This paper provides a new multi-function Blockchain Technology-enabled Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (BT-enabled PSC) mathematical cost model, including PSC costs, BT costs, and uncertain demand fluctuations. The purpose of this study is to find the most appropriate algorithm(s) with minimum prediction errors to predict the costs of the BT-enabled PSC model. This paper also aims to determine the importance and cost of each component of the multi-function model. To reach these goals, we combined four Supervised Learning algorithms (KNN, DT, SVM, and NB) with two Evolutionary Computation algorithms (HS and PSO) after data generation. Each component of the multi-function model has its own importance, and we applied the Feature Weighting approach to analyse their importance. Next, four performance metrics evaluated the multi-function model, and the Total Ranking Score determined predictive algorithms with high reliability. The results indicate the HS-NB and PSO-NB algorithms perform better than the other six algorithms in predicting the costs of the multi-function model with small errors. The findings also show that the Raw Materials cost has a stronger influence on the model than the other components. This study also introduces the components of the multi-function BT-enabled PSC model.

Many combinatorial optimization problems are hard to solve within the polynomial computational time or NP-hard problems. Therefore, developing new optimization techniques or improving existing ones still grab attention. This paper presents an improved variant of the Ant Colony Optimization meta-heuristic called Enhanced Hyper Cube Framework ACO (EHCFACO). This variant has an enhanced exploitation feature that works through two added local search movements of insertion and bit flip. In order to examine the performance of the improved meta-heuristic, a well-known structural optimization problem of laminate Stacking Sequence Design (SSD) for maximizing critical buckling load has been used. Furthermore, five different ACO variants were concisely presented and implemented to solve the same optimization problem. The performance assessment results reveal that EHCFACO outperforms the other ACO variants and produces a cost-effective solution with considerable quality.

The treasury of a DAO is purported to uphold the value of the DAO-issued token, and this study represents a pioneering effort to delve into these realms. We explore the relationship between the treasury and market capitalization in two DAO projects, namely Olympus DAO and KlimaDAO. Employing Granger Causality tests, we scrutinize the relationship between market capitalization and the treasuries of these DAOs. Furthermore, we use an EGARCH model to investigate the in-fluence of carbon offset tokens on KlimaDAO’s market capitalization, incorporating this variable into the model's conditional mean equation. The findings reveal a significant relationship between market capitalization and the treasuries of the DAOs, indicating a potential impact of market capitalization on treasuries. Additionally, the well-specified EGARCH model highlights the sig-nificance of carbon offset tokens, suggesting their potential to influence the overall market capi-talization of a DAO project and support its value.

Facial expression recognition is crucial for understanding human emotions and nonverbal communication. With the growing prevalence of facial recognition technology and its various applications, accurate and efficient facial expression recognition has become a significant research area. However, most previous methods have focused on designing unique deep-learning architectures while overlooking the loss function. This study presents a new loss function that allows simultaneous consideration of inter- and intra-class variations to be applied to CNN architecture for facial expression recognition. More concretely, this loss function reduces the intra-class variations by minimizing the distances between the deep features and their corresponding class centers. It also increases the inter-class variations by maximizing the distances between deep features and their non-corresponding class centers, and the distances between different class centers. Numerical results from several benchmark facial expression databases, such as Cohn-Kanade Plus, Oulu-Casia, MMI, and FER2013, are provided to prove the capability of the proposed loss function compared with existing ones.

The Ames/quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) International Challenge Projects held during 2014–2017 and 2020–2022, evaluated the performance of various predictive models. Despite the significant insights gained, the rules allowing participants to select prediction targets introduced ambiguity in model performance evaluation. This reanalysis identified the highest-performing prediction model, assuming a 100% coverage rate (COV) for all prediction target compounds and an estimated performance variation due to changes in COV. All models from both projects were evaluated using balance accuracy (BA), Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC), F1 Score (F1), and the first principal component (PC1). After normalizing the COV, a correlation analysis with these indicators was conducted, and the evaluation index for all prediction models in terms of the COV was estimated. In total, 109 models, the highest estimated BA (76.9) at 100% COV was MMI-VOTE1, reported by Meiji Pharmaceutical University (MPU). The best models for MCC, F1, and PC1 were all MMI-STK1, also reported by MPU. All models reported by MPU ranked in the top four. MMI-STK1 was estimated to have F1 scores of 59.2, 61.5, and 63.1 at COV levels of 90%, 60%, and 30%, respectively. These findings highlight the current state and potential of the Ames prediction technology.

Drug-induced pruritus triggers a desire to scratch, thereby diminishing one’s quality of life. Certain instances of this phenomenon follow complex mechanisms of action that diverge from histamine-mediated pathways, known contributors to pruritus. However, investigations into the relationship between drugs and pruritus are limited. In this study, data mining techniques were employed to comprehensively analyze the characteristics of drugs linked to pruritus, using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System(FAERS) Data maintained in the United States. Reports linked to pruritus demonstrated noteworthy differences in gender, age, and weight when compared with non-pruritus cases. Among the leading candidates for drugs prompting pruritus were ophthalmic drugs, systemic antibacterials, contrast media, dermatological antifungals, and dermatological preparations. Principal component analysis showed that the second principal component served as an indicator for distinguishing between onsets at mucous membranes or the skin surface. Additionally, the third principal component functioned as an indicator for categorizing administration methods as either invasive or noninvasive. Furthermore, a hierarchical cluster analysis conducted on these obtained principal components revealed the potential for classifying drugs based on the site of pruritus onset and the method of drug administration. These findings contribute to the development of targeted prevention and treatment strategies for avoiding pruritus in clinical practice.

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on “My Autoethnography” that I performed during writing dissertation for M.Phil. in Education at a university in Nepal. For this, I reflect on my experience of doing autoethnography with four turning points – a connection to mentors, a presentation of poetic narrative in a class, a proposal for this research, and the dissemination of “My Autoethnography”. I present an evocative narrative of ‘the parallels’ connecting childhood experiences with blissful eternal dance. I analyse it from the perspective of methodological, relational and ethical lenses. I present some merits and caveats of autoethnography as a method of research based on my experience of using the approach. This also helped me to see not only to the past and present, but it also opened my eyes to envision the future in terms of learning and teaching mathematics. The other merit was access to my private world through the construction of thick and rich evocative narratives with a variety of textual expressions and a sense of mental emancipation. The major caveats of this approach were associated with the extent of focus in writing the narratives, vagueness with mystical expression and imaginative connections between the events of different time, an indulgence on personal stories making forceful connection with theories, self-disclosure of sensitive issues, and ethical issues related to the narratives about the others. I conclude the paper with a reflection and poetic reminiscent of ‘My Autoethnography’.

AISI 1050 steel circular pocket milling under minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) surroundings including nozzle elevation angle, lubricant flow rate, air pressure and cutting speed was studied. The machined surface quality (Ra) was evaluated for Up-milling side and Down-milling side. In this study, to obtain an manifest explanation on the pivotal effective parameters of MQL surroundings and cutting speed on the machined surface quality (Ra) through analyzing Taguchi L9 (34-2) approach and ANOVA calculation to identify those parameters, by utilizing the experimental outcomes to interpret three-dimensional (3D) surface plots and the diagrams of Signal-to-Noise ratios and major impact plots of Mean. The obtained outcomes of optimal operating parameters indicated that the pivotal effective parameters of MQL surroundings are nozzle elevation angle and lubricant flow rate on the machined surface quality. Simultaneously, a quadratic mathematical paradigm generated by using response surface design (RSD) and desirableness function evaluation were utilized to forecast the optimal values of the machined surface quality compared to Taguchi method. The results unveiled that the optimal values of the machined surface quality are adjacent to experimental attained values. The machined surface quality has been significantly improved using MQL surroundings.

Monolayered MoS₂ is energetically most stable when it has a 1H phase, but 1H to 1T phase transition (1H→1T) is easily realized by various ways. Even though magnetic moment is not observed during 1H1T, 0.049 µB/MoS₂ is obtained in local 1T phase; 75% 2H and 25% 1T phases are mixed in (2×2) supercell. Furthermore, non-negligible magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) energy is occured. Most magnetic moment as well as MCA are originated by 1T phased Mo atom5 in the supercell, while electronic structures of other atoms are similar to non-magnetic. Due to this, magnetic/non-magnetic boundary is created in the monolayered MoS2. Our result suggests that MoS₂ can be applied for spintronics such as a spin transistor.

In this study, we conducted experiments to assess the forecasting capabilities for the tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the South China Sea using the ensemble-based data assimilation system (EPS-DA) by WRF-LETKF. These experiments covered forecast lead times of up to 5 days and spanned a period from 2012 to 2019, involving a total of 45 TC formation events. The evaluation involved forecast probability assessments and positional and timing error analysis. Results indicated that successful forecasting depends on lead time and initial condition quality. For TC formation from an embryo vortex to tropical depression intensity, the EPS-DA system demonstrated improved accuracy as the forecast cycle approached the actual formation time. TC centers converged toward observed locations, highlighting the potential of assimilation up to 5 days before formation. We examined statistical variations in dynamic and thermodynamic variables relevant to TC processes, offering an objective system assessment. Our study emphasized early warnings of TC development appear linked to formation-time environmental conditions, particularly strong vorticity and enhanced moisture processes.

Clinical and histological similarities between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis have driven repeated investigations looking for a mycobacterial cause of sarcoidosis. Over 50 years ago “anonymous mycobacteria” were suggested to have a role in the etiology of sarcoidosis. Both tuberculosis and sarcoidosis have a predilection for lung involvement though each can be found in any area of the body. A key histopathologic feature of both sarcoidosis and tuberculosis is the granuloma – while the tuberculous caseating granuloma has an area of caseous necrosis with a cheesy consistency; the non-caseating granuloma of sarcoidosis does not have this feature. This article reviews and reiterates the complicity of the infectious agent, Mycobacterium avium ss. paratuberculosis (MAP) as a cause of sarcoidosis. MAP is involved in a parallel story as the putative cause of Crohn’s disease, another disease featuring noncaseating granulomas. MAP is a zoonotic agent infecting ruminant animals and is found in dairy products and in environmental contamination of water and air. Despite increasing evidence tying MAP to several human diseases, there is a continued resistance to embracing its pleiotropic roles. "Who Moved My Cheese" is a simple yet powerful book that explores the ways in which individuals react to change. Extending the metaphor, the “non-cheesy” granuloma of sarcoidosis actually contains the difficult-to-detect “cheese”, MAP; MAP did not move, it was there all along.

Parkinson-like events are side effects that may persist for an extended period even after drug administration is discontinued. Although these events can be triggered by various drugs, the mechanisms underlying their diverse symptoms remain largely unclear. To investigate this, we used the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Reporting Database, which is maintained by the Phar-maceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, to analyze the risk factors associated with Parkinson-like events along with associated drug trends and characteristics. Our findings indicate that similar to　Parkinson’s disease, age-related differences affect the onset of these events, with older individuals being more susceptible. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis revealed that the mechanisms triggering these Parkinson-like events are consistent across reports, suggesting a common underlying cause. However, even with a consistent mechanism, side effects can vary depending on the site of action. These insights underline the importance of swift identification of the drugs suspected of causing these events and implementation of measures to reduce their side effects.

The perpendicular exchange bias effect is observed in the ferromagnetic Co/Ni multilayers adjacent to the antiferromagnetic FeRh layer. It is found that as the antiferromagnetic FeRh thickness increases from 10 Å to 50 Å, the hysteresis loop is gradually changed from the symmetric shape to the asymmetric shape shifted by some amount corresponding to the exchange-biased field at the thickness of 25 Å. Also, the magnetic domain observation experiment confirms that the domain reversals in the increasing and the decreasing field regions of the sample with the thickness of 50 Å exhibit the same single domain wall motion even though they have the different coercivities.

Adverse events associated with opioid use in palliative care have been extensively studied. However, predicting the occurrence of adverse events based on the specific opioid used remains unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the adverse events caused by µ receptor stimulation of opioids approved in Japan and investigate the tendencies of adverse event occur-rence among different opioids.We utilized the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to extract reported adverse events of opioids approved in Japan. Cluster analysis was performed on reporting odds ratios (RORs) of adverse event names among opioids to visualize relationships between opioids and adverse events, facilitating a comparative study of their clas-sifications.We calculated the RORs of adverse events for the target opioids. Based on these RORs, we performed a cluster analysis, which resulted in the classification of 11 target opioids into five distinct groups. we were able to comprehensively compare and examine the relationships between opioids and adverse events. This analysis helps in understanding and managing the risks and benefits of each drug in palliative care settings. By analyzing relationships between opioids and adverse events, clinicians can make informed decisions about opioid selection, dosage, and monitoring to maximize patient safety and comfort.

: Glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness, which significantly reduces quality of life. Most glaucoma cases are primary glaucoma; nevertheless, many patients suffer from glaucoma caused by drugs, such as corticosteroids. A comprehensive review of the risks associated with corticosteroid-induced glaucoma is limited. Therefore, we used the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Reporting Database (JADER) published by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) to analyze the risk factors associated with glaucoma and the trends and characteristics of corticosteroid-induced glaucoma. We did not find sex or age differences associated with the onset of glaucoma. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis revealed that triamcinolone acetonide and betamethasone sodium phosphate, which are used around the eyes in Japan, are more likely to induce intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation compared with other corticosteroids. Increased IOP is a direct cause of glaucoma. Based on these findings, it may be necessary to limit or avoid the use of these corticosteroids.

This study addresses the pressing need for flood extent and exposure information in data-scarce and vulnerable regions, with a specific focus on West Africa, particularly Senegal. Leveraging the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and integrating data from Sentinel-1 SAR, Global Surface Water, HydroSHEDS, Global Human Layer Settlement, and MODIS Land Cover, our primary ob-jective is to delineate flood extents and compare them with centennial flood-prone areas, offering a comprehensive assessment of exposure during the period from July to October 2022 across Sen-egal's 14 regions. The findings underscore a total inundation area of 2 951 square kilometers, impacting 297 142 people, 175 square kilometers of urban and 16 square kilometers of crops. Notably, August wit-nessed the largest flooded areas, reaching 780 square kilometers, constituting 0.40% of the coun-try's surface. Subsequent regions, including Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor, Fatick, and Matam, experi-enced varying extents of flooding, with August data showing a 1.34% overall overlap compared to centennial flood-prone areas derived from hydrological and hydraulic modeling. This low per-centage reveals the distinct purposes and natures of the two approaches (remote sensing and modeling), as well as their complementarity. Turning to flood exposure, August emerges as the most critical month, affecting 76 595 people (0.43% of the total population). Dakar, Diourbel, Thiès, and Saint-Louis regions bore substantial impacts, affecting 100 707, 57 648, 31 579, and 26 581 people, respectively. These findings emphasize the imperative for comprehensive disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts. The study provides a crucial national-scale perspective to guide Senegal's authorities in formulating effective flood management, intervention, and adaptation strategies.

This paper presents the design of a miniaturized polyimide-based antenna for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) communication. Miniaturization is achieved through the utilization of adhesive material with a high dielectric constant (high-Dk). The goal of this work is to investigate the impact of such material on the antenna performance and to optimize its design for UWB operation. The manufacturing of the antenna using the proposed structure was developed and the prototype of antenna for UWB high-band (6 - 9 GHz) is measured and analyzed. By leveraging the high Dk of the adhesive material, the simulation and measurement results showed that the proposed antenna with high Dk adhesive film can achieve the compact dimension with good performance in gain, and time domain characteristics. The results of this study show a potential of exhibiting a reduction in the size of the antenna and will contribute to the advancement of miniaturized UWB antenna technology.

Stroke constitutes a significant public health concern due to its impact on mortality and morbidity. This study investigates the utility of machine learning algorithms in predicting stroke and identifying key risk factors using data from the Suita study, comprising 7,389 participants and 53 variables. Initially, unsupervised K-prototype clustering categorized participants into risk clusters, while five supervised models including Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosted Machine (Light-GBM) were employed to predict stroke outcomes. Stroke incidence disparities among identified risk clusters using the unsupervised K-prototype clustering method are substantial, according to the findings. Supervised learning, particularly RF was a preferable option because of the higher levels of performance metrics. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method identified age, systolic blood pressure, hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, metabolic syndrome, and blood glucose level as key predictors of stroke, aligning with findings from the unsupervised clustering approach in high-risk groups. Additionally, previously unidentified risk factors such as elbow joint thickness, fructosamine, hemoglobin, and calcium level demonstrate potential for stroke prediction. In conclusion, machine learning facilitated accurate stroke risk predictions and highlighted potential biomarkers, offering a data-driven framework for risk assessment and biomarker discovery.

Saltwater intrusion in the rapidly developing city of Da Nang in central Vietnam is currently causing various water-related challenges, including inadequate water supply and water pollution. An integrated SWAT-MODFLOW numerical model was used to investigate the origin and mechanism of saltwater in Holocene and Pleistocene aquifers. Geophysical and isotopic approaches were used to validate the SEAWAT model applied for simulating saltwater intrusion. The results suggest that the ebb and flow of tides, as well as water levels in rivers primarily impact coastal aquifers. However, effective water resource planning and management, along with maintaining the natural recharge of fresh water from local rain during the rainy season, could enable the rational and efficient utilization of groundwater, reducing saltwater intrusion in many areas. During the dry season, groundwater is recharged from higher altitude areas. The current saltwater intrusion mainly occurs along the rivers up to the hydraulic dam. Simulated models, using scenarios of stop abstracting groundwater, but changing to the use of surface water for drinking water, show that the area of saline water shrinks quickly after 30 years, reducing from 59.6 km2 to 39.5 km2 and from 40.2 km2 to 28.6 km2 in Holocene and Pleistocene, respectively.

Bioethanol has been considered as an excellent alternative to fossil fuels since it importantly contributes to the reduced consumption of the crude oil and to the alleviation of environmental pollution [1]. Up to now, the baker yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most common eukaryotic microorganism used in ethanol production. The inability of S. cerevisiae to grow on pentoses, however, hinders its effective growth on plant biomass hydrolysates, which contain large amounts of C5 and C12 sugars. The industrial-scale bioprocessing requires high temperature bioreactors, diverse carbon sources, and the high titer production of volatile compounds [2]. These criteria indicate that the search for alternative microbes possessing useful traits that meet the required standards of bioethanol production is necessary. Compared to other yeasts, Kluyveromyces marxianus has several advantages over the others, e.g. it could grow on a broad spectrum of substrates (C5, C6 and C12 sugars) [3], tolerate to high temperature, toxin [4,5] and a wide range of pH values [6], and produce volatile short-chain ester [2]. K. marxianus also shows a high ethanol production rate at high temperature and is a Crabtree-negative species [7]. These attributes make K. marxianus a promise as an industrial host for the biosynthesis of biofuels and other valuable chemicals.

The diagnosis and the pathology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) remain under debate. However, there is a growing body of evidence for an autoimmune component in ME/CFS caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and other viral infections. In this work, we took advantage of a large public dataset on the IgG antibodies to 3,054 EBV peptides to understand whether these immune responses could be used as putative biomarkers for disease diagnosis and triggers of pathological autoimmunity in ME/CFS patients using healthy controls (HCs) as a comparator cohort. We then aimed at predicting disease status of study participants using a Super Learner algorithm targeting an accuracy of 85% when splitting data into train and test datasets. When we compared data of all ME/CFS patients or data of a subgroup of these patients with non-infectious or unknown disease trigger to the dataset of HC, we could not find an antibody-based classifier that would meet the desired accuracy in the test dataset. In contrast, we could identify a 26-antibody classifier that could distinguish ME/CFS patients with an infectious disease trigger from HCs with 100% and 90% accuracies on the train and test sets, respectively. We finally performed a bioinformatic analysis of the EBV peptides associated with these 26 antibodies. We found no correlation between the importance metric of the selected antibodies in the classifier and the maximal sequence homology between human proteins and each EBV peptide recognized by these antibodies. In conclusion, these 26 antibodies against EBV have an effective potential for disease diagnosis of a subset of patients, but they are less likely to trigger pathological autoimmune responses that could explain the pathogenesis of ME/CFS.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Diabetes increases the risk of progression from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to active pulmonary TB and TB patients with diabetes are at greater risk of more severe disease and adverse TB treatment outcomes compared to TB patients without co-morbidities. Diabetes is a complex disease characterized not only by hyperglycemia but also various forms of dyslipidemia. However, the relative contribution of these underlying metabolic factors to increased susceptibility to TB are poorly understood. This review summarizes our current knowledge on epidemiology and clinical manifestation of TB and diabetes comorbidity. We subsequently dissect the relative contribution of body mass index, hyperglycemia, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides on TB disease severity and treatment outcomes. Lastly, we discuss the impact of selected glucose and cholesterol lowering treatments frequently used in the management of diabetes on TB treatment outcomes.

In atomic GdFe$_2$ films capped by 4$d$ and 5$d$ transition metals, we show that skyrmions with diameters smaller than 12 nm can emerge. The Dzyaloshinskii--Moriya interaction (DMI), exchange energy, and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) energy were investigated based on density functional theory. Since DMI and MCA are caused by spin--orbit coupling (SOC), they are increased with 5$d$ capping layers which exhibit strong SOC strength. We discover a skyrmion phase by using atomistic spin dynamic simulations at small magnetic fields of $\sim$1 T. In addition, a ground state that a spin spiral phase is remained even at zero magnetic field for both films with 4$d$ and 5$d$ capping layers.

The very first infected novel coronavirus case (COVID-19) was found in Hubei, China in Dec. 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has spread over 215 countries and areas in the world, and has significantly affected every aspect of our daily lives. At the time of writing this article, the numbers of infected cases and deaths still increase significantly and have no sign of a well-controlled situation, e.g., as of 14 April 2020, a cumulative total of 1,853,265 (118,854) infected (dead) COVID-19 cases were reported in the world. Motivated by recent advances and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in various areas, this paper aims at emphasizing their importance in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and preventing the severe effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We firstly present an overview of AI and big data, then identify their applications in fighting against COVID-19, next highlight challenges and issues associated with state-of-the-art solutions, and finally come up with recommendations for the communications to effectively control the COVID-19 situation. It is expected that this paper provides researchers and communities with new insights into the ways AI and big data improve the COVID-19 situation, and drives further studies in stopping the COVID-19 outbreak.

This paper aims to measure the effects of delisting on stock returns for Vietnam stock market. The study employs a sample of 118 stocks that were compulsorily delisted from the market between January 2011 and December 2021. Using an event study methodology, the empirical findings confirm that the delisting has negative effects on stock returns in the Vietnam stock market. Specifically, results derived from tests show that the average abnormal return of delisted stocks continuously declines during three trading days following the announcement of delisting. Moreover, it is found that the differences in cumulative abnormal returns between post-delisting and pre-delisting periods are significantly negative for all tracking periods. Apart from the negative effect of delisting on stock abnormal returns, we also find that the impact of delisting on stock returns for smaller companies is greater than bigger companies.

Management of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) associated with cancer chemotherapy for malignant tumors is important because of its potentially fatal course. The use of rasburicase, a recombinant urate oxidase, is recommended for TLS; however, because rasburicase is an enzymatic drug, one should be cautious of anaphylaxis during administration. Using claims data in Japan, we investigated the rate of rasburicase re-administration and the occurrence of anaphylaxis during re-administration in patients with hematopoietic malignancies in a multicenter setting. Re-administration of rasburicase was defined as administration after an interval of 21 days from the first dose. Of 373 patients, 18 were re-administered with rasburicase (re-administration rate: 4.8%). No patient developed anaphylaxis. The median number of days from the first to the last dose of rasburicase was 256.5 days (interquartile range: 138.8–455.8 days). The median daily dose was 7.5 mg (4.5–11.3 mg), and the median total dose was 33.8 mg (19.1–64.1 mg). This claims database analysis revealed that the re-administration rate of rasburicase was low in Japanese patients with hematopoietic malignancies, suggesting that rasburicase was being used appropriately, and that associated anaphylaxis was not observed.

High rates of phosphorus (P) currently being applied to soils for the production of vegetables in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam has led to the concern of its negative effect on the economics and the environment. This research presents a comprehensive study on the determination of P supplying capacity in this region of Vietnam to examine the possibility of reducing P fertilizer input. One hundred twenty (120) soil samples were collected to evaluate total P and Bray 1 available P in the soils. Phosphorus maximum sorption, degree of P saturation, P release, and the effect of P fertilizer on corn (Zea mays L.) yield in greenhouse and fields were also determined. Total P concentrations of 56.7% soil samples evaluated yielded high P concentrations (>560 mg P/kg), while 74.2% of the samples had high Bray 1 available P concentrations (>20 mg P/kg soil). Maximum P sorption ranged from 149 to 555 mg P/kg soil, respectively and has negative correlation to available P (r = - 0.63*), degrees of P saturation ranged from 0.63 to 5.46% correlated to available P (r = 0.98**) and maximum P release ranged from 1.2 to 61.9 mg P/kg soil, respectively correlated to available P (r = 0.96**). Corn grown in soils with available P concentrations >15 mg P/kg did not respond to P fertilizer in greenhouse or field experiments. We conclude that many farmers in this region can reduce P fertilizer input, thus increasing their profits and reducing negative environmental impacts associated with excess soil P for sustainable agriculture.

This work emphasizes to use silver decorative method to enhance the antibacterial activity of TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles. These silver decorated nanoparticles (hybrid nanoparticles) were synthesized by using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent, with the weight ratio of Ag precursors: oxide nanoparticles = 1: 30. The morphology and optical property of these hybrid nanoparticles were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The agar-well diffusion method was used to evaluate their antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, with or without light irradiation. The TEM images indicated clearly that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 5-10 nm) were well deposited on the surface of nano-TiO₂ particles (30-60 nm). Besides, smaller AgNPs (< 2 nm) were dispersed on the surface of nano-ZnO particles (20-50 nm). UV-vis spectra confirmed that the hybridization of Ag and oxide nanoparticles led to shift the absorption edge of oxide nanoparticles to the lower energy region (visible region). The antibacterial tests indicated that both oxide pure nanoparticles did not exhibit inhibitory against bacteria, with or without light irradiation. However, the presence of AgNPs in their hybrids, even at low content (< 40 mg/mL) leads to a good antibacterial activity and the higher inhibition zones under light irradiation as compared to that in dark was observed.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Background: There has been evidence that metabolic syndrome (MetS) may increase the risk of frailty. However, there is limited evidence on this association in Asian populations. Aims: This study aims to identify the association between MetS and frailty in older people in Vietnam. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a dataset obtained from an observational study on frailty and sarcopenia in patients aged ≥60 at a geriatric hospital in Vietnam. Frailty was defined by the frailty phenotype. Participants were defined as having MetS if they had ≥3 out of 5 criteria from the definition of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adults Treatment Panel (ATP) III. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to estimate the risk of having frailty in patients with MetS. Results: There were 669 participants (mean age 71, 60.2% female), 62.3% had MetS and 39.0% was frail. The prevalence of frailty was 42.2% in participants with MetS, 33.7% in participants without MetS (p=0.029). On logistic regression models, MetS was associated with increased likelihood of being frail (adjusted OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.01-2.28), allowing for age, sex, education, nutritional status, history of hospitalisation and chronic diseases. Conclusion: There was a significant association between MetS and frailty in this population. Further longitudinal studies are required to confirm this association.

Underpinned by the new world Kirkpatrick model and in the context of a community-based, sport psychology program (My Strengths Training for Life™) for young people experiencing homelessness, this process evaluation investigated: (1) young peoples’ reactions (program and facilitator evaluation, enjoyment, attendance, and engagement) to and learning (mental skills and transfer intention), (2) the relationship between reaction and learning variables, and (3) the mediators underpinning this relationship. 301 young people living in a West Midlands housing service completed questionnaires on demographics, reaction and learning variables. Higher levels of program engagement were positively associated with more favorable reactions to the program. Enjoyment positively predicted learning outcomes, which was mediated by transfer intention. Recommendations are made for: (1) a balance between rigor and flexibility for evaluation methods with disadvantaged youth, (2) including engagement as well as attendance for indicators of meaningful program participation, (3) measuring program experiences (e.g., enjoyment) to understand program effectiveness, and (4) providing opportunities for skill transfer during and after program participation. Findings have implications for researchers, program commissioners, and policy makers working designing and evaluating programs in community-based settings.

Bone involvement occurs in 75% of patients with Gaucher disease (GD), and comprises structural changes, debilitating pain, and bone density abnormalities. Osteoporosis is a silent manifestation of GD until a pathologic fracture occurs. Thus early diagnosis is crucial for identifying high-risk patients to prevent irreversible complications. Thirty-one patients with GD were assessed prospectively to identify predictive markers associated with bone density abnormalities, osteopenia (OSN), and osteoporosis (OSR). Subjects were categorized into three cohorts based on T- or Z- scores of bone mineral density (BMD): In GD cohort with no bone complication (Z-score≥-0.9; T-scores≥-1), the OSN group (-1.8 ≥ Z-score ≥ -1; -2.5 ≥ T-score ≥ -1) and OSR group (Z-score ≤ -1.9; T-scores ≤ -2.5). Serum levels of TRAP5b, RANKL, OPG, and RANK were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. TRAP5b was increased in GD and showed a positive correlation with GD biomarkers, including plasma glucosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb1), macrophage activation markers CCL18 and chitotriosidase. The highest levels of TRAP5b was measured in patients with osteoporosis. The elevation of RANKL and RANKL/OPG ratio correlated with osteopenia in GD. Elevation of TRAP5b, RANKL, and RANKL/OPG indicate osteoclast activation in GD. TRAP5b is a potential bone biomarker for GD with the ability to predict the progression of bone density abnormalities.

Palpation is a simple but effective method to differentiate tumors from healthy tissues. Development of miniaturized tactile sensors embedded on endoscopic or robotic devices are the key toward precise palpation diagnosis and the subsequent timely treatment. This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of a novel tactile sensor with mechanical flexibility and optical transparency that can be easily mounted on soft surgical endoscopes and robotics. Utilizing the pneumatic sensing mechanism, the sensor offers a high sensitivity of 1.25 mbar and negligible hysteresis, enabling the detection of phantom tissues with different stiffnesses ranging from 0 to 2.5 MPa. Our configuration combining pneumatic sensing and hydraulic actuating also eliminates electrical wiring from the functional elements located at the robot end-effector, thereby enhancing the system safety. The optical transparency path in the sensors together with its mechanical sensing capability open interesting possibility in early detection of solid tumor as well as in the development of all in-one soft surgical robots that can perform visual/mechanical feedback and optical therapy.

A novel virus with distinct genome features was discovered by high throughput sequencing in a symptomatic blackcurrant plant. The virus tentatively named as blackcurrant virus A (BCVA) has distinct genome organization and molecular features bridging genera in the order Tymovirales. The genome consists of 7106 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail. Five open reading frames were identified with the first encoding a putative viral replicase with methyl transferase (MTR), AlkB, helicase and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains. The other four putative proteins exhibit no significant homology to other virus proteins. The genome organization downstream of the replicase resembles that of members of the order Tymovirales with an unconventional triple gene block (TGB) movement protein arrangement. Phylogenetic analysis using replicase conserved motifs loosely placed BCVA within the Betaflexiviridae whereas it was evolutionarily distant to existing members of the family when using the putative TGBp 1-like and coat protein sequences. Our analysis strongly suggests that BCVA is a novel virus that should be classified as a species in a new genus in the Betaflexiviridae or a new family in the order Tymovirales.

In recent years, it has become common for individuals to juggle employment and unpaid care work. This is just as true for the England-based academic workforce, our focus in this article. We discuss how, in the context of English HE, support for carers is enacted and negotiated through policies and practices of care. Our focus on academics with a diverse range of caring responsibilities is unusual insofar as the literature on care in academia is overwhelmingly concerned with parents, usually mothers. The article is informed primarily by critical and post-structuralist feminist perspectives. We draw on a corpus of 47 interviews conducted with academics representing a broad range of caring responsibilities, subjects, and positions. A thematic analysis reveals how carers’ relationship with the provision and policies of care support at institutional level is characterised by ambiguity. On the one hand, participants approve of societal and institutional policy support for carers. On the other hand, they are often reluctant to position themselves as the beneficiary of such policies, expressing instead a general preference for support from outside the workplace or for workplace-based inter-individual and informal care arrangements. This resistance is particularly noticeable in the case of participants with caring responsibilities other than the parenting of healthy, able-bodied children and of those whose gender, class, racial, or sexual identity do not conform with the figure of the ‘ideal academic’, contributing to their othering in the academic realm. These findings have significant implications for policies supporting carers, pointing to the need for greater visibility and recognition of caring responsibilities in academia, especially in terms of their diverse identities.

This paper presents a new engagement model for climate change education (CCE) as a result of analysing interactive digital narratives (IDNs) created during the You and CO2 Climate Change Education Programme. Young people aged 13-15 from two schools in Wales participated in three workshops, which culminated in students producing IDNs about climate change using Twine storytelling software. An inductive, grounded-theory approach informed by Bourdieusien principles of habitus and value was used to explore students’ responses to the Programme. Stage 1 coding identified ‘Core Themes’ and located student responses along tri-axial continua showing engagement, agency, and power. Stage 2 coding combined ‘Core Themes’ to build upon Cantell’s 2019 Bicycle Model of Climate Change Education to create a new ‘Holistic Engagement Model for Climate Change Education and Action’ (HEMCCEA), where learners’ journeys towards full engagement with and understanding of CCE and action could be traced. Barriers to students’ engagement with and understanding of CCE were identified through Bourdieusien analysis of responses. Results show that engagement was related to children’s views on their capacity to effect change on individual, local and governmental level. The HEMCCEA provides a model for adjusting CCE curricula to accommodate young people’s varying cultures and views.

Access to urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) has been associated with positive effects on health and wellbeing; however, the past decades have seen a decline in quality and user satisfaction with UGBS. This reflects the mounting challenges that many UK cities face in providing appropriate public facilities alongside issues such as health inequalities, an ageing population, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. At present, little is known about the preferences of different population subgroups and, specifically, the UGBS they visit and the spaces they avoid. Using a public participatory geographic information system (PPGIS), the overall aim of the research presented here was to investigate the preferences of different population subgroups in urban areas, and the UGBS they visit, using Edinburgh, Scotland as a case study. We created a baseline visitor demographic profile for UGBS use, and highlighted how visitors perceive, physically access, use, and engage with UGBS. The results revealed considerable variation in UGBS preference: one person’s favourite UGBS may be one that someone else dislikes and avoids. It is clear that adapting UGBS to suit local communities should not be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. The conflicting views and preferences of different groups of respondents point to the importance of developing policies and park management plans that can accommodate a variety of uses and experiential qualities within individual parks. PPGIS offers an ideal tool for achieving this

Background: General Practitioners (GP) have an important role in the prevention of suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to explore their views and experiences of identifying and assessing suicidal ideation. Methods: Ten GPs were recruited through convenience sampling, based on accessibility, interest and willingness to participate. In-depth interviews were carried out and results transcribed ver-batim. Aspects of experiences with suicidal patients emerged through the thematic analyses process. Results: The GPs described the varied clinical picture when patients presented in their office. How they identified depressive symptoms apart from originally somatic complaints, formed a trusting relationship and addressed suicide ideation. They described customized interventions as well as obstacles and factors that facilitated communication: time, own personal traits, pa-tient’s disclosure and organizational barriers. Conclusions: The levels of the suicidal process among patients in general practice vary greatly. GPs adjust their appraisals to profundity understand and intervene in order to prevent a crisis to escalate into subsequent suicidal behavior.

In the literature on occupational stress and recovery from work several facets of thinking about work in off-job time have been conceptualized. However, research on the focal concepts is currently rather disintegrated. In this study we take a closer look at the five most established concepts, namely (1) psychological detachment, (2) affective rumination, (3) problem-solving pondering, (4) positive work reflection, and (5) negative work reflection. More specifically, we scrutinized (1) whether the five facets of work-related rumination are empirically distinct, (2) whether they yield differential associations with different facets of employee well-being (burnout, work engagement, thriving, satisfaction with life, and flourishing), and (3) to what extent the five facets can be distinguished from and relate to conceptually similar constructs, such as irritation, worry, and neuroticism. We applied structural equation modeling techniques to cross-sectional survey data from 474 employees. Our results provide evidence that (1) the five facets of work-related rumination are highly related, yet empirically distinct, (2) that each facet contributes uniquely to explain variance in certain aspects of employee well-being, and (3) that they are distinct from related concepts, albeit there is a high overlap between (lower levels of) psychological detachment and cognitive irritation. Our study contributes to clarify the structure of work-related rumination and extends the nomological network around different types of thinking about work in off-job time and employee well-being.

Aquaporin-11 (AQP11) is an intracellular water channel expressed at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the kidney proximal tubule. Its gene disruption in mice leads to intracellular vacuole formation at one week old and the subsequent development of polycystic kidneys at three week old. As the damaged proximal tubular cells with intracellular vacuoles later form cysts, autophagy may play a role in their survival. We examined the autophagy activity before and after the development of cysts in AQP11(-/-) kidneys. We first observed an enhanced expression of LC3 gene (Map1lc3b) as well as other autophagy-related genes in AQP11(-/-) mice by quantitative PCR analysis. We then examined the formation of autophagosomes visualized by a green fluorescent fusion protein, GFP–LC3 in its transgenic mice. The expression of GFP-LC3 puncta was increased in the proximal tubule of AQP11(-/-) mice before the cyst formation. Interestingly, they were also observed in the cyst-lining epithelial cell. Further PCR analyses revealed the enhanced expression of apoptosis- and ER stress-related caspase genes before and after the cyst formation suggesting that ER stress may have enhanced autophagy. We conclude that autophagy will play an important role in the development and the survival of the kidney cysts in AQP11(-/-) mice.

Global agriculture has been forced to increase food production to feed the growing human population, while confronting various environmental obstacles such as global warming, resistance to pathogens, and constraints on arable land caused by soil salinity, drought, rising sea level, saltwater intrusion, and urbanization. Regarding abiotic stresses, salinity is a worldwide problem for agricultural production. Many efforts, therefore, have been made to cope with the environmental challenges, however, the progress of salinization, which is mainly caused and accelerated by anthropogenic activities, is likely faster than our progress in finding ways to deal with this problem. In addition, drought represents a global threat to the production of major crops. In addition, pests and pathogens cause significant crop losses and diminish global food security. Among the various strategies that have been investigated and applied in plant science, antimicrobial peptides derived from plants have caught widespread attention from scientists since these peptides exhibit beneficial biological activities. In agricultural science, there have been reports on the roles of antimicrobial peptides with active properties against biotic and abiotic stresses. Non-specific plant lipid transfer proteins, thionins, systemins, defensins, cyclotides, and heveins-like antimicrobial peptides are common antimicrobial peptides that have been found to be involved in the defense system against fungi and insect pests. Based on their potential ability to protect crops from pests, bacteria, and pathogenic fungi, the use of antimicrobial peptide genes in creating transgenic plants has been largely conducted during the last decades, and these studies have obtained positive results against the growth of fungi and bacteria. This review will focus on the latest progress in studies of antimicrobial peptides related to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in plants. We will also update the current progress in the development of antimicrobial peptide-based transgenic crops.

Hungateiclostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 is a promising bacterium with a robust ability to degrade lignocellulosic biomass complexes, including crystalline cellulose components, through a multienzyme cellulosomal system. In contrast, it exhibits poor growth on simple monosaccharides such as fructose and glucose. This phenomenon raises many important questions concerning its glycolytic pathways and sugar transport systems. Until now, the detailed mechanisms of H. thermocellum adaptation to growth on monosaccharides have been poorly explored. In this study, adaptive laboratory evolution was applied to train the bacterium on monosaccharides, and genome resequencing was used to detect the genes that had mutated during adaptation. RNA-seq data of the 1st-generation culture growing on either fructose or glucose revealed that several glycolytic genes in the EMP pathway were expressed at lower levels in these cells than in cellobiose-grown cells. After 8 generations of culture on fructose and glucose, the evolved H. thermocellum strains grew faster and yielded greater biomass than the nonadapted strains. Genomic screening also revealed several mutation events in the genomes of the evolved strains, especially in genes responsible for sugar transport and central carbon metabolism. Consequently, these genes could be applied as targets for further metabolic engineering to improve this bacterium for bioindustrial usage.

Advances in DNA sequencing technology are facilitating genomic analyses of unprecedented scope and scale, widening the gap between our abilities to generate and fully exploit biological sequence data. Comparable analytical challenges are encountered in other data-intensive fields involving sequential data, such as signal processing, in which dimensionality reduction (i.e., compression) methods are routinely used to lessen the computational burden of analyses. In this work we explore the application of dimensionality reduction methods to numerically represent high-throughput sequence data for three important biological applications of virus sequence data: reference-based mapping, short sequence classification and de novo assembly. Despite using highly compressed sequence transformations to accelerate the processes, our sequence processing approach yielded comparable accuracy to existing approaches, and are ideally suited for sequences originating from highly diverse virus populations. We demonstrate the application of our methodology to both synthetic and real viral pathogen sequence data. Our results show that the use of highly compressed sequence approximations can provide accurate results and that useful analytical performance can be retained and even enhanced through appropriate dimensionality reduction of sequence data.

In this paper, the classical least square (CLS) method with molecular absorption spectrophotometric measurement was used to determine simultaneously of paracetamol (PAR), ibuprofen (IBU), and caffeine (CAF) in tablets. The absorbance spectra of the standard solutions and samples were measured over a wavelength from 220 to 300 nm with a 0.5 nm step. The concentration of PAR, IBU and CAF in the sample solutions were calculated by using a program called CLS-Excel written in Microsoft Excel 2016 and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The method and CLS-Excel program were tested on mixed standard laboratory samples with different PAR, IBU, and CAF concentration ratios, and they showed small errors and satisfying repeatability. An analytical procedure for tablets containing PAR, IBU, and CAF was developed. The reliability of the procedure was proved via the recovery and repeatability of the analysis results with an actual tablet sample and comparing the mean contents of active substances in the tablets obtained from the analytical procedure with the from the HPLC method. The procedure is simple with a reduced cost compared with the HPLC standard method.

This study aimed to explore how Indonesian clinical psychologists (CPs) address aspects of spirituality and religion (SR), particularly their attitudes towards and experience of it, on the mental health context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 43 CPs in public health centres in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. Data were anyalsed using deductive thematic analysis and they generated ten sub-themes which were merged into three central themes. The first theme was experiences related to SR, particularly in Indonesian sociocultural context. The second theme concentrated on participants’ clinical experience related to SR integration into clinical practice. The last theme highlighted the effort made by participants to create holistic mental health services. The originality of this study was represented by the interview quote in the title, “Doing my profession is also part of worship”. It was found that SR is part of culture and belief among Indonesian people, including CPs and mental health treatment clients. In summary, participants genuinely acknowledged that they were not able to completely detach SR from their professional practice. However, participants also pointed out that they were different with spiritual-religious healers (SRHs) and favourably welcomed future collaboration with credible SRHs. This positive attitude embodied a holistic care approach that recognises the diverse biopsycho-social-spiritual needs of clients. Therefore, professional organisations and psychology faculties should establish regulations and education of SR in psychology curricula and conventional psychotherapy to achieve this holistic mental health services in Indonesia.

Tropical corals construct the three-dimensional framework for one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat to a plethora of species across taxa. However, these ecosystem engineers are facing unprecedented challenges, such as increasing disease prevalence and marine heatwaves associated with anthropogenic global change. As a result, major declines in coral cover and health are being observed across the world's oceans, often due to the breakdown of coral-associated symbioses. Here, we review the interactions between the major symbiotic partners of the coral holobiont – the cnidarian host, algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae, and the microbiome – that influence trait variation, including the molecular mechanisms that underlie symbiosis and the resulting physiological benefits of different microbial partnerships. In doing so, we highlight the current framework for the formation and maintenance of cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, and the role that immunity pathways play in this relationship. We emphasize that understanding these complex interactions is challenging when you consider the vast genetic variation of the cnidarian host and algal symbiont, as well as their highly diverse microbiome, which is also an important player in coral holobiont health. Given the complex interactions between and among symbiotic partners, we propose several research directions and approaches focused on symbiosis model systems and emerging technologies that will broaden our understanding of how these partner interactions may facilitate the prediction of coral holobiont phenotype, especially under rapid environmental change.

This article explored how some state policies on rehabilitation, protection and utilization of mangroves are implemented at two locals; namely, Ca Mau provice and its sub-unit Ngoc Hien District as well as Ho Chi Minh City and its sub-unit Can Gio District and what are considered as emgerging issues in the implementation process. The study employed mixed research methods including document and thematic analysis, in-depth interviews, and group discussion. The findings showed that state policies would be adapted through the ways in which these two locals manage to silmultaneously orient their work toward accommodating the madates placed upon them and cope with the reality of socio-economic difficulties at their levels. The findings also showed some issues that need to consider addressing; namely, locals’ struggles to fill the gaps between written and implemented policies in mangrove rehabilitation, conflict among sectors and stakeholders in mangrove utilization and protection, problems in guaranteeing adequate budget for in-need-locals, inconsistence in policies on "forest: water surface” ratio in mangrove-shrimp farm, and unintended consequences in forest thinning and exploitation regimes. Based on the finding analysis, the articles discussed lessons learned from the policy implementation process on mangrove rehabilitation, management and forest allocation to household in the south of Vietnam.

The Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) has significant features in comparison with Fixed Speed Wind Turbine (FSWT), which has popularized its application in power system. Due to partial rated back-to-back converters in the DFIG, Fault Ride-Through (FRT) capability improvement is one of the great subjects regarding new grid code requirements. To enhance the FRT capability of the DFIG, many studies have been carried out. Fault current limiting devices as one of the techniques are utilized to limit the current level and protect switches of the back-to-back converter from over-current damage. In this paper, a review is done based on fault current limiting characteristic of the proposed fault current limiting devices Therefore, Fault Current Limiters (FCLs) and Series Dynamic Braking Resistors (SDBRs) are mainly taken into account. Operation of all configurations including their advantages and disadvantages is explained. Impedance type and the fault current limiting devices’ location are two important factors, which significantly affect the DFIG behaviour in the fault condition. These two factors are basically studied by the simulation and their effects on the key parameters of the DFIG are investigated. Finally, future works in respect to the FCL application in the FRT improvement of the DFIG have also been discussed.

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are mostly utilized in many applications. Indeed, WSN is composed of sensors to evaluate some physical phenomena. However, the information brought by the sensor still missed if we don't know the exact location of the event. Several localization algorithms have been proposed in order to locate the nodes in WSN. The localization algorithms are categorized into range-based and range-free techniques. The range-based techniques use either distance or time to calculate the coordinates of unknown nodes. Nevertheless, those kinds of techniques need some additional material in computation purpose. Therefore, range-based techniques present an expensive solution for positioning in WSN. Alternatively, range-free techniques may do the same task without involving additional material. But they don’t offer a high precision of localization in comparison with range-based techniques. DVHOP is the most popular range-free technique that uses the hop count method in the localization process. In this work, we propose an improvement of DVHOP localization algorithm to create three improved versions of this algorithm and we have achieved that by adopting two meta-heuristic (simulated annealing, particle swarm optimization) and FMINCON solver dedicated to the optimization in the field of WSN nodes localization. The experimental results obtained in this work show clearly the gain and the good impact of our proposition.

Antibiotic-free approaches are more important than ever to deal with the rapidly growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The blue light 460nm (BL460nm) has been shown to effectively attenuate Staphylococcus aureus to chemical and physical agents through photolysis of the bacterial virulence factor Staphyloxanthin. However, the phototherapy using BL640nm has yet to be investigated in detail for its safety in eradicating Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we used a LED source producing a continuous wavelength of 460 nm along with hydrogen peroxide to treat S. aureus in culturing conditions and a wound abrasion mouse model. The results proved the safety of the combined therapy when it did not modify the bacterial virulence factors or the susceptibility to the widely used antibiotics. In addition, the experimental results on the mouse skin infection model also showed that the combined therapy is safe to apply to mouse skin and that it did not cause adverse skin irritation. Furthermore, the therapy can help Staphylococcus aureus-infected wounds heal with efficacy comparable to the topical antibiotic Fucidin. The above results suggest that the combination therapy of 460nm blue light and hydrogen peroxide can be safely used as an alternative to or adjunct to antibiotics in treating S. aureus-infected wounds.

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal and highly contagious transboundary animal disease with the potential for rapid international spread. Currently, there is no ASF vaccine commercially available. All infected animals must be isolated and culled immediately upon confirmation of the presence of the virus. Works leading to the rational development of protective ASF vaccines are urgently needed. Here, we generated a safe and efficacious live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 by serial passaging of a field isolate (VNUA-ASFV-05L1, genotype II) in porcine alveolar macrophage (PAMs, 65 passages) and an immortalized porcine alveolar macrophage cell line (3D4/21, 55 passages). VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 can efficiently replicate in both PAMs and 3D4/21 cells. It provides 100% protection, even with the low dose of 10^2 HAD50, for the vaccinated pigs against the challenge of contemporary pandemic ASFV field isolate. Pigs vaccinated with this LAV at a dose range of 10^2 to 10^5 HAD50 remained clinically healthy during both the 28-day observation period of immunization and the 28-day observation period of challenge. VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 was completely eliminated from blood by 28 days post inoculation (DPI), and from feces or oral fluids by 17 DPI. It remained a safe, stable, and attenuated phenotype after five passages in pigs. Consistently high levels of ASFV-specific IgG antibodies and significant cellular immunity were detected in vaccinated pigs before the ASFV challenge. These results indicate that the VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 strain is a safe and efficacious LAV against the genotype II ASFV strain responsible for current ASF outbreaks in Asia.

Flow sensing in hostile environment is of increasing interest for applications in automotive, aerospace, and chemical and resource industries. Compared to their counterparts, thermal flow sensors are attractive candidates due to the ease of fabrication, lack of moving parts and higher sensitivity. Recently, a number of thermal flow sensor prototypes have been reported in the literature demonstrating the measurement of fluid flows under hostile conditions. This paper summarizes the concept of thermal flow sensing, operational modes and transduction mechanisms. Then, the choice of materials and their corresponding properties are presented in details. The paper also reports recent progress in the development of thermal flow sensors for harsh environment. In addition, the issues and considerations in packaging are reviewed. Finally, we conclude the review with the future prospects.

This study explores the near-surface dispersion mechanisms of contaminants in coastal waters, leveraging a comprehensive method that includes using dye and drifters as tracers, coupled with diverse observational platforms like drones, satellites, in-situ sampling, and HF radar. The aim is to deepen our understanding of surface currents' impact on contaminant dispersion, thereby improving predictive models for environmental incident management, including pollutant releases. Rhodamine WT dye, chosen for its significant fluorescent properties and detectability, along with drifter data, allowed us to investigate the dynamics of near-surface physical phenomena such as the Ekman current, Stokes drift, and wind-driven currents. Our research emphasizes the importance of integrating scalar tracers and Lagrangian markers in experimental designs, revealing differential dispersion behaviors due to near-surface vertical shear caused by the Ekman current and Stokes drift. The elongation direction of the dye patch aligns with the Ekman current direction during slow current conditions. Analytical calculations of vertical shear, based on the Ekman current and Stokes drift, closely matched those derived from tracer observations. Over a 7-hour experiment, the vertical diffusivity of near-surface water was observed at 2×10-4 m2/s, and the horizontal eddy diffusivity of the dye patch and drifters reached the order of 1 m2/s and at a 1000m length scale. Particle tracking models demonstrate that while HF radar currents can effectively predict the trajectories of tracers near the surface, incorporating near-surface currents, including Ekman current, Stokes drift, and windage, is essential for a more accurate prediction of the fate of surface floats.

Bioactive surface coatings have retained the attention of researchers and physicians due to their versatility and range of applications in orthopedics, particularly in infection prevention. Antibacterial metal nanoparticles (mNPs) are a promising therapeutic, with vast application opportunities on orthopedic implants. The current research aimed to construct a polyelectrolyte multilayer on a highly porous titanium implant using alternating thin film coatings of chitosan and alginate via the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique, along with the incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs), for antibacterial and osteoconductive activity. These mNPs were characterized for their physicochemical properties using quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation system, nanoparticle tracking analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Their cytotoxicity and osteogenic differentiation capabilities were assessed by AlamarBlue and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays, respectively. The antibiofilm efficacy of the mNPs tested against Staphylococcus aureus. The LbL polyelectrolyte coating was successfully applied to the porous titanium substrate. A dose-dependent relationship between nanoparticle concentration and ALP as well as antibacterial effects was observed. TiO2NP samples were also less cytotoxic than AgNP counterparts, although similarly antimicrobial. Together, these data serve as a proof-of-concept for a novel coating approach for orthopedic implants with antimicrobial and osteoconductive properties.

IntroductionThe aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology of all COVID-19 patients in Vietnam and to describe the measures of disease control and prevention implemented. MethodsData were recovered from Wikipedia regarding the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Vietnam. The period covered was from 23 January to 20 April 2020. Descriptive analysis was stratified by gender, age, country of origin, travel history, clinical symptoms and outcome. A survey of disease control and prevention measures was conducted at the Centre for Disease Control in the Thai Binh province, which is responsible for screening and isolating individuals at high risk of COVID-19. ResultsAs of 20 April 2020, Vietnam had recorded 268 confirmed COVID-19 patients. 55.2% were female. 67.9% were aged 20-49 years and 82.5% were Vietnamese. 60.4% of cases were imported from outside Vietnam. Other cases were acquired in Vietnam by individuals in close contact with imported cases. Only one patient who had not travelled had had no known contact with a confirmed case. 63.1% of patients were asymptomatic. 75.7% of patients were discharged. No deaths were recorded. The Thai Binh CDC surveyed a total of 2,203 persons at risk of COVID-19. 336 persons (15.2%) were isolated at hospitals and 1,411 (64.0%) in dedicated isolation facilities. 16.4% reported at least one respiratory symptom. No positive cases confirmed by RT-PCR have been reported in the Thai Binh province to date. ConclusionThe effect of the systematic screening and isolation strategy made it possible to limit local transmission in Vietnam. Vietnam needs to reinforce diagnostic capacities, prevention measures and provide the necessary epidemiological data on which to base interventions. The wider use of rapid serological tests is also advisable in order to be able to conduct extensive screening in the community.

To date, soil salinity becomes a huge obstacle for food production worldwide since salt stress in plants is one of the major factors limiting agricultural productivity. It is estimated that a significant loss of crops (20%–50%) would be due to drought and salinity. To embark upon this harsh situation, numerous strategies such as plant breeding, plant genetic engineering, and a large variety of agricultural practices including the applications of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and seed biopriming technique have been developed to improve plant defense system against salt stress, resulting in higher crop yields to meet human’s increasing food demand in the future. In the present review, we update and discuss the advantageous roles of beneficial PGPR as green bioinoculants in mitigating the burden of high saline conditions on morphological parameters and on physio-biochemical attributes of plant crops via diverse mechanisms. In addition, the applications of PGPR as a useful tool in seed biopriming technique are also updated and discussed since this approach exhibits promising potentials in improving seed vigor, rapid seed germination, and seedling growth uniformity, Furthermore, the controversial findings regarding the fluctuation of antioxidants and osmolytes in PGPR-treated plants are also pointed out and discussed.

: We evaluated the pharmaceutical properties of levofloxacin (LV) in the form of an orally disintegrating tablet (LVODT) to find a new usefulness of low frequency (LF) Raman spectroscopy. LVODT contained dispersed granules with diameters in the order of several hundred micrometers, which were composed of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), as confirmed by infrared (IR) microspectroscopy. On the contrary, the API and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients (non-APIs) were homogeneously distributed in LV tablet (LVT) formulations. Microscopic IR spectroscopy and thermal analyses showed that LVODT and LVT contained the API in different crystalline forms or environment around the API each other. Furthermore, powder X-ray diffraction showed that LVT contained a hemihydrate of the API, while LVODT showed a partial transition to the monohydrate form. This result was confirmed by microscopic LF Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, this method confirmed the presence of thin layers coating the outer edges of the granules that contained the API. Spectra obtained from these thin layers indicated the presence of titanium dioxide, suggesting that the layers coexisted with a polymer that masks the bitterness of API. The microscopic LF Raman spectroscopy results in this study indicated new applications of this method in pharmaceutical science.

The present paper offers a reading of three selected novels by two Anglophone Arab writers Diana Abujaber and Fadia Faqir. Our reading is fundamentally based on a philosophical post-humanist perception of other ethnic minorities as being inferior and un-human. In interpreting the three novels, Arabian Jazz (2003), My Name is Salma (2007) and Willow Trees Don’t Weep (2014), a main concern is to bring to light how Arabs –and Muslims –have been zombified and de-humanized in Western mainstream media and culture based on a biased stigmatization and stereotyping of a large heterogeneous ethnic group wherein religions, traditions, languages and cultures are diverse. Also, a pivotal preoccupation is going to be the exiling journey of the protagonists from their homelands to Western countries, and how these journeys contribute to the post-humanization of the self, the identity and the culture of Arab displaced immigrants.

In this study, by employing the think-aloud model, schema theory and the perceptual cycle model (PCM) from the perspective of vulnerable road traffic participants, the current traffic imperfections of a target section in Wudaokou were analyzed to explore potential improvement measures to enhance safety. Specifically, the present study recruited 30 local volunteers, which were equally divided into a pedestrian group, bicyclist group and E-cyclist group. The research procedure was mainly divided into three steps. By using the think-aloud method, we analyzed and recorded the contents of oral reports of the experimental road section. Then, through translation, segmentation, coding, analysis and other techniques, we sorted and studied the report data and drew a conclusion that was universal in improving the current road traffic conditions. It is hoped that through this study, on the one hand, the applicability of the oral report method, schema theory and perceptual cycle model in road traffic safety can be verified, and, on the other hand, some better improvement measures can be extracted for the road traffic state of the Wudaokou section.

Bayesian models allow us to investigate children’s belief revision alongside physiological states like “surprise”. Recent work finds that pupil dilation (or the “pupillary surprise response”) following expectancy-violations may be predictive of belief revision. How can probabilistic models inform interpretations of “surprise”? Shannon Information considers the likelihood of an observed event, given prior beliefs – suggesting stronger surprise occurs following unlikely events. In contrast, Kullback-Leibler divergence considers the “dissimilarity” between prior beliefs and updated beliefs following observations – with greater surprise indicating more change between belief states to accommodate information. To assess these accounts under different learning contexts, we use Bayesian models that compare these computational measures of “surprise” to contexts where children are asked to either predict or to evaluate the same evidence during a water displacement task. We find correlations between the computed Kullback-Leibler divergence and children’s pupillometry responses only when children actively make predictions, and no correlation between Shannon Information and pupillometry. This suggests that when children attend to their beliefs and make predictions, pupillary responses may signal the degree of divergence between a child’s current beliefs and updated, more accommodating beliefs.

This paper investigates the impact of price and real exchange rate volatility on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in a panel of 10 Latin American and Caribbean countries, observed between 1990 and 2012. Both price and exchange rate volatility series are estimated through the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity model (GARCH). Our results, obtained employing the Fixed Effects estimator, confirm the theory of hysteresis and option value, in so far it is found a statistically significant negative effect of exchange rate volatility on FDI. Price volatility, instead, turns out to be positive but insignificant. Moreover, we show that human capital and trade openness are key for attracting foreign capital. From the policy perspective, our analysis suggests the importance of stabilization policies as well as the one of government credibility in promoting trade openness and human capital formation.

Many agonists for the estrogen receptor are known to disrupt endocrine functioning. We have developed a computational model that predicts agonists for the estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain in an assay system. Our model was entered into the Tox21 Data Challenge 2014, a computational toxicology competition organized by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. This competition aims to find high-performance predictive models for various adverse-outcome pathways, including the estrogen receptor. Our predictive model, which is based on the random forest method, delivered the best performance in its competition category. In the current study, the predictive performance of the random forest models was improved by strictly adjusting the hyperparameters to avoid overfitting. The random forest models were optimized from 4,000 descriptors simultaneously applied to 10,000 activity assay results for the estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain, which have been measured and compiled by Tox21. At this time, our model delivers the highest predictive power on estrogen receptor agonists in the world. Furthermore, analysis of the optimized model revealed some important features of the agonists, such as the number of hydroxyl groups in the molecules.

The objective of this study was to describe the overall pattern of morbidity and mortality of children seen at the Thai Binh Pediatric Hospital in Vietnam, with a focus on infectious diseases. A retrospective review of hospitalisation records was conducted from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. Data were obtained from a total of 113,999 records. The median age of patients was 18 months, with 83.98% of patients aged <5 years. Infectious diseases accounted for 61.0% of all cases. The most prevalent diseases were lower respiratory tract infections (32.8%), followed by gastrointestinal infections (13.3%) and confirmed influenza (5.4%). Most infections were not microbiologically documented. A total of 81.4% patients received at least one antibiotic. Most patients (97.0%) were hospitalised for less than 15 days. Regarding outcomes, 87.8% patients were discharged home with a favourable outcome. 12.0% were transferred to the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital because their condition had worsened and 0.1% died. In total, infectious diseases accounted for 40.4% of deaths, followed by neonatal disorders (34.6%). Our data serves a basis for the identification of needs for diagnostic tools and for future evaluation of the effect of the targeted implementation of such facilities. Point-of-care tests, including real-time PCR assays to identify common pathogens should be implemented for more accurate diagnosis and more appropriate antibiotic use.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can differentiate into three germ layers and diverse autolo-gous cell lines. Being among the most commonly used large domesticated hoofed animals and serving as a vital source of food and bioreactors, cattle are among the many species in which PSCs have been developed. Bovine PSCs (bPSCs) are the "seed cells" of regenerative science and have immense potential to advance species propagation, genetic engineering, and disease treatment. Moreover, they can aid in screening new drugs for efficacy and toxicity, model human diseases, and establish a sustainable agricultural system that can cater to the needs of the growing global population. Establishing stable bPSCs in vitro has been a critical scientific challenge, and researchers have made numerous attempts to address this issue. This review primarily delves into the current research progress of bPSCs, the challenges faced, and their potential applications.

Based on ICT, specifically smartphones and their mobile apps, this exploratory study questions the impact of EMIs on employees’ perceived stress during work days. A sample of 15 workers, working at least 3 days a week - divided into one control groups (n=5) and one experimental group (n=10) - have used an EMI application “Mon Sherpa” for one-week length. Participants responded to two questionnaires at the beginning of the study: a sociodemographic questionnaire and the PSM-9 (Psychological Stress Measure). They completed the PSM-9 once again in the middle and at the end of the experiment, to compare the score’s evolution depending on the formed groups. Additionally, semi-structured interviews have been conducted with participants of the experimental group (n=9) to identify their application’s perception. Statistics results indicate no effects of the EMIs. However, interviews indicated somatic, behavioral, and cognitive evolutions throughout the experiment in the field of stress, anxiety, and invasive thoughts. These conflicting results might be explained by an immediate but not lasting effect of EMI’s on work-related stress. It may also be partly explained by some limitations of the study. More cross-disciplinary and larger research is required.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) belongs to the ErbB family, a group of four transmembrane glycoproteins with tyrosine kinase activity, all structurally related to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These tyrosine kinases are involved in the transmission of cellular signals controlling normal cell growth and differentiation. If this transmission goes awry, it can lead to dysregulated growth of the cell. HER2 specifically can be implicated in the pathogenesis of at least eight malignancies. HER2 positivity quickly became a well characterized indicator of aggressiveness and poor prognosis, with high rates of disease progression and mortality. After realizing the implication of HER2, it first became investigated as a target for treatment in breast cancer, and later expanded to areas of research in other cancers types. To this day, the most therapeutic advancements of anti-HER2 therapy have been in breast cancer, however, there have been strong advancements made in the incorporation of anti HER2 therapy in other cancer types as well. This comprehensive review dissects HER2 to its core incorporating the most up to date information. The topics touched upon are discussed in detail and up to 200 published sources from the most highly recognized journals have been integrated. The importance of knowing about HER2 is exemplified by the groundbreaking advancements that have been made, and the change in treatment plans it has brought to the oncological world in the last twenty years. Since, its ground breaking discovery there has been significant breakthroughs in knowledge regarding the actual receptor, the receptors biology, its mechanism of action, advancements in tests to detect HER2 and significant strides on how to best incorporate targeted treatment. Due to the success of this field thus far, the review concludes by discussing the future of novel anti-HER2 therapy currently in development that everyone should be aware of.

Objective: Taiwan Government’s organizations have endeavored to promote the applications of big data and open data. The “My Health Bank” is one of the measures promoted by the National Health Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare. This study proposes the perspective of the “value co-creation” with the attempt to extend the concept of service ecosystem and apply it on the platform of My Health Bank to examine whether people (patients, families, and caregivers) can promote their health literacy? Method: This cross-sectional study, with people that have registered at “My Health Bank” as subjects. Complying with the inclusion criteria, 401 questionnaires were delivered, with 391 valid ones, excluding those incompletely and inaccurately filled. Result: That the affecting factors of the co-creation of values: age, education level, annual income, and platform operation show to be significant ( p＜0.05); and gender, occupation, and resource exchange do not reach the significant level (p＞0.1). Conclusion: We found My Health Bank changed the inertia of “value creation” in the traditional medical value, it allows the traditional medical and healthcare industry to expose to the impacts of the mega trend of the internet, the transformation of the platform in a necessary trend.

We show the enhancement in the intensity and emission rate of perovskite cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) and formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr3) nanocrystals in the presence of single and double gold layer cavities, which we refer to as Metal-Emitter (ME) and Metal-Emitter-Metal (MEM) nanostructures. Up to 1.9-fold photoluminescence intensity and up to 5.4-fold emission rate enhancements were obtained for FAPbBr3 nanocrystals confined by double gold layers, which are attributed to plasmonic confinement from the gold layers. The experimentally obtained values are validated by analytical calculations and electromagnetic simulations. Such an effective method of manipulation of the spontaneous emission rate by simple plasmonic nanostructures can be utilized in sensing and detection applications.

Curcuma longa is only a rich source of curcumin (1) and its major analogues demethoxycurcumin (2) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (3) among the Curcuma species. The content ratio of these three curcumins in turmeric is depended on the varieties and growing environment. Recently, curcumin (1) has been reported as potential inhibitor of hepatic and enzymatic protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and its related disorders such as hypertriglyceridemia, hyperlipidemia and liver steatosis. Thus, we further purified curcumins (1–3) from C. longa and investigated their inhibitory effects against PTP1B and α-glucosidase enzymes. As the result, curcumins (1–3) exhibited potential PTP1B inhibition with IC50 values of 37.8 ± 1.4, 45.3 ± 0.7, and 72.6 ± 1.1 μM, respectively, and α-glucosidase inhibition with similar manner (IC50 values of 78.2 ± 0.2, 82.4 ± 0.6, and 90.6 ± 1.0 μM, respectively). These results reveal a key role of methoxylation in the variation of PTP1B and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity for these curcumins. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) was used accompanying with molecular docking (MD) to analyze the ligand stability and the interaction of curcumins (1–3) with PTP1B and glucoside hydrolase proteins. Assay-based results and the MD data obtained are highly correlation suggesting that the deterioration of the enzyme activity caused by the distortion of structural conformation of PTP1B and glucoside hydrolase may be related to the arrangement of amino acids in protein structure. This reported for the first time that inhibitory effects of curcumins (1–3) against PTP1B and glucoside hydrolase have been examined in vitro and in silico as well.

Hiccups can significantly reduce the quality of life of patients and can occur as a drug side effect. Previous report using the Drug Adverse Event Database revealed sex-specific differences in the incidence of drug-induced hiccups. However, the pathogenesis of drug-induced hiccups remains unknown, and there is limited evidence on its treatment or prevention. This study examined molecular initiating events (MIEs), which are the starting point of adverse events, to investigate the drug-induced pathways of hiccups. We extracted drugs suspected to cause hiccups using FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, a large database on adverse drug reactions. Information on drugs suspected to be associated with hiccups were extracted from the overall population and sex-specific subgroups divided. In each data table, the predicted activity values of nuclear receptors (NRs) and stress response pathways (SPs) for each drug were calculated using the toxicity predictor, a machine-learning model. Univariate analysis extracted NRs and SPs associated with hiccups, and a multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate independent factors. Transforming growth factor-beta and antioxidant response element were considered an independent factor for hiccups in the male and female subgroups, respectively. This report first examined one of the mechanisms of drug-induced hiccups and identified MIEs associated with drug-induced hiccups.

Quality-changed behavior of ultraviolet light absorber (UVA: UV-326) in polymers (PP, HDPE, LDPE, PLA and PS) over time during degradation was studied with an enhanced degradation method (EDM) using sulfate ion radical in seawater. EDM was employed to homogeneously degrade the entire polymer samples containing the UVA. The PP and PS samples containing 5-phr UVA films whitened rapidly due to formation of numerous grooves or crushed particles. The UVA loss rate of PS with the higher Tg was much slower. The crystalline polymers, with the exception of PS, were similar in the behavior of the change in UVA loss rate with respect to degradation time. The significant increase in initial loss rate observed during EDM degradation was due to microplasticization. A similar increase in microplasticization rate occurred with the PS, but the intermolecular interaction between UVA and PS did not result in as pronounced its increase in loss rate as with other polymers. The UVA chemical structure was not altered by EDM degradation. These results revealed that the UVA leaching from the polymer matrix was the primary cause of the loss.

Soybean seed sugars are among the most abundant beneficial compounds for human and animal consumption in soybean seeds. Higher seed sugars such as sucrose are desirable as it contributes to taste and flavor in soy-based food. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to use ‘Forrest’ by ‘Williams 82’ (F×W82) recombinant inbred line (RIL) soybean population (n=309) to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes that control seed sugar (sucrose, stachyose, and raffinose) contents in two environments (North Carolina and Illinois) over two years (2018 and 2020). A total of 26 QTL that control seed sugars contents were identified and mapped on 16 soybean chromosomes (chrs.). Interestingly, five QTL regions were identified in both locations, Illinois and North Carolina, in this study on chrs. 2, 5, 13, 17, and 20. Amongst 57 candidate genes identified in this study, 16 were located within 10 Megabase (MB) of the identified QTL. Amongst them a cluster of four genes involved in the sugars’ pathway was collocated within 6 MB with two QTL that were detected in this study on chr. 17. Further functional validation of the identified genes could be beneficial in breeding programs to produce soybean lines with high beneficial sucrose and low raffinose family oligosaccharides.

The study aimed to compare the cardiovascular benefits of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from fish oil versus krill oil in different forms and dosages. Following PRISMA 2015, data analysis with R software, and databases were searched from 1993 to 2023, (ID PROSPERO: CRD42024502338). Sixty high-quality studies were analyzed, covering various forms of fish oil and krill oil at different dosages (fish oil (ethyl ester-EE, triglyceride-TG, re-esterified triglycerides-rTG, capsules, emulsion-EM); krill oil (phospholipid/free fatty acid-PL/FFA, high concentration phospholipid-HPL, low concentration phospholipid-LPL)). Meta-analysis revealed that krill oil with phospholipid/free fatty acid at doses 2000-2900 mg effectively lowered triglycerides, while fish oil in ethyl ester form at doses above 3000 mg significantly reduced total cholesterol. Fish oil in triglyceride form at doses 2000-2900 mg and other variations positively impacted HDL-C levels. Fish oil in EE form above 3000 mg and triglyceride form below 2000 mg notably reduced LDL-C. However, there was limited effectiveness observed for other interventions. Analysis for LDL-C exhibited publication bias, while other parameters demonstrated reliability (Egger's test). In conclusion, krill oil - PL/FFA, Fish oil - EE above 3000 mg, Fish oil - TG 2000-3000 mg, and fish oil - rTAG 300-1900 mg effectively in reducing heart risk patients.

Background. Many anticancer drugs used in clinical practice cause adverse events such as oral mucositis, neurotoxicity, and extravascular leakage. We have reported that two 3-styrylchromone derivatives, 7-methoxy-3-[(1E)-2-phenylethenyl]-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (compound A) and 3-[(1E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]-7-methoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (compound B) showed the highest tumor-specificity against human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines among 291 related compounds. After confirming their superiority by comparing their tumor specificity with newly synthesized 65 derivatives, we investigated the neurotoxicity of these compounds, in comparison with 4 popular anticancer drugs. Methods: Tumor-specificity (TSM, TSE, TSN) was evaluated as the ratio of mean CC50 for human normal oral mesenchymal (gingival fibroblast, pulp cell), oral epithelial cells (gingival epithelial progenitor), and neuronal cells (PC-12, SH-SY5Y, LY-PPB6, differentiated PC-12) to OSCC cells (Ca9-22, HSC-2), respectively. Results: Compounds A and B showed one-order of magnitude higher TSM as compared with newly synthesized derivatives, confirming its prominent tumor-specificity. Docetaxel showed one order of magnitude higher TSM, but two order of magnitude lower TSE than compounds A and B. Compounds A and B showed higher TSM, TSE and TSN values than doxorubicin, 5-FU and cisplatin, damaging OSCC cells at concentrations that do not affect the viability of normal epithelial and neuronal cells. QSAR prediction based on the Tox21 database suggested that compounds A and B may inhibit the signaling pathway of estrogen-related receptors.

Plant height is significantly correlated with grain traits, which is a component of wheat yield. The purpose of this study is to investigate the main QTLs that control plant height and grain-related traits in multiple environments. In this study, we constructed a high-density genetic linkage map using the Wheat50K SNP Array to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for these traits in 198 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). The two ends of the chromosome were identified as re-combination-rich areas in all chromosomes except chromosome 1B. The middle area of the chro-mosomes was identified as the recombination-barren area. Both the genetic map and the physical map showed a significant correlation when p=0.001, with a correlation coefficient between 0.63 and 0.99. However, there was almost no recombination between 1RS and 1BS. In terms of plant height, 1RS contributed to the reduction of plant height by 3.43cm. In terms of grain length, 1RS contributed to the elongation of grain by 0.11mm. A total of 43 QTLs were identified, including 8 QTLs for Plant height(PH), 11 QTLs thousand grain weight(TGW), 15 QTLs for grain length(GL),and 9 QTLs for grain width(GW), which explained 1.36%–33.08% of the phenotypic variation. Seven were environment-stable QTLs, including two loci Qph.nwafu-4B and Qph.nwafu-4D that determined plant height. The explanation rates of phenotypic variation were 7.39%-12.26% and 20.11%-27.08%, respectively. One QTL, Qtgw.nwafu-4B, which influenced TGW, showed an explanation rate of 3.43%-6.85% for phenotypic variation, two co-segregating KASP markers were developed, the physical locations corresponding to KASP_AX-109316968 and KASP_AX-109519968 were 25.888344 MB and 25.847691 MB. Another QTL, Qgw.nwafu-4D, which determined grain width, had an explanation rate of 3.43%-6.85%. Three loci that affected the grain length were Qgl.nwafu-5A, Qgl.nwafu-5D.2 and Qgl.nwafu-6B, illustrating the explana-tion rates of phenotypic variation as 6.72%-9.59%, 5.62%-7.75%, and 6.68%-10.73%, respectively. Two QTL clusters were identified on chromosomes 4B and 4D.

Quality-of-life (QOL) is important for cancer patients with poor prognosis. However, QOL survey is difficult using patients. We created cancer scenarios and investigated QOL utility values among the general public using vignette-based methods. On the other hand, some scenarios may have been difficult for the general public to image and understand. Therefore, we conducted a QOL survey among physicians. This survey was conducted by interviewing physicians adminis-tering chemotherapy to patients for recurrent/metastatic pancreatic cancer. Responses were eval-uated using Composite Time Trade-Off (cTTO) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for 11 pancreatic cancer status scenarios to be evaluated (survey scenarios). Survey scenarios consisted of health state, type and Grade of adverse events. Health status was classified into two categories: Stable disease (SD) and Progressive disease (PD). Twenty responders answered in this survey, however two responses were excluded because of inconsistent responses. The stable disease had the highest QOL value for both assessment method. Whereas progression disease (PD) had the lowest QOL value. The physicians scored higher QOL values on VAS and cTTO than the general public in all survey scenarios. The QOL values obtained by physicians were consistent with the degree of sta-tus in any assessment scenarios.

Older adults with obesity have an increased risk for cognitive decline and subsequent Alzheimer’s disease. Previous research has focused on the impact of individual nutrients and overall dietary patterns to improve cognitive function. The Brain and Body Health (BB-Health) study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a multicomponent nutritional supplement (MCNS) and weight loss (WL) intervention for individuals with overweight and obesity who are not consuming a healthy diet. BB-Health is a parallel-group randomized placebo-controlled 2x2 factorial pilot trial comparing the MCNS, WL, and MCNS+WL with a Control group. Eligible participants are 55 to 85 years of age with a body mass index 27.0 to 39.9 kg/m2. Major exclusion criteria include type 2 diabetes, moderate or severe cognitive impairment, and self-reported healthy dietary pattern. The BB-Health feasibility trial is registered as NCT05542199 at clinicaltrials.gov. The BB-Health objectives are to report: 1) recruitment and enrollment, including pace and descriptive statistics of the study sample; 2) adherence to the administered interventions; 3) successful data collection and performance of outcome assessments, including evaluation of change in key outcomes over time that are powered for this pilot study; and 4) summary statistics on outcomes for use in planning a subsequent, larger trial. The outcomes of interest are age-sensitive cognitive assessments, cerebral hemodynamics, and related health parameters. All measurements are collected at baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month visits. If the BB-Health protocol demonstrates feasibility, the novel MCNS with and without a parallel WL intervention has potential to be administered in a confirmatory randomized trial to evaluate ability to prevent age-related cognitive decline and improve brain health. The BB-Health Feasibility Study could significantly contribute to our understanding of the influence of diet and weight management on cognitive health

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

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

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

Five isolates of a new putative member of the genus Closterovirus, tentatively named blackcurrant leafroll associated virus 1 (BcLRaV-1), were identified in currant. The 17 kb long genome of BcLRaV-1 contained 10 open reading frames (ORFs). The replication associated polyprotein has two papain-like leader proteases, a methyltransferase, a helicase and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain. Additional ORFs coded for heat shock protein 70 homolog, heat shock protein 90 homolog, two divergent copies of coat protein, and three accessory proteins without identifiable functions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BcLRaV-1 is related to members of the genus Closterovirus and recombination analysis of the isolates showed clear evidences of intraspecies recombination.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Promoting green development has become an important way to optimize the ecological and economic structure and promote sustainable development. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important economic corridor in China, and it remains to be examined whether the implementation of environmental regulations has enhanced the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of cities. This paper calculates the green total factor productivity of 107 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt by using the super-efficient SBM model and the GML index with Chinese city panel data from 2007-2019 and measures the intensity of environmental regulations through textual analysis. The bidirectional fixed-effects model constructed in this paper suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP, which is confirmed by a series of robustness tests. Green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure play a mechanism role in this. In regions with lower levels of green technology and industrial structure, the inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and green total factor productivity is more significant. In addition, the phenomenon of GTFP rising and then falling because of environmental regulation is more obvious in cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and outside the urban agglomerations. Therefore, when formulating environmental regulation policies, it is necessary to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and harmonize the environment and economic development of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

The wetlands in northeastern Bangladesh are home to some of the most prolific and valuable ecosystems on the planet, offering a wide range of benefits to both the local and wider communities. A limited number of research on this topic have been carried out in various wetlands in coastal hilsa, but none have been located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. Thus, the goal of this study was to better understand the most commercially relevant species (anadromous hilsa) in northeastern Bangladesh as well as to assess the wetland ecosystem services more thoroughly with the contribution of their fish genetic resources. In addition to laboratory studies, fieldwork was done in the fishing settlements along the Surma River, Hakaluki Haor, and Tanguar Haor. The study classified 77 fish species into 21 subcategories of ecosystem services, of which 56% were not threatened, 17% were vulnerable, and 10% were highly endangered. The species Hilsa was found to be the most economically significant, accounting for 1% of the GDP overall. The study determined if the hilsa stock of the examined wetlands maintains a single or several subpopulations in comparison to other parts of the country when they migrate from saline water to northeastern Bangladesh (freshwater). But when compared to other groups, the FST score was between 0.000 to 0.017, indicating that the populations are identical and that there is genetic material sharing between them. Additionally, these statistics imply that the Sylhet haor and adjacent river systems contain a single stock of Hilsa fish. Nevertheless, a number of stresses and risks, including overexploitation, illicit and destructive fishing, siltation, and natural disasters like flash floods, have been linked to changes in the supply of hilsa and other ecosystem services. This study also emphasizes the necessity of policy attention and research to address the concerns.

In this paper, we introduce a specialized, fully automated experimental arrangement designed for assessing the effectiveness of augmented and virtual reality technologies in healthcare setting and explore its design principles focusing on depth sensor characterization. The main goal of this project is to establish a robust benchtop platform for the quantitative evaluation of extended reality technologies in a controlled environment, emphasizing the practical assessment of augmented reality head-mounted devices. We outline a design concept and considerations for an experimental configuration aimed at creating a realistic testing environment. This apparatus comprises an observation platform mounted on a three-degree-of-freedom motorized system and a test phantom stage. Focusing on real-case scenarios, we utilized a range of sensors, including readily available range-sensing cameras and commercial augmented reality headsets, such as the Intel RealSense L515 LiDAR camera, mounted on the motion control system. The setup enabled automated data collection and facilitates controlled assessments and validation of various facets of augmented reality technologies, including object, hand, and head tracking, as well as static and dynamic image registration. This paper describes the system architecture, the process of automated data collection, and presents several evaluation studies conducted with this setup, providing insights into the quality and temporal noise associated with static or moving objects or observers in augmented reality applications.

To conduct high-precision and high-resolution numerical simulation of complex flow structures in turbomachinery, a high-order finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the large eddy simulation (LES) is improved and embedded into the three-dimensional viscous unsteady CFD solver NUAA-Turbo. Firstly, the spectral characteristics and unsteady convergence of the improved WENO scheme are studied. Compared with the classical WENO scheme, the improved WENO scheme has better dissipation and dispersion characteristics and faster convergence speed. Then, the coefficient CW of the Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity (WALE) model is calibrated by decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) test case. Finally, the scheme is applied to conduct high-precision LES calculations of turbulent boundary layer flow, supersonic compression corner flow, and low-pressure turbine cascade separation flow. The numerical simulation results show that this WENO scheme has excellent shock wave capture ability and turbulence resolution and can capture more flow field details with less mesh size, greatly reducing the computational cost and laying a foundation for large-scale engineering application of LES.

To secure logic circuits against the illegal copying the insertion of the so-called key bit inputs using XOR/XNOR gates has been proposed in . The inserted gates modify (lock) the behavior of the original circuit and only the correct choice of the secret key bits guarantees the equivalent behaviour of the locked circuit to the original circuit. To break this kind of security, i.e. to find the secret key bits, there was a SAT solver based attack proposed in . The aim of this work is to experimentally verify this attack on several locked circuits with various number of primary inputs and outputs and with various number of gates. Except for the random placement of the key gates we evaluate also the positioning with chaining elimination. The obtained and presented results show that we were able to unlock 10 of 11 circuits within few minutes on a common PC.

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to utilize in tribological environments, but to date the works are hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperature. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at.%). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of ternary Mo-Ni-Si alloy melt, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the ductility improvement of intermetallic alloy. Tribological properties of the designed alloy, including wear resistance, friction coefficient and metallic tribological compatibility, were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggested that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent property for room-temperature wear applications, which is attributed to the unique microstructural features and thereby good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is also reported by observing the worn surface, subsurface and wear debris of alloy, which to be found is soft abrasive wear.

With the integrated development of the Internet, wireless sensor technology, cloud computing, and mobile Internet, there has been a lot of attention given to research about and applications of the Internet of Things. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is one of the important information technologies in the Internet of Things; it integrates multi-technology to detect and gather information in a network environment by mutual cooperation, using a variety of methods to process and analyze data, implement awareness, and perform tests. This paper mainly researches the localization algorithm of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network. Firstly, a multi-granularity region partition is proposed to divide the location region. In the range-based method, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength indicator, RSSI) is used to estimate distance. The optimal RSSI value is computed by the Gaussian fitting method. Furthermore, a Voronoi diagram is characterized by the use of dividing region. Rach anchor node is regarded as the center of each region; the whole position region is divided into several regions and the sub-region of neighboring nodes is combined into triangles while the unknown node is locked in the ultimate area. Secondly, the multi-granularity regional division and Lagrange multiplier method are used to calculate the final coordinates. Because nodes are influenced by many factors in the practical application, two kinds of positioning methods are designed: the unknown node is in the positioning unit or not. When the unknown node is on the side of the positioning unit, we use the method of vector similarity. Moreover, we use the centroid algorithm to calculate the ultimate coordinates of unknown node. When the unknown node is not on the side of the positioning unit, we establish a Lagrange equation containing the constraint condition to calculate the first coordinates. Furthermore, we use the Taylor expansion formula to correct the coordinates of the unknown node. In addition, this localization method has been validated by establishing the real environment.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of brain activity. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology formed by the EEG signal has become one of the hotspots at present. How to extract the feature signal of EEG is the most basic research of BCI technology. In this paper, A new method of recognizing fatigue, conscious, concentrated state of human brain is proposed by the combination of discrete wavelet transform and the neural network based on EEG signal. First of all, the law signal is preprocessed by the wavelet denoising method because the law EEG signal contains a large number of high frequency noise, which is decomposed into multi-layer high frequency signal and low frequency signal. thus, δ wave, θ wave, α wave, β wave are obtained by the wavelet transform. And then, frequency band energy of the different wave is regards as the feature signal of EEG. In the experiment, the feature signal is classified by radial basic function (RBF) and annealed chaotic competitive learning network (ACCLN). RBF and ACCLN networks are trained with 500 sets of sample data and are tested by 100 sets of samples in different mental states. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of RBF network under three conditions are 88.75%, 88.25%, 88.5%, respectively, and the correct rate of ACCLN network is 97%, 98%, 98%, respectively.

This work presents the results of a comprehensive physico-chemical and biological study of hu-mic substances samples – an extract of humic and fulvic acids. The performed loss on drying test showed a 22 times different dry matter content between EHS and FA. The morphology and dis-tribution of particles in the dry residue of the samples assessed using the methods of optical and digital microscopy demonstrated differences in the qualitative features of the microstructures of their surfaces and granulometries. Shimadzu X-ray fluorescence spectrometry revealed Si (8.1 and 1.7%), P (33.5 and 2.7%), S (4.3 and 59.5%), K (1.35 and 2.5%), Ca (10.9 and 3.2%), Mn (0.27 and 0.06%), Fe (11 and 0.05%), Cu (0.16 and 0.45%), Zn (0.06 and 0.02%) in the dry residues of the EHS and FA samples, respectively. A high intensity of the X-ray fluorescence signal for Fe atoms in the EHS sample was demonstrated. The FT-IR spectra for EHS and FA are characterized by simi-lar vibration frequencies that are characteristic of the chromone derivatives (1-benzopyran-4-one). The UV absorption spectrum is characterized by max = 281 nm for FA. The EHS solution showed a fluorescence maximum at em = 560 nm at ex = 280 nm. Using the DLS method, nanoparticles of 1 nm and 200 nm were detected in EHS and FA diluted solutions, which are likely to condition the biochemical and physical properties of humic acids. Using the Spiro-tox-test method, the absence of the toxic effect of humic acids on the cell model of ciliates Sp. am-bigua was established. When the cell model was incubated in a solution of a toxicant of the fluo-roquinolone group, a decrease in toxicity was demonstrated when diluted with the EHS solu-tion. The results of the study of the antiviral activity of EHS and FA showed that the study ob-jects in the culture of Vero-E6 cells, in doses non-toxic to cells, suppress the reproduction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus both in the study of the virucidal effect and in the study of the antiviral activ-ity according to the therapeutic and prophylactic model scheme of injection. The results obtained suggest that standardized drugs based on humic acids may open up new perspectives in their biomedical application as antiviral drugs.

Early discharge after childbirth has led to a rise in neonatal readmission, becoming a major concern in recent decades. Our research aimed to identify the risk factors and incidence of neonatal readmission, as well as explore preventive measures. Our study at the Clinical Hospital of Pediatrics in Ploiești, Romania included 108 neonates admitted during the neonatal period. This accounted for 2.06% of all admissions (5226). The most prevalent cases were malnutrition (25%), fever (20.3%) and bronchiolitis (17.5%). Diarrhea and infectious gastroenteritis were also observed (14.8%), along with acute rhinoconjunctivitis (9.2%) and late onset sepsis (3.7%). No deaths were recorded. The most significant characteristics identified were number of children (p&lt;0.001) and age at maternity discharge (p&lt;0.001). By following the prevention rules, malnutrition, feeding errors, and infections can be avoided. This includes practicing proper hand hygiene for both mothers and medical staff, as well as educating and demonstrating to mothers the benefits of breastfeeding. In addition, all newborns discharged from the maternity ward should benefit from follow-up at 7-10 days of life. Our results confirm the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team and endorse promoting breastfeeding. Implementing quality control measures and regularly evaluating the surveillance program will help improve its effectiveness.

Wearable technology has been proposed as a potential tool to change the way of human life, such as the smart bracelet and the Google Glass. In the wearable technology, the inertial sensor has great significance in tracking the object movements. The paper focused on detecting the movements of user’s finger based on the inertial sensor to give the control signals. Firstly, the attitude matrix, which represented the transformation relation of carrier coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system, was obtained. Secondly, the attitude matrix was expressed based on the quaternions. Thirdly, the finger gesture was processed by the attitude matrix to get the attitude angle. Finally, the robot was controlled by attitude angle to make the moving action. The experimental results showed the detection of the finger movement is effective.

Two interesting compounds such as quaternary ammonium lignin(QAL) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) were synthesized as ionic liquids(QP-ILs) for the extraction of metal ions. The extraction behavior of Co(II) and Ni(II) from chloride solution was compared between QP-ILs and P507. The results showed that the extraction rates of Co(II) and Ni(II) in the two solutions varied with the extraction conditions, but QP-ILs has stronger extractability for cobalt than P507, while Ni is on the contrary. Under the same conditions, the Co/Ni separation performance(βCo/Ni) in QP-ILs is superior to that in p507. At pH4.0, 55℃, concentration of 20%, extraction time of 10 minutes, the βCo/Ni of QP-ILs reached to 2703, while that of P507 was only 164. In conclusion, QP-ILs was more efficient than P507 for separating Co from mixed solutions.

Brain aging causes a wide variety of changes at molecular and cellular levels, leading to the decline of cognitive functions and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative disorders. The research aimed at understanding the aging of the brain has made much progress in recent decades. Technological innovations such as single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), proteomic analyses, and spatial transcriptomic analyses have facilitated the research on the dynamic changes occurring within neurons, glia, and other cells along with their impacts on intercellular communication during aging. In this review, we introduce recent trends of how neurons and glia change during aging and discuss the impact of the brain microenvironment such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).