The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Jan. 2020 in Wuhan, China with a new coronavirus designated SARS-CoV-2. The principle cause of death from COVID-19 disease quickly emerged as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). A key ARDS pathogenic mechanism is the “Cytokine Storm”. This is a dramatic increase in the blood of inflammatory cytokines. In the last 2 years of the pandemic new pathology has emerged in COVID-19 survivors in which a variety of long-term symptoms emerge. This condition is called “Long COVID”. The spike protein on the surface of the virus (target for the new mRNA/DNA vaccines) is composed of joined S1-S2 subunits. Upon S1 bind-ing to the human ACE2 receptor on cells, the S1 subunit is cleaved and the S2 subunit me-diates entry of the virus. The S1 protein is then released into the blood, which might be one of the pivotal triggers for initiation and/or perpetuation of the cytokine storm. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the spike S1 protein may activate inflammatory sig-naling and cytokine production independent of the virus. Our data support a potential role for spike S1 activation of inflammatory signaling and cytokine production in human lung and intestinal epithelial cells in culture. These data support a potential role for the SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 protein in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Seaweed polysaccharides can substitute synthetic compounds present in commercial stimulants and fertilizers, used in agriculture to improve crops yield and vigor. In this study, three different poly-saccharides (alginate, agar and carrageenan) were extracted from one brown seaweed, Saccorhiza polyschides, and two red seaweeds, Gracilaria gracilis and Chondrus crispus, respectively, and applied on potted turnip greens (Brassica napus L.), with intention to analyze their impact on plant growth, development and metabolism. Turnip plants treated with polysaccharides, specially, carrageenan of Chondrus crispus showed the best results in improving the crop’s productivity, such as plant length and weight, number of leaves, nutrient and pigment content, and soil fertility, compared with turnip plants from the negative control or treated with a commercial leaf fertilizer. λ-carrageenan extracted from the tetrasporophyte generation of Chondrus crispus had the highest bioactivity and positive effect in turnip plants among all treatments. λ-carrageenan has shown that can improve plant growth, increase plant’s biomass, and root system, enhance photosynthetic activity, increase the uptake of soil nutrients, and protect plants against abiotic and biotic stresses, stimulating the production of secondary metabolites and manage its defense pathways. Seaweed extracted polysaccharides have the potential to be used in sustainable agriculture.

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has brought about unprecedented economic and social consequences worldwide. The implementation of isolation measures, including national and international travel restrictions, significantly affected contact-intensive sectors such as tourism. During this lockdown period, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was crucial in maintaining connectivity and enabling remote activities. Governments across the world implemented discretionary measures to mitigate the crisis's adverse effects on economic activity. This paper aims to analyze whether the level of ICT adoption and the importance of tourism influence the fiscal policy efforts pursued by governments. Based on the results of a linear regression analysis for 154 countries, the findings suggest that in countries with higher international tourism receipts, the governments had to promote higher fiscal stimulus. At the same time, ICT development diminished the efforts of the fiscal policy response to the crisis since it facilitated economic resilience. The findings of this study can contribute to understanding how governments responded to the pandemic crisis and the factors that influenced their fiscal policy decisions.

The Brazilian water legislation advocates that some uses have priority over others, but this aspect has never been clearly addressed, generating conflicts. Water authorities usually refer to hydrological models to justify their decisions on water allocation. However, a significant group of stakeholders does not feel qualified to discuss these models and is, therefore, excluded from the decision process. We hereby propose a hydrologically robust method to correlate water uses with their respective reservoir alert volumes, which should empower the less formally educated stakeholders. The method consists of: (i) generating the water discharge versus reliability curve, using a stochastic approach; (ii) generating the withdrawal discharge versus alert volume family of curves, using a water-balance approach; (iii) calibrating the key parameter T using field data; and (iv) associating each water use with its alert volume. We have applied the method to four of the largest reservoirs (2.10³ - 2.10² hm³) in the semi-arid Ceará State. The results indicate that low-priority water uses should be rationalized when the reservoir volume is below 20%; whereas uses with very high priority should start rationalization when it is below 11%. These hydrological guidelines should help enhance water governance among non-specialist stakeholders in water-scarce and reservoir-dependent regions.

Composite biomaterials that combine osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties are a promising approach for bone tissue engineering (BTE) since it allows osteogenesis stimulation while mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM) morphology. In this context, the aim of the present research work was to produce polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers containing mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) 80S15 nanoparticles. These composite materials were produced by electrospinning technique. The design of experiments (DOE) was used to estimate the optimal electrospinning parameters to reduce average fiber diameter. The polymeric matrices were thermally crosslinked under different conditions, and the fiber’s morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Evaluation of the mechanical properties of nanofibrous mats revealed a dependence on thermal crosslinking parameters and on the presence of MBG 80S15 particles inside the polymeric fibers. Degradation tests indicated that the presence of MBG led to a faster degradation of nanofibrous mats. On the other hand, MBG presence also leads to higher swelling capacity. The assessment of in vitro bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF) was performed in MBG pellets and PVP/MBG (1:1) composites to assess whether the bioactive properties of MBG 80S15 were kept when it was incorporated into PVP nanofibers. FTIR and XRD analysis along with SEM–EDS results indicated that a hydroxy-carbonate apatite (HCA) layer was formed on the surface of MBG pellets and nanofibrous webs after soaking in SBF over different time periods. In general, the materials revealed no cytotoxic effects on Saos-2 cell line. The overall results for the produced materials show the potential of the composites to be used in BTE.

Considering the health benefits of the kombucha, already widely studied, the objective of the study was to development of the beverage with the addition of infusion of special arabica coffee from the first fermentation varying the proportion of special coffee (2% a 13%) and evaluate the pH, volatile acidity, degree of alcohol, centesimal composition, sodium contents, colour parameters as like acceptability of the beverages. With respect to the pH, all the formulations conformed with the kombucha identity standard, but K3 and K4 were below the established minimum for volatile acidity. Except for K4, all the other formulations were classified as alcoholic kombuchas, although the values were very close to the limit for non-alcoholic. The formulations presented low sugar and sodium content, which corroborated the low caloric value. Therefore, coffee-flavored kombucha fermented for 18 days becomes an option for consumers looking for low-calorie, refreshing and healthy drinks. The luminosity of the beverages decreased as the proportion of coffee increased, and consequently the values for a* and b* increased, indicating a strong tendency for a yellowish red colour. Sensorially, the formulations K4 and K3 were the most well accepted in all respects and can therefore be considered formulations with high commercialization potential.

Background: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals state that by 2030, the Global maternal mortality rate (MMR) should be lower than 70 per 100,000 live births. MMR is still one of Africa's leading causes of death among women. This research aims to study regional trends in maternal mortality in Africa. Methods: We extracted data for Maternal mortality rates per 100,000 births from the World Bank database from 1990-2015. Joinpoint regression was used to study the trends and estimate the annual percent change (APC). Results: Maternal mortality has decreased in Africa over the study period by an average APC of -2.6%. All regions showed significant downward trends, with the sharpest decreases in East Africa. Only the North African region is close to the United Nations' sustainable development goals for Maternal mortality. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. Conclusions: maternal mortality has decreased in Africa, especially in East Africa. The only region closed to the United Nations target is North Africa. The remaining sub-Saharan African regions are still far from achieving the goals. These results could be used for the development of Regional Policies.

This paper presents a new information technology platform specially tailored for infrastructure asset management of urban water systems operated by water utilities of lower digital maturity level, developed in the scope of DECIdE research project. This platform aims at the integration of different data from the water utilities with several information systems and the assessment of the system performance, in terms of water losses, energy efficiency and quality of service by using developed tools (i.e., water and energy balances and key performance indicators). This platform was tested with data from five small to medium size Portuguese water utilities with different maturity levels in terms of technological and human resources. Obtained results are very promising since the platform allows to assess the systems performance periodically which constitute an important part of the infrastructure asset management for small and medium-sized water utilities

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

Background: The last-mile delivery phase, the final stage where goods move from a distribution center to customers, is pivotal but faces significant inefficiencies and high costs due to its complexity. Recent advancements in Edge AI or Edge Intelligence (EI) offer promising solutions to these challenges. Methods: This study explores how AI-driven technologies and real-time data processing, combined with EI, can enhance last-mile delivery operations. A thorough literature review was conducted to assess technological advancements, and a Delphi method was used to systematically and empirically assess the impact of EI solutions on both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Results: Although EI technologies offer substantial benefits, EU companies are hesitant to adopt these innovations due to high implementation costs. However, firms that have embraced these technologies report significant improvements, including better route optimization, reduced delivery times, and enhanced service reliability. These findings highlight the need for a culture of innovation and the recruitment of experts with advanced qualifications to drive technological advancement in last-mile logistics. Conclusions: The integration of EI represents a significant step towards more efficient, cost-effective, and customer-focused last-mile delivery solutions. Future research should aim to refine these technologies and explore their long-term impacts on the logistics industry.

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

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

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

Background: The progression of periodontal diseases at national Portuguese level and its public awareness are of great interest, mainly due to the high burden of periodontitis. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence progression of periodontal diseases in Portugal and correspondent public awareness, between 2004 and 2017, by using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), Directorate-General of Health (DGH) and Google® Trends (GT). Methods: For the period 2004-2017, Portuguese national data of periodontal diseases prevalence were searched in the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation of GBD and DGH and for public awareness, GT comparison tool between Portuguese words for “Periodontitis”, “Gingivitis”, “Gums” and “Periodontal disease” trends was used. Results: For the period 2004-2017, the overall prevalence of periodontitis slightly increased from 11.3% to 11.7%. During that period the GT search term “Gums” (“Gengivas”) was the most relevant. It increased steadily over time while the search term “Periodontal disease” (“Doença periodontal”) decreased, being these search trends significantly correlated (

In our study, we investigated the prognostic significance of hematological markers—NLR (Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio), PLR (Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio), and RDW-CV (Red Blood Cell Distribution Width - Coefficient of Variation)—in 117 glioblastoma patients. Data collected from January 2016 to December 2018 included demographics, clinical scores, and treatment regimens. Unlike previous research, which often examined these markers solely before surgery, our unique approach analyzed them at multiple stages: preoperative, postoperative, and before adjuvant therapies. We correlated these markers with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using statistical tools, including ANOVA, Cox regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses, employing SPSS version 29.0. Our findings revealed notable variations in NLR, PLR, and RDW-CV across different treatment stages. NLR and PLR decreased after surgery, with some stabilization post-STUPP phase (NLR: p=0.007, η2p=0.06; PLR: p=0.001, η2p=0.23), while RDW-CV increased post-surgery and during subsequent treatments (RDW-CV: p < 0.001, η2p=0.67). Importantly, we observed significant differences between the preoperative phase and other treatment phases. Additionally, higher NLR and RDW-CV at the second-line treatment and disease progression were associated with an increased risk of death (NLR at 2nd line: HR=1.03, p=0.029; RDW-CV at progression: HR=1.14, p=0.004). We proposed specific marker cutoffs that demonstrated significant associations with survival outcomes when applied to Kaplan-Meier survival curves (NLR at 2nd line < 5: p<0.017; RDW-CV at progression < 15: p=0.007). Elevated NLR and RDW-CV at later treatment stages correlated with poorer OS and PFS. No significant preoperative differences were detected. These biomarkers may serve as non-invasive tools for glioblastoma management.

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

This draft aims at opening a discussion about the adequacy of non-stratal, non-derivational models of phonology, such as Declarative Phonology, to give appropriate accounts of any kind of phonological variation of morphemes. Refuting the assumption that all variants of one single morpheme correspond to a unique underlying form consecutively respecified through ordered adjustments of phonological shape, Declarative Phonology seems able to integrate explanations of both suppletive and non-suppletive alternation. A rough application of this model to suppletive alternation in Portuguese will be sketched out.

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

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

Background: We aimed to assess the association between DII and PD and the mediation effect of DII in the association of PD with systemic inflammation. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, 2011-2012 and 2013-2014, participants that received periodontal exam and provided dietary recall data were included. The inflammatory potential of diet was calculated via DII. Periodontitis was defined according to the 2012 case definition. The clinical outcomes of interest were mean periodontal probing (PPD), mean clinical attachment loss (CAL) and thresholds of PPD and CAL. White blood cells (WBC), segmented neutrophils and C-reactive protein (CRP) were used as proxies for systemic inflammation. The periodontal measures were regressed across DII values using adjusted multivariate linear regression. Adjusted mediation analysis appraised the influence of DII in the association of periodontitis and systemic inflammation. 10,178 participants were included. DII was significantly correlated with mean PPD, mean CAL, thresholds of PPD and CAL, WBC, segmented neutrophils and DII (p<0.01). A linear regression logistic adjusted for multiple confounding variables confirmed the association between DII and mean PPD (B = 0.02, Standard Error [SE]: 0.02, p<0.001) and CAL (B = -0.02, SE: 0.01, p<0.001). The association of mean PPD and mean CAL with both white blood cells and segmented neutrophils were mediated by DII (from 2.1 to 3.5%, p<0.001). In the 2009-2010 subset, the association of mean CAL with serum CRP was mediated by DII (52.0%, p<0.01). In conclusion, inflammatory diet and PD may be associated. Also, the inflammatory diet significantly mediated the association of leukocyte counts and systemic inflammation with periodontitis.

The use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is a great contribution to medical studies since the application of forecasting concepts allows the analysis of future diseases propagations. In this context, this paper presents a study of the new coronavirus SARS-COV-2 with a focus on verifying the virus propagation associated with mitigation procedures and massive vaccination campaigns. There were proposed two methodologies to predict 28 days ahead the number of new cases, deaths, and ICU patients of five European countries: Portugal, France, Italy, United Kingdom, and Germany, and a case study of the results of massive immunization in Israel. The data input of cases, deaths, and daily ICU patients was normalized to reduce discrepant numbers due to the countries size, and the cumulative vaccination values by the percentage of population immunized, at least with one dose of vaccine. As a comparative criterion, the calculation of the mean absolute error (MAE) of all predictions presents the best methodology and targets other possibilities of use for the proposed method. The best architecture achieved a general MAE for the 1 to 28 days ahead forecast lower than 30 cases, 0,6 deaths and 2,5 ICU patients by million people.

Latest evidence revealed a possible association between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and periodontitis. We explored the causal relationship of this association through two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) in European ancestry populations. To this end, we used openly accessible data of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on PD and periodontitis. As instrumental variables for periodontitis, seventeen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a GWAS of periodontitis (1817 periodontitis cases vs. 2215 controls) and forty-five SNPs from a GWAS of PD (20,184 cases and 397,324 controls). Eight non-overlapping SNPs of periodontitis from an additional GWAS assisted in the validation of association being studied. Multiple approaches of MR were carried-out. There was no evidence of genetic liability of periodontitis being associated with a higher risk of PD (B= -0.0003, Standard Error [SE] 0.0003, P = 0.26). The eight independent SNPs (B= -0.0000, SE 0.0001, P = 0.99) validated this outcome. We found no association of genetically primed PD towards periodontitis (B= -0.0001, SE 0.0001, P = 0.19). This MR study found no conclusive evidence to support a bidirectional causal genetic liability between PD and periodontitis. Further GWAS studies are needed to confirm the consistency of these results.

Recent studies supported a clinical association between Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and periodontitis. Hence, investigating possible protein interactions between these two conditions is of interest. In this study, we conducted a protein-protein network interaction analysis with recognized genes encoding proteins for PD and periodontitis. Genes of interest were collected via GWAS database. Then, we conducted a protein interaction analysis using STRING database, with a highest confidence cut-off of 0.9. Our protein network casted a comprehensive analysis of potential protein-protein interactions between PD and periodontitis. This analysis may underpin valuable information for new candidate molecular mechanisms between PD and periodontitis and may serve new potential targets for research purposes. These results should be carefully interpreted giving the limitations of this approach.

This article presents a comprehensive review of the relationship in sustainable tourism and blockchain technology. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of blockchain to promote sustainable tourism, as well as to evaluate the current state of research and practical implementations in this field. The findings demonstrate the potential of blockchain in enhancing sustainability practices in tourism, while also highlighting the challenges and limitations. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, industry practitioners, and researchers, and proposes future research directions to further advance the field.

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

Glutathione (GSH) and melatonin (MLT) are two antioxidants that have been described as having a protective role against oxidative stress in several animal species, improving sperm quality and survival after cryopreservation. Since there is no knowledge on the simultaneous use of these two substances concerning its effects on ram semen cryopreservation, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of MLT, GSH, or their association, on in vitro parameters of ram semen after thawing. During eight weekly sessions, the semen from three Merino rams was pooled, divided into four aliquots, and diluted with an egg yolk-based semen extender without (control) and with antioxidants (MLT 1mM, GSH 5mM, and MLT 1mM + GSH 5mM). Diluted semen was evaluated before and after freezing process. Supplementation of fresh semen with GSH at 5 mM had a deleterious effect on total motility progressive (TPM), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straight-line velocity (VSL), average-path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR) and increased slow spermatozoon (%). MLT at 1 mM also has a negative effect on TPM, VSL, and STR in fresh semen. In thawed semen, 1 mM of melatonin increased the TPM regarding the group control. Also, the combination of both antioxidants attenuates the negative effect of GSH 5mM on TPM, VSL and BCF. These results indicate that 5mM GSH impairs or does not improve sperm kinetic parameters in fresh semen and suggest that melatonin when combined with GSH plays a protective role on these effects.

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article, and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. Python, a versatile programming language, holds vast potential for Sentiment Analysis (SA). Leveraging the Requests and TextBlob libraries, we have crafted a user-friendly code that enables Industrial Engineers (IE) and managers, particularly those who are new to Python, to extract and analyze sentiment efficiently. We aim to provide IE/managers in service companies requiring SA capabilities with a simple yet effective Python solution. While machine learning resources like PyTorch/TensorFlow are commonly utilized in SA, offering pre-built algorithms and tools for training, and implementing machine learning models, we sought to exploit Python's versatility by integrating additional web-scraping libraries. Thus, by using a lexicon-based approach, we intend to deliver an informative and practical article. The code in this article is twofold; firstly, it can be easily adapted by IE/managers possessing basic Python skills; secondly, we aim to inspire junior IE/managers to develop their own customized coding solutions tailored to specific organizational needs.

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

Introduction: The purposes of this study were to seek for overall ratio (OR) and anterior ratio (AR) patients data in normal occlusion and Angle’s malocclusion studies, and to assess if such results support Bolton’s standards as general references. Methods: Pubmed, Medline, CENTRAL and Scholar databases were searched up to February 2018 (CRD42018088438). Gray literature was explored through OpenGray. Non-randomized clinical studies, published in English and assessing Bolton’s OR and AR in normal occlusion and Angle’s malocclusion groups (Class I, Class II, Class II division 1, Class 2 division 2, Class III) patients were included. OR and AR means and standard deviations (SD) were collected. Potential covariates (study design, publication year, country where the study was conducted, number of cases, gender, mesiodistal measurement method, and calibration method) were also extracted. The National Health Heart Lung, and Blood Institute’s Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies was used to assess each included studies quality. Pairwise Random-Effects and Multilevel Bayesian Network Meta-Analyses were used to synthesize available data. Results: Fifty-two observational studies were included (8872 participants; male/females 2674/3272; 16 studies lacked gender information). For normal occlusion, global pooled estimates for OR and AR means were 91.74% (95% CI: 91.37-92.10) and 78.24% (95% CI: 77.85-78.63), respectively. We could identify on Angle’s Class III patients meaningful OR and AR mean deviations from normal occlusion (0.89, 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.66-1.12, and 0.66, 95% CrI, 0.38-0.94, respectively), while on Class I patients we found a meaningful mean deviation from normal occlusion only for OR (0.25, 95% CrI, 0.03-0.47). Concerning gender impact, male patients presented higher OR (0.30, 95% CI 0.00-0.59) and AR (0.41, 95% CI 0.00-0.83) mean values than females in Class I. Conclusions: The results show that global pooled OR and AR mean values for normal occlusion patients are slightly above Bolton’s original values. Class I, for OR mean values, and Class III, for both OR and AR, are proportionally larger than normal occlusion patients. Gender had almost no impact on teeth mesiodistal proportion.

2019-n-CoV is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans and cause serious illness, and due to its lethality there was a worldwide mobilization for the development of new drugs and new vaccines for Covid-19. Therefore, the present work aims to carry out a virtual screening of terpenes with potential anti SARS-CoV-2 activity. To perform the ligand-based virtual, a model was constructed regarding the compounds which already showed inhibitory activity of the SARS-CoV-2. The test series corresponded to terpenes isolated in the Fabaceae Family. The compounds that were most likely to activity were subjected to Molecular Docking and the best poses obtained were subjected to Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations carried. The molecules under study were submitted to in vitro evaluation to assess inhibitory activity of compounds against SARS-CoV-2 in a phenotypic screening model of the virus. The compounds selected by in silico screening corresponded to triterpenoids from the lupane series. In the in vitro test, both demonstrated activity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virtual screening performed managed to identify the compounds with the highest probability of activity, as well as the most stable compounds, and the method used was validated by the in vitro study carried out.

The relationship between religion and politics is a constant in the history of humanity. In the specific case of Western culture, it is possible to trace an archeology of the political as an effect of theological-political devices (essentially Christian-inspired). If we add to this the evolution of politics, in modern times, towards biopolitics, then the relationship focuses on very concrete topics. This is the case of the immunological process – from a personal, social, and philosophical perspective – thoroughly analyzed by Italian philosopher Roberto Esposito. In the context of his philosophical immunology, the place of religion is mainly archaeological and is interpreted critically. This article also aims to critically analyze his position, proposing a reading close to his thought but which is, at the same time, somewhat different.

The Atlantic Goliath Grouper Epinephelus itajara (Lichtenstein, 1822) is thought to occur on both sides of the Atlantic, from the Carolinas (USA) to Brazil in the western Atlantic, and from North Senegal to North Angola off West Africa in the eastern Atlantic. While there are fairly good data on their distribution in the western Atlantic, genetic verification of species status, confirmed occurrences, population status, fishing reports, and trade data are almost non-existent off West Africa. Part of the problem is that tropical West African countries lack a network of marine reserves that might protect this species. Add to this destruction of mangrove forests and other coastal habitats on which the species depends when in the post-larval and juvenile stages coupled heavy pollution and intense overfishing and it becomes clear that their survival is deeply threatened. The focus of this paper is to describe all of the known historical data and examine all current data to better evaluate their present status.

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

Rocky Mountain or Brazilian spotted fever, caused by Ricketsia ricketssi, is a fulminant, seasonal, and neglected disease that occurs in focal points of North America and South America. Rapid detection are essential for a better prognosis and survival rate of the infected individual. However, disease diagnosis still faces challenges as the accuracy of many of the available laboratory tests fluctuates. Therefore, this review aimed to identify methods for antibody or antigen detection, its gaps, and evolution over time. A search was conducted to find all studies in the Pubmed database that described antibody or antigen detection for Ricketsia ricketsii infection. Initially, a total of 403 articles were screened. Of these articles, only 19 fulfilled the pre-established inclusion criteria and were selected. Among the different methods applied, the IFA technique was the one most frequently found in the studies. However, it presented varied results such as low specificity using the indirect method. Other techniques, such as ELISA and immunohistochemistry, were also found, although in smaller numbers and with their own limitations. Although some studies showed promising results, there is a pressing need to find new techniques to develop a rapid and effective Ricketsia ricketssi infection diagnosis.

This study evaluated the presence of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) DNA in breast cancer (BC) samples from women in Northeastern Brazil. We analyzed 186 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue block samples using PCR and qPCR to detect HPV and BLV DNA. BLV DNA was not detected in any BC patients. However, HPV DNA was found in 46.2\% of the BC samples: 44.6\% were positive for HPV16, 3.5\% for HPV31, and 2\% were coinfected with HPV16 and HPV31. Additionally, we found an association between HPV-positive BC and Ki-67 expression (P=0.03, OR=1.85; CI=1.02-3.34), as well as between HPV31-positive BC and mitotic index (P=0.047). Although BLV was not detected in BC patients from Northeastern Brazil, the association between HPV and cell proliferation markers warrants further investigation, as HPV may contribute to the aggressiveness of BC in these patients.

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

Creatine has been linked to the development of kidney damage since 1998. However, uncertainties persist regarding the actual impact of creatine supplementation on individuals with kidney disease before supplementation or with pathological conditions that have an increased risk of developing kidney dysfunction. This study performed a comprehensive review of the literature and utilized bioinformatics tools to investigate the effects of creatine on renal tissue and function. Moreover, we identified 44 genes modulated explicitly in response to creatine exposure using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, including IGF1, SLC2A4, and various creatine kinase genes. The analysis revealed associations with metabolic processes such as amino acid metabolism, indicating a connection between creatine and tissue physiology. Gene expression analysis using the Genotype-Tissue Expression Portal highlighted tissue-specific expression patterns in kidney and pancreas tissues. Furthermore, the study explored creatine metabolism pathways and kinase regulation through biological databases and Gene Expression Omnibus data, shedding light on the potential regulatory roles of creatine in cellular processes during kidney diseases. Understanding the impact of the balance between the endogenous creatine synthesis and the creatine uptake, particularly the genes GATM, GAMT, SLC6A8 and IGF1, insights into molecular mechanisms underlying creatine's physiological effects on renal tissues. Overall, this work provides new insights into the molecular interactions and pathways influenced by creatine in renal function.

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

In Portugal, cork oak (Quercus suber L.) stands cover 737 Mha, being the most predominant species of the montado agroforestry system, contributing for the economic, social and environmental development of the country. Cork oak decline is a known problem since the late years of the 19th century that has recently worsen. The causes of oak decline seem to be a result of slow and cumulative processes, although the role of each environmental factor is not yet established. The availability of Sentinel-2 high spatial and temporal resolution dense time series enables gradual processes monitoring. These processes can be monitored using spectral vegetation indices (VI) once their temporal dynamics are expected to be related with green biomass and photosynthetic efficiency. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is sensitive to structural canopy changes, however it tends to saturate at moderate-to-dense canopies. Modified VI have been proposed to incorporate the reflectance in the red-edge spectral region, which is highly sensitive to chlorophyll content while largely unaffected by structural properties. In this research, in-situ data on the location and vitality status of cork oak trees are used to assess the correlation between chlorophyll indices (CI) and NDVI time series trends and cork oak vitality at the tree level. Preliminary results seem to be promising since differences between healthy and unhealthy (diseased/dead) trees were observed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Age estimation is an important tool when dealing with human remains or undocumented minors. Although the skull, the skeleton or the hand-wrist are used on age estimation as maturity indicators, they often present lack of good conditions for a correct identification or estimation. Few systematic reviews (SRs) have been recently published; therefore, this umbrella review critically assesses their level of evidence and provides a general comprehensive view. An electronic database search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Cochrane, WoS, LILACS) up to December 2022, focusing on SRs of age estimation through forensic dentistry procedures. The methodological quality was analyzed using the measurement tool to assess SRs criteria (AMSTAR2). Eighteen SRs were included, five of critically low quality, six of low quality, three of moderate quality and four of high quality. The SRs posited that Willems’ method is more accurate and less prone to overestimation; most methods seem to be geographically sensitive; and 3D-Imaging and artificial intelligence tools demonstrate high potential. The quality of evidence on age estimation using dental approaches was rated as low to moderate. Well-designed clinical trials and high standard systematic reviews are essential to corroborate the accuracy of the different procedures of age estimation in forensic dentistry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oral health involves physiological functions related to mouth, teeth and orofacial structures, but also includes psychological and social dimensions. In this sense, oral health is an integrated part of human general health and well-being. Our aim was to access and evaluate the general oral health status of a high- and elite-level sample of Portuguese athletes from different sports. One hundred and sixteen participants were examined regarding their dental relationships, teeth and periodontal health, the presence of parafunctional activities (bruxism), and current or past orthodontic treatment. Our sample were predominantly adolescents and young adults, including 54 high-level and 62 elite subjects (71 males and 45 males) from 11 different sports, but mainly from swimming and athletics. Most sport performers presented with normocclusion (77%), despite the presence of other sagittal, transverse and vertical malocclusions. Twenty-three participants were affected by dental caries and six had missing teeth. Gingivitis (~40%) and dental calculus (~30%) were presented in our sample. Bruxism signs (47%) and current or past orthodontic treatment (~22%) were also found. Oral health conditions are not under control among high- and elite-level athletes, supporting the importance of healthcare needs and oral health promotion strategies in sports.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive early tooth loss multivariable model for periodontitis patients before periodontal treatment. A total of 544 patients seeking periodontal care at a university dental hospital were enrolled in the study. Teeth extracted after periodontal diagnosis and due to periodontal reasons were recorded. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were analyzed, considering the risk of short-term tooth loss. This study followed the Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis Or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines for development and validation, with two cohorts considered as follows: 455 patients in the development phase and 99 in the validation phase. As a result, it was possible to compute a predictive model based on tooth type and clinical attachment loss. The model explained 25.3% of the total variability and correctly ranked 98.9% of the cases. The final reduced model area under the curve (AUC) was 0.809 (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 0.629 - 0.989) for the validation sample and 0.920 (95% CI: 0.891 - 0.950) for the development cohort. The established model presented adequate prediction potential of early tooth loss due to periodontitis. This model may have clinical and epidemiologic relevance towards the prediction of tooth loss burden.

Climate changes caused by anthropogenic actions can directly and indirectly affect living beings, including parasites and their hosts. Changes such as water temperature, pH, distribution of nutrients in the aquatic environment are some examples that can interfere with the fish community, whether in open water or in production systems. In this review, we will show how climate change can affect the adaptation of hosts and parasites in the aquatic environment and how these parasites can be used for environmental monitoring.

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

Oral health surveys are essential to assess the dental caries experience and to influence national policies. This retrospective cross-sectional study aims to analysis dental caries experience who sought dental treatment in a reference university dental hospital at the Lisbon Metropolitan Area between January 2016 and March 2020. Full-mouth examination, sociodemographic, behaviors and medical information were included. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression analysis were applied to ascertain risk indicators associated with dental caries experience. A final sample of 9,349 participants (5,592 females/3,757 males) were included, aged 18 to 99 years old. In this population, caries experience was 91.1%, higher in female participants. Age (OR= 1.01, 95% CI [1.00-1.02], occupation (OR= 2.94, 95% CI [2.37-3.65], OR= 3.35, 95% CI [2.40-4.67], OR= 2.55, 95% CI [1.66-3.91], for employed, unemployed and retired, respectively), overweight (OR= 1.52, 95% CI [1.18-1.96]), reporting to never visited a dentist (OR= 0.38, 95% CI [0.23-0.64] and self-reported week teeth status (OR= 2.14, 95% CI [1.40-3.28]) were identified as risk indicators for the presence of dental caries, according to adjusted multivariable logistic analyses. These results highlight a substantial rate of dental experience in a Portuguese cohort and will pave the way for future tailored oral public health programs in Portugal.

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

This paper proposes a reconceptualization of the hierarchical understanding of the human organism, challenging the conventional idea of the supremacy of the nervous system. We argue that symbiotic coexistence and functional interdependence among all systems provide the human body with remarkable resistance to the universal tendency of entropy. We first examine the basis of cellular life, referring to ATP and DNA, essential substances that resist the entropic tendency through complex energy mechanisms. Next, we analyze the collaboration between the body's systems, highlighting the critical role of erythrocytes, which constitute 83.9% of the total cells (24.9 trillion), in the context of energy maintenance and homeostasis. We challenge the conventional view that the nervous system, composed of neurons and glial cells, which together make up 0.6% of the total cells (0.17 trillion), occupies the apex of a biological hierarchy, arguing that the nervous system is merely a component of a broader, interdependent mechanism. Finally, we provide a detailed description of human cellular composition, emphasizing the importance of each cell type in the functional context, thus contributing to the totality of the organism. With this, we present a vigorous appeal for the realization of critical reassessments of fundamental premises in human biology.

This work describes and interprets the presence of heavy minerals in the western Portuguese continental margin using a set of 78 bottom samples collected from 3 distinct areas of this margin: Porto, Aveiro and Nazaré canyon head areas. The main transparent heavy mineral suite (minerals with frequencies >10%), is composed by amphiboles (hornblende), mica (biotite), andalusite, tourmaline and garnet. A secondary suite (minerals with frequencies between 1 and 10%), is composed by pyroxene (enstatite, diopside and augite), staurolite, zircon and apatite. With very low frequency representing less than 1% we found rutile, olivine, kyanite, monazite, epidote, sphene, anatase, sillimanite and brookite. The main primary sources (igneous and metamorphic rocks) explain the presence of these minerals. However, the application of the principal component analysis, with a previous application of the centered log ratio transformation of the heavy mineral data, also stresses for the importance of the grain sorting as a process in controlling the heavy mineral occurrence. The importance of this process is mostly sustained by the distribution pattern of mica and of the most flattened amphibole grains in a way that these particles tend to have a hydraulic affinity to finer grained sediments.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic undernutrition modifies the response to rostafuroxin in juvenile rats. Chronic undernutrition was induced in male rats using a multideficient diet known as Regional Basic Diet (RBD), mimicking alimentary habits in impoverished regions worldwide. Animals were given RBD – or a control/CTRL normal diet for rodents – from weaning to 90 days, and rostafuroxin (1 mg/kg body mass) or vehicle were orally administered during the last 30 days. Undernourished rats became hypertensive at 55–60 days of age (tail-cuff recording). During the last two days, the rats were hosted in metabolic cages to measure food/energy, water, Na+ ingestion, and urinary volume. Blood and kidneys were collected after euthanasia. Rostafuroxin increased food/energy and Na+ intake in CTRL and RBD rats but had opposite effects on Na+ balance (intake minus urinary excretion): negative in CTRL and positive in RBD. The drug normalized the decreased plasma Na+ concentration found in RBD rats, increased urinary volume in RBD but not in CTRL, and decreased and increased urinary Na+ concentration in the RBD and CTRL groups, respectively. Rostafuroxin decreased the ouabain-sensitive (Na++K+)ATPase and increased the ouabain-resistant, furosemide-sensitive Na+-ATPase from proximal tubule cells in both groups, and normalized the systolic blood pressure in RBD without effect in CTRL rats. We conclude that chronic undernutrition modifies the response of blood pressure, caloric metabolism, Na+ distribution in liquid compartments, mobilization of Na+ from non-osmotic compartments, Na+ and water balance, and activity of renal Na+-transporting ATPases to rostafuroxin.

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

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

This study evaluated the stability of the Poly-(sorbitol-co-citrate adipate) with potential applica-tion in the biomedical area. Thus, the physical, chemical and microbiological stability of this was investigated. First, the chemical stability in alkaline phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) was evaluated for 5 days. In aqueous solution, the copolymer acidified the medium indicating the presence of residual citric acid. In the moisture absorption test the results obtained followed the pH, reinforcing the presence of citric acid. In the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity the results indicate that the copolymer did not allow the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as the only source of carbon. However, in the cell lysis phase and due to the restriction of access to nutrients in the culture medium, the copolymer showed a loss of mass due to its use by the microorganism. Thus, it presented biodegradability property under extreme conditions of cell culture.

This systematic review investigates the failure rate and marginal bone loss (MBL) of dental implants placed in Solid-organ transplant (SOT) patients compared to healthy controls. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Sciences and the Cochrane Library) were searched up to June 2020 (PROSPERO CRD42019124896). Case-control and cohort studies reporting data failure rate and marginal bone loss (MBL) of dental implants placed in SOT patients were included. The risk of bias of observational studies was assessed through the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Four case-control studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, all of low risk of bias. Meta-analyses revealed consistently lower implant failure rate than control populations at patient and implant levels. SOT patients had a significant difference of -18% (p-value <0.001) of MLB towards healthy patients. SOT status poses no serious threat to implant survival. Overall, this group of patients presented lower levels of dental implant failure rate and marginal bone loss compared to otherwise healthy patients. Further intervention trials with wider sample size and longer follow-ups are necessary to confirm these summary results.

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

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

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

With a predominantly humid tropical climate and a large area for expanding agricultural activities, Angola has in principle favorable conditions for bioenergy production. The focus of this study was to evaluate the availability of suitable land for producing sugarcane. This crop is highly efficient in converting solar energy into biomass for energy purposes in Angola. To this end, the Global Agro-Ecological Zones database, GAEZ v4, developed by IIASA and FAO, with the aid of the QGIS version 3.22.5, has been used to identify areas suitable for sugarcane cultivation, considering four levels of suitability. Aiming at the sustainability of bioenergy production, areas dedicated to food production, protected areas, and areas with slopes above 16% were excluded. Under these criteria, this study identified the existence of 6.3 Mha in lands of good agricultural suitability, with water resources, corresponding to 5% of the Angolan territory, distributed in seven provinces of the country, especially in the provinces of Cuando Cubango and Cunene, where 85% of the very suitable land under irrigation is located. Adopting a model of agricultural productivity, assuming irrigation and adequate agricultural practices, such area could produce approximately 956 million ton of sugarcane annually, which is significantly higher than the current production in this country, This amount of feedstock, processed using current technology could potentially produce 81.3 GL of ethanol and 176,9 TWh of electricity with low GHG emission per year, able to mitigate, as a whole, circa 60.3 MtCO2-eq/year by displacing gasoline in light vehicles and diesel and natural gas consumed in power generation.

Mathematical optimization offers a valuable approach to tackle Industry scheduling problems. By formulating the scheduling challenge as a mathematical problem, mathematical optimization enables efficient and effective decision-making processes. Mathematical optimization is particularly beneficial in complex scheduling scenarios, such as in networked manufacturing environments, where multiple jobs and resources need to be coordinated. By leveraging optimization models and algorithms, it becomes possible to generate optimal process plans, considering factors like job dependencies, resource availability, and timing constraints. Through mathematical optimization, organizations can achieve improved efficiency, reduced lead times, and enhanced utilization of resources. Rigorous mathematical formulations and optimization techniques enables to surpass traditional manual planning methods and brings forth powerful computational capabilities. By optimizing various scheduling objectives, from minimizing makespan to maximizing resource utilization, mathematical optimization provides organizations with valuable insights and actionable plans. The purpose of this study is to discuss scheduling solutions for multiple jobs in a networked manufacturing setting based on mathematical optimization process. The study analyses a solver-based approach to generate the optimal process plans for multiple jobs and compare it with a more traditional game-theoretic approach. The objectives aim to develop two solver-based model using Z3 and Gurobi to generate optimal process plans; implement a game-theoretic model to solve for the same set of scheduling problems, and compare the computational time, solution quality, and efficiency of both approaches. To achieve this, the methodology will start with the problem definition. Multiple jobs are to be scheduled on a set of parallel machines. Each job has predefined processing times, deadlines, and priorities. The objective is to minimize the total completion time and maximize machine utilization while meeting all deadlines.

Optical backbone networks constitute the fundamental infrastructure employed today by network operators to deliver services to users. As network capacity is a key factor influencing optical network performance, it is important to understand how topological and physical properties impact its behavior and to have the capability to estimate its value. In this context, we propose here a method to evaluate the network capacity that relies on the optical reach to account for physical layer aspects, in conjunction with constrained routing techniques for traffic routing. As this type of routing can lead to traffic blocking, particularly due to the limitation on the number of wavelengths per fiber, we also propose a fiber assignment algorithm designed to deal with this problem. We apply this method to a set of randomly generated networks using a modified Waxman model, and for a network with 60 nodes, in a scenario without blocking, we obtain capacities of about 2.5 Pbit/s for a symbol rate of 64 Gbaud and about 5 Pbit/s for a symbol rate of 128 Gbaud. Remarkably, this duplication in the total network capacity is achieved by an increase in the total fiber length of only about 51%.

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

Keywords: Pain; Nociception; Disorders of Consciousness; Consciousness

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

This paper discusses the use of networks of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) for the reconstruction of trajectories from sensor data. Logistics is a natural application domain, to verify the quality of the handling of goods. This is a mass application and the economics of logistics impose that IMUs to be used must be low cost and use basic computational devices. The approach in the paper converts a strategy from the literature, used in the multi-target following problem, to reaching a consensus in a network of IMUs. The paper presents results on how to achieve the consensus in trajectory reconstruction, along with covariance intersection data fusion of the information obtained by all nodes in the network.

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

In 2020, following the World Health Organization's declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, dental practices faced unprecedented disruptions globally. This retrospective cross-sectional study, conducted at a leading university dental hospital in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, investigated the impact of these disruptions on dental caries. The study, spanning June 2019 to June 2021, included a full-mouth X-ray examination, along with sociodemographic, behavioral, and medical data. Our sample comprised 3,380 participants (2,007 females and 1,373 males), aged 18 to 99 years, divided into pre-lockdown and post-lockdown groups. We employed the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index to measure dental caries. Our findings revealed that nearly 90% of participants in both groups experienced dental caries, indicating a statistically significant difference between the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods. However, the impact of COVID-19 confinement varied among different demographic sectors, with age, educational background, and professional status emerging as the key determinants. This study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the impact of the pandemic on oral health, emphasizing the role of sociodemographic factors in shaping dental health outcomes during such global health crises.

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

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

Using pumps operating as turbines (PATs) offers the possibility of increasing the sustainability of water and energy systems by recovering the excess of energy that would be otherwise lost in pressure reducing valves or head loss chambers. In on-grid applications, there are many research works and implementations of PATs. However, there is still limited research for the optimization of efficiency and stability of PATs operating in off-grid systems. This work contributes to the development of stable direct current (DC) off-grid electric systems based on PATs, by optimizing and analysing the energy efficiency and stability for a wide range of operation. A self-excited induction generator (SEIG) coupled to the PAT is provided to cover the conventional type of electric ma-chines typically coupled to the hydraulic pumps. In this context, a methodology is proposed, based on the hydraulic, mechanical and electric subsystems, to define the PAT-SEIG operational area, to maximize energy conversion and the system efficiency. This will guarantee stable electric output quantities when operating in a DC off-grid system. In addition, an analytical model is proposed to estimate the PAT-SEIG operation under specific conditions. With this, water managers are suitable to design and optimize an off-grid PAT-SEIG system and to define the best hydraulic machines, electronic equipment, and all different control elements to maximize energy conversion within the target of operational limits. To develop and verify this new methodology, two micro PAT-SEIG setups were implemented in the hydraulic laboratory of IST/CERIS under typical operating conditions. The proposed solution proved to be resilient under a variable load regime. The system's maximum efficiency can be adapted using different capacitor values for the excitation of the SEIG, and the operational range is limited to the electric components. Considering the nominal efficiencies of the system’s components, the maximum p.u. efficiency obtained for each PAT-SEIG system were between 0.7 and 0.8 p.u.

With the goal of representing common denominators of aging in different organisms López-Otín et al. in 2013 described nine hallmarks of aging. Since then, this representation has become a major reference point for the biogerontology field. The template for the hallmarks of aging account originated from landmark papers by Hanahan and Weinberg (2000, 2011) defining first six and later ten hallmarks of cancer. Here we assess the strengths and weaknesses of the hallmarks of aging account. As a checklist of diverse major foci of current aging research, it has provided a useful shared overview for biogerontology during a time of transition in the field. It also seems useful in applied biogerontology, to identify interventions (e.g. drugs) that impact multiple symptomatic features of aging. However, while the hallmarks of cancer provide a paradigmatic account of the causes of cancer with profound explanatory power, the hallmarks of aging do not. A worry is that as a non-paradigm the hallmarks of aging have obscured the urgent need to define a genuine paradigm, one that can provide a useful basis for understanding the mechanistic causes of the diverse aging pathologies. We argue that biogerontology must look and move beyond the hallmarks to understand the process of aging.

The clinical interaction between stroke and periodontitis has been consistently studied and confirmed. Hence, forecasting potentially new protein interactions in this association using bioinformatic strategies presents potential interest. In this exploratory study, we conducted a protein-protein network interaction (PPI) search with documented encoded proteins for both stroke and periodontitis. Genes of interest were collected via GWAS database. The STRING database was used to predict the PPI networks, first in a sensitivity purpose (confidence cut-off of 0.7), and then with a highest confidence cut-off (0.9). Genes over-representation was inspected in the final network. As a result, we foresee a prospective protein network of interaction between stroke and periodontitis. Inflammation, pro-coagulant/pro-thrombotic state and ultimately atheroma plaque rupture is the main biological mechanism derived from the network. These pilot results may pave the way to future molecular and therapeutic studies to further comprehend the mechanisms between these two conditions.

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

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

Optical networks, characterized by using optical fibers as a transmission medium, constitute the fundamental infrastructure employed today by network operators to deliver services to users. As network capacity is one of the key factors influencing optical network performance, it is important to comprehend its limitations and have the capability to estimate its value. In this context, we revisit the concept of capacity from various perspectives, including channel capacity, link capacity, and network capacity, thus providing an integrated view of the problem. Hence, we review the fundamental concepts behind optical networks, along with the basic physical phenomena present in optical fiber transmission and provide methodologies for estimating the different types of capacities, mainly using simple formulations. In particular, we propose a method to evaluate the network capacity that relies on the optical reach to account for physical layer aspects, in conjunction with capacitated routing techniques for traffic routing. We apply this method to three reference networks and obtain capacities ranging from tens to hundreds of Terabits/s. Whenever possible, we also compare our results with published experimental data to understand how they relate.

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

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

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

Context: The compartmental description, well-known from the description of infection diseases and epidemics, is applied to describe the temporal evolution of the baryonic matter in interstellar gas and stars. The introduction of gaseous and stellar fractions of the total baryonic matter as the basic dynamical variables is advantageous because it allows to apply the description to a variety of astrophysical systems. Aims: The competition of spontaneous star formation, stellar feedback and stellar evolution is theoretically investigated to understand the baryonic matter cycle including luminous baryonic matter in main-sequence stars and weakly luminous matter in white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes (referred to as locked-in matter). Of particular interest is the understanding of the cosmic star formation history and the present-day gas fraction with compartmental models. Methods: For stationary rates of spontaneous star formation, continuous stellar feedback and stellar evolution exact analytical solutions of the time evolution of the fractions of gaseous, luminous stellar and locked-in stellar matter are derived. The accuracy of the analytical solutions is proven by the favorite comparison with the exact numerical solutions of the dynamical equations. Results: The observed cosmological star formation rate and the integrated stellar density as a function of redshift are reasonably well explained by the compartmental model without triggered star formation by the competition of spontaneous star formation and stellar evolution whereas the influence of stellar feedback is less important. The action of stellar evolution provides a significant redshift dependent reduction factor when calculating the integrated stellar density from the star formation rate. Without stellar evolution the observations cannot be reproduced very well. Then the fits to the observation allow us conclusions on the relative importance of spontaneous star formation, stellar evolution and feedback in the early universe after the recombination era until today. The gas, luminous star and locked-in stellar matter fractions indicate that the vast majority of the baryons in the present-day universe resides in the form of locked-in stellar matter in white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes.

In this work, we present a model of the atom that is based on a nonclassical logic called paraconsistent logic (PL), which has the main property of accepting the contradiction in logical interpretations without the conclusions being annulled. The proposed model is constructed with an extension of PL called paraconsistent annotated logic with annotation of two values (PAL2v), which is associated with an interlaced bilattice of four vertices. We use the logarithmic function of the Shannon entropy H_(s) to construct the paraconsistent equations and thus adapt a probabilistic model for representations in quantum physics. Through analyses of the interlaced bilattice, comparative values are obtained for some of the phenomena and effects of quantum mechanics, such as superposition of states, quantum entanglement, wave functions, and equations that determine the energy levels of the layers of an atom. At the end of this article, we use the hydrogen atom as a basis of the representation of the PAL2v model, where the values of the energy levels in six orbital layers are obtained. As an example, we present a possible method of applying the PAL2v model to the use of Raman spectroscopy signals in the detection of lubricating mineral oil quality.

The city of Lisbon, has any other capital of a European country, has a large number of issues while managing the waste and recycling containers spread throughout the city. This document presents the results of a study promoted by the Lisbon City Council for trialing LPWAN technology on the waste management vertical under the Lisbon Smart City initiative. Current waste management is done using GSM sensors, and the aim is to use LPWAN to reduce the costs, improve range and reduce provisioning times when changing the communications provider. After an initial study, LoRa was selected as the LPWAN of choice for the trials. The study is composed of multiple use cases at different distances, types of recycling waste containers, placements (underground and surface) and different kinds of waste level measurement LoRa sensors, deployed in order to assess the impact of the different use cases on the LoRa sensor usage. The results shown that the underground waste containers present the most difficult challenge, where the container itself imposes attenuation levels of 26dB on the link budget. The results promoted the deployment of a city wide LoRa network available to all departments inside the Lisbon City Council, and considering the network capacity the network, the network is also available to citizens to be used freely.

Climate change is expected to influence cooling and heating energy demand of residential buildings and affect overall thermal comfort. Towards this end, the heating degree-day (HDD), the cooling degree-day (CDD) and the HDD+CDD were computed from an ensemble of 7 high-resolution bias-corrected simulations attained from EURO-CORDEX under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. These three indicators were analyzed for 1971-2000 (from E-OBS) and 2011-2040 and 2041-2070, under both RCPs. Results show that the overall spatial distribution of HDD trends for the 3 time-periods points out an increase of energy demand to heat internal environments in Portugal's northern-eastern regions, most significant under RCP8.5. It is projected an increase of CDD values for both scenarios; however, statistically significant linear trends were only found for 2041-2070 under RCP4.5. The need for cooling is almost negligible for the remaining periods, though linear trend values are still considerably higher for 2041-2070 under RCP8.5. By the end of 2070, higher amplitudes for all indicators are depicted for southern Algarve and Alentejo regions, mainly under RCP8.5. For 2041-2070 the Centre and Alentejo (North and Centre) regions present major positive differences for HDD(CDD) under RCP4.5(RCP8.5), within the 5 NUTS II regions predicting higher heating(cooling) requirements for some locations.

The most important prognostic factors in curatively treated prostate cancer at the initial diagnosis are T and N stage, histological subtype, Gleason score, initial PSA, PSA density and percentage of core biopsy positivity. Newer, but non-standard prognostic factors are urine PCA3 and genetic markers of prostate cancer. A simple, but seemingly underestimated standard test is serum Calcium (Ca) level, which has been shown by a previous study group to be a good predictor of lethal prostate cancer, but there is scarce evidence regarding the prognostic value of calcium levels at diagnosis. We aimed to determine whether a Ca level in the upper part of normal values has a prognostic value in curatively treated prostate cancer. We have retrospectively included 84 consecutive patients with prostate cancer, who underwent curative radiotherapy (primary or adjuvant; external beam RT with or without brachytherapy). We have performed statistical analysis of available prognostic factors. Ca level at diagnosis was found to be a statistically significant predictor of disease-free survival.

The study of localized surface plasmons (LSPs) in nanoscale structures is an essential step towards identifying optimal plasmonic modes that can facilitate robust optomechanical coupling and deepen our understanding of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. This paper investigates numerically, using the finite element method, LSPs modes in a design comprising two coupled nano-ridges deposited on a gold layer, with an interposing polymer spacer layer. Such a structure, usually referred to as particles-on-mirror, shows exquisite optical properties at the nanoscale. We first examine the LSPs modes of a single nano-ridge through the analysis of its scattering cross-section in the visible and infrared range. To enhance the plasmonic response, a thin polymer layer is placed at the middle of the ridge, which introduces additional LSPs modes confined within the former. Then, we extend the analysis to the dimer configuration, which exhibits more complex and enhanced plasmonic behavior compared to a single nano-ridge. In particular, the dimer configuration yields LSPs resonances with a quality factor enhancement of approximately threefold relative to single nano-ridge. Furthermore, the presence of the polymer layer within the ridges significantly improves plasmon field localization and quality factor. These findings underscore the potential of nano-ridge-based structures in advancing optomechanical coupling and plasmon-phonon interaction studies, offering valuable insights for the development of high-performance acousto-plasmonic devices. In particular, the proposed device could help significantly improve the design of nano-acousto-optic modulators operating in the visible or in the near infrared, that require enhanced light-photon coupling rate.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. This study explores the potential influence of gut hormone receptor and immune response gene expression on COVID-19 outcomes in MAFLD patients. Methods: We investigated gene expression levels of AHR, FFAR2, FXR, and TGR5 in patients with MAFLD and COVID-19 compared to controls. We examined associations between gene expression and clinical outcomes. Results: COVID-19 patients displayed altered AHR expression, potentially impacting immune response and recovery. Downregulated AHR in MAFLD patients correlated with increased coagulation parameters. Elevated FFAR2 expression in MAFLD linked to specific immune cell populations and hospital stay duration. Significantly lower FXR expression was observed in both MAFLD and severe COVID-19. Conclusion: Our findings suggest potential modulatory roles for AHR, FFAR2, and FXR in COVID-19 and MAFLD.

In recent times, there has been a revolutionary surge in antioxidant research, with a focus on harnessing microalgae to enhance wellness and extend human longevity. Microalgae, a diverse group of unicellular photosynthetic organisms, have emerged as promising sources of natural antioxidants due to their ability to synthesize various bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, polyphenols, and tocopherols. These antioxidants play a pivotal role in scavenging free radicals and reducing oxidative stress, known contributors to aging and chronic diseases. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in understanding microalgae's antioxidant potential, covering their biochemical composition, extraction techniques, and purification methods. Moreover, it delves into compelling in vitro and in vivo studies showcasing microalgae-derived antioxidants' protective effects against oxidative damage, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. The sustainable cultivation of microalgae in controlled environments further supports the potential for large-scale production and commercialization of their antioxidant compounds. As microalgae continue to revolutionize antioxidant research, they hold immense promise in developing novel preventive and therapeutic strategies to promote human health and wellbeing.

Background: Bacteria, among the earliest life forms on Earth, are integral to both human health and environmental ecosystems. They contribute to essential processes such as digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune defense, and play key roles in the biogeochemical cycles that sustain life. Objective: This paper explores the indispensable role of bacteria in human life and environmental health, emphasizing their contributions to digestion, nutrient absorption, immune protection, and ecosystem functioning. It also discusses advances in understanding the human microbiome and their implications for health and therapeutic interventions. Methods: The study reviews existing literature on the human microbiome, probiotics, and the role of bacteria in environmental nutrient cycling. It analyses experimental evidence and case studies, particularly focusing on the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a therapeutic tool. Metagenomic analysis techniques are examined to highlight the diversity and functionality of gut bacteria. Results: Bacteria are found to be essential for breaking down food, providing vital nutrients, and protecting against pathogens. They play a critical role in maintaining a healthy immune system and are involved in the biogeochemical cycles necessary for ecosystem health. Metagenomic analysis reveals significant variations in bacterial populations associated with health and disease, emphasizing the importance of a balanced microbiota. FMT shows promise as an effective treatment for various diseases, including gastrointestinal, metabolic, and neurological disorders. Conclusions: Bacteria are crucial for human health and environmental stability. Maintaining a balanced microbiota is vital for overall well-being, and interventions such as probiotics and FMT can offer significant health benefits. Future research should focus on further understanding the complex interactions between bacteria and their hosts to develop targeted therapies for various health conditions.

Background: Mental health has a special relevance in adolescence. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the possible association between emotional distress and suicidal ideation among adolescents. Methods: The article presents the results of a survey of secondary school students (N=1419) in the city of Tarragona, Spain. The aim of the analysis was to verify the existence of an association between suicidal ideation and risk factors such as emotional distress and low self-esteem. All the data were also analysed to determine the existence of statistically significant differences between girls and boys. Bivariate analyses were performed with chi-square, point-biserial coefficient and non-parametric tests for independent groups. Logistic regression analysis was also performed to calculate the probability of suicidal ideation. Results: These analyses showed that both emotional distress and low self-esteem increase the likelihood of suicidal ideation among adolescents. This was more evident among boys with high levels of emotional distress. Conclusion: Schools should develop suicide ideation prevention programs for adolescents based on situations that cause emotional distress.

Orthohepadnavirus causes chronic hepatitis in a broad range of mammals, including primates, cats, woodchucks, and bats. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein inhibits type-I interferon (IFN) signaling, promoting HBV escape from the innate immune system to establish persistent infection. However, whether X proteins of Orthohepadnavirus viruses in the other species have similar inhibitory activity remains unknown. Here, we investigated the anti-IFN activity of 17 Orthohepadnavirus X proteins derived from various hosts. We observed conserved activity of Orthohepadnavirus X proteins in inhibiting TIR-domain-containing adaptor protein inducing IFN-β (TRIF)-mediated IFN-β signaling pathway through TRIF degradation. X proteins from domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), a novel member of Orthohepadnavirus, inhibited mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS)-mediated IFNβ signaling pathway comparable with HBV X. These results indicate that inhibition of IFN signaling is conserved in Orthohepadnavirus X proteins.