Adapted and personalized motor activities prove to be effective for meeting the specific needs of children with SEN, tailoring to their unique limitations and abilities. Our focus was to craft and apply a structured program for psychomotor abilities development, targeting balance and motor-cognitive skills. The study aims to enhance the behavior and psychomotor manifestations of 28 students with SEN (aged 12-14) from two institutional centers in Romania. The "Sfântul Ștelian" Inclusive Education School Center of Costesti, Arges (CC-12 subjects), and the "Sfânta Filofteia" Inclusive Education School Center of Ștefănești (CS-16 subjects). Across a 36-week training regimen, participants engaged in sessions lasting 30 minutes, twice weekly. Evaluation of their psychomotor skills involved a battery of tests: assessing balance, both with eyes open and closed, brain processing speed, upper limb motor laterality. Initial and final data were gathered to assess their motor development and physical state. Instruments utilized included the Optojump Next optical system for movement analysis, Witty SEM intelligent semaphore, Sensamove balance miniboard. Statistical analysis compared the initial and final assessments using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Wilcoxon Z test. Out of the total comparisons made between the initial and final assessments for the evaluation of the psychomotor component, statistically significant differences were found in only 37.5% of these comparisons.

The modern age offers many challenges in terms of health related physical condition, such as new technologies, fast and stressful lifestyle, unhealthy diets, alarming statistics on physical activity, etc. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the existing problems, being necessary to answer the following questions: what is the fitness level of the population? and how important are physical exercises in human life? The purpose of this paper is to monitor the fitness level of a group of students, with the help of a new fitness test system, providing individualized feedback, guidance, or motivation to the subjects. Thus, we applied the new EFB system (European Fitness Badge), that evaluates certain components of physical condition in relation to health (endurance, strength, coordination, flexibility), on a group of 180 students, 78 male (43.3%) and 102 female (56.7%), with the average age m = 23.59 ± 7.38 years, from different specializations within the U.A.V. Arad. The subjects were divided into two groups: beginners - TP1 (N-93) and advanced - TP2 (N-87). The results showed significant differences in most components of overall fitness depending on the test profile (basic or advanced), demografic factors (sex and age), and student’s major (sport, economics, psychology, etc.), a stronger association between ABSI and overall fitness than BMI, and that test profile acts as mediator between demografic factors (sex and age) and fitness abilities. In conclusion this study evidenced tendencies toward differences between the groups of subjects based on the test profile. Also the advanced profile participant scores were higher than those of the basic profile participants. The results reflect as well a lower BMI and ABSI indexes for the advanced profile participants.

This research investigates entrepreneurial attitudes among 415 students in the academic sports domain. Utilizing a 15-item questionnaire, participants were categorized into four groups based on their sports background: individual and team sports with competitive history, amateur athletes, and non-practitioners. The questionnaire exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.755). Statistical analysis using the Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity across criteria such as gender, competitive sports involvement, type of competitive sports, and engagement in amateur sports revealed significant differences in nine out of 60 comparisons. Furthermore, this study employs an explanatory approach to elucidate the distinctions among athletes, amateur, and non-athlete students in academic sports programs regarding assumption of responsibilities, proactive initiative, determination to establish their own businesses, perception of the comfort zone, and the perception of post-sports career adaptation. Additionally, a gender comparison is conducted concerning the perception of business risk, comfort and security in a stable workplace, and the applicability of sports-oriented approaches in business. These results provide valuable insights into how sports backgrounds shape entrepreneurial perspectives, thereby contributing to the development of customized entrepreneurial programs. Moreover, the study seeks to offer a nuanced comprehension of the diverse factors influencing the entrepreneurial attitudes and perceptions of students in sports academic programs.

This research delves into the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and management of hyperprolactinemia, particularly focusing on prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas, or prolactinomas, in Dolj County, a region historically underrepresented in medical literature. Hyperprolactinemia, a prevalent endocrine disorder, arises from excessive prolactin secretion by the pituitary gland's lactotrope cells and presents a diverse clinical picture. The most significant etiological contributors identified are prolactinomas, accounting for approximately 39% of all secretory pituitary tumors. In light of hyperprolactinemia's substantial morbidity and prevalence, this study underscores the necessity of comprehensive understanding of its regional epidemiology and clinical presentations. Our methodology incorporated collecting retrospective data across various medical facilities in Dolj, ensuing a meticulous analysis of clinical features, paraclinical investigation outcomes, and therapeutic responses among patients with prolactinomas. Emphasis was placed on discerning risk factors, demographic characteristics, and associated comorbidities to encapsulate the full spectrum of these tumors' impact within the community. Preliminary results suggest a nuanced incidence rate of prolactinomas within Dolj, with specific demographic and clinical trends potentially distinct from those reported in wider literature. These findings stress the critical role of localized studies in enhancing screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic protocols. Ultimately, this investigation offers critical insights into the epidemiology and symptomatology of prolactinomas in Dolj, significantly augmenting existing literature and informing regional medical practices.

This study examines the effectiveness of a comprehensive psychomotor development program combined with adapted football training for adolescents diagnosed with intellectual disabilities in Romania. Twelve participants, with a mean age of 17.42 years underwent a carefully designed intervention program spanning 36 weeks. The program aimed to enhance fundamental movement skills, integrate these skills into specialized football training, and culminate in a Unified 7-a-side Football Match. Results indicate significant improvements in psychomotor skills, including static and dynamic balance, pulse processing speed, and identified stimuli. Moreover, the intervention positively impacted social interaction among participants. Statistical analysis, employing Pearson Correlation Analysis and Paired Samples t-Test (One-Sample), compared assessments. Results revealed significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements, providing robust evidence of the program's efficacy. The positive correlations between physical parameters and social interaction highlight the interconnectedness between physical fitness and social engagement. Our findings suggest that improvements in physical abilities may contribute to increased social interaction among children with intellectual disabilities, underscoring the holistic nature of our intervention, which addresses multiple dimensions of development simultaneously. The findings underscore the holistic benefits of integrating psychomotor development and adapted football programs for adolescents with intellectual disabilities, emphasizing the importance of promoting inclusive physical activities for their overall well-being.

Background: The modified Duke index derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) was designed to predict cardiovascular outcomes based on the severity of coronary ste-nosis. However, it does not take into consideration the presence or severity of peri-coronary in-flammation. The peri-coronary fat attenuation index (FAI) is a novel imaging marker determined by CCTA which reflects the degree of inflammation in the coronary tree in patients with coronary artery disease. Purpose: To assess the association between the modified Duke index assessed by CCTA, cardiovascular risk factors and peri-coronary inflammation in the coronary arteries of pa-tients with coronary artery disease. Methods: One hundred seventy-two patients who underwent CCTA for typical angina were assigned into two groups based on the modified Duke index: group 1 – patients with low index ≤ 3 (n=107) and group 2 – patients with high index > 3 (n=65). Demo-graphic, clinical and CCTA data were collected for all patients, and FAI analysis of coronary in-flammation was performed. Results: Patients with increased values of the modified Duke index were significantly older compared to those with a low index (61.83 ± 9.89 vs. 64.78 ± 8.9; p = 0.002). No differences were found between the two groups in terms of gender distribution, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or smoking history (all p > 0.5). The FAI score was significantly higher in patients from group 2, who presented a significantly higher score of inflammation compared to the patients in group 1, especially at the level of the right coronary artery (FAI score 20.85 ± 15.80 vs. 14.61 ± 16.66; p = 0.01 for the right coronary artery, 13.85 ± 8.04 vs. 10.91 ± 6.5; p = 0.01 for the circumflex artery, and 13.26 ±10.18 vs. 11.37 ± 8.84; p = 0.2 for the left anterior descending artery). CaRi-Heart® analysis identified a significantly higher risk of future events among patients with a high modified Duke index (34.84 % ± 25.86 % versus 16.87 % ± 15.80 %; p

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether early surfactant administration affects the status of ductus arteriosus (DA) in preterm infants ≤32 weeks of gestational age (GA) within 24 hours of birth. Materials and Methods: It is a prospective study conducted from March 15, 2022, to November 15, 2023, in a tertiary academic center. In-born infants ≤ 32 weeks of gestation (n = 88) were enrolled. The study group was further divided into surfactant (n=44) and non-surfactant (n=44) subgroups. Results: 76% of the preterm infants who received surfactant therapy (RRR = 0.839) recorded an increase in Kindler Score at 24 hours of life (1-RR = 1-0.24 = 76%). Surfactant administration was significantly associated with decreased pre-ductal diastolic pressure (29.9 mmHg vs. 34.8 mmHg, p=0.0231), post-ductal diastolic pressure (28.7 mmHg vs. 32.2 mmHg, p=0.0178) pre-ductal MAP (41.6 mmHg vs. 46.5 mmHg, p=0.0210) post-ductal MAP (41.0 mmHg vs. 45.3 mmHg, p=0.0336). There were no significant changes in ductus arteriosus parameters at 24 hours of life. Conclusions: Early surfactant administration does not affect the status of ductus arteriosus in preterm infants ≤32 weeks of gestational age at 24 hours of life.

Dental agenesis is one of the most common developmental anomaly in humans and it is frequently as-sociated with several other oral abnormalities. The present case describes nonfamilial agenesis of per-manent teeth in a twenty-one-year-old boy, with no apparent systemic abnormalities. The treatment in-cluded a personalized and interdisciplinary approach by the means of endodontics, orthodontics, im-plants supported restorations and prosthetic treatments. The treatment plan was thoroughly elaborated using photographic analysis, study models, orthopantomogram, CBCT and cephalograms. Virtual smile design, diagnostic waxing, and mock-up previsualized the treatment objectives. The edentulous spaces were reconstructed by inserting dental implants, and monolithic Zirconia implant supported restorations. The final results showed a highly aesthetic and functional rehabilitation. Periodic checkups have shown that the stability of the result is well maintained and that the implant supported restorations are an op-timal solution for patients with multiple anodontia.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) generation suffers from multiple serious issues, for example shading effects directly affect the performance of installed PV arrays. By studying these issues, it can play a key role in improving the limitations and performance of PV panels. The study of PV arrays under partial shading conditions is mentioned in many papers as a part of other studies and as an independent phenomenon. Therefore, it is essential to improve these studies and update them with new research and study this problem in detail to know how to limit the effects of partial shading irradiance conditions on PV arrays performances, including economical aspects. This paper proposes to study the effects of different partial shading irradiance conditions for a PV array in various configurations. The analysis is proved in detail through the simulation of the proposed PV array in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The obtained results show the performances of interconnected PV arrays under different partial shading irradiance and temperature conditions, including the solar array I-V and P-V characteristics. In addition, different PV array configurations with and without bypass and blocking protection diodes improve and minimize the effect of partial shading conditions and avoid the reductions in output power.

Background and Objectives: Wilson disease (WD) is a disorder of copper metabolism caused by genetic muta-tions in the ATP7B gene which lead to the accumulation of copper in the body. The aim of the present study is to investigate the severity of WD in patients in Romania. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted us-ing an online questionnaire consisting of 32 questions in a group of patients suffering from Wilson disease. Results: The study included 67 people aged 7 to 56 with WD. The most common symptoms of the participants were hepatic and neurological in 22 cases (32.8%). The most common neurological symptom in the assessed cases was muscle stiffness (49.5%), followed by tremor (45%), and speech disorders (40.5%). The Kay-ser-Fleischer ring was present in 50.7% of the participants. The most commonly used drug treatment in the participants was D-penicillamine (77.61%). Conclusions: The severity of WD is based on many aspects, the most important being early diagnosis and access to treatment throughout the year. The prognosis is favorable with early diagnosis and treatment, but it is crucial to diagnose individuals before they develop major symp-toms. Therefore, advances in WD screening can lead to an earlier diagnosis and better results.

We are proposing, for any interested investigator, a randomized open clinical trial for mild and mild-to-moderate Covid-19 comparing a treatment regimen with standard of care, and eventually with another investigational regimen, if ongoing or will be implemented. The patients could be hospitalized or ambulatory but not requiring admission to intensive care units and mechanical ventilation. The proposed therapeutic regimen consists of doxycycline (an antimicrobial having also anti-inflammatory properties, probable antioxidant and possible some antiviral effects), and pentoxifylline, a hemorheological compound used in occlusive arterial diseases but also having proven anti-inflammatory properties. Doxycycline is included in the WHO’s list of essential medicine being an effective, safe, widely available, and inexpensive medication and widely accessible. It will be administered at a dosage of 100 mg orally twice daily for ten days. Pentoxifylline, in clinical use since 1972, and also widely accessible, will be given at a dosage of 400 mg orally, also twice daily, for ten days. The primary outcome measures are: 1) Progression of disease to a severe form requiring intensive care admission and mechanical ventilation; 2) Fatality rates and 3) Time to clinical recovery.This proposal was presented to the National Directors and Core Leads meeting of the Canadian Trials Network (CTN) on May 6, 2020. The interventional trial template suggested by CTN was used for designing the trial.

This article aims to analyze music from a philosophical and theological perspective, using the principles of multi- and transdisciplinary methodology. After a brief introduction, which presents the main moments in the history of the musical phenomenon, a first chapter addresses the metaphysical dimension of music in classical composers. The second chapter shows the position of philosophers towards music, starting with Pythagoras and ending with Schopenhauer. The third chapter focuses on music theology in general, but also on the theology and metaphysics of music to the French philosopher of Romanian origin, Emil Cioran, who, after Augustin and Schopenhauer, wrote probably the deepest pages on the ontology of music. The last chapter refers to to the archetypal character of music.

Groove pancreatitis represents a chronic focal form of pancreatitis affecting the zone between the pancreatic head and the duodenal „C” loop, known as the groove area. This is a rare condition that affects the pancreatic periampullary part, including the duodenum and the common bile duct, associated usually with long-term alcohol and tobacco misuse and being more frequent in men than in women. The most common clinical symptoms of groove pancreatitis include weight loss, acute abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice. This report is about a 66 year old woman with a history of heavy smoking, presenting with weight loss, nausea, and upper abdominal pain. Contrast enhanced computed tomography revealed the existence of a chronic pancreatitis as well as the dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, a cyst of the pancreatic head and enlargement of the biliary tract. Conservatory treatment was initiated but with no improvement of symptoms. Since there was no indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, we decided to perform a pancreatoduodenectomy, as surgery appears to be the single effective treatment.

Urbanization and climate change have increased the need for stormwater management and nature-based solutions. Decisions made at project level impact the emergence of systemic traits of the stormwater network and the functionality of the catchment areas in urban planning. To that end, it is vital to introduce the decision-making tools for analyzing both the utilities and amenities of nature-based solutions (NBS) to increase their adoption to reduce the peak loads in the stormwater system, and to that end, mitigate the impacts of climate change. This paper demonstrates a workflow using drone-based photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and simulation software to generate visual and functional models assisting in informed decision-making in the design of stormwater systems as functional landscape architecture. Using aerial data from drones and modeled design solutions, the proposed workflow simulates rain events, infiltration, evaporation, water flow, and accumulation of stormwater in a way that allows the visual and quantified analysis of detailed landscape architecture designs. The paper provides an example of a rooftop site simulation demonstrating the infiltration and flow of water to the drainage. The visual decision-making method provided can aid in investment decisions for functional landscape design in support of stormwater management.

Most European cities are characterized by very large areas, often formed by buildings with low quality, from a series of point of view. The possibility of renovating them is strategic to improve both the quality of life and to the possibility of economic recovery for building companies. In the last decades, the attention of the scientific community has been addressed to the energy renovation, thanks to the strong activities of the European Community in this field. However, since a relevant part of the EC territory is at risk of earthquake, the possibility to combine both energy and seismic renovation actions may be strategic for many countries. In particular, Italy and Romania are linked by a common social tradition that springs from the Roman Empire. Nowadays, this link is stronger, thanks to common interests in social, cultural and business fields. Therefore, the investigation of possible synergies for seismic and energy renovation strategies may be really interesting for both countries. This paper represents the first step in this direction. After an overview of regulations and common practices for buildings with reinforced concrete structures, in both states, some key combined renovation interventions will be described and discussed, as well as advantages and perspectives of integrated renovation approaches.

This paper offers a theoretical and experimental examination of the concurrent production of electricity and heat using photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) technology. The efficiency performance of the PV/T system is meticulously analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink software environments. Notably, the proposed PV/T system shows reliable performance, and its validity is confirmed through experimental validation on a test stand with a single PV/T panel positioned at a 45-degree angle to the horizontal and a 0-degree azimuth angle.

This article presents a new method of segmenting images with gray levels. The method is based on determining several thresholds for separation of gray levels. The determination of these thresholds is done using the certainty of the neutrosophic information. The concept of this method can be stated simply: to choose the local maximums for the neutrosophic certainty.

This article presents a method of segmenting images with gray levels that uses Onicescu's information energy calculated in the context of the neutrosophic theory. Starting from the information energy calculation for complete neutrosophic information, it is shown how to extend its calculation for incomplete and inconsistent neutrosophic information. The segmentation method is based on calculation of thresholds for separating the gray levels using the local maximum points of the Onicescu information energy.

This article presents a new method of segmenting grayscale images by minimizing Shannon's neutrosophic entropy. For the proposed segmentation method, the neutrosophic information components, i.e., the degree of truth, the degree of neutrality and the degree of falsity are defined taking into account the belonging to the segmented regions and at the same time to the separation threshold area. The principle of the method is simple and easy to understand and can lead to multiple thresholds. The efficacy of the method is illustrated using some test gray level images. The experimental results show that the proposed method has good performance for segmentation with optimal gray level thresholds.

This paper proposes a novel data processing framework dedicated to bedload monitoring in underwater environments. After calibration, by integration the total energy in the nominal bandwidth, the proposed experimental setup is able to accurately measure the mass of individual sediments hitting the aluminum plate. This require a priori knowledge of the vibration trasients in order to match a predefined dictionary. Based on unsupervised hierarchical agglomeration of complex vibration spectra, the proposed algorithms allow to accurately localize the transients corresponding to the shocks created by sediment impacts on a steel plate.

The Independent Component Analysis (ICA) has been recently introduced as a reliable alternative to identify canonical scattering mechanisms within Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PolSAR) images. This manuscript addresses two important aspects when applying such methods on real data, namely speckle filtering and statistical classification with ICA. A novel PolSAR data processing framework is introduced by adjusting the Lee's sigma filter to the particular nature of the Touzi's polarimetric decomposition. In its current form, it allows the use of the ICA mixing matrix in the derived speckle filter. An extension of the Fromont at al. iterative segmentation is introduced, equally. This proposed framework is tested using P band airborne PolSAR data acquired for the ESA campaign TropiSAR campaign.

The magnetic properties of RCo3B2 compounds, with heavy rare earths, are investigated by using magnetic measurements and electronic structure calculations. The cobalt sublattice magnetizations are very small and antiparallel oriented to rare earths moments. Contributions of cobalt moments to the Curie constants were also shown. The cobalt magnetic behavior has been analyzed in spin fluctuations model. The presence of short-range order above the Curie temperatures in RCo3B2 compounds with R=Tb, Dy, and Ho has been attributed to reminiscent R5d-Co3d interactions.

Weak interaction processes continue to be hot topics in fundamental physics research. In this paper, we briefly review some recent advances in the theoretical study of beta and double-beta decays that include both the nuclear and atomic part of these processes. On the nuclear side, we present a statistical approach for the computation of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ). A range of NME values, the most probable value for NME, and the associated theoretical uncertainty are given. Correlations with other related observables are shown as well. On the atomic side, we first briefly review the methods used to get the electrons’ wave functions. Further, we use them for the computation of some relevant kinematic quantities such as Fermi functions, electron spectra and angular correlation between the emitted electrons. Then, we present applications of these calculations to the experimental data analysis related to the search of the Lorentz invariance violation in two-neutrino double-beta (2νββ) decay and description of the decay rates and decay rate ratios for allowed and unique forbidden electron capture (EC) processes.

Background and Objectives: High job strain is worsening the outcome in coronary artery disease, CAD. Severe dissatisfaction on workplace, imbalance between high demands , and low rewards, are affecting the quality of life, and diminishing the duration of life, especially in CAD patients. Our study included two samples : CAD patients (experimental group), and without CAD patients, but with traditional risk factors (control group). The main objective of the study was the role played by high sensitivity C reactive protein, hs CRP, and microalbuminuria, as mediators of job strain and CAD relationship. Secondary objectives were the following: identification of the most vulnerable patients( with significant job strain) and intervention towards this category, for cardiovascular events prevention (primary or secondary). Materials and Methods: The utilized methods were the following : clinical exam; electrocardiogram; echocardiogram; non contrast enhanced computed chest tomography; laboratory findings ( lipid profile, glycemia, hs CRP, microalbuminuria); type D scale, DS 14; depression questionnaire, PHQ-9; and satisfaction with work scale, SWWS. Results: The highest values for hs CRP and microalbuminuria were noticed in patients with the lowest Likert score, for both samples CAD, and without CAD patients. The highest job strain was noticed in females. More than half of CAD patients ,with low Likert scores, revealed myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Microalbuminuria and hs CRP were statistical significant in the study as intercessors, in job strain and CAD relationship. The most vulnerable patients for vascular events were females, in both groups : CAD and “CAD waiting desk”. In CAD sample, the vascular vulnerability was also increased by high job strain.

Congestion not only represents a cardinal sign of heart failure but is also now recognized as the primary cause for hospital admissions, rehospitalizations, and mortality among patients with acute heart failure. Congestion can manifest through various heart failure phenotypes in acute settings: volume overload, volume redistribution, or both. Recognizing the congestion phenotype is paramount, as it implies different therapeutic strategies for decongestion. Complete decongestion is hardly achieved among patients with acute heart failure, as more than half still have residual congestion at discharge. Residual congestion is one of the strongest predictors of future cardiovascular events and poor outcomes. Through this review, we try to provide a better understanding of the congestion phenomenon among patients with acute heart failure by highlighting insights into the pathophysiology mechanisms behind congestion and new diagnostic and management tools to achieve and maintain efficient decongestion.

Structural information of biological macromolecules is crucial and necessary to deliver predictions about the effects of mutations—whether polymorphic or deleterious (i.e., disease causing), wherein, thermodynamic parameters, namely, folding and binding free energies potentially serve as effective biomarkers. It may be emphasized that the effect of a mutation depends on various factors, including the type of protein (globular, membrane or intrinsically disordered protein) and the structural context to which it occurs. Such information may positively aid drug-design. Furthermore, due to the intrinsic plasticity of proteins, even mutations involving radical change of the structural and physico-chemical properties of the amino acids (native vs. mutant) can still have minimal effects of protein thermodynamics. However, if a mutation causes significant perturbation of either folding or binding free energies, it is quite likely to be deleterious. Mitigating such effects is a promising alternative to the traditional approaches of designing inhibitors. This can be done by structure-based in silico screening of small molecules for which binding to the dysfunctional protein restores its wild type thermodynamics. In this review we emphasize on the effects of mutations on two important biophysical characteristics, stability and binding affinity, and how structures can be used for structure-based drug design to mitigate the effects of disease-causing variants on the above biophysical characteristics.

Information security plays a major role in the dynamics of today’s interconnected world. Despite the successful implementation and effectiveness of modern cryptographic techniques, their inherent limitations can be exploited by quantum computers. In this article we discuss Grover’s quantum searching algorithm and its impact on the security of modern symmetric ciphers. More specifically, we present its formal description and give an implementation of the algorithm using IBM’s Qiskit framework, which allows us to simulate and run the program on a real device. The developed program is modular and scalable, managing to properly run on any input state. We compare the performance of the algorithm running on the local simulator against its execution on a quantum processor from IBM’s lineup, noting the discrepancies between the results due to physical characteristics of the chip.

In this article, we give a brief review of the origin of the neutrino mass in some interesting non-linear supersymmetric models with R-symmetry. These models are able to address and solve the most important problems of the particle physics and provide mechanisms for neutrino mass generation and their mixing parameters in agreement with the current experimental data. Their prediction could be experimentally tested in the near future by collider experiments.

The COVID-19 pandemic and tuberculosis have epidemiological similarities, being transmitted airborne, favored by direct contact, crowded environments and vulnerable biological status. We performed a retrospective study of 45 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis associated with COVID-19 (TB+COV+) compared to 45 cases with tuberculous monoinfection (TB+COV-), hospitalized during 2021-2022. The demographic characteristics were similar in the two groups, predominating men, a median age of 51 years, living in rural areas, medium level of education and smoking. Common symptoms of the two groups were cough, weight loss, profuse sweating, loss of appetite and hemoptysis, while fever, headache, myo-arthralgias and digestive symptoms characterized the TB+COV+ forms. The scores of radiological lesions in the TB+COV+ compared to TB+COV- group were significantly higher and persistent, revealing more frequent bilateral extensive lung lesions. There were no significant differences in the biological parameters between the two groups. Mortality was 2.2%, regardless of the association of COVID-19. The frequency of infections with Clostridioides difficile was higher in TB+COV+ cases. In conclusion, the co-infection of COVID-19 had an impact on the clinical and biological expression of tuberculosis diagnosed in a pandemic context.

The use of didactic and interactive materials is essential in generating interest among students and teachers in utilizing mathematical models and digital technologies for the educational process. These materials create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that promotes a deeper understanding of complex concepts and fosters a passion for learning. Additionally, integrating interactive materials into pilot courses can assist teachers in better assessing student learning and adjusting the teaching strategies accordingly and the teachers can receive valuable insights into students' strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to provide targeted support and intervention when needed. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to introduce an approach for solving mathematics problems embedded in technical scenarios within the defense and security fields with the aid of digital technology. In this way, students can visualize abstract concepts, experiment with different scenarios, and receive instant feedback on their understanding. This paper helps to reinforce key concepts and enhance problem-solving skills, sparking curiosity, creativity, and encouraging active participation and collaboration. Throughout the development of this proposal, good practices are adopted, and advice for improvement is collected while having a wide range of users, giving feedback, discussions, and testing (pilot) short-term learning/teaching/training activities.

In chemotherapy practice the dexamethasone is used as concomitant agent to mitigate the side effects of antitumor drug cisplatin. However, it is known, that both cisplatin and dexamethasone are capable to stimulate the production of reactive oxygen spacies, which targets various biomolecules, including lipids. This work is devoted to the study of quantitative changes in products of lipid peroxidation in the nuclei of cells of some tissues of rats after separate and combined use of cisplatin and dexamethasone. The amount of lipid peroxidation products was determined by spectrophotometric method after its extraction by heptan-isopropanol mixture. When used separately, cisplatin and dexamethasone enhance the formation of lipid peroxidation products in the studied tissues of rats to various degrees. As a result of these alterations, the values of the oxidation index in the studied nuclear preparations also changed accordingly. During the combined use of cisplatin and dexamethasone there is some antagonism in the action of these drugs. Instead of the supposed summation of the effects of enhancing lipid peroxidation processes, “masking” of the effect of cisplatin with dexamethasone is observed. Thus, it has been assumed that exactly such antagonism revealed during combined action helps mitigate the side effects of cisplatin with dexamethasone.

Abstract: The most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the presence of poly-PR/GR dipeptide repeats which are encoded by the C9orf72 gene. Recently, it was shown that poly-PR/GR alters chromatin accessibility which results in stabilization and enhancement of transcriptional activity of the tumor suppressor p53 in several neurodegenerative disease models. Reduction of p53 protein levels in cell and model organisms protects against neurotoxicity of poly-PR, and partially protects against neurotoxicity of poly-GR. Here, we aimed to study the detailed molecular mechanisms how p53 contributes to poly-PR/GR mediated neurodegeneration. Using a combination of biophysical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, fluorescence polarization, turbidity assays and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy, we found that p53 physically interacts with poly-PR/GR and triggers liquid-liquid phase separation of p53. We identified p53 transactivation domain 2 (TAD2) as the main binding site for PR25/GR25 and show that binding of poly-PR/GR to p53 is mediated by a network of electrostatic and/or hydrophobic interactions. Our findings might help to understand the mechanistic role of p53 in poly-PR/GR - associated neurodegeneration.

The paper investigates experimentally the influence of the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) pre-processing strategy on the tribological properties of parts made of PEI (polyetherimide), investigating the difference in the weight loss of the samples caused by abrasive wear before and after the test. The samples were tested for abrasive wear resistance on a tribometer constructed according to ASTM G65/16 (dry sand). Two types of specimen printing orientation along X-axis (lengthwise) and along Z-axis (heightwise) were tested in the study. Three types of path generation strategies were used for manufacturing "X" and "Z" specimens and totally 18 samples were made and tested. Path deposition strategy was carried out with path deposition width of 0.5mm and parallel paths in all slicing layers. In order to reduce the voids in volume, deposition path axes in subsequent layers were shifted by 0.25mm offset. Garnet abrasive Fe3Al2(SiO4)3 was used for this test. The analysis of the experimental data shows the relationship between the samples building direction (X, Z), applied deposition strategies (1X - 3X and 1Z - 3Z) on the resulting resistance to abrasive wear.Keywords: PEI, FFF, path generation strategy, abrasive wear

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), lasting >48 h, considered for cardioversion, are recommended ≥3 weeks of oral anticoagulation before sinus rhythm restoration because of high risk of development of left atrial thrombosis (LAT) and stroke. However, the optimal duration of anticoagulation in the presence of overt LAT is unknown. Methods: An open-label study, aiming to investigate the prevalence of spontaneous echo con-trast (SEC) and LAT before and after 3 weeks of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment. We included 51 consecutive patients (50.9% males), mean age 69.3±7.4 years with paroxys-mal/unknown duration of AF, considered for cardioversion, who agreed to have transesophage-al echocardiography at enrollment and 3 weeks later. Results: At baseline SEC was present in 26 (50.9%) and LAT in 10 (19.6%) of 51 patients. After 3 weeks on DOAC, SEC persisted in 12 (25.0%) and LAT in 7 (14.5%) of 48 patients, p<0.05 vs base-line. Factors, associated most strongly with persistence of SEC/LAT were left atrial appendage (LAA) emptying velocity <20 cm/s (OR=2.82), LAA lobes >2 (OR=1.84) and indexed left atrial volume ≥34 ml/m2 (OR=1.37). Conclusions: The recommended minimal period of 3 weeks of oral anticoagulation lead to SEC/LAT resolution in 47% of our patients. To our opinion, LA/LAA morphology and function should be taken into account when determining the duration of DOAC treatment before planned cardioversion.

(1) Background: The aim of the research was to present and emphasize the importance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures by presenting case reports. (2) Materials and Methods: The sample of respondents included 7 patients (4 males and 3 females, 2 athletes and 5 non-athletes), aged 25 to 58 years, with AT injuries, who were examined and treated at the Institute for Treatment and Rehabilitation "Niška Banja", Niš, Serbia. Ankle examinations with MRI were conducted using the Esaote O-scan 0.3 T machine. The examinations were performed without the application of a paramagnetic contrast agent and without the use of anesthesia. Results: The MRI method's sensitivity and overall diagnostic accuracy were excellent, with 100% true positives. In our study, the method accurately detected the presence, location, and severity of AT injuries in all cases. MRI is an important and reliable method for detecting AT injuries, classifying them, monitoring the course of recovery, and assessing the effects of therapy. Conclusions: An unrecognized or delayed diagnosis of an AT injury can lead to chronic changes. Timely diagnosis (clinical examination, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging) and appropriate treatment (conservative or operative) enable patients to return to normal activities, including sports. Unfortunately, the use of MRI is limited by restricted access and the cost of the examination.

In many Indian regions increased wastewater is both a threat and an opportunity. Efficient wastewater treatment and reuse schemes are needed in India to face impending water and fertiliser shortages. This study explores the application potential of wastewater fertigated Short Rotation Coppice systems (wfSRC) as a cost-efficient and promising solution for treating and reusing wastewater in a specific region (400 km2, 184 settlements) of Aligarh (UP), India. Based on real data from a local wfSRC pilot site using bamboo, willow, and poplar, we analysed the system’s treatment performance, nutrient recovery, carbon sequestration potential, land requirements, biomass production potential, and cost-benefit, under various scenarios. The results show that the pilot wfSRC system is efficiently treating 250 m3/day of domestic wastewater on 6,864 m2 of land, and serving 2,500 people. The land requirements for wfSRC systems vary depending on local conditions and user requirements, ranging from 2.75 – 25.7 m2/PE which equates to a required land area in the whole study region of between 108 and 1006 ha in 2036. This would produce up to 100 DM t/ha/yr of valuable biomass. Early local stakeholder involvement and monitoring of pollutants are recommended as priorities during the planning process for large-scale implementation of wfSRC systems in India.

A new Mg-Zn-Zr-Ca alloy in powder state was obtained via mechanical alloying method, from pure elemental powder. Further, the obtained powder-alloy was processed by selective laser melting (SLM) procedure to obtain 3D printed samples for small biodegradable implants. A series of microstructural, mechanical and corrosion analysis were performed. The SEM analysis of powder-alloy reveal a good dimensional homogeneity, with uniform colored, no agglutinated and almost rounded particles, suitable for selective laser melting procedure. Further, the SLM samples reveal a robust and unbreakable morphology, with a suitable porosity and without undesirable balling effect. The tested Young’s modulus of the SLM samples, of 42 GPa, is close to cortical bone one, of 30 GPa. The corrosion tests performed in PBS (Phosphate-buffered saline) solution show that the corrosion parameters have a satisfactory evolution.

It is already well known that infants and children infected with COVID-19 develop mild to mod-erate forms of the disease, with fever and oropharyngeal congestion being the most common symptoms. Nevertheless, there are cases in which the patients accuse respiratory symptoms. These cases need lung evaluation, which can be done using lung ultrasound (LUS), because it is a non-irradiating and repeatable imaging technique. 19 children with COVID-19 pneumonia were eval-uated using LUS. The LUS score (LUSS) for each patient varied between 1 to 8 points from a max-imum of 36 points. The arithmetic mean was 4.47 ± 2.36 (S.D), while 95% CI for the Arithmetic mean was 3.33 to 5.61. The lung changes were correlated with their biomarkers, specifically in-flammatory markers. The correlation between LUSS and LDH, D-dimers and IL-6 was a strong positive one with r=0.66 (p=0.01, 95% CI 0.147 to 0.896) between the LUSS and LDH level at symptomatic infants and children (with cough present) and r=0.66 (p=0.01, 95% CI 0.140 to 0.895) between LUSS and D-dimers level at symptomatic infants and children (with cough pre-sent). The results suggest that LUS could be a good imaging technique that can be used both in ini-tial evaluation of children with respiratory diseases, and, also in their follow-up, correlated with symptoms and biomarkers.

Development of methods and algorithms to predict the effect of mutations on protein stability, protein-protein, and protein-DNA/RNA binding is necessitated by the needs of protein engineering and for understanding the molecular mechanism of disease-causing variants. The vast majority of the leading methods are either methods with adjustable parameters or machine learning algorithms, both requiring a database of experimentally measured folding and binding free energy changes. These databases are collections of experimental data taken from scientific investigations typically aimed at probing the role of particular residue on the above-mentioned thermodynamics characteristics, i.e., the mutations are not introduced at random and do not necessarily represent mutations originating from single nucleotide variant (SNV). Thus, the reported performance of the leading algorithms assessed on these databases or other limited cases, may not be applicable for predicting the effect of SNVs seen in the human population. Indeed, we demonstrate that the SNVs and non-SNVs are not equally presented in the corresponding databases and the distribution of the free energy changes are not the same. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficients (PCCs) obtained on cases involving SNVs are less impressive than for non-SNVs, indicating that caution should be used in applying them to reveal the effect of human SNVs. All methods are found to underestimate the energy changes by roughly a factor of 2.

How much is the h-index of an editor of a well ranked journal improved due to citations which occur after his/her appointment? Scientific recognition within academia is widely measured nowadays by the number of citations or h-index. Our dataset is based on a sample of four editors from a well ranked journal (impact factor – IF – greater than 2). The target group consists of two editors who seem to benefit by their position through an increased citation number (and subsequently h-index) within journal. The total amount of citations for the target group is bigger than 600. The control group is formed by another set of two editors from the same journal whose relations between their positions and their citation records remain neutral. The total amount of citations for the control group is more than 1200. The timespan for which citations’ pattern has been studied is 1975-2015. Previous coercive citations for a journal benefit (increase its IF) has been signaled. To the best of our knowledge, this is a pioneering work on coercive citations for personal (editors’) benefit. Editorial teams should be aware about this type of potentially unethical behavior and act accordingly.

This scientific paper explores the increasingly widespread use of collaborative robots in the industrial environment, highlighting them as a solution to challenges related to the high costs of human labour and the associated management difficulties. The authors focus on the process of defining requirements for the implementation of collaborative robots, providing strategies based on mathematical management models. This approach translates into significant benefits for companies, such as cost reduction, quality improvement, and increased operational efficiency. Additionally, the paper proposes an innovative mathematical model for assessing total costs, budgeting, profitability, and electric power consumption associated with the operation of collaborative robots. This model allows for a comparison between the costs involved in using human labour and those associated with collaborative robots, providing critical information for technological investment decisions. The efficiency of this mathematical model is demonstrated through a practical application, where collaborative robots were integrated into a production environment, and costs and efficiency were evaluated compared to the use of human labour. This scientific paper provides a systematic and efficient approach to implementing collaborative robots in industrial processes, benefiting from strategies based on mathematical management models and an original mathematical model for evaluating performance and associated costs.

This study is focused on the mechanical properties of WC-Co composites obtained via Selective Laser Sintering using PA12 as a binder. The as-printed samples were thermally debonded, and sintered, first in vacuum, and then sinter-HIPed at 1400oC, using 50 bar Ar, which has led to relative densities up to 66 %. Optical metallographic images show a microstructure consisting of WC, with an average grain size in the range of 1.4 – 2.0 µm, with isolated large grains, in a well-distributed Co matrix. The shrinkage of the samples was 43 %, with no significant shape distortion. The printing direction of the samples has a great impact on the transversal rupture strength (TRS). Nevertheless, the bending strength was low, with a measured maximum of 612 MPa. SEM images of the fracture surface of TRS samples show the presence of defects that constitute the cause of the low measured values. The hardness values position the obtained composites in the range of medium coarse classical cemented carbides. The results were also related to the amount of free Co after sintering, close to the initial one, as assessed by magnetic measurements, indicating a low degree of interaction with PA12 decomposition products.

In this study, Mg-Al and Mg-Al-Ni - layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were successfully synthesized for efficient removal of Mn²⁺ from synthetically wastewater. LDH adsorbents (Mg-Al and Mg-Ni-Al) were prepared by co-precipitation method. The formation of the layered double hydroxide, the adsorption of manganese on both LDH (Mg-Al and Mg-Ni-Al) were observed by XRD, SEM and EDX analysis. The various parameters such as the effect of shaking time, initial Mn²⁺ concentration, temperature were controlled and optimized to removal of Mn²⁺ from synthetic wastewater. The kinetics and adsorption isotherms for Mn²⁺ removal from wastewater were studied in batch mode. At temperatures of 10 °C and 20 °C the adsorption equilibrium was reached after 24 h. Adsorption isotherms of Mn²⁺ are well fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equation. The adsorption capacity of Mn²⁺ from synthetic wastewater of 80.607 mg/kg was obtained for (Mg-Al-Ni)-LDH. It is found that the adsorption kinetics is best described by the pseudo-second order model. These results prove that LDHs can be considered as a potential material for adsorption of Mn²⁺ from wastewater.

First, we propose a scale-invariant modified gravity interacting with a neutral scalar inflaton and a Higgs-like SU(2) × U(1) iso-doublet scalar field based on the formalism of non-Riemannian (metric-independent) spacetime volume-elements. This model describes in the physical Einstein frame a quintessential inflationary scenario driven by the “inflaton” together with gravity-inflaton assisted dynamical spontaneous SU(2) × U(1) symmetry breaking in the post-inflationary universe, whereas SU(2) × U(1) symmetry remains intact in the inflationary epoch. Next, we find the explicit representation of the latter quintessential inflationary model with a dynamical Higgs effect as an Eddington-type purely affine gravity.

To compare surgical and refractive outcomes between phacotrabeculectomy (P-Trab) and phaco with Ex-PRESS (P-Ex-PRESS) for glaucoma at 6-month follow-up. This prospective randomized controlled trial included 81 eyes; 43 (53%) and 38 (47%) were assigned to the P-Ex-PRESS and P-Trab groups, respectively. Refraction, intraocular pressure (IOP), and best-corrected visual acuity were measured. Refractive change was described by analyzing the magnitude of the cylinder, and polar analysis assessed the change in trend of astigmatism [with-the-rule, against-the-rule (ATR), oblique] evaluating mean astigmatism in centroid form. All patients showed statistically significant postsurgical decrease in IOP (P&lt;0.05). There were no differences neither between the groups for postoperative IOP or visual outcomes, nor in astigmatism before or after surgery (P=0.61, P=0.74). In both groups, the mean pre- and postoperative astigmatism was ATR and OBL, respectively. Pre- and postoperative centroids in the P-Ex-PRESS group were 0.44±1.32 D at 177˚ and 0.35±1 D at 8˚, respectively, (P=0.5) and in the P-Trab group, 0.16±1.5 D at 141˚ and 0.39±1.38 D at 29˚, respectively (P=0.38). Both P-Ex-PRESS and P-Trab showed comparable antihypertensive efficacy in treating open-angle glaucoma in a 6-month period. Pre- and postoperative astigmatism did not differ between groups. The groups showed comparable results for final visual acuity.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrinopathies, estimated to affect about 5.4% of the world's population around 2025. It is thought that nearly a third of diabetic patients have some type of skin condition. Frequently, the cutaneous effects of this heterogeneous syndrome are ac-curately detected late in the progressive form of the disease. The main objective of the present study was to identify the main cellular characteristics of the cutaneous microenvironment in exper- imentally induced diabetes mellitus. Skin fragments were harvested from adult white Wistar rats of both sexes, with the weight of 200 g, 12 weeks after streptozotocin diabetes was induced. In parallel with histopathological diagnosis by using hematoxylin and eosine staining, samples were processed by transmission electron microscopy technique and examined with a Philips CM100 microscope. In the apparently macroscopically unchanged tegument, photon microscopy revealed both progres ive thinning of the epidermis in the early stages of diabetes and a significant process of fibrosis and collagen hyalinization in the dermis. In addition, in the early stages, the electron microscopic study provided ultrastructural details characteristic of a senescent phenotype with reduced cell proliferation. The morphological changes in the skin may be the first signs of disruption of carbohydrate metabolism and in the case of established diabetes may reflect its progression and the efficacy of therapy.

Our primary objective is to construct a plausible unified model of inflation, dark energy and dark matter from a fundamental Lagrangian action first principle, where all fundamental ingredients are systematically dynamically generated starting from a very simple model of modified gravity interacting with a single scalar field employing the formalism of non-Riemannian spacetime volume-elements. The non-Riemannian volume element in the initial scalar field action leads to a hidden nonlinear Noether symmetry which produces energy-momentum tensor identified as a sum of a dynamically generated cosmological constant and a dust-like dark matter. The non-Riemannian volume-element in the initial Einstein-Hilbert action upon passage to the physical Einstein-frame creates dynamically a second scalar field with a non-trivial inflationary potential and with an additional interaction with the dynamically generated dark matter. The resulting Einstein-frame action describes a fully dynamically generated inflationary model coupled to dark matter. Numerical results for observables such as the scalar power spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio conform to the latest 2018 PLANCK data.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is one of the most common hereditary cancer syndrome in human populations, associated with germline variants in MLH1, MSH2/EPCAM, MSH6 and PMS2 genes. The advent of next generation sequencing has proven a significant impact in germline variant detection in the causative genes; however, a large proportion of patients with clinical criteria still receive uncertain or negative results. PMS2 is the least frequent reported gene, associated with up to 15% of LS cases with late-onset disease and low penetrance phenotype; however, the proportion of PMS2-LS cases is considered to be highly underestimated. In this context, we consulted public available databases (ClinVar, LOVD) for missense and intronic PMS2 variants and performed an in silico analysis of the genomic sequence. Splicing bioinformatics tools proven effective in other genes were used to assess both the wild-type DNA sequence and reported genetic variants. Splicing alterations were predicted in silico and using GTEx short-read RNA expression data. Out of the 2384 missense variants discovered, 90% were classified with uncertain significance (VUS). 4.9% of missense variants were shown to have a potential splicing consequence (DS &gt; 0.2) using SpliceAI. As described in the original publication, SpliceAI-visual was proven effective in annotation of short intronic variants (&lt; 50 bp). Four short intronic variants were identified using SpliceAI-visual as potentially splicing disturbing, in spite of using a lower threshold (DS &gt; 0.1). Moreover, we observed that Splicing Regulatory Elements (SREs) may play a fundamental role in alternative splicing in PMS2 gene, ESE motifs being overrepresented in highly expressed exons 5, 11 and 14. Computational analysis performed in our study serves as a valuable filtering step for guiding further RNA sequencing experiments. Additional functional data is necessary to evaluate the significance of our findings.

Pure-compression shells have been the central topic in the form-finding of shells. This paper studies tension-compression mixed type shells by utilizing a NURBS-based isogeometric form-finding approach that analyzes Airy stress functions to expand the possible plan geometry. A complete set of smooth version graphic statics tools is provided to support the analyses. The method is validated using examples with known solutions, and a further example demonstrates the possible forms of shells that the proposed method permits. Additionally, a guideline to configure a proper set of boundary conditions is presented through the lens of asymptotic lines of the stress functions.

Accidents at mining enterprises, including tailing dumps, pose significant threats to human lives, structures, and the environment. This study focuses on designing, constructing, and operating tailing dumps in Siberia's northern region. To ensure safety and minimize environmental impacts, comprehensive scientific monitoring and research were conducted at all stages, including design, construction, operation, and disposal. The aim was to create a uniform mass within the dam body, requiring understanding of the tailings' structure and technological characteristics during placement. Parameters like particle size, distribution, density, and moisture content were considered to assess tailings' physical and geometric properties. Estimated monitoring was introduced as a permanent model to quickly assess the stability of hydrotechnical constructions. This involved monitoring changes in exploitation properties, structure height, beach length, and water levels. A controlled inwashing technology for subsequent dam layers was developed. Complex research facilitated the formulation of an estimated monitoring methodology and an algorithm for tailing dam formation. Practical application demonstrated high reliability and confirmed load-bearing capacity, allowing for the forecast of dam stability and safe execution. Findings led to alterations in work techniques, ensuring safe and efficient operation of tailing dams.

This study aimed to obtain and characterize extracted hemp oil enriched in cannabidiol (CBD) by decarboxylation of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and to give new insights into its antioxidant and anticancer effects. Optimization of CBDA decarboxylation in hemp oil was performed, and CBD and CBDA contents and purities were determined by “flash chromatography”, 1H- and 13C-NMR. The antioxidant properties of CBD-enriched oil were investigated by Fe2+ chelating activity, Fe3+ reducing antioxidant power assay, O2− scavenging activity, HO− scavenging ability and lipid peroxidation inhibitory assay and its cytotoxicity, apoptosis- and oxidative stress-inducing effects on NHDF, MeWo, HeLa, HepG2 and HOS cells were determined. The CBD concentration in hemp oil was increased by CBDA soft decarboxylation optimized at 90°C, for 1 h and resulted oil was capable of reducing iron, scavenging free radicals, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation in cell-free oxidative conditions. CBD-enriched oil promoted NHDF proliferation at up to 15 µg CBD/mL, while inducing apoptosis and ROS production and modulating antioxidant enzymes’ gene expression in cancer cells, being selective for osteosarcoma cells and induced apoptosis by p53- and ROS-independent mechanisms. CBD-enriched hemp oil demonstrated antioxidant properties in oxidative conditions and promoted normal fibroblasts’ proliferation, while inducing apoptosis and ROS production in cancer cells.

In this work we present the results obtained with an artificial neural network (ANN) which we trained to predict the expected output of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) process, while exploring a multi-dimensional parameter space. We argue on the utility and efficiency of the ANN model and demonstrate its ability to predict the outcome of HHG simulations. In this case study we present the results for a loose focusing HHG beamline, where the changing parameters are: the laser pulse energy, gas pressure, gas cell position relative to focus and gas cell length. The physical quantity which we predict here using ANN is directly related to the total harmonic yield in a specified spectral domain (20-40 eV). We discuss the versatility and adaptability of the presented method.

(1) Background: Globally, about 600 million people are afflicted with diabetes, and one of its most prevalent complications is neuropathy, a debilitating condition. At present, the exploration of novel therapies for alleviating diabetic neuropathy-associated pain is genuinely captivating, considering that current therapeutic options are characterized by poor efficacy and significant risk of side effects. In the current research, we evaluated the antihyperalgesic effect of sildenafil (phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor) – metformin (antihyperglycemic agent) combination and its impact on biochemical markers in alloxan-induced diabetic neuropathy in rats; (2) Methods: The study comprised a cohort of 70 diabetic rats and 10 non-diabetic rats which were submitted to hot, cold, and tactile stimulus tests. Morover, we investigated the influence of this combination on TNF-α, IL-6 nitrites and thiols levels in brain and liver tissues; (3) Results: The results demonstrated that all sildenafil-metformin combinations decreased the pain sensitivity in von Frey test, Hot-plate test and Cold-plate test. Furthermore, alterations in nitrites and thiols concentrations and pro-inflammatory cytokines (specifically TNF-α and IL-6) were noted following a 15-day regimen of various sildenafil-metformin combinations. (4) Conclusions: The combination of sildenafil and metformin has a synergistic effect in alleviating pain in alloxan-induced diabetic neuropathy rats. Additionally, the combination effectively decreased inflammation, inhibited the rise in NOS activity, and provided protection against glutathione depletion.

Using a database of 378 hail days between 20981 and 2020, the climatic characteristics of 23 convective parameters from sounding data and ERA5 data were statistically analyzed. The goal of this work is to evaluate the usefulness and representativeness of convective parameters derived from sounding data and reanalysis data for the operational forecast of the hail phenomenon. As a result, average values from 12:00 UTC were 433J / Kg for CAPE in the case of data from ERA5 and 505 J/kg from rawinsonde respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients matrix between the values of the parameters indicates high correlations between the parameters calculated based on the parcel theory, the humidity indices, and the complex indices. The probability for large hail maximizes with high low level and boundary layer moisture, high CAPE, and a high lifted condensation level height.

Nowadays, when milling complex parts or curved surfaces, we encounter several problems that must be taken into account in the production process. There are various factors that affect the quality and accuracy of production. The main objective of this paper was to analyze the size of the effective tool diameter when machining a shaped surface with respect to the selected position, namely at the perpendicular position of the tool. At the same time, the distribution of the engagement area on the tool surface was evaluated by extracting the area content and volume data at the point of contact. The experiment was also intended to highlight the importance of the choice of finishing strategy in a CAM system. The results showed that the tool engagement size corresponded to the extracted data describing the area and volume size for each tool position with respect to the curvature of the surface. The negative deviations obtained by the scanning method were due to machining close to the tool centre, which was affected by the changing effective tool diameter.

RNA polymerase III (RNAP III) holoenzyme activity and its products processing have been linked to several metabolic dysfunction in lower and in higher eukaryotes. Alterations in the activity of RNAP III driven synthesis of non-coding RNA, causes extensive changes in the glucose metabo-lism. Increased RNAP III activity in S.cerevisiae maf1Δ strain, manifests with lethality when grown on non-fermentable carbon source. This lethal phenotype is suppressed by reducing tRNA syn-thesis. The cause for the lack of growth neither the underlying molecular mechanism has not been deciphered and has been awaiting a scientific explanation for a decade. Our previous proteomics data suggested mitochondrial dysfunction of the strain. Using model mutant strains maf1Δ (with increased tRNA abundance) and rpc128-1007 (with reduced tRNA abundance) we collected data showing major changes in TCA cycle metabolism of the mutants that explain the phenotypic ob-servations. The present study, based on 13C flux data and analysis of TCA enzymes activities, identifies the flux constraints in the mitochondrial metabolic network. The lack of growth is associated with the de-crease in TCA cycle activity and downregulation of the flux towards glutamate, aspartate and phosphoenolopyruvate (PEP), the metabolic intermediate feeding gluconeogenic pathway. rpc128-1007, the strain that is unable to increase tRNA synthesis due to a mutation in C128 subunit, has increased activity of TCA cycle under non-fermentable conditions. To summarize, cells with non-optimal activity of RNAP III, undergo substantial adaptation to a new metabolic state, that make them vulnerable under specific growth conditions. Our results strongly suggest that balanced, non-coding RNA synthesis that is coupled to glucose signaling is a fundamental requirement to sustain cell’s intracellular homeostasis and flexibility under changing growth conditions. Presented results provide insight into the possible role of RNAP III in mito-chondrial metabolism of other cell types.

Micro and small wood-processing enterprises represent the heart of the European forest-based industries, being among the key drivers of economic growth in rural, mountainous, and poor regions. Their economic efficiency is of fundamental importance for their existence and the pro-vision of income for the local population in rural areas. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is nonparametric, linear-programming-based approach, commonly used to analyse the efficiency of organizational units. This method allows estimating the economic efficiency of a certain eco-nomic system without assumptions about the functional form between resources and products. Furthermore, DEA determines the efficiency frontier and gives results of whether an enterprise, i.e., a Decision Making Unit (DMU) is efficient or not. The main objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the economic efficiency of micro and small wood-processing enterpris-es in the EU countries and reveal the hidden inputs that facilitate efficiency generation. The eco-nomic efficiency evaluation was carried out on the basis of the official statistical data for the mi-cro and small wood-processing companies in the EU member states for the period 2015-2020 by performing a two-stage DEA analysis. The data used were standardized by value per employee. In addition to the first stage of DEA, fractional regression probit and logit models with four contextual variables were used to reveal the influence of the hidden inputs in the model. The results showed that the micro and small wood-processing enterprises can be regarded as more scale-efficient than technically-efficient entities. The only contextual variable affecting the eco-nomic efficiency was Investments per Person Employed, improving the efficiency by 2% per 1% increase of the investments.

The removal of metal ions by biosorption on inexpensive materials is still a challenge for environmental engineering research. In this study, marine green algae biomass (Ulva lactuca sp.) and the biochars obtained from this biomass, at 320 C (BC-320) and 550 C (BC-550), were used as biosorbents for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution. In addition to comparing the biosorption capacities, the determination of the thermodynamic parameters allows the choice of the most suitable material for the biosorption processes. The experimental results, obtained for Cu(II) ions biosorption on each biosorbent (algae biomass (AB), BC-320 and BC-550), at three different temperatures (10, 30 and 50 C) were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, while pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusions models were used to model the kinetic data. The biosorption of Cu(II) ions is best described by the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second kinetic model, regardless of the type of biosorbent. The maximum biosorption capacity (qmax, mg/g) depends on the temperature, but also on the type of biosorbent, and follow the order: BC-320 &lt; AB &lt; BC-550. Using the experimental isotherms, the thermodynamic parameters (G0, H0 and S0) for the biosorption of Cu(II) ions on each biosorbent were calculated. The analysis of the obtained values constitutes the main arguments in choosing BC-550 as the most effective biosorbent for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous media.

When implementing SVMs, two major problems are encountered: (a) the number of local minima increases exponentially with the number of samples and (b) the quantity of required computer storage, required for a regular quadratic programming solver, increases by an exponential mag-nitude as the problem size expands. The Kernel-Adatron family of algorithms gaining attention lately which has allowed it to handle very large classification and regression problems. Howev-er, these methods treat different types of samples (Noise, border, and core) in the same manner, which causes searches in unpromising areas and increases the number of iterations. In this work, we introduce a hybrid method to overcome these shortcomings, namely Optimal Recurrent Neu-ral Network Density Based Support Vector Machine (Opt-RNN-DBSVM). This method consists of four steps: (a) characterization of different samples, (b) elimination of samples with a low probability of being a support vector, (c) construction of an appropriate recurrent neural network based on an original energy function, and (d) solution of the system of differential equations, managing the dynamics of the RNN, using the Euler-Cauchy method involving an optimal time step. The RNN remembers the regions explored during the search process thanks to its recurrent architecture. We demonstrated that RNN-SVM converges to feasible support vectors and Opt-RNN-DBSVM has a very low time complexity compared to RNN-SVM with constant time step, and KAs-SVM. Several experiments were performed on academic data sets. We used several classification performances measures to compare Opt-RNN-DBSVM to different classification methods and the results obtained show the good performance of the proposed method.

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

First described in 1760 by the anatomist Morgagni, CoA is a congenital heart defect characterized by narrowing the aorta, typically distal to the left subclavian artery. It accounts for approximately 5-8% of all congenital heart diseases, with an incidence estimated at 4 per 10,000 live births. In 1944, the Swedish surgeon Clarence Crafoord achieved the first successful surgical CoA repair by performing an aortic end-to-end anastomosis on two patients aged 12 and 27 years old. Presently, the most prevalent techniques for surgical repair, particularly in infants and neonates with isolated coarctation, involve resection with end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) and the modified Crafoord technique (extended resection with end-to-end anastomosis (EEEA)). Subclavian flap aortoplasty (SCAP) is an alternative surgical option for CoA repair in patients under two years of age. In cases where the stenosis extends beyond resection and end-to-end anastomosis feasibility, patch aortoplasty (PP) employing a prosthetic patch can augment the stenotic region, especially for older patients. Despite advances in pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, recoarctation remains a significant concern after surgical or interventional repair. This comprehensive review aims to provide a thorough analysis of coarctation management, covering the pioneering techniques introduced by Crafoord using head-to-tail anastomosis and now extending to the contemporary era marked by percutaneous interventions as well as the recoarctation rate associated with each type.

Evaluating the integrity of structures is an important issue in engineering applications. The use of vibration-based techniques has become a common approach to assessing cracks, which are the most often occurring damage in structural elements. When involving an inverse method, it is necessary to know the influence of the position and the geometry of the crack on the modal parameter changes. The geometry of the crack, both in size and shape, defines the damage severity (DS). In this study, we present a method (DS-SHC) used for estimating the DS for closed and open transverse cracks in beam-like structures by using the intact and damaged beam deflections under its weight and a Stochastic Hill Climbing (SHC) algorithm. After describing the procedure of applying DS-SHC, we calculate for a prismatic cantilever beam the severities for different crack types and depths. The results are tested by comparing the DS obtained with DS-SHC with those acquired from dynamic tests made using professional simulation software. We obtained a good fit between the severities determined in these two ways. Afterward, we performed laboratory experiments and find out that the severities obtained with the DS-SHC method can accurately predict the frequency changes due to the crack. Hence, these severities are a valuable tool for damage detection.

Background: Alongside their long-term effects - post-concussion syndrome (PCS) - mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are significant public health concerns. Currently, there is a lack of reliable biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring mTBI and PCS. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that have recently emerged as a potential source of biomarkers for mTBI and PCS due to their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and reflect the pathophysiology of brain injury. This study aimed to investigate the role of salivary exosomal biomarkers in mTBI and PCS. Methods: A systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines was conducted, and studies were selected based on their relevance to the topic. Results: Studies have shown that exosomal tau, phosphorylated tau (p-tau), amyloid beta (Aβ), and microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for mTBI and PCS. Specifically, elevated levels of exosomal tau and p-tau have been associated with mTBI and PCS, as well as with repetitive mTBI. Dysregulated exosomal miRNAs have also been observed in individuals with mTBI and PCS. Additionally, exosomal Prion cellular protein (PRPc), coagulation factor XIII (XIIIa), synaptogyrin-3, IL-6, and aquaporins have been identified as promising biomarkers for mTBI and PCS. Conclusion: Salivary exosomal biomarkers have the potential to serve as non-invasive and easily accessible diagnostic and prognostic tools for mTBI and PCS. Further studies are needed to validate these biomarkers and to develop standardized protocols for their use in clinical settings. Salivary exosomal biomarkers can improve the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of mTBI and PCS, leading to improved patient outcomes.

Dairy calves are susceptible to a great range of welfare and health issues up to the age of weaning. The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate incidence of the main health disorders affecting dairy calves up to one year of age. The study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the Research and Development Institute for Bovine Balotesti, Romania, were health data was collected for two consecutive years, between November 2017 and October 2019, from a number of 176 purebred Romanian Black and White calves. Diarrhea had the highest incidence in un-weaned calves (0-3months old), of 29.55±0.34%, significantly higher (p≤0.001) compared to 3-6 months (2.16±1.24) and 6-12 months age groups (5.88±2.17), respectively. Coccidiosis incidence was on average of 39.20±0.36% in un-weaned calves, 1.44±1.01% in the 3-6 months group and of 5.04±2.01% in the 6-12 months group, significantly higher (p≤0.001) in the 0-3 months age group, compared to older calves.

The study presents an assessment of climate suitability for outdoor leisure activities in Romania using the Holliday Climate Index (HCI) for the near future (2021-2040), focusing on unfavorable and good climate conditions. The analysis employs data from an ensemble model in the context of RCP45 and RCP85 climate change scenarios. The results indicate that the number of days with low weather suitability is decreasing in almost the entire country, especially during the warm season, while during the winter and spring extended regions may be characterized by a higher number of days favorable for outdoor activities than during the current climate. An estimation of the impact of climate changes on tourism flux in Romania is further carried out, suggesting that the increasing attractivity of climate conditions may lead to an increased number of tourist overnights in the near future, more pronounced in rural destinations.

Mucinous breast carcinoma is a rare subtype of mammary neoplasm encountered in medical practice. It represents approximately 1-6% of all breast cancers and is more common in postmenopausal women. There are two subtypes of mucinous breast carcinoma: pure and mixed. We report the case of a 73-year-old Caucasian woman diagnosed with mucinous pancreatic cystadenoma in 2007. She underwent a surgical procedure involving pancreatectomy of the body and tail, along with multiple known cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. In November 2019, during a clinical-biological evaluation for associated diseases, a mucinous carcinoma of the right breast was accidentally detected and later confirmed through further investigations. For treatment, a surgical procedure was performed involving lower right quadrantectomy with right axillary lymph node dissection. The postoperative clinical course was favorable. In conclusion, we present the case of a patient diagnosed with mixed mucinous breast carcinoma, without axillary lymph node invasion. Postmenopausal women with diabetes, overweight, and obesity have an increased susceptibility to breast cancer, with our patient having all these risk factors. To date, no study has demonstrated the genetic or radiation implication in the occurrence of mucinous carcinomas, nor the possible development of mucinous carcinomas in series in the same patient. Current data are insufficient to provide recommendations for the screening of malignant mucinous tumors in subjects with significant cardiometabolic risk factors.

Clinching is a manufacturing method of mechanical joining two or more materials without the use of heat or additional components. This process relies on high plastic deformation to create a secure bond. Clinching technology is widely used for joining various grades and thickness of materials. Especially in the automotive industry, clinching is an alternative to spot resistance welding. However, the load-bearing capacity of clinched joints is comparatively lower when compared to resistance spot welded joints. This research aimed to enhance the load-carrying capacity of clinched joints. Experimental tests were conducted on clinched joints with locally modified microstructures to optimize their placement within the joint. The microstructure distribution in the clinched joint region was analysed using light and scanning electron microscopy, as well as microhardness measurements. Two material grades, micro-alloyed steels HX420LAD+Z and dual-phase ferritic-martensitic steels HCT600X+Z, were tested. Each grade underwent five groups of ten samples, subject to identical experimental conditions of local heating by resistance spot welding (RSW) and clinching. The application of RSW to the clinched joint area resulted in increase of load-bearing capacity for both joined types of materials.

Player’s performance in an intense sport such as basketball is known to be related to attributes like speed, agility, and power. This study presents a comparative analysis of associations between anthropometric assessment and physical performance in different age-group elite youth basketball players, while simultaneously identifying the predictors for speed and agility in these players. U14 (n=44), U15 (n=45) and U16 (n=51) players were tested for anthropometry, lower body power, speed, and agility. U16 players were found to be taller, heavier, more muscular than U14 and U15 players. Also, the U16 group showed better performance in all performance tests. Age had a significant positive correlation with countermovement (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) performance in U14 players, and a significant negative correlation with 10m and 20m sprint times in U15 group. CMJ and DJ emerged as the most significant predictors for sprint and agility variables, respectively. Body fat percentage was found to be a significant predictor for the speed and agility tests in all age groups, but a negative lower-body power predictor. Therefore, besides all sport-specific and fitness tests, it is essential to place emphasis on the percentage of body fat when designing players’ individualized training programs, and during team selection.

From the standpoint of Neoliberal Institutionalism, this study explores Malaysia's participation in activities that make energy the topic and/or object of foreign policies, whether through bilateral or multilateral engagements. This research, which aims to evaluate the relevance of energy in Malaysia's economy and diplomacy and to explain Malaysia's reason for its involvement in these cooperations, is necessary because of Malaysia's growing involvement in the global energy market. Information for this study was gathered from a variety of government sources, interviews, published statistical data, and previous studies. The study demonstrates how vital energy is to Malaysia's economy. The Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) initiative, in which Malaysia is participating, is evidence of the viability of multilateral power commerce in the area. The Peninsula Gas Utilisation (PGU) pipeline in Peninsular Malaysia and the Four-Fuel Diversification Policy 1981 (4FDP 1981), which increases natural gas utilisation, are related to Malaysia's participation in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area (MT-JDA). Malaysia would want to think about streamlining its energy administration.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness. Surgical and pharmacological treatment of glaucoma aims to lower the intraocular pressure (IOP) and preserve visual function. The severe acute res-piratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic has placed a strain on the healthcare system. We aimed to compare the quantity, type of anti-glaucoma surgeries, and the disease stage before and during the coronavirus disease pandemic. We analyzed 362 eyes of 306 patients and 172 eyes of 149 patients from the pre-pandemic and pandemic groups, respectively. The number of an-ti-glaucoma surgeries was halved during the pandemic compared to a similar pre-pandemic pe-riod, with a significant difference in the procedural structures between the two groups (p<0.001). The most common procedures in the pre-pandemic group were Ex-Press implantation (33.7%) and trabeculectomy (31.5%). Within the pandemic group, half of the eyes underwent tra-beculectomy (50.0%), followed by Preserflo microshunt (11.6%). A significant difference in the average IOPs was revealed among patients who qualified for surgery 22.21 ± 7.83 mmHg in the pre-pandemic group and 25.16 ± 9.48 mmHg in the pandemic group; p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the best corrected visual acuity between the groups (p=0.263). Glaucoma treatment remained relatively accessible during the pandemic.

We aimed to estimate the proportion of the population infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the first year of the pandemic. The study population consisted of outpatient adults with mild or no COVID-19 symptoms, and was divided into subpopulations with different levels of exposures. Of the subpopulation without known previous COVID-19 contacts 4143, of the subpopulation with known COVID-19 contacts 594 persons were investigated. IgG- and IgA-seroprevalence and RT-PCR positivity were determined in context with COVID-19 symptoms. We hope to have contributed to the understanding of the significance of the asymptomatic and mild infections in the long persistence of the pandemic.

The reinforcing effect of boehmite nanoparticles (BNP) in epoxy resins for fiber composite lightweight construction is related to the formation of a soft but bound interphase between filler and polymer. The interphase is able to dissipate crack propagation energy and consequently increases the fracture toughness of the epoxy resin. Usually, the nanoparticles are dispersed in the resin and then mixed with the hardener to form an applicable mixture to impregnate the fibers. If one wishes to locally increase the fracture toughness at particularly stressed positions of the fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPC), this could be done by spraying nanoparticles from a suspension. However, this would entail high costs for removing the nanoparticles from the ambient air. We propose that a fiber fleece containing bound nanoparticles be inserted at exposed locations. For the present proof-of-concept study, an electrospun polycarbonate nonwoven and taurine modified BNP are proposed. After fabrication of suitable PC/EP/BNP composites, the thermomechanical properties were tested by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA). Comparatively, the local nano-mechanical properties such as stiffness and elastic modulus were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). An additional investigation of the distribution of the nanoparticles in the epoxy matrix, which is a prerequisite for an effective nanocomposite, is carried out by scanning electron microscopy in transmission mode (TSEM). From the results it can be concluded that the concept of carrier fibers for nanoparticles is viable.

(1) Background: Thrombophilia is a tendency towards hypercoagulability, and it is increased by pregnancy, peaking around delivery. Research question: does thrombophilia stimulate the in-flammatory state of the patient, already suppressed by pregnancy? (2) Methods: Eighty thrombo-philia patients admitted for delivery between 1/10/2017 and 1/12/2021 were prospectively stud-ied, together with eighty age- and para-matched control patients. Patients were admitted for de-livery at term by means of cesarean section. The inflammation indexes from the complete blood count values analysis during both the 24 hours before and after labor—extracted from the hospi-tal’s medical records—were calculated and then correlated with uterine involution. (3) Results: Except for the PLR, most of the numerous inflammation indexes studied were not significantly different in treated thrombophilia patients, before and after delivery, compared to non-thrombophilia patients. Only when we split the patients, based on the uterine haematometra in the first 24-48 hours postpartum, we found out that the few treated thrombophilia patients with haematometra (14 with haematometra out of 79 with treated thrombophilia) had elevated SII and AISI antepartum. In pregnant patients treated for thrombophilia, MLR is higher in pa-tients without the Rh factor than in those with the Rh factor. In non-thrombophilia patients, MCVL and NLPR increased with age and before labor, while SII and AISI increased with age postpartum. (4) Conclusions: Thrombophilia did not stimulate the inflammatory state of the pa-tient, already suppressed by pregnancy.

IBD, encompassing CD and UC, are characterized by chronic gastrointestinal inflammation due to abnormal immune responses to gut microflora. The bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, known as the GBA, is disrupted in IBD, leading to neurobiological imbalances and affective symptoms. Systemic inflammation in IBD affects the brain's inflammatory response system, hormonal axis, and BBB integrity, influencing gut microbiota and clinical responses to probiotics. This review aims to explore the links between dysregulations in the GBA, serum biomarkers, and the development of MCI and NDDs. The objective is to identify potential correlations and propose future research directions to understand the impact of altered microbiomes and intestinal barrier functions on NDDs. Studies suggest a potential link between IBD and extraintestinal complications such as MCI and NDDs. Mechanisms include systemic inflammation, BBB dysfunction, autoimmune responses, GBA dysfunction, medication effects, and comorbidities. Serum biomarkers, including vitamin D3, C-reactive protein, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, vitamin B12, homocysteine, serum amyloid, neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament light chain, S100 proteins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, IL-6, LP-2 associated phospholipase, prostaglandin E2, IL-1β, and TNF-α, have been investigated for their potential to predict MCI but current results are lacking clarity.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease that results from a combination of endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory arterial wall disorder. Stenosis of the carotid artery caused by atherosclerotic plaques is responsible for approximately 10-20% of strokes and transient ischemic attacks, and the low-grade intraplaque inflammation interferes with lesion stability and progression. Methods: In this cohort study, initially, 119 patients were enrolled who underwent carotid endarterectomy. Of these, 67 cases with active perilesional inflammatory infiltrate were chosen for further immunohistochemical examination. The CD68+ infiltrate, iNOS2+, Arg1, and CD31 expressions were quantified around the lipid core by digital morphometry. These results were correlated with the presence of morphological changes leading to plaque instability: ulceration, thrombosis, intraplaque hemorrhage, the presence of the lipid core, calcification, and neovascularization. Results: Patients with a stronger macrophage CD68+ infiltrate were associated with intraplaque hemorrhage (p=0.003). In 12 cases with dominant iNOS2 positivity, the occurrence of atherothrombosis was significantly more frequent (p=0.046). Plaque neovascularization, characterized by CD31+, was correlated with atherothrombosis (p=0.02). Conclusion: The intensity of macrophage infiltration correlates with intraplaque hemorrhage, and the presence of pro-inflammatory iNOS2+ macrophages is associated with atherothrombosis in endarterectomized carotid plaques. Neovascularization also has potential thrombotic capacity.

The availability of current land cover and land use (LCLU) information for monitoring the status of land resources has considerable value in ensuring sustainable land use planning. Similarly, the need to provide updated information on the extent of LCLU change in West Africa has become apparent, given the increasing demand for land resources driven by the rapid population growth in the sub-region. SERVIR West Africa, a regional consortium jointly supported by USAID and NASA to foster the use of geospatial and earth observation data and science for decision-making on critical environmental and food security challenges, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is building technical capacity in the sub-region to develop and implement harmonized regional land cover classification system for LULC change monitoring in West Africa, based on the Land Cover Meta Language (LCML-ISO 19144-2). This article focuses on the process, potential opportunities, outputs of this collaboration, exemplary use cases, and recommendations for the next steps.

Materials based on platinum metals with very good catalytic activity were tested in the reduction of p–nitrophenol (pNP) to p–aminophenol (pAP). The majority of presented catalytic materials are based on the adsorption of p–nitrophenol on the surface of the catalyst simultaneously with molecular hydrogen, coming from sodium borohydride in an aqueous medium, which reduces it. In the present paper, a catalytic material based on osmium dispersed in n–decanol or n–dodecanol is presented, which also works as an emulsion membrane, for the absorption of p–nitrophenol and molecular hydrogen at the n–alcohol aqueous solution interface. The hydrogenation of p–nitrophenol is carried out in a reaction and separation column in which the acid receiving phase emulsion is dispersed in the osmium nanodispersion, in n–alcohols. This emulsion circulates from the base of the column to its upper part in co-current or counter-current with the source phase consisting of p–nitrophenol and sodium borohydride. Experiments show that the circulation of counter-current phases is superior to that in co-current, and the emulsion based on n–decanol is more efficient than the one based on n–dodecanol. The increase in the pH difference between the source and receiving phases leads to the increase in the conversion of p–nitrophenol to p–aminophenol. The efficiency of separation of the reaction product in the receiving phase is lower than the conversion at the same operating time. The apparent catalytic rate constant (kapp) of the new catalytic material based on the emulsion membrane with nanodispersion of osmium nanoparticles (0.1×10−3 for n–dodecanol and 0.9×10−3 for n-decanol) is lower by an order of magnitude compared to those based on adsorption on catalysts from platinum metal group. The advantage of the tested membrane catalytic material is that it extracts p–aminophenol in the acid receiving phase. The paper proposes a mechanism of the studied reduction system.

This study proposes a redesign of asymmetric single-chamber microbial fuel cells (a-SCMFC) with the goal of optimizing energy production. The new approach is based on the introduction of an Intermediate Microfluidic Septum (IMS) as a relatively simple and inexpensive method to opti-mize both electrolyte flow and species transfer inside the devices. SCMFCs with the novel IMS, operated with sodium acetate as the carbon source, demonstrate to enhance the energy recovery (Erec) factor, defined as the ratio between the energy yield and the inner volume of electrolyte. In standard operative conditions, cells with IMS exhibit Erec value of (37±1) J/m3, with respect to (3.0±0.3) J/m3 of control cells. Furthermore, changing sodium acetate concentration the Erec values change accordingly. By monitoring the activity of a-SCMFCs for over one-year, beneficial impact of the IMS on both the initial inoculation phase and the long-term stability of electrical perfor-mance were observed. These improvements suggest the effectiveness of IMS to allow the de-velopment of efficient biofilms, likely due to the reduction in oxygen diffusion towards the anode. Electrochemical characterizations confirm that the presence of the IMS impacts the diffusion processes inside the electrolytic chamber, supporting the hypothesis of a beneficial effect on oxygen diffusion.

Considering the worldwide impact of heart failure, it is crucial to develop approaches that can help us comprehend its root cause and make accurate predictions about its outcome. This is essential for lowering the suffering and death rates connected with this widespread illness. Cardiomyopathies frequently result from genetic factors, and the study of heart failure genetics is advancing quickly. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most prevalent kind of cardiomyopathy, encompassing both hereditary and nongenetic abnormalities. It is distinguished by the enlargement of the left ventricle or both ventricles, accompanied by reduced contractility. The discovery of the molecular origins and subsequent awareness of the molecular mechanism is broadening our knowledge of DCM development. Additionally, it emphasizes the complicated nature of DCM and the necessity to formulate several different strategies to address the diverse underlying factors contributing to this disease. Genetic variations that can be transmitted from one generation to another can be a significant contributor to causing family or isolated DCM. Genetic variation also plays a significant role in determining susceptibility for acquired triggers for DCM. The genetic causes of DCM can have a diverse range of phenotypic expressions. It is crucial to select the most probable patients to have advantages from genetic testing. The purpose of this research is to emphasize the significance of identifying genetic DCM, the crucial relationships between genotype and phenotype, and the usefulness of genetic testing in the therapeutic care of both those affected and their relatives. This approach is expected to gain importance once treatment is guided by genotype-specific advice and disease-modifying medications.

Tsygankoite, ideally Mn8Tl8Hg2(Sb21Pb2Tl)Σ24S48, is a new sulfosalt discovered at the Vorontsovskoe gold deposit, Northern Urals, Russia. It occurs as lath-like elongated crystals up to 0.2 mm embedded in calcite-dolomite-clinochlore matrix. The associating minerals also include aktashite, alabandite, arsenopyrite, barite, cinnabar, fluorapatite, orpiment, pyrite, realgar, routhierite, sphalerite, tilasite, titanite, etc. The new mineral is non-fluorescent, black, opaque with a metallic lustre and black streak. It is brittle with an uneven fracture and no obvious parting and cleavage. Its Vickers hardness (VHN10) is 144 kg/mm2 (range 131–167) and its calculated density is 5.450 g cm-3. In reflected light tsygankoite is white; between crossed polars it is dark-grey to black. It is strongly anisotropic: rotation tints vary from light-grey to dark-grey to black. Pleochroism and internal reflections are not observed. The chemical composition of tsygankoite (wt.%, electron-microprobe data) is: Mn 6.29, Fe 0.02, Cu 0.02, Ag 0.01, Hg 5.42, Tl 26.05, Pb 5.84, As 3.39, Sb 30.89, S 21.87, Se 0.01, total 99.81. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 90 atoms pfu, is: Mn8.06Tl8.00(Hg1.90Fe0.03Cu0.02Ag0.01)Σ1.96(Sb17.85As3.18Pb1.98Tl0.97)Σ23.98(S48.00Se0.01)Σ48.01. Tsygankoite is monoclinic, space group C2/m, a = 21.362(4) Å, b = 3.8579(10) Å, c = 27.135(4) Å, β= 106.944(14)°, V = 2139.19(17) Å3 and Z = 1. The five strongest diffraction peaks from X-ray powder pattern [listed as (d,Å(I)(hkl)] are: 3.587(100)(112), 3.353(70)(-114), 3.204(88)(405), 2.841(72)(-513) and 2.786(99)(-514). The crystal structure of tsygankoite was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R = 0.0607 and consists of an alternation of two thick layer-like arrays, one based on PbS-archetype and second – on SnS-archetype. Tsygankoite has been approved by the IMA-CNMNC under the number 2017-088. It is named for Mikhail V. Tsyganko, mineral collector from Northern Urals, who collected the samples where the new mineral was discovered.

Crystalline silver thin layers were obtained by high-energy pulsed laser ablation without heating of the deposition substrate. The fluid Plateau-Rayleigh (PRI), Rayleigh – Taylor (RTI) and Richtmyer – Meshkov (RMI) instabilities, as well as crown splash induced during pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in high energy regime, resulting in ring and pearl shaped structures, offer the benefit of increased sorption surface. These morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layers make them of interest for catalytic applications. The study presented with this work addresses both the fundamental and applied issues on the morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layer and their catalytic function in organic processes. In this sense, the catalytic action of the thin silver layer was highlighted by modifications of the Reactive Blue 21 dye (C.I.) in aqueous solution with sodium bicarbonate. Specific investigations and analyzes were carried out by electron microscopy and elemental analysis (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry, mass spectrometry, ablation plasma diagnosis, diffractograms (XRD), as well as IR spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition to the experimental investigation and analyzes, simulation of the ionization energy threshold was conducted in COMSOL for complementary evaluation on the involved processes and phenomena.

Development of targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an unmet medical need. Cisplatin has demonstrated its promising potential for the treatment of TNBC in clinical trials; however, cisplatin treatment is associated with hypoxia that in turn promotes cancer stem cell (CSC) enrichment and drug resistance. Therapeutic approaches to attenuate this may lead to increased cisplatin efficacy in the clinic for the treatment of TNBC. In this report, we analyzed clinical dataset of TNBC and found that TNBC patients possessed higher levels of EGFR and hypoxia gene expression. A similar expression pattern was also observed in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. We thus developed a new therapeutic approach to inhibit EGFR and hypoxia by combination of metformin and gefitinib that sensitized TNBC cells to cisplatin and led to the inhibition of both CD44+/CD24- and ALDH+ CSCs. We demonstrated a similar inhibition efficacy on organotypic cultures of TNBC patient samples ex vivo. Since these drugs have already been used frequently in the clinic, this study illustrates a novel, clinically translatable therapeutic approach to treat patients with TNBC.

The High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) detection and diagnosis of diffuse lung disease is primarily based on the recognition of a limited number of specific abnormal findings, pattern combinations or their distributions, as well as anamnesis and clinical information. Since texture recognition has a very high accuracy percentage if a complex network approach is used, this paper aims to implement such a technique customized for diffuse interstitial lung diseases (DILD). The proposed procedure translates HRCT lung imaging into complex networks by taking samples containing a secondary lobule, converting them into complex networks and analyzing them in 3 dimensions: emphysema, ground glass opacity and consolidation. This method was evaluated on a 60 patient lot and the results show a clear quantifiable difference between healthy and affected lungs. By deconstructing the image on three pathological axes, the method offers an objective way to quantify DILD details which, so far, have only been analyzed subjectively.

Tomato is considered the most important vegetable crop worldwide. Improving the nutritional value of fruits must be based on sustainable production in terms of varieties and fertilization management. This study aimed to improve the nutritional value (total soluble solids, acidity, lycopene, β-carotene, polyphenols, macro and microelements) of two tomato varieties (‘Cristal’ and ‘Siriana’) under three fertilization types (NPK chemical fertilizer, chicken manure and biological fertilizer with microorganisms) for the greenhouse. Primary metabolism compounds do not vary significantly according to the type of fertilizer used. The results for the antioxidant compounds showed a better effect of biological fertilization compared to chemical fertilizer and control unfertilized. The tomato fruits from the local cultivar (‘Siriana’) are richer in nutritional compounds such as rutin, regardless of the type of fertilization, which denotes a good ability to adapt to crop conditions. Tomato cultivars reacted positively to microbiological fertilization compare to chemical, thus producing nutritious fruits under sustainable management. Tomato fruits were richer in the quality of microelement contents.

Identifying cracks in the incipient state is essential to prevent the failure of engineering structures. Detection methods relying on the analysis of the changes in modal parameters are widely used because of the advantages they present. In our previous research, we have found that eigenfrequencies were capable of indicating the position and depth of damage when sufficient vibration modes were considered. The damage indicator we developed was based on the relative frequency shifts (RFS). To calculate the RFSs for various positions and depths of a crack, we established a mathematical relation that involved the squared modal curvatures in the healthy state and the deflection of the healthy and damaged beam under dead mass, respectively. In this study, we propose to calculate the RFS for beams with several cracks by applying the superposition principle. We demonstrate that this is possible if the cracks are far enough from each other. In fact, if the cracks are close to each other, the superposition method does not work and we distinguish two cases: (i) when the cracks affect the same beam face, the frequency drop is less than the sum of the individual frequency drops, and (ii) on the contrary, cracks on opposite sides cause a decrease in frequency, which is greater than the sum of the frequency drop due to individual damage. When the RFS curves are known, crack assessment becomes an optimization problem, the cost function being the distance between the measured RFSs and all possible RFSs for several vibration modes. Thus, the RFS constitutes a benchmark that characterizes damage using only the eigenfrequencies. We can accurately locate multiple cracks and estimate their severity trough experiments and thus prove the reliability of the proposed method.

Seizures are defined as a transient occurrence of signs and symptoms due to the abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain characterized by an abrupt and involuntary skeletal muscles activity. An early diagnosis, treatment and specific medical support must be performed to prevent Status Epilepticus (SE). Seizures’ onset, especially in children population, is related to specific risk factors like positive family history, fever, infections, neurological comorbidity, premature birth, mother’s alcohol abuse and smoke in pregnancy. Early death risk in children without neurological comorbidity is similar to the general population. Diagnosis is generally based on the identification of continuous or recurrent seizures but EEG evaluation could be useful if SE condition in suspected. The main goal of therapy is to contrast pathological mechanism which occurs in SE before neural cells are irreversibly damaged. According to latest International Guidelines and Recommendations of seizures’ related diseases, it is proposed a schematic and multi-stage pharmacological and diagnostic approach especially in the management of SE and its related causes in children. First measures should focus on early and appropriate drugs administration at adequate dosage, airway management, monitoring vital signs, PICU admission and management of parents’ anxiety.

The release of the active substance from the matrix modified-release tablets based on Kollidon®SR and chitosan depends on its solubility in the dissolution medium and on the composition of the matrix-forming polymers. The study is based on new oral matrix tablets based on Kollidon®SR and chitosan, formulated to optimize the low oral bioavailability of chlorzoxazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, a class II Biopharmaceutical Classification System. Nine types of chlorzoxazone matrix tablets were obtained using the direct compression method, and their combination at 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 chlorzoxazone/ excipients, 20%-40% (w/w) Kollidon®SR, 3-7% (w/w) chitosan and the auxiliary substances were formulated in constant concentrations. Pharmaco-technical characterization included the analysis of flowability and compressibility properties (flow time, friction coefficient, angle of repose, Hausner ratio, Carr Index), and of pharmaco-chemical characteristics (mass and dose uniformity, thickness, diameter, mechanical strength, Friability, degree of softening, in vitro release profile) of the tablets. Based on the initial evaluation of the pharmaco-technical analysis, pharmaco-chemical characteristics, and in vitro release profile, only three matrix tablet formulations (F1b, F2b, and F3b) were further tested. They were evaluated through Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray Diffraction, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and in vitro dissolution tests. The three formulations were comparatively studied regarding the release kinetics of active substances using in vitro release testing. The results were analyzed by fitting into four representative mathematical models for the modified release oral formulations. In vitro kinetic study reveals a complex mechanism of release occurring in the first (0 - 2 hours) and second (2.0 hours – 36 hours) steps of drug release. Two factors have been calculated to assess the release profile of chlorzoxazone: f1 - the similarity factor and f2 - the factor difference. The results have shown that both Kollidon®SR and chitosan may be used as matrix-forming agents when combined with chlorzoxazone. In vitro dissolution tests revealed the F2b sample, data suggesting a faster drug release. The three formulations showed optimum pharmaco-technical properties and in vitro kinetic study, and they had tremendous potential to be used in oral pharmaceutical products for the controlled delivery of chlorzoxazone.

Metabolomics is an advanced technology, still under development, with multiple research applications, especially in the field of health. Individual metabolic profiles, the functionality of the body, as well as its interaction with the environment can be established using this technology. The body's response to various external factors, including the food consumed and the nutrients it contains, has increased researchers' interest in nutrimetabolomics. Establishing correlations between diet and the occurrence of various diseases or even the development of personalized nutrition plans, could contribute to advances in precision medicine. The interdependence between humans, animals and the environment are of particular importance today, with the dramatic emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, food, water and soil contamination, and the degradation of resources and habitats. All these events have led to an increase of risk factors for functional diseases, burdening global health. Thus, this study aimed to highlight the importance of metabolomics, in particular of nutrimetabolomics, as a technical solution for a holistic, collaborative, and precise approach for the advancement of the One Health strategy.

Considerable efforts have been made in recent years to identify an optimal treatment method for the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters. A series of supramolecular organic-inorganic magnetic composites containing Zn-modified MgAl LDHs and Cu-phthalocyanine as photosensitizer have been prepared with the scope to β-lactam antibiotics removal from aqueous solutions. The characterization of these materials confirmed the anchorage of Cu-phthalocyanine onto the edges of the LDH lamellae, with a negligible part inserted in the interlayer space. The removal of β-lactam antibiotics occurred via a concerted adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. The efficiency of the composites was depending on i) the LDH: magnetic nanoparticle (MP) ratio, that is strongly correlated to the textural properties of the catalysts, and ii) the phthalocyanine loading in the final composite. A maximum of the efficiency was achieved with a removal of ~93% of antibiotics after 2h of reaction.

Using of the organic base tetramethylammonium hydroxides (TMAH) is a viable, cheap and fast route, for the MgZnAl-LDH type materials synthesis by both co-precipitation and mechano-chemical methods. TMAH provided several advantages as smaller quantity of water required in the washing step compared to the use of inorganic alkalis, prevention of LDH contamination with alkali cations, acting as template molecule in texture tailoring along with disadvantages as its presence in small quantities in the resulting layered materials. Regardless the use of organic / inorganic bases and co-precipitation / mechano-chemical methods, zincite stable phase was found in all the synthesized solids. The basicity of catalysts followed the trend: mixed oxides &gt; reconstructed &gt; parent LDH. The memory effect of LDH is supported only by the presence of Mg and Al cations, while Zn remains as zincite stable phase. The catalytic activities for Claisen-Schmidt condensation of benzaldehyde with cyclohexanone provided values higher than 90% after 2h, with a total selectivity in 2,6-dibenzylidenecyclohexanone, while in self-condensation of cyclohexanone no more than 7.29% after 5h. These behaviors depended on catalysts basicity as well as the planar rigidity of the compound.

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track Rpi disease resistance genes, that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of LB resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, capacity and structure of yield. LB resistance was phenotypically determined through natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed via 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To aid this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, MAS can halve the workload when screening the segregation of F1 offspring and selected SCAR markers for Rpi-genes provide useful tools.

Biobased greases are derived from renewable resources, being considered more environmentally friendly, and offering comparable performance with petroleum-based greases. In this study, lubricating greases from frying cooking oils were prepared, thus valorizing waste, in order to obtain sustainable and environmentally friendly products. 12 batches (500 g each) were produced from sunflower and palm frying oils, with 20% by weight calcium/ lithium stearate soaps prepared in situ, and additivated with 15% wt. cellulose or lignin sulphate. The greases were rheologically characterized. Their consistency was assessed by the penetration test, performed before and after working the greases. Dropping point determinations offered information about the stability at higher temperatures, and oil bleeding tests were performed. The average values of the friction coefficient (COF), the contact resistance and the wear scar diameter were measured, through mechanical tests. Additivated greases prove to be comparable with those obtained from mineral oils, with good rheological properties, soft consistency and good antiwearing behavior, e.g.in open or total- loss lubricating systems, like in open gears and certain food processing machinery; they are thermally stable, and prone for use in low-loading working mechanisms.

Background: Kidney transplantation is considered the first-choice therapy in ESRD patients. Despite recent improvements in terms of outcomes and graft survival in recipients, postoperative complications still concern health-care providers involved in the management of those patients. Particularly challenging are cardiovascular complications. Perioperative goal-directed fluid-therapy (PGDT) and hemodynamic optimization are widely used in high-risk surgical patients, and are associated with a significant reduction in postoperative complication rates and length of stay (LOS). The aim of this work is to compare the effects of perioperative goal-directed therapy (PGDT) with conventional fluid therapy (CFT), and to determine whether there are any differences in major postoperative complications rates and delayed graft function (DGF) outcomes. Methods: Prospective study with historical controls. Two groups, a PGDT- and a CFT- group were used: the stroke volume (SV) optimization protocol was applied in PGDT group throughout the procedure. Conventional fluid therapy with fluids titration at a central venous pressure (CVP) 8-12 mmHg and mean arterial pressure (MAP) >80mmHg was applied to the control-group. Postoperative data collection including vital signs, weight, urinary output, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum potassium, and assessement of volemic status and the signs and symptoms of major postoperative complications occurred at 24h, 72h, 7 days and 30 days after transplantation. Results: Among the 66 patients enrolled, 33 were in each group and both groups had similar physical characteristics. Good fuctional recovery was evident in the 94% of patients. The statistical analysis has showed a difference in postoperative complications as follows: significant reduction of cardiovascular complications, DGF episodes (p<0.05) and surgical complications (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in pulmonary or other complication. Conclusions: PGDT and SV optimization effectively influenced the rate of major postoperative complications, reducing the overall morbidity and thus the mortality in patients receiving kidney transplantation.

Drosophila melanogaster serves as a important research model both for genetic investigations and for the study of metal toxicity, facilitating the elucidation of physiological mechanisms comparable to those of human organisms. In our research, we evaluated the toxicity effect resulting from exposure to various concentrations of lead and copper on the prolificity rates throughout the life cycle (egg-adult) of four genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster: wild-type (control), white, brown, and white-vestigial. During our study, the prolificity rates were examined across three repetitions under the impact of exposure to concentrations of 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 mM of copper (CuSO₄) and lead (Pb(C₂H₃O₂₎₂). Prolificity rates throughout the life cycle exhibited variations as a direct consequence of genetic factors, the concentration of exposure, and the specific type of metal, either copper or lead. The mutant white-vestigial genotype revealed an IC₅₀ concentration for prolificity inhibition at lower doses of 2.00 mM for copper and 4.00 mM for lead, in contrast to the control genotype (wild-type), which exhibited an inhibition concentration rate >IC₅₀ of 4.00 mM only in the case of copper. Our results concluded that the (i) dose influences the prolificity rate in a directly proportional manner, (ii) comparative analyses between copper and lead revealed that copper displayed toxicity across all genotypes within the concentration range of 0.50 mM to 2.00 mM. In contrast, lead exhibited toxicity within the concentration range of 1.00 mM to 4.00 mM, highlighting a (iii) more acute toxicity characteristic in the case of copper. Thus, the results of this research reflect the importance of using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model in the comparative study of the interaction between genetic factors and the toxicity of metals, offering significant insights into monitoring their impact and defining the maximum permissible doses on organisms.

This article summarizes the results of a research conducted to create an intelligent platform supporting small farmers growing vegetables. In Bulgaria, many farmers use relatively small areas for their production. Considering this situation, the platform is designed for regional use, trying to make maximum use of the specific climatic features of the monitored microdistrict. Consequently, special attention is paid to the possibilities of adapting the platform to the specific environment in which the observed plants grow. Thus, the platform is implemented as an agent-oriented system providing needed flexibility. The core of the platform is a personal assistant, which is responsible for tracking the vegetation cycle of the monitored crop and, upon detection of anomalies, preparing warnings to the farmer. The general architecture of the platform is also presented. In a distributed knowledge base, agriculture-specific knowledge are stored. Furthermore, a standardized interface for receiving data from the sensor networks located in the production areas is briefly described. Currently, the platform is being tested for monitoring four varieties of tomatoes grown on the territory of the national research center for potato breeding. Special attention is paid to the measurements carried out. Conclusions have been drawn that will help improve the platform.

Athlete’s heart is characterised by structural, functional, and electrical remodelling. During an exercise session, the heart increases the use of oxygen, which is associated with decreased vascular resistance in the lungs’ circulation. Left ventricular hypertrophy is an echocardiographic modification especially met in endurance athlete’s heart. Moreover, left atrial dilatation represents another important characteristic of endurance athletes. Electrical modulation in the athletic heart induces neurological modifications leading to sinus arrhythmia, bradycardia, early repolarisation, and first-grade atrioventricular (AV) blocks. Athletes' nutritional status involves the assimilation of macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Depending on the duration of physical exercise, ATP can be obtained in aerobic or anaerobic conditions. This systematic review aims to find correlations between different evaluative methods of cardiac adaptation and present the metabolism in performance athletes.

Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) has become a widely used and reliable platform for storing large biomedical datasets. However, unintended changes to the original data can occur during the data writing and transmission, ultimately altering the original contents of the object transferred and producing unexpected results when later accessed. Despite the interest in verifying end-to-end data integrity, there are no existing open-source and easy-to-use tools to accomplish this mission. To bridge this gap, here we present aws-s3-integrity-check, a user-friendly, lightweight and reliable bash tool to verify the integrity of a dataset stored within an Amazon S3 bucket. By using this tool, we completed the integrity verification of 1,045 records ranging between 5 Bytes and 10 Gigabytes (GB) in size and occupying a total of ~935 GigaBytes (GB) of Amazon S3 cloud storage space in ~114 minutes. The aws-s3-integrity-check tool also provides file-by-file on-screen and log-file-based information about the status of each individual integrity check. To the best of our knowledge, the aws-s3-integrity-check bash tool is the only open-source tool that allows verifying the integrity of a dataset uploaded to the Amazon S3 Storage system in a quick, reliable and efficient manner. The aws-s3-integrity-check tool is freely available for download and use at https://github.com/SoniaRuiz/aws-s3-integrity-check and https://hub.docker.com/r/soniaruiz/aws-s3-integrity-check.

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.