This analysis focuses on identifying the most efficient and cost-effective method of supplying power to a remote site, exploring photovoltaics (PV) and small wind turbines as primary power sources, and evaluating battery banks and hydrogen storage fuel cell systems as potential storage options. The hydrogen storage system converts surplus renewable power into hydrogen through an elec-trolyzer, storing it for later use in a fuel cell when renewable sources produce less power, enabling efficient energy storage during peak production periods. A sensitivity analysis of wind speed and hydrogen subsystem cost was conducted to evaluate the hydrogen storage system's performance. The optimal system graph suggests that the hydrogen subsystem must significantly decrease in cost to rival the battery bank, and in most cases, both the hydrogen system and battery bank were recommended together, offering reliable and efficient power for the remote site. While the battery bank is presently the more feasible option for powering the remote site, continuous monitoring and evaluation of both systems, considering site location, energy needs, and available resources, are essential to determine the most suitable power supply approach as technology advances and costs evolve over time.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is a cornerstone of the global effort to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. This paper explores the pivotal role of PV technology in re-ducing greenhouse gas emissions and combatting the pressing issue of climate change. At the heart of its efficacy lies the efficiency of PV materials, which dictates the extent to which sunlight is transformed into electricity. Over the last decade, substantial advancements in PV efficiency have propelled the widespread adoption of solar PV technology on a global scale. The efficiency of PV materials is a critical factor, determining how effectively sunlight is transformed into electricity. Enhanced efficiency, achieved through a decade of progress, has driven the global expansion of solar PV. Multi-junction photovoltaic materials have now exceeded 40% efficiency in lab tests. China leads the world in solar PV installations, boasting over 253 GW of installed capacity by the end of 2021. Other prominent countries in this sector are the United States, Japan, Germany, and India. Supportive policies like feed-in tariffs, net metering, tax incentives, and cost reductions in PV modules have made solar PV increasingly competitive against fossil fuel-based power generation. Solar PV technology holds immense potential for creating a cleaner, reliable, scalable, and cost-effective electricity system. To expedite its deployment and foster a more sustainable energy future, continued investment in research and development, along with supportive policies and market mechanisms, is essential. This paper underscores the pivotal role of solar PV technology in the global energy transition and advocates for a concerted effort to unlock its full potential in achieving a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

The paper concludes that the choice of charging strategy depends on the specific requirements and limitations of the off-grid solar PV system, and that a careful analysis of the factors that affect performance is necessary to identify the most appropriate approach. Also provides valuable insights for designing and optimizing off-grid solar PV systems, which can help to improve the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of these systems.

The utilization of solar energy technology is crucial for generating hydrogen in sustainable energy systems. While traditional methods involving natural gas, coal, and oil have been employed for hydrogen production, this study aims to explore environmentally friendly techniques. Green hy-drogen, despite being a more expensive option compared to fossil fuel-derived hydrogen, has prompted engineers to develop affordable and low-carbon technologies. The microgrid model was developed to showcase a self-contained DC islanded system designed to supply power to an electrolyzer, capitalizing on both a solar array and an energy storage unit. This comprehensive model offers a versatile platform for evaluating the operational dynamics involved in the sustainable production of green hydrogen. Over a span of seven days, it permits the as-sessment of hydrogen generation characteristics through the utilization of solar energy, either di-rectly from a solar array or through an integrated system that incorporates energy storage. The model encompasses a multi-domain framework, encompassing electrical, thermal liquid, and thermal gas aspects, facilitating a holistic exploration of the intricate processes underlying the green hydrogen production system. Through this simulation, the feasibility and efficiency of harnessing renewable energy sources for hydrogen production in an off-grid setting can be comprehensively examined and optimized, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.

This study focuses on the design, installation, and performance evaluation of a photovoltaic farm situated in Tulcea County, Romania, connected to a 20 kV distribution network. The farm, with a peak capacity of approximately 2800 kWp, benefits from Romania’s favorable climate conditions and supportive renewable energy policies. The analysis encompasses both the photovoltaic panel array and the electrical energy evacuation system. The substation at the park is equipped with technology that adheres to European standards and incorporates advanced features typical of modern electricity distribution networks. The assessment includes an evaluation of the park’s operational efficiency, with detailed calculations of the performance ratio and various power losses attributed to factors like temperature fluctuations, fouling, inverter efficiency, grid-related challenges, and availability issues. The farm contributes around 3620 MWh of electricity to the grid annually, demonstrating the effectiveness of photovoltaic installations in promoting sustainable energy solutions within regional energy networks.

Water and water habitats are essential to life and to the wellness of the communities that rely on them, as the Danube river is subject to human impact and vice versa, periodic surveys are required to determine the status of its pollution levels. In this work we used known microbiological indicators as well as physico-chemical ones to assess the ecotoxicological status of the Danube river from eleven locations partially forming the “Romanian–Bulgarian Danube Sector”. Most of the microbial communities found, and their densities, could be explained by point and diffuse sources scattered along the sector such as discharged household and farm wastewater, as well as nearby agricultural areas where fertilizers have been used and then leaked in the water stream during rainfalls. However, microbial data on non-point sources that lead to diffuse pollution of surface waters could be linked to such parameters and furthermore shown a slight correlation with the current status of fish communities.

Starting from the model of a slow-rolling missile with six degrees of freedom (6 DOF) in the body frame, a 6 DOF model in the Resal frame is obtained, which is used to linearize the coupled commanded motion. Based on the linearized model, we obtain the structural scheme of the commanded object and define the quality parameters. The obtained parameters have a complex representation (with real and imaginary parts) due to the coupling between longitudinal channels. Then, the kinematic guidance equations, the seeker equations and the actuator specific to the slow-rolling single-channel missile are defined using a switching function. The guidance kinematic equations, the seeker equations and the actuator model are linearized in the Resal frame, and the structural diagram of the homing missile is constructed. Starting from this, the characteristic polynomial having complex coefficients is determined and then analyzed with the Frank-Wall stability criterion. Based on the analysis, a stability range is determined for the navigation constant and a minimum and possibly a maximum limit for the time to hit the target is obtained. The stability range defined for the navigation constant on the linear model is finally validated on the nonlinear model in the body frame.

This paper presents an exact solution to the Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) for first-order analysis, second-order analysis, and stability. The TBT covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation considerations, whereas the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory (EBBT) neglects shear deformations. Thus, the Euler–Bernoulli beam is a special case of the Timoshenko beam. The moment-curvature relationship is one of the governing equations of the EBBT, and closed-form expressions of efforts and deformations are available in the literature. However, neither an equivalent to the moment-curvature relationship of EBBT nor closed-form expressions of efforts and deformations can be found in the TBT. In this paper, a moment-shear force-curvature relationship, the equivalent in TBT of the moment-curvature relationship of EBBT, was presented. Based on this relationship, first-order and second-order analyses were conducted, and closed-form expressions of efforts and deformations were derived for various load cases. Furthermore, beam stability was analyzed and buckling loads were calculated. Finally, first-order and second-order element stiffness matrices were determined.

This paper presents an approach to the Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) using the finite difference method (FDM). The Timoshenko beam theory covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation and rotary inertia considerations. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. The model developed in this paper consisted of formulating differential equations with finite differences and introducing additional points at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (concentrated loads or moments, supports, hinges, springs, brutal change of stiffness, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. First-order, second-order, and vibration analyses of structures were conducted with this model. Furthermore, tapered beams were analyzed (element stiffness matrix, second-order analysis, vibration analysis). Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented; the FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of structures, with damping taken into account. The results obtained in this paper showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was increased through a grid refinement. Especially in the first-order analysis of uniform beams, the results were exact for uniformly distributed and concentrated loads regardless of the grid.

This paper presents an approach to the elastic analysis of beams subjected to Saint-Venant torsion using Green’s theorem and the finite difference method (FDM). The Saint-Venant torsion of beams, also called free torsion or unrestrained torsion, is characterized by the absence of axial stresses due to torsion; only shear stresses are developed. A solution to this torsion problem consists of finding a stress function that satisfies the governing equation and the boundary conditions. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations; it does not involve solving differential equations, equations are formulated with values at selected nodes of the structure. In this paper, the beam’s cross-section was discretized using a two-dimensional grid and additional nodes were introduced on the boundaries. The introduction of additional nodes allowed us to apply the governing equations at boundary nodes and satisfy the boundary conditions. Beams with solid sections as well as multiply connected cross-sections were analyzed using this model; shear stresses and localized stresses at reentrant corners, torsion constant, and warping displacements were determined. Furthermore, beams with thin-walled closed sections, single-cell or multiple-cell, were analyzed using the Prandtl stress function whereby a linear distribution of the shear stresses over the thickness was considered; closed-form solutions for shear stresses and torsion constant were derived. The results obtained in this study showed good agreement with the exact results for rectangular cross-sections, and the accuracy was increased through a grid refinement. For thin-walled closed sections, the shear stresses obtained at the centerline using the closed-form solutions were in agreement with the values using Bredt’s analysis but the maximal values in the cross-section, which did not necessarily occur at the position with the smallest thickness, were higher; in addition, the results using the closed-form solutions were in good agreement with those using FDM.

This paper presents an approach to the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory (EBBT) using the finite difference method (FDM). The EBBT covers the case of small deflections, and shear deformations are not considered. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. The FDM does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. Generally, the finite difference approximations are derived based on fourth-order polynomial hypothesis (FOPH) and second-order polynomial hypothesis (SOPH) for the deflection curve; the FOPH is made for the fourth and third derivative of the deflection curve while the SOPH is made for its second and first derivative. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. In this paper, the FOPH was made for all of the derivatives of the deflection curve, and additional points were introduced at the beam’s ends and positions of discontinuity (concentrated loads or moments, supports, hinges, springs, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were also considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. First-order analysis, second-order analysis, and vibration analysis of structures were conducted with this model. Furthermore, tapered beams were analyzed (element stiffness matrix, second-order analysis). Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of structures, with damping taken into account. The results obtained in this paper showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was increased through a grid refinement. Especially in the first-order analysis of uniform beams, the results were exact for uniformly distributed and concentrated loads regardless of the grid. Further research will be needed to investigate polynomial refinements (higher-order polynomials such as fifth-order, sixth-order…) of the deflection curve; the polynomial refinements aimed to increase the accuracy, whereby non-centered finite difference approximations at beam’s ends and positions of discontinuity would be used.

This paper aims to analyze arbitrarily loaded isotropic rectangular thin plates with two opposite edges supported (simply supported or clamped), from which one or both are clamped, and the other edges have arbitrary support conditions. Rectangular thin plates with two opposite edges simply supported are routinely analyzed using for the deflection the simple trigonometric series of Lévy or the double trigonometric series of Navier, while the loads are expanded in Fourier series. In this paper the flexibility method (or force method) of the linear beam theory was applied whereby the unknowns were the bending moments along the opposite edges; in this regard, the primary system was the plate simply supported along the above-mentioned opposite edges and subjected to the external loads, system solved using the Lévy solution, and the redundant system was the plate simply supported along the opposite edges and subjected to bending moments along those edges. In the redundant system, a modified Lévy solution was introduced to account for the edge moments. The compatibility equations (vanishing of the slopes at selected positions of the opposite edges) were set to determine the unknowns and so the efforts in the plate. The results obtained were in good agreement with the exact results.

This paper presents an approach to the Kirchhoff-Love plate theory (KLPT) using the finite difference method (FDM). The KLPT covers the case of small deflections, and shear deformations are not considered. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. The FDM does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. Generally in the case of KLPT, the finite difference approximations are derived based on the fourth-order polynomial hypothesis (FOPH) and second-order polynomial hypothesis (SOPH) for the deflection surface. The FOPH is made for the fourth and third derivative of the deflection surface while the SOPH is made for its second and first derivative; this leads to a 13-point stencil for the governing equation. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the plate edges. In this paper, the FOPH was made for all of the derivatives of the deflection surface; this led to a 25-point stencil for the governing equation. Furthermore, additional nodes were introduced at plate edges and at positions of discontinuity (continuous supports/hinges, incorporated beams, stiffeners, brutal change of stiffness, etc.), the number of additional nodes corresponding to the number of boundary conditions at the node of interest. The introduction of additional nodes allowed us to apply the governing equations at the plate edges and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. First-order analysis, second-order analysis, buckling analysis, and vibration analysis of plates were conducted with this model. Moreover, plates of varying thickness and plates with stiffeners were analyzed. Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of structures, with damping taken into account. In first-order, second-order, buckling, and vibration analyses of rectangular plates, the results obtained in this paper were in good agreement with those of well-established methods, and the accuracy was increased through a grid refinement.

In 1975, Fuller and Tabor have shown that roughness can destroy macroscopic adhesion. This means that in spite of the presence of adhesion at the microscopic scale, the macrosopic force of adhesion vanishes. The mechanism of vanishing macroscopic adhesion is very simple: during approach of elastic bodies, asperities are elastically deformed so strongly that after unloading they destroy the microscopic adhesive junctions. However, both in the moment of formation of microscopic adhesive junctions in the loading phase and their destruction during unloading, mechanical energy disappears. This means that the microscopic adhesion makes the contact dissipative even if there is no macroscopic force of adhesion. In particular, the force-distance dependency during indentation and pull-off do not coincide with each other showing some "adhesive hysteresis". When a ball rolls on such rough surface, there will be a final energy dissipation due to formation of a new contact at the frontline of the contact and its destruction at the rear part. Thus, microscopic adhesion will lead to appearance of rolling friction in an apparently non-adhesive contact. In the present paper, we calculate the approach and pull-off dependencies of force on distance, the dissipated energy in one loading-unloading cycle and estimate the force of rolling friction due to microscopic adhesion.

The object of this paper is the analysis of isotropic rectangular thin plates supported (simply supported or clamped) along two opposite edges whereby the other edges have arbitrary support conditions; the plates are subjected to external bending moments, concentrated or distributed, and perpendicular to the supported edges. The standard approach to this problem is to replace the bending moment with a couple of forces infinitely close and to use the known expressions of efforts and deformations for the plate subjected to concentrated forces; the results are then related to the first derivatives of those efforts and deformations with respect to the position of application of the load. In this study, the external bending moment was expanded into a Fourier series, leading to a distributed external bending moment, and the boundary conditions and continuity equations were applied. Various types of rectangular plates were analyzed, as well as plates of infinite length whose results were identical to those in the literature. In addition, results for cantilever plates of infinite length were presented.

This study presents an exact solution to the free vibration analysis of a uniform Timoshenko beam, with a harmonic vibration being assumed. The Timoshenko beam theory covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation and rotary inertia considerations. In this paper, a moment-shear force-circular frequency-curvature relationship was presented. The complete study was based on this relationship and closed-form expressions of efforts and deformations were derived. The free vibration response of single-span systems and spring-mass systems was analyzed; closed-form formulations of matrices expressing the boundary conditions were presented and the natural frequencies were determined by solving the eigenvalue problem. Systems with intermediate mass, spring, or spring-mass system were also analyzed. Furthermore, first-order dynamic stiffness matrices in local coordinates were derived. Finally, a second-order analysis of beams resting on an elastic Winkler foundation was conducted. The results obtained in this paper were in good agreement with those of other studies.

This paper presents an approach to the two-dimensional analysis of elastic isotropic deep beams using the finite difference method (FDM). Deep beams are subjected to in-plane loading and present a shear span to height ratio of less than 2.50; consequently, Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Timoshenko beam theory do not apply. Deep beams analysis is generally conducted using numerical methods such as the finite element method and to a lesser extent the FDM; the strut-and-tie model and the stress field method are also widely utilized. Analytical approaches usually make use of the Airy stress function, where stresses are formulated in terms of the stress function; however, the exact solution of this function satisfying all of the boundary conditions can hardly be found, even for simple cases. In this paper, deep beams were analyzed using the FDM. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. The FDM does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected nodes of the structure. Therefore, the deep beam was discretized with a two-dimensional grid, and additional nodes were introduced at the boundaries and at positions of discontinuity (openings, brutal change of material properties, non-uniform grid spacing), the number of additional nodes corresponding to the number of boundary conditions at the node of interest. The introduction of additional nodes allowed us to apply the governing equations at boundary nodes and satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. An Airy stress function approach and a displacement potential function approach were considered in this study whereby strong formulations of equations (equilibrium, kinematic, and constitutive) were set. Stress and stability analyses were carried out with this model; furthermore, deep beams of varying stiffness, layered beams, and beams having openings were analyzed. For slender beams, the results obtained with the Airy stress function approach showed good agreement with those of the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, and for deep beams, the shapes of stress distributions were in good agreement with a proper understanding of the behavior of structures. On the other hand, the displacement potential function approach delivered unsatisfactory results, probably due to the use of an inefficient equation solver; a more powerful tool will be needed in future research for this purpose.

The object of this paper is the bending analysis of isotropic rectangular Kirchhoff plates subjected to non-uniform heating (NUH) using the Fourier transform method. The bottom and top surfaces of the plate are assumed to have different changes in temperature, whereas the change in temperature of the mid-surface is zero. According to classical plate theory, the governing equation of the plate contains second derivatives of the NUH; these derivatives are zero by constant value of the NUH, which leads to its absence in the governing equation. This paper presented an approach by which Fourier sine transform was utilized to describe the NUH, while the double trigonometric series of Navier and the simple trigonometric series of Lévy were utilized to describe the deflection curve. Thus, the NUH appeared in the governing equation, which simplified the analysis. Rectangular plates simply supported along all edges were analyzed, bending moments, twisting moments, and deflections being determined. In addition, rectangular plates simply supported along two opposite edges were analyzed; the other edges having various support conditions (free, simply supported, and fixed).

This paper presents an approach to the vibration analysis of axially functionally graded non-prismatic Timoshenko beams (AFGNPTB) using the finite difference method (FDM). The characteristics (cross-sectional area, moment of inertia, elastic moduli, shear moduli, and mass density) of axially functionally graded beams vary along the longitudinal axis. The Timoshenko beam theory covers cases associated with small deflections based on shear deformation and rotary inertia considerations. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. In this paper, differential equations were formulated with finite differences, and additional points were introduced at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (supports, hinges, springs, concentrated mass, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were also considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. Vibration analysis of AFGNPTB was conducted with this model, and natural frequencies were determined. Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of AFGNPTB, considering the damping. The results obtained in this study showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was always increased through a grid refinement.

This paper presents an approach to the vibration analysis of axially functionally graded (AFG) non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams using the finite difference method (FDM). The characteristics (cross-sectional area, moment of inertia, elastic moduli, and mass density) of AFG beams vary along the longitudinal axis. The FDM is an approximate method for solving problems described with differential equations. It does not involve solving differential equations; equations are formulated with values at selected points of the structure. In addition, the boundary conditions and not the governing equations are applied at the beam’s ends. In this paper, differential equations were formulated with finite differences, and additional points were introduced at the beam’s ends and at positions of discontinuity (supports, hinges, springs, concentrated mass, spring-mass system, etc.). The introduction of additional points allowed us to apply the governing equations at the beam’s ends and to satisfy the boundary and continuity conditions. Moreover, grid points with variable spacing were also considered, the grid being uniform within beam segments. Vibration analysis of AFG non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams was conducted with this model, and natural frequencies were determined. Finally, a direct time integration method (DTIM) was presented. The FDM-based DTIM enabled the analysis of forced vibration of AFG non-prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams, considering the damping. The results obtained in this paper showed good agreement with those of other studies, and the accuracy was always increased through a grid refinement.

We define degree of dependence of two events A and B in a probability space by using Boltzmann-Shannon entropy function of an appropriate probability distribution produced by these events and depending on one parameter (the probability of intersection of A and B) varying within a closed interval I. The entropy function attains its global maximum when the events A and B are independent. The important particular case of discrete uniform probability space motivates this definition in the following way. The entropy function has a minimum at the left endpoint of I exactly when one of the events and the complement of the other are connected with the relation of inclusion (maximal negative dependence). It has a minimum at the right endpoint of I exactly when one of these events is included in the other (maximal positive dependence). Moreover, the deviation of the entropy from its maximum is equal to average information that carries one of the binary trials defined by A and B with respect to the other. As a consequence, the degree of dependence of A and B can be expressed in terms of information theory and is invariant with respect to the choice of unit of information. Using this formalism, we describe completely the screening tests and their reliability, measure efficacy of a vaccination, the impact of some events from the financial markets to other events, etc. A link is available for downloading an Excel program which calculates the degree of dependence of two events in a sample space with equally likely outcomes.

A paradigm shift away from null hypothesis significance testing seems in progress. Based on simulations, we illustrate some of the underlying motivations. First, P-values vary strongly from study to study, hence dichotomous inference using significance thresholds is usually unjustified. Second, statistically significant results have overestimated effect sizes, a bias declining with increasing statistical power. Third, statistically non-significant results have underestimated effect sizes, and this bias gets stronger with higher statistical power. Fourth, the tested statistical hypotheses usually lack biological justification and are often uninformative. Despite these problems, a screen of 48 papers from the 2020 volume of the Journal of Evolutionary Biology exemplifies that significance testing is still used almost universally in evolutionary biology. All screened studies tested default null hypotheses of zero effect with the default significance threshold of p = 0.05, none presented a pre-specified alternative hypothesis, pre-study power calculation, and the probability of ‘false negatives’(beta error). The results sections of the papers presented 49 significance tests on average (median 23, range 0–390). Of 41 studies that contained verbal descriptions of a ‘statistically non-significant’ result, 26 (63%) falsely claimed the absence of an effect. We conclude that studies in ecology and evolutionary biology are mostly exploratory and descriptive. We should thus shift from claiming to ‘test’ specific hypotheses statistically to describing and discussing many hypotheses (possible true effect sizes) that are most compatible with our data, given our statistical model. We already have the means for doing so, because we routinely present compatibility (‘confidence’) intervals covering these hypotheses.

Fighting corruption and enhancing tax compliance through digital public services represent key factors for increasing sustainable development in Romania. We argue that fighting corruption may increase the level of sustainable development, through digital pubic services. Using digital public services leads to the increase of the level of tax compliance, because entrepreneurs will feel more confident and responsible and they will decide to better comply. Tax regulations can affect the level of tax compliance through the additional costs they generate. The discussion is based on the consideration of the costs generated by compliant behavior and we explain how such costs influence the entrepreneurs’ decision in the fiscal environment. If the costs are higher, entrepreneurs will take evasive initiatives and will refuse to comply. Among the numerous tools developed to fight corruption, the use of communication technologies has recently been researched and there is still need for further research in the Romanian economic environment. The use of digital public services reduces costs for entrepreneurs and increases their confidence in state institutions due to higher levels of transparency. We argue for increasing sustainable development in Romania through digital public services, thus fighting corruption and enhancing tax compliance.

The rainfall study in the long term is essential for climatic change understanding and socioeconomic development. The main goal of this study is to explore the spatial and temporal variations of precipitation in different time scales (seasonal and annual) in Cameroon. The Mann–Kendall and Pettitt tests were applied to analyze the precipitation variability. On temporal plan, the different regions of Cameroon have recorded significant drops in annual rainfall that Pet-titt's test generally situates around the 1970s. The decreases observed for the northern part of Cameroon regions are between –5.4% (Adamawa) and –7.4% (Far North). Those of west-ern part regions oscillate between –7.5% (South-West) and –12.5% (West). The southern part of Cameroon regions recorded decreases varying between –4.3% (East) and –5.9% (Center). On spatial plan, the divisions of the northern, western and southern parts of Cameroon respectively recorded after the 1970s (a pivotal period in the evolution of precipitation on temporal plan), a precipitation decrease towards the South, the South-West and the West. This study's findings could be helpful for planning and managing water resources in Cameroon.

Several extinctions have already been attributed, at least in part, to global warming, as climate change constitutes a serious threat for species living in isolated ecosystems and thus unable to track habitat changes. However, in all these cases extinction was due to human impacts, often directly but generally also through exotic invasive species. For two arboreal land snails in Indian Ocean islands a link has been proposed with decreasing rainfall. The decline (but probably not extinction) of Pachnodus velutinus, a specialist of moist forests on the summits of northwestern Mahé, was most likely caused instead by invasive plants altering its habitat and alien predators decimating the population in the small remaining moist forests. An alternative explanation assuming genetic swamping through hybridization with a species from lower elevations has no basis, as the presumed hybrid constitutes a distinct species able to survive in the altered, dryer habitat. On Aldabra Atoll, the endemic Rhachistia aldabrae was claimed to have been the first extinction due to climate change, but is still extant. No relationship can be detected between number of sightings and annual rainfall, although a weighted measure that takes into account rainfall in previous years suggests a limited impact of weather. Analysis of the sighting record in various ways yields a probability of survival over time that never dropped below 0.3. The decline was caused instead by intense impacts of exotic invasive species. Alternative shortcuts to evaluate extinction rates among poorly known species are shown to be unreliable. Although no contemporary extinction can still be attributed to climate change, indirect and synergistic impacts on biodiversity are expected, especially through promoting biological invasions.

This paper presents an approach to the analysis of beams with rectangular cross-sections subjected to Saint-Venant torsion using the Fourier analysis, body forces being not considered. The Saint-Venant torsion of beams, also called free torsion or unrestrained torsion, is characterized by the absence of axial stresses due to torsion; only shear stresses are developed. The solution to this torsion problem consists of finding the Prandtl stress function that satisfies the governing equation and the boundary conditions, the governing equation being such that the Laplacian of the stress function has a constant value within the cross-section. In this paper, Fourier sine series was utilized to describe the constant value of the above mentioned Laplacian, while double sine series or simple sine series was utilized to describe the Prandtl stress function. Closed-form solutions in form of infinite series were derived for shear stresses, torsional constant and warping function. Those solutions were identical to the exact solutions.

According the JKR theory of adhesive contact, changes of the contact configuration after formation of the adhesive neck and before detaching are completely reversible. This means, that after formation of the initial contact, the force-distance dependencies should coincide, independently on the direction of the process (indentation or pull-off). In the majority of real systems, this invariance is not observed. The reasons for this may be either plastic deformation in the contacting bodies or surface roughness. One further mechanism of irreversibility (and corresponding energy dissipation) may be chemical heterogeneity of the contact interface leading to the spatial dependence of the specific work of adhesion. In the present paper, this "chemical" mechanism is analyzed on a simple example of an axisymmetric contact (with axisymmetric heterogeneity). It is shown that in the asymptotic case of a "microscopic heterogeneity", the system follows, during both indentation and pull-off, JKR curves, however, corresponding to different specific surface energies. After the turning point of the movement, the contact area first does not change and the transition from one JKR curve to the other occurs via a linear dependency of the force on indentation depth. The macroscopic behavior is not sensitive to the absolute and relative widths of the regions with different surface energy but depends mainly on the values of the specific surface energy.

This review focuses on the synthesis and biological activity of flavones and their related flavonoidic compounds: flavonols and aurones. Among the biological activities of flavones and aurones, the anticancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties are highlighted and detailed in this review. The most applied method for the synthesis of flavones and aurones is based on the oxidative cyclisation of o-hydroxychalcones. Depending on the reaction conditions and the structure of the precursor, in some cases several cyclization products result simultaneously: flavones, flavanones, flavonols and aurones. Based on the literature data and the results obtained in our research group, our aim is to highlight the most promising methods for the synthesis of flavones, as well as the synthetic routes for the other structurally related cyclization products, hydroxyflavones and aurones, considering that in practice it is difficult to predict which is the main or exclusive cyclisation product of o-hydroxychalcones under certain reaction conditions.

Sodium valproate is a established antiepileptic drug of first choice, primarily used to treat epilepsy, but also bipolar disorder and prevent migraine headaches. Valproate increases concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain, due to inhibition of enzymes responsible for the catabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Main goal of this research consisted in the optimization and development for a new sensitive spectrophotometric quantitative analysis method of sodium valproate from tablets in the Visible field. Following the quantitative color reaction of sodium valproate with diazonium salt of alpha naphthylamine in alkaline medium, a light yellow azo dye was formed and spectrophotometrically analyzed at the wavelength of 386 nanometers. The amount of pure sodium valproate found on pharmaceutical extended-release tablet was 492.578 miligrams compared to the official declared pure amount of 500 miligrams on prolonged-release tablet. Amount found was assigned to a percentage content of 98.5156 percent pure sodium valproate in a pharmaceutical tablet. Mean average percentage error (deviation) from the officially stated value was about 1.4844 percent, which was included within normal limits, below five percent maximum limit allowed by European and Romanian Pharmacopoeias rules. Spectrophotometric method was subjected to the statistical validation procedure and was successfully validated.

The scope of this paper is to use plastic waste through the gasification process for producing electricity with low carbon dioxide emissions. Worldwide, plastic production increased, reaching 367 million tons in 2020, compared with 1.5 million tons in 1950. It is known that plastic incineration generates approximately 400 million tons of CO2 annually, and consequently, new solutions for a more efficient plastics reuse in terms of emissions generated are still expected. One method is to use plastic waste in a gasifier unit and the syngas generated in a gas turbine for electricity production. The co-gasification process (plastic waste with biomass) was analysed in different ratios. Gasification was carried out with air for an equivalent ratio (ER) between 0.10-0.45. The volume concentration of CO2 in syngas ranged from 2-12%, with the highest value obtained when poplar content in the mix was 95%. In this study, the option of pre- and post-combustion integration of the chemical absorption process (CAP) was investigated. Thus, CO2 emissions have decreased by 90% compared with the case without CO2 capture. By integrating the capture process, the global efficiency has reduced with 5.5 – 6.1 percentage points in a post-combustion case, according to the plastic content in the mix.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common malignant tumor of the pancreas, carrying a poor prognosis, in most cases patients being diagnosed in a nonresectable stage. Image-based artificial intelligence (AI) models implemented in tumor detection, segmentation and classification could improve diagnosis with better treatment options and increased survival. This review included papers published in the last 5 years and describes the current trends in AI algorithms used in PDAC. We analyzed the applications of AI in detection of PDAC, segmentation of the lesion and classification algorithms used in differential diagnosis, prognosis, and histopathological and genomic prediction. The results show lack of multi-institutional collaboration and stresses the need for bigger datasets in order for AI models to be implemented in a clinically relevant manner.

This article analyzes the perspectives of professional training of the public administration staff, from the viewpoint of the sustainability criteria, starting from the experiences of the online courses run in the last two years. In order to understand the nature, type and magnitude of the changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in the field of professional training for public administration, we performed a survey among public institution employees, by applying a questionnaire. The instrument included qualitative elements, to allow the framing of statistical results. The article is grounded on the hypothesis that the professional training activities in the last two years were organized preponderantly online and it aims to analyze the sustainability of the new teaching systems/methods. The limitations of the study are given by the fact that each administrative system has structure particularities and its own legal framework regarding the professional training of public administration staff, what makes that the model proposed cannot be applied in all countries. The study provides a model of online professional training for public administration staff, sustainable, based on the experience accumulated in the last two years.

The economic activities in the romanian rural areas have started to know new horizons with Romania's accession to the European Community. The rural society was and is focused on the level of entrepreneurial behavior strictly on agriculture, with all its derivatives. At present there is a variety of sectors of activity that are found in the rural society, which are waiting to know new dimensions. The higher the number of entrepreneurs, the more job vacancies will be created across different fields of activity. In these circumstances, the number of jobs will increase, and the society in the romanian rural area can enjoy a diversity of the population determined by the various professions of people, but also by the new dimension offered by the entrepreneurial area. This way, it will be done later the repopulation of the Romanian countryside, a national interest issue, after the great majority of the population went to work in the countries of the European Community, having to be forced by the poverty of the romanian rural area, determined by the lack of jobs to ensure a decent standard of living.

Authentication systems based on biometrics characteristics and data represents one of the most important trend in the evolution of our world. In the near future, biometrics systems will be everywhere in the society, such as government, education, smart cities, banks etc. Due to its uniqueness characteristic, biometrics systems will become also vulnerable, privacy being one of the most important challenge. The classic cryptographic primitives are not sufficient to assure a strong level of secureness for privacy. The following work paper represents an effort to present the main cryptographic techniques and algorithms that can give us the possibility to raise a certain level of secureness for privacy. We will show their own challenges (strengths and weaknesses). We will demonstrate how we can use the most common and well-known techniques and algorithms in order to get a maximum efficiency and a high level in assuring the integrity of the biometrics data.

The Hertzian contact theory, as well as most of the other classical theories of normal and tangential contact, provides displacements and the distribution of normal and tangential stress components directly in the contact surface. However, other components of the full stress tensor in the material may essentially influence the material behaviour in contact. Of particular interest are principal stresses and the equivalent von Mises stress, as well as the gradient of the hydrostatic pressure. For many engineering and biomechanical problems, it would be important to find these stress characteristics at least in the contact plane. In the present paper, we show that the complete stress state in the contact plane can be easily found for axially symmetric contacts under very general assumptions. We provide simple explicit equations for all stress components and the normal component of the gradient of hydrostatic pressure in the form of one-dimensional integrals.

Microalgae are abundant components of biosphere rich in low molecular weight carbohy-drate-containing natural products (glycoconjugates). Glycoconjugates take a part in processes of photosynthesis, provide producers with important biological properties, influence other organ-isms and known by biological activities. Some of them, for example glycosylated toxins and ar-senicals, are detrimental and can be transferring via food chains into higher organisms including humans. So far, the studies on a series of particular groups of microalgal glycoconjugates were not comprehensively discussed in special reviews. In this review, a special focus was made on the isolation, structure determination, properties and approaches to the search for new bioactive metabolites. Analysis of literature data concerning structures, functions and biological activities of ribosylated arsenicals, galactosylated and sulfoquinovosylated lipids, phosphoglycolipids, gly-coside derivatives of toxins, and other groups of glycoconjugates was carried out and discussed. The discovery of a great variety of new carbohydrate-containing metabolites, important biological roles some of them, participation in regulation of microalgal blooms via viral infections as well as the detection of potent immunomodulatory activity, shown by these type metabolites could be attributed to the most interesting recent achievements. Structures, properties and biological roles of glycoconjugates from microalgae attract a great attention growing year to year.

We examine the nonequilibrium production of topological defects -- braids -- in semiflexible filament bundles under cycles of compression and tension. During these cycles, the period of compression facilitates the thermally activated pair production of braid/anti-braid pairs, which then may separate when the bundle is under tension. As result, appropriately tuned alternating periods of compression and extension should lead to the proliferation of braid defects in a bundle so that linear density of these pairs far exceeds that expected in thermal equilibrium. Secondly, we examine the slow extension of braided bundles under tension, showing that their end-to-end length creeps nonmonotonically under a fixed force due to braid deformation and the motion of the braid pair along the bundle. We conclude with a few speculations regarding experiments on semiflexible filament bundles and their networks.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) raise quality employability, gender equity in access to employment and increase coverage in education, however, in Colombia, high unemployment rates and informality of young people are risks of fulfilling these objectives. This is verified by a study with cohorts on access to employment, labor mobility and entry to quality occupations, through the use of probabilistic models. This study found that young people are less likely to be employed than adults, education has increased in the new generations and allowing them to enter a higher quality occupation, job segmentation and lack of experience of young people are the main cause of unemployment and Women are less likely to be employed than men and to do so in quality jobs. To comply with the SDGs, you must increase coverage in education, make a differential gender policy and expand programs as learners and insert dual education.

Oral mucositis (OM) is inflammation of the mouth caused by damage to the mucous membranes that line the mouth and throat. It is a side effect of cancer treatment, particularly in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who undergo radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The etiology and pathogenic mechanisms of OM is complex and multifaceted, involving cytotoxicity (cell death), inflammation, infection, change in microbiome, and immune-mediated cytotoxicity. We summarize the literature about attempts to use various omics methodologies (genomics, transcriptomics, microbiomics and metabolomics) to elucidate the biological pathways associated with the development or the severity of OM. Integrating different omics into multi-omics approaches carries the potential to discover links among host factors (genomics), host responses (transcriptomics, metabolomics), and local environment (microbiomics).

This research describes numerical methods to analyze the absolute transport demand of cyclists and then to quantify the road network weaknesses of a city with the aim to identify infrastructure improvements in favor of cyclists. The methods are based on a combination of bicycle counts and map-matched GPS traces and are demonstrated with the city of Bologna, Italy: the dataset is based on approximately 27,500 GPS traces from cyclists, recorded over a period of one month on a volunteer basis using a smartphone application. A first method estimates absolute, city-wide bicycle flows, by scaling map-matched bicycle flows of the entire network to manual and instrumental bicycle counts of the main bikeways of the city. As there is a good correlation between the two sources of flow data, the absolute bike-flows on the entire network have been correctly estimated. A second method describes a novel link-deviation index, which quantifies for each network edge the total deviation generated for cyclists in terms of extra distances traveled with respect to the shortest possible route. The deviations are accepted by cyclists either to avoid unpleasant road attributes along the shortest route or to experience more favorable road attributes along the chosen route. The link deviation index indicates the planner which road links are contributing most to the total deviation of all cyclists – in this way, repelling and attracting road attributes for cyclists can be identified. This is why the deviation index is of practical help to prioritize bike infrastructure construction on individual road network links.

Wi-Fi fingerprinting positioning systems have been deployed for a long time in location-based services for indoor environments. Combining mobile crowdsensing and Wi-Fi fingerprinting systems could reduce the high cost for collecting the necessary data enabling the deployment of the resulting system for outdoor positioning in areas with dense Wi-Fi coverage. In this paper, we present the results attained in the designing and evaluation of an urban fingerprinting positioning system based on crowdsensed Wi-Fi measurements. We first asses the quality of the collected measurements, highlighting the influence of received signal strength on data collection. We then, evaluate the proposed system by comparing the influence of the crowdsensed fingerprints on the overall positioning accuracy for different scenarios. The evaluation helps gain valuable insight into the design and deployment of urban Wi-Fi positioning systems while also allowing the proposed system to match GPS-like accuracy in similar conditions.

This paper presents performed Ansys numerical simulation on WindFloat structures. It contributes to the methodology of calculation based on CFD instruments to study the movements of the waves on semi-submersible stationary structures and highlights the importance of using RAO functions. RAO numerical approach developed can be applied to design semisubmersible WindFloat structures in order to fulfill essential requirements regarding operational safety and design. Numerical methodology was designed in accordance marine loads and the I.T.T.C. recommendations. The numerical RAO results for regular wave movements include many elements for the semi-submergible structure. Close results to open sea operation can be achieved by constant improvement in numerical simulation methodologies. The work opens the way for further hydrodynamic development on irregular waves for realistic hydrodynamic and structural response of the actual semi-submersibles at sea. The results demonstrate the accuracy of RAO function approach for specific WindFloat in Jonswap spectrum.

1) Background- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a common surgical intervention for patients with severe coronary artery disease. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score has been widely used to predict mortality risk in patients with end-stage liver disease, but its utility in predicting postoperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients is less well-established. 2) Methods-This retrospective study aims to investigate the association between preoperative MELD score and post-operative complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality in patients under-going coronary artery bypass grafting. This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary care academic medical center. The study includes all adult patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting between January 2011 and December 2020. Preoperative MELD scores were calculated for each patient, and postoperative outcomes including major ad-verse cardiac events, length of hospital stay, and 30-day mortality was assessed. To ensure a homogeneous study cohort, we excluded patients who underwent emergent cardiac procedures or had incomplete data necessary for the calculation of MELD scores and assessment of postoperative outcomes. Data was extracted from the electronic medical records, including patient de-mographics, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, operative details, and postoperative outcomes. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and the require-ment for informed consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of the study.3) Results- This study reveals a statistical association between the MELD score calculated at admission and the length of hospital stay, duration in the ICU, patient age, and the duration of aortic clamping and extracorporeal circulation. Specifically, there is an exponential increase in the MELD score corre-lating with the rise in these factors, both collectively and individually, highlighting a significant relationship between the duration of extracorporeal circulation and aortic clamping time. 4) Conclusion-Patients with a high MELD score had an increased risk of postoperative complications and mortality compared to those with a low MELD score. Careful preoperative patient selection and optimization of the patient's clinical condition may improve outcomes in patients with advanced liver disease undergoing cardiac surgery.

Powerful emitters of the ultraviolet C (UVC) light in the wavelength range of 230-280nm are necessary for the development of effective and safe optical disinfection technologies, high-sensitive optical spectroscopy and non-line-of-sight optical communication. This review considers such UVC-emitters with electron-beam pumping of heterostructures with quantum wells in the (Al,Ga)N material system. The important advantages of these emitters include the absence of the critical problem of p-type doping and the possibility of achieving record (up to several tens of watts for peak values) output optical power values in the UVC range. The review consistently considers about a decade of world experience in the implementation of various UV emitters with various types of thermionic, field-emission, and plasma-cathode electron guns (sources) used to excite various designs of active (light-emitting) regions in heterostructures with quantum wells AlxGa1-xN/AlyGa1-yN (x = 0 − 0.5, y = 0.6 − 1) fabricated either by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition or by plasma-activated molecular beam epitaxy. Special attention is paid to the production of heterostructures with multiple quantum wells/two-dimensional(2D) quantum disks GaN/AlN with a monolayer (1ML ~ 0.25nm) thickness, which ensures a high internal quantum efficiency of radiative recombination in the UVC range, low elastic stresses in heterostructures, and a high output UVC-optical powers.

Many engineered approaches have been proposed over the years for solving the hard problem of performing indoor localisation using smartphone sensors. However, specialising these solutions for difficult edge cases remains challenging. Here we propose an end-to-end hybrid multimodal deep neural network localisation system, MM-Loc, relying on zero hand-engineered features, learning them automatically from data instead. This is achieved by using modality-specific neural networks to extract preliminary features from each sensing modality, which are then combined by cross-modality neural structures. We show that our choice of modality-specific neural architectures is capable of estimating the location with good accuracy independently. But for better accuracy, a multimodal neural network fusing the features of early modality-specific representations is a better proposition. Our proposed MM-Loc solution is tested on cross-modality samples characterised by different sampling rates and data representation (inertial sensors, magnetic and WiFi signals), outperforming traditional approaches for location estimation. MM-Loc elegantly trains directly from data unlike conventional indoor positioning systems, which rely on human intuition.

The quest for surgical advancements regarding the enhancement of the submental and cervicofacial regions has witnessed a remarkable upsurge in recent years. Informed patients are actively seeking sophisticated plastic surgery techniques to achieve comprehensive rejuvenation in these specific areas. Our clinical practice encounters an annual influx of approximately 400 patients, with 20% of them aged over 60, seeking facial rejuvenation encompassing the details of lower third of the face and neck. Common concerns expressed by these patients include sagging of the jawline, the emergence of deep perioral wrinkles, and the formation of "marionette lines" within the lower third of the face. Furthermore, the manifestation of age-related signs, including neck laxity, submental adipose accumulation, "witch's chin" deformity, and weakened platysma musculature, is frequently encountered within this intricate anatomical domain. This review aims to summarize the recent technical improvements, historical evolution, indications, postoperative care and challenges for facial rejuvenation of the lower third of the face and neck. Lastly, the application of minimally invasive procedures as part of a comprehensive approach to an aging face will also be discussed.

Stage IV grade C localized periodontitis (pre-puberal localized aggressive periodontitis/LPP), an extremely rare form of periodontal disease, occurs in otherwise healthy individuals (no signs of dental plaque/calculus) due a hyper-aggressive auto-immune response to high periodontopathic bacteria levels. Methods: A 4-year-old Caucasian girl with unusual high mobility of temporary lower left canine and localized gingival inflammation was misrecognized by multiple clinicians (initially diagnosed with hypophosphatasia, genetic and metabolic disorders, all turning negative), over a period of 4-6 month, despite initial radiographs showing clear pathognomonic signs. LPP diagnostic was made by the last clinician, but by now the tooth was lost. Similar inflammation signs appeared around the lower temporary right canine. X-ray examination showed similar bone and periodontal loss as previously seen, while periodontopathic bacteria tested highly positive. The patient received both mechanical cleaning and ten days systemic antibiotic treatment (Augmentin and Metronidazole). Results: Two months after, inflammation signs disappeared, with periodontal regeneration radiologically present, and only small periodontopathic bacteria precursors concentrations. Conclusions: Despite initial periodontal loss, an adequate treatment can keep under control an LPP disease. Moreover, bone and periodontal regeneration appears if periodontopathic bacteria scores are kept lower, showing the importance of fast adequate diagnostic and treatment.

A hybrid material, consisting of commercially available nitrocellulose (NC) membrane non-covalently modified with amino-polyethylene glycol functionalized reduced graphene oxide (NH2-PEG-rGO) nanoparticles, was successfully synthesized for oligonucleotide extraction. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the modification of the NC membrane, revealing characteristic peaks of both compounds NC and NH2-PEG-rGO. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) exhibited morphological changes in the NC/NH2-PEG-rGO hybrid membrane, marked by the introduction of NH2-PEG-rGO particles, resulting in a distinctly smothered surface compared to the porous surface of the NC control membrane. Wettability assays revealed hydrophobic behavior for the NC/NH2-PEG-rGO hybrid membrane, with a water contact angle exceeding 90°, contrasting with the hydrophilic behavior characterized by a 16.7° contact angle in the NC membrane. The performance of the NC/NH2-PEG-rGO hybrid membrane was evaluated for the extraction of ssDNA with fewer than 50 nucleotides from solutions containing various ionic species (MnCl2, MgCl2, and MnCl2/MgCl2). The NC/NH2-PEG-rGO hybrid membrane exhibited optimal performance when incubated in MgCl2, presenting the highest fluorescence emission at 525 relative fluorescence units (r.f.u.). This corresponds to the extraction of approximately 610 pg (≈13%) of the total oligo-DNA, underscoring the efficacy of the pristine material, which extracts 286 pg (≈6%) of oligo-DNA in complex solutions.

This paper presents a methodology based on deep learning models and metaheuristic algorithms for the optimization of airfoils for the design of aircraft wings with large endurance. The use of AZTLI-NN (a neural network with an architecture composed of a multilayer perceptron and a variational autoencoder) is implemented for the prediction of graphs of the aerodynamic coefficients of the airfoil as a function of the angle of attack. This neural network presents good predictions of the aerodynamic coefficients, similar to the coefficients obtained with computational fluid dynamics simulations. AZTLI-NN in combination of metaheuristic algorithms and the CST profile parameterization method show excellent performance in single-objective and multi-objective profile optimization tasks.

This article analyzes 6 probability distributions from the Generalized Pareto family, with 3, 4 and 5 parameters, with main purpose to identify other distributions from this family with applicability in flood frequency analysis compared to the distribution already used in the literature from this family such as Generalized Pareto Type II and Wakeby. This analysis is part of a larger and more complex research carried out in the Faculty of Hydrotechnics regarding the elaboration of a norm for flood frequency analysis using the linear moments method. In Romania, the standard method of parameter estimation is the method of ordinary moments, thus the transition from this method to the method of linear moments is desired. All the necessary elements for the distributions use are presented like, the probability density functions, the complementary cumulative distribution functions, the quantile functions, the exact and approximate relations for estimating parameters, for both methods of parameters estimation. All these elements are necessary for a proper transition between the two methods, especially since the use of the method of ordinary moments is done by choosing the skewness of the observed data depending on the origin of the maximum flows. A flood frequency analysis case study, using annual maximum and annual exceedance series, was carried out for the Prigor river, to numerically present the analyzed distributions. The performance of this distributions is evaluated using relative mean error, relative absolute error and linear moments diagram.

This article presents six probability distributions from the Gamma family with three parameters, for the flood frequency analysis in hydrology. The choice of the Gamma family of statistical dis-tributions was driven by its frequent use in hydrology. In the Faculty of Hydrotechnics, the im-provement of the estimation of maximum flows and including the methodological bases for the realization of a regionalization study with the linear moments method with the corrected pa-rameters was researched, being an element of novelty. The linear moments method is better than MOM because it avoids the choice of skewness depending on the origin of the flows, practiced in Romania. The L-moments method conforms to the current trend for estimating the parameters of statistical distributions. Observed data from hydrometric stations are of relatively short length, so the statistical parameters that characterize them are of a sample that requires correction. The correction of the statistical parameters is proposed, using the method of least squares based on the inverse functions of the statistical distributions expressed with the frequency factor for L-moments. All the necessary elements for their use are presented like, quantile functions, the exact and ap-proximate relations for estimating parameters and frequency factors. A flood frequency analysis case study was carried out for the Ialomita river, to verify the proposed methodology. The per-formance of this distributions is evaluated using Kiling-Gupta and Nash-Sutcliff coefficients.

Estimating the parameters of statistical distributions generally involves solving a system of nonlinear equations or a nonlinear equation, being a technical difficulty in their usual application in hydrology. This article presents improved approximations and, in some cases, new approximations for the estimation with the method of ordinary moments and the method of linear moments, which are useful for the direct calculation of the parameters, because the errors in the approximate estimation are similar to the use of iterative numerical methods. Thirteen statistical distributions of two and three parameters frequently used in hydrology are presented, for which parameter estimation was laborious. Thus, the approximate estimation of the parameters by the two methods is simple but also precise and easily applicable by hydrology researchers. The approximate forms characterized by very small errors are the result of the research conducted within the Faculty of Hydrotechnics to update the romanian normative standards in the hydrotechnical field.

The work analyses the way in which symptoms and life themes manifest in middle-aged adults diagnosed with major recurrent depression. Specifically, the relationships between symptoms, life themes, and life themes - symptoms have been analyzed. For this purpose, Spearman correlation, and the methods of Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) were used. Seven symptoms and twenty-six life themes were identified in the patients analyzed as well as similarities of symptoms/life themes (at patient level), the ranking of the importance of symptoms on each life theme (at the level of the group of patients), the rankings of the similarities of life themes in relation to different symptoms or various groups of symptoms (at the level of the group of patients), and dysfunctional cycles of symptoms and life themes (at patient level). The findings only refer to the patients analyzed. Although our findings cannot be generalized, there is a possibility that some of them may also be encountered in other patients. However, the design of the work can be used to initiate other similar studies.

The present study analyses the influence of scratches and fatigue on the mechanical characteristics of aluminium alloys commonly used in the aviation industry: 2024-T4, 6061-T4, 6061-T4 uncoated, 6061-T6 uncoated, 7075-T0, and 7076-T6. 120 specimens were used for the study. Out of these, 60 samples were scratched, and the other 60 samples were also scratched under the same circumstances and then subjected to low-cycle fatigue (LCF) before undergoing the tensile test. Based on the statistical examination of the measured data, mathematical prediction models have been established. Compared to their unscratched counterparts, the results indicate a significant decrease in the mechanical properties of both scratched and scratched-fatigued sample sets. The LCF pre-treatment contributes to the negative impacts of scratches, resulting in a reduced value for the ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break. The results conclude that surface integrity plays an essential role in preserving aircraft components' structural strength.

Epidemiological data highlight prostate cancer as a significant global health issue, with high incidence and substantial impact on patients' quality of life. The prevalence of this disease is associated with various factors, including age, heredity, and race. Recent research in prostate cancer genetics has identified several genetic variants that may be associated with an increased risk of developing the disease. However, despite the significance of these findings, genetic markers for prostate cancer are not currently utilized in clinical practice as reliable indicators of the disease. In addition to genetics, epigenetic alterations also play a crucial role in prostate cancer development. Aberrant DNA methylation, changes in chromatin structure, and microRNA (miRNA) expression are major epigenetic events that influence oncogenesis. Existing markers for prostate cancer, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), have limitations in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The cost of testing, follow-up procedures, and treatment for false-positive results and overdiagnosis contributes to the overall healthcare expenditure. Improving the effectiveness of prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis requires either narrowing the risk group by identifying new genetic factors or enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of existing markers. Immunological biomarkers (both circulating and intra-tumoral), including markers of immune response and immune dysfunction, represent a potentially useful area of research for enhancing the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. Our review emphasizes the need for developing novel immunological biomarkers to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of prostate cancer. We highlight the most recent achievements in the identification of biomarkers provided by circulating monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We highlight that monocytes-derived and TAMs-derived biomarkers can enable to establish the missing links between genetic predisposition, hormonal metabolism and immune responses in prostate cancer.

This study examines the impact of the impregnation of fireclay-based conventional (CC) and medium cement castables (MCC) with liquid sodium silicate glass under vacuum conditions. The goal is to assess how this treatment affects physical, mechanical properties, and durability (alkali and thermal shock resistance) of these castables used in biomass combustion boilers, where they are exposed to temperatures up to 1100°C. The research work employs standard test methods to evaluate physical and mechanical properties. Additionally, advanced techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and specific tests for alkali resistance and thermal shock resistance are used. The research findings suggest that impregnation with sodium silicate glass under vacuum significantly enhances the alkali resistance of both CC and MCC castables. This improvement is primarily due to the reduction in porosity and the increase in density. SEM images reveal that impregnated samples are coated with a glassy layer and the pores are partially filled with sodium silicate. Tests for alkali resistance demonstrate the formation of a protective glassy layer (with a thickness of 0.9-1.5 mm) on the castables surfaces, thereby reducing further penetration of alkali into deeper layers of the samples. However, it is important to mention that impregnated refractory castables have reduced resistance to thermal shock cycles.

The purpose of this article is to investigate and analyze the practices of scientific management within the County Departments of Sports and Youth (CDYS) in Romania. Conducted through a comprehensive research endeavor spanning from January to June 2022, the study utilized a standardized questionnaire as its primary instrument for data collection, distributed among CDYS directors. A notable finding from the study indicates that a significant proportion of respondents (44.9%) perceive notable disparities in the normative-functional elements governing the National Sports System in Romania compared to international standards. Moreover, the majority (51%) consistently adhere to regulatory acts, while a substantial portion (69.4%) underscore the importance of strict adherence to internal regulations in strategy formulation. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority (88.9%) acknowledge the substantial influence of available resources on strategy development, with collaboration with authorities primarily occurring through direct communication channels. Respondents prioritize multiple objectives (44.9%), affirm the necessity of various competencies (53.1%), and identify a lack of human and financial resources (59.2%) as the most significant obstacle. Notable achievements highlighted in the study include the improvement of the county's sports performance (53.1%). Respondents also believe that setting clear and realistic objectives (38.8%) is pivotal to enhancing CDYS management, while considerations in formulating strategies emphasize trends in the sports domain (42.9%) and the specific needs of the local sports community (42.9%). Overall, this research contributes to the understanding and promotion of more efficient practices in managing sports and youth departments within Romania's counties.

Diseases of the lung account for more than 5 million deaths worldwide and are a burden to healthcare. Improving clinical outcomes including mortality and quality of life involves a holistic understanding the etiopathogenesis, which can be provided by multi-omics integration of lung data. An enhanced understanding of large comprehensive datasets provides opportunities to mine those datasets for features that contribute to prevention and amelioration of disease. In this review, we evaluate lung disease models including animal models, organoids and single cell lines as mechanisms to study multiomics in lung health and disease. We provide examples of lung diseases where multi-omics investigations have provided a deeper insight into pathogenesis that has resulted in improved preventive and therapeutic interventions.

Intussusceptive pillars, regarded as a hallmark of intussusceptive angiogenesis, have been described in developing vasculature of many organs and organisms. The aim of this study was to resolve the question about pillar formation and their further maturation employing zebrafish caudal vein plexus (CVP). The CVP development was monitored by in vivo confocal microscopy in high spatio-temporal resolution using the transgenic zebrafish model Fli1a:eGPF//Gata1:dsRed. We tracked back the formation of pillars (diameter ≤4µm) and intercapillary meshes (diameter >4µm) and analysed their morphology and behaviour. Transluminal pillars in the CVP arose by a combination of sprouting, lumen expansion, and/or by creation of intraluminal folds, and those mechanisms were not associated directly with blood flow. The follow-up of pillars indicated that one third of them disappeared between 28-48 hours post fertilisation (hpf) and of the remaining ones only 1/17 changed their cross-section area by >50%. The majority of the bigger meshes (39/62) increased their cross-section area by >50%. Plexus simplification and establishment of hierarchy was dominated by the dynamics of intercapillary meshes, which formed mainly by sprouting angiogenesis. These meshes were observed to grow, reshape, and merge with each other. Our observations suggested an alternative view on intussusceptive angiogenesis in the CVP.

The gravel road pavement has a lower construction cost but poorer performance than the asphalt surface. It also emits dust and deforms under the impact of vehicle loads and ambient air factors. The resulting ripples and ruts are constantly deepening, increasing vehicle vibrations and fuel consumption, reducing safe driving speed and comfort. In this article, existing pavement quality evaluation indexes are analysed, and a methodology for their adaptation for roads with gravel pavement is proposed. This article reports the measured wave depth and length of the gravel pavement profile by the straightedge method of a 160 m long road section in three road exploitation stages. The measured pavement elevation was processed according to ISO 8608, and vehicle frequency response has been investigated using simulations in MATLAB/Simulink. The applied International Roughness Index (IRI) analysis showed that a speed of 30-45 km/h instead of 80 km/h provides the objective results of IRI calculation on the flexible pavement due to a decreasing velocity of vehicle's unsprung mass on a more deteriorated road pavement state. The influence of the corrugation phenomenon of gravel pavement has been explored, identifying specific driving safety and comfort cases. Finally, an increase in the Dynamic Load Coefficient (DLC) at a low speed of 30 km/h on the most deteriorated pavement and a high speed of 90 km/h on the middle-quality pavement demonstrates the demand for timely gravel pavement maintenance and the complicated prediction of a safe driving speed for drivers.

(1) Background: The intermediate-depth seismicity in the Vrancea region (Romania) is characterized by localized and persistent earthquake activity that culminates about two or three times in a century with the occurrence of a large event (M 6.5). Here we have revisited some important seismicity characteristics, using earthquake catalog data spanning two different time periods: 2005 – 2013 and 1960 – 2000. (2) Methods: we have determined the b-value of the frequency-magnitude distribution of earthquakes, using a maximum likelihood procedure, and estimated the parameter to quantify anomalous seismicity rate decreases and increases. (3) Results: by using data from the first period, we have confirmed the existence of a decreased b-value in the deepest part of the seismogenic zone; by using data from the second period, we have statistically confirmed the seismic quiescence that preceded the occurrence of the 1977 M7.4 Vrancea earthquake. (4) Conclusions: the decreased b-value has been interpreted either in terms of an increased lithostatic stress with depth or as an indicator of the depth range where the next major Vrancea earthquake may occur. The time variation of the seismicity parameter may reveal anomalous seismic quiescence and increased earthquake rates that may precede the occurrence of large earthquakes.

(1) Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown interesting preliminary ef-fects over self-regulation processes in early adolescence. However, interventions usually integrate various types of practices with no clarity about the specific effect of each of them over attentional, emotional, and behavioral regulation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of two MBIs, one focused on classic attentional practices and another one focused on the recognition and expression of emotions, over attentional, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation in early adolescents. (2) Method: An experimental method was carried out. A sample of 70 children be-tween 8 and 12 years old were randomized and assigned to three experimental conditions: 1) MBI with a focus on attentional practices, 2) MBI with a focus on recognition and expression of emotions, 3) control group, waiting list. The programs lasted 8 weeks, with a weekly 1-hour online synchronic session, plus home practices. Children were evaluated before starting the in-tervention and at the end of the 8-week program. The assessed variables were: 1) Mindfulness; 2) Emotional Regulation; 3) Attentional Regulation and 4) Behavioral regulation. (3) Results: Chil-dren that participated in both programs, increased their mindfulness and emotional and be-havioral regulation scores. Only children who participated in the program with a focus on at-tention showed significant changes in their ability to self-regulate attention. (4) Conclusions: online MBIs, with attention to external and internal stimuli practices, can be a good strategy to strengthen self-regulation skills of attention, emotions, and behavior in early adolescence.

With the development of the energy sector based on renewable primary sources, structural changes are emerging for the entire national energy system. Initially, it was estimated that energy generation based on fossil fuels would decrease until its disappearance. However, the evolution of CO2 capture capacity leads to a possible coexistence for a certain period with the renewable energy sector. The paper develops this concept of coexistence of the two systems, with the positioning of green hydrogen not only within the renewable energy sector but also as a transformation vector for carbon dioxide captured in the form of synthetic fuels such as CH4 and CH3OH. The paper also analyzes the economic aspects related to price differences for energy produced in the two sectors, as well as their interconnection. The technical aspect, as well as the economic one, for storage through various other solutions besides hydrogen, has been highlighted. The development of the renewable energy sector and its demarcation from the fossil fuel energy sector, even with the transcendent vector represented by green hydrogen, leads to the deepening of dispersion aspects between the electricity sector and the thermal energy sector, a less mentioned aspect in current works but of great importance.

Background: The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) combines standardized terminology with a classification system for imaging findings in patients with HCC, therefore rendering diagnostic biopsy unnecessary in many cases. This retrospective study included 23 patients with a biopsy diagnosis of HCC, performed either before or after local interventional procedures, in order to evaluate the histopathologic changes induced by previous procedures and their potential influence on the response to immune therapy. Material and Methods: The study encompassed a cohort of patients diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Diagnosis was established through contrast-enhanced computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging that identified LI-RADS-5 nodules in conjunction with historical liver disease and elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, or through histological examination confirming positivity for glypican3, heat shock protein70, and glutamine synthetase. The study detailed the liver disease etiology, LI-RADS scores, characteristics and dimensions of HCC nodules, serum AFP concentrations, Edmondson-Steiner grading, and the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the tumor cells. Results: Among the study's cohort of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) patients, a portion had not received any prior treatments, while the remainder experienced local HCC recurrence following trans-arterial chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation. Observations indicated elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in those who had not undergone any previous interventions, showing statistical significance. The Edmondson-Steiner classification predominantly identified grade III differentiation across patients, irrespective of their treatment history. Furthermore, an increase in intra-tumoral programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was noted in patients who had not been subjected to previous therapies. Conclusion: Liver biopsy offers valuable insights for patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), assisting in the tailoring of immune therapy strategies, particularly in cases of recurrence following prior local interventions.

Major cardiovascular events (MACE) are a cause of major mortality worldwide. The narrowing and blockage of coronary arteries with atherosclerotic plaques is diagnosed and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). During this procedure, coronary angiography (CAG) remains the most widely used guidance modality for the evaluation the affected blood vessel diameter in order to decide if intervention with stent colocation is suitable, where small blood vessels (< 2.75 mm) are majorly left untreated; however, small vessel coronary artery disease (SvCAD) is a significant risk factor for recurrence of MACE, and there are some limitations to the use of CAG that could be improved with the use of newer techniques such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), although at higher costs, which might explain their underuse. To address this discrepancy and identify specific cases for its use, we conducted a retrospective study in patients who underwent PCI for MACE with at least one small blood vessel affected. The affected small blood vessels’ diameter was obtained with both CAG and IVUS, additionally we underwent a multivariate analysis to identify risk factors associated with a change in diameter. We included information from 48 patients with mean + SD age of 69.1 + 11.9 years and 34% were masculine gender. We found a significant positive low correlation in diameter measurements of small blood vessels (r=0.1242 p=0.014). Mean diameter with CAG and IVUS was 2.1 mm (95% CI 1.9-2.2), and 2.8 (2.8-3.0) the estimated difference was of 0.8 mm (95 % CI 0.7-0.9). In total 37 (77%) of patients had a reclassification of their blood vessels from a small to medium (2.75-3.00 mm) in 21 cases, or even large (<3.00 mm) in 15 cases, after IVUS; this was important for the decision of intervention and stent collocation. The only variable associated with reclassification of blood vessels after adjusted in a multivariate analysis was DT2 (p=0 0.035). Our findings corroborate that blood vessels might appear smaller with CAG, especially in the diabetes population, therefore at least in these cases the use of IVUS is recommended over CAG.

Tailoring extracellular vesicles (EVs) as targeted drug delivery systems to enhance the therapeutic efficacy showed superior advantage over liposomal therapies. Herein, we developed a novel nanotool for targeting B16.F10 murine melanoma, based on EVs stabilized with Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and loaded with doxorubicin (DOX). Nanosized EVs were efficiently enriched from melanoma cells cultured under metabolic stress by ultrafiltration coupled with size exclusion chromatography (UF-SEC) and characterized by size, morphology, and proteome. To reduce their clearance in vivo, EVs were PEGylated and passively loaded with DOX (PEG-EV-DOX). Our data suggested that the low PEG coverage of EVs might still favor EV surface protein interactions with target proteins from intratumor cells, ensuring their use as “Trojan horses” to deliver DOX to the tumor tissue. Moreover, our results showed a superior antitumor activity of PEG-EV-DOX in B16.F10 murine melanoma models in vitro and in vivo compared to that exerted by clinically applied liposomal DOX in the same tumor model. The PEG-EV-DOX administration in vivo reduced NF-κB activation and increased BAX expression, suggesting better prognosis of EV-based therapy than liposomal DOX treatment. Collectively, our results highlight the promising potential of EVs as optimal tools for systemic delivery of DOX to solid tumors.

Nanotechnology has provided an opportunity for unparalleled development of the treatment of various severe diseases. The unique properties of nanoparticles offer a promising strategy in enhancing antitumor immunity by enhancing immunogenicity and presentation of tumor autoantigens for cancer immunotherapy. Polymeric, liposomal, carbon or silica-based nanoparticles are among those with major immunomodulatory roles in various cancer treatments. Cancer vaccines, in particular digestive cancer vaccines have been researched and developed on nanotechnological platforms. Due to their safety, controlled release, targeting of dendritic cells(DCs) and improved antigen uptake, as well as enhanced immunogenicity, nanoparticles have been used as carriers, as adjuvants for increased effect at the tumor level, for their immunomodulating effect, or for targeting tumor microenvironment, increasing tumor immunogenicity and reducing tumor inflamatory response. This review looks at digestive cancer vaccines developed on nanoparticle platforms and the impact nanoparticles have on the effects of these vaccines.

The medical sector is of the utmost importance in every country for well-known reasons such as their economic development, national security, quality of life, and so on. Many researchers were dedicated to this topic, however, in Romania there are limited studies on this subject. One reason is that most of the businesses in this sector are individual enterprises or small family businesses. In our research paper we deploy several analysis methods to see the financial sustainability of companies operating in the medical industry. By analyzing a sample of 23931 companies and we have concluded that their performance has increase in the peak of the pandemic and that the financial stability is high. Our results are in line with other similar studies that were conducted in other regions.

Condition monitoring is today a crucial and unavoidable practice related to the use of widespread mechanical components as rolling element bearings. Despite the diffusion of new data-driven techniques to analyze vibrational signals and detect the state of health of the system, mathematical tools, deriving more or less directly from the Fourier transform and defined either on the time or the frequency domain or on a combination of them (i.e. signal-based techniques), remain still essential and irreplaceable in the light of the deep and detailed information they provide. In this paper the diagnostic efficacy of an ample spectrum of these methods is investigated, applying them to study faults occurrence in the first bearing dataset released by NASA IMS Center. Thanks to their analytical definition, which is formulated taking into consideration to some extent the mathematical nature of the signal, faults signatures can be clearly identified and their temporal development can be fully traced, confirming their ability as powerful means to constantly monitor the state of a system even in real-time applications.

In this paper mathematical analysis of the HIV/AIDS deterministic model exposed in [Espitia, C. et. al. Mathematical Model of HIV/AIDS Considering Sexual Preferences Under Antiretroviral Therapy, a Case Study in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia, Journal of Computational Biology 29 (2022) 483–493] is made. The objective is to gain insight into the qualitative dynamics of the model determining the conditions for the persistence or effective control of the disease in the community through the study of basic properties such as positiveness and boundedness, calculus of basic reproduction number, stationary points such as disease free equilibrium (DFE), boundary equilibrium (BE) and endemic equilibrium (EE) are calculated, local stability (LAS) of disease free equilibrium. It research allow to conclude that the best way to reduce contagion and consequently to reach a DFE is thought to be the reduction of homosexual partners rate as they are the most affected population by the virus, and are therefore the most likely to become infected and to spread the infection. Increasing the departure rate of infected individuals, leads to a decrease in untreated infected heterosexual men and untreated infected women.

The new mineral species oyonite, ideally Ag3Mn2Pb4Sb7As4S24, has been discovered in the Uchucchacua polymetallic deposit, Oyon district, Catajambo, Lima Department, Peru, as very rare black metallic subhedral to anhedral crystals, up to 100 μm in length, associated with orpiment, tennantite/tetrahedrite, menchettiite, and other unnamed minerals of the system Pb-Ag-Sb-Mn-As-S, in calcite matrix. Its Vickers hardness (VHN100) is 137 kg/mm2 (range 132–147). In reflected light, oyonite is weakly to moderately bireflectant and weakly pleochroic from dark grey to a dark green. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance values for the four COM wavelengths (Rmin, Rmax (%) (λ in nm)) are: 33.9, 40.2 (471.1); 32.5, 38.9 (548.3), 31.6, 38.0 (586.6); and 29.8, 36.5 (652.3). Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt %, average of 5 spot analyses): Cu 0.76 (2), Ag 8.39 (10), Mn 3.02 (7), Pb 24.70 (25), As 9.54 (12), Sb 28.87 (21), S 24.30 (18), total 99.58 (23). On the basis of 20 cations per formula unit, the chemical formula of oyonite is Cu0.38Ag2.48Mn1.75Pb3.79Sb7.55As4.05S24.12. The main diffraction lines are (d in Å, hkl and relative intensity): 3.34 (-312; 40), 3.29 (-520; 100), 2.920 (-132; 40), 2.821 (-232; 70), 2.045 (004; 50). The crystal structure study revealed oyonite to be monoclinic, space group P21/n, with unit-cell parameters a = 19.1806 (18), b = 12.7755 (14), c = 8.1789 (10) Å, β = 90.471 (11)°, V = 2004.1 (4) Å3, Z = 2. The crystal structure was refined to a final R1 = 0.032 for 6272 independent reflections. Oyonite belongs to the Sb-rich members of the andorite homeotypic sub-series within the lillianite homologous series. The name oyonite is after the Oyon district, Lima Department, Peru, the district where the type locality (Uchucchacua mine) is located.

Every (multimedia) service needs to be accessible. Accessibility for multimedia content is typically provided by means of access services, of which subtitling is likely the most widespread one. Up to date, many recommendations and solutions for subtitling classical 2D audiovisual services are available. Likewise, recent efforts have been devoted to devising adequate subtitling solutions for VR360 video content. This paper, for the first time, goes a step beyond, by exploring two key requirements to fulfill remaining challenges towards efficiently subtitling 3D Virtual Reality (VR) content: presentation modes, and guiding methods. By leveraging insights from earlier work on VR360 content, the paper proposes novel presentation modes and guiding methods to not only deal with the freedom to explore the omnidirectional scenes, but also with additional specificities of 3D VR compared to VR360 content: depth, 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF), and viewing perspectives. The obtained results prove that always-visible and a novel proposed comic-style presentation mode are far more appropriate than state-of-the-art fixed-positioned subtitles, mainly in terms of immersion, ease and comfort of reading, and identification of speakers, when applied to professional pieces of content with limited displacement of speakers and with limited 6DoF (i.e. users are not expected to largely navigate around the virtual environment). Likewise, even in such limited movement scenarios, the results show that the use of indicators (arrows), as guiding methods, is well received. Overall, the paper provides relevant insights and paves the way toward efficiently subtitling 3D VR content.

The influence of aluminosilicate pozzolanic waste, specifically spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst (FCCW) and metakaolin waste (MK) from expanded glass industry, on the properties of hardened Portland cement paste were analysed. The study involved replacing part of cement with FCCW and MK and observing their impact on hydration, microstructure, density and compressive strength of hardened cement paste. Various analysis methods were employed, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to understand the changes in the structure of hardened cement paste during hydration. The findings revealed that FCCW tends to accelerate cement hydration process due to its high surface area and pozzolanic activity. Notably, the formation of portlandite crystals was observed on FCCW particle surfaces in a specific direction. These crystals appeared smaller and developed in different directions in compositions containing a composite binder with mixture of FCCW and MK in a ratio 1:1. This could be influenced by pozzolanic reactions activated by fine particles of MK and the formation of calcium silicate hydrates (CSH) and calcium alumino silicate hydrates (CASH) in the presence of portlandite. XRD and TG results indicated that the specimens containing a composite binder exhibited the least amount of portlandite. The compressive strength of these specimens increased compared to control specimens, although the amount of cement was 9% lower.

This paper summarizes over a decade of collaborative eco-archaeological research along the central coast of California involving researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, tribal citizens from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and California Department of Parks and Recreation archaeologists. Our research employs remote sensing methods to document and assess cultural resources threatened by coastal erosion and geophysical methods to identify archaeological deposits, minimize impacts on sensitive cultural resources, and provide tribal and state collaborators with a suite of data to consider before proceeding with any form of invasive archaeological excavation. Our case study of recent eco-archaeological research developed to define the historical biogeography of threatened and endangered anadromous salmonids demonstrates how remote sensing technologies help identify dense archaeological deposits, remove barriers, and create bridges through equitable and inclusive research practices between archaeologists and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. These experiences have resulted in the incorporation of remote sensing techniques as a central approach of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band when conducting archaeology in their traditional territories.

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is frequently associated with pulmonary thrombotic events, especially in hospitalised patients. Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection is characterized by a proinflammatory state and an associated disbalance in hemostasis. Immune pathology analysis supports the inflammatory nature of pulmonary arterial thrombi composed by white blood cells, especially neutrophils, CD3+ and CD20+ lymphocytes, fibrin, red blood cells and platelets. Immune cells, cytokines, chemokines and the complement system are key drivers of immunothrombosis, as they induce the damage of endothelial cells and initiate pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant positive feedback loops. Neutrophil extracellular traps induced by COVID-19-associated “cytokine storm”, platelets, red blood cells, and coagulation pathways close the inflammation-endotheliopathy-thrombosis axis, contributing to SARS-CoV-2 associated pulmonary thrombotic events. The hypothesis of immunothrombosis is also supported by the minor role of venous thromboembolism, chest CT imaging data showing peripheral blood clots associated with inflammatory lesions and the high incidence of thrombotic events despite routine thromboprophylaxis. Understanding the complex mechanisms behind COVID-19-induced pulmonary thrombosis will lead to future combination therapies for hospitalised patients with severe disease, that would target the crossroads of inflammatory and coagulation pathways.

A forecasting scheme of the thermal updraft velocity based on a theoretical model and data collected from flights records at gliding competitions, is presented. The forecasting scheme was based on the hypothesis that there is linear relationship between the overheat function at ground surface and the temperature difference between soil and air. The proportionality factor of this relationship was determined experimentally using observations recorded during gliding flights. The results showed that based on this simple scheme forecasting thermal convection is possible at any geographical location.

The mental workload induced by a Web page is essential for improving the user’s browsing experience. However, continuously assessing the mental workload during a browsing task is challenging. In order to face this issue, this paper leverages the correlation between stimuli and physiological responses, which are measured with high-frequency, non-invasive psychophysiological sensors during very short span windows. An experiment was conducted to identify levels of mental workload through the analysis of pupil dilation measured by an eye-tracking sensor. In addition, a method was developed to classify real-time mental workload by appropriately combining different signals (electrodermal activity (EDA), electrocardiogram, photoplethysmography (PPG), electroencephalogram (EEG), temperature and eye gaze) obtained with non-invasive psychophysiological sensors. The results show that the Web browsing task involves on average four levels of mental workload. Also, by combining EEG with the PPG and EDA, the accuracy of the classification reaches 95.73 %.

Protein malnutrition is present in developing countries but also in developed ones, due by the actual eating habits with insufficient protein intake, in addition to this it is estimated by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations an increase of world population of 9.1 billion people in less those 30 years, posing the challenge of nourish the mankind. There are different strategies to afford this challenge, one of the most promising ones is to approach novel protein sources like plants, microorganisms, and insects from dry lands.

A substantial body of phenomenological and theoretical work over the last few years strengthens the possibility that the vacuum energy density (VED) of the universe is dynamical, and in particular that it adopts the `running vacuum model' (RVM) form, in which the VED evolves mildly as $\delta \rho_{\rm vac}(H)\sim \nu_{\rm eff} m_{\rm Pl}^2{\cal O}\left(H^2\right)$, where $H$ is the Hubble rate and $\nu_{\rm eff}$ is a (small) free parameter. This dynamical scenario is grounded on recent studies of quantum field theory (QFT) in curved spacetime and also on string theory. It turns out that what we call the `cosmological constant', $\Lambda$, is no longer a rigid parameter but the nearly sustained value of $8\pi G(H)\rho_{\rm vac}(H)$ around (any) given epoch $H(t)$, where $G(H)$ is the gravitational coupling, which can also be very mildly running (logarithmically). Of particular interest is the possibility suggested in past works that such a running may help to cure the cosmological tensions afflicting the $\Lambda$CDM. In the current study, we reanalyze it in full and we find it becomes further buttressed. Using the modern cosmological data, namely a compilation of the latest SNIa+BAO+$H(z)$+LSS+CMB observations, we probe to which extent the RVM provides a quality fit better than the concordance $\Lambda$CDM model, paying particular emphasis on its impact on the $\sigma_8$ and $H_0$ tensions. We utilize the Einstein-Boltzmann system solver \texttt{CLASS} and the Monte Carlo sampler \texttt{MontePython} for the statistical analysis, as well as the statistical DIC criterion to compare the running vacuum against the rigid vacuum ($\nu_{\rm eff} = 0$). On fundamental grounds, $\nu_{\rm eff}$ receives contributions from all the quantized matter fields in FLRW spacetime. We show that with a tiny amount of vacuum dynamics ($|\nu_{\rm eff}|\ll 1$) the global fit can improve significantly with respect to the $\CC$CDM and the mentioned tensions may subside to inconspicuous levels.

Penile cancer (PeCa) is a rare urological malignancy characterized by significant geographic variations in both incidence and mortality rates. Due to its rarity and the consequent lack of randomized trials, current management is based on retrospective studies and small prospective trials. In addition, the diagnostic pathways and treatment strategies exhibit substantial heterogeneity, differing significantly between less developed and well-developed countries. The prognosis of PeCa is determined by the presence and extent of regional lymph node (LN) involvement. Therefore, early detection and treatment of LN metastasis is paramount to ensure better outcomes. In recent decades, the overall survival for PeCa has increased, mainly due to advancements in imaging techniques and risk stratification. We aim to provide an overview of the current role of PET CT imaging in the management of patients with PeCa.

Purpose: To report the progression of patients diagnosed with birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR) initially treated with corticosteroids. Methods: We included 39 BSCR patients followed for ≥1 year. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to their initial treatment: methylprednisolone followed by prednisone (n=28) and prednisone alone (n=11). We analyzed the progression under treatment after 1, 3, 6 months, 1 year, and at the end of follow-up. Results: At the end of follow-up, 31/39 (79.5%) patients had reached inflammation control. Thirteen out of 28 (46.4%) and 6/11 (54.5%) patients were treated exclusively with corticosteroids, and 18/19 (94.7%) of them had reached inflammation control at the end of follow-up; their mean (range) corticosteroid dose was 3.5 (0-10) mg/day. Conclusion: We found that the prolonged corticosteroid therapy treatment strategy resulted in inflammation control in half of BSCR patients. This control was maintained with low doses of cortisone, usually <5 mg/day.

The present study evaluates the response to betahistine in patients who presented vestibular drops attacks in the context of Ménière's disease (MD) and the factors that can predict an unfavorable response to it. A total of 43 patients were analyzed, out of which 33 were diagnosed with MD. It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection. Data as regards age, accompanying symptoms, etiological diagnosis and response to MD treatment were collected. A statistical analysis was carried out, and we found that the disease evolution time and specific alterations in the vestibulospinal and oculomotor physical examination present an unfavorable response to betahistine, as opposed to the use of intratympanic gentamicin, with which symptomatic control is achieved in 100% of the cases.

The current challenges in the food packaging field are, on one side, replacing plastic from non-renewable sources with biopolymers and, on the other hand, generating a packaging material with attractive properties for the consumer. Nowadays, the consumer is concerned ecologically; the food packaging industry must ahead satisfy their needs. In this sense, incorporating several compounds with properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, or nutraceutical properties results attractive for the consumers. However, many of these properties can be diminished, so an encapsulation system is required. A good encapsulating system is crucial for these purposes, so polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) can be used with that finality. Nowadays, PECs are eye-catching in many fields because of their fascinating properties, which make them very attractive, mainly for being used as encapsulating systems. Hence, this paper reviews the use of PECs in food packaging where chitosan forms polyelectrolyte complexes.

Consideration of the individual bone characteristics of the wrist plays a key role in well-functioning biomedical devices and successful surgical procedures. Although geometric differences and individual bone sizes have been analyzed in the literature, detailed morphologic descriptions and correlations covering the entire wrist reported in a clinical context are lacking. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive and automatic analysis of wrist morphology using the freely available “Open Source Carpal Database” (OSCD). We quantified the dimensions of each of the individual carpal bones and their combination. These dimensions were extracted in n=117 datasets of the wrist of the OSCD in anatomical directions and analyzed using descriptive statics and correlation analysis to investigate morphological characteristics under gender-specific aspects. We found that there exist statistical differences between genders, and we concluded that gender specificity is an important variable affecting the utilization of biomedical device designs and clinical treatment.

This study aimed to assess the physical characteristics of elite international soccer referees, compare them with other referee populations in the literature, and establish reference tolerance ellipses for the bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) point graph. Forty-one elite international soccer referees (age 38.8 ± 3.6 years) participated in the study. the participants underwent body composition assessments, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, BIVA, and somatotype. The Somatotype Attitudinal Distance (SAD), the two-sample Hotelling’s T2 test, and the Mahalanobis test were used to determine somatotype and bioelectrical vector differences with the literature. The average somatotype of the referees was a balanced mesomorph (2.8, 6.5, 2.8). Elite international referees significantly differed from other samples in the literature (SAD = 2.1, 2.6, 2.9 with respect to Zimbabwean, Brazilian, and South African referees, respectively). The bioelectrical vector was significantly different from the general population (T2  76.6; F = 38.8; D = 1.44; P < 0.001) and athletes (T2  25.3; F = 12.6; D = 0.8; P < 0.001). Somatotype values and tolerance ellipses from this study may be useful as a reference for developing training programs and improving the selection process of referees in soccer.

The use of biodegradable materials has a growing field of application due to environmental concerns, however, scientific research on incremental forming using biomaterials is scarce. Thus, this study focuses on the single point incremental forming (SPIF) process applied to a composite sheet that combines a biodegradable thermoplastic matrix (Solanyl) reinforced with natural fibres (flax). The influence of the process parameters on the final geometry is determined, evaluating the effect of the following factors: step depth, wall angle and temperature reached during the process. Additionally, a heated aqueous medium is incorporated which facilitates the formability of the composite sheets. This method is especially useful for materials that have poor formability at room temperature. The benefits of using controlled heat include the reduction of formation forces applied to the plate, improved accuracy due to the reduction of elastic recovery, and the manipulation of the samples remarkably close to the glass transition temperatures. Through this experimental study with the variables analysed, a maximum shaping depth of 310 mm is obtained. These results confirm that the single point shaping used with bioplastic materials is possible and has positive outcomes for incremental forming.

The current trends in environment protection and sustainable development demand the investigations in the field of searching new perspective sources for any production. Oat husks seems to be a perspective resource. Cellulose isolated from oat wastes can be used for the production of different materials such as hydro and aerogels, bacterial, nanocrystal and nanofibrillated cellulose, cellulose based composites and ethers. All these materials can be spent in different industries: production of pharmaceuticals, medicine (including targeted delivery of drugs, sponges etc.), agriculture (controlled delivery of pesticides or fertilizers), electronics, production of films, membranes, plastics, coatings, paints, biodegradable packages. In this review, we will demonstrate prospects for using oat husks to obtain cellulose and for obtaining materials based on the main oat husk polysaccharide. This review will evaluate the main achievements in this area. The analysis will allow a reader to form an analytical opinion about the prospects for using oat husks as a source for obtaining valuable products.

Introduction: Situated within the broad spectrum of lymphoproliferative diseases, Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are neoplasms renowned for their complexity and heterogeneity, insidious onset, and frequent detectability at advanced, even terminal, stages worldwide.Objectives: The study aimed to compile conclusive statistics, identify genetic factors, and establish correlations with environmental carcinogens, while simultaneously highlighting the importance of developing preventive informational programs for the population.Materials and Methods: The retrospective study encompassed individuals admitted to the Hematology Clinic of "Sfântul Spiridon" Hospital in Iași between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. Out of 1916 patients hospitalized with hematologic neoplasms, 392 were diagnosed with lymphoma. Eighty-four cases exhibiting genetic predisposition (21.42%) were selected, among which 20 displayed a heightened genetic burden (5.1%). These cases were thoroughly analyzed based on medical records.Results and discussion: The study underscores/highlights/emphasizes the significant position of malignant lymphomas among hematologic neoplasms (20.45%). Although the majority do not present malignant heredocolateral antecedents(78.58%), with an estimated empirical recurrence risk(2-4%), predisposing diseases, along with exposure to environmental carcinogens, as well as the region of residence, play fundamental roles in the determinism. It is observed that older individuals from urban agglomerations, especially males (54-70%), have a higher probability of developing these conditions and are therefore recommended to undergo regular check-ups.Conclusion: Unequivocally characterized by a vast etiology, multifactorial diseases result from the bilateral interaction between environmental and hereditary factors.

The manuscript presents the applicability of the Gumbel distribution in the frequency analysis of extreme events in hydrology. The advantages and disadvantages of using the distribution are highlighted, as well as recommendations regarding its proper use. A literature review was also carried out regarding the methods of estimating the parameters of the Gumbel distribution. Thus, for the verification of the methods, case studies are presented regarding the determination of the maximum annual flows and precipitations using nine methods for parameter estimation. The influence of the observed data lengths on the estimation of the statistical indicators, the parameters and the quantiles corresponding to the field of low annual exceedance probabilities (p <1%) is also highlighted. The results are compared to those obtained with the Generalized Extreme Value distribution, respectively the Burr and the Wakeby distributions with parameters estimated using the L-moments. The results highlight and reaffirm the statistical, mathematical and hydrological recommendation regarding the avoidance of using the Gumbel distribution in Flood Frequency Analysis and its use with reservations in the case of maximum precipitation, especially when the statistical indicators of the analyzed data are not close to the characteristic ones and unique to the distribution.

Piggery wastewater (PWW) is characterized by its high concentrations of organic matter and ammonium, and by their odour nuisance. Traditionally, PWW has been treated in open anaerobic lagoons, anaerobic digesters and activated sludge systems, which exhibit high greenhouse gas emissions, a limited nutrients removal and a high energy consumption, respectively. Photosyn-thetic microorganisms can support a sustainable PWW treatment in engineered photobioreactors at low operating costs and with an efficient recovery of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. These microorganisms are capable of absorbing solar irradiation through the photosynthesis process to obtain energy, which is used for their growth and associated carbon and nutrients assimilation. Purple phototrophic bacteria (PPB) represent the photosynthetic microorganisms with the most versatile metabolism in nature, while microalgae are the most studied photosynthetic microor-ganisms in recent years. This review describes the fundamentals, symmetry and asymmetry of PWW treatment using photosynthetic microorganisms such as PPB and microalgae. The main photobioreactor configurations along with the potential of PPB and microalgae biomass valori-zation strategies are also discussed.

General–purpose automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems have improved their quality and are being used for pronunciation assessment. However, the assessment of isolated short utterances, as words in minimal pairs for segmental approaches, remains an important challenge, even more for non-native speakers. In this work, we compare the performance of our own tailored ASR system (kASR) with the one of Google ASR (gASR) for the assessment of Spanish minimal pair words produced by 33 native Japanese speakers in a computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) scenario. Participants of a pre/post-test training experiment spanning four weeks were split into three groups: experimental, in-classroom, and placebo. Experimental group used the CAPT tool described in the paper, which we specially designed for autonomous pronunciation training. Statistically significant improvement for experimental and in-classroom groups is revealed, and moderate correlation values between gASR and kASR results were obtained, beside strong correlations between the post-test scores of both ASR systems with the CAPT application scores found at the final stages of application use. These results suggest that both ASR alternatives are valid for assessing minimal pairs in CAPT tools, in the current configuration. Discussion on possible ways to improve our system and possibilities for future research are included.

2S-hesperidin is a flavanone (flavonoid) found in high concentrations in citrus fruits. It has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, improving performance in animals. This study investigated the effects of chronic intake of an orange extract (2S-hesperidin) or placebo on aerobic-anaerobic and metabolic performance markers in amateur cyclists. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out between late September and December 2018. Forty amateur cyclists were randomized into two groups: one taking 500mg/day 2S-hesperidin and other taking 500 mg/day placebo (microcellulose) for 8 weeks. All participants completed the study. Performance and metabolic aerobic-anaerobic markers were measured using incremental and rectangular tests by indirect calorimetry. The anaerobic power was determined using Wingate tests. After 8 weeks supplementation, there was a significant increase in the incremental test in estimated functional threshold power (FTP) (3.23%; p≤0.05) and maximum power (2.68%; p≤0.05) with 2S-Hesperdin compared to placebo. In the rectangular test, there was a significant decrease in VO₂ (-8.26%; p≤0.01) and VO₂R (-8.88%; p≤0.01) at VT2 in placebo; however, there were no significant differences between groups. In the Wingate test, there was a significant increase (p≤0.05) in peak and relative power in both groups, but without significant differences between groups. Supplementation with an orange extract (2S-hesperdin) 500mg/day improves estimated FTP and maximum power performance in amateur cyclists.

Abstract: The widespread and popular use of TADs for orthodontic anchoring has become a daily routine in clinical orthodontic treatment. However, as there have been many accidents over the past decade, safety action is needed to help reduce these accidents. We have advocated using the surgical guide and developed a procedure that can benefit patients and orthodontists. The first part of this paper is about the rationale for making the surgical guide for various implant placements that were observed. Due to their anatomical structure, some placements may require particular attention, which is focused on and discussed in length. The second part deals with fabricating the surgical guide in the laboratory procedure. The data from the intraoral SLT acquisition was extracted, and with the DICOM data from CBCT and in a 3-Shapes software, the guidance was designed. The detailed and step-by-step laboratory procedure, CAD/CAM, and 3D printers to make the surgical guide for TADs are explained. The procedure is performed in an easy-to-understand manner to make using the surgical guide possible for the daily practice of orthodontics (Pubmed).

Hospitals are perpetually challenged by the dual requirements of concurrently improving the quality of healthcare and maintaining financial solvency. Both issues are among the top concerns for hospital executives across the United States, yet some have questioned if the efforts to enhance quality are financially sustainable. led us to examine if improving quality in the hospital setting impacts revenue. Using multivariate regression, we assessed if numerous quality measures were associated with our targeted measure of hospital profitability: the net patient revenue per adjusted discharge. The independent variables included the HCAHPS Summary Star Rating, Hospital Compare Overall Rating, All-Cause hospital-wide Readmission Rate, Total Performance Score, Clinical Outcomes Domain Score, Safety Domain Score, Person and Community Engagement Domain Score, and the Efficiency and Cost Reduction Score. Our results indicated that improving quality was significantly associated with improved net patient revenue per adjusted discharge for seven of the eight of these quality measures at the hospital level. It is clear that failing to address quality and patient safety issues is costly for US hospitals, thus we believe our findings support the premise that increased attention to the quality of care delivered as well as patients’ perceptions of care may allow hospitals to accentuate profitability and advance a hospital’s financial position.

The metastatic disease is a complex and sequential process that involves the migration of tumor cells from the primary site to distant areas. This metastatic pathway is not always predictable. Therefore, this paper presents three rare cases of unusual metastases, due to their primary site: two metastases of a clear cell renal cell carcinoma, one gingival and one nasal, as well as a mandibular metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma. In all cases, an incisional biopsy was performed in order to sign out the diagnosis. After microscopical examination of morphological Hematoxylin and Eosin stained slides, for all cases, immunohistochemical reactions were performed to support the primary tumor site. Two cases had a previous histopathological diagnosis of a primary tumor, while for the third case, the metastatic lesion represented the first manifestation of the neoplastic disease, with an unfavorable prognosis.

Cash crops are agricultural crops intended to be sold for profit as opposed to subsistence crops, meant to support the producer, or to support livestock. Since cash crops are intended for future sale, they translate into large financial value when considered on a wide geographical scale, so their production directly involves financial risk. At a national level, extreme weather events including destructive rain or hail, as well as drought, can have a significant impact on the overall economic balance. It is thus important to map such crops in order to set up insurance and mitigation strategies. Using locally generated data -such as municipality-level records of crop seeding- for mapping purposes implies facing a series of issues like data availability, quality, homogeneity etc. We thus opted for a different approach relying on global datasets. Global datasets ensure homogeneity and availability of data, although sometimes at the expense of precision and accuracy. A typical global approach makes use of spaceborne remote sensing, for which different land cover classification strategies are available in literature at different levels of cost and accuracy. We selected the optimal strategy in the perspective of a global processing chain. Thanks to a specifically developed strategy for fusing unsupervised classification results with environmental constraints and other geospatial inputs including ground-based data, we managed to obtain good classification results despite the constraints placed. The overall production process was composed using ``good-enough" algorithms at each step, ensuring that the precision, accuracy, and data-hunger of each algorithm was commensurate to the precision, accuracy, and amount of data available. This paper describes the tailored strategy developed on the occasion as a cooperation among different groups with diverse backgrounds, a strategy which is believed to be profitably reusable in other, similar contexts. The paper presents the problem, the constraints and the adopted solutions; it then summarizes the main findings including that efforts and costs can be saved on the side of Earth Observation data processing when additional ground-based data are available to support the mapping task.

Peri-implant infective diseases seem to be the most common cause for the late dental implant failure. Therefore, peri-implant microbiota has been intensively studied in modern implantology. Many studies showed a presence of extremely varied microflora in cases of peri-implant infective diseases. The main scope of this observational single-blind study was to analyze the presence of some microbial species in a group of patients with clinical signs of peri-implant mucositis compared to two other groups (patients treated with dental implants but without any clinical signs of peri-implant inflammation and patients treated with no dental implants). The identification of microorganisms was followed by an antibiogram in order to find their sensitivity to various antibiotics. The results showed a microbiota not necessarily specific for each situation (peri-implant infective diseases, healthy tissues around dental implants and healthy natural teeth and gums) with species like Candida albicans, Neisseria mucosa, Prevotella, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and others. Peri-implant infective diseases presented more bacterial species than other conditions.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, anxiety, hyperactivity, and restricted interest for specific subjects. In addition to the genetic factors, multiple environmental factors have been related to the development of ASD. Animal models can serve as crucial tools for understanding the complexity of ASD and identifying potential therapeutic strategies. In this study, a chemical model of ASD has been developed in zebrafish by exposing embryos to valproic acid (VPA) from 4 to 48 hours post-fertilization. After the exposure, embryos were transferred to fish water and the effects on behavior and neurotransmitters profile were analyzed at both larval and adult stages. Larvae from VPA-treated embryos showed hyperactivity and decreased visual and vibrational escape responses, as well as an altered neurotransmitters profile, with increased glutamate and decreased acetylcholine and norepinephrine levels. Adults from VPA-treated embryos exhibited impaired social behavior characterized by larger shoal sizes and a decreased interest for their conspecifics. Neurotransmitter analysis revealed a significant decrease in dopamine and GABA levels in the brain. These results support the interest of this model in the study of ASD.

A therapy’s outcome is determined by a tumor’s response to treatment which, in turn, depends on multiple factors such as the severity of the disease and the strength of patient’s immune response. Gold standard cancer therapies are in most cases fragile when sought to break the ties to either tumor kill ratio or patient toxicity. Lately, research has shown that cancer therapy can be at most robust when handling adaptive drug resistance and immune escape patterns developed by evolving tumors. This is due to the stochastic and volatile nature of the interactions, at the tumor environment level, tissue vasculature, and immune landscape, induced by drugs. Herein, we explore the path towards antifragile therapy control, that generates treatment schemes that are not fragile but go beyond robustness. More precisely, we describe a first instantiation of a control-theoretic method to make therapy schemes cope with the systemic variability in the tumor–immune–drug interactions and gain more tumor kill with less patient toxicity. Considering the anti-symmetric interactions within a model of the tumor–immune–drug network, we introduce the antifragile control framework that demonstrates promising results in simulation. We evaluate our control strategy against state-of-the-art therapy schemes on various experiments and discuss the insights we gained on the potential that antifragile control could have in treatment design in clinical settings.

Background: Clozapine (CLZ) use is precarious due to its neurological, cardiovascular, and hematological side effects; however, it is the gold standard in therapy-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) in adults and is underused. Objective: to examine the most recent CLZ data on (a) side effects concerning (b) recent pharmacological mechanisms, (c) therapy benefits, and (d) the particularities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data sources: a search was performed in two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) using the specific keywords "clozapine" and "schizophrenia," "side effects," "agranulocytosis," "TRS," or "bipolar affective disorder (BAF)" for the last ten years. Study eligibility criteria: clinical trials on adults with acute symptoms of schizophrenia or related disorders. Results: We selected 37 studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and clinical case series (CCS), centered on six main topics in the search area: (a) CLZ in schizophrenia, (b) CLZ in bipolar disorder, (c) side effects during the clozapine therapy, (d) CLZ in pregnancy, (e) CLZ in early-onset schizophrenia, and (f) CLZ therapy and COVID-19 infection. Limitations: We considered RCTs and CCS from two databases, limited to the search topics. Conclusions and implications of key findings: (a) Clozapine doses should be personalized for each patient based on pharmacogenetics testing when available; the genetic vulnerability postulates predictors of adverse reactions' severity; patients with a lower genetic risk could have less frequent hematological monitoring; (b) CLZ-associated risk of pulmonary embolism imposes prophylactic measures for venous thromboembolism; (c) convulsive episodes are not an indication for stopping treatment; the plasma concentration of clozapine is a better side effect predictor than the dosage; (d) COVID-19 infection may enhance clozapine toxicity, generating an increased risk of pneumonia. Therapy must be continued with proper monitoring of the white blood count, and the clozapine dose decreased by half until three days after the fever breaks; psychiatrists and healthcare providers must act together. Background: Clozapine (CLZ) use is precarious due to its neurological, cardiovascular, and hematological side effects; however, it is the gold standard in therapy-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) in adults and is underused. Objective: to examine the most recent CLZ data on (a) side effects concerning (b) recent pharmacological mechanisms, (c) therapy benefits, and (d) the particularities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data sources: a search was performed in two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) using the specific keywords "clozapine" and "schizophrenia," "side effects," "agranulocytosis," "TRS," or "bipolar affective disorder (BAF)" for the last ten years. Study eligibility criteria: clinical trials on adults with acute symptoms of schizophrenia or related disorders. Results: We selected 37 studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and clinical case series (CCS), centered on six main topics in the search area: (a) CLZ in schizophrenia, (b) CLZ in bipolar disorder, (c) side effects during the clozapine therapy, (d) CLZ in pregnancy, (e) CLZ in early-onset schizophrenia, and (f) CLZ therapy and COVID-19 infection. Limitations: We considered RCTs and CCS from two databases, limited to the search topics. Conclusions and implications of key findings: (a) Clozapine doses should be personalized for each patient based on pharmacogenetics testing when available; the genetic vulnerability postulates predictors of adverse reactions' severity; patients with a lower genetic risk could have less frequent hematological monitoring; (b) CLZ-associated risk of pulmonary embolism imposes prophylactic measures for venous thromboembolism; (c) convulsive episodes are not an indication for stopping treatment; the plasma concentration of clozapine is a better side effect predictor than the dosage; (d) COVID-19 infection may enhance clozapine toxicity, generating an increased risk of pneumonia. Therapy must be continued with proper monitoring of the white blood count, and the clozapine dose decreased by half until three days after the fever breaks; psychiatrists and healthcare providers must act together.