The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was officially declared a pandemic on the 11^th March 2020. It is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), impacting the lower respiratory tract. International travel to Australia during the early stages of the pandemic prior to border closure provided avenues for this virus to spread into Australia. There is little understanding of the clonality of SARS-CoV-2 isolates in Australia, and where they originated. This study aimed to investigate the clonality and ancestral sources of SARS-CoV-2 isolates in Australia using in silico methods. We retrieved 1,346 complete genomes from Australia along with 153 genomes from other countries from the NCBI nucleotide database and Global Initiative On Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). We then constructed a representative population of 270 sequences for downstream phylogenetic analysis and ancestral area reconstruction. Overall, two major clusters, one stemming from Europe and another from Asia, especially East Asia, were observed, implying at least two major transmission events with subsequent clades confirming the multiclonality of Australian isolates. We also identified three potential dissemination routes of SARS-CoV-2 into Australia. This study supports the hypothesis of multiple clonality and dispersals of SARS-CoV-2 isolates into Australia.

One of the tools for optimal crop production is regular monitoring and assessment of crops. During the growing season of fruit trees, the bloom period has increased photosynthetic rates that correlate with the fruiting process. This paper presents the development of an image processing algorithm to detect peach blossoms on trees. Images of an experimental peach orchard were acquired from the Parma Research and Extension Center of the University of Idaho using an off-the-shelf unmanned aerial system (UAS), equipped with a multispectral camera (Near-infrared, Green, Blue). The orchard has different stone fruit varieties and different plant training system. Individual tree images (high-resolution) and arrays of trees images (low-resolution) were acquired to evaluate the detection capability. The image processing algorithm was based on different vegetation indices. Initial results showed that the image processing algorithm could detect peach blossoms and demonstrate good potential as a monitoring tool for orchard management.

Panax notoginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine, and saponins are its main active ingredients. The content of saponins in flower of P. notoginseng is the highest in the whole plant. Minor ginsenosides have stronger pharmacological activity than main ginsenosides, but its content in nature is very low. We can use extracted total saponins from P. notoginseng flower as the substrate to produce minor ginsenosides by biotransformation method. In this study, we used the fungus Talaromyces flavus and its crude enzymes to transform the extracted total saponins of P. notoginseng flower. Through the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the transformation substrates and products, it was found that minor ginsenosides Gyp-XVII, ginsenosides C-Mc1, C-Mx1, F2, Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1 and Rg5 were found in the products and the conversion rate of the major saponins in P. notoginseng flower ranged from 44.16 to 55.22%, the yields of the minor ginsenosides ranged from 0.05 to 3.24%. This study provided a good experimental idea, greatly increased the utilization rate of total saponins in P. notoginseng flower, and laid a foundation for promoting the wide application of minor saponins.

The tumor microenvironment is known to have increased levels of cytokines and metabolites, such as glutamate, due to their release from the surrounding cells. A normal cell around the tumor that responds to the inflammatory environment is likely to be subsequently altered. We will discuss how these abnormalities will support tumor survival via the actions of gap junctions (GJs) and hemichannels (HCs) which are composed of hexamer of connexin 43 (Cx43) protein. In particular, we will discuss how GJ intercellular communication (GJIC) in glioma cells, the primary brain tumor, is a regulatory factor and its attenuation leads to tumor invasion. In contrast, the astrocytes, which are normal cells around the glioma, are "hijacked" by tumor cells, either by receiving the transmission of malignant substances from the cancer cells via GJIC, or perhaps via astrocytic HC activity through the paracrine signaling which enable the delivery of these substances to the distal astrocytes. This astrocytic signaling would promote tumor expansion in the brain. In addition, brain metastasis from peripheral tissues has also been known to be facilitated by GJs formed between cerebral vascular endothelial cells and cancer cells. Astrocytes and microglia are generally thought to eliminate cancer cells at the blood brain barrier. In contrast, some reports suggest they facilitate tumor progression as tumor cells take advantage of the normal functions of astrocytes that support the survival of the neurons by exchanging nutrients and metabolites. In summary, GJIC is essential for the normal physiological function of growth and allowing the diffusion of physiological substances. Therefore, whether GJIC is cancer promoting or suppressing may be dependent by what permeates through GJs, when it is active, and to which cells. The nature of GJs, which has been ambiguous in brain tumor progression, will need to be re-visited and understood together with new findings on Cx proteins and HC activities.

The Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of China is famous worldwide for its fossils of early angio-sperms, but there is only one record of flower bud hitherto. A previous fossil record of flower bud just showed the appearance and lacked any internal details. Such a lacuna in knowledge of flower buds hin-ders our understanding of the evolution of flowers. Our new specimen was collected from an outcrop of the Yixian Formation (the Barremian-Aptian, Lower Cretaceous) near Dawangzhangzi, Lingyuan, Liao-ning, China. The specimen was observed and photographed using a Sony ILCE-7 digital camera and a Nikon SMZ1500 stereomicroscope, and details were observed using a TESCAN MAIA3 SEM. Our ob-servations document a fossil flower bud, Archaebuda cretaca sp. nov, from the Lower Cretaceous of China. The occurrence of two species of Archaebuda in the Yixian Formation not only confirms the ex-istence of the expected gynoecium (and possible androecium) in a flower bud, but also underscores the occurrence of typical flowers in the Early Cretaceous.

Plant life-long organogenesis involves sequential, time and tissue specific expression of developmental genes. This requires activities of Polycomb Group (PcG) and trithorax Group complexes, respectively responsible for repressive Histone 3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and activation-related H3K4me3. However, the genome-wide dynamics in histone modifications that occur during developmental processes have remained elusive. Here, we report the distributions of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 along with transcriptional changes, in a developmental series including Arabidopsis leaf and three stages of flower development. We found that chromatin mark levels are highly dynamic over the time series on nearly half of all Arabidopsis genes. Moreover, during early flower morphogenesis, changes in H3K4me3 prime over changes in H3K27me3 and quantitatively correlate with transcription changes, while H3K27me3 changes occur after prolonged expression changes. Notably, early activation of PcG target genes is dominated by increases in H3K4me3 while H3K27me3 remains present at the locus. Our results reveal H3K4me3 as greater predictor over H3K27me3 for transcription dynamics, unveil unexpected chromatin mechanisms at gene activation and underline the relevance of tissue-specific temporal epigenomics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical characterization and biological activities of chitosan (CH) based composite films with the incorporation of chestnut flower essential oil (CFEO). The composite films were prepared by casting method and characterized in terms of structural, morphological and mechanical properties via FT-IR, XRD, UV, SEM and TGA. The results proved the significantly increased water vapor permeability (WVP), heat resistance, antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities of CH-CFEO films. The incorporation of CH and CFEO enhanced the UV blocking, which made the film shield almost all UV light. Films with the tensile strength of 6.37 ± 0.41 MPa and elongation at break of 22.57 ± 0.35% were got with 6 mg mL-1 CFEO. Subsequently, the fruit preservation experiments also confirmed that the composite films could effectively extend the shelf life of bananas through their excellent water vapor and oxygen barrier. These desirable performances enable our newly developed composite films to be a remarkable packaging material to solve the fresh fruit preservation dilemma.

Neuron degeneration is the most common old age complications worldwide. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative condition with limited drug options and significant adverse effects. Hence, there is a growing interest in exploring natural products for their potential pharmacological activities against AD. This study investigates the efficacy of Verbesina encelioides flower extract (VFE) in alleviating neurobehavioral damage induced by Scopolamine in rat mimicking AD model. GC-MS analysis showed that V. encelioides flower extract is rich in carotenoids like spirilloxanthin. Various behavioural models were used to assess the rats' learning and memory capabilities. Additionally, biochemical tests were conducted on the AD rat models to evaluate oxidative stress in the brain, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), and anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme assays. Findings from this study suggest that the VFE significantly improved the rats' cognitive aptitude and alleviated them from oxidative stress by reducing free radical generation. Based on the results obtained from GC-MS analysis, in silico interaction analysis of gingkolide A and spirilloxanthin with acetylcholinesterase was carried out. In summary, this study suggests that V. enceloides flower extract improves learning abilities and mitigates cognitive deficits caused by scopolamine. Thus V. enceloides could be potentially seen as natural therapeutic intervention against neurodegenerative disorders likes Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Implementing High-Performance Computing to solve In-Memory Data Grid (IMDG)-based energy infrastructure resilience research problems in a heterogeneous environment presents a challenge to workflow management systems. Large-scale energy infrastructure needs multi-variant planning and tools to allocate and dispatch resources in IMDG taking into account the subject domain specificity, resource characteristics, and constraints and quotas for resource use. To that end, we propose a workflow management system using our Orlando Tools framework. To scale computing resources, we provide their integration and use corresponding software to determine key application parameters that can significantly impact the processed data size and the required number of allocated resources. We automated the IMDG cluster launch for the workflow executions. To demonstrate the advantage of our solution, we apply it to evaluate the resilience of the existing energy infrastructure model. Compared to similar approaches, our approach explores large infrastructures by modeling many simultaneously failed elements of different types up to the number of network elements. In terms of problem-solving efficiency and resource use, we achieve near-linear speedup with increasing the number of nodes of each resource.

GIGANTEA (GI) is a gene involved in multiple biological functions, which were analysed and are partially conserved in a series of mono- and dicotyledonous plant species. The identified biological functions include control over the circadian rhythm, light signalling, cold tolerance, hormone signalling and photoperiodic flowering. The latter function is a central role of GI, as it involves a multitude of pathways, both dependent and independent of the gene CONSTANS(CO) as well as on the basis of interaction with miRNA. The complexity of gene function of GI increases due to the existence of paralogs showing changes in genome structure as well as incidences of sub- and neofunctionalization. We present an updated report of the biological function of GI, integrating late insights into its role in floral initiation, flower development and flower volatile production.

Recycling information can be complex and often confusing which may subsequently reduce the participations in any waste recycling schemes. As a result, this research explored the roles as well as the importance of a holistic approach in designing recycling information using 15 expert-based in-depth interviews. The rationale was to offer a better understanding of what constitutes waste, recycling, and how recycling information should be designed and presented to make recycling more attractive/convenient. Based on the research participants’ perceptions with supports from the existing studies, this research sub-categorised recycling information into three different themes, termed the “WWW” of recycling information components. As a result, these components (or attributes) were extensively described (using findings of semi-structured interviews) to elicit pragmatic guidance for practitioners, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in designing structured communication or information strategies that may simplify and subsequently increase waste-recycling practices. The policy implications of holistic information in enhancing recycling are further discussed.

The transition to reproduction is a crucial step in the life cycle of any organism. In Arabidopsis thaliana the establishment of reproductive growth can be divided into two phases: Firstly, cauline leaves with axillary meristems are formed and internode elongation begins. Secondly, lateral meristems develop into flowers with defined organs. Floral shoots are usually determinate and suppress the development of lateral shoots. Here, we describe a transposon insertion mutant in the Nossen accession with defects in floral development and growth. Most strikingly is the outgrowth of stems from the axillary bracts of the primary flower carrying secondary flowers. Therefore, we named this mutant flower-in-flower (fif). However, the transposon insertion in the annotated gene is not the cause for the fif phenotype. By means of classical and genome sequencing-based mapping, the mutation responsible for the fif phenotype was found to be in the LEAFY gene. The mutation, a G-to-A exchange in the second exon of LEAFY, creates a novel lfy allele and results in a cysteine-to-tyrosine exchange in the α1-helix of LEAFY´s DNA-binding domain. This exchange abolishes target DNA-binding, whereas subcellular localization and homomerization are not affected. To explain the strong fif phenotype against this molecular findings, several hypotheses are discussed.

To investigate the influence of supplemental lighting intensity on the production of cut gerbera during Canada’s supplemental lighting season (November to March), trials were carried out at a research greenhouse. Five supplemental LED light intensity (LI) treatments provided canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) ranging from 41 to 180 µmol·m-2·s-1. With a 12-h photoperiod, the treatments provided 1.76 to 7.72 mol·m-2·d-1 of supplemental light. Two cultivars of cut gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii H. Bolus ex Hook.f) were used to evaluate vegetative growth and flower production. Plugs of ‘Ultima’ were assessed for vegetative growth and rate of flower development. There were minor LI treatment effects on number of leaves and chlorophyll content index and flowers from plants under the highest vs. lowest LI matured 10% faster. Reproductively mature ‘Panama’ plants were assessed for flower yield and quality. ‘Panama’ flowers from the highest LI treatment had shorter stems than the three lowest LI treatments, flowers from the middle LI treatment had larger diameter than the other treatments. Flowers from the lowest LI treatment had lower fresh mass than the three highest LI treatments. There were linear relationships between LI and numbers of flowers harvested, with the highest LI treatment producing 10.3 and 7.0 more total and marketable flowers per plant than the lowest LI treatment. In general, increasing levels of supplemental light had only minor effects on vegetative growth (young plants) and size and quality of harvested flowers (mature plants) but flowers from plants grown under higher LIs were more numerous and matured faster.

Plants from the Myrtaceae family are well known to contain considerable amounts of volatile compounds, ranging from oxygenated monoterpenes to hydrogenated sesquiterpenes, and others, which exhibit antimicrobial activity. One such plant includes Syzygium aromaticum that has been extensively used to treat a number of disorders, including bacterial and fungal infections. Thus, the scientific validation of the essential oil (EO) of Syzygium aromaticum vis-à-vis Candida and Cryptococcus species is valuable. To this end, the present study sought to investigate the antifungal activity of EO from S. aromaticum (clove) leaves and flower buds against Candida and Cryptococcus species. The antioxidant activity of S. aromaticum’s essential oils is also elucidated. The EO was extracted from fresh leaves and floral buds of S. aromaticum using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The as-prepared essential oils were further evaluated for antifungal activity against Candida and Cryptococcus species using a microdilution method. The phytochemical analysis of the EOs was assessed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antioxidant activities of the EOs were evaluated using standard methods. As a result, the GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of volatile compounds, such as eugenol (87.08%), β-caryophyllene (6.40%) and acetyleugenol (4.45%) as the major constituents of EO from the flower buds ; and eugenol (90.54%) and β-caryophyllene (24.65%) as the major components of the leaf’s EO. The eugenol-rich essential oils exhibited significant antifungal effects against Candida species (common MIC value: 200 ppm) and Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC value: 50 ppm), as well as antioxidant activity. Overall, essential oils of S. aromaticum demonstrated an-tioxidant and antifungal effects, thus validating the ethnopharmacological use of this plant in the treatment of fungal infections. However, antifungal mechanisms of action, in-depth toxicity and in vivo experiments, and pharmacokinetics are warranted to support the use of this plant in ethnomedicine.

Abstract. Background: This paper investigates the propagation of behaviorally transmitted traits with negative effect on host fitness. Methods: We analyze equilibrium between genetically transmitted and behaviorally transmitted competing propagators and consider whether a behavioral propagator is linked to reproduction (e.g. vertical culture transmission), or not. We employ combined genetic and behavior-induced fitness components for hosts, while behavioral propagators have replication factors to distinguish from what’s good for the host (fitness). Results: A trait which spreads faster than its marginal host fitness contribution reduces population will establish itself. The often transient nature of laterally transmitted traits may be a defense against accumulation of deleterious traits. Laterally transmitted traits with high spreading rate often do not equalize with genetic traits, spreading outside natural selection of the hosts. Vertical transmission reduces replication rate and allows group selection against deleterious behaviorally transmitted traits. Competing mutually exclusive propagators contribute to inequality and altruism, but compete through adverse fitness since exclusivity assumes low conversion. Conclusion: Behaviorally transmitted traits, in some cases a tremendous advantage, may also be a significant problem in the development of societies.

One of the oldest problems in physics is that of calculating the motion of N particles under a specified mutual force: the N-body problem. Much is known about this problem if the specified force is non-relativistic gravity, and considerable progress has been made by considering the problem in one spatial dimension. Here I review what is known about the relativistic gravitational N-body problem. Reduction to one spatial dimension has the feature that gravitational radiation is absent, thereby allowing for a clear comparison between the physics of one-dimensional relativistic and non-relativistic self-gravitating systems. After describing how to obtain a relativistic theory of gravity coupled to N point particles, I discuss in turn the 2-body, 3-body, 4-body, and N-body problems. Quite general exact solutions can be obtained for the 2-body problem, unlike the situation in general relativity in 3 spatial dimensions for which only highly specified solutions exist. The 3-body problem exhibits mild forms of chaos, and provides one of the first theoretical settings in which relativistic chaos can be studied. For N4 other interesting features emerge. Relativistic self-gravitating systems have a number of interesting problems awaiting further investigation, providing us with a new frontier for exploring relativistic many-body systems.

The inherited ‘EIA’ process at Brexit is based on a ‘Project’ period from Inception tothe start of construction works. The ‘Incompleteness’ of the process covers andidentifies stages that will impact on the environmental cycle: construction period,operational life, de-commissioning and a return to acceptable environmental footprint.A master environment structure-plan framework is required to commence with theupgrading of the complete ‘EIA’ process, embracing separate limbs for the UK’spriority environmental targets for climate change, and other major adverse effectswhich result in serious ‘harm’ to the UK environment. The identification of the processfor ‘incompleteness’ requires effective sustainability, and inclusion of effectivemanagement tools, for the essential ‘monitoring/control/recording’ proceduresthroughout the project life and the natural environmental cycle. This will allow theopportunity for a new approach to a structured ‘Suite of EIAR Directives’, to enable a‘EIAR’ regime that ‘will remain fit and proper for UK purpose’.

We introduce the Transformation Flower Approach (TFA), a Theory of Change that attends to multiple value creation and institutional change as a dual design challenge. We highlight how the TFA integrates social scientific theories and models relevant for transformative change (in particular focusing on pathways, leverage points, governance, power, and values) and demonstrate its practical value by an application to the ongoing transformation of the Dutch food system. By providing a holistic, transdisciplinary and practically relevant approach that aims to support new social contract formation, the TFA goes beyond other transformative change approaches. Based on the notion of pathways, it offers a toolbox that aids in working towards desired futures, involving both incumbents and challengers in an effort to harness untapped yet proximal potentials in a forward-looking way. By embracing an innovation approach, it not only promises to circumvent resistance to change, but also serves as a step-by-step approach to identify options for multiple value creation and effective cooperation. We demonstrate the analytical and practical value of the TFA by discussing action perspectives at various levels and scales in the context of the Dutch food system transition, including (1) area-oriented approaches, (2) acceleration agendas for specific transformation pathways, and (3) actor-specific transformation flowers. In developing these, we emphasize the importance of interdependencies between leverage points. Our approach helps to identify opportunities to link transformative options (the what), actors (the who) and levers (the how) in dynamic interaction to embark on transformative pathways.

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, is invasive and polyphagous. Its visual signal plays a crucial role in host location, suggesting that thrips has diurnal behavior. However, any diel rhythmicity of the thrips behavior is not yet well understood. This study analyzed the diurnal rhythmicity of the feeding and mating behaviors of thrips, and the patterns were explained in terms of diel rhythmicity by assessing the expression of genes associated with the circadian clock. Most feeding behaviors were observed during photophase in both larvae and adults. In mating behavior, which is mainly exhibited in 2~3 days-old young adults after emergence, most adults copulated at photophase. This diurnal pattern of the mating behavior was further supported by the analysis of a temporal calling behavior for mating, which was biased toward photophase. Four genes associated with the circadian clock were predicted in the F. occidentalis genome: period (PER), Timeless (TIM), Doubletime (DBT), and clock (CLK). All these genes exhibited a characteristic diel pattern in their gene expressions in a 24 h-period. The high expression peaks of these genes except for DBT were observed at photophase. To confirm the functional association of these genes with the feeding and mating behaviors, individual RNA interference specific to each gene was executed by feeding the gene-specific double-stranded RNA. Aside from DBT, suppression of these gene expressions resulted in significant deviations of the diel rhythms of the behaviors. These results suggest that the genetic components of the diel rhythmicity mediate the diurnal feeding and mating behaviors of F. occidentalis.

Diversification in agroecosystems can increase the sustainability of agricultural production and reduce input dependence in agroecological transitions. This study evaluated the effects of intercropping and the introduction of flowering (aromatic) plant strips on the ratio of land use efficiency and crop damage for broccoli and lettuce association. Two experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 in experimental plots in southwestern Colombia. Crop association alone did not impact crop yield; the production was higher in the lettuce monoculture. However, in the presence of flowering plant strips, the land use equivalent ratio (LER) is >1 in the two years of study, with a high yield for broccoli. Regarding the damage by the silverback moth Plutella xilostella L on broccoli, no differences were found between crops established with or without flower strips. Similarly, flower strips did not affect the incidence of lettuce rot caused by Sclerotinia spp. In summary, our results support the idea that farmers can introduce flower strips into their horticultural fields to improve the eco-productive efficiency of their farms and reduce dependence on external polluting inputs. However, further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these results.

The characteristic lesion of primary tuberculosis is the granuloma as is widely studied in human tissues and animal models. Post-primary tuberculosis is different. It develops only in human lungs and begins as a prolonged subclinical obstructive lobular pneumonia that slowly accumulates mycobacterial antigens and host lipids in alveolar macrophages with nearby highly sensitized T cells. After several months, the lesions under necrosis to produce a mass of caseous pneumonia large enough to fragment and be coughed out to produce a cavity or be retained as the focus of a post-primary granuloma. Here we extend these findings with the demonstration of mycobacterial antigen, but not AFB, of M. tuberculosis in the cytoplasm of ciliated bronchiolar epithelium and alveolar pneumocytes in association with elements of the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) pathways in the early lesion. This suggests that M. tuberculosis use its secreted antigens to coordinate prolonged subclinical development of the early lesions in preparation for a necrotizing reaction sufficient to produce a cavity, post-primary granulomas and fibrocaseous disease

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), has emerged as an attractive state-of-the-art tool for precisely fabricating functional materials with complex geometries, championing several advancements in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and therapeutics. However, this technology has an untapped potential for biotechnological applications, such as sensor and biosensor development. By exploring these avenues, the scope of 3D printing technology can be expanded and pave the way for groundbreaking innovations in the biotechnology field. Indeed, new printing materials and printers would offer new possibilities for seamlessly incorporating biological functionalities within the growing 3D scaffolds. Herein, we review the extrusion-based 3D printing modalities emphasizing biosensor applications. We highlighted the application of natural, synthetic, and composite biomaterials as 3D-printed soft hydrogels. Emphasis was placed on the approach by which the sensing molecules were introduced during the fabrication process. Finally, the future perspective was provided.

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

The characteristic lesion of primary tuberculosis is the granuloma as is widely studied in human tissues and animal models. Post-primary tuberculosis is different. It develops only in human lungs and begins as a prolonged subclinical obstructive lobular pneumonia that slowly accumulates mycobacterial antigens and host lipids in alveolar macrophages with nearby highly sensitized T cells. After several months, the lesions undergo necrosis to produce a mass of caseous pneumonia large enough to fragment and be coughed out to produce a cavity or be retained as the focus of a post-primary granuloma. Here we extend these findings with the demonstration of mycobacterial antigen, but not AFB, of M. tuberculosis in the cytoplasm of ciliated bronchiolar epithelium and alveolar pneumocytes in association with elements of the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) pathways in the early lesion. This suggests that M. tuberculosis uses its secreted antigens to coordinate prolonged subclinical development of the early le-sions in preparation for a necrotizing reaction sufficient to produce a cavity, post-primary granulomas and fibrocaseous disease.

This review focuses on the emerging evidence for the association between estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) and metabolic risk factors. Given the challenges associated with directly measuring cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in large populations, eCRF presents a practical alternative for predicting metabolic health risks. A literature search identified six relevant cohort studies from 2021 to 2024 that investigated the association of eCRF with hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and obesity. The review findings highlight a consistent inverse relationship between higher eCRF and lower incidence of metabolic risks in line with CRF cohort studies. This review highlights the importance of low eCRF as a primordial indicator for metabolic risks and underscores the need for broader application. Future research directions should include exploring eCRF's predictive accuracy across diverse populations and health outcomes and testing its real-world applicability in healthcare and public health settings.

The optimization of photovoltaic (PV) systems is vital for enhancing efficiency and economic viability, especially under Partial Shading Conditions (PSCs). This study focuses on the development and comparison of traditional and advanced algorithms, including Perturb and Observe (P&O), Incremental Conductance (IC), Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), for efficient Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). Simulations conducted in MATLAB/SIMULINK evaluated these algorithms’ performance under various shading scenarios. The results indicate that while traditional methods like P&O and IC are effective under uniform conditions, advanced techniques, particularly ANN-based MPPT, exhibit superior efficiency and faster convergence under PSCs. The study concludes that integrating AI and ML into MPPT algorithms significantly enhances the reliability and efficiency of PV systems, paving the way for broader adoption of solar energy technologies in diverse environmental conditions. These findings contribute to advancing renewable energy technology and support the green energy transition.

Pervasive purifying selection on non-synonymous substitutions is a hallmark of papillomavirus genome history. Whereas the role of selection on, and drift of, non-coding DNA elements on HPV diversification is poorly understood. More than a thousand complete genomes representing Alphapapillomavirus types, lineages and SNP variants were examined phylogenetically and interrogated for the number and position of non-coding DNA sequence motifs using Principal Components Analyses, Ancestral State Reconstructions and Phylogenetic Independent Contrasts. For anciently diverged Alphapapillomavirus types, composition of the 4 nucleotides (A,C,G,T), codon usage, trimer usage and 13 established non-coding DNA sequence motifs revealed phylogenetic clusters consistent with genetic drift. Ancestral state reconstruction and Phylogenetic Independent Contrasts revealed ancient genome alterations, particularly for CpG and APOBEC3 motifs. Each evolutionary analytical method we performed supports the unanticipated conclusion that genetic drift and different evolutionary drivers have structured Alphapapillomavirus genomes in distinct ways during successive epochs, even extending to differences in more recently formed variant lineages

Methylation is a biochemical process involving the addition of a methyl group (-CH3) to various chemical compounds. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the endothelium, which lines the interior surface of blood vessels and has been linked, among other conditions, to coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite significant progress in CAD diagnosis and treatment, intensive research continues into genotypic and phenotypic CAD biomarkers. This review explores the significance of the methylation pathway and folate metabolism in CAD pathogenesis, with a focus on endothelial dysfunction resulting from deficiency in the active form of folate (5-MTHF). We discuss emerging areas of research into CAD biomarkers and factors influencing the methylation process. By highlighting genetically determined methylation disorders, particularly the MTHFR polymorphism, we propose the potential use of the active form of folic acid (5-MTHF) as a novel CAD biomarker and personalized pharmaceutical for selected patient groups. Our aim is to improve the identification of individuals at high risk of CAD and enhance their prognosis.

Keywords: Response surface methodology; Ultrasonication; marigold flower; polyphenols, microcapsules; antimicrobial activity.

Background: Recently some photon models of a Wigner's friend experiment have led investigators to suggest objective reality does not exist, and to publish non-academic articles with such claims. The public is not equipped to evaluate the severe limitations of these experiments. The separation of Wigner from the experiment and use of only reversible coherent processes for the friend allow operations that are not possible in ordinary reality according to the latest quantum research. Methods: We suggest directly testing the implied claim that objective reality, including incoherent objects with irreversible non-destructive memory, can be held in superposition. We suspect it will fail, but provide for a graduated approach that may discover something about the conditions for superposition collapse. To this end we design a thought experiment to model the objective world, investigating under what conditions experimenters in the same world (ensemble member) will be able to record a result and find it does not appear to change. An observer has a viewing apparatus and a memory apparatus. A second uncorrelated viewer of the same recorded result is employed to obtain objectivity. By hypothesis the uncorrelated second viewer obtains the same view of the measurement record as the first observer. There are not two measurements. This is not an investigation of hidden variables. Results: To model the objective world, incoherent and irreversible processes must be included. To test for superposition, coherence has to be established. These seem to present a contradiction. Conclusions: The thought experiment has suggested new places to look other than size for the origin of objective reality from the quantum world, casts doubt on the Many-Worlds interpretation, and provides a method of testing it.

The goal of this paper is to contribute the perspective of a systems engineer to the effort to fight pandemics. The availability of low latency case data and effectiveness of social distancing suggest there is sufficient control for successful smoothing and targeting almost any desired level of low or high cases and immunity. This control proceeds from spontaneous public reaction to caseloads and news as well as government mediated recommendations and orders. We simulate multi-step and intermittent-with-feedback partial unlock of social distancing for rapidly-spreading moderate-mortality epidemics and pandemics similar to COVID-19. Optimized scenarios reduce total cases and therefore deaths typically 8% and up to 30% by controlling overshoot as groups cross the herd immunity threshold, or lower thresholds to manage medical resources and provide economic relief. We analyze overshoot and provide guidance on how to damp it. However, we find overshoot damping, whether from expert planning or natural public self-isolation, increases the likelihood of transition to an endemic disease. An SIR model is used to evaluate scenarios that are intended to function over a wide variety of parameters. The end result is not a case trajectory prediction, but a prediction of which strategies produce near-optimal results over a wide range of epidemiological and social parameters. Overshoot damping perversely increases the chance a pathogen will transition to an endemic disease, so we briefly describe the undershoot conditions that promote transition to endemic status.

Searching, recognizing and retrieving a video of interest from a large collection of a video data is an instantaneous requirement. This requirement has been recognized as an active area of research in computer vision, machine learning and pattern recognition. Flower video recognition and retrieval is vital in the field of floriculture and horticulture. In this paper we propose a model for the retrieval of videos of flowers. Initially, videos are represented with keyframes and flowers in keyframes are segmented from their background. Then, the model is analysed by features extracted from flower regions of the keyframe. A Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) is adapted for the extraction of discriminating features. Multiclass Support Vector Machine (MSVM) classifier is applied to identify the class of the query video. Experiments have been conducted on relatively large dataset of our own, consisting of 7788 videos of 30 different species of flowers captured from three different devices. Generally, retrieval of flower videos is addressed by the use of a query video consisting of a flower of a single species. In this work we made an attempt to develop a system consisting of retrieval of similar videos for a query video consisting of flowers of different species.

First, we examine how spin is treated in special relativity and the necessity of introducing spin supplementary conditions (SSC) and how they are related to the choice of a center-of-mass of a spinning particle. Next, we discuss quantum electrodynamics and the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation which we note is a position operator identical to the Pryce-Newton-Wigner position operator. The classical version of the operators are shown to be essential for the treatment of classical relativistic particles in general relativity, of special interest being the case of binary systems (black holes/neutron stars) which emit gravitational radiation.

Agricultural landscapes are more and more characterized by intensification and habitat losses. Landscape composition and configuration are known to mediate insect abundance and richness. In the context of global insect decline, and despite 75% of crops being under insect’s dependence, there is still a gap of knowledge about the link between pollinators and aromatic crops. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an aromatic plant cultivated in South of France, for its essential oil which is of great economic interest. Using pan-traps, we investigated the influence of the surrounding habitats at landscape scale (semi-natural habitat proportion and vicinity, landscape configuration) and local scale agricultural practices (insecticides and patch size) on fennel-flower-visitor abundance and richness and their subsequent impact on fennel essential oil yield. We found that fennel may to be a generalist plant species. We did not find any effect of intense local management practices on insect abundance and richness. Landscape configuration and the proximity to semi-natural habitat were the main drivers of flying insect’s family richness. This richness positively influenced fennel essential oil yield. Maintaining a complex configuration of patches at the landscape scale are important to sustain insect diversity and crop yield.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by switching operations within high voltage DC (HVDC) converter stations is an issue that has been addressed by CIGRE and methods to manage EMI should be considered in the design phase using electromagnetic modeling techniques. It is shown that method of moments-based techniques that have been used in many previous studies may not be sufficient. Here, the finite-difference time-domain method is used to study the properties of single switching events using a realistic model of an HVDC converter station with special emphasis on determining the impact of the valve hall on shielding EMI. It is shown that the valve hall does not confine high frequency electromagnetic fields to the valve hall; rather it delays them from exiting through bushings in the wall. Further, it is shown that incorporating electromagnetic absorbing material into the valve hall design can significantly reduce EMI outside the converter station.

The growing concerns about floods have highlighted the need for accurate and detailed precipitation data as extreme precipitation occurrences can lead to catastrophic floods, resulting in significant economic losses and casualties. Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM-IMERG) is a commonly used high-resolution gridded precipitation dataset and is recognized as trustworthy alternative sources of precipitation data. The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the performance of GPM IMERG Early (IMERG-E), Late (IMERG-L), and Run Final (IMERG-F) in precipitation estimation and their capability in detecting extreme rainfall indices over southwestern Iran during 2001-2020. The Asfezari gridded precipitation data which are developed using a dense of ground-based observation were utilized as the reference dataset. The findings indicate that the IMERG-F performs reasonably well in capturing many extreme precipitation events (defined by various indices). All the three products showed a better performance in capturing fixed and non-threshold precipitation indices across the study region. The findings also revealed that both IMERG-E and IMERG-L have problems in rainfall estimation over elevated areas showing values of overestimations. Examining the effect of land cover type on the accuracy of the precipitation products suggest that both IMERG-E and IMERG-L show large and highly unrealistic overestimations over inland water bodies and permanent wetlands. The results of the current study highlight the potential of IMERG-F as a valuable source of data for precipitation monitoring in the region.

Melanin is extensively distributed in organisms and believed to be synthetized by tyrosinase (TYR), leading to aberrant coloring and skin conditions when over-produced. Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) flowers contain large amounts of bioactive substances currently few studied on their suppressive capabilities to melanin synthesis. Its isolate product (LFP) was obtained by ethanol solution extraction and resin purification, of which the inhibitory mechanism on TYR activity was elaborated by enzyme kinetics and multi-spectroscopy determinations and the impact on related proteins’ expression in mouse melanoma B16 cells was analyzed with Western blotting. HPLC-MS analysis indicated that LFP was identified into 137 compounds, with 12 including flavonoids (quercetin, isorhamnoin, p-coumaric acid, etc.), cinnamic acid and its derivatives as well as benzene and its derivatives owning TYR inhibitory activities. LFP inhibited TYR activity in a concentration-dependent manner with its IC50 value being 2.8 mg/mL and an anti-competitive mechanism involved altering the enzyme's conformation. LFP reduced the expression of TYR, TRP1, and TRP2 in melanoma B16 cells, hence inhibiting the synthesis of melanin. Considered collectively, LFP would be a viable option for treating hyperpigmentation caused by tyrosinase, providing a theoretical basis for the value-added utilization of loquat flower resource in beauty and aging related functional products.

Current theories of autoimmunity are diverse, sometimes contradictory, and suffer from incompleteness. Although substantial evidence exists that adaptive and innate immunity, sex, genetic predisposition, and the microbiome all play essential roles in autoimmune disease etiologies and pathogenesis, and that antigen processing is altered during disease induction, no existing theory integrates all of these factors through a single, coherent mechanism. In an attempt to focus the field on the need to elucidate such an integrative mechanism, I propose one possibility here that, if nothing else, helps to identify the nature of the problems that need to be addressed. My theory is that autoimmune diseases are induced by normal immunological responses to unique pairs of complementary antigens, at least one of which is a molecular mimic of a host target. Each antigen in the complementary pair induces a complementary immune response (T or B cell); although each immune response is idiotypic in origin, the antigenic complementarity results in what appears to be an idiotype-anti-idiotype relationship between the responses. Additionally, because of the antigenic complementarity, each immune response mimics one of antigens, abrogating the distinction between self and non-self. If at least one of the antigens mimics a host antigen, then the resulting immunological civil war spreads to a host tissue. Complementary antigens also alter antigen processing so that antigens that would normally be proteolytically digested are presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) to T and B cell receptors inducing a cross-reactive immune response. The resulting civil war is supported by the innate immune system due to the complementarity of the initiating antigens.. Complementary antigens stimulate synergistic toll-like receptors (TLR) and/or nucleotide-binding oligomerization receptors (NOD) resulting in up-regulation of cytokine production and further stimulation of the adaptive immune response. Because the immune responses (e.g., antibodies) mimic the initiating antigens, this synergistic activation of innate immunity becomes chronic. Additionally, TLR and NOD function are highly sensitive to sex hormones, some becoming up-regulated and some down-regulated in the presence of either testosterone or estrogens. This sensitivity explains how sex modifies susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Genetic mutations in TLR, NOD and MHC further alter antigen presentation and the degree to which antigens stimulate an immune response explaining how genetics also modifies susceptibility. Finally, sex hormones also alter the host microbiome, which in turn modulates autoimmune disease risk by shaping the immunological nature of self and by mediating susceptibility to microbial infection. Moreover, it appears that the microbiome camouflages itself from the immune system by mimicking the host antigenic repertoire; the mimicry between the antigens of the microbiome and the host results in selective attacks on microbiome constituents concomitant with any autoimmune attack on host tissues. This antigenic complementarity theory thereby integrates all major elements known to affect, or be affected by, autoimmune diseases and provides a set of testable implications.

Our study aimed to identify predictors for the effectiveness of tumor regression in lung cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment and cancer resections. Patients admitted between 2016 and 2022 were included in the study. Based on the histology of the tumor, patients were categorized into lung adenocarcinoma group (LUAD), and squamous cell carcinoma group (SQCA). Ninety-five patients with non-small cell lung cancer were included in the study. Fifty-eight (61.1%) and 37 (38.9%) patients were included in the LUAD and SQCA groups, respectively. Nine (9.5%), 56 (58.9%), and 30 (31.6%) patients were categorized with a tumor regression score of I, II, and III respectively. In multivariable analyses, histology of the primary tumor (SQCA), lymph node size in the preoperative CT scan (>1.7cm) and absolute tumor size reduction after neoadjuvant treatment (>2.6 cm) independently predict effectiveness of tumor regression (OR, [95% Confidence interval, p-value] of 6.88 [2.40-19.77, p70 years, extended resection >one lobe, and tumor recurrence or metastasis were identified as significant independent predictors of reduced overall survival. Assessment of tumor size before and after neoadjuvant treatment might help to identify high-risk patients with decreased survival and to improve patient management and care.

New information suggests female autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is much more common than previously thought, with a likely prevalence of 6% and with 80% undiagnosed at the age of 18. ASD then becomes a common comorbidity of female mental illness with nearly one in five women who develop a mental illness being autistic. ASD has heretofore been regarded as a pediatric condition and though now thought to be life long it is still not well recognized by adult health services. Most mental illness first presents in the teens and early twenties. Comorbid ASD is more difficult to diagnose due to diagnostic overshadowing, and ASD comorbidity maks the mental illness more severe and mor difficult to treat. Recognized ASD is readily treatable with an approach sympathetic to neurodiversity. Improving the pathway from adolescence to adulthood by increasing knowledge of autism in adult health services would dramatically improve female mental health at surprisingly little extra cost. It is low hanging fruit in a very fraught area of healthcare. This paper will examine the extent of the problem. It will explore solutions and quantify the gains of appropriate therapy.

This study introduces an innovative seeding method for cells on large scaffolds (1-100 sqcm) with an accuracy of 0.1mm, comparing the conventional drop-wise seeding technique with an automated seeding approach using an open sourced robotic liquid handling system (OpenLH). This automated system employs an algorithm in which the user inputs the desired droplet volume and seeding pattern dimensions such in number of rows, columns and distance between droplets, thus optimizing the distribution of cells on the scaffold. By adjusting these parameters, the method achieves greater accuracy and consistency over manual seeding and requires less operation space volume than dynamic seeding. Additionally, the system’s tip replacement feature can support the precise seeding of multiple cell types on a single scaffold and the dispensing of growth factors to foster patterns of cell differentiation and proliferation on the large 3D scaffold. This seeding method not only enhances the precision and efficiency of cell distribution on scaffolds but also shows significant potential for scalability in the cultured meat industry, where large scaffolds are essential. The adoption of such automated systems could promote efficient scaffold-based tissue engineering by promoting uniform cell distribution and enabling the creation of complex tissue constructs, thereby advancing both biomedical research and cultured meat production.

Recent researches indicated that metal nanoparticles which have the unique optical properties can be used to enhance the spectral response of the photovoltaic modules. Since most of the nanoparticles have enhancement effects in a specific wavelength range, improving the spectral response of the photovoltaic modules in a broadband range is crucial for their applications in imaging, energy harvesting, and optical communication. In this study, flower-like silver particles are applied to achieve the enhancement effects in a broadband range. The optical absorption of photovoltaic modules is improved in a broad wavelength range of 400~2000 nm by immobilizing flower-like silver particles onto an amorphous Si p-i-n structure, and the peak responsivity of the spectral response is enhanced by about 10 times. Theoretical investigation further elaborates that the enhancement originates from the near-field effects of silver particles due to the interaction of different parts of the flower-like silver particles. Through these studies, we demonstrate that, utilizing the subwavelength silver particles with roughness surface can achieve the spectral response of the photovoltaic modules enhanced in broadband range, which can improve the utilization efficiency of optical energy for the applications of sensing, imaging, optical communication, and energy harvesting.

(1) Background: TNF inhibitors (TNFi) have revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, 30-40 % of RA patients do not respond adequately to those biologics. In addition to neutralizing soluble TNF, TNFi have the ability to bind the transmembrane form of TNF, tmTNF. Importantly, tmTNF can act itself as a receptor that induces a “Reverse Signaling” (RS) in cells. We previously showed that certolizumab, a Fab’ TNFi, activates RS in human primary monocytes, at least in part through the transcription factor NRF2 that is known to regulate the expression of genes involved in anti-inflammatory response and oxidative stress. (2) Methods: Here, we have developed an assay for the prediction of clinical response of RA patients to TNF inhibitors. This assay is based on mRNA quantitation of CD36 activation and of 6 genes induced by NRF2 following tmTNF RS in fresh monocytes. (3) Results: We could predict the response to anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with 93.3 % accuracy. However, our method was not suitable for the prediction of the response to TNF soluble receptor etanercept. (4) Conclusions: We have developed a rather simple, short-term, test that can be standardized. Predicting the response to TNF mAbs will help physicians offer the best available treatment and provide patients with personalized medicine.

This new study revised interlinked issues of global soil organic carbon (SOC), annual net primary productivity (NPP) and atmospheric CO₂ turnover time (τ). Soil is confirmed as both the greatest sink and source for excess atmospheric CO₂. Most terrestrial NPP (~218 Gt C/yr) is ultimately processed in topsoil and SOC stocks now total >10,000–12,000 Gt. More excess carbon is released into the air and water from SOC loss (>20 Gt C/yr) due to land clearance for pasture/crops, fires, agrichemical poisoning and erosion, than from fossil fuels (~10 Gt C/yr). NOAA’s Barrow bounce and isotopic analyses support high terrestrial flux up to ~800 Gt C/yr and CO₂ turnover time of ~1–4 years. Earth’s re-humification via compost offers the best and only practical/time-critical fix for climate, strategy for species extinction plus remedy for human health.

Shutdown for just six days enables land plants to entirely fix CO₂ excess of +4 Gt C per yr. Rebuilding soil organic carbon (SOC) in worm-worked humus is the only practical carbon capture and storage (CCS) capable of freely offsetting annual anthropogenic emissions. A case is made to redirect all available resources towards proven, earthworm-based, organic husbandry. Priority is to safely combat mounting global threats due to irreversible species extinction, perilous climate change and deteriorating human wellbeing (mental/physical health). All three interlinked risks are underpinned by a relentless, yet largely ignored, critical loss of precious topsoil. A first step to topsoil recovery is vermi-composting all vegetable and animal ‘wastes’ for return to the field.

The ratio of males to females with ASD is generally quoted as 4:1 though it is believed that there are biases preventing females being diagnosed and that the true ratio is lower. These biases have not been clearly identified or quantified. Starting with a clinical dataset of 1711 children <18 years old four different methods were employed in an inductive study to identify and quantify the biases and calculate the proportion of females missed. A mathematical model was constructed to compare the findings with current published data. The true male to female ratio appears to be 3:4. Eighty per cent of females remain undiagnosed at age 18 which has serious consequences for the mental health of young women.

Two conundrums have puzzled COVID-19 investigators: 1) morbidity and mortality is rare among Infants and young children and 2) rates of morbidity and mortality exhibit very large variances across nations, locals and even within cities. These differences correlate with rates of Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) and pneumococcal vaccination, which are almost universal among infants and vary widely by geography among adults and the elderly. The higher the rate of vaccination, the lower the COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Vaccination rates with other vaccines, including BCG and poliovirus, do not correlate with COVID-19 risks. Notably, both Hib and pneumoccoci are common co-infections with influenza and coronaviruses and are associated with more severe disease and risk of death. Whether the vaccines simply protect against COVID-19 complications, directly protect against COVID-19 infection by inducing cross-reactive immunity, or are markers for some other types of protection such as availability of better healthcare, is not yet known. What is known is that improving coverage rates of Hib and pneumococcal vaccination has significantly lowered severe morbidity and mortality in influenza epidemics and might have similar efficacy for mitigating coronavirus outbreaks. If infants and children are valid indicators, the beneficial effects might be very significant. The possibility that anti-viral proteins in milk (e.g., lactoferrin) protect against COVID-19 is also explored.

Stellar NGC 6853, also known as the Dumbbell Nebula, is a remarkable example of an elliptical morphological type 1 multiple shell planetary nebula, which is now in one of its last evolutionary stages. This project focuses on examining the distinct varieties of the nebula temperatures and densities using observation data from the Issac Newton Group of Telescopes and comparing them with the observation data from Observatoire de Haute Provence from 14th to 18th of October 2019, with a primary focus on the data from the Issac Newton Telescope (INT). The densities ranged from diffused regions of 376.63 ± 228.97 atoms per cm³ to dense regions of 6441.11 ± 228.90 atoms per cm³; these values are slightly lower approximately by 2000 than the values from the Observatoire de Haute Provence. The radial velocity and the expansion velocity were also calculated using the spectroscopic data and were found to be 29.50 ± 0.38 km⁻¹ and 37.40 ± 0.38 km⁻¹ respectively. This result is expected from a multi-shell nebula that consists of the main body and surrounding halo

The Loropetalum chinense and Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum are typical and traditional ornamental and Chinese herbal medicine in Asia. However, more information is needed on the mechanisms underlying its flower coloring. Here, we profiled the flavonoid metabolome, full-length sequencing, and transcriptome analysis to investigate the flavonoid biosynthesis and global transcriptome changes among different petal coloring cultivars of L. chinense and L. chinense var. rubrum. The total anthocyanins and phenotypic of the petal were highly consistent with the petal color. Moreover, a total of 207 flavonoid components were identified. Of these, 12 flavonoid components were considered significantly different expression compounds among the four samples. Meanwhile, the first reference full-length transcriptome of L. chinense var. rubrum was being built, which had 171,783 high-quality non-redundant transcripts with correcting with next-generation sequencing (NGS). Among them, 52,851 transcripts were annotated in the seven database of NR, KOG, GO, NT, Pfam, Swiss-Port and KEGG. Combined with NGS analysis, the DETs involved in flavonoids and anthocyanins contributed greatest to the flower-coloring. Additionally, the different expressed of eight LcDFRs and four LcANS genes were positively correlated with flavonoid biosynthesis, and the four LcBZ1 and one Lc3Mat1 were positively correlated with the content of seven anthocyanins revealed by coupling with metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis. Together these results were used to mine candidate genes by analyzing flower coloring changes in a comprehensive metabolic and transcriptomic level in L. chinense and L. chinense var. rubrum.

Background: A large percentage of deaths in an epidemic or pandemic can be due to overshoot of population (herd) immunity, either from the initial peak or from planned or unplanned exit from lockdown or social distancing conditions. Objectives: We study partial unlock or reopening interaction with seasonal effects in a managed epidemic to quantify overshoot effects on small and large unlock steps and discover robust strategies for reducing overshoot. Methods: We simulate partial unlock of social distancing for epidemics over a range of replication factor, immunity duration and seasonality factor for strategies targeting immunity thresholds using overshoot optimization. Results: Seasonality change must be taken into account as one of the steps in an easing sequence, and a two step unlock, including seasonal effects, minimizes overshoot and deaths. It may cause undershoot, which causes rebounds and assists survival of the pathogen. Conclusions: Partial easing levels, even low levels for economic relief while waiting on a vaccine, have population immunity thresholds based on the reduced replication rates and may experience overshoot as well. We further find a two step strategy remains highly sensitive to variations in case ratio, replication factor, seasonality and timing. We demonstrate a three or more step strategy is more robust, and conclude that the best possible approach minimizes deaths under a range of likely actual conditions which include public response.

Past public health crises (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cholera, HIV, lead, pollution, venereal disease, even COVID-19) have been met with interventions targeted both at the individual and all of society. While the healthcare community is very aware that the global pandemic of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) has its origins in our Western ultraprocessed food diet, society has been slow to initiate any interventions other than public education, which has been ineffective, in part due to food industry interference. This article provides the rationale for such public health interventions, by compiling the evidence that added sugar, and by proxy the ultraprocessed food category, meets the four criteria set by the public health community as necessary and sufficient for regulation — addiction, toxicity, ubiquity, and externalities (how does your consumption affect me?). To its credit, some countries have recently heeded this science and have instituted sugar taxation policies to help ameliorate NCD’s within their borders. This article also supplies scientific counters to food industry talking points, in order to guide both scientists and policy makers in instituting further appropriate public health measures to quell this pandemic.

Various studies indicate that vaccination, especially with pneumococcal vaccines, protects against symptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and death. This paper explores the possibility that pneumococcal vaccines in particular, but perhaps other vaccines as well, contain antigens that might be cross-reactive with SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Comparison of the glycosylation structures of SARS-CoV-2 with the polysaccharide structures of pneumococcal vaccines yielded no obvious similarities. However, while pneumococcal vaccines are primarily composed of capsular polysaccharides, some are conjugated to CRM197, a modified diphtheria toxin, and all contain about three percent protein contaminants, including the pneumococcal surface proteins PsaA, PspA and probably PspC. All of these proteins have very high degrees of similarity, using very stringent criteria, with several SARS-CoV-2 proteins including the spike protein, membrane protein and replicase 1a. CRM197 is also present in Hib and meningitis vaccines. Equivalent similarities were found at lower rates, or were completely absent, among the proteins in diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, and poliovirus vaccines. Notably, PspA and PspC are highly antigenic and new pneumococcal vaccines based on them are currently in human clinical trials so that their effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 disease is easily testable.

The flower of Syringa pubescens Turcz. is a Chinese folk medicine and also used as flower tea for healthcare. The effects of five drying methods on the active compound contents, the antioxidant abilities, anti-inflammatory properties and enzyme inhibitory activities were evaluated. The plant materials were treated using shade-drying, microwave drying, sun-drying, infrared drying and oven drying. The seven active compounds were simultaneously determined by an HPLC method. Furthermore, the chemicals differences were assessed using Scanning electron microscopy, UV spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The antioxidant capacities and protective effects on L02 cells induced by hydrogen peroxide were measured. The anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells were investigated. The enzyme inhibitory activities were determined against α-amylase, α-glucosidase cholinesterases and tyrosinase. The results indicated that drying methods had significantly influences on the active compound contents and biological properties. In consideration of the contents of bioactive compound, the suitable drying methods were SHD, SD, OD and MD. The SHD sample exhibited stronger radical scavenging ability on DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl and superoxide anions and higher reducing power compared with other samples prepared by SD, OD, MD and IRD. Moreover, SHD sample had strong protective effects against L02 cells damage induced by H2O2. SPF samples, especially SHD sample, significantly inhibited inflammatory factor secretion in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell. All studied SPF sample exhibited evidently inhibitory effects on the four enzymes. SHD sample possessed the highest inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase and α-amylase. While SHD and SD samples had the potential inhibitory effects on cholinesterases and tyrosinase. In consideration of active compound contents and biological activities, it was recommended that SHD and SD were applied for drying SPF at an industrial scale.

Damaged connective tissues between the bone and tendons or ligaments are common among adults regardless of activity level. Achilles tendinosis is one of the most common tissue defects and enthesopathies. The patient in this study is a 54-year-old female with chronic Achilles tendinosis from chronic enthesopathy at the Achilles tendon insertion with a retrocalcaneal exostosis for three years who has failed standard-of-care practices for over two years. The patient received extracorporeal pulsed-activated therapy (EPAT) before applying 2ml of CryoText, a Wharton’s jelly tissue allograft. The patient then received class IV laser therapy treatments twice weekly for three weeks. The patient started with a 10/10 VAS at the initial visit. At five weeks post-application, the patient’s score had improved by 80% at 2/10 VAS. By week 13, the patient rated her pain as 0/10 VAS. The improvement in patient-reported pain and functionality reported in this study after the application of Wharton’s Jelly, EPAT, and class IV laser therapy warrants future research studying the safety and efficacy of these patient care modalities together.

Rainfall, or more generally the precipitation process (flux), is a clear example of chaotic variables resulting from a highly nonlinear dynamical system, the atmosphere, represented by a set of physical equations such as the Navier-Stokes equations, energy balances and hydrological cycle among others. As a generalization of the Euclidean (ordinary) measurements, chaotic solutions of these equations are characterized by fractal dimensions, which are non-integer values that represent the complexity of variables like the precipitation. However, observed precipitation is measured as an aggregate variable over time, thus physical analysis of the observed fluxes is very limited. Therefore, this review aims to go through the different approaches used in the identification and analysis of the complexity of the observed precipitation, taking advantage of its geometry footprint. To address the review, it ranges from classical perspectives of fractal-based techniques to new perspectives at temporal and spatial scales as well as for classification of climatic features, including monofractal dimension, multifractal approaches, Hurst exponent, Shannon entropy and time scaling in intensity-duration-frequency curves.

Earth’s land surface area is raised from conventionally flat 15 to 64 Gha to account for hilly undulation and soil relief detail. Three main aspects are: topography, rugosity/tortuosity and micro-relief/porosity of vegetation-free ground. Recalibration is arrived at from four approaches: first, direct empirical estimates from the few compiled satellite or LiDAR data with means of +2.5–26% progressively overlain by +94% at cm² scale for soil ruggedness then +108% for mm² micro-relief; second, from digital elevation models with 1.6–2.0 times flat areas; third, by ‘reverse engineering’ global soil bulk densities and carbon reserves requiring x 2–6 land. Finally, a Fermi estimation conveniently sets the World’s new surface area – that exposed to Sun, air and rain – at 100 Gha (with 36 Gha flat ocean). Soil organic carbon (SOC) is thence raised to 8,580 Gt mainly in SOM/humus with its biotic complexity plus roots, VAM-fungi and leaf-litter, that itself = 17,800 Gt. Although four to six times IPCC’s or NASA/NOAA’s calculations of just 1,500–2,300 Gt SOC, this is likely an underestimation. Global biomass and biodiversity are at least doubled (x 2–3.5) and net primary productivity (NPP) similarly increased on land to >270 Gt C yr^-1 due to terrain.

In this review we aim to address the current status of phage therapy in the management of multidrug-resistant infections, from compassionate use cases to ongoing clinical trials, as well as the challenges this approach presents in the particular context of CF patients.

Introduction. Strontium-82/Rubidium-82 (⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb) generators are used widely for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of myocardial perfusion. In this study, the ⁸²Rb isotope yield and production efficiency of two FDA-approved ⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb generators were compared.Methods. N=515 sequential daily quality assurance (QA) reports from 9 CardioGen-82® and 9 RUBY-FILL® generators were reviewed over a period of 2 years. A series of test elutions was performed at different flow-rates on the RUBY-FILL® system to determine an empirical correction-factor used to convert CardioGen-82® daily QA values of ⁸²Rb activity (dose-calibrator ‘maximum’ of 50 mL elution at 50 mL/min) to RUBY-FILL® equivalent values (integrated ‘total’ of 35 mL elution at 20 mL/min). The generator yield (⁸²Rb) and production efficiency (⁸²Rb yield / ⁸²Sr parent activity) were measured and compared after this conversion to a common scale. Results. At the start of clinical use, the system reported ⁸²Rb activity from daily QA was lower for CardioGen-82® vs RUBY-FILL® (2.3 ± 0.2 vs 3.0 ± 0.2 GBq, p<0.001) despite having similar ⁸²Sr activity. Dose-calibrator ‘maximum’ (CardioGen-82®) values were found to under-estimate the integrated ‘total’ (RUBY-FILL®) activity by ~24% at 50 mL/min. When these data were used to convert the CardioGen-82 values to a common measurement scale (integrated total activity) the CardioGen-82® efficiency remained slightly lower than the RUBY-FILL® system on average (88 ± 4% vs 95 ± 4%, p<0.001). The efficiency of ⁸²Rb production improved for both systems over the respective periods of clinical use.Conclusions. ⁸²Rb generator yield was significantly under-estimated using the CardioGen-82® vs RUBY-FILL® daily QA procedure. When generator yield was expressed as the integrated total activity for both systems, the estimated ⁸²Rb production efficiency of the CardioGen-82® system was ~7% lower than RUBY-FILL® over the full period of clinical use.

Some of the key features of inclusive and equitable teaching approaches encourage prompt feedback, student cooperation in communities of learning, active learning, and promotes diverse ways of knowing in the classroom. In my article, I present step-bystep tips to help instructors create guided microlearning inquiry questions within an inclusive and equitable general biology classroom setting. Microlearning is a special approach that helps students complete a specific task linked to a specific learning objective that would be completed in a short time window around five minutes. The step-by-step tips presented in my article helps instructors to develop questions aligned to specific learning objective to help clarify unclear or confusing topics in general biology using the Kahoot e-Learning platform. This guided microlearning inquiry toolkit provides a blueprint for helping instructors to infuse student-centered approaches to help clarify difficult concepts in general biology and further develop avenues refine students’ critical thinking and experimental design in biology research.

Transfer factor is the name given to material derived from activated lymphocytes that is probably composed of a complex of a peptide and a short segment of RNA and which has the reported ability to transfer specific T cell immunity to uncommitted lymphocytes. Many independent groups around the world reported isolating transfer factors between 1955 and 1990 and demonstrating their ability to transfer passive immunity from one animal or individual to another, often within 24 hours of inoculation. Such activity is potentially revolutionary both in making T cell vaccines readily manufacturable and also because the existence of transfer factors would undermine the basic assumptions of the clonal selection theory, which currently dominates immunological theory. Unfortunately, lack of the microanalytical and synthetic techniques required to properly identify transfer factors, combined with safety factors associated with it derivation from blood sources susceptible to HIV and prion infections, put an end to transfer factor research after 1990. This paper reviews the evidence supporting transfer factor activity and suggests that this potentially revolutionary concept be resurrected and subjected to renewed scrutiny in light of CRISPR-Cas mechanisms and because of its potential to make possible T cell vaccination and provide a novel basis for understanding immunological function.

Heart Rate Monitors (HRMs) are an indispensable tool for controlling training parameters of healthy athletes. They became a source of information about stress heart rhythm disturbances, recognized as unexpected increases in heart rate (HR), which can be life-threatening for athletes. Most HRMs do not recognize the type of arrhythmia, confusing them with artifacts. The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of ECG recording functions by sports HRMs among endurance athletes, coaches, and physicians in comparison with other basic and hypothetical functions. We conducted 3 surveys among endurance athletes (76 runners, 14 cyclists, and 10 triathletes), as well as 10 coaches and 10 sports doctors to obtain information on how important ECG recording is, and what functions of HRMs should be improved to meet their expectations in the future. The respondents were asked questions regarding use and hypothetical functions, as well as preference for HRM type (optical/strap). For athletes, the 4 most important functions were distance traveled, pace, instant heart rate, and information about reaching the oxygen threshold. ECG recording was the 8th and 9th most important for momentary and continuous, respectively. Coaches opined more importance to ECG recording. Doctors placed ECG recording as most important. All participants preferred optical HRMs to strap HRMs. Research on the improvement and implementation of HRM functions shows slightly different preferences of athletes compared to coaches and doctors. Suspected arrhythmia increases the value of the HRM’s ability to record ECGs during training by athletes and coaches. For doctors, this is the most desirable feature in any situation. Considering the expectations of all groups continuous ECG recording during training will significantly improve the safety of athletes.

The motivations for the move to electrified vehicles are discussed with reference to their improved energy efficiency, their potential for lower CO2 emissions (if the electricity system is decarbonized), their lower (or zero) NOx/particulate matter (PM) tailpipe emissions, and the lower overall costs for owners. Some of the assumptions made in life-cycle CO2 emissions calculations are discussed and the effect of these assumptions on the CO2 benefits of electric vehicles are made clear. A number of new tribological challenges have emerged, particularly for hybrid vehicles that have both a conventional internal combustion engine and a battery, such as the need to protect against the much greater number of stop-starts that the engine will have during its lifetime. In addition, new lubricants are required for electric vehicle transmissions systems. Although full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will not require engine oils (as there is no engine) they will require a system to cool the batteries – alternative cooling systems are discussed, and where these are fluid based, the specific fluid requirements are outlined.

ABSTRACT: The idea of a Common Mucosal Immune system (CMS) is 50 years old. Its relevance to immune protection at mucosal sites and its potential to modulate the impact of vaccination-induced protection against infection of the airway, has been poorly understood. The consequent failure of current SARS-CoV-2 vaccination to satisfy expectations with respect to prevention of infection, viral transmission, duration of protection and pattern of clinical protection, led to public health and medical decisions now under review. This review summarises knowledge of the CMS in man, including the powerful role it plays in immune protection and lessons with respect to what can and can not be achieved by systemic and mucosal vaccination for prevention of airway infection. The powerful impact in both health and disease of optimising delivery of immune protection using selected isolates from the respiratory microbiome, is demonstrated through review of randomised controlled trials (RCT’s) in subjects with chronic airway disease, and in otherwise healthy individuals with risk factors, in whom the idea of mucosal immune resilience is introduced.

It appears that up to 80% of females with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have not been diagnosed by 18 years of age. This translates to a prevalence of about 5-6%, and if true has serious implications for female mental health. One way of finding the true value is to use Bayes’ Theorem with a comorbid condition as a more easily recognizable flag. An obvious choice is anorexia nervosa (AN), but it transpires that the proportion of women with ASD who develop AN is unknown. This study uses published data in novel ways to provide two methods of estimating a range for this variable, and gives a median value of 8.3% for AN in ASD and with four other methods a median prevalence of 6% for female ASD. The clinical implications for diagnosis and management of ASD and comorbidities are discussed and a solution is provided for the rate of ASD in generalized joint hypermobility.

Functional osseoconductive coatings based on hydroxylapatite (HAp) and applied preferentially by atmospheric plasma spraying to medical implant surfaces are a mainstay of modern implantology. During contact with the hot plasma jet, HAp particles melt incongruently and undergo complex dehydration and decomposition reactions that alter their phase composition and crystallographic symmetry, and thus, the physical and biological properties of the coatings. Surface analytical methods such as laser-Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies are useful tools to assess the structural changes of HAp imposed by heat treatment during their flight along the hot plasma jet. In this contribution, the controversial information on the existence or non-existence of oxyapatite, i.e. fully dehydrated HAp as a thermodynamically stable compound is highlighted.

Transportation of goods is as old as human civilizations : past networks and their evolution shed light on long term trends. Transportation impact on climate change is measured as major, as well as the impact on spreading a pandemic. These two reasons motivate the importance of providing relevant and reliable historical geographic datasets of these networks. This paper focuses on reconstructing the railway network in France at its maximal extent, a century ago. The active stations and lines are well documented by the French SNCF, in open public data. However, that information ignores past stations (ante 1980), which represent probably more than what is recorded in public data. Additional open data, individual or collaborative (eg. Wikipedia) are particularly valuable, but they are not always geo-coded, and two more sources are necessary to completing that geo-coding: ancient maps and aerial photography. Therefore, remote sensing and volunteer geographic information are the two pillars of past railway reconstruction. The methods developed are adapted to the extraction of information from these sources: automated parsing of Wikipedia Infoboxes, data extraction from simple tables, even from simple text. That series of sparse procedures can be merged into a comprehensive computer-assisted process. Beyond this, a huge effort in quality control is necessary when merging these data: automated wherever possible, or finally visually controlled by observation of remote sensing information. The main output is a reliable dataset, under ODbl, of more than 9100 stations, which can be combined with the information about the 35000 communes of France, for a large variety of studies. This work demonstrates two thesis: (a) it is possible to reconstruct transport network data from the past, and generic computer assisted methods can be developed; (b) the value of remote sensing and volunteered geo info is considerable (what archeologists already know).

This article evaluates the reliability and consistency of nutrition- and supplementation-related advice for pregnant women provided by ten selected health-related Internet portals. The portals were chosen based on their perceived reliability and prominence in Google searches, with representation from both English and Polish language sources. The evaluation criteria included the adherence of the presented information to official recommendations and its evidence-based character based on specific items representing dietary aspects important in pregnancy. While the overall reliability was deemed acceptable, significant variations existed both among the portals and specific evaluated items. Notably, HealthLine, Medline Plus, and NCEZ emerged as the most evidence-based, while WebMD and Medycyna Praktyczna were identified as less reliable. Despite a number of issues, the analysed portals remain valuable sources of nutritional information for pregnant women, offering user-friendly accessibility superior to alternatives such as social media, on the one hand, and scientific articles, on the other. Improved consistency and attention to detail, especially in relation to vitamin intake and supplementation, would improve the overall quality of health portals.

Abstract: Doppler renal resistive index (RRI) has been used for several decades as a potential indi-cator for renal disease and progression. In recent years, RRI has emerged as a useful prognostic indicator for a range of co-morbidities in patients who are acutely unwell and as a potential marker for sub-clinical acute kidney injury (AKI) and post procedural AKI risk. Despite this, the clinical and theoretical determinants of RRI are poorly understood and remain contentious. Method: A narrative review of studies exploring the theoretical, experimental, and clinical evidence for factors affecting RRI. No date restrictions were set. Findings: Both experimental and clinical data confirm that RRI is markedly affected by a range of systemic and renal determinants and is influenced closely by the underlying risk factors and sys-temic vascular changes that lead to progressive renal damage. Discussion: This paper provides an overview of the key haemodynamic determinants of renal re-sistive index and aims to clarify their relative importance. With reference to a simplified theoretical model, evidence from experimental and clinical studies is reviewed. Pathophysiological factors and patient characteristics that influence RRI are explored to provide a better understanding of why RRI values change in the presence of common or complex pathologies. Conclusion: By gaining a better understanding of the complex systemic and renal factors that influ-ence RRI, ultrasound users will be better prepared to understand and interpret changes in RRI across a range of patient presentations.

In South Sudan, three case-control studies found a positive association between Nodding Syn-drome (NS) and a Mansonella perstans infection. To investigate whether M. perstans could play the primary and sole causal role in the development of NS, we examined blood films of persons with and without epilepsy in rural villages affected by NS in Mahenge, Tanzania, to identify M. perstans infections. Study participants were also examined for onchocercal nodules and skin lesions and tested for the presence of anti-O. volvulus antibodies (Ov16 ELISA). One hundred and thirteen epilepsy cases and 132 controls were enrolled, with a mean age of 28.3 years (interquartile range 22 – 34 years); 125 (51%) were females. Of the persons with epilepsy, 43 (38.1%) met the probable NS criteria. M. perstans infection was absent in all participants, but Ov16 prevalence and oncho-cerciasis-associated skin manifestations were positively associated with epilepsy, including probable NS. Onchocercal nodules in the mothers of cases were also positively associated with epilepsy. In conclusion, in contrast with O. volvulus, M. perstans is likely not endemic in Mahenge and therefore cannot be a co-factor for NS in the area. Hence, this filaria cannot be the primary and sole causal factor in the development of NS.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

The flowering of Amorphophallus bulbifer plays an important role in its reproduction. The flowers and leaves of A. bulbifer cannot grow at the same time. However, the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in flower bud and leaf bud formation are still unclear. In this study, the flower buds and leaf buds of A. bulbifer in the early stage of growth were used as research materials, transcriptome and metabolome analyses were carried out, and the soluble sugar and starch contents of A. bulbifer corms were determined. Transcriptome analysis revealed 5 542 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between flower buds and leaf buds, 3 107 of which were upregulated and 2 435 of which were downregulated. Enrichment analysis of the KEGG pathway showed that these differential genes were enriched mainly in the plant hormone signal transduction, DNA replication and fatty acid elongation pathways. Plant hormone signal transduction, DNA replication and fatty acid elongation pathways. A total of 5 296 significant differentially abundant metabolites were screened out by nontargeted metabolomics analysis. The differentially abundant metabolites were functionally classified in the HMDB, and 118 were successfully matched, including 17 that were highly expressed in flower buds. The differentially abundant metabolites in the flower buds were mainly enriched in pathways such as amino acid metabolism, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis and pyrimidine metabolism. Targeted metabolomics analysis revealed that the contents of ABA, ZT and iPA in flower buds were significantly greater than those in leaf buds, while the opposite trend was observed for IAA. The analysis of soluble sugar and starch contents showed that the starch and soluble sugar contents in flower buds were significantly greater than those in leaf buds. The results of this study showed that flower bud development in A. bulbifer was regulated by amino acids, starch, ABA, ZT, iPA, IAA and other hormones. These findings could lead to valuable genetic resources for further study of A. bulbifer flowering and provide a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of A. bulbifer flowering.

There has been a recent revival of interest in the notion of a `trajectory' of a quantum particle. In this paper we detail the relationship between Dirac's ideas, Feynman paths and the Bohm approach. The key to the relationship is the weak value of the momentum which Feynman calls a transition probability amplitude. With this identification we are able to conclude that a Bohm `trajectory' is the average of an ensemble of actual individual stochastic Feynman paths. This implies that they can be interpreted as the mean momentum flow of a set of individual quantum processes and not the path of an individual particle. This enables us to give a clearer account of the experimental two-slit results of Kocsis {\em et al.}}

Transgender youth experience elevated levels of victimization and may therefore report greater drug use than their cisgender peers, yet little is known about protective factors like school belonging that may mediate this relationship. Further, scant research has explored the experiences of youth at the intersection of transgender identity and youth of color status or low socioeconomic status, especially with respect to these multiple minority statuses’ associations with peer victimization, drug use, and school belonging. Using data from the California Healthy Kids Survey, the current study employs structural equation modeling to explore the relationships among school belonging, peer victimization, and drug use for transgender youth. Findings indicate that school belonging does mediate the pathway between peer victimization and drug use for transgender youth and that although youth of color experience greater victimization, they do not engage in greater drug use than their white transgender peers. Based on these results, those concerned with the healthy futures of transgender youth should advocate for more open and affirming school climates that engender a sense of belonging and treat transgender youth with dignity and fairness.

Glioblastoma is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor. Despite a century of research efforts, the survival of patients has not significantly improved. Currently, diagnosis is based on neuroimaging techniques followed by histopathological and molecular analysis of resected or biopsied tissue. A recent paradigm shift in diagnostics ranks the molecular analysis of tissue samples as the new gold standard over classical histopathology, thus correlating better with the biological behavior of glioblastoma and clinical prediction, especially when a tumor lacks the typical hallmarks for glioblastoma. Liquid biopsy aims to detect and quantify tumor-derived content, such as nucleic acids (DNA/RNA), circulating tumor cells (CTC), or extracellular vesicles (EV) in biofluids, mainly blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or urine. Liquid biopsy has the potential to overcome the limitations of both neuroimaging and tissue-based methods to identify early recurrence and to differentiate tumor progression from pseudoprogression, without the risks of repeated surgical biopsies. This review highlights the origins and time-frame of liquid biopsy in glioblastoma and points to recent developments, limitations and challenges of adding liquid biopsy to support the clinical management of glioblastoma patients.

The current study investigates the antibiofilm properties of essential oil extracted from the Flower of a Zingiber plant used in traditional medicines. EO from Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M Smith tested against one of the critical nosocomial pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii. The antibiofilm studies of Flower essential oil (FEO) by crystal violet staining method exhibited maximum inhibition of 80% at a concentration of 0.7% oil. The biochemical assays and microscopic analysis showed that the FEO significantly reduced extracellular polymeric substance production. Furthermore, FEO reduced the survival rate of A. baumannii in human blood. The chemical composition of extracted FEO was analyzed by Gas chromatography- Mass spectrometry. Dodecanal, 1-dodecanol, and alpha-pinene were identified as the major compounds. Concerning previous research, our study is the first investigation of the antibiofilm property of E. elatior flower oil. More detailed studies are required to identify the compound responsible for biofilm inhibition and its mode of action against A. baumannii biofilms.

Developmental, clinical, and epidemiological research have demonstrated the salience of perceived racial discrimination (PRD) as a contributor to negative mental health outcomes in adolescence. This article summarizes secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from a large-scale youth survey within a predominantly rural state to estimate the prevalence and strength of association between PRD and serious psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and prior suicidal attempts. Data from 93,812 students enrolled in Grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 within 129 school districts across Kentucky were examined to determine prevalence rates for subgroups within the cohort. Logistic regression analyses assessed differences and established comparative strength of association among these variables for racial/ethnic subgroups. PRD was self-reported at high rates across several demographic subgroups and was most evident among Black (24.5%) and Asian (22.1%) students. Multiracial students experienced the highest rates of both SPD and suicidality. Both for the entire cohort and for each racial/ethnic subgroup, PRD was significantly associated with increased likelihood of negative mental health outcomes, although the strength of these associations varied across subgroups and developmental levels. Implications for early intervention and prevention are discussed.

Displacement mapping is a computer graphics technique that enables the design of components with regularly or randomly textured surfaces that can be quickly materialized on a three-dimensional (3D) printer when needed. This approach is in principle more flexible, faster and more economical compared to conventional texturing methods, but the accuracy of the texture depends heavily on the parameters used. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how to produce a surface-textured part using polygonal (mesh) modeling software and a photopolymerizable resin, and to develop a universal methodology to predict the dimensional accuracy of the model file log combined with a resin 3D printer. The printed components were characterized on a scanning confocal microscope. In the setup used in this study, the mesh size had to be reduced to 10% of the smallest feature size and the textured layer had to be heavily (x4) overexposed to achieve the desired accuracy. As a practical application, two functional stamps with a regular (honeycomb) and a random texture, respectively, were successfully manufactured. The insights gained will be of great benefit in quickly and cost-effectively producing components with innovative patterns and textures for a variety of hobby, industrial and biomedical applications.

MnSi has played a major role since the late 1970s in developing the theory of helical magnets in non-centro symmetric materials showing Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction (DMI). With a long helimagnetic pitch of 175 \AA~as compared to the lattice d-spacing of 4.55\AA, it was ideal for performing neutron studies especially as large single crystals could be grown. In these studies under the application of a field of 180 mT perpendicular to Q, a so-called A-phase in the B-T phase diagram was found and interpreted as a rotation of the alignment of the magnetic helix away from the pinning axis. After the surprising discovery of the skyrmion lattice in the A-phase in 2009 much interest arose as it could be shown that the magnetic skyrmion lattice is topologically protected. Due to the rigidity of the skyrmionic lattice it is only loosely bound to the crystal lattice and therefore only relatively small current densities can already induce a motion of this lattice. Another very interesting aspect are the excitations in the spin system of MnSi. As the helimagnetic state is characterized by a long pitch of about 175 \AA, the associated characteristic excitations form a band structure due to Umklapp scattering and can only be observed at very small q with energies below 1 meV. We have investigated the the magnons in MnSi in the whole (B,T)-phase diagram starting in the single-k helimagnetic state by applying a small magnetic field B = 100 mT. This way, the complexity of the magnon spectrum is significantly reduced allowing a detailed comparison of the data with theory resulting in a full theoretical understanding of the spin system of MnSi in all its different magnetic phases.

Aim: To evaluate the panmacular subthreshold micropulse laser treatment results among patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and their correlation with functional and morphological parameters. Material and methods: The examined group included 10 non-treated and 41 treated patients with acute, recurrent, and chronic CSC (13 F, 38 M, mean age 44.11±6.5) and 14 healthy controls (6 F, 8 M, mean age 45±9.3). The BCVA examination, ophthalmoscopy, microp-erimetry, angio-OCT and OCT were performed. The medical history regarding chronic general disorders and known risk factors were recorded. Results: Complete resorption of SRF was obtained in 100% aCSC, 86.66% cCSC, and 63.63% r CSC. BCVA and RetSens significantly improved most of the patients treated in aCSC. The lowest BCVA and RetSens, but the largest pachyvessel and disease duration, were found in rCSC. A strong negative correlation between final BCVA and disease duration was found. No patient demonstrated laser lesions following treatment. Conclusions: The panmacular MPLT therapy leads to long-term enhancement of functional and morphological parameters in all CSC patients. The acute CSC patients showed the most significant improvement. The procedure is safe and could be considered a preferred treatment option for all active CSC cases. Timely treatment is crucial for beneficial outcomes.

The destruction of natural habitat for cropland and pastures represents a major threat to global biodiversity. Despite widespread societal concern about biodiversity loss associated with food production, consumers access to quantitative estimates of the impact of crop production on the world’s species has been very limited compared to assessments of other environmental variables such as greenhouse gas emissions or water use. Here, we present a consistent dataset of the biodiversity footprints of pastures and 175 individual crops at country level. The data were generated by combining maps of the global distribution of agricultural areas in the year 2000 with spatially explicit estimates of the biodiversity loss associated with the conversion of natural habitat to farmland. Estimates were derived for three common alternative measures of biodiversity – species richness, threatened species richness, and range rarity – of the world’s mammals, birds, and amphibians. Our dataset provides important quantitative information for food consumers and policy makers, allowing them to take evidence-based decisions to reduce the biodiversity footprint of global food production.

This contribution attempts to provide a state-of-the-art account on the physicochemical and biomedical properties of plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite (HAp) coatings that are routinely applied to the surfaces of metallic endoprosthetic and dental root implants, designed to replace or restore lost functions of diseased or damaged tissues of the human body. Even though the residence time of powder particles of HAp in the plasma jet is extremely short, the high temperature applied introduces compositional and structural changes of the precursor hydroxylapatite that severely affect its chemical and physical properties and in turn, its biomedical performance. These changes are based on the incongruent melting behaviour of HAp and can be traced, among many other analytical techniques, by high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction, vibrational (Raman), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. In vivo reactions of the plasma-sprayed coatings with extracellular fluid (ECF) can be assessed and predicted by in vitro testing using simulated body fluids as proxy agents. Ways are being discussed to safeguard appropriate biological performance of hydroxylapatite coatings in long-term service by controlling their phase content, porosity, surface roughness, residual stress distribution, and adhesion to the implant surface.

We propose the traditional goal of cancer therapists to develop a single drug or drug combination that can, by itself, eliminate all cancer cells within a host has neglected potential treatments that may achieve curative outcomes by strategically combining agents that are individually effective but non-curative. We derive basic principles for such an approach from the eco-evolutionary dynamics of background extinctions in which a “first strike” reduces the size and heterogeneity of the initial population and is followed immediately by demographic and ecological “second strikes” that push the population below an extinction threshold. This proposed strategy appears identical to the empirically-derived curative therapy in childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

The study presents an updated overview of the 14 non-endemic threatened Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) in Italy: Aegilops biuncialis, Ae. uniaristata, Ae. ventricosa, Asparagus pastorianus, Beta macrocarpa, Brassica insularis, B. montana, Crambe hispanica subsp. hispanica, C. tataria subsp. tataria, Ipomoea sagittata, Lathyrus amphicarpos, L. palustris, Vicia cusnae and V. serinica. Geographical distribution, ecology (with plant communities and habitat 92/43/EEC aspects), genetics (focused on gene pools), property, and in situ and ex situ conservation were analyzed. In addition, with the aim of their protection and valorization, specific actions are recommended.

The aim of the research results presented in the article is to strengthen a better understanding of the processes related to the transformation of hard coal mining in Poland, in particular the preparation of employees and their representatives, as well as employers from transformed areas for the upcoming changes. In this perspective, anticipating future skills against the internal potential of entrepreneurs becomes more and more important. It is a key element that enables entrepreneurs to adapt to changes, create innovative solutions and remain competitive on the market.

We present a method using contour integration to derive definite integrals and their associated infinite sums which can be expressed as a special function. We give a proof of the basic equation and some examples of the method. The advantage of using special functions is their analytic continuation which widens the range of the parameters of the definite integral over which the formula is valid. We give as examples definite integrals of logarithmic functions times a trigonometric function. In various cases these generalizations evaluate to known mathematical constants such as Catalan’s constant and π

This study evaluates spatial analyses of groundwater quality and environmental changes to obtain information on the groundwater contamination in the Permian Basin, Texas. Coupled with the U.S. government’s open data, these analyses can identify regions where environmental change could have potentially effected groundwater quality. A total of thirty-six wells were selected within the six counties: Andrews, Martin, Ector, Midland, Crane, and Upton. Spatial distribution maps were created for six different parameters: pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride, fluoride, nitrate, and arsenic. Total groundwater quality maps incorporate all the contaminants and denote regions of poor, medium, and optimum conditions. To identify spatial changes in groundwater quality, maps were separated into two different time intervals, 1992-2005 and 2006-2019. We found that groundwater contamination resulted primarily from the mobilization of the contaminant from natural sources or anthropogenic activities such as chemical fertilizers. Overall, groundwater quality decreased during the study period from 1992 to 2019 as population and urban growth began to develop in the Permian Basin. This study contributes on understanding of the response of groundwater quality associated with environmental change in the Permian Basin. Therefore, this research provides important information for groundwater managements in developing plans for the use of water resource in the future for Texas.

Mangroves offer vital ecological advantages including air and water filtration, coastal and estuarine habitat provision, sediment stabilization, and wave energy absorption. Their intricate root systems play a key role in safeguarding shorelines from tsunamis and erosive storms by dissipating wave energy. Moreover, mangroves shield against boat wakes and wind-waves, bolstering shoreline defense. Wave dissipation is a function of forest width, tree diameter, and forest density. Restoration efforts of juvenile mangroves in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL) aim to reduce wave energy in areas vulnerable to erosion. Physical model testing of wave dissipation through mangroves is limited due to the complexity in representing the mangrove structure, where prop roots are non-uniform in both diameter and location. Previous studies have quantified wave dissipating effects through use of scaled and parameterized mangrove structures. This study measures the dissipation effects of live mangroves in a wave flume, forced by conditions representative of the IRL. These measurements are used to validate a parameterized dowel model. Error between wave attenuation factors for the live mangrove and dowel system was on average 2.5%. Validation of the modularized dowel system allowed for further parameterized testing to understand forest structure effects, such as sediment stabilization and wave attenuation.

The rabbit is a popular animal model for human biomechanical research involving surgery at the hind limb. General anesthesia in rabbits is associated with significantly higher mortality rates than in dogs and cats. In addition, as prey animals, rabbits tend to mask signs of pain, making early detection particularly difficult. Regional anaesthesia, as an adjunct to general anaesthesia, may markedly reduce the need for systemic anaesthetic and analgesic drugs, limiting their associated side effects. In other species, a block of the sciatic (ScN) and the femoral nerves (FN) is usually applied in patients undergoing hind limb surgery. In phase 1 of this study, the ScN and the FN have been localized and an appropriate approach under sonographic guidance has been evaluated. In phase 2, a mixture of methylene blue and lidocaine have been administered to the ScN and the FN in 10 cadavers (20 hind limbs). Staining of the nerves was evaluated by dissection. Ultrasonographically, the ScN appeared as a binocular structure surrounded by a hyperechoic rim. The FN appeared as a hypoechoic structure in the dorsal part of the IPM, becoming hyperechoic/honey-comb-like in the ventral part. Both nerves could be successfully stained in all animals over a median length of 2.3 cm which was considered effective. This technique allows a feasible and accurate access to block of the ScN and the FN and may lead to successful analgesia in rabbits undergoing hind limb surgery.

A phenotype is the composite of an observable expression of a genome for traits in a given environment. The trajectories of phenotypes computed from an image sequence and timing of important events in a plant’s life cycle can be viewed as temporal phenotypes and indicative of the plant’s growth pattern and vigor. In this paper, we introduce a novel method called FlowerPhenoNet which uses deep neural networks for detecting flowers from multiview image sequences for high throughput temporal plant phenotyping analysis. Following flower detection, a set of novel flower-based phenotypes are computed, e.g., the day of emergence of the first flower in a plant’s life cycle, the total number of flowers present in the plant at a given time, the highest number of flowers bloomed in the plant, growth trajectory of a flower and the blooming trajectory of a plant. To develop a new algorithm and facilitate performance evaluation based on experimental analysis, a benchmark dataset is indispensable. Thus, we introduce a benchmark dataset called FlowerPheno which comprises image sequences of three flowering plant species, e.g., sunflower, coleus, and canna, captured by a visible light camera in a high throughput plant phenotyping platform from multiple view angles. The experimental analyses on the FlowerPheno dataset demonstrate the efficacy of the FlowerPhenoNet.

Feature Selection (FS) in data mining is one of the most challenging and most important activities in pattern recognition. The problem of choosing a feature is to find the most important subset of the main attributes in a specific domain, and its main purpose is removing additional or unrelated features, and ultimately improving the accuracy of the classification algorithms. As a result, the problem of FS can be considered as an optimization problem, and use metaheuristic algorithms to solve it. In this paper, a new hybrid model combining whale optimization algorithm (WOA) and flower pollination algorithm (FPA) is presented for the problem of FS based on the concept of Opposition based Learning (OBL) which name is HWOAFPA. In our proposed method, using natural processes of WOA and FPA, we tried to solve the problem of optimization of FS; and on the other hand, we used an OBL method to ensure the convergence rate and accuracy of the proposed algorithm. In fact, in the proposed method, WOA create solutions in their search space using the prey siege and encircling process, bubble invasion and search for prey methods, and try to improve the solutions for the FS problem; along with this algorithm, FPA improves the solution of the FS problem with two global and local search processes in an opposite space with the solutions of the WOA. In fact, we used all of the possible solutions to the FS problem from both the solution search space and the opposite of solution search space. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, experiments were carried out in two steps. In the first stage, the experiments were performed on 10 FS datasets from the UCI data repository. In the second step, we tried to test the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of spam e-mails detection. The results obtained from the first step showed that the proposed algorithm, performed on 10 UCI datasets, was more successful in terms of the average size of selection and classification accuracy than other basic metaheuristic algorithms. Also, the results from the second step showed that the proposed algorithm which was run on the spam e-mail dataset, performed much more accurately than other similar algorithms in terms of accuracy of detecting spam e-mails.

Despite the remarkable success of Carnot’s heat engine cycle in founding the discipline of thermodynamics two centuries ago, false viewpoints of his use of the caloric theory in the cycle still linger, limiting his legacy. An action revision of the Carnot cycle can correct this, showing that the heat flow powering external mechanical work is compensated internally with configurational changes in the thermodynamic or Gibbs potential of the working fluid, differing in each stage of the cycle quantified by Carnot as caloric. Action (@) is a property of state having the same physical dimensions as angular momentum (mrv=mr2ω). However, this property is scalar rather than vectorial, including a dimensionless phase angle (@=mr2ωδφ). We have recently confirmed with atmospheric gases that their entropy is a logarithmic function of the relative vibrational, rotational and translational action ratios with Planck’s quantum of action ħ. The Carnot principle shows that the maximum rate of work (puissance motrice) possible from the reversible cycle is controlled by the difference in temperature of the hot source and the cold sink, the colder the better. This temperature difference between the source and the sink also controls the isothermal variations of the Gibbs potential of the working fluid, that Carnot identified as reversible temperature-dependent but unequal exchanges in caloric. Importantly, the engine’s inertia ensures that heat from work performed adiabatically in the expansion phase is all restored to the working fluid during the adiabatic recompression, less the net work performed. This allows both the energy and the thermodynamic potential to return to the same values at the beginning of each cycle, a point strongly emphasized by Carnot. Our action revision equates Carnot’s calorique, or the non-sensible heat later described by Clausius as ‘work-heat’ exclusively to negative Gibbs energy (-G) or quantum field energy. This action field complements the sensible energy or vis-viva heat as molecular kinetic motion and its recognition should have significance for designing more efficient heat engines or better understanding of the heat engine powering the Earth’s climates.

Installations of decentralised Renewable Energy Systems (RES) are becoming increasing popular as governments introduce ambitious energy policies to curb emissions and slow surging energy costs. This work presents a novel model for optimal sizing for decentralised renewable generation and hybrid storage system to create a Renewable Energy Community (REC), developed in Python. The model implements PV Solar and Wind Turbines combined with a hybrid battery and Regenerative Hydrogen Fuel Cell (RHFC). The electrical service demand is derived using real usage data from a rural island case study location. Cost remuneration is managed with an REC virtual trading layer, ensuring fair distribution among actors in accordance with the European RED(III) policy. A multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (GA) stochastically determines the system capacities such that the inherent trade-off relationship between project cost and decarbonisation can be observed. The optimal design results in an LCOE of 0.15€/kWh, reducing costs by over 50% compared with typical EU grid power, with a project IRR of 10.8%, simple return of 9.6%/year, and ROI of 9 years. Emissions output from grid only use is reduced by 72% to 69 gCO2e/kWh. Further research of lifetime economics and additional revenue streams in combination with this work could provide a useful tool for users to quickly design and prototype future decentralised REC systems.

A recent paradigm shift in diagnostics of medulloblastoma allows the distinction of four major groups defined by genetic data rather than histology. This new molecular classification correlates better with prognosis and will allow better clinical management for therapies targeting druggable mutations, but also offers a new combination of monitoring tumor development in real-time and treatment response by sequential liquid biopsy. This review highlights recent developments after a century of milestones in neurosurgery, radio- and chemotherapy, but also controversial theories on the cell of origin, animal models and the use of liquid biopsy.

The members of the Liliaceae family have been regarded as an excellent source of biologically active compounds. However, the work on antimicrobial potential and characterization of the bioactive fractions of Lilium philadelphicum flower is limited and needs to be explored. The present study reports the antimicrobial potential, anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential of the bioactive fraction extracted from the flower of L. philadelphicum (Red Lily) and characterization of these bioactive compounds. The antimicrobial activity was tested against nine different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of methanolic extract of L. philadelphicum flower against Acinetobacter bouvetii, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, Bacillus subtilis MTCC 121, Candida albicans MTCC 183, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC 3384, and Salmonella typhi MTCC 537 were 25, 50, 12.5, 50, 100 and 50 μg mL-1, respectively. The phytochemical analysis of the extract reveals the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, coumarins, and quinones. The cytotoxicity of the partially purified compound against the HepG2 cell line in MTT assay demonstrates up to 90% cell viability with a bioactive compound concentration of 50 μg/ml. However, with the increase in bioactive compound concentration up to 1000 μg/ml results into nearly 80% cell viability, just a minor decline in cell viability suggests the importance of bioactive compounds for suitable therapeutic applications. Spectroscopic studies of the bioactive compound by UV-Visible spectroscopy, FT-Infra Red spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) as well as its phytochemical analysis suggests the presence of terpenoids moiety, responsible for the antimicrobial property of L. philadelphicum flower.

This review discusses a broad range of recent advances (2013-2017) of chemical imaging using electrochemical methods, with a particular focus on techniques that have been applied to study cellular processes, or techniques that show promise for use in this field in the future. Non-scanning techniques such as microelectrode arrays (MEAs) offer high time-resolution (< 10 ms) imaging, however at reduced spatial resolution. In contrast, scanning electrochemical probe microscopies (SEPMs) offer higher spatial resolution (as low as a few nm per pixel) imaging, with images collected typically over many minutes. Recent significant research efforts to improve the spatial resolution of SEPMs using nanoscale probes, and to improve the temporal resolution using fast scanning have resulted in movie (multiple frame) imaging with frame rates as low as a few seconds per image. Many SEPM techniques lack chemical specificity or have poor selectivity (defined by the choice of applied potential for redox-active species). This can be improved using multifunctional probes, ion-selective electrodes and tip-integrated biosensors, although additional effort may be required to preserve sensor performance after miniaturization of these probes. We discuss advances to the field of electrochemical imaging, and technological developments which are anticipated to extend the range of processes that can be studied. This includes imaging cellular processes with increased sensor selectivity and at much improved spatiotemporal resolution than has been previously customary.

Recent advances in microscopy imaging and image analysis motivate more and more institutes world-wide to establish dedicated core-facilities for bio-image analysis. To maximize the benefits research groups at these institutes gain from their core-facilities, they should be established to fit well into their respective environment. In this article, we introduce common collaborator requests and corresponding potential services core-facilities can offer. We also discuss potential conflicts of interests between the targeted missions and implementations of services to guide decision makers and core-facility founders to circumvent common pitfalls.

Dimethylformamide (DMF), a polar solvent, is commonly used for preparing graphene/epoxy nanocomposites. While commonly previous research has predominantly highlighted the improvement in physio-mechanical properties of these nanocomposites, the effect of DMF on processing and its direct influence on the final characteristics of MXene/epoxy nanocomposites have not been investigated.This unexplored link between DMF dosage, MXene concentrations, and the final composite properties presents an exciting direction for future research. In this study, a fixed dosage of DMF was used with varying MXene concentrations to fabricate the nanocomposites. To assess the reliability of DMF dosage on the characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposites, various evaluation techniques were employed, including dispersion evaluation, mechanical tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, and surface roughness measurements. The research outcomes revealed that as MXene concentration increased, the characteristics of the MXene/epoxy nanocomposites, improved across the board, indicating their potential for use in energy storage applications.

Small peptides are an important component of the vertebrate immune system. They are important molecules for distinguishing proteins that originate in the host from proteins derived of a pathogenic organism, such as a virus or bacterium. Consequently, these peptides are central for the vertebrate host response to intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Computational models for prediction of these peptides have been based on a narrow sample of data with an emphasis on the position and chemical properties of the amino acids. In past literature, this approach has resulted in higher predictability than models that rely on the geometrical arrangement of atoms. However, protein structure data from experiment and theory are a source for building models at scale, and, therefore, knowledge on the role of small peptides and their immunogenicity in the vertebrate immune system. The following sections introduce procedures that contribute to theoretical prediction of peptides and role in immunogenicity. Lastly, deep learning is discussed as it applies to immunogenetics and the acceleration of knowledge by a capability for modeling the complexity of natural phenomena.

For successful reuse of old asphalt as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) added to new bituminous mixtures it is necessary to improve some of its properties. This can be attained, for example, by adding an appropriate rejuvenating agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the properties of a lab aged 35/50 pen grade bitumen, rejuvenated by addition of two varieties of rapeseed imidazo-line. Both short-term and long-term ageing were simulated using the Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (RTFOT) and Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV), i.e. standard lab ageing methods. The first step in-cluded determination of the basic properties of the analysed pen grade bitumen. Fatigue cracking resistance of the bitumen was checked as the next step. The dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test was carried out for this purpose, at the intermediate operating temperature of road pavements. The obtained data were then used to calculate the fatigue cracking critical temperature (FCCT). A ductility test was also carried out in a ductilometer, in which the applied tensile force was meas-ured. The obtained results demonstrated a beneficial effect of rapeseed imidazoline on the prop-erties of the tested pen grade bitumen after ageing, when added at a rate of 6% and more.

Researchers and organizations are pursing 100 Day Vaccine Development to reduce the impact of any new pandemic-causing virus. They propose monitoring viral emergence and developing vaccines for discovered viruses which would undergo safety testing in humans. If one of these viruses emerges, phase III trials would then take place. There are two problems with this approach - first, phase III trials are too long for the 100-day goal and second, the virus that emerged might not have been discovered in their surveillance. An alternative approach would be to first develop vaccines for viral families similar to the pan coronavirus vaccines being proposed for next generation COVID vaccines. Phase III trials for them would be run even if a virus in the family wasn’t having an outbreak. If a virus in a family for which a vaccine has been developed has an outbreak and the phase III trialed vaccine is not effective against it, develop a booster based on the phase III trialed vaccine. Since booster development and approval takes less than 100 days, the 100 Day Vaccine Development goal would be met.