Products derived from Cannabis sativa have gained increased interest and popularity. As these products become common amongst the public, the heath and potential therapeutic values associated with hemp have become a premier focus of research. While the psychoactive and medicinal properties of Cannabis products have been extensively highlighted in literature, the antibacterial properties of CBD have not been explored in depth. This research serves to examine the antibacterial potential of CBD against Salmonella newington and Salmonella typhimurium. In this study we observed bacterial response to CBD exposure through biological assays, bacterial kinetics, and fluorescence microscopy. Additionally, comparative studies between CBD and ampicillin were conducted against Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella newington to determine comparative efficacy. Furthermore, we observed potential resistance development of our Salmonella spp. against CBD treatment.

The interplay between Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) and the gut microbiota represents a compelling area of research, offering insights into the relationship between spinal degenerative diseases and the gut's microbial inhabitants. This comprehensive review seeks to unravel the complex connection, shedding light on its implications for human health and potential therapeutic avenues. A crucial section dives into the world of gut microbiota (GM), exploring its impact on human health, featuring its defining characteristics, and highlighting its role in metabolism, immunomodulation, host interaction, and how its composition changes over time. The subsequent portion delves into the relationship between microbiome composition and pathological bone development, including the link between Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) and gut inflammation, emphasizing how gut inflammation and GM dysbiosis play pivotal roles. Further dissecting the interconnections, various axes of influence, including the gut-spine axis, gut-bone axis, gut-joint axis, gut-disc axis (specific to DISH), gut-ligament axis, and gut-muscle axis, are discussed. Of particular interest is the section on the impact of GM on DISH-derived pain, addressing a critical aspect of the condition's manifestation. The review discusses the potential of GM modulation as a treatment for DISH, providing hope for therapeutic advancements. Additionally, it highlights the positive impact of lifestyle interventions, such as dietary modifications, sleep optimization, and exercise regimens, in mitigating GM dysbiosis and potentially improving DISH outcomes. Lastly, the intriguing prospect of fecal microbiome transplant and its implications for DISH management is examined, opening new avenues for research and therapeutic interventions. In conclusion, this comprehensive review underscores the intricate interplay between DISH and the gut microbiota, offering a fresh perspective on the impact of GM on spinal degenerative diseases. It emphasizes the potential for innovative treatments, such as GM modulation and lifestyle interventions, and presents fecal microbiome transplant as an exciting area for future exploration.

The dynamic interaction between carbon nanodots (CNDs) and cannabidiol (CBD) has captured significant attention as an innovative avenue for redefining drug delivery and amplifying therapeutic effectiveness. This in-depth review delves into the intricate synergy between these two elements, unveiling their profound potential in medicine. Commencing with an examination of the unique characteristics of CNDs and the techniques governing their synthesis, we discuss their versatility as drug carriers, highlighting their invaluable role in advancing CBD delivery. Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound sourced from cannabis, has emerged as a focal point for its diverse therapeutic attributes. Nevertheless, the limitations posed by its restricted bioavailability and susceptibility to degradation pose substantial hindrances to realizing its full potential. Here, we elucidate how the amalgamation of CBD with CNDs transcends these challenges. We delve into the mechanisms that underlie this synergy, such as the augmentation of solubility and the safeguarding of CBD against premature breakdown, providing an intricate analysis. We will also journey you through a comprehensive exploration of diverse CBD loading techniques onto CNDs, dissecting the realms of physical encapsulation, covalent bonding, and adsorption processes. In summation, the combination of CNDs and CBD presents an extraordinary opportunity to elevate therapeutic outcomes. This synergetic paradigm masterfully tackles pivotal challenges in drug delivery, thereby paving the path for pioneering medical solutions.

Concentration and preservation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter cultures for food production guarantee the long-term delivery of stable cultures in terms of viability and functional activity. One method that has commonly been used to prepare dried starter cultures for food applications is freeze-drying. During freeze-drying, the bacterial cells are exposed to stresses such as freezing, drying, and long-term exposure to low-water activity. Additionally, another added stress is introduced during the rehydration process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival rates and fermentation performance of three (3) freeze-dried lactic acid bacterial cultures previously isolated from Ghanaian traditional fermented milk. LAB cultures, i.e., Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were frozen in the chamber of a Telstar (Lyoquest) laboratory freeze dryer for 10 hrs at -55 °C (as single and combined cultures) using skimmed milk and cassava flour as cryoprotectants held in plastic or glass cryovial. For viability during storage, freeze-dried LAB cultures were stored in a refrigerator (4 °C) and at room temperature (25 °C) for 4-weeks. The survival of freeze-dried cultures was determined by growth kinetics at 600nm (OD₆₀₀). The performance of freeze-dried LAB cultures after 4-weeks storage was determined by their growth and acidification of milk during yogurt fermentation and consumer sensory evaluation of fermented milk using a 9-point hedonic scale. The survival rates for LAB ranged between 60.11% and 70.91% following freeze-drying. For single cultures, the highest survival was recorded for Lactobacillus delbrueckii (L12), whereas for combined cultures, the highest survival was observed for Lactococcus lactis (L3) combined with Lactobacillus delbrueckii (L12). During the fermentation process all the freeze-dried LAB cultures were able to acidify yogurt to a pH below 4, while yogurt produce from the spontaneous fermentation was characterized by low acidification. Yogurt fermented with freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria cultures, either single or combined strains, showed improved acceptability as compared to the spontaneously fermented yogurt. The consumer acceptability results showed that yogurts produced with combined starter culture of Lactoccus lactis and Lactobacillus delbrueckii or single culture of Lactococcus lactis were the most preferred products with Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus delbrueckii possessing high survival rates and high consumer acceptability in yogurt production. These findings are crucial and can be adopted for large-scale production and commercialization of yogurt production, however, in-depth investigation on the effects of freeze-drying and long-term storage on survival and performance of selected LAB cultures are needed.

The gut microbiome is a collection of microorganisms and parasites that reside in the gastrointestinal tract. There are many factors that can affect the composition of this community, such as age, sex, medications, and environmental triggers. The relationship between the human host and the gut microbiota is very important for both the survival and development of the organism. The disruption of this relationship can lead to the development of various inflammatory diseases. CBD and THC are used to treat muscle spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis. It is now clear these compounds also benefit patients with neuroinflammation. A study that investigated the role of gut microbiota in treating the inflammation and paralysis in a mouse model demonstrated that treatment with CBD and THC produced significant decrease in the inflammation levels. They also exhibited a significant increase in the number of anti-inflammatory cytokines. The presence of certain cannabinoids can suppress neuroinflammation and prevent microbial dysbiosis. Several studies have revealed the role of the gut microbiota in the development and maintenance of skeletal integrity and bone mineral density. The gut is a major source of nutrients, including vitamins B and K. It can also influence the development and maintenance of bone matrix. The presence of the gut microbiota can influence the actions of certain T regulatory cells, which can lead to the development of bone formation and proliferation. In addition, its metabolites can prevent bone loss. The gut microbiota can help maintain the bone's equilibrium and prevent the development of metabolic diseases, such as osteoporosis. In this review, the dual functions gut microbiota plays in the regulation of gut-bone axis and gut-brain axis and the impact of CBD on these roles are discussed in detail.

New generation antibiotics are needed to combat the development of resistance to antimicrobials. One of the most promising new classes of antibiotics is cannabidiol (CBD). It is a non-toxic and low-resistance chemical that can be used to treat bacterial infections. The antibacterial activity of Cannabis sativa L. byproducts, specifically CBD, has been of growing interest in the field of novel therapeutics. As research continues to define and characterize the antibacterial activity that CBD possesses against a wide variety of bacterial species it is important to examine potential interaction between CBD and common therapeutics such as broad-spectrum antibiotics. Here, we show that CBD-antibiotic co-therapy can effectively fight S. typhimurium via membrane integrity disruption. This research serves to examine the potential synergy between CBD and three broad-spectrum antibiotics for potential antibiotic-CBD co-therapy. In this study, we reveal that Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) growth is inhibited at very low dosages of CBD-antibiotic. This interesting finding demonstrates that CBD and CBD-antibiotic co-therapies are viable novel alternatives to combating Salmonella typhimurium.

Tissue engineering has the potential for repairing large bone defects, which impose a heavy financial burden on the public health. However, difficulties with O₂ delivery to the cells residing in the interior of tissue engineering scaffolds make it challenging to grow artificial tissues of clinically-relevant sizes. This study uses image-based simulation in order to provide insight into how to better optimize the scaffold manufacturing parameters, and the culturing conditions, in order to resolve the O₂ bottleneck. To do this, high resolution 3D X-ray images of two common scaffold types (salt leached foam and non-woven fiber mesh) are fed into a Lattice Boltzmann Method fluid dynamics and reactive Lagrangian Scalar Tracking mass transfer solvers. The obtained findings indicate that the scaffolds should have maximal surface area-to-solid volume ratios, for higher chances of the molecular collisions with the cells. Furthermore, the cell culture media should be flown through the scaffold pores as fast as practically possible (without detaching or killing the cells). Finally, we have provided a parametric sweep that maps how the molecular transport within the scaffolds is affected by variations in rates of O₂ consumption by the cells. Ultimately, the results of this study are expected to benefit the computer-assisted design of tissue engineering scaffolds and culturing experiments.

Background User fee exemption for maternal and child health care service policy was introduced with a focus on providing free caesarean sections (CS) in Nigeria from 2011 to 2015. This policy had a positive impact on access to facility-based delivery, but its effect on socioeconomic and geographical inequality remains unclear. This study’s main objective is to examine access to birth by CS in the context of free maternal health care. Specifically, the study examines socio-demographic and geographical inequality in access to birth by CS among women who gave birth between 2011 and 2015 under the free maternal health care policy using a population-based survey data obtained from two of the six main regions of the country. Methods Data were obtained from 1227 women who gave birth during the period the policy was in operation selected using cluster random sampling between May and August 2016. Adjusted and unadjusted binary logistic regression models were used to examine whether there is socio-demographic and geographical inequality in access to birth by caesarean section. Results The overall caesarean section rate of 6.1% was found but varies by income (14.1% in monthly income of over $150 versus 4.9% in income of $150 and below), education (11.8% in women with higher education versus 3.9% among women with secondary education and less) and place of residence (7.8% in urban areas versus 3.6% in rural areas). Women who earn a monthly income of $150 or less were 48% less likely to have a birth by CS compared to those who earn more. Compared to women who were educated to tertiary level, women who had secondary education or less were 54% less likely to have birth by caesarean section. Conclusion This study shows that inequality in access to CS persists despite the implementation of free maternal health care services. Given the poor access to facilities with capabilities to offer CS in most rural areas, free maternal healthcare policy is not enough to make birth by CS universally accessible to all pregnant women in Nigeria.

Transcription factors are diverse intracellular proteins facilitating cellular responses to inducing factors via gene expression. Regulatory signalling cascades from the membrane proteins (sensors) to transcription factors (effectors) are paramount to accurate phenotypic display against external factors. This review examines several transcription factors germane to Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans adaptation and survival for human infection. These opportunistic pathogenic single-cell yeasts (fungi) possess several gene duplications and peculiar membrane proteins due to adaptive phenotypes and morphological plasticity. Consequently, hundreds of responsible pleiotropic genes have been studied to understand how these genes are induced, regulated, and coordinated. However, these findings are sparsely converged and interlinked, making it cumbersome to relate one gene to the other or group them by their functions. We reviewed several wide-ranging transcriptional analysis works associated with C. neoformans into comparable phenotypic traits that necessitate adaptation, survival, and human infection. We present a robust work that addresses several transcription factors and their inducing factors. Lastly, we converge, link, and group several of these factors according to their multifunctional expression pattern. We also provide adequate information on certain genes critical to this fungus, which could be explored pharmaceutically in drug targeting for more effective antifungal management.

In this review, we present several extracellular proteases, enzymes, membrane permeases, and transporters as essential accessories proteins for nutrient assimilation, conservation, and transportation as determined by nutrient repletion or depletion. As an obligate aerobic pathogen, it is crucial for invading Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans to negotiate its adaptation to human internal organs like the brain and spinal cord, where the oxygen level is low compared to peripheral organs. Besides, essential metals like copper and iron are important cofactors to functional proteins; however, these metals are not usually freely available to invading human pathogens. Again, the phagolysosome low pH with glucose paucity, internal temperature, immune response, and complex extracellular matrixes are challenging environments that must be circumvented by C. neoformans in the systemic tissues for survival, adaptation, and infection in humans. We review extensive works on several extracellular proteases, enzymes, membrane permeases and transporters orchestrated by different transcription factors and present these proteins as weapons needed to outwit systemic resistance to invading pathogens. Lastly, we examine the extracellular secretory vesicles of C. neoformans as “an exosomal virulence bag” that harbours urease, laccase, phosphatase, and capsular components as additional secretory weapons for tissue invasion and persistence.

The effects of the additives (silicon carbide and titania) and sintering temperatures on the phases developed, physical and mechanical properties of sintered mullite-carbon ceramic composite produced from kaolin and graphite was investigated. The kaolin and graphite of known mineralogical composition were thoroughly blended with 5 and 3 (vol.) % silicon carbide and titania respectively. From the homogeneous mixture of kaolin, graphite and titania, standard samples were prepared via uniaxial compaction. The test samples produced were subjected to firing (sintering) at 1300˚C, 1400˚C and 1500˚C. The sintered samples were characterized for the developed phases using x‐ray diffractometry analysis, microstructural morphology using ultra‐high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope (UHRFEGSEM). Various physical and mechanical properties were determined. It was observed that the addition of SiC/TiO2 additives to the samples made them to possess very low oxidation indices .This also resulted in improvement in the bulk densities and cold crushing strength of the sample when compared with those without additives. It was concluded that the addition of SiC/TiO2 additives improves on the high temperature oxidation resistance of the mullite-carbon ceramic composite sample.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic fungus that causes cryptococcosis, a significant secondary infection in immunocompromised individuals with immune-suppressive related symptoms from HIV infection and organ transplants. Fungaemia occurs via the respiratory route and spreads by tissue invasion into other body parts. Enzymes and membrane-associated permeases/transporters are accessory proteins deployed to enhance the survival, adaptation, and infection caused by Cryptococcus species. The nutrient bioavailability determines the functional turnover rate of these proteins in the immediate fungal environment. Low oxygen levels in the internal organs, essential micro-elements locked in the storage proteins, catabolite repression, phagolysosomal low glucose level and pH, tight junction, and extracellular matrixes are challenges to the survival of this pathogen in the host. This review identifies key hydrolytic and metabolic enzymes and permeases/transporters as essential weapons of virulence in addition to survival, tolerance, resistance, adaptation, and infection in humans. Under the regulation of different transcription factors, these proteins are released in response to nutrient sensors designed to siphon the host nutrients and induce infection in predisposed individuals. The extracellular secretory vesicles called “exosomal virulence bag” also harbour cryptococcal urease, laccase, phosphatase, and capsular components as additional secretory protein weapons for immune evasion, tissue invasion and persistence.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex neuromodulatory network in the human body that have enormous impact in developing the central nervous system, as well as modulates various physiological processes. The ECS is made up of anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which are responsible for the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids, and enzymes such as FAAH and MAGL ensures the precise control over endocannabinoid levels. The ECS relies on CB1 receptors found in the central nervous system (CNS), and CB2 receptors found in the peripheral nervous system and immune cells. Dysregulation of the ECS has been associated with several health conditions, prompting investigations into its association with phytocannabinoids to harness their therapeutic potential. The ECS is intricately linked with the nervous system, and it is known to modulate neuronal activities in the CNS, influencing pain and mood modulation. The ECS is also associated with neuropathies-peripheral nerve damage leading to symptoms such as weakness, numbness and pain as evidenced in diabetic neuropathy, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia. The focus of this review is on the interplay between 2-arachidonoylglycerol and anandamide amidohydrolase in neuropathy, elucidating their roles in pain regulation, inflammation, and specific neuropathies. The knowledge generated is expected to have broad implications, providing comprehensive insights into neuropathic conditions and how to improve on them. Ultimately, this understanding may lead to more effective treatments and improved quality of life for individuals affected by these conditions.

Solar pasteurization, as a means of treating milk in remote rural areas without electrical power, is based on using solar energy to thermally inactivate pathogenic microorganisms at temperatures below the boiling point to maintain or improve milk quality. A solar milk pasteurizer of flat‐plate water‐heating glass acting as the solar collector, connected to a stainless-steel cylindrical milk vat, was constructed and evaluated in Navrongo, in the tropical savanna zone of Ghana, West Africa. The novel approach taken in this project is to integrate the solar collection and heat exchanger into a single unit using materials and fabrication techniques readily available in the developing world. The vat comprises a 1.5 mm thick stainless steel cylindrical tank, a 2.2 cm wide hot water jacket, and an outer layer of 5.0 mm thick aluminium foil insulation. Hot water produced by the collector was used for pasteurizing milk. The optimum quantity of milk that this device could pasteurize under the study conditions was 8 L. The device could pasteurize raw milk to a maximum temperature of 74 °C at 14:00 h GMT. The ambient temperature during the pasteurization ranged from 30 °C to 43 °C. The microbial analysis before and after the pasteurization was done, and the result shows that the total bacteria count before pasteurization was 6.6x10⁶ log CFU/mL per unit volume, and the total bacteria count after pasteurization was 1.0x10² log CFU/mL. By acceptable standards, the total bacteria count after pasteurization is within a safe range for consumption, and coliform counts were negative. The solar milk pasteurization system is cost-effective. Hence, it is appropriate for milk producers in arid pastoral areas without electricity to adopt the solar pasteurizer as an alternative to firewood as a fuel source for milk pasteurization. This approach can potentially create a cottage industry that may also play a crucial role as a water treatment technology that will improve the health of rural populations.

A simple model has been used to investigate the nature of chemical order in Na-Pb and Na-Hg liquid binary alloy at 700K and 673K respectively. The energy parameter obtained from the model was used to calculate the concentration dependent mixing properties such as Gibb’s free energy of mixing, Concentration fluctuations in the long wavelength limit and the Warren-Cowley chemical short range order parameter. Results obtained showed that both alloys are hetero-coordinated throughout the entire concentration and there is tendency for segregation and demixing to take place in the liquid alloys. We observed that Na-Hg liquid alloy is more strongly interacting binary alloy and chemically ordered than Na-Pb liquid alloy.

Effectively addressing juvenile delinquency among adolescents in Nigeria necessitates a keen focus on parenting styles and family structures. Given that parents serve as primary custodians and paramount influencers in socializing their children, their pivotal roles cannot be understated. When parents conscientiously strive to exemplify positive role models for their children, the likelihood of yielding optimal and desired outcomes is significantly enhanced. Regrettably, a considerable number of parents have embraced parenting styles that inadvertently expose their children to various forms of juvenile delinquency. The article explores the complex relationship between parenting styles and juvenile delinquency, shedding light on the connections between family structure and delinquent behavior. Also, the connection between marital discord and juvenile delinquency as well as the impacts of single parenting, were explored. The theoretical framework employed in this article is the Social Learning Theory, formulated by Albert Bandura in 1977. The article underlines that a substantial portion of delinquent acts among adolescents can be attributed to familial discord and the specific parenting styles employed. Consequently, this study advocates for a paradigm shift towards more effective and constructive parenting styles. Additionally, it emphasizes the imperative for the government and relevant institutions to accord due importance to the institution of the family in their policies and interventions.

Bambara groundnut (BG) (Vigna subterranean L. verdc) is a highly nutritious and economically important leguminous crop of African origin that forms symbiotic relationships nitrogen fixing rhizobia, but it has a low yield. Currently, there is paucity of information on effective rhizobium inoculant, (to improve the yield), for BG which are cheaper and safer alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Indigenous rhizobia strains were trapped from 54 farm soils collected at three Nigerian states (Niger, Kaduna and Kano). Six selected rhizobium strains (Bradhyrhizobium spp) were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing, applied as inoculant in field experiment using completely randomized block design and compared with USDA110 strain (Bradhyrhizobim japonicum), urea fertilizer and un-inoculated plants on 2 selected BG varieties (TVSU1248 and TVSU 631). Nutrient utilization and nitrogen fixation in plants were determined at 6 weeks while leaf chlorophyll was determined forth-nightly. Seed yield was determined at maturity. The strains increased the %nitrogen (1.33±0.10 - ≥1.37±0.05), and %phosphorous (0.48±0.02 - ≥0.51±0.02), %nitrogen fixed (21.07±2.38 - ≥61.30±6.13), nodulation (72.50±21.075 - 154.00±23.79) and leaf chlorophyll were ≥49.74±1.47mg/L, ≥51.82±1.86mg/L and ≥49.65±1.56mg/L at 2nd, 4th and 6th week after planting respectively and the yield of BG (from average of 398.6 Kgha-1 to 1454.725 Kgha-1). Seed yield was highest (1869.85±273.68 Kgha-1) in BG variety TVSU1248 using BN5 strain. Indigenous Bambara-symbiotic strains significantly increased the seed yields, and plant nutrient, showing their potential as use for inoculant to improve the yield of Bambara groundnut.

This study evaluated the physicochemical, mineralogical properties, mobile chemical species’ bioavailability and translocation in Brassica juncea and Spinacea oleracea L plants of a South African coal fired power utility. Coal fly ash (CFA) disposal is associated with various environmental and health risks including air, soil, surface and ground water pollution due to the leaching of toxic chemical species; these ends up in food webs affecting human health, while repeated inhalation causes bronchitis, silicosis, hair loss and lung cancer. The morphology, chemical, and mineralogical composition of CFA were determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray Diffraction, respectively. In pot culture experiments, S. oleracea L and B. juncea plants were grown in three sets of pots containing CFA (set 1), soil (set 2) and a mixture of CFA plus soil at ratio 1:1 (50% CFA: 50% soil) (set 3), while no plants were grown in set 4 as a control for the leachate samples. SEM showed that surface morphology of CFA has a lower degree of sphericity with irregular agglomerations of many particles. The XRF results revealed that CFA contains 43.65%, 22.68% and 10.89% of SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ respectively which indicate that the CFA is an alumino-silicate material. While XRD showed that the coal CFA contains mullite as a major phase followed by quartz mineral phases. Chemical species such as Fe, Mn, B, Ba and Zn were accumulated highly in most parts of the plant species. However, B. juncea showed higher potential to accumulate chemical species as compared to S. oleracea L. The bioconcentration and translocation factors (BF and TF) showed that B. juncea was the most effective in terms of bioconcentration and translocation of most of the chemical species. This indicates that B. juncea has potential in application for phytoremediation of CFA dumps and could contribute to remediation of CFA dumps and reduction of potential health and environmental impacts associated with CFA.

In this paper, we present a new concept of the generalized core orthogonality (called the C-S orthogonality) for two generalized core invertible matrices $A$ and $B$. $A$ is said to be C-S orthogonal to $B$ if $A^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}B=0$ and $BA^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}=0$, where $A^{\tiny\textcircled{S}}$ is the generalized core inverse of $A$. The characterizations of C-S orthogonal matries and the C-S additivity are also provided. And the connection between the C-S orthogonality and C-S partial order has been given using their canonical form. Moreover, the concept of the strongly C-S orthogonality is defined and characterized.

(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 article examines the intersection of race and disability in the context of health disparities. It highlights the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities who also belong to racialized minority groups, who experience a double burden of discrimination and marginalization. The article draws upon various conceptual models of disability, including the medical, social, and biopsychosocial models, to illustrate the multifaceted nature of disability and its impact on health outcomes. It then examine the specific health disparities faced by individuals with disabilities, including higher rates of chronic diseases, limited access to healthcare, and lower life expectancy. The concept of intersectionality is introduced to explain how race and disability interact and amplify each other, creating greater disadvantages for individuals at this intersection. This is further explored through discussions on social determinants of health (SDOH), such as poverty, food insecurity, and inadequate housing, which disproportionately affect racialized minorities with disabilities. The article concludes by suggesting directions for future research and policy interventions. It emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive research, long-term analyses, qualitative studies, and a focus on policy implications. Additionally, it calls for regional considerations, a more holistic understanding of health determinants, and an expansion of the intersectional approach beyond race and disability.

This paper models and estimates the volatility of nonfinancial, innovative and hi-tech focused stock index, the Nasdaq-100, using univariate symmetric and asymmetric GARCH models. We employ GARCH, EGARCH and GJR-GARCH using daily data over the period January 4, 2000 through March 19, 2019. We find that the volatility shocks on the index returns are quite persistent. Furthermore, our findings show that the index has leverage effect, and the impact of shocks is asymmetric, whereby the impacts of negative shocks on volatility are higher than those of positive shocks of the same magnitude.

This study investigated the breakdown trend in an automated production with an aim to recommend the application of Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) for an improved productivity via a new preventive maintenance (PM) program. Individual Section-forming machine (ISM): a glass blowing machine for making glass bottles was used as the case study of an automated production system. The machine parts and the working mechanisms were analysed with a special focus on methods of processes and procedures that will enable the ISM maintenance department run more effective and achieve its essential goal of ensuring effective machine operation and reducing machine downtime. In this work, information is provided on the steps and procedures to identify critical components of the ISM using Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) as a tool to develop an optimal maintenance program based on the reliability data of the equipment’s functional components. A relationship was established between the failure rate of the machine components and the maintenance costs such that using the recommended PM program, an evidence of improvement in the machine’s availability, safety and cost-effectiveness will result into an increase in the company’s profit margin.

Magnesium supplementation has recently attracted attention as effective in the management of diabetes and its related complications though its mechanisms of action is yet to be fully unraveled. This study was carried out to determine the effects of magnesium supplementation on body weight, fasting blood sugar, Oral glucose tolerance (OGTT 2 and OGTT 4), glucose transporter isoform 2 (GLUT2), GLUT4 and insulin receptor (INSR) mRNA expressions in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic Sprague dawley rats. A total of 24 Sprague dawley rats (Four groups of six rats each) were used for this study, and the treatment was for 28 days. Group 1: Normal control rats were given distilled water; Group 2: Metformin treated rats were given 100 mg/kg body weight; Group 3: Metformin + Magnesium treated rats were given 100 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight respectively; Group 4: Diabetic untreated rats given distilled water. Data were analyzed statistically using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and graphically by Graph pad prism. The GLUT4 and INSR gene expressions of Group 3 were significantly (p<0.05) upregulated when compared with Group 4. There was significant (p<0.05) decrease fasting blood sugar and GLUT2 mRNA level in the treated diabetic rats but the metformin-magnesium supplement treated group showed more decrease (p<0.05) when compared with the group treated with metformin only. This study demonstrates that magnesium may mediate effective metabolic control by stimulating insulin sensitivity, and upregulating mRNA levels of GLUT4, INSR as well as improving glucose tolerance in diabetic rats. Therefore, magnesium supplementation appears to have a beneficial role and improves glucose uptake by cells in those at high risks of diabetes. Magnesium supplementation, Metformin, INSR, GLU4, glucose tolerance.

Turmeric starch (TS) has gained significant attention due to its potential health benefits, this study intended to investigate the dose-dependent effects of TS on colonic fermentation in rats. Four experimental diets containing different levels of TS (5%, 10%, and 20% w/w) were formulated and fed to male Fischer 344 rats for two weeks and compared with rats fed 0% TS diet (TS0). The results showed that increasing doses of TS resulted in reduced body weight gain and lower visceral tissue weights compared to the TS0 group. These effects may be attributed to the high content of resistant starch in TS, which contributed to lower caloric intake. Colonic fermentation analysis revealed that higher doses of TS resulted in increased short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production, specifically increased cecal acetate content and decreased cecal pH dose-dependently. Notably, beneficial bacteria from the family Oscillospiraceae, genus Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, and Ruminococcus spp. were enriched in the TS-fed groups, further supporting its beneficial effects on gut microbiota and SCFA production. Furthermore, these results suggest that TS may have beneficial effects on colonic fermentation in rats.

Transportation systems through the ages have seen drastic evolutions in terms of transportation methods, speed of transport, infrastructure, technology, connectivity, influence on the environment, and accessibility. The massive transformation seen in the transportation sector has been fueled by the industrial revolutions which have continued expansion and progress into the fourth industrial revolution. However, the methodologies of data collection and processing used by the many drivers of this progress differ. The significance of standardized data and its mode of collection cannot be overstated as it has a major impact on the process outcomes. In order to achieve a better understanding of the impact of this, this study methodically reviewed the literature on the subject of the data collection and processing mechanism of 4IR technologies in the context of the transport industry with an emphasis on the areas of accomplishment of several studies and drawing attention to their limitations. Although the industry has advanced significantly as a result of the adoption and application of various research studies in this field, considerable focus needs to be placed in the areas of standardized data collection and computational approaches, which will ultimately assist in achieving various benefits in the transportation industry.

A simple protocol for preparation of O-acylated enol form - (R/S)-ethyl-2-acetoxy-4-phenyl-4H-chromene-3-carboxylate 5 was presented. The compound was characterized by 1H-, 13C-and DEPT135 NMR spectra, including {1H,1H} COSY, {1H,13C} HSQC, {1H,13C} HMBC and 2D-NOESY spectra. The preferred regioselectivity for O-acylation of 3,4-dihydrocoumarin 5 in the presence of substituent in 4-th position in the chroman ring and accounting the steric hindrance of the ester group in 3-th place was confirmed.

Topological indices have been used to modeling biological and chemical properties of molecules in quantitive structure property relationship studies and quantitive structure activity studies. All the degree based topological indices have been defined via classical degree concept. In this paper we define a novel degree concept for a vertex of a simple connected graph: S degree. And also we define S indices of a simple connected graph by using the S degree concept. We compute the S indices for well-known simple connected graphs such as paths, stars, complete graphs and cycles.

We study L_2-approximation problems in the weighted Hilbert spaces in the worst case setting. Three interesting weighted Hilbert spaces appear in this paper, whose weights are equipped with two positive parameters $\ga_j$ and $\az_j$ for $j=1,\,2,\dots,\,d$. We consider the worst case error of algorithms that use finitely many arbitrary continuous linear functionals. We discuss the exponential convergence-(t,s)-weak tractability (EC-(t,s)-WT) of these L_2-approximation problems under the absolute or normalized error criterion. In particular, we obtain the sufficient and necessary conditions for EC-(1,1)-WT and EC-(t,1)-WT with t

The optimum conditions for the fermentation of African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) into a vegetable protein based condiment (Iru) were developed using Levenberg-Marquardt (or Powell) method (using PSI software) with three (3) variables namely; inoculum concentration (bacillus subtilis), temperature and the fermentation duration. African locust bean seeds were fermented at various temperature of 40 - 70 °С for five days (120 hours) with different concentrations of Inoculum. The proximate analysis shows that fermentation increased the percentage protein. Protein had the highest composition with about 51 % after 72 hours at the lowest fermentation temperature of 40°С.

Salmonella Typhimurium is a typical Gram-Negative bacterium associated with food-borne illness threatening public health. This pathogen is reported to have caused millions of infections and thousands of hospitalizations yearly in the United States alone. Salmonella Typhimurium has a sophisticated array of virulent factors, including its flagella, which contributes significantly to its pathogenicity. Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, has attracted the interest of many researchers recently because of its antimicrobial properties. With the growing interest in exploring CBD’s antimicrobial properties, we, in this study, have delved into unravelling how prolonged exposure of Salmonella Typhimurium to CBD influences the expression of the flgA gene. We hypothesized that the exposure of Salmonella Typhimurium to CBD may result in flgA upregulation, causing the bacteria to withstand various stresses and potentially enhance its survival rates and pathogenicity. We have employed several assays, such as mRNA expression, motility assays, pH induction assays, nutrient starvation interventions, and biofilm analysis, to explore the influence of CBD on the pathophysiology of Salmonella Typhimurium. Our findings reveal that CBD-resistant strains exhibit enhanced resilience to extreme pH levels and motility and survive poorly under nutrient starvation, with more robust biofilm formation compared to the susceptible strains. The results contribute to the broader comprehension of CBD resistance mechanisms in bacteria. This work provides insight into the potential therapeutic interventions for controlling CBD-resistant bacterial infections. This study also underscores the essence of exploring novel alternative antimicrobial agents to tackle the ever-persistence of bacterial antibiotic resistance.

Ship detection from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is crucial for various fields in real-world applications. Numerous deep learning-based detectors have been investigated for SAR ship detection, which require a substantial amount of labeled data for training. However, SAR data annotation is time-consuming and demands specialized expertise, resulting in that deep learning-based SAR ship detectors struggle due to a lack of annotations. With limited labeled data, semi-supervised learning is a popular approach for boosting detection performance by excavating valuable information from unlabeled data. In this paper, a semi-supervised SAR ship detection network is proposed, termed as Multi-Teacher Dempster-Shafer Evidence Fusion Net-work (MTDSEFN). The MTDSEFN is an enhanced framework based on the basic teacher-student skeleton frame, comprising two branches: the Teacher Group (TG) and the Agency Teacher (AT). The TG utilizes multiple teachers to generate pseudo-labels for different augmentation versions of unlabeled samples, which are then refined to obtain high-quality pseudo-labels by using Dempster-Shafer (D-S) fusion. The AT not only serves to deliver weights of its own teacher to the TG at the end of each epoch, but also updates its own weights after each iteration, enabling the model to effectively learn rich information from unlabeled data. The combination of TG and AT guarantees both reliable pseudo-label generation and learning comprehensive diversity information from numerous unlabeled samples. Extensive experiments were performed on two public SAR ship datasets, and the results demonstrated the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical settings has become a significant global concern. Among these bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii stands out due to its remarkable ability to acquire resistance genes and persist in hospital environments, leading to some of the most challenging infections. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a crucial role in the evolution of this pathogen. The A. baumannii AMA205 strain, belonging to sequence type ST79, was isolated from a COVID-19 patient in Argentina in 2021. This strain’s antimicrobial resistance profile is notable as it harbors multiple resistance genes, some of which had not been previously described in this species. The AmpC family β-lactamase blaCMY-6, commonly found in Enterobacterales, had never been detected in A. baumannii before. Furthermore, this is the first ST79 strain known to carry the carbapenemase blaNDM-1 gene. Other acquired resistance genes include the carbapenemase blaOXA-23, further complicating treatment. Susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to most antibiotic families, including cefiderocol, with significant contributions from blaCMY-6 and blaNDM-1 genes to the cephalosporin and carbapenem resistance profiles. The A. baumannii AMA205 genome also contains genetic traits coding for 111 potential virulence factors, such as the iron-uptake system and biofilm-associated proteins. This study underscores A. baumannii's ability to acquire multiple resistance genes and highlights the need for alternative therapies and effective antimicrobial stewardship to control the spread of these highly resistant strains.

Despite well-documented health benefits of probiotics Saccharomyces, its application in oral health has not been comprehensively assessed. Dental caries is a transmissible disease initiated by acid production of cariogenic bacteria and yeast, such as Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, on tooth enamel and followed by subsequent enamel demineralization. Here, we investigated the effect of two Saccharomyces strains (Saccharomyces boulardii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on S. mutans-C. albicans cross-kingdom interactions using a cariogenic planktonic model. Viable cells, pH changes and gene expression were measured. S. cerevisiae and S. boulardii inhibited the growth of C. albicans either in dual-, or multi-species conditions. Saccharomyces also inhibited C. albicans hyphal formation. Furthermore, Saccharomyces reduced the acidity of the culture medium which usually plummeted below pH 5 when S. mutans and C. albicans were present in the model. The presence of Saccharomyces maintained the culture medium above 6 even after overnight incubation, demonstrating a protective potential against dental enamel demineralization. S. boulardii significantly downregulated S. mutans atpD and eno genes expression. Overall, our results shed light on a new promising candidate, Saccharomyces, for dental caries prevention due to its potential to create a less cariogenic environment marked by a neutral pH and reduced growth of C. albicans.

Prime numbers are the atoms of mathematics and mathematics is needed to make sense of the real world. Finding the Prime number structure and eventually being able to crack their code is the ultimate goal in what is called Number Theory. From the evolution of species to cryptography, Nature finds help in Prime numbers. One of the most important advances in the study of Prime numbers was the paper by Bernhard Riemann in November 1859 called “Ueber die Anzahl der Primzahlen unter einer gegebenen Grösse” (On the number of primes less than a given quantity). In that paper, Riemann gave a formula for the number of primes less than x in terms the integral of 1/log(x) and the roots (zeros) of the zeta function defined by: Where ζ(z) is a function of a complex variable z that analytically continues the Dirichlet series. Riemann also formulated a conjecture about the location of the zeros of RZF, which fall into two classes: the "trivial zeros" -2, -4, -6, etc., and those whose real part lies between 0 and 1. Riemann's conjecture Riemann hypothesis [RH] was formulated as this: [RH] The real part of every nontrivial zero z* of the RZF is 1/2. Proving the RH is, as of today, one of the most important problems in mathematics. In this paper we will provide a proof of the RH. The proof of the RH will be built following these five parts: PART 1: Description of the RZF PART 2: The C-transformation PART 3: Application of the C-transformation to in Re(z) 0 to obtain ζ(z)=X(z)-Y(z) PART 4: Analysis of the values of z such that X(z)=Y(z), and |X(z)|=|Y(z)|, that equates to ζ(z)=0 Proof that |X(z)|=|Y(z)| only if Re(z)=1/2 Conclude that ζ(z)=0 only if Re(z)=1/2 for Re(z) 0 PART 5: We will also prove that all non-trivial zeros of ζ(z) in the critical line of the form are not distributed randomly. There is a relationship between the values of those zeros and the Harmonic function that leads to an algebraic relationship between any two zeros.

The understanding of weather and climate extremes provides academics, decision makers, international development agencies, nongovernmental organizations and civil society the necessary information for monitoring and giving early warning to prevent or minimize the risks associated with weather related hazards. Different researches were carried out to provide vital information that will further enhance the assessment of vulnerability and its impacts. Lack of proper understanding of weather and climate extremes was realized to be responsible for the huge and devastating losses that could have being averted or minimized over the past decades. Different countries and institutions have put in place a number of ways to increase sensitization and awareness of weather extremes. This became necessary in order to reduce the losses associated with these extremes both on local and regional scales.

Small-scale fisheries are significant sources of nutrition and livelihood globally. However, increasing anthropogenic activities in coastal areas of developing countries have threatened the sustainability of artisanal fisheries and species. Fisheries of Sardinella maderensis (Lowe, 1838), to which Nigeria contributes 9% of the global stock and is a significant livelihood source in the coastal communities of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, face sustainability threats. This research investigated the effects of anthropogenic activities on S. maderensis fishery in the coastal areas of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed-method approach involving qualitative and quantitative research methods. These include species identification, water quality analysis, land use change analysis, field surveys, focus group discussions and interviews. Results show genetic analysis of the fish samples from six stations revealed that the species had a mean of 98% similarity to Sardinella maderensis in NCBI. Multiple linear regression indicates that anthropogenic variables explained approximately 4.62% of the variance in the fish catch (p &lt; .001, R2 = .05). Water samples showed heavy metal levels were above international limits, high total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) pollution in all stations (27.56 mg/L- 3985.40 mg/L). Physiochemical analysis of water samples indicated TDS higher than acceptable limits (Mean = 24971.1 mg/L) and inadequate chlorophyll-a level (Mean = 0.01 µg/L). Hence, urgent strategies are required to mitigate anthropogenic threats through inclusive coastal management policies supporting resilient artisanal fisheries and marine spatial planning.

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

Diastolic dysfunction, a prevalent condition characterized by impaired relaxation and filling of the left ventricle, significantly contributes to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Galectin-3, a β-galactoside-binding lectin, has garnered attention as a potential biomarker and mediator of fibrosis and inflammation in cardiovascular diseases. This comprehensive review investigates the impact of galectin-3 on diastolic dysfunction. We explore its molecular mechanisms, including its involvement in cellular signaling pathways and interaction with components of the extracellular matrix. Evidence from both animal models and clinical studies elucidates galectin-3's role in cardiac remodeling, inflammation, and fibrosis, shedding light on the underlying pathophysiology of diastolic dysfunction. Additionally, we examine the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of galectin-3 in diastolic dysfunction, emphasizing its potential as both a biomarker and a therapeutic target. This review underscores the significance of comprehending galectin-3's role in diastolic dysfunction and its promise in enhancing diagnosis and treatment approaches for HFpEF patients.

Probiotics are living microbes that provide benefits to the host. The increasing data on health promotion following probiotics administration triggered growing interest among researchers and pharmaceutical companies looking for novel therapeutic or preventive tools. Infections of the lower genital tract in females are caused by a wide range of pathogens, they are widespread, and represent one of the main areas for the use of probiotics and postbiotics. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) affects 75% of women in their reproductive age at least once during their lifetime. Of these women 5-8% develop the recurrent form (RVVC). The disease onset is triggered by the overgrowth of Candida species on the vaginal mucosa. Here, we evaluated the beneficial properties of the Bacillus coagulans spore-producing LMG S-24828 against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis. Our results show that both alive B. coagulans and its Cell-Free-Supernatant (CFS) exerted antifungal activity against both fungi. Moreover, alive B. coagulans reduced hyphal formation, inhibited C. albicans adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells and showed co-aggregation capacity. Overall, B. coagulans LMG S-24828 exerted a protective effect on vaginal epithelial cells infected with C. albicans. These data suggest that B. coagulans LMG S-24828 may provide benefits in the context of Candida vaginal infections.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality. Traditional approaches to diagnosing and treating CVDs often involve interpretation, which can lead to errors. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning aids the management of CVDs. AI examines amounts of data and identifies patterns offering solutions for disease detection, risk prediction, and patient care. The American Heart Association's 2023 Scientific Sessions (AHA23) showcased studies that highlight AIs potential to revolutionize cardiac healthcare. This article presents a review of these cutting-edge studies exploring how AI is applied in health, the outcomes of these applications, and their implications for clinical practice. The insights gained from this review will contribute to the discussion on AI's role in healthcare and its capacity to enhance outcomes.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) is one strategy to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. To assess the potential scale and cost of CO2 sequestration from BECCS in the US, this analysis models carbon efficiencies and costs of biomass production, delivery, power generation, and CO2 capture and sequestration in saline formations. The analysis includes two biomass supply scenarios (near-term and long-term), two biomass logistics scenarios (conventional and pelletized), two generation technologies (pulverized combustion and integrated gasification combined cycle), and three cost accounting scenarios (gross cost, net cost after electricity revenues, and net cost after electricity revenues with avoided emissions from conventional power generation). Results show cost Mg-1 CO2 as a function of CO2 sequestered (simulating capture up to 90% of total CO2 sequestration potential) and associated spatial distribution of resources and generation locations for the array of scenario options. Under a near-term scenario using 222 million Mg yr-1 of biomass, up to 196 million Mg CO2 can be sequestered at scenario-average costs ranging from $60 to $158 Mg 1 CO2; under a long-term scenario using 823 million Mg yr-1 of biomass, up to 727 million Mg CO2 yr 1 can be sequestered at scenario-average costs ranging from $32 to $242 Mg-1 CO2. These costs are largely influenced by cost accounting scenario, and the CO2 sequestration potential may be reduced if future competing demand reduces resource availability. Results suggest there are multiple feedstock-logistics-generation pathways toward CO2 drawdown that could be incrementally trialed and monitored for environmental sustainability effects. Interactive visualization of results is available at [final link to be determined].

Euler’s product formula over the primes and Euler’s zeta function equate to enshrine the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic that every integer > 1 is the product of a unique set of primes. The product formula has no zero, and with a domain ≤1 Euler’s zeta diverges. Dirichlet’s eta function η(s), negates alternate terms of zeta, permitting convergence when s∈C and Re(s) < 1, and its non-trivial zeros {ρ}, have a deep relationship with the distribution of the primes. The Riemann Hypothesis is that all the non-trivial zeros have Re(ρ) = 1/2. This work examines the symmetries in a partial Euler’s zeta series with a complex domain equating it to the difference between two finite vector series whose matched terms have mirror-image arguments, but whose magnitudes differ when Re(s) ≠ 1/2. Analytical continuation generates a modified eta series η_l(s), in which every l^th term is multiplied by (1-l). If the integer l is appropriately determined by the Im(s), similar paired finite vector series have a difference that closely follows η_l (s) and their terminal vectors intersect in a unique way permitting zeros only when Re(s) = 1/2. Furthermore, those vectors tracking the derivatives of the series, have a special relationship permitting zeros of the differential only when Re(s) > 1/2.

Sustainable agriculture is at the forefront of modern farming practices, with a growing emphasis on optimizing crop production while minimizing environmental impact. The choice of fertilizer application technology plays a critical role in achieving these objectives. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), a valuable crop globally, serves both as a source of human nutrition and livestock feed. To address the challenges of enhancing soybean production while minimizing ecological harm, this study evaluates and compares the performance of different fertilizer application technologies. In this study we combined remote and ground surveys to allow a comprehensive understanding of the impact of these technologies on soybean cultivation. The study focuses on deep placement of slow-release nitrogen fertilizers with coated urea at a 20 cm depth, conventional nitrogen fertilizer application, and manure organic fertilizer application. Remote surveys are conducted using advanced smart farming tools such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), ground surveys such as soil plant analysis development SPAD measurements, and soybean parameters to assess the impact of fertilizer application. This study revealed that deep placement fertilizer demonstrated better performance compared to other fertilizer application technologies for soybean cultivation. The findings from this study contribute to the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices and empower farmers with knowledge to make informed decisions for optimizing green soybean production.

In this study, we provided an empirical testability of the FF3FM against the co-moment-augmented FF3FM using the Newey–West GMM methods to account for potential endogeneity. The results showed that value risk is not significantly priced, and systematic skewness and systematic kurtosis play more important roles in explaining asset return than market and size factors. We discovered that there is much to gain in moving from the incumbent FF3FM to the co-moment-augmented FF3FM. By extending this study to Nigeria and using out-of-sample data that span across the recent COVID-19 period, the study has contributed to existing knowledge significantly. The study concludes that the co-moment-augmented FF3FM is superior to the incumbent FF3FM in pricing assets, and the anomalies associated with the return-size risk factor relationship are reduced by accounting for systematic skewness and systematic kurtosis in the FF3FM. Therefore, we recommend that investors should take a long position in size-hedged portfolios and hold systematic skewness and kurtosis as constant, and vice visa.

Salmonella remains one of the notable food-borne bacterial pathogens. It is associated with poultry and poultry products including eggs. This study investigated Salmonella distribution in eggshell and content, their antimicrobial resistance pattern, and the possible risk factors driving contamination in Ogun State, Nigeria. A total of 500 eggs (5 eggs pooled into one sample) were collected and culturally examined for the presence of Salmonella serovars. Isolates were further characterized biochemically using Microbact 20E (Oxoid) and Antimicrobial susceptibility determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. A total of 14 Salmonella isolates spread across 10 serovars were recovered from the 100 pooled egg samples; 10 (10%) from the market and 4 (4%) farms, 13(13%) eggshell, and 1(1%) egg content. All tested serovars were susceptible to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, and kanamycin. Resistance was mostly observed in sulfamethoxazole 8 (80%), followed by ciprofloxacin 5 (50%) and tetracycline 3 (30%). Sales of eggs in the market appears to be a strong factor encouraging contamination in addition to poor biosecurity and unhygienic handling of eggs on the farm.

. Protein cysteine S-glycosylation is a relatively rare and less well characterized post-translational modification (PTM). Creating reliable model proteins that carry this modification is challenging. The lack of available model or natural S-glycosylated proteins significantly hampers the development of MS-based methodologies for detecting protein cysteine S-glycosylation in real-world proteomic studies. There is also limited MS-sequencing data describing easier to create synthetic S-glycopeptides. Here, we present the results of an in-depth manual analysis of automatically annotated CID/HCD spectra for model S-glucopeptides. The CID spectra show a long series of y/b-fragment ions with retained S-glucosylation, regardless of the dominant m/z signals corresponding to neutral loss of 1,2-anhydroglucose from the precursor ions. In addition, the spectra show signals manifesting glucosyl transfer from the cysteine position onto Lys, Arg side chains, and a peptide N-terminus. Other spectral evidence indicates that the N-glucosylated initial products of transfer are converted into N-furanosylated (i.e., glycated) structures due to Amadori rearrangement. We discuss the peculiar transfer of the glucose oxocarbenium ion (Glc+) to positively charged guanidinium residue (ArgH+) and propose a mechanism for the gas-phase Amadori rearrangement involving a hydride ion shift.

The implementation of management systems has become a strategic advantage in achieving business goals, especially in industrial organizations, but the implementation of social responsibility requirements is especially ethical. Large multinational companies have long been developing and, in particular, implementing their own codes of conduct, which include their suppliers, to demonstrate their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The compliance with CSR requirements from stakeholders is thus extended or intertwined with requirements in established management systems (MSs). The objectives of the study were to (1) analyze the different approaches to CSR in internationally recognized cross-industry and industry-specific standards and codes in different industries; (2) select the most appropriate framework for assessing the degree of applicability of CSR in the selected management systems and develop a methodology for its assessment; (3) apply the proposed methodology (referred to as SRIMS) in the selected areas: automotive industry, research organization, and metallurgical industry; (4) through ANOVA, validate its use for assessing the overall level of CSR applicability in an organization's established management systems. The application of the Bonferroni method confirmed the hypotheses that the developed SRIMS model is a sufficiently appropriate tool for assessing the overall level of applicability of CSR requirements to established MSs.

This study presents a novel Fe-CNs-P/S carbon composite material, synthesized by doping elements P and S into NH2-MIL-101 (Fe) using carbonization method. The material's application in sustainable water treatment was evaluated, focusing on its effectiveness in activating persulfate for pollutant degradation. The research thoroughly investigates the synthesis process, structural characteristics, and performance in degrading pollutants. Results indicate that Fe-CNs-P/S-5 with 50% P and S co-doping is higher than that of other samples, where the degradation rate of TC in 30min is as high as 98.11% under the optimum conditions, that is temperature at 25 ℃, 0.05 g/L of catalyst concentration, and 0.2 g/L of PMS concentration. The composite material demonstrates robust versatility and stability, maintaining high degradation efficiency across multiple organic pollutants, with no significant reduction in catalytic performance after four cycles. Furthermore, the free radical quenching experiments displays that the singlet oxygen 1O2 is the main active species. It is demonstrated that the doping of P and S play a role in the enhancement of PMS activation over the Fe-CNs-P/S catalyst. This material demonstrates remarkable efficacy in treating a range of organic contaminants and exhibits excellent reusability, presenting a promising approach for enhancing sustainability in water treatment applications.

The viewpoint and reaction of a country towards climate change are shaped by its political, cultural, and scientific backgrounds, in addition to the distinct characteristics of its evolving climate and the anticipated and actual consequences of the phenomenon in the times ahead. A region's climate has a significant impact on how water is managed and used, mostly in the primary sector (agroforestry systems, livestock, and agriculture), and both the distribution of ecosystem types and the amount and spreading of species on Earth. As a result, the environment and agricultural practices are affected by climate, so evaluating both distribution and evolution is extremely pertinent. Towards this aim, the climate distribution and evolution in the S. Francisco River basin (SFRB) is assessed in three periods (1970−2000, 1981−2022) in the past and 20412060 in the future from an ensemble of GCMs under two SSPs (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways), SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5. The Köppen-Geiger (KG) climate classification system is analyzed, and climate change impacts are inferred for this watershed located in central-eastern Brazil, covering an area equivalent to 8% of the country. Results predict the disappearance of the hot-summer (Csa) and warm-summer (Csb) Mediterranean climates, and a reduction/increase in the tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw)/dry summer (As). A striking increase in the semi-arid hot (BSh-steppe) climate is predicted with a higher percentage (10%) under SSP5-8.5. The Source and the mouth of SFRB are projected to endure the major impacts of climate change that is followed by a predicted increase/decrease in temperature/precipitation. Future freshwater resource availability, and quality for human use will all be impacted. Consequences on ecosystems, agricultural and for the socioeconomic sectors within the SFRB might deepen the current contrasts between regions, urban and rural areas, and even between population groups, thus translating to a larger extent, the inequality that still characterizes Brazilian society. Maps depicting land use and cover changes in the São Francisco River basin from 1985 to 2022 highlight tendencies such as urbanization, agricultural expansion, deforestation, and changes in shrubland and water bodies. Urban areas fluctuated slightly, while cropland significantly increased from 33.57% to 45.45%, and forest areas decreased from 3.88% to 3.50%. Socioeconomic data reveals disparities among municipalities: 74.46% with medium Human Development Index (HDI), 0.59% with very high HDI, and 9.11% with low HDI. Most municipalities have a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita below US$ 6,000. Population distribution maps show a predominance of small to medium-sized urban and rural communities, reflecting the basin's dispersed demographic and economic profile. To build routes towards a shared sustainable goal—namely, to adapt and reduce the expected climate change impacts in SFRB—it is imperative that integrated measures be conducted with the cooperation of stakeholders, local population, and decision-makers.

Road safety and the effectiveness of the transportation system as a whole are significantly impacted by driver comfort. Road surface quality can play a significant part in the driver’s comfort experienced on roads in any country. This study employs a Random Forest technique to examine the association between road roughness and drivers' comfort during long-distance driving. Using Random Forest, a dependable machine learning technique that can handle big datasets and detect nonlinear correlations, this work aims to shed light on the complex dynamics between road conditions and driver’s comfort. 1,048,576 rows of data from MIRANDA, an application developed at the University of Gustave Eiffel, were used in this study as part of the data collected from a probe vehicle. The data collected includes an International Roughness Index (IRI). The IRI thresholds offer a simple method for assessing driver comfort and road irregularity. While highlighting how uneven and uncomfortable the road is, the research's findings (Road Roughness: SD – 0.73; Driver's Comfort: - Mean, 10.01, SD – 0.64) also contribute to the standardization of road condition evaluation and maintenance communication. This finding is anticipated to aid in the development of strategies for improving the welfare of long-haul drivers and fixing road infrastructure to comply with standard road index, ultimately leading to the creation of more efficient and sustainable transportation systems.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the deadliest and most common causes of malignancy and death in men worldwide, more specifically with higher prevalence and mortality in developing countries. Factors such as age, family history, race and certain genetic mutations are some of the factors contributing to the occurrence of PCa in men. The recent advances in technology and algorithms gave rise to the computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of PCa. With the availability of medical image datasets and emerging trends in state-of-the-art machine and deep learning techniques, there is a growth in recent related publications. Materials and Methods: In this study, we present a systematic review of PCa diagnosis with medical images using machine learning and deep learning techniques. We conducted a thorough review through relevant studies indexed in four databases (IEEE, PubMed, Springer and ScienceDirect) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. With well-defined search terms, a total of 608 articles were identified and 77 met the final inclusion criteria. Key elements in the included papers were presented and conclusions were drawn from them. Results: Findings showed that the United States has the most research in PCa diagnosis with machine learning, Magnetic Resonance Images are the most used datasets and transfer learning is the most used method of diagnosing PCa in recent times. In addition, some available PCa datasets and some key considerations for choice of loss function in the deep learning models were presented. The limitations and lessons learnt were discussed and some key recommendations were made. Conclusion: The discoveries and the conclusions of this work have been organized so as to enable researchers in the same domain to use this work and make crucial implementation decisions.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an emerging viral infection, is impacting the social, economic and political patterns of the world. To contain the spread of this pandemic, Nigeria like many countries globally, has imposed drastic preventive measures such as physical distancing and lockdown/curfew. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and perception (KAP) about COVID-19 among members of staff of a university community in southwest, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey using an anonymous, self-designed, online KAP questionnaire was conducted from April 18 to May 31, 2020. Purposive and chain referral sampling techniques were used to recruit respondents from the teaching and non-teaching categories of the university. The KAP questionnaire consisted of ten knowledge questions regarding the identification of clinical characteristics, transmission and prevention of COVID-19. The questions on attitude (15) and perception (10) assessed respondents on adherence to policies and their views on government efforts to contain the spread of the infection respectively. A total of 125 (teaching) and 102 (non-teaching) staff responded. The respondents had scientific (78.8 %) and non-scientific (28.2 %) work background. Approximately 59.1 % of the respondents were males. The mean knowledge and positive attitude levels were 70.8 % (SD ± 9.6 %) and 83.1 % (SD ± 13.07 %) respectively. Significant differences in the knowledge mean scores were observed for demographic categories such as educational qualification (p = 0.0006), staff work category (p = <0.0001), work background (p = <0.0001), and type of lockdown (p = 0.0271). Most of the respondents (85.3 %) opined that COVID-19 was a biological weapon and viewed the lockdown as necessary (81.5 %). However, they thought that the Nigerian government was not doing enough to mitigate COVID-19 spread. The perception of COVID-19 in the university community bear implications across public health initiatives, compliance with precautionary behaviour and bilateral relations with foreign nations.

Vertically aligned Fe, S, and Fe-S doped anatase TiO₂ nanotube arrays are prepared by electrochemical anodization process using an organic electrolyte in which lactic acid is added as an additive. In the electrolyte, nanotube layers of greater length (12 μm) and high order with inner diameter of approx. 90 nm and outer diameter of approx. 170 nm are achieved. Doping of Fe, S, and Fe-S via simple wet impregnation method substituted Ti and O sites with Fe and S, which leads to enhance the rate performance at high discharge current densities. Discharge capacities of TiO₂ tubes increased from 82 mAh g-1 (bare) to 165 mAh g-1 for Fe-S doped TiO₂ at high current densities of 0.3 mAcm-2 after 100 cycles with exceptional capacity retention of 85% after 100 cycles. Owing to the enhancement of thermodynamic and kinetic properties by doping of Fe-S, Li-diffusion increas2ed resulting in remarkable discharge capacities of 143 mAh g-1 and 89 mAh g-1 at a current density of 7.4 mA cm-2 and 19 mA cm-2, respectively.

Planning and implementation of construction projects are difficult processes and are burdened with many risk elements. The budget spread over time, which is developed on the basis of the schedule, presents the expected distribution of costs throughout the duration of the works, which during the implementation of the project is subject to constant changes resulting from time, cost and organizational factors. Managing construction contracts requires managers to be able to analyze on an ongoing basis the variances of production costs - from the values calculated in the offer cost estimate and assumed in the Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled. The article attempts to analyze the emerging time and cost variances using proprietary C-S and S-C monitoring, based on simple indicators of the EVM method. An example of construction of a multi-family housing development was used to study the variances of planned and incurred costs.

Abstract: This article advances the discourse on sustainable and energy-efficient software by examining the performance and energy efficiency of intelligent algorithms within the framework of green and sustainable computing. Building on previous research, it explores the theoretical implications of Bremermann's Limit on efforts to enhance computer performance through more extensive methods. The study presents an empirical investigation into heuristic methods for search and optimisation, demonstrating the energy efficiency of various algorithms in both simple and complex tasks. It also identifies key factors influencing the energy consumption of algorithms and their potential impact on computational processes. Furthermore, the article discusses cognitive concepts and their interplay with computational intelligence, highlighting the role of cognition in the evolution of intelligent algorithms. The conclusion offers insights into the future directions of research in this area, emphasising the need for continued exploration of energy-efficient computing methodologies.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused mankind serious confusion, economic havoc and psychological distress. This study evaluated the level of knowledge, attitude and perception about COVID-19 pandemic, infection control and impact among veterinarians in Nigeria. A cross-sectional online survey was used to collect data from consenting respondents during implementation of lockdown in the country (April 23 - May 31, 2020). Purposive and chain referral sampling techniques were used to recruit 368 respondents from various sectors of the profession. The proportion of respondents surveyed 197/368 (53.5 %) were from the public sector, 35.3 % from private sector, 1.1 % were unemployed and 0.8 % retired. Majority of the respondents were males (72.8 %), within 30 – 39 years (39.7 %) and had 1 – 10 years work experience. Respondents displayed good level of knowledge about COVID-19 (72.4 % ± 9.9 %, range 44.1-91.2 %), with information mostly derived from TV/Radio (81.5%) and social media (81.0 %). The overall attitude level was poor and various determinants for good attitude among respondents were if they were above 60 years (p = 0.013), possessed postgraduate qualification ( p = 0.031), worked over 30 years post DVM (p = 0.001), had household members between 5 and 10 (p = 0.012), and were resident in states on total lockdown (p = 0.024). There was no correlation between the knowledge level score and respondents’ attitude towards the pandemic (p = 0.12). With increasing rate of COVID-19 transmission, research data are needed to develop evidence-driven strategies, policies and effective risk mitigations to reduce the pandemic’s adverse impacts.

We report on the role of synergistic polarization of Ba0.9Sr0.1TiO3 (BST) nanoparticles in sulfur cathodes to enhance the redox kinetics of polysulfides for high-capacity Li-S batteries. Ferroelectric nanoparticles are known to significantly improve the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries due to their inherent self-polarization and high adsorption capacity towards polysulfides. X-ray diffraction spectra confirmed the tetragonal symmetry (c/a=1.0073), while Raman spectroscopic analysis validated the presence of tetragonal orientation Raman modes in BST-modified composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed a homogeneous distribution of BST in the sulfur cathode system, with grain sizes ranging from 1 to 1.5 μm. Notably, the BST-coupled S50BST30CB10PVDF10 composite cathode achieved a capacity of approximately 820 mAh/g at 100 mA/g, maintaining stability over 100 cycles, demonstrating improved electrochemical performance. Two distinct plateaus between 2.3 V to 2.0 V and 2.0 V to 1.5 V further underscore the superior performance of BST ferroelectric nanoparticles in enhancing the redox kinetics of Li-S batteries. By leveraging the favourable affinity of polar substances towards polysulfides, we aimed to create a more stable reactive environment within the cathodic site, effectively trapping polysulfide intermediates through the synergistic polarization of BST nanoparticles. The synergistic polarization induced by the asymmetric crystal structure of ferroelectrics is anticipated to generate internal electric fields, enhancing chemisorption with heteropolar reactive. The observed high cyclic stability further validates the efficacy of these composite cathodes in mitigating the polysulfide shuttle effect, offering promising prospects for advancing Li-S battery technology.

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

Micro-combs [1-4] - optical frequency combs generated by integrated micro-cavity resonators – offer the full potential of their bulk counterparts [5,6], but in an integrated footprint. The discovery of temporal soliton states (DKS – dissipative Kerr solitons) [4,7-11] as a means of mode-locking micro-combs has enabled breakthroughs in many fields including spectroscopy [12,13], microwave photonics [14], frequency synthesis [15], optical ranging [16,17], quantum sources [18,19], metrology [20,21] and more. One of their most promising applications has been optical fibre communications where they have enabled massively parallel ultrahigh capacity multiplexed data transmission [22,23]. Here, by using a new and powerful class of micro-comb called “soliton crystals” [11], we achieve unprecedented data transmission over standard optical fibre using a single integrated chip source. We demonstrate a line rate of 44.2 Terabits per second (Tb/s) using the telecommunications C-band at 1550nm with a spectral efficiency – a critically important performance metric - of 10.4 bits/s/Hz. Soliton crystals exhibit robust and stable generation and operation as well as a high intrinsic efficiency that, together with a low soliton micro-comb spacing of 48.9 GHz enable the use of a very high coherent data modulation format of 64 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulated). We demonstrate error free transmission over 75 km of standard optical fibre in the laboratory as well as in a field trial over an installed metropolitan optical fibre network. These experiments were greatly aided by the ability of the soliton crystals to operate without stabilization or feedback control. This work demonstrates the capability of optical soliton crystal micro-combs to perform in demanding and practical optical communications networks.

Plant conciousness is a scenario where people imbibe the culture of engaging plants as a constant part of their day to day activity. The earth supports both plants and animals, but , plants unlike animals are unable to express themselves by shouting, nagging or crying, e.t.c. They are only able to response saliently thus making them oblivious and constantly neglected. Unfortunately, plants play just as much major roles in sustaining the earth as much as people and animals do. The proper handling of plants is much reliant on the ‘’Plant consciousness or obliviousness’’ of people including both the young and the old. Are people well aware of plants, how important they are to the earth, the environment and it sustenance?, the answer is not enough. There is a need for plant knowledge bridges to create more and adequate awareness about plants, their importance, how they should be handled, how they should be cared for, and an understanding that they are partners for the sustaining our dying world. We seek to change this obvious lack of appreciation and understanding of plants, but how can this be done? We discuss methodologies that have and can been used for bridging this knowledge gap to ensure that our world is safe by protecting and caring for plants.

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

This note first summarizes the history of the manuscript "On a Continuum Model for Avalanche Flow and Its Simplified Variants" by Grigorian and Ostroumov―published in the Special Issue on snow avalanche dynamics of Geosciences―since the early 1990s and explains the guiding principles in editing it for publication. The changes are then detailed and some explanatory notes given for the benefit of readers who are not familiar with the early Russian work on snow avalanche dynamics. Finally, the editor's personal views as to why he still considers this paper of relevance for avalanche dynamics research today are presented in brief essays on key aspects of the paper, namely the role of simple and complex models in avalanche research and mitigation work, the status and possible applications of Grigorian's stress-limited friction law, and non-monotonicity of the dynamics of the Grigorian–Ostroumov model in the friction coefficient. A comparison of the erosion model proposed by those authors with two other models suggests to enhance it with an additional equation for the balance of tangential momentum across the shock front. A preliminary analysis indicates that continuous scouring entrainment is possible only in a restricted parameter range and that there is a second erosion regime with delayed entrainment.

The present Feature Paper highlights the application of bacterial surface (S-) layer proteins as versatile components for the fabrication of biosensors. One technologically relevant feature of S‑layer proteins is their ability to self-assemble on many surfaces and interfaces to form a crystalline 2D protein lattice. The S-layer lattice on the surface of a biosensor becomes part of the interface architecture, linking the bioreceptor to the transducer interface, which may cause signal amplification. The S-layer lattice as ultrathin, highly porous structure with functional groups in a well-defined special distribution and orientation and an overall anti-fouling characteristics can significantly raise the limit in terms of variety and ease of bioreceptor immobilization, compactness of bioreceptor molecule arrangement, sensitivity, specificity, and detection limit for many types of biosensors. The present paper discusses and summarizes examples for the successful implementation of S-layer lattices on biosensor surfaces in order to give a comprehensive overview on the application potential of these bioinspired S-layer protein-based biosensors.

In this systematic review, the PRISMA method was applied to examine publications from the last two decades that have investigated the noxious gaseous emissions from dairy barns. The aim was to analyse the outcomes from literature studies estimating the quantities of polluting gases produced in dairy barns, with specific focus on ammonia (NH₃) emissions. The review also explores proposed methods to reduce the associated effects through mitigation strategies. Estimation of NH₃ emissions is significantly influenced by the complex interactions among several factors, including animal management practices, such as controlling animal behavioral activities; manure management, like utilising practices for floor manure removal; the type of structure housing the animals, whether it is naturally or mechanically ventilated; and environmental conditions, such as the effects of temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and ventilation rate on NH₃ release in the barn. These influential components have been considered by researchers, identifying targeted mitigation strategies. Despite growing attention to the issue, gaps in the scientific literature were identified and discussed, particularly regarding the analysis of mitigation strategies and their long-term impacts (i.e., environmental, economic and productivity-wise).

The COVID-19 pandemic over the past years has shown a great need for rapid, low-cost and on-site detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this paper, an aptamer-based colloidal gold nanoparticle lateral flow test strip was well developed to realize the visual detection of wild type SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) and multiple variants. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a low detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 S protein of 0.68 nM was acquired, and the actual detection recovery was 83.3% to 108.8% for real world samples. This suggests a potential tool for the prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 with good sensitivity and accuracy, and a new method for the development of alternative antibody test strips for the detection of other viral targets.

The impact of climate extremes on the society has been of great concern to environmental scientist and policy makers. The destructive consequence attributed to natural hazards associated with climates extremes has been estimated to billions of dollars across the globe. To carry out a robust and effective researches that help to minimize or prevent the loss, detailed datasets of the past, present and future are needed. This will help to give an accurate prediction and early warning which is necessary for the policy making.

This study investigates the impact of vertical greenery systems (VGS) applied to heavyweight walls on indoor thermal conditions in a building module situated in the Mediterranean climate of Catania, Italy. Using dynamic simulations in TRNSYS, the research compares the thermal behavior of walls constructed from hollow clay blocks (Poroton) and lava stone blocks with a lightweight wall setup already in place at the University of Catania. The primary focus is on evaluating the VGS’s effect on reducing peak inner surface temperatures and moderating heat flux fluctuations entering the building. The findings indicate that adding a vertical greenery layer to heavyweight walls can decrease the peak inner surface temperature by up to 1.0°C compared to the same wall without vegetation. However, the greenery’s impact on mitigating heat flux fluctuations is less pronounced than in the case of the lightweight wall. This research underscores the potential of green facades in enhancing indoor thermal comfort in regions with climates similar to the Mediterranean, providing valuable insights for sustainable building design and urban planning.

Background: The novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with an increasing public health concern. Due to the non-availability of a vaccine against the disease, non-pharmaceutical interventions constitute major preventive and control measures. However, inadequate knowledge about the disease and poor perception might limit compliance. Aim: This study examined COVID-19-related knowledge, practices, perceptions and associated factors amongst undergraduate veterinary medical students in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional web survey was employed to collect data from 437 consenting respondents using pre-tested self-administered questionnaire (August 2020). Demographic factors associated with the knowledge and adoption of recommended preventive practices towards COVID-19 were explored using multivariate logistic regression at P ≤ 0.05.Results: The respondents’ mean knowledge and practice scores were 22.7 (SD ± 3.0) and 24.1 (SD ± 2.9), respectively with overall 63.4% and 88.8% displaying good knowledge and satisfactory practice levels. However, relatively lower proportions showed adherence to avoid touching face or nose (19.5%), face mask-wearing (58.1%), and social distancing (57.4%). Being in the 6^th year of study (OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.62-6.26, P = 0.001) and female (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.11-4.41, P = 0.024) were significant positive predictors of good knowledge and satisfactory practices, respectively. While only 30% of the respondents perceived the pandemic as a scam or a disease of the elites (24.0%), the respondents were worried about their academics being affected negatively (55.6%). Conclusion: The study revealed good knowledge and satisfactory preventive practices towards COVID-19 among Nigerian Veterinary students; albeit with essential gaps in the key non-pharmaceutical preventive measures recommended by the WHO. Therefore, there is a need to step up enlightenment and targeted campaigns about COVID-19 pandemic.

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) is currently used to monitor not only the spread of the pandemic virus SARS-CoV-2 but also for other viruses in endemic conditions, particularly in the absence of syndromic surveillance. Continuous monitoring of sewage requires high costs and significant time investment, highlighting the need for standardized methods and structured monitoring strategies. In this context, we conducted weekly wastewater monitoring in northwestern Italy, targeting Human Adenovirus (HAdV), Norovirus Genogroup II (NoVggII), Enterovirus (EV), and SARS-CoV-2. Samples collected at the entrance of treatment plants were concentrated using PEG/NaCl precipitation and viral nucleic acids were extracted and detected by real-time (RT-)qPCR. NoVggII resulted the most identified target (84.4%), followed by HAdV, SARS-CoV-2, and EV. Only HAdV and EV exhibited seasonal peaks in spring and summer. SARS-CoV-2 results compared with data previously collected in the same study area (February 2021 to September 2021) revealed a shift from an epidemic to a pandemic status, likely due to the evolution of variants. In conclusion, WBE, using standardized methods and an efficient monitoring strategy, proves valuable for virus surveillance in pandemic and epidemic scenarios, enabling the identification of temporal-local distribution patterns that are useful for making informed public health decision.

Let R be a commutative graded ring with unity, S be a multiplicative subset of homogeneous elements of R and P be a graded ideal of R such that P\bigcap S=\emptyset In this article, we introduce several results concerning graded S-prime ideals. Then we introduce the concept of graded weakly S-prime ideals which is a generalization of graded weakly prime ideals. We say that P is a graded weakly S-prime ideal of R if there exists s\in S such that for all x, y\in h(R), if 0\neq xy\in P, then sx\in P or sy\in P. We show that graded weakly S-prime ideals have many acquaintance properties to these of graded weakly prime ideals.

Climate change has significant impacts on the distribution of orchids. The endemic and endan-gered orchids are more susceptible to climate change than widely distributed orchids. To date, lit-tle is known concerning the response of endangered Changnienia amoena, endemic to China, to different climate scenarios. Here, we chose RF, MaxEnt, and GBM to build an ensemble model af-ter using ten models from Biomod2 to project its potential distribution in China. The outcomes showed that the four key environmental factors influencing its distribution were mean diurnal temperature range, minimum temperature of the coldest month, temperature seasonality, and precipitation of the warmest quarter. This orchid was mainly distributed in western Hubei, the junction between Shaanxi and Sichuan, eastern Guizhou, northwestern Hunan, and the junction among Anhui, Henan, and Hubei provinces in the current. The total suitable area of C. amoena was 58.33 × 104 km2, only accounting for 6.08% of China's total territory, which is larger than known. However, only 4.48% of the suitable area is located within national nature reserves, and 3.33% within provincial nature reserves, respectively. During the Last Inter Glacial and mid-Holocene, its suitable areas were larger than the current. Under six future climate scenarios, its suitable areas may averagely decrease by 2.26% relative to the current, with severe habitat fragmentation. Col-lectively, the centroid of C. amoena is expected to migrate towards the southeast in the future. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that climate change takes an adverse effect on its potential distribution. We recommend expanding protected areas or establishing new conservation sites for C. amoena. Furthermore, our study can help to inform the development of conservation manage-ment strategies for other endangered orchids in China under climate change.

Nowadays, the identification and characterization of grapevine cultivars resilient to climate and water stress while preserving quality traits is crucial for the wine industry. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize according to their aromatic potential 9 white and 6 red minority cultivars recently recovered from Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain), subjected at two different water deficit regimes: rainfed, with subsistence irrigation, and irrigated. For this, the varietal aromatic potential index (IPAv) and the detailed aromatic composition were analyzed by HS-SBSE-GC/MS, in extracts of two different ph. For IPAv values, red varieties did not show a clear trend with respect to irrigation. However, in white minority varieties, higher values were obtained under irrigation conditions. Thus, a clear differentiation of the minority varieties in comparison to the references was observed, primarily attributed to the content of esters and acids, in both white and red varieties. A notable contrast was observed at different pH, indicating a greater extractability of certain compounds like linalool, under more acidic conditions. This suggests that some recovered minority cultivars could be promising for cultivation in semi-arid regions with limited water, contributing to the wine sector sustainability in the future.

Astrocytes perform a wide variety of essential functions defining normal operation of the nervous system, and are active contributors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer among others. Recent data provide compelling evidence that distinct reactive astrocyte states are associated with specific stages of Alzheimer´s disease. The advent of transcriptomics technologies enables rapid progress in the characterisation of such pathological astrocyte states. In this review, we provide an overview of the origin, main functions, molecular and morphological features of astrocytes in physiological as well as pathological conditions related to Alzheimer´s disease. We will also explore the main roles of astrocytes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer´s disease and summarize main transcriptional changes and altered molecular pathways observed in astrocytes during the course of the disease.

Can the type of implant rehabilitation influence peri-implant bone loss in case of full-arch mandibular prosthesis? The purpose of the study was to assess, by orthopantomograms (OPG), bone loss around implants in different types of implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitations and evaluate potential risk factors associated with the number and location of implants that may have an association with bone defect. A radiographic study was conducted on 22317 OPGs in the time range from 2010 to 2024. All OPGs with implant-supported prosthetic mandibular rehabilitations were included in the study. A total of 155 OPGs were evaluated, with peri-implant bone loss identified in 64 (41.3%). Distal implants (furthest from the center) across various positioning patterns were most susceptible to bone loss, with positions 3.6 and 4.6 demonstrating the most frequent occurrences (25 and 26 cases, respectively). χ² test revealed significant associations between both implant positioning pattern (p &lt; 0.001) and number of implants (p &lt; 0.001) with peri-implant bone loss. Also by updating the sample of OPGs, increased susceptibility to bone resorption was found for implants placed distal to the mental foramen compared to mesial ones in full-arch implant-supported fixed prostheses. Prospective clinical studies will then be useful to investigate this finding further.

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

Immunosuppressed individuals, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), remain vulnerable to severe COVID-19. We analyzed the persistence of specific SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular immune responses in a retrospective, cross-sectional study in PLWH on antiretroviral therapy. Among 104 participants, 70.2% had anti-S IgG antibodies and 55.8% had significant neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant in a surrogate virus neutralization test. Only 38.5% were vaccinated (8.76 ± 4.1 months prior), all displaying anti-S IgG, 75% with neutralizing antibodies and anti-S IgA. 29.8% had no SARS-CoV-2 serologic markers and displayed significantly lower CD4 counts and HIV viral load. Severe immunosuppression (present in 12.5% of participants) was linked to lower levels of detectable anti-S IgG (0.0003), anti-S IgA (p &lt; 0.0001) and lack of neutralizing activity against Omicron variant (p &lt; 0.0001). T-cell responses were present in 86.7% of tested participants, even in those lacking serological markers. In PLWH without severe immunosuppression, neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses persisted for up to 9 months post-infection or vaccination. Advanced immunosuppression led to diminished humoral immunity, but retained cellular immune.

Deep learning-based handwriting personality prediction uses neural networks (CNNs) to consider and predict personality characters from handwritten text to improve applications such as adaptive technology and automated data access. This method requires high computational resources and widely classified data, and its accuracy may suffer from signature variation and overfitting. This study introduces a novel optimizeddeep learning for Hand Written Personality Prediction. First the input data is collected from givendataset and an enhanced Gaussian filter is used in pre-processing to improve image quality by reducing noise and increasing contrast.After pre-processing, features are extracted by PCA-based normalized GIST, which standardizes the features to improve image representation.These extracted features are generated using an adaptive horse herd optimization algorithm to select the most important features. Based on selected features Improved Generative Adversarial Networks with artificial hummingbird optimization (IGAN_AHb) enables fast and efficient convergence of GANs. This reduce the mode collapse and ensures training with consistently fine-tuned parameters.The selected features are considered by characters such as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism, and finally classified using the IGAN_AHb classifier. In the result section, the proposed model is compared with various models with the matrix precision, recall, F1-score. The proposed model attained the value of 97.3% of precision and a recall rate of 96%, respectively. By comparing with other models, the proposed model attained highest values.

Pigs are a social species and they stablish hierarchies for a better use of resources and to reduce conflicts. However, in pig production, the opportunities for growing can differ in dominant and subordinate animals. In the present study a system was tested to perform a Dominance versus Subordinate test in growing pigs to investigate how the hierarchy affects feeding behaviour, growth and gut microbiota assessed in faeces. 64 animals housed in eight different pens were used, with four castrated males and four females in each one, weighing 18kg at arrival and maintained during the whole growing period, until 140 kg. Three stool samplings were obtained from the animals directly from the anus to avoid contamination of the faeces on 58, 100 and 133 days after the start of the study to investigate the microbiota composition. The dominant animals had higher gains during the growing period that the subordinate. In addition, they were performing more visits to the feeder throughout the day. Differential abundance patterns were observed in five bacterial genera, Oliverpabstia, Peptococcus, and Faecalbacterium being more abundant in dominant animals and Holdemanella and Acetitomaculum being overrepresented in subordinate ones. This microbial biomarker accurately classified dominant versus subordinate groups of samples with an AUC of 0.92.

This article explores the enduring mysteries of consciousness and the afterlife, two enigmatic topics that have fascinated humanity for ages. Despite extensive scientific efforts, the existence of an afterlife remains unproven, and understanding consciousness remains a significant challenge. The research introduces new hypotheses through simple experiments with empirical evidence and theoretical foundations. It delves into the complexities of consciousness, its relationship with the brain, and the need for interdisciplinary approaches. Boldly contemplating the probability of a continuous consciousness after death, the study argues that existing evidence strongly supports this idea. In other words, if we do not accept the hypothesis of an afterlife, we may not be able to discuss the experimental results in the context of any alternative theories. Beyond theoretical implications, it envisions practical outcomes, suggesting that insights into these mysteries could enhance human well-being and contribute to a more harmonious world. This article sheds light on age-old questions about consciousness and the afterlife. Through fresh methodologies, it seeks to provide new perspectives that could reshape our understanding of existence and inspire intellectuals to positive individual and societal advancements including psychological well-being and intelligence.

Symmetry concepts in parametrized dynamical systems may reduce the number of external parameters by a suitable normalization prescription. If, under the action of a symmetry group G, parameter space A becomes a (locally) trivial principal bundle, A ~ A/G x G, then the normalized dynamics only depends on the quotient A/G. In this way, the dynamics of fractional variables in homogeneous epidemic SI(R)S models, with standard incidence, absence of R-susceptibility and compartment independent birth and death rates, turns out to be isomorphic to (a marginally extended version of) Hethcote's classic endemic model, first presented in 1973. The paper studies a 10-parameter master model with constant and I -linear vaccination rates, vertical transmission and a vaccination rate for susceptible newborns. As recently shown by the author, all demographic parameters are redundant. After adjusting time scale, the remaining 5-parameter model admits a 3-dimensional abelian scaling symmetry. By normalization we end up with Hethcote's extended 2-parameter model. Thus, in view of symmetry concepts, reproving theorems on endemic bifurcation and stability in such models becomes needless.

This paper presents a new methodology that provides the analysis of surface texture changes in areas adjacent to the volcano and its impact product of volcanic activity. To do this, algorithms from digital image processing such as the co-occurrence matrix and the wavelet transform are used. These methods are working on images taken by the Landsat satellite platform sensor 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM + sensor, and implemented with the purpose of evaluating superficial changes that can warn of surface movements of the volcano. The results were evaluated by similarity metrics for grayscale images, and validated in two different scenarios that have the same type of eruption, but differ, essentially, in climate and vegetation. Finally, the proposed algorithm is presented, setting the parameters and constraints for implementation and use.

Rice has become the second major food among rural people. It is one of the most nutrient and low-cost food available in Asia. Rice is composed of two major subspecies as Japonica and Indica and it belongs to the Poaceae family. The World Bank predicts that rice demand will grow 51% faster than population growth in 2025. It is high time to develop a model which predicts the type of infected paddy leaf and avoids the loss of grains. In this paper, the proposed hybrid CNN model, three CNN networks with different layer properties are trained parallel. The extracted feature from these CNN networks is combined to provide the classification of the type of infected leaf. Fieldwork was carried and about 340 samples are collected from five different types of classes. The proposed hybrid model was tested with both the fieldwork dataset and also with an available dataset on the internet. The experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms the other CNN network and yields an accuracy value of 98%, a precision value of 95%, and a misclassification rate of 4% respectively.

Recent algorithmic-based research in the stock market has predominantly focused on ultra-high-frequency trading and index estimation. We developed an improved algorithm to address the need for a low-frequency, real-world trading model to build on the existing high hit-ratio and low maximum drawdown. We utilized established price indicators, Stochastic and Williams %R, and introduced a volume factor to increase the model's safety to enhance the model's performance. This improved algorithm demonstrated superior returns while maintaining high hit-ratio and low maximum drawdown. Specifically, we leveraged the existing algorithm to trade using 2X and 3X signals, incorporating volume data, the 52-week average, standard deviation, and other factors. The data set comprised SPY ETF price and volume from 2010 to 2023, covering over 13 years. Our enhanced algorithmic trading model outperformed both the benchmark and previous results, achieving a hit rate of over 90%, a maximum drawdown of less than 1%, an average of 1.5 trades per year, a total return of +519.3%, and an annualized return (AnnR) of +15.1%. The analysis demonstrates that the model's simplicity, ease of application, and comprehensibility can assist investors in making informed investment decisions albeit the past performance does not guarantee future returns.

The aim of this work was to classify the business incubators in Spain according to the four phases of the startup’s incubation process. Considering that the graduation rate implies greater survival and business success of the incubated companies, they have been identified at each stage of the incubation (spread of entrepreneurship, pre-incubation, advanced incubation, and graduation). The activities that present higher impacts on the success of the incubated companies and the activities carried out by the business incubator that have a greater relevance on the graduation of the companies have concretely been considered. Principal component (PC) cluster analysis has been applied. All the incubation variables were used simultaneously, reducing their number, and grouping them into factors. Finally, the cases were grouped according to these latent variables. Principal components analysis reduced dimensionality to 8 factors with a 74 % of explained variance. Factor 1 was positively related to pre-incubation variables, factor 2 was linked to training and collaboration variables within the entrepreneurship diffusion phase. Factor 3, named activity monitoring and control, was related to phase 3 or basic incubation variables. Cluster analysis facilitates the grouping of business incubators into three clusters: Group 1 (16 % of the total), incubators with strong deficits in incubation phases 1, 2 and 3. They are small sized business incubators, often located in rural areas or cities and low graduation rate. Group 2 (30 %), business incubators with very high graduation rate, and strongly positive values in factors 1 and 2. Factor 3, although positive, it is susceptible to improvement. They are the largest group of business incubators and usually located in industrial and technological parks. Group 3 (54 %) is the majority, with values close to cluster 2 and 3.

The aim of this work was to classify the business incubators in Spain according to the four phases of startups incubation. Taking into account that the graduation rate implies greater survival and business success of the incubated companies, they have been identified at each stage of the incubation (spread of entrepreneurship, pre-incubation, advanced incubation, and graduation). The activities that present higher impacts on the success of the incubated companies and the activities carried out by the incubator that have a greater relevance on the graduation of the companies have concretely been considered. Principal component (PC) cluster analysis have been applied. All the incubation variables were used simultaneously, reducing their number, and grouping them into factors, finally the cases were grouped according to these latent variables. Principal components analysis reduced dimensionality to 8 factors with a 74 % of explained variance. Factor 1 was positively related to pre-incubation variables, factor 2 was linked to training and collaboration variables within the entrepreneurship diffusion phase. Factor 3 called activity monitoring and control and was related to phase 3 or basic incubation variables. Clusters analysis facilitates the grouping of incubators into three clusters: Group 1 (16 % of the total), incubators with strong deficits in incubation phases 1, 2 and 3. They are small Business Incubators, often located in rural areas or cities and low graduation rate. Group 2 (30 %), business incubators with very high graduation rate, and strongly positive values in factor 1 and 2. Factor 3 although positive is susceptible to improvement. They are the largest incubators and usually located in industrial and technological parks. Group 3 (54 %) is the majority, with values close to cluster 2 and 3.

This study profiled morphological and laboratory-derived performance biomechanics by position of American style football players training for the National Football League draft. Fifty-five players were categorized into Big (e.g., lineman; n=17), Big-skill (e.g., tight end; n=11), and Skill (e.g., receiver; n=27) groups. Body fat (BF%), lean body mass (LBM), total body mass, running force and ground contact time (GCT), countermovement jump height (CMJ-JH), CMJ normalized peak power (CMJ-NPP), and reactive strength were measured in a laboratory. Asymmetry was calculated for running force, GCT, and CMJ eccentric and concentric impulse (IMP). MANOVA determined between-group differences, and radar plots for morphological and performance characteristics were created using Z-scores. There was a significant between-group difference, F(26,80)=5.70, p&lt;0.001;Wilk’s Λ=0.123, partial η2=0.649. Fisher’s least squares difference post-hocs showed Skill had greater JH, CMJ-NPP, reactive strength, and running force versus Big but not Big-skill, p&lt;0.05. Big had greater BF%, LBM, total body mass, and GCT than Skill and Big-Skill, p&lt;0.05. Big-skill had greater GCT asymmetry than Skill and Big, p&lt;0.05. Asymmetries in running forces, and CMJ eccentric and concentric IMP were not different, p&gt;0.05. Morphological and performance biomechanics differences are pronounced between Skill and Big. Big-skill possess characteristics from both groups. Laboratory-derived results provide specialized profiles of draft trainees.

(1) Background: The diagnosis of lumbosacral radiculopathy involves anamnesis, assessment of sensitivity and strength, diagnostic imaging—usually magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—and electrodiagnostic testing (EDX), typically electromyography (EMG) and electroneurography (ENG). MRI evaluates the structures supporting the spinal cord, while EDX evaluates root functionality. The present study aimed to analyze the concordance of MRI and EDX findings in patients with clinically suspected radiculopathy. Additionally, we investigated the comparison between these two reference tests and various clinical variables and questionnaires. (2) Methods: We designed a prospective epidemiological study of consecutive cases with an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, and double-blind nature following the STROBE guidelines, encompassing 142 patients with clinical suspicion of lumbosacral radiculopathy. (3) Results: Of the sample, 58.5% tested positive for radiculopathy using EDX as the reference test, while 45.8% tested positive using MRI. The comparison between MRI and EDX in the diagnosis of radiculopathy in patients with clinical suspicion was not significant; the overall agreement was 40.8%. Only the years with symptoms were comparatively significant between the positive and negative radiculopathy groups as determined by EDX. (4) Conclusion: The comparison between lumbar radiculopathy diagnoses in patients with clinically suspected pathology using MRI and EDX as diagnostic modalities did not yield statistically significant findings. MRI and EDX are complementary tests assessing different aspects in patients with suspected radiculopathy; degeneration of the structures supporting the spinal cord does not necessarily imply root dysfunction.

(S)-1-Methyl-2-oxoimidazolidine-4-carboxylic acid 1 is an analog of (S)-pyroglutamic acid, a key component of naturally occurring peptide hormones and synthetic pharmaceutical candidates. Reaction of (S)-2-amino-3-(methylamino)propionic acid with COCl2 and aqueous NaHCO3 followed by ion exchange afforded 1, which was recrystallized from acetonitrile and then characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, polarimetry, elemental microanalysis, high resolution mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The acid 1 crystallized in the orthorhombic chiral space group P212121 with cell constants a = 6.2275(4) Å, b = 8.3963(5) Å, c = 24.9490(14) Å. The X-ray crystal structure reveals that two distinct conformers of 1 occur at alternating positions within helices which are supported by hydrogen-bonding. Each molecule of 1 is linked to its two neighbors in the helix by a total of three hydrogen bonds and four molecules of 1 are contained within each turn of the helix. The pattern of hydrogen bonds illustrates a preference for the carboxylic acid group to act as a hydrogen bond donor and for the urea unit to be a hydrogen bond acceptor.

Academic and corporate research has been focusing on analyzing stock performances, financial markets, and investment strategies for decades. According to Lynch and Rothchild (1989), certain investments can be described as plays. In this work, the authors use the term for investments in value stocks, spin-offs, and turnarounds to analyze the long-term stock performance and risk-adjusted excess returns of up to five years for those stocks. Additionally, stocks with a supe-rior return performance are identified within an investment play based on low P/E and P/B mul-tiples. The study finds that value stocks, spin-offs, and turnarounds outperform the S&P 500 on average on a one-, three- and five-year investment horizon. The analysis of the three investment plays confirms earlier studies that investment plays constitute a profitable investment opportunity. Moreover, the research exemplifies that private investors could achieve an excess return (alpha) through a passive buy-and-hold investment strategy. Overall, the analysis provides a deeper in-sight into the long-term performance of value stocks, spin-offs, and turnarounds.

In the present paper, we introduced a quadratically convergent Newton’s like normal S2 iteration method free from the second derivative for the solution of nonlinear equations permitting 3 f'(x) = 0 at some points in the neighborhood of the root. Our proposed method works well 4 when the Newton method fails. Numerically it has been verified that the Newton’s like normal 5 S-iteration method converges faster than Fang et al. method [A cubically convergent Newton-type 6 method under weak conditions, J. Compute. and Appl. Math., 220 (2008), 409-412]. We studied 7 different aspects of normal S-iteration method. Lastly, fractal patterns support the numerical 8 results and explain the convergence, divergence, and stability of method.

Let R be a commutative ring with identity and S be a multiplicatively closed subset of R. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of weakly S-primary ideals as a new generalization of weakly primary ideals. An ideal I of R disjoint with S is called a weakly S-primary ideal if there exists s∈S such that whenever 0≠ab∈I for a,b∈R, then sa∈√I or sb∈I. The relationships among S-prime, S-primary, weakly S-primary and S-n-ideals are investigated. For an element r in any general ZPI-ring, the (weakly) S_{r}-primary ideals are charctarized where S={1,r,r²,⋯}. Several properties, characterizations and examples concerning weakly S-primary ideals are presented. The stability of this new concept with respect to various ring-theoretic constructions such as the trivial ring extension and the amalgamation of rings along an ideal are studied. Furthermore, weakly S-decomposable ideals and S-weakly Laskerian rings which are generalizations of S-decomposable ideals and S-Laskerian rings are introduced.

Much of the debate on Plan S seems to concentrate on how to make toll access journals open access, taking for granted that existing open access journals are Plan S compliant. We suspected this was not so, and set out to explore this using DOAJ's journal metadata. We conclude that an overwhelmingly large majority of open access journals are not Plan S compliant, and that it is small HSS publishers not charging APCs that are least compliant and will face major challenges with becoming compliant. Plan S need to give special considerations to smaller publishers and/or non-APC-based journals.

In polymer-based dental composites, wear is a three-body wear system mainly abrasive, because of the food particles and wear products suspended in the oral cavity, which are transferred to the microcavities of the surface of the replacements. Due to this fact, the incorporation of nanodiamond as reinforcement in these polymer matrix composites, which promotes the creation of a solid lubricant tribofilm surface could be advantageous. When nanodiamond is added in contents of 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 wt %, an increase in microhardness from 95 up to 420 %, compared to the one of neat BisGMA/TEGDMA, is observed. Additionally, the incorporation of a content of 1.6 wt % is enough to cause a diminution of ~78 % in the friction coefficient and a reduction of the specific wear rate and Archard’s coefficient of ~50 %. Nevertheless, the addition of relatively high contents reduces the effectiveness of photoinitiation and UV-curing, which is related to the scattering and absorption of UV radiation by ND.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy with complex carcinogenesis. Although there has been significant progress in the treatment of HCC over the past decades, drug resistance to chemotherapy remains a major obstacle in its successful management. In this study we were able to reduce chemoresistance in cisplatin-resistant HepG2 cells by either silencing the expression of transglutaminase type 2 (TG2) using siRNA or by pre-treatment of cells with the TG2 enzyme inhibitor cystamine. Further analysis revealed that, whereas the full-length TG2 isoform (TG2-L) was almost completely cytoplasmic in its distribution, the majority of the short TG2 isoform (TG2-S) was membrane-associated in both parental and chemoresistant HepG2 cells. Following induction of cisplatin toxicity in non-chemoresistant parental cells, TG2-S together with cisplatin quickly relocated to the cytosolic fraction. Conversely, no cytosolic relocalisation of TG2-S or nuclear accumulation cisplatin was observed following identical treatment of chemoresistant cells, where TG2-S remained predominantly membrane-associated. This suggests that deficient subcellular relocalisation of TG2-S from membranous structures into the cytoplasm may limit the apoptic response to cisplatin toxicity in chemoresistant cells. Structural analysis of TG2 revealed the presence of binding motifs for interaction of TG-S with the membrane scaffold protein LC3/LC3 homologue that could contribute to a novel mechanism of chemotherapeutic resistance in HepG2 cells.

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) integrate renewable sources, storage, and optionally conventional energies, offering an eco-friendly solution to fossil fuels. Microgrids (MGs) bolster HRES integration, enhancing energy management, resilience, and reliability at various levels. This study, emphasizing the need for refined optimization methods, investigates three themes: renewable energy, microgrid, and multiobjective optimization (MOO), through a bibliometric analysis of 470 Scopus documents from 2010-2023, analyzed with SciMAT software. It segments the research into two periods, 2010-2019 and 2020-2023, revealing a surge in MOO focus, especially in the latter period, with a 35% increase in MOO-related research. This indicates a shift towards com-prehensive energy ecosystem management that balances environmental, technical, and economic elements. The initial focus on MOO, genetic algorithms, and energy management systems has expanded to include smart grids and electric power systems, with MOO remaining a primary theme in the second period. The increased application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimizing HMGS within the MOO framework signals a move towards more sustainable, intelligent energy solutions. Despite progress, challenges remain, including high battery costs, the need for reliable MOO data, the intermittency of renewable energy sources, and HMGS network scalability issues, highlighting directions for future research.

The study addresses the urgent environmental issue of climate change, focusing specifically on the role of local food, which is produced and consumed locally, helps reduce carbon emissions by eliminating the need for long-distance transportation. Through quantitative analysis, this study elucidates the potential benefits in environmental impact achieved through the consumption of local food: the significant reduction in carbon emissions. Specifically, the consumption of local food is found to yield an annual decrease of 2,421,296 tCO2 emissions, representing 2.5% of South Korea’s total greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. This reduction further translates into an estimated economic value of USD 54.23 million (KRW 70.5 billion). This study underscores the potential of local food consumption as a tangible strategy to overcome environmental problems. Moreover, its academic contribution lies in its comprehensive analysis of the economic and empirical impacts of local food consumption on environment. Moving forward, we propose policies such as supporting local food distribution networks, providing public education on local food, fostering the local food industry, and providing incentives to revitalize local food consumption.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are renewable energy sources, are increasingly being utilized in distributed generation. To maintain a stable energy balance, energy storage systems such as batteries (BAT) play a vital role. Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a promising solution with rechargeable battery systems for operation. The BATs must maintain their state of charge within design boundaries, despite intermittent PV and load power fluctuations, and advanced power control and management techniques are essential for their effective operation. The article evaluates an intelligent controller that uses a Sliding Mode Control adaptive deep learning algorithm Convolutional Neural Networks (SMC-CNN) and a unique Strategy for managing supervisory power. (SPMS) for photovoltaic systems with battery energy storage for better regulation of DC bus voltage. SMC-CNN offers exceptional resilience and seamless functionality, minimizing fluctuations in DC bus voltage in the control strategy design requirements. The primary goals are maintaining a consistent power supply and ensuring continuous service by preventing system components from exceeding capacity. This study aims to enhance the control of DC bus voltage in the PV and battery system, with the primary significance focusing on the following aspects. The advanced SPMS has been created, incorporating control system constraints to enhance SOC balancing speed and reduce fluctuations in DC bus voltage. Power flow management involves optimizing energy flow between the PV system, battery system, and load while minimizing battery capacity requirements. The proposed SMC-CNN and SPMS are demonstrated through real-time simulation using Matlab/Simulink, as demonstrated in comprehensive case studies.

The genus Strophantus belongs to the Apocynaceae family of flowering plants which grows primarily in tropical Africa. The plants are widely used in traditional herbal medicine. S. sarmentosus, in particular, is used for the treatment of, e.g., joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis, wound infections, head lice, diarrhoea, snake bite, and eye conditions. Despite the widespread use, dedicated research characterizing bioactive plant components is scarce. Investigations focussed mainly on the cardenolides, because of their cardioactivity and historical use as cardiotonic. There are also studies concerning the antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of plant extracts. This review summarizes the present knowledge about the biochemical and analytical reserach on Strophantus, in general, and S. sarmentosus, in particular, and describes the current state-of-the-field based on the available sientific literature.

In this paper we investigate some properties of square-free numbers. In particular, we study a function that counts the number of square-free numbers no larger than the given number n. We show that this function has asymptotics consistent with the predictions of the Riemann hypothesis and use this to obtain new and better estimates of the density of square-free numbers. Finally, we present a well-known generalization of the concept of a square-free number to monoids and research on square-free factorizations.