Steroid analysis is important in the clinical assessment of endocrine function in health and disease. Although tandem mass spectrometry methods coupled with chromatographic separation are considered the gold standard analytical technique in this setting, enabling profiling of multiple steroids in a single sample, sample processing can be labour-intensive. Here we present a simple, efficient automated 96-well Supported Liquid Extraction method with dichloromethane/isopropanol as organic solvent, carried out on a Extrahera automated sample handler (Biotage), which completes sample preparation of 80 plasma samples (200µL) in 90 minutes. Compounds were separated on a Kinetex C18 column (150x3mm;2.6um) using a mobile phase of methanol and water (0.1% formic acid). The run time was 16 minutes on a Nexera uHPLC system (Shimadzu) with a QTrap 6500+ linear ion trap mass spectrometer (AB Sciex). Precisions ranged 8.1 to 18.1% RSD, bias -10.1-5.8%, and extraction recoveries 73.5-111.9%. LOQs ranged between 0.025–0.500 ng/mL.

In this short communication, following a brief introduction, we undertake a comprehensive analytical study of the weighted Simpson index. Our primary emphasis concerns the precise determination of the optimal point (minimizer) coordinates and of the minimum value of the index, a differentiable convex function, which is related to the harmonic mean concept. Furthermore, we address and solve the inversion problem and show the tight connection between both approaches. Last, we give some insights and final remarks on this subject.

Chitosan nanoparticle delivery systems have potential for enhancing bone healing and addressing osteomyelitis. The objective was to deliver antimicrobial agents capable of preventing or treating osteomyelitis. Each formulation was optimized to achieve desired characteristics in terms of size (ranging from 100 to 400 nm), PDI (less than 0.5), zeta potential (typically negative), and in vitro release profiles for gentamicin. Entrapment percentages varied with gentamicin ranging from 10% to 65%. The chitosan nanoparticles exhibited substantial antimicrobial efficacy, particularly against both P. aeruginosa and MRSA, with zones of inhibition ranging from 13 to 24 mm and complete reduction in colony forming units observed between 3 to 24 hours. These chitosan nanoparticle formulations loaded with antimicrobials hold promise for addressing orthopedic complications.

Inexpensive piezoelectric diaphragms can be used as sensors to facilitate both nozzle height setting and build platform leveling in FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) 3D printers. Tests simulating nozzle contact are conducted to establish the available output and an output of greater than 8 Volts found at 20 ºC, a value which is readily detectable by simple electronic circuits. Tests are also conducted at a temperature of 80 ºC and, despite a reduction of greater than 80% in output voltage, this is still detectable. The reliability of piezoelectric diaphragms is investigated by mechanically stressing samples over 100,000 cycles at both 20 ºC and 80 ºC and little loss of output over the test duration is found. The development of a nozzle contact sensor using a single piezoelectric diaphragm is described.

The aim of this study is to present the spatial and temporal variability of the frequency of dry and wet days and dry and wet spells against the background of changes in precipitation and atmospheric circulation. The study is based on daily precipitation totals from 46 meteorological stations in Poland for the years 1966-2023. Additionally seven circulation indices were used: GBI, NAO, AO, EA, EA/WR. SCAND ana AMO. Dry days are defined as days without precipitation. Wet days are days with at least 1 mm of precipitation. It was shown that dry spells are much more common that wet spells, are longer and cover larger areas. Long term changes in annual characteristics of dry and wet days and spells are statistically insignificant. Only the length of the longest dry spell in the year increases. However, there are significant changes in their annual cycles. Spring is drier, in summer months, precipitation decreases in the south and increases in the north, November and December, symbols of gloomy rainy weather, are increasingly drier, rainy weather moved to January and February. The impact of circulation varies with seasons and NAO, Ao, SCAN and GBI indices have the strongest impact.

Background: The psychomotor agitation of the BPSD is one of the common issues in aged care facilities, leading to the poor functional and medical consequences. Psychotropic interventions are the preferable choice of treatment. But which medication should be the prescribers first preference? This review aims to compare pharmacological interventions for psychomotor agitation, judging them according to their effectuality and justifiability profiles. This is to be achieved by retrieving information from RCTs and systematic reviews. Objectives: This review evaluates evidence from RCTs, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of BPSD patients who had taken agitation treatments. Assessing the efficacy of antidepressants and antipsychotic treatments when compared to each other for the purpose of improving agitation outcomes. Methods: This narrative review includes RCTs and retrospective studies that were comparing one or more active ingredient medications with another or with a placebo, along with sys-tematic reviews comparing antidepressants with antipsychotics such as quetiapine, olanzapine, and risperidone. Studies extracted by searching accessing databases, such as PubMed, OVID, and Cochrane with restrictions of date from 2000 to 2021 and English language. Quality of evidence: The quality of systematic reviews was judged against AMSTAR score, and RCTs were judged according to CONSORT checklist for RCT protocols. Conclusion: There are still few studies of serotonin targeting treatment of agitation in BPSD. The SSRIs such as citalopram were associated with a reduction in symptoms of agitation, and lower risk of adverse effects compared to antipsychotics. This review also illustrates brexpiprazole as a target of multimodal neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine; and dextromethorphan, OR dextromethorphan associated with bupropion or quinidine as a blockade of NMDA receptors. The outcome of this review suggests that further studies involving more dementia/Alzheimer’s participants should be conducted. Future studies are required also to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of SSRI, brexpiprazole, dextromethorphan treatments for agitation in BPSD.

This data descriptor summarizes the process applied and data gathered from 50 publications/papers reporting on the use of photography generated by tourists, tour operators and members of the public, with a particular focus on the crowdsourcing of photographs through online platforms and social networking sites (SNSs) as a method of research for wildlife conservation and ecotourism. The papers were collected in a systematic literature review to inform a pilot study of the feasibility of using SNSs to crowdsource georeferenced photographs of endangered Bornean Pygmy Elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis) taken by ecotourists along the Lower Kinabatangan River region of Sabah, Malaysia. Papers were sourced using the Murdoch University Findit online-search tool to search over 100 databases, including Proquest, Scopus and Web of Science. The criteria for a paper to be included in the review (and shared via the dataset attached to this this data descriptor) were that it was peer-reviewed, published in English, between 1997 and the 31 December 2017, had the full text accessible online and reported on a study or studies that utilized photographs that tourists, tour operators and/or members of the public generated and shared via SNSs or online platforms.

The theatre has a tremendous ability to influence public discourse and shape societal opinions. And medical conditions can provide writers with a rich scope for plot development and characters with challenges to overcome. In particular, the neurological condition epilepsy has many possibilities with historical beliefs that people were possessed by gods and devils and the sudden, disabling seizures characteristic of the condition. But used unsympathetically, it can promote misunderstanding within audiences, resulting in discrimination for people with the condition. This review looks back at how epilepsy has been portrayed throughout history. How the Greeks portrayed epilepsy as a punishment from the gods. Then later, how Shakespeare utilised epilepsy to suggest characters as uncontrollable. However, we finish on a message of hope as modern writers look to collaboration to ensure accurate and honest portrayals of epilepsy, improving public understanding and removing many of the stigmas that have dogged the condition.

This paper investigates pseudo-polymorphism in 2-pyridylmethoxy derivatives of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (PyC4), p-tert-butyldihomooxa-calix[4]arenes (PyHOC4), and p-tert-butylhexahomotrioxacalix[3]arenes (PyHO3C3), presenting 11 crystal structures with 15 crystallographically independent molecules. The macrocycle of PyC4 is smaller and less flexible with respect to those of PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3 and in solution, the cone conformation of these three molecules exhibit different point symmetries: C4, Cs and C3, respectively. A correlation is observed between the macrocycle's structural rigidity and the number of pseudo-polymorphs formed. The more rigid PyC4 displays a higher number (6) of pseudo-polymorphs compared to PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3, which exhibit a smaller number of crystalline forms (3 and 2, respectively). The X-ray structures obtained show that the conformation of the macrorings is primarily influenced by the presence of an acetonitrile guest molecule within the cavity, with limited impact from crystal packing and intermolecular cocrystallized solvent molecules. Notably, both calix[4]arene derivatives produce host-guest complex with acetonitrile, while the most flexible and less aromatic PyHO3C3 do not give crystals with acetonitrile as guest. Intertwined 1D and 2D solvent channel networks were observed in the PyHOC4-hexane and in the PyHO3C3-H2O-MeOH crystal structures, respectively, while the other pseudopolymorphs of PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3 and all PyC4 crystal forms exhibit a closely packed crystal structures without open channels.

To achieve n-type doping in diamond, extensive investigations employing first principles have been conducted on various models of phosphorus doping and boron-phosphorus co-doping. The primary focus of this study is to comprehensively analyze the formation energy, band structure, density of states, and ionization energy of these structures. It is observed that within a diamond structure solely composed of phosphorus atoms, the formation energy of an individual carbon atom is excessively high. However, the substitution of two carbon atoms leads to the conversion of diamond into a p-type semiconductor. Upon examining the P-B co-doping structure, it is revealed that the doped impurities exhibit a tendency to form more stable cluster configurations. As the separation between the freely doped atoms and the cluster impurity structure increases, the overall stability of the structure diminishes, consequently resulting in an elevation of the ionization energy. Analysis of the electronic density of states demonstrates that the electron orbit of the B atom makes negligible contributions to the impurity levels during P-B doping.

Malaria parasites increase their host erythrocyte’s permeability to obtain essential nutrients from plasma and facilitate intracellular growth. In the human P. falciparum pathogen, this increase is mediated by the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) and has been linked to CLAG3, as encoded by one member of the conserved clag multigene family. Whether paralogs encoded by other clag genes also contribute to PSAC formation or serve unrelated roles remains unknown. Here, we generated transfectant lines carrying epitope-tagged versions of each CLAG. Each paralog colocalized with CLAG3, with concordant trafficking via merozoite rhoptries to the host erythrocyte membrane of newly-invaded erythrocytes. Each also exists within infected cells in at least two forms: an alkaline-extractable soluble form and a form integral to the host membrane. Like CLAG3, CLAG2 has a variant region cleaved by extracellular protease but CLAG8 and CLAG9 are protease-resistant. Paralog knockout lines, generated through CRISPR/Cas9 transfection, exhibited uncompromised growth in PGIM, a modified medium with more physiological nutrient levels; this finding is in marked contrast to a recently reported CLAG3 knockout parasite. CLAG2 and CLAG8 knockout lines exhibited compensatory increases in transcription of remaining clags and associated rhoph genes, yielding increased PSAC-mediated uptake to specific solutes. We also report distinct transport properties of these knockout lines, suggesting partially overlapping roles of CLAG paralogs in PSAC activity. We propose that the nutrient channel pore is formed by a higher order assembly of CLAG proteins at the host membrane.

The goal of this study was to determine the relative susceptibility of four common equine wound pathogens to ten different types of antimicrobial agents based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Additionally, to describe the comparison of bactericidal activity of medical grade Manuka honey, local honey, and commercial, food-grade honey to other commonly used wound dressings. The objective is to provide veterinary practitioners with comparative data on the use of a variety of antimicrobial dressings for inhibiting growth of common wound bacteria. MIC and MBC for Manuka, store, and local honeys were comparable to those of sterile gauze, sugar, and hypertonic saline. Across bacterial species, local honey proved to have more bactericidal activity when compared to Manuka and commercial, food-grade honey. The MIC and MBC for PHMB gauze and foam was consistently at a higher dilution compared to the other antimicrobials. The majority of antimicrobials exhibited stronger inhibitory and bactericidal activity against a Streptococcus zooepidemicus isolate obtained from a wound compared to other bacteria that were ATCC lab acclimated. Additional research for in-vivo applications needs to be done to see whether differences exist in effective wound management.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) originate from preleukemic hematopoietic conditions, such as clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) or clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) and have desolate outcomes. The prognosis is worse in patients with TP53 mutations which are often linked to complex karyotypes and contribute to worse responses to induction therapy, demethylating agents or venetoclax-based treatments. Survival of patients with TP53 gene mutations is often less than one year. Therefore, TP53-mutated MDS and AML are now classified separately in the unfavorable risk category. In the clinical setting, the wild-type p53 is reactivated pharmacologically by targeting p53/MDM2/MDM4 interactions and mutant p53 reactivation is achieved by refolding the DNA binding domain to wild-type-like conformation or via targeted degradation of the mutated protein. This review discusses our current understanding of p53 biology in MDS and AML and the promises and failures of p53 reactivation in the clinical trial setting.

We introduce the notion of p-adic magic contraction on p-adic Hilbert space. We derive p-adic Halmos dilation, p-adic Egervary N-dilation, p-adic von Neumann inequality and p-adic Sz.-Nagy dilation for p-adic magic contraction.

Reactions of quinones with compounds containing an amino group can produce a wide variety of addition or substitution products that depend on reactivity of both quinone and amino derivative. 6,7-Dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-diones undergo selective nucleophilic substitution reaction with different benzohydrazides and α-hydroxy-p-quinone imine derivatives stabilized by strong intramolecular hydrogen bond were isolated. Synthesized compounds represent a combination of several structural motifs: benzimidazole core fused with α-hydroxy-p-quinone imine which contains a benzamido fragment. The protonation/deprotonation processes were investigated in a solution using UV-Vis spectroscopy and 1H NMR titration experiment. X-ray crystallography analysis revealed a set of weak non-covalent interactions such as intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking. Additionally, the redox behavior of 6,7-dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-dione and its p-imino derivative was investigated in acidic and neutral environment using cyclic voltammetry measurements. Cathode material based on 6,7-dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-dione could act as potential effective active electrode in aqueous electrolyte batteries, however further optimization is required.

In this paper, we define and investigate modified p-Leonardo, p-Leonardo-Lucas and p-Leonardo sequences as special cases of the generalized Leonardo sequence. We present Binet's formulas, generating functions, Simson formulas, and the summation formulas for these sequences. Moreover, we give some identities and matrices related with these sequences. Furthermore, we show that there are close relations between modified p-Leonardo, p-Leonardo-Lucas, p-Leonardo numbers and Fibonacci, Lucas numbers.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium that remains a prevalent clinical and environmental challenge. Quorum sensing (QS) molecules are effective biomarkers in pinpointing the presence of P. aeruginosa. This study aimed to develop a convenient-to-use whole-cell biosensor using P. aeruginosa reporters individually encapsulated within alginate-poly-L-lysine (alginate-PLL) microbeads to specifically detect the presence of bacterial autoinducers. The PLL-reinforced microbeads were prepared using a two-step method involving ionic crosslinking and subsequent coating with thin layers of PLL. The alginate-PLL beads showed good stability in the presence of a known cation scavenger (sodium citrate), which typically limits the widespread applications of calcium alginate. In media containing synthetic autoinducers, such as N-(3-oxo dodecanoyl) homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL) and N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL) or cell-free supernatants of planktonic or flow cell biofilm effluent of wild P. aeruginosa (PAO1), the encapsulated bacteria enabled a dose-dependent detection of the presence of these QS molecules. The prepared bioreporter beads remained stable during prolonged storage at 4 and -80 °C and were ready for on-the-spot sensing without the need for recovery. This whole-cell biosensor demonstrates the practicality of the encapsulated bioreporter for bacterial detection based on specific QS molecules.

According to current guidelines, growth hormone (GH) therapy is strongly recommended in children and adolescents with GH deficiency (GHD) in order to accelerate growth rate and attain normal adult height. The diagnosis of GHD requires demonstration of decreased GH secretion in stimulation tests, below the established threshold value. Currently, GHD in children is classified as secondary insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. Most of children diagnosed with isolated GHD presents with normal GH secretion at the attainment of near-final height or even in mid-puberty. The most important clinical problems, related to the diagnosis of isolated GHD in children and to optimal duration of rhGH therapy include: arbitrary definition of subnormal GH peak in stimulation tests, disregarding factors influencing GH secretion, insufficient diagnostic accuracy and poor reproducibility of GH stimulation tests, discrepancies between spontaneous and stimulated GH secretion, clinical entity of neurosecretory dysfunction, discrepancies between IGF-1 concentrations and results of GH stimulation tests, significance of IGF-1 deficiency for the diagnosis of GHD, a need for validation IGF-1 reference ranges. Many of these issues have remained unresolved for 25 years or even longer. It seems that finding solutions to them should optimize diagnostics and therapy of children with short stature.

Crop production in Afghanistan suffers from limited phosphorus (P) availability, which severely hinders national agriculture sustainability. This present study hypothesized that deep fertilizer placement could significantly enhance uptake of immobile P and thus tissue P accumulation and crop yield. A two-year pot experiment growing two maize (Zea mays) hybrid cultivars (Xida-789 and Xida-211) was therefore conducted to test these hypotheses under three contrasting fertilizer placement methods (broadcast, side band, and deep band). In doing so, P concentrations in both maize tissues and soils were compared at 45, 60, and 115 days after sowing (DAS) under nine combinations of nitrogen (N) and P fertilizer rates (kg ha-1: N112P45, N112P60, N112P75, N150P45, N150P60, N150P75, N187P45, N187P60, N187P75). Results have shown that deep band placement significantly increased P uptake efficiency, leading to greater P concentration and accumulation in maize tissues compared to other two fertilization methods. This improved P uptake was attributed to several factors associated with deep placement, including reduced P fixation, enhanced root access to P, and moisture availability for P uptake. Additionally, deep band placement combined with higher N application rates (N187 and N150) further enhanced plant P uptake by promoting P availability and utilization mechanisms. Deep band placement also resulted in significantly higher total soil P, Olsen-P, and P use efficiency than broadcast and side band methods, indicating a more efficient P fertilization strategy for maize that can improve growth and yield. This present study also found positive correlations between P concentration in plant organs and soil Olsen-P, highlighting the importance of adequate soil P levels for optimal plant growth. Overall, our results have showed that deep band fertilizer placement emerged as a superior strategy for enhancing P uptake efficiency, utilization, and maize productivity compared to broadcast and side band placement. This approach can potentially optimize P fertilizer utilization, improve maize growth and yield, while minimizing environmental P losses associated with broadcast applications.

The first two decades of the 21st-century have seen the emergence of the modern citizen science movement, increased demand for niche eco and wildlife tourism experiences, and the willingness of people to voluntarily share information and photographs online. To varying extents, the rapid growth of these three phenomena has been driven by the availability of portable smart devices, access to the Web 2.0 internet from almost anywhere on the planet, and the development of applications and services, including social media/networking sites (SNSs). In addition, the number of peer-reviewed publications that explore how text and images shared on SNSs can be data-mined for academic research has surged in recent years. This systematic quantitative review has two goals. The first goal is to provide an oversight of how the photographs that ecotourists share online are contributing to wildlife tourism research. The second goal is to promote the emerging photovoice technique as a theoretical context for social research based on the photographs and comments that ecotourists share on SNSs. From the perspectives of community benefits, conservation behaviours, and environmental education, there are many similarities between authentic ecotourism experiences and quality ecological citizen science programs. Much of the literature regarding the theory and practice of citizen science reports on the difficulties of attracting, training, motivating and retaining community members. The synthesis of this review is that crowdsourcing wildlife and tourism data from comments and photographs that ecotourists share on SNSs is a credible method of research that provides a self-replenishing pool of citizen scientists.

The effective detection of viruses in aircraft wastewater is crucial to establish surveillance programs for monitoring virus spread via aircraft passengers. This study aimed to compare the performance of two virus concentration workflows, adsorption-extraction (AE) and Nanotrap® Microbiome A Particles (NMAP), in detecting the prevalence and concentrations of 15 endogenous viruses in aircraft lavatory wastewater samples. The viruses tested include two indicator viruses, four enteric viruses, and nine respiratory viruses. The results showed that cross-assembly phage (crAssphage), human polyomavirus (HPyV), rhinovirus A (RhV A), and rhinovirus B (RhV B) were detected in all wastewater samples using both workflows. However, enterovirus (EV), human norovirus (HNoV GII), human adenovirus (HAdV), bocavirus (BoV), parechovirus (PeV), epstein-barr virus (EBV), influenza A virus (IAV), and respiratory syncytial virus B (RsV B) were infrequently detected by both workflows, and hepatitis A virus (HAV), influenza B virus (IBV), and respiratory syncytial virus B (RsV A) were not detected in any samples. The NMAP workflow had greater detection rates of EV, PeV, and RsV B than the AE workflow, while the AE workflow had greater detection rates of HAdV, BoV, and EBV than the NMAP workflow. The concentration of each virus was also analyzed, and the results showed that CrAssphage had the highest mean concentration (6.76 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL) followed by HPyV (5.46 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL using the AE workflow, while the mean concentrations of enteric and respiratory viruses ranged from 2.48 to 3.63 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL. Using the NMAP workflow, the mean concentration of crAssphage was 5.18 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL and the mean concentration of HPyV was 4.20 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL, while mean concentrations of enteric and respiratory viruses ranged from 2.55 to 3.74 log₁₀ GC/12.5 mL. The mean concentrations of CrAssphage, HPyV, RhV A, and RhV B between the two workflows were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In summary, the present study provides valuable insights into the performance of virus concentration workflows in detecting and quantifying different viruses in aircraft lavatory wastewater samples. The findings can aid in the selection of an appropriate concentration workflow for virus surveillance studies and contribute to the development of efficient and reliable virus detection methods.

The environment is seldom optimal for plant growth and changes in abiotic and biotic signals, including temperature, water availability, radiation and pests, induce plant responses to optimise survival. The New Zealand native plant species and close relative to Arabidopsis thaliana, Pachycladon cheesemanii grows under environmental conditions that are unsustainable for many plant species. Here we compare the responses of both plant species to different stressors (low temperature, salt and UV-B radiation) to help understand how P. cheesemanii can grow in such harsh environments. The stress transcriptomes were then determined and comparative transcriptome and network analyses discovered similar and unique responses within species between different stresses, and between the two plant species. A number of widely studied plant stress processes were highly conserved in A. thaliana and P. cheesemanii. However, in response to cold stress, Gene Ontology terms related to glycosinolate metabolism were only enriched in P. cheesemanii. Salt stress was associated with alteration of the cuticle and proline biosynthesis in A. thaliana and P. cheesemanii, respectively. Anthocyanin production may be a strategy to cope with UV-B radiation stress in P. cheesemanii only. These results allowed us to construct broad stress response pathways in A. thaliana and P. cheesemanii and identify possible novel plant strategies that help mitigate environmental stress.

The aim of this study was to analyze surgical and refractive outcomes of XEN glaucoma implant (Allergan, an Abbvie company, Irvine, CA, USA), a minimally invasive surgical device for the treatment of refractory glaucoma. A retrospective chart review of eyes that received XEN Gel Stent placement from December 2014 to October 2019 was conducted. Intraocular pressure (IOP) change, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), change in glaucoma medications, frequency of slit lamp revision procedures, and frequency of secondary glaucoma surgeries were the primary outcomes. Seventy-two subjects were included in the study: 32 (44%) males and 40 (56%) females. The mean follow-up time was 26.87 ± 15.33 months. The mean IOP before surgery was 24.82 ± 8.03 mmHg and decreased to 17.45 ± 5.84 mmHg at the end of the study, MD = -7.48, CI95 [-10.04; -4.93], p < 0.001. The mean decrease from baseline was 23%. Before surgery BCVA was 0.38±0.30 and at the end of the follow-up period it had improved to 0.47±0.37, MD = 0.09, CI95 [0.04; 0.13], p < 0.001. Additional procedures (fluorouracil injection, Bleb needling) were performed in 11/72 patients (15%). Further glaucoma surgery was necessary for 23.9%% of the patients. Implantation of XEN Gel Stent is both safe and effective for lowering IOP in refractory glaucoma patients.

The effective Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system can improve the reliability, safety and economic benefits of microgrid operation. In this research, the lower central controller and upper WEB monitoring system are connected by the SCADA system which is as the hub of microgrid intelligent monitoring platform. This system contains a set of specific functions programmed by Java as a middleware which can provide control and communication between the central controller and the upper monitoring system. The system realizes the real-time data acquisition and storage, the control instructions parsing and transmitting, the microgrid security and stability, the load balancing and resource recovery of the microgrid. All that functions have been tested and verified in the actual operation.

SerIoT is a Research and Innovation Project funded by the European Commission to demonstrate secure networks for the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper presents an overview of the design for smart and secure network infrastructures for the IoT, based on Software Defined Networks (SDN), named the SerCPN system, whose main component is a smart SDN-Controller with online cognitive security surveillance and reporting, which establishes and dynamically modifies paths that enhance security for IoT devices and end users, and offers a high quality of service (QoS) with required security constraints. This online cognitive surveillance and path management is based on the Cognitive Packet Network (CPN) principle and uses Random Neural Networks (RNN) for decision making.

Innovative tissue engineering biomimetic hydrogels based on hydrophilic polymers have been investigated for their physical and mechanical properties. 5% to 25% by volume loading PHEMA-nanosilica glassy hybrid samples were equilibrated at 37°C in aqueous physiological isotonic and hypotonic saline solutions (0.15 and 0.05 M NaCl) simulating two limiting possible compositions of physiological extracellular fluids. The glassy and hydrated hybrid materials were characterized both for dynamo-mechanical properties and equilibrium absorptions in the two physiological-like aqueous solutions. Mechanical and the morphological modifications occurring in the samples have been described. The 5% volume nanosilica loading hybrid nanocomposite composition showed mechanical characteristics in the dry and hydrated states that were comparable to those of cortical bone and articular cartilage, respectively, and then chosen for further sorption kinetics characterization. Sorption and swelling kinetics were monitored up to equilibrium. Changes in water activities and osmotic pressures in the water-hybrid systems equilibrated at the two limiting solute molarities of the physiological solutions have been related to the observed anomalous sorption modes using the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter approach. The bulk modulus of the dry and glassy PHEMA-5% nanosilica hybrid at 37°C has been observed to be comparable with the values of the osmotic pressures generated from the sorption of isotonic and hypotonic solutions. The anomalous sorption modes and swelling rates are coherent with the difference between osmotic swelling pressures and hybrid glassy nano-composite bulk modulus: the lower the differences the higher the swelling rate and equilibrium solution uptakes. Bone tissue engineering benefits of use of tuneable biomimetic scaffold biomaterials that can be “designed” to act as biocompatible and biomechanically active hybrid interfaces are discussed.

Background The World Health Organization has recently recognized Long COVID, calling the international medical community to strengthen research and comprehensive care of patients with this condition. However, if Long COVID pertains to children as well is not yet clear. Methods An anonymous, online survey was developed by an organization of parents of children suffering from persisting symptoms since initial infection. Parents were asked to report signs and symptoms, physical activity and mental health issues. Only children with symptoms persisting for more than four weeks were included. Results 510 children were included (56.3% females) infected between January 2020 and January 2021. At their initial COVID-19 infection, 22 (4.3%) children were hospitalized. Overall, children had persisting COVID-19 for a mean of 8.2 months (SD 3.9). Most frequent symptoms were: Tiredness and weakness (444 patients, 87.1% of sample), Fatigue (410, 80.4%), Headache (401, 78.6%), Abdominal pain (387, 75.9%), Muscle and joint pain (309, 60.6%), Post-exertional malaise (274, 53.7%), rash (267, 52.4%). 484 (94.9%) children had had at least four symptoms. 129 (25.3%) children have suffered constant COVID-19 infection symptoms, 252 (49.4%) have had periods of apparent recovery and then symptoms returning, and 97 (19.0%) had a prolonged period of wellness followed by symptoms. Only 51 (10.0%) children have returned to previous levels of physical activity. Parents reported a significant prevalence of Neuropsychiatric symptoms. Conclusions Our study provides further evidence on Long COVID in children. Symptoms like fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, rashes and heart palpitations, and mental health issues like lack of concentration and short memory problems, were particularly frequent and confirm previous observations, suggesting that they may characterize this condition. A better comprehension of Long COVID is urgently needed..

In this paper, we prove the existence of three solutions for a $p$-Kirchhoff problem with $\psi$-Hilfer fractional derivative. To be more precise, we use the variational method and we prove that the associated functional energy admits a critical point in each of the three constructed sets, these critical points are weak solutions for a studied problem. Moreover, by definition of these sets, one of these solutions is positive, the second is negative, and the third one change sign. At the end of this work, we present an example to validate our main results.

Materials based on platinum metals with very good catalytic activity were tested in the reduction of p–nitrophenol (pNP) to p–aminophenol (pAP). The majority of presented catalytic materials are based on the adsorption of p–nitrophenol on the surface of the catalyst simultaneously with molecular hydrogen, coming from sodium borohydride in an aqueous medium, which reduces it. In the present paper, a catalytic material based on osmium dispersed in n–decanol or n–dodecanol is presented, which also works as an emulsion membrane, for the absorption of p–nitrophenol and molecular hydrogen at the n–alcohol aqueous solution interface. The hydrogenation of p–nitrophenol is carried out in a reaction and separation column in which the acid receiving phase emulsion is dispersed in the osmium nanodispersion, in n–alcohols. This emulsion circulates from the base of the column to its upper part in co-current or counter-current with the source phase consisting of p–nitrophenol and sodium borohydride. Experiments show that the circulation of counter-current phases is superior to that in co-current, and the emulsion based on n–decanol is more efficient than the one based on n–dodecanol. The increase in the pH difference between the source and receiving phases leads to the increase in the conversion of p–nitrophenol to p–aminophenol. The efficiency of separation of the reaction product in the receiving phase is lower than the conversion at the same operating time. The apparent catalytic rate constant (kapp) of the new catalytic material based on the emulsion membrane with nanodispersion of osmium nanoparticles (0.1×10−3 for n–dodecanol and 0.9×10−3 for n-decanol) is lower by an order of magnitude compared to those based on adsorption on catalysts from platinum metal group. The advantage of the tested membrane catalytic material is that it extracts p–aminophenol in the acid receiving phase. The paper proposes a mechanism of the studied reduction system.

This data descriptor summarizes the process applied to identify, screen, select and gather data from the content of 142 peer-reviewed papers/sources that report on the sources and impacts of recreational disturbance on coastal avifauna. While populations of resident and migratory coastal avifauna are under threat and diminishing rapidly across the planet, and particularly in association with Asian flyways, many governments are leveraging booming global demand for coastal recreation and tourism in order to deliver economic development to regional communities. The summary data shared via this data description was extracted from papers collected in a systematic literature review that was designed to explore the global literature on the recreational disturbance of coastal avifauna in order to elucidate the state of the global knowledge regarding this issue and to identify management strategies that could be applied at tropical Asian destinations to minimize the impacts of recreational disturbance and thus enhance the ecological sustainability of coastal recreation and tourism across the region. The data shared via the Excel worksheet associated with this data descriptor was extracted from peer-reviewed articles published in English between 1 January 2000 and the 31 December 2018 with the full text of the article available online. These articles were found by searching several online indexing several databases including Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest and Google Scholar.

Dielectric elastomers, such as thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), are widely used as dielectric layer, emulation layer and substrate of flexible and stretchable devices. To construct capacitors and actuators that work stably upon deformation, it has become an urgent need to investigate the evolution of dielectricity under stress and strain. However, the lack of effective methods for estimating the dielectric constant of elastomers under strain poses a big challenge. This article reports a device for in-situ measuring the dielectric constant of TPU under strain. It is found that upon stretching TPU to a strain of 400%, its dielectric constant decreases from 8.47 to 2.94. In addition, combined Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray scattering technique, and atomic force microscopy have been utilized to characterize the evolution of microstructure under strain. The investigation under tensile strain reveals that a decreased density and average size of polarized hard domains, along with a tendency of the molecular chains to align in parallel with the tensile stress. The evolution of the microstructures results in a reduction of the dielectric constant parallel to the electric field in TPU. Our work provides valuable experimental reference for improving the stability of flexible sensors and actuators based on dielectric elastomers.

Selenium is essential for the synthesis and function of various selenoenzymes, such as glutathione peroxidases, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase, which play an important role in both antioxidant defense and limiting oxidative damage. Associations between serum selenium concentration and obstetric complications as well as pregnancy outcomes has been reported in many studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether the dietary intake of selenium, its concentration in serum and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in subsequent trimesters of pregnancy affect the birth condition of newborns assessed on the basis of the Apgar score in the 1st and 5th minute of life, birth weight, body length and head and chest circumference in physiological and complicated pregnancy course. Twenty-seven pregnant women at a mean age 29.6 ± 4.8 years from the Lower Silesia region of Poland were recruited to the study, 55% of studied group had pregnancy complications. The mean reported Se intake and serum selenium content for Polish pregnant women was in the first trimester – 56.53 μg/day and 43.75 μg/l, the second trimester – 61.79 μg/day and 41.77 μg/l and the third trimester – 58.37 μg/day and 42.13 μg/l, respectively. In the subgroup of pregnant women with a physiological pregnancy course, a weak, although statistically significant, positive correlation was found in the first trimester between Se intake and the length (R=0.48, p=0.019) and birth weight of newborns (R=0.472, p=0.022), and in the second trimester with the APGAR score at 1 (R=0.680, p=0.005) and 5 minutes (R=0.55, p=0.033), as well as in the third trimester with th APGAR score at 1 minut (R=0.658, p=0.019). The GPX value had a strong positive correlation with the APGAR score at 1 min. (R=0.650, p=0.008) in the second trimester and with the birth weight of the newborns (R=0.598, p=0.039) in the third trimester. There was no correlation between newborns' birth measurements and serum selenium concentration. In the subgroup of pregnant women with pregnancy complications, a strong, statistically significant, negative correlation was found between Se intake in the second trimester and gestational age (R=-0.618, p=0.032), and in the third trimester, a positive correlation between Se concentration in serum and head circumference (R=0.587, p=0.021). The obtained results indicate that there is a relationship between the maternal selenium status during pregnancy, both in terms of the intake of this element, its serum concentration as well as the glutathione peroxidase activity, and the anthropometric parameters of the newborn, such as birth weight, length and APGAR score, especially in the group with physiological course of pregnancy, but when pregnancy complications occur, these relationships lose their importance.

Aim: this scoping review was designed to identify studies that assess the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for older people in Australian aged-care facilities. This review critically evaluated each published study to identify the risk of, or actual adverse drug events in older people. Inclusion criteria: This review considered any clinical studies that examined the adverse effects of medications in older people who were living in aged-care facilities. This review considered qualitative studies, analytical studies, RCTs, descriptive cross-sectional studies, and analytic observational studies that explored the use of medications and their adverse effects on older people in clinical settings (including aged care facilities). Methods: An initial search of the PubMed, OvidSP, EBSCOHost, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online, SAGE, and SCOPUS databases, with full text was performed, followed by an analysis of the article’s title and abstract. Additionally, MeSH was used to describe the article. The initial round of the database search was based on inclusion criteria from studies that assessed tools or protocols aiming to identify the adverse effects of medications on the elderly population suffering chronic conditions or multiple co-morbidities. Two reviewers screened the retrieved papers for inclusion. The data presented in this review are in tabular forms and a narrative summary which aligns with the review’s objectives. Results: Seven studies were identified, and the extracted data from these studies were grouped according their characteristics and the auditing results of each study. Conclusion: There was no comprehensive or broadly adverse drug reaction assessment tool derived from Australian data that has been used on the elderly in an Australian healthcare setting.

The main purpose of the work was to determine the powder composition and properties of iron-based sinters used as a matrix in metallic diamond tools. The FeCuSnNi sinters obtained from a mixture of commercial powders were used for research. The material was subjected to milling in a ball mill and sinter have been performed with the hot-pressing technique in a graphite mold. The physical and mechanical properties of the sinters were tested. The investigations of obtained sinters concerned density, porosity, hardness, oxygen content, static tensile test and analysis of microstructure. The static tensile test was carried out with the use of a universal testing machine UTS-100. The study of the microstructure of sinters was performed using the JSM-7100F scanning electron microscope. The sinters are characterized by a high coefficient of thermal expansion and good mechanical properties. The FeCuSnNi sinter revealed a complex phase structure. Spot chemical analysis revealed the presence of Fe solution, Cu solution and the presence of iron oxides oxides. Nickel atoms were present throughout the sinter volume. The obtained results indicate that the presented material can be used as a matrix of a diamond-metal composite in diamond tools for the processing of natural stones and building materials.

Mass transfer restrictions of scaffolds are currently hindering the development of three-dimensional (3D), clinically viable, and tissue engineered constructs. For this situation, a 3D poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite porous scaffold, which was much favorable for transfer of nutrients to and waste products from the cells in the pores, was developed in this study. The 3D scaffold had an innovative structure, including macropores with diameters of 300−450 μm for cell ingrowth and microchannels with diameters of 2−4 μm for nutrition and waste exchange. The mechanical strength in wet state was strong enough to offer the structural support. The typical structure was more beneficial for the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium (Ca) deposition were evaluated on the differentiation of rBMSCs, and the results indicated that the microchannel structure was very favorable for differentiating rBMSCs into maturing osteoblasts. For repairing rabbit radius defects in vivo, there was rapid healing in the defects treated with the 3D porous scaffold with microchannels, where the bridging by a large bony callus was observed at 12 weeks post-surgery. Based on the results, the 3D porous scaffold with microchannels was a promising candidate for bone defect repair.

Simple Summary: This review explores the origin of Leukemic Stem-Like Cells (LSLCs) from (Very) Small Leukemic Stem-Like Cells ((V)SLSLCs) and Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) from trans-formed Very Small Embryonic-Like Stem Cells (VSELSCs). Understanding this relation is a step toward uncovering the mechanisms behind cancer and leukemia initiation and development. We explore how these very small precursor cell stages might contribute to the initiation and progres-sion of cancer as well as leukemia with a focus on Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) as a model. Abstract: Recent experimental findings indicate that CSCs originate from transformed VSELSCs, which are early precursor stages of healthy stem cells. This discovery marks a crucial step in understanding the mechanisms that drive cancer development and initiation. Our team's follow-up studies on leukemia, lung cancer, and healthy embryonic kidney cells have, for the first time, identified stag-es resembling very small precursor stem cells in continuously growing cell lines. These findings suggest the existence of (Very) Small Cancer Stem Cells ((V)SCSCs) or (V)SLSCs within respective subpopulations of CSCs and LSCs in vivo. In this review, we explore theoretical examples of how leukemia progresses through various stages, highlighting the role of these very small precursor cells as fundament primitive stages. We also discuss the potential implications of further research into these unique cellular stages for advancing cancer and leukemia treatment and prevention strategies.

p53 and p73 are critical tumor suppressors often inactivated in human cancers through various mechanisms. Owing to high structural homology, the proteins have many common functions and recognize the same set of genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. p53 is known as the ‘guardian of the genome’ and together with p73 form a barrier against cancer development and progression. The TP53 is mutated in more than 50% of all human cancers and the germline mutations in TP53 predispose to the early onset of multiple tumors in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), the inherited cancer predisposition. In cancers where TP53 gene is intact, p53 is degraded. Despite the ongoing efforts, the treatment of cancers remains challenging. This is due to late diagnoses, the toxicity of current standard of care and marginal benefit of newly approved therapies. Presently, the endeavours focus on reactivating p53 exclusively, neglecting the potential of the restoration of p73 protein for cancer eradication. Taken that several small molecules reactivating p53 failed in clinical trials, there is a need to develop new treatments targeting p53 proteins in cancer. This review outlines the most advanced strategies to reactivate p53 and p73 and describes drug repurposing approaches for the efficient reinstatement of the p53 proteins for cancer therapy.

In this paper the thermodynamic and reactivity study of light alcohol fuels was prepared, based on experimental and numerical results. We also tested the influence of water addition on fundamental properties of the combustion reactivity dynamics in closed vessels, like the maximum explosion pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise and the explosion delay time of alcohol-air mixtures. Substances that we investigated were: methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and iso-propanol. All experiments were conducted at initial conditions of 323.15 K and 1 bar in a 20 dm3 closed testing vessel. We investigated the reactivity and thermodynamic properties during the combustion of liquid fuel-air mixtures with equivalence ratios between 0.3-0.7 as well as some admixtures with water, to observe water mitigation effects. All light alcohols samples were prepared at the same initial conditions on a volumetric basis by mixing the pure components. The volumetric water content of the admixtures was varied from 10 to 60 vol%. The aim of water addition was to investigate the influence of thermodynamic properties of light alcohols and to find out to which extent a water addition may accomplish mitigation of combustion dynamics and thermodynamic reactivity.

Some peptide-based drugs including oxytocin, vasopressin, ziconotide, pramlintide, nesiritide, and octreotide, contain one intramolecular disulfide bonds. A novel and reusable monodispersed silica nanosphere-supported Pt(IV) complex (SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV)) was synthesized via a four-step procedure and used for formation of intramolecular disulfide bonds in peptides. TEM and chemical mapping results for the Pt(II) intermediates and for SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) show that the silica nanospheres possess a monodisperse spherical structure and contain uniformly distributed Si, O, C, N, Cl, and Pt. The valence state of Pt on the silica nanospheres was characterized by XPS. The Pt(IV) loaded on SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) was 0.15 mmol/g, as determined by UV-vis spectrometry. Formation of intramolecular disulfides in six dithiol-containing peptides of variable lengths by use of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) was investigated and the relative oxidation yields were determined by HPLC. In addition, peptide 1 (Ac-CPFC-NH2) was utilized to study the reusability of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV). No significant decrease in the relative oxidation yield was observed after ten reaction cycles. Moreover, the structure of SiO2@TPEA@Pt(IV) after being used ten cycles was determined to be similar to its initial one, demonstrating the cycling stability of the complex.

In this paper, we introduce the (ρ,q)-analogue of the p-adic factorial function. By utilizing some properties of (ρ,q)-numbers, we obtain several new and interesting identities and formulas. We then construct the p-adic (ρ,q)-gamma function by means of the mentioned factorial function. We investigate several properties and relationships belonging to the foregoing gamma function, some of which are given for the case p = 2. We also derive more representations of the p-adic (ρ,q)-gamma function in general case. Moreover, we consider the p-adic (ρ,q)-Euler constant derived from the derivation of p-adic (ρ,q)-gamma function at x = 1. Furthermore, we provide a limit representation of aforementioned Euler constant based on (ρ,q)-numbers. Finally, we consider (ρ,q)-extension of the p-adic beta function via the p-adic (ρ,q)-gamma function and we then investigate various formulas and identities.

Accelerating, exact, explicit and simple solutions of relativistic hydrodynamics allow for a simple and natural description of highly relativistic p+p collisions. These solutions yield a finite rapidity distribution, thus they lead to an advanced estimate of the initial energy density of high energy collisions. We show that such an advanced estimate yields an initial energy density in $\sqrt{s}=7$ and 8 TeV p+p collisions at LHC around or above the critical energy density from lattice QCD, and a corresponding initial temperature above the critical temperature from QCD and the Hagedorn temperature. This suggests that the collision energy of the LHC corresponds to a large enough initial energy density to create a non-hadronic perfect fluid even in pp collisions. %We also show, that several times the %critical energy density may have been reached in high multiplicity events, hinting at a non-hadronic medium created in %high multiplicity $\sqrt{s}=7$ and 8 TeV p+p collisions.

Cryptosporidiosis is a widespread disease caused by the parasitic protozoan Cryptosporidium spp., which infects various vertebrate species, including humans. Once unknown as a gastroenteritis-causing agent, Cryptosporidium spp. is now recognized as a pathogen causing life-threatening disease, especially in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. Advances in diagnostic methods and increased awareness have led to a significant shift in the perception of Cryptosporidium spp. as a pathogen. Nowadays, genomic and proteomic studies have played a main role in understanding the molecular biology of this complex-life-cycle parasite. Genomics has enabled the identification of numerous genes involved in the parasite's development and interaction with hosts. Proteomics has allowed for the identification of protein interactions, their function, structure, and cellular activity. The combination of these two approaches has significantly contributed to the development of new diagnostic tools, vaccines, and drugs for cryptosporidiosis. In this review, we summarize the major accomplishments in the field of Cryptosporidium research using genomics and proteomics.

The main objective of this work is the assessment of the annual number of hospital admissions for respiratory disease (HARD) due to the exposure to in-healable particulate matter (PM10), within the greater Athens area (GAA), Greece. Towards this aim, the time series of the particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10μm (PM10) recorded in six monitoring stations located in the GAA, for a 13-year period 2001-2013, is used. Initially, a descriptive statistical treatment of PM10 concentrations took place. Furthermore, the AirQ2.2.3 software developed by the WHO was used to evaluate adverse health effects by PM10 in the GAA during the examined period. The results show that, during the examined period PM10 concentrations present a significant decreasing trend. Also, the mean annual HARD cases per 100,000 inhabitants ranged between 20 (suburban location) and 40 (city centre location). Approximately 70% of the annual HARD cases are due to city centre residents. In all examined locations, a declining trend in the annual number of HARD cases is appeared. Moreover, a strong relation between the annual number of HARD cases and the annual number of days exceeding the European Union daily PM10 threshold value was found.

It is increasingly common for experiments in biology and medicine to involve large numbers of hypothesis tests. A natural graphical method for visualizing these tests is to construct a histogram from the p-values of these tests. In this article, we examine the shapes, both normal and abnormal, that these histograms can take on, as well as present simple inferential procedures that help to interpret the shapes in terms of diagnosing potential problems with the experiment. We examine potential causes of these problems in detail, and discuss potential remedies. Throughout, examples of abnormal-looking p-value histograms are provided and based on case studies involving real biological experiments.

P versus NP is considered as one of the most fundamental open problems in computer science. This consists in knowing the answer of the following question: Is P equal to NP? It was essentially mentioned in 1955 from a letter written by John Nash to the United States National Security Agency. However, a precise statement of the P versus NP problem was introduced independently by Stephen Cook and Leonid Levin. Since that date, all efforts to find a proof for this problem have failed. Another major complexity class is NP-complete. It is well-known that P is equal to NP under the assumption of the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for some NP-complete. We show that the Monotone Weighted Xor 2-satisfiability problem (MWX2SAT) is NP-complete and P at the same time. Certainly, we make a polynomial time reduction from every directed graph and positive integer k in the K-CLOSURE problem to an instance of MWX2SAT. In this way, we show that MWX2SAT is also an NP-complete problem. Moreover, we create and implement a polynomial time algorithm which decides the instances of MWX2SAT. Consequently, we prove that P = NP.

We previously showed that mice with knockout in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PPARGC1A) gene encoding the PGC-1a protein and nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (NFE2L2) gene, showed some features of the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) phenotype. To further explore the mechanism behind the involvement of PGC-1a in AMD pathogenesis we used young (3-month) and old (12-month) mice with knockout in the PPARGC1A gene and age-matched wild-type (WT) animals. An immunohistochemical analysis showed age-dependent different expression of markers of oxidative stress defense, senescence and autophagy in the retinal pigment epithelium of KO animals as compared with their WT counterparts. Multivariate inference testing showed that senescence and autophagy proteins had the greatest impact on the discrimination between KO and WT 3-month animals, but proteins of antioxidant defense also contributed to that discrimination. A bioinformatic analysis showed that PGC-1a might coordinate the interplay between genes encoding proteins involved in antioxidant defense, senescence and autophagy in the aging retina. These data support importance of PGC-1a in AMD pathogenesis and confirm the utility of mice with PGC-1a knockout as an animal model to study AMD pathogenesis.

A series of dinuclear copper(I) N,C,N- and P,C,P-carbodiphosphorane (CDP) complexes using multidentate ligands CDP(Py)2 (1) and (CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) have been isolated and characterized. Detailed structural information was gained by single crystal XRD analyses of nine representative examples. The common structural motive is the central double ylidic carbon atom with its characteristic two lone-pairs involved into binding of two geminal L-Cu(I) fragments at Cu-Cu distances in the range 2.55 – 2.67 Å. In order to enhance conformational rigidity within the characteristic Cu-C-Cu triangle, two types of chelating side arms were symmetrically attached to each phosphorus atom: two 2-pyridyl functions in ligand CDP(Py)2 (1) and its dinuclear copper complexes 2-9 and 11, as well as two diphenylphosphinomethylene functions in ligand CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) and its di- and mononuclear complexes 14-18. Neutral complexes were typically obtained via reaction of 1 with Cu(I) species CuCl, CuI, and CuSPh or via salt elimination reaction of [(CuCl)2(CDP(Py)2] (2) with sodium carbazolate. Cationic Cu(I) complexes were prepared upon treating 1 with two equivalents of [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6, followed by the addition of either two equivalent of an aryl phosphine (PPh3, P(C6H4OMe)3) or one equivalent of a bisphosphine ligands DPEPhos, XantPhos or dppf. For the first time carbodiphosphorane CDP(CH2PPh2)2 (13) could be isolated upon treating its precursor [CH(dppm)2]Cl (12) with NaNH2 in liquid NH3. A protonated and a deprotonated derivative of ligand 13 were prepared and their coordination was compared to neutral CDP ligand 13. NMR analysis and DFT calculations reveal, that the most stable tautomer of 13 does not show a CDP (or carbone) structure in its uncoordinated base form. For most of the prepared complexes, photoluminescence upon irradiation with UV light at room temperature was observed. Quantum yields (PL) were determined to 36% for dicationic [(CuPPh3)2(CDP(Py)2)](PF6)2 (4) and to 60% for neutral [(CuSPh)2(CDP(CH2PPh2)2] (16).

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) develops when the immunotolerant environment of the liver is compromised due to excessive alcohol consumption. ALD progression involves variations in the expression of multiple genes, resulting in liver inflammation and the development of a leaky gut. Molecular mechanism involved for ALD progression is still unclear, and due to that there are currently no FDA-approved drugs available for its treatment. In this study, the protective effects of Graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO) was investigated against ethanol-induced damage in the gut-liver axis in in vitro. GO was synthesized using a modified Hummer's method and characterization was done. Given the general concerns regarding nanoparticle toxicity, assessment of cell viability, lipid accumulation, DNA damage, cell death, and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were conducted using various techniques. Furthermore, gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was done using RT-qPCR. The findings revealed that GOs promoted cell viability even against ethanol treatment. Additionally, lipid accumulation significantly decreased when cells were treated with GO alongside ethanol compared to ethanol treatment alone, with similar trends observed for other assays. Gene expression analysis indicated that GO treatment reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines while enhancing the expression of antioxidant genes. Moreover, GO treatment led to improvements in gut permeability and a reduction in proinflammatory cytokines in colon cells damaged by ethanol. These findings suggest that GO holds promise as a drug carrier, exhibiting no observed toxic effects. By shedding light on the protective effects of GO against ethanol-induced damage, this study contributes to the burgeoning field of nanoparticle-mediated therapy for ALD.

The increase in the frequency of droughts in Africa has increased the interest in crops with drought escape mechanisms like grain Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus). However, the white-seeded grain Amaranth is easily cross-pollinated by its black seeded wild relatives such as smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus). A study to investigate a minimum isolation distance enough to prevent seed contamination study was carried out at three sites namely Gweru and Bindura (2020/2021 rainy season) and Shamva (2021/2022 rainy season). Smooth pigweed was planted at distances of 3 to 150 m from pure grain Amaranth. Close monitoring of phenology and measurement of meteorological conditions such as temperature, wind speed and direction were done during the anthesis period. Cross-pollination in grain Amaranth was influenced by distance from the pollen source. A maximum of 12.9 % contamination rate was measured within the 10 m radius from the pollen donor plot and a minimum outcrossing rate of 0.45 % was recorded at the widest distance of 150 m. It can be concluded that complete removal of wild relatives of grain Amaranth is important within the field at as far as 150 m from the crop.

Although composting has many advantages in the treatment of organic waste, there are still many problems and challenges associated with emissions, like NH3, VOCs, and H2S, as well as greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4, and N2O. One promising approach to enhancing composting conditions is used of novel analytical methods bad on artificial intelligence. To predict and optimize the emissions (CO, CO2, H2S, NH3) during composting process kinetics thought mathematical models (MM) and machine learning (ML) models were utilized. Data about everyday emissions from laboratory composting with compost’s biochar with different incubation (50, 60, 70 °C) and biochar doses (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15% d.m.) were used for MM and ML models selections and training. MM has not been very effective in predicting emissions, (R2 0.1 - 0.9), while ML models such as acritical neural network (ANN, Bayesian Regularized Neural Network; R2 accuracy CO:0,71, CO2:0,81, NH3:0,95, H2S:0,72)) and decision tree (DT, RPART; R2 accuracy CO:0,693, CO2:0,80, NH3:0,93, H2S:0,65) have demonstrated satisfactory results. For the first time the ML models to predict CO and H2S during composting were demonstrated. Further research in a semi-scale and field study composting with biochar is needed to improve the accuracy of developments models.

The importance of contact with nature for human health was confirmed by numerous research. One of the sometimes neglected fields is the landscape design of hospital premises. This study focuses on the perception and preferences of prospective patients regarding the hospital site design. The methodology included anonymous survey with images and lists of adjectives. The online questionnaire was distributed using e-mails and social media from 4th May to 8th July 2024. The objective was to include all age groups. The results confirm previous studies and demonstrate the importance of landscape architecture design of hospital premises for the well-being of patients. The findings may inform the design of hospital sites.

Sustainable and Responsible Design (SRD) harnesses design’s potential to address eco-social problems and in doing so challenge the status quo of design education by reframing the social and ecological consequences, boundaries and agencies of design. This critical and transdisciplinary approach frays the edges of traditional design disciplines with embedded and reflexive modes of learning. We describe characteristics of SRD education and present theories of learning to empower students in this complex terrain. The learning associated with SRD education is ecologically engaged, participative, critical, expansive and designerly. We recount case studies of our own experiences advancing sustainable and responsible undergraduate design education in the UK. We identify path constraints such as disciplinary fragility, appropriation, and power dynamics in the design school. The push for a revision of priorities generates tensions where there is often greenwashing rhetoric of sustainability and inclusivity. We describe strategies and tactics to address these tensions. We highlight the agency we have as educators and designers and argue that design education can only meaningfully participate in response to the challenges presented by climate change, other types of ecocide, and social problems when educators make substantive commitments to supporting sustainability literacies and design approaches that serve the interests of diverse stakeholders.

Modern commercial air travel connects disparate human populations with the global airline industry transporting up to 4.5 billion passengers annually in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. While such connections are convenient for commerce and tourism, air travel networks can also be efficient distributors of infectious diseases such as influenza, SARS-CoV-1, hemorrhagic fevers, and more recently SARS-CoV-2 and monkeypox. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health agencies used multi-layered control strategies including pre-departure testing and vaccination requirements, masking, post-arrival testing, and quarantine to manage the risk of COVID-19 transmission associated with air travel. Simultaneously, the surveillance of aircraft wastewater emerged as a promising new data source to screen for SARS-CoV-2 infections, including newly emergent lineages, among international air travelers. Herein, we review the potential of aircraft wastewater for public health surveillance. The known contributing population and flight itinerary combined with the highly concentrated waste stream and convenient sampling during routine lavatory servicing make aircraft wastewater a strategic opportunity for unintrusive surveillance of the global fluxes of human pathogens. We estimate for the cases of fecal- or urine-shed pathogens, sampling from 3,500 and 1,250 flights per week, respectively, would be required to survey 10% of all global long-haul flight passengers. In the case of the United States, achieving 10% coverage of all international arrivals would require sampling from 925 and 322 flights per week, respectively. Aircraft wastewater surveillance could also be integrated with network and infectious disease models to better inform traditional public health control measures during emerging epidemics. Given the tremendous potential for public good and the massive economic costs of epidemics, governments should consider international collaboration to create a global aircraft wastewater surveillance system.

The normal growth and development of skeletal muscle is essential for the health of the body. The regulation of skeletal muscle by intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites has been continuously revealed. Acetate is the predominant short-chain fatty acid synthesized by gut microbiota through the fermentation of dietary fiber, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms governing the interaction between acetate and skeletal muscle during rapid growth stage remain to be further elucidated; Here, specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice, germ-free (GF) mice, and germ-free mice supplemented with sodium acetate (GS) were used to evaluate the effects of acetate on skeletal muscle growth and development of young mice with gut microbiota deficiency; We found the concentration of serum acetate, body mass gain, succinate dehydrogenase activity and expression of myogenesis maker gene of skeletal muscle in the GS group was higher than GF group following sodium acetate supplement. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis revealed that acetate activated biological processes regulating skeletal muscle growth and development in GF group that are inhibited due to gut microbiota deficiency. In vitro experiment, we proved that acetate up-regulated Gm16062 to promote skeletal muscle cell differentiation; Overall, our findings proved that acetate promote skeletal muscle growth and development in young mice via increase Gm16062 expression.

TRPOMI instrument aboard Sentinel-5P is a relatively new, high-resolution source of information about atmosphere composition. One of the primary atmospheric trace gases that we can observe through it is nitrogen dioxide. By now, we were using the chemical weather model (GEM-AQ) as a mean for estimating nitrogen dioxide concentration on a regional scale. Although well established in atmospheric science, the GEM-AQ simulations were always based on emission data, which in the case of the energy sector were reported by stack owners. In this paper, we attempted to compare the TROPOMI and GEM-AQ derived VCDs over Poland with a particular focus on large point emitters. We also checked how cloudy conditions influence TROPOMI results. Finally, we tried to link the NO2 column number densities with surface concentration using boundary layer height as an additional explanatory variable

The application of graph theory in chemical and molecular structure research far exceeds people's expectations, and it has recently grown exponentially. In the molecular graph, atoms are represented by vertices and bonded by edges. In this report, we study the silicon-carbon Si₂C₃-I[p,q] and Si₂C₃-II[p,q]. We compute several Zagreb polynomials and Redefined Zagreb indices of these silicon-carbons.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Tongue image analysis for disease diagnosis is an ancient traditional non-invasive diagnosis technique widely used by traditional medicine practitioners. Deep Learning based multi-label disease detection models offer tremendous potential to clinical decision support systems, by facilitating preliminary diagnosis. Methods: In this work, we propose a multi-label disease detection pipeline, where in observation and analysis of tongue images captured and received via smartphones assist in predicting the health status of an individual. All images are voluntarily given by subjects consulting collaborating physicians. Images thus acquired are first and foremost classified either into a diseased or a normal category by a 5-fold cross-validation algorithm using a convolution neural network (MobileNetV2) model for binary classification. Once the diseased label is predicted, the image is used to diagnose multiple diseases using the prediction algorithm based on DenseNet121. Results: Average accuracy of 93 % was achieved in classifying diseased from normal healthy tongue by detection model with MobileNetV2 architecture. Multilabel disease classification produced more than 90% accurate results for the seven class labels considered. Conclusion: AI based image analysis shows promising results and an extensive dataset could provide further improvements to this approach. Rather than employing high-cost sophisticated image capturing setup, experimenting with smartphone images opens opportunity to provide preliminary health status to individuals on smartphone prior to further line of treatment and diagnosis.

P-band radar remote sensing applied during the Airborne Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (AirMOSS) mission has shown great potential for estimation of root zone soil moisture. When retrieving the soil moisture profile (SMP) from P-band radar, a mathematical function describing the vertical moisture distribution is required. Because only a limited number of observations are available, the number of free parameters of the mathematical model must not exceed the number of observed data. For example, a second order polynomial that contains 3 free parameters was presumed based on in-situ SMP data. The polynomial is currently parameterized based on 3 backscatter observations provided by AirMOSS (i.e. one frequency at three polarizations of HH, VV and HV). In this paper, a more realistic, physically-based SMP model containing 3 free parameters is derived based on a solution to Richards’ equation for unsaturated flow in soils. Evaluation of the new SMP model based on both numerical simulations and measured data revealed that it exhibits greater flexibility for fitting measured and simulated SMPs than the currently applied polynomial. It is also demonstrated that the new SMP model can be reduced to a second order polynomial at the expense of fitting accuracy.

Additive manufacturing (AM) provides opportunities to design objects differently than traditional manufacturing methods allow, but only if designers understand the possibilities AM presents. In this study, we examined whether an AM workshop combined with an idea generation session could inspire engineering professionals to use AM solutions to solve current technical problems they face. All subjects were employees at an organization that will be referred to as Company X, a multinational commercial organization based in North America. During the study, we collected ideas for 24 projects generated before and after a training workshop focused on design for AM. In the workshop, we provided three hours of instruction about design for two metal-based AM processes. The participants’ ideas were assessed using four specific metrics: (1) cost, (2) time,(3) completeness of solution, and (4) quality, which was a function of feasibility, usefulness, and novelty. Using these data, we explored whether the workshop was effective in inspiring the participants to use AM methods and techniques from AM research in their concept generation and whether participants’ AM solutions showed improvement in cost, implementation time, and quality over non-AM designs generated before the workshop.

Udder diseases (mastitis) are a serious cause of economic losses in sheep breeding as they have a negative impact on lamb rearing and the quality of dairy products. So far the progress in treatment and prevention of these diseases has been insufficient, giving ground for searching possibilities of using natural immunity to combat mastitis. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the microsatellite polymorphism of selected Ovar-MHC genes and the health status of the mammary gland of sheep. The research was carried out on sheep of the Polish Heath and Polish Lowland breeds. In ovine milk the number of somatic cells (SCC) and the percentage of the lymphocyte subpopulation were assessed. On the basis of genomic DNA, molecular analysis of the Ovar-MHC gene fragments (OLADRB1, OLADRB2, OMHC1) polymorphism was performed. Significant differences were found in SCC and the percentage of lymphocytes (CD4, CD8, CD19) in the milk depending on the alleles of the Ovar-MHC genes. Alleles of 488 bp (DRB1) and 284 bp (DRB2) were found more frequently in sheep with healthy udders, while carriers of the 508 bp (DRB1) and 272 bp (DRB2) alleles were more prone to subclinical mastitis. The obtained results justify the need for further research in order to better understanding the genetic basis of mastistis and to search for effective molecular markers that can be used in breeding practice.

There is increasing use of wood-based composites in industry not only because of the shortage of solid wood, but above all for their better properties such as: strength, aesthetic appearance, etc. compared to wood. Medium density fibreboard (MDF) is a wood-based composite that is widely used in the furniture industry. The goal of the research conducted was to determine the effect of the type of coating on the drill cutting blades on the value of thrust force (F_t), cutting torque (M_c), cutting tool temperature (T) and surface roughness of the hole in drilling MDF panels. In the tests three types of carbide drills (HW) were used: not coated, TiAlN coated and ZrN coated. The measurement of both the thrust force and the cutting torque was carried out using an industrial piezoelectric sensor. The temperature of the cutting tool in the drilling process was measured using an industrial temperature measurement system using a K-type thermocouple. It was found that the value of the maximum temperature of the tool in the drilling process depends not only on the cutting speed and feed rate, but also on the type of coating of the cutting tool. The value of both the cutting torque and the thrust force is significantly influenced by the value of the feed rate and the type of drill coating. The effect of varying plate density on the surface roughness of the hole and the variation of the value of the thrust force is also discussed. The results of the investigations were statistically analysed using a multi-factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA).

One of the most important agrotechnical factors that influence the growth conditions of crops is plant density. Alterations in habitat conditions result in the emergence of phytophagous organisms, whose development is closely associated with host plants. The objective of this study was to assess the abundance and species composition of thrips (Thysanoptera) collected in soybean plants of different varieties cultivated under different plant arrangements (row spacing, number of seeds sown differed). The research was conducted at two locations in southwestern Poland between 2015 and 2018. The herbivores that inhabit plants were caught using an entomological net. The experiments were carried out using the complete randomised block design, with four replications. Regardless of location and treatment, thrips were the most numerous group of pests. Thrips tabaci and T. fuscipes were the dominant species within the collected material. A total of 24 species of thrips were identified and their dietary specialisation was determined. The assemblages of studied insects were also analysed due to the density of the plants and the stage of development. The increase in the sowing density of soybean (90 seeds per m2) resulted in a greater total number of thrips compared to a lower sowing density (50 seeds per m2). The number of thrips significantly increased during the flowering period and shortly after the flowering time, which made them a significant threat to the plants. Therefore, it is crucial to develop innovative pest management strategies tailored to effectively grow soybean to mitigate potential pest-related challenges.

The structure characterization of two new polysaccharides from Agrocybe aegerita (AA-P) and Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus (HO-P) by HPGPC, GC-MS, NMR and FT-IR indicated that AA-P was composed of Galactose, Glucose and Arabinose, in the ratio of 3:2:1. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→4)-Arap, (1→4,6)-Glup and (1→6)-Galp with one branched chain. The HO-P was consisted of mannose, galactose and glucose in a ratio of 1:1:2. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→6)-Galactose residues, (→1)-glucose residues, (1→4)-glucose residues and (1→4,6)-D-mannose residues. There were two branched chains connected to the main chain. AA-P and HO-P had the best stimulation effect on B cells and RAW264.7 cells, respectively, and could both mainly by impacting and reducing G0/G1 phase which lead to a significant proliferation of B cells, T cells and RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AA-P and HO-P could significantly promote the secretion of TNF-α from T cells, the secretion of IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM from B cells, and the secretion of TNF-α from RAW264.7 cells, but neither of them could impact the secretion of IL-1β from RAW264.7 cells.

The question does P = NP has confounded mathematicians and computer scientists alike for over 50 years and although there is an almost unanimous agreement that it in fact does not, there still is no absolute proof. In this paper, I attempt to prove to that P does not equal NP.

According to a number of authors, current social-economic and environmental problems require radical solutions, including the change of our approach to economy and looking for new models of its functioning. In Poland such trends are being recognised as well, having their reflection in the economic life. An approach described in this article concerns an intermediate sharing model, which may be placed between the most archetypical sharing, which is applied, among other, in family relationships, and sharing platforms that are raising growing controversies, such as UBER and Airbnb. The article uses the analysis of solutions applied in this regard in Poland and a survey carried out among students of the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk, aimed at determining factors that affect changes in consumer behaviour.

The processes of an ageing population are becoming a challenge in the context of social, technological, and research policy. Also, according to the perspective 2080, Poland belongs to the group of counties with the prognosticated number of citizens over 65 to account for one-third of the population. Different strategies aimed at dealing with the mentioned demographic challenges include widespread use of humanoids in care for older people. As the research of such nature was the first in Poland, this article aimed to identify the factors and their interlinks that determine the attitude and the future use of humanoids by older people of the Polish society. Based on the specific attributes of humanoid technology, the model hypothesises that an attitude to technology can be directly predicted by four perceived technology attributes, namely an impact on the quality of life, technological impact, ethical and social problems, while user attitude towards humanoid technology is predicted to have an indirect influence on the future intention of use. A survey method was used to collect research data. An electronic questionnaire was used to conduct confidential interviews. Finally, 643 filled questionnaires were received. Results received via a regression analysis confirmed that the most important factor influencing human attitudes was a positive social impact achieved using humanoids in the care of lonely people and improving the safety of older people. Another important factor was a technological impact from the use of humanoids performing functions desired by respondents. The technology in question could be useful for reminding older people about taking medication, informing family members about the health condition of their older people and calling for help on their behalf.

Intellectual disability with speech delay and behavioural abnormalities as well as hypotonia, seizures, feeding difficulties and cra-niofacial dysmorphism are the main symptoms associated with pathogenic variants of ZMYND11 gene. The range of clinical mani-festations of ZMYND phenotype is constantly being expanded by new cases described in the literature. Here, we present 2 previ-ously unreported paediatric patients with neurodevelopmental features diagnosed with missense variants in ZMYND11 gene. It should be noted that one of the individuals manifested with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia (HH), a symptom that was not de-scribed before in published works. Although the reason for the occurrence of HH in our proband is not clear, it is likely that it broadens the spectrum of symptoms characteristic of ZMYND11 syndrome. Thus, this paper contributes to extending the range of possible manifestations of ZMYND disease and further supports its association with neurodevelopmental challenges.

High PM10 concentrations are still a significant problem in many parts of the world. In many countries, including Poland, 50μg/m3 is the permissible threshold for a daily averaged PM10 concentration. The number of people affected by this threshold’s exceedance is challenging to estimate and requires high-resolution concentration maps. This paper presents an application of random forests for downscaling regional model air quality results. As policymakers and other end users are eager to receive a detailed resolution PM10 concentration maps, we propose a technique which utilizes the results of regional CTM (GEM-AQ, with 2.5km resolution) and local Gaussian plume model. As a result, we receive a detailed, 250-meter resolution PM10 distribution, which resembles the complex emission pattern in a foothill area in southern Poland. The random forest results are highly consistent with the GEM-AQ and observed concentration. We also discuss different strategies of data training random forest - using additional features and selecting target variables.

The investment in digital e-Health services is a priority direction in the development of global health care systems. While people are increasingly using the Web for health information, it is not entirely clear what is the physicians’ attitude towards digital transformation, and the acceptance of new technologies in healthcare. The aim of this cross-sectional survey study was to investigate physicians’ self-digital skills, and their opinions on obtaining online health knowledge by patients, as well as the recognition of physicians’ attitudes towards e-Health solutions. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to emerge the variables from self-designed questionnaire, and cross-sectional analysis comparing descriptive statistics and correlations for dependent variables using the one-way ANOVA (F-test). 307 physicians participated in the study, reported using the internet mainly several times a day (66.8%). Most participants (70.4%) were familiar with new technologies and rate their e-Health literacy high, although 84.0% reported the need for additional training in this field, and reported a need to introduce a larger number of subjects shaping digital skills (75.9%) in medical studies 53.4% of physicians perceived Internet-sourced information as sometimes reliable, and in general assessed the effects of using it by their patients negatively (41.7%). Digital skills increased significantly with frequency of internet use (F = 13.167; p = 0.0001), and decreased with physicians’ age, and the need for training. Those who claimed that patients often experienced health benefits from online health showed higher digital skills (-1.06). Physicians most often recommended their patients to obtain laboratory test results online (32.2%), and to arrange medical appointments via the Internet (27.0%). Along with the deterioration of physicians’ digital skills, the recommendation of e-Health solutions decreased (r = 0.413), and lower the assessment of e-Health solutions for the patient (r = 0.449). Physicians perceive digitization as a sign of the times, and frequently use its tools in daily practice. The evaluation of Dr. Google’s phenomenon and online health is directly related to their own e-Health literacy skills, but there is still a need for practical training to deal with digital revolution.

The zoonotic Anisakidae nematodes Anisakis sp., Pseudoterranova sp., Contracaecum sp. have been found in Baltic Sea fish species. In particular, there has been an alarming increase in the dispersion of Contracaecum sp. over the last decade, due to the growing number of grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) in the area. This marine mammal is also the final host in the Pseudoterranova sp. life cycle. The aim of our study was to summarize the presence of Anisakidae nematodes in the salmon (Salmo salar) and other commercially important fish species (cod, herring and sprat) from Polish marine waters. This was evaluated by parasitological inspection of the internal organs and body cavities of 89 individual salmon and the results were compared with infection levels in cod, herring and sprat. The presence of Pseudoterranova sp. is reported for the first time here in the muscle tissue of salmon from the Baltic Sea. In addition, we highlight the elevated levels of cod and sprat infection with Contracaecum sp. over the last decade. The presence of Anisakidae nematodes in commercially important fish species may have implications for human health since these parasites pose a risk of anisakidosis.

The Mediterranean region offers good weather conditions for outdoor pig production (OPP), which is considered more environmentally friendly than intensive indoor production. However, the continuous input of food and pigs' excreta increases the soil organic matter (SOM) and phosphorus (P), increasing the risk of waterbodies eutrophication. This work aimed at evaluating in OPP areas soil P dynamics and the role of SOM on P sorption and P release. The experiment was done for two years, at an area of 2.8 ha with an animal charge of 9 adults ha-1. Georeferenced soil samples were taken at 0.20 m depth, and a soil P sorption experiment was carried out. At the end of the experiment, for the background value, the levels of SOM increased between 85–376%, and Olsen P values ranged between -82–884%. SOM levels above 2% caused a decrease in the binding energy of P sorption according to the linear model b=-15.541SOM+115.20 (p <0.01) as well as a decrease of the soil P sorption capacity Qmax=-41.272SOM+298.37 (p <0.01). To avoid the accumulation of SOM and P preventing hotspots for waterbodies eutrophication, an adequate animal charge together with soil cultivation for pig grazing can be a cost-effective practice.

: Inflammation may mediate the association of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) with ventricular scarring and arrhythmia. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of neutrophil- and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR, PLR) with ventricular arrhythmia in MVP. Clinical and demographic data were extracted from electronic medical records for all patients aged 18-90 years with MVP on echocardiography between 2016-19 at our institution. We studied 65 patients who had a differential blood count within six months prior to ambulatory ECG (A- ECG) (medi-an age [IQR] 70 [61-77] years; 62% female; 12% African American). Patients with surgery or in-fection within six months prior to CBC were excluded. Complex or frequent ventricular ectopy (cfVE) was defined as the presence of two or more premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) on a 10-second ECG tracing or greater than 1% PVC burden or NSVT on ambulatory ECG monitoring. Logistic and bivariate regression was used to analyze clinical, electrocardiographic and echo-cardiographic factors associated with NLR and PLR. Factors associated with higher NLR were congestive heart failure (p=0.005), male sex (p=0.01), age (p=0.003), and bileaflet MVP (p=0.04). NLR was associated with higher absolute PVC burden (rs=0.28, p=0.03) and cfVE (median NLR [IQR] 3.0 [1.6 – 6.3]) with cfVE versus (2.4 [1.4-3.4], p=0.04) without cfVE. An NLR of 5.6 yielded 50% sensitivity and 90% specificity for PVC burden >1% (AUC 0.69). No significant association was found between PLR and PVC burden or cfVE. NLR is associated with PVC burden and com-plex ventricular ectopy in MVP, suggesting that inflammation is a significant factor in the patho-genesis of ventricular arrhythmia in this condition.

Despite the uptake of tobacco smoking declining in the UK, smoking is still the leading cause of preventable poor health and premature death. While improved approaches to smoking cessation are necessary, encouraging and assisting smokers to switch by using substantially less toxic non-tobacco nicotine products may be a possible option. To date few studies have investigated the rates of smoking cessation and smoking reduction associated with the free provision of electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarette) to smokers. In this study the Blu Pro e-cigarette was given to smokers for use in place of tobacco for 90 days. The rates of smoking abstinence and daily smoking patterns were assessed at baseline 30 days, 60 days and 90 days. The response rate was 87%. After 90 days, the complete abstinence rate was 36.5% from 0% at baseline. Frequency of daily smoking reduced from 88.7% to 17.5% (P<0.001) and median consumption of cigarettes/day from 15 to 5 (P<0.001). Median days per month participants smoked also dropped from 30 to 13 after 90-days (P<0.001). On the basis of these results there may be value in smoking cessation services and other services ensuring that smokers are provided with e-cigarettes at zero or minimal costs for at least a short period of time.

The performance of modern wireless communication systems is highly dependent on the adoption of multiple antennas and the associated signal processing. In 5G and 6G networks, beamforming and beam management become challenging tasks due to aspects such as user mobility, increased number of antennas, and the adoption of higher frequencies. Artificial intelligence, and more specifically, machine learning, are efficient tools to reduce the complexity involved in generating beams and the overhead associated with beam management without sacrificing system performance. Therefore, AI-aided beamforming and beam management have received a lot of attention recently. This article presents a complete survey on this topic, emphasizing open problems and promising directions. The discussion includes architectural and signal processing aspects of modern beamforming and beam management. The article presents communication problems and respective solutions using centralized/decentralized, supervised/unsupervised, semi-supervised, active, federated, and reinforcement learning.

Organic electrophoretic coatings have gained significant attention due to their ability to provide a uniform and controlled coating thickness, high coating adhesion, and excellent corrosion protection properties. In this work, to investigate the aging behaviors of an organic electrophoretic coating for magnesium alloys, water absorption kinetics curves of the coatings after immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl at 20℃ and 40℃ were measured, and parameters such as the saturated water absorption and saturation time of the free film coatings were fitted to determine the densification evolution of the organic coatings. A tensile test was used to test the tensile strength of the organic coating during service to determine the evolution of the strength and toughness of the organic coating. The evolution of wet adhesion of organic coatings with service time was tested by ASTM D4541-02. The impedance spectra of the organic coatings under the above conditions were detected by EIS, and finally, the failure behavior of the organic coatings under immersion was analyzed.

We prove the continuous non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Banach space and Hilbert space versions of non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Welch bounds proved by M. Krishna. We formulate continuous non-Archimedean and p-adic functional Zauner conjectures.

We prove the non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Banach space version of non-Archimedean (resp. p-adic) Welch bounds recently obtained by M. Krishna. More precisely, we prove following results. \begin{enumerate}[\upshape(i)] \item Let $\mathbb{K}$ be a non-Archimedean (complete) valued field satisfying $\left|\sum_{j=1}^{n}\lambda_j^2\right|=\max_{1\leq j \leq n}|\lambda_j|^2$ for all $ \lambda_j \in \mathbb{K}, 1\leq j \leq n$, for all $n \in \mathbb{N}.$ Let $\mathcal{X}$ be a $d$-dimensional non-Archimedean Banach space over $\mathbb{K}$. If $\{\tau_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}$ and $\{f_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}^*$ (dual of $\mathcal{X}$) satisfying $f_j(\tau_j) =1$ for all $1\leq j \leq n$ and the operator $S_{f, \tau} : \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X})\ni x \mapsto \sum_{j=1}^nf_j^{\otimes m}(x)\tau_j^{\otimes m} \in \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X})$, is diagonalizable, then \begin{align}\label{NONFUNCTIONALWELCH} \max_{1\leq j,k \leq n, j \neq k}\{|n|, |f_j(\tau_k)f_k(\tau_j)|^{m} \}\geq \frac{|n|^2}{\left|{d+m-1 \choose m}\right| }. \end{align} We call Inequality (\ref{NONFUNCTIONALWELCH}) as non-Archimedean functional Welch bounds. \item For a prime $p$, let $\mathbb{Q}_p$ be the p-adic number field. Let $\mathcal{X}$ be a $d$-dimensional p-adic Banach space over $\mathbb{Q}_p$. If $\{\tau_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}$ and $\{f_j\}_{j=1}^n$ is any collection in $\mathcal{X}^*$ (dual of $\mathcal{X}$) satisfying $f_j(\tau_j) =1$ for all $1\leq j \leq n$ and there exists $b \in \mathbb{Q}_p$ such that $ \sum_{j=1}^{n}f_j^{\otimes m}(x) \tau_j^{\otimes m} =bx$ for all $ x \in \text{Sym}^m(\mathcal{X}),$ then \begin{align}\label{PADICFUNCTIONALWELCH} \max_{1\leq j,k \leq n, j \neq k}\{|n|, |f_j(\tau_k)f_k(\tau_j)|^{m} \}\geq \frac{|n|^2}{\left|{d+m-1 \choose m}\right| }. \end{align} We call Inequality (\ref{PADICFUNCTIONALWELCH}) as p-adic functional Welch bounds. \end{enumerate} We formulate non-Archimedean functional and p-adic functional Zauner conjectures.

Oleuropein, glycosylated secoiridoid present in olive leaves is known to be an important antioxidant phenolic compound. We studied the antioxidant effect of low doses of oleuropein aglycone (3,4-DHPEA-EA) and oleuropein aglycone peracetylated (3,4-DHPEA-EA(P)) in murine C2C12 myocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Both compounds were used at a concentration of 10 μM and were able to inhibit cell death induced by the H2O2 treatment, with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) being more. Under our experimental conditions, H2O2 efficiently induced the phosphorylated-active form of JNK and of its downstream target c-Jun. We demonstrated, by Western blot analysis, that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) was efficient in inhibiting the phospho-active form of JNK. This data suggests that the growth arrest and cell death of C2C12 proceeds via the JNK/c-Jun pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) affects the myogenesis of C2C12 cells; because MyoD mRNA levels and the differentiation process are restored with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) after treatment. Overall, the results indicate that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) prevents ROS-mediated degenerative process in a genomic and epigenomic manner by functioning as an efficient antioxidant.

Oleuropein, glycosylated secoiridoid present in olive leaves is known to be an important antioxidant phenolic compound. We studied the antioxidant effect of low doses of oleuropein aglycone (3,4-DHPEA-EA) and oleuropein aglycone peracetylated (3,4-DHPEA-EA(P)) in murine C2C12 myocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Both compounds were used at a concentration of 10 μM and were able to inhibit cell death induced by the H2O2 treatment, with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) being more. Under our experimental conditions, H2O2 efficiently induced the phosphorylated-active form of JNK and of its downstream target c-Jun. We demonstrated, by Western blot analysis, that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) was efficient in inhibiting the phospho-active form of JNK. This data suggests that the growth arrest and cell death of C2C12 proceeds via the JNK/c-Jun pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) affects the myogenesis of C2C12 cells; because MyoD mRNA levels and the differentiation process are restored with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) after treatment. Overall, the results indicate that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) prevents ROS-mediated degenerative process in a genomic and epigenomic manner by functioning as an efficient antioxidant.

The application of graph theory in chemical and molecular structure research far exceeds people's expectations, and it has recently grown exponentially. In the molecular graph, atoms are represented by vertices and bonded by edges. Closed forms of multiplicative degree-based topological indices which are numerical parameters of the structure and determine physico-chemical properties of the concerned molecular compound. In this article, we compute and analyze many multiplicative degree-based topological indices of silicon-carbon Si₂C₃-I[p,q] and Si₂C₃-II[p,q].

The study investigated, in a rat model of low-level and moderate environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd; 1 or 5 mg Cd/kg diet, respectively, for 3-24 months), whether the co-administration of 0.1% extract from Aronia melanocarpa L. berries (AE) may protect against oxidative stress in the liver. The intoxication with Cd, dose- and duration-dependently, weakened the enzymatic antioxidative barrier (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase), decreased the concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione and total thiol groups), and increased the concentrations of oxidized glutathione, hydrogen peroxide, xanthine oxidase, and myeloperoxidase in this organ. These resulted in a decrease in the total antioxidative status (TAS), an increase in the total oxidative status (TOS), and development of oxidative stress in the liver (evaluated based on the index of oxidative stress calculated as the ratio of TOS and TAS). The administration of AE at both levels of Cd treatment significantly improved the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidative barrier, decreased the concentration of pro-oxidants, and protected from the development of oxidative stress in the liver. In conclusion, consumption of aronia products may prevent Cd-induced destroying the oxidative/antioxidative balance and development of oxidative stress in the liver protecting against this organ damage.

A previous report showed that the urine output of HPLBII-P in patients with diabetes mellitus and SARS-Cov-2 infection was increased as a sign of glomerular dysfunction. . The aim of this report was to investigate the relation of urine output of HPLBII-P to diabetes mellitus in two large community-based elderly populations i.e. the ULSAM and PIVUS cohorts. Methods HPLBII-P was measured by ELISA in the urine of a community-based cohort of 839 men (ULSAM) collected at 77 years of age and in urine of a community-based cohort of 75-year-old men, n=387, and women, n=401 (PIVUS). KIM-1, NGAL and Albumin were measured in urine and Cathepsin S and Cystatin C in serum. Results HPLBII-P was significantly raised among males with diabetes in the ULSAM (p

This study aimed to investigate the possibility of using one-shot hyperspectral airborne images to recognize crops for an area with many small plots. The results showed that unsupervised clustering methods could classify crops with an accuracy of 80%, which improved to 90% when restricted to only grain crops, using a single airborne hyperspectral recording. However, additional layers such as NDVI, DTM, slope, and aspect did not improve classification accuracy. For comparison, the accuracy of clustering time series Sentinel-2 images with NDVI layers and DTM-derived data yielded an accuracy of: 74% ,Sentinel-2 time series 68% and single one registration before harvest - 39%. The results of the random forest classification were slightly less accurate due to a lack of sufficient reference data. However, it is challenging to verify the reported accuracy of crop recognition in the literature above 90% due to differences in analysis methodologies, reference data selection, pixel/object approaches, metric choice, and calculation formulas used.

Terrestrial orchid tubers are an important source of food in some parts of Africa and are traditionally included in the diets of most rural communities in Malawi. However, there is limited information on the nutritional and phytochemical content of the Malawian orchids to substantiate their traditional use. The present study evaluates the nutritional and phytochemical variation of four orchid species: Disa zombica, Satyrium buchananii, Satyrium carsonii, and Satyrium trinerve, collected from the same ecological zone of Malawi. The proximate content, minerals, phytochemicals, and functional properties were analysed using official procedures. Protein ranged from 2.19% to 4.65%, whereas carbohydrate ranged from 65.24% to 80.22%, with S. carsonii and S. trinerve registering the highest protein and carbohydrate contents, respectively. Iron and potassium were highest in D. zombica, while sodium and calcium were highest in S. buchananii. The total phenolics ranged from 228.56 to 500.00 mg GAE/100 g, with D. zombica registering the highest. The water absorption capacity ranged from 4.10 to 10.88 g/g. Albeit variable levels, the study provides evidence that orchid species contain essential nutrients and phytochemicals important for human nutrition and health. Furthermore, the functional properties can be utilised in the development of food products, such as baked products.

Oleuropein, glycosylated secoiridoid present in the olive leaves, is known as an important antioxidant phenolic compound. We studied the antioxidant effect of low dose of oleuropein aglycone (3,4-DHPEA-EA) and oleuropein aglycone peracetylated (3,4-DHPEA-EA(P)) in murine C2C12 myocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Both compounds were used at a concentration of 10 μM and were able to inhibit cell death induced by H2O2 treatment, with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) being more. Under our experimental conditions H2O2 efficiently induced the phosphorylated-active form of JNK and of its downstream target c-Jun. We demonstrated, by Western blot analysis, that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) was efficient in inhibiting the phospho-active form of JNK. This data suggest that growth arrest and cell dead of C2C12 proceeds via the JNK/c-Jun pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) affects myogenesis of C2C12 cells; because the MyoD mRNA levels and the differentiation process are restored after treatment with 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P). Overall, the results indicate that 3,4-DHPEA-EA(P) prevents ROS-mediated degenerative process by functioning as an efficient antioxidant.

Two biotinylated derivatives of the main hop chalcone xanthohumol (1) were prepared by a one-step synthesis via esterification using biotin and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC HCl) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as coupling reagents. The products were characterized spectroscopically and their antiproliferative activity toward MCF-7, MCF-10A, HepG2, MDA-MB-231, 4T1 and Balb/3T3 cell lines was investigated using the SRB assay. For all three tested compounds the best activity was noted in the case of human (MCF-7) and mice (4T1) breast cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ values < 9 μM). Both biotinylated derivatives showed higher anticancer activity than xanthohumol (1) towards all types of tested breast cancer cells. Double biotinylated xanthohumol (3) proved to be the most active in inhibiting cell growth, with IC₅₀ values equal to 5.35 ± 1.5 μM for 4T1 and 8.03 ± 0.53 µM for MCF-7 cell lines. Compound 3 was also more active than 1 and 2 against liver cancer cells HepG2 (IC₅₀ = 17.37 ± 5.1 μM), while the IC₅₀ values for 1 and 2 were equal to 21.5 ± 2.7 and 22.1 ± 3.9 µM, respectively. 4‑O‑biotinylxanthohumol (2) was the second most active growth inhibitor, particularly with respect to MCF-7 (IC₅₀ = 6.19 ± 1.7 μM) and 4T1 (IC₅₀ = 6.64 ± 0.4 μM) cell lines. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) method. All tested compounds (1-3) have antioxidant activity between 2.73 and 3.38 mM. It was reported for the first time that new prenylated chalcones containing the biotin moiety effectively inhibited proliferation of cancer cells in vitro.

The study delves into the multifaceted landscape of human-macaque conflict within temple ecosystems, with a specific focus on Bonnet Macaques. In the context of intertwined religious, cultural, and social values, understanding public attitudes towards these commensal species becomes pivotal. The research aims to decipher the socio-economic factors that shape perceptions of human-monkey conflict within temples and to explore public attitudes within sacred groves. To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive questionnaire was administered through household interviews to 100 residents living within both a 1 sq. km and a 2 sq. km radius of the study area, ensuring direct participant interaction. The survey, taking approximately 40 minutes per participant, examined six variables, including occupation, religion, and annual income. The data collected was analysed using SPSS ver. 24 software, employing the chi-square test of independence to explore associations between categorical variables. The findings revealed that occupation and religion emerged as influential factors in shaping perceptions of Bonnet Macaques as problematic. While annual income hinted at significance, age, education, and knowledge of Kysannur Forest Disease (KFD) did not significantly impact Bonnet Macaque perception. Interestingly, age emerged as a significant factor influencing the perception of the monkeys' religious significance, whereas only education and religious affiliation impacted feeding practices towards the monkeys. Surprisingly, other demographic variables such as age, gender, occupation, and income showed no significant influence on monkey feeding practices. These results underscore the intricate interplay of socioeconomic, cultural, and religious factors in shaping public attitudes and behaviours towards Bonnet Macaques. The study further sheds light on the impact of education and religious affiliation on feeding practices, emphasizing the need for nuanced conservation strategies. Recognizing these complexities is crucial for developing culturally sensitive conservation efforts. By acknowledging the influential factors identified in this research, conservation strategies can be tailored to specific communities, fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and Bonnet Macaques in temple ecosystems. This nuanced approach ensures that conservation efforts are not only effective but also respectful of the diverse socio-cultural contexts within which they are implemented.

The notion of Golden structure was introduced 15 years ago by the present authors and know a constant interest by several geometers. Now, we propose a new generalization apart of that called metallic structure and considered also by the authors. By adding a compatible Riemannian metric we focus on the study of submanifolds in this setting.

In the present paper, we introduce (p, q)-extension of Apostol type Frobenius-Euler polynomials and numbers and investigate some basic identities and properties for these polynomials and numbers, including addition theorems, difference equations, derivative properties, recurrence relations and so on. Then, we provide integral representations, explicit formulas and relations for these polynomials and numbers. Moreover, we discover (p, q)-extensions of Carlitz's result [L. Carlitz, Mat. Mag., 32 (1959), 247–260] and Srivastava and Pintér addition theorems in [H. M. Srivastava, A. Pinter, Appl. Math. Lett., 17 (2004), 375–380].

Low pasture biomass production and fodder scarcity are among the major challenges affecting productivity of dairy cattle farms in Sri Lanka. As a potential solution to this, two Napier hybrid cultivars CO-5 and Sampoorna were recently introduced and a field experiment was conducted to evaluate their growth, dry matter production and nutritional composition during May to September 2020. Plant measurements and samples were collected at five harvest intervals (4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after planting), with the plant samples subjected to biomass and nutritional assessments. The number of tillers and leaf length differed (P=0.01) between the two cultivars at 4 weeks harvesting interval (HI) whilst number of leaves differed at 12 HI respectively. Dry matter yield increased (P=0.16) almost linearly whilst crude protein declined exponentially with CO-5 greater than Sampoorna (P=0.057; 9.3% vs 8.7%), with increasing harvesting intervals respectively. In-vitro Organic Matter Digestibility and In-vitro Metabolizable Energy contents were similar across weeks 4, 6 and 8 but then decreased. This study demonstrates that higher dry matter yields (12.54 t/ha) can be obtained by harvesting both cultivars at 12 HI, but from a nutritional perspective harvesting at 6 HI during Yala season of the year would be optimum for farmers.

This pilot study explores the potential of using a citizen science approach for sourcing volunteered geographic information via social media to research wildlife tourism interactions with endangered Borneo Pygmy Elephants on the lower Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Malaysia. Such information is critical if the lower Kinabatangan region is to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through a sustainable tourism industry based around viewing the pygmy elephants. Guests and guides from the Sukau Rainforest Lodge were encouraged to become close-range remote sensors by sharing geotagged photographs of pygmy elephant sightings on Flickr. A ten week on-ground trail generated 247 photographs shared by 17 individual contributors with approximately two-thirds (65%) of photographs being georeferenced for the time and location of the elephant sighting. Plotting those sighting to explore the vegetation matrix (i.e. remnant forest or oil palm plantation) showed almost three-quarter (73%) of the sightings occurred within 1 km of an oil palm plantation. Of greater concern is that one in two sightings (50%) along the river occurred within the 500 m of an oil palm planation, which is inside the riparian buffer that the Sabah Government recommended for conservation of the elephants in their Lower Kinabatangan range. This study therefore demonstrates proof of concept for this research method and its further application at the nexus of wildlife conservation and sustainable ecotourism research.

CO2 geological sequestration in coal seams can achieve the dual objectives of CO2 emission reduction and enhanced coalbed methane production, making it a highly promising carbon capture and storage technology. However, the injection of CO2 into coal reservoirs in the form of supercritical fluid (ScCO2) leads to complex physicochemical reactions with the coal seam, altering the properties of the coal reservoir and impacting the effectiveness of CO2 sequestration and methane production enhancement.In this paper, theoretical calculations based on ReaxFF-MD were conducted to study the interaction mechanism between ScCO2 and the macromolecular structure of both low-rank and high-rank coal, to address the limitations of experimental methods. The reaction of ScCO2 with low-rank coal and high-rank coal exhibits significant differences. At swelling stage, the low-rank coal experiences a decrease in aromatic structure and aliphatic structure, high-rank coal shows an increase in aromatic structure and a decrease in aliphatic structure, while swelling phenomenon is more pronounced in high-rank coal. At dissolution stage, low-rank coal is initially decomposed into two secondary molecular fragments, and then recombine to form new molecular structure, the aromatic structure increased and the aliphatic structure decreased. In contrast, high-rank coal occurs stretches-breakage-movement-reconnection, a reduction in aromatic structure and an increase in aliphatic structure.The primary reasons for these variations lie in distinct molecular structure compositions and the properties of ScCO2, leading to different reaction pathways of functional group and aromatic structure. The reaction pathways of functional groups and aromatic structures in coal can be summarized as follows: the breakage of the O-H bond in hydroxyl groups, the breakage of the C-OH bond in carboxyl groups, transformation of aliphatic structures into smaller hydrocarbon compounds or formation of long-chain alkenes, and various pathways involving broken, rearrangement, recombination of aromatic structures. In low-rank coal, there is a higher abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures. The breakage of O-H and C-OH chemical bonds results in the formation of free radical ions, while some aliphatic structures detach to produce hydrocarbons. Additionally, some of these aliphatic structures combine with carbonyl groups and free radical ions to generate new aromatic structures. Conversely, in high-rank coal, the lower content of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures, along with stronger intramolecular forces, results in fewer chemical bond breakages and makes it less conducive to the formation of new aromatic structures.These results elucidate the specific deformations of different chemical groups, offering a molecular-level understanding of the interaction between CO2 and coal.

Here, we describe the bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci numbers and the bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci quaternions that are based on these numbers and give some of their equations, including the Binet formula, generating function, Catalan, Cassini, d’Ocagne’s identities, and some summation formulas for both of them. Finally, we create a matrix for bicomplex (p,q)- Fibonacci quaternions, and we obtain a determinant of a special matrix that gives the terms of that quaternion.

In this note we, first, recall that the sets of all representatives of some special ordinary residue classes become $\left( m,n\right) $-rings. Second, we introduce a possible $p$-adic analog of the residue class modulo a $p$-adic integer. Then, we find the relations which determine, when the representatives form a $\left( m,n\right) $-ring. At the very short spacetime scales such rings could lead to new symmetries of modern particle models.

(1) Background: Presentation of the method of increasing the competitiveness of the mining industry through the demonstration of the possibility and potential in closing the loop of supply chains through waste management; (2) Methods: The source literature analysis and an arithmetic analysis of the data of statistical materials and data obtained from business in static and dynamic perspectives; (3) Results: According to the latest data available, in Poland, mining wastes account for over a half of industrial wastes, while the annual growth of mining wastes is on the level of 4%. The recorded recovery of mining wastes is on the level of ca. 19%. The exemplary company that deals with the recovery of carbon wastes recovers ca. 80% of material, which is handed over for utilization (4) Conclusions: It has been found that the structure of the level of mining wastes and the level of their recovery rates demonstrate a large potential of closing the loop of chains in this industry and, at the same time, a potential to extend the chains through directing the material from recovery to various sectors. This constitutes an example of the direction of activities that are in line with the EU strategies for the economies of other states which possess this type wastes.

The recyclable paper based on photochromic materials not only reduces the pollution in the paper manufacture process, but also reduces the pollution caused by the use of ink, which receives wide attention. In this paper, a serial of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid films which had different ratio of PMoA/PWA was prepared by the ultrasonic composite method. The results indicated that the hybrid film prepared when the ratio of PMoA to PWA was 3 had the best photochromic performance. In this system, ZnO was the photosensitizer while PMoA/PWA was the chromophore. The photochromic mechanism of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film was based on the photogenerated electron transfer mechanism. ZnO generated photoelectron under the excitation of visible light, then PMoA and PWA obtained the photoelectron and produced photoreduction reaction to generate heteropolyblue. The visible light photochromic paper was prepared by loaded PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film (A3) on A4 paper. Application test showed that the prepared paper had extremely stable, excellent and reversible visible light photochromic properties, whether it was printing patterns or words and could replace the ordinary paper to realize the reuse of paper.

Background: The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene encoding key en-zyme in the folate pathway methyltetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), causes methylation disorders associated with CAD development. Methods: Study group: 42 patients with CAD con-firmed by coronary angiography. Controls: 16 patients without CAD symptoms or significant coronary artery stenosis, based on invasive coronary angiography or multislice computed to-mography with coronary artery calcification scoring. Real-time PCR genotyping was assessed using TaqMan™ probes. Folic acid and 5-MTHF concentrations in blood serum were determined by LC-MS. Results: c.[1286A>C];[1286A>C] MTHFR polymorphism occurred significantly more often in (CAD+) patients compared to (CAD-) cohort and to the European population. The con-centration of 5-MTHF and folic acid in the subgroups of patients with methylation disorders di-vided by genotypes and (CAD+) was lower compared to (CAD-). Conclusions: The homozygous c.1286 A>C MTHFR variant can be considered as CAD genetic marker. In the subjects with the c.1286 A>C heterozygous and homozygous genotypes, lower concentrations of methyltetrahy-drofolate (5-MTHF) were observed. 5-MTHF can be considered as a biomarker of CAD. Identifi-cation of people at high risk of CAD using genetic tests can contribute to personalized therapy using active (methylated) form of folic acid (5-MTHF) in CAD patients with MTHFR polymor-phisms.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial revolution in the incorporation of digital solutions in healthcare. This systematic review investigates the enduring physical and psychological consequences individuals experience up to two years post-recovery. Additionally, it focuses on examining the influence of mHealth interventions on these effects. Significantly, 41.7% of survivors experience lingering symptoms that have not been addressed, while 14.1% encounter difficulties in returning to work. The presence of anxiety, compromised respiratory functioning, and persistent symptoms highlight the immediate requirement for specific therapies. Telehealth, particularly telerehabilitation, presents itself as a possible way to address these difficulties. The study thoroughly examines 10 studies encompassing 749 COVID-19 patients, investigating the efficacy of telerehabilitation therapies in addressing various health markers. Telerehabilitation-based breathing exercises yield substantial enhancements in functional performance, dyspnea, and overall well-being. The results emphasize the potential of telerehabilitation to have a favorable effect on patient outcomes, however more research is needed to strengthen the existing evidence basis as one of the most important limitation is the limited number of trials and the evaluation of varied therapies. The analysis highlights the significance of digital solutions in post-COVID care and calls for ongoing research to improve comprehension and implementation of telehealth interventions in a swiftly changing healthcare environment.

The production associated with geopolymers is more environmentally friendly because it does not emit as much carbon dioxide as when OPCs are used. In addition, research has been initiated to produce a geopolymer with very good mechanical properties without the need to cure it at high temperatures. Bio-additives such as honey, cotton or molasses were found to have a good effect on the properties of the geopolymer. The purpose of this study was to develop a composition of geopolymer modified with bioaddi-tives (introduction of plant-derived materials containing sugars) in order to improve the strength para-meters of geopolymers cured at ambient temperature or to accelerate their setting process, and to identify whether it is possible to produce geopolymers with good strength parameters without the need for annealing. In this study, fly ash (FA)-based materials were made and addi-tionally modified with cane molasses and beet molasses in varying amounts. The made samples were subjected to surface morphology analysis (SEM), mechanical properties analysis - compres-sive and flexural strengths, phase composition analysis (XRD) and absorption analysis.

Autonomic dysfunction is an increasingly recognised complication in chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease , and other medical conditions, including diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, postural tachycardia syndrome with and without Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia and recently Long Covid. Despite laboratory-based tests to evaluate normal and abnormal autonomic function, there are no home-based tests to record neuro-cardiovascular autonomic responses to common stimuli in daily life that are dependent on the normal functioning of the autonomic nervous system. We have developed an adapted blood pressure/heart Autonomic Profile (aAP) that can be used by an individual independently and repeatedly in a domiciliary setting to determine the physiological and symptomatic response to standing, food, and physical and mental (cognitive, emotional) activities. The aAP aids separating autonomic failure (often irreversible) from autonomic dysfunction. This helps the individual and attending healthcare professional understand the relationship between symptoms and common triggers in daily life and informs on self-management in debilitating conditions such as the postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) and Long Covid.