Retinoic acid (RA) is the biologically active metabolite of vitamin A and has become a well-established factor that induces neurite outgrowth and regeneration in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms that may mediate RA-induced neurite sprouting remain unclear. In the past decade, microRNAs have emerged as important regulators of nervous system development and regeneration, and have been shown to contribute to processes such as neurite sprouting. However, few studies have demonstrated the role of miRNAs in RA-induced neurite sprouting. By miRNA-Sequencing analysis, we identify 482 miRNAs in the regenerating CNS of the mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis, 219 of which represent potentially novel miRNAs. Of the remaining conserved miRNAs, 38 show a statistically significant up or downregulation in regenerating CNS as a result of RA treatment. We further characterized the expression of one neuronally-enriched miRNA upregulated by RA, miR-124. We demonstrate for the first time that miR-124 is expressed within the cell bodies and neurites of regenerating motorneurons. Moreover, we identify miR-124 expression within the growth cones of cultured ciliary motorneurons (Pedal A), whereas expression in the growth cones of another class of respiratory motorneurons (RPA) was absent in vitro. These findings support our hypothesis that miRNAs are important regulators of retinoic acid-induced neuronal outgrowth and regeneration in regeneration-competent species.

Lacunary polyoxometalates (POMs) are negatively charged metal−oxo clusters, formally obtained from plenary topologies via fragment removal. Owing to the fragment removal, the lacunary POMs archetypes are rich in nucleophilic terminal oxo ligands, making them suitable for post-synthetic coordination with various heterometals. Trilacunary heteropolytungstates (het-ero-POTs) based on bowl-shaped {W9O30} framework incorporating a central lone-pair containing {XO3} hetergroup (X = AsIII, SbIII, and BiIII) function as all-inorganic scaffolds that in the presence of d-block metal cations typically construct sandwich-like dimers of Hervé and/or Krebs. Herein we review the preparative approaches, compositional and magnetic versatility of the constructing Hervé and Krebs type dimers and discuss prospective use as POMtronics.

The rapid growth of Earth's global geospatial data necessitates an efficient system for organizing the data, facilitating data fusion from diverse sources, and promoting interoperability. Mapping the spheroidal surface of the planet presents significant challenges, as it involves balancing distortion and splitting the surface into multiple partitions. The distortion decreases as the number of partitions increases, but at the same time the complexity of data processing increases, since each partition represents a separate data set and is defined in its own local coordinate system. In this paper, we propose the dual orthogonal equidistant cylindrical projection method to mitigate distortion and reduce the number of partitions. Additionally, we use the rotation of projection cylinders to effectively minimize average angular and areal distortions of the Earth’s landmass and reduce the interruption of continental plates caused by partition edges. By incorporating auxiliary latitudes and proposing an approximate authalic latitude, we further enhance the mapping of the ellipsoid onto the sphere, simplifying calculations. Experimental results demonstrate a substantial reduction in distortion and interruption of continental plates. With only two partitions, an average landmass angular distortion of less than 3.56 degrees and an average normalized surface distortion of less than 1.07 were achieved.

Retinoic acid (RA) is the biologically active metabolite of vitamin A,and has become a well-established factor that induces neurite outgrowth and regeneration in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms that may mediate RA-induced neurite sprouting remain unclear. In the past decade, microRNAs have emerged as important regulators of nervous system development and regeneration, and have been shown to contribute to processes such as neurite sprouting. However, few studies have demonstrated the role of miRNAs in RA-induced neurite sprouting. By R-Seq analysis, we identify 482 miRNAs in the regenerating CNS of the mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis, 219 of which represent potentially novel miRNAs. Of the remaining conserved miRNAs, 38 show a statistically significant up or downregulation in regenerating CNS as a result of RA treatment. We further characterized the expression of one neuronally-enriched miRNA upregulated by RA, miR-124. We demonstrate for the first time that miR-124 is expressed within the cell bodies and neurites of regenerating motorneurons. Moreover, we identify miR-124 expression within the growth cones of cultured ciliary motorneurons (Pedal A), whereas expression from the growth cones of another class of respiratory motorneurons (RPA) was absent in vitro. These findings support our hypothesis miRNAs are important regulators of retinoic acid induced neuronal outgrowth and regeneration in regeneration-competent species.

Water networks are critical infrastructure components, ensuring the continuous supply of high-quality drinking water to consumers. To secure such water supply, regular maintenance, including the replacement of deteriorating pipelines, is essential. In this study, a methodology has been developed for determining optimal pipeline replacement solutions in water supply systems at water utilities with limited data availability. Hydraulic analysis has been conducted on the segment of 25 km of the water supply network using the free software EPANET. Applying water network optimization, eight pipeline replacement projects according to 13 pre-defined criteria have been identified and evaluated. The paper outlines the methods for evaluating the criteria, including defining specific quantitative limits. The Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method was used in the paper to determine the weights of the criteria. The reason for applying this method refers to problems that involve a set of criteria with a mixed structure, including both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Also, the paper describes the steps of the multi-criteria optimization method VIKOR, used to select the optimal project. This paper, considered as case studie, describes a method, i.e. application of a new principles and an innovative way to solve a problem for developing countries.

Chimeric antigen receptor and T-cell receptor (CAR-T/TCR) cellular immunotherapies have shown remarkable success in the treatment of some refractory B-cell malignancies, with potential to provide durable clinical response for other types of cancer. In this paper, we look at all available FDA CAR-T/TCR clinical trials for the treatment of cancer, and analyze them with respect to different disease tissues, targeted antigens, products, and originator locations. We found that 627 of 1,007 registered are currently active and of those 273 (44%) originated in China and 280 (45%) in the US. Our analysis suggests that the rapid increase in the number of clinical trials is driven by the development of different CAR-T products that use a similar therapeutic approach. We coin the term bioparallels to describe such products. Our results suggest that one feature of the CAR-T/TCR industry may be a robust response to success and failure of competitor products.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental toxicant of worldwide public health significance. Diet is the main non-workplace Cd exposure source other than smoking. The intestinal absorption of Cd involves the transporters for iron, zinc, copper, and calcium. These metal transporters essentially determine the body burden of Cd because only 0.001-0.005% of Cd accumulated in the body can be excreted in urine each day. The International Agency for Research on Cancer listed Cd as a human lung carcinogen. Current evidence, however, suggests that environmental Cd may increase the prevalence of many types of cancer, notably lung, liver, breast, pancreas, and kidney. A two-year bioassay that mimics a lifelong exposure demonstrates Cd caused neoplasms in multiple tissues of mice. Also, several non-tumorigenic human cell lines underwent malignant cell transformation, when they were exposed to a sublethal dose of Cd for a prolonged time. Cd does not directly damage DNA, but it can profoundly affect gene expression through its interactions with various proteins, and Cd can thus be viewed as a transcription modulator. The present review highlights epidemiological studies that connected an enhanced risk of various neoplastic diseases to chronic exposure to environmental Cd. Special emphasis is on the impact of body iron stores on the absorption rate of Cd, and its implications for breast cancer prevention in highly susceptible subpopulation groups of women. Resistance to cell death and other cancer phenotypes acquired during Cd-induced cancer-cell transformation, under in vitro conditions, are briefly discussed. The potential role for ZnT1 efflux transporter in cellular acquisition of tolerance to Cd cytotoxicity are highlighted.

The resonance spectrum of surface resistance derivative in quasi-two dimensional layered organic conductors has been calculated numerically for the out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic field. Not all but some of the resonances in a given series of transitions are present in the spectra. They are observed at the positions corresponding to the maxima in the surface resistance derivative curve and are in a good agreement with previously calculated magnetic field resonance positions. For tilted magnetic fields, there are more resonances present in the spectrum than in the case of a non-tilted field. Apart from the resonances corresponding to the transitions between the adjacent surface states there also appear resonances involving the transitions between the more distant surface states. This is correlated with the specific topology of Fermi surface of the organic conductors. The presented calculations will allow correct interpretation of the experimental curves for the resonance spectrum, and also to obtain information on the surface properties of these materials for their possible implementation in fabrication of devices based on organic molecular conductors.

In addition to the subject-matter theoretical knowledge acquired during undergraduate and especially postgraduate studies future young scientists must also acquire the accompanying academic skills. This skillset will enable them to plan and conduct research in accordance with the scientific method, but also to present the results of that research in suitable forms. No result and no new knowledge derived from research is valuable in itself, as long as it is not presented to the scientific community and society as a whole. This dissemination is most often done through the peer-reviewed publishing in scientific journals. Hence acquiring the skill of writing scientific publications must be an integral part of education, eg. part of the acquired academic skills. However, currently that is not the case in all scientific environments and a significant number of (young) scientists and researchers do not possess all the necessary knowledge and skills to write academic articles, especially when it comes to the standard form and technical preparations. This skill-gap often results in a significant number of submitted papers to be rejected or sent back for resubmission even before they reach the Editor's desk. In an effort to provide an academic-writing-skill resource for young academics in the field, this article, points out the general principles of a well-written and prepared paper, indicates the most common errors and omissions, and suggests ways to prevent them. In addition, the article is considering the current state of academic skills in, primarily, less developed scientific environments. and the causes of such a state.

Blockchain-based currencies or cryptocurrencies have become a global phenomenon known to most people as a disruptive technology, and a new investment vehicle. However, due to their decentralized nature, regulating these markets has presented regulators with difficulties in finding a balance between nurturing innovation, and protecting consumers. The growing concerns about illicit activity have forced regulators to seek new ways of detecting, analyzing, and ultimately policing public blockchain transactions. Extensive research on machine learning, and transaction graph analysis algorithms has been done to track suspicious behaviour. However, having a macro view of a public ledger is equally important before pursuing a more fine-grained analysis. Benford’s law, the law of first digit, has been extensively used as a tool to discover accountant frauds (many other use cases exist). The basic motivation that drove our research presented in this paper was to test he applicability of the well established method to a new domain, in this case the identification of anomalous behavior using Benford’s law conformity test to the cryptocurrency domain. The research focused on transaction values in all major cryptocurrencies. A suitable time-period was identified that was long enough to sport sufficiently large number of observations for Benford’s law conformity tests and was also situated long enough in the past so that the anomalies were identified and well documented. The results show that most of the cryptocurrencies that did not conform to Benford’s law had well documented anomalous incidents, the first digits of aggregated transaction values of all well known cryptocurrency projects were conforming to Benford’s law. Thus the proposed method is applicable to the new domain.

The structural, electronic and magnetochemical properties of the star-shaped polyoxopalladate [Pd₁₅O₁₀(SeO₃)₁₀]¹⁰⁻ (POPd) and its lanthanide functionalized derivatives have been investigated on the basis of density functional theory followed by a ligand field analysis using the Radial Effective Charge (REC) model. Our study predicts that heteroPOPd is a robust cryptand that enforces D_5h symmetry around the encapsulated Ln³⁺ centers. This rigid coordination environment favors interesting potential magnetic behavior in the Er and Ho derivatives, which may be of interest for molecular spintronics and quantum computing applications.

The aim of this article was to evaluate properties of new polymer material, based on PEEK, for FPDs in patients with parafunctions. Methods: Prospective clinical study involved patients with diagnosed signs and symptoms of parafunctions, restored with 100 units, PEEK based FPDs, veneered with composite material. During one year observation period the following parameters were evaluated: color changes, periodontal indices, treatment success using FDI criteria, occlusal parameters, patient-reported outcome measures (OHIP-49) and occurrence of complications. Results: Spectrophotometry revealed that 63% of bridges experienced changes for L*, a*, b* color parameters, but it was not clinically significant for patients. Periodontal indices (PI, GI, BOP) revealed statistically significant higher values around restorations. According to FDI criteria, therapy was considered successful and 86.7% of FPDs were acceptable. Computerized occlusal analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the number of occlusal contacts and the intensity of relative forces between restoration and control side. Results of OHIP-49 questionnaire showed improved patient’s quality of life. Complications appeared in a limited number of cases. Conclusion: PEEK based FPDs could be indicated for successful prosthodontic rehabilitation in patients with parafunctional activities, but further material improvements and long-term clinical trials should be conducted to analyze performance of this material in challenging cases, for patients with CMD and in implant therapy.

Obesity in adolescents combined with the increased exposure time to electronic devices, enhances a sedentary lifestyle and is linked to the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The aim of this study was to identify possible correlations between anthropometric characteristics, body composition, exposure time to electronic devices or screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) level along with muscle power and dynamic knee valgus (DKV) in young athletes to avoid future injuries. A total of 125 adolescent basketball athletes (66.4% boys), 12 to 17 years old (13.94±1.58 years) participated. Anthropometric and demographic characteristics were recorded. PA level was assessed through IPAQ and ST through a single question from the HELENA study. The Counter Movement Jump test was used for the evaluation of the lower limb muscle power, while the Single Leg Drop Jump test was used for the evaluation of the dynamic knee valgus via two-dimensional (2D) kinematic analysis. The Pearson index showed a statistically significant positive correlation between muscle power and height (r=0.788, p<0.001), while the Spearman index showed a smaller but equally statistically significant positive correlation with BMI (rs =0.651, p<0.001) and age (rs=0.579, p<0.001). The ST (rs= -0.194, p=0.03) showed a weak negative correlation with DKV, while PA (r=0.85, p<0.001) showed a high, statistically significant, positive correlation. The anthropometric characteristics of adolescent athletes can determine their ability to produce muscle power. A high level of physical activity could play a key role in compensating and thus reducing the negative effects of high exposure to screen time on the dynamic knee valgus

This study aims to determine the influence of selected social and health factors on the quality of inpatient treatments when regional health organizations use stacking ensemble model. The proposed procedure is based on the logistic regression method, which is used for direct prediction in the case of good fitting data and impossibility of including aggregation of classification algorithms but also in the opposite case, for fine calibration to obtain prediction. In opposite case, the procedure uses classification algorithms and several filter methods which initially rank individual factors according to their importance to reduce the dimensionality of problem and, in such way. obtaining one optimized classification prediction. The proposed procedure is trained using one part and tested using another part of dataset from case study which enables the generalization of the solution to the set goal and is verified by the Kaggle dataset Brest cancer. Case study was conducted using the real data acquired in the region connected to the city of Nis, Republic of Serbia. The obtained results show that the proposed model achieves better results that each of methods included in this stacking ensemble-regression and classification used individually.

Epidemics are the most common natural phenomena that have occurred throughout the entire history of human society. Depending on the type of disease and the development of the collective immunity that society had acquired by then, the consequences of epidemics were usually very severe. Precisely because of this, the aim of the paper is a scientific description of the way in which the prescribed preventive measures should be applied from the epidemiological, security, economic, legal and other aspects, so that the society, through the mechanisms of the state, can defend and rehabilitate the consequences of an epidemic of an infectious disease. Eliminating the epidemic's impacts is a very difficult issue. In particular, there is an infectious illness epidemic that is spreading uncontrolled throughout society on the one hand. In order to introduce a quarantine that restricts the epidemic's progress and, if the quarantine lasts long enough, to end the epidemic, contact between members of the social group must be broken. On the other side, the cessation of communication between members of a social group also signifies the cessation of all facets of life in that society, including economic ties, education, growth of culture, scientific research, etc.

The figures of merit of luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) thermometry for Er3+ in 40 different crystals and glasses have been calculated and compared. For calculations, the relevant data has been collected from the literature while the missing data were derived from available absorption and emission spectra. The calculated parameters include Judd-Ofelt parameters, refractive indexes, Slater integrals, spin-orbit coupling parameters, reduced matrix elements (RMEs), energy differences between emitting levels used for LIR, absolute and relative sensitivities. We found a slight variation of RMEs between hosts as a result of variations in values of Slater integrals and spin-orbit coupling parameters, and we calculated their average values over 40 hosts. The calculations showed that crystals perform better than glasses in Er3+ based thermometry, and we identified hosts that have large values of both absolute and relative sensitivity.

Amid global energy challenges, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is gaining traction for green hydrogen production. While catalyst research is ongoing, recognizing electrolyte effects remains crucial for sustainable hydrogen production via renewable-powered water electrolysis. This review delves into the intricate effects of electrolytes on the kinetics of HER. It examines key factors, including pH, cations, anions, impurities, and electrolyte concentration. It is discussed that electrolyte pH alters catalyst-electrolyte interactions and proton concentrations, thereby influencing factors such as hydrogen binding energy, water adsorption, and the overall reaction kinetics. Moreover, it is briefed that electrolyte cations, such as Li+, can impact HER positively or negatively, offering opportunities for improvement based on the metal substrate. Interestingly, there is a potential that HER can be tuned using Li+ ions to modify M-H bond energy, demonstrating flexibility beyond pH levels and counter ions. Varied adsorption energies of metal cations on metal electrodes are also found to influence HER kinetics. The effects of electrolyte anions and impurities are also discussed, emphasizing both positive and negative impacts on HER kinetics. Moreover, it is pointed out that the electrolyte engineering approach enhances the HER kinetics of both metal and carbon-based electrodes without permanent catalyst surface modifications. This review underscores the importance of electrolyte composition, highlighting both challenges and potential solutions in advancing HER research for sustainable energy production.

Waste management is an unavoidable technological operation in the process of raw material extraction. The main characteristic of this technological operation is the handling of large quantities of waste material, which can amount to several hundred million cubic metres. Working with this amount of material usually requires high-capacity systems for excavation and loading, a large fleet of trucks for haulage, construction, and maintenance of a complex roads network, use of a significant area of land in order to achieve the required capacities, etc. At the same time, this operation must comply with all administrative and environmental standards. Therefore, optimising waste rock management (particularly haulage and dumping) has the potential to significantly improve the overall value of the project. This paper presents a hybrid model for the optimisation of waste dump design and site selection. The model is based on different mathematical methods (genetic algorithm, analytic hierarchy process and heuristic methods) adapted to different aspects of the problem. The main objective of the model is to provide a solution (in analytical and graphical form) for the draft waste dump design, on the basis of which the final waste dump design can be defined.

In order to reduce negative effects of application of chemical agents, biological control is becoming increasingly important. This paper therefore focused on research of effects of certain types of seed beetles on control of invasive plant species in Serbia. Numerous sources suggest that for legumes and seed beetles Bruhinae: Chrysomelidae the rule of coexistence in pairs applies in all ecozones. The species rely on one another, primarily in terms of geographical origin or association, thus one plant species is frequently attacked by only one type of seed beetle. Being confirmed to be expressly monophagous, bruchins have proven to be excellent potential agents of control of invasive and harmful host plants (to date, false indigo-bush in Serbia), as is the case of the seed beetle of Persian silk tree, which has been registered as monophagous in Serbia for the first time, making it the number one potential agent in control of the host plant – Persian silk tree in Greece. Standard entomological methods were used, from sample collections, to experiments in photo-eclectors, during dissection counting and placing the seed for development inside by the method 1 flacon – 1 seed, to maintain precise records of the origin of the emerged insects and their numbers, within standard laboratory conditions. The conditions favoring the expansion of the plant have already developed due to climatic circumstances (changes in terms of heat extremes – global warming and precipitation), and it is now gradually becoming invasive. Parasitoid accumulation of roughly one-third (30%) of the total number of false indigo-bush pods makes the false indigo-tree seed beetle a viable candidate for the status of a bioagent. The species has the extreme potential for the application of biological measures which is now quickly gaining importance, all for the purposes of developing the integral control of the plants. Species Acanthoscelides pallidipennis and Bruchidius terrenus have been recorded in this research for the first time in Serbia, while calendars of development have been made for the researched bruchin species, which represents a significant scientific contribution.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is experiencing widespread adoption across industry sectors ranging from supply chain management to smart cities, buildings, and health monitoring. However, most software architectures for IoT deployment rely on centralized cloud computing infrastructures to provide storage and computing power, as cloud providers have high economic incentives to organize their infrastructure into clusters. Despite these incentives, there has been a recent shift from centralized to decentralized architecture that harnesses the potential of edge devices, reduces network latency, and lowers infrastructure cost to support IoT applications. This shift has resulted in new edge computing architectures, but many still rely on centralized solutions for managing applications. A truly decentralized approach would offer interesting properties required for IoT use cases. To address these concerns, we introduce a decentralized architecture tailored for large scale deployments of peer-to-peer IoT sensor networks and capable of run-time application migration. The solution combines a blockchain consensus algorithm and verifiable random functions to ensure scalability, fault tolerance, transparency, and no single point of failure. We build on our previously presented theoretical simulations with many protocol improvements and an implementation tested in a use case related to monitoring a Slovenian cultural heritage building located in Bled, Slovenia.

As the global energy crisis continues, efficient hydrogen production is one of the hottest topics these days. In this sense, establishing catalytic trends for hydrogen production is essential for choosing proper H2 generation technology and catalytic material. Volcano plots for hydrogen evolution in acidic media are well-known, while volcano plot in alkaline media was constructed ten years ago using theoretically calculated hydrogen binding energies. Here we show for the first time that the volcano-type relationships are largely maintained in a wide range of pH values, from acidic to neutral and alkaline solutions, using theoretically calculated hydrogen binding energies on clean metallic surfaces and experimentally measured hydrogen evolution overpotentials. If metallic surfaces are exposed to high anodic potentials, hydrogen evolution can be boosted or significantly impeded, depending on the metal and the electrolyte in which the reaction occurs. Such effects are discussed here and can be used to properly tailor catalytic materials for hydrogen production via different water electrolysis technologies.

During a multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) examination, it is crucial to efficiently organize, store, and transmit medical images in DICOM standard, which requires significant hardware resources and memory. Our project processed large amounts of DICOM images by classifying them based on cross-section views that may carry important information about a possible diagnosis. We ensured that images were retained and saved in PNG format to optimize hardware resources while preserving patient confidentiality. Furthermore, we have developed a graphical, user-friendly interface that allows physicians to visualize specific regions of interest in a patient's brain where changes may indicate disease. Our proposed method enables quick classification of medical images into predefined classes of confirmed diseases of brain parenchyma, contributing to swift decision-making for further diagnosis for more precisely evaluating and characterizing brain changes, and it can lead to the rapid application of adequate therapy, which may result in better outcomes.

Exploring new ways to represent and discover organic molecules is critical for developing novel therapies. With recent advances in bioinformatics, virtual screening of databases is possible. However, biochemical data must be encoded using computer algorithms to make them machine-readable, taking into account distance and similarity measures to support tasks such as similarity searching. Motivated by the ubiquity of the carbon element and the structured patterns that emerge, we propose a parametric approach to molecular encodings of carbon-based multilevel atomic neighborhoods. It implements a walk along the carbon chain of an organic molecule to compute different representations of its feature encoding in the form of a binary or numerical array that can be exported later into an image. Resulting encodings are reproducible and readily formatted for various domain tasks including machine learning tasks. This approach was evaluated using a 10-fold stratified cross validation for binary classification with eight data sets and six different encodings (384 models) in the domain knowledge of cell-penetrating peptides. The parametric approach is built on open-source software and is implemented as a Python package (cmangoes). Source code and documentation are available at https://github.com/ghattab/cmangoes.

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM) is a rare and benign mesenchymal tumor, localized predominantly in the female pelvis. Its invasive growth and local recurrence are challenging for professionals. Histologically, AAM is a tumor with a myxoid, highly vascularized stroma. The diagnosis is made relatively late due to nonspecific symptoms. Treatment of AAM is extensive local surgical excision. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists are added postoperatively. The prognosis is good and metastasis is rare. We present a case of an AAM located in the left greater labial area in a 50-year-old woman initially diagnosed as left inguinal hernia. The tumor was extirpated under epidural anaesthesia on the date of the patient's informed consent. The patient was prescribed postoperative therapy with Zoladex 3,6 mg according to the schedule. The patient was subjected to monthly gynecological check-ups for one year after the surgical intervention. To date, no recurrence of the underlying disease has been detected. Long-term results show a good trend. In conclusion, we can say that the optimal treatment of AAM is wide local excision. Рadicality is not recommended because of the risk of postoperative complications. Postoperative administration of GnRH-a is advisable to avoid recurrences. All patients undergo regular follow-up examinations for long-term.

From grape cultivation to ripening and harvest timing to processing, each step can be a critical point when it comes to wine quality and phenolic composition. In this study, the influence of winemaking technology on resveratrol and quercetin content, as well as other polyphenolic compounds, was investigated. Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid polyphenolic stilbene synthesized by grape skin when damaged by infectious diseases or ionizing radiation. Quercetin is a phenol found in grape skins and stems and is produced to protect grapes from UV light damage. Trans-resveratrol and quercetin are known to act as antioxidants, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and prevent the release of allergic and inflammatory molecules. However, the question was whether red wine could be enriched with these phenols using an innovative winemaking technology. The innovative idea was to completely replace the cold maceration process with maceration with the addition of wild yeast (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Td). Maceration with the addition of wild yeast (Td) offers the following advantages over traditional cold maceration: (1) higher concentrations of trans-resveratrol (>35-40%) and quercetin (>35-40%) in the final wine, (2) the new wine has a higher potential for human health, (3) the wine has a better aroma and stability due to the higher mannoprotein content, and (4) the better energy efficiency in the production process. The study of stability during storage and aging also included derivatives of benzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid, piceid, catechin, naringenin, rutin, kaempherol, hesperetin, and anthocyanins. The study found that younger wines had higher phenolic content, while storage of the wine resulted in a decrease in total phenolic content, especially monomeric stilbenes and quercetin.

Mechanical engineering plays an important role in the design and manufacture of medical devices, implants, prostheses, and other medical equipment, where the machining of bio-compatible materials have a special place. There are a lot of different conventional and non-conventional types of machining of biocompatible materials. One of the most frequently used methods is milling. The first part of this paper considers the optimization of machining parameters for minimizing surface roughness in milling biocompatible alloy Ti-6Al-4V. With four factors (cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and cooling/lubricating method), each having three levels, the full factorial design implies 81 experiments have to be carried out. Using the Taguchi method, the experiment number was reduced from 81 to 27 runs through an orthogonal design. According to the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the most significant parameter for surface roughness is feed rate. In the second part possibilities of different ML techniques to create a predictive model for average surface roughness using previously created small dataset are explored. Several ML technologies and techniques that can deal successfully with small dataset were explored. The best results show commonly used machine learning algorithm Random Forest that is widely used in regression problems.

This paper presents the second stage of a tandem fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerodynamic development. In the initial stage, the UAV was optimized analyzing its characteristics only in symmetrical flight conditions. Posted requirements were that both wings should produce relevant positive lift, the initial stall must occur on the front wing first, the center of pressure should be close to the center of gravity, while longitudinal static stability should be in the optimum range. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses were performed, where applied calculation model was derived from the authors’ previous successful projects. The eight version TW V8 has satisfied all longitudinal requirements. Lateral-directional CFD analyses of V8 showed that the ratio of the lateral and directional stability at the nominal cruising regime was optimal, but both lateral and directional static stabilities were too high. On further development versions the lower vertical tail was eliminated, negative dihedral was implemented on the front wing, and four inverted blended winglets were added. Version TW V14 has largely improved lateral and directional stability characteristics, while their optimum ratio at cruising regime was preserved. Longitudinal characteristics were also well preserved. Maximum lift coefficient and lift-to-drag ratio were increased, compared to the V8.

Background: Formation and rupture of cerebral aneurysms may be related to certain types of configuration of the circle of Willis. Analysis of their interdependence can be of great importance. Methods: A group of 114 patients treated operatively for the cerebral aneurysm rupture and a group of 56 autopsied subjects were involved in the study. Four basic types of the circle of Willis configurations were formed–two symmetric types A and C, and two asymmetric types B and D. Results: A statistically significantly higher presence of asymmetry of the circle of Willis in the group of surgically treated subjects (p=0.006) with a significant presence of asymmetric Type B in this group (p=0.017) were determined. The presence of changes in the A1 segment in the group of subjects with solitary aneurysms on the anterior communicating artery showed a statistically significant presence in the group of autopsied subjects (p=0.0004). Analyzing the presence of symmetry of the circle of Willis between the two groups, that is, the total presence of symmetric types A and C indicated their statistically significant presence in the group of autopsied patients (p=0.043). Conclusion: Changes such as hypoplasia or aplasia of A1 and the resulting asymmetry of the circle of Willis directly affect the possibility of the rupture of cerebral aneurysms. Detection of the corresponding types of the circle of Willis after diagnostic examination can be the basis for the development of a protocol for monitoring such patients.

The flow properties of pellets or granules are crucial for further processing the drug dosage forms. Optimal compression or filling the multiparticulate dosage forms into capsules is influenced by forces between discrete particles, which could be partially characterized by flow properties. Several techniques were developed for the examination of flowability, including static and dynamic methods applying empirical studies and the up-to-date chaos theory; however newest methods seem only to be powerful with the supplement of empirical principles. Our experiments try to refine both the technique of analysis and the methods by finding new, alternative ways. Our approach to the flowability measurements was to set up a dynamic time-dependent model which combines empirical observations and the chaos theory on a geometrical basis, thus find new aspects regarding flow properties of pellets and granules that could be relevant for drug developers.

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) deposited on porous composite polylactic acid/poly(ε-caprolactone) substrates were studied. The substrates were previously charged in a corona discharge. Time dependences of the normalized surface potential for positively and negatively charged electrets were investigated. The morphology of the obtained porous substrates was examined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chitosan and the casein polyelectrolytes were deposited on the substrates using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. A drug loading efficiency and the release kinetics were determined spectrophotometrically.

The rapid market changes and strong product individualization create the need for great flexibility of manufacturing management on new foundations, such as the Industry 4.0 model. Digital manufacturing is the basis for Industry 4.0, that have the following dimensions: (i) digital manufacturing based on advanced digital-oriented technologies, (ii) smart products (advanced manufacturing mode and new characteristics), and (iii) smart supply - chain (procurement of raw materials and delivery of finished products). Bidirectional exchange of information in collaborative manufacturing, using it exchange also for digital platforms of design of the innovative products. In this paper we are showing developed model of one Serbian digital factory model for Quality 4.0 (Q 4.0) , especially in workshop as a part of ERP/MES model.

Ketamine as an old - new drug has variety of clinical implications. In the last 30 years, ketamine has become popular for acute use in humans. Ketamine at standard doses is principally utilized for the induction and maintenance in surgical procedures. Beside its use in anesthesia and analgesia, recently studies had shown that ketamine find the place in the treatment of asthma, epilepsy, depression, bipolar affective disorders, alcohol and heroin addiction. Its mechanism of action is complex, but it mostly acts as a noncompetitive antagonist at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Ketamine is generally considered relatively secure and does not result in serious adverse effects when used at low doses and for short periods- Also, ketamine is known as a powerful psychostimulant. During the past decade, ketamine has been one of the commonly abused drug.

Background: Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a laboratory criterion for the classification of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and are known to cause clinical symptoms: vascular thrombosis or obstetric complications. It is suggested that aPL may be associated with thromboembolism in severe COVID-19 cases. Aim: to combine clinical data with aPL findings at 4 time points (admission, worsening, discharge, 3-month follow-up) in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: current and past history of thrombosis and obstetric complications; aPL determined at 4 time points: anticardiolipin (aCL), anti-β2-glycoprotein I (anti- β2GPI) and antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin (aPS/PT) of the IgM, IgG or IgA isotypes. Results: 111 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were enrolled. During hospitalization, 7 patients died, 3 of them due to pulmonary artery thromboembolism (none was aPL positive). Only one of the five who developed pulmonary artery thrombosis was aPL positive. Of 9/101 patients with a history of thrombosis, 5 had arterial thrombosis and none was aPL positive at admission and follow-up; 4 had venous thrombosis and one was aPL positive at all time points (newly diagnosed APS). Of these 9/101 patients, 55.6% were transiently aPL positive at discharge only, compared to 26.1% without history of thrombosis (p=0.05). Conclusions: aPL were not associated with fatal outcomes and vascular thrombosis; aPL were transiently positive in more than half of patients with a history of thrombosis.

Lifespan extension was recently achieved in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes by mitochondrial stress and mitophagy, triggered via iron depletion. Conversely in man, deficient mitophagy due to Pink1/Parkin mutations triggers iron accumulation in patient brain and limits survival. We now aimed to identify murine fibroblast factors, which adapt their mRNA expression to acute iron manipulation, relate to mitochondrial dysfunction and may influence survival. After iron depletion, expression of the plasma membrane receptor Tfrc with its activator Ireb2, the mitochondrial membrane transporter Abcb10, the heme-release factor Pgrmc1, the heme-degradation enzyme Hmox1, the heme-binding cholesterol metabolizer Cyp46a1, as well as the mitophagy regulators Pink1 and Parkin showed a negative correlation to iron levels. After iron overload, these factors did not change expression. Conversely, a positive correlation of mRNA levels with both conditions of iron availability was observed for the endosomal factors Slc11a2 and Steap2, as well as for the iron-sulfur-cluster (ISC)-containing factors Ppat, Bdh2 and Nthl1. Positive correlation only after iron depletion was observed for the iron export factor Slc40a1, mitochondrial iron transporters Slc25a28, Abcb7 and Abcb8, mitochondrial ISC-containing factors Glrx5, Nfu1, Bola1 and Abce1, cytosolic Aco1 and Tyw5, as well as nuclear Dna2, Elp3, Pold1 and Prim2. The latter are regulators of nucleotide synthesis and DNA quality control, which have known importance for growth and lifespan. The only Pink1-/- triggered transcript modulation was the reduced expression of the ISC-containing ribosomal factor Abce1. These mammalian findings support previous fly data that Pink1 influences co-translational quality control via Abce1, as well as mitophagy. Our findings provide the first systematic survey how iron dosage triggers homeostatic transcriptional regulations and elucidate how iron deprivation results in mitophagy.

The goal of this study is to synthesize, determine the structure, and examine the antimicrobial properties of novel metal complexes of 2,4-dithiouracil and its derivatives. These complexes were obtained by mixing aqueous solutions of the corresponding metal salts with the ligand dissolved in DMSO and aqueous NaOH, using a metal-to-ligand ratio of 1:4:2. The structures of the new compounds were analyzed by melting point determination, microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) for Cu and Au, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for S, ATR, solution and solid-state NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The interpretation of the complex spectra was aided by data for 2,4-dithiouracil obtained from 1H-1H COSY, DEPT-135, HMBC, and HMQC spectra. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of these complex-es and the free ligands was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as yeasts.

The combined muscle-skeletal traumas (MST) are very frequent over the last few years. The emergency care try to save the life of the patient and to receive resuscitation treatment. The role of Trauma surgeon is to choose the right moment for surgery. Aim: To present the management of patient with combined height injury, fracture stabilization, partial foot amputation, local flaps, skin grafting and HIFU – thermotherapy as scar treatment. Materials and methods: 40 years old mail patient, injured after a fall from 8 meters in an elevator shaft. After resuscitation treatment to control the shock the Imaging results are: burst fracture of L3 with spinal canal stenosis, fracture of the sacral bone Denis I, fracture of the right humerus in the proximal third, Monteggia fracture of the left arm, fracture of the proximal third of the right tibia as well as comminuted fractures of both calves and of both heel bones. Results: After a few operations his final result was well healed bone fractures and a good quality soft tissue coverage allowing the patient a satisfactory quality of life. Conclusions: Combined traumas of the muscle- skeletal system are severe, serious and difficult to manage. The good outcome in their treatment requires a team approach between the different medical specialists.

Delay in data transmission is one of key performance indicators (KPIs) of a network. The planning and project value of delay in network management is of crucial importance for the optimal allocation of network resources and their performance focuses. To create optimal solutions, predictive models, which are currently most often based on machine learning (ML), are used. This paper aims to investigate the training, testing and selection of the best predictive delay model for a VoIP service in an Long Term Evolution (LTE) network using three ML techniques - Neural Networks (NN), Support Vector Machines (SVM) and k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN). The space of model input variables is optimized by dimensionality reduction techniques: RReliefF algorithm, Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm and the Pareto 80/20 rule. A three-segment road in the geo-space between the cities of Banja Luka (BL) and Doboj (Db) in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), covered by the cellular network (LTE) of the M:tel BL operator was chosen for the case study. The results show that, in all three optimization approaches, the k-NN model is selected as the best solution. For the RReliefF optimization algorithm, the best model has 6 inputs and minimum relative error (RE), RE=0.109; for the Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm, the best model has 4 inputs and RE=0.041; and for the Pareto 80/20 rule, the best model has 11 inputs and RE= 0.049. The comparative analysis of the results concludes that according to observed criteria for the selection of the final model, the best solution is an approach to optimizing the number of predictors based on the Backward selection via the recursive feature elimination algorithm.

The primary objective of this study is to synthesize, elucidate the structural properties, and ex-plore the biological activity of novel metal complexes derived from 6-methyl-2-thiouracil and 6-propyl-2-thiouracil. The paper outlines a synthesis method and assesses the antimicrobial activ-ity of newly formed Cu(II) and Pd(II) complexes with two substituted 2-thiouracil ligands. The structural attributes of these newly developed compounds are thoroughly discussed based on data derived from melting point analysis, MP-AES for Cu and Pd, UV-Vis, IR, ATR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The interpretation of the complex spectra is assisted by the data for 6-methyl-2-thiouracil and 6-propyl-2-thiouracil obtained from 1H-1H COSY, DEPT-135, HMBC and HMQC spectra. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of these complexes and the free ligands are assessed against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as yeasts.

Authorities and governmental bodies strongly emphasize the importance of residents preparing for natural disasters, particularly underscoring the significance of readiness for geophysical hazards like earthquakes. In this study, which represents comparative quantitative research, the levels and predictors of the impact on preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters in South-Eastern Europe countries such as Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia are examined. Using the snowball sampling technique (online questionnaire), a survey of 1245 respondents (Montenegro (n = 400), North Macedonia (n = 345), and Serbia (n = 500) was conducted from February 2023 to February 2024. The paper is based on the central hypothesis that the most significant predictor of earthquake preparedness in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia is age, followed by gender and education. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which five scores of the subscales (household preparedness, community preparedness, disaster preparation, earthquake risk awareness, reinforced house) were associated with seventh demographic and socio-economic variables. In addition to the mentioned analysis, other statistical analyses such as T-test, one-way ANOVA analysis, and Pearson correlation were also utilized. The results indicate that age emerges as a predictor in various aspects of earthquake-induced disaster preparedness and awareness in most models, followed by education. These findings confirm the significance of respondents' age in determining levels of preparedness and earthquake awareness. Overall, in North Macedonia, respondents recorded the highest ratings (M = 3.52) for household preparedness for earthquakes, compared to Montenegro (M = 2.98) and Serbia (M = 3.26), where the lowest ratings were recorded. Research findings, taking into account cultural characteristics, can serve as a basis for the development of targeted interventions, strategies, policies, and programs aimed at improving the level of societal preparedness for earthquake-induced disasters.

This study aimed to establish a predictive model for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) response in patients with locally advanced rectal carcinoma (LARC) using clinicopathological (CP) features along with radiomics from pretreatment Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 3D T2W contrast sequence scans. The study also assessed the impact of radiomic dimensionality on predictive performance. Seventy-five patients were prospectively enrolled with clinicopathologically confirmed LARC who underwent nCRT before surgery. Tumor properties were assessed by calculating 2142 shape, first-order, and second-order radiomics features. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate regression were used for feature selection. Two predictive models were constructed, one using 72 CP and 107 radiomics features, and the other using 72 CP and 1862 radiomics features. The models revealed moderately advantageous impact of increased dimensionality, while their predictive performance was in the range generally considered excellent, with respective AUCs of 0.86 and 0.90. A CP-only model (AUC=0.80) served as the benchmark for predictive performance without radiomics. The predictive models developed in this study using pretreatment MRI data, radiomics features, and clinicopathological parameters could potentially be used to routinely predict chemoradiotherapy responders, enabling clinicians to personalize treatment strategies for rectal carcinoma.

Background and Objectives: Coagulation disorders during COVID-19 infection are associated with poor prognosis and disease severity, because two processes that interfere each other are thrombosis and inflammation. Very important issue for clinicians is timely and adequate hemostasis and inflammation monitoring in order to prevent and treat potentially lethal consequences. Materials and Methods: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Clinical center Nis, Serbia. One hundered fourty two patients presented with COVID-19 ARDS were admitted to the ICU in Clinic for anesthesiology Clinical Center Nis, from 14th April 2020 to 25 th May 2020. On admission blood was collected for biochemical and coagulation testing. The data obtained was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v. 25, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Among all parameters assessed, mortality was associated with higher age (p&lt;0.05), higher factor I (p&lt;0.05), INR (p&lt;0.001), D-Dimer (p&lt;0.001), ADP (p&lt;0.001), ASPI (p&lt;0.001), TRAP (p&lt;0.001), PSEP (p&lt;0.001), A5 extest (p&lt;0.01), A10 ex test (p&lt;0.01), A5 fib (p&lt;0.001), A10fib (p&lt;0.001) and MCF fib (p&lt;0.001) values, but lower CT extest values (p&lt;0.05). Mortality was associated with extreme values of D-Dimer above 1000 (p&lt;0.001), ADP above 590 (p&lt;0.001), ASPI above 800 (p&lt;0.001), TRAP above 1500 (p&lt;0.001) and PSEP above 1000 (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: The key to success in the treatment of COVID 19 infection is timely and adequate therapy and patient monitoring, which is impossible without early risk stratification and mortality prediction. Sophisticated hemostasis parameters can contribute to early risk assessment, which was initially performed only on the basis of the patient's clinical status.

Liver is the sixth most common site of primary malignant tumors, and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver malignancy and lungs, abdominal lymph nodes and adrenal glands are the most common sites of its metastasis. We present a rare case of an isolated metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma in the left mandibular ramus, with regards to its clinical and radiological presentation and with regards to possible routes of the metastatic spread.

The requirements for efficient replacement of fossil fuel, combined with the growing energy crisis, put hydrogen production into focus. Efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts are needed for H2 production, and novel strategies for their discovery must be developed. Here we utilized Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations to demonstrate that hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) can be boosted via hydrogen spillover to the support when the catalyst surface is largely covered by adsorbed hydrogen under operating conditions. Based on the insights from KMC, we synthesized a series of reduced graphene oxide-supported catalysts and compared their activities towards HER in alkaline media with that of corresponding pure metals. For Ag, Au, and Zn, the support effect is negative, but for Pt, Pd, Fe, Co, and Ni, the presence of the support enhances HER activity. The HER volcano, constructed using calculated hydrogen binding energies and measured HER activities, shows a positive shift of the strong binding branch. This work demonstrates the possibilities of metal|support interface engineering for producing effective HER catalysts and provides general guidelines for choosing novel catalyst-support combinations for electrocatalytic hydrogen production.

Zinc (Zn) is the second most abundant metal in the human body, and is essential for the function of 10% of all proteins. As metals cannot be synthesized or degraded, they must be assimilated from diet by specialized transport proteins, which unfortunately also provide an entry route for the toxic metal pollutant cadmium (Cd). The intestinal absorption of Zn depends on the composition of food that is consumed, firstly the amount of Zn itself, and then the quantity of other food constituents such as phytate, protein and calcium (Ca). In cells, Zn is involved in regulation of intermediary metabolism, gene expression, cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Cellular influx, efflux, subcellular compartmentalization, and trafficking of Zn are coordinated by transporter proteins, the Solute-Linked Carrier 30A and 39A (SLC30A and SLC39A), known as the ZnT and the Zrt-/Irt-like protein (ZIP). Because of its chemical similarity with Zn and Ca, Cd disrupts the physiological functions of both. The concurrent induction of a Zn efflux transporter ZnT1 (SLC30A1) and metallothionein by Cd disrupts the homeostasis and reduces the bioavailability of Zn. The present review highlights the increased mortality and the severity of various diseases, including those induced by COVID-19 infections, among Cd-exposed persons and the roles of Zn and other transport proteins in the manifestation of Cd cytotoxicity. Special emphasis is given to the potential protective effects of Zn against bone, lung and heart diseases associated with Cd exposure. The difficult challenge of determining a permissible intake level of Cd is discussed in relation to the recommended dietary Zn intake levels.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is vaccine-preventable neglected zoonotic neuroinvasive disease, caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Many of the Central and Eastern European countries are affected by TBE, which is often poorly perceived by tourists visiting endemic territories. Here we are reporting a fatal case of imported TBE in Serbian resident who was exposed to tick bite during a visit to Switzerland.

Iron deprivation activates mitophagy and extends lifespan in nematodes. In patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD), PINK1-PRKN mutations via deficient mitophagy trigger iron accumulation and reduce lifespan. To evaluate molecular effects of iron chelator drugs as a potential PD therapy, we assessed fibroblasts by global proteome profiles and targeted transcript analyses. In mouse cells, iron shortage decreased protein abundance for iron-binding nucleotide metabolism enzymes (prominently XDH and ferritin homolog RRM2). It also decreased the expression of factors with a role for nucleotide surveillance, which associate with iron-sulfur-clusters (ISC), and are important for growth and survival. This widespread effect included prominently Nthl1-Ppat-Bdh2, but also mitochondrial Glrx5-Nfu1-Bola1, cytosolic Aco1-Abce1-Tyw5, and nuclear Dna2-Elp3-Pold1-Prim2. Incidentally, upregulated Pink1-Prkn levels explained mitophagy induction, the downregulated expression of Slc25a28 suggested it to function in iron export. The impact of PINK1 mutations in mouse and patient cells was pronounced only after iron overload, causing hyperreactive expression of ribosomal surveillance factor Abce1 and of ferritin, despite ferritin translation being repressed by IRP1. This misregulation might be explained by the deficiency of the ISC-biogenesis factor GLRX5. Our systematic survey suggests mitochondrial ISC-biogenesis and post-transcriptional iron regulation to be important in the decision, whether organisms undergo PD pathogenesis or healthy aging.

Background/Objectives: Forceps delivery is a crucial obstetrical technique that has been increasingly underutilized in favor of cesarean delivery, despite numerous complications related to cesarean section. The major concerns in assisted vaginal birth (AVB) are the safety and long-term consequences. Thus, we aimed to investigate the neurodevelopmental outcome of children born with forceps delivery up to the age of seven. Methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted from January 2011 to December 2016 among 49 women from our department in the Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center of Serbia. The study included women with term singleton cephalic pregnancies. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the baseline demographic and clinical features, whereas the logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between various perinatal parameters and neurological status of newborns. The Sarnat and Sarnat classification was used to evaluate neurological status of newborns, while long-term neurodevelopmental outcome was assesed with Griffiths Mental Development Scale and additional questions based on the neurologist's clinical practice and experience. Results: Pathological neurological status of the newborn was found in 16.3%, with pathological ultrasound of CNS in 3%. A statistically significant association was observed with Apgar score, odds ratio of 0.575 (95% CI: 0.407–0.813, p = 0.002) and perinatal asphyxia, odds ratio of 9.882 (95% CI: 1.111–87.902, p = 0.04). However, this was unlikely to be related to the mode of delivery. Long-term adverse neurological outcome was seen in three cases, which accounts for 6.4%. These included mild disorders, such as delayed milestone, speech delay and motor clumsiness. Conclusion: The present study highlights the safety of forceps delivery regarding children's neurological outcomes at 7 years of age. This is an important contribution to the modern management of labor, especially in light of increasing rates of cesarean deliveries worldwide.

Natural products have long played a major role in medicine and science. The garden snail Cornu aspersa is a rich source of biologically active natural substances which might be an important source for new drugs to treat human disease. Based on our previous studies seven fractions containing compounds with Mw &lt;3 kDa, &lt;10 kDa, &lt;20 kDa, &gt;20 kDa, and between 3-5 kDa, 5-10 kDa, and 10-30 kDa were purified from the mucus of C. aspersa and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF). Seventeen novel peptides with potential antibacterial activity have been identified by de novo MS/MS sequencing using tandem mass spectrometry. The different fractions were tested for antibacterial activity against Gram─ (Pseudomonas aureofaciens and Escherichia coli) and Gram+ (Brevibacillus laterosporus) bacterial strains as well anaerobic bacterium Clostridium perfringens. These results revealed that the peptide fractions exhibit a predominant antibacterial activity against B. laterosporus, the fraction with Mw 10 – 30 kDa against E. coli, another peptide fraction &lt;20 kDa against P. aureofaciens, and the protein fraction &gt;20 kDa against the bacterial strain C. perfringens. The discovery of new antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from natural sources is of great importance for public health due to their effective antimicrobial activities and low resistance rates.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ethyl nitroacetate, ethyl 2-nitropropionate and 3-nitropropionic acid on ruminal production of CH4, H2, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and on dry matter digestibility of ground alfalfa under in vitro conditions. In vitro incubations were conducted as consecutive batch cultures. Total gas and amounts of methane produced by ruminal microbes were decreased by all nitrocompounds (P &lt; 0.05). Total production of VFAs was significantly reduced for all the nitrocompounds (P &lt; 0.05) except for NPA. DM disappearance was not affected (P &gt;0.05) by treatment.

This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance of total leukocyte count (TLC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels upon admission for patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), considering the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) model for mortality risk. 1622 patients from a regional PE registry were included. Decision tree statistics were employed to evaluate TLC and Hb's prognostic value, both independently and in conjunction with the ESC model. Results indicated all-cause and PE-related in-hospital mortality rates of 10.7% and 6.5% respectively. Subgrouping patients based on TLC cutoff values (≤11.2, 11.2-16.84, &gt;16.84 x10^9/L) revealed increasing all-cause mortality risks (7.0%, 11.8%, 30.2%). Incorporating Hb levels (≤126 g/L or above) further stratified the lowest risk group into two strata with all-cause mortality rates of 10.1% and 4.7%. Similar trends were observed for PE-related mortality. Notably, TLC improved risk assessment for intermediate-high risk patients within the ESC model, while Hb levels enhanced mortality risk stratification for lower risk PE patients in the ESC model for all-cause mortality. In conclusion, TLC and Hb levels upon admission can refine the ESC model's mortality risk classification for patients with acute PE, providing valuable insights for improved patient management.

This analytical cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the association between glycemic control and peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetic foot with more than ten years of evolution of diabetes mellitus who attended the diabetic foot outpatient clinic of the Guillermo Almenara National Hospital between June 2015 and February 2017. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were used to diagnose glycemic control and peripheral arterial disease, respectively. A generalized Poisson log-linear regression model was used to calculate the crude (cPR) and adjusted (aPR) prevalence ratios, with 95% confidence intervals, and a significance level of p < 0.05. 226 patients were included in the study, finding 23% (n=52) with good glycemic control, and 44.7% (n=101) with peripheral arterial disease. The adjusted model found statistically significant associations for glycemic control, age, and sedentary lifestyle with peripheral arterial disease. Compared with patients with good glycemic control, those with poor glycemic control had a 34% higher probability of presenting peripheral arterial disease (aPR: 1.34, 95%CI: 1.01-1.79, p=0.045). The prevalence of good glycemic control in the population with diabetic foot is low. Poor glycemic control was found to be independently associated with the presence of peripheral arterial disease.

A review of literature, supporting the view on the psychophysical origins of some acceptance effects of cyber-physical systems (CPSs), is presented and discussed in the paper. Psychological effects like the reactance to a robot or the uncanny valley phenomenon suggest that CPSs are perceived as a special type of ‘being’, a phylogenetically emergent category, or a novel ontology in a philosophical sense, culturally developing as a function of the social brain. Justification of this view is provided by the psychophysically-relevant human responses to technologically and socially ambiguous stimuli on the one hand, and the probabilistic independence of the proposed ontology to similar ontologies, subjectively experienced by the human, on the other. The results of the presented in the paper analysis demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed hypothesis of ontological ‘near independence’ of the distribution of the probabilistic psychophysical processes in response to the cyber-physical stimulus as a socially evolving phenomenon.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is caused by polyglutamine expansion in Ataxin-2 (ATXN2). This factor binds RNA/proteins to modify metabolism after stress, and to control calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis after stimuli, thus exerting crucial neuroprotection for cerebellar ataxias and corticospinal motor neuron degeneration. Our Atxn2-CAG100-Knock-In mouse faithfully models features observed in patients at pre-onset, early and terminal stages. Here, its cerebellar global RNA profiling revealed downregulation of signaling cascades to precede motor deficits. Validation work at mRNA/protein level defined alterations that were independent of constant physiological ATXN2 functions, but specific for RNA/aggregation toxicity, and progressive across the short lifespan. Earliest changes were detected at 3 months among Ca2+ channels/transporters (Itpr1, Ryr3, Atp2a2, Atp2a3, Trpc3), IP3 metabolism (Plcg1, Inpp5a, Itpka), and Ca2+-Calmodulin dependent kinases (Camk2a, Camk4). CaMKIV–Sam68 control over alternative splicing of Nrxn1, an adhesion component of glutamatergic synapses between granule and Purkinje neurons, was found affected. Systematic screening of pre/post-synapse components, with dendrite morphology assessment, suggested early impairment of CamKIIα abundance together with weakening of parallel fiber connectivity. These data reveal molecular changes due to ATXN2 pathology, impacting communication and excitability of cerebellar neurons. Discovery of such risk versus progression markers improves the assessment of pre-symptomatic treatments in SCA2 and related disorders.

This research investigates the alignment of soft power and institutional skills in Montenegro's journey towards accession to the European Union (EU), with a particular focus on the environmental sector. An online survey targeting individuals employed in state institutions directly engaged in negotiation processes, notably the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection, was conducted. The research conducted an online survey, distributed before and after the summer recess to accommodate the transition of power following parliamentary elections, aimed at assessing the effectiveness of current personnel and identifying areas for improvement in staffing and negotiation strategies within Montenegro's environmental sector. Employing diverse methodologies, the survey's analysis delved into the demographic, social, and professional backgrounds of respondents. It explored their roles within institutions, involvement in environmental negotiations, and possession of relevant skills and expertise. Furthermore, respondents' knowledge of environmental issues, legislation, and challenges facing the country was assessed to gauge institutional capacity for environmental governance. Demographic data, including gender, age, education and regional origin, were collected to understand gender-specific attitudes and regional disparities in environmental perspectives. The sample of 84 individuals, comprising executives and employees from both institutions, provided insights into the age structure and regional diversity of personnel involved in negotiation tasks for Chapter 27. The selection of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection reflects their pivotal roles in shaping Montenegro's environmental policies and addressing climate change challenges. This study aims to illuminate the dynamics of environmental governance within Montenegro's state administration, contributing to the country's path towards EU accession. The research findings highlight the critical need for Montenegro to prioritize strategic initiatives in personnel management, skill development, and institutional capacity-building within its environmental sector. The implications of this research extend beyond academia to inform policymaking and societal action, emphasizing the urgency for Montenegro to bolster its environmental sector capabilities, fostering both EU alignment and sustainable governance practices for the benefit of present and future generations.

Revascularization of the myocardium under conditions of extracorporeal circulation cause clinical problems related to the effects of the intervention itself on the immune system and inflammatory response, especially systemic inflammatory response (Engl. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, SIRS). This prospective study included 100 patients who underwent single, double and triple surgical revascularization of the myocardium, at the Clinic for Cardiac Surgery of CC Niš, in the period from January 15., 2020. until January 15., 2021. 22 female persons - 22.0% and 78 male persons - 78.0%) were included. Preoperatively, as well as 8 hours after the surgical intervention, the following parameters were determined for the subjects: blood count (erythrocyte count - Rbc, hemoglobin - Hgb, hematocrit - Hct, leukocyte count - Wbc, platelet count - Plt) and CRP, soluble CD14 molecule (sCD 14) - presepsin, levels of the following cytokines: TNFα, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 p70 and IFN γ. Patients in whom the extracorporeal circulation method was applied had, postoperatively, a higher concentration of CRP (p<0.001), as well as a concentration of presepsin (p<0.05) - a greater number of patients had a concentration of presepsin above the limit of 600 pg/ mL (p<0.01). Four patients out of 51 (7.84%) in the ECB group had elevated presepsin values over 1000 pg/ml and high risk according to clinical criteria for the development of systemic bacterial infection and sepsis. No such patients were recorded in the off pump group. Also, in the group where the extracorporeal blood flow system was applied, 17.64% of patients (9/51) met the clinical criteria for SIRS with elevated presepsin values over 600 pg/mL, while in the other group of patients, 2 out of 49 (4.08%) met the clinical criteria and laboratory criteria for SIRS. Except for TNFa, the levels of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 showed an increase after the intervention in all groups compared to the preoperative period (p<0.01). However, comparing the degree of cytokine increase in the postoperative period between the control (off pump) and the extracorporeal blood flow group did not show a statistical difference (IL-2; p=0.881, IL-1; p=0.709, IL-6; p=0.911, IL- 10, p=0.179). In the postoperative period, a higher incidence rate of SIRS was noted in patients in whom the ECB system was used, which also indicates its importance in the development of systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation.

In this study, we report the first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A H5N8, clade 2.3.4.4b in Kosovo on May 19, 2021. The outbreak consisted of three temporal phases: May–June 2021, September–November 2021, and January–May 2022. In total, 32 backyard and 10 commercial holdings tested positive for the virus, affecting 179,198 poultry. Interestingly, the third and last phase of the outbreak coincided with the massive H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b epidemic in Europe. Phylogenetic analyses of 28 viral strains from Kosovo revealed that they were closely related to the H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4.b viruses that have been circulating in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, and Russia in early 2021. Whole genome sequencing of the 25 and partial sequencing of 3 H5N8 viruses from Kosovo showed high nucleotide identity, forming a distinctive cluster and suggesting a single introduction. The results of the network analysis were in accordance with the three epidemic waves and suggested that the viral diffusion could have been caused by secondary spreads among farms and/or different introductions of the same virus from wild birds. The persistent circulation of the same virus over a one-year period highlights the potential risk of the virus becoming endemic, especially in settings with non-adequate biosecurity.

Foods are complex products consisting of various ingredients of diverse origins. Along the food supply chains, food products are prone to spoilage and safety issues, which could give rise to different health-related concerns and outcomes. Furthermore, the existing highly centralised food systems generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions and food waste. In order to strengthen the sustainable decentralised "farm-to-fork" food chains, a mindset shift supported by relevant education and policy initiatives is highly required. The ERASMUS+ KA220 project SafeFood4EU was conceived with a crucial mission- to develop an interdisciplinary and innovative toolbox of higher education and lifelong learning courses that reflect various aspects of sustainable agri-food systems. The thematic areas discussed within the SafeFood4EU project have covered food safety and supply chain management, sustainable food systems and design, food production and quality of raw materials, food authenticity and analysis, and digital and soft skills. The main objectives have been to develop a distinctive content package and make it available to the students via an e-learning management system. The project's results, aimed at creating a pool of young and capable experts, can significantly impact future food security, thereby increasing awareness about the future challenges regarding food systems transition, dietary shift and the next generation's food security.

The performance of tax administrations (TAs) is usually described as their capacity to complete activities with the minimum of resources engaged. Accordingly, tax administration performance is a multifaceted phenomenon, and measuring and benchmarking its performance against other countries or regions remains a puzzle for researchers and practitioners. This paper introduces a new approach for measuring tax administration performance using the Composite I-Distance Indicator based on 11 individual performance measures from 35 European tax administrations over two consecutive years (2018-2019). The findings highlight Denmark and the Netherlands as exemplary models for tax administration, with “Revenue Collection” being identified as a crucial driver of excellence and “Operational Performance” (such as “e-filing” and “on-time filing”) forming critical aspects of TA efficiency. This approach can be valuable for policymakers, public administration analysts, and other stakeholders interested in assessing tax administration efficiency across countries or similar problem areas requiring integrated performance indicators.

MCPH1, otherwise known as the microcephalin gene (*607117) and protein, is a basic regulator of chromosome condensation (BCRT-BRCA1 C-terminus). The Microcephalin protein is made up of three BCRT domains and conserved tandem repeats of interacting phospho-peptide. There is a strong connection between mutations of the MCPH1 and reduced brain growth. Specifically, individuals with such mutations have underdeveloped brains which means smaller size, varying levels of mental retardation, delayed speech and poor language skills, individuals with mild microcephaly and normal intelligence notwithstanding. In this case, a fetus with novel homozygous mutation of the MCPH1 gene ((c.348del)), whose parents were recessive heterozygous for (c.348del), displayed severe microcephaly at 22 weeks of gestation. Due to the effect on splice sites in introns, this mutation causes forming of dysfunctional proteins which lack crucial domains of the C-terminus. Our findings portray an association between the new MCPH1 mutation ((c.348del)) and the clinical features of autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) contributing to a broader spectrum related to these pathologies.

Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) acts during stress-responses, modulating mRNA translation and nutrient metabolism. Atxn2 knockout mice exhibit progressive obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. Conversely, the progressive ATXN2 gain-of-function due to polyGlutamine (polyQ) expansions leads to a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative process named spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), with early adipose tissue loss and late muscle atrophy. We tried to understand lipid dysregulation in a SCA2 patient brain and in an authentic mouse model. Thin layer chromatography of a patient cerebellum was compared to the lipid metabolome of Atxn2-CAG100-KnockIn (KIN) mouse spinocerebellar tissue. The human pathology caused deficits of sulfatide, galactosylceramide, cholesterol, C22/24-sphingomyelin and gangliosides GM1a/GD1b, despite quite normal levels of C18-sphingomyelin. Cerebellum and spinal cord from the KIN mouse showed a consistent decrease of various ceramides, with a significant elevation of sphingosine in the more severely affected spinal cord. Deficiency of C24/26-sphingomyelins contrasted with excess C18/20-sphingomyelin. Spinocerebellar expression profiling revealed consistent reductions of CERS protein isoforms, of Sptlc2 and Smpd3, but upregulation of Cers2 mRNA, as prominent anomalies in the ceramide-sphingosine metabolism. Reduction of Asah2 mRNA correlated to deficient S1P levels. In addition, downregulations for the elongase Elovl1, Elovl4, Elovl5 mRNAs and ELOVL4 protein explain the deficit of very-long-chain sphingomyelin. Reduced ASMase protein levels correlated to the accumulation of long-chain sphingomyelin. Overall, a deficit of myelin lipids was prominent in SCA2 nervous tissue at prefinal stage, not compensated by transcriptional adaptation of several metabolic enzymes. Myelination is controlled by mTORC1 signals, so our human and murine observations are in agreement with the known role of ATXN2 yeast, nematode and mouse orthologs as mTORC1 inhibitors and autophagy promoters.

The study of biologically active substances from natural sources shows the prospect of obtaining a new type of antimicrobial agents, highly effective against pathogenic microorganisms and non-toxic to humans. Our study reveals for the first time that Cornu aspersum mucus has the potential to act as a source of antibacterial agents against bacterial pathogens such as Bacillus cereus 1085, Propionibacterium acnes 1897, Salmonella enterica 8691, Enterococcus faecalis 3915, and Enterococcus faecium 8754. Both mucus fractions with MW<20 kDa and MW>20 kDa showed antimicrobial activity and antioxidant properties that’s why they can be turned into an alternative agent to expensive synthetic antibacterial compounds. Using de novo sequencing 16 novel peptides with potential antibacterial activity were identified by in a fraction with MW<20 kDa. The results of electrophoretic and proteomic analysis of mucus fraction with MW >20 kDa presented proteins with potential antibacterial activity highly homologous to hemocyanins, mucus protein Aspernin, lectins, L-amino acid oxidase-like protein, and mucins (mucin-5AC, mucin-5B, mucin-2 and mucin-17). Thanks to the synergistic action of the bioactive components, the mucus fraction with MW > 20 kDa in low concentrations per 8–2 µg/mL showed promising antimicrobial activity against the tested bacteria, comparable to Vancomycin and without unwanted cytotoxic effects against non-target cells. Additionally, C. aspersum mucus fractions were found to have a positive effect on eukaryotic organisms by reducing the levels of intracellular oxidative damage and increasing the antioxidant capacity of the cell. These findings could serve as a basis for the development of a potent non-cytotoxic antibacterial agent to replace conventional antibiotics and avoid the development of antibiotic resistance.

Skin inflammation associated with chronic diseases has the direct action of keratinocytes in its immunopathogenesis, leading to a series of immune responses. However, there are still no highly targeted treatments, and the development of more specific therapies is highly desirable. In the present work, nanocapsules containing quinizarin (QZ/NC) were developed, evaluating their act in a model of the keratinocytes inflammatory process in vitro with the action of Photodynamic Therapy, analyzing the permeation in a 3D skin model. Physicochemical, stability, cytotoxicity and permeation analyses of the nanomaterials were carried out. The nanocapsules showed desirable physicochemical characteristics and were stable during the analysis period, without spectroscopic modifications. The cell viability test carried out showed no cytotoxicity at the lowest QZ/NC concentrations. The permeation and cellular uptake studies showed the permeation of QZ/NC in 3D skin models and the intracellular incorporation and internalization of the drug, enhancing its action in the drug delivery technique. Promising results were presented using the model developed to induce the inflammatory process in vitro and applying the synthesized nanomaterial in conjunction with PDT, where a decrease in the levels of cytokines analyzed was observed, representing a possible new therapeutic approach for inflammatory skin diseases.

This comparative study aims to investigate environmental awareness, knowledge, and safety among students in Montenegro and North Macedonia, considering the unique socio-cultural and environmental contexts of both countries. A mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews was employed to gather data from students in educational institutions across Montenegro and North Macedonia. The study assessed various factors, including students' awareness of environmental issues, their perceived level of knowledge, and their attitudes towards safety measures. A comprehensive series of 400 face-to-face interviews was carried out and these interviews encompassed 200 students from Montenegro and an equal number from North Macedonia, taking place at two esteemed academic institutions: The University of Montenegro in Podgorica and The University of St. Clement of Ohrid, Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia. Our hypothetical conceptual framework proposes that a combination of variables, including gender (H1), age (H2), year of study (H3), and rate of study (H4), significantly influences the attitudes of students from Montenegro and North Macedonia towards environmental awareness, safety, and knowledge. Research findings indicate significant variations in environmental awareness and knowledge perception among students in the two countries. While both Montenegro and North Macedonia face environmental challenges, differences in educational systems and socio-economic factors contribute to distinct attitudes and behaviors towards environmental issues and safety practices. This study sheds light on the importance of understanding regional differences in environmental awareness and knowledge perception among students. By identifying areas of strength and areas needing improvement, policymakers and educators can develop targeted interventions to enhance environmental education and foster a culture of sustainability in both Montenegro and North Macedonia.

The treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is complex and impacted by the location of the primary tumor (LPT). Our study aims to emphasize the importance of LPT as a prognostic and predictive marker, as well as to examine the significance of HER2 overexpression in patients with mCRC, particularly in relation to response to anti-EGFR therapy. In this study, 181 patients with KRAS wild-type mCRC who received anti-EGFR therapy were included. Among them, 101 had left colon cancer (LCC) and 80 had right colon cancer (RCC). Results demonstrated that patients with KRAS wild-type LCC had better median overall survival (OS) (43 vs. 33 months, p = 0.005) and progression-free survival (PFS) (6 vs. 3 months, p &lt; 0.001) compared to those with RCC. Multivariate analysis identified mucinous adenocarcinoma (p &lt; 0.001), RCC location (p = 0.022), perineural invasions (p = 0.034), and tumors at the resection margin (p = 0.001) as independent predictors of OS, while mucinous adenocarcinoma (p = 0.001) and RCC location (p = 0.004) independently correlated with significantly shorter PFS. In addition, HER2 positive expression was significantly associated with worse PFS compared to HER2 negative results (p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, LPT is an important marker for predicting outcomes in the treatment of wild-type mCRC using anti-EGFR therapy, since patients with RCC have a statistically significantly shorter PFS and OS. Further investigation is needed to understand the role of HER2 overexpression in wild-type mCRC, as these patients also exhibit shorter survival.

Abstract: Background: The analysis of vitamins in baby food is a challenging task given the com-plexity of the food matrix, vitamin stability, and strict regulations of the European Union regarding permissible deviations from declared values. Vitamins in food exist in different concentrations and forms and have different stabilities, and it is not straightforward to prepare samples for reliable analysis using the same procedure. Therefore, significant attention has been devoted to optimizing sample preparation in the analysis of vitamins. Methods: This study aims to determine which of the seven applied extraction methods is the most efficient for the simultaneous extraction and deter-mination of A, D, E, and K vitamins in milk and baby food using high-performance liquid chro-matography (HPLC). Different samples of baby food were prepared in seven different ways based on four methods (saponification, enzymatic hydrolysis, solvent extraction, and solid-phase extrac-tion). Results and Conclusion: The best preparation method proved to be solid-phase extraction with a C18 stationary phase, and HPLC with a UV-VIS detector was identified as a sufficiently sensitive technique for the identification and quantification of fat-soluble vitamins in milk and baby food.

Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

In order to shorten the detection time and improve the average precision on embedded devices, A lightweight and high accuracy model is proposed for passion fruit in complex environments (backlight, occlusion, overlap, sunny, cloudy, rainy). Firstly, replacing the backbone network of YOLOv5 with a lightweight GhostNet model reduces the number of parameters and computation while improving detection speed. Secondly, a new feature branch is added to the GhostNet network, and the feature fusion layer in the neck network is reconstructed to effectively combine the lower-level and higher-level features, which not only improves the accuracy of the model but also maintains its lightweight. Finally, the knowledge distillation methods are used to transfer the knowledge from the more capable teacher model to the less capable student model, which significantly improving the detection accuracy. The improved model is denoted as G-YOLO-NK. The average accuracy of the G-YOLO-NK network is 96.00%, which is 1.00% higher than the original YOLOv5s model. Furthermore, the improved model size is 7.14MB, reduced to half of the original model, and the real-time detection frame rate is 11.25 FPS on the Jetson Nano. Compared to the state-of-the-art model, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of average precision and detection performance. The present work provides an effective model for real-time detection of passion fruits in complex orchard scenes, which can provide valuable technical support for the development of orchard picking robots and greatly improve the intelligence level of orchards.

The Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) scanner is an easy and portable Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data acquisition device. Its main output is a 3D point cloud covering the scanned scene. Regarding the importance of accuracy in the survey domain, this paper aims to assess the accuracy of two SLAM scanners: the NavVis VLX and the BLK2GO Scanner. This assessment is conducted for both outdoor and indoor environments. In this context, two types of reference data are used: the Total Station (TS) and the static scanner Z+F Imager 5016. To carry out the assessment, four comparisons are tested: cloud to cloud, cloud to mesh, mesh to mesh, and edge detection board assessment. However, the results of the assessments confirm that the accuracy of indoor SLAM scanner measurements (5 mm) is greater than that of outdoor ones (between 10 mm and 60 mm). Moreover, the comparison of cloud to cloud provides the best accuracy regarding direct accuracy measurement without manipulations. Finally, based on the high accuracy, scanning speed, flexibility, and the accuracy differences between tested cases, it is confirmed that SLAM scanners are effective tools for data acquisition.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

Cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in Croatia, are linked to the high prevalence of hypertension. Both are associated with high salt intake which was determined almost two decades ago when Croatian Action on Salt and Health (CRASH) was launched. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate salt, potassium, and iodine intake using 24-hour urine samples in a random sample of adult Croatian population, and to analyse trends in salt consumption after the CRASH has intensively started. Methods: In this national population-based EH-UH 2 study performed in 2018-2021 (participation rate 72 %) in which we analysed a single 24-hour urine sample, 1067 adult participants (mean age 57.12 (SD 13.9), men 35%) were included. Results: Mean salt and potassium intakes were 8.6 g/day (IQR 6.2-11.2) and 2.8 g/day (IQR 2.1-3.5), respectively, with sodium-to-potassium ratio of 2.6 (IQR 1.8-3.3). We detected a decrease of 17.6% (2 g/day less) in salt consumption compared to our previous salt-mapping study. However, only 13.7%, and 8.9 % met the WHO salt and potassium recommended target of 5 g/day, and 3.5 g/day, respectively. Salt intake was higher, and potassium ingestion was lower in rural vs. urban regions, and in continental vs. Mediterranean parts of Croatia. Moderate to severe iodine insufficiency was determined in only 3% adult participants. Conclusion: In the last fifteen years, salt consumption has been significantly reduced in Croatian adult population because of intensive and broad CRASH program led by the Croatian Society of Hypertension and the Croatian Hypertension League. However, salt intake is still too high, and potassium ingestion is too low. With expected more active engagement and help of the government, obtained results could be significantly improved. Salt reduction programs are most cost-effective methods of cardiovascular disease prevention and should be considered more seriously by the government and health policy makers.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Superior fiber quality is one of the most important objectives in cotton breeding. To detect the genetic basis underlying fiber quality, an F2 population containing 413 plants was constructed by crossing Jifeng 914 and Jifeng 173, both of which have superior fiber quality, with Jifeng 173 being better. Five fiber quality traits were investigated in the F2, F2:3, F2:4, and F2:5 populations. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted based on a high-density genetic map containing 11,488 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and spanning 4,202.12 cM in length. Transgressive segregation patterns and complex correlations in the five tested traits were observed. A total of 108 QTLs were found, including 27 for fiber length (FL), 16 for fiber strength (FS), 24 for micronaire (MC), 17 for fiber uniformity (FU), and 24 for fiber elongation rate (FE). Chromosome A7 contained 12 QTL, ranking the first. No QTL was found on chromosome D1 and D11. Each QTL contributed 1.98%–21.45% to the phenotypic variation (PV), including 13 major effect QTLs that contributed more than 10% toward PV. Two QTLs could be repeatedly detected in three populations, including qFL-D3-2 in F2, F2:4, and F2:5 with 9.18%–21.45% of PV, qFS-A11-1 in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 with 6.05%–10.41% of PV. Another seven stable QTLs could be detected in two populations, including four major effect QTLs: qFL-A12-3, qFS-D10-2, qMC-D6-2, and qMC-D8-1. Fourteen QTL-overlapping regions were found, which might explain the complex correlations among the five phenotypic traits. Four regions on chromosome A11, D3, D6, and D10 covered by both stable and major effect QTLs are promising for further fine mapping. The genomic regions of the two QTLs detected in three populations and the four major effect QTLs contain 810 genes. Gene functional analysis revealed that the annotated genes are mainly involved in protein binding and metabolic pathways. Fifteen candidate genes in the qFL-D3-2 region are highly expressed in fiber or ovules during fiber initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, or maturation stages. qRT-PCR revealed that Ghir_D03G005440.1 and Ghir_D03G011310.1 may play a role in promoting fiber initiation, Ghir_D03G006470.1 may be beneficial for promoting fiber elongation. This study provides more information for revealing the molecular genetic basis underlying cotton fiber quality.

Currently there are fewer depth models applied to pepper picking detection, while the existing generalized neural networks have problems such as large model parameters, long training time, and low model accuracy.In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Yolo-chili target detection algorithm for chili pepper detection. First, the classical target detection algorithm yolov5 is used as a benchmark model, and an adaptive spatial feature pyramid structure combining the attention mechanism and the idea of multi-scale prediction is introduced to improve the model's detection effect on occluded peppers and small target peppers. Secondly, a three-channel attention mechanism module is introduced to improve the algorithm's long-distance recognition ability and reduce the interference of redundant testers. Finally, the quantized pruning method is used to reduce the model parameters and realize the lightweight processing of the model. Applying the method to the homemade chili pepper dataset, the AP value of chili pepper reaches 93.11%; the accuracy rate is 93.51% and the recall rate is 92.55%.The experimental results show that yolo-chili is able to achieve accurate and real-time pepper detection under complex orchards.

The temporary immersion system bioreactor named GreenTray®[2], [3]presents advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, there is no need to use forceps to move the shoots or plantlets in or out of the recipient, neither the use of scalpel to divide them. Secondly, the basis of the shoot can remain in the GreenTray® and can sprout again in several cycles of growth. These two characteristics reduce the costs in the process of micropropagation. Besides, shoots or plantlets development is enhanced by the aeration of the recipient, thus enriching with CO2 the recipient atmosphere. The chapter describes and provides images and values of interest in (1) the micropropagation process of some commercial Prunus or Pyrus rootstocks; (2) the plantlet growth under autotrophic conditions; and (2) the inoculation of plants with pathogens that reproduce in vitro the symptoms observed in vivo, using the GreenTray® bioreactor.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

In this paper we study a class of impulsive delayed neural networks with parameter uncertainties and reaction-diffusion terms. Using the properties of M-matrices and some inequality techniques, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the global exponential stability of the given system. The results obtained are presented by simple algebraic inequalities, which are certainly more concise than previous methods. Finally, the validity and usefulness of our results are illustrated by arithmetic examples.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Pyrops candelaria is one of the common pests of fruit trees, but the research on the pathogenic microorganisms it may carry is very limited. Therefore, it is essential to reveal the pathogenic microbes it carries and their potential hazards. This study found a new virus from the transcriptome of P. candelaria, which was first reported in P. candelaria and named as PyCaV (Pyrops candelaria associated virus). RACE and bioinformatics assay revealed that the full-length of PyCaV is 10855 bp with the polyA tail, containing a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polyprotein consisting of 3171 amino acid (aa). The virus has a typical Iflavirus structure, including two rhv domains, a RNA helicase domain (HEL), a 3C cysteine protease domain (Pro), and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain (RdRp). Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus belongs to family Iflaviridae and sequence alignements analysis suggedted PyCaV is new member in unassigned genus of family Iflaviridae. Further in-depth analysis of virus-infection-part showed that PyCaV is distributing in the whole longan lanternfly, including its head, chest, and abdomen, but more PyCaV was identified in the chest. The distribution of PyCaV in different parts of P. candelaria was further explored, which showed that more PyCaV were detected in its piercing-sucking mouthparts and chest viscera. Statistical analysis showed that the PyCaV infection was affected by time and locations.

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

The paper describes the new method for image compression based on coordinated group signal transformation. The algorithm is a type of difference coding. Coordinated processing significantly simplifies the difference signal conversion scheme using a single group codec for all signals. The described method considers color channels as correlated signals of a multi-channel communication system. The specifics of the processed data required modification of the coordinated group processing algorithm. First, we changed how to calculate the difference signals to prevent data loss. Secondly, the group codec was supplemented with a neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images. We considered the following types of neural networks: fully connected, recurrent, convolution, and convolution in the Fourier space. Based on the simulation results, it is best to use fully connected neural networks if the goal is to minimize processing delay time. These networks have a response time of 13 ms. On the other hand, if the priority is to improve quality in cases where delays are not critical, then convolution neural networks in the Fourier space should be used. These networks have a response time of 140 ms and are of significant interest.

As the world population grows, fulfilling the need for biomaterials in the healthcare system becomes increasingly important. Biomaterials, which include metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites, play an important role in the creation of medical devices that improve people's lives. The European Society for Biomaterials described biomaterials as non-biological materials used in medical devices to interact with biological systems. This definition has developed to encompass materials that treat, assess, or replace tissues or bodily functions. Biocompatibility, as defined by the FDA, is a key feature of biomaterials, as is the requirement to fulfil design requirements such as mechanical performance, geometry, and electrical control. Over the last decade, advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have boosted biomaterials' usage in medical applications dramatically. Despite its promise, scientists, engineers, and physicians continue to face significant challenges due to the complexity of biomaterials. Biomaterials have various benefits, including biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, making them extremely useful for replacing, sustaining, or improving biological activities in damaged tissues. They are used in a wide range of applications, including tissue engineering implants, human tissue healing and regeneration, medication delivery systems, and biosensors. This study gives insights into the fundamental characteristics, case studies, and ethical issues associated with the usage and use of biomaterials, further examining their potential and significance in healthcare and medicine.

The studied solar pot is a recent invention, which gained a utility model protection in 2021 from the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office under patent number 5489. The device is made for environmentally friendly cooking or heating (by utilizing solar energy) of foods and liquids. Its structure is similar to a double pipe heat exchanger, it has an outer mantle and an inner cooking tank. The goals of the paper are proposing a new physically-based mathematical model describing the solar pot and carrying out computer experiments with it, assembling an experimental system of the pot connected with a solar collector and performing measurements on it. Based on the results, the solar pot can successfully be used for cooking or sterilizing foods or liquids during the studied time period, in Hungary.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

The wetlands in northeastern Bangladesh are home to some of the most prolific and valuable ecosystems on the planet, offering a wide range of benefits to both the local and wider communities. A limited number of research on this topic have been carried out in various wetlands in coastal hilsa, but none have been located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. Thus, the goal of this study was to better understand the most commercially relevant species (anadromous hilsa) in northeastern Bangladesh as well as to assess the wetland ecosystem services more thoroughly with the contribution of their fish genetic resources. In addition to laboratory studies, fieldwork was done in the fishing settlements along the Surma River, Hakaluki Haor, and Tanguar Haor. The study classified 77 fish species into 21 subcategories of ecosystem services, of which 56% were not threatened, 17% were vulnerable, and 10% were highly endangered. The species Hilsa was found to be the most economically significant, accounting for 1% of the GDP overall. The study determined if the hilsa stock of the examined wetlands maintains a single or several subpopulations in comparison to other parts of the country when they migrate from saline water to northeastern Bangladesh (freshwater). But when compared to other groups, the FST score was between 0.000 to 0.017, indicating that the populations are identical and that there is genetic material sharing between them. Additionally, these statistics imply that the Sylhet haor and adjacent river systems contain a single stock of Hilsa fish. Nevertheless, a number of stresses and risks, including overexploitation, illicit and destructive fishing, siltation, and natural disasters like flash floods, have been linked to changes in the supply of hilsa and other ecosystem services. This study also emphasizes the necessity of policy attention and research to address the concerns.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be a global threat due to its ability to evolve and generate new subvariants, leading to new waves of infection. Additionally, other coronaviruses like Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, formerly known as hCoV-EMC) which first emerged in 2012, persists and continues to present a threat of severe illness to humans. The continued identification of novel coronaviruses, coupled with the potential for genetic recombination between different strains, raises the possibility of new coronavirus clades of global concern emerging. As a result, there is a pressing need for pan-CoV therapeutic drugs and vaccines. After extensive optimization of an HCV protease inhibitor screening hit, a novel 3CLPro inhibitor (MK-7845) was discovered and subsequently profiled. MK-7845 exhibited nanomolar in vitro potency with broad spectrum activity against a panel of clinical SARS-CoV-2 subvariants and MERS-CoV. Furthermore, when administered orally, MK-7845 demonstrated a notable reduction of viral burdens by &gt;6 log orders in the lungs of transgenic mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 (K18-hACE2 mice) and MERS-CoV (K18-hDDP4 mice).

The continuous casting process of helical fiber reinforced metal matrix composites was proposed, and the experimental equipment was designed and manufactured. The relationship model be-tween the process parameters and the helical shape of the fibers in the metal matrix is analyzed by differential geometry. Helical carbon fiber reinforced lead matrix composites were prepared under different conditions. When the melting temperature and cooling intensity were increased, the helical radius of helical carbon fiber in lead matrix was increased. When the fiber rotation speed was increased, the helical radius was decreased, and the helical pitch was de-creased proportionally. The experimental results are consistent with the process model. Carbon fiber rein-forced aluminum composites were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the infiltration between the aluminum matrix and the carbon fiber was not complete. As the volume fraction of carbon fiber which was added in composites is too small, the mechanical properties of the composites have not been significantly improved.

This article presents an innovative approach to the design of a safe adaptive backstepping control system. Tailored specifically for underactuated marine robots, the system utilizes simple sensors for enhanced practicality and efficiency. Given their operation in diverse oceanic environments fraught with various sources of uncertainties, ensuring the system's safe and robust behavior holds paramount importance in the control literature. To address this concern, this paper introduces a control strategy designed to ensure robustness at both the kinematic and dynamic levels. By emphasizing the compensation for the system uncertainties, the design integrates a straightforward fuzzy system structure. To further ensure the system's safety, a funnel surface is defined, followed by the design of a suitable nonlinear sliding surface as a function of the funnel and tracking error. Specifically leveraging the Lyapunov function, the study formally establishes the Semi-globally Practically Finite-time Stability of the closed-loop system, validated through simulations conducted on underactuated marine robots.

Several types of guided bone regeneration materials are available with various properties and clinical indications. Among them, dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth is an excellent alternative to traditional graft materials, such as allografts and xenografts. Different clinical preparation protocols exist: block form versus powder form, demineralized versus non-demineralized form. Out of these methods, demineralization protocols for dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth have been noted for a wide range of successful clinical outcomes. The purpose of this animal study was to find out the most effective method of demineralizing dentin-derived matrix to result in the highest regenerative ability in the bone graft material in rabbit calvaria. The study conducted a comparative histomorphometric analysis of four groups in distinguished matrix conditions: a control group without graft placement, a non-demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, and a 30-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group. Regenerative processes were evaluated three times at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-graft placement. These groups of rabbits were evaluated randomly in a blinded setting to prevent bias. Among the four groups compared, the group with a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft showed the most efficient bone regeneration in the histomorphometric analysis. Based on this animal study, it was apparent that a 15-minute demineralization of dentin-derived matrix is the preferred preparation protocol to maximize the regenerative potential in the matrix.

Promoting green development has become an important way to optimize the ecological and economic structure and promote sustainable development. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important economic corridor in China, and it remains to be examined whether the implementation of environmental regulations has enhanced the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of cities. This paper calculates the green total factor productivity of 107 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt by using the super-efficient SBM model and the GML index with Chinese city panel data from 2007-2019 and measures the intensity of environmental regulations through textual analysis. The bidirectional fixed-effects model constructed in this paper suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP, which is confirmed by a series of robustness tests. Green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure play a mechanism role in this. In regions with lower levels of green technology and industrial structure, the inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and green total factor productivity is more significant. In addition, the phenomenon of GTFP rising and then falling because of environmental regulation is more obvious in cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and outside the urban agglomerations. Therefore, when formulating environmental regulation policies, it is necessary to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and harmonize the environment and economic development of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao, L.) represents an important market that gained relevance and became an esteemed commodity thanks to cocoa powder, chocolate, and other related products. This work has analyzed 59 cocoa powder samples from the European market. Three distinct subgroups were identified: organic or conventional, alkalized or not alkalized, and raw or roasted processing. The impact of the technological process was evaluated on the pH, color, and compositional traits, as content of biogenic amines and salsolinol. The phenolic fraction was also investigated trough both common and emerging methods. Results depict that the influence of the agronomical practices (organic/conventional) did not affect significatively (p&lt;0.05) the composition of cocoa powders; similarly, the roasting process was not discriminative for the compounds traced. On the other hand, the alkalinization process greatly impacted on color, and pH, no matter of cocoa provenience, obtention, or other processes, also resulting reducing the phenolic fraction of treated samples. Principal components analysis confirmed that the alkali process acts on pH, color, and phenolic composition, but not on other bioactives molecules (BAs and salsolinol). All samples resulted safe while alkalized powders have a great reduction in beneficial biocompounds. A novel strategy could be to emphasize non-alkalized powders in the label, to meet the demand for more beneficial products.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive malignancy, with mortality rates that reach 60%, mainly due to an excessive diagnostic delay. MiRNAs, a class of crucial epigenetic gene-expression regulators, have emerged as potential diagnostic biomarkers, with >200 molecules reported to be dysregulated in OSCC. We had previously established an in silico methodology for the identification of the most disease-specific molecules by bridging genetics and epigenetics. Here, we identified the stage-specific miRNAs that govern the asymptomatic early stages of oral tumorigenesis by exploiting the reverse interplay between miRNA-levels and their target-genes’ expression. Incorporating gene expression data from our group’s experimental hamster model of sequential oral oncogenesis, we bioinformatically detected the miRNAs that simultaneously target/regulate >75% of the genes that are characteristically upregulated or downregulated in the consecutive stages of hyperplasia, dysplasia and early-invasion OSCC, while exhibiting the opposite expressional dysregulation in OSCC-derived tissue and/or saliva specimens. We found that all stages share the downregulation of miR-34a-5p, miR124-3p, and miR-125b-5p, while miR-1-3p is underexpressed in dysplasia and early-invasion. Malignant early-invasion stage is distinguished by the downregulation of miR-147a and the overexpression of miR-155-5p, miR-423-3p and miR-34a-5p. The identification of stage-specific miRNA molecules may facilitate their utilization as biomarkers for presymptomatic OSCC diagnosis.

Estimating the ocean’s subsurface thermohaline information from satellite measurements is essential for understanding ocean dynamics and El Niño phenomenon. This paper proposes an improved double-output Residual Neural Network (DO-ResNet) model to concurrently estimate the ocean subsurface temperature (OST) and ocean subsurface salinity (OSS) in the tropical Western Pacific using multi-source remote sensing data, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface height anomaly(SSHA), sea surface wind (SSW), and geographical information (including longitude (LON) and latitude (LAT)). In the model experiment, Argo data were used to train and validate the model, and the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and coefficient of determination (R²) were employed to evaluate the model's performance. The results showed that the sea surface parameters selected in this study have a positive effect on the estimation process, and the average RMSE and R² values for estimating OST (OSS) by the proposed model are 0.34 °C (0.05 psu) and 0.91 (0.95), respectively. Under the data conditions considered in this study, DO-ResNet demonstrates superior performance relative to the extreme gradient boosting model, random forest model, and artificial neural network model. Additionally, this study evaluates the model’s accuracy by comparing its estimations of OST and OSS across different depths with Argo-derived data, demonstrating the model's ability to effectively capture the most spatial features, and by comparing NRMSE across different depths and seasons, the model displays strong seasonal adaptability. In conclusion, this research introduces a novel artificial intelligence technique for estimating OST and OSS in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean.