The twelve cranial nerves play a crucial role in nervous system, orchestrating a myriad of functions vital for our everyday life. These nerves are each specialized for particular tasks. Cranial Nerve I, known as the olfactory nerve, is responsible for our sense of smell, allowing us to perceive and distinguish various scents. Cranial Nerve II, or the optic nerve, is dedicated to vision, transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain. Eye movements are governed by Cranial Nerves III, IV, and VI, ensuring our ability to track objects and focus. Cranial Nerve V controls facial sensation and jaw movement, while Cranial Nerve VII, the facial nerve, facilitates facial expressions and taste perception. Cranial Nerve VIII, or the vestibulocochlear nerve, plays a critical role in hearing and balance. Cranial Nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve, affects throat sensation and taste perception. Cranial Nerve X, the vagus nerve, is a far-reaching nerve, influencing numerous internal organs such as the heart, lungs, and digestive system. Cranial Nerve XI, the accessory nerve, is responsible for neck muscle control, contributing to head movement. Finally, Cranial Nerve XII, the hypoglossal nerve, manages tongue movement, essential for speaking, swallowing, and breathing. Understanding these cranial nerves is fundamental in comprehending the intricate workings of our nervous system and the functions that sustain our daily lives.

The etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been linked to both genetic and epigenetic factors. Among the epigenetic factors, exposure to valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic and mood-modulating drug, has been shown to induce characteristic traits of ASD when exposed during embryogenesis. Conversely, in animal models, Enriched Environment (EE) has demonstrated positive behavioral and neural effects, suggesting its potential as a complementary treatment to pharmacological approaches in central nervous system disorders. In this study, we utilized zebrafish to model ASD characteristics induced by VPA and hypothesized that sensory stimulation through EE could ameliorate the behavioral and neuroanatomical features associated with ASD. To test this hypothesis, we assessed social behavior, cerebellar volume, and Purkinje cell populations via histology and immunohistochemistry after exposing the fish to EE. The results revealed that zebrafish exposed to VPA exhibited social deficits, reduced cerebellar cortex volume, and a decrease in c-Fos-positive cells in the Purkinje layer. In contrast, VPA-exposed fish treated with EE showed increased socialization, augmented cerebellar cortex volume, and an elevation in c-Fos-positive Purkinje cells. These findings suggest that alterations induced by VPA may be ameliorated through EE treatment, highlighting the potential therapeutic impact of sensory stimulation in conditions related to ASD.

Arduino microcontrollers are being used for a wide range of technological and biomedical applications such as image classification, computer vision, brain-computer interaction and vision experiments. Here I present a new cost-effective mini-device based on RGB LED flicker stimulation for the assessment of polychromatic temporal resolution of visual function. The visual device configuration allows for relative luminance thresholding, mono- and polychromatic critical flicker fusion frequency assessment. The results demonstrate the steady white visual perception of a trichromatic flicker stimulus beyond the critical flicker fusion frequency, as predicted by Talbot´s law for monochromatic stimuli. The trichromatic critical flicker fusion frequency (tFCC) depends on the relative luminance threshold at the light-adaptation level. Finally, wavefront measurements demonstrate that high-order aberrations improve the temporal resolution of visual function.

We consider two abstract systems of parabolic-hyperbolic type that model thermoelastic problems. We study the influence of the physical constants and the initial data on the nonexistence of global solutions that in our framework are produced by the blow-up in finite time of the norm of the solution in the phase space. We employ a differential inequality to find sufficient conditions that produce the blow-up. To that end, we construct a set that is positive invariant for any positive value of the initial energy. As a result we found that the coupling with the parabolic equation stabilizes the system, as well as the damping term in the hyperbolic equation. Moreover, for any pair of positive values $(\xi,\epsilon)$, there exist initial data such that the corresponding solution with initial energy $\xi$ blows-up at a finite time less than $\epsilon$. Our purpose is to improve results previously published in the literature.

Various distance metrics and their induced norms are employed in the quantitative modeling of evolutionary dynamics. Minimization of these distance metrics when applied to evolutionary optimization are hypothesized to result in different outcomes. Here, we apply the different distance metrics to the evolutionary trait dynamics brought about by the interaction between two competing species infected by parasites (exploiters). We present deterministic cases showing the distinctive selection outcomes under the Manhattan, Euclidean and Chebyshev norms. Specifically, we show how they differ in the time of convergence to the desired optima (e.g., no disease), and in the egalitarian sharing of carrying capacity between the competing species. However, when randomness is introduced to the population dynamics of parasites and to the trait dynamics of the competing species, the distinctive characteristics of the outcomes under the three norms become indistinguishable. Our results provide theoretical cases when evolutionary dynamics using different distance metrics exhibit similar outcomes.

This study presents a detailed assessment on the impact of the Brazilian legal framework related to the access and benefit sharing provisions of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The research is based on a comprehensive dataset that was systematically collected over several years, directly from the official government bodies responsible for its implementation. The aim of the study is to contribute to a fact-based discussion on the effectiveness of national ABS laws, focusing on the Brazilian legal framework, first established in the year 2000 and revised in 2015, as a case example. This study balances the costs and benefits of the Brazilian ABS system and assesses the regulatory challenges it poses to individuals, companies, and institutions that perform research, share knowledge, develop, manufacture or market products derived from Brazilian biodiversity. The study indicates that, after over 22 years of operation, the regulatory challenges are still real and relevant, and that the significant volume of data collected from users on access, prior commercialization and shipment of genetic materials abroad was never systematically assessed by the agencies in charge. Besides, it shows that the costs incurred by the government in managing the policy itself have been higher than the economic benefits it has made possible, and that the institutional mechanisms in place since 2015 have not been able to allocate the monetary benefits contributed by users to the National Benefit Sharing Fund to any projects aimed at developing sustainable uses or preserving Brazilian biodiversity.

Demyelinating diseases alter myelin or the coating surrounding most nerve fibers in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The grouping of human central nervous system demyelinating disorders today includes Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) as distinct disease categories. Each disease is caused by a complex combination of genetic and environmental variables, many involving an autoimmune response. Even though these conditions are fundamentally similar, research into genetic factors, their unique clinical manifestations, and lesion pathology has helped with differential diagnosis and disease pathogenesis knowledge. This review aims to synthesize the genetic approaches that explain the differential susceptibility between these diseases, explore the overlapping clinical features, and pathological findings, discuss existing and emerging hypotheses on the etiology of demyelination, and assess recent pathogenicity studies and their implications for human demyelination. This review presents critical information from previous studies on the disease, which asks several questions to understand the gaps in research in this field.

Little is known about how differences in water availability within the “super humid” tropics can influence the distribution of understory plant species and the composition of understory plant communities. We investigated variation in the physiological drought tolerances of understory plants and plant communities across a large elevation and precipitation gradient. We established 58 understory plots along a gradient of 400 – 3600 m asl elevation and 1000 – 6000 mm yr-1 rainfall in and around Manu National Park in southeastern Peru. Within the plots, we sampled all understory woody plants and measured three metrics of physiological leaf drought tolerance - turgor loss point (TLP), cuticular conductance (Gmin), and solute leakage (SL) - and assessed how the community-level means of these traits related to mean annual precipitation (MAP) and elevation (in the study gradient temperature decreases linearly and vapor pressure deficit increases monotonically with elevation). We did not find any correlations between the three metrics of leaf drought tolerance, suggesting that they represent independent strategies for coping with low water availability. Despite being widely used metrics of leaf drought tolerance, neither TLP nor Gmin showed any significant relationships with elevation or MAP. In contrast, SL, which has only recently been developed for use in ecological field studies, increased significantly at higher precipitations and at lower elevations (i.e., plants in colder and drier habitats have lower SL, indicating greater drought tolerances). Our results illustrate that differences in water availability may play a strong role in structuring plant communities even in in the wet tropics and highlight the potential for SL assays to be an efficient and effective tool for measuring drought tolerances in the field.

The crab’s fishery of the genus Callinectes is one of the most important fisheries in Mexico. Sonora and Sinaloa are the states in the eastern coast of the Gulf of California, the mainland coast. Sinaloa encompass the greatest production in Mexico of these species, in particular the Bahía Santa Maria La Reforma (BSMR), supply the most important catches. An administrative mandatory document for the fishery is the Management Plan of Crab. One of the main weaknesses found in it for Sonora and Sinaloa is the lack of fisheries assessment in both states. For this reason, a structured size method called CASA (Catch at Size Analysis) was applied in the BSMR, in the seasons 2000, 2011 and 2014 to C. bellicosus. The first catch size (CW50%) estimated for females were 97.5, 102.5 and 100 mm, while in males it was estimated at 117.5, 107.5 and 102.5 mm. In the specific case of fishing mortality (F), the algorithm allowed us to detect that in the larger sizes the greater fishing pressure is applied for both, females and males, yielding a weighted exploitation rate of 0.047 (2000), 0.119 (2011) and 0.426 (2014) for females and 0.045 (2000), 0.295 (2011) and 0.132 (2014) for males, all below 50% (E= 0.50), crab C. bellicosus in BSMR is not at risk of over exploitation.

Recent advances in sampling and novel techniques in drug synthesis and isolation have promoted the discovery of anticancer agents from marine organisms to combat this major threat to public health worldwide. Bryozoans, filter-feeding, sessile aquatic invertebrates often characterized by a calcified skeleton, are an excellent source of pharmacologically interesting compounds including well-known chemical classes such as alkaloids and polyketides. This review covers the literature for secondary metabolites isolated from marine cheilostome and ctenostome bryozoans that have shown potential as cancer drugs. Moreover, we highlight examples such as bryostatins, the most known class of marine-derived compounds from this animal phylum, which is advancing through anticancer clinical trials due to their low toxicity and antineoplastic activity. The bryozoan antitumour compounds discovered until now show a wide range of chemical diversity and biological activities. Therefore, more research focusing on the isolation of secondary metabolites with potential anticancer properties from bryozoans and other overlooked taxa covering wider geographic areas is needed for an efficient bioprospecting of natural products.

We propose an approach for estimating the error in depth data provided by generic 3D sensors, which are modern devices capable of generating an image (RGB data) and a depth map (distance) or other similar 2.5D structure (e.g. stereo disparity) of the scene. Our approach starts capturing images of a checkerboard pattern devised for the method. Then proceed with the construction of a dense depth map using functions that generally comes with the device SDK (based on disparity or depth). The 2D processing of RGB data is performed next to find the checkerboard corners. Clouds of corner points are finally created (in 3D), over which an RMS error estimation is computed. We come up with a multi-platform system and its verification and evaluation has been done, using the development kit of the board nVIDIA Jetson TK1 with the MS Kinects v1/v2 and the Stereolabs ZED camera. So the main contribution is the error determination procedure that does not need any data set or benchmark, thus relying only on data acquired on-the-fly. With a simple checkerboard, our approach is able to determine the error for any device. Envisioned application is on 3D reconstruction for robotic vision, with a series of 3D vision sensors embarked in robots (UAV of type quadcopter and terrestrial robots) for high-precision map construction, which can be used for sensing and monitoring.

This study delves into the complex interplay among attachment styles, hypersexuality, and sexual and couple satisfaction in emerging adults within the Mexican population. Despite established correlations between anxious and avoidant attachment styles and emotion dysregulation and hypersexuality, the roles of sexual and couple satisfaction in this context have remained relatively unexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how these variables interact and contribute to psychological distress and sexual risk behaviors. Data analysis on 214 emerging adults, utilizing the Experiences in Close Relationships scale, Couple Satisfaction Index, Sexual Satisfaction Scale, SCL-90, and SAST-R, revealed a significant association between risky sexual behaviors—such as a higher number of sexual partners, drug and alcohol use during sexual activity, and lack of sexual protection—and heightened levels of hypersexuality. Notably, individuals with hypersexual tendencies reported diminished levels of sexual satisfaction but elevated levels of couple satisfaction. Avoidant attachment emerged as the attachment style most strongly correlated with early sexual experiences. Moreover, the abbreviated versions of the Couple Satisfaction Index (CSI-4) and the Experiences in Close Relationships scale (ECR-8) exhibited commendable psychometric properties, enhancing their applicability for research and clinical purposes. This research furnishes valuable insights into the complex dynamics among attachment styles, hypersexuality, and couple and sexual satisfaction, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to foster healthier sexual and relationship behaviors among emerging adults.

Optical properties of the cornea are responsible for correct vision, ultrastructure allows optical transparency and biomechanical properties governs the shape, elasticity or stiffness of the cor-nea affecting ocular integrity and intraocular pressure. Therefore, optical aberrations, corneal transparency, structure and biomechanics play a fundamental role in the optical quality of hu-man vision, ocular health and refractive surgery outcomes. However, the convergence of those properties is not yet reported at macroscopic scale within the hierarchical structure of the cornea. This work explores the relationships between biomechanics, structure and optical properties (corneal aberrations and optical density) at macrostructural level of the cornea through dual Placido-Scheimpflug imaging and air-puff tonometry systems in a healthy young adult popula-tion. Results showed convergence between optical transparency, corneal macrostructure and biomechanics.

The cornea is the optical window to the brain. Its optical and structural properties are responsible for optical transparency and vision. The shape, elasticity, rigidity or stiffness are given by its biomechanical properties, whose stability results in ocular integrity and intraocular pressure dynamics. Here, we report in vivo observation of structural changes and biomechanical alterations of the human cornea induced by acoustic wave pressure within the frequency range of 50-350 Hz and 90 dB of sound pressure level. Central corneal thickness (CCT) and eccentricity (e2) were measured using Scheimpflug imaging and biomechanical properties [corneal hysteresis (CH) and intraocular pressure (IOP] were assessed with air-puff tonometry in 6 young healthy subjects. At the specific 150 Hz acoustic frequency, the variation in CCT and e2 were of 0.058 and 7.33 µm, respectively. Biomechanical alterations were also observed in both IOP (decrease of 3.60 mmHg) and CH that showed an increase of 0.40 mmHg.

In this paper were analyzed the effects of double reduction and annealing during rolling process on texture evolution in an ultrathin sheet of low carbon steel. Experimental samples were obtained from each process stage. EBSD technique and correlated tools as orientation density functions and pole figures were used to analyze the microstructural changes and the texture. Results show that {111} recrystallized grains were formed during process, reducing dramatically gamma-fibre texture intensity and generating an adequate finished product for deep die stamping.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) belongs to a heterogeneous group of highly complex neurodegenerative diseases and represents the second cause of presenile dementia in individuals under 65. Frontotemporal-TDP is a subgroup of frontotemporal dementia characterized by the aggregation of abnormal protein deposits, predominantly transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), in the frontal and temporal brain regions. These deposits lead to progressive degeneration of neurons resulting in cognitive and behavioral impairments. Limbic age-related encephalopathy (LATE) pertains to age-related cognitive decline primarily affecting the limbic system which is crucial for memory, emotions, and learning. Though distinct, emerging research suggests a potential overlap in pathogenic processes, with some cases of limbic encephalopathy displaying TDP-43 pathology. Genetic factors play a pivotal role in both disorders. Mutations in various genes, such as progranulin (GRN) and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), have been identified as causative in frontotemporal-TDP. Similarly, specific genetic variants have been associated with an increased risk of developing LATE. Understanding these genetic links provides crucial insights into disease mechanisms and the potential for targeted therapies.

This article presents the results of the study on the elements and spaces that likes and dislikes’ historical urban landscape of Ibarra's city, Ecuador, based on the analysis of the urban image. This research aims to propose an objective way to intervene a historical landscape based on the opinion of the people who frequent the place. Our hypothesis is that the characteristics (age, gender, educational level, and frequency of visits) of the interviewees condition their judgment on liking and disliking. It is proposed to know which of these characteristics condition the judgment. The methodology has two parts: a descriptive statistical analysis with graphs and frequencies used to map each point on the maps, and a logistic regression model to study the relationships between liking and disliking with interviewee characteristics. As results, (1) it has been possible to obtain those elements or spaces that are liked and disliked in proportion graphs and in planimetry. (2) Explanatory analysis of liking and disliking through the logistic regression model and inference to study significant characteristics. It emphasizes that "frequency of visits" is the significant characteristic for the elements and spaces that dislike. It's concluded that the study carried out provides objective tools to obtain the opinion of people and it's useful seen it in planimetry. Also, could be establish priorities to urban authorities about improve and intervention on elements or spaces that people judge because they are liking or disliking.

Cellular automata are mathematical models that represent systems with complex behavior through simple interactions between their individual elements. These models can be used to study unconventional computational systems and complexity. One notable aspect of cellular automata is their ability to create structures known as gliders, which move in a regular pattern to represent the manipulation of information. This paper introduces the modification of mean-field theory applied to cellular automata, using random perturbations based on the system’s evolution rule. The original aspect of this approach is that the perturbation factor is tailored to the nature of the rule, altering the behavior of the mean-field polynomials. By combining the properties of both the original and perturbed polynomials, it is possible to detect when a cellular automaton is more likely to generate gliders without having to run evolutions of the system.This methodology is a useful approach to finding more examples of cellular automata that exhibit complex behavior. We start by examining elementary cellular automata, then move on to examples of automata that can generate gliders with more states. To illustrate the results of this methodology, we provide evolution examples of the detected automata.

We report the production of metal oxide (TiFe₂O₄, ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation technique in liquid environment. We used nano second Nd: YAG laser systems working at 532 nm and 1064 nm of wavelength, the energy of the laser beam was kept constant at 80 mJ. Absorbance spectra, surface plasmon resonance, optical band-gap and nanoparticle morphology were investigated using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Changing the wavelength of the laser for growth, nanoparticles shown shift between the absorbance and surface plasmon resonance peaks in their UV-Vis spectra, this implies that the optical properties of the colloid nanoparticles depends on laser parameters, this was confirmed with the variation of the band gap energy. Furthermore, red shift for the absorbance peak was observed for samples as-growth at 532 nm around the 150 nm as function of time preparation. Whereas, for the samples as-growth at 1064 nm there is no shift in the absorbance spectra, this can be due to agglomeration and formation of larger particles. The characterization results shown appropriate plasmonic photo-catalysts properties of the particles, hence the photo activation of the nanoparticles was examined on antibacterial effect using colonies of Staphylococcus Aureus and Escherichia coli.

Corneal biomechanics is a hot topic in ophthalmology. The biomechanical properties of the cornea (BMPs) have important implications in the management and diagnosis of corneal diseases such as ectasia and keratoconus. In addition, the characterization of BMPs is crucial to model the predictability of a corneal surgery intervention, the outcomes of refractive surgery or follow-up of corneal diseases. The biomechanical behavior of the cornea is governed by viscoelastic properties that allow, among other structural implications, the damping of excess of intraocular pressure and reduce damage to the optic nerve. Currently, the most versatile and complete methods to measure corneal viscoelasticity are based on air-puff corneal applanation. However, those methods lack the ability to directly measure corneal viscosity. The aim of this work is to propose a new methodology based on the analysis of corneal air-puff measurements through the Standard Linear Solid model (SLSM) to provide analytical expressions to separately calculate the elastic and time-dependent (corneal retardation time and viscosity) properties. The results shown the mean values of elasticity (E), viscosity (Ƞ) and corneal retardation time (τ) in a sample of 200 young and healthy subjects. The influence of elasticity and viscosity on viscoelasticity, high-order corneal aberrations and optical transparency is investigated. Finally, the SLSM fed back from experimental E and Ƞ values was employed to compare the creep-relaxation response between normal, an ocular hypertension patient and Ortho-K user.

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a process in which aggressive cancer cells form tube-like structures, plays a crucial role in providing nutrients and escape routes. Highly plastic tumor cells, such as those with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) phenotype, can develop VM. However, little is known about the interplay between cellular components of the tumor microenvironment upon TNBC cells VM-capacity. In this study, we analyzed the ability of endothelial and stromal cells to induce VM when interacting with TNBC cells, and analyzed the involvement of the FGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway in this process. VM was corroborated using fluorescently‐labeled TNBC cells. Only endothelial cells triggered VM formation, suggesting a predominant role of paracrine/ juxtacrine factors from an endothelial origin in VM development. By immunocytochemistry, qPCR and secretome analyses, we determined increased expression of proangiogenic factors as well as stemness markers in VM-forming cancer cells. Similarly, endothelial cells primed by TNBC cells showed upregulation of proangiogenic molecules, including FGF, VEGFA, and several inflammatory cytokines. The endothelium-dependent TNBC-VM formation was prevented by AZD4547 or LY294002, strongly suggesting the involvement of the FGFR/PI3K/Akt axis in this process. Given that VM is associated with poor clinical prognosis, targeting FGFR/PI3K/Akt pharmacologically may hold promise for treating and preventing VM in TNBC tumors.

We have been encouraging practicing gynecologists to adopt molecular diagnostics tests, PCR, and cancer biomarkers, as an alternative enabled by these platforms to traditional Papanicolaou and colposcopy tests, respectively. An aliquot of liquid-based cytology was used for the molecular test [high-risk HPV types, (HR HPV)], another for the PAP test and still one more for the p16/Ki67 dual stain cytology. A total of 4,499 laboratory samples were evaluated, and we found that 25.1% of low-grade samples and 47.9% of high-grade samples after PAP testing had a negative HR HPV-PCR result. In those cases, reported as Pap-negative, 22.1% got a positive HR HPV-PCR result. Dual staining with the p16/Ki67 biomarkers in samples was positive for HR HPV, and 31.7% were also positive for these markers. Of the PCR results positive for any of these high-risk HPV subtypes, n 68.3% we did not to find evidence for the presence of cancerous cells, highlighting the importance of performing dual staining with p16/Ki67 after PCR, to avoid unnecessary colposcopies. Encountered challenges are a deep-rooted social reluctance in Mexico to abandon traditional Pap smears and the opinion of many specialists, we still believe that colposcopy continues to be a preferred procedure over dual staining protocol.

In this paper, we present a method for estimating GPS signals from visual information captured by a monocular camera mounted on a fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The main challenge in visual odometry from aerial images is the computation of scale due to irregularities in the elevation of the terrain. That is, it is not possible to accurately convert from pixels in the image to meters in space, and the error accumulates. The contribution of this work is to reduce the accumulated error by comparing the images from the camera with satellite images. The algorithm has been tested in real-time experiments, and the results show that it is possible to eliminate the accumulated error using satellite images.

Following the general aim of recapitulating the native mechanical properties of tissues and organs in vitro, the field of materials science and engineering has benefited from recent progress in developing compliant substrates with similar physical and chemical properties. In particular, in the field of mechanobiology, soft hydrogels can now reproduce the precise range of stiffnesses of healthy and pathological tissues to study the mechanisms behind cell response to mechanics. However, it was shown that biological tissues are not only elastic but also relax at different timescales. Cells can indeed perceive and actually need this dissipation because it is a critical signal integrated with other signals to define adhesion, spreading and even more complicated functions. The mechanical definition of hydrogels used in mechanobiology is however commonly limited to the elastic stiffness (Young’s modulus) and this value is known to depend greatly on the measurement conditions that are rarely reported. Here, we report that a simple relaxation test performed under well defined conditions can provide all the necessary information to characterize soft materials mechanically, by fitting the dissipation behavior with a generalized Maxwell model (GMM). The method was validated using soft polyacrylamide hydrogels and proved to be very useful to unveil precise mechanical properties of gels that cells can sense and offer a set of characteristic values that can be compared with what is typically reported from microindentation tests.

An impaired healing response underlies diabetic foot wounds chronicity, frequently translating in amputation, disability, and early mortality. In addition, diabetics frequently suffer of the underappreciated episode of post-epithelization ulcer recurrence. Recurrence epidemiological data are alarmingly high; so that the ulcer is considered in “remission” and not healed for the time it remains epithelialized. Recurrence may result from the conspiracy of behavioral and biological factors. Although the damaging role of behavioral, clinical predisposing factors is undebatable, the role of endogenous biological signalers that prime the residual scar tissue to recurrence has remained elusive. We propose that ulcer recurrence is deeply impinged by chronic hyperglycemia and its downstream biological effectors, which originate epigenetic drivers that enforce abnormal pathologic phenotypes to dermal fibroblasts, and keratinocytes as memory cells. Hyperglycemia-derived cytotoxic reactants accumulate and modify dermal proteins, reduce scar tissue mechanical tolerance, and disrupt fibroblasts-secretory activity. Accordingly, the combination of epigenetic and local and systemic cytotoxic signalers, induce the onset of “at-risk phenotypes” as premature skin cells aging, dysmetabolism, inflammatory, pro-degradative, and oxidative programs that may ultimately converge to scar cells demise. Unfortunately, post epithelialization recurrence rates data are missing in clinical studies of accepted ulcer healing therapies during follow-up periods. Intra-ulcer infiltration of epidermal growth factor exhibits the most consistent remission data with the lowest recurrences during 12-month follow-up. Recurrence data should be regarded as a valuable clinical endpoint during the investigational period for each emergent healing candidate.

Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate five glacierized river basins that are global in coverage and vary in climate. The river basins included the Narayani (Nepal), Vakhsh (Central Asia), Rhone (Switzerland), Mendoza (Central Andes, Argentina), and Central Dry Andes (Chile) with a total area of 85,000 km2. A modified SWAT snow algorithm was applied in order to consider spatial variation of associated snow melt /accumulation by elevation band across each subbasin. In the previous studies, melt rates varied as a function of elevation resulting from an air temperature gradient while the snow parameters were constant throughout the entire basin. A major improvement of the new snow algorithm is separating the glaciers from seasonal snow based on their characteristics. Two SWAT snow algorithms were evaluated in simulation of monthly runoff from glaciered watershed: 1) the snow parameters are lumped (i.e. constant throughout the entire basin) and 2) the snow parameters are spatially variable based on elevation band-subbasin (i.e. modified snow algorithm). Applying the distributed SWAT snow algorithm improved the model performance in simulation of monthly runoff with snow-glacial regime, so that mean RSR decreased to 0.49 from 0.55 and NSE increased to 0.75 from 0.69. Improvement of model performance was negligible in simulation of monthly runoff from the basins with monsoon runoff regime.

Extensive genome structure variation, such as copy number variations (CNVs) and presence/absence variations, is the basis for the remarkable maize genetic diversity; however, the effect of CNVs on maize herbivory defense remains largely underexplored. Here, we report that the naturally occurring duplication of the maize 9-lipoxygenase gene, ZmLOX5, leads to increased resistance of maize to herbivory by fall armyworms (FAW). Previously, we showed that ZmLOX5-derived oxylipins are required for defense against chewing insect herbivores and identified several inbred lines, including Yu796, that contained duplicated CNVs of ZmLOX5, referred to as Yu796-2×LOX5. To test whether introgression of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus into the herbivore-susceptible B73 background that contains a single ZmLOX5 gene is a feasible approach to increase resistance, we generated a series of near-isogenic lines that contained either 2, 1 or 0 copies of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus in the B73 background by six back crosses (BC6). Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed the successful introgression of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus in B73. The resulting B73-2×LOX5 inbred line displayed increased resistance against FAW associated with increased expression of ZmLOX5, increased wound-induced production of its primary oxylipin product, the α-ketol, 9-hydroxy-10-oxo-12(Z),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid (9,10-KODA), and the downstream defense hormones regulated by this molecule, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (12-OPDA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Surprisingly, wound-induced JA-Ile production was not increased in B73-2×LOX5, resulting from the increased JA catabolism. Furthermore, B73-2×LOX5 displayed enhanced drought tolerance likely due to increased ABA and 12-OPDA content. Taken together, this study revealed that the duplicated CNV of ZmLOX5 quantitively contributes to maize antiherbivore defense and presents proof-of-concept evidence that the introgression of naturally occurring duplicated CNVs of a defensive gene into the productive, but susceptible, crop varieties is a feasible breeding approach for enhancing plant resistance to herbivory and tolerance to abiotic stress.

One of the interactions that has been studied in recent decades under the ecohydrological approach is infiltration, which is difficult to determine because the existing methods for estimation depends on certain variables that are difficult to establish or identify, and in other cases, the implementation of instrumentation is expensive. Given this, saturated hydraulic conductivity has been the descriptive variable of the infiltration process by recent authors, being understood as the conduction of water that occurs through the soil and its composition through the vegetation cover. The present design generated an easily accessible portable instrumentation model for the monitoring and collection of infiltration data in situ for basins and ecosystems with different land uses, in an automated manner with the objective of determining the vegetation patterns necessary to sustain the infiltration function. The INDI-INECOL tension infiltrometer [1] was chosen as the reference instrument. It evaluates the saturated hydraulic conductivity based on a column of water that descends through the system and it is exchanged in the soil by the air between the pores. To automate data collection, a measurement system has been proposed through a SCADA system, which is defined as a control, action, decision, storage and data recording system. This system collects field data from a sensor VL053L0X connected to a master station, in our case an Arduino board UNO, connected through the serial port and by a graphical user interface programmed on Python, to display, storage and enrichment of the sensor data and finally to be exported in files suitable for Microsoft Excel.

Soil-borne Trichoderma spp. have been extensively studied for their biocontrol activities against pathogens and growth promotion ability with plants. However, the beneficial effect of Trichoderma on inducing resistance against insect herbivores has been considered only recently. Among diverse Trichoderma species, consistent with previous reports, we showed that root colonization by T. virens triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) to leaf-infecting fungal pathogens. Whether T. virens induces ISR to insect pests has not been tested before. In this study, we investigated whether T. virens affects jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and defense against fall armyworm (FAW) and western corn rootworm (WCR). Unexpectedly, the results showed that T. virens colonization of maize seedlings grown in autoclaved soil suppressed wound-induced production of JA, resulting in reduced resistance to FAW. Similarly, the bacterial endophyte Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 suppressed systemic resistance to FAW due to reduced JA. Further comparative analyses of the systemic effects of these endophytes when applied into sterile or non-sterile field soil showed that both T. virens and P. chlororaphis 30-84 triggered ISR against hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola in both soil conditions, but only suppressed resistance to FAW in sterile soil. In contrast to the effect on FAW defense, T. virens colonization of maize roots suppressed WCR larvae survival and weight gain. This is the first report suggesting the potential role of T. virens as a biocontrol agent against WCR.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)1, ACE2, and renin are components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which regulates blood pressure. ACE2 also serves as a receptor for SARS-CoV-2 and together with the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS-2), mediates viral cell-endocytosis. As the placenta expresses all these factors, it acts as a target for SARS-CoV-2 and also as a source of blood pressure modulators. An ACE1/ACE2 ratio imbalance can lead to RAS dysregulation and a bad prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Calcitriol, the vitamin D active metabolite, negatively regulates RAS, reduces inflammation, and enhances antiviral immunity, thereby playing a protective role against COVID-19 severity. Placental calcitriol has been inversely correlated with maternal blood pressure; however, its regulatory role in RAS components and SARS-CoV-2 receptors within the fetomaternal unit has been barely explored. Therefore, we investigated the effects of calcitriol on placental RAS components. Calcitriol downregulated ACE1, ACE2, TMPRSS-2, and renin gene expression in cultured syncytiotrophoblasts and the extravillous trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo. The ACE1/ACE2 ratio was also downregulated by calcitriol. Similar results were obtained in syncytiotrophoblasts treated with calcidiol, the precursor of calcitriol. Altogether, these results support that vitamin D is essential in restricting SARS-CoV-2 placental infection while helping to regulate maternal blood pressure during pregnancy.

We present a very computationally light and fast approximation algorithm and then verify it with genetic algorithm and simulated annealing. We show that our algorithm is on par with GA and SA in terms of output produced while having a tightly bounded time complexity. Our algorithm works best when there is a strong positive correlation between the reliability of a component and its cost. We present two algorithms with the same essence. One of them is system cost bounded and the other is target reliability bounded. Our proposed algorithm works on a subsystem level redundancy instead of component level redundancy.

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.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. The interferons (IFNs) were discovered in 1957, and recombinant IFN-β-1b was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as the first disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for MS in 1993. Since that time, clinical trials and real-world observational studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of IFN therapies. The pivotal intramuscular IFN-β-1a phase 3 trial was the first to demonstrate that a DMT could reduce accumulation of sustained disability in MS. Patient adherence to treatment is higher with intramuscular IFN-β-1a, given once weekly, than with subcutaneous formulations requiring multiple injections per week. Moreover, subcutaneous IFN-β-1a is associated with an increased incidence of injection site reactions and neutralizing antibodies compared with intramuscular administration. In recent years, revisions to MS diagnostic criteria have improved clinicians’ ability to identify patients with MS and have promoted the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosis and monitoring. MRI studies show that treatment with IFN-β-1a, relative to placebo, reduces T2 and gadolinium-enhancing lesions and gray matter atrophy. Since the approval of intramuscular IFN-β-1a, several high-efficacy therapies have been approved for MS, though the benefit of these high-efficacy therapies should be balanced against the increased risk of serious adverse events. For some subpopulations of patients, including pregnant women, the safety profile of IFN-β formulations may provide a particular benefit. In addition, the antiviral properties of IFNs may indicate therapeutic opportunities for IFN-β in the treatment of viral infections such as COVID-19.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015 TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of the production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015, TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The present study aims to measure the technical efficiency and establish core factors effecting rice production in Cambodia. Four-years dataset generated from the central government document “Profile on Economics and Social” of entire 25 provinces between 2012-2015 and the stochastic production frontier model (SFA) was applied. The results indicated that the level of output (quantity) of Cambodian rice production varied according to the different level of capital investment in agricultural machineries, total rice actual harvested area, and technically fertilizers application within provinces. Furthermore, evidence revealed the overall mean efficiency of rice production is 78.4% implies that there is still room to further improve technical efficiency by given the same level of inputs and technology. More importantly, the findings revealed that irrigation, production technique and amount of agricultural supporting staffs are being as the most important influencing factors of rice production’s technical efficiency in Cambodia. In conclusion, present study strongly recommends the development of irrigation systems and good water management practices to be considered and bring into more effective actions by the central government as well as related agencies for improving rice production in Cambodia in addition to capital investment and improving technical skills of supporting staffs and rural farmers.

Cotton is the most ubiquitous and profitable fiber with diverse industrial and domestic applications. Grown in over 100 countries, it has a global market value of about $40 billion and employs over 350 million people from fields to textile mills, contributing about 7% of total labor-force recruitment in developing economies. Cotton has an indeterminate growth habit and an extensive tap root system affected by soil physicochemical and environmental conditions. There is a consensus among experts that conventional cotton cultivation still has a long way to attain sustainability, which is essential if cotton will maintain its competitive edge over other natural and synthetic fibers like hemp, polyesters, and rayon. Despite several efforts already committed to growing cotton sustainably, sustainability has eluded cotton cultivation globally because of the intense farm inputs (freshwater, pesticides, and heavy-duty equipment) needs, especially in developing economies. Some of the technological advancements towards achieving the goal of sustainable cotton cultivation include the development of new varieties, improved irrigation and mulching and precision agriculture techniques, application of remote sensing and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) combined with image processing, and the introduction of autonomous and multi-purpose robotic platforms for growing and harvesting cotton. This review attempts to evaluate the successes already achieved by stakeholders in moving cotton towards sustainable production and identify areas where efforts are still needed to reach sustainable production and improved profitability goals for cotton with projections for future research directions.

Keywords: olfactory rehabilitation; chronic pain; fMRI;

Revealing the spatial distribution mechanism of the coupling effect between soil water and salt is essential for managing saline-alkali farmland. This study utilized the multifractal method to analyze soil water and salt under varying water content levels in arid saline-alkali farmland. Soil samples were collected on the second (S1), fifth (S2), eighth (S3), eleventh (S4), and fourteenth (S5) days after a rainfall event. The findings showed that a significant decrease in soil water content, contrasting with an increase in soil salt content throughout the soil layers post-rainfall. As water content decreased, the spatial variability of soil water initially increased from S1-3 and then decreased, while the spatial variability of soil salt decreased. The spatial distribution between soil water and salt exhibited a high correlation at S3-4 (with relative water content of soil ranging from 0.52 to 0.75) due to their coupling effect. However, soil salt was unevenly leached by rainfall at high water content levels (S1-2) and precipitated at low water content levels (S5), resulting in low spatial variability correlations between soil water and salt. This study elucidated the coupling process of soil water and salt, identifying their spatiotemporal distribution mechanism in dryland agricultural areas.

More than 20 years after the discovery of the first anelloviruses (AVs), they still remain a mysterious group of viruses. To date, there is no clear understanding of their impact on the host organism, although information is emerging about their participation in various pathologies. However, it is well known that AVs are an important component of the human virome. In the current study we assessed the abundance of AVs in viromes from four nasal and pharyngeal samples from children with respiratory symptoms using a metagenomic approach. It is worth noting that three patients had known respiratory viruses and one did not have any. Regarding AVs, they were detected in all samples, namely Torque teno mini virus (TTMV). The greatest abundance and diversity of AVs (Torque teno virus (TTV), TTMV and Torque teno midi virus (TTMDV)) were shown in a diseased patient with an absence of respiratory viruses, which may indicate the potential involvement of AVs in the maintenance of respiratory symptoms. An activated immune system to combat the main pathogens, against the background of which the number of AVs decreases, is discussed as a possible reason for the reduced diversity of anellome in other patients. We also compared the results of the metagenomic approach and qPCR for major respiratory viruses, which were in agreement. In addition, metagenomic sequencing made it possible to obtain additional data on viral genomes in order to establish their taxonomic identification and characterize individual viral profiles in patients from the Siberian part of Russia.

Electrospun ultrathin fibers based on binary compositions of polylactide (PLA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with different ratios of polymer components from 0/100 to 100/0 wt. % were studied. Using a combination of thermal (DSC) and relaxation (EPR) measurements, the effect of biopolymers content on the characteristics of the crystal structure of PLA and PCL and the diffusive rotational mobility of the stable TEMPO radical in the amorphous regions of PLA/PCL compositions was shown. It was revealed that after PLA and PCL blending, significant changes in the degree of crystallinity of PLA, PCL segmental mobility, sorption capacity of the radical as well as activation energy of rotational diffusion in the amorphous regions of PLA/PCL composition are observed. The characteristic region of biopolymers’ composition from 50/50 to 30/70 % PLA/PCL blends ratio was found, where the inversion transition of PLA from dispersive medium to dispersive phase where an inversion transition is assumed when the continuous medium of the PLA transforms into a discrete phase. The performed studies made it possible for the first time to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the effect of the system component ratio on the structural and dynamic characteristics of the PLA/PCL film material at the molecular level.

The ability of S. aureus to infect humans and cause a wide range of infections so efficiently is a consequence of the many variant virulence factors that it can produce. Superantigens (SAgs) make up a group of them and include staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE). The main objective of this study was to detect enterotoxin gene cluster (EGC) in S. aureus isolates that caused infections in Paraguayan children in the year 2017, through an observational and cross-sectional study. The detection of the EGC including the seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, and seu genes, was carried out by end-point PCR. 181 S. aureus isolates were collected, most of them caused skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI, n=140, 77%) and came from children under 6 years 50% (n=90). At least one SE gene was detected in 96% (174/181) of isolates and 24% (44/181) carried the entire EGC. An association between methicillin resistance and seg, sei, seo, and seu gene carriage (p ≤0.05) was observed. A high prevalence of EGC was detected in S. aureus isolates collected from infected children attending the main health care centers in Paraguay, its importance is due to the potential of these toxins to aggravate staphylococcal infections.

Chemotherapy is a standard therapeutic option for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, its effectiveness is often compromised by drug-related toxicity and resistance development. Herein, we aimed to evaluate whether an improved antineoplastic effect could be achieved in vitro and in vivo in TNBC by combining dovitinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, with calcitriol, a natural anti-cancer hormone. In vitro, cell proliferation and cell-cycle distribution were studied by sulforhodamine B-assays and flow cytometry. In vivo, dovitinib/calcitriol effects on tumor growth, angiogenesis and endothelium activation were evaluated in xenografted mice by caliper measures, Itgb3-immunohistochemistry and 99mTc-RGD2-tumor uptake. The drug combination elicited a synergistically improved antiproliferative effect in TNBC-derived cells, which allowed a 7-fold dovitinib dose-reduction. Mechanistically, the co-treatment induced cell death and accumulation in S and G2/M phases, while inhibited tumor growth to a greater extent than each compound alone. Tumor uptake of 99mTc-RGD2 was reduced by dovitinib, suggesting angiogenesis inhibition, which was corroborated by decreased endothelial cell growth and tumor vessel density. In summary, calcitriol synergized dovitinib anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo, allowing for a significant dose-reduction of dovitinib, while maintaining its antiproliferative potency. Our results suggest the beneficial convergence of independent antitumor mechanisms of dovitinib and calcitriol to inhibit TNBC-tumor growth.

This paper analyses the application of deep learning techniques for predicting wave overtopping events in port environments using sea state and weather forecasts as inputs. The study was conducted in the outer port of Punta Langosteira, A Coruña, Spain. A video recording infrastructure was installed to monitor overtopping events from 2015 to 2022, identifying 3709 overtopping events. The data collected was merged with actual and predicted data for the sea state and weather conditions during the overtopping events, creating three datasets. We used these datasets to create several machine learning models to predict whether an overtopping event would occur based on sea state and weather conditions. The final models achieved a high accuracy level during the training and testing stages: 0.81, 0.73, and 0.84 average accuracy during training and 0.67, 0.48, and 0.86 average accuracy during testing, respectively. The results of this study have significant implications for port safety and efficiency, as wave overtopping events can cause disruptions and potential damage. Using deep learning techniques for overtopping prediction can help port managers take preventative measures and optimize operations, ultimately improving safety and helping to minimize the economic impact that overtopping events have on the port's activities.

“De-[Constructing] Growth” is offered as a deeper and more useful conceptualization that avoids the negative connotations of, and resistance to, “degrowth” by decoupling profit from unsustainable consumption, production, and inequality.

Brushless Synchronous Machines (BSM) are replacing conventional synchronous machines with static excitation in generation facilities due to the absence of sparking and lower maintenance. However, this excitation system makes challenging measuring electric parameters in the rotor. This fact highly difficult the detection of ground faults, which are the most common type of electrical fault in electric machines. In this paper, a ground fault detection method for BSM is proposed. It is based on an inductive AC/DC rotating current sensor installed in the shaft. In case of a ground fault in the rotating parts of the BSM, a fault current will flow through the rotor’s sensor, inducing voltage in its stator. Analyzing the frequency components of the induced voltage the detection of a ground fault in the rotating elements is possible. The ground faults detection method proposed covers the whole rotor and discern between DC and AC sides. To corroborate the detection method, experimental tests have been performed using a prototype of this sensor connected to laboratory synchronous machines achieving satisfactory results.

Background: The practice of self-medication is common worldwide and is an important component of medical self-care. However, the practice can be dangerous and is linked to various risks for the patients and the entire community. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with self-medication among Bangladeshi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and June 2021 among Bangladeshi adults (aged >19 years) using convenient sampling. A total of 1320 data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with self-medication practice (SMP). Results: Overall, 41% of adults in our survey reported SMP. The most common illnesses that prompted SMP were common cold/flu (66.4%), gastric problems (65%), and headache (64.4%). The most frequent reasons for SMP were to get better services (30.59%), perceive SMP without side effects (23.28%), and save time with effectiveness (14.56%). Potential risk factors included 10 years (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.04 - 3.50) and >12 years of schooling (AOR = 5.03; 95% CI: 2.27 - 11.15), being a businessman (AOR = 4.64; 95% CI: 1.74 - 12.37), having ≤6 family members (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.40 - 3.24), being a member of a social group (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.12), a health status check after every six months (AOR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08 - 2.13), and current ill-health (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.87). Protective factors identified included ≤30 years of age (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.93), and practice of modern (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22- 0.69) and herbal (AOR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21- 0.97) healing types. Conclusion: More than one-third of the study participants reported practicing self-medication. Increasing the community’s awareness of the extreme consequences of SMP and not just the average experience might sway individuals away from SMP, and implementing strict jurisdiction could be a way to minimize the SMP.

The paper presents a method to assess the effect of electrolyte additives on the energy capacity of Pb-acid batteries. The method applies to any chemically unreactive additive, including suspensions and gels. The approach is thermodynamically based and it leads to the definition of a region of admissible concentrations –the battery’s admissible range– where the battery can undergo an indefinite number of charge/discharge cycles without suffering permanent damage. An experimental procedure to determine this range is presented. The obtained results provide a way to assess the potential of electrolyte additives to improve the energy capacity of Pb-acid batteries. The same results also provide a means to determine the additive concentration that produces the maximum energy capacity increase of the battery. The paper closes with an example of application of the proposed approach to a practical case.

Biodiversity has become an issue of global anxiety over the past decades due to its rapid decline worldwide. Bangladesh as one of the most densely populated countries in the world is no more exception. The country, although, was once very rich in biodiversity, during the last few decades as a consequence of the rapid reduction in forest area, urbanisation, habitat modification, unsustainable natural resources use and collection and overall climate change it has decreased alarmingly. Of late, the government, as a signatory of various regional and international conservation treaties, has taken various initiatives to improve country’s dwindling biodiversity. This paper reviews the present situation of biodiversity in Bangladesh, management trends and major causes of biodiversity loss. A separate statutory body is fundamental to ensure conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arisen from biodiversity in the country.

To improve efficacy and safety of sunscreen emulsions, UV‐filter skin permeation could be kept as low as possible by reducing UV‐filter content or changing emulsion composition. In this work, different lipid phase ratio (12, 14 and 16% w/w) were assessed for their ability to affect the technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions in which bemotrizinol (BMTZ), a broad spectrum sunscreen agent, was incorporated free or loaded into nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLC) to reduce its release from the vehicle and, hence, its skin permeation. The following technological properties were evaluated in vitro by suitable methodologies: spreadability, viscosity, pH, occlusion factor, BMTZ release, sun protection factor (SPF). Sensory attributes were assessed by trained panelists in three different phases: before/during pick‐up, rub‐in, after application. Raising the lipid phase ratio led to an increase of viscosity and to a corresponding drop of spreadability while the incorporation of BMTZ‐loaded NLC determined a decrease of occlusion factor and an increase of SPF. No BMTZ release was observed from all emulsions. Sensory attributes were mainly affected by lipid phase ratio. These results suggest that lipid phase ratio and BMTZ incorporation into NLC could contribute to determine technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions.

Precise monitoring of individual crop growth and health status is crucial for precision agriculture practices. However, traditional manual inspection methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often lack the spatial resolution required for detailed analysis. This research addresses the need for efficient and high-resolution crop monitoring by leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery and advanced computational techniques. The primary objective was to develop a methodology for precise identification, extraction, and monitoring of individual corn crops throughout their growth cycle. This was achieved by integrating UAV-derived data with image processing, computational geometry, and machine learning techniques. UAV imagery was ac-quired bi-weekly at altitudes of 40m and 70m, capturing the entire growth cycle of a corn crop from planting to harvest. A time-series Canopy Height Model (CHM) was generated by analyzing the differences between the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and the Digital Surface Model (DSM) derived from the UAV data. Local spatial analysis and image processing techniques were em-ployed to determine the local maximum height of each crop. Subsequently, a Voronoi data model was developed to delineate individual crop canopies, successfully identifying 13,000 out of 13,050 corn crops in the study area. For enhanced accuracy in canopy size delineation, vegetation indices were incorporated into the Voronoi model segmentation, refining the initial canopy area esti-mates by eliminating interference from soil and shadows. The proposed methodology enables precise estimation and monitoring of crop canopy size, height, biomass reduction, lodging, and stunted growth over time, providing valuable insights for precision agriculture practices. This work contributes to the scientific community by demonstrating the potential of integrating UAV technology, computational geometry, and machine learning for accurate and efficient crop mon-itoring at the individual plant level.

Synucleins are a family of small, soluble proteins mainly expressed in neural tissue and in certain tumors. Since their discovery, tens of thousands of scientific reports have been published about this family of proteins as they are associated to severe human diseases. Although the physiological function of these proteins still elusive, their relation with neurodegeneration and cancer was clearly described over the years. In this review, we summarize data connecting synucleins and cancer, going from the structural description of these molecules, to their involvement in tumor-related processes, and discuss the putative use of this proteins as cancer molecular biomarkers.

One of the most common complications of neurogenic bladder secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI) is urinary incontinence, possibly related to bladder-emptying methods and changes in quality of life. This study aimed to identify the occurrence of this complication in adults with SCI and analyze its relationship with bladder-emptying methods, satisfaction, and lifestyle. This is a quantitative, exploratory, cross-sectional study. The variables were collected using the Bowel and Bladder Treatment Index during a telephone interview with 290 participants from February to November 2021. According to the results, 70% of the participants were male and 74.1% performed clean intermediate catheterization (CIC) as the main bladder-emptying method. Moreover, 55.6% were considered incontinent in the last year. Emptying by normal urination and bladder reflex triggering had a statistically significant relationship with urinary incontinence. A statistical association was observed between all the variables of satisfaction and lifestyle with urinary incontinence. Although CIC reduced urine leakage, a considerable number of participants still presented with frequent urine leakage. Urinary incontinence negatively altered satisfaction with the bladder-emptying method, effectiveness of bladder management, quality of life, and personal and social relationships.

In this study, we address the formidable challenge of solving large-scale Max-Cut problems (MCP). We introduce a rapid computational procedure utilizing a hybrid 1-flip/r-flip local search heuristic. This innovative strategy significantly reduces the computational time required for MCP problems while consistently generating solutions of exceptional quality. The paper presents substantial computational insights, showcasing the effectiveness of our approach on very-large-scale Max-Cut instances with varying densities. Our proposed heuristic is rigorously evaluated by comparing its performance against a quantum annealing solver, leveraging a multi-start Tabu Search framework. The results underscore the potency of this unique combination as an efficient and effective solution for large-scale QUBO problems. Notably, our hybrid heuristic consistently delivers high-quality solutions within the stringent CPU time limits of 600 seconds, demonstrating its efficacy across Max-Cut instances ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 variables. This research contributes to advancing the state-of-the-art in large-scale QUBO problem-solving, offering a powerful and time-efficient approach with broad applicability.

Usually in the manufacture of beer by fermentation of barley, in both industrialized and developing countries significant amounts of organic solid waste are produced from barley straw. These possibly have an impact on the carbon footprint with an effect on global warming. According to this, it is important to reduce environmental impact of these solid residues, and an adequate way is the recycling using them as raw material for the elaboration of handmade paper. Therefore, it is required to manage this type of waste by analyzing the environmental impact, and thus be able to identify sustainable practices for the treatment of this food waste, evaluating its life cycle, which is a useful methodology to estimate said environmental impacts. It is because of this work shows the main results obtained using the life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology, to evaluate the possible environmental impacts during the waste treatment of a brewery located in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. The residues evaluated were barley straw, malt residues and spent grain, and at the end, barley straw was selected to determine in detail its environmental impact and its reuse, the sheets analyzed presented a grammage that varies from 66 g/m2 and 143 g/m2, resistance to burst was 117 to 145 kpa, with a crystallinity of 34.4% to 37.1%.

This paper proposes two max-pooling engines, named the RTB-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine, with a scalable window size parameter for FPGA-based convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation. The max-pooling operation for the CNN can be decomposed into two stages, i.e., a horizontal axis max-pooling operation and a vertical axis max-pooling operation. These two one-dimensional max-pooling operations are performed by tracking the rank of the values within the window in the RTB-MAXP engine and cascading the maximum operations of the values in CMB-MAXP engine. Both the RBM-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine were implemented using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and verified by simulations. They have been employed for and tested in our CNN accelerator targeting at the CNN model YOLOv4-CSP-S-Leaky for object detection.

Breast cancer (BC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers diagnosed in women. Its treatment necessitates precision tailored to the cancer's genetic makeup for enhanced efficacy. Research has been directed towards natural compounds for their anti-BC properties, aiming to augment existing treatment modalities. Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R.M. King and H. Rob, commonly referred to as Ch. tacotana, is a notable source of bioactive hydroxy-methylated flavonoids. However, the specific anti-BC mechanisms of these flavonoids, particularly those present in the plant's inflorescences, remain partly undefined. This study focuses on assessing a chalcone derivative extracted from Ch. tacotana inflorescences for its potential to concurrently activate regulated autophagy and intrinsic apoptosis in Luminal A and triple-negative BC cells. We determined the chemical composition of the chalcone using ultraviolet (UV) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Its selective cytotoxicity against BC cell lines was assessed using the MTT assay. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis were employed to examine the modulation of proteins governing autophagy and the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Additionally, in silico simulations were conducted to predict interactions between the chalcone and various anti-apoptotic proteins, including the mTOR protein. The chalcone was identified as 2',4-dihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy-chalcone (DDC), also known as Flavokavain C (FKC). This compound demonstrated selective inhibition of BC cell proliferation and triggered autophagy and intrinsic apoptosis. It induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and altered mitochondrial outer membrane potential (∆ψm). The study observed the activation of autophagic LC3-II and mitochondrial pro-apoptotic proteins in both BC cell lines. The regulation of Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 proteins varied according to BC subtype, yet they showed promising molecular interactions with DDC. Among the examined pro-survival proteins, mTOR and Mcl-1 exhibited the most favorable binding energies and were downregulated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Further research is needed to fully understand the molecular dynamics involved in the activation and interaction of autophagy and apoptosis pathways in cancer cells in response to potential anticancer agents like the hydroxy-methylated flavonoids from Ch. tacotana.

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

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

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

Using density functional theory (DFT), the density of states of NH4V3O8 (NVO) was analyzed pre and post-oxygen defects (Od) formation. The findings revealed a reduced bandgap in NVO after Od introduction, emphasizing the role of Od in enhancing conductivity of the material, thus improving its electrochemical attributes. Through the water bath method, both NVO and its oxygen-deficient counterpart, (NH4)2V10O25⸱8H2O (NVOd), were synthesized as potential cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Experimental outcomes resonated with DFT predictions, highlighting the beneficial role of oxygen defects in boosting electrical conductivity. Notably, the refined material displayed a remarkable capacity of 479.3 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, underscoring its promise for advanced energy storage solutions.

A total of 473 metabolites were identified from 4 sour cherry genotypes using UPLC-TOF-MS. Untargeted metabolomics revealed the dominant chemical groups present in sour cherries. PCA showed that the diversity in sour-cherry metabolites was due to the genotype differences indicating iditol, malic acid, chlorobenzene, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, and pyroglutamic acid as the predominant contributors. The variable importance in the projection (VIP > 1.0) in partial least-squares–discriminant analysis described 20 biomarker metabolites, representing the cherry metabolome profiles. A heatmap of Pearson’s correlation analysis between the 20 biomarker metabolites and antioxidant activities identified seven antioxidant determinants that displayed the highest correlations with different types of antioxidant activities. This study of correlating metabolomics and antioxidant activities elucidated that the higher nutritional value and biological functions of select sour cherry genotypes can be useful for the development of nutraceutical and functional foods.

Meningitis is a severe disease associated with death in children under five with highest rates of infections under age of one. Vaccines for Neisseria meningitides and Haemophilus influenza are used to prevent the main causative agents of meningitis. Administration of H. influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is recommended at 2, 4 and 6 months with a booster dose at 18 months. N. meningitidis has two commercially available vaccines, the pure polysaccharide is recommended at 24 months meanwhile the protein-conjugated vaccines at 12 months. We sought in this study to examine if coadministering the vaccines for the two main meningitis causing bacteria might be synergistic as a preliminary step towards the possibility of shuffling immunization schedule. So, we coadministered Hib vaccine with commercially available vaccines either quadrate (ACWY) polysaccharide meningococcal (Men) or conjugated meningococcal (Nim) vaccines in Balb/C mice (n = 6/group) and compared to each vaccine administered separately and controls. Thirty-five days post immunization, we measured specific antibodies titers. Hib vaccine increased Men antibody titers significantly for serotypes Y and W. When Hib vaccine was coadministrated with Nim, antibody titer for Y, W and A significantly increased. For serotype C, there was no significant difference in antibody titers among immunized groups. As for effect of meningococcal vaccines on Hib, Men significantly increased Hib antibody titers while Nim had no effect. Collectively, our data suggested that coadministration of Hib and Men or Nim vaccines was safe and had synergistic effect on immune responses elicited to both vaccines. Further studies are needed before immunization schedule modifications. Such immunization schedule recommendation should provide better protection against this life-threatening disease in young children.

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

Wheat is widely grown in the Mediterranean region, where plants frequently face water shortages. Recently, more attention to rationalizing irrigation water has been increased due to the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems. Therefore, two field trials were conducted at the Agriculture Research Station of Nubaria, Egypt, in two consecutive seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) to examine three irrigation regimes' effects, i.e., 60, 80, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) combined with foliar ascorbic acid (AsA) or vitamin B2 (VB2) on yield and water productivity of wheat in two separate experiments. A split-plot design was used with three replicates. Irrigation treatments occupied the main plots, while the subplot in the first experiment was placed by ascorbic acid (AsA) and vitamin B2 in the second experiment. Results indicated that 100% ETc produced higher wheat yield and its attributes and insignificantly surpassed 80% ETc. Compared to the unsprayed plots, the foliar application of 6 mM ascorbic acid or 2.0 mM vitamin B2 significantly increased grain yield, components, and water use efficiency. The interaction between irrigation regimes (100% ETc or 80% ETc) and foliar application of 6.0 mM ascorbic acid or 2.0 mM vitamin B2 resulted in the highest values with no significant difference. Foliar application of ascorbic acid or vitamin B2 saved 20% of irrigation water while yielding a reduction that did not exceed 10%. The biplot graph of treatments x traits (TT) was a useful statistical tool for examining the impact of treatments on yield and its characteristics and identifying the links between these factors. Results suggest that riboflavin or ascorbic acid may have a potential role as an effective antioxidant for enhancing the tolerance for drought stress in wheat.

Tissue-like phantoms are widely used as a model for mimicking the optical properties of live tissue. This paper presents the results of a diffusion reflection method as well as fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy measurements of fluorescein-conjugated gold nanorods in solution as well as inserted in solid tissue-imitating phantoms. A lack of consistency between the fluorescence lifetime results of the solutions and the phantoms raises a question about the ability of tissue-like phantoms to maintain the optical properties of inserted contrast agents.

We have carried out a systematic review of the scientific literature published on PM and, more specifically, on its presence in fish and seafood of interest to the population from Mediterranean area. Given its preference and wide acceptability in the scientific community, we followed the PRISMA. The potential functional and clinical toxicity in humans due to MP in fish must be considered by the chemical composition of the microplastics the presence of PM and its additives, associated contaminants and pathogens in fish and shellfish, as well as the possible effects on human health, requires improving legislation on evaluation and providing a basis for consumer protection.

School-aged children may benefit from education interventions focused on healthy eating and physical activity to improve their quality of life. This article aims to review scientific evidence on food and nutrition education (FNE) in Spanish-speaking countries for the prevention of overweight and obesity in school-aged children (6-12 y). Articles were searched between April and August 2021. The searches were conducted using MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and SciELO. The primary search for articles focused on the experience of FNE interventions in Spanish-speaking countries. Overall, 518 articles were found and 33 studies were eligible for data extraction. Forty-two percent of the studies had a focus on FNE and 64% were focused on describing the eating habits of schoolchildren. Nutritional assessments (anthropometric) were found frequently with 91% and 30% of the studies focused on physical activity. All interventions focused on preventing or reducing overweight and obesity in school-age children. Educational, cognitive, dietary, and physical activity practices were described, whit being educational the most frequent intervention. Interventions reported positive effects of FNE interventions to improve knowledge and practices of healthy lifestyles in school-age children.

In 2023, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimated that there were 68,928 mustangs living on United States public lands in 10 western states. The agency uses Appropriate Management Levels to determine the number of mustangs who need to be removed from the land. Once removed and processed, mustangs are sent to adoptions or sales events or retained in short-or long-term holding facilities. Adoptions and sales are the leading avenues for rehoming mustangs; however, the number of horses the BLM can place fluctuates annually and never approaches the greater number removed from the range. To explore opportunities for increasing the number of mustang adoptions, we conducted in-depth interviews with 23 horse trainers located on the U.S. East Coast, asking about participants’ training programs, relationships with horses, perceptions of mustangs, and challenges that mustangs face in the dressage and eventing industries. Participants had varying experiences with mustangs; however, all were willing to work with a mustang in some capacity. Participants voiced the need for more satellite adoption locations on the East Coast to decrease barriers to acquiring a mustang, notably cost and time, and for expanding existing training programs to include eventing and dressage.

We report the relative humidity (R.H.) sensing response of a resistive sensor, employing sensing layers based on a ternary nanohybrid comprising holey carbon nanohorns (CNHox), potassium chloride (KCl), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) at mass ratios 7/1/2, 6.5/1.5/2, and 6/2/2 (w/w/w/w). The sensing structure comprises a silicon substrate, a SiO2 layer, and interdigitated transducer (IDT) electrodes. The sensing film is deposited on the sensing structure via the drop-casting method. The sensing layers' morphology and composition are investigated through Scanning Electron Microscopy (S.E.M.) and RAMAN spectroscopy. The ternary hybrid-based thin film resistance increases when the sensors are exposed to R.H., ranging from 0% to 100%. The manufactured devices show a room temperature response comparable to a commercial capacitive R.H. sensor and are characterized by excellent linearity, rapid response time, and good sensitivity. The presented sensors exhibit superior performance in terms of sensitivity compared to other similarly manufactured and tested sensors that employ a CNHox-based sensing layer. We explain the sensing role of each constituent of the ternary hybrid nanocomposites based on their chemical and physical properties, electronic properties, and affinity for water molecules. Different alternative sensing mechanisms are considered and discussed, such as the decreasing number of holes in the holey CNHox at the interaction with water molecules, proton conduction, and PVP swelling.

Annually, more than 1.5 million preventable new hepatitis B (HBV) infections continue to occur, with an estimated global burden of 296 million individuals living with chronic hepatitis B infection. This substantial health challenge results in over 820,000 annual deaths attributed to complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV vaccination remains the cornerstone of public health policy to prevent chronic hepatitis B and its related complications. It serves as a crucial element in the global effort to eliminate HBV, as established by the World Health Organization (WHO), with an ambitious 90% vaccination target by 2030. However, reports on global birth dose coverage reveal substantial variability, with an overall coverage rate of only 46%. This comprehensive review thoroughly examines global trends in HBV vaccination coverage, investigating the profound impact of vaccination on HBV prevalence and its consequences across diverse populations, including both high-risk and general demographics. Additionally, the review addresses the formidable challenges and facilitating factors essential for achieving WHO's HBV vaccination coverage objectives and elimination strategies in the coming decade and beyond.

Early discharge after childbirth has led to a rise in neonatal readmission, becoming a major concern in recent decades. Our research aimed to identify the risk factors and incidence of neonatal readmission, as well as explore preventive measures. Our study at the Clinical Hospital of Pediatrics in Ploiești, Romania included 108 neonates admitted during the neonatal period. This accounted for 2.06% of all admissions (5226). The most prevalent cases were malnutrition (25%), fever (20.3%) and bronchiolitis (17.5%). Diarrhea and infectious gastroenteritis were also observed (14.8%), along with acute rhinoconjunctivitis (9.2%) and late onset sepsis (3.7%). No deaths were recorded. The most significant characteristics identified were number of children (p<0.001) and age at maternity discharge (p<0.001). By following the prevention rules, malnutrition, feeding errors, and infections can be avoided. This includes practicing proper hand hygiene for both mothers and medical staff, as well as educating and demonstrating to mothers the benefits of breastfeeding. In addition, all newborns discharged from the maternity ward should benefit from follow-up at 7-10 days of life. Our results confirm the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team and endorse promoting breastfeeding. Implementing quality control measures and regularly evaluating the surveillance program will help improve its effectiveness.

This paper presents a piezoresistive pressure sensor with a shield layer for improved stability. Compared with the conventional piezoresistive pressure sensors, p-type piezoresistors are covered by an n-type shield layer, which is formed by ion implantation. The proposed pressure sensors have been successfully fabricated by bulk micromachining techniques. The impact of electrical field on piezoresistors is studied by simulation. The temperature drift of the pressure sensor has been investigated by both simulation and experimental measurement. Characteristics of developed pressure sensors are tested from -40 C to 125 C. A sensitivity of 0.022 mV/V/KPa and a maximum non-linearity of 0.085% FS are measured for the fabricated sensor in a pressure range of 1 MPa. The temperature coefficients of resistance of shielded piezoresistors are found to be smaller than those of un-shielded ones. It is demonstrated that the shield layer is able to reduce the drift caused by electrical field and ambient temperature variation.

In this project, four of fibers Bragg gratings were fabricated by injecting different volumes of liquids (star line Glass Mechanix optical adhesive material, olive oil diluted with ethanol) into the hollow core fiber. The amplitude splitting interferometric technique with a high resolution specially designed translation stage was used for the fabrication process. The fabrication was done using ultraviolet laser operated at wavelength 405nm. The fabricated Bragg length of the four fibers is equal to 3.8 cm. The results presented fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with successful fabrication at 653.3 nm Bragg reflected wavelength.

This review focuses on the emerging evidence for the association between estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) and metabolic risk factors. Given the challenges associated with directly measuring cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in large populations, eCRF presents a practical alternative for predicting metabolic health risks. A literature search identified six relevant cohort studies from 2021 to 2024 that investigated the association of eCRF with hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The review findings highlight a consistent inverse relationship between higher eCRF and lower incidence of metabolic risks in line with CRF cohort studies. This review highlights the importance of low eCRF as a primordial indicator for metabolic risks and underscores the need for broader application. Future research directions should include exploring eCRF's predictive accuracy across diverse populations and health outcomes and testing its real-world applicability in healthcare and public health settings.

Establishment of protected areas (PAs) is one of the key global conservation strategies that currently cover approximately 15% of the earth’s land surface. Globally, PA networks are designed to curb the growing anthropogenic pressures in areas with high biological diversity. Despite the importance of PAs in conserving the vanishing biodiversity and unique habitats, many of them are in critical condition due to poor governance thus functioning below the expected level. Moreover, in many developing countries, the PA coverage is below the global standard. Recognizing their contemporary role in conservation, governments have recently agreed to expand the global PA coverage to 17% by the year 2020 (Aichi target 11). This book with eight chapters from different regions of the world provides an overview of the PAs governance, institutional mechanisms, conservation benefits, limitations and challenges associated with their respective policy discourse, integrated management, and functional attributes. Protected areas expect to to play an important role in the long rn in conservation and protection of biodiversity and ecosystems particularly in countries where population pressure and habitat loss are high. Regular intervention, political commitment, and effective governance are essential for the sustainability of PAs across the world. Here, we also attempted to shed some light on future development clues for the sustainable management and monitoring of PAs worldwide.

A facilitative transport system exists on the blood brain barrier (BBB) that has been tacitly assumed to be a path for glutamate entry to brain. But glutamate is a non-essential amino acid whose brain content is much greater than plasma, and studies in vivo show that glutamate does not enter brain in material quantities except in those small regions with fenestrated capillaries (circumventricular organs). The situation became understandable when luminal (blood facing) and abluminal (brain facing) membranes were isolated and studied separately. Facilitative transport of glutamate and glutamine exist only on the luminal membranes whereas Na+-dependent transport systems for glutamate, glutamine and some other amino acids are present only on the abluminal membrane. The Na+-dependent cotransporters of the abluminal membrane are in a position to actively transport amino acids from the extracellular fluid (ECF) into the endothelial cells of the BBB. These powerful secondary active transporters couple the energy of the Na+-gradient to move glutamate and glutamine into the ECF whereupon glutamate can exit to blood on the luminal facilitative glutamate transporter. Glutamine may also exit brain on a separate facilitative transport system that exists on the luminal membranes or glutamine can be hydrolyzed to glutamate within the BBB thereby releasing ammonia that is freely diffusible. The γ-glutamyl participate cycle participates indirectly by producing oxoproline (pyroglutamate) that stimulates almost all secondary active transporters yet discovered in the abluminal membranes of the BBB.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has proven to be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence and disease as secondary prevention (evidence-based intervention) in patients who have suffered from myocardial infarction (MI). CR is a multidisciplinary path in which the patient is followed pharmacologically, from a psychological, nutritional, nursing and physiotherapy point of view. Post-MI patients present a reduction in the performance of the diaphragm muscle, the main inspiratory muscle, and this condition can become a risk factor for further relapses or for the onset of heart failure. Despite the solidity of the international guidelines for CR, the latter are lacking in specifically indicating an evaluation and training path regarding the inspiratory muscles in post-MI patients who have not undergone cardiac surgery. The article reviews the information on the adaptation of the diaphragm post-MI and highlights the need for clearer indications for a rehabilitation process that gives importance to the diaphragm.

Wearable Biosensor Technology (WBT) has emerged as a transformative tool in the educational system over the past decade. This systematic review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of WBT utilization in educational settings over a 10-year span (2012-2022), highlighting both the evolution of this field and its integration to address challenges in education by integrating technology to solve specific educational challenges, such as enhancing student engagement, monitoring stress and cognitive load, improving learning experiences, and providing real-time feedback for both students and educators. By exploring these aspects, the review sheds light on the potential implications of WBT for the future of learning. A rigorous and systematic search of major academic databases, including Google Scholar and Scopus, was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles selected were assessed for methodological quality and bias using established tools. The process of data extraction and synthesis followed a structured framework. Key findings include the shift from theoretical exploration to practical implementation with the EEG being the predominant measurement, aiming to explore mental states, physiological constructs, and teaching effectiveness. Wearable biosensors are significantly impacting the educational field, serving as an important resource for educators and a tool for students. Their application has the potential to transform and optimize academic practices through sensors that capture biometric data, enabling the implementation of metrics and models to understand the development and performance of students and professors in an academic environment, as well as to gain insights into the learning process.

A new class of nano-cube core-shell heterostructures containing Ag coating on the top of WO₃ was fabricated. Physical vapor deposition was used to produce WO₃ based nano-heterostructures. All kind of wet toxic chemical process was avoided to make the process simple and contaminant free. Sputtering of WO₃ and a subsequent thermal annealing process was done to create nano-cubes of WO₃. After that, sputtering of Ag was performed to form the Ag-WO₃ core-shell nano-heterostructures (CSNH). The CSNHs were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The morphologies, elemental analysis, interfaces, crystallinity, phases, and chemical compositions were analyzed. The bottom-up growth of WO₃ nanocubes was studied using different time periods at 900°C. Ag coating was also studied before and after annealing. Finally, an optical property (band gap) was also analyzed using Tauc plot derive from absorption spectra. The tailoring the band gap of WO₃ from ~2.9eV to ~ 2.45 eV was observed while Ag-WO₃ CSNH formed.

Graphene hybrid-filler polymer composites have emerged as prominent materials that revolutionize heavy industries. This study encapsulates the in-depth analysis of different influential factors such as filler/graphene type, aspect ratios, dispersion methods, filler-matrix compatibility, fiber orientation, synergistic effects, different processing techniques, and post-curing conditions that affect the processing, properties and determine the resultant applications of graphene hybrid polymer composites. Additionally, it discusses the substantial role of graphene collaboration with other fillers such as carbon nanotubes, silica, nano-clays and metal oxides to produce functionalized hybrid polymer composites with synergistically enhanced tailored properties to offer solutions for heavy industries like aerospace, automotive, electronics, and energy harvesting. The review concludes with some suggestions and outlook on the future of these composite materials by emphasizing the need for continued research to fully optimize their potential.

Heavy metals toxicity is a grave environmental issue in contemporary times. Phytoremediation is economic, effective and ecofriendly approach to decontaminate and remediate metal contaminated areas. Phenolic and Flavonoid content are important abiotic stress markers. The individual and combined impacts of toxiferous metals Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd) and (Copper) Cu were employed in recent studies to investigate their effect on Total flavonoids content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) in various parts of Hydrocotyle umbellata L. to explore the role of plant in abating metal contamination. Folin- ciocalteu and AlCl 3 methods were used for investigating TPC and TFC respectively. Two-way ANOVA and CART model were employed for statistical analysis. Highest TPC was examined in decreasing order as leaf & gt; stem & gt; root in case of all the metals. Whereas highest TFC was found in all plant parts when subjected to As toxicity, and the lowest TFC was found in stem of the plant in respect to Cu toxicity. There was significant effect on TPC on plant part when subjected to Cu and As stress, but so significance was observed in plant part in case of Cd and combined metal stress. Treatment concentration had no significant effect on TPC when subjected to unique impact of all the three metals but had significant effect in case of combined metal stress. Similarly, in case of TFC no significant effect was recorded in case of plant part in all the stress types. But treatment amount has significant impact on Cd and combined metal stress. Metal type has significant effect on TPC and TFC. Whereas plant part has significant impact on TPC but non-significant values were observed on TFC in this case. This study epitomizes TPC and TFC in plants as effective and viable tool to pertain their role in phytoremediation against metal contamination. Therefore H. umbellata L. can be exerted for successful assemblage and decontamination of Cd, Cu and As in different plant parts.

This paper presents a system for identification of wind features, such as gusts and wind shear. These are of particular interest in the context of energy-efficient navigation of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The proposed system generates real-time wind vector estimates and a novel algorithm to generate wind field predictions. Estimations are based on the integration of an off-the-shelf navigation system and airspeed readings in a so-called direct approach. Wind predictions use atmospheric models to characterize the wind field with different statistical analyses. During the prediction stage, the system is able to incorporate, in a big-data approach, wind measurements from previous flights in order to enhance the approximations. Wind estimates are classified and fitted into a Weibull probability density function. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) is utilized to determine the shaping and scale parameters of the distribution, which are employed to determine the most probable wind speed at a certain position. The system uses this information to characterize a wind shear or a discrete gust and also utilizes a Gaussian Process regression to characterize continuous gusts. The knowledge of the wind features is crucial for computing energy-efficient trajectories with low cost and payload. Therefore, the system provides a solution that does not require any additional sensors. The system architecture presents a modular decentralized approach, in which the main parts of the system are separated in modules and the exchange of information is managed by a communication handler to enhance upgradeability and maintainability. Validation is done providing preliminary results of both simulations and Software-In-The-Loop testing. Telemetry data collected from real flights, performed in the Seville Metropolitan Area in Andalusia (Spain), was used for testing. Results show that wind estimation and predictions can be calculated at 1 Hz and a wind map can be updated at 0.4 Hz. Predictions show a convergence time with a 95% confidence interval of approximately 30 s.

The aim of our study was a comprehensive comparative assessment of the effect of consumption of 1 and 2% cholesterol as part of a standard diet with and without regular moderate physical activity on the main biomarkers of lipid and cholesterol metabolism, as well as the intestinal microbiota of male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into 5 groups according to body weight and Open Field test results: Control (n=10), 1% Chol (n=10), 2% Chol (n=10), 1% Chol + RUN (n=10) and 2% Chol + RUN. The cholesterol was additionally added in the amount of 1g or 2g/100g, respectively, to the diet of animals. The rats of experimental groups 1% Chol + RUN and 2% Chol + RUN were subjected to regular (2 days a week) physical activity on a Treadmill. In rats of four experimental groups, when compared to the Control, a response of 39 indicators was revealed. The largest number of changes in biomarkers - 29 (statistically significant, p

Polymorphism of vitamin D3 receptor (VDR), has been associated with low bone mineral density and other immune and metabolic disorders; however, its impact on mortality of female dialysis patients is not well studied. This study aimed to identify bone mass-related factors, VDR gene polymorphism, and their interaction with morbid conditions that could influence all-cause mortality. In 246 female dialysis patients, age 43±11 years on continuous ambulatory dialysis peritoneal; 48%, haemodialysis; 23% and automated peritoneal dialysis; 29%. Tscore, Ca, PO4, albumin, hs-CRP, osteoprotegerin, fetuin, osteocalcin, iPTH, PINP and β-CTx were measured. PCR products were digested with Bsml to analyze VDR polymorphisms. Patients n=229; were followed for a median of 17 (15-31) months; 42 patients died. Bsml polymorphism, bb=64% and BB+Bb=36%. Hs-CRP was the risk of death in multivariate Cox Analysis. Patients with bb and inflammation had a higher risk of death (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.08-5.68) persisted after adjustment for age, diabetes and iPTH (HR 2.33; 95% CI, 1.01-8.33) and after further adjustment for vintage, albumin, osteoprotegerin and vitamin D therapy (HR 3.49; 95% CI, 1.20-10.9). We may conclude that the presences of the bb genotype of VDR and inflammation have additive effects on all cause-mortality in females in CAPD, APD, and HD patients.

The Eurasian grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is the most widely grown horticultural crop in the world and is important for the economy of many countries. In the wine production chain, grape varieties play an important role as they directly influence the authenticity and classification of the product. Identifying the different grape varieties is therefore fundamental for quality control and inspection activities, as well as for regulating production. Currently, ampelography and molecular analysis are the main approaches to identifying grape varieties. However, both methods have limitations. Ampelography is subjective and prone to errors and is experiencing enormous difficulties as ampelographers are increasingly scarce. On the other hand, molecular analyses are very demanding in terms of cost and time. In this scenario, Deep Learning (DL) and Machine Learning (ML) methods have emerged as a classification alternative to deal with the scarcity of ampelographs and avoid molecular analyses. In this study, the most recent and current methods for identifying grapevine varieties using DL classification-based approaches are presented through a systematic literature review. The classification pipeline of the 31 studies found in the literature was described, highlighting its pros and cons. Most of the studies used DL-based models trained with leaf images acquired in a controlled environment at a maximum distance of 1.2 metres to classify grape varieties. In addition, there is a large gap between practical applications and the datasets used: a great lack of varieties, limited data acquired in the field and a lack of tests on plants under adverse conditions. Potential directions for improving this area of research were also presented.

In this paper, we present an experimental procedure to enhance the dimensional accuracy of fabrication via Stereolithography (SLA) of features at the micro-scale. Using a custom benchmark part, deviations in feature dimensions (micro-pores diameters and depths) were detected and measured by confocal microscopy. Samples characterization and experimental observations allowed the identification of inaccuracy sources, mainly due to the laser beam scanning strategy and to the incomplete removal of uncured liquid resin in post-processing (i.e., IPA washing). As a technology baseline, the measured dimensional errors on pores diameters were up to -46%. A compensation method of the nominal laser spot diameter (85m) was defined and implemented resulting in relevant improvements in dimensional accuracy of 9.8% and 11.3% on full-open pores diameter and depth, respectively. Further investigation was performed on a customized test part to adjust the calibration procedure. The measurements revealed that the estimate of the laser beam spot size is 968m. Measurements on micro-pores having different sizes revealed that a constant compensation parameter (i.e., C=85, 96, 120m) is not fully effective at the micro-scale, where average errors still remain at -24%, -18.8%, and -16% for compensations equals to 85, 96 and 120m, respectively. A further experimental campaign allowed the identification of an effective nonlinear compensation law where the compensation parameter depends on the micro-feature size C= f (D). Results show a sharp improvement in dimensional accuracy on micro-pore fabrication, with errors consistently below +8.2%. The proposed compensation method can be extended for the fabrication of any micro-features without restrictions on the specific technology implementation. Concerning the inaccuracy introduced by the laser path, experimentation with a customized part allowed the optimization of the part orientation to reduce the errors and their differences along the X and Y machine axes.

In this paper, the integrated performance of a modular biomass boiler with an existing industrial Rankine steam heat and power cycle and a supplementary supercritical-CO2 (sCO2) Brayton cycle is analyzed. The aim is to leverage the high efficiency supplementary sCO2 cycle to increase net generation and energy efficiency from the existing biomass boiler. Two sCO2 heater configurations situated within the flue gas flow path are investigated, namely a single convective-dominant heater, and a dual heater configuration with a radiative and a convective heater. A quasi-steady-state 1D model was developed to simulate the integrated cycle, including detailed component characteristics for the Rankine and Brayton cycles. The model solves the mass, energy, momentum, and species balance equations. The system is analyzed for three cases: (i) the existing Rankine cycle without the sCO2 integration, (ii) with the single convective-dominant sCO2 heater configuration, and (iii) the dual sCO2 heater configuration. The results show the required rate of overfiring for the sCO2 configurations, with a 15.3% increase in fuel flowrate resulting in an additional 21.2% in net power output. The model quantifies the impact of the sCO2 heaters, with reduced heat uptakes for downstream boiler heat exchangers. Furnace water wall heat uptake increased due to overfiring, offsetting the reduced heat uptakes at downstream evaporative heat exchangers. The dual configuration has more impact on Rankine cycle operation due to the radiative sCO2 heater placement in front of the second superheater, absorbing some of the direct radiation from the furnace.

Fractal array antennas are multiband arrays having ultra wide band and space filling facility. But Side lobe levels and large number of antenna elements are the major designing challenges of these arrays. In this paper, design and analysis of octagonal fractal array antenna is investigated with Morse-Thue fractal density tapering technique (MTFDT). Due to the proposed technique, a remarkable improvement has observed in Side lobe levels and thinning of the elements can also be attained at the various iterations of octagonal fractal array antenna. These arrays are analyzed and simulated by MATLAB-15 programming.

Enveloped viruses represent a significant category of pathogens that cause serious diseases in animals. These viruses express envelope glycoproteins that are singularly important during infection of host cells by mediating fusion between the viral envelope and host cell membranes. Despite low homology at protein levels, three classes of viral fusion proteins have, as of yet, been identified based on structural similarities. Their incorporation into viral particles is dependent upon their proper sub-cellular localization after being expressed and folded properly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, viral protein expression can cause stress in the ER, and host cells respond to alleviate the ER stress in the form of the unfolded protein response (UPR); the effects of which have been observed potentiating or inhibiting viral infection. One important arm of UPR is to elevate the capacity of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, which is comprised of host quality control machinery that ensures proper protein folding. In this review, we provide relevant details regarding viral envelope glycoproteins, UPR, ERAD, and their interactions in host cells.

In the past years, consumers have increased their interest to buy healthier food products, rejecting those products with more additives and giving preference to the fresh ones. Moreover, the current environmental situation has made society more aware of the importance of reducing the production of plastic and food waste. In this way and considering the Food Industry need of reducing the food spoilage along the food chain, edible coating has been considered as an eco-friendly food packaging that can replace traditional plastic packaging providing an improvement in the product’s shelf-life. Edible coating are thin layers applied straightaway on the food materials’ surface, that are made of biopolymers that usually incorporate other elements, such as nanoparticles or essential oils, to improve their physicochemical properties. These materials must provide a barrier that can prevent the pass of water vapor and other gasses, the microbial growth, the moisture loss, and the oxidation, so the shelf-life could be extended. The aim of this review was to compile the current data available to give a global vision of the formulation process and the different ways to improve the characteristics of the coats applied in both fruits and vegetables. In this way, the suitability of compounds in by-products produced during the Food Industry chain were also considered for the edible coating production.

.Various synthetic nematicides are currently used effectively in the control of plant parasitic nematodes. However, these nematicides have adverse effects on humans and the environment. Neem oil is eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic nematicides. The effectiveness of repeated neem oil application in suppressing the root-knot nematodes infestation in figs seedlings was therefore examined in this study, both in its natural form (10 ml/L) and in its nano-emulsion form (5 and 7 ml/L). The recorded reduction parameters of M. incognita were J2/250g soil, galls and egg masses / 5g roots of infected fig seedlings were measured at that time, and the effects of these natural additives were compared with the Fosthiazate (Krenkel 75%EC). The impact of such soil amendments on some typical plant parameters, the total microbial count of soil, and the overall enzymatic activity of the fig rhizosphere were also included. Obtained results revealed that the soil population density of root knot nematode suppressed by 80.3% , reduction of nematode egg masses (60.4%) due to the application of nano-emulsion of neem oil (at 7ml/L). Present work recommend the use of nano-emulsion of neem oil as one of the effective and eco-friendly means to reduce the root- knot nematode on fig .

The review scrutinizes the currently performed research on the new methods for enhancing bituminous binder performance through radiation and radical grafting of polymer modifers of bitumen. It investigates innovative methods, including using waste polymers as modifiers, and applying radiation for polymer grafting, to overcome challenges like high costs, low aging resistance and storage stability issues, of which separation of phases polymer/bitumen is the most significant obstacle. These advanced modification techniques promise sustainability through the decrease of the carbon footprint of transportation systems by improving the properties and durability of binders. Additionally, the review discusses the parameters and mechanistic aspects from a scientific perspective, shedding light on the underlying processes that contribute to the improved performance of modified bituminous binders.

We present an open-source Star Tracker (ST) for Attitude Determination. Our implementation makes use of open source software of common usage in astronomy running on a Raspberry Pi 2 platform. The developed platform is open and available for parties interested in further development. Evaluation of the system showed that the ST is suitable for Cubesats of 2U or larger. The ST platform is capable of solving the Lost-In-Space (LIS) problem. Currently, the average accuracy reached of the algorithm is close to 5 seconds of arc with an average processing time of 75 seconds. However, a average accuracy of about 3 minutes of arc can be reached with 35 seconds in average processing time. We also describe the evaluation procedure, the found conclusions of this procedure, in particular the section of the algorithm where most of the processing time is spent and other possible source of errors not included in this study.

To conduct high-precision and high-resolution numerical simulation of complex flow structures in turbomachinery, a high-order finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the large eddy simulation (LES) is improved and embedded into the three-dimensional viscous unsteady CFD solver NUAA-Turbo. Firstly, the spectral characteristics and unsteady convergence of the improved WENO scheme are studied. Compared with the classical WENO scheme, the improved WENO scheme has better dissipation and dispersion characteristics and faster convergence speed. Then, the coefficient CW of the Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity (WALE) model is calibrated by decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) test case. Finally, the scheme is applied to conduct high-precision LES calculations of turbulent boundary layer flow, supersonic compression corner flow, and low-pressure turbine cascade separation flow. The numerical simulation results show that this WENO scheme has excellent shock wave capture ability and turbulence resolution and can capture more flow field details with less mesh size, greatly reducing the computational cost and laying a foundation for large-scale engineering application of LES.

Bladder cancer (BC) diagnosis is reliant on cystoscopy, an invasive procedure associated with urinary tract infections. This has sparked interest in identifying non-invasive biomarkers in body fluids such as blood and urine. A source of biomarkers in these biofluids are extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized vesicles that contain a wide array of molecular cargo, including small non-coding RNA such as microRNA and transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRF). Here we performed small-RNA next-generation sequencing for urine EVs, serum EVs and serum supernatant from 41 patients with non-muscle invasive BC (27 stage Ta, 14 stage T1) and 15 non-cancer patients (NCP) with benign cystoscopy findings. Serum and urine samples were collected before transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TUR-b) and at routine postsurgery check-ups. Expression levels of tRFs in presurgery samples were compared to those at postsurgery check-ups and to NCPs. To strengthen the reliability of our results, samples from 10 patients with stage T1 disease were resequenced. When comparing tRF expression in urine EVs between BC patients with stage T1 disease and NCPs, 14 differentially expressed tRFs (DEtRFs) were identified. In serum supernatant, six DEtRFs were identified among stage T1 patients when comparing presurgery to postsurgery samples, and four DEtRFs were found when comparing presurgery samples to NCPs. By performing a blast search, we found that sequences of DEtRFs aligned with genomic sequences pertaining to processes relevant to cancer development, such as enhancers, regulatory elements and CpG islands. Our findings display a number of tRFs that may hold potential as biomarkers for the diagnosis and recurrence-free survival of BC.

Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory autoimmune pathology, with a major genetic component and several interferences of immunological cells and their cytokines. The complex orchestration of psoriasis pathogenesis is related to the synergic effect of immune cells, polygenic alterations, the presence of autoantigens and several external factors. The major act of IL-23/IL-17 axis, strongly influencing the inflammatory pattern established during the disease activity, is visible as a continuous perpetuation of the pro-inflammatory response and keratinocyte activation and proliferation leading to the development of psoriatic lesions. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) along offered a better view of psoriasis pathogenic pathways, with approximately one third of psoriasis genetic impact on psoriasis development is associated to MHC region, with genetic loci located on chromosome 6. The most eloquent genetic factor of psoriasis, PSORS1, was identified in the MHC I site. Between the several factors involved in its complex etiology, dysbiosis, due to genetic or external stimulus, exhibiting less variety and the involvement of pathogenic bacteria, cand induce a burst of proinflammatory consequences, both cutaneous and gut microbiome being involved in psoriasis pathogenic process. A complex understanding of the major pathways that interplay in order to initiate and perpetuate psoriatic diseases and its associated comorbidities can help the current clinical practice by properly evaluating completely and individualized each patient and establish the proper therapeutic management.

For the first time, the effect of a significant change in the resistance of the aquatic environment of a population of protozoan microorganisms under the influence of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones has been experimentally studied. The results of the experiment demonstrate the biological nature of the changes occurring in the “water population of protozoa” system, which indicates that the impact of radiation directly affects the cell. This conclusion is confirmed by the same order of magnitude time of information exchange between individual individuals of the population in the calculation and in the experiment. An extremely low concentration of protozoa in the experiment was established, equal to 1000 pcs./liter, at which the indicated effect is observed.An unambiguous dependence of the biological effect in the “water – amoeba population” system on the average power of electromagnetic radiation of cell phones, both in standby mode and in talk mode, has been established. It is concluded that the presented method of changing the physical properties of the aquatic environment of a population of protozoa under the influence of electromagnetic fields can be a model experiment in identifying the mechanisms of interaction of biological systems with electromagnetic radiation, determining the response time of biological systems to external electromagnetic influence, and establishing the degree of influence of radiation in the 4G, 5G ranges.

New antiviral agents are essential to improving treatment and control of SARS-CoV-2 infections that can lead to the disease COVID-19. Antimicrobial peptoids are sequence-specific oligo-N-substituted glycine peptidomimetics that emulate the structure and function of natural antimicrobial peptides but are resistant to proteases. We demonstrate antiviral activity of a new peptoid (TM9) against the coronavirus, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), as a closely related model for the structure and antiviral susceptibility profile of SARS-CoV-2. This peptoid mimics the human cathelicidin LL-37, which has also been shown to have antimicrobial and antiviral activity. In this study TM9 was effective against three murine coronavirus strains, demonstrating the therapeutic window is large enough to allow use of TM9 for treatment. All three isolates of MHV generated infection in mice after 15 min of exposure by aerosol using the Madison aerosol chamber and all three viral strains could be isolated from the lungs throughout the 5-day observation period post-infection, with the peak titers on day 2. MHV-A59 and MHV-A59-GFP were also isolated from liver, heart, spleen, olfactory bulbs, and brain. These data demonstrate that MHV serves as a valuable natural murine model of coronavirus pathogenesis in multiple organs, including the brain.

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