Shot peening has become a well-established technique for the introduction of beneficial compressive Residual Stresses (RS) into the near-surface layers of metallic materials for the purpose of preventing or suppressing fatigue crack nucleation and growth. Ti-alloys are widely used to fabricate compressor blades of aeroengines. Titanium blades that may be susceptible to different modes of damage under cyclic loading (high cycle fatigue, fretting fatigue) are often subjected to shot peening to extend their safe operating time. The control and monitoring of residual stresses in titanium blades is of great importance to assure the safety of aeroengines. The techniques for residual stress evaluation include mechanical methods (material removal) as well as physical methods such as X-ray diffraction. Perhaps the most common and practically accessible form of the latter is the method. Conventional laboratory X-ray diffractometers typically probe samples to the depths up to ~20 µm that correspond to 1x...5x the average grain size for typical metals and alloys. The limitations of the method have been identified and reviewed in the literature, motivating the use of other semi-destructive approaches to evaluate the residual stresses in deeper layers and at more sharply defined locations. In the present report we present a case study of the comparison between non-destructive and semi-destructive evaluation techniques, namely the X-ray diffraction method against the mechanical and FIB-DIC ring-core drilling applied to the samples of VT6 (Russian designation of Ti-6Al-4V) titanium alloy after shot peening with 1 mm steel balls. Mechanical drilling of circular holes of ~2 mm diameter with laser speckle interferometry monitoring of strains gives a rough spatial resolution of a few millimeters, while the Korsunsky FIB-DIC method of Ga-ion beam micro-ring core milling within FIB-SEM with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) deformation analysis delivers spatial resolution down to a few micrometers. Good agreement has been found between the X-ray and FIB-DIC estimates of RS variation profiles as a function of depth in shot peened titanium alloy samples. Some advances in the FIB-DIC method are presented and discussed in terms of the acceleration of data acquisition and interpretation.

COVID-19 pandemic provoked a number of restrictive measures, such as the closure or severe restriction of border transit for international trading traffic, quarantines and self-isolation. This caused a series of interrelated consequences that not only prevent or slow down the spread of disease, but also impact the medical systems’ capability to treat the patients and help their recovery. In particular, steeply growing demand for medical safety goods cannot be satisfied by regular suppliers due to the shortage of raw materials originating from other countries or remotely located national sources, under conditions of quarantined manpower. The current context inevitably brings back memories (and records!) of the situation 80 years ago, when WWII necessitated major effort directed at the rapid build-up of low cost mass production to satisfy all aspects of war-time need. In the present short report we document a successful case of fast mass-production of light transparent medical safety face shields (thousands per day) realized in Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) fabrication laboratory (FabLab). The demand for safety face shields by tens of hospitals in Moscow City and Region rapidly ramped up due to the need to protect medical staff during patient collection and transportation to hospitals, and within both the infected (“red”) and uninfected (“green”) zones. Materials selection for sterilizable transparent materials was conducted based on the analysis of merit indices, namely, minimal weight at given stiffness and minimal cost at given stiffness. Due to the need for permanent wear, design was motivated by low weight and comfortable head fixation, along with high production efficiency. The selection of minimal tooling in University fabrication workshops and the use of distributed volunteer labor are discussed.

A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are the proteinaceous aggregates formed by the amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) that is deposited inside the brain as amyloid plaques. The accumulation of aggregated Aβ may initiate or enhance pathologic processes in AD. According to the amyloid hypothesis any agent that has the capability to inhibit Aβ aggregation and/or destroy amyloid plaques represents a potential disease modifying drug. In 2023, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody (lecanemab) against the Aβ soluble protofibrils was approved by US FDA for AD therapy thus providing compelling support to the amyloid hypothesis. To acquire a deeper insight on the in vivo Aβ aggregation, various animal models, including aged herbivores and carnivores, non-human primates, transgenic rodents, fish and worms are widely exploited. This review is based on the recent data obtained using transgenic animal AD models and presents experimental verification of the critical role in Aβ aggregation seeding of the interactions between zinc ions, Aβ with the isomerized Asp7 (isoD7- Aβ) and the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

3D-printed aluminium alloy fabrications made by selective laser melting (SLM) offer a promising route for the production of small series of custom-designed heat exchangers with complex geometry and shape and miniature size. Alloy composition and printing parameters need to be optimized to mitigate fabrication defects (pores and microcracks) and enhance the part performance. The deformation response needs to be studied with adequate characterization techniques at relevant dimensional scale capturing the peculiarities of micro-mechanical behavior relevant to the particular article and specimen dimensions. Purposefully designed Al-Si-Mg 3D-printable RS-333 alloy was investigated with a number of microscopy techniques including in situ mechanical testing with a Deben Microtest 1 kN stage integrated and synchronized with Tescan Vega3 SEM to acquire high resolution image datasets for Digital Image Correlation (DIC) analysis. Dog bone specimens were 3D-printed in different orientation of gauge zone cross-section with respect to the fast laser beam scanning and growth directions. This corresponds to varying local conditions of metal solidification and cooling. Specimens show variation in mechanical properties, namely, Young’s modulus (65…78 GPa), yield stress (80–150 MPa), ultimate tensile strength (115–225 MPa) and elongation at break (0,75–1,4 %). Furthermore, the failure localization and character was altered with the change of gauge cross-section orientation. DIC analysis allowed correct strain evaluation that overcame the load frame compliance effect and helped to identify the unevenness of deformation distribution (plasticity waves) that ultimately resulted in exceptionally high strain localization near the ultimate failure crack position.

Epoxy matrix composites reinforced with high-performance fibers such as carbon, Kevlar, and glass, exhibit excellent specific stiffness and strength in many mechanical applications. However, these composites are disappointingly non-recyclable and are usually disposed of in landfill sites, with no realistic prospect for biodegradation in reasonable time. In contrast, moldable composites with carbonized elastomeric matrices developed in the last decades possess attractive mechanical properties in final net-shape products and can also be incinerated or recycled. Many carbon and inorganic fillers have recently been evaluated to adjust the properties of carbonized elastomeric composites. Renewable organic fillers such as human or animal hair offer an attractive fibrous material with substantial potential for reinforcing composites with elastomeric matrices. Samples of unidirectional fiber composites (with hair volume fraction up to 7 %) and quasi-isotropic short fiber composites (with hair volume fraction up to 20 %) of human hair-reinforced nitrile butadiene rubbers (HH-NBR) were produced in the peroxide-cured and carbonized states. The samples were characterized using SEM, Raman spectroscopy and photoacoustic microscopy. Mechanical tests were performed in tension using a miniature universal testing machine. The expected effect of fiber reinforcement on the overall mechanical performance has been demonstrated for both cured and carbonized composites. Considerable enhancement of the elastic modulus (up to 10 times), ultimate tensile strength (up to 3 times) and damage tolerance was achieved. The evidence of satisfactory interfacial bonding between hair and rubber was confirmed by SEM imaging of fracture surfaces. The suitability of photoacoustic microscopy was assessed for 3D reconstruction of the fiber sub-system spatial distribution and non-destructive testing.

The reported study was devoted to the investigation of viscoelastic behavior for solid and porous ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) under compression. The obtained experimental stress curves were interpreted using a two-term Prony series to represent the superposition of two coexisting activation processes corresponding to long molecular (~160 s) and short structural (~20 s) time scales, respectively, leading to good statistical correlation with the observations. In the case of porous polymer, the internal strain redistribution during relaxation was quantified using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) analysis. The strongly inhomogeneous deformation of the porous polymer was found not to affect the relaxation times. In order to generalize the results to three dimensions, X-ray tomography was used to examine the porous structure at the macro- and micro-scale levels. DIC analysis revealed positive correlation between the applied force and relative density. The apparent stiffness variation for UHMWPE foams with mixed open and closed cells was described using a newly proposed three-term expression. Furthermore, the in situ tensile loading and X-ray scattering study was applied for isotropic solid UHMWPE specimens to investigate their parameters of internal structure during orientation and stress relaxation process at another mode.

The carbonized elastomer-based composites (CECs) possess a number of attractive features in terms of thermomechanical and electromechanical performance, durability in aggressive media and facile net-shape formability, but their relatively low ductility and strength limit their suitability for structural engineering applications. Prospective applications such as structural elements of MEMS can be envisaged, since smaller principal dimensions reduce the susceptibility of components to residual stress accumulation during carbonization, and to brittle fracture in general. We report the results of operando in-SEM study of micro-deformation and fracture behavior of CECs based on NBR elastomeric matrices filled with carbon and silicon carbide. Nanostructured carbon composite materials were manufactured via compounding of elastomeric substance with carbon and SiC fillers using mixing rolling mill, vulcanization, and low-temperature carbonization. Double Edge Notched Tensile (DENT) specimens of vulcanized and carbonized elastomeric composites were subjected to in situ tensile testing in the chamber of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) Tescan Vega 3 using Deben Microtest 1 kN Tensile Stage. The series of acquired SEM images were analyzed by means of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) using Ncorr open source software to map the spatial distribution of strain. These maps were correlated with Finite Element Modelling (FEM) simulations to refine the values of elastic moduli. Besides, the elastic moduli were derived from unloading curve nanoindentation hardness measurements carried out using NanoScan-4D tester and interpreted using the Oliver-Pharr method. Carbonization causes significant increase of elastic moduli from 0.86 ± 0.07 to 14.12 ± 1.20 GPa for the composite with graphite and carbon black fillers. Nanoindentation measurements yield somewhat lower values, namely, 0.25 ± 0.02 GPa and 9.83 ± 1.10 GPa before and after carbonization respectively. The analysis of fractography images suggests that crack initiation, growth and propagation may occur both at the notch stress concentrator and relatively far from the notch. Possible causes of such response are discussed, namely, (1) residual stresses introduced by processing; (2) shape and size of fillers; and (3) the emanation and accumulation of gases in composites during carbonization.

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a thermoplastic high-performance polymer in high demand for biomedicine, ship and machine building, anthropomorphic robots and smart prostheses. Highly oriented UHMWPE fibers possess record specific strength and may also be used for the fabrication of self-reinforced PE-PE composites (SRPEC). The temperature evolution study of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) signature of the supramolecular structure of UHMWPE can help reveal their important role in the mechanism of the shape memory effect in SRPEC. The laboratory SAXS–WAXS beamline XEUSS 3.0 was used for in situ studies of the nanostructure parameters in unidirectional SRPEC. Namely, the radius of gyration and the dimensionality factor were extracted from 2D SAXS patterns using several fitting algorithms. Significant changes of these parameters occurred in temperature ranges that correspond to the initiation of the shape memory effect and melting. The relationship between the material anisotropy and 2D SAXS patterns are discussed in the context of the supramolecular structure evolution.

Recent years witnessed progressive broadening of the practical use of 3D-printed aluminium alloy parts, in particular for specific aerospace applications where weight saving is of great importance. Selective laser melting (SLM) is an intrinsically multi-parametric fabrication technology that offers multiple means of controlling mechanical properties (elastic moduli, yield strength, ductility) through the control over grains size, shape, and orientation. Ultimately, this approach implies that structural elements can be purposefully fabricated to reinforce specific zones and directions where higher mechanical loads are anticipated by design. Targeted control over mechanical properties is achieved through the tuning of 3D-printing parameters and may even obviate the need of heat treatment or mechanical post-processing. Systematic studies of grain structure for different printing orientation with the help of EBSD techniques in combination with mechanical testing at different dimensional levels are the necessary first steps to implement this agenda. Samples of 3D-printable Al-Mg-Si RS-333 alloy were fabricated in 3 orientations with respect to the principal build direction and the fast laser beam scanning direction. Sample structure and proper-ties were investigated using a number of techniques, including EBSD, in situ SEM tensile testing, roughness measurements and nanoindentation. The as-printed samples we found to display strong variation in Young’s modulus values from nanoindentation (from 43 to 66 GPa) and tensile tests (from 54 to 75 GPa), yield stress and ultimate tensile strength (100…195 and 130…220 MPa) in different printing orientations, and almost constant hardness of about 0.8 GPa. A further preliminary study was conducted of the effect of surface finishing on the mechanical performance. Surface polishing appears to reduce Young’s modulus and yield strength, but improves ductility, whereas the influence of sand blasting is more controversial. The experimental results are dis-cussed in connection with the grain morphology and orientation.

Porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a high performance bioinert polymer used in cranio-facial reconstructive surgery in procedures where relatively low mechanical stresses arise. As an alternative to much stiffer and costly polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) polymer, UHMWPE finds further wide application in hierarchically structured hybrids for advanced implants mimicking cartilage, cortical and trabecular bone tissues within a single component. The mechanical behaviour of open-cell UHMWPE sponges obtained through sacrificial desalination of hot compression-moulded UHMWPE-NaCl powder mixtures shows a complex dependence on the fabrication parameters and microstructural features. In particular, similarly to other porous media it displays significant inhomogeneity of strain that readily localises within deformation bands that govern the overall response. In this article, we report advances in the development of accurate experimental techniques for operando studies of the structure-performance relationship applied to the porous UHMWPE medium with pore sizes of about 250 µm that are most well-suited for live cell proliferation and fast vascularization of implants. Samples of UHMWPE sponges were subjected to in situ compression using a micromechanical testing device within Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) chamber, allowing the acquisition of high-resolution image sequences for Digital Image Correlation (DIC) analysis. Special masking and image processing algorithms were developed and applied to reveal the evolution of pore size and aspect ratio. Key structural evolution and deformation localisation phenomena were identified at both macro- and micro-structural levels in the elastic and plastic regimes. The motion of pore walls was quantitatively described, and the presence and influence of strain localisation zones were revealed and analysed using DIC technique.

The Malyy (Little) Murun massif of the Aldan Shield of the Siberian Craton has long been a kind of the geologists’ Siberian Mecca. It attracted thousands of geologists, prospectors and mineral collectors despite of its remote location. It is famous for a dozen of new and rare minerals, including gemstones charoite and dianite (the latter is the market name for strontian potassicrichrerite), as well as for specific alkaline igneous rocks. Despite of this, the age of the Malyy Murun igneous complex and associated metasomatic and hydrothermal mineral associations remained poorly constrained. In this paper, we provide extensive 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data to reveal its age and temporal history. It appeared that being unique in terms of rocks and constituent minerals, the Malyy Murun is one of multiple alkaline massifs and lavas emplaced in Early Cretaceous (~137-128 Ma) within a framework of extensional setting of the Aldan Shield and nearby Transbaikalian region. The extension has occurred 40-60 million years after the supposed closure of the Mongolia-Okhotsk Ocean and peak of orogeny in Early-Middle Jurassic.

This paper studies the influence of three probiotic preparations of various microbiological composition: Bacillus subtilis (O1); Bacillus subtilis + Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (O2); Lactobacil-lus acidophilus (O3) on the growth process and histological structure of the organs of the gastroin-testinal tract of juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss by morphometric parameters. The effect of the pro-biotic preparations led to the increase in fish growth and influenced different sections of the gastro-intestinal tract. The biggest change was found in the mid intestine and the reliable difference com-pared to the control was obtained at the following parameters: Lamina propria width, intraepithe-lial lymphocytes number of prismatic epithelium and goblet cells area. The changes in the pyloric appendages were less obvious but reported as playing an important functional role. The liver pre-served normal functional structure in all series of the experiment except for the probiotic group Lactobacillus acidophilus, where hepatocyte small-drop vacuolization was observed. That might be connected with the change of the digest activity resulting from a decrease in secretory activity of the intestinal exocrinocytes. The use of all the probiotic preparations led to the similar change in morphometric parameters, in all the groups it was possible to decrease the immune response.

SLM Additive Manufacturing has demonstrated great potential for aerospace applications when structural elements of individual design and/or complex shape need to be promptly supplied. 3D-printable AlSi10Mg (RS-300) alloy is widely used for the fabrication of different structures in aerospace industry. The importance of the evaluation of residual stresses that arise as a result of complex 3D-printing process thermal history is widely discussed in literature, but systematic assessment remains lacking for their magnitude, spatial distribution, and comparative analysis of different evaluation techniques. In this study we report the results of a systematic study of residual stresses in a 3D-printed double tower shaped samples using several approaches: the contour method, blind hole drilling laser speckle interferometry, X-ray diffraction, and Xe pFIB-DIC micro-ring-core milling analysis. We show that a high level of tensile and compressive residual stresses is inherited from SLM 3D-printing and retained for longer than 6 months. The stresses vary over a significant proportion of the material yield stress. All residual stress evaluation techniques considered returned comparable values of residual stresses even regardless of dramatically different dimensional scales from millimeters for the Contour Method down, laser speckle interferometry and XRD and down to small fractions of a mm (70 μm) for Xe pFIB-DIC ring-core drilling. The use of residual stress evaluation is discussed in the context of optimizing the printing strategy to enhance the mechanical performance and long-term durability.

Features of nanosecond discharge development in a non-uniform electric field are studied experimentally. High spatial resolution imaging showed that thin luminous tracks of great length with a cross-section of a few microns are observed against the background of discharge glow in air and argon. It has been established that the detected tracks are adjacent to brightly luminous white spots on the electrodes or to the vicinity of these spots, and are associated with the flight of small particles. It is shown that the traces have various shapes and change from pulse to pulse. The particle tracks may look like curvy or straight lines. In some photos, they can change the direction of movement to the opposite. The particle trace was found to abruptly cut off and a bright flash is visible at the trail break point. The color of the tracks differs from that of the spark leaders, while the bands of the second positive nitrogen system dominate in the gap spectra during the existence of a diffuse discharge. Areas of blue light are evident near the electrodes, as well. Development of glow in the gap during its breakdown is revealed using an ICCD camera. Physical reasons for the observed phenomena are discussed.

Epidemiological evidence points to an inverse association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and almost all cancers except melanoma, for which this association is positive. The results of many studies have found that patients with PD are at reduced risk of the majority of neoplasm occurrence and death. Several potential biological explanations exist for the inverse relationship between cancer and PD. Recent results identified several PD-associated proteins and factors mediating cancer development and cancer-associated factors affecting PD. Accumulating data points to the role of genetic traits, members of the synuclein family, neurotrophic factors, ubiquitin-proteasome system, circulating melatonin, and transcription factors as such mediators. We present recent data about shared pathogenetic factors and mediators that might be involved in the association between these two diseases. We also discuss how these factors, individually or in combination, may be involved in pathology, serve as links between PD and cancer, and affect the prevalence of these disorders. Identification of these factors and investigations of their mechanisms will lead to the discovery of new targets for the treatment of both diseases

We have revised the problem of the motion of a heavy symmetric top. When formulating equations of motion of the Lagrange top with the diagonal inertia tensor, the potential energy has more complicated form as compared with that assumed in the literature on dynamics of a rigid body. Using the Liouville's theorem, we solve the improved equations in quadratures and present the explicit expressions for the resulting elliptic integrals.

The Svenonius theorem establishes the correspondence between definability of relations in a countable structure and automorphism groups of these relations in the extension of the structure. This correspondence may help in finding the description of the definability lattice constituted by all definability spaces (reducts) of the original structure. However, the major difficulty here is the necessity to consider the extensions which generally are obscure and hardly amenable to classification. Because of that results on definability lattices were obtained only for $\omega$-categorical structures (i.\,e. those in which all elementary extensions are isomorphic to the structure itself). All known definability lattices for such structures proved to be finite. In this work we introduce the concept of upwards complete structure as such in which all its extensions are isomorphic. Further we define upwards completions structures. For such structures Galois correspondence between definability lattice and the lattice of closed supergroups of automorphism group of the structure is an anti-automorphism. These lattices could be infinite in general. We describe the natural class of structures which have upwards completion, that is discretely homogeneous graphs, present the explicit constrcution of their completion and automorphism groups of completions. We establish the general \emph{localness} property of discretely homogeneous graphs and present the examples of completable structures and their completions.

The central promise of personalized medicine is individualized treatments that target molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological changes and symptoms arising from disease. We demonstrate a bioinformatics analysis pipeline as a proof-of-principle to test the feasibility and practicality of comparative transcriptomics to classify two of the most popular in vivo diet-induced models of coronary atherosclerosis, apolipoprotein E null mice and New Zealand White rabbits. Transcriptomics analyses indicate the two models extensively share dysregulated genes albeit with some unique pathways. For instance, while both models have alterations in the mitochondrion, the biochemical pathway analysis revealed, Complex IV in the electron transfer chain is higher in mice, whereas the rest of the electron transfer chain components are higher in the rabbits. Several fatty acids anabolic pathways are expressed higher in mice, whereas fatty acids and lipids degradation pathways are higher in rabbits. This reflects the differences between two translational models of atherosclerosis. This study validates transcriptome analysis as a potential method to precisely identify altered cellular and molecular pathways in atherosclerotic disease, which can be used to individualize treatment even in the absence of genetic data.

this review summarizes current knowledge of the hydrogen sulfide role in cardiovascular system, the proposed mechanisms of its action and the prospects for its applicability in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Hydrogen sulfide was recently recognized as gasotransmitter – simple signaling molecule which freely penetrates the cell membrane and regulates a number of biological functions. In humans endogenous H2S is generated via enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways and its content varies in different tissues and is strictly regulated. In cardiovascular system H2S is produced by myocardial, vascular and blood cells and regulates a number of vital functions. Numerous experimental data prove that endogenously generated as well as exogenously administered H2S exerts a wide range of actions in cardiovascular system, including vasodilator/vasoconstrictor effects, regulation of blood pressure, pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects in the vascular smooth muscle cells, influence on angiogenesis and erythropoiesis, myocardial cytoprotection in ischemia-reperfusion injury, oxygen sensing, inhibition of platelet aggregation and blood coagulation, modification of erythrocyte microrheological properties (aggregability and deformability). Understanding of molecular mechanisms of H2S action and molecular crosstalk between H2S, NO, and CO is essential for the development of its diagnostic and therapeutic potential.

The rapid expansion of transcriptomics from increased affordability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies generates rocketing amounts of gene expression data across biology and medicine, and notably in cancer research. Concomitantly, many bioinformatics tools were developed to streamline gene expression analysis and quantification. We tested the concordance of NGS RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis outcomes between the two predominant programs for reads alignment, HISAT2 and STAR, and the two most popular programs for quantifying gene expression in NGS experiments, edgeR and DESeq2, using RNA-seq data from a series of breast cancer progression specimens, which include histologically confirmed normal, early neoplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ and infiltrating ductal carcinoma samples microdissected from formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) breast tissue blocks. We identified significant differences in aligners’ performance: HISAT2 was prone to misalign reads to retrogene genomic loci, STAR generated more precise alignments, especially for early neoplasia samples. edgeR and DESeq2 produced similar lists of differentially expressed genes in stage comparisons, with edgeR producing more conservative, though shorter, lists of genes. Albeit, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed no skewness in significant GO categories identified among differentially expressed genes by edgeR vs DESeq2. As transcriptome analysis of archived FFPE samples becomes a vanguard of precision medicine, identification and fine-tuning of bioinformatics tools becomes critical for clinical research. Our results indicate that STAR and edgeR are well-suited tools for differential gene expression analysis from FFPE samples.

The process of oxygenic photosynthesis is primarily driven by two multiprotein complexes known as photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). PSII facilitates the light–induced reactions of water–splitting and plastoquinone reduction, while PSI functions as the light–driven plastocyanin-ferredoxin oxidoreductase. In contrast to the highly conserved structure of PSII among all oxygen–evolving photosynthetic organisms, the structures of PSI exhibit remarkable variations, especially for photosynthetic organisms that grow in special environments. In this review, we make a concise overview of the recent investigations of PSI from photosynthetic microorganisms including prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae from the perspective of structural biology. All known PSI complexes contain a highly conserved heterodimeric core; however, their pigment compositions and peripheral light-harvesting proteins are substantially flexible. This structural plasticity of PSI reveals the dynamic adaptation to environmental changes for photosynthetic organisms.

Solar cosmic rays (SCR) are generated during the primordial energy release in solar flares. This explosive process takes place in the solar corona above the active region. It represents fast release of the magnetic field energy of the current sheet, which is formed near a singular magnetic field line. Solar cosmic rays appear as a result of acceleration of charged particles, mainly protons, by an inductive electric field in the current sheet, equal to the field E=V´B/c near the current sheet. To study the mechanism of solar flares and obtain conditions for stydy SCR acceleration it is necessary to carry out magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of a flare situation in the solar corona above a real active region. The methods of stabilization were developed which made it possible to solve partially the problem of numerical instabilities. MHD simulations showed complicated configuration near the singular line. Comparison of the results of MHD simulations with observations showed a general agreement of the positions of the current sheets with regions of intense flare radiation. However, there are some problems with the details of such coincidences. The results show the possibility of improving the methods of MHD simulation in order to solve the arisen problems.

Microalgae are naturally adapted to fluctuating availability of phosphorus (P) being capable to opportunistically uptake large amounts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and safely store it in the cell as polyphosphate. Hence, many microalgal species are remarkably resilient to high concentrations of external Pi. Here we report on an exception from this pattern comprised by a failure of the high Pi-resilience in a strain Micractinium simplicissimum IPPAS C-2056 normally coping with a very high Pi concentrations. This phenomenon occurred after abrupt re-supplementation of Pi to the M. simplicissimum culture pre-starved of P. This was the case even if Pi was re-supplemented in a concentration far below the level toxic to the P-sufficient culture. We hypothesize that this effect can be mediated by a rapid formation of the potentially toxic short-chain polyphosphate following the mass influx of Pi into the P-starved cell. A possible reason for this is that the preceding P starvation impairs the capacity of the cell of converting the newly absorbed Pi into a “safe” storage form of long-chain polyphosphate. We believe that findings of this study can help to avoid sudden culture crashes, they are also of potential significance for development of algae-based technologies for efficient bioremoval of P from P-rich waste streams.

Background Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) evolved into a major diagnostic marker in high grade ovarian cancer (HGOC) predicting the response to poly (Adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) and also platinum-based therapy. In addition to HRD, the type of peritoneal tumor spread influences treatment response and patient survival; miliary type tumor spread has poorer predicted outcome than non-miliary type tumor spread. Methods Known methods for HRD assessment were adapted for our technical requirements and the Predictive-value Integrated Genomic Instability Score (PIGIS) for HRD assessment evolved as an outcome. PIGIS was validated in HGOC samples from 122 patients. We used PIGIS to analyze whether the type of tumor spread correlated with HRD status and whether this had an impact on survival. Results We demonstrated that PIGIS can discriminate HRD positive from HRD negative samples. Tumors with miliary tumor spread are HRD negative and have a very bad prognosis with a progression free survival (PFS) of 15.6 months and an overall survival (OS) of 3.9 years. However, HRD negative non-miliary spreading tumors in our cohort had a much better prognosis (PFS 35.4 months, OS 8.9 years), similar to HRD positive tumors (PFS 34.7 months, OS 8.9 years). Conclusions Our results indicate that in a predominantly PARPi naïve cohort the type of tumor spread might be a better predictor of response to platinum sensitivity than HRD. It remains to be determined, whether this also applies for sensitivity to PARPi.

The terpolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) with acrylic acid and triethylene glycol methacrylate were synthesized with more than 90% yield by radical copolymerization in ethanol from monomeric mixtures of different composition (98 : 2 : 2, 95 : 5: 2 and 98 : 2: 5). Their physical and chemical characteristics such as monomer composition, absolute molecular masses and hy-drodynamic radii in aqueous media at different temperature were determined. The temperature effect on the behavior of terpolymers in water and aqueous saline buffer solution with pH 7.4 has been studied and the ability of a copolymer enriched with dimethacrylates units was discovered to respond to a temperature change in these media. On the basis of terpolymers and linear polyvi-nylpyrrolidone (PVP), polymer compositions of hydrophobic dye methyl pheophorbide a, MPP, that is fluorescent in the red region of the spectrum, were obtained; the sizes of the polymer nanostructures of MPP in water were determined. The structures based on terpolymers were demonstrated to be more stable than MPP-PVP ones. It was carried out the quantum-chemical modelling of the possible structures of MPP-copolymer that formed as a result of intermolecular interaction between MPP and terpolymer’s chains; the possibility of the formation of hydrogen bonds between the donors of the electrons of terpolymer units and the proton donors of the MPP molecule was shown. Using the MTT test, it was established that copolymers of various compositions are low toxic for non-tumor Vero cells and HeLa tumor cells. It was shown that the cytotoxicity of polymer particles loaded with MPP for FetMSC and HeLa cells increased. Using fluorescence microscopy, the accumulation and distribution of polymer particles in non-tumor (FetMSC) and tumor (HeLa) cells was studied and an increase in the accumulation of MPP with both types of particles was shown.

Design process can be divided into stages of analysis and synthesis. This paper presents the application of the object-oriented technique to the analysis as well as theoretical considerations concerning to design of gear size ranges. This analysis consists in decomposition of the designed artefact (a gear) according to the rule “from general to details view”. The basics of the object-oriented analysis were formulated. Furthermore, design phases and the objects related to theses phases were discussed. The following models have been considered: hierarchical model, entity-relationship model, data-flow model and object model. Analysis is additionally connected with interactions between particular design phases.

The radiation stability of polymer test objects fabricated by direct laser writing is studied. The two groups of 6 cubes (50×50×50 μm3) were printed on a common silicon substrate. 6 cubes were irradiated with X-rays in the synchrotron radiation beam (12 keV, 1010 photons/mm2/s), the other 6 kept non-irradiated for the reference. In each group, the fabrication parameters (laser power and slicing step) were uniformly varied from cube to cube. Each irradiated cube was exposed with the dose of 1013 X-ray photons. The calibration of this dose in the radiological units (Gy) was carried out using the tissue-equivalent thermoluminescent detectors (TLD-800). The corresponding exposition dose was estimated as 30 kGy for each cube. The radiation effects were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and by morphological changes observed with the raster electron microscope. The primary radiation effect appears in the essential increase of the polymerization degree with consuming carbon-carbon double bonds in favor of the polymer cross-linking. Only one cube of 6 has changed the size and shape due to this effect, while the others retained the initial shape. Morphological changes are connected with the improper fabrication parameters (laser power and slicing step). Properly fabricated objects withstand the X-rays of the synchrotron radiation beam.

Reflected light carries ample information about biochemical composition, tissue architecture, and physiological condition of plants. Recent technical progress brought about affordable imaging hyperspectrometers (IH) providing spatially resolved spectral data on plants. The extraction of sensible information from hyperspectral reflectance images is difficult due to inherent complexity of plant tissue and canopy optics, especially when recorded by IH under ambient sunlight. We aimed at obtaining a deeper insight into plant optics as perceived by IH since there is a high demand for algorithms for fruit harvesting and grading systems equipped with computer vision and robotic systems capable of working in orchard. We report on the characteristic changes in hyperspectral reflectance accompanying the accumulation of anthocyanins in healthy fruit, pigment breakdown during sunscald and phytopathogen attacks. The measurements made outdoors with a snapshot IH were compared with traditional “point” reflectance measured with a conventional spectrophotometer under controlled illumination conditions. Most of the spectral features and patterns of plant reflectance were evident in the IH-derived reflectance images. As a step forward, a novel index for highlighting tissue damages on the background of the anthocyanin absorption, BRI-M = (1/Rorange – 1/Rred + 1/RNIR), is suggested. Difficulties of the interpretation of fruit hyperspectral reflectance images recorded in situ are discussed with possible implications for plant physiology and precision horticulture practices.

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

The broad emission bump in the electromagnetic spectra observed following the detection of gravitational waves created during the kilonova event of merger of two neutron stars in August 2017, GW170817, has been linked to the heavy elements of lanthanides (Z=57-71), and a new understanding of creation of heavy elements in the r-process. The initial spectral emission bump has a wavelength range of 3000 - 7000 \AA, thus covering the region of ultraviolet (UV) to optical (O) wavelengths, and is similar to those seen for lanthanides. Most lanthanides have large number of closely lying energy levels which introduce extensive sets of radiative transitions which often form broad region of lines of significant strength. The current study explores these broad features through photoabsorption spectroscopy of 25 lanthanides ions, Ho I-III, Er I-IV, Tm I-V, Yb I-VI and Lu I-VII. With excitations only to a few orbitals up beyond the ground configurations, we find most of these ions cover large number of bound levels with open $4f$ orbital and produce tens to about hundred thousands lines that may form one or multiple broad features in X-ray to UV, O, and infrared (IR) regions. Spectrum of each of 25 ions is presented indicating presence, shape and wavelength region of the features. Accuracy of atomic data to interpret the merger spectra has been a outstanding problem. The present study aims at providing improved atomic data for energies and transition parameters obtained using relativistic Breit-Pauli approximation implemented in the atomic structure code SUPERSTRUCTURE. The present data have been benchmarked with available experimental data for energies and transition parameters. The study finds that number of ions under the present study are possible contributors of the emission bump of GW170817. All atomic data will be made available online at NORAD-Atomic-Data database.

Groove pancreatitis represents a chronic focal form of pancreatitis affecting the zone between the pancreatic head and the duodenal „C” loop, known as the groove area. This is a rare condition that affects the pancreatic periampullary part, including the duodenum and the common bile duct, associated usually with long-term alcohol and tobacco misuse and being more frequent in men than in women. The most common clinical symptoms of groove pancreatitis include weight loss, acute abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice. This report is about a 66 year old woman with a history of heavy smoking, presenting with weight loss, nausea, and upper abdominal pain. Contrast enhanced computed tomography revealed the existence of a chronic pancreatitis as well as the dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, a cyst of the pancreatic head and enlargement of the biliary tract. Conservatory treatment was initiated but with no improvement of symptoms. Since there was no indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, we decided to perform a pancreatoduodenectomy, as surgery appears to be the single effective treatment.

To make wind power more competitive, it is necessary to reduce turbine downtime and reduce costs associated with wind turbine Operation and Maintenance (O&M). Incorporating machine learning in developing condition-based predictive maintenance methodologies for wind turbines can enhance their efficiency and reliability. This paper presents a monitoring method that utilizes Base Density for the Support Vector Machine (BDSVM) and the evolutionary Fourier spectra of vibrations. This method allows smart monitoring of the function evolution of the turbine. A complex optimal function (FO) for 5-degree order has been developed that will be the boundary function of the BDSVM to timely determine the magnitude, frequency, and place of the failure occurring in wind turbine drive.

Background: Endovascular treatment of popliteal aneurysms (PA) has increased in the last few years, quickly becoming the main treatment in many vascular centers, based on the acceptable and promising outcomes reported in the literature. However, endograft infections are the most dangerous complication as a serious local compromise and usually require open surgical conversion and device explantation to preserve the affected extremity. Case report: We reported two patients admitted to the emergency room for pain and edema in the lower leg. Both patients have undergone exclusion of ruptured PA a few years before by endovascular graft. CTA showed a significant volume of fluid-corpuscular collection related to perianeurysmal abscess collection in both cases. Blood cultures and drained material cultures were positive for Staphylococcus Capitis in the first case and S. Aureus in the second. The antibiotics prophylaxis was performed for 10 days, then, patients underwent an open surgical conversion with a complete explantation of endovascular material and a femoro-popliteal bypass using an autologous vein in the first case and biological bovine pericardium prosthesis in the other case. Furthermore, we have questioned the literature and found eight more cases described in case report article referred to popliteal graft infections by different microorganisms, mostly presenting acute limb ischemia as the first symptom and suggesting endograft explantation with open conversion and autologous vein bypass as the commonest therapeutic choice. Conclusions: Open surgical conversion of popliteal endograft infection is the best strategy to manage peripheral infection of the popliteal stent.

Despite prophylaxis and attempts to select a therapy, the frequency of preeclampsia does not decrease, and it still takes the leading position in the structure of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide. In this review, we present a new theory of the etiology and pathogenesis of preeclampsia which is based on the interaction of Na/K-ATPase and its endogenous ligands including marinobufagenin. The signaling pathway of marinobufagenin involves an inhibition of transcriptional factor Fli1, a negative regulator of collagen synthesis, followed by deposition of collagen in the vascular tissues and altered vascular functions. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo neutralization of marinobufagenin is associated with restoration of Fli1. The inverse relationship between marinobufagenin and Fli1 opens new possibilities in the treatment of cancer: since Fli1 is a proto-oncogene, a hypothesis on suppression of Fli1 by cardiotonic steroids as potential anti-tumor therapeutic strategy is discussed as well. We propose a novel therapy of preeclampsia which is based on immunoneutralization of the marinobufagenin by monoclonal antibodies, which is capable to impair marinobufagenin-Na/K-ATPase interactions.

The article presents several innovative systems developed through student laboratory projects, including two autonomous vehicles, a four-legged walking robot, an active ankle-foot orthosis, a ball on beam balancing mechanism, a ball on plate system, and a manipulator arm—all powered by pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). Fluidic muscles offer significant potential in various mechatronic systems, robots, and manipulators due to their flexible, lightweight nature and compliance. Their ability to produce smooth and adaptable motions is particularly beneficial in applications requiring natural and human-like movement, such as rehabilitation and assistive devices. Although PAMs powered control systems face challenges with nonlinear phenomena, their biologically inspired design holds promise for future applications across various industries. These may include innovative applicability in industrial, automotive, and aerospace sectors, as well as use in sports, medical aids, entertainment, and animatronics. Incorporating self-made laboratory systems actuated by PAMs into control systems education offers a comprehensive learning opportunity that combines theoretical concepts with hands-on experience. This approach develops the necessary skills of future engineers, expanding their understanding of technical principles and preparing them for future challenges in engineering practice.

In 2020, the Covid-19 outbreak led many countries across the globe to introduce lockdowns (LDs) that effectively caused most anthropic activities to either stop completely or be significantly reduced. In Europe, Italy played a pioneeristic role via the early introduction of a strict nationwide LD on March 9^th. This study is aimed at evaluating, using both chemical and meteorological data, the environmental response to that occurrence as observed by the Lamezia Terme (LMT) GAW/WMO station in Calabria, Southern Italy. The first 2020 lockdown has therefore been used as a “proving ground” to assess CO, CO₂, CH₄, BC, and NO_x concentrations in a rather unique context by exploiting the location of LMT in the context of the Mediterranean Basin. In fact, its location on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria and local wind circulation both lead to daily cycles where western-seaside winds depleted in anthropogenic pollutants can be easily differentiated from northeastern-continental winds, enriched in anthropogenic outputs. In addition to that, the first Italian LD occurred during the seasonal transition from Winter to Spring and, consequently, Summer, thus providing new insights on emission outputs correlated with seasons. Findings have clearly indicated BC and, in particular, CO as strongly correlated with average daily temperatures, and possibly domestic heating. CO₂’s reduction during the lockdown and consequent increase in the post-lockdown period, combined with wind data, has allowed to constrain local source of emissions located northeast from LMT. NO_x reductions during specific circumstances are consistent with hypotheses from previous research which linked them to rush hour traffic and other forms of transportation emissions. CH₄’s stable patterns are consistent with livestock, landfills, and other sources assumed to be nearly constant during LD periods.

This research aims to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods, specifically Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), to design an optimal control strategy for a multivariable control plant. Two specific industrial control approaches are investigated: I-PD (Integral-Proportional Derivative) and PI-D (Proportional-Integral Derivative) control. The motivation for using these variations of PID controllers is that they are functionally implemented in modern industrial controllers, where they provide precise process control. The research results in a novel solution to the control synthesis problem for the industrial system. In particular, the research deals with the synthesis of I-P control for a two-loop system in the technological process of a distillation column. This synthesis is carried out using the AIS algorithm, which is the first application of this technique in this specific context. Methodological approaches are proposed to improve the performance of industrial multivariable control systems by effectively using optimization algorithms and establishing modified quality criteria. The numerical performance index ISE justifies the effectiveness of the AIS-based controllers in comparison with conventional PID controllers (ISE₁ = 1.865, ISE₂ = 1.56). The problem of synthesis of the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) control system is solved, considering the interconnections due to the decoupling procedure.

Ground penetrating radar (georadar, GPR), widely used in geology, archeology and road construction, is an efficient tool for searching and studying subsurface objects and structures. When planning GPR missions, it is necessary to predict the resolution of the device and the achievable probing depth. The article discusses the methods and results of assessing these characteristics of the Loza-V and Loza-N radars obtained in the course of archaeological and geographical expedition works.

High hopes were associated with the new anti-angiogenic medicament, bevacizumab, which due to the possibility of binding to isoform A of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), inhibited the creation of new blood vessels. However, not only blood vessels are responsible for the tumor cells' spread. During the process of tumor growth, lymphangiogenesis is mediated by other isoforms of the VEGF family, specifically VEGF-C and VEGF-D, which are independent of the bevacizumab action. Therefore, based on the mechanism of bevacizumab action and the processes of angio- and lymphangiogenesis, we formed three hypotheses: 1) if the lymph nodes in the primary ovarian cancers are metastatic, the outcome of bevacizumab treatment is worsened; 2) concerning the second-line treatment, bevacizumab will act in a weakened manner if the recurrence occurs in lymph nodes compared to local recurrences; 3) patients treated by bevacizumab are more likely to have recurrences in lymph nodes. These hypotheses raise the issue of the existing gap of knowledge, which concerns the effect of bevacizumab on the metastatic lymph nodes.

Dormancy is a physiological state that confers winter hardiness to and orchestrates phenological phase progression in temperate perennial plants. Weather fluctuations caused by climate change increasingly disturb dormancy onset and release in many plant species including tree crops leading to aberrant growth, flowering, and fruiting. Currently, research in this field is impeded by the lack of affordable non-invasive methods for on-line monitoring of dormancy. We report on an automatic framework for low-cost, long-term, and scalable dormancy studies in deciduous plants. The proposed method is based on continuous near-field sensing of the photosynthetic activity of shoots via pulse-amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorescence sensors connected remotely to a data processing system. The resulting high-resolution time series of JIP-test parameters indicative of the responsiveness of the photosynthetic apparatus to environmental stimuli are subjected to frequency-domain analysis. The proposed approach allows to overcome the variance coming from diurnal changes of insolation and to derive estimations on the depth of dormancy. Our approach was validated over three seasons in an experimental apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) orchard by collating the non-invasive estimations with the results of traditional methods (growing of the cuttings obtained from the tress at different phases of dormancy) and the output of commonly used chilling requirement models. We discuss the advantages of the proposed monitoring framework such as prompt detection of freeze damages along with its potential limitations.

This study presents the development of a diglycidyl monomer containing two imine groups that can act as dynamic and reversible bonds. During the curing of the monomer with two different amine hardeners, we confirmed the formation of new imine groups due to the transamination reaction, not reported before, between the imine groups of the diepoxy monomer with the amine groups of the hardener. The effect of this structural change is observed for the first time in the stress relaxation behavior, resulting in the overlapping of two different relaxation modes. The analytical modelling could extract two distinct characteristic relaxation times using a double-element Maxwell model. A second characterization of the stress relaxation process by frequency sweep experiments was performed to corroborate the results obtained, confirming speedy stress relaxation. Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis was performed on the studied materials, demonstrating the complete degradation of the network. We finally confirmed that the synthesized diepoxy compound is suitable for preparing carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials, demonstrating easy fiber impregnation, fast reshaping and especially a total degradation of the polymer matrix that allows the recovery of the carbon fibers in mild conditions. This epoxy-amine system is an excellent candidate for overcoming the traditional limits of thermosets in preparing fiber-reinforced composites.

The serendipitous discovery of antiparasitic drugs, such as quinine and artemisinin from plant origin reveals that the search for new chemical pharmacophores from medicinal plants is valuable. The present study sought to explore the antiplasmodial, antileishmanial, and antitrypanosomal activities of extracts from Lippia adoensis. Crude extracts of L. adoensis leaves and twigs, which were obtained by extraction using 70% ethanol in water, were assayed for antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum 3D7 and Dd2 through the SYBR green I-based fluorescence assay; and for antileishmanial, antitrypanosomal, and cytotoxic effects on Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and Vero cells, respectively, using the resazurin colorimetric assays. The phytochemical analysis of the extracts was performed using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) feature-based detection and molecular networking flow on Global Natural Product Social (GNPS). As a result, the crude extracts from L. adoensis inhibited growth of P. falciparum (3D7 and Dd2) (IC50s; (3D7): 10.008 and 97.467 μg/mL; (Dd2): 29.48 and 26.96 μg/mL), L. Donovani (IC50s: 22.879-10.522 μg/mL), and T. brucei brucei (IC50s: 2.3085-55.06 μg/mL). The extracts were found to be non-cytotoxic to Vero cells, thus yielding median cytotoxic concentrations (CC50s) above 100 μg/mL. The LC-MS tandem molecular networking flow predicted that the extracts contain valsafungin A and bacillamidin on the first cluster, and fatty acids, ketone and aldehyde derivatives on the second cluster. Overall, the present study demonstrated the antiparasitic effects of L. adoensis extracts, thus justifying the use of this plant in the traditional treatment of fever and malaria conditions. Nevertheless, detailed metabolomic studies and antiparasitic mechanisms of action of the extracts are expected to unveil the potential antiparasitic hit compounds.

Due to its high short-term global warming potential (GWP) compared to carbon dioxide, methane (CH₄) is a considerable agent of climate change. This research is aimed at analyzing data on methane gathered at the GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch) station of Lamezia Terme (Calabria, Southern Italy) spanning seven years of continuous measurements (2016-2022) and integrating the results with key meteorological data. Compared to previous studies on detected methane mole fractions at the same station, daily-to-yearly patterns have become more prominent thanks to the analysis of a much larger data set. Overall, the yearly increase of methane at the Lamezia Terme station is in general agreement with global measurements by NOAA, though local peaks are present, and an increase linked to Covid-19 is identified. Seasonal changes and trends have proved to be fully cyclic, with the daily cycles being largely driven by local wind circulation patterns and synoptic features. Outbreak events have been statistically evaluated depending on their weekday of occurrence to test possible correlations with anthropic activities. A cross analysis between methane peaks and specific wind directions has also proved that local sources may be deemed responsible for the highest mole fractions.

In magneto-photoluminescence (magneto-PL) spectra of quasi-two dimensional islands (quantum dots) having seven electrons and Wigner-Seitz radius rs~1.5, we revealed a suppression of magnetic field (B) dispersion, paramagnetic shifts and jumps of the energy of the emission components for filling factors >1 (B<10 T). Additionally, we observed B-hysteresis of the jumps and a dependence of all these anomalous features on rs. Using a theoretical description of the magneto-PL spectra and an analysis of the electronic structure of these dots based on the single-particle Fock-Darwin spectrum and many-particle configuration-interaction calculations, we show that these observations can be described by the rs-dependent formation of the anyon (magneto-electron) composites (ACs) involving single-particle states having non-zero angular momentum and that the anyon states observed involve Majorana modes (MMs), including zero-B modes having equal number of vortexes and anti-vortexes, which can be considered as Majorana anyons. We show that the paramagnetic shift corresponds to a destruction of the equilibrium self-formed ~5/2 AC by the external magnetic field and that the jumps and their hysteresis can be described in terms of Majorana qubit states controlled by B and rs. Our results show a critical role of quantum confinement in the formation of magneto-electrons and implies the liquid-crystal nature of fractional quantum Hall effect states, Majorana anyon origin of the states having even , i.e., composite fermions, which provide new opportunities for topological quantum computing.

The key towards a sustainable future is the reduction of mankind’s impact on natural systems via the development of new technologies and the improvement of source apportionment. Though days, years and seasons are arbitrarily set, their mechanisms are based on natural cycles driven by Earth’s orbital periods. This is not the case for weeks, which are a pure anthropic category and are known from literature to influence emission cycles. For the first time since it started data gathering operations, CO (carbon monoxide), CO₂ (carbon dioxide), CH₄ (methane) and eBC (equivalent black carbon) values detected by the Lamezia Terme WMO/GAW station in Calabria, Southern Italy have been evaluated via a two-pronged approach accounting for weekly variations in absolute concentrations, as well as the number of hourly averages exceeding select thresholds. The analyses were performed on seven continuous years of measurements, from 2016 to 2022. Moreso, the two results have been combined into a new parameter: the hereby defined WDWO (Weighed Distribution of Weekly Outbreaks) normalizes weekly trends of CO, CO₂, CH₄ and eBC on an absolute scale as percentages, with the scope of providing regulators and researchers alike with a new tool meant to better evaluate anthropogenic pollution and mitigate its effects.

I review the solution of QCD in two spacetime dimensions. Following the analysis of Baluni, for a single flavor the model can be analyzed using Abelian bosonization. The theory can be analyzed in strong coupling, when the quarks are much lighter than the gauge coupling. In this limit, the theory is given by a Luttinger liquid.

This paper deals with bistatic subsurface probing of a horizontally layered dielectric half-space by means of ultra-wideband electromagnetic pulses. A receiver collects reflections from the air-ground interface and from the gradients of dielectric permittivity in the half-space. This scenario is of interest for ground penetrating radar (GPR) applications. For the analytical description of the received signal, we developed and implemented a novel time-domain version of the coupled-wave Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin approximation. Our solution is in very good agreement with finite-difference time-domain results, radically accelerates calculations, and effectively accounts for the protracted return signals observed in the lower part of the GPR spectrum. The paper includes results showing the application of the proposed technique to two case studies: in particular, the method was employed for the post-processing of experimental radargrams collected on Lake Chebarkul, in Russia, and to simulate GPR probing of the Moon surface, to detect smooth gradients of the dielectric permittivity in lunar regolith.

The study aimed to identify clinical pharmacology patterns of prescribed and taken medications in older cardiovascular patients using electronic health records (EHRs) (n = 704) (2019–2022). Medscape Drug Interaction Checker was used to identify pairwise drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Prevalence rates of DDIs were 73.5% and 68.5% among taken and prescribed drugs, respectively. However, total number of DDIs was significantly higher among prescribed medications compared with the list of taken drugs (p < 0.05). Serious DDIs comprised 16% and 7% of all DDIs among prescribed and taken medications, correspondingly (p < 0.05). Median DDI numbers between prescribed versus taken medications were Me = 2, IQR 0-7 and Me = 3, IQR 0-7 per record, respectively. Prevalence of polypharmacy was significantly higher among prescribed medications compared with taken medications (p < 0.05). Women were taking significantly more drugs and had higher rates of polypharmacy and DDIs (p < 0.05). No sex-related differences were observed in the list of prescribed medications. ICD code U07.1 (COVID-19, virus identified) was associated with the highest median DDI number per record. Further research is warranted to improve EHR structure, patient engagement in reporting adverse drug reactions, and genetic profiling of patients to avoid potentially serious DDIs.

Diarrhea remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, especially among children. Recent epidemiological studies conducted in developing countries identified Shigella species as the most predominant pathogenic bacteria responsible for diarrhea. Antimicrobial therapy is necessary for Shigella infections; however, the rapid emergence of resistance against existing antimicrobials in Shigella spp. poses a serious global health problem. To identify alternative antimicrobial compounds with activity against Shigella species, the pathogens responsible for bacterial diarrhea. In this study, we have applied antibacterial phenotypic screening to identify potent anti-Shigella compounds across a broad chemical diversity, including selected acetaminophen derivatives containing benzothiazoles backbone, and their combination with certain antibiotics. In continuation to our effort in searching potent antimicrobial compounds, we have found this time around that two acetaminophen derivatives containing benzothiazoles backbone (4a and 4b) could inhibit the growth of Shigella flexneri with common MIC value of 12.5 µg/ml. These compounds were established through a time-kill kinetics’ study to be bactericidal. Meanwhile, the 2-aminobenzothiazoles (1a and 1b) used for the synthesis of compounds 4 (a & b) were found to be poorly active (MIC: 100 µg/ml) against this pathogen. Combination studies of 4a and 4b with the least susceptible antibiotics (ceftriaxone and cotrimoxazole) demonstrated synergistic anti-Shigella activity. The present study demonstrates that the azobenzothiazole dyes 4 (a & b) can be repurposed as potential anti-Shigella compounds, which can serve as scaffolds for the development of new agents against infectious diarrhea caused by Shigella and other enteric pathogens, especially in developing countries.

Nocardia is an emerging bacterial disease that often affects patients with compromised immune systems. As survival increases, more and more patients are receiving solid organ transplantations, and more patients are cancer survivors and receiving long-term immune system modifying agents or corticotherapy and immunosuppressive agents, organisms that are not harmful in usual circumstances become a public health problem. Carbapenems are usually a second-line therapy in the setting of Nocardia infections. We present the case of a patient who had an immunocompromised status and was diagnosed with Nocardia farcinica, which showed in vitro resistance to carbapenems. The symptoms were non-specific and had a common presentation, although the infection was disseminated and had severe CNS and ocular involvement. The clinical course was more severe when the carbapenem was withdrawn based on the provided antibiogram and markedly improved when clinical judgment considered it might be beneficial. The first case in our region to describe an „in vitro” carbapenem-resistant Nocardia species, that responded „in vivo” differently and we believe it is important to remind clinicians of this potentially severe disease in difficult cases.

The study of the impact of polyQ expansion driven proteotoxicity on cell metabolism has evi-denced NAD molecule as a central player in regulating metabolic response and cell repair in neurodegeneration. The decline in NAD intracellular levels represents a hallmark of ageing aris-ing from a dysregulation between NAD-consuming and biosynthetic enzymatic reactions in which NMNAT plays a key role. By an integrated bioanalytical and proteomic experimental design, the derangement of NAD metabolism deriving from the accumulation of polyQ-Htt protein has been analysed in Saccha-romices cerevisiae harbouring a 103Q-Htt and compared with wild-type Htt, in absence and in presence of a phenolic extract from EVOO, as a source of antioxidant bioactive compounds. Quantification of NAD and its precursors and proteomic analysis of the differential protein ex-pression has been performed by LC-DAD-MS. Chronological lifespan and NAD homeostasis was strongly impaired by proteotoxic polyQ-Htt, eliciting a depletion of NAD levels and accumulation of NaMN. In parallel a downregulation of Sirt2 expression levels has been observed. Phenolic extract administration had no meaningful ef-fects on NAD replenishment to prevent proteotoxicity. NaMN can represent a biomarker of accel-erated aging, and/or a signaling molecule for cell repair.

Continuous casting is the most common method for producing steel into semi-finished shapes like billets or slabs. Throughout this process, steel experiences mechanical and thermal stresses, which influence its mechanical properties. During continuous casting, decreased formability in steel components leads to crack formation and failure. One reason for this phenomenon is the appearance of the soft ferrite phase during cooling. However, it is unclear under which conditions this ferrite is detrimental to the formability. In the present research, we investigated what microstructural changes decrease the formability of microalloyed steels during continuous casting. We studied the hot compression behaviour of microalloyed steel over temperatures ranging from 650 °C to 1100 °C and strain rates of 0.1 s-1 to 0.001 s-1 using a Gleeble 3800® device. We examined microstructural changes at various deformation conditions using microscopy. Furthermore, we implemented a physically-based model to describe the deformation of austenite and ferrite. The model describes the work hardening and dynamic restoration mechanisms, i.e., discontinuous dynamic recrystallisation (dDRX) in austenite and dynamic recovery (DRV) in ferrite and austenite. The model considers the stress, strain, and strain rate distribution between phases by describing the dynamic phase transformation during the deformation in iso-work conditions. Increasing the strain rate below the transformation temperature improves hot ductility by reducing DRV and strain concentration in ferrite. Due to limited grain boundary sliding, the hot ductility improves at lower temperatures (&lt;750 °C). In the single-phase domain, DRX improves the hot ductility provided that fracture occurs at strains in which DRX advances. However, at very low strain rates, the ductility decreases due to prolonged time for grain boundary sliding and crack propagation.

Background/aims: Prior research identified a significant association between heart disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated liver steatohepatitis (MASLD), but the mechanisms are unclear. This study aims to search predictive biomarkers for grade I left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), an early stage of heart failure (HF), in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: This single-center, prospective observational study screened 73 T2DM patients for grade 1 LVDD and MASLD using 2D echocardiography, tissue analysis, spectral color Doppler, and Fibromax. Results: The study analyzed 50 patients (mean age 58±11.3 years) with a median diabetes duration of 7 years, abdominal obesity (mean BMI 34.4±5.9 kg/m2), and a mean HbA1c of 7.9±1.5%. The prevalence of grade I LVDD, fibrosis, mild steatosis, moderate to severe liver steatosis, mild MASLD, and moderate MASLD was 54%, 44%, 14%, 80%, 43%, and 34%, respectively. Regression analysis revealed that grade 1 LVDD was positively associated with age, Fibrotest, ɑ2-macroglobulin, epicardiac adipose tissue (EAT), and negatively associated with lateral s`, E wave, E/e`, E/A, medium E`, and septal e` (p&lt; 0.05 for all). ɑ2-macroglobulin &gt; 1.92 g/L (AUROC= 0.782, sensitivity 70.4%, specificity 81.2%) and fibrotest score &gt; 0.11 (AUROC 0.766, sensitivity 92.6%, specificity 56.2%) were significant predictors of grade I LVDD. Conclusion: HF is a multifaceted disorder associated with multisystem organ damage, including nonalcoholic MASLD. Although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, innovative non-invasive biomarkers, such as ɑ2-macroglobulin or fibrotest, could concurrently indicate liver stiffness and the likelihood of grade I LVDD, an early, asymptomatic HF stage in T2DM patients.

PET imaging of bacterial infection could potentially provide added benefit for patient care by non-invasive means. [68Ga]Ga-desferrioxamine B – a radiolabelled siderophore – shows specific uptake by human-pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa as well as sufficient serum stability for clinical application. Here, we provide data for automated production of [68Ga]Ga-desferrioxamine B on two different cassette based synthesis modules (Modular-Lab PharmTracer and GRP 3V) using commercially available cassettes together with an approved 68Ge/68Ga radionuclide generator. Quality control including determination of radiochemical purity as well as a system suitability test was set up via RP-HPLC on a C18 column. The two described production processes, using an acetic acid/acetate buffer system with ascorbic acid as a radiation scavenger for radiolabelling, yield ready-to-use formulations with sufficient activity yield. Batch data showed radiochemical purity of &gt;95 % as determined by RP-HPLC and ITLC as well as excellent stability over 2 hours post production. Specifications for routine production were set up and validated with four master batches for each synthesis module. Based on this study, an academic clinical trial for imaging of bacterial infection was initiated. Both described synthesis methods enable reproducible, automated in-house production of [68Ga]Ga-desferrioxamine B for clinical application.

The development of a novel and simple inhibition biosensor array for detection of water pollutants based on immobilized bacteria is the main goal of this work. A series of electrochemical measurements (i.e. cyclic voltammograms) were carried out on screen-printed gold electrodes with three types of bacteria, namely Escherichia coli, Shewanella oneidensis, and Methylococcus capsulatus, immobilized via poly L-lysine. For comparison purposes, similar measurements were carried out on bacteria samples in solutions,; also optical measurements (fluorescence microscopy, optical density, and flow cytometry) were performed on the same bacteria in both liquid and immobilized forms. The study of the effect of heavy metal ions (lead), pesticides (atrazine) and petrochemicals (hexane) on DC electrochemical characteristics of immobilized bacteria revealed a possibility of pattern recognition of the above inhibition agents in aquatic environment.

Oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathological processes that trigger various chronic liver diseases and contributes to the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. Antioxidants from natural sources trap free radicals by converting them into non-harmful products and minimize oxidative stress, playing a crucial function in the treatment of free radical-induced diseases. However, the activity of these antioxidants is limited due their poor bioavailability, which is why various nano-drug delivery systems have been developed to improve their stability, promote smooth release, and targeted delivery for liver cancer treatment. Specifically, this review aims to report recent scientific findings of novel nano-formulations containing natural antioxidant molecules targeted for the treatment of liver cancer.

Photovoltaic modules should pass series of tests and examinations, verifying the electrical and thermal characteristics of the module, before being released to the market, examining the properties of the modules should undergo appropriate durability and efficiency tests under real outdoor conditions with exposure to climatic conditions and under laboratory conditions. The performance of photovoltaic cells depends on many factors, such as solar irradiance, module operating temperature, installation location, weather conditions and module shading. In this paper, three selected photovoltaic modules were examined using a large-scale steady-state solar simulator. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the photovoltaic modules were experimentally tested and analyzed. The next step was to implement a three-layer artificial neural network model (MLP). The experimental data obtained in the previous step coupled with output data from MLP were then used in global sensitivity analysis (GSA). Experiments carried out on a large-scale stationary solar simulator showed differences between the values declared by the manufacturer and the values obtained from measurements of PV modules. The first module tested achieved the maximum power point greater than that specified by the manufacturer, while the other two showed power drops; it was 85-87% for the second module, and 95-98% for the third, respectively. The performed global sensitivity analysis (GSA) for the MLP model showed that the parameters: eff (22.9) and Voc/V (14.19) have the largest effect on the power-voltage relationship, while U (7.29) has the smallest effect. The usefulness of machine learning (ML) methods in the comparative analysis of PV modules has been proved.

We study the effect of oblique illumination on the functioning of a plasmonic nanoantenna for chiral light. The antenna is designed to receive a structured beam of light and produce a nanosized near-field distribution that possesses non-zero orbital angular momentum. The design consists of metal (gold) micro-rods laid on a dielectric surface and is compatible with well-developed nanofabrication techniques. Experimental arrangements often require such an antenna to operate in a tilted geometry, where input light is incident on the antenna at an oblique angle. We analyze the limitations that the angled illumination imposes and discuss approaches to mitigate these limitations. Through our numerical simulations, we find that tilt angles larger than 30 degrees require modifications to the antenna design. Our analysis guides current and future experimental configurations to pushing the limits of resolution and sensitivity.

5-Pentadecylresorcinol (C15) is a natural alkylresorcinol that has been shown to protect against complications caused by imbalanced nutrition. Although the exact mechanisms of beneficial activity of C15 are not known, we assume that the protective effects of C15 on metabolic health are mediated by their modulatory influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota and functional activity. Cobamides and vitamin B12 are believed to be crucial modulators of mammalian gut ecosystems. We proposed that C15 may influence the representation of enzymes and pathways for vitamin B12 synthesis in the gut microbiome, providing compositional and functional changes in the microbial community. High-throughput metagenome sequencing of the contents of the small and large intestines of C57Bl6 mice fed a regular or high-fat diet with or without C15 supplementation was performed followed by reconstruction of the metabolic activity of the microbiota to clarify the role of C15 in vitamin B12 synthesis by the gut microbiota. It has been established that C15 significantly increases the representation of the cobalamin salvage pathway and enzymes in the microbiome of the large intestine of mice fed a high-fat diet. The genera Clostridium, AF12, and [Ruminococcus] had shown the highest number of correlations with enzymes for B12 synthesis and were negatively associated with the representation of probiotic bacteria. Therefore, the beneficial effect of C15 on the gut microbiota community can be achieved by modulating B12 synthesis that, in turn, serves as one of the key regulators of gut microbiota ecology.

Crystalline silver thin layers were obtained by high-energy pulsed laser ablation without heating of the deposition substrate. The fluid Plateau-Rayleigh (PRI), Rayleigh – Taylor (RTI) and Richtmyer – Meshkov (RMI) instabilities, as well as crown splash induced during pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in high energy regime, resulting in ring and pearl shaped structures, offer the benefit of increased sorption surface. These morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layers make them of interest for catalytic applications. The study presented with this work addresses both the fundamental and applied issues on the morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layer and their catalytic function in organic processes. In this sense, the catalytic action of the thin silver layer was highlighted by modifications of the Reactive Blue 21 dye (C.I.) in aqueous solution with sodium bicarbonate. Specific investigations and analyzes were carried out by electron microscopy and elemental analysis (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry, mass spectrometry, ablation plasma diagnosis, diffractograms (XRD), as well as IR spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition to the experimental investigation and analyzes, simulation of the ionization energy threshold was conducted in COMSOL for complementary evaluation on the involved processes and phenomena.

This article aims to analyze the relationship between non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF), exploring the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and implications for clinical management. NOCAD and AF are prevalent cardiovascular conditions that often coexist, yet their interrelation is not well understood. NOCAD, characterized by the presence of atherosclerotic plaques without significant luminal stenosis, can lead to ischemic necrosis of cardiomyocytes and their replacement with fibrous tissue, in this way sustaining the focal ectopic activity in atrial myocardium. Atrial fibrillation, on the other hand, is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, associated with an increased risk of stroke and heart failure, which may accelerate atherosclerosis and may increase oxygen consumption in the myocardium, creating a mismatch between supply and demand, thus promoting the development or worsening of coronary ischemia. Therefore, NOCAD and AF seems to be a complex Interplay with one begets another.

A simple protocol for preparation of O-acylated enol form - (R/S)-ethyl-2-acetoxy-4-phenyl-4H-chromene-3-carboxylate 5 was presented. The compound was characterized by 1H-, 13C-and DEPT135 NMR spectra, including {1H,1H} COSY, {1H,13C} HSQC, {1H,13C} HMBC and 2D-NOESY spectra. The preferred regioselectivity for O-acylation of 3,4-dihydrocoumarin 5 in the presence of substituent in 4-th position in the chroman ring and accounting the steric hindrance of the ester group in 3-th place was confirmed.

Ice-binding proteins are crucial for adaptation of various organisms to low temperatures. Some of these, called antifreeze proteins, are usually thought to inhibit growth and/or recrystallization of ice crystals. However, prior to these events, ice must somehow appear in the organism, either coming from outside or forming inside through the nucleation process. Unlike most other works, our paper is focused on ice nucleation rather than the behavior of the already existing ice. The nucleation kinetics is studied both theoretically, with special attention paid to ice nucleation on ice-binding surfaces, and experimentally. For experimental studies, we use the ice-binding protein mIBP83, a previously constructed mutant of a spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana antifreeze protein. We show that mIBP83 does not affect the ice nucleation temperature in the buffer in test tubes, but hinders the impact of potent ice nucleators of various chemical natures, namely CuO powder and ice-nucleating bacteria Pseudomonas syringae. Additional experiments on human cells show that mIBP83 is concentrated in some regions, but only in cooled cells. Thus, the antifreeze protein not only binds to ice, but also blocks various sites that act or can act as ice nucleators. Such ice-preventing binding may be the crucial biological task of antifreeze proteins.

Organisms are adapted to each other and the environment, not as tradition would have it, because natural selection made them that way, but because there is inbuilt striving towards stability and equilibrium. A General Theory of Behaviour connects imagery, affect and action with the central executive system we call Consciousness. The General Theory is founded on the assumption that the primary motivation of all of Consciousness and intentional behaviour is Psychological Homeostasis. Psychological homeostasis is as important to the organisation of mind and behaviour as Physiological Homeostasis is to the organisation of bodily systems. Consciousness processes quasi-perceptual images independently of the input to the retina and sensorium. Consciousness is the “I-Am” control centre for integration and regulation of (my) thoughts, (my) feelings and (my) actions with (my) conscious mental imagery as foundation stones. Imagery vividness, a combination of clarity and liveliness, is essential to imagining, remembering, thinking, predicting, planning and acting. Assessment of vividness using introspective report is validated by objective means such as fMRI. A significant body of work shows that vividness of visual imagery is determined by the similarity of neural responses in imagery to those occurring in perception of actual objects and performance of activities. I am Conscious, therefore I am.

“Pecorino” is a typical semi-hard cheese obtained with raw or heat-treated sheep milk using procedures to valorize the raw material's chemical and microbiological properties. In the present study, using a high throughput method of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we assessed the evolution of the microbiome composition from milk to Pecorino cheese in artisanal processes using milk from Comisana and Lacaune sheep breeds. The comparative analysis of the bacterial com-munity composition revealed significant differences in the presence and abundance of specific taxa in the milk microbiome of the Comisana and Lacaune breeds. NGS analysis also revealed differences in the curd microbiome related to dairy farming practices, which have a relevant effect on the final structure of the Pecorino-cheese microbiome.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on clinical and laboratory outcomes in COVID-19 patients receiving Paxlovid treatment. The primary focus was on genetic variants in IFNAR2, OAS1, OAS3, and ACE2. Laboratory parameters were assessed at admission and discharge, including oxygen saturation, white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet count, hematocrit, and various liver and kidney function tests. The results demonstrated significant associations between certain SNPs and clinical outcomes. Patients with the IFNAR2 rs2236757 G allele exhibited improved oxygen saturation and lower eosinophil counts. The OAS3 rs10735079 and OAS1 rs10774671 G allele was associated with lower eosinophil and total bilirubin levels. Furthermore, patients with the ACE2 rs2074192 C allele showed increased segmented neutrophils and AST levels, while the T allele was associated with lower total bilirubin levels. These findings indicate that the efficacy of Paxlovid treatment may be influenced by genetic variations in IFNAR2, OAS1, OAS3, and ACE2. Further research is warranted to investigate the potential therapeutic implications of these genetic markers.

In the frame of the I-MOVE-COVID-19 project, a cohort of 2050 patients admitted in two Spanish reference hospitals between March 2020 and December 2021 was selected, and a range of clinical factors data were collected at admission to assess their impact on the risk COVID-19 severity outcomes through a multivariate adjusted analysis and nomograms. The need for ventilation and ICU admission were found directly associated with a higher mortality risk (OR 6.9 and 3.2, respectively). The clinical predictors of mortality were need for ventilation and ICU, advanced age, neuromuscular disorders, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminaemia, dementia, cancer, elevated CPK and neutrophilia (OR between 1.8 and 3.5), whilst the presence of vomiting, sore throat and cough diminished risk of death (OR 0.5, 0.2 and 0.1 respectively). Admission to ICU was predicted by the need for ventilation, abdominal pain and elevated LDH (OR 371.0, 3.6 and 2.2, respectively) as risk factors; otherwise, it was prevented by advanced age (OR 0.5). In turn, the need for ventilation was predicted by low oxygen saturation, elevated LDH and CPK, diabetes, neutrophilia, obesity and elevated GGT (OR between 1.7 and 5.2), whilst prevented by hypertension (OR 0.5). These findings could enhance patient management and strategic interventions to combat COVID-19.

Background: Despite advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over the last few decades, treatment opportunities for patients with HCC remain limited. HCC is the most common form of liver cancer, accounting for approximately 90% of all cases worldwide. Moreover, apart from the current pharmacological interventions, hepatic resection and liver transplantation are the mainstay curative approaches for patients with HCC. Methods: This systematic review included phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials (CTs) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on current treatments for patients with HCC in an Asian population (2013–2023). A total of 427 articles were screened, and 184 non-duplicate publications were identified. After screening titles and abstracts, 96 publications were excluded, and another 28 were excluded after full-text screening. The remaining 60 eligible RCTs/CTs were finally included. Results: Sixty clinical trials fulfilled our inclusion criteria and screened 36 drugs as monotherapy or combination therapy for HCC. Most studies used sorafenib alone or in combination with any of the treatment regimens. Lenvatinib or atezolizumab with bevacizumab was used for HCC after initial sorafenib treatment. Eighteen studies compared the efficacy of sorafenib with that of other drugs, including lenvatinib, cabozantinib, tepotinib, tigatuzumab, linifanib, erlotinib, resminostat, brivanib, tislelizumab, selumetinib, and refametinib. Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive insights into effective treatment interventions for HCC in Asian populations. The overall assessment indicated that sorafenib alone or in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab has been the first treatment choice in the past decade to achieve better outcomes in patients with HCC in an Asian population

Here we present 1. a model for amplicon sequencing 2. a definition of the best assignment of a read to a set of reference sequences 3. strategies and structures for indexing reference sequences and computing the best assign- ments of a set of reads efficiently, based on (ultra)metric spaces and their geometry The models, techniques, and ideas are particularly relevant to scenarios akin to 16S taxonomic profiling, where both the number of reference sequences and the read diversity is considerable.

Defects in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) are associated with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), manifested by atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Defective LDLR in hepatocytes leads to increased blood cholesterol level that damage vascular cells, especially endothelial cells, through oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the distinctions between endothelial cells from individuals with normal and defective LDLR are not yet fully comprehended. In this study, we obtained and examined endothelial derivatives of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) generated previously from conditionally healthy donors and compound heterozygous FH patients carrying pathogenic LDLR alleles. In normal iPSC-derived endothelial cells (iPSC-EC), we detected the LDLR protein predominantly in its mature form, while iPSC-EC from patients with FH display reduced level of mature LDLR and show abolished low-density lipoprotein uptake. RNA-seq of iPSC-EC with mutant LDLR revealed a unique transcriptome profile comprising downregulated genes related to monocarboxylic acid transport, exocytosis and cell adhesion, as well as upregulated signaling pathways of cell secretion and leukocyte activation. Overall, these findings suggest that LDLR defects increases susceptibility of endothelial cells to inflammation and oxidative stress. This, combined with elevated extrinsic cholesterol levels, may result in accelerated endothelial dysfunction, contributing to early progression of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular pathologies related to FH.

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which contribute to the regulation of many physiolog-ical and pathological processes. Conventionally, miRNAs perform their activity in the cyto-plasm, where they regulate gene expression by interacting in a sequence-specific manner with mature messenger RNAs. Recent studies point to the presence of mature miRNAs in the nucleus. This review summarizes current findings regarding the molecular activities of nuclear miRNAs. These molecules can regulate gene expression at the transcriptional level by directly binding DNA on the promoter or the enhancer of regulated genes. MiRNAs recruit to these regions dif-ferent protein complexes, resulting both in activation or repression of transcription, through a number of molecular mechanisms. Haematopoiesis is presented as a paradigmatic biological process whereby nuclear miRNAs possess a relevant regulatory role. Nuclear miRNAs may af-fect gene expression also acting on nuclear mRNA processing and on the biogenesis of miRNA themselves by regulating pri-miRNA maturation. Overall, nuclear miRNAs are biologically ac-tive molecules that can be critical for the fine tuning of gene expression and deserve further studies in a number of physiological and pathological conditions

(1) Background: A wide literature based on loading and unloading bending tests has been carried out over the half past century for assessing the force released by superelastic wires. The aim of this investigation is not only to characterize a broadly described superelastic NiTi and a novel CuNiTi archwire, but also to provide novel insights into the load vs deflection profiles. A harmonic scenario for superelastic wires will be shown as temperature is kept constant at 37°C. However, a completely different picture will be highlighted as a temporary heating step up to 50°C is introduced within the force vs deflection profiles. (2) Methods: A variety of NiTi and a novel CuNiTi round and rectangular cross-section archwires have been investigated. Static 3-point bending tests up to a deflection level of 3.0 mm have been carried out for detecting the unloading force plateau levels occurring at 37°C. A hold deflection step of 5 min at deflection levels occurring along the unloading plateau extension is introduced. The effect of a temporary heating up to 50°C on the force plateau level released by the investigated wires is analyzed. (3) Results: Mechanical profiles suggest that the plateau force levels detected at 37°C are consistent with those broadly reported in the literature, but they only represent a single block puzzle of the force scenario that a superelastic wire releases during the orthodontic treatment. (4) Conclusions: Once a superelastic wire is bent and clinically applied, the effect of a temporary heating up to 50°C (e.g. hot food or drink ingestion) produces a significant plateau force increase whose magnitude depends on the deflection level. The highest force increase of about 50% and 40% have been detected at deflection levels located at the beginning of the unloading plateau extension for NiTi and CuNiTi wires, respectively.

Most cervical cancer cases are a result of persistent high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Cervical cancer is prevalent in LMICs especially in SSA where it is second most prevalent cancer. In South Africa, it is the second most common cancer affecting women aged between 15 and 44 years. The host immune response has been shown as an important factor in controlling the progression or regression of high-risk HPV infection of the cervix to cervical cancer. The risk of cervical cancer is known to be influenced by the host's genetic diversity, particularly by immune response-regulating genes such as the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class I and II genes. HLA class I genes present viral peptides to CD8+ T cells which are restricted and pre-programmed for cytotoxic functions. There is very little known about the HLA genes of South African women and how these influence outcome of HPV infections. This review aims to understand the role and influence of HLA class I genes in HPV clearance, persistence, and CD8+ T cell mediated immunity in African women by examining existing literature in this area. Understanding this role can influence and inform therapeutic vaccine design that is population specific.

Drosophila melanogaster serves as a important research model both for genetic investigations and for the study of metal toxicity, facilitating the elucidation of physiological mechanisms comparable to those of human organisms. In our research, we evaluated the toxicity effect resulting from exposure to various concentrations of lead and copper on the prolificity rates throughout the life cycle (egg-adult) of four genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster: wild-type (control), white, brown, and white-vestigial. During our study, the prolificity rates were examined across three repetitions under the impact of exposure to concentrations of 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 mM of copper (CuSO₄) and lead (Pb(C₂H₃O₂₎₂). Prolificity rates throughout the life cycle exhibited variations as a direct consequence of genetic factors, the concentration of exposure, and the specific type of metal, either copper or lead. The mutant white-vestigial genotype revealed an IC₅₀ concentration for prolificity inhibition at lower doses of 2.00 mM for copper and 4.00 mM for lead, in contrast to the control genotype (wild-type), which exhibited an inhibition concentration rate >IC₅₀ of 4.00 mM only in the case of copper. Our results concluded that the (i) dose influences the prolificity rate in a directly proportional manner, (ii) comparative analyses between copper and lead revealed that copper displayed toxicity across all genotypes within the concentration range of 0.50 mM to 2.00 mM. In contrast, lead exhibited toxicity within the concentration range of 1.00 mM to 4.00 mM, highlighting a (iii) more acute toxicity characteristic in the case of copper. Thus, the results of this research reflect the importance of using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model in the comparative study of the interaction between genetic factors and the toxicity of metals, offering significant insights into monitoring their impact and defining the maximum permissible doses on organisms.

Predicting the prices of cryptocurrency owing to its volatility, instability, and other factors has been challenging; investors and traders especially in Nigeria have been on a constant look for a more reliable way of knowing market trends and prices and while there has been so many research conducted using deep learning, the results for which has fall short of what investors could called a strong predictor. This research reviewed the results of many works that had been done and proposed two types of recurrent neural network (RNNs) namely Long Short-Term Memory and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) for predicting the future prices of two of the most common crypto assets namely Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), these two were selected based on their popularity, the volume traded and their market capitalization. The experiment was conducted in a GPU Jupyter Notebook environment and the performance of our experiment was evaluated on a test set using root mean square error (RMSE) and based on its values, the LSTM presented a better performance with rsme scores of 654.66, and 80.30 respectively for BTC and ETH as compared to GRU. The paper proceeds further to compare the results of this experiment with other related works and we discovered that its performance is a great improvement.

A prominent feature of stress-tolerant microalgae is their versatile metabolism allowing then to synthesize a broad spectrum of molecules with beneficial effects on many aspects of human body functioning. This is in line with the current understanding that many stress-induced deleterious processes in the human body and in photosynthetic cell are mediated by the same mechanisms such as free-radical attacks and lipid peroxidation. These related risks are kept at bay by optical screening of harmful UV, enzymatic ROS elimination systems, and potent low-molecular antioxidants. Microalgae synthesize a broad spectrum of compounds exerting antioxidant and/or UV-absorbing properties. In microalgae, they increase stress-resilience of these organisms. In human body, they exhibit photoprotective, antiaging, and sunscreen activities. Therefore, these algal metabolites were recognized as promising ingredients for innovative cosmetics and cosmeceutical formulations. Ever increasing effort is being invested into the search for new natural biologically active substances from microalgae. This trend is also fueled by the growing demand for natural raw materials for food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetology associated with the global transition to a "greener" lifestyle. Here, we review the currently accumulated knowledge about the main groups of cosmeceutical compounds from microalgae.

The comorbidity of osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus represents a complex clinical challenge and complicates patient management due to the interplay of overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms. The research aimed to analyze the exacerbation of clinical symptoms and biochemical markers in patients with osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to those with osteoarthritis. We utilized various assessment methods to measure the patient cohorts' inflammation, oxidative stress, and glycemic control. The study also involved the administration of alpha-lipoic acid to patients with comorbid osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus and monitored its effects on joint function, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress levels, and glycemic control. Our findings revealed that the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus significantly intensified osteoarthritis symptoms and altered biochemical markers, including increased inflammation, elevated oxidative stress, and disrupted immunological balance. The treatment with alpha-lipoic acid resulted in improved joint function, reduced inflammation and oxidative stress levels, and better glycemic control. Additionally, it was identified several potential predictors for developing osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus comorbidity. The results underscore the detrimental impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus on osteoarthritis and highlight the beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic acid in alleviating some of the adverse consequences associated with this comorbidity. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid and its long-term effects on managing comorbidity of osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Calcium sulfate (CS) materials containing terbium ions at 0, 1.0, or 2.0 mol.% were obtained by mechanochemical synthesis. According to X-ray diffraction data, the powder materials are characterized by the presence of a CaSO4×0.5H2O phase, while Tb3+ is incorporated into the lattice at ≤1.0 mol.%. Specific surface area enlarged from 2.1 to 22.5 m2/g as crystallite size decreased from 68 to 31 nm and the Tb3+ concentration increased up to 1.0 mol.%. Thermal analysis showed that terbium slightly raises the temperature of CaSO4×2H2O-to-CaSO4 transition. The presence of Tb3+ did not affect the solubility of the CS cements. Furthermore, after 7 days of soaking of the materials in a simulated body fluid, a calcium phosphate layer formed corresponding to a hydroxyapatite phase, in contrast to the pure cements. Luminescent properties were studied by excitation at 276 nm. The recorded emission peaks of the CS materials indicated that the luminescence of the samples is green and blue, with the most intense luminescence observed for samples containing 1.0 mol.% Tb3+. The developed materials can find applications in medicine as bioimplants for the regeneration and restoration of bone tissue with a possibility of noninvasive monitoring of the bone restoration process.

Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) frequently require primary radiochemotherapy (RCT). Despite intensity-modulation, desired radiation-induced effects observed in HNSCC, may also be observed as side-effects in healthy tissue e.g. the sternocleidomastoideus muscle (SCM). These side-effects (e.g. tissue fibrosis) depend on the interval between completion of RCT and restaging-CT. For salvage surgery, the optimal time window for surgery is currently postulated between 6 and 12 weeks after completion of RCT. Thus, no extensive tissue fibrosis is to be expected. This interval is based on studies exploring surgical complications. Studies directly exploring radiation-induced changes of the SCM in HNSCC-patients are sparse. The present study quantifies tissue alterations in SCM and paravertebral musculature (PVM) after RCT applying radiomics to determine the optimal time window for salvage surgery. Three radiomic key parameters 1) volume, 2) mean positivity of pixels (MPP) and 3) uniformity were extracted with mint lesionTM in the staging-CTs and restaging-CTs of 98 HNSCC-patients. Of these, 25 were female, the mean age was 62 (±9.6) years and 80.9% were UICC Stage IV. The mean restaging-interval was 55 (±28; range29-229) days. Only the mean volume significantly decreased after RCT from 9.0 to 8.4 and 96.5 to 91.9 ml for SCM and PVM, respectively (both p=0.007, both Cohen’s d=0.28). In addition, the mean body mass index (BMI) decreases from 23.9 (±4.2) to 21.0 (±3.6) kg/m² (p<0.001); Cohen's d = 0.9). The mean BMI-decrease significantly correlated with the volume decrease for SCM (r=0.27; p=0.007) and PVM (r=0.41; p<0.001). If t-test p-values were adjusted for the BMI-decrease, no significant change in volumes for SCM and PVM was observed (both p>0.05). The present data supports the postulated optimal interval for salvage surgery of 6 to 12 weeks. Irrespective of the remaining risk-benefit ratio of salvage surgery, the risk of additional surgical complications due to fibrosis is not supported by the present observations.

The Upper Hunter Valley is a major coal mining area containing approximately 40% of the currently identified total coal reserves in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Due to the ongoing increase of mining activities, PM10 (air-borne particle with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometres) pollution has become a major air quality concern in local communities. This paper summarises the spatial and temporal variability modes of PM10 pollution in the region, based on long-term multi-site monitoring data and the application of the rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) and wavelet analysis techniques. RPCA identified two distinct air quality clusters/subregions in the valley, one in the west/northwest, the other in the southeast. Wavelet analysis revealed the annual cycle to be most persistent temporal mode of PM10 variability in both subregions, with intermittent signals observed at time scales of around 120, 30~90 and under 30 days. How these variation modes are related to the effects of local PM10 emissions and the influence of meteorology at different time scales deserves further attention in future work. The findings will be used in air quality reporting and forecasting in NSW. The methodology and results can also be useful for air quality research in similar regions elsewhere.

Shiga toxins (Stxs), and more specifically the Stx2a subtype, are the major virulence factors involved in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC)-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (eHUS); a life-threatening disease causing acute kidney injury, especially in children. Cleavage of Stxs A subunit, when followed by reduction, boosts the enzymatic activity causing damage to targeted cells. This cleavage was assumed to be mostly mediated by furin during Stx intracellular trafficking. Cleavage of A subunit, without reduction, changes the binding properties of Stxs for blood components during HUS pathogenesis. To investigate whether the cleavage could occur in the intestine, even prior entering target cells, Stx2a structure was characterized after its exposure to specific host factors present in human stool. The structure of Stx2a A subunit was determined by immunoblotting after electrophoretic separation under reducing conditions. Trypsin and chymotrypsin-like elastase 3B (CELA3B), two serine proteases, were identified as potential candidates that may trigger the extracellular cleavage of Stx2a A subunit directly after its secretion by EHEC in the gut. Whether this observation indeed translates to natural infections and plays a role in eHUS pathogenesis has yet to be determined as well as whether host's protease profile could affect disease development by changing the toxin’s biological features.

Spodoptera frugiperda is an invasive pest that has spread in various parts of the world. These pests have the ability to spread and adapt highly to new habitats. Until now, it is not known with certainty the distribution of these invasive pests in Eastern Indonesia, especially Bali and Nusa Tenggara. This study aims to map the spatial distribution and genetic distribution of S. frugiperda which damages maize in the areas of Bali and Nusa Tenggara. This research was conducted using a survey method from May to September 2022 covering the islands of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, and Timor. The results showed that S. frugiperda had spread evenly in Bali and Nusa Tenggara. The results of PCR amplification in the COI gene from 9 sample isolates from all research locations showed the similarity of DNA bands leading to the Spodoptera frugiperda species with a banding pattern length of 683 – 697. These results indicated that the distribution of genetic variants of corn caterpillars in Bali, NTB, and NTT was confirmed as S. frugiperda species. However, the isolated gene S. frugiferda, which was shown by the alignment results of the sequences from Lombok, was confirmed as a different strain from strains from Bali, Sumba, Sumbawa, Flores, and Timor. This incident can be seen from the difference in the protein base composition of S. frugiperda from Bali, Sumba, Sumbawa, Timor, and Flores. The results of phylogenetic analysis in this study confirmed 3 clusters of the genetic closeness of S. frugiperda. Cluster-1 comes from the results of the search for specimens of JB FAW and KB FAW from Bali, SB FAW and SB FAW Sorghum from Sumba, SW FAW from Sumbawa, KP FAW from Timor, and FL FAW from Flores. Cluster-2 is an isolate outside of our species. Cluster-3 comes from the search for LT and LS FAW specimens from Lombok. The genetic distance between cluster-1 and cluster-3 is quite far, which is 0.20 mu.

Keywords: Pain; Nociception; Disorders of Consciousness; Consciousness

Sparkling wines elaborated by means Ancestral method, also called Pét-Nats, are nowadays gaining an increasing share of the market. However, the scientific information about these wines is very scarce. For that reason, the aim of this research was to compare the physicochemical composition and sensory attributes of a representative sampling of commercial sparkling wines elaborated by Ancestral and Traditional methods. Ancestral sparkling wines were more heterogenous than Traditional sparkling wines because some of them showed lower internal pressure, higher turbidity, higher colour intensity and less foamability. These differences would be probably because the ancestral elaboration protocol is not so well defined as in the case of Traditional sparkling wines. However, Ancestral method has the advantage of being able to work with riper grapes and with lower doses of sulphur dioxide.

This study investigated the influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes asso-ciated with the interferon pathway (IFNAR2 rs2236757), antiviral response (OAS1 rs10774671, OAS3 rs10735079), and viral entry (ACE2 rs2074192) on COVID-19 severity and their association with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (MAFLD). We did not observe a significant association between the investigated SNPs and COVID-19 severity. While the IFNAR2 rs2236757 A allele correlated with higher creatinine levels upon admission and the G allele with lower band neu-trophils upon discharge, these findings require further investigation. The distribution of OAS gene polymorphisms (rs10774671, rs10735079 did not differ between MAFLD and non-MAFLD patients. Our study population's distribution of ACE2 rs2074192 genotypes and alleles differed from the European reference population. Overall, our findings suggest that these specific SNPs may not be major contributors to COVID-19 severity in our patient population, highlighting the potential role of other genetic factors and environmental influences.

DIEP-based breast reconstruction necessitates wide undermining at the abdominal donor-site, creating large wound areas. Flap harvesting is usually conducted using electrosurgical dissection devices. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes in patients after using the PEAK PlasmaBlade (PPB) versus monopolar electrocautery (MPE). This retrospective cohort study included 128 patients with DIEP-based breast reconstruction. Patient characteristics as well as information on the postoperative course were collected and a comparative evaluation was conducted. The MPE group exhibited significantly (p* = 0.0324) higher abdominal drainage volume (351.11 ± 185.96 ml) compared to the PPB group (279.38 ± 183.38 ml). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that PPB significantly reduced postoperative wound fluid in patients with BMI > 30 kg/m² (p* = 0.0284), without prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p** = 0.0041), and among non-smokers (p = 0.0046). Furthermore, postoperative pain was significantly (p**** < 0.0001) lower in the PPB cohort. This study confirms the non-inferiority of the PEAK PlasmaBlade to conventional electrocautery for abdominal flap harvesting. The PPB demonstrated advantages, notably reduced drainage volume and lower postoperative pain levels. Recognizing patient subsets that benefit more from the PPB highlights the importance of personalized device selection based on patient characteristics.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women globally, often necessitating mastectomy and subsequent breast reconstruction. Silicone mammary implants (SMIs) play a pivotal role in breast reconstruction, yet their interaction with the host immune system and microbiome remains poorly understood. This study investigates the impact of SMI surface topography on host antimicrobial responses, wound proteome dynamics, and microbial colonization. Biological samples were col-lected from ten human patients undergoing breast reconstruction with SMIs. Mass spectrometry profiles were analyzed for acute and chronic wound proteomes, revealing a nuanced interplay between topography and antimicrobial respondseproteins. 16S rRNA sequencing assessed mi-crobiome dynamics, unveiling topography-specific variations in microbial composition. Surface topography alterations influenced wound proteome composition. Microbiome analysis revealed heightened diversity around rougher SMIs, emphasizing topography-dependent microbial inva-sion. In vitro experiments confirmed staphylococcal adhesion, growth, and biofilm formation on SMI surfaces, with increased texture correlating positively with bacterial colonization. This comprehensive investigation highlights the intricate interplay between SMI topography, wound proteome dynamics, and microbial transmission. The findings contribute to understanding host-microbe interactions on SMI surfaces, essential for optimizing clinical applications and minimizing complications in breast reconstruction.

HLA class-I (HLA-I) polyreactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reacting to all HLA-I alleles were developed by immunizing HLA-E monomeric heavy chain (HC) (Open Conformers, OCs). Two of the mAbs (TFL-006 and TFL-007) bound to the HC’s coated on a solid matrix. The binding was inhibited by a peptide 117AYDGKDY123, present in all alleles of the six HLA-I isoforms but masked by 2-microglobulin -m) in intact HLA-I trimers (Closed Conformers, CCs). Identical HLA-I polyreactivity is observed in IVIg administered to lower anti-HLA antibodies (Abs) in HLA-sensitized patients, but the mechanism is unknown. We hypothesized that the mAbs that mimic IVIg HLA-I polyreactivity might mimic the immunomodulatory functions of IVIg. We tested the relative binding affinity of the mAbs and IVIg for both OCs- and CCs and compared their effects on (a) the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activation T-cells, (b) the production of anti-HLA-II antibody (Ab) by B-memory cells, and anti-HLA-I Ab by immortalized B-cells, and (c) the upregulation of CD4+, CD25+, and Fox P3+ T-regs. The mAbs bound only to OCs, whereas IVIg is bound to both CCs and OCs. The mAbs suppressed blastogenesis and proliferation of PHA-activated T-cells, anti-HLA Ab production by B-cells and expanded the T-regs, better than IVIg. We conclude that a humanized version of the TFL-mAbs could be an ideal therapeutic IVIg-mimetic.

The present study aimed at investigating the in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of malaria parasites to crude extracts and fractions from Polyalthia suaveolens, Uvaria angolensis, and Monodora tenuifolia. The ethanolic extracts were prepared by maceration, and were further partitioned using water, dichloromethane, hexane, and methanol. The most promising fraction was subjected to column chromatography and the sub-fractions tested for activity in vitro. The antiplasmodial effect of extracts and fractions was tested against the Chloroquine resistant (PfK1) strain in 96 wells microtiter plate format using SYBR green florescence assay. The promising fraction was further assessed for cytotoxicity and acute toxicity in Swiss albino mice and subsequently against the rodent malaria parasite, P. berghei. Qualitative phytochemical screening was also performed on the promising fraction. The methanol fractions exerted the overall better effect with that of the twigs of P. suaveolens (PStw(Ace)) showing the highest potency with a IC50 value of 3.24 µg/mL followed by the fractions of leaf of M. tenuifolia (MoTel(Ace), IC50= 3.84 µg/ml) and stem bark of P. suaveolens (IC50= 4.90 µg/ml). The phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, lactones, and phenols in the more active fraction of P. suaveolens (PStw(Ace)). The chromatographic fractionation of this fraction led to 12 sub-fractions with PS8 sub-fraction being the most active (IC50= 4.42 µg/mL). In vivo, oral administration of 2000 mg/kg b.w of fraction PStw(Ace) in mice showed no signs of toxicity. Also, fraction PStw(Ace) at 400 mg/kg b.w exerted the highest suppressive effect against P. berghei strain B throughout the 4 days experiment (% parasitaemia below 5.2%). Overall, the results achieved supported the use of the three plants in the traditional treatment of malaria in Cameroon. More interestingly, the methanolic fraction of the twigs extract from P. suaveolens might be of interest in future development of an antimalarial phytodrug.

The effect of doublet state metalloradical complex in a solar cell inside the common active layer poly(3-hexylthiophene)/ [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PC60BM) is explored. In this work is demonstrated that the role of the Bis-[1,3-Bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dichloroimidazol-2-ylidene]palladium(I) hexafluoridophosphate dopant, [Pd(IPrCl)2][PF6], is crucial because, by having a stable unpaired electron in the molecule, it significantly improves the optoelectronic performance of the devices. We found the optimal concentration of this molecule in the active layer, and we demonstrated that the presence of this additive in the active layer helps to significantly improve the morphology of the device. The improvements in optoelectronic and morphological parameters are associated with a remarkable increase of photocurrent generation due to more favourable mechanisms of charge separation at the donor/acceptor (D/A) interfaces of the active layer and reduced recombinations. Moreover, the presence of this additive improves the stability of the unencapsulated solar cell against photochemical degradation produced by sunlight.

Green microalgae including those from the genus Lobosphaera are exploited in biotechnology to obtain valuable fatty acids e.g., arachidonic acid (C20:4, ARA) for the production of infant formulae, food and feed additives. In nature, microalgae frequently exist in naturally immobilized state (as biofilms) with limited cell division rate and increased stress resilience. In biotechnology, immobilization of microalgae on artificial cell carriers simplifies biomass harvesting, increases culture robustness and productivity. The choice of suitable cell carrier is central to biotechnology of immobilized culture. Cell carriers based on the natural amine-containing polymer chitosan and synthetic polyethylenimine (PEI) are promising candidates for immobilization of phototrophic microorganisms. This is the first report on the effects of immobilization on PEI and chitosan on the accumulation and composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including ARA, in Lobosphaera sp. IPPAS C-2047. The immobilization on PEI increased ARA percentage in the total tatty acids and ARA accumulation by 72% and 81%, compared with the suspended cells cultured respectively in complete or nitrogen-deprived medium 14 days. Immobilization of Lobosphaera sp. on the chitosan-based carrier declined ARA but increased oleic and α-linoleic acid percentages. Mechanisms of the effects of immobilization on fatty acid profiles of the microalgae are discussed.

Visible-light photocatalysis, particularly in its application to organic synthesis, has experienced a big renaissance in the past decade. The rational design of new photocatalysts with designed and improved photocatalytic properties, that at the same time circumvents the necessity of using scarce and toxic transition metals, will predictably play a key role in photocatalysis in the next few years. Although free-base porphyrins were identified some years ago as a promising, easily accessible and easily tunable class of organic photoredox catalysts, a systematic study on the effect of the electronic nature and of the position of the substituents on both the ground-state and the excited-state redox potentials of these compounds is still lacking. We have prepared a set of known functionalized derivatives of meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin containing different substituents either in one of the meso-positions or at a beta-pyrrole carbon and we have determined their ground- and (singlet) excited-state redox potentials. This survey has led us to conclude that the introduction of a carbonyl group at the beta-pyrrolic position strongly increases the facility of the monoelectronic reduction of the porphyrin both in the ground state and in the singlet excited state. We have also prepared a second set of four previously unknown benzoyl derivatives of meso-tetraphenylporphyrin, and we have confirmed the validity of our conclusions.

The majority of investigations on microbial communities from various environments are presently built on culture-independent methods. Many studies point to the pivotal, selective role of primers targeting hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA in the metabarcoding of bacteria, including cyanobacterial communities. The selectivity of primers designed to amplify targeted regions of the 16S rRNA gene, which has been highlighted by many authors, limited effective amplification. Moreover, the type and specificity of the studied material can also negatively influence the results of 16S metabarcoding. Most of the studies of cyanobacterial communities have been performed for planktonic microbial communities that are often represented by common, well-studied species. In this study, we present the results of 16S metabarcoding analysis using three primer pairs - two already well-known and a third designed in this study - that amplify divergent regions of the 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4, V4-V6, V6) for benthic, microbial mat-forming cyanobacteria communities. Such communities can be a source of toxigenic cyanobacterial taxa and should be monitored with adequate primers. The comparison of three primer pairs suggested that those designed within the present study describe the structure and composition of highly heterogeneous cyanobacterial mats’ communities better than the others

This article compares chemical coagulation with electrocoagulation, two popular methods for the primary treatment of wastewater generated in the process of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG). The primary aim was to determine which method is more effective in the removal of cyanide and sulphide ions, metals and metalloids, as well as organic compounds. In both cases, experiments were conducted in batch 1 dm³ reactors, and the coagulation/flocculation process was carried out using iron ions. Four types of coagulants were tested during the chemical coagulation study: FeCl₂, FeSO₄, Fe₂(SO₄)₃, and FeCl₃. In the electrocoagulation experiments, pure iron Armco steel was used to manufacture the sacrificial iron anode. Both processes were tested under a wide range of operating conditions (pH, time, Fe dose) to determine their maximum efficiency for treating UCG wastewater. It was found that, through electrocoagulation, a dose as low as 60 mg Fe/dm³ leads to >60% cyanide reduction and >98% sulphide removal efficiency, while for chemical coagulation, even a dose of 307 mg Fe/dm³ did not achieve more than 24% cyanide ion removal. Moreover, industrial chemical coagulants, especially when used in very high doses, can be a substantial source of cross-contamination with trace elements.

Aluminum, a contentious trace element found in the environment, has been demonstrated to have harmful effects on both humans and animals. In contrast, Sempervivum tectorum, an evergreen plant, has been found to offer numerous beneficial effects for both humans and animals. Therefore, this study aims to assess the protective effect of S. tectorum on certain reproductive biomarkers in male rats exposed to aluminum. Thirty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: NTC (no-treatment control) received distilled water; NC (negative control) received drinking water containing 1 mg/L aluminum sulfate (AS); E1 received 1 mg/L AS along with an 8% S. tectorum extract; PC (positive control) received only 8% S. tectorum extract; E2 received 1 mg/L AS for three months followed by 8% extract for one month. The study analyzed testosterone, LH, FSH, body weight, and the histological structure of the testis, epididymis, and prostate, as well as the levels of zinc, manganese, copper, and iron in these organs. Significant decreases in body weight, testis, and epididymis size were observed in the aluminum-exposed groups compared to the control, whereas these decreases were not significant in the S. tectorum-treated groups compared to the control. Aluminum exposure led to significant decreases in testosterone and LH levels, with FSH levels showing a non-significant decrease in males, which were mitigated significantly by the administration of the plant extract. Histological analysis revealed alterations in the testis, epididymis, and prostate of the AS-exposed groups, including necrosis of seminiferous tubule epithelium and Leydig cells in the testis, and basal epithelial necrosis in the epididymis and prostate. Aluminum levels increased in all organs studied, while levels of zinc, copper, iron, and manganese decreased, showing a negative and significant correlation with aluminum levels. The aqueous extract of S. tectorum demonstrated a protective effect on certain studied biomarkers in male rats affected by aluminum exposure.

Objectives: We aim to evaluate technical and clinical outcomes with E-nside stent-graft for thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) and pararenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (PAAA) endovascular treatment at our University Hospital Center. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients electively treated by inner branched EVAR (iBEVAR) between 05/2021 and 03/2023. Demographics, procedural and clinical data were analyzed. Technical success and clinical outcomes, such as access-site related complications were reported. Perioperative and early mortality rate, freedom from aortic reintervention, Target vessels (TVs) patency and endoleak rate were evaluated during the follow-up. Technical aspects (external iliac artery diameter, iliac tortuosity, extent of aortic coverage) were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Twenty-two patients included (age 75.9±5.5; 72.7% male). Aneurism extent was Craw-ford I=4 (18.2%), III=8 (36.4%), IV=5 (22.7%), V=1 (4.5%) and PAAA=4 (18.2%). Mean aortic di-ameter was 63.5±9.9mm. The technical success 95.5% (assisted primary success 100%). The clini-cal success 86.4%. Perioperative and early freedom from all-cause mortality rate 90.9% and 90%, respectively. No case of inter-stage aortic-related mortality reported, as no permanent/temporary spinal cord ischemia (SCI). Seventy-eight out of 81 patent TVs were incorporated through a bridging stent (96.3%). TV success 95.1%. Mean external iliac artery (EIA) diameter 7.5±1.1mm. Twelve patients (six women, 100%) were considered outside the instructions for use (IFU) due to narrow iliac arteries. One access-site related complication reported. Conclusions: Our experience confirms that E-nside has promising technical and clinical success rates, as low reintervention rate, but requires a great sacrifice of healthy aorta and adequate iliac arteries that still represent a limitation, especially among women. Mid- to long-term studies and prospective registries are mandatory to evaluate long-term efficacy and safety, as a comparison between E-nside and other alternative off-the-shelf solution.

In the field of music education, the incorporation of technology originally designed for professionals presents both significant opportunities and challenges. These technologies, although advanced and powerful, are often not adapted to meet the specific needs of the educational envi-ronment. Therefore, this study details the design and implementation process of a system con-sisting of a hardware device called "Play Box" an associated software, "Imaginary Play Box". The Design Sciences Research Methodology (DSRM) specifically adapted to software development was used to structure the project. The three phases shown in this study ranged from the conception of an initial prototype to the realisation of a working software. During the design phase, a questionnaire was developed to evaluate various aspects of the soft-ware, such as the visual interface, the programming of components and the sound interactivity provided by the Play Box. The technique of panels of experts in music pedagogy and program-ming in MAX-MSP was used to obtain critical feedback. This expert evaluation was crucial to it-erate and polish the software, culminating in a beta version optimised for the creation of electro-acoustic music for music education.

Phosphorus (P) is an important and irreplaceable macronutrient. It is central to energy and information storage and exchange in living cell. P is an element with “broken geochemical cycle” since it lacks abundant volatile compounds capable of closing the P cycle. P fertilizers are critical for global food security, but the reserves of minable P are scarce and non-evenly distributed between countries of the world. Accordingly, the risks of global crisis due to limited access to P reserves is expected to be graver than those entailed by competition for fossil hydrocarbons. Paradoxically, despite the scarcity and value of P reserves, its usage is extremely inefficient: current waste rate reaches 80% giving rise to a plethora of unwanted consequences such as eutrophication leading to harmful algal blooms. Microalgal biotechnology comprise a promising solution to tackle this challenge. The proposed review briefly presents the relevant aspects of microalgal P metabolism such as cell P reserve composition and turnover, and the regulation of P uptake kinetics for maximization of P uptake efficiency with the focus on novel knowledge. Multifaceted role of polyPhosphates, the largest cell depot for P, is discussed with emphasis on the P toxicity mediated by short-chain polyPhosphates. Opportunities and hurdles of P bioremoval via P uptake from waste streams with microalgal cultures, either suspended or immobilized, is discussed along with the role of bacterial components of microalgal-bacterial consortia in these processes. Possible avenues of P-rich microalgal biomass such as biofertilizer production or extraction of valuable polyPhosphates and other bioproducts are considered. The review concludes with a comprehensive assessment of the current potential of microalgal biotechnology for ensuring the sustainable usage of phosphorus.

Implementing High-Performance Computing to solve In-Memory Data Grid (IMDG)-based energy infrastructure resilience research problems in a heterogeneous environment presents a challenge to workflow management systems. Large-scale energy infrastructure needs multi-variant planning and tools to allocate and dispatch resources in IMDG taking into account the subject domain specificity, resource characteristics, and constraints and quotas for resource use. To that end, we propose a workflow management system using our Orlando Tools framework. To scale computing resources, we provide their integration and use corresponding software to determine key application parameters that can significantly impact the processed data size and the required number of allocated resources. We automated the IMDG cluster launch for the workflow executions. To demonstrate the advantage of our solution, we apply it to evaluate the resilience of the existing energy infrastructure model. Compared to similar approaches, our approach explores large infrastructures by modeling many simultaneously failed elements of different types up to the number of network elements. In terms of problem-solving efficiency and resource use, we achieve near-linear speedup with increasing the number of nodes of each resource.

Background: Microscopic examination of acid-fast stained sputum smears for detecting mycobacterial acid-fast bacilli (AFB) remains the most economical and readily available method for laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). However, this conventional approach has limitations, including low sensitivity and labor-intensive procedures. Methods: An automated microscopy system incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for AFB identification was evaluated. The study was conducted at an Infectious Disease Hospital in Jiangsu Province, China, utilizing an intelligent microscope system (TB-Scan, Wellgen Medical, Kaohsiung). A total of 1,000 sputum smears were included in the analysis, with the system capturing digital microscopic images and employing an image recognition model to automatically identify and classify AFB. Referee technicians provided the gold standard for discrepant results. Results: The automated system demonstrated an overall accuracy of 95.00% (950/1,000), sensitivity of 91.24% (177/194), and specificity of 95.91% (773/806). Notably, the system identified 21 smears as positive that were previously reported as negative, with referee technicians confirming 17 of these as true positive and retracting the test results accordingly. Recalculating the performance, the accuracy increased to 96.70% (967/1,000), sensitivity to 91.94% (194/211), and specificity to 97.97% (773/789), with a false negative rate of 8.06% (17/211) and a false positive rate of 2.03% (16/789). Conclusions: The incorporation of AI and machine learning into an automated microscopy system demonstrated the potential to enhance the sensitivity and efficiency of AFB detection in sputum smears compared to conventional manual microscopy. This approach holds promise for widespread application in TB diagnostics and potentially other fields requiring labor-intensive microscopic examination.