This paper is devoted to the study of multi-dimensional integral transform with Fox H-function in the kernel in weighted spaces integrable functions in the domain R+n with positive coordinates. Mapping properties such as the boundedness, the range, the representations of the considered transformation are established.

Amuyo Ponds (AP) are a group of three hydrothermal lagoons located at 3,700 m above sea level, in a pre-Andean setting at the Atacama Desert. Each pond shows a conspicuous green, red, or yellow coloration, and discharge waters rich in arsenic and boron into the Caritaya River (Camarones Basin, Arica and Parinacota Region, in northern Chile). Microorganisms at these ponds are subjected to harsh environmental conditions, and microbial composition and diversity in Amuyo Ponds sediments are unknown. Then, microbial life colonizing AP sediments was explored by metagenomics analyses. This approach showed a highly diverse microbial life dominated by members of the Bacterial Domain (nearly 800 bacterial genome sequences) and includes sequences associated to Archaea, Eukarya, and viruses. We also report putative functional capabilities related to virulence and defense genes, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Thirteen bacterial and fourteen virus metagenome-assembled genomes were reconstructed and are here informed. This work expands our knowledge on the richness of microorganisms in AP and open further studies on the ecology and genomics of this striking Andean geosite.

Flying-fox populations are increasingly threatened by heat events, starvation events and other stressors due to habitat clearing and human/flying-fox conflict.These factors are unlikely to resolve, meaning that a well-coordinated and timely approach to flying-fox disasters is imperative for the mitigation of further flying-fox population impacts.

Background: Inflammasomes recognize cytosolic danger signals, including pathogens, and subsequently induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β. Studying inflammasomes in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is crucial from a wildlife veterinary and public health perspective, as it can be used to help control and prevent the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. The understanding of how diversity in inflammasomes across species affects pathogen carriage in the red fox is still limited. Methods: We investigated the activation and intracellular mechanisms of three inflammasomes (NLRP3, AIM2, and NLRC4) in fox peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using established triggers and inhibitors derived from humans and mice. Results: Fox PBMCs exhibited normal activation and induction of IL-1β secretion in response to representative inflammasome triggers (ATP and nigericin for NLRP3, dsDNA for AIM2, flagellin for NLRC4). However, in inhibitor studies, MCC950, a selective NLRP3 inhibitor, suppressed IL-1β secretion mediated by the fox AIM2 and NLRC4 inflammasomes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that NLRP3 may have a common role in dsDNA- and flagellin-mediated inflammasome activation in the red fox. In conclusion, this fox inflammasome biology can be applied to the control of zoonotic infections and the treatment of inflammasome-mediated diseases in the red fox.

The beer industry is a major producer of solid waste globally, primarily in the form of brewer’s spent grains (BSG), which due to its low value has historically been diverted to livestock as feed or to landfills as waste. Its high moisture content and chemical composition positions BSG as an ideal candidate for further processing with microbial fermentation, and recent research has focused on filamentous fungi and the ability of some species therein to degrade the predominant recalcitrant cellulolignin components of BSG to produce valuable compounds. Many species have been investigated to biovalorize this waste stream, including those in the genuses Aspergillus, Pennicillium, Rhyzopus, and Trichoderma, which have been used to produce a wide array of highly valuable enzymes and other functional compounds, and to increase the nutritional value of BSG as an animal feed. This review of recent developments in the application of filamentous fungi for the valorization of BSG will discuss the biochemical makeup of BSG, the biological mechanisms underlying fungi’s primacy to this application, and the current applications of fungi in this realm. As the majority of these studies are at lab-scale, the challenges to scale-up and more widespread application and will be discussed as well.

In this paper a perspective on the application of spatially- and Angle- Resolved PhotoEmission Spectroscopy (ARPES) for the study of two-dimensional (2D) materials is presented. ARPES allows the direct measurement of the electronic band structure of materials generating extremely useful insights into their electronic properties. The possibility to apply this technique to 2D materials is of paramount importance because these ultrathin layers are considered fundamental for future electronic, photonic and spintronic devices. In this review an overview of the technical aspects of spatially localized ARPES is given along with a description of the most advanced setups for laboratory and synchrotron-based equipment. This technique is sensitive to the lateral dimensions of the sample, therefore a discussion on the preparation methods of 2D material is presented. Some of the most interesting results obtained by ARPES are reported in three sections including: graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and 2D heterostructures. Graphene has played a key role in ARPES studies because it inspired the use of this technique with other 2D materials. TMDCs are presented for their peculiar transport, optical and spin properties. Finally, the section featuring heterostructures highlights a future direction for research into 2D material structures.

Background Hop creep continues to present an unresolved issue for the brewing industry, specifically stemming from those hops added to beer during fermentation. Hops have been found to contain four dextrin-degrading enzymes: alpha amylase, beta amylase, limit dextrinase, and an amyloglucosidase. One recent hypothesis predicts that these dextrin-degrading enzymes could originate from microbes rather than the hop plant itself. Scope and Approach This review begins by describing how hops are processed and used in the brewing industry. It will then discuss hop creep’s origins with a new beer style, antimicrobial factors from hops and resistance mechanisms that bacteria use to counter them, and finally microbial communities that inhabit hops, focusing on whether they can produce the starch degrading enzymes which drive hop creep. After initial identification, microbes with possible links to hop creep were then run through several databases to search the genomes (if available) and for those specific enzymes. Key Findings and Conclusions Several bacteria and fungi contain alpha amylase as well as unspecified glycosyl hydrolases, but only one contains beta amylase. Finally, this paper closes with a short summary of how abundant these organisms typically are in other flowers.

High mountain rainforests are vital in the global energy and carbon cycle. Understanding the exchange of energy and carbon plays an important role to reflect responses to climate change. In this study, an eddy-covariance (EC) measurement system installed in the high Andean Mountains of South Ecuador was used. As EC measurements are affected by heterogeneous topography and vegetation height, the main objective was to estimate the effect of the sloped terrain and the forest on the turbulent energy and carbon fluxes considering the energy balance closure (EBC) and the heat storage. The results showed that the performance of the EBC was generally good and estimated to be 79.5%. This could be improved when the heat storage effect was considered. Based on the variability of the residuals in the diel modifications in the imbalances were highlighted. Particularly, during daytime residuals were largest (56.9 W/m² on average) with a clear overestimation. At nighttime mean imbalances were rather weak (6.5 W/m²) and mostly positive, while strongest underestimations developed in the transition period to morning hours (down to -100 W/m²). With respect to the Monin-Obukhov stability parameter ((z-d)/L) and the friction velocity (u*) it was revealed that largest overestimations evolved in weak unstable and very stable conditions associated with large u* values. In contrast, underestimation was related to very unstable conditions. The estimated carbon fluxes were independently modelled with a non-linear regression using a light-response relationship and reached a good performance (R²=0.52). All fluxes were additionally examined in the annual course to estimate whether both, energy and carbon fluxes, resembled the microclimatological conditions of the study site. This unique study demonstrated that EC measurements provide valuable insights into land surface -atmosphere interactions and contribute to our understanding of energy and carbon exchanges. Moreover, the flux data provide an important basis to validate coupled atmosphere ecosystem models.

Graph query languages such as Cypher are widely adopted to match and retrieve data in a graph representation, due to their ability of retrieving and transforming information. Despite the most natural way to match and transform information is through rewriting rules, those are scarcely or partially adopted in graph query languages. Their inability of doing so has a major impact on the subsequent way the information is structured, as it might then appear more natural to provide major constraint over the data representation so to consequently constraint the way the information should be represented. On the other hand, recent works are starting to move towards an opposite direction, as the provision of a truly general semistructured model (GSM) allows to both represent all the available data formats (Network-Based, Relational, and Semistructured) as well as support an holistic query language expressing all major queries in such languages. In this paper, we show that the usage of GSM enables the definition of a general rewriting mechanism which can be expressed in current graph query languages only at the cost of adhering the query to the specificity of the underlying data representation. We formalise the proposed query language in terms graph rewriting mechanisms described as a set of production rules $L\to R$ while providing restriction to the characterization of L, while extending it to support structural graph nesting operations, useful to aggregate similar information around an entry-point of interest. We discuss how GSM, by fully supporting index-based data representation, allows for a better physical model implementation leveraging the benefits of columnar database storages. Preliminary benchmarks shows the scalability of this proposed implementation in comparison with state-of-the-art implementations.

The manuscript surveys the special functions of the Fox-Wright type. These functions are generalizations of the hypergeometric functions. Notable representatives of the type are the Mittag-Leffler functions and the Wright function. The integral representations of such functions are given and the conditions under which these function can be represented by simpler functions are demonstrated. The connection with generalized fractional differential and integral operators is demonstrated and discussed.

Consumer demands for new sensory experiences have driven the research of unconventional yeasts in beer. While much research exists on the use of various common Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains as well as non-Saccharomyces yeasts, there exists a gap in knowledge regarding other non-cerevisiae Saccharomyces species in the fermentation of beer, outside that of S. pastorianus. Here, five distinct species of Saccharomyces from the UC Davis Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, as well as one interspecies hybrid from Fermentis, were chosen to ferment 40 L pilot scale beers. S. kudriavzevii, S. mikatae, S. paradoxus, S. bayanus, and S. uvarum yeasts were fermented in duplicate, with one fermenter in each pair receiving 10 g/L dry-hop during fermentation. Analytical measurements were made each day of fermentation and compared to controls of SafAle US-05 and SafLager W 34/70 for commercial brewing parameters of interest. Finished beers were also analyzed for aroma, taste, and mouthfeel to determine the flavor of each yeast as it pertains to brewing potential. All beers exhibited spicy characteristics, likely from the presence of phenols; dry-hopping increased fruit notes while also increasing perceived bitterness and astringency. All of the species in this study displayed great brewing potential, and might be an ideal addition to beer depending on a brewery’s desire to experiment with flavor and willingness to bring a new yeast into their production environment

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is an increasingly used Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique employed by many industrial sectors, including the medical device and aerospace industries. In EBM process monitoring, data analysis for processed layer quality evaluation is currently focused on the extraction of information from the raw data collected in-EBM process, i.e. thermal/ optical / electronic images, and the comparison between the collected data and the Computed Tomography (CT)/ microscopy images generated post-EBM process. This article postulates that a stack of bitmaps could be generated from the 3D model at a range of Z heights during file preparation of the EBM process, and serve as a reference image set. In-EBM process comparison between that and the workpiece images collected during the EBM process could then be used for quality assessment purposes. In addition, despite the extensive literature on 3D model slicing and contour generation for AM process preparation, no methods regarding image generation from cross sections of the 3D models have been disseminated in details. This article aims to address this by presenting a piece of 3D model-image generation software. The software is capable of generating binary 3D model reference images with user-defined Region-of-Interest (ROI) of the processing area, and Z heights of the model. It is envisaged that this 3D model-reference image generation ability opens up new opportunities in quality assessment for the in-process monitoring of the EBM process.

The purpose was to reflect on the sustainability of artisanal and informal mining in the Peruvian Andean zone by 2022. The type of research was basic, non-experimental design, ex post facto scope. The sample consisted of: statistics on crime prevention due to socio-environmental conflicts from the National Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman's Office, reports of interventions targeted at artisanal and informal miners. The procedure focused on gathering secondary information for a documentary review analysis that is based on proven and disseminated past facts. Artisanal and informal mining is strengthened in the Peruvian Andean zone by incidence and force: 1) the social license and agreements by community assembly, 2) the flexibility in compliance with the formalization, preventive and environmental protection laws, 3) the 50% increase in socio-environmental conflict due to mining activity, 4) a 25% progressive increase in the production costs of agricultural and livestock activities. The direct consequences on environmental sustainability are: 1) the delimited reconversion of the change in agricultural land use in a third of the communal territories in basin headwaters; 2) displacement of environmentally friendly economic activity by 20% in basin headwaters; 3) the impossibility of modification or intervention in water surfaces, bofedales by communal agreements.

Eating disorder (ED) symptoms often co-occur with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This comorbidity is consistent with evidence that trait negative urgency increases risk for both of these phenomena. We previously found that impaired late-stage negative emotional response inhibition (i.e., negative emotional action termination or NEAT) might represent a neurocognitive mechanism for heightened negative urgency among people with NSSI history. The current study evaluated whether relations between negative urgency and ED symptoms similarly reflect deficits in this neurocognitive process. One hundred and five community adults completed an assessment of ED symptoms, negative urgency, and an emotional response inhibition task. Results indicated that, contrary to predictions, negative urgency and NEAT contributed independent variance to the prediction of ED symptoms, while controlling for demographic covariates and NSSI history. Worse NEAT was also uniquely associated with restrictive eating, after accounting for negative urgency. Our findings suggest that difficulty inhibiting ongoing motor responses triggered by negative emotional reactions (i.e., NEAT) may be a shared neurocognitive characteristic of ED symptoms and NSSI. However, negative urgency and NEAT dysfunction capture separate variance in the prediction of ED-related cognitions and behaviors, distinct from the pattern of results we previously observed in NSSI.

Companion cropping involves growing two or more species together, benefiting the conservation of natural resources and improving fertilization and nutrient cycling by balancing chemical and organic sources. Studies, as in the case of tree tomato and Hass avocado, have shown a significant increase in yield compared to monocultures, highlighting the viability of this practice. In addition to their environmental benefit, companion crops offer economic advantages to producers by obtaining multiple products in a single harvest, strengthening food security and the economy of rural families. This study evaluated three levels of fertilization and interactions between fruit trees at different altitudes, observing differential behavior in the variables evaluated. The combination of cape gooseberry and blackberry showed significantly positive results, with more leaves and fewer pests, demonstrating the benefits of companion plants. A trend towards the combined use of chemical and organic fertilizers was observed, a potential strategy to reduce costs and improve crop growth. The results were shared with producers interested in implementing companion cropping, encouraging the adoption of this more sustainable and profitable agricultural practice. Companion crop agriculture represents a viable and promising strategy for a more efficient and sustainable agriculture, with both environmental and economic benefits.

In this study, the complex interactions between the well-known Mittag-Leffler functions with two, three, and four parameters are explored. We first study the integral forms of the Mittag-Leffler function $\mathsf{E}_{\alpha, \beta}^{\rho,\kappa}(z)$ with the goal of clarifying its mathematical behaviours and features. Moreover, we create relations between these functions and generalised hypergeometric functions and Fox-Wright functions, expanding the range of their use and comprehension. We explore a number of unique situations by in-depth examination, providing insight into the subtle characteristics of these functions. This investigation advances our theoretical knowledge and opens up possibilities for future applications in a number of scientific fields. As such, this study adds to the current conversation in mathematical analysis and is an important tool for both practitioners and researchers.

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is an increasingly used Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique employed by many industrial sectors, including the medical device and aerospace industries. The application of this technology is, however, challenged by the lack of process monitoring and control system that underpins process repeatability and part quality reproducibility. An electronic imaging system prototype has been developed to serve as an EBM monitoring technique, the capabilities of which have been verified at room temperature and at 320+10°C. Nevertheless, in order to fully assess the applicability of this technique, the image quality needs to be investigated at a range of elevated temperatures to fully understand the influence of thermal noise due to heat. In this paper, electronic imaging pilot trials at elevated temperatures, ranging from room temperature to , were carried out. Image quality measure Q of the digital electron images was evaluated, and the influence of temperature was investigated. In this study, raw electronic images generated at higher temperatures had greater Q values, i.e. better global image quality. It has been demonstrated that, for temperatures between , the influence of temperature on electronic image quality was not adversely affecting the visual clarity of image features. It is envisaged that the prototype has significant potential to contribute to in-process EBM monitoring in many manufacturing sectors.

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) consists of progressive degeneration of the mitral valve that can occur either in isolation or in association with the tricuspid valve, leading to incomplete coaptation of its leaflets and subsequent valve regurgitation. It's the most common cardiac condition in small animals, accounting for about 75% of cases of heart disease in dogs, mainly affecting elderly small-breed dogs. Breeds with a genetic predisposition such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Bull Terriers tend to develop the disease early. It can be classified into 4 stages: A, B, C, and D, with B having subdivisions (B1 and B2). Animals in stages A, B1, and B2 are asymptomatic, showing clinical signs only from stage C onwards. The report details the case of a 13-year-old Fox Terrier diagnosed at stage B2 of the disease, progressing to stage C within two years. A cardiologist conducted annual monitoring.

A self-consistent charge density-functional tight-binding method combined with molecular dynamics simulations is employed to reveal the effect of polymorph on the thermal decomposition stability of 1,1-Diamino-2,2-Dinitroethylene (FOX-7). Two types of heating, constant temperature heating and temperature-programmed heating, are adopted. Potential evolution indicates that γ-FOX-7 possesses the lowest thermal stability, as it is closer to the decomposition state. Crystal form has an important influence on the thermal decomposition of FOX-7, resulting in different decomposition rates and initial reactions. In general, β- and γ-FOX-7 always decompose more completely than α-FOX-7. This work emphases the importance of polymorph dependent initial decay of an energetic polymorphic compound once heated in a volume constrained condition.

In recent years, the concept of Fiducial Reference Measurements (FRM) has been developed to highlight the need for precise and well-characterised measurements tailored explicitly to the post-launch calibration and validation (Cal/Val) of Earth observation satellite missions. The confidence that stems from robust unambiguous uncertainty assessment of space observations is fundamental to assessing the changes in the Earth system and climate model prediction, and delivering the essential evidence-based input for policy makers and society striving to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The underlying concept of an FRM has long been a core element of a Cal/Val program, providing a ‘trustable’ reference against which performance can be anchored or assessed. The ‘FRM’ label was created to embody into such a reference a set of key criteria. These criteria included the establishment of documented evidence of uncertainty with respect to a community-agreed reference (ideally SI-traceable) and specific tailoring to the needs of a satellite mission. It, therefore, facilitates comparison and interoperability between products and missions in a cost-efficient manner. CEOS Working Group Cal/Val (WGCV) is now putting in place a framework to assess the maturity and compliance of a ‘Cal/Val reference measurement’ in terms of a set of community-agreed criteria which define it to be of CEOS-FRM quality. The assessment process is based on a maturity matrix that provides a visual assessment of the state of any FRM against each of a set of given criteria; making visible where it is mature and where evolution and effort needs to be done. This paper provides the overarching definition of what constitutes an FRM and introduces the new CEOS FRM assessment framework.

Mountain fire can become more complex than fires at lower elevation due to the complex interaction of fire, topography, and weather. The Gell River Fire in Tasmania, Australia occurred in rugged terrain where there are abundant fire sensitive vegetation communities, as well as the presence of infrastructure including high-voltage transmission lines. The fire began at the end of December 2018 and lasted a few months, with a final burnt area of approximately 350km² despite significant fire suppression effort. The fire was investigated by employing wind vector maps, numerical weather model vertical sounding charts (NWMVS) and Prototype 2, which is an integrated fire simulator and can detect lateral fire channeling (LFC). Our analysis of the fire found its spread was likely to be introduced into a valley by forced channeling (FC), which is modified synoptic wind, and showed rapid spread in the valley. The simulated fire also showed wider spread than the observed data in the valley, with the simulated fire impacting highly sensitive vegetation communities on the fringes of the valley. This alludes to some potential conclusions: (1) The loss of fire sensitive vegetation would have increased if fire suppression activity had not been conducted. (2) Spotting fires could be produced by LFC because these spotting fire would allow spreading fire in a shorter period. (3) Heterogeneity of vegetation, such as combination of buttongrass and forest, could help carry fire rapidly in the valley with LFC. Fire can propagate faster in buttongrass than in forests while the forests allow the spotting fire.

Despite constituting the western-most edge of the population distributions for several native European flora, Ireland has largely been left out of key Europe-wide phylogeographic studies. This is true for birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh. and Betula pendula Roth.), for which the genetic diversity has yet to be mapped for Ireland. Here, we used eight cpDNA (two RFLP and six SSR) markers to map the genetic diversity of B. pubescens, B. pendula and putative hybrid individuals sampled from 19 populations spread cross most of the island of Ireland. Within Ireland, 11 distinct haplotypes were detected, the most common of which (H1) was also detected in England, Scotland, France and Norway. A moderate level of population structuring (GST = 0.282) was found across Ireland and the genetic diversity of its northern populations was twice that of its southern populations. This indicates that, unlike other native Irish trees, such as oak and alder, post-glacial recolonisation by birch did not begin in the south (i.e., from Iberia). Rather, and in agreement with palynological data, birch most likely migrated in from eastern populations in Britain. Finally, we highlight Irish populations with comparatively unique genetic structure which may be included as part of European genetic conservation networks.

Serious outbreaks of foodborne disease have been caused by Listeria monocytogenes found in retail delicatessens and the severity of disease is significant, with high hospitalization and mortality rates. Little is understood about the formidable public health threat of L. monocytogenesin all four niches, humans, animals, food and environment in Egypt. This study analyzed the presence of L. monocytogenes collected from the four environmental niches and bioinformatic analysis was implemented to analyze and compare the data. PCR was used to detect virulence genes encoded by pathogenicity island (LIPI-1). prfA amino acid substation that causes constitutive expression of virulence was common in 77.7% of isolates. BLAST analysis did not match other isolates in the NCBI database suggesting this may be a characteristic of the region associated with these isolates. A second group included the NH1 isolate originating in China, and BLAST analysis showed this prfA allele was shared with isolates from other global locations such as Europe and North America. Identification of possible links and transmission pathways between the four niches, helps to decrease the risk of disease in humans, to take more specific control measures in the context of disease prevention, to limit economic losses associated with food recalls and highlightens the need to treatment options.

Background: Understanding the trophic ecology of threatened freshwater fishes is relevant to managing their conservation. The genus Orestias is endemic to the Andes region and shows great biogeographical interest in the Neotropics due to its adaptation to the high-altitude systems of the Andes as well as because several species are considered threatened. (2) Methods: Here, we synthesize the documented trophic interaction of Orestias spp. in freshwater ecosystems of the Andes region available in the literature and use available data to explore the trophic interaction of Orestias species via null models. (3) Results: Our findings showed that Orestias spp. consume a wide range of prey (i.e., mainly aquatic insects, crustaceans, and mollusks) that varied according to their habitats and feeding morphology. The null model revealed that species associations in diet were random because of the presence of many repeated species. Our results would reveal that some Orestias spp. may show an opportunistic feeding strategy that concurs with previous reports. Additionally, we highlight major information gaps associated with the trophic ecology of Orestias spp. and propose some direction for future studies. (4): Our study provides valuable in-formation on Orestias spp. trophic ecology, which may be useful for developing conservation strategies for native fish in the Neotropical region.

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is an increasingly used Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique employed by many industrial sectors, including the medical device and aerospace industries. In-process EBM monitoring for quality assurance purposes has been a popular research area. Electronic imaging has recently been investigated as one of the in-process EBM data collection methods, alongside thermal/ optical imaging techniques. Despite certain capabilities of an electronic imaging system have been investigated, experiments are yet to be carried out to benchmark one of the most important features of any imaging systems – spatial resolution. This article addresses this knowledge gap by: (1) proposing an indicator for the estimation of spatial resolution which includes the Backscattered Electrons (BSE) information depth, (2) estimating the achievable spatial resolution when electronic imaging is carried out inside an Arcam A1 EBM machine, and (3) presenting an experimental method to conduct edge resolution evaluation with the EBM machine. Analyses of experimental results indicated that the spatial resolution was of the order of 0.3mm-0.4mm when electronic imaging was carried out at room temperature. It is believed that by disseminating an analysis and experimental method to estimate and quantify spatial resolution, this study has contributed to the on-going quality assessment research in the field of in-process monitoring of the EBM process.

This study evaluates the comprehensive biological activities of anthocyanins isolated from Andean blueberry (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) and Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth), focusing on their antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, and hemolytic properties. Chemical characterization revealed significant anthocyanin content with complex mass spectrometric profiles indicating diverse glycosylation patterns, which might influence their bioactivity. The antimicrobial assays demonstrated that the extracts were particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 1 mg/mL for Rubus glaucus, indicating strong potential for therapeutic use. The berries' antioxidant capacity was assessed and found to be substantial, though slightly lower than that of ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the extracts exhibited notable antitumoral activities in various cancer cell lines, showing promise as adjunctive or preventative treatments against cancer. The anti-inflammatory effects were confirmed by inhibiting nitric oxide production in macrophage cells, highlighting their potential in managing inflammatory diseases. Regarding hemolytic activity, Rubus glaucus displayed dose-dependent hemolytic activity due to anthocyanins and phenolics, while Vaccinium floribundum showed no significant hemolytic activity, confirming its safety. These findings suggest that anthocyanins from Andean berries possess potent biological activities that could be harnessed for multiple health benefits in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Further studies are warranted to isolate specific bioactive compounds and explore their synergistic effects in clinical and real-world scenarios.

The growing deforestation of tropical forests requires the implementation of restoration actions capable of assisting the recovery of biodiversity and functioning of these ecosystems. This research aimed to identify the environmental factors that influence woody plant recruitment abundance and diversity in an Andean forest restoration project in Medellin (Colombia). Data from all individuals taller than 80 cm was collected in 22 plots of 200 m2. The environmental factors selected were edaphic variables, plantation structure, slope, elevation, prior land use and landscape forest cover. A generalized linear model was adjusted for recruitment density, and linear mixed models were built for recruited species richness, diversity and dominance. Woody plant recruitment attributes in our study area were similar to a typical secondary succession in an Andean forest, but planted trees contributed little to these attributes. While recruitment density was affected by slope, canopy closure and landscape forest cover, recruitment diversity was influenced by physical (bulk density) and chemical (pH, aluminum, CEC) edaphic factors, planted trees diversity (species richness and composition), canopy closure and mortality rate of planted trees. We conclude that a good development of planted trees enhances both recruitment attributes, indicating a synergy between active restoration and passive regeneration processes.

Leaf area estimation is a critical component in the study of plant growth and productivity within agricultural systems. This research introduces the LeafArea package, a specialized tool designed to calculate the leaf area of six distinct Andean fruit species: S. quitoense, S. betaceum, P. peruviana, R. fruticosus, P. ligularis and P. edulis. Leveraging response variables such as species type, leaf length and width, the package employs advanced machine learning algorithms to estimate leaf area accurately. The primary focus of the study is to identify the most effective model for describing the relationship between leaf width, length, and area for each plant species. Currently, the LeafArea package utilizes four different machine learning algorithms, namely generalized linear model (GLM), generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), Random Forest and XGBoost. Among these, XGBoost stands out as a top-performing algorithm, exhibiting exceptional predictive accuracy. The evaluation metrics employed in the program provide valuable insights for researchers, aiding in informed decision-making. Specifically, XGBoost demonstrates significantly lower prediction errors and approaches a near-perfect R2 value, emphasizing its potential to enhance predictive accuracy. These results underscore the efficacy of machine learning techniques, as a compelling choice for researchers seeking precise and robust predictions in leaf area estimation. The LeafArea package thus represents a valuable tool for advancing our understanding of plant growth dynamics, resource allocation, and overall productivity within agricultural ecosystems.

Andean blueberries are wild berries grown and consumed in Ecuador which contain high values of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, with powerful antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile and contents of (poly)phenols and carotenoids in Andean blueberry by HPLC-DAD-MSn and determine a wide range of its biological activities. The antioxidant capacity of this fruit was evaluated in vitro by three different methods and in vivo using the zebrafish animal model, also the toxicity effect was determined by the zebrafish embryogenesis test. Besides, the antimicrobial activity and the capacity of Andean blueberry to produce hemagglutination in blood cells were evaluated. Finally, the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols and related antioxidant capacity were determined in the different phases of an in vitro digestion. The global results indicated no toxicity of Andean blueberry, weakly bacteriostatic activity, and high contents of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity, which were partially bioaccesible in vitro (~ 50 % at the final intestinal step), contributing to the knowledge of its health benefits for consumers and its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industry as functional ingredient.

Although mountain areas account for approximately one fifth of the terrestrial surface, there has been less research focused on fire in these areas compared to lowlands. Mountain fires have distinct behavior due to dynamic winds interacting with the terrain, which can influence the fireline intensity and propagation. For the sake of fire safety of fire crews, it is essential to know how difficult to control the fire is in the mountain regions, with fireline intensity providing a useful indicator of risk and suppressibility. We studied one of the major disasters, wildfire, in Australia in such a highland by using the Great Pine Tier Fire, which occurred 15^th January in 2019, ending up burning approximately 511.86km². Weather and fire intensity at pseudo weather stations located at key points of fire progression were analyzed by wind vector maps and numerical weather model vertical sounding (NWMVS). Fire propagation was then simulated in Prototype 2, a fire simulator capable of detecting the potential for lateral fire channeling (LFC), and simulating fireline intensity using Australian vegetation sub-models. We found that the synoptic wind appeared to be modified by the interaction with the terrain in windward and the fire intensified the most in its leeward. In practice, the fire moved out of the valley axis and up its sidehill by following the wind which had been modified by local vertex of the curved valley axis before reaching this location.

Background: We studied Riveaux Road Fire, which was ignited by multiple lightning strikes in January 2019 and burnt more than 637.19 km² in southern Tasmania, Australia. Aims: We focused on fire weather, such as identification of dynamic wind and vegetation type, in a valley of the study area. Methods: We employed two methods: numerical weather model vertical sounding (NWMVS) and the use of a fire simulator, to quantify and examine the contribution of dynamic winds to fire behaviour. The NWMVSs allow rapid diagnosis of changes in wind, temperature, dew point temperature and cloud coverage. Prototype 2 is a fire simulator based on the specification of Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS). Key results: We found fires to be guided by terrain-forced channelling primarily and by downslope wind conditionally in the valleys. In addition, the fire intensity periodically changed with the magnitude of surface wind, in buttongrass moorland, in which the fire often smoulders, during the fire period according to the satellite image. Conclusions and Implications: Therefore, there should be caution for not only terrain and dynamic wind but also vegetation type during fire spread in rugged terrain.

Demography and behavior of Teinopodagrion oscillans was studied in a protected area from Andean region. Adult damselflies were individually marked, and using their recapture histories we estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio, and population size using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models. Furthermore, aspects of their behaviour were recorded. Survival, recapture, and lifespan were similar for both sexes and all age groups. Mature males were larger and the distance from the water was similar for all individuals. The most supported model was the time-dependent model for survival and recapture (Phi(t) p(t)). This suggests that weather variations affect in a significant way the demography of this population. Individuals exhibited high fidelity to their site perch, perching with open wings near to water on a variety of perch. Mature males make short flights from the perch to intercept conspecific and interspecific males and to hunt prey. Tandem position was formed on macrophytes and then the pair flight away. Oviposition lasted for 11.23 minutes on average, with the females ovipositing by abdomen submersion. Our results offer insights on demographic characteristics and behaviour of this species, providing crucial information for short and long term conservation decisions of the biodiversity in ecosystems of the Andean region.

Lupinus mutabilis Sweet (Fabaceae), “tarwi” or “chocho”, is an important grain legume in the Andean region. In Peru, studies on tarwi have been mainly focused on morphological features, however, the have not been molecularly characterized. Currently, it is possible to explore genetic parameters of plants with reliable and modern methods like genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). We here for the first time used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers to infer the genetic diversity and population structure of 89 accessions of tarwi from nine Andean regions of Peru. A total of 5922 SNPs distributed along all chromosomes of tarwi were identified. STRUCTURE analysis revealed that this crop is grouped into two clusters. A dendrogram was generated using the UPGMA clustering algorithm and, similar to the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), it showed two groups that correspond to the geographic origin of the tarwi samples. AMOVA showed a reduced variation between clusters (7.59 %) and indicated that variability within populations is 92.41 %. Population divergence (Fst) between clusters 1 and 2 revealed low genetic difference (0.019). We also detected a negative Fis for both populations, demonstrating that, similar to other Lupinus species, tarwi also depends on cross-pollination. SNPs markers were powerful and effective for the genotyping process in this germplasm. We hope that this information is the beginning of the path towards a modern genetic improvement and conservation strategies of this important Andean legume.

The use of medicinal plants for the therapy of diseases of the digestive system; where the Andean peoples developed various forms of administration. The objective being the identification of medicinal plants used in the therapy of ailments of the digestive system by the Andean inhabitants of Pampas, Tayacaja, Huancavelica, Peru. Methods, non-probabilistic sampling, using the “snowball” technique, carrying out semi-structured surveys, allowing information to be collected on the prevalence of ailments or diseases of the digestive system treated with medicinal plants, with inhabitants over 20 years of age participating and using the medicinal plants in the therapy of your digestive system ailments; and, exclude those inhabitants who do not comply with it. Results, 16 families, 33 genera and 34 species are reported; where the families that present the greatest abundance of species are Asteraceae, Lamiaceae; Likewise, the widely used species are Minthostachys mollis (11.9%), Aloe vera (10.4%), Clinopodium bolivianum (9%), Artemisia absinthium (9%) and Matricaria chamomilla (8.2%). Concluding with the identification of a diversity of medicinal flora, used in the therapy of diseases of the digestive system, such as stomach pain, constipation, gallbladder ailments, gastritis, gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Jamaica has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rate and therefore identifying the context of adolescent sexual and reproductive health is important, especially since there is paucity of research on preadolescents in the Jamaican context. The study was a nationally representative cross-sectional, interviewer administered, school-based survey of 10 -15 year olds. Summary statistics of the demographics and bivariate analyses were performed to assess the association of sexual initiation and given risk and resiliency factors. 1,422(47.4%) males, 1,581 (52.6%) females, mean age (SD) 12.5 (1.6) years were surveyed. Mean age of first sex was 11.0 (±2.5) years. Factors significantly with sexual initiation were, female sex (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.12-0.23), caring relationships inside the home (OR 0.85; 95%CI 0.83-0.97) rare church attendance (OR1.36; 95%CI1.0-1.8), age (OR 1.75; 95%CI1.6-1.9) and community disorganization (OR 1.02 95% CI 1.01-1.07). Sexual initiation of early adolescents is positively influenced by environmental factors such as family connectedness and religious involvement. The negative correlates are societal risk factors such as community disorganization. Empowerment through learned sexual negotiation skills, should be incorporated into the education programme of pre-adolescents to facilitate adolescents embracing their intrinsic power to delay sexual debut and if sexually active to insist on condom use.

Cyanobacteria biomasses are sources of secondary metabolites and nutritious ingredients such as vitamins, essential amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. Biochemical composition, presence of cyanotoxins and contaminants are major concerns to be addressed on such edible biomasses. Macrocolonies of a filamentous diazotrophic Nostoc species known as Llayta are found at Andean wetlands and consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Its biochemical composition has been previously conducted to assess their nutritious quality and cyanotoxicity. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by diverse microorganisms; however, the Llayta microcolonies cyanosphere is unknown. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the identification of members of the resilient microflora associated with Llayta trichomes after Gentamicin treatments. We have also reconstructed the genomes of the Llayta macrocolony-forming Nostoc sp. cyanobacterium (6,781,030 bp; GC content of 41.2%) and the genomes of five dominant bacteria genera (Mesorhizobium, Microvirga, Paracoccus, Aquimonas, and Blastomonas). The detection of genes and genes clusters involved in primary and secondary metabolism is described. Our results provide new insights on the metabolic capabilities and biotechnological potential of the Andean Nostoc cyanobacterium, and the ecological role and adaptive strategies of microorganisms living under extreme environmental conditions at the Andean wetlands.

Surfing is a growing, high participation recreational and competitive activity. It is relatively unique being performed on, in, and through water with a range of temperatures. In other sports, warm-up and heat retention have proved useful at augmenting performance and ameliorating injury risk. Little work has been done examining this in surfing. The purpose of this work was to measure thermal profiles in surfers with and without warm-up and passive heat retention, and secondarily to assess any potential influence on free surfing. A repeated measures pre- and post- design was adopted whereby participants surfed in an artificial wave pool following an active warm-up combined with passive heat retention (experimental condition), and after no warm-up (control). Core body temperature was measured both occasions. Our results showed a clear advantage to body temperature for the experimental condition versus control. Both groups showed a warm-up effect in the water itself, presumably due to further activity (e.g. paddling) and wetsuit properties. Finally, performance trended to being superior following warm-up. We conclude, body warmth in surfers may be facilitated by an active warm-up and passive heat retention. In free surfing this is associated with a trend towards better performance; it may also reduce injury risk.

We studied the link between carbon and water fluxes to understand the response of net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) to water availability conditions of three different potato water regimes cropping systems [full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and rainfed (RF)]. Through the eddy covariance technique, we measured CO₂ and water vapor exchanges and determined surface resistances, omega factor, and inherent water use efficiency (IWUE). Additionally, continuous plant growth determinations of leaf area index (LAI) and specific leaf area (SLA) were made over the three cropping systems. The RF potato was a net carbon source (NEE = 187.21 ± 3.84 g C m⁻²), while both, FI (NEE= −311.96 ± 12.82 g C m⁻²) and DI (−17.3 ± 4.6 g C m⁻²) were a net carbon sink. Greater sink activity is due to high fluxes of gross primary productivity (GPP) [where the GPP > ecosystem respiration (R_eco)] and evapotranspiration (ET), and the high efficiency in the exchange of carbon and water. Without water limitations, the larger canopy, with greater photosynthetic activity (GPP/R_eco > 2) as well as with low internal resistance offers a greater area for water and carbon exchange, and the highly coupled and synchronized ET – GPP fluxes are primarily controlled by the radiative environment. The lower sink capacity of the DI potato crop and the carbon source activity from the RF, are consequences of a smaller area for water and carbon exchange due to the smaller canopy, and a low IWUE from decoupled and desynchronized carbon and water exchange caused by unbalanced restrictions on ET and GPP fluxes. Specifically, at DI potato, ET remained at a high rate, while GPP was reduced by means of non-stomatal limitations. In the rainfed potato, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) played a significant role increasing midday canopy resistance (Rc) up to 13 times compared to irrigated sites, when VPD was around 0.8 kPa. In consequence, ET and GPP fluxes decreased together, but GPP decreased more than ET because of stomatal and non-stomatal limitations.

The rye (Secale cereale L.) crop shows a high potential to collaborate in the sustainability of high Andean livestock because it supports the agroclimatic conditions and acid soils in the Peruvian Andes. The production of green forage, hay, and grain of the rye crop in acid soils was studied with the use of different levels of phosphorus and potassium fertilization in four local rye ecotypes (CBI-001, CSM-001, CJS-001, and CCE-001). The green forage yield (FV) ranged from 32.35 to 53.62 t ha-1, dry matter from 6.05 to 8.56 t ha-1, and hay from 7.0 to 10.36 t ha-1; nutritional levels ranged from 9.02 % to 13.56 % protein and 6.50 to 7.75 % ash levels, mainly with differences between ecotypes (p<0.05). No differences existed between fertilization levels for the number of stems per plant, and flowering stems per plant, and grains per ear (p>0.05). Also, CBI-001 and CCE-001 were superior with 1868.4 and 1797.8 kg ha-1 of grain, respectively (p=0.0072); the use of 60 kg ha of Nitrogen, 120 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 80 kg ha-1 of K2O gave higher grain and residue yields. The high nutritional value and yield of the rye ecotypes studied in acid soil conditions and without irrigation can be an alternative for livestock feeding and grain production in the rainy season in the Andes as a dual-purpose crop.

Cumulus parameterization schemes model the subgrid-scale effects of moist convection, affecting the prognostic of cloud formation, rainfall, energy levels reaching the surface, and air quality. Working with a spatial resolution of 1 km, we studied the influence of cumulus parameterization schemes coded in the Weather Research & Forecasting with Chemistry Version 3.2 (WRF-Chem 3.2) for atmospheric modeling in Cuenca, an Andean city of Southern Ecuador (2500 masl), during September 2014. For assessing the performance, we used meteorological records from the urban area and stations located mainly over the Cordillera, with heights above 3000 masl, and air quality records from the urban area. Firstly, we did not use any cumulus parameterization (0 No Cumulus). Then we considered four schemes: 1 Kain-Fritsch, 2 Betts-Miller-Janjic, 3 Grell-Devenyi, and 4 Grell-3 Ensemble. On average, the 0 No Cumulus option was better for modeling meteorological variables over the urban area, capturing 66.5% of records and being the best for precipitation (77.8%). However, 1 Kaint-Fritsch was better for temperature (78.7%) and 3 Grell-Devenyi for wind speed (77.0%) and wind direction (37.9%). All the options provided acceptable and comparable performances for modeling short-term and long-term air quality variables. The results suggested that using no cumulus scheme could be beneficial for holistically modeling meteorological and air quality variables in the urban area. However, all the options, including deactivating the cumulus scheme, overestimated the total amount of precipitation over the Cordillera, implying that its modeling needs to be improved, particularly for studies on water supply and hydrological management. New WRF-Chem versions and microphysics parameterization, the other component directly related to cloud and rainfall processes, must be assessed.

Cyanobacterial macrocolonies known as Llayta are found at Andean wetlands and consumed since pre-Columbian times in South America. Macrocolonies of filamentous cyanobacteria are niches for colonization by other microorganisms; however, the microbiome of edible Llayta has not been explored. Based on a culture-independent approach, we report the presence, identification and metagenomic genome reconstruction of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY associated to Llayta trichomes. The assembled genome of strain LLY is now available for further inquiries, and may be instrumental for taxonomic advances on this genus. All known members of the Cyanocohniella genus have been isolated from salty European habitats. A biogeographic gap for the Cyanocohniella genus is partially filled by the existence of strain LLY at Andes Mountains wetlands in South America as a new habitat. This is the first genome available for members of this genus. Genes involved in primary and secondary metabolism are described providing new insights on the putative metabolic capabilities of Cyanocohniella sp. LLY. The reconstructed genome of strain LLY is now available and instrumental for further inquiries and taxonomic advances on the genus Cyanocohniella.

Progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been associated with an escape of tumor cells from the host immune surveillance with growing evidence of its underlying molecular mechanisms and its interaction with the immune cell control. In this study the expression of HLA class I (HLA-I) antigens and of components of the antigen processing machinery (APM) was analyzed in 160 consecutive human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative OSCC lesions and correlated to tumor specific parameters, the intratumoral immune cell response and to the patients outcome. A heterogeneous, but predominantly lower constitutive protein expression of HLA-I APM components was seen in OSCC sections when compared to non-neoplastic cells. Based on the expression levels of HLA-I APM components three main OSCC subgroups were detected and categorized into HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh, HLA-Ilow/APMlow and HLA-Idiscordant high/low/APMhigh phenotypes. In the HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh group, the highest frequency of intratumoral CD8+ T cells and lowest number of CD8+ T cells close to FoxP3 cells was found. Despite being associated with the highest T cell infiltration, patients within this group presented the most unfavorable survival, which was most evident in stage T2 tumors. Thus, the presented findings strongly indicate the presence of additional factors involved in the immunomodulatory process of HPV-negative OSCC with a possible tumor-burden-dependent complex network of immune escape mechanisms beyond HLA-I/APM components and T cell infiltration in this tumor entity.

The soils represent a valuable renewable resource on human timescales and interact with distinctive grassland ecosystems characterized by their elevated biodiversity and essential provision of ecosystem services, such as water supply and carbon sequestration. However, knowledge concerning the effects of wildfires on soil properties and nutrient availability remains limited in the Andes. Andean grasslands currently stand as ecosystems most affected by wildfires in the Peruvian Andes. Our objective is to analyze the effect of fire activity on soil physicochemical properties and analyze its social context in Cusco, situated in the southern Andes of Peru. Five soil samples were collected during both the dry and rainy seasons to characterize changes in soil properties. Additionally, the vegetation restored after the wildfire was analyzed. Changes in soil properties subsequent to the fire indicate slight increases in pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during the onset of the rainy season; thereafter, a gradual reduction in these values was observed. This reduction can be attributed to the seasonal rainfall and runoff regime contributing to the leaching process. Our findings suggest that the complete regeneration of vegetation following a wildfire may require approximately four to five years. This assertion is supported by the perceptions of the affected population, as revealed through interviews conducted within two local farming communities. These results hold significance for decision-makers in formulating policies and regulations regarding grasslands and their seasonal restoration.

The critical hypoxia in COVID-19 patients during this pandemic, has taken away many lives all around the globe. The mechanism has been poorly understood and initially, word got around that it was a SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) pneumonia. The atypical images in lung computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans were alarming. This immediately alerted everyone including poor countries to purchase lacking sophisticated ventilator equipment. However, in some countries, even 88% of the patients on ventilators lost their lives. New observations and pathological findings are gradually clarifying the disease. What seems evident is that it is not only one disease but several, with different responses in different countries and different altitudes. The critical hypoxia and «gasping» present in some patients are not totally understood. It was mentioned that it could be like a High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). Hereby, as high-altitude medicine and hypoxia physiology specialists, we compare the pathophysiology with that of high-altitude exposure in order to understand the mechanisms involved. Some differences in lung radiological images along with transmission and viral attack mechanisms are discussed. The oxygen transport triad used at high-altitude can be applied on this pathology in order to propose even the use of erythropoietin (EPO) early in the treatment. The immune system is the most important long-term survival tool, so we suggest a short-term strategy: the use of special Earth open-circuit astronaut-resembling suits with effective outside air filtering re-breathing mechanisms in order to return to work and daily activities, without contamination risk. Thereby, the curve can be flattened without quarantine and the economy could recover.

Sweet cucumber (Solanum muricatum) sect. Basarthrum, is a neglected horticultural crop native of the Andean region. It is naturally distributed very close to potatoes (Solanum sect. Petota) and tomatoes (Solanum sect. Lycopersicon), two groups of high economic importance. To date, molecular tools for this crop are still undetermined. We here obtained the first complete chloroplast (cp) genome of sweet cucumber and compared with seven Solanaceae species. Pair-end clean reads were obtained by PE 150 library and the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. The complete cp genome of S. muricatum had a 155,681 bp with typical quadripartite structure, containing a large single copy (LSC) region (86,182 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (18,360 bp), separated by two inverted repeat (IR) regions (25,568 bp). The annotation of chloroplast genome predicted 88 protein-coding genes (CDS), 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and one pseudogene. A total of 48 perfect microsatellites were identified, divided in mononucleotide repeats (32), followed by tetranucleotide (6) and dinucleotides (5). SSRs with trinucleotides repeats (3), pentanucleotide (1) and hexanucleotide (1) repeats motifs in these genomes were identified in lower quantity. Most of these repeats were distributed in the noncoding regions. Whole chloroplast genome comparison with the other seven Solanaceae species revealed that the small and large single copy regions showed more divergence than inverted regions. Finally, phylogenetic analysis resolved that S. muricatum is a sister species to members of sections Petota + Lycopersicum + Etuberosum. This study reports for the first time the genome organization, gene content, and structural features of the cp genome of S. muricatum. Also, this study may provide the basis for evaluating genetic diversity within Solanum, and will be useful to examine the evolutionary processes in sweet cucumber landraces.

Introduction: Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV are being scaled up in the expectation that they will improve the quality and efficiency of treatment delivery and reduce costs while maintaining at least equivalent clinical outcomes. Even this minimum requirement of equivalent clinical outcomes is poorly documented for most models and settings, however. We reviewed the recent literature on DSD models to describe what is known about clinical outcomes. Methods: We conducted a rapid systematic review of peer-reviewed publications in PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science and major international conference abstracts that reported outcomes of DSD models for the provision of ART in sub-Saharan Africa from January 1, 2016 to September 12, 2019. Sources reporting standard clinical HIV treatment metrics, primarily retention in care and viral load suppression, were reviewed and categorized by DSD model and source quality assessed. Results and Discussion: Twenty-nine papers and abstracts describing 37 DSD models and reporting 52 discrete outcomes met search inclusion criteria. Of the 37 models, 7 (19%) were facility-based individual models, 12 (32%) out-of-facility based individual models, 5 (14%) client-led groups, and 13 (35%) healthcare worker-led groups. Retention was reported for 73% of the models and viral suppression for 57%. Where a comparison with conventional care was provided, retention in most DSD models was within 5% of that for conventional care; where no comparison was provided, retention generally exceeded 80%. For viral suppression, all those with a comparison to conventional care reported a small increase in suppression in the DSD model; reported suppression exceeded 90% in 11/21 models. Analysis was limited by the extensive heterogeneity of study designs, outcomes, models, and populations. Most sources did not provide comparisons with conventional care, and metrics for assessing outcomes varied widely and were in many cases poorly defined. Conclusion: Existing evidence on the clinical outcomes of DSD models for HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa is limited in both quantity and quality but suggests that retention in care and viral suppression are roughly equivalent to those in conventional models of care.

Progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been associated with an escape of tumor cells from the host immune surveillance due to an increased knowledge of its underlying molecular mechanisms and its modulation by the tumor microenvironment and immune cell repertoire. In this study the expression of HLA class I (HLA-I) antigens and of components of the antigen processing machinery (APM) was analyzed in 160 pathologically classified human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative OSCC lesions and correlated to the intra-tumoral immune cell response, IFN- signaling and to the patients outcome. A heterogeneous, but predominantly lower constitutive protein expression of HLA-I APM components was found in OSCC sections when compared to non-neoplastic cells. Tumoral HLA-I APM component expression was further categorized into the three major phenotypes HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh, HLA-Ilow/APMlow and HLA-Idiscordant high/low/APMhigh. In the HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh group, the highest frequency of intra-tumoral CD8+ T cells and lowest number of CD8+ T cells close to FoxP3+ cells was found. Patients within this group presented the most unfavorable survival, which was significantly evident in stage T2 tumors. Despite a correlation with the number of intra-tumoral CD8+ T cells, tumoral JAK1 expression as a surrogate marker for IFN- signaling was not associated with HLA-I/APM expression. Thus, the presented findings strongly indicate the presence of additional factors involved in the immunomodulatory process of HPV-negative OSCC with a possible tumor-burden-dependent complex network of immune escape mechanisms beyond HLA-I/APM components and T cell infiltration in this tumor entity.

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is a trait describing inter-individual differences in sensitivity to environments, both positive and negative ones. SPS has attracted growing societal interest. However, (neuro)scientific evidence is lagging behind. We critically discuss how to measure SPS, how it relates to other theories of Environmental Sensitivity and other temperament and personality traits, how SPS interacts with environments to influence (a)typical development, what the underlying aetiologies and mechanisms are, and its relation to mental disorders involving sensory sensitivities. Drawing on the diverse expertise of the authors, we set an agenda for future research to stimulate the field. We conclude that SPS is a heritable, evolutionarily conserved trait, linked to increased risk for psychopathology and stress-related problems in response to negative environments, as well as to greater benefits (e.g., intervention responsivity, positive mood) in positive environments. We need advances in objective assessment of SPS, understanding mechanisms, differentiating it from (seemingly) related mental disorders, to exploit the potential of SPS to improve mental health, preserve human capital, and prevent adverse effects.

The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires followed by the COVID-19 pandemic brought the significant mental health implications of working in healthcare to the fore. The importance of appropriate support services to ensure the resilience and recovery of healthcare workers has been highlighted. In response to healthcare staff experiences during the bushfires, the SEED Wellness Program was created in 2020 in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, in NSW Australia. SEED used a participatory action methodology to engage and collaborate with healthcare staff teams in workplace-based restorative activities. Guided by Practice Theory, this study aimed to identify and describe SEED wellness practices that supported healthcare staff. Thirty-three healthcare workers participated in focus groups or individual interviews between June 2021 and March 2022. The analysis involved inductive thematic individual and collective exploration of SEED practices, including co-analysis with participants. Eight core practices that supported participants’ wellbeing were identified including responsive and compassionate leading, engaging staff at every stage of the recovery process, creating a sense of connection with others, and collective caring. The study found that workplace wellness initiatives are optimised when place-based and grounded in local knowledge, needs, and resources incorporating a collective and supportive team approach. Moreover, to ensure engagement in, and sustainability of these initiatives, both bottom-up and top-down commitment is required.

Sarcomas are a heterogenous group of tumours that commonly carry poor prognosis with limited therapeutic options. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with sarcoma are a unique and under-studied patient population that have only achieved modest survival gains compared to other groups. We present our institutional experience of AYA with sarcoma who underwent comprehensive molecular profiling (CMP) using either large-panel targeted DNA sequencing or whole genome and transcriptome sequencing and evaluated the feasibility and clinical impact of this approach. Genomic variants detected were determined to be clinically relevant and actionable following the Molecular Tumour Board evaluation. Clinicians provided feedback regarding the utility of testing three months after reporting. Twenty-five patients who were recruited for CMP are included in this analysis. The median time from consent to final molecular report was 45 days (interquartile range 37-57). Potentially actionable variants were detected for 14 patients (56%) and new treatment recommendations were identified for 12 patients (48%). Pathogenic germline variants were identified in three patients (12%), and one patient had a change of diagnosis. Implementation for CMP for AYA with sarcoma is clinically valuable, feasible and should be increasingly integrated into routine clinical practice as technologies and turnaround times continue to improve.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be a global threat due to its ability to evolve and generate new subvariants, leading to new waves of infection. Additionally, other coronaviruses like Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, formerly known as hCoV-EMC) which first emerged in 2012, persists and continues to present a threat of severe illness to humans. The continued identification of novel coronaviruses, coupled with the potential for genetic recombination between different strains, raises the possibility of new coronavirus clades of global concern emerging. As a result, there is a pressing need for pan-CoV therapeutic drugs and vaccines. After extensive optimization of an HCV protease inhibitor screening hit, a novel 3CLPro inhibitor (MK-7845) was discovered and subsequently profiled. MK-7845 exhibited nanomolar in vitro potency with broad spectrum activity against a panel of clinical SARS-CoV-2 subvariants and MERS-CoV. Furthermore, when administered orally, MK-7845 demonstrated a notable reduction of viral burdens by >6 log orders in the lungs of transgenic mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 (K18-hACE2 mice) and MERS-CoV (K18-hDDP4 mice).

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process where epithelial cells lose their adhesive properties and gain invasive, metastatic, and mesenchymal properties. Maintaining the balance between epithelial and mesenchymal stage is essential for tissue homeo-stasis. Many of the genes promoting mesenchymal transformation has been identified; however, our understanding of the genes responsible for maintaining the epithelial phenotype is limited. Our objective was to identify genes responsible for maintaining the epithelial phenotype and in-hibiting EMT. Methods: RNA seq was performed using an vitro model of EMT. CTGF expres-sion was determined by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Knockout of CTGF was done using the CTGF sgRNA CRISPR/CAS9. Tumorigenic potential was determined using NCG mice. Results: Knocked-out of CTGF in epithelial ovarian cancer cells leads to the acquisition of functional characteristics associated with the mesenchymal phenotype such as Anoikis resistance, cytoskel-eton remodeling, increased cell stiffness, and acquisition of invasion and tumorigenic capacity. Conclusions: We identified CTGF is an important regulator of the epithelial phenotype, and its loss is associated with early cellular modifications required for EMT. We describe a novel role for CTGF, regulating cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix interactions necessary for conserva-tion of epithelial structure and function. These findings provide a new window to understand the early stages on mesenchymal transformation

In this retrospective analysis, we examined the prognostic value of serum albumin at diagnosis prior to any therapy in a cohort of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) irrespective of treatment modality. Data were collected retrospectively in a cohort of 257 AML patients who received treatment between 2002 to 2019. The cohort included patients who received conventional 7+3 induction, patients who were not candidates for induction receiving lower-intensity chemotherapy or targeted therapy, and patients who were placed on clinical trials. Patients were classified into two groups, by serum albumin level at presentation, normal albumin (≥3.5 g/dL) and hypoalbuminemia [HA](

Background: Early diagnosis of postoperative complications is an urgent task, allowing timely prescribing of appropriate therapy and reducing the cost of patient treatment. Prognostic models based on various data could help in the early diagnosis of postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine whether an integrated approach based on clinical data along with metabolites and biomarkers had greater predictive value than the models built on less data. Methods: The study included patients (n=62) admitted for planned cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass), who were retrospectively divided into two groups depending on the presence (n=26) or absence (n=36) of postoperative complications of all types. Clinical and laboratory data on the first day after surgery were analyzed. Additionally, patients' blood samples were collected before and on the first day after surgery to determine biomarkers (interleukin-6, procalcitonin, NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T) and metabolites (8 aromatic and 2 dicarboxylic acids were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Results: Patients before surgery, compared with healthy donors, differed in the concentration of metabolites (p < 0.05), and had concentrations of a number of biomarkers exceeding the corresponding reference values. Multivariate PLS-DA models, predicting the presence or absence of postoperative complications, were built using clinical data (ROC-AUC=0.71), concentrations of metabolites and biomarkers (ROC-AUC=0.60), and the entire data set (ROC-AUC=0.75). For comparison we built univariate models using the EuroScore2 (ROC-AUC=0.59) and SOFA (ROC-AUC=0.76) scales; concentrations of lactate (ROC-AUC=0.71), the dynamic changes of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (ROC-AUC=0.69), and the sum of three sepsis-associated metabolites (ROC-AUC=0.70). The proposed complex model using entire data set was comparable to the SOFA scale, which confirms the expediency of searching for new predictive models based on a variety of factors.

Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.

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.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

In order to shorten the detection time and improve the average precision on embedded devices, A lightweight and high accuracy model is proposed for passion fruit in complex environments (backlight, occlusion, overlap, sunny, cloudy, rainy). Firstly, replacing the backbone network of YOLOv5 with a lightweight GhostNet model reduces the number of parameters and computation while improving detection speed. Secondly, a new feature branch is added to the GhostNet network, and the feature fusion layer in the neck network is reconstructed to effectively combine the lower-level and higher-level features, which not only improves the accuracy of the model but also maintains its lightweight. Finally, the knowledge distillation methods are used to transfer the knowledge from the more capable teacher model to the less capable student model, which significantly improving the detection accuracy. The improved model is denoted as G-YOLO-NK. The average accuracy of the G-YOLO-NK network is 96.00%, which is 1.00% higher than the original YOLOv5s model. Furthermore, the improved model size is 7.14MB, reduced to half of the original model, and the real-time detection frame rate is 11.25 FPS on the Jetson Nano. Compared to the state-of-the-art model, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of average precision and detection performance. The present work provides an effective model for real-time detection of passion fruits in complex orchard scenes, which can provide valuable technical support for the development of orchard picking robots and greatly improve the intelligence level of orchards.

The Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) scanner is an easy and portable Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data acquisition device. Its main output is a 3D point cloud covering the scanned scene. Regarding the importance of accuracy in the survey domain, this paper aims to assess the accuracy of two SLAM scanners: the NavVis VLX and the BLK2GO Scanner. This assessment is conducted for both outdoor and indoor environments. In this context, two types of reference data are used: the Total Station (TS) and the static scanner Z+F Imager 5016. To carry out the assessment, four comparisons are tested: cloud to cloud, cloud to mesh, mesh to mesh, and edge detection board assessment. However, the results of the assessments confirm that the accuracy of indoor SLAM scanner measurements (5 mm) is greater than that of outdoor ones (between 10 mm and 60 mm). Moreover, the comparison of cloud to cloud provides the best accuracy regarding direct accuracy measurement without manipulations. Finally, based on the high accuracy, scanning speed, flexibility, and the accuracy differences between tested cases, it is confirmed that SLAM scanners are effective tools for data acquisition.

In recent years, electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite advancements in EEG-based emotion recognition, room for enhancing performance persists due to EEG signal redundancy and limitations in feature extraction, leading to inefficient models and emotional information loss. To fully utilize EEG's emotional information and improve recognition accuracy while reducing computational costs, this paper proposes a Convolutional-Recurrent Hybrid Network with a dual-stream adaptive approach and an attention mechanism (CSA-SA-CRTNN). Firstly, the model utilizes a CSAM module to assign corresponding weights to EEG channels. Then, an adaptive dual-stream convolutional-recurrent network (SA-CRNN and MHSA-CRNN) is applied to extract local spatial-temporal features. After that, the extracted local features are concatenated and fed into a temporal convolutional network with a multi-head self-attention mechanism (MHSA-TCN) to capture global information. Finally, the extracted EEG information is used for emotion classification. We conducted binary and ternary classification experiments on the DEAP dataset, achieving 99.26% and 99.15% accuracy for arousal and valence in binary classification, and 97.69% and 98.05% in ternary classification, surpassing relevant algorithms. Additionally, the model's efficiency is significantly higher than other models, achieving better accuracy with lower resource consumption.

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

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

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

Superior fiber quality is one of the most important objectives in cotton breeding. To detect the genetic basis underlying fiber quality, an F2 population containing 413 plants was constructed by crossing Jifeng 914 and Jifeng 173, both of which have superior fiber quality, with Jifeng 173 being better. Five fiber quality traits were investigated in the F2, F2:3, F2:4, and F2:5 populations. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted based on a high-density genetic map containing 11,488 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and spanning 4,202.12 cM in length. Transgressive segregation patterns and complex correlations in the five tested traits were observed. A total of 108 QTLs were found, including 27 for fiber length (FL), 16 for fiber strength (FS), 24 for micronaire (MC), 17 for fiber uniformity (FU), and 24 for fiber elongation rate (FE). Chromosome A7 contained 12 QTL, ranking the first. No QTL was found on chromosome D1 and D11. Each QTL contributed 1.98%–21.45% to the phenotypic variation (PV), including 13 major effect QTLs that contributed more than 10% toward PV. Two QTLs could be repeatedly detected in three populations, including qFL-D3-2 in F2, F2:4, and F2:5 with 9.18%–21.45% of PV, qFS-A11-1 in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 with 6.05%–10.41% of PV. Another seven stable QTLs could be detected in two populations, including four major effect QTLs: qFL-A12-3, qFS-D10-2, qMC-D6-2, and qMC-D8-1. Fourteen QTL-overlapping regions were found, which might explain the complex correlations among the five phenotypic traits. Four regions on chromosome A11, D3, D6, and D10 covered by both stable and major effect QTLs are promising for further fine mapping. The genomic regions of the two QTLs detected in three populations and the four major effect QTLs contain 810 genes. Gene functional analysis revealed that the annotated genes are mainly involved in protein binding and metabolic pathways. Fifteen candidate genes in the qFL-D3-2 region are highly expressed in fiber or ovules during fiber initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, or maturation stages. qRT-PCR revealed that Ghir_D03G005440.1 and Ghir_D03G011310.1 may play a role in promoting fiber initiation, Ghir_D03G006470.1 may be beneficial for promoting fiber elongation. This study provides more information for revealing the molecular genetic basis underlying cotton fiber quality.

Currently there are fewer depth models applied to pepper picking detection, while the existing generalized neural networks have problems such as large model parameters, long training time, and low model accuracy.In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Yolo-chili target detection algorithm for chili pepper detection. First, the classical target detection algorithm yolov5 is used as a benchmark model, and an adaptive spatial feature pyramid structure combining the attention mechanism and the idea of multi-scale prediction is introduced to improve the model's detection effect on occluded peppers and small target peppers. Secondly, a three-channel attention mechanism module is introduced to improve the algorithm's long-distance recognition ability and reduce the interference of redundant testers. Finally, the quantized pruning method is used to reduce the model parameters and realize the lightweight processing of the model. Applying the method to the homemade chili pepper dataset, the AP value of chili pepper reaches 93.11%; the accuracy rate is 93.51% and the recall rate is 92.55%.The experimental results show that yolo-chili is able to achieve accurate and real-time pepper detection under complex orchards.

The temporary immersion system bioreactor named GreenTray®[2], [3]presents advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, there is no need to use forceps to move the shoots or plantlets in or out of the recipient, neither the use of scalpel to divide them. Secondly, the basis of the shoot can remain in the GreenTray® and can sprout again in several cycles of growth. These two characteristics reduce the costs in the process of micropropagation. Besides, shoots or plantlets development is enhanced by the aeration of the recipient, thus enriching with CO2 the recipient atmosphere. The chapter describes and provides images and values of interest in (1) the micropropagation process of some commercial Prunus or Pyrus rootstocks; (2) the plantlet growth under autotrophic conditions; and (2) the inoculation of plants with pathogens that reproduce in vitro the symptoms observed in vivo, using the GreenTray® bioreactor.

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes of treating isolated surgical neck fractures of the humerus using either the intramedullary nail or the MIROS (Minimally Invasive Reduction and Osteosynthesis System®) system. The study included 42 patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Polyclinic from January 2014 to June 2020. The results indicated that both treatments were effective; however, the MIROS system exhibited a higher complication rate. Intramedullary nailing was more reliable, thus recommended as the primary treatment method. This study underscores the importance of selecting the appropriate fixation technique to minimize complications and enhance patient outcomes.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. Our results revealed that the denitrification rate (DR), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) and nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) of rhizosphere sediments exhibited a significant increase in artificially cultivated ditch. Compared with those in natural ditches, the richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Firmicutes, Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter, which are involved mainly in the nitrogen cycle, in the rhizosphere sediments of artificially cultivated ditch were significantly greater due to improvements in environmental conditions. In artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, while DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels; and the dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage.

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

In this paper we study a class of impulsive delayed neural networks with parameter uncertainties and reaction-diffusion terms. Using the properties of M-matrices and some inequality techniques, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the global exponential stability of the given system. The results obtained are presented by simple algebraic inequalities, which are certainly more concise than previous methods. Finally, the validity and usefulness of our results are illustrated by arithmetic examples.

Pyrops candelaria is one of the common pests of fruit trees, but the research on the pathogenic microorganisms it may carry is very limited. Therefore, it is essential to reveal the pathogenic microbes it carries and their potential hazards. This study found a new virus from the transcriptome of P. candelaria, which was first reported in P. candelaria and named as PyCaV (Pyrops candelaria associated virus). RACE and bioinformatics assay revealed that the full-length of PyCaV is 10855 bp with the polyA tail, containing a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polyprotein consisting of 3171 amino acid (aa). The virus has a typical Iflavirus structure, including two rhv domains, a RNA helicase domain (HEL), a 3C cysteine protease domain (Pro), and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain (RdRp). Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus belongs to family Iflaviridae and sequence alignements analysis suggedted PyCaV is new member in unassigned genus of family Iflaviridae. Further in-depth analysis of virus-infection-part showed that PyCaV is distributing in the whole longan lanternfly, including its head, chest, and abdomen, but more PyCaV was identified in the chest. The distribution of PyCaV in different parts of P. candelaria was further explored, which showed that more PyCaV were detected in its piercing-sucking mouthparts and chest viscera. Statistical analysis showed that the PyCaV infection was affected by time and locations.

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

Our previous studies demonstrated a tight connection between simvastatin (SIM) inhibition of B16.F10 murine melanoma cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro and strong suppression of the subunit α of hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) (HIF-1 α) production in these cancer cells. Since the translation of HIF-1α is modulated by signaling pathways coordinated by Akt, SIM effects on the link between these two regulatory factors and cancer cell metabolism under normoxia was investigated, which to our knowledge have never been described before. To achieve the proposed aim, SIM effects on cell metabolism were analysed at mRNA (via RNA-seq and RT-qPCR) as well as protein level (via western blot and catalytic activity of the key enzymes) Our data suggested that SIM might orientate glucose transport and metabolism to ensure replenishment of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity. Moreover, it seems that SIM enhanced biosynthetic role of TCA over its energy role to further support synthesis of lipid-derived signaling molecules. Thus, under normoxia SIM treatment orientated lipid metabolism to stimulate isoprenoid and prostaglandin synthesis which might favor melanoma cell survival and aggressiveness.

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

In this paper, we extend the KdVSKR equations in (1+1)-dimension and (2+1)-dimension to fractional KdVSKR equations with modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. The (2+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, which is a recent extension of (1+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, can model the resonances of solitons in shallow water. By means of the Hirota bilinear method, finite symmetry group method and consistent Riccati expansion method, many new interaction solutions have been derived. Soliton-cnoidal interaction solution of the (1+1)-dimensional fractional KdVSKR equation has been derived for the first time. For the (2+1)-dimensional frac-tional KdVSKR equation, two-wave interaction solutions and three-wave interaction solutions, including dark-soliton-sine interaction solution, bright-soliton-elliptic interaction solution, and lump-hyperbolic-sine interaction solution, have been derived. Impact of the fractional order on the shapes of these solutions has been illustrated by figures. Three-wave interaction solutions of fractional systems have not been reported in the existing references. The research idea in this paper can be applied to other fractional differential equations.

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.

Antimicrobial peptides represent a promising alternative to traditional drugs in relation to cost, toxicity and, primarily, the growing problem of drug resistance. Here we report on the activity against HSV-1 and HSV-2 of a previously described wide-spectrum synthetic decapeptide, Killer Peptide (KP). As determined by plaque reduction assays, treatment with KP at 100 μg/mL resulted in a reduction in the viral yield titer of 3.5 Logs for HSV-1 and 4.1 Logs for HSV-2. Further evaluation of KP antiviral activity focused on the early stages of virus replicative cycle, including the determination of the residual infectivity of viral suspensions treated with KP. A direct effect of the peptide on viral particles, impairing virus absorption and penetration, was shown. The toxicity profile proved to be extremely good with a selectivity index of 29.6 for HSV-1 and 156 for HSV-2. KP was also active against an acyclovir (ACV)-resistant HSV-1 strain, while HSV-1 subcultures in the presence of sub-inhibitory doses of KP did not lead to the emergence of resistant strains. Finally, the antiviral action of KP proved to be synergistic with that of ACV. Overall, these results demonstrate that KP could represent an interesting addition/alternative to acyclovir for antiviral treatment.

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

As the world population grows, fulfilling the need for biomaterials in the healthcare system becomes increasingly important. Biomaterials, which include metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites, play an important role in the creation of medical devices that improve people's lives. The European Society for Biomaterials described biomaterials as non-biological materials used in medical devices to interact with biological systems. This definition has developed to encompass materials that treat, assess, or replace tissues or bodily functions. Biocompatibility, as defined by the FDA, is a key feature of biomaterials, as is the requirement to fulfil design requirements such as mechanical performance, geometry, and electrical control. Over the last decade, advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have boosted biomaterials' usage in medical applications dramatically. Despite its promise, scientists, engineers, and physicians continue to face significant challenges due to the complexity of biomaterials. Biomaterials have various benefits, including biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, making them extremely useful for replacing, sustaining, or improving biological activities in damaged tissues. They are used in a wide range of applications, including tissue engineering implants, human tissue healing and regeneration, medication delivery systems, and biosensors. This study gives insights into the fundamental characteristics, case studies, and ethical issues associated with the usage and use of biomaterials, further examining their potential and significance in healthcare and medicine.

The paper describes the new method for image compression based on coordinated group signal transformation. The algorithm is a type of difference coding. Coordinated processing significantly simplifies the difference signal conversion scheme using a single group codec for all signals. The described method considers color channels as correlated signals of a multi-channel communication system. The specifics of the processed data required modification of the coordinated group processing algorithm. First, we changed how to calculate the difference signals to prevent data loss. Secondly, the group codec was supplemented with a neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images. We considered the following types of neural networks: fully connected, recurrent, convolution, and convolution in the Fourier space. Based on the simulation results, it is best to use fully connected neural networks if the goal is to minimize processing delay time. These networks have a response time of 13 ms. On the other hand, if the priority is to improve quality in cases where delays are not critical, then convolution neural networks in the Fourier space should be used. These networks have a response time of 140 ms and are of significant interest.

In electromagnetic ultrasonic testing, it is difficult to recognize small-size bottom cracks by time of flight (ToF), and the lift-off fluctuation of the probe affects the accuracy and consistency of the inspection results. In order to overcome the difficulty, a novel EMAT (electromagnetic acoustic transducer)-PEC (pulse eddy current) composite sensor is designed. We use amplitude of bottom echo recorded by EMAT to identify the tiny bottom crack as well as the amplitude of PEC signals picked up by the integrated symmetric coils to measure the average lift-off of the probe in real time. Firstly, the effects of lift-off and bottom cracks on amplitude of bottom echo are distinguished combining the theoretical analysis and finite element method (FEM). And then an amplitude correction method based on the fusion of EMAT and PEC signals is proposed to reduce the impact of lift-off on the defect signal. The experimental results demonstrate that the designed composite sensor can effectively detect the bottom crack as small as 0.1mm* 0.3mm. The signal fusion method can accurately correct the amplitude of defect signal and the relative error is less than ±8%.

The studied solar pot is a recent invention, which gained a utility model protection in 2021 from the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office under patent number 5489. The device is made for environmentally friendly cooking or heating (by utilizing solar energy) of foods and liquids. Its structure is similar to a double pipe heat exchanger, it has an outer mantle and an inner cooking tank. The goals of the paper are proposing a new physically-based mathematical model describing the solar pot and carrying out computer experiments with it, assembling an experimental system of the pot connected with a solar collector and performing measurements on it. Based on the results, the solar pot can successfully be used for cooking or sterilizing foods or liquids during the studied time period, in Hungary.

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

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major concern in public healthcare, leading to increased morbidity, pro-longed hospital stays length, and significant economic costs. Understanding the epidemiology and risk fac-tors of SSIs is crucial for developing effective prevention and management strategies. In the last century, CDC ‘s HICPAC improved a bundle for prevention of HAIs based on the use of aseptic procedures, disin-fection of the skin and correct use of antibiotics for SSIs. In our country, Gelli-Bianco law introduced the national health guidelines system that include the prophylaxis antibiotic therapy pre- and post-surgery. The aim of our study is to evaluate adherence and appropriateness of the use of antibiotic-preoperative prophylaxis in a province of southern Italy and to identify risk factors that may influence the development of an SSI. The study found many statistically significant associations among the factors examined, i.e. the timing of administration adherent to guidelines, with 47% of the analyzed files administering antibiotics within 60 min before the intervention and 62.7% using intravenous administration.

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

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

The main purpose of this study is the determination of the optimal data acquisition and processing parameters of electric and seismic tomographic techniques, for the investigation of complex geological environments. Two different study areas, in central-east Peloponnese and SW Attica were selected, where a detailed geological mapping and surface geophysical survey were carried out. The applied geophysical survey included the application of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and seismic refraction tomography (SRT). The geoelectrical measurements were acquired with different arrays and electrode configurations. Moreover, various types of seismic sources were used at seventeen shot locations along the seismic arrays. For the processing of geoelectrical data, clustered datasets were created increasing the depth of investigation and the discriminatory capability. The seismic data processing included: (a) creation of synthetic models and seismic records to determine the effectiveness and capabilities of the technique, (b) spectral analysis of the seismic records to determine the optimal seismic source type and (c) inversion of the field data to create representative subsurface velocity models. The results of the two techniques successfully delineated the complex subsurface structure that characterizes these two geological environments. The application of the ERT combined with the SRT, are the two dominant, high-resolution techniques for the elucidation of complex subsurface structures.

Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao, L.) represents an important market that gained relevance and became an esteemed commodity thanks to cocoa powder, chocolate, and other related products. This work has analyzed 59 cocoa powder samples from the European market. Three distinct subgroups were identified: organic or conventional, alkalized or not alkalized, and raw or roasted processing. The impact of the technological process was evaluated on the pH, color, and compositional traits, as content of biogenic amines and salsolinol. The phenolic fraction was also investigated trough both common and emerging methods. Results depict that the influence of the agronomical practices (organic/conventional) did not affect significatively (p<0.05) the composition of cocoa powders; similarly, the roasting process was not discriminative for the compounds traced. On the other hand, the alkalinization process greatly impacted on color, and pH, no matter of cocoa provenience, obtention, or other processes, also resulting reducing the phenolic fraction of treated samples. Principal components analysis confirmed that the alkali process acts on pH, color, and phenolic composition, but not on other bioactives molecules (BAs and salsolinol). All samples resulted safe while alkalized powders have a great reduction in beneficial biocompounds. A novel strategy could be to emphasize non-alkalized powders in the label, to meet the demand for more beneficial products.

This study explores the implementation of the ANSI/373: Sustainable Production of Natural Dimension Stone standard within the North American dimension stone industry to identify driving forces behind the initiative and consider potential outcomes as it advances. The method involves a thorough review of ANSI/373, comparing it with voluntary sustainability initiatives (VSIs) in the forest industry to assess its effectiveness and challenges, and semi-structured interviews with contacts in the dimension stone field. Key drivers such as corporate social responsibility and market pressures influence the adoption of sustainability standards. The results highlight the embedded environmental considerations within the emerging dimension stone standards and their implications for sustainable practices in the industry. While the ANSI/373 standard promotes sustainable awareness and practices, it faces challenges in certification credibility and industry acceptance, particularly due to inconsistency among firms in their response, rigorous certification demands, and skepticism about certification credibility. The research advocates for enhanced collaborative frameworks to increase the standard’s adoption and impact, suggesting that industry stakeholders prioritize showcasing dimension stone as a practical, environmentally considerate material.

The continuous casting process of helical fiber reinforced metal matrix composites was proposed, and the experimental equipment was designed and manufactured. The relationship model be-tween the process parameters and the helical shape of the fibers in the metal matrix is analyzed by differential geometry. Helical carbon fiber reinforced lead matrix composites were prepared under different conditions. When the melting temperature and cooling intensity were increased, the helical radius of helical carbon fiber in lead matrix was increased. When the fiber rotation speed was increased, the helical radius was decreased, and the helical pitch was de-creased proportionally. The experimental results are consistent with the process model. Carbon fiber rein-forced aluminum composites were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the infiltration between the aluminum matrix and the carbon fiber was not complete. As the volume fraction of carbon fiber which was added in composites is too small, the mechanical properties of the composites have not been significantly improved.

This article presents an innovative approach to the design of a safe adaptive backstepping control system. Tailored specifically for underactuated marine robots, the system utilizes simple sensors for enhanced practicality and efficiency. Given their operation in diverse oceanic environments fraught with various sources of uncertainties, ensuring the system's safe and robust behavior holds paramount importance in the control literature. To address this concern, this paper introduces a control strategy designed to ensure robustness at both the kinematic and dynamic levels. By emphasizing the compensation for the system uncertainties, the design integrates a straightforward fuzzy system structure. To further ensure the system's safety, a funnel surface is defined, followed by the design of a suitable nonlinear sliding surface as a function of the funnel and tracking error. Specifically leveraging the Lyapunov function, the study formally establishes the Semi-globally Practically Finite-time Stability of the closed-loop system, validated through simulations conducted on underactuated marine robots.

Several types of guided bone regeneration materials are available with various properties and clinical indications. Among them, dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth is an excellent alternative to traditional graft materials, such as allografts and xenografts. Different clinical preparation protocols exist: block form versus powder form, demineralized versus non-demineralized form. Out of these methods, demineralization protocols for dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth have been noted for a wide range of successful clinical outcomes. The purpose of this animal study was to find out the most effective method of demineralizing dentin-derived matrix to result in the highest regenerative ability in the bone graft material in rabbit calvaria. The study conducted a comparative histomorphometric analysis of four groups in distinguished matrix conditions: a control group without graft placement, a non-demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, and a 30-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group. Regenerative processes were evaluated three times at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-graft placement. These groups of rabbits were evaluated randomly in a blinded setting to prevent bias. Among the four groups compared, the group with a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft showed the most efficient bone regeneration in the histomorphometric analysis. Based on this animal study, it was apparent that a 15-minute demineralization of dentin-derived matrix is the preferred preparation protocol to maximize the regenerative potential in the matrix.

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

Hydrogen sulfide is present in active or extinct volcanic areas (mofettas). The habitable premises in these areas are affected by the presence of hydrogen sulfide, which, even in low concentrations, gives off a bad to unbearable smell. If the living spaces considered are closed enclosures, then a system can be designed to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide. This paper presents a membrane way to reduce the hydrogen sulfide concentration to acceptable limits using a cellulosic derivative-propylene hollow fiber based composite membrane module. The cellulosic derivatives considered were carboxymethyl–cellulose (NaCMC), cellulose acetate (CA), methyl 2–hydroxyethyl–cellulose (MHEC), and 2–hydroxyethyl–cellulose (HEC). In the permeation module, hydrogen sulfide is captured with a solution of cadmium that forms cadmium sulfide, usable as a luminescent substance. The composite membranes were characterized by SEM, EDAX, FTIR, FTIR 2D maps, thermal analysis (TG and DSC) and from the perspective of hydrogen sulfide air removal performance. To determine the process performances, the variables were: the nature of the cellulosic derivative–polypropylene hollow fiber composite membrane, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the polluted air, the flow rate of polluted air, and the pH of the cadmium nitrate solution. Pertraction efficiency was maximum for the sodium carboxymethyl–cellulose (NaCMC)-polypropylene hollow fiber membrane, a hydrogen sulfide concentration in the polluted air of 20 ppm, polluted air flow rate of 50 L/min, and a pH of 2 and 4.

The normal growth and development of skeletal muscle is essential for the health of the body. The regulation of skeletal muscle by intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites has been continuously revealed. Acetate is the predominant short-chain fatty acid synthesized by gut microbiota through the fermentation of dietary fiber, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms governing the interaction between acetate and skeletal muscle during rapid growth stage remain to be further elucidated; Here, specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice, germ-free (GF) mice, and germ-free mice supplemented with sodium acetate (GS) were used to evaluate the effects of acetate on skeletal muscle growth and development of young mice with gut microbiota deficiency; We found the concentration of serum acetate, body mass gain, succinate dehydrogenase activity and expression of myogenesis maker gene of skeletal muscle in the GS group was higher than GF group following sodium acetate supplement. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis revealed that acetate activated biological processes regulating skeletal muscle growth and development in GF group that are inhibited due to gut microbiota deficiency. In vitro experiment, we proved that acetate up-regulated Gm16062 to promote skeletal muscle cell differentiation; Overall, our findings proved that acetate promote skeletal muscle growth and development in young mice via increase Gm16062 expression.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive malignancy, with mortality rates that reach 60%, mainly due to an excessive diagnostic delay. MiRNAs, a class of crucial epigenetic gene-expression regulators, have emerged as potential diagnostic biomarkers, with >200 molecules reported to be dysregulated in OSCC. We had previously established an in silico methodology for the identification of the most disease-specific molecules by bridging genetics and epigenetics. Here, we identified the stage-specific miRNAs that govern the asymptomatic early stages of oral tumorigenesis by exploiting the reverse interplay between miRNA-levels and their target-genes’ expression. Incorporating gene expression data from our group’s experimental hamster model of sequential oral oncogenesis, we bioinformatically detected the miRNAs that simultaneously target/regulate >75% of the genes that are characteristically upregulated or downregulated in the consecutive stages of hyperplasia, dysplasia and early-invasion OSCC, while exhibiting the opposite expressional dysregulation in OSCC-derived tissue and/or saliva specimens. We found that all stages share the downregulation of miR-34a-5p, miR124-3p, and miR-125b-5p, while miR-1-3p is underexpressed in dysplasia and early-invasion. Malignant early-invasion stage is distinguished by the downregulation of miR-147a and the overexpression of miR-155-5p, miR-423-3p and miR-34a-5p. The identification of stage-specific miRNA molecules may facilitate their utilization as biomarkers for presymptomatic OSCC diagnosis.

Estimating the ocean’s subsurface thermohaline information from satellite measurements is essential for understanding ocean dynamics and El Niño phenomenon. This paper proposes an improved double-output Residual Neural Network (DO-ResNet) model to concurrently estimate the ocean subsurface temperature (OST) and ocean subsurface salinity (OSS) in the tropical Western Pacific using multi-source remote sensing data, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface height anomaly(SSHA), sea surface wind (SSW), and geographical information (including longitude (LON) and latitude (LAT)). In the model experiment, Argo data were used to train and validate the model, and the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and coefficient of determination (R²) were employed to evaluate the model's performance. The results showed that the sea surface parameters selected in this study have a positive effect on the estimation process, and the average RMSE and R² values for estimating OST (OSS) by the proposed model are 0.34 °C (0.05 psu) and 0.91 (0.95), respectively. Under the data conditions considered in this study, DO-ResNet demonstrates superior performance relative to the extreme gradient boosting model, random forest model, and artificial neural network model. Additionally, this study evaluates the model’s accuracy by comparing its estimations of OST and OSS across different depths with Argo-derived data, demonstrating the model's ability to effectively capture the most spatial features, and by comparing NRMSE across different depths and seasons, the model displays strong seasonal adaptability. In conclusion, this research introduces a novel artificial intelligence technique for estimating OST and OSS in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean.

Phased injection of natural gas into internal combustion marine engines is a promising solution for optimizing performance and reducing harmful emissions, particularly unburned methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This innovative practice distinguishes itself from continuous injection because it allows for more precise control of the combustion process with only a slight increase in system complexity. By synchronizing the injection of natural gas with the intake and exhaust valve opening and closing times while also considering the gas path in the manifolds, methane release into the atmosphere is significantly reduced, making a substantial contribution to efforts to address climate change. Moreover, phased injection improves the efficiency of marine engines, resulting in reduced overall fuel consumption, lower fuel costs, and increased ship autonomy. This technology has been tested on a single-cylinder, large-bore, four-stroke research engine designed for marine applications, operating in dual-fuel mode with diesel and natural gas. Performance was compared with that of the conventional continuous feeding method. Evaluation of the effect on equivalent CO2 emissions indicates a potential reduction of up to approximately 20%. This reduction effectively brings greenhouse gas emissions below those of the diesel baseline case, especially when injection control is combined with supercharging control to optimize the air-fuel ratio.