood count and information on pharmacological treatment were obtained from archival data. Patients were assigned with disease severity according to present GINA/GOLD recommendations. The study included 125 patients – 47 with COPD (22 females) and 78 with asthma (57 females). Results Among patients with asthma, a positive correlation in white blood cell count (WBC) (r=0,236, p=0.038) and ascending GINA treatment steps was found. Significant negative correlations were shown between ascending GINA treatment steps and FEV1, FEV1%, FVC%, MEF50, MEF50, PEF%. In COPD patients, positive correlations between ascending GOLD treatment groups and white blood cell count, neutrophil count, basophil percentage, platelet count (r=0.346; 0.309; 0.321; 0.401 respectively) were found. Negative correlations were shown between ascending GOLD treatment groups and FEV1, FEV1%, FVC, FVC%, MEF50, MEF50%, PEF, PEF% (r=-0.732; -0.575; -0.705; -0.498; -0.632; -0.558; -0.688; -0.597 respectively). Conclusions Negative correlations between ascending GINA and GOLD treatment steps and spirometry values may suggest that asthma and COPD patients may benefit from stepping-up the treatment steps earlier. Potential advantages of that more intensive treatment needs to be examined in the future

Background: Drinking and smoking have economic consequences and are the main risk factors of mortality and morbidity. Disease-specific deaths attributable to using substances present the primary health indicator in this study. This analysis focuses on mortality in productive age, 15 to 64 years since those deaths are considered the highest economic burden. Method: In the analytical part, data from the Registry of deaths of the Czech Republic for 1994 to 2017 were used. The number of deaths attributable to smoking and drinking was calculated using attributable fractions, based on literature review. This research aimed to reveal the gender differences in deaths attributable to drinking and smoking, according to age, and the differences in deaths regarding smoking or drinking. Results: The mortality attributable to smoking and drinking differs across age groups and genders. The highest median share of tobacco-related deaths is in the age group, 60—64 years. The highest median share of alcoholic deaths is in the age group of 50—54 years. Conclusions: There are significant differences between genders in both, smoking and drinking. A prevention program should be targeted to different age groups.

To fulfil a need of limitation automotive emissions the reduction of vehicle weight is widely recommended and achieved in many ways, both by the construction of individual elements of the vehicle, and by the selection of light materials including Al alloys. Connecting these elements with each other and with elements made of iron alloys can be realized, inter alia, by welding or stir welding. However, the quality of the welds obtained varies widely and depends on many design, operational and environmental factors. The present study focused on a review of various welding technics used to joint both similar and dissimilar Al alloys utilized in automotive industry, the effect of various process parameters on welds quality, and phenomena appeared in such welds..

During the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous tracheostomy proved to be an effective option in the management of patients with prolonged periods of intubation; in fact, among other things, it allowed early discharge from ICUs and contributed to reducing overcrowding in intensive care settings, a central critical point in the COVID pandemic. As a direct consequence, the management and the weaning of frail, tracheostomized and ventilated patients was diverted to sub-intensive or normal hospitalisation wards. One central challenge in this setting is the resumption of swallowing and oral feeding, which needs an interdisciplinary management involving Phoniatrician, ENT, Pneumologist and Speech Therapist. With this article, we aim to share the experience of a Swiss COVID-19 Center[1] and to draw up a narrative review on the issues concerning the management of the tracheostomy cannula during swallowing resumption, integrating the most recent evidence from the literature with the clinical experiences of the professionals directly involved in the management of tracheostomized COVID-19 patients. In view of the heterogeneity of COVID-19 patients, we believe that the procedures described in the article are applicable to a larger population of patients undergoing tracheostomy weaning.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a ubiquitous serine/threonine phosphatase implicated in a wide variety of regulatory cellular functions. PP2A is abundant in the mammalian nervous system and dysregulation of its cellular functions are associated with myriad neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, PP2A has oncologic implications, recently garnering attention and emerging as a therapeutic target because of the antitumor effects of a potent PP2A inhibitor, LB100. LB100 abrogation of PP2A is believed to exert its inhibitory effects on tumor progression through cellular chemo- and radio-sensitization to adjuvant agents. An updated and unifying review of PP2A biology and inhibition with LB100 as a therapeutic strategy for targeting cancers of the nervous system is needed, as other reviews have mainly covered broader applications of LB100. In this review, we discuss the role of PP2A in normal cells and tumor cells of the nervous system. Further, we summarize current evidence regarding the therapeutic potential of LB100 for treating solid tumors of the nervous system.

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is an established method to implement change in organizations. However, it cannot be applied in the open source (FOSS) communities, without adaptation to their particularities, especially to the specific control mechanisms developed in FOSS. FOSS communities are self-managed, and rely on consensus to reach decisions. This study proposes a PAR framework specifically tailored to FOSS communities. We successfully applied the framework to implement a set of quality assurance interventions in the Robot Operating System community. The framework we proposed is composed of three components, interventions design, democratization, and execution. We believe that this process will work for other FOSS communities too. We have learned that changing a particular aspect of a FOSS community is arduous. To achieve success the change must rally the community around it for support and attract motivated volunteers to implement the interventions.

Dogs are considered property under UK law, while current discourses of pet ownership place canine companions as part of an extended family. This means sentences for those who steal dogs are not reflective of a dogs’ sentience and agency, rather reflecting the same charges for those who steal a laptop or wallet. This is particularly problematic as dog theft is currently on the rise in England and Wales and led to public calls to change the law. Recognizing that a more robust analysis of dog theft crime statistics is required, we gathered dog theft data for 2015, 2016 and 2017 from 37 of 44 police forces through FOI requests. This paper uses this data to examine how dog theft crime statistics are constructed; assesses the strengths and weaknesses of this data; and categorizes, maps and measures dog theft changes temporally per police force in England and Wales. Our findings reveal there has been an increase in dog theft crimes, 1,294 in 2015, 1,525 in 2016 (+17.85%), and 1,678 in 2017 (+10.03%); and a decrease in court charges related to dog theft crimes, 62 (4.7%) in 2015, 48 (3.14%) in 2016, 37 (2.2%) in 2017. There were police force inconsistencies in recording dog theft crime which meant some data was unusable or could not be accessed or analysed. There is a need for a qualitative study to understand dog theft crime in different areas, and standardised approach to recording the theft of a dog by all forces across England and Wales.

Environmental deterioration factors are constantly increasing, causing unwanted aesthetic changes to stone artworks due to exposure to various physical and chemical deterioration factors. Inorganic nanoparticle-filled polymer composites have extended their multiple functionalities to various applications, including cultural heritage conservation. Therefore, this study has examined the effects of clay, SiO2, Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3 nanomaterials in the enhancement of the physicomechanical properties of limestone monuments, the aim of the present work being to evaluate comparatively the effectiveness of nanoparticles as consolidation and protection material for limestone artworks. The nanoparticles were added to an acrylic-based copolymer (polyethylmethacrylate (EMA)/methylacrylate (MA) (70/30), in order to improve its physiochemical and mechanical properties, and produced a significant improvement in the ability of the polymers to consolidate and protect the stone. The synthesis process of nanoparticles/polymer nanocomposite has been prepared by an in situ emulsion polymerization system. The nanocomposites contained poly (EMA/MA) with a solid content of 3% [poly (EMA/MA)] in the absence and presence of 5% nanoparticles (0.15 g nanoparticles). Samples were subjected to artificial aging by relative humidity/temperature and acid/salt crystallization weathering to show the optimum conditions of durability and the effectiveness of the nano-mixture in improving the physical and mechanical properties of the stone material. To ensure that the treatment had no negative effects on the physical characteristics of the limestone, the properties of the treated limestone samples were evaluated comparatively before and after artificial aging by the conduct of microstructural (phase morphology studied by means of scanning electron microscopy) and aesthetic (colour and lightness measured by spectrophotometry) analyses. Also used were measurement of static contact angle of water droplets on the surface of the samples, total immersion water absorption, compressive strength, and abrasion resistance test. Results demonstrated that the addition of nanoparticles to an acrylic-based polymer enhanced its capability to consolidate and protect the limestone samples.

Over the past 150 million years, the Chilean Atacama Desert has been transformed into one of the most inhospitable landscapes by geophysical changes, which makes it an ideal Mars analog that has been explored for decades. However, two heavy rainfalls that occurred in the Atacama in 2015 and 2017 provide a unique opportunity to study the response of resident extremophiles to rapid environmental change associated with excessive water and salt shock. Here we combine mineral/ salt composition measurements, amendment cell culture experiments, and next-generation sequencing analyses to study the variations in salts and microbial communities along a latitudinal aridity gradient of the Atacama Desert. In addition, we examine the reshuffling of Atacama microbiomes after the two rainfall events by comparing with previous researches. Analysis of microbial community composition revealed that soils within the southern arid desert were consistently dominated by Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes, and Verrucomicrobia. Intriguingly, the hyperarid microbial consortia exhibited a similar pattern to the more southern desert. Salts at the shallow subsurface were dissolved and leached down to a deeper layer, challenging indigenous microorganisms with the increasing osmotic stress. Microbial viability was found to change with aridity and rainfall events. This study sheds light on the structure of xerophilic, halophilic, and radioresistant microbiomes from the hyperarid northern desert to the less arid southern transition region, as well as their response to changes in water availability. Our findings may infer similar events that happened on the wetter early Mars.

Identification of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) subspecies is an important aspect of bee breeding and biodiversity conservation. The identification can be based on molecular or morphological markers. For some markers, including the cytochrome c oxidase subunit, there is a well-established methodology allowing consistent subspecies identification in different laboratories. In the case of morphological markers, identification is hindered by a lack of reference data and a standardized methodology to reuse it. We show here that reference data for the identification of honey bees based on geometric morphometrics can be saved in an XML file. The information in this file can be easily extracted by other users for the identification of unknown samples. We illustrate this procedure using ten samples from north India. The samples were identified as A. mellifera; next, they were identified as lineage C; and finally, most of the samples had high similarity to honey bees from Croatia and Slovenia. We explained what data is required for such identification and how it can be reused. The method described here can be applied not only to honey bee wings but also to all data based on landmark coordinates.

Accurate rainfall measurement is vital when investigating spatial and temporal precipitation variability at different scales. However, there are many regions around the world, such as North Darfur State in Sudan, where ground-based observations are few. Satellite-based precipitation products can fill such regions' spatial and temporal rainfall data gaps. Six satellite rainfall prod-ucts, namely the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), African Rainfall Climatology Version 2 (ARC2.0), Climate Hazards Group In-frared Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS2.0), the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurements (GPM) Final Run v 6 (GPM IMERG6), Precipitation Estima-tion from Remote Sensing Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record (PERSIANN-CDR), and the Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite and ground-based observations (TAMSAT) v3.1 were evaluated to assess their accuracy in estimating rainfall amounts variability trends in the study area. The global-based satellite rainfall products were assessed at monthly and annual time scales by applying a point-to-pixel comparison with ground-based rain gauge data for the period 2000–2019. Based on the overall statistical results at monthly and temporal yearly scales, five satellite precipitation products (TMPA, CHIRPS, GPM IMERG6, PERSIANN-CDR, and TAMSATv3.1) overestimated rainfall amounts by values ranging from 1.49% to 82.69%. In contrast, the ARC2 product underestimated rainfall amounts by values ranging from-16.9% to-20.25%. The TAMSATv3.1, CHIRPS, and TMPA performed relatively better, showing stronger correlations and higher values of Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency. This study showed that the TAMSATv3.1 and CHIRPS products could reasonably estimate rainfall amounts in the North Darfur State.

At the plasma membrane, transmembrane receptors are at the interface between cells and their environment. They allow sensing and transduction of chemical and mechanical extracellular signals. The spatial distribution of receptors and the specific recruitment of receptor subunits to the cell membrane is crucial for the regulation of signaling and cell behavior. However, it is challenging to define what regulates such spatial patterns for receptor localization, as cell shapes are extremely diverse when cells are maintained in standard culture conditions. Bone morphogenic protein receptors (BMPRs) are serine-threonine kinases, which build heteromeric complexes of BMPRI and II. These are especially interesting targets for receptor distribution studies, since the signaling pathways triggered by BMPR-complexes depends on their dimerization mode. They might exist as pre-formed complexes, or assemble upon binding of BMP, triggering cell signaling which leads to differentiation or migration. In this work we analyzed BMPR receptor distributions in single cells grown on micropatterns, which allows not only to control cell shape, but also the distribution of intracellular organelles and protein assemblies. We developed a script called ComRed (Center Of Mass Receptor Distribution), which uses center of mass calculations to analyze the shift and spread of receptor distributions according to the different cell shapes. ComRed was tested by simulating changes in experimental data, showing that shift and spread of distributions can be reliably detected. Our ComRed-based analysis of BMPR-complexes indicates that receptor distribution depends on cell polarization. The absence of a coordinated internalization after addition of BMP suggests that a rapid and continual recycling of BMPRs occurs. Receptor complexes formation and localization in cells induced by BMP might yield insights into the local regulation of different signaling pathways.

The Vaal Dam catchment, which is the source of potable water for Gauteng province, holds various human activities including mining, urbanization, agricultural and industrial activities coupled with high fluxes of nutrients from different areas within the catchment. This situation led to an enhancement of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the dam reservoir. Phosphorus and Nitrogen are the limiting nutrients for HABs in many eutrophic aquatic systems when their concentrations are raised in such waters. In this study, multi-time-series plot types and scutter plots were analysed to reveal the relationship between HABs proxy chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and the potential nutrients. Also (Chl-a) data extracted from landsat-8 satellite images were visualised to show the spatial distribution of HABs in the reservoir. The results showed that the Vaal Dam HABs productivity is a function of the total phosphorus (TP) and the organic nitrogen (KJEL_N) levels, which were positively correlated with chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration. The long-term analysis of Chl-a in-situ data (1986 – 2022) measured at one point within the reservoir showed an average of 11.25μg/l but at some stochastic dates, the Chl-a concentration jumped to very high values reaching the maximum value of 452.8μg/l. Such high values are associated with high records of TP and KJEL_N concentrations at the same dates which clearly reveals their effect on the productivity levels. The decadal time series and its trend analysis showed that the average productivity level of Chl-a increased during the studded period from 4.75μg/l in the first decade (1990 – 2000) to 10.51μg/l in the second decade (2000 – 2010) reaching 16.7 during the last decade (2010 – 2020). The increasing averages of the decadal values are associated with the increasing decadal average of its driving factors, TP from 0.1043 to 0.1096 to 0.1119mg/l for the three decades, respectively and KJEL_N from 0.80mg/l in the first decade to 1.14mg/l in the last decade. The decadal average of temperature showed no significant increase, 17.9 °C in the first decade and 18 °C in the last decade which suggests that temperature is not the only enhancing factor of the HABs productivity in the Vaal Dam. The satellite data analysis during the last decade revealed that the HABs spatial dynamics is a function of the dam geometry and the levels of the discharges from its two feeding rivers. Higher concentrations were observed where the reservoir is meandering and within the areas of restricted water circulation.

Influential Observations, which are outliers in x direction, y direction or both, remain a hitch in classical regression model fitting. Spatial regression model, with peculiar nature of outliers due to their local nature, is not free from the effect of such influential observations. Researchers have adapted some classical regression techniques to the spatial models and yielded satisfactory results. However, masking or/and swamping remain stumbling block to such methods. We obtained the spatial representation of the classical regression measures of diagnostic in general spatial model. Commonly used diagnostic measure in spatial diagnostic, the Cook's distance, is compared to some robust methods, Hi2 (using robust and non-robust measures), and classification based on generalized residuals and diagnostic generalized potentials, ISRs-Posi and ESRs-Posi, with the help of the obtained spatial prediction residuals and the spatial leverage term. Results of simulation and applications to real data have shown the advantage of the ISRs-Posi and ESRs-Posi due to classification of outliers over Cook's distance and non-robust Hsi12, which suffer from masking, and robust Hsi22 which suffer from swamping in general spatial model.

The quality of dietary patterns can be optimized using a mathematical technique known as linear programming (LP). LP methods have rarely been applied to individual meals. The present LP models optimized the breakfast meal for those participants in the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014 who ate breakfast (n=11,565). The Nutrient Rich Food Index (NRF9.3) was a measure of diet quality. Breakfasts in the bottom tertile of NRF9.3 scores (T1) were LP-modeled to meet nutrient requirements without deviating too much from current eating habits. Separate LP models were run for children and for adults. The LP-modeled breakfasts resembled the existing ones in the top tertile of NRF9.3 scores (T3), but were more nutrient-rich. Favoring fruit, cereals, and dairy, the LP-modeled breakfasts had less meat, added sugars and fats but more whole fruit and 100% juices, more whole grains, and more milk and yogurt. LP modeling methods can build on existing dietary patterns to construct food-based dietary guidelines and identify individual meals and/or snacks that need improvement.

In the present protocol, we determined the presence and concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) spiked in surface water samples using EEM fluorescence spectroscopy in conjunction with modelling using partial least squares (PLS) and parallel factor (PARAFAC). PARAFAC modelling of the EEM fluorescence data obtained from surface water samples contaminated with BPA unraveled four fluorophores including BPA. The best outcomes for BPA concentration (R2 = 0:996; Standard deviation to prediction error's root mean square ratio (RPD) = 3.41; and a Pearson's r value of 0.998). With these values of R2 and Pearson's r, the PLS model showed a strong correlation between the predicted and measured BPA concentrations. The detection and quantification limits of the methods were 3.512 and 11.708 micro molar (µM), respectively. In conclusion, BPA can be precisely detected and its concentration in surface water predicted using the PARAFAC and PLS models developed in this study and fluorescence EEM data collected from BPA-contaminated water. It is necessary to spatially relate surface water contamination data with other datasets in order to connect drinking water quality issues with health, environmental restoration, and environmental justice concerns.

The soybean aphid (SBA; Aphis glycines Matsumura) and the soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines Ichninohe) are major pests of the soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Independent studies on these pests have made substantial progress in understanding the genetic basis of limiting these pests in both model and non-model plant systems. Classical linkage mapping and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified some major and minor QTLs in soybean. The studies on interactions of aphid and nematode effectors with host proteins allow us to identify molecular cues in various signaling components, including plant disease resistance and phytohormone genes. Here we review various resistance components of both SBA and SCN in terms of their effectors, their role in eliciting or attenuating host defense and update on findings on key quantitative trait loci (QTLs)/genes in soybean that could help in mitigating these widespread shifted virulent soybean aphid and SCN populations. We also provide an update on recent interaction studies of soybean-soybean aphid-SCN as well as interaction studies involving different aphids/nematodes and their host systems. PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4) in soybean could possibly play a major role in providing resistance against both soybean aphid and SCN.

Incorrect sitting posture, characterized by asymmetrical or uneven positioning of the body, often leads to spinal misalignment and muscle tone imbalance. Prolonged maintenance of such postures can adversely impact well-being and contribute to the development of spinal deformities and musculoskeletal disorders. In response, smart-sensing chairs equipped with cutting-edge sensor technologies have been introduced as a viable solution for real-time detection, classification, and monitoring of sitting postures, aiming to mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and promote overall health. This comprehensive literature review evaluates the current body of research on smart-sensing chairs, with a specific focus on the strategies used for posture detection and classification, as well as the effectiveness of different sensor technologies. A meticulous search across MDPI, IEEE, and Google Scholar databases yielded 34 pertinent studies that utilize non-invasive methods for posture monitoring. The analysis reveals that Force Sensing Resistors (FSR) are the predominant sensors utilized for posture detection, whereas Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are the leading machine learning models for posture classification. However, it was observed that CNNs and ANNs do not outperform traditional statistical models in terms of classification accuracy, due to constrained size and lack of diversity within training datasets. These datasets often fail to comprehensively represent the array of human body shapes and musculoskeletal configurations. Moreover, this review identifies a significant gap in the evaluation of user feedback mechanisms, essential for alerting users to their sitting posture and facilitating corrective adjustments.

The COVID-19 pandemic creates anxiety among hospitalised SARS-CoV-2 patients. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors among stable inpatient COVID-19 patients in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based online survey involving 401 patients from Malaysia's leading COVID-19 hospitals from 15th April until 30th June 2020 who were chosen using quota sampling. General Anxiety Disorders 7 items (GAD-7), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief-COPE) and Socio-demographic profile questionnaire were used. Descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS v23 to determine the prevalence of anxiety and its associated factors. The results showed that prevalence of anxiety was 7.0%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female (p < 0.05), fear of infection (p < 0.05), lack of information (p < 0.05), maladaptive coping mechanism of behavioural disengagement (p < 0.001) and self-blame (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with anxiety. Whereas adaptive coping mechanisms via instrumental support (p < 0.001) was a significant protective predictor of anxiety. COVID-19 infection has had a significant influence on the mental health of patients. Findings in our study provides baseline findings on prevalence of anxiety among stabilized COVID-19 inpatient in Malaysia. Despite the relative low prevalence, the data has the potential to improve the present mental health monitoring system and the deployment of suitable treatments in dealing with similar circumstances

In the article, the authors presented the problem of the transition effect in bridge engineering, its causes, negative consequences, and suggested a solution involving the use of integral bridges with the embankment through a spatial bars structure using reinforced composite polymer material. Integral bridges are designed to collaborate with road or railway embankments in bearing loads. Additionally, their application minimizes maintenance and construction costs while enhancing durability. Current solutions in bridge engineering were described. It is predicted that the presented concept will reduce the amount of plastic waste and contribute to the long-term use of materials. The article emphasized the importance of sustainable development, recycling, and the potential application of substitute materials.

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is an uncommon clinical syndrome characterized by a loss of short-term memory and disorientation that resolves in twenty-four hours. The etiology is unknown and the diagnosis is made by exclusion of other possible etiologies that may cause similar patterns and the reversibility of the condition in less than 24 hours. Here we report a 60-year-old male presented with sudden onset of disorientation and short-term memory loss early in the morning while at home and started to ask his whereabouts and what happened. He had no history of significant medical or psychiatric disease. There was no history of previous similar episodes. He had no recent history of sleep problems, head trauma, substance abuse, or loss of consciousness. He had no history of seizure disorder, or migraine. A neurologic examination revealed a normal wakefulness state with mild disorientation, and short-term memory impairment. He had score of 18/30 on mini-mental state examination (which later returned to normal baseline in 24 hours). Extensive lab investigations did not show any abnormal findings. Brain MRI did not show any acute cerebral pathology. The EEG was negative for any abnormal cerebral activity. His memory improved and returned to normal baseline over the course of a 20-hour from the onset. After exclusion of potential causes and the patient returned to normal state of memory, the diagnosis of transient global amnesia was made. At the follow-up visit, the patient was in a state of normal function without a recurrence of memory impairment. Here we presented this interesting case of transient global amnesia. TGA is diagnosis of exclusion and important to keep in mind when evaluating a patient with acute onset of short-term memory impairment, especially when etiological investigation revealed no potential cause.

(1) Introduction: External high volume extraction devices may offer a way to reduce any aerosol particulate generated. The aim of this study was to measure the particle count during dental aerosol procedures and compare the results to when a High Volume Extraction device is used; (2) Methods: A comparative clinical study measuring the amount of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 aerosol particulate with and without the use of an external High Volume Extraction device was undertaken. In total, 10 restorative procedures were monitored with an an industrial Trotec PC220 particle counter. The air sampler was placed at the average working distance of the clinicians involved in the study - 420mm.; (3) Results: In the present study aerosol particulate was recorded at statistically significantly increased levels during dental procedures without an external high volume extraction device versus with the device. The null hypothesis was rejected, in that significant differences were found between the results of the amount of aerosol particle count with and without a High Volume Extraction device.; (4) Conclusion: If the results of the present study are repeated in an in vivo setting, an external high volume suction device may potentially lower the risk of transmission of viral particulate.

Access to nasopharyngeal swabs for sampling remain a bottleneck in some regions for COVID-19 testing. This study develops a distributed manufacturing solution using only an open source manufacturing tool chain consisting of two types of open source 3-D printing and batch UV curing, and provides a parametric fully free design of a nasopharyngeal swab. The swab was designed using parametric OpenSCAD in two components (a head with engineered break point and various handles), which has several advantages: i) minimizing print time on relatively slow SLA printers, ii) enabling the use of smaller print volume open source SLA printers, iii) reducing the amount of relatively expensive UV resin, and iv) enabling production of handle on more accessible material extrusion 3-D printers. A modular open source UV LED box was designed, fabricated for $45 and tested for batch curing. Swabs can be fabricated for $0.06-$0.12/swab. The results of the mechanical validation tests showed that the swabs could withstand greater forces than would be expected in normal clinical use. The swabs were also able to absorb a significant amounts of synthetic mucus materials and passed abrasion and handling tests. The results show the open source swab are promising candidates for clinical trials.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) are both agroecologically-oriented production systems that support more productive, sustainable, and resource-conserving farming, with synergies arising from their respective assemblages of reinforcing agronomic methods. Application of CA principles enhances the growth, yield, and performance of the crops grown under the cropping system as well as the health and resilience of the whole ecosystem. SRI practices create more favorable conditions for the development of crop plants below- and above-ground, conditions that can be enhanced by CA management. SRI practices such as reduced plant density m-2 can elicit better phenotypic expression of the genetic potentials of crops grown with CA.. For these two agronomic systems to converge at field level, some of their respective practices for plant, soil, water, and nutrient management need to be modified or aligned. One such adaptation is to practice SRI in CA systems on permanent, no-till, mulch covered raised beds, with rainfall or irrigation water in the furrows between the beds furnishing and controlling water; and providing weed suppression and improved nutrient recycling. SRI rice cropping can benefit from the CA practices of no-tillage, soil mulch cover, and diversified cropping, both in paddies and on raised beds. Several examples have shown that this convergence of cropping systems is feasible for smallholding farmers as well as for larger-scale producers, and also that SRI practices within a CA system are amenable to considerable mechanization. This review article examines the compatibility between CA and SRI, considering examples of their being utilized in complementary ways. Further research and experimentation are needed to identify and assess appropriate practices for capitalizing upon their synergies.

The hypoxia signalling pathway enables adaptation of cells to decreased oxygen availability. When oxygen becomes limiting, the central transcription factors of the pathway, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), are stabilised and activated to induce the expression of hypoxia-regulated genes, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis. Whilst hydroxylation has been thoroughly described as the major and canonical modification of the HIF-α subunits, regulating both HIF stability and activity, a range of other post-translational modifications decorating the entire protein play also a crucial role in altering HIF localisation, stability, and activity. These modifications, their conservation throughout evolution and their effects on HIF-dependent signalling are discussed in this review.

Pathophysiology of depression is related with reduced volume of the hippocampus and amygdala and hypertrophy of the nucleus accumbens. The mechanism of these changes is not well under-stood, but clinical studies have shown that administration of the fast-acting antidepressant keta-mine reversed the decrease in hippocampus and amygdala volume in depressed patients, and the magnitude of this effect correlated with the reduction of depressive symptoms. In the present study, we attempted to find out whether the psychedelic substance psilocybin affects neurotransmission in the limbic system in comparison to ketamine. Psilocybin and ketamine increased the release of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) in the nucleus accumbens of naive rats as demonstrated using microdialysis. Both drugs influenced glutamate and GABA release in the nucleus accumbens, hippocampus and amygdala and increased ACh levels in the hippocampus. The changes in D2, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor density in the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus was observed as a long-lasting effect. A marked anxiolytic effect of psilocybin in acute phase and 24 h post-treatment was shown in the open field test. These data provide the neurobiological background for psilocybin effect on stress, anxiety and structural changes in the limbic system and translate into antidepres-sant effect of psilocybin in depressed patients.

5-Methyl-3,8-di-(2-amino-4-bromophenyl)-4,9-dioxa-1,2,6,7-tetraaza-5λ5-phosphaspiro[4.4]nona-2,7-diene was obtained in a condensation reaction of 2-amino-5-bromobenzohydrazide and methylphosphonyl dichloride in the presence of triethylamine. An initial biological screening was performed for the obtained product. The synthesized compound possesses two aromatic primary amine groups and two bromine atoms within the structure, which are suitable for further structural modifications.

Accurate demand forecasting plays a critical role in most furniture businesses’ operational, tactical, and strategic decisions, as the demand in the furniture business is considered seasonal and becomes more complex in crises. In this work, a neural network model using the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) method was developed to forecast the demand for specific product groups. LSTM is a leading deep learning model for time series prediction, particularly seasonal, multi-item, and non-linear situations. The developed model was used to predict the demand based on old data before the Covid-19 pandemic and recent data of the first months of the pandemic as a fast response to the crisis. In addition, a comparison study was conducted between the developed model and the traditional planning inventory used by furniture businesses that provided us with the data. The results showed that the Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted demand forecasting. Also, the fast response to Covid-19 pandemic has slightly increased the model performance. Finally, the comparison study demonstrated that our model is robust and better than the traditional demand forecasting method. Therefore, the developed model may help the business improve inventory and production planning to create a more flexible supply chain.

(1) Background: This study aimed to outline the antitumoral, antioxidant, and cytotoxic proprie-ties of various types of Perilla frutescens extracts obtained from the leaves of the species; (2) Methods: We determined total polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins contents, as well as the in vitro antioxidant, antitumoral, and cytotoxic actions in 3 types of ethanolic extracts (E1, E2, E3) and in 3 types of ethanol: acetone extracts (A1, A2, A3) of Perilla frutescens according to standardized procedures; (3) Results: We found that Perilla frutescens ethanolic extracts had higher total phenol concentrations (p= 0.002). Flavonoids and anthocyanins concentrations were not statistically different between the two extracts. The iron chelating capacity, hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity, and lipoxygenase inhibition capacity showed a significant increase with higher concentrations of Perilla frutescens extracts, particularly the ethanolic extracts. Perillyl alcohol had greater cytotoxic capacity on MG-63 cell line and E1 extract showed similar significant cytotoxic effects on A431 cell line; (4) Conclusions: Both ethanolic and ethanol: acetone extracts from Perilla frutescens exhibited important antioxi-dant and antitumoral actions in vitro, which proportionally increased with concentration. The cytotoxic threshold determined in this study for various types of extracts could help determine the best dosage with the maximum antioxidant and antitumoral potential.

One of the richest natural sources of resveratrol - the rhizome of Reynoutria japonica in East Asia is a well-known traditional herb (Hu zhang) used in various inflammatory diseases, infections, skin diseases, scald, hyperlipidemia. Although, it has been recently included in the European Pharmacopoeia, still in Europe is an untapped resource. Some of the therapeutic effects are likely to be influenced by its antioxidant properties and this in turn is frequently associated with a high stilbene content. However, some literatures suggested that other compounds than stilbenes may add to the total antioxidant capacity. Hence, the aim of this research was to examine rhizomes of R. japonica and less studied, morphologically similar species, R. sachalinensis and R. x bohemica for their phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity and to clarify the relationship between the antioxidant activity and compounds by statistical methods. HPLC/UV/ESI-MS studies of three Reynoutria species revealed 171 compounds comprising stilbenes, carbohydrates, procyanidins, flavan-3-ols, anthraquinones, phenylpropanoids, lignin oligomers, hydroxycinnamic acids, naphthalenes and their derivatives. Our studies confirmed the presence of procyanidins with high degree of polymerization, up to decamers in the rhizomes of R. japonica and brings new data on the presence of these compounds in other Reynoutria species. A procyanidin trimer digallate was described for the first time in the studied plants. Moreover, we suggested a presence of new for these species, dianthrone glycosides and previously unrecorded phenylpropanoid disaccharide esters and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, mainly in R. sachalinensis. Furthemore, compounds tentatively annotated as lignin oligomers were observed for the first time in studied species. The rhizomes of all Reynoutria species exhibited strong antioxidant activity. Statistical analysis demonstrated that proanthocyanidins should be considered as important contributors to the total antioxidant capacity.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited cancer predisposition disorder associated with an elevated risk of various epithelial cancers. Despite sharing the same pathogenic variant (PV), Lynch syn-drome variant heterozygotes (LSVH) exhibit considerable phenotypic variability in cancer risk. The role of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) in modifying cancer risk prompted our investiga-tion into whether HLA variations act as genetic modifiers influencing age at cancer diagnosis in a unique cohort of LSVH carrying a PV in the hMLH1 gene in South Africa. Within our extensive LS cohort, 426 individuals carried the same hMLH1 PV (MLH1:c.1528C>T). We selected 100 indi-viduals with the greatest diversity in age at cancer diagnosis and the oldest unaffected individu-als for high-throughput HLA genotyping of 12 HLA class I and II loci using next-generation se-quencing. Statistical analyses employed Kaplan-Meier survival analyses with Logrank tests and Cox proportional hazards. Following the robust application of statistical correction methods, six HLA alleles (3.2%) were significantly associated with a young age at cancer diagnosis. Notably, HLA-B*15:17 and HLA-DPB1*55:01 correlated significantly with very young colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis (Mean age: 21y [17-25]; HR = 71.59; q

Strip-mined land (SML) disturbed by coal-mining is the non-crop land resource that can be utilized to cultivate high-yielding energy crops such as miscanthus for bioenergy applications. However, the biomass yield potential, annual availability and environmental impacts on growing energy crops in SML are less understood. In this study, we estimated the yield potential of miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) in SML and its environmental impacts on local streams using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). After calibration and validation of the SWAT model, the results demonstrated that miscanthus yield potentials were 2.6 (0.8−5.53), 10.0 (1.3−16.0) and 16.0 (1.34−26.0) Mg ha^-1 with the fertilizer application rate of 0, 100, and 200 kg-N ha^-1 respectively. Furthermore, cultivation of miscanthus in the SML has the potential to reduce sediment (~20%) and nitrate (2.5%−10.0 %) loads reaching to water streams with a marginal increase in phosphorus load. The available SML in the United States could produce about 10 to 16 dry Tg of biomass per year without negatively impacting the water quality. In conclusion, SML can provide a unique opportunity to produce biomass for bioenergy applications, while improving stream water quality in highly dense mining area (the Appalachian region) in the United States.

The use of Hyperspectral (HS) and LiDAR acquisitions has a great potential to enhance mapping and monitoring practices of endangered grasslands habitats, beyond conventional botanical field surveys. In this study we assess the potentiality of Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) in combination with Random Forest (RF) classification in extracting the main HS and LiDAR features needed to map selected Natura 2000 grasslands along Polish lowland river valleys, in particular alluvial meadows 6440, lowland hay meadows 6510 and xeric and calcareous grasslands 6120. We developed an automated RFE-RF system capable to combine the potentials of both techniques and applied it to multiple acquisitions. Several LiDAR-based products and different Spectral Indexes (SI) were computed and used as input in the system, with the aim of shedding light on the best-to-use features. Results showed a remarkable increase in classification accuracy when LiDAR and SI products are added to the HS dataset, strengthening in particular the importance of employing LiDAR in combination with HS. Using only the 24 optimal features selection generalized over the three study areas, strongly linked to the highly heterogeneous characteristics of the habitats and landscapes investigated, it was possible to achieve rather high classification results (K around 0.7-0.77 and habitats F1 accuracy around 0.8-0.85), indicating that the selected Natura 2000 meadows and dry grasslands habitats can be automatically mapped by airborne HS and LiDAR data. Similar approaches might be considered for future monitoring activities in the context of habitats protection and conservation