Tyrosinases (TYR) play an important role in oxidizing phenols and catechols, leading to the formation of catechols and ortho-quinones, respectively. In mammals, TYR catalyzes the conversion of L-Tyrosine to quinone, a pivotal step in melanogenesis, which generates melanin pigments responsible for protecting against UV radiation and oxidative stress. Given TYR's importance in melanin-related disorders and cosmetic applications, the inhibition of TYR has garnered attention for controlling melanin production. However, current inhibitors like hydroquinone, arbutin, and kojic acid (KA) have limitations in terms of side effects and effectiveness. A novel class of TYR inhibitors featuring arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine components has demonstrated potent inhibitory activity. This study presents a computational analysis of these inhibitors using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the Linear Interaction Energy (LIE) method was used to estimate binding free energies. The arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine inhibitors exhibit remarkable stability within the TYR active site during simulations. The van der Waals interactions are notably sustained, indicating effective inhibition mechanisms. The results from LIE calculations closely align with experimental binding affinities. In summary, these results contribute to the understanding of TYR inhibition and underscore the potential of arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine derivatives as effective agents for modulating melanin production in both cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Overall, this study sheds light on the intricate interactions between inhibitors and TYR, opening avenues for the development of novel therapies and interventions.

Permeable pavements have been the subject of numerous studies in recent decades. The possibility of dissipating stormwater more smoothly and generating numerous benefits to the environment and users makes the use of permeable pavements an excellent possibility of integration into sustainable and resilient water management systems in cities. In Brazil, numerous studies on the quantity and quality of infiltrated water, permeability of the coating, clogging, environmental burden, feasibility, among other characteristics, have been researched. Within this theme, the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) has contributed with ten papers in the research of permeable pavements in the last six years, which address various topics about the effectiveness and applicability of permeable pavements. This paper reviews the studies conducted at UFSC on permeable pavements and discusses the different results within the main issues found. In general, the selected documents addressed seven themes in the studies: potential for potable water savings, clogging, quantity and quality of the water infiltrated into the pavement, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and its variants, and hydraulic and structural design details. More specifically, many selected papers assess the potential use of stormwater harvested through permeable pavements in non-potable uses of buildings. The possibility of aligning the benefits of green infrastructure with the rational use of water expands the advantages of the system and can help prevent future water scarcity, as well as reduce the environmental impacts of paving.

In this paper, we introduce the bicomplex Tetranacci and Tetranacci-Lucas quaternions. Moreover, we present Binet's formulas, generating functions, and the summation formulas for those bicomplex quaternions.

In this paper, we define Tetranacci and Tetranacci-Lucas matrix sequences and investigate their properties.

: Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) stands as a rare neurological disorder marked by progressive cerebral hemiatrophy and epilepsy resistant to medical treatment. Despite extensive study, the primary cause of RE remains elusive, while its histopathological features encompass cortical inflammation, neuronal degeneration, and gliosis. The underlying molecular mechanisms driving disease progression remain largely unexplored. In this case study, we present a patient with RE who underwent hemispherectomy and has remained seizure-free for over six months, experiencing gradual motor improvement. Further-more, we conducted molecular analysis on the excised brain tissue, unveiling a decrease in the expres-sion of cell cycle-associated genes coupled with elevated levels of BDNF and TNF-α proteins. These findings suggest potential involvement of cell cycle regulators in the progression of RE.

In this paper, we introduce hybrid numbers with Fibonacci and Lucas hybrid number coefficients. We give the Binet formulas, generating functions, exponential generating functions for these numbers. Then we define an associate matrix for these numbers. In addition, using this matrix, we present two different versions of Cassini identitiy of these numbers.

In this paper, by using the q-integer, we introduce a new generalization of Fibonacci and Lucas sedenions called q-Fibonacci and q-Lucas sedenions. We present some fundamental properties of these type of sedenions such as Binet formulas, exponential generating fuctions, summation formulas, Catalan's identity, Cassini's identity and d'Ocagne's identity.

A major challenge in the clinical management of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is identifying those who do not respond to antiseizure medication (ASM), allowing for the timely pursuit of alternative treatments, such as epilepsy surgery. Here, we investigated changes in plasma metabolites as biomarkers of pharmacoresistance in patients with MTLE. Furthermore, we used the metabolomics data to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and response to ASM. We performed an untargeted metabolomic method using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and multi- and univariate statistical analyses to compare data obtained from plasma samples of 28 patients with MTLE compared to 28 controls. The patients were further divided according to response to ASM: 20 patients were refractory to treatment, and eight were responsive to ASM. We only included patients using carbamazepine in combination with clobazam. We compared the group of patients with controls and found that the profiles of glucose (p = 0.01), saturated lipids (p = 0.0002), isoleucine (p = 0.0001), β-hydroxybutyrate (p = 0.0003), and proline (p = 0.02) were different in patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). In addition, lipoproteins (p = 0.05), lactate (p = 0.05), glucose (p = 0.05), unsaturated lipids (p = 0.05), isoleucine (p = 0.05), and proline (p = 0.05), could discriminate between the two groups of patients classified according to response to ASM. The identified metabolites were linked to different biological pathways related to cell energy metabolism, and pathways linked to inflammatory processes and the modulation of neurotransmitter release and activity in MTLE. In contrast, we found that pyruvate metabolism may be linked to resistance to ASM. In conclusion, in addition to insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and the response to treatment with ASM, our results suggest that plasma metabolites may be used as biomarkers of disease and response to ASM in patients with MTLE. These findings warrant further studies exploring the clinical use of metabolites to assist in decision-making when treating patients with MTLE.

(1) Background: This study evaluated the spatial position and anatomical characteristics related to impacted third molars by map-reading strategy using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). (2) Methods: To determine the positioning of impacted third molars on CBCT it was used Winter's and Pell & Gregory's classifications, and the presence of external root resorption in mandibular second molars were based on Herman´s classification. The relationship between the mandibular third molar root apex and the mandibular canal was also analyzed. Fisher’s exact test was used to comparative statistical analysis. The significance level considered was 5%. (3) Results: The results showed that according to Winter's classification, 48.06 % of impacted teeth were in the mesioangular position. Using Pell & Gregory's classification, 43.22% of the impacted molars were in the position B and C, and 54.2% of the teeth were class II. 69.7% of teeth showed an absence of contact between the root apex and the mandibular canal and there was no occurrence of external root resorption in the distal of second molar in 88.7%. (4) Conclusions: The map-reading strategy using CBCT scans for anatomical positions and characteristics of impacted third molars increases professional confidence and establishes a parameter of quality and safety in the surgical procedure for the patient.

The G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER; G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 30, also known as GPR30) is a novel estrogen receptor and has emerged as a promising target for ovarian cancer. GPER, a seven-transmembrane receptor, suppresses cellular viability and migration in studied ovarian cancer cells. However, its impact on the fallopian tube, which is the potential origin of high-grade serous (HGSC) ovarian cancer, has not been addressed. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship of GPER, ovarian cancer subtypes, i.e., high-grade serous cell lines (OV90 and OVCAR420), as well as potential HGSC ovarian cancer origin (i.e., the fallopian tube cell line FT190). The selective ligand assessed here is the agonist G-1, which was utilized in an in vitro study to characterize its effects on cellular viability and migration. As a result, this study has addressed the effect of a specific GPER antagonist in combination with an agonist on cell viability, providing a better understanding of the effects of these compounds on our diverse group of studied cell lines. Strikingly, attenuated cell proliferation and migration behaviors were observed in the presence of G-1. Thus, our in vitro study reveals the impact of the origin of HGSC ovarian cancers and highlights the GPER agonist G-1 as a potential therapy for ovarian cancer.

Cosmopolitan Gram-negative cyanobacteria may affect human and animal health by contaminating terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments with toxins, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The cyanobacterial genus Scytonema (S) produces several toxins, but to our knowledge the bioactivity of genus Scytonema LPS has not been investigated. We recently reported that cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. LPS elicited classical and alternative activation of rat microglia in vitro [1]. Thus, we hypothesized that treatment of brain microglia in vitro with either cyanobacteria S. javanicum or S. ocellatum LPS might stimulate classical and alternative activation with concomitant release of superoxide anion (O₂⁻), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and cytokines and chemokines. Microglia were isolated from neonatal rats and treated in vitro with either S. javanicum LPS, S. ocellatum LPS, or E. coli LPS (positive control) in a concentration-dependent manner for 18 hours at 35.9 °C. We observed that treatment of microglia with either E. coli LPS, S. javanicum or S. ocellatum LPS generated statistically significant and concentration-dependent O₂⁻, MMP-9 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, pro-inflammatory chemokines MIP-2/CXCL-2, CINC-1/CXCL-1 and MIP-1α/CCL3, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Thus, our results provide experimental support for our working hypothesis because both S. javanicum and S. ocellatum LPS elicited classical and alternative activation of microglia and concomitant release of O₂^-, MMP-9 and cytokines and chemokines in a concentration-dependent manner. To our knowledge this is the first report on the toxicity of cyanobacteria S. javanicum and S. ocellatum LPS to microglia, an immune cell type involved in neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity in the central nervous system.

This paper addresses the evolving landscape of electricity markets in Europe, with a focus on the integration of Renewable Energy Communities as introduced by the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001. Residents within a postal code area are highly incentivized to join a community, which enables them to exchange energy among themselves at lower procurement costs. Thereby, energy management systems optimize the operation of respective energy systems, with electrical load forecasting playing a key role. Given that prosumers may switch between communities on a daily basis, electricity demands within these groups will vary, leading to data that is non-stationary, discontinuous as well as non-identical and independently distributed. To encounter this issue, we propose a sophisticated forecasting model that applies federated learning, using informations from various distributed communities to learn domain-invariant features. To achieve this, we initially utilize synthetic electrical load time series at district level and aggregate them to profiles of Renewable Energy Communities with dynamic portfolios. Subsequently, we develop a forecasting model that accounts for the composition of residents of a Renewable Energy Community, adapt data pre-processing in accordance with the time series process, and detail a federated learning algorithm that incorporates weight averaging and data sharing. Following the training of various experimental setups, we ultimately evaluate their effectiveness. The findings suggest that our proposed framework is capable of effectively forecast non-stationary and discontinuous time series and that it can be applied to new, unseen data through the integration of knowledge from multiple sources.

Net CO2 emissions and sequestration from European forests are the result of removal and growth of flora. To arrive at aggregated measurements of these processes at a country's level, local observations of increments and harvest rates are up-scaled to national forest areas. Each country releases these statistics through their individual National Forest Inventory using their particular definitions and methodologies. In addition, five international processes deal with the harmonization and comparability of such forest datasets in Europe, namely the IPCC, SOEF, FAOSTAT, HPFFRE, FRA (definitions follow in the article). In this study, we retrieved living biomass dynamics from each of these sources for 27 European Union member states. To demonstrate the reproducibility of our method, we release an open source python package that allows for automated data retrieval and analysis, as new data becomes available. The comparison of the published values shows discrepancies in the magnitude of forest biomass changes for several countries. In some cases, the direction of these changes also differ between sources. The scarcity of the data provided, along with the low spatial resolution, forbids the creation or calibration of a pan-European forest dynamics model, which could ultimately be used to simulate future scenarios and support policy decisions. To attain these goals, an improvement in forest data availability and harmonization is needed.

Distance learning has assumed a relevant role in the Educational scenario. The use of Virtual Learning Environments contributes to obtain a substantial amount of educational data. In this sense, the analyzed data generate knowledge used by institutions to assist managers and professors in strategic planning and teaching. The discovery of students’ behaviors enables a wide variety of intelligent services for assisting in the learning process. This article presents a literature review in order to identify the intelligent services applied in distance learning. The research covers the period from January 2010 to May 2021. The initial search found 1,316 articles, among which 51 were selected for further studies. Considering the selected articles, 33% (17/51) focus on learning systems, 35% (18/51) propose recommendation systems, 26% (13/51) approach predictive systems or models, and 6% (3/51) use assessment tools. This review allowed to observe that the principal services offered are recommendation systems and learning systems. In these services, the analysis of student profiles stands out to identify patterns of behavior, detect low performance and identify probabilities of dropouts from courses.

Multi-receiver encryption enables a sender to encrypt a message and transmit the ciphertext to a set of authorized users, while no one out this group of authorized users can decrypt the message. Multi-receiver encryption is of great importance in many sectors such as broadcast communication, cloud computing, wireless communications, networking applications, e-voting, lottery, and medical applications. This paper proposes an efficient multi-receiver public key encryption scheme based on Lucas sequences. The results of the computational analysis show that, projected scheme is better against renown attacks and prevailing anonymous multireceiver algorithms

In a generalized topological space Tg = (Ω, Tg), ordinary interior and ordinary closure operators intg, clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, are defined in terms of ordinary sets. In order to let these operators be as general and unified a manner as possible, and so to prove as many generalized forms of some of the most important theorems in generalized topological spaces as possible, thereby attaining desirable and interesting results, the present au- thors have defined the notions of generalized interior and generalized closure operators g-Intg, g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, in terms of a new class of generalized sets which they studied earlier and studied their essen- tial properties and commutativity. The outstanding result to which the study has led to is: g-Intg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) is finer (or, larger, stronger) than intg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) and g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) is coarser (or, smal ler, weaker) than clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω). The elements supporting this fact are reported therein as a source of inspiration for more generalized operations.

Long COVID, also referred to as post-COVID-19 condition, describes the lingering after-effects of COVID-19 infection. This complex syndrome encompasses a range of symptoms affecting physical well-being, cognitive function, and mental health. The widespread impact of long COVID extends beyond individual sufferers, placing significant strain on healthcare systems and causing far-reaching socioeconomic consequences. The scale of this multifaceted health crisis is unparalleled in recent history, affecting millions globally and challenging our understanding of post-viral conditions. This study aimed to explore the possibility of targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) signaling pathway-related genes as therapeutics for long COVID using computational analysis. Targeting GPCRs and their signaling pathways holds significant promise for long COVID therapeutics, as these receptors are involved in crucial physiological processes including immune regulation, inflammation control, and neurotransmission. All of these are implicated in the diverse and persistent symptoms of long COVID, potentially offering a versatile approach to addressing multiple aspects of the condition simultaneously. This study identified 21 genes associated with GPCRs for further exploration as potential targets. Notably, GPCR genes such as HRAS, KRAS, GNAQ, and GNA11 were determined to be possible therapeutic targets for the pathophysiological mechanisms of long COVID. FDA-approved drugs targeting these genes were identified, including Binimetinib, Cabozantinib, Selumetinib, Panitumumab, Cetuximab, Adagrasib, Tipifarnib, and Sotorasib. Additionally, Naltrexone and Tipifarnib have emerged as potential new treatment options for long COVID. SARS-CoV-2 may hijack GPCR signaling pathways to dysregulate lung ion and fluid transport, contributing to the pathophysiology of pulmonary edema in patients with COVID-19. Further research is required to translate the findings into the development of therapeutics and to investigate the relationship between viral infection and GPCR signalling.

In a generalized topological space T_g = (Ω, T_g) (T_g-space), the g-topology T_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) can be characterized in the generalized sense by specifying the generalized open, generalized closed sets (g-T_g-open, g-T_g-closed sets), generalized interior, generalized closure operators g-Intg, g-Cl_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) (g-T_g-interior, g-T_g-closure operators), or generalized derived, generalized coderived operators g-Der_g, g-Cod_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) (g-T_g-derived, g-T_g-coderived operators), respectively. For very many T_g-spaces, the δ^th-iterates g-Der_g^(δ), g-Cod_g^(δ) : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) of g-Der_g, g-Cod_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, defined by transfinite recursion on the class of successor ordinals are also themselves g-T_g-derived, g-T_g-coderived operators for new g-topologies in the generalized sense on Ω. Thus, the use of novel definitions of g-T_g-derived, g-T_g-coderived operators g-Der_g, g-Cod_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, based on a very clever construction, together with their δ^th-iterates g-T_g-operators g-Der_g^(δ), g-Cod_g^(δ) : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), defined by transfinite recursion on the class of successor ordinals, will give rise to novel generalized g-topologies on Ω. The present authors have been actively engaged in the study of g-T_g-operators in T_g-spaces. The study of the essential properties and the commutativity of novel definitions of g-T_g-interior and g-T_g-closure operators g-Int_g, g-Cl_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, in T_g has formed the first part, and the study of the essential properties and sets of consistent, independent axioms of novel definitions of g-T_g-exterior and g-T_g-frontier operators g-Ext_g, g-Fr_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, has formed the second part. In this work, which forms the last part on the theory of g-T_g-operators in T_g-spaces, the present authors propose to present novel definitions and the study of the essential properties of g-T_g-derived and g-T_g-coderived operators g-Der_g, g-Cod_g : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, and their δ^th-iterates, and the notions of g-T_g-open and g-T_g-closed sets of ranks δ in T_g-spaces.

Molecular dynamics(MD) simulations are playing an increasingly important role in structure-based drug discovery (SBDD). Here we review the use of MD for proteins in aqueous solvation, organic/aqueous mixed solvents (MDmix) and with small ligands, to the classic SBDD problems: binding mode and binding free energy predictions. The simulation of proteins in their condensed state reveals the solvent structure and preferential interaction sites (hot spots) on the protein surface. This information is largely transferable across all classes of protein ligands (from water to drugs) and can be used very effectively to understand ligand recognition and improve the predictive capability of well-established methods such as molecular docking. MD simulations for protein and drug or drug-like compounds are now being used but are still computationally expensive and can only be applied to specific cases. On the other hand, MDmix simulations can now be used in SBDD and we will describe the latest developments and implementations. We expect to see an increase in the application of these techniques to a plethora of protein targets to identify new drug candidates with the advent of new tools and faster computers.

In recent years, many libraries and archives have started digitizing their collections thus making maps by Indigenous peoples more easily available for scholars to study. While a number of these maps were discussed by G. Malcolm Lewis in the History of Cartography series (volume 2, book 3, Chapter 4: 1984), more have since been found and disseminated. These maps are critical in understanding the historic and current land tenure of Indigenous groups. Further, Indigenous claims to land can be seen in their connections via toponymy. European concepts of territory and political boundaries did not coincide with First Nation/American Indian views resulting in the mistaken view that Natives did not have formal concepts of their territories. Further, Tribes/First Nations with cross-border territory have special jurisdictional problems. This paper will illustrate how many Native residents were very spatially cognizant of their own lands, as well as neighboring nations’ lands, overlaps between groups, hunting territories, populations, and trade networks. Currently, the Sinixt First Nation provides a perfect example of how an Aboriginal people are inputting and using a GIS representation of their territory with proper toponymy and use areas.

In a generalized topological space Tg = (Ω, Tg), generalized interior and generalized closure operators g-Intg, g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, are merely two of a number of generalized primitive operators which may be employed to topologize the underlying set Ω in the generalized sense. Generalized exterior and generalized frontier operators g-Extg, g-Frg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, are other generalized primitive operators by means of which characterizations of generalized operations under g-Intg, g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) can be given without even realizing generalized interior and generalized closure operations first in order to topologize Ω in the generalized sense. In a recent work, the present authors have defined novel types of generalized interior and generalized closure operators g-Intg, g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, in Tg and studied their essential properties and commutativity. In this work, they propose to present novel definitions of generalized exterior and generalized frontier operators g-Extg, g-Frg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω), respectively, a set of consistent, independent axioms after studying their essential properties, and established further characterizations of generalized operations under g-Intg, g-Clg : P (Ω) −→ P (Ω) in Tg.

There are many new land use and land cover (LULC) products emerging yet there is still a lack of in-situ data for training, validation, and change detection purposes. The LUCAS (Land Use Cover Area frame Sample) survey is one of the few authoritative in-situ field campaigns, which takes place every three years in European Union member countries. More recently, a study has considered whether citizen science and crowdsourcing could complement LUCAS survey data, e.g., through the FotoQuest Austria mobile app and crowdsourcing campaign. Although the data obtained from the campaign were promising when compared with authoritative LUCAS survey data, there were classes that were not well classified by the citizens, and the photographs submitted through the app were not always of sufficient quality. For this reason, in the latest FotoQuest Go Europe 2018 campaign, several improvements were made to the app to facilitate interaction with the citizens contributing and to improve their accuracy in LULC identification. In addition to extending the locations from Austria to Europe, a change detection component (comparing land cover in 2018 to the 2015 LUCAS photographs) was added, as well as an improved LC decision tree and a near real-time quality assurance system to provide feedback on the distance to the target location, the LULC classes chosen and the quality of the photographs. Another modification was the implementation of a monetary incentive scheme in which users received between 1 to 3 Euros for each successfully completed quest of sufficient quality. The purpose of this paper is to present these new features and to compare the results obtained by the citizens with authoritative LUCAS data from 2018 in terms of LULC and change in LC. We also compared the results between the FotoQuest campaigns in 2015 and 2018 and found a significant improvement in 2018, i.e., a much higher match of LC between FotoQuest Go Europe and LUCAS. Finally, we present the results from a user survey to discuss challenges encountered during the campaign and what further improvements could be made in the future, including better in-app navigation and offline maps, making FotoQuest a model for enabling the collection of large amounts of land cover data at a low cost.

In the proposed article, the issues of increasing the synchronizing ability of the system of coordinated rotation of asynchronous motors are considered. Based on the T-shaped equivalent circuit, electromechanical relationships were obtained with changes in the value of the total rotor resistance and the supply voltage of individual motors. An algorithm for calculating the torques, stator and rotor currents of the motors of the system has been compiled. Based on the calculations obtained, the mechanical characteristics of the system asynchronous motors are constructed for various values of total resistance, supply voltages and rotor positions. The obtained data and graphs confirm the adequacy of the theory obtained in an analytical way. Functional and structural diagrams in small scales have been compiled, which allow simulating transient operation modes of multi-motor asynchronous electric drives in the Matlab application package. Multi-motor asynchronous electric drives with adjustable supply voltages, as well as with preliminary synchronization and synchronous braking, have been developed. Compilation of a program for the stability of a nonlinear system of a multi-motor asynchronous electric drive (MAEDs) with a thyristor voltage converter (TVC) in Matlab. Also, the modes of soft start, load shedding and surge on the motor shaft are simulated, confirming the stability of the system.

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is an additive manufacturing process employed in many industries, for example for aerospace, automotive and medical applications. In these sectors, mainly nickel-, aluminum- and titanium-based alloys are used. In contrast, the mechanical engineering industry is interested in more wear-resistant steel alloys with higher hardness, both of which can be achieved with a higher carbon content, like in high-speed steels. Since these steels are susceptible to cracking, preheating needs to be applied during processing by LPBF. In a previous study, we applied a base plate preheating temperature of 500 °C for HS6-5-3-8 with 1.3 % carbon content. We were able to manufacture dense (p > 99.9 %) and crack-free parts from HS6-5-3-8 with a hardness > 62 HRC (as built) by LPBF. In this study, we investigate the influence of preheating temperatures up to 600 °C on hardness and microstructure dependent on part height for HS6-5-3-8. The microstructure was studied by light optical microscopy (LOM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The analysis of hardness and microstructure at different part heights is necessary because state-of-the-art preheating systems induce heat only into the base plate. Consequently, parts are subjected to temperature gradients and different heat treatment effects depending on part height during the LPBF process.

Fungi kingdom comprises ubiquitous forms of life with 1.5 billion years, mostly phytopathogenic and commensal for humans and animals. However, in the presence of impaired conditions fungi may cause disease by intoxicating, infecting or sensitizing with allergy. Different genera may be implicated as etiological agents for humans and animals, with Alternaria, Aspergillus, dermatophytes like Microsporum and Trichophyton, and Malassezia as the commonly implicated. Alternaria and Malassezia stand as the most commonly associated to either allergy or infection, immediately followed by Aspergillus, while dermatophytes are usually associated to ring worm skin infection. Research in veterinary field is not much but necessary.

The purpose of this work is to describe and explain the characteristics of pedagogy as a science of education, as an object, concepts and research method. The methodology assumed was the review of the history of pedagogy, especially the classics of pedagogy, those who built it with their experiences in laboratory schools. Here are listed the main concepts of pedagogy, its laws and principles; she establishes the opposition that exists between teaching-learning and education as formation of the personality; she also delimits the fields of the pedagogical method, of didactics or teaching-learning, and the methodology of educational labor that organizes the process and the educational context, the regime and the lifestyle, such as those experienced in the "colonies" or "communes" of children and adolescents, organized and directed by Neill and Makarenko. Since the present article does not derive from a primary source or from field work, as an empirical or experimental research, the results constitute the content of the article, as conclusions.

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

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.

In a bid to resolve lingering problems in cosmology, more focus is being tilted towards cosmological models in which physical constants of nature are not necessarily real constants, but varying with cosmic time. In this paper we have study cosmology in nonlinear electrodynamics with the Newton's gravitational constant $G$ not a constant but vary in form of power-law of the scale factor of the universe. The evolution of the scale factor $a (t)$ is studied in this model which depends on nonlinear electrodynamics fine tuning term of $\alpha$. Then we check the stability of the model using the speed of sound.

G-quadruplexes are noncanonical nucleic acid structures formed from stacked guanine tetrads. They are frequently used as building blocks and functional elements in fields such as synthetic biology and also thought to play widespread biological roles. G-quadruplexes are often studied as monomers but can also form a variety of higher-order structures. This increases the structural and functional diversity of G-quadruplexes, and recent evidence suggests that it could also be biologically important. In this review we describe the types of multimeric topologies adopted by G-quadruplexes and highlight what is known about their sequence requirements. We also summarize the limited information available about potential biological roles of multimeric G-quadruplexes and suggest new approaches that could facilitate future studies of these structures.

Morphological and phylogenetic (45S nrDNA+RPB1 gene) analyses of three glomoid spore-producing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi revealed the presence of two new species be-longing to the genus Glomus in the family Glomeraceae. In the field, Glomus highlandensis sp. nov. was found in a saltmarsh of the Scottish Highlands and in maritime sand dunes of the Baltic Sea in Poland, both saline environments, while G. mongioie sp. nov. originates from the Italian Alps. Phylogenetic placement analysis using environmental sequences indicated that G. highlandensis could have likely worldwide distribution while G. mongioie seems to be a rare species in the world. The molecular and phylogenetic analysis provided important insights about the presence of ribosomal variants in Glomus, with potential negative implication in phylogeny and species recognition.

This paper presents a simple drone survey and image processing approach to identifying St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) on grazing land in the Hunter Valley NSW, Australia. St John’s wort is an invasive species (weed) that competes with pasture, poisons livestock, can downgrade wool with ‘vegetable fault’, and decreases property values. Identifying the locations of St John wort from the ground can be difficult due to topography, limited access, and/or larger land areas of mixed vegetation. In this study, a drone was used to survey a 174-ha grazing property in the Hunter Valley NSW (Australia). The images were stitched together using commercially available software. A unique Visual Atmospheric Resistance Index (VARI) attribute was identified and used to highlight the presence of St John’s wort in the survey area. These sub-areas were then digitised onto high resolution maps for future planning use by land managers.

Extracellular vesicles represent a large heterogeneous class of near and long-distance intercellular communication mediators, released by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Specifically, the scientific community has shown a growing interest in exosomes, which are nano-sized vesicles with an endosomal origin. Not so long ago, the physiological goal of exosome generation was largely unknown and required more investigation; at first, it was hypothesized that exosomes are able to remove excess, rejects and unnecessary constituents from cells to preserve cellular homeostasis. However, thanks to recent studies, the central role of exosomes in regulating cellular dialogue has emerged. Exosomes act as vectors on cell-cell signaling by their cargo, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, and influence physiological and pathological processes. The findings on exosomes are widespread in a large spectrum of biomedical applications from diagnosis and prognosis to thera-pies. In this review, we describe exosome biogenesis and the current methods for their isolation and characterization, emphasizing the role of their cargo in female reproductive processes, from gametogenesis to implantation, and the potential involvement in human female disorders.

Umbu is a tropical fruit with high content of bioactive compounds. However, maturation causes significant losses on nutrient density reducing the nutritional value of this highly appreciated fruit. Thus, the objective of the present work was to encapsulate the Umbu fruit bioactive compounds using spray drying and identify the variables affecting the biomolecules preservation. A Box-Behnken experimental design with 3 factors was set varying inlet temperature, atomization flow rate, and maltodextrin concentration for process otimization. Then the powder physicochemical and chemical properties were characterized, and results were modeled using a polynomial equation. Results revealed that the droplet size and maltodextrin concentration had a significant influence on the conservation of the biomolecules. Drying kinetics favoring fast formation of a particle crust increases encapsulation efficiency. Bioactive compounds retention was achieved by increasing maltodextrin even at high temperatures, where a matrix is formed hindering chemical degradation. Process optimization was validated and revealed low inlet temperatures (122ºC), high atomization flow rate (5kg/h) and high maltodextrin concentration (20%) to be the most desirable conditions for bioactive compounds retention.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis and displays resistance to immunotherapy. A better understanding of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) effects on immune responses might contribute to improved immunotherapy. EVs derived from Capan-2 and BxPC-3 PC cells isolated by ultracentrifugation were characterized by atomic force microscopy, western blot (WB), nanoparticle tracking analysis and label-free proteomics. Fresh PBMCs from healthy donors were treated with PC- or control-derived heterologous EVs followed by flow cytometry analysis of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes. Proteomics of lymphocytes sorted from EV-treated, or -untreated PBMCs was performed and IFN-γ concentration was measured by ELISA. Notably, most of the proteins identified in Capan-2 and BxPC-3 EVs by proteomic analysis were connected in a single functional network (p=1x10-16) and were involved in “Immune System” (FDR: 1.10x10-24 and 3.69x10-19, respectively). Interestingly, treatment of healthy donor-derived PBMCs with Capan-2 EVs, but not with BxPC-3 EVs or heterologous control EVs induced early activation of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes. Proteomics of lymphocytes sorted from EV-treated PBMCs was consistent with their activation by Capan-2 EVs, indicating IFN-γ among major upstream regulators, as confirmed by ELISA. Proteomic and functional analyses indicate that PC-EVs have pleiotropic effects, and some may activate early immune response, which might be relevant for the development of highly needed immunotherapeutic strategies in this immune-cold tumor.

This work aims to investigate the effect of process temperature and catalyst content by pyrolysis and thermal catalytic cracking of (organic matter + paper) fraction from municipal household solid waste (MHSW) on the yields of reaction products (bio-oil, bio-char, H2O, and gas), acid value and chemical composition of bio-oils, and characterization of bio-chars, in laboratory scale. The collecting sectors of MHSW in the municipality of Belém-Pará-Brazil were chosen based on geographic and socio-economic database. The MHSW collected and transported to the segregation area. The gravimetric analysis of MHSW carried out and the fractions (Paper, Cardboard, Tetra Pack, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Metal, Glass, Organic Matter, and Inert) separated. The selected organic matter and paper submitted to pre-treatment of crushing, drying, and sieving. The experiments carried out at 400, 450, and 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, and at 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0% (wt.) Ca(OH)2, in batch mode. The bio-oil characterized for acid value. The chemical functions present in bio-oil identified by FT-IR and the composition by GC-MS. The bio-char characterized by SEM, FT-IR and XRD. The variance in mass (wt.%) for organic fraction of municipal household solid waste, between 56.21 and 67.45% (wt.), lies with the interval of 56% (wt.) and 64% (wt.) of OFMHSW for middle and low income countries. The pyrolysis of MHSW fraction (organic matter + paper) show bio-oil yields between 2.63 and 9.41% (wt.), aqueous phase yields between 28.58 and 35.08% (wt.), solid phase yields between 35.29 and 45.75% (wt.), and gas yields between 16.54 and 26.72% (wt.). The bio-oil yield increases with pyrolysis temperature. For the catalytic cracking, the bio-oil and gas yields increase slightly with CaO content, while that of bio-char decreases, and the H2O phase remains constant. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, phenols, and aldehydes), as well as compounds containing nitrogen, including amides and amines. The acidity of bio-oil decreases with increasing process temperature and with aid Ca(OH)2 as catalyst. The concentration of hydrocarbons in bio-oil increases with increasing Ca(OH)2-to-MHSW fraction ratio due to the catalytic deoxygenation of fatty acids molecules, by means of de-carboxylation/de-carbonylation, producing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abiotic stress is responsible for significant reduction in crop plant productivity worldwide. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a natural component of sunlight and a permanent environmental stimulus. This study investigated the distinct responses of young wheat and einkorn plants to excessive UV-B radiation (180 min at λmax 312 nm) following foliar pretreatment with 1 µM synthetic cytokinin 4PU-30. Results demonstrated that UV radiation significantly amplified hydrogen peroxide levels in both wheat and einkorn, with einkorn exhibiting more pronounced increase compared to wheat. This elevation indicated the induction of oxidative stress by UV radiation in the two genotypes. Intensified antioxidant enzyme activities and increased accumulation of typical stress markers and non-enzyme protectants were evidenced. Transcriptional activity of genes encoding key antioxidant enzymes was also investigated aiming to elucidate the genetic regulation of the antioxidant systems in both wheat and einkorn seedlings. Our results suggested a role for POX1 and POX7 genes in the UV-B tolerance of the two wheat species as well as a cytokinin stimulated UV-B stress response in einkorn mediated through upregulation of the tau subfamily gene GSTU6. Based on these findings it could be concluded that 4PU-30 had the potential of alleviating oxidative stress by attenuating the symptoms of superfluous UV-B illumination in the two examined plant species.

Glucose is a simple sugar molecule. The sugar molecule is chemically symbolised as C6H12O6. This means that the glucose molecule contains 6 carbon atoms (C), 12 hydrogen atoms (H) and 6 oxygen atoms (O). In human blood, the molecule glucose circulates as blood sugar. Normally after eating or drinking, our body breaks down the sugars in food and uses them to obtain energy for our cells. To do this, our pancreas produces insulin. Insulin "pulls" sugar from the blood and puts it into the cells for use. If someone has diabetes, their pancreas can't produce enough insulin. As a result, the level of glucose in the blood rises. This can lead one to many potential complications, including blindness, disease, nerve damage, amputation, stroke, heart attack and damage to blood vessels etc. In this study, a non-invasive method for monitoring blood glucose has been developed and is therefore easily usable. The device developed can measure the glucose level continuously and eliminates the disadvantages of the invasive system. Near-IR sensors (optical sensors) were used to estimate the concentration of glucose in the blood; these sensors have a wavelength of 940 nm. The sensor is placed on the tip of the finger and the output of the optical sensor is then connected to the microcontroller at the analogue input. Another sensor used, but only to provide more medical information was the heartbeat sensor. After processing and regression analysis, the glucose level is predicted, and data is sent via the Bluetooth network to a developed APP. The results of the implemented device were compared with available invasive methods. The study consists of a hardware platform inserted into an armband and then a small black parallelepiped-shaped box in which the optical sensors are inserted. The hardware consists of a microcontroller, a Near-IR optical sensor, a heartbeat sensor and a Bluetooth module.

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) are ubiquitous in industrial-11 ized environments due to the continuous use of electrical devices. Our previous studies demon-12 strated ELF-EMF affects muscle cells by modulating oxidative stress and enhancing myo-genesis. 13 This pilot study investigated these effects on skeletal muscles of sedentary adult mice, assessing 14 physiological responses to ELF-EMF exposure and potential modulation by antioxidant supplemen-15 tation. Male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to ELF-EMF (0.1 or 1.0 mT) 1 hour/day up to 5 weeks, and 16 fed a standard diet without or with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Results showed transient increases in 17 muscle strength (after 2-weeks’ exposure at 1.0 mT), potentially linked to muscle fiber recruitment 18 and activation, revealed by higher PAX7 and MyH expression levels. After ELF-EMF exposure, ox-19 idative status assessment revealed transient increases in expression levels of SOD1 and catalase en-20 zymes, in total antioxidant capacity and in protein carbonyl levels, marker of oxidative damage. 21 These effects were partially reduced by NAC. In conclusion, ELF-EMF exposure affects skeletal 22 muscle physiology and NAC supplementation partially mitigates these effects, highlighting the 23 complex interactions between ELF-EMF and antioxidant pathways in vivo. Further investigations 24 on ELF-EMF as a therapeutic modality for muscle health are necessary.

(1) Background: The study of microbiome is being crucial for his role in major systemic diseases, in particular the oral and gut microbiota. In the last years the study of microorganism correlated for example with neurodegenerative disease is increasing the prospective of a possible link between gut microbiota and brain. Here we report a new case report about a patient evaluated genetically firstly for dementia and late-onset dyskinesia, and then tested with 16S metagenomics sequencing. (2) Methods: Starting from buccal swab, we extracted bacterial DNA and then we performed a NGS metagenomics sequencing based on the amplification of hypervariable regions of the 16S in bacteria. (3) Results: The sequencing revealed the presence of Spirochaetes Phylum, a pathogenic bacterium generally known to be able to migrate to the Central Nervous System and not only. (4) Conclusions: Oral infections as our results shows could be possible contributing factors to various neurodegenerative conditions.

Several specific types of generalized compactness of generalized topological spaces have been defined, investigated and related to compactness in ordinary topological spaces from time to time in the literature of topological spaces. Our recent research in the field of a new class of generalized compactness in a generalized topological space is reported herein as a starting point for more generalized classes.

Several specific types of ordinary and generalized connectedness in a generalized topological space have been defined and investigated for various purposes from time to time in the literature of topological spaces. Our recent research in the field of a new type of generalized connectedness in a generalized topological space is reported herein as a starting point for more generalized types.

Several specific types of generalized maps of a generalized topological space have been defined and investigated for various purposes from time to time in the literature of topological spaces. Our recent research in the field of a new class of generalized maps of a generalized topological space is reported herein as a starting point for more generalized classes.

Several specific types of generalized sets of a generalized topological space have been defined and investigated for various purposes from time to time in the literature of topological spaces. Our recent research in the field of a new class of generalized sets of a generalized topological space is reported herein as a starting point for more generalized classes.

The present study comprises the second part of our previous work that dealt mainly with the phytochemical and physicochemical characterization of green coffee, clove, cinnamon/clove and nutmeg ethanolic extracts of grape origin. In the present study, we focused on producing a discriminating model concerning green coffee, clove, cinnamon, cinnamon and clove, and nutmeg fine powders based on multivariate analysis of variance and supervised learning on data of volatile compounds analysis, carried out with solid phase dynamic extraction in combination with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results showed that 7 volatile compounds namely ethylene, methanol, 3-methylpentane, ethyl acetate, 9-hexadecen-1-ol, toluene, and methyl acetate could differentiate the investigated samples resulting in a 100% classification rate using the cross-validation method of linear discriminant analysis. Results were further confirmed using partial least squares regression analysis. The study contributes to the typification of green coffee, cinnamon, clove, cinnamon and clove and nutmeg, based on selected volatile compounds, and provides further support to the literature by means of possible adulteration given the statistical models developed.

The analysis of the morphological features can be framed in different temporal and spatial scales, depending on the specific objectives and methodologies of the various scientific fields that find in them a valuable source of information. The inventory and assessment of the geomorphological heritage may be based not exclusively in geophysical factors, but also in its contribution to the structuring of the biosphere, in its interrelation with other types of heritage or even in its potential for research or education purposes. In this article, we proceeded to the selection of a set of geomorphosites, at different scales, in Serra do Alvão (northern Portugal), seeking to demonstrate the importance of the broad lines of relief and intermediate and detailed landforms to the organization of the cultural landscape. Based on a questionnaire applied to a sample of 104 persons, it was intended to assess the value of the geomorphosites, concerning the scientific, preservation, use, cultural and educational dimensions.

If environmental exposures are shown to cause an adverse health outcome, reducing exposure should reduce the disease risk. Links between exposures and outcomes are typically based on ‘associations’ derived from observational studies, and causality may not be clear. Randomised controlled trials to ‘prove’ causality are often not feasible or ethical. Here the history of evidence that tobacco smoking causes lung cancer – in observational studies – is compared to that of low sun exposure and/or low vitamin D status as causal risk factors for the autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis. Evidence derives from in vitro and animal studies, as well as ecological, case-control and cohort studies, in order of increasing strength. For smoking and lung cancer, the associations are strong, consistent, and biologically plausible – the evidence is coherent or ‘in harmony’. For low sun exposure/vitamin D as risk factors for MS, the evidence is weaker, with smaller effect sizes, but coherent across a range of sources of evidence, and biologically plausible. The association is less direct – smoking is directly toxic and carcinogenic to the lung, but sun exposure/vitamin D modulate the immune system, which in turn may reduce the risk of immune attack on self-proteins in the central nervous system. Opinion about whether there is sufficient evidence to conclude that low sun exposure/vitamin D increase the risk of multiple sclerosis, is divided. General public health advice to receive sufficient sun exposure to avoid vitamin D deficiency (<50nmol/L) should also ensure any benefits for multiple sclerosis.

Incorporating renewables in the power grid presents challenges for stability, reliability, and operational efficiency. Integrating Energy Storage Systems (ESS) offers a solution by managing unpredictable loads, enhancing reliability, and serving the grid. Hybrid storage solutions have gained attention for specific applications, suggesting higher performance in some respects. This paper compares the performance of hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) to single battery, evaluating their energy supply cost and environmental impact through optimization problems. The model generates an optimized dispatch, minimizing cost or environmental impact of supplying energy to a generic load while considering battery degradation. Seven technologies are assessed, with an example applied to an industrial site contrasting vanadium redox flow (VRFB) and lithium batteries considering the demand of a local load (building). The results also indicates that efficiency and degradation curves have the highest impact in the final costs and environmental functions on the various storage technologies assessed. For the simulations of the example case, a single system only outperforms the hybrid system in cases where lithium efficiency is higher than approximately 87% and vanadium is lower approximately 82%.

Hereditary cancer syndromes caused by germline mutations account for 5-10% of all cancers. The finding of a genetic mutation could have far-reaching consequences for pharmaceutical therapy, personalized prevention strategies, and cascade testing. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s (NCCN) and the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) guidelines, unaffected family members should be tested only if the affected one is unavailable. This article explores whether germline genetic testing may be offered to high-risk families for hereditary cancer even if a living affected relative is missing. A retrospective study was carried out on 103 healthy subjects tested from 2017 to 2023. We enrolled all subjects with at least two first or second-degree relatives affected by breast, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, prostate, or colorectal cancer. All subjects were tested by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) multi-gene panel of 27 cancer-associated genes. In the study population, 5 (about 5%) pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs/LPVs) were found while 40 (42%) had a Variant of Uncertain Significance (VUS). This study highlights the importance of genetic testing for individuals with a strong family history of hereditary malignancies. This approach would allow women who tested positive to receive tailored treatment and prevention strategies based on their personal mutation status.

Background: Since March 2020, Spain is severely hit by the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Understanding and disrupting the early transmission dynamics of the infection is crucial for impeding sustained transmission. Methods: We recorded all COVID-19 cases and traced their contacts in an isolated rural community. We also sampled 10 households, 6 public service sites and the wastewater from the village sewage for environmental SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Results: The first village patient diagnosed with COVID-19-compatible symptoms occurred on March 3, 2020, twelve days before lockdown. A peak of 39 cases occurred on March 30. By May 15, the accumulated number of symptomatic cases was 53 (6% of the population), of which only 22 (41%) had been tested and confirmed by RT-PCR as SARS-CoV-2 infected, including 16 hospitalized patients. Contacts (n=144) were six times more likely to develop symptoms. Environmental sampling detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in two households with known active cases and in two public service sites: the petrol station and the pharmacy. Samples from other sites and the wastewater tested negative. Conclusions: The low proportion of patients tested by RT-PCR calls for urgent changes in disease management. We propose that early testing of all cases and their close contacts would reduce infection spread, reducing the disease burden and fatalities. In a context of restricted testing, environmental RNA surveillance might prove useful for early warning and to identify high-risk settings enabling a targeted resource deployment.

There is now evidence that, based on cytokine profiles, bipolar disorder (BD) is accompanied by simultaneous activation of the immune-inflammatory response system (IRS) and the compensatory immune-regulatory system (CIRS), and that both components may be associated with the staging of illness. Nevertheless, no BD studies have evaluated the IRS/CIRS ratio using CD (cluster of differentiation) molecules expressed by peripheral blood activated T effector (Teff) and T regulatory (Treg) subpopulations. This study examined T cell subsets both before and after ex vivo anti CD3/CD28 stimulation using flow cytometric immunophenotyping in 25 euthymic BD patients and 21 healthy controls as well as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific IgG antibodies. BD is associated with a significantly lowered frequency of baseline (unstimulated) CD3+CD8+CD71+ and CD4+CD25+FOXP3 and increased CD4+CD25+FOXP3+CD152+ frequencies and with lowered stimulated frequencies of CD3+CD8+CD71+, CD4+CD25+FOXP3+CD152+ and CD4+CD25+FOXP3+GARP cells and, consequently, by an increased stimulated Teff/Treg ratio. Moreover, the number of manic, but not hypomanic or depressive episodes, is significantly and negatively associated with the stimulated proportions of CD3+CD4+CD154+, and CD69+ and CD71+ expression on CD4+ and CD8+ cells, while duration of illness (≥ 10 years) is accompanied by a depleted frequency of stimulated CD152+ Treg, and CD154+ and CD71+ CD4+ T cells. BD and anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) IgG levels significantly interact to decrease the expression of CD4+CD25+FOXP+GARP T phenotypes. In conclusion, BD is characterized by deficits in immune-regulatory functions while the staging of illness is characterized by additional impairments is Teff and Treg activation. HCMV seropositivity may contribute to an immune-risk phenotype associated with BD.

In this paper glass crystallization behavior of 50ZnO:47B2O3:3Nb2O3:0.5Eu2O3 (G-0h) glass has been investigated in detail by DSC, XRD and TEM analysis. The luminescent properties of resulted glass-ceramics were also investigated. By XRD and TEM analysis crystallization of several crystalline phases have been proved (α-Zn3B2O6, β-Zn3B2O6 and ZnNb2O6). By calculating of crystal parameters it was found that europium ions are successfully incorporated in the β-Zn3B2O6. Photo-luminescent spectra show an increased emission in the resulting glass-ceramic samples as compared with the parent glass sample because of the higher asymmetry of Eu3+ ions in the crystalline phases obtained. It was established that the optimum emission intensity is registered for glass-ceramic sample obtained after 25 hours heat treatment of the parent glass.

As the demand of heating and air conditioning is increasing day by day due to getting a comfortable life, for that reason, the market for heat pump and air conditioning systems or both, is seeing a steady increase in low global warming potential. All researchers on heat pump and air conditioning systems are searching for environmentally friendly refrigerants. However, a significant number of contemporary refrigerants (HCFCs) have the potential to cause global warming and ozone depletion, such as those found in heat pump air conditioning systems. Using more environmentally friendly refrigerants, including hydrocarbon and blend refrigerant mixtures, is one way to lower GWP and Ozone depletion potential. This study examines the performance of several alternative refrigerants, including R32, R134A, R410A, R22, and R290. In order to examine the performance of R290, theoretical and simulation results are compared on various refrigerants while taking into account a number of performance parameters, including the refrigerant energy efficiency ratio, mass flow rate, coefficient of performance, cooling capacity, and compressor work for one ton of refrigeration (1TR) air conditioners. One player with a very low GWP is R290. However, the only drawback is that it can catch fire and is hazardous to use in split-type commercial heat pump air conditioning applications. The environmental and thermo physical properties of HC-290 are significantly better than those of other materials, according to theoretical and simulation studies utilizing Cool Pack software, hence it is a viable replacement.

Wounds are an increasing global concern, mainly due to a sedentary lifestyle, frequently associated to the occidental way of life. The current prevalence of obesity in western societies, leading to an increase in type II diabetes, and an elderly population, are also a key factor associated to the problem of wounds healing. Therefore, it stands essential to find wound dressing systems allowing reestablishing the skin integrity in the shortest possible time and with the lowest cost, avoiding further damage and promoting patients´ well-being. Wounds can be classified into acute or chronic, depending essentially on the duration of the healing process, which is associated with. It depends on the extent and depth of wound, localization, level of infection and on the patient health status. For each kind of wound and respective healing stage there is a more suitable dressing. The aim of this review was to focus on the possible wound dressing management, aiming the more adequate healing approach for each kind of wound.

In this paper, we study sums of finite products of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind and Lucas polynomials and represent each of them in terms of Chebyshev polynomials of all kinds. Here the coefficients involve terminating hypergeometric functions ₂F₁ and these representations are obtained by explicit computations.

This review paper presents a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on the contamination of water systems by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs, organic contaminants characterized by two or more fused aromatic rings, are notably problematic due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and significant health risks. The review commences with an examination of various sources of PAHs in aquatic environments, encompassing both anthropogenic activities, such as industrial discharges, urban runoff, and oil spills, and natural phenomena including volcanic eruptions and wildfires. Subsequently, the discussion shifts to the distribution patterns of PAHs within different aquatic ecosystems, with an analysis of factors that influence their transport. Considerable focus is placed on the entry mechanisms of PAHs into water systems and their interactions with diverse environmental matrices. Additionally, the ecotoxicological effects of PAHs on aquatic life are scrutinized, with particular emphasis on molecular, individual, and ecosystemic impacts. This includes an exploration of PAH bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms and their potential mutagenic and carcinogenic consequences. The review further addresses the challenges associated with detecting and quantifying PAHs in aquatic settings, reflecting on the advancements in analytical methodologies and the complexities introduced by their varied physicochemical properties. The paper concludes with a summary of existing regulatory frameworks and guidelines governing PAH contamination in water systems, underscoring the imperative for global collaboration in the monitoring and management of PAH pollution.

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries, with notable advantages in safety, energy density, and longevity, yet the environmental implications of their lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal, remain a critical concern. This review paper examines the environmental impacts associated with the production, use, and end-of-life management of SSBs, starting with the extraction and processing of raw materials which highlights significant natural resource consumption, energy use, and emissions. A comparative analysis with traditional battery manufacturing underscores the environmental hazards of novel materials specific to SSBs. The review also assesses the operational environmental impact of SSBs by evaluating their energy efficiency and carbon footprint in comparison to conventional batteries, followed by an exploration of end-of-life challenges including disposal risks, regulatory frameworks, and the shortcomings of existing waste management practices. A significant focus is placed on recycling and reuse strategies, reviewing current methodologies like mechanical, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes, along with emerging technologies that aim to overcome recycling barriers, while also analyzing the economic and technological challenges of these processes. Additionally, real-world case studies are presented, serving as benchmarks for best practices and highlighting lessons learned in the field. In conclusion, the paper identifies research gaps and future directions for reducing the environmental footprint of SSBs, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance sustainable SSB technologies and contribute to balancing technological advancements with environmental stewardship, thereby supporting the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

This work aims to investigate the influence of reaction time and catalyst-to-residual fat ratio by catalytic upgrading from pyrolysis vapors of residual fat at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products, physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) and chemical composition of bio-oils, over a catalyst fixed bed reactor of activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in semi pilot scale. The experiments were carried out at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a process schema consisting of a thermal cracking reactor of 2.0 L coupled to a catalyst fixed bed reactor of 53 mL, without catalyst and using 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (wt.) activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in batch mode. Samples of liquid phase products were withdrawn during the course of reaction at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 120 minutes in order to investigate the process kinetics. The physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) of bio-oils were determined by official methods. The chemical composition of bio-oils determined by GC-MS. The thermal catalytic cracking of residual fat show bio-oils yields from 55.55 to 30.22 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 2.83 and 3.19 (wt.%), solid phase yields between 13.56 and 9.75 (wt.%), and gas yields from 27.89 to 55.60 (wt.%). The yields of bio-oil decreases from 74.41 to 30.22% (wt.) with increasing catalyst-to-Tallow kernel oil ratio, while that of gaseous phase increases from 12.87 to 55.60% (wt.). For all the thermal and thermal catalytic cracking experiments, the density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value of bio-oils decreases as the reaction time increases varying from 0.9266 to 0.8220 g/cm³, 8.10 to 2.24 mm²/s, and 144.14 to 2.37 mg KOH/g. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, ring-containing alkanes, ring-containing alkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes). For all the pyrolysis and catalytic cracking experiments, the hydrocarbon selectivity in bio-oil increases with increasing reaction time, while those of oxygenates decrease, reaching concentrations of hydrocarbons up to 95.35% (area.). The best results for the physicochemical properties density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value were 0.8220 g/cm³, 3.03 mm2/s, and 2.37 mg KOH/g, respectively, with a maximum hydrocarbon concentration of 97.194% (area.) and 2.806% ketones (area.) were obtained at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, 80 minutes, without catalyst. For the catalytic cracking experiments, the maximum hydrocarbon content of 75.763% (area.) and 17.041% (area.) carboxylic acids, 4.702% (area.) ketones (area.), and 2.494% (area.) non-identified oxygenates was obtained at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, 90 minutes, using a catalyst fixed bed reactor, with 10.0% (wt.) activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH as catalyst.

This article presents an in-depth review of Virtual Power Plant (VPP), its organization in the energy system and its prospects in the face of the promising future of the increasing bidirectional complexity exposed in the current scenario. A new paradigm for the operations of modern power distribution and transmission systems requires greater grid flexibility that is accompanying an extensive change in the structure of electricity markets, the fruit of the development of the renewable industry and of the growing photovoltaic systems popularized, but in contrast due to the intermittent nature cause variable uncertainties in the power system. Innovative concepts like VPP are becoming a reality, establishing an efficient and effective mechanism. The objectives and components are described in a comprehensive way, and some of the most important are pointed out and presented in detail to contribute with a description of the energy systems and the implicit research needed for sustainability and resilience in the eminent energy scenario with this technology. In addition, the literature and studies of this technology already indicate a direction of this new tool as a promising solution to manage the uncertainties of the renewable energies.

Background: Current management of COPD is predominantly focused on respiratory aspects. A multidimensional assessment including nutritional assessment, quality of life and disability provides a more reliable perspective of the true complexity of COPD patients. Methods: Prospective observational study of 120 elderly COPD patients at high risk of acute exacerbations. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was administered in addition to the usual respiratory assessment. The primary outcome was a composite of moderate or severe acute exacerbations during 52 weeks of follow-up. Results: The median MNA Short Form (SF) score was 11 (8-12), 39 participants (32.50%) had normal nutritional status, 57 (47.5%) were at risk of malnutrition and 24 (20%) were malnourished. Our multivariate linear logistic models showed that the MNA score was associated with dyspnea and respiratory symptoms severity assessed by the Modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, with spirometric variables, in particular with the severity of airflow limitation based on the value of FEV1 and with poorer QoL as assessed by the EQ-5D-3 questionnaire. Cox regression analysis according to nutritional status based on the MNA score showed that COPD participants "at risk of malnutrition" and "malnourished" had a higher risk of moderate to severe acute exacerbations with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.54 (p=0.002) and 8.20 (p=0.0001), respectively. Conclusion: Our study confirms the importance of assessing nutritional status in elderly COPD patients and its prognostic value.

Several specific types of ordinary and generalized separation axioms of a generalized topological space have been defined and investigated for various purposes from time to time in the literature of topological spaces. Our recent research in the field of a new class of generalized separation axioms of a generalized topological space is reported herein as a starting point for more generalized classes.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SAC) is a leading cause of mortality. In recent years, though, many lives have been saved through the use of defibrillators by random bystanders. As a result, defibrillators have been popping up in various locations. In this work we propose a state mandate demanding the presence of a defibrillator at every pharmacy store and argue that it could greatly enhance and augment the impact of the defibrillator network. We support our claim via detailed calculations of the immediate (a defibrillator readily available) and partial (a defibrillator available at a reasonable distance) population coverage achievable by the implementation of our proposal, taking the Argolis area in Peloponnese Greece as a case study. Our findings indicate that, in addition to other benefits, the use of pharmacies to establish a defibrillator network could bring an eight-fold increase in the immediate population coverage of defibrillators and would provide immediate / partial access to a defibrillator to 18 / 24 incidents of SCA per year that would otherwise lead to death, potentially leading to the saving of numerous lives. Alternative scenaria are also discussed.

Most fungal species are commensals, not pathogenic for plants, humans, or animals. However, several species from genera Alternaria, Aspergillus, Trichophyton and Microsporum are common causes of disease, even for immunocompetent individuals, contributing to skin barrier impairment. A total of 68 allergic dogs were selected from a veterinary dermatology and allergy outpatient consultation, for conditions related to Malassezia overgrowth or other fungal complications. Allergy diagnosis was made through anamnestic and clinical criteria and allergy-implicated species were identified by intradermal testing (IDT) and serum determination of specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE). Dermatophagoides farinae, Dactylis glomerata and Malassezia pachydermatis showed as the higher sensitization species from each group. Significant correlations at p<0.05 were found between Dactylis glomerata and Phleum pratense grass pollens, Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Lepidoglyphus destructor dust/storage mites, and between fungi like Aspergillus mix and Penicillium or Alternaria alternata. A significant correlation was also found between sensitization to Aspergillus mix and D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus or A. siro. Rather severe dermatitis was observed where positive IDT to Malassezia pachydermatis was found, regardless of the presence of circulating sIgE, allowing us to perceive the usefulness of both sIgE and IDT for allergy diagnosis to fungi.

B chromosomes (B) are supernumerary elements found in many taxonomic groups. Most B chromosomes are rich in heterochromatin and composed of abundant repetitive sequences, especially transposable elements (TEs). Bs origin is generally linked to the A chromosome complement (A). The first report of a B chromosome in African cichlids was on Astatotilapia latifasciata, which can harbor 0, 1 or 2 B chromosomes. Classical cytogenetics studies found high TE content on the species B chromosome. In this study, we aim to understand TE composition and expression on A. latifasciata genome and its relation to the B chromosome. We use bioinformatics analysis to explore TEs genome organization and also their composition on the B chromosome. Bioinformatics findings were validated by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and real-time PCR (qPCR). A. latifasciata has a TE content similar to other cichlid fishes and several expanded elements on its B chromosome. With RNA sequencing data (RNA-seq) we showed that all major TE classes are transcribed in brain, muscle and male/female gonads. The evaluation of TE expression between B- and B+ individuals showed that few elements have differential expression among groups and expanded B elements were not highly transcribed. Putative silencing mechanisms may the acting on the B chromosome of A. latifasciata to prevent adverse consequences of repeat transcription and mobilization in the genome.

Background: Hospital accreditation has become ubiquitous in developing countries. Although studies recognize that accreditation can improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and safety, there are doubts about how hospitals deal with conflicts caused by the different institutional logics that inhabit this process. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how professional and market logics, as well as the conflict between institutional demands, affect compliance with hospital accreditation. Methods: To this end, we developed a multiple case study in four Brazilian hospitals through in-depth interviews with sixteen participants (managers, physicians, nurses, physiotherapist) and on-site observation by the triangulation between the analysis of the narratives and the results of the multiple correspondence analysis. The interpretation and subsequent categorization of the interviews were guided by the study's analytical categories: institutional logics (professional and market); adoption objectives (legitimacy and efficiency); strategic responses to adoption (conformity, non-conformity, and customization); nature of demands (origin in the means and in goal). Results. The data showed that when professional logic is prominent, there is a greater tendency to customize activities, as there are conflicts in the means by which activities can be developed. When market logic stands out, there is a risk of non-conformity, mainly because the focus falls exclusively on goals. Finally, the data point to the absence of conflicts between justifications related to efficiency and legitimacy. Conclusion. We conclude the study by highlighting the theoretical and practical implications of recognizing the conflict between logics, contributing to a deeper understanding of how logic influences the attention given to specific demands and, more significantly, how they affect compliance with hospital accreditation standards, expanding the body of knowledge in the area.

Dendritic cell (DC) cancer vaccines are a promising therapeutic approach, leveraging the immune system to fight tumors. These vaccines utilize DCs' ability to present tumor-associated antigens to T cells, triggering a robust immune response. DC vaccine development has progressed through three generations. The first generation involved priming DCs with tumor-associated antigens or messenger RNA outside the body, showing limited clinical success. The second generation improved efficacy by using cytokine mixtures and specialized DC subsets to enhance immunogenicity. The third generation uses blood-derived DCs to elicit a stronger immune response. Clinical trials indicate that cancer vaccines have lower toxicity than traditional cytotoxic treatments. However, achieving significant clinical responses with DC immunotherapy remains challenging. Combining DC vaccines with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen 4 and anti-programmed Death-1 antibodies has shown promise by enhancing T cell responses and improving clinical outcomes. These combinations can transform non-inflamed tumors into inflamed ones, boosting ICIs' efficacy. Current research is exploring new checkpoint targets like LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT, considering their potential with DC vaccines. Additionally, engineering T cells with chimeric antigen receptors or T cell receptors could further augment the anti-tumor response. This comprehensive strategy aims to enhance cancer immunotherapy, focusing on increased efficacy and improved patient survival rates.

In this age of mass media and, in particular, social media-driven perception of reality, coupling disease and prophylactic opinion dynamics models can provide better insights into disease evolution than using a disease model alone. We develop in this work two disease-opinion dynamics models based on the epidemiology of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the availability or not of imperfect vaccines. We assume that susceptibility to infection decreases with the level of prophylactic attitude (personal hygiene, social distancing), and changes in prophylactic attitudes of susceptible individuals occur in response to perceived disease prevalence and vaccination coverage and efficacy in the population. We derive and discuss the disease-free equilibriums and reproduction numbers in the introduced models. We further assess the impacts of the distribution of opinions at disease introduction, the ability to detect presymptomatic, asymptomatic and symptomatic positive COVID-19 cases, the behavioural responses to the outbreak and the introduction of vaccination, and the effects of distortions of disease prevalence by public policy and mass media on disease dynamics. The insights highlighted from the proposed models are expected to make informative contributions to public policy in a context of opinion fluxes in response to perceived disease prevalence.

Heart failure (HF) is a growing issue in developed countries and most patients present with a reduced ejection fraction. This condition significantly impairs quality of life and represents a threat not only for patients, but also for the entire healthcare system due to its high management cost. In the last decade, new medical treatments and devices have been developed to reduce HF hospitalizations and improve prognosis, while reducing the overall mortality rate. Medical therapy does not achieve the same results in all patients and, whenever it fails, technology comes in handy: novel devices for the management of HF have reduced symptoms. They have also improved the treatment of fluid retention and life threatening arrhythmias. The present review article gives to the readers a comprehensive overview of the most recent and important findings that need to be considered in HF with reduced ejection fraction patients. Both novel medical treatments and devices have been presented and discussed.

Purpose To analyse diagnostic and therapeutic impact of molecular imaging TNM (miTNM) stage obtained with 18F-DCFPyL versus 18F-Fluorocholine in head to head comparison in biochemical recurrence (BCR) prostate cancer (PCa). Material and methods Patients with BCR PCa after radical treatment with previous 18F-Fluorocholine-PET/CT (negative or oligometastatic disease) were derived to 18F-DCFPyL-PET/CT. Patients were classified attending to: grade group, EAU classification, PSA, PSA doubling time (PSAdt) and PSA velocity (PSAvel). The overall detection rate (DR) and miTNM stage according to PROMISE criteria were assessed for both radiotracers and also correlation (Kappa). The influence of PSA and kinetics on both PET/CT (DR and miTNM) and predictive value of unfavourable kinetics on miTNM were determined. Cut-off PSA, PSAdt and PSAvel values able to predict PET/CT results were determined. Change in miTNM and treatment derived of 18F-DCFPyL information with respect to 18F-Fluorocholine was also evaluated. Results We studied 138 patients. 18F-DCFPyL showed a higher DR than 18F-Fluorocholine (64.5% vs 33.3%). 18F-DCFPyL and 18F-Fluorocholine detected T in 33.3% versus 19.6%, N in 27.5% versus 13.8%, M in 30.4% versus 8.7%. Both tracers DR showed significant associations with PSA and PSAvel. Significant association was only found between miTNM and PSA on 18F-Fluorocholine-PET/CT (p=0.033). For 18F-Fluorocholine and 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT a PSAdt cut-off of 4.09 and 5.59 months, respectively, were able to predict M stage. 18F-DCFPyL changed therapeutic management in 40/138 patients. Conclusion 18F-DCFPyL provides a higher DR and superior miTNM staging than 18F-Fluorocholine in restaging BCR, especially with high PSA and unfavourable PSA kinetics, showing a fair agreement to 18F-Fluorocholine.

We review time expansion wave theory and refine our model showing it to accurately match observed cosmological luminosity data. The theory augments general relativity to create a container within which quantum effects can be explained by treating time as an artefact of a fourth spatial dimension that we observe as the expansion of the universe. This leads us to explain mass creation, the speed of light limit, gravity, black holes without singularities and other macroscopic effects. Our model leads to an expansion velocity of 6.87 0.36 × 106 ms-1, which results in a Hubble expansion rate constant of 71.3 3.7 km/s/Mpc. Because of the finite window of time in which we exist, an extra a degree of freedom is available leading to interesting interpretations at the subatomic level. At this size range, then a spin is allowed within the time dimension explaining why wave particle duality occurs and explains the electromagnetic force and other quantum mechanical properties. It provides a solution to the double slit conundrum and can explain how quantum entangled partners can behave in a quantum way and pass seemingly time-defying information. The potential quantitative origin of the fine structure constant which governs the size of the electromagnetic force is also strongly indicated by this theory.

The Fuzzy Transportation Problem (FTP) represents a significant extension of the Classical Transportation Problem (TP) by introducing uncertainly and imprecision into the parameters involved. Various algorithms have been proposed to solve the FTP, including fuzzy linear programming, metaheuristic algorithms and fuzzy mathematical programming techniques combined with Artificial Neural Networks. This paper presents the application of Trigonometric Acceleration Coefficients-PSO (TrigAc-PSO), a variation of the Classical Particle Swarm optimization algorithm, which is an innovative algorithm originally developed for solving the TP. TrigAC-PSO, has demonstrated remarkable success in optimizing various problem domains in crisp environments.

By combining general relativity and CPT symmetry, the theory of CPT gravity predicts gravitational repulsion between matter and CPT-transformed matter, i.e. antimatter inhabiting an inverted space-time. Such repulsive gravity turned out to be an excellent candidate for explaining the accelerated expansion of the Universe, without the need for dark energy. The recent results of the ALPHA-g experiment, which show gravitational attraction between antihydrogen atoms and the Earth, seem to undermine this success in the cosmological field. Analyzing the above theory, we find two solutions that can be consistent with the experimental results, while preserving the large-scale gravitational repulsion. The first highlights how repulsive gravity can be the result of the interaction with an inverted space-time, but occupied by matter and not antimatter, and therefore the antimatter present in our space-time has no reason to exhibit gravitational repulsion. The second retains the original CPT transformation, resulting in repulsive gravity between matter and antimatter, but with the caveat that antimatter immersed in our space-time cannot exhibit the PT transformation which is the cause of the repulsion. Finally, it is shown that, in a Newtonian approximation of the geodesic equation, time reversal is not a necessary operation for repulsive gravity, therefore opening the possibility of an expanding cosmos with a single time direction.

The spin magnetic moments and spin g factors (g_s = -2) of electron, muon and tau are explained based on the electric charges (EC) and lepton charges (LC) in terms of the three-dimensional quantized space model. The spin g factors of electron, muon and tau are g_s = -2 which is the sum of the EC g factor (g_EC = -1) and the LC g factor (g_LC = -1). The spin g factor (g_s = -2) of the electron is predicted by the Dirac’s equation. The orbit g factors of electron, muon and tau are g_L = g_EC = -1 from the EC g factor (g_EC = -1) without the contribution of the LC g factor (g_LC = -1). The spin g factors of the elementary fermions are calculated from the equation of g_s = g_EC + g_LC + g_CC where g_EC = EC/|EC|, g_LC = LC/|LC| and g_CC = CC/|CC|. For example, the spin g factors of the neutrinos and dark matters are g_s = -1. The spin g factors of the u and d quarks are g_s = 0 and g_s = -2, respectively. The g factor problem of neutrinos with the non-zero LC charges are solved by the LC Coulomb force of F_c(LC) ≈0. It is, for the first time, proposed that the binary motion (fluctuations) of the m_EC and m_LC masses for the electron, muon and tau leptons make the anomalous g factor. This binary motion could be originated from the virtual particle processes including the photons. Also, the weak force (beta) decay is closely related to the binary motion of the m_EC and m_LC for the electron, muon and tau leptons.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major pathogen that cause remarkable rate of morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. It is important to find risk factors associated with CMV viremia. We studied the differences in CMV seropositivity in relation to liver function biomarkers in male and female Saudi population in an attempt to understand the variation in the CMV seroprevalence with sex and find the risk factor to develop liver dysfunction or hepatocellular carcinoma. Material and subjects: The CMV- IgG and IgM were screened in serum samples of 150 non- A-G hepatities patients with elevation of liver profiles (ALT, AST, ALP and GGT) and categorized as males and females. Samples were collected from different general hospitals and polyclinic in KSA from March 2014 to June 2015. A correlation between CMV seropositivity measured with both antibodies and liver enzymes were tested. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis and multiple regressions were done for the obtained data. Results: Our study shows that females had much higher IgG and IgM compared to age-matching males. A significant correlation between both antibodies and liver enzymes (AST, ALT) was recorded. Less significant correlation of both IgG and IgM with GGT was also observed. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis revealed that both IgG and IgM can be used as excellent predictive markers for CMV infection as both recorded 100% specificity and sensitivity together with area under the curve of 1 in males and females. Multiple regression analysis ascertain the correlation between both antibodies as dependent variables and liver enzymes as independent variables with ALT being the most affected enzyme with CMV seropositivity especially in females. Conclusion:he data discussed above This study shows that CMV is capable of initiating and accelerating liver dysfunction in both sexes. The high seroprevalence in females at reproductive age is especially important as they can transmit the virus to their developing fetus. Prevention of CMV infection in young girls 11-14 years old, through counseling on hygiene or possible future vaccination, may lead to a decrease of congenital CMV infections with the concomitant risk of developing liver dysfunction or hepatocellular carcinoma. Keywords: Cytomegalovirus, Alanine transaminase, Aspartate transaminase Alkaline phosphatase, γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase, liver function.

Increased sugar intake is implicated in Type-2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Mechanisms by which glucose and fructose components promote these conditions are unclear. We hypothesize that alterations in intestinal metabolite and microbiota profiles specific to each monosaccharide are involved. Two groups of six adult C57BL/6 mice were fed for 10-weeks with a diet where either glucose or fructose was the sole carbohydrate component (G and F, respectively). A third group was fed with normal chow (N). Fecal metabolites were profiled every 2-weeks by ¹H NMR and microbial composition was analysed by real-time PCR (qPCR). Glucose tolerance was also periodically assessed. N, G and F mice had similar weight gains and glucose tolerance. Multivariate analysis of NMR profiles indicated that F mice were separated from both N and G, with decreased butyrate and glutamate and increased fructose, succinate, taurine, tyrosine and xylose. Compared to N and G, F mice showed a shift in microbe populations from gram-positive Lactobacillus spp. to gram-negative Enterobacteria species. Substitution of normal chow carbohydrate mixture by either pure glucose or fructose for 10 weeks did not alter adiposity or glucose tolerance. However, F G and N mice generated distinctive fecal metabolite signatures with incomplete fructose absorption as a dominant feature of F mice.

HLA-G is an immune checkpoint molecule with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities, and its expression and level of its soluble form (sHLA-G) may play an important role in tumor prognosis. The HLA-G 14 bp ins/del polymorphism and the plasma level of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) were investigated by a polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively, in 59 glioma patients. A significantly higher proportion of glioma patients had the 14 nt insert in both homozygous and heterozygous states compared to the control group. Glioma patients had also higher plasma levels of sHLA-G. Patients with methylated MGMT promoter had lower levels of sHLA-G than those with unmethylated MGMT promoter. Level of sHLA-G negatively correlated with the overall survival of patients. Glioblastoma patients who survived more than one year after diagnosis had lower levels of sHLA-G than those surviving less than one year. Patients with sHLA-G levels below the cut off value 40 U/mL survived significantly longer than patients with sHLA-G above 40 U/mL. The levels of sHLA-G also negatively correlated with the level of IL-6 (P=0.0004) and positively with IL-10/IL-6 (P=0.046). Conclusion: The presence of 14 nt insert in both homozygous and heterozygous states of the HLA-G 14 bp ins/del polymorphism is more frequent in glioma patients and the elevated plasma levels of sHLA-G are negatively associated with their survival.

Background: The two-stage technique combining the Endoscopic Retrograde CholangioPancreatography (ERCP) with common bile duct (CBD) clearance carried out before the laparoscopic cholecystectomy represents the most common approach for CBD stones. Over time, different techniques have been proposed to manage cholecysto- choledocholithiasis (CCL) advantageously in one stage. Among these, the laparoendoscopic rendez-vous (LERV) addresses the CCL issue with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy with insertion of a guide wire performed at initial stage of the procedure, followed by the clearance of the bile duct carried out by the endoscopists. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safeness of LERV procedure recording results and complications, also making a comparison between our results and current literature. Methods: We reviewed our experience of all consecutive patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis managed with LERV between January 2018 and December 2023. LERV success rate, operative time, length of hospital stay, stone recurrence, incidence of endoscopic and surgical complications were analysed. Results: A total of 120 patients underwent LERV in our facilities. We reported a 97% LERV success rate, 1.6% conversion-to-open rate, a median intraoperative time of 122 (range 95-220) min. The median hospital stay was 4 (range 2-38) days. An overall morbidity of 15% was reported (18/120): 15 Clavien-Dindo type 1/2, 2 type 3a and one type 3b. In two cases a re-operation during the hospital stay was necessary. At a median follow-up of 14 months (3-59) five patients experienced stone recurrence requiring redo-ERCP in two cases. Conclusion: LERV offers the significant advantage of a single stage procedure and hospitalisation along with a lower risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis, failed CBD cannulation and complications. Our experience confirms safety and effectiveness of the technique for CCL management.

Mobile robots need an environmental perception ability in order to interact with the surrounding environment. In this paper we present the G-SLAM method, where the map is consisted of a cloud of scattered points in the continuous space and each point is accompanied by an obstacle existence probability. On the other hand the robot's pose (and trajectory) is estimated by an particle filters while the cloud of points is estimated by an adaptive recursive algorithm which is presented. Main feature of the presented method is the adaptive repositioning of the scattered points and their convergence around obstacles. In addition to our previous publications, In this paper a mathematical derivation of the method is presented and real case scenarios are discussed, presented and compared with other methods.

(S)-Atenolol ((S)-2-(4-(2-Hydroxy-3-(isopropylamino)propoxy)phenyl)acetamide) has been synthesized in >99% ee with use of Candida antarctica lipase B from Syncozymes (Shanghai, China), in a kinetic resolution of the corresponding racemic chlorohydrin. Deprotonation of the starting phenol building block was base catalyzed. The enantiopurity of the chlorohydrin building block remained unchanged upon subsequent amination. All four steps in the synthesis protocol have been optimized compared to previously reported methods, which makes this new protocol more sustainable and in accordance with green chemistry principles compared to previously reported protocols.

This study considers an application of the first-order Grey Markov Model to foresee the values of Italian power generation in relation to the available energy sources. The model is used to fit data from the Italian energy system from 2000 to 2022. The integration of Markovian error introduces a random element to the model, which is able now to capture inherent uncertainties and misalignments between the Grey model predictions and the real data. This application provides valuable insights for strategic planning in the energy sector and future developments. The results show good accuracy of the predictions, which provides powerful information for the effective implementation of energy policies concerning the evolution of energy demand in the country. Despite advancements, Italy’s 2032 energy mix will still significantly rely on fossil fuels, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts beyond 2032 to enhance sustainability.

In this study we have investigated the effect of the addition of Nb2O5 (up to 5 mol%) on the structure and luminescent properties of ZnO-B2O3 glass doped with 0.5 mol % Eu2O3 by using of infrared (IR), Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Physical properties as molar volume, oxygen packing density and glass transition temperature were determined using the results of differential thermal analyisis (DTA) and Archimedes principle for density. IR and Raman spectra revealed that niobium ions incorporate into the base zinc borate glass as NbO4 trtraherda and NbO6 octahedra. A strong red emission from the 5D0 level of Eu3+ ions was registered under near UV (392 nm) excitation using the sharp 7F0 - 5L6 transition of Eu3+. The integrated fluorescence intensity ratio R (5D0 → 7F2/5D0 → 7F1) was calculated to estimate the degree of asymmetry around the active ion, suggesting a location of Eu3+ in non-centrosymmetric sites. The higher Еu3+ luminescence emission observed in zinc borate glasses containing 1÷5 mol% Nb2O5 compared to the Nb2O5-free zinc borate glass evidences that Nb2O5 is suitable component for modification of host glass structure and improving the emission intensity.

In this study, the objective is to analyze the economic viability of municipal household solid waste (organic matter + paper) for the production of gas, coke and biofuel through the pyrolysis and distillation process. The waste was collected in the city of Belém do Pará-Brazil and pre-treated at UFPA. The analyzed fraction (organic matter + paper) was subjected to pre-treatment of drying, crushing, sieving and was subsequently subjected to proximate characterization and finally pyrolysis of the organic fraction (organic matter + paper) in a fixed bed reactor. Initially, it was necessary to review the literature and with the yields obtained by pyrolysis of the frac-tion, economic feasibility analyzes were carried out. The economic indicators for evaluating the most viable pyrolysis process were: simple payback, discounted payback, net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and profitability index (IL). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability considering an analysis horizon of 10 years, of materials based on organic material and paper. The break-even point obtained was 0.96 US$/L and the minimum biofuel sales price (MFSP – “Minimum Fuel Sale Price”) obtained in this work was 1.30 US$/L. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that material costs (organic matter + paper), bio-oil yield, total project investment and electricity, respectively, are the variables that most affect the mini-mum biofuel sales price (MFSP).

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

The plants Agave sisalana (sisal) and Punica granatum (pomegranate) are rich in saponins, which are secondary metabolites known for their therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory effects. Although, Brazil is the world's leading sisal producer, approximately 95% of the leaves are discarded after fiber extraction. Similarly, pomegranate peel waste is abundant in Brazil. To address the need for safe and effective anti-inflammatory treatments. This study aimed to create a topical mucoadhesive gel containing a combination of sisal (RS) and pomegranate residue ex-tracts (PR). In vitro experiments examined isolated and combined extracts, as well as the result-ing formulation, focusing on: 1) phytochemical analysis (total saponin content); 2) cytotoxicity (MTT assay); and 3) pharmacological assessment of anti-inflammatory activity (phagocytosis, macrophage spreading, and membrane stability).Results revealed saponin concentrations in grams per 100 grams of dry extract as follows: SR - 29.91 ± 0.33, PR - 15.83 ± 0.93, Association (A) - 22.99 ± 0.01, Gel Base (G1) - 0.00 ± 0.00, and Association Gel (G2) - 0.52 ± 0.05. In MTT tests for isolated extracts, cytotoxicity values (µg/mL) were 3757.00 for SR and 2064.91 for PR. Converse-ly, A and G2 exhibited no cytotoxicity, with increased cell viability over time. All three anti-inflammatory tests confirmed the presence of this activity in SR, PR, and A. Notably, G2 demon-strated an anti-inflammatory effect comparable to dexamethasone.In conclusion, the gel contain-ing SR and PR holds promise as a novel herbal anti-inflammatory treatment. Its development could yield economic, social, and environmental benefits by utilizing discarded materials in Brazil.

Diabetes is a prevalent global health issue associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a well-known inflammatory, neurovascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of preventable blindness in developed countries among working-age adults. However, the ocular surface components of diabetic eyes are also at risk of damage due to uncontrolled diabetes, which is often overlooked. Inflammatory changes in the corneas of diabetic patients indicate that inflammation plays a significant role in diabetic complications, much like in DR. The eye´s immune privilege restricts immune and inflammatory responses, and the cornea and retina have a complex network of innate immune cells that maintain immune homeostasis. Nevertheless, low-grade inflammation in diabetes contributes to immune dysregulation. This article aims to provide an overview and discussion of how diabetes affects the ocular immune system’s main components, immune-competent cells, and inflammatory mediators. By understanding these effects, potential interventions and treatments may be developed to improve the ocular health of diabetic patients.

Norepinephrine plays an important role in modulating memory consolidation and evocation through its beta-adrenergic receptors (Adrβ: β1, β2 and β3), which are expressed in the hippocampus (HC) and amygdala (AMY). Here we hypothesized that multisensory stimulation would reverse the memory impairment caused by the inactivation of the Adrβ3 with consequent inhibition of sustained glial-mediated inflammation and glutamatergic depuration. To test this, 21- and 86-day-old Adrβ3KO mice and respective controls underwent to (i) gustative and olfactive stimuli of positive and negative valence associated with (ii) intellectual challenges to reach the food in addition to (iii) objects in hidden places (iv) foraging for 8 weeks followed by (v) analysis of GFAP, Iba-1 and EAAT2 protein expression in the HC and AMY. While this protocol restored the memory impairment when applied to Adrβ3KO animals immediately after weaning, it had no effect when applied to adult animals. In fact, we observed that aging worsens the memory of Adrβ3KO mice. Although no significant expression of GFAP and Iba1 were observed in HC of young and old mice, Adrβ3KO increased EAAT2 expression HC of old mice, while MS didn’t change EAAT2 in young mice but enhanced it expression in older. Relative to AMY of old mice Adrβ3KO increased GFAP expression compared whit WT mice and MS sustained the GFAP expression and increased the EAAT2 expression compared with WT group. These results suggest that a richer and more diverse environment helps to correct memory impairment when applied right after weaning Adrβ3KO animals, also show that the changes in GFAP, Iba1 and EAAT2 expression levels in young and old mice indicate a functional significance in the process of learning and memory and that the control of neuroinflammation in limbic areas mediates this response. They also reinforce the idea that disruption of noradrenergic signaling could be involved in the cognitive impairment observed later in life.

Natural risks encompass a range of disasters and dangers, requiring comprehensive management through assessments, anticipations, and advanced alert systems. Our specific focus is on landslides in challenging terrains. The evaluation of landslide risks employs sophisticated multicriteria models, such as the weighted sum approach, integrating qualitative parameters. Despite the challenges of the rugged terrain in Northern Algeria, it paradoxically hosts a dense population attracted by valuable hydro-agricultural resources. Our research is dedicated to studying landslide risks in these areas, particularly in the Mila region, with the aim of constructing a statistical model integrating considerations of both danger and vulnerability. This complex process identifies threats and their determining factors, including geomorphology and socio-economic conditions. The result is a valuable tool for effective risk management, strengthening safety and resilience against natural disasters. By understanding the intricate interplay of geological, environmental, and social elements, our research can contribute to the development of targeted interventions, fostering a more resilient community in the face of natural adversities.

Introduction: The trophoblast derived angiogenic factors are considered to play an important role in the pathophysiology of various complications of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to establish relationship between concentrations of soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen-G (sHLA-G) in maternal serum and amniotic fluid at 16-22 weeks of gestation and the sonographic measurements of the fetal and placental growth. Materials and methods: sHLA-G in serum and amniotic fluid, as well as fetal biometric data and placental volume and perfusion indices were determined in 41 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. Results: The sHLA-G levels were unchanged both in amniotic fluid and in serum during mid-pregnancy. The sHLA-G level in serum correlated positively with amniotic sHLA-G level (β=0.63, p<0.01). Significant correlation was found between serum sHLA-G level and abdominal measurement (β=0.41, p<0.05) and estimated fetal weight (β=0.41, p<0.05). The amniotic sHLA-G level and placental perfusion (VI: β = -0.34, p<0.01 and VFI: β = -0.44, p<0.01, respectively) were negatively interrelated. A low amniotic sHLA-G level was significantly associated with nuchal translucency (r = -0.102, p<0.05). Conclusions: sHLA-G assayed in amniotic fluid might be a potential indicator for placental function, whereas the sHLA-G level in serum can be a prognostic modality for feto-placental insufficiency.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) adopts a modular multidomain structure that mediates antigen recognition and effector functions, such as complement-dependent cytotoxicity. IgG molecules are self-assembled into a hexameric ring on antigen-containing membranes, recruiting the complement component, C1q. To provide deeper insights into the initial step of the complement pathway, we report a high-speed atomic force microscopy study for quantitative visualization of the interaction between IgG and the C1 complex composed of C1q, C1r, and C1s. Results showed that C1q in the C1 complex is restricted regarding internal motion and has a stronger binding affinity for on-membrane IgG assemblages than C1q alone, presumably because of smaller conformational entropy loss upon binding. Furthermore, we visualized a 1:1 stoichiometric interaction between C1/C1q and an IgG variant that lacks the entire CH1 domain in the absence of antigen. In addition to the canonical C1q-binding site on Fc, their interactions are mediated through a secondary site on the CL domain that is cryptic in the presence of the CH1 domain. Our findings offer clues for novel-modality therapeutic antibodies.

Mercury has a strong environmental impact since both its organic and inorganic forms are toxic and it represents a pollutant of global concern. Liquid Hg is highly volatile and it can be released during natural and anthropogenic processes in the hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. In this study the distribution of Gaseous Elemental Mercury (GEM) and the total and leached mercury concentrations on paints, plasters, roof tiles, concretes, metals, dust and wood structures were determined in the main buildings and structures of the former Hg-mining area of Abbadia San Salvatore (Siena, Central Italy). The mining complex (divided into 7 units) covers a surface of about 65 ha and contains mining structures and managers and workers buildings. In this work, nine surveys of GEM measurements were carried out from July 2011 to August 2015 for the buildings and structures located in the units 2, 3 and 6. Moreover, detailed measurements were performed in February, April, July, September and December 2016 in the edifices and mining structures of Unit 6. GEM concentrations showed a strong variability in terms of space and time mostly depending on the distance from the building hosting driers, furnaces and condensers and ambient temperature, respectively. In the Unit 2 surveys carried out in the hotter period (from June to September) showed GEM concentrations up to 27,500 ng m⁻³, while in the Unit 6 they were on average much higher and occasionally they saturated the GEM measurement device (>50,000 ng m⁻³). Concentrations of total (in mg kg⁻¹) and leached (in μg L⁻¹) mercury measured in different building materials (up to 46,580 mg kg⁻¹ and 4,470 mg L⁻¹ for total and leached mercury, respectively) showed for the same type of material highly variable values in dependence on the edifice or mining structure from which they were collected. The results obtained in this study are of relevant interest for the operational cleanings to be carried out during the reclamation activities.

This paper investigates the effect of Fe contamination on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.7Mg-Fe2.5 alloy processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and heat treated in two different conditions: (1) Solution Heat Treatment (SHT) at 520 °C, followed by artificial ageing at 160 °C (T6), and (2) Direct Artificial Ageing of the as-printed material at 160 °C (DAA). Microstructural characterization was carried out by Optical Microscopy (OM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Mechanical characterization was carried out by tensile tests at room temperature. The formation of fine AlSiFe phases such as α-AlFeSi, β-AlFeSi, and π-Al8Si6Mg3Fe had no deleterious effect on the mechanical properties compared to previous studies for AlSIMg alloys without Fe. However, compared to the as-printed condition, the T6 heat treatment decreased the ultimate tensile strain significantly, while the elongation to the fracture presented a slight improvement.

Little has been written in literature about the clinical comparison of the single use of chlorhexidine (CHX) rather than its combination with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of two at-home antiseptic regimens. Healthy subjects scheduled for dental surgery were enrolled. After the surgery, patients were randomly allocated in a first group (Group A) which received a manual ultra soft toothbrush (Mentadent Professional®), an antiseptic toothpaste with 0,12% CHX and Vitamin B3 (Mentadent Professional Azione Intensiva Gengive®) and an antiseptic mouthwash with 0,12% CHX and 0,07% CPC. The second group (Group B) received solely an antiseptic mouthwash with 0,2% in conjunction with Anti Discoloration System (Curasept ADS/DNA®) and were encouraged to use their usual toothbrush and toothpaste. Patients were instructed to use the products twice a day and to rinse for 30 seconds. On day 7, patients were examined for the Early Healing Score, Visual Plaque Index of the sutures, Numerical Rating Scale and mouthwash taste. Group A showed a statistically significant levels of EHS and taste satisfaction. The regimen based on CHX associate with vitamin B3 in the toothpaste and CPC in the mouthwash resulted in superior clinical outcomes and satisfaction compared to solely CHX.

The COVID-19 pandemic, has underscored the critical importance of sustainability across various sectors, particularly within the global economy and corporate responses to pandemic-induced challenges. Companies worldwide have grappled with unprecedented financial and operational hardships, pushing some to the brink of closure. A crucial dimension of sustainability in this context pertains to corporate financing policies. Analyzing how the pandemic has impacted these policies reveals significant insights. Government support has been instrumental in mitigating pandemic-induced disruptions, but often proved insufficient for severely affected companies. Companies, seeking financial resilience, turned to state-guaranteed lines of credit as a lifeline. Additionally, moratoriums on existing credits provided temporary relief, but long-term consequences, particularly regarding corporate indebtedness. As companies adapted financing strategies, corporate indebtedness increased. Coupled with rising interest rates in late 2022, corporate financing costs surged, emphasizing the need for sustainable financial approaches addressing both short-term crises and long-term stability. In conclusion, corporate sustainability during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a comprehensive approach. Governments must provide adequate support, companies should pursue sustainable financing solutions, and a careful consideration of the long-term consequences of financial policy changes is essential. Prioritizing sustainability in the corporate sector prepares businesses for future crises while safeguarding global economic stability.

Genetic enhancement of grain production and quality is a priority in wheat breeding projects. In this study, we assessed two key agronomic traits - grain protein content (GPC) and thousand kernel weight (TKW) - across 179 Bulgarian contemporary and historic varieties, and landraces in three growing seasons. Significant phenotypic variation existed for both traits among genotypes and seasons, and no discernible difference was evident between the old and modern accessions. To understand the genetic basis of the traits, we conducted a genome-wide association study with MLM using phenotypic data from the crop seasons, best linear unbiased estimators, genotypic data from the 25K Infinium iSelect array, and a Bonferroni-adjusted p-value. As a result, 776 significant quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) organized into quantitative trait loci were discovered, including 25 loci associated with GPC, and 35 loci linked to TKW. Additionally, 14 environmentally stable QTNs were identified for TKW. Certain loci on chromosomes 2A, 3A, and 6B favorably in-fluenced GPC, while the locus on chromosome 6D impacted TKW positively. These loci may reflect novel associations to the two traits. Annotations for proteins involved in the remobilization of carbon and nitrogen from vegetative tissues to developing grain during senescence, as well as in the following buildup of resources required for seed germination, have been found for selected pu-tative candidate genes. These include genes coding for 11S globulin seed storage protein, glutamine synthetase, metalloendopeptidase, components of the ubiquitin/proteasome system, sucrose transporter, alpha-amylase, NAC and bZIP transcription factors. Our findings highlight promising genomic regions for targeted breeding programs aimed at improving grain yield and protein content.

The present paper reports exact results for the muon self-energy and anomalous g-factor. A unique to the muon cut-off terms that remove the radial singularity in the system and regularize the corresponding electrodynamics are presented. Equations of motion and a transcendental equation satisfied by the muon anomalous g-factor are derived, with solution a_m=0.001165920162(198). The obtained value matches the latest experimental one found in the literature to about 0.43 ppb ruling out a possible tension between theory and experiment.

In this paper, we investigate some kind of Dynkin game under $g$-expectation induced by backward stochastic differential equation (shortly for BSDE). We define the lower and upper value functions $\underline{V}_t=ess\sup\limits_{\tau\in{\mathcal{T}_t}} ess\inf\limits_{\sigma\in{\mathcal{T}_t}}\mathcal{E}^g_t[R(\tau,\sigma)]$ and $\overline{V}_t=ess\inf\limits_{\sigma\in{\mathcal{T}_t}}ess\sup\limits_{\tau\in{\mathcal{T}_t}}\mathcal{E}^g_t[R(\tau,\sigma)]$, respectively. Under some regular assumptions, a pair of saddle point is obtained and the value function of Dynkin game $V(t)=\underline{V}_t=\overline{V}_t$ follows. Furthermore, the constrained case of Dynkin game is also considered.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest family of membrane receptors that control many cellular processes and consequently often serve as drug targets. These receptors undergo a strict regulation by mechanisms such as internalization and desensitization, which are strongly influenced by posttranslational modifications. Ubiquitination is a posttranslational modification with a broad range of functions that is currently gaining increased appreciation as a regulator of GPCR activity. The role of ubiquitination in directing GPCRs for lysosomal degradation has already been well-established. Furthermore, this modification can also play a role in targeting membrane and endoplasmic reticulum-associated receptors to the proteasome. Most recently, ubiquitination was also shown to be involved in GPCR signaling. In this review, we present current knowledge on the molecular basis of GPCR regulation by ubiquitination, and highlight the importance of E3 ubiquitin ligases, deubiquitinating enzymes and β-arrestins. Finally, we discuss classical and newly-discovered functions of ubiquitination in controlling GPCR activity.

The number of physical devices connected to the Internet such as vehicles, household appliances and other "things" has been steadily increasing in recent years, thus forming the basis for the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT ecosystem extends beyond country borders and application domains, combining thousands of versatile devices that differ in terms of their structures, capabilities, and available resources. It is therefore not surprising that the landscape of wireless communication technologies and the degree of IoT devices available today is excessively broad and diverse. Interference between networks leads to frame collisions and consequent packet loss. Frame collisions occur when two or more packets overlap in time and frequency and use the same LoRa parameters, i.e. the same spreading factor (SF), bandwidth (BW) and carrier frequency (CF). When most devices use the same configuration, collision probability is higher. The probability of frame collisions is also affected by traffic characteristics, particularly the periodicity of the transmission and the payload size. Larger payload sizes and more frequent transmissions accumulate with higher time on air (ToA) and channel occupancy [1]. Transmission powers and the location of the gateways also influences this situation. The aim of this experimental work is to verify the effects of collisions and interference in LoRaWAN, regarding the periodicity of transmissions and the payload sizes. The hardware used is an Arduino board programmed in C/C++, a LoRa Bee module operating at a frequency of 868 MHz and a LoRaWAN LG02 gateway. Different scenarios were tested in an outdoor environment, with Line of Sight and Non-Line of Sight, and different variables such as: SFs equal to 7, 9 and 12; distances of 20, 40 and 60 meters and different data sizes of 14, 32 and 51 bytes, over the same channel. The packets with different SF’s and different data sizes were transmitted in a (pseudo) random way, one after the other, overlapping different SFs in the same channel and testing this way (theoretical) orthogonality among them. By fixing the bandwidth in 125 kHz, and testing different SFs we intend to increase the probability of cause packet loss by applying to our connection a combination of emitted power/short distance that leaves an interference power received, strong enough [2] for the effect. We validate our conclusions by analyzing ToA according with RSSI and different data sizes, the RSSI for different SFs and different data sizes and finally the packet loss through the PDR-Packet Delivery Ratio for a better understanding of the reliability of packet transmission in our link.

Keywords: emerging pollutants; pharmaceuticals; plant uptake; soil behavior; soil remediation.