Coral reefs are declining worldwide due to global changes in the marine environment. The increasing frequency of massive bleaching events in the tropics is highlighting the need to better understand the stages of coral physiological responses to extreme conditions. Moreover, like many other coastal regions, coral reef ecosystems are facing additional localized anthropogenic issues such as nutrient loading, increased turbidity, and coastal development. Different strategies have been developed to measure the health status of a damaged reef, ranging from the resolution of individual polyps to an entire coral community, but techniques for measuring coral physiology in situ are not yet widely implemented. For instance, while there are many studies of the coral holobiont response in single or limited-number multiple stressor experiments, they provide only partial insights to metabolic performance under more complex temporally and spatially variable natural conditions. Here, we discuss the current status of coral reefs and their global and local stressors in the context of experimental techniques that measure core processes in coral metabolism (respiration, photosynthesis, and biocalcification) in situ, and their role in indicating the health status of colonies and communities. We highlight the need to improve the capability of in situ studies in order to better understand the resilience and stress response of corals under multiple global and local scale stressors.

Regulatory T cells are key immune cells to initiate tolerable immune responses. TGFβ is the key cytokine of regulatory T cells. TGFβ is also the master cytokine to stimulate tissue fibrosis. Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease related to overt organ fibrosis. Thus, systemic sclerosis is a disease related to regulatory T cell over-representation. Besides, many end stage organ failures including heart failure, liver cirrhosis, uremia, and pulmonary fibrosis also related to tissue fibrosis. Thus, TGFβ producing regulatory T cells are also involved in the pathogenesis of these end stage organ failure. Once we know the significance of TGFβ and it induced tolerable immune reactions in the pathophysiology of end organ failure, we can develop better prevention or therapeutic strategies to combat these detrimental disorders.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral genome is an RNA virus consisting of approximately 30,000 bases. As part of testing efforts, whole genome sequencing of human isolates has resulted in over 1,600 complete genomes publicly available from GenBank. We have performed a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the sequences, in order to detect common mutations within the population. Analysis of variants occurring within the assembled genomes yields 417 variants occurring in at least 1% of the completed genomes, including 229 within the 5’ untranslated region (UTR), 152 within the 3’UTR, 2 within intergenic regions and 34 within coding sequences.

Abstract: ‘Temperate movements: Artistic Responses to Climate Vulnerability in the Canadian Arctic’ uses examples and methodologies from contemporary art and theory to think through the impact and legacy of Arctic Sea ice melt upon Inuit culture. Here, the work of Inuit artists Eldred Allen and Maureen Gruben illustrates how melting Arctic Sea ice maybe considered as relational space best understood through a cultural, rather than an exclusively scientific and data-oriented relationship to global sea rise level. Such a cultural perspective, which emphasizes the interconnection between humans, animals, and the environment, can counter dominant climate change imagery which tends to homogenize and de-socialize the Arctic as a single concept. The work of these Inuit artists is also considered as outreach to non-Inuit communities, both in terms of photographic art forms circulating in ‘southern’ contemporary art contexts, as well as becoming ‘novel’ indexes of climate vulnerability and resilience.

Recently, many authors have been interested to introduce fuzzy implications over t-norms and t-conorms. In this paper, we introduce (S,N) and residuum fuzzy implication for Dubois t-norm and Hamacher's t-norm. Also, new concepts so-called (T,N) and residual fuzzy co-implication in dual Heyting Algebra are investigated. Some examples as well as application are discussed as well.

PdRe/Al2O3 catalysts are highly selective for hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol (FAL). Moreover, synergy between the metals can result in greater specific activity (higher turnover frequency, TOF) than exhibited by either metal alone. Bimetallic catalyst structure depends strongly on the metal precursors employed and their addition sequence to the support. In this work, PdRe/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by: (i) co impregnation (CI) and sequential impregnation (SI) of  Al2O3 using HReO4 and Pd(NO3)2, (ii) SI using NH4ReO4 and [Pd(NH3)4(NO3)2], (iii) HReO4 addition to a reduced and passivated Pd/Al2O3 catalyst, and (iv) impregnation with the double complex salt (DCS), [Pd(NH3)4(ReO4)2]. Raman spectroscopy and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) evidence larger supported PdO crystallites in catalysts prepared using Pd(NO3)2 than [Pd(NH3)4(NO3)2]. Surface [ReO4]- species detected by Raman exhibit TPR peak temperatures from ranging 85 to 260°C (versus 375°C for Re/Al2O3). After H2 reduction at 400°C, the catalysts were characterized by chemisorption, temperature-programmed hydride decomposition (TPHD), CO diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The CI catalyst containing supported Pd-Re alloy crystallites had a TOF similar to Pd/Al2O3 but higher (61%) FAL selectivity. In contrast, catalysts prepared by methods (ii-iv) containing supported Pd-Re nanoparticles exhibit higher TOFs and up to 78% FAL selectivity.

As a model for economic and ecological systems, replicator dynamics represents a basic form of agent competition for finite resources. Here, we investigate the effects of stochastic resetting in this kind of processes. Random reset events abruptly lead individual resources to a small value from which dynamics must start anew. Numerical results show that resource distribution over the population of competing agents develops highly nonuniform profiles, exhibiting clustering and fluctuations with anomalous dependence on the population size. This non-standard statistical behavior jeopardizes an analytical treatment based on mean-field assumptions. We propose alternative simplified analytical approaches which provide a stylized description of entropy evolution for the clustered distribution of resources and explain the unusually slow decrease of fluctuations.

In the present work we study the existence of solutions for hybrid nonlinear fractional integrodifferential equations. We developed an algorithm by using the operator theoretical techniques in order to obtain the approximate solutions. The main results depend on the Dhage iteration method that were incorporated with the modern hybrid fixed point theorems. The approximate solutions were obtained by using Lipschitz conditions and weaker form of mixed partial continuity. Further, we provide some examples to explain the hypotheses and the related results.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrinopathies, estimated to affect about 5.4% of the world's population around 2025. It is thought that nearly a third of diabetic patients have some type of skin condition. Frequently, the cutaneous effects of this heterogeneous syndrome are ac-curately detected late in the progressive form of the disease. The main objective of the present study was to identify the main cellular characteristics of the cutaneous microenvironment in exper- imentally induced diabetes mellitus. Skin fragments were harvested from adult white Wistar rats of both sexes, with the weight of 200 g, 12 weeks after streptozotocin diabetes was induced. In parallel with histopathological diagnosis by using hematoxylin and eosine staining, samples were processed by transmission electron microscopy technique and examined with a Philips CM100 microscope. In the apparently macroscopically unchanged tegument, photon microscopy revealed both progres ive thinning of the epidermis in the early stages of diabetes and a significant process of fibrosis and collagen hyalinization in the dermis. In addition, in the early stages, the electron microscopic study provided ultrastructural details characteristic of a senescent phenotype with reduced cell proliferation. The morphological changes in the skin may be the first signs of disruption of carbohydrate metabolism and in the case of established diabetes may reflect its progression and the efficacy of therapy.

The Hubble parameter H(z), as a function of redshift, is modified by the presence of a new term originated from the extrinsic curvature in an embedded space-time. Assuming an asymptotic expansion factor $a\sim 0$ or, equivalently $z\rightarrow \infty$, it is obtained a nearly resemblance of the present model ($\beta$-model) with quintessence $w$CDM model with $H(z)\sim H_{wCDM}(z)$ at background level. In conjunction with $\Lambda$CDM, we test the models using a pack of recent datasets like that of the ``Gold 2018'' growth data, the best-fit Planck2018/$\Lambda$CDM parameters on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) measurements, the Pantheon Supernovae type Ia and the Hubble parameter data with redshift ranging from $0.01 < z < 2.3$. Performing the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to ascertain the statistical viability of the model from Jeffreys' scale, we apply a joint likelihood analysis to the data with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. We find that the present model is in very good agreement with observations with a close statistical equivalence with the $\Lambda$CDM and $w$CDM cosmologies at 1-$\sigma$ level. We also show that a mild alleviation of the $\sigma$ tension between the growth amplitude factor and the matter content $(\sigma_8$-$\Omega_m)$ of the observations from CMB and Large Scale Structure (LSS) probes. A comparison of the aforementioned full pack of data in MCMC chains is made with the resulting MCMC from Pantheon SNIa+$H(z)$ in order to analyse the sensitivity of the models and how they respond to a cosmography analysis on the evolution of $H(z)$ and the deceleration parameter $q(z)$. In this sense, we find that only the $\beta$-model can be unaffected to the variations of the previous datasets due to its several minima in the likelihood (degeneracies) of the related parameters with an overall percentage relative difference only up to 4$\%$.

India ranks among the top ten nations in the world for grape production. Fungal pathogens inflict damage to crop plants in turn making cultivators bear huge economical losses. With an output of 1.21 million tons (about 2% of 57.40 million tons produced globally). 1.2% of the nation’s total fruit cropland is covered by grapes. But due to fungal diseases the effect of the yield produced ranges from 5-80% depending on the severity of diseases which will affect the yield of grape vineyard. In precision agriculture, new sensing technologies and artificial intelligence could be used to automatically identify grapevine and disease pest symptoms. Traditional manual disease-monitoring methods are inefficient, labor-intensive, and ineffective. Timely effective and precise evaluation of grape diseases is admitted as a critical step in the field management. In this paper, we are explaining about different optical sensing methods applied for RGB, Multispectral and Thermal cameras. Section-wise we will be describing environmental set up for image-aquation, data-preprocessing, different modelling methods, evaluation matrix, result, and reviewer’s comment.

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

Over the past decades, overweight and obesity has become a global epidemic and the leading threat for death. To prevent the serious risk, an overweight or obese individual must apply a long-term weight-management strategy to control food intake and physical activities, which is however, not easy. Recently, with the advances of information technology, more and more people can use wearable devices and smartphones to obtain physical activity information, while they can also access various health-related information from Internet online social networks (OSNs). Nevertheless, there is a lack of an integrated approach that can combine these two methods in an efficient way. In this paper, we address this issue and propose a novel mobile-social framework for health recognition and recommendation, namely, H-Rec². The main ideas of H-Rec² include (1) to recognize the individual's health status using smartphone as a general platform, and (2) to recommend physical activity and food intake based on personal health information, life science principles, and health-related information obtained from OSNs. To demonstrate the potentials of the H-Rec² framework, we develop a prototype that consists of four important components: (1) an activity recognition module that senses physical activity using accelerometer, (2) a health status modeling module that applies a novel algorithm to generate personalized health status index, (3) a restaurant information collection module that collects relevant information from OSN, and (4) a restaurant recommendation module that provides personalized and context-aware recommendation. To evaluate the prototype, we conduct both objective and subjective experiments, which confirm the performance and effectiveness of the proposed system.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension (GH), are major causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This review elucidates the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the immunological aspects of HDP and explores their therapeutic potential. Tregs, known for maintaining immune tolerance, are crucial in pregnancy to prevent immune-mediated rejection of the fetus. In HDP, Treg numbers and function imbalance are observed, correlating with disease severity. The review highlights that Tregs contribute to immunological adaptation in normal pregnancy, ensuring fetal acceptance and placental development. In contrast, HDP is associated with Treg dysfunction, marked by decreased numbers and impaired regulatory capacity, leading to inadequate immune tolerance and abnormal placental development. This dysfunction is particularly evident in PE, where Tregs fail to adequately modulate the maternal immune response against fetal antigens, contributing to the pathophysiology of the disorder. Therapeutic interventions aiming to modulate Treg activity represent a promising avenue for HDP management. Studies in animal models and limited clinical trials suggest that enhancing Treg functionality could mitigate HDP symptoms and improve pregnancy outcomes. However, the review acknowledges the complexity of translating these findings into effective clinical therapies, given the multifactorial nature of HDP and the intricate regulatory mechanisms of Tregs. In conclusion, while the precise role of Tregs in HDP is still being unravelled, their central role in immune regulation during pregnancy is indisputable. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms by which Tregs contribute to HDP and to develop targeted therapies that can safely and effectively harness their regulatory potential for treating hypertensive diseases of pregnancy.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels act as sensors of pain, temperature, and other external stimuli. We have recently shown that DPV576, an aqueous mixture of nanodiamond (ND) and nanoplatinum (NP), can modulate the activity of TRPV on human primary keratinocytes, suggesting their potential as a possible pain modulator [1]. CD4+ T lymphocytes also express TRPV channels, and we sought with special interest to examine the effect of DPV576 in modulating the functions of TRPV channel expression and secretion of cytokines on human CD4+ T lymphocytes. Human primary CD4+ T cells were activated with anti CD3/CD28 with and without DPV576 at 1:25 and 1:100 dilutions for 24 hours in vitro. TRPV Receptor expression (TRPV1 and TRPV4) on CD4+ T cells was examined by flow cytometry. The capacity of DPV576 to modulate the activity of TRPV1 agonist capsaicin in CD4+ T cells was also determined. Activation of CD4+ T cells was determined by production of cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 using specific ELISA kits. DPV576 treatment of CD4+ T cells that were activated with anti CD3/CD28, resulted in increased expression of TRPV1 channel but had no effect on TRPV4. This was accompanied by increased secretion of IFN-g and reduced expression of TRPV1 in capsaicin activated CD4+ T cells. In addition, DPV576 inhibited the capsaicin, induced the production of both IFN-g and TNF-α, and enhanced the secretion of IL-10. We conclude that short term exposure to DPV576 inhibits the activity of TRPV1 channels in CD4+ T lymphocytes, which may suggest its possible beneficial use for pain management.

The present analysis deals with the study of the $f(Q, T )$ theory of gravity which was recently considered by many cosmologists. In this theory of gravity, the action is taken as an arbitrary function $f(Q, T )$ where $Q$ is non-metricity and $T$ is the trace of energy-momentum tensor for matter fluid. In this study, we have taken three different forms of the function $f(Q, T )$ as $f(Q,T)=a_1Q+a_2 T$ and $f(Q,T)=a_3 Q^2+a_4 T$ and discussed some physical properties of the same. Also, we have obtained the various cosmological parameters towards Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-walker (FLRW) Universe by defining the transit form of scale factor which yields the Hubble parameter in redshift form as $H(z)=\frac{H_{0}}{(\lambda+1)} \left(\lambda+ (1+z)^{\delta}\right)$. %We have obtained the approx best-fit values of model parameters using the least square method for observational constraints on available datasets like Hubble dataset $H(z)$, Supernova dataset SNe-Ia, etc., by applying the Root Mean Squared Error formula (RMSE). By applying the Root Mean Squared Error formula (RMSE), we were able to determine the approximate best-fit values of model parameters using the least square approach for observational constraints on the datasets Hubble dataset $H(z)$, Supernova dataset SNe-Ia, etc. We have observed that the deceleration parameter $q(z)$ exhibits a signature-flipping (transition) point within the range $0.623 \le z_{0} \le 1.668$ through which it changes its phase from the decelerated to the accelerated expanding universe with $\omega = -1$ at $z=-1$ for the approximate best-fit values of the model parameters. %For obtained approx best-fit values of model parameters we have observed that the deceleration parameter $q(z)$ shows a signature-flipping (transition) point within the range $0.623 \le z_{0} \le 1.668$ through which it changes its phase from decelerated to the accelerated expanding universe with $\omega = -1$ at $z=-1$.

This paper reveals the physical properties of Jeffery nanofluid flow past a moving plate embedded in porous medium under the existence of radiation and thermal diffusion. The analysis is carried out in three cases of moving plate, namely stationary plate λ = 0, forth-moving plate λ = 1, back-moving plate λ = −1. Finite difference method is applied to solve the governing equations of the flow and pointed out the variations in velocity, temperature and concentration with the use of graphical presentations. The impact of several parameters on local skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood number is also noticed and discussed. Enhancement of velocity is observed under the impact of Jeffery parameter for the cases of stationary plate and back-moving plate, whereas reverse nature is found in the case of forth-moving plate. The velocity enhances as the values of porosity parameter increases for the case of stationary plate and forth-moving plate but a reverse nature is noticed in the case of back-moving plate.

This article is about a framework for determining the degree of realism of any given 1 passenger ride motion discomfort measurement formula. After providing some context and reviewing 2 evidence of deficiency in currently popular ride motion discomfort measurement formulas, the article 3 outlines the research program that needs to be carried out in order to establish such a framework. 4 The research begins with gathering recordings of uncomfortable ride motion episodes encountered in 5 a chosen type of passenger transport service. It then has test subjects compare the episodes via a ride 6 motion simulator and adjust their amplitudes pair wise until they cause equal discomfort. It explains 7 how to take the pair wise amplitude adjustments and determine amplitude adjustments that bring all 8 of the motion episode recordings to a common level of discomfort so that they form a normalized set. 9 Then, the lower the scatter of the scores assigned by any given discomfort measurement formula to 10 the members of that set, the more realistic that formula will be for the chosen service.

This study was to identify clinical cancer biomarkers for recurrent gastric cancer survivors using artificial intel-ligence. From a hospital-based cancer registry database in Taiwan, the datasets of the incidence of recurrence and clinical risk features were included in 2476 gastric cancer survivors. We benchmarked Random forest with MLP, C4.5, AdaBoost, and Bagging algorithms on metrics and leveraged synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) for imbalanced dataset issues, cost-sensitive learning for risk assessment, and SHapley Additive ex-Planations (SHAP) for feature importance analysis in this study. Our proposed Random forest outperformed the other models with an accuracy of 87.9%, a recall rate of 90.5%, an accuracy rate of 86% and F1 of 88.2% on re-current category by a 10-fold cross-validation in a balanced dataset. We identified clinical features of recurrent gastric cancer, which are the top five features, stage, number of regional lymph node involvement, Helicobacter pylori, BMI(body mass index), and gender, which significantly affect the prediction model's output, are worth paying attention to in the following causal effect analysis. Using an artificial intelligence model, the risk factors for recurrent gastric cancer could be identified and cost-effectively ranked according to their feature importance. In addition, they should be crucial clinical features to provide physicians with the knowledge to screen high-risk patients in gastric cancer survivors as well.

Abstract: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare disorder of glucose metabolism and is the most common cause of severe and persistent hypoglycemia (hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, HH) in the neonatal period and childhood. Most cases are caused by mutations in the ABCC8 and KCNJ11 genes that encode the ATP-sensitive potassium channel (KATP). We present the correlation between genetic heterogeneity and the variable phenotype in patients with early-onset hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia caused by ABCC8 gene mutations. In the first patients, which presented persistent severe hypoglycemia since the first day of life, molecular genetic testing revealed the presence of a homozygous mutation in the ABCC8 gene [deletion in the ABCC8 gene c.(2390+1_2391-1)_(3329+1_3330- 1)del] correlated with a diffuse form of hyperinsulinism (the parents being healthy heterozygous carriers). In the second patient, the onset was on the third day of life with severe hypoglycemia, and genetic testing identified a heterozygous mutation in the ABCC8 gene c.1792C&gt;T (p.Arg598*) inherited on the paternal line, which led to the diagnosis of focal form of hyperinsulinism. To locate the focal lesions, (18)F-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxy-6-[18F]fluoro-L-phenylalanine) PET/CT was recommended (an investigation that cannot be carried out in the country), but the parents refused to carry out the investigation abroad. In this case, early surgical treatment could have been curative. In addition, the second child also presented secondary adrenal insufficiency requiring replacement therapy. At the same time, she developed early recurrent seizures that required antiepileptic treatment. We emphasize the importance and of molecular genetic testing for diagnosis, management and genetic counseling in patients with HH.

(1) Background: Thrombophilia is a tendency towards hypercoagulability, and it is increased by pregnancy, peaking around delivery. Research question: does thrombophilia stimulate the in-flammatory state of the patient, already suppressed by pregnancy? (2) Methods: Eighty thrombo-philia patients admitted for delivery between 1/10/2017 and 1/12/2021 were prospectively stud-ied, together with eighty age- and para-matched control patients. Patients were admitted for de-livery at term by means of cesarean section. The inflammation indexes from the complete blood count values analysis during both the 24 hours before and after labor—extracted from the hospi-tal’s medical records—were calculated and then correlated with uterine involution. (3) Results: Except for the PLR, most of the numerous inflammation indexes studied were not significantly different in treated thrombophilia patients, before and after delivery, compared to non-thrombophilia patients. Only when we split the patients, based on the uterine haematometra in the first 24-48 hours postpartum, we found out that the few treated thrombophilia patients with haematometra (14 with haematometra out of 79 with treated thrombophilia) had elevated SII and AISI antepartum. In pregnant patients treated for thrombophilia, MLR is higher in pa-tients without the Rh factor than in those with the Rh factor. In non-thrombophilia patients, MCVL and NLPR increased with age and before labor, while SII and AISI increased with age postpartum. (4) Conclusions: Thrombophilia did not stimulate the inflammatory state of the pa-tient, already suppressed by pregnancy.

The positional cloning of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the neutrophil cytosolic factor 1 (Ncf1) gene, advocating that a low oxidative burst drives autoimmune disease, demands an understanding of the underlying molecular causes. A cellular target could be T cells, which have been shown to be regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the pathways by which ROS mediate T cell signaling remain unclear. The adaptor molecule linker for activation of T cells (LAT) is essential for coupling T cell receptor-mediated antigen recognition to downstream responses, and it contains several cysteine residues that have previously been suggested to be involved in redox regulation. To address the possibility that ROS regulate T cell-dependent inflammation through LAT, we established a mouse strain with cysteine-to-serine mutations at positions 120 and 172 (LATSS). We found that redox regulation of LAT through C120 and C172 mediate its localization and phosphorylation. LATSS mice had reduced numbers of double-positive thymocytes and naïve peripheral T cells. Importantly, redox insensitivity of LAT enhanced T cell-dependent autoimmune inflammation in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This effect was reversed on an NCF1-mutated (NCF1m1j), ROS-deficient, background. Overall, our data shows that LAT is redox-regulated, acts to repress T cell activation, and is targeted by ROS induced by NCF1 in antigen-presenting cells (APCs).

This study explores the complexities involved in the extraction and purification of catechins, prominent bioactive compounds found in plant extracts and tea. It addresses challenges arising from the intricate molecular structure of catechins and their inherent variability across botanical sources. Despite these obstacles, catechins present significant potential, particularly in healthcare. Their potent antioxidant properties have been extensively investigated and associated with numerous health benefits, positioning them as promising therapeutic agents for combating chronic diseases. Furthermore, catechins have diverse applications across various industries, including food and beverage, cosmetics, agriculture, and materials science. This abstract emphasizes the importance of continued research and innovation in catechin extraction and utilization, which hold promise for advancing human health and technological progress across multiple domains.

While the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein is defined as the primary severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor, the viral serine molecule might be mobilized by the host's transmembrane protease serine subtype 2 (TMPRSS2) enzyme from the viral spike (S) protein and hijack the host’s N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) metabolism. The resulting hybrid, serologically A-like/Tn (T-nouvelle) structure potentially acts as a host–pathogen functional molecular bridge. In humans, this intermediate structure will hypothetically be replaced by ABO(H) blood group-specific, mucin-type structures, in the case of infection hybrid epitopes, implicating the phenotypically glycosidic accommodation of plasma proteins. The virus may, by mimicking the synthetic pathways of the ABO(H) blood groups, bind to the cell surfaces of the blood group O(H) by formation of a hybrid H-type antigen as the potential precursor of hybrid non-O blood groups, which does not affect the highly anti-glycan aggressive anti-A and anti-B isoagglutinin activities, exerted by the germline-encoded nonimmune immunoglobulin M (IgM). In the non-O blood groups, which have developed from the H-type antigen, these IgM activities are downregulated by phenotypic glycosylation, while adaptive immunoglobulins might arise in response to the hybrid A and B blood group structures, bonds between autologous carbohydrates and foreign peptides, suggesting the exertion of autoreactivity. The non-O blood groups thus become a preferred target for the virus, whereas blood group O(H) individuals, lacking the A/B phenotype-determining enzymes and binding the virus alone by hybrid H-type antigen formation, have the least molecular contact with the virus and maintain the critical anti-A and anti-B isoagglutinin activities, exerted by the ancestral IgM, which is considered the humoral spearhead of innate immunity.

Dirofilariosis is an infectious disease caused by species of the Dirofilaria genus. It is manifested by the appearance of a subcutaneous swelling, especially in the eye region. We present the case of a 29-year-old patient that accused facial asymmetry in the right genian region. Following clinical and paraclinical evaluations, the diagnosis of parasitic cyst was established in the context of dirofilariosis with Dirofilaria repens (D. repens). Treatment consisted of surgical excision of the formation associated with prophylactic antibiotic medication. Macroscopic analysis of the excision piece revealed a structure that contains a cystic cavity and a filamentous form with a length of approximately 10 mM and a diameter of 1 mM. This is the first case of dirofilariosis located in the genian region reported in Romania. The overview of this pathology is important to raise awareness among physicians about its presence and its clinical variations.

Membrane filtration is a popular choice in the treatment of wastewater for reuse. However, when used to produce clean water, these devices are subject to concentration polarization and fouling, which inhibit their ability to operate efficiently and provide high-quality permeate streams. Patterned membrane surfaces offer a hydrodynamic approach to mitigating concentration polarization and the surface fouling that follows. However, when subject to a steady feed flow rate, surface patterns generally produce stagnant zones in cavity-like spaces where particulate from the bulk flow recirculates in stationary vortices. To prevent aggregation in these recirculation zones, and therefore the onset of surface fouling, we study a rapidly pulsed feed flow. When combined with cavity-like geometries, such as the valleys present in membrane surface patterns, a rapidly pulsed flow generates mixing mechanisms (i.e., the deep sweep and the vortex ejection) that disrupt otherwise stagnant regions. First, we confirm the existence of these mechanisms, which are typically induced in impermeable cavities at relatively low Reynolds numbers, for near transitional feed Reynolds numbers in permeable cavity spaces via numerical simulation of the flow field. Following this confirmation, we demonstrate the ability of these mechanisms to remove particles trapped in recirculation zones via massless particle tracking studies. The results of this work suggest that when combined with a rapidly pulsed inlet flow, patterned membrane surfaces can not only alleviate concentration polarization and the surface fouling that follows but also reduce the need for traditional cleaning methods, which require operational downtime and often involve the use of abrasive chemical agents.

Silver particles are prepared by dewetting Ag films coated on glass using a fiber laser. The size of the particles is controlled in the range of 92 nm ~ 1.2 μm by adjusting the thickness of the Ag film. The structural properties and surface roughness of the particles are evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy. In addition, the antifungal activity of the Ag particles is examined using spore suspensions of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. It is shown that the particles with a size of 1.2 μm achieve 100% inhibition of the conidia growth of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides after a contact time of just 5 min. Furthermore, the smaller particles also achieve a good antibacterial activity given a longer contact time. Similar results are observed in spore germination and pathogenicity tests performed on mango fruit and leaves. Overall, the results confirm that the Ag particles have an excellent antifungal effect on Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

Reactions of Co(OAc)24H2O, N‚N'-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)oxalamide (L) and 4,4’-sulfonyldibenzoic acid (H2SDA) afforded four coordination polymers with the same mixed ligands, {[Co(L)(SDA)(H2O)2]·H2O·CH3OH}n, 1, {[Co(L)0.5(SDA)]·2H2O·0.5L}n, 2, {[Co(L)1.5(SDA)(H2O)]·H2O}n, 3, and {[Co2(L)1.5(SDA)2(H2O)2]·4H2O}n, 4, which have been structurally characterized by using single crystal X-ray crystallography. Complexes 1 – 4 are 2D layers, revealing the topologies of sql, 2,6L1, (4,4)Ia and 6L12, respectively, and demonstrating that the metal to ligand ratio, solvent system and reaction temperature are important in determining the structural diversity. Immersion of these complexes into various solvents show that the structural types govern the chemical stabilities of 1 – 4. Reversible structural transformation can be shown for complexes 1 and 2 upon solvent removal and adsorption, while those of 3 and 4 are irreversible.

The non-structural protein NS3/4A protease is a critical factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) maturation that requires activation by NS4A. Synthetic peptide mutants of NS4A were found to inhibit NS3 function. The bridging from peptide inhibitors to heterocyclic peptidomimetics of NS4A has not been in consideration in literature, and therefore, we decided to explore this strategy to develop a new class of NS3 inhibitors. In this report, a structure-based design approach was used to convert the bound form of NS4A into 1H-imidazole-2,5-dicarboxamide derivatives as first generation peptidomimetics. This scaffold mimics the buried amino acid sequence Ile-25` to Arg-28` at the core of NS4A21`-33` needed to activate the NS3 protease. Some of the synthesized MOC compounds were able to compete with and displace NS4A21`-33` for binding to NS3. For instance, N5-(4-guanidinobutyl)-N2-(n-hexyl)-1H-imidazole-2,5-dicarboxamide (MOC-24) inhibited the binding of NS4A21`-33` with a competition IC50 of 1.9 ± 0.12 µM in a fluorescence anisotropy assay, stabilized the denaturation of NS3 by increasing the aggregation temperature by ΔTagg 0.6 ± 0.140 ℃. MOC-24 also inhibited NS3 protease activity in a fluorometric assay. Molecular dynamics simulations rationalized the structure-activity relationship (SAR) differences between the active MOC-24 and the inactive MOC-26. Our data shows that MOC compounds are possibly the first examples of NS4A peptidomimetics that demonstrated promising activities against NS3 proteins.

The Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) phenotype, identified as a significant clinical indicator in cancer, manifests as a biological process where cells transition from epithelial to mesenchymal characteristics. Physiologically, EMT plays a crucial role in tissue remodeling, promoting healing, repair, and responding to various tissue damages. This study investigates the impact of BNE-RRC on oral cancer cells (KB) and reveals its significant effects on cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, and EMT. BNE-RRC induces the epithelial-like morphology in KB cells, effectively reversing EMT to Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition (MET). Extraordinarily, sustained culture of cancer cells with BNE-RRC for 14 days maintains an epithelial status even after treatment withdrawal, suggesting BNE-RRC as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer. These findings highligh the promise of BNE-RRC as a comprehensive therapeutic agent in cancer treatment by inhibiting cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion, while also orchestrating a reversal of the EMT process. The study proposes that BNE-RRC could be effective agent for cancer treatment.

The Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) includes socioeconomically important pathogens that cause disease and/or mycotoxin contamination on numerous crops. Here, we used comparative genomics to elucidate processes underlying the ability of pine-associated and grass-associated FFSC species to colonize tissues of their respective plant hosts. We characterized the identity, possible functions, evolutionary origins, and chromosomal positions of the host-range-associated genes encoded by the two groups of fungi. The 72 and 47 genes identified as unique to the respective genome groups were potentially involved in diverse processes, ranging from transcription, regulation, and substrate transport, through to virulence/pathogenicity. Most emerged early during the evolution of Fusarium/FFSC and were subsequently retained only in some lineages, while some had origins outside Fusarium. Although differences in the densities of these genes were especially noticeable on the conditionally dispensable chromosome of F. temperatum (representing the grass-associates) and F. circinatum (representing the pine-associates), the host-range-associated genes tended to be located towards the subtelomeric regions of chromosomes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that multiple mechanisms drive the emergence of genes in grass- and pine-associated FFSC taxa examined and highlighted the diversity of molecular processes potentially underlying niche-specificity in these and other Fusarium species.

As new vaccines reduce P. falciparum (Pf) cases, clinicians can focus on rescuing more children with cerebral malaria (CM). Adjunctive “therapeutically-rational exchange transfusion” (T-REX) refers to using special “Pf-resistant” donor red blood cells (RBCs) that secrete nano-sized RBC extracellular vesicles (EVs). Can some RBC EVs rapidly dislodge Pf-infected RBCs (iRBCs) sequestered in blood vessels and reduce inflammation? Does post-exchange “rebound parasitemia” reflect sequestration-reversal? We reviewed case-reports, EV and liposome studies, expert perspectives, and time-sequence data. In the AQUAMAT study, median coma-recovery time was 20 hours for artesunate. In contrast, a CM patient treated with type-O T-REX quickly began speaking (during the procedure). For other rapid-recovery CM patients, donor RBC variables had not been specified. Despite rapid Pf-killing, drugs need 20 hours to substantially reduce iRBC cytoadhesion while EVs can selectively bind distant inflamed tissues within 15 minutes. RBCs stressed by blood-bank storage and Pf infection secrete EVs. Post-exchange “rebound parasitemia” can occur within 60 minutes and may reflect release of sequestered iRBCs. Sequestration-reversal can be assessed by monitoring Pf parasitemia and total Pf biomass. New data suggest clinicians, working with transfusion- and laboratory-medicine physicians, can, and should, assess T-REX options and publish their findings to help clarify how RBC EVs may serve as therapeutic “decoy ligands.”

This article introduces a novel payload structure, which has been experimentally proven to have smaller impact force while the carried internal electronics remains intact. The study describes in details how materials and geometric structures were chosen based on information analysis. It is clarified how possible geometric structures and materials can be chosen to yield optimal efficiency. Finite element method simulations were carried out to investigate the mechanical properties of several geometric structures, which has led to the dodecahedron form. For the frame, Polylactic Acid were chosen as an optimal material. A low air pressure test for parts of the structure, and also the whole structure were carried out with successful results. Drop tests, with force measuring sensors and high speed videos, were carried out for measuring and comparing the maximal impact force of classical payloads and the novel one. Laboratory and real life tests demonstrated that the developed new structure is safer and it is applicable.

A set of polymer composite bolted T-joints with novel configuration consisting of internal skeleton and external skin was fabricated using a prepreg-RTM co-curing molding process. Experiments were conducted to study their mechanical properties under bending load. A finite element model with a polymer resin area between the skin and skeleton was established and verified by the experimental results. Then, the damage propagation process and failure mechanism of the joint and the influence of three factors related to the layer characteristics of the skin and skeleton were investigated by the validated models. The results show that the bending stiffness and the yield limit load of the novel composite T-joint are 0.81 times and 1.65 times that of the 2A12 aluminum T-joint respectively, while at only 55.4% of its weight. The damage of the joint initiates within the resin area and leads to a degradation of the joint bending performances. The preferred stacking sequence of the skeleton is [0/+45/90/-45]ns when primarily subjected to bending loads. The decrease in bending performances is within 5% with the inclining angle of the skeleton less than 12 degrees. The more layers of 90° in the skin, the better bending performances of the joints, while the more layer of 0°, the poorer bending performances.

Land use and cover change (LUCC) is an important method to investigate the causes of global environment change. We utilized the emergy ecological footprint (EEF) model to construct a land-use change model to be used as a systematic measuring tool for monitoring sustainable development trends. In particular, we estimated the eco-security of the Cing-jing region as a case study so that responsible agencies can use it to maintain a balance between ecological preservation and tourism development. The results indicated the following: First, the ecological environment of the Cing-jing region satisfied the safety standard in 2008–2014; however, the related indices increased considerably. Second, the grey model predicted a decrease in 2015–2024 ecological carrying capacities of Cing-jing and a large increase in capita EFs, resulting in a larger ecological deficit and higher EFI. The eco-security from 2015–2024 was higher compared to 7 years ago and is predicted to reach the Grade 2 intermediate level in 2022; thus the Cing-jing region is gradually becoming ecologically unsustainable. Strengths of our study included the use of EEF theory in a quantitative analysis of slope lands for the effective evaluation of ecological security. Finally, we expanded our research to include ecological security issues.

This research addresses a gap in the literature by conducting a comprehensive analysis of patients’ level of satisfaction with dental care. Methods: By combining quantitative and qualitative survey methods with the PSQ questionnaire this study aims to augment ongoing initiatives to enhance dental patients’ experiences by painting a more comprehensive depiction of patients' level of satisfaction; Results: When asked about their overall level of satisfaction 77,1% of the patients said they received excellent services from the office personnel and 72,2% said they trust their doctors; Conclusions: Assessing patient satisfaction in the realm of dental services quality is crucial for enhancing service quality and accuracy, benefiting both patients and dentists, and ultimately improving public health.

In this paper, inspired by recent articles of G. Anatriello and G. Vincenzi (see \cite{Ana}), and G. Cerda-Morales (see \cite{Cer1,Cer2}), we will introduce the third-order $\overline{h}$-Jacobsthal and third-order $\overline{h}$-Jacobsthal--Lucas sequences and their associated quaternions. The new results that we have obtained extend most of those obtained in \cite{Cer2}.

The rock joint fissure slope in cold regions is prone to deformation and failure problems such as relaxation, tension and collapse under freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles. Based on the ideology of clean production and promoting the structural integrity of geotechnical projects in cold areas, this study designed and prepared aeolian-sand (AS) to replace part of river sand as a filling mortar material by taking advantage of the low cost and easy availability of AS. Investigations were carried out to determine the impact of varying proportions of AS in mortar on the microstructure and shear properties of the mortar-rock interface under F-T cycles. Therefore, F-T cycle testing, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) testing and shear testing were carried out on grout with different proportions of AS. The results show that the right proportion of AS replacement could enhance the shear deformation resistance and F-T resistance of the mortar-rock interface, and 30% proportion is the optimal proportion. By increasing of F-T cycles, the three types of specimens showed different degrees of particle spalling, shedding and cracking. The slurry-rock interface layer in the A (0%) group exhibited the most severe F-T deterioration, while the B (15%) group showed a lesser degree, and the C (30%) group performed the best. T2 spectrum curve and total spectrum area change law from the microscopic point of view to verify the 30% AS proportion mortar-rock interface F-T resistance is the strongest, followed by 15% AS proportion mortar, the weakest is ordinary mortar. The degradation of the mortar-rock bond is primarily due to the conversion of solid to liquid phases and the movement of internal water caused by fluctuating temperatures. The extent of F-T deterioration in the slurry-rock interface layer is greatly affected by the varying proportions of AS. The shear strength and shear stiffness of specific proportion of AS decreased with the increase of F-T cycles. For same F-T cycles, the shear strength and shear stiffness of group C (30%) were the highest, followed by group B (15%) and group A (0%). The grout material not only reinforces the F-T joint fissure slope, but also reduces the cost of grout reinforcement and promotes the clean production of geotechnical structures.

: In the realm of data management, data preservation stands as a critical undertaking aimed at preserving and upholding the integrity of data. Regardless of whether it concerns personal or enterprise data, the detrimental effects of malicious alterations implemented by attackers cannot be overlooked. Particularly in conventional industrial control environments, the prevalent practice involves the transmission of data from sensors to databases for storage purposes. However, it is essential to recognize that this process exposes the data to various vulnerabilities. Thus, to ensure the long-term security and reliability of the data, it becomes imperative to implement robust data preservation strategies within these industrial control systems. However, the reliance of these databases on physical hard disks introduces inherent vulnerabilities, including the potential for data loss due to disk damage or targeted malicious attacks. Consequently, it becomes imperative to prioritize the implementation of robust data preservation measures. These measures are crucial in mitigating the risk of disruptions and protecting critical data from compromise. By establishing effective data backup systems, employing advanced security protocols, and implementing proactive monitoring mechanisms, organizations can bolster their data preservation capabilities and safeguard against potential threats to data integrity and availability. As a result, many enterprises opt to store their data with third-party providers to ensure data integrity. However, this approach carries inherent risks. If the third-party service experiences an attack or if the data is tampered with, it becomes challenging to verify the integrity of the data. To address these concerns and ensure data preservation within the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), a growing number of individuals are integrating IoT with Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). By leveraging DLT, the integrity of data can be ensured, reducing reliance on centralized third-party storage and enhancing security in the IoT ecosystem. In this article, IOTA is the DLT, which employs Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) to store transaction information. Compared to Ethereum or other blockchain technologies, IOTA offers notable advantages in terms of transaction verification speed, making it highly suitable for real-time IoT environments. However, the conventional transmission path from sensors to IOTA nodes entails a complex route, involving multiple hardware devices before reaching the intended destination. This complexity poses challenges in ensuring data integrity during transmission and introduces vulnerabilities such as man-in-the-middle attacks or SQL injection attacks. To address these issues, we propose a method to streamline the transmission path between sensors and IOTA, specifically tailored for industrial fields with numerous IoT devices. Our approach involves preprocessing the data stored on the server using our method before uploading, ensuring data confidentiality, and leveraging IOTA to guarantee data integrity. To achieve the shortest path between IoT and DLT nodes, it becomes necessary to establish IOTA nodes on lower-level devices, such as Raspberry Pi or IoT controllers. By simplifying the transmission path, we can reduce the potential for tampering and enhance overall data security. Implementing our proposed method enables the assurance of data confidentiality and integrity during both transmission and storage on the server, strengthening the trustworthiness of the IoT, and IOTA integration.

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

Landiolol is an ultra-short-acting, selective ß1- adrenergic receptor blocker that was originally approved by Japan for the treatment of intraoperative tachyarrhythmias. It has gained attention for its use in the management of tachyarrhythmias and perioperative tachycardia, especially atrial fibrillation for both cardiac and non-cardiac surgeries. It can be the ideal agent for heart rate control due to its high β1‐selectivity, the potent negative chronotropic effect, a limited negative inotropic potential, and an ultrashort elimination half‐life (around 4 min); moreover, it may have a potential therapeutic effect for sepsis and pediatric patients. Landiolol seems to be superior to other short‐acting and selective beta‐blockers such as esmolol. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of landiolol, a new ultra-short-acting ß1 selective antagonist, including its pharmacology, clinical applications, efficacy, safety profile, and future directions in research and clinical data.

Galectins have been shown to have roles in cancer progression via contributions to angiogenesis, metastasis, cell division, and evasion of immune destruction. This study analyses galectin-1, -3, and -9 serum concentrations in breast cancer patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against the characteristics of the patient and tumor such as stage, molecular subtype, and receptor expression. Galectin-9 was found to be statistically significantly increased in HER2 enriched tumors as well as being reduced in patients with hormone receptor positive tumors and increased in patients with HER2 amplified tissues. Galectin-1 was found to be statistically significantly increased in the serum of patients who had undergone hormonal, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy. These findings provide insight as to the changes in galectin levels during cancer progress, response to treatment and molecular phenotype. These findings are valuable in the further understanding of the relationships of galectin and tumor biology and can inform future research on therapeutic targets for galectin inhibitors and the utility of galectin biomarkers.

Plant growth and productivity are hindered by abiotic stresses. Crop productivity and the ecosystem are suffering due to climate change and harmful farming practices. We urgently need to use environment-friendly techniques like Arbuscular Mychorriza Fungi (AMF) to improve crop productivity. It is a well-established fact that AMF are effective bio-fertilizers. It is believed that AMF injections can increase plant resilience to stressors like heat,metals, salt, drought, and extreme temperatures. AMF aids in enhancing tolerance mechanisms and safeguarding essential metabolic pathways. AMF, as natural root symbionts, give plants important inorganic nutrients, helping them grow better, produce more, and acclimatize even under stress. AMF acts as a bio-fertilizer, boosting plants’ ability to adjust to different environments. Thus, researchers need to conduct further studies on how AMF promotes crop quality and productivity. This review describes the current understanding of AMF’s impact on host plants at their different growth stage, their benefits, applications, and the significance of plant nutrient relationships with AMF.

This paper presents an Application Based Active Learning (ABAL) methodology on Power Electronics (PE) and Electric Machines (EM) as a hybrid laboratory course for the undergraduate students to design and implement the real-world engineering problems. The ABAL is a type of active learning which is a branch of Learner-centered teaching (LCT). The DC/DC converter along with the speed control of DC separately excites the motor. In addition, a DC/AC converter is designed to control the speed of an induction motor. The results are then investigated on a hardware platform under the ABAL experimental methodology. This paper also discusses the problem identification selection of the equipment, circuit design, hardware mounting and critical analysis of the results acquired from the hybrid laboratory. The ABAL methodology was evaluated based on student satisfaction, feedback, grades and interest to solve the real-world problem rather than cramming the engineering concepts and fulfill so-called lab routine and tasks

Background: By 2025, road traffic injuries are projected to rank third in the global burden of disease, posing a significant challenge that affects health, social well-being, and economic aspects. According to data from the Romanian Police National Statistics Center, there has been an average of 342 traffic accidents per year involving pediatric patients over the past 10 years. Materials and Methods: A retrospective research study was conducted, encompassing 358 cases of road traffic accidents identified for the study. Data collection was conducted at "St. Mary’s" Emergency Hospital for Children in Iasi, Romania, from January 2015 to December 2022. To facilitate statistical analyses, participants were categorized into three specific age groups, correlating between the anatomical region affected and different types of accidents was examined, and the classification of injury types was determined based on the characteristics of the harm inflicted. Results: An oscillating trend is observed from 2015 to 2020, with its lowest value recorded in 2017 at around 6.8% and its peak in 2019 at 20.1%. Notably, post-pandemic (Covid-19), the cases underwent a substantial decline of approximately 50%. At least 78.7% of those who did not undergo orthopedic reduction required surgery, whereas among those who underwent orthopedic reduction, only 23.4% needed surgery. Regarding the frequency of complications 7,9% of the total cases experienced complications. Conclusion: The increased frequency of pediatric traffic accidents is attributed to the extensive services provided by "St. Mary’s" Emergency Hospital for Children, Iasi, to a significant number of patients from both rural and urban areas across the seven counties of the Moldova, Romania.

The enhancement of early diagnosis of lung cancer is mandatory to improve prognosis. We observed the increase cancer stem cells (CSC) and circulating tumor cells (CTC) in blood of mice on d3 after Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cell implantation before disease symptom. Besides we have developed an approach to reprogramming immune cells by inhibiting the MAPK/ERK pathway through MEKi and the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint signaling pathway. We hypothesized that reprogramming of spleen CD8+ T-cells could also create a population of immune cells with high antitumor activity. We reprogrammed CD8+ T-cells derived from the spleen of C57BL/6 mice (rsCD8+T-cells). The rsCD8+T-cells were able to migrate to lung and were more resistant after the exhaustion in vitro in comparison with naïve sCD8+T-cells. In the orthotopic LLC model, the rsCD8+T-cells therapy increased the amount of proliferating CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells in blood and lung from mice. The amount of CSC decreased in the blood and lung of mice treated with rsCD8+ T-cells. A morphological study revealed a decrease in the number of metastases in lung tissue. The antitumor effects of rsCD8+T-cells are based on the activation of the host immune response by increasing the populations of CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells and apoptosis of CSCs.

In spite of prevalence gaps in several micronutrients supporting immune function, significance of their deficits/supplementation for efficacy of vaccines is underinvestigated. Thus, influence of supplementation combining vitamins C and D, zinc, selenium and manganese, and N-acetyl-cysteine on mouse IgG responses and underlying mechanisms to seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) was investigated. QIV was given in two doses (28 days apart). The supplementation starting 5 days before the first injection increased the total serum IgG titre, through stimulation of germinal centre (GC) reaction in secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), as indicated by increase in the frequency of GC B cells and follicular CD4+ T helper (Th) cells, and IL-21-producing Th cells. Additionally, the supplementation “optimized” IgG response following the second QIV injection by supporting more favorable (in respect to virus clearance) IgG2a response through favoring Th1 differentiation as indicating by Th1 (INF-γ) /Th2 (IL-4) signature cytokine level ratio upon QIV restimulation in SLO cell cultures. This most likely reflected partly their antioxidant action (as indicated by redox status analyses) on Th cell differentiation. Thus, the study forms solid base for further research aimed at repurposing use this safe and inexpensive micronutrient combination as an adjuvant for virus influenza vaccine.

Pharmacists and pharmacies are highly visible and accessible to the public and have long been regarded as a source for immunization services in the United States. As international travel continues to increase and grow in popularity in this country, there is a pressing need for expanded access to preventative health services including routine and travel vaccinations and medications for prophylaxis or self-treatment of conditions that may be acquired overseas. In the United States, the scope of pharmacy practice continues to expand and incorporate these preventable health services to varying degrees on a state-by-state level. As a result, pharmacists can help to increase access to and awareness of the need for these services to insure that patients remain healthy while traveling abroad and that they do not acquire a travel-related disease while on their trip. For those pharmacists interested in starting a travel health service, considerations should be undertaken that ensures that they have the necessary training, education, and skill set in order to provide this specialty level of care and that their practice setting is optimally designed to facilitate this service. Outcomes from studies that have evaluated pharmacy-based travel health services are positive, which further supports the role of the pharmacist in this setting. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to highlight United States pharmacy laws and regulations, pharmacist training, travel clinic considerations, and patient care outcomes from pharmacy-based travel health services.

Background and Objectives: Chemokines have various biological functions and potential roles in the development or progression of neuroinflammatory diseases. However, the specific pathogenic roles of chemokines in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in older individuals, remain elusive. Chemokines interact with their receptors expressed in the endothelium and on leukocytes. The sulfation of tyrosine residues in chemokine receptors increases the strength of ligand–receptor interaction and modulates signaling. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to construct a human recombinant sulfated CXCR3 peptide trap (hCXCR3-S2) and mouse recombinant sulfated CXCR3 peptide trap (mCXCR3-S2) to demonstrate in vivo effects in preventing choroidal neovascularization and chemotaxis. Materials and Methods: First, the effect of hCXCR3-S was validated in vitro. Interestingly, hCXCR3-S2 inhibited the migration and invasion of two human cancer cell lines. Subsequently, the in vivo efficacy of mCXCR3-S2 was investigated using a mouse model of neovascular AMD. Results: Intravitreal injection of mCXCR3-S2 attenuated choroidal neovascularization and macrophage recruitment in neovascular lesions. These in vitro and in vivo effects were significantly stronger with CXCR3-S2 than with wild-type CXCR3 peptides. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the sulfated form of the CXCR3 peptide trap is a valuable tool that could be supplemented with antivascular endothelial growth factors in AMD treatment.

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.

A co-curing resin system consisting of 9368 epoxy resin for prepreg and 6808 epoxy resin for resin transfer molding (RTM) was developed. A corresponding preparation method of novel polymer composite bolted T-joint with internal skeleton and external skin was proposed based on prepreg-RTM co-curing process, and novel T-joints were fabricated. A series of conventional configuration T-joints based on RTM process and T-joints made of 2A12 aluminum alloy were prepared simultaneously. Bending performances were studied on these T-joints experimentally. The results indicate that 9368 epoxy resin and 6808 epoxy resin exhibit good compatibility in rheological and thermophysical properties. The novel T-joints prepared with prepreg-RTM co-curing process show no obvious fiber local winding or resin-rich regions inside, and the interface quality between internal skeleton and external skin is excellent. The main failure modes of the novel T-joint under bending load include separation of skin and skeleton and fracture along the thickness on the base panel; the skeleton carries the main bending load, but there is still load transfer between external skin and internal skeleton through their interface. The internal damages of the novel T-joint are highly consistent with surface damages observed visually, facilitating the detection and timely discovery of damages. The initial stiffness, damage initiation load, and ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.65 times, 5.89 times, and 3.45 times that of conventional T-joint, respectively. When considering the influence of density, the relative initial stiffness and relative ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.44 times and 2.07 times that of aluminum alloy T-joint, respectively.

We have investigated the antiferromagnetic phase transition in the frustrated and multiferroic hexagonal manganites $h$-(Y$_{0.98}$ Eu$_{0.02}$)MnO$_3$ (YEMO) and $h$-YMnO$_3$ (YMO). Elastic neutron scattering has been used to study in detail the phase transition in YMO and YEMO in zero pressure and in YMO at a hydrostatic pressure of 1.5~GPa. In zero pressure, we find the critical temperature $T_{\rm N} = 72.11(5)$~K and 71.3(1)~K and the critical exponent $\beta = 0.206(3)$ and 0.22(2), for YEMO and YMO, respectively. This is in agreement with earlier work by Roessli {\em et al.}. In applied hydrostatic pressure of 1.5~GPa, the ordering temperature increases to $T_{\rm N} = 75.2(5)$~K, in agreement with earlier reports, while $\beta$ is unchanged. Inelastic neutron scattering was used to determine the anisotropy spin wave gap at the phase transition, expected from spin wave theory to close with a critical exponent $\beta'$ identical to the one of the order parameter, $\beta' = \beta$. Our results indicate that the gap in YEMO indeed closes at $T_{\rm N}=72.4(3)$~K with $\beta' = 0.24(2)$, while the in-pressure gap in YMO closes at 75.2(5)~K with an exponent of $\beta' =0.19(3)$. In addition, the low-temperature anisotropy gap was found to have a slightly higher absolute value under pressure. The consistent values obtained for $\beta$ in the two systems support the likelihood of a new universality class for triangular, frustrated antiferromagnets.

We investigate and discuss in detail the structure of the restricted singular value decomposition for a tensor triplet under t-product (T-RSVD). The algorithm is provided with a numerical example illustrating the main result. For applications, we consider color image watermarking processing with T-RSVD.

Background: The purpuse was to investigate the influence induced by magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and zinc gluconate (ZnG) supplementation on liver and kidney injuries experimentally-induced with acetaminophen (AAPh) and potentiated by ciprofloxacin addition in rats. Material and methods: The experiment was performed on 5 animals groups: group 1 – control, treated for 6 weeks with normal saline, 1mL/kg; group 2 – AAPh, treated for 6 weeks with AAPh, 100 mg/ kg/day; group 3 – AAPh+C, treated AAPh 100 mg/kg/ day for 6 weeks and ciprofloxacin, 50mg /kg/day, only in the last 14 days of the experiment; group 4 – AAPh+C+Mg, with the same treatment as group 3, but, and in the last 14 days, MgCl2 10 mg/ kg/day was added; group 5 – AAPh+C+Zn, with the same treatment as group 3, but, and in the last 14 days, zinc gluconate (ZnG),10 mg/kg/day was added. All administrations were performed by oral gavage. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for biochemistry examinations. Results: Treatment with AAPh for 6 weeks determined an alteration of the liver function (increases in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactic dehydrogenase and, and gamma-glutamyl transferase) and of renal function (increases in serum urea and creatinine) (P < 0.001 group 2 vs. group 1 for all mentioned parameters). Also, the antioxidant defense capacity was impaired in group 2 vs. group 1 (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity decreased in group 2 vs. group 1, 0.001 < P < 0.01, respectively 0.01 < P < 0.05). The addition of ciprofloxacin, 50 mg/kg/day during the last 14 days resulted in further increases in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea and creatinine (0.01 < P < 0.05, group 3 vs. group 2). MgCl2 provided a slight protection against liver enzymes increase and a more pronounced protection against the increase in serum urea and creatinine (0.001 < P < 0.01 group 4 vs. group 3). MgCl2 provided a slight protection against the decrease in superoxide dismutase (0.01 < P < 0.05 group 4 vs. group 3), but not against decrease of glutathione peroxidase. The improvement of mentioned parameters could also be seen in case of ZnG, to a higher extent especially in the case of alanine aminotransferase and lactic dehydrogenase (0.01 < P < 0.05 group 5 vs. group 4). Conclusions: This study represents a furthermore proof for beneficial effect of magnesium and zinc salts against toxicity induced by different agents, including antibacterials added to the analgesic and antipyretic acetaminophen; the protection is proven on the liver and kidney’s function; the antioxidant profile improvement has a key role, especially in case of zinc gluconate.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are major drivers behind immunosuppressive mechanisms and present a major hurdle for cancer therapy. Tregs are characterized by high expression of CD25, which is a potentially valuable target for Treg depletion to alleviate immune suppression. The preclinical anti-CD25 (αCD25) antibody, clone PC-61, has met with modest anti-tumor activity, due to its capacity to clear Tregs from circulation and lymph nodes but not those that reside in the tumor. Optimization of the Fc domain of this antibody clone has been shown to enhance intratumoral Treg depletion capacity. Here, we generated a stable cell line that produces optimized recombinant Treg depleting antibodies. A genome engineering strategy in which CRISPR-Cas9 was combined with homology directed repair (CRISPR-HDR) was utilized to optimize the Fc domain of the hybridoma PC-61 for effector functions by switching it from the original rat IgG1 to a mouse IgG2a isotype. In a syngeneic tumor mouse model the resulting αCD25-m2a antibody mediated effective depletion of tumor resident Tregs leading to a high effector T cell (Teff) to Treg ratio. Moreover, combination of the αCD25-m2a with αPD-L1 treatment augmented tumor eradication in mice, demonstrating the potential for αCD25 as a cancer immunotherapy.

The human landscape transforming activity contributes to the global change of vegetation in different forms. Hunting is one of the most ancient human landscape-shaping activities. Feeders for hunting are particularly disruptive to vegetation. In the present study, we conducted a vegetation survey in these highly disturbed places. We are investigating the vegetation dynamics over several years in in the turkey oak–sessile oak zone, in two areas with different moisture and shade conditions (forest and clearing). One important background factor is changes in precipitation and temperature. The novelty of our present study lies in the fact that the observation takes place with continuous disturbance, where the human influence is very large. Our results confirm that the weed infestation be detectable at bait sites over a long period, and the interannual changes were typical in every year, according to the fact that in August, more weed species are usually present with a greater cover at the bait sites. The main meteorological factors played a role in the degree of weed infestation in each year. There was a higher proportion of vegetation regeneration in wetter years, while dry periods do not favor successional processes. With the drying of the climate, the disturbed areas are constantly losing their natural value, but wetter weather is not an automatic solution either. A more precise understanding of vulnerable systems and careful planning of treatment interventions is necessary.

Host immunological pathways have been proposed including TH1, TH2, TH3, TH9, TH17, TH22, TH1-like, and THαβ immune reactions. Besides TH2 and TH9 immune responses which are against multicellular parasites, host immunological pathways against viruses, intracellular micro-organisms (bacteria, protozoa, and fungi), and extracellular micro-organisms can use programmed cell death pathways to trigger immune reactions or to execute effective strategies to eliminate these pathogens. These programmed cell deaths include apoptosis, autophagic death, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and NETosis. Apoptosis is related to host anti-virus eradicable THαβ immunity. Autophagic death is related to host anti-virus tolerable TH3 immunity. Pyroptosis is related to host anti-intracellular micro-organism eradicable TH1 immunity. Ferroptosis is related to host anti-intracellular micro-organism tolerable TH1-like immunity. Necroptosis is related to host anti-extracellular micro-organism eradicable TH22 immunity. NETosis is related to host anti-extracellular micro-organism tolerable TH17 immunity.

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) improves the somatic manifestations in mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS))．However, because intravenously administered enzymes cannot cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), ERT is ineffective against the progressive neurodegeneration and resultant severe central nervous system (CNS) symptoms observed in patients with neuronopathic MPS. Attempts to surmount this problem have been made with intrathecal and intracerebroventricular ERT intend to achieve CNS effects, but the burdens on patients are inimical to long-term multiple administrations. However, after pabinafusp alfa, a human iduronate-2-sulfatase fused with a BBB-crossing anti-transferrin receptor antibody, showed both central and peripheral efficacy in mice model, subsequent clinical trials in a total of 62 patients with MPS-II (Hunter syndrome) in Japan and Brazil substantiated this dual efficacy and provided an acceptable safety profile. To date, pabinafusp alfa is the only approved intravenous ERT effective against both the somatic and CNS symptoms of patients with MPS-II. This article summarizes the hitherto obtained preclinical and clinical evidence associated with this drug, and discusses the preclinical, translational and clinical challenges of evaluating, ameliorating and preventing the neurodegeneration in patients with MPS-II.

Pigment nephropathy is an acute decline in renal function following the deposition of endogenous haem-containing proteins in the kidneys. Haem pigments such as myoglobin and haemoglobin are filtered by glomeruli and absorbed by the proximal tubules. They cause renal vasoconstriction, tubular obstruction, increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Haem is associated with inflammation in sterile and infectious conditions, contributing to the pathogenesis of many disorders such as rhabdomyolysis and haemolytic diseases. In fact, haem appears to be a signaling molecule that is able to activate the inflammasome pathway. Recent studies highlight a pathogenic function for haem in triggering inflammatory responses through the activation of the nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Among the inflammasome multiprotein complexes, the NLRP3 inflammasome has been the most widely characterized as a trigger of inflammatory caspases and the maturation of interleukin-18 and -1β. In the present review, we discuss the latest evidence on the importance of inflammasome-mediated inflammation in pigment nephropathy. Finally, we highlight the potential role of inflammasome inhibitors in the prophylaxis and treatment of pigment nephropathy.

We report on the occurrence of natural Magnesium Alumina Silicate Hydrate (M-(A)-S-H) cement at Feragen and Leka in eastern and western Trøndelag Norway, respectively. Both occurrences are located in the sub-arctic climate zone and form in glacial till and moraine material deposited on ultramafic rock during the Weichselian glaciation. Weathering of serpentinized peridotite dissolve brucite and result in a relative high pH alkaline fluid that subsequently reacts with the felsic minerals of the till (quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar) to form a cement consisting of an amorphous material or a mixture of nanocrystalline Mg-rich phyllosilicates, including illite. The presence of plagioclase in the till results in the enrichment of alumina in the cement, i.e., forms M-A-S-H instead of the M-S-H cement. Dissolution of quartz results in numerous etch-pits and negative quartz crystals filled with M-A-S-H cement. Where the quartz dissolution is faster that the cement precipitation, a honeycomb-like texture is formed. Compositionally the cemented till (tillite) contains more MgO and has a higher loss of ignition than the till, suggesting that the cement is formed by a MgO fluid that previously reacted with the peridotite. The M-(A)-S-H cemented till represent a new type of duricrust, coined magsilcrete. The study of natural Mg-cement provides information on peridotites as a Mg-source for Mg-cement and as a feedstock for CO2 sequestration.

This research studies the impact of shopping tourism on retail sales and rents, using the Covid-19 pandemic as a quasi-experiment. Shopping tourism refers to individuals who travel primarily for shopping purposes, and their spending patterns can have significant effects on the retail sector. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global travel and resulted in a decline in shopping tourist arrivals, leading to a downturn in sales for retailers dependent on shopping tourism. Additionally, the decline in shopping tourism affected retail rents, as the reduced demand for retail spaces posed challenges for property owners in attracting tenants. The study focuses on Hong Kong, a prominent shopping destination, which experienced a significant decline in tourist arrivals and retail sales during the pandemic. The research analyzes the relationship between tourist arrivals, retail sales, and rents using time series analysis and identifies the impact of shopping tourism on retail spaces and rents. The findings suggest a positive association between tourist arrivals and retail sales, particularly during the period of shopping tourism growth. However, the pandemic severely reduced this effect, revealing the impact of shopping tourists on the retail sector. The study concludes by discussing the implications on retail resilience and highlighting the need for further research on the impacts of shopping tourists on retail sales and rents.

When swine flu vaccines and circulating influenza A virus (IAV) strains are poorly matched, vaccine-induced antibodies may not protect from infection. Highly conserved T cell epitopes may, however, have a disease-mitigating effect. The degree of T cell epitope conservation among circulating strains and vaccine strains can vary, which may also explain differences in vaccine efficacy. Here, we evaluate a previously developed conserved T cell epitope-based vaccine and determine the persistence of T cell epitope conservation over time. We used a pair-wise homology score to define conservation between the vaccine’s swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class I and II-restricted epitopes and T cell epitopes found in 1,272 swine IAV strains sequenced between 2013 and 2017. Twenty-four of the 48 total T cell epitopes included in the epitope-based vaccine were highly conserved and found in >1,000 circulating swine IAV strains over the five-year period. In contrast, commercial swine IAV vaccines developed in 2013 exhibited declining conservation with the circulating IAV strains over the same five-year period. Conserved T cell epitope vaccines may be useful adjunct for commercial swine flu vaccines and to improve protection against influenza when antibodies are not cross-reactive.

Using multi-color flow cytometry analysis, we studied the immunophenotypical differences between leukemic blasts/LSCs from patients with AML/MDS and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from patients in complete remission (CR) following their successful treatment. The panel of markers included CD34, CD38, CD45RA, CD123 as representatives for a hierarchical hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) classification as well as programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Rather than restricting the evaluation on a 2- or 3-dimensional analysis, we applied a t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) approach to get a deeper insight and segregation between leukemic and normal HPSCs. For that purpose, we created a t-SNE map, which resulted in the visualization of 27 cell clusters based on their similarity concerning the composition and intensity of antigen expression. Two of these clusters were “leukemia-related” containing a great proportion of CD34⁺/CD38^- hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or CD34⁺ cells with a strong coexpression of CD45RA/CD123, respectively. CD34⁺ cells within the latter cluster were also highly positive for PD-L1 reflecting their immunosuppressive capacity. Beyond this proof of principle study, the inclusion of additional markers will be helpful to refine the differentiation between normal HSPCs and leukemic cells, particularly in the context of minimal disease detection and antigen-targeted therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, we suggest a protocol for the assignment of new cell ensembles in quantitative terms, via a numerical value, the Pearson coefficient, based on a similarity comparison of the t-SNE pattern with a reference.

In this paper a full state feedback control of a double inverted pendulum on a cart (DIPC) are designed and compared. Modeling is based on Euler-Lagrange equations derived by specifying a Lagrangian, difference between kinetic and potential energy of the DIPC system. A full state feedback control with H infinity and H 2 is addressed. Two approaches are tested: open loop impulse response and a double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity and H 2 controllers. Simulations reveal superior performance of the double inverted pendulum on a cart with full state feedback H infinity controller.

Galectins play a role in lung cancer oncogenic pathways including apoptosis, t-cell immune responses, and tumor metastasis. Biomarkers that diagnose, prognose, and assist with treatment remain important, and galectins represent biomarkers that have the potential to impact lung cancer management through these pathways. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) we examined galectin-1, -3, and -9 levels from lung cancer patient serum. Through comprehensive chart review: patient demographics, staging information, tumor biology, treatment data, and outcomes including overall survival (OS) and metastasis were retrospectively collected. Galectin levels were then compared to these numerous factors. Galectin-1, -3, and -9 levels did not correlate with cancer stage, however galectin-3 levels were lower in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and squamous cell lung cancer than in adenocarcinoma. There was no correlation between galectin levels and previous treatment or future metastasis. Patients that had an abnormal galectin-1 level had decreased OS. Furthermore, patients with curative surgically resectable NSCLC with abnormal galectin-1 levels had decreased OS, but there was no difference in those with SCLC or that were non-resectable treated palliatively. These findings provide insight into galectin levels in various lung cancer histology and highlight the potential for galectin-1 to assist in prognosis of surgically resectable NSCLC.

Marine sediment sample was collected and the total aerobic population was counted and probiotic Bacillus cereus was isolated. Then it was mixed with formulated feed by spraying, while control diet was purchased from a local aquarium. 30 days of feeding experiment was conducted. Carassius auratus fishes were randomly divided into two experimental groups in rectangular tanks. The first group served as a control in which fishes were fed with commercial feed. The second group of fish were fed with probiotic incorporated feed. After 40 days, their survival and growth performance were detected. Bacillus cereus incorporated feed significantly yielded higher survival rate of the fish compared to control. Food conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower than the control group. The main aim of this work is to investigate the effect of a marine probiotic bacteria, Bacillus cereus on the survival and growth performance of gold fish Carassius auratus.

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

In this paper, we investigate a new $q$-analogue of the higher order degenerate Changhee polynomials and numbers, which are called the Witt-type formula for the $q$-analogue of degenerate Changhee polynomials of order $r$. We can derive some new interesting identities related to the degenerate $(h,q)$-Changhee polynomials and numbers.

In this paper, we investigate a new $q$-analogue of the higher order degenerate Changhee polynomials and numbers, which are called the Witt-type formula for the $q$-analogue of degenerate Changhee polynomials of order $r$. We can derive some new interesting identities related to the degenerate $(h,q)$-Changhee polynomials and numbers.

In this data deposit, I describe a dataset that is the result of content mining 167,318 published articles for statistical test results. As a result of this content mining, 688,112 results from 50,845 articles were extracted. In order to provide a comprehensive set of data, the statistical results are supplemented with metadata from the article they originate from. The dataset is provided in a comma separated file (CSV) in long-format. For each of the 688,112 results, 20 variables are included, of which seven are article metadata and 13 pertain to the individual statistical results (e.g., reported and recalculated p-value). A five-pronged approach was taken to generate the dataset: (i) collect journal lists, (ii) spider journal pages for articles, (iii) download articles, (iv) add article metadata, and (v) mine articles for statistical results.

In previous researches, Job Crafting questionnaire to develop is consists of 3 factors which are Task Crafting, Cognitive Crafting, and Relationship Crafting with 12 to 17 items. The purpose of study is to develop JCQ for leisure sports instructor of Korean. 274 valid samples are used for analysis. Data collecting is purposeful sampling. At result, for Korean Sports Instructor Job Crafting Scale is constructed 3 factors with 12 items is constructed by 3 step procedure. KSIJCQ is confirmed on convergent discriminant validity evidence. In conclusion, KSIJCQ is a valid scale of the measuring and distributes Job Crafting of generalization in sports.

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has spread on a pandemic scale. The virus infection can evolve asymptomatically or generate severe symptoms, influenced by the presence of comorbidities. Lymphopenia in patients affected with COVID-19 according to the severity of symptoms is frequent. However, the profile of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells regarding cytotoxicity and antiviral factor expression has not yet been completely elucidated in acute SARS-CoV-2 infections. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the phenotypic and functional profile of T-lymphocytes in patients with moderate and severe/critical COVID-19. During this pandemic period, we analyzed a cohort of 62 confirmed patients with SARS-CoV-2 (22 moderate cases and 40 severe/critical cases). Albeit lymphopenia, we observed an increase in the expression of CD28, co-stimulator molecule, and activation markers (CD38 and HLA-DR) in T-lymphocytes as well as an increase in the frequency of CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, and NK cells that express the immunological checkpoint protein, PD-1, in patients with severe/critical condition compared to healthy controls. Regarding the cytotoxic profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, an increase in the response of CD4+ T-cells already at baseline level was observed, scarcely changed upon PMA and Ionomycin stimulation. Meanwhile, CD8+ T-lymphocytes decreased cytotoxic response, evidencing a profile of exhaustion in patients with severe COVID-19. As observed in the t-SNE technique CD4+ T-cytotoxic and CD8+ T with low granzyme production evidencing their dysfunctionality in severe/critical conditions. In addition, purified CD8+ T-lymphocytes from patients with severe COVID-19 showed an increased constitutive expression of differentially expressed genes associated with the caspase pathway, inflammasome, and antiviral factors, and curiously, reduced expression of TNF-α. The cytotoxic profile, by CD4+ T-cells, may compensate for the dysfunction/exhaustion of TCD8+ in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings may provide an understanding of the interplay of cytotoxicity between CD4+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cells in the severity of acute COVID-19 infection.

Bat feces were reported in ancient Chinese medicine books to have the effect of reducing heat and improving eyesight, but the mechanism of vision improvement still needs further research. To this end, we used 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) to analyze the antioxidant capacity of and the types of vitamins in bat feces. We hoped to screen the pharmacological components of bat feces, and to explain the role that these components may play in the treatment of visual deterioration. Our results found that bat feces had a good antioxidant capacity and mainly contain vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B3 (nicotinic acid), and B5 (pantothenic acid). Although these vitamins may help maintain the health of the optic nerve and cornea, the vitamin content of bat feces is low, but the heavy metal content is high, as shown using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. Therefore, we suggest that the use of bat feces as traditional Chinese medicine to improve vision should be strictly restricted.

Resistance evolution during exposure to non-lethal levels of antibiotics is influenced by various stress responses of bacteria which are known to affect growth rate. Here, we aim to disentangle how the interplay between resistance development and associated fitness costs is affected by stress responses. We performed de novo resistance evolution of wild-type strains and single-gene knockout strains in stress response pathways using four different antibiotics. Throughout resistance development, the increase in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is accompanied by a gradual decrease in growth rate, most pronounced with amoxicillin or kanamycin. By measuring biomass yield on glucose and whole-genome sequences at intermediate and final timepoints, we identified two patterns of how the stress responses affect the correlation between MIC and growth rate. First, single-gene knockout E. coli strains associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) acquire resistance faster and mutations related to antibiotic permeability and pumping out occur earlier. This increases the metabolic burden of resistant bacteria. Second, the ΔrelA knockout strain which has reduced (p)ppGpp synthesis, is restricted in its stringent response, leading to diminished growth rates. The ROS-related mutagenesis and the stringent response are vulnerabilities within the fitness of resistant strains that can possibly be targeted to prevent development of resistance.

In this work, we study the existence of strange star in the background of f(T,T) gravity in the Einstein spacetime geometry, where T is the torsion tensor and T is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. The equations of motion are derived for anisotropic pressure within the spherically symmetric strange star. We explore the physical features like energy conditions, mass-radius relations, modified TOV equations, principal of causality, adiabatic index, redshift and stability analysis of our model. These features are realistic and appealing to further investigation of properties of compact objects in f(T,T) gravity as well as their observational signatures.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide. This condition resulted in huge research on CVD increasing the need for animal models suitable for the in vivo research. Daphnia and Zebrafish are good animal models for cardiovascular research due to their relative body transparency and easy culture property. Several methods have been developed to conduct cardiac performance measurement in Daphnia and Zebrafish. However, most of the methods only able to obtain heartbeat rate. The other important cardiac endpoints like stroke volume, ejection fraction, fraction shortening, cardiac output and heartbeat regularity must use other programs for measurement. To overcome this limitation, in this study, we successfully developed a one-stop ImageJ-based method using kymograph macros language that able to obtain multiple cardiac performance endpoints simultaneously for the first time. To validate its utility, we incubate Daphnia magna at different ambient temperatures and exposed zebrafish with astemizole to detect the corresponding cardiac performance alterations. In summary, the kymograph method reported in this study provides a new, easy to use, and inexpensive one-stop method on obtaining multiple cardiac performance endpoints with high accuracy and convenience.

The mechanism of immune activation and de-activation is very important. Host should trigger effective immunity against pathogen infection. And, host cannot trigger immunity against self-antigens that will lead to detrimental autoimmune disorders. Spleen and liver have opposite roles in mediating immune responses. Spleen is the organ involving in immune activation, and liver is the organ involving in immune de-activation. Sympathetic nerve system and parasympathetic nerve system have opposite roles in mediating immune responses. Sympathetic nerve system is involving in pro-inflammatory, and parasympathetic nerve system is involving in anti-inflammatory. ACTH and glucocorticosteroid have opposite roles in mediating immune responses. ACTH is involving in activating adaptive immunity with inhibiting innate immunity, and glucocorticosteroid is involving in activating innate immunity with inhibiting adaptive immunity. The molecular chaperons, heat shock proteins, which are induced by fever, have the vital roles in immune activation. On the contrary, IgD B cells and gamma-delta T cells are causing immune de-activation via the mechanism of clonal anergy. These mechanism can help us the know the work of immunological pathways better for better control of infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders.

In this paper, we propose an imagined speech-based brain wave pattern recognition using deep learning. Multiple features were extracted concurrently from eight-channel Electroencephalography (EEG) signals. To obtain classifiable EEG data with fewer number of sensors, we placed the EEG sensors on carefully selected spots on the scalp. To decrease the dimensions and complexity of the EEG dataset and to avoid overfitting during the deep learning algorithm, we utilized the wavelet scattering transformation. A low-cost 8-channel EEG headset was used with MATLAB 2023a to acquire the EEG data. The Long-Short Term Memory Recurrent Neural Network (LSTM-RNN) was used to decode the identified EEG signals into four audio commands: Up, Down, Left, and Right. Wavelet scattering transformation was applied to extract the most stable features by passing the EEG dataset through a series of filtration processes. Filtration has been implemented for each individual command in the EEG datasets. The proposed imagined speech-based brain wave pattern recognition approach achieved a 92.50% overall classification accuracy. This accuracy is promising for designing a trustworthy imagined speech-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) future real-time systems. For better evaluation of the classification performance, other metrics were considered, and we obtained 92.74%, 92.50% and 92.62% for precision, recall, and F1-score, respectively.

A modular approach to the construction of electric machines, drive systems, power supply systems is a new direction of modern technology development. Especially, the modular approach is promising for electric vehicles due to such positive aspects as increased efficiency, fault tolerance, overall reliability, safety, enhanced control capabilities, etc. In this work, the modular approach is comprehensively applied to an EV powertrain system, which includes a dual three-phase (DTP) BLDC motor with two machine modules of an asymmetric configuration, two battery modules and a supercapacitor module (SCM). The proposed H–H configuration of modular EV powertrain system includes four voltage source inverters that combine the power modules with the open ends of the windings (OEW) of the module machine armature, and provide control of their operation. Based on the developed mode system of the OEW machine module operation for EV traction and braking, a general control algorithm for the proposed configuration of the modular EV powertrain system has been developed. It combines the control of the operating modes with the functions of maintaining the required SOC level of the SCM and equalizing the SOCs of the two battery modules. The conducted simulation and experimental studies confirmed the workability and effectiveness of the proposed solutions.

Recently, medaka has been used as a model organism in various research fields. However, even though it possesses several advantages over zebrafish, fewer studies were done in medaka than zebrafish, especially its behaviour. Thus, to provide more information regarding its behaviour and to demonstrate the be-havioural differences between several species of medaka, we compared the behavioural performance and biomarker expression in the brain between four medaka fishes, which were Oryzias latipes, O. dancena, O. woworae, and O. sinensis. From the results, we found that each medaka species explicitly exhib-ited different behaviours to each other, which might be related to the different basal levels of several biomarkers. Furthermore, by phenomics and ge-nomic-based clustering, the differences between these medaka fishes were further investigated. Interestingly, even though both phenomics and ge-nomic-based clustering showed some resemblances to each other in terms of the interspecies relationship between medaka and zebrafish, however, in the medaka interspecies comparisons, this similarity was not displayed. Therefore, these results suggest a re-interpretation of several prior studies in comparative biology. We hope that these results contribute to the growing database of medaka fish phenotypes and provide one of the foundations for future phe-nomics studies of medaka fish.

Environmental estrogen pollution and estrogen effects on the female reproduction system are well-recognized scientifically. Among the estrogens, 17 β-estradiol is a priority in environmental estrogen pollution, and it is also a major contributor to estrogen which regulates the female reproduction system. 17 β-estradiol is carcinogen and has a tumor promotion effect relating to breast cancer, lung cancer and others. It also affects the psychological well-being such as depression, fatigue and others. Thus, a simple method of detection of 17 β-estradiol will be important for both environmental estrogen pollution and women’s health care. This study demonstrates a simple-use, cost effective 17 β-estradiol biosensor system which can be used for both environment and women’s health care applications. The bio-recognition mechanism is based on the influence of the redox couple, K₃Fe (CN) ₆/K₄Fe (CN) ₆ by the interaction between 17 β-estradiol antigen and its α-receptor (ER- α; α-estrogen antibody). The transduction mechanism is an electrochemical analytical technique, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The levels of 17 β-estradiol antigen studied was between 2.25 pg/mL to 2,250 pg/mL, Phosphate buffered saline (PBS), tap water from the Cleveland regional water district, and simulate urine were used as the test media covering the potential application areas for 17 β-estradiol detection. An interference study by testosterone which has a similar chemical structure and molecular weight as those of 17 β-estradiol was carried out, and this 17 β-estradiol biosensor showed excellent specificity without any interference by similar chemicals.

Immune cells such as T cells and macrophages express α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7 nAChRs), which contribute to the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Earlier findings suggest α7 nAChR activation promotes the development of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in mice. Using human CD4+ T cells, we investigated the mRNA expression of the α7 subunit and the human-specific dupα7 nAChR subunit, which functions as a dominant-negative regulator of ion channel function, under resting conditions and T cell receptor (TCR)-activation. We then explored the effects of the selective α7 nAChR agonist GTS-21 on proliferation of TCR-activated T cells and Treg development. Varied levels of mRNA for both the α7 and dupα7 nAChR subunits were detected in resting human CD+ T cells. mRNA expression of the α7 nAChR subunit was profoundly suppressed on days 4 and 7 of TCR-activation as compared to day 1, whereas mRNA expression of the dupα7 nAChR subunit remained nearly constant. GTS-21 did not alter CD4+ T cell proliferation but significantly promoted Treg development. These results suggest the potential ex vivo utility of GTS-21 for preparing Tregs for adoptive immunotherapy, even with high expression of the dupα7 subunit.

In this paper, the design and analysis of coupled tank water level control system is done using robust control theory. The main aim of this work is to improve level controlling mechanisms in industries and household areas. In this paper, H ∞ and μ –synthesis controllers are designed to improve the level control system. The coupled tank water level control system is designed using the proposed controller’s comparison and tested for tracking a reference level signals (step, sine wave and random) and simulation results have been analyzed successfully. Finally the comparative simulation results prove the effectiveness of the proposed coupled tank water level control system with H ∞ controller for improving the tracking mechanism performance of the system.

In this work, we introduce the class of h-MN-convex functions by generalizing the concept of MN-convexity and combining it with h-convexity. Namely, let M : [0, 1] → [a, b] be a Mean function given by M (t) = M (t; a, b); where by M (t; a, b) we mean one of the following functions: A_t (a, b) := (1 − t) a + tb, G_t (a, b) = a^1−tb^t and H_t (a, b) := $\frac{ab}{ta+\left(1-t\right)b}=\frac{1}{A_t\left(\frac{1}{a},\frac{1}{b}\right)}$ with the property that M (0; a, b) = a and M (1; a, b) = b. Let I, J be two intervals subset of (0, ∞) such that (0, 1) ⊆ J and [a, b] ⊆ I. Consider a non-negative function h : J → (0, ∞), a function f : I → (0, ∞) is said to be h-MN-convex (concave) if the inequality f (M (t; x, y)) ≤ (≥) N (h(t); f (x), f (y)), holds for all x, y ∈ I and t ∈ [0, 1]. In this way, nine classes of h-MN-convex functions are established, and therefore some analytic properties for each class of functions are explored and investigated. Characterizations of each type are given. Various Jensen’s type inequalities and their converses are proved.

One of the main challenges of cultured meat is reducing the costs of production, often described as scaling. The main components of the cultivation process include: cells, media, scaffolds and bioreactors. This work presents an alternative to current stainless steel or glass bioreactors and uses food-grade plant-based scaffolds. Bioreactors must be sterile and leak-free to maintain a proper environment for cell growth. Thermoplastic films are a popular material for constructing these fluidic systems, but traditional methods of welding these film are expensive and do not allow rapid prototyping resulting in high research and development costs for companies. In this study, a laser welding method was developed to join thermoplastic films in a way that prevents contamination and leaks, affording effective macro-fluidics fabrication. This technique was tested using polyethylene (PET) films and a laser cutter operating with settings calibrated for the material to be welded or cut. The laser welding method was found to produce strong, leak-free seals in PET films with minimal heat-induced damage to the films. The ability to design fluidics, chambers and ports of various size. Using this method afforded the incorporation of plant-based scaffolds from food-grade plants (Rice). The laser welding method developed in this study provides a reliable, contamination-free method for the rapid fabrication of fluidic systems for cell cultivation. This technique has the potential to be compatible with a vast range of cell types and scaffolds and to be widely adopted in tissue engineering for regenerative medicine and food applications such as cultured meat.

Detecting and monitoring changes in soil salinity through remote sensing provides an opportunity for field assessment in regions where on-site measurements are limited. This investigation, carried out in Siwa Oasis, Egypt, aimed to assess the efficacy of several soil salinity indices derived from Landsat 5 and 7 satellite images. To achieve this, 56 on-site ground measurements were utilized for evaluation purposes. The study aimed to improve the correlation between EC and index values and explore the relationship between salinity and changes in land cover. Eleven spectral indices were calculated for nine scenes captured in different months from August to December. The first approach involved stacking the data to identify the index with the strongest correlation with ground EC values, without the need for complex analysis or EC value ranging. In the second approach, the ground EC measurements were classified into seven different salinity categories, and the correlation coefficient was calculated between each index and each salinity category. The third approach analyzed the data temporally, considering different salinity levels. Lastly, a spatial correlation analysis was conducted between EC and index values in the fourth scenario. The initial approach revealed a weak correlation due to substantial variation in EC values. However, the SI index demonstrated the highest correlation coefficient of 0.38. In the second scenario, the S2 index exhibited the highest correlation of 0.96 for moderate salinity samples. The third scenario showed that the S1 index achieved the highest correlation value of 0.99 for moderately saline areas. In the fourth scenario, the SI index exhibited the strongest correlation among all four ponds with correlation coefficients of 0.23, 0.23, 0.18, and 0.61. Notably, the correlations observed in the second and third scenarios demonstrated higher correlation coefficients compared to both the first and fourth scenarios. The study highlighted significant variations in EC levels related to land cover types and pond elevation. Additionally, remote sensing methods detected a 48% increase in total vegetated area over 17 years, showing the potential of remote sensing techniques in salinity monitoring for expanding agriculture and improving land management.

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in physiological processes, including vasodilatation, wound healing and antibacterial activities. As NO is a free radical, designing drugs to generate therapeutic amounts of NO in controlled spatial and time manners is still a challenge. In this study, the NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was incorporated into the thermoresponsive Pluronic F-127 (PL) - chitosan (CS) hydrogel, with an easy and economically feasible methodology. CS is a polysaccharide with known antimicrobial properties. Scanning electron microscopy, rheology and differential scanning calorimetry techniques were used for hydrogel characterization. The results demonstrated that the hydrogel has a smooth surface, thermoresponsive behavior and good mechanical stability. The kinetics of NO release and GSNO diffusion from GSNO-containing PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a sustained NO/GSNO release, in concentrations suitable for biomedical applications. The GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel demonstrated a concentration-dependent toxicity to Vero cells, and antimicrobial activity to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 0.5 µg·mL^-1 of hydrogel, which corresponds to 1 mmol·L^-1 of GSNO). Interestingly, the concentration range in which the NO-releasing hydrogel demonstrated an antibacterial effect was not found to be toxic to the Vero mammalian cell. Thus, the GSNO-PL/CS hydrogel is a suitable biomaterial for topical NO delivery applications.

The research fills the policy research gap for the women entrepreneurship and sustainability performance for examining key successful factors. Previous women entrepreneurship research fails to offer policy recommendations. The research purpose is to investigate these factors affect women entrepreneurship capabilities and sustainability performance by using SEM analysis and making policy recommendation. This research employs online and mail survey and obtains 175 women entrepreneur sample. The study finds that family support and motivation have positive effect on women entrepreneurship capabilities and sustainability performance. Barriers have no effect on performance. Hopefully, the research can provide the guidance to contribute to women’s entrepreneurship opportunities for achieving SDGs. Policy recommendation and managerial implication are discussed in the article.

Technology can be seen everywhere and has been integrated into our lives.We are always using technology and enjoying the convenience brought by technology. However, physical retailers and e-commerce companies are also gradually adopting advanced technologies. Technology improves the purchasing environment and purchasing experience. Virtual reality and augmented reality have been hotly discussed in recent years. Technology, although virtual reality and augmented reality technology have not yet matured, it can be said that they will in the future It has great development potential. Virtual reality and augmented reality are also beginning to sprout in the retail industry. However, research on the acceptance of the use of virtual reality and augmented reality in the apparel shopping process is still lacking because This study explores how usefulness, ease of use, hedonicity, customer experience, customer engagement and satisfaction. To influence customer loyalty, this study adopted questionnaire survey and convenience sampling methods, and collected a total of 308 valid questionnaires. The analysis method used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model to verify the research hypothesis relationship. The results of this study found. Hedonic has a significant impact on customer loyalty, while usefulness, ease of use, customer experience, customer engagement and satisfaction Satisfaction does not have a significant impact on customer loyalty. This study explains the academic contribution of the research results. The practical implications in marketing are put forward, and specific suggestions and directions for future research are given.

Abstract: This study estimates consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for sustainability turfgrass attributes such as low-input and stress-tolerance attributes, while considering potential trade-off relationships between aesthetic attributes and sustainability attributes. To address our objectives, our study conducts a choice experiment and estimates two mixed logit models. The first model includes low-input, winter kill, and shade-tolerance attributes as predictor variables, and the second model extends the first model by adding interaction terms between aesthetic and sustainability attributes. Another choice experiment is conducted under water policies with various water rate increase and watering restriction scenarios. Results from the mixed logit models show that overall, higher low-input cost reduction, less winter-damaged, and more shade-tolerance grasses are preferred, the direct effect of aesthetic attributes on consumers’ preference is strong, but the indirect effect represented by the interaction terms are generally statistically insignificant. Our results indicate that consumers like to have a pretty lawn, but no strong consideration is given to the aesthetics of their lawn when selecting low-input and stress-tolerance turfgrasses. Our choice experiment under water policy scenarios suggests that water pricing is more effective than watering restriction in increasing consumer demand for water-conserving turfgrasses.

In this work, we report the electric energy storage properties of (1-x)Bi0.5(Na0.8K0.2)0.5TiO3-xBi0.2Sr0.7TiO3 (BNKT-BST; x = 0.15-0.50) relaxor ferroelectric ceramics enhanced via a domain engineering method. A rhombohedral–tetragonal phase, the formation of highly dynamic PNRs, and a dense microstructure are confirmed from XRD, Raman vibrational spectra, and microscopic investigations. The relative dielectric permittivity (2664 at 1 kHz) and loss factor (0.058) were gradually improved with BST (x=0.45). The incorporation of BST into BNKT can disturb the long-range ferroelectric order, lowering the dielectric maximum temperature Tm and inducing the formation of highly dynamic polar nano-regions. In addition, the Tm shifts toward high temperature with frequency and a diffuse phase transition, indicating relaxor ferroelectric characteristics of BNKT-BST ceramics, which is confirmed by the modified Curie Weiss law (γ=1.83). The rhombohedral–tetragonal phase, fine grain size, and lowered Tm with relaxor properties synergistically contribute to a high recoverable energy density Wrec of 0.81 J/cm3 and a high energy efficiency η of 86.95% at 90 kV/cm for x = 0.45.

The allosteric SERCA (Sarcoplasmic/Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase) activator CDN1163 has been recently added to the group of pharmacological tools for probing SERCA function. We chose to investigate the effects of the compound on T lymphocyte Ca2+ stores, using the well-described Jurkat T lymphocyte as a reliable cell system for Ca2+ signaling pathways. Our study identified the lowest concentrations of the SERCA inhibitors thapsigargin (TG) and 2,5-di-(tert butyl)-1,4-benzohydroquinone (tBHQ) capable of releasing Ca2+, permitting the differentiation of the TG-sensitive SERCA 2b Ca2+ store from the tBHQ-sensitive SERCA 3 Ca2+ store. We proceeded to test the effects of CDN1163 on Ca2+ stores, examining specific actions on the SERCA 2b and SERCA 3 Ca2+ pools using our low dose SERCA blocker regimen. In contrast to previous work, we find CDN1163 exerts complex time-sensitive and SERCA isoform-specific actions on Ca2+ stores. Surprisingly, short-term exposure (0-30 minutes) to CDN1163 perturbs T cell Ca2+ stores by suppressing Ca2+ uptake with diminished Ca2+ release from the SERCA 2b-controlled store. Concomitantly, we find evidence for a SERCA-activating effect of CDN1163 on the SERCA 3 regulated store, given the observation of increased Ca2+ release inducible by low dose tBHQ. Intriguingly, longer-term (&gt;12 hours) CDN1163 exposure reversed this pattern, with increased Ca2+ release from SERCA 2b-regulated pools, yet decreased Ca2+ release responses from tBHQ-sensitive SERCA 3 pool. Our results reveal differential effects of CDN1163 on Ca2+ stores regulated by distinct SERCA isoforms, prompting the need for careful interpretation of the compound’s effects, particularly in cells expressing multiple SERCA isoforms.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare disease with high mortality despite recent therapeutic advances. The disease is caused by both genetic and environmental factors, and likely gene x environment interactions. While PAH can manifest across the lifespan, pediatric-onset disease is particularly challenging because it is frequently associated with a more severe clinical course and comorbidities including lung/heart developmental anomalies. In light of these differences, it is perhaps not surprising that emerging data from genetic studies of pediatric-onset PAH indicate that the genetic basis is different than that of adults. There is a greater genetic burden in children, with rare genetic factors contributing to at least 36% of pediatric-onset idiopathic PAH (IPAH) compared to ~11% of adult-onset IPAH. De novo variants are frequently associated with PAH in children, and contribute to at least 15% of all pediatric cases. The standard of medical care for pediatric PAH patients is based on extrapolations from adult data. However, the increased etiologic heterogeneity, poorer prognosis and increased genetic burden for pediatric-onset PAH calls for a dedicated pediatric research agenda to improve molecular diagnosis and clinical management. A genomics-first approach will improve the understanding of pediatric PAH and how it is related to other rare pediatric genetic disorders.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prevalent autoimmune condition, yet its alignment with a specific host immunological pathway remains unclear. The THαβ host immunological pathway, recognized for its defense against viruses and prions, has recently emerged as a response to DNA, RNA, and protein pathogens. SLE patients often produce anti-double strand DNA antibodies and anti-nuclear antibodies, suggesting a potential association with the THαβ host immune reaction. Throughout the course of SLE, elevated levels of type 1 interferons, type 3 interferons, interleukin-10, IgG1, and IgA1 are commonly observed. These cytokines and antibody isotypes are indicative of the THαβ host immunological pathway. Similarly, Myasthenia gravis, Grave’s disease, Graft versus host disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune thrombocytopenia, dermatomyositis, and Sjogren’s syndrome are also linked to THαβ-related type 2 hypersensitivities. Considering the potential association of these diseases with dysregulated THαβ immune responses, therapeutic strategies such as anti-interleukin-10 or anti-interferons α/β could be explored to manage these disorders effectively.

To avoid loss of information and incorrect ranking, this paper proposes a method for ranking generalized fuzzy numbers, which guarantees both horizontal and vertical values are important parameters affecting the final ranking score. In this method, the normalized height coefficient is introduced to evaluate the influence of the height of fuzzy numbers on the final ranking score. The higher the normalized height coefficient of a fuzzy number is, the higher its ranking. The left area and the right area are presented to calculate the impact of vertical value on the final ranking score. The left area is considered the benefit area. The right area is considered the cost area. The fuzzy number is preferred if the benefit area is larger and the cost area is smaller. The proposed method can be employed to rank both normal and non-normal fuzzy numbers without normalization or height minimization. Numerical examples and comparison with other methods highlight the feasibility and robustness of the proposed method, which can overcome the shortcomings of some existing methods and can support decision-makers to select the best alternative.

Naive CD4+ T cells engage cognate peptide MHC-II complexes (pMHC-IIs) to differentiate and acquire one of several T helper (Th) fates whose specific trajectories are guided by a dynamic cytokine milieu that develops in response to antigenic entity. This physiological process is often erroneously conflated with a pathological one termed Th polarization. Using the SPIRAL model, we argue here that unlike Th fate choice, innate signaling alone is insufficient to initiate Th polarization in naive CD4+ T cells, that it instead develops from pre-existing memory CD4+ T cells that express cross-reactive TCRs, and that it inevitably leads to immunopathology.

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.

This paper aims to unify q-derivative/q-integral and h-derivative/h-integral in a single definition, this will be called q−h-derivative/q−h-integral. These notions are further extended on finite interval [a,b] in the form of left and right q−h-derivatives and q−h-integrals. Some inequalities are studied for q−h-integrals which are directly connected with well known results. In diverse fields of science and engineering the theory based on q-derivatives/q-integrals and h-derivatives/h-integrals can be unified by using the concept of q−h-derivative/q−h-integral.

Astronauts in space are subject to a continuous bombardment of ionizing radiation. The Earth's magnetic field and the ISS shield some biologically damaging particles traveling through. Still, travel beyond low-Earth orbit and extravehicular activities are exceedingly more dangerous and there is a concern for the acute and late-occurring adverse health effects befalling astronauts. So, it is vital to consider the current tools and models used to describe and study the organic consequences of ionizing radiation exposure. It is equally important to see where these models may improve. This article reviews the historical development and current state of knowledge of radiation effects impacting astronauts in orbit. We explain the space radiation environment, cellular microenvironment, and how these may be incorporated in radiobiological models to aid in our understanding of the influence space travel may have on astronaut health. The topics discussed in this paper include a review of DNA damage and repair mechanisms and the numerical models that aim to explain the biological effects resulting from ionizing radiation damage. Historically, radiobiological models focused on how radiation damages nuclear DNA, built upon the hypotheses of Crowther and Lea in the 1940s and 1960s, and neglected other sub-cellular targets outside of nuclear DNA.

We report the first detection of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus from a dog in Connecticut during February 2021. Complete genome sequencing and phylo-genetic analysis of the hCoV-19/USA/CT-CVMDL-Dog-1/2021 (CT_Dog/2021) virus were con-ducted to identify the origin and lineage of the virus. The CT_Dog/2021 virus belonged to the GH/B1.2. genetic lineage and was genetically close to SARS-CoV-2 identified from humans in the U.S. during the winter of 2020-2021. However, it was not related to other SARS-CoV-2 identified from companion animals in the U.S. It contained both D614G in spike and P323L in nsp12 substitutions which have become the dominant mutations in the United States. The continued sporadic detections of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals warrant public health concerns about their potential to become a new reservoir species of SARS-CoV-2.