The presented work offers a novel process scheme for valorizing historical Pb-Zn slag, which involves crushing, grinding, and then using separation techniques to concentrate valuable components (nonferrous metals). This methodology could have a significant impact on the global beneficiation of metallurgical slags since, in theory, it is significantly more simple, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective than standard pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical procedures. According to previous physicochemical and mineralogical studies, Pb-Zn slag from "Topilnica" Veles is a valuable secondary raw material. This inhomogeneous technogenic resource contains substantial amounts of nonferrous metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, and Ag). However, laboratory tests have indicated that the Pb-Zn slag contains a very uneven valuable metals amounts, ranging from several g/ton to several tens of g/ton. The main issue is that traditional metallurgical procedures for releasing beneficial elements are not commercially viable since the valuable elements are "trapped" within amorphous aluminosilicates or intergrowths of alloy grains and glassy phases. Gravity concentration (Wilfley 13 shaking table) and magnetic separation (Davis separator and disk separator) were used to obtain the final concentrate following comminution and grindability testing. The gravity concentration proved more effective. This streamlined approach of valorizing Pb-Zn slag can reduce the need for hazardous chemicals used in hydrometallurgical refinement operations, as well as the extremely high temperatures required for pyrometallurgical processing. This is the first investigation into the feasibility of this novel approach, which includes direct investigations of the Pb-Zn slag feed using these alternative technologies. After extracting the valuable metals, the amorphous aluminosilicate part of the Pb-Zn slag can be reapplied as an alternative raw material in the building sector, adding to the circularity of the suggested approach..

Although adults and children differ in self-versus-other perception, the developmental perspective on this discriminative ability is missing. We compared neural activation of self-vs-others in 39 participants of 4 different age groups (4 yo. to adulthood). Two brain regions, the MCC and right postcentral gyrus, exhibited respectively non-linear and gradual gains in discriminative abilities for self-vs-others stimuli. These regions play critical roles in self-referential processing, empathy, and social cognition. Nine brain regions showed linear increase for others-vs-self stimuli. These regions are associated with multisensory processing, somatosensory skills, complex visual stimuli, self-awareness, empathy, theory of mind, and social recognition. Understanding the neural basis of self-vs-others discrimination during development can inform when and how social contexts support learning processes during childhood and adolescence.

In the context of modern healthcare, the concept of patient-centered care (PCC) has emerged as a crucial aspect, prompting the need for innovative frameworks to empower patients and enhance healthcare outcomes. This paper introduces the Patient-Oriented Medical Ontology Conceptual Framework (POMOCF), a powerful framework aimed at giving patients control over their personal and healthcare information. It prioritizes patient independence by allowing for direct control of electronic health records (EHRs) and facilitates the gathering of information through document upload or scanning. In the POMOCF front-end framework, we propose to maintain scalability, along with robust authorization, authentication, and secure data protocols, all of which are detailed within the framework. This approach enhances data accuracy and security, improving data management efficiency. As part of our ongoing development, we are planning to implement an innovative inference system that will automatically analyze and extract relevant details from the uploaded authorized document, provide real-time updates, and maintain data accuracy. This approach further strengthens data accuracy and prevents unauthorized modifications, thereby making the data management process more efficient. POMOCF leverages medical ontology principles to ensure standardized clinical concepts and improved semantic interoperability. Our integration plans involve integrating genotypic data for personalized medicine initiatives and strengthening the front-end infrastructure. By linking front-end interfaces with advanced technological solutions, we aim to provide effective healthcare delivery, promoting personalized care and enhancing patient outcomes.

While the simple model of the total atmospheric carbon sink effect as a linear function of concentration has provided excellent prediction results, several problems remained to be investigated and solved. The most obvious open issue is the correct treatment of land use change emssions. It turns out that the model improves by mostly neglecting them after 1959. This effectively implies that land use change emissions have been constant and small since then. The key investigation starts with the observation, that the total carbon sink has a short term component which be explained by temperature changes commonly known as El Nin˜o. The apparent paradox is analysed and explained, why contrary to the short term changes no temperature caused trend can be detected in the model, despite the fact that several contributing processes exhibit temperature dependency. The result of this analysis leads to the model extension, where the total effect of sinks and natural emissions are a linear function of concentration and temperature. This model not only explains current measurements but also paleo climate from ice-core time series.

An event occurring within a stationary environment, in the direction toward which an observer self-rotates, is perceived to precede a simultaneous event, in the direction away from which she moves. When self-rotation results from angular acceleration in the dark, perception of space is also distorted, such that the subjective straight-ahead shifts in the opposite direction to motion and temporal event promotion. A reference frameshift theory, based on the special theory of relativity, is proposed to explain these findings. Here, a hyperbolic tangent transformation of objective angular velocity constrains subjective self-rotation velocity within finite bounds, consistent with it being a limited perceptual resource. Identifying this subjective variable with vestibular nystagmus slow-phase angular velocity, the asymptotic perceived self-rotation velocity is estimated at ~200 °⁄s. When included in the Lorentz transformations of the new formalism, this value predicts experimental simultaneity distortion. Hypothetically, the hyperbolic tangent objective-to-subjective transfer function would maximize the differential entropy of the percept, and thereby also the stimulus/percept mutual information, if angular velocities of body rotation encountered in naturalistic environmental interaction have a logistic probability density distribution of scale 100 °⁄s, a proposed experimental test of the scheme.

There are many modern and traditional methods in valuing the performance of the company among them EVA, CVA are modern methods where as EPS, ROI, ROE etc. are some of the traditional methods. modern and traditional methods are not only used to check the performance of a company but it also used in investment decisions by the investors. Stern Stewart, managing partner of M/s Stern Stewart & Co. introduced a modified concept of economic profit in 1990 in the name of Economic Value Added (EVA) as measure of business performance and CVA is only a cash consideration in EVA. In this paper an attempt is made to study which method is used by the investors while taking the investment decisions i.e. traditional methods are modern methods. 100 respondents (Investors) are questioned and collected their views, we are assuming that there is no impact of traditional or modern methods while taking investment decisions by the investors.

Postpartum depression (PPD) can interfere with the establishment of affective bonds between infant and mother, which is important for the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development of the child. Rates of PPD have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to the added stress and limited support available to new parents. The present study examined whether parenting-related stress, perceived bonding impairments, quality of observed mother-infant interactions and salivary oxytocin levels differ between depressed and non-depressed mothers, along with differential impacts of COVID-19 on depressed mothers. Participants included 70 mothers (45 depressed, 25 controls) with infants aged 2-6 months. All data were collected remotely to ease participant burden during the pandemic. Depression was associated with experiences of heightened parenting-related stress and bonding difficulties. These differences were not observed during mother-infant interactions or in salivary oxytocin levels. Differences in COVID-related experiences were minimal, though depressed mothers rated slightly higher stress associated with returning to work and financial impacts of the pandemic. Findings highlight the importance of early intervention for PPD to mitigate long-term effects on mothers, children, and families. Additionally, they underscore the need for an early intervention to support the developing mother-infant dyad relationship during this crucial time.

While studies that examined risk perceptions in various environments have been previously conducted, the relationship between risk perceptions measured in such environments had not been examined. Such a relationship, if found, may indicate that when one learns to identify risks in one environment, they may identify risks more easily and quickly in another.This study examined the relationship between measures of risk perception in several separate environments. The findings suggest that when learning to identify and assess risks in a particular environment, one may better identify and assess risks in a similar environment – for example, learning to identify and assess risks while driving makes it easier to identify and assess risks when crossing a road. Conversely, the findings also indicate that learning to identify and assess risks in one environment does not make it possible to better identify and assess risks in a disparate environment – for example, learning to identify and assess risks while driving does not make it easier to identify and assess risks in a workplace environment. This may also suggest that while disparate environments such as the road environment and the workplace environment are perceived as two separate environments, the road environment is experienced as one single environment by both drivers and pedestrians.

The hypothesis posed was whether participation in LaLiga Genuine Santander (competitive football) influenced the quality of life (QL) of the people who participated in it, since their perception of themselves is enhanced by all the aformentioned factors (self-determination, social inclusion, emotional well-being, physical well-being, material well-being, rights, personal development, interpersonal relationships). The objective was to evaluate the QL of people with Down's Syndrome (DS) using their self-perception (n=39) and the perception of the informants (family members, teachers) (n=39). The KidsLife-Down Scale, with a few modifications was used. In general, differences of opinion between the subgroups of participants with DS and informants showed that results were higher in terms of perception for participants in the DS subgroup. Scores for all variables were higher for those participants with DS who said they did engage in practicing competitive football. Despite the perception of informants provides a great deal of information regarding the QL of participants with DS, the latter should be involved in the evaluation process and their self perceptions taken into account. Our research shows that participation in the league modifies the perceptions of the participants with Down's Syndrome regarding their quality of life. However, these perceptions are not shared by the informants.

Dance, as a performance activity, is associated with various problems. Among these challenges, sleep disturbances are notably prevalent. This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between sleep characteristics—specifically chronotype and subjective sleep quality—and psychological inflexibility in dance students. This research adopted a cross-sectional design using non-probabilistic sampling. One hundred and fourteen dance students, with a mean age of 23.87 years, participated in the study. Assessment tools included the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Composite Scale of Morningness. The results revealed no gender differences in psychological inflexibility or chronotype, although women report poorer sleep quality. Differences emerged in both subjective sleep quality and chronotype when students were grouped according to low, medium, or high levels of psychological inflexibility. Those with low inflexibility, as opposed to those with high inflexibility, report better sleep quality, with no differences observed between medium and high inflexibility groups. Students with high-medium levels of psychological inflexibility showed a higher risk (OR = 6.373 times higher) of experiencing poor sleep quality compared to those with low psychological inflexibility. In terms of chronotype, the low inflexibility group is inclined to be more of a morning type than the medium and high inflexibility groups, with no differences between the latter two groups. Students categorized as having low inflexibility tend to have a longer history of dancing under the guidance of a teacher and dedicate more hours and days per week to rehearsal. The findings are discussed in terms of their educational implications for dance students.

Many have speculated that events of personal and financial loss in Rembrandt’s life caused depression and that this is revealed by examination of his self-portraits particularly those painted in old age. Some report detecting various physiological diseases associated with aging, including vision impairment, which may have affected his mood and work. Aging and neurodegenerative disease which often accompanies it, are both associated with depression. Recent advances in imaging and computer technology make it possible to empirically examine changes in artistic style which can contribute to understanding artists’ physical and mental health. In the current study changes in contrast, colour and fractal dimension were measured in the entire corpus of Rembrandt’s painted self-portraits and portraits to determine whether changes in style indicate depression or disease. Productivity was also examined as an indirect indicator. Given the high salience attributed to self-images, it also examined whether differences in style could be detected between self-portraits and portraits of related and unrelated others. The results indicate that it is unlikely that Rembrandt suffered from unipolar or bipolar depression, age-related cognitive decline, or neurodegenerative disease. The data are consistent with someone experiencing episodes of low mood consistent with normal grieving and adversity followed by resilient recovery. There is evidence of a gradient in saliency and complexity between self-portraits and related and unrelated portraits, of a less formal style in portraits of related others and of a ‘late’ style identified by leading art historians consistent with macular degeneration. The results are also consistent with an association of aesthetic preference with mid-level fractal values tending towards the Golden Mean long associated with beauty in nature and in art.

The etiology of ‘dual harm’ (the co-occurrence of self-harm and externalized violence in the same individual) is under-researched. Risk factors have mostly been investigated for each behavior separately. We aimed to examine adversities experienced between birth and age 15 years among adolescents and young adults with histories of self-harm and violent criminality, with a specific focus on dual harm. Three nested case-control studies were delineated using national interlinked Danish registers; 58,409 cases in total aged 15-35 were identified: 28,956 with a history of violent criminality (but not self-harm), 25,826 with a history of self-harm (but not violent criminality), and 3987 with dual harm history. Each case was matched by date of birth and gender to 20 controls who had not engaged in either behavior. We estimated exposure prevalence for cases vs. controls for each of the three behavior groups, and incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Experiencing 5 or more childhood adversities was more prevalent among individuals with dual harm history (19.3%; 95% CI 18.0, 20.8%) versus self-harm (10.9%; 10.5, 11.3%) and violence (11.4%; 11.0%, 11.8%) histories. The highest IRRs for dual harm were linked with parental unemployment (5.15; 95% CI 4.71, 5.64), parental hospitalization following self-harm (4.91; 4.40, 5.48) or assault (5.90; 5.07, 6.86), and parental violent criminality (6.11; 5.57, 6.70). Growing up in environments that are characterized by poverty, violence and substance misuse, and experiencing multiple adversities in childhood, appear to be especially strongly linked with elevated dual harm risk. These novel findings indicate potential etiologic pathways to dual harm.

The contemporary landscape of education is witnessing a paradigm shift towards innovative instructional methods, with the flipped learning approach gaining considerable attention. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of the flipped learning approach on students' perception and acceptance throughout an entire semester in the 'Introduction to Programming with Java' course, using a research design with a quantitative approach, ultimately aiming to inform educational practice and advance our knowledge of innovative teaching methods in higher education. This study was conducted at a university with 174 students involved, divided into two groups, 87 students in the experimental group and 87 students in the control group. The data collected through the scales were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis techniques in statistical software. At the end of the measurements, the technology acceptance level and self-directed learning perceptions of engineering students who received education with flipped learning were high. The results suggest that educators should consider students' readiness for self-directed learning when implementing the flipped learning approach and focus on creating an environment that supports their autonomy and engagement. This research offers valuable guidance for instructors, curriculum designers, and educational policymakers seeking to enhance the effectiveness of flipped learning in higher education courses.

In this article, we first present and discuss eighteenth-century descriptions of minerals that contributed decisively to the development of crystallography. Remarkably, these old crystallographic descriptions included morphologies with symmetries incompatible with an internal periodic order of atoms, which, however, have been recognised to be characteristics of quasicrystals. Moreover, we also review a number of studies of minerals with aperiodic crystal structures, including recently reported natural quasicrystals of extra-terrestrial origin. Finally, we discuss the current investigations addressing the search for new quasicrystalline minerals in nature.

The education system has become even more complex following the global pandemic, which saw face-to-face teaching transition to virtual teaching. To cope with this abrupt transition, it is essential that teachers had a sufficient level of digital teaching competence. This article aims to increase awareness of teachers' self-perception of their digital teaching competences in the educational field. Specifically, this study explores Spanish secondary school teachers’ knowledge and use of different ICT tools by evaluating their competence based on different areas proposed by The National Institute of Technology and Professional Development (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologías Educativas y de Formación del Profesorado, INTEF), Madrid, Spain. From the results of the questionnaires, we have determined that teachers consider themselves to have an upper intermediate level of digital teaching competence, although there are still shortcomings that need to be addressed in order to improve this level of competence, and its true integration in the teaching–learning process.

Abstract: Laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation has been developed for many decades. Among various conventional laryngoscopes, videolaryngoscopes (VL) have been applied in different patient populations, including difficult airways. The safety and effectiveness of VL have been repeatedly studied in both normal and difficult airways. The superiority of VL then has been observed and is advocated as the standard of care. In contrast to laryngoscopy, the development of video-assisted intubating stylet (VS, also named as styletubation) has been noticed two dec-ades ago. Since then, sporadic clinical experiences of use have appeared in literature. In this re-view article, we presented our vast use experiences of the styletubation (more than 55,000 pa-tients since 2016). We found this technique is swift (the time to intubate: from 3 s to 10 s), smooth (first-attempt success rate: 100%), safe (no airway complications), and easy (high subjective satis-faction and fast learning curve for the novice trainees) in both normal and difficult airway sce-narios. We therefore propose styletubation technique can be feasibly applied as universal rou-tine use for tracheal intubation.

Purpose: Early glottic cancer is a highly curable malignancy. Disease control is achieved by resec-tion or external beam radiation with similar long-term results according survival. Surgery is predominantly performed by transoral endoscopic approach, due to reduced complication rates when compared to open cordectomy. Open cordectomy might still be warranted in cases of inad-equate surgical accessibility. Aim of the present study was to compare endoscopic versus open approach in relation to complications and outcome in an up-to-date patient group. Methods: 219 patients underwent primary tumor resection in early glottic cancer (UICC stages I-II). 168 opera-tions were performed endoscopically, 51 operations were open transcervical cordectomies. We compared survival data with non-parametric methods and functional outcome according to need of tracheostomy, feeding tube and voice functional outcome following ELS protocol. Results: There were no significant differences in overall survival (OS). 2 years OS after endoscopic surgery was 90.5% vs 95.3% after transcervical resection. As expected, OS in T1b and T2 tumors was worse than in T1a tumors. We found a statistically significant difference in disease free survival (DFS) within the T1a and T1b/T2 group (Log rank test: p=0.006) but no relevant difference be-tween the two surgical modalities, even when the data was stratified by T-categories performing a Cox regression (hazard ratio 1.21, p=0.712). Patients who underwent open surgery had a sig-nificantly worse peri- and postoperative course with longer hospital stay, higher frequency of tracheotomies and longer need for nasogastric tubes. Functional results were comparable within the two patient groups while higher tumor size / stage was an unfavorable predictor for voice re-habilitation. Conclusion: Open cordectomy leads to more complications but offers comparable oncological and functional outcome when compared to transoral endoscopic approach in early glottic cancer. Open surgery therefore continues to be a valid treatment option when endoscopic resection is not possible.

Chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), arterial hypertension (HTN), and obesity are major global health issues, causing significant morbidity and mortality. In Latin America, these conditions contribute to millions of premature deaths annually, posing challenges exacerbated by limited healthcare access and poor primary care quality, particularly in Mexico. Complementary medicine presents a potential solution, offering minimally invasive techniques to improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Effective treatment adherence, crucial for positive outcomes, is influenced by self-efficacy, the ability to manage one's behavior in response to medical conditions. However, treatment adherence rates remain low, indicating a pressing public health concern. This study aimed to explore how perception of complementary medicine and treatment adherence predict self-efficacy among individuals with chronic conditions in Mexico. Analyzing data from 113 participants revealed significant correlations between variables, with treatment adherence positively associated with self-efficacy and perception of holistic medicine negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Regression analysis showed that incorporating perception of complementary medicine and treatment adherence significantly explained self-efficacy levels, suggesting the potential of complementary therapies in holistic healthcare approaches. However, collinearity between variables highlights the need for further research to better understand these relationships and their implications for improving healthcare outcomes in Mexico. Integrating complementary therapies with conventional treatments could enhance overall well-being and treatment adherence, offering promising avenues for addressing chronic conditions in the region. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive healthcare approaches that integrate both conventional and complementary modalities to optimize health outcomes and quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions in Mexico and beyond.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) is effective for the manipulation of fluids and particles in microscale. The current approach of integrating interdigitated transducers (IDTs) for SAW generation into microfluidic channels involves complex and laborious microfabrication steps. These steps often require the full access to clean room facilities and hours to align the transducers to the precise location. This work presents an affordable and innovative method for fabricating SAW-based microfluidic devices without the need of clean room facilities and alignment. The IDTs and microfluidic channels are fabricated in the same process and thus precisely self-aligned in accordance with the device design. With the use of the developed fabrication approach, a few types of different SAW-based microfluidic devices have been fabricated and demonstrated for particle separation and active droplet generation.

Universities have increasingly incorporated a third mission into their strategic planning. In addition to teaching and research, they have emphasised the training of entrepreneurs. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, as this process is facing resistance. The Entrepreneurial University covers all disciplines, including faculties of education. However, it has been shown that entrepreneurship tends to be more related to the faculties of economics and engineering, with a lesser presence in the faculties of education for various reasons: they consider entrepreneurship to be alien to their teaching role, there is a lack of entrepreneurial culture, and the objective of the Entrepreneurial University is unknown. The aim of this study is to analyse the level of entrepreneurship in Spanish faculties and schools of education. Forty deans and heads of education faculties in Spain took part in the survey. The results indicated a sufficient level of entrepreneurship; the dimensions related to active methodologies, and mission and strategy were the most developed, whereas entrepreneurship funding and entrepreneurship training for faculty employees were the least developed areas. Some deans noted that entrepreneurship was alien to their professional performance, although courses and good practices for the development of entrepreneurial initiative are gradually being implemented.

Background: The university must take on the challenges that arise at all levels. Within this mechanism, university professors play an important role as facilitators of knowledge. Aim: To analyse the motivations that influence the professional performance of Spanish university professors. Methods: 102 university professors from 9 Spanish public universities participated in the study. [Male: 54 (52.9%); Female: 48 (47.1%)]. A questionnaire of 22 closed-ended Likert-type questions was designed, scoring from 0-10 (do not agree at all, strongly agree). Results: The questionnaire, finally composed of 17 items, showed good internal consistency. (Cronbach's alpha=0.858). The validity analysis showed a value of 0.822 (>0.5) ) in the sample adequacy measure KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett's sphericity test (p<0.0001). The exploratory factor analysis showed a clustering in 4 factors (2 for internal goods and 2 for external goods), explaining 64.33% of the total variance. Comparisons between each factor scores by gender (male and female) showed differences statistically significant by gender for factor F1 (higher for females) and F2 (higher for males). Finally, Q1 and Q13 showed a statistically significant correlation (p≤0.05) with years of teaching experience. Conclusions: The motivations of Spanish university professors seem to be associated with the age and gender of the teacher.

In the area of dental healthcare services, where patients and professionals deal with multiple auditory stimuli, this cross-sectional study reports on the intricate dynamics of sound preferences, noise obstacles, and the profound impact of music on anxiety reduction within dental office set-tings. The sample comprises of 134 dental patients, primarily females (56.7%), with varying age groups, education levels, and therapy durations in the university clinics of the department of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and four private dental offices at the metropolitan area of Athens, Greece. Notably, 92.5% of the participants report no hearing loss, and 56.7% exhibit some level of noise sensitivity. The study reveals a moderate to good perceived health status (M=3.84, SD=0.95) among participants, with low perceived noise disturbance in university dental clinics. Preferences for instrumental music, foreign pop, and classical music are prominent during waiting times. Potential irritations include impersonal treatment (44%) and staff behavior (41.8%). Music player usage within the settings of the dental clinic involves radios (49.3%) and headphones (41.0%). Correlations and predictors indicate associations between health status, music preferences, and noise disturbances. More specifically, visiting the university dental clinics (β = .300, p = .005) as well as younger age (β = .300, p = .034) were significant predictors of better perceived health status. Clearer perception of external sounds while using the music player (β = .190, p = .039) was a significant predictor of better perceived health status, while poorer health was predicted by the preference of Greek folk songs (β = -.200, p = .030). Also, the use of smartphones for playing music was related to poorer health (β = -.370, p < .001). Following, younger age (β = -.270, p = .015), lower education (β = -.210, p = .035), higher noise sensitivity (β = .190, p = .027), as well as feelings of anxiety and nervousness due to ambient noise from people and machines (β = .510, p = .027) were significant predictors of noise disturbance from machines. Also, visiting private clinics (β = .240, p = .018), preferences of specific playlist (β = .310, p = .012), no music (β = .280, p = .016) and use of smartphones to play music (β = .230, p = .029) were significant predictors of noise disturbance from patients or staff. Finally, the preference of listening to a specific playlist was related to better health status (r = .190, p < .05). Findings aim to optimize eco-soundscapes in dental offices, con-tributing to enhanced patient well-being. The research underscores the potential of music inter-ventions to alleviate dental anxiety and improve the overall dental experience and quality care.

Fungi are rich sources of secondary metabolites of agrochemical, pharmaceutical and food importances, such as mycotoxins, antibiotics and antitumor agents. Secondary metabolites play vital roles in fungal pathogenesis, growth and development, oxidative status modulation, and adaptation/resistance to various environmental stresses. LaeA contains an S-adenosylmethionine binding site and displays methyltransferase activity. The members of velvet proteins include VeA, VelB, VelC, VelD and VosA, for each member with a velvet domain. LaeA and velvet proteins can form multimeric complexes such as VosA-VelB and VelB-VeA-LaeA. They belong to global regulators and are mainly impacted by light. One of their most important functions is to regulate gene expression that are responsible for secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The aim of this mini-review is to represent the newest cognition on the biosynthetic regulation of mycotoxins and other fungal secondary metabolites by LaeA and velvet proteins. In most cases, LaeA and velvet proteins positively regulated production of fungal secondary metabolites. The regulated fungal species mainly belong to the toxigenic fungi from the genera of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Botrytis, Fusarium, Magnaporthe, Monascus, and Penicillium for the production of mycotoxins. We can control secondary metabolite production to inhibit the production of harmful mycotoxins while promoting the production of useful metabolites by global regulation of LaeA and velvet proteins in fungi. Furthermore, the regulation by LaeA and velvet proteins should be a practical strategy in activating silent biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in fungi to obtain previously undiscovered metabolites.

The diagnosis and management of cow's milk allergy (CMA) is a topic of debate and controversy. We aimed to compare the opinions of expert groups from the Middle East (n=14) and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) (n=13). These Expert groups voted on statements developed by the ESPGHAN group and published in a recent position paper. The voting outcome was compared. Overall, there was consensus amongst both groups of experts. Most experts agreed that symptoms of crying, irritability and colic, as single manifestations, do not suggest CMA. They agreed that amino-acid-based formula (AAF) should be reserved for severe cases (e.g. malnutrition and anaphylaxis) and that there is insufficient evidence to recommend a step-down approach. There was no consensus on the statement that a cow’s milk-based extensively hydrolysed formula (eHF) should be the first choice as a diagnostic elimination diet in mild/moderate cases. Although the statements regarding the role of hydrolysed rice formula as a diagnostic and therapeutic elimination diet were accepted, 3/27 disagreed. The votes regarding soy formula highlight the differences in opinion in the role of soy protein in CMA dietary treatment. Generally, soy-based formula is seldom available in the Middle East region. All ESPGHAN experts agreed that there was no added value of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics to the efficacy of elimination diets, whereas 3/14 of the Middle East group thought there was sufficient evidence. Therefore, there is not a consensus on the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic elimination diet for CMA, but the first-choice elimination diet and the stepwise management approach reveal some differences.

Developing and utilising of underground space is an vital direction for urban growth. Underground commercial streets, as a significant component of underground space accommodating extensive human social activities, and consequently necessitate the creation of human-scale spaces. In the evolution of urban design development towards greater refinement, applying architectural theories and excessively subjective designs has resulted in a deficiency of human-centered design and a disordered spatial environment. This study merges environmental psychology and architectural theory to determine the appropriate length of spatial scale. Two experiments focusing on spatial perception evaluation were conducted using a virtual experimental platform that featured varying dimensions of spatial scale combinations. These quantified combinations were correlated with perception evaluation, and regression analysis was employed to identify appropriate scale ranges, which were superimposed on the range of length selection. Finally, the optimal length and scale combination for underground commercial street spaces were established, providing a reference for the human-centered design of these environments.

The aim of the article is to verify differences in the perception of selected factors of sustainability among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Central Europe. The subjects of analysis are factors such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), business risk sources (market, financial, personnel, and operational), reputation and social media, national support, social changes, and crisis events in business. The questionnaire was completed by 1,090 SMEs from the business environments of Visegrad Group countries. Statistical hypotheses were verified using Z-scores for two population properties. The most negatively perceived factors among owners and managers in the SME segment are national support and legislative changes. The most positively perceived factor is reputation and social media. The country of doing business is a significant factor. The perception of crisis events in business is most negative among Czech SMEs. More than 80% of Hungarian SMEs perceive their companies as sustainable. In comparison with Slovak and Polish SMEs, Hungarian perceptions are more positive in the context of sustainability. The country of doing business is the strongest factor in evaluating CSR indicators. The positive perception of CSR in Czech SMEs (43.9%) is lower than in other countries.

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

Waste glycerol can be subjected to various processing operations, including purification and re-fining, to obtain glycerol of appropriate purity. In addition, alternative methods of utilising waste glycerol are also being sought, e.g. by converting it into other valuable chemical products or biofuels. Therefore, various technologies are being developed to utilise this type of waste effectively and sustainably. The production of value-added products from waste glycerol is an important issue that determines the improvement of the economic viability of biofuel production and corresponds to the model of a waste-free and emission-free circular economy. This paper characterised the mechanisms and evaluated the efficiency of existing methods of microbiological utilisation of waste glycerol into liquid biofuels, including biodiesel, bioethanol and biobutanol, and identified further directions for the production of value-added products. In addition, a bibliographical analysis of publications re-lated to the production of liquid fuels and economically valuable products from glycerol was carried out, the progress of research and application work was assessed and directions for future research were identified.

DIEP-based breast reconstruction necessitates wide undermining at the abdominal donor-site, creating large wound areas. Flap harvesting is usually conducted using electrosurgical dissection devices. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes in patients after using the PEAK PlasmaBlade (PPB) versus monopolar electrocautery (MPE). This retrospective cohort study included 128 patients with DIEP-based breast reconstruction. Patient characteristics as well as information on the postoperative course were collected and a comparative evaluation was conducted. The MPE group exhibited significantly (p* = 0.0324) higher abdominal drainage volume (351.11 ± 185.96 ml) compared to the PPB group (279.38 ± 183.38 ml). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that PPB significantly reduced postoperative wound fluid in patients with BMI > 30 kg/m² (p* = 0.0284), without prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p** = 0.0041), and among non-smokers (p = 0.0046). Furthermore, postoperative pain was significantly (p**** < 0.0001) lower in the PPB cohort. This study confirms the non-inferiority of the PEAK PlasmaBlade to conventional electrocautery for abdominal flap harvesting. The PPB demonstrated advantages, notably reduced drainage volume and lower postoperative pain levels. Recognizing patient subsets that benefit more from the PPB highlights the importance of personalized device selection based on patient characteristics.

Objectives: Aim to assess the perceptions of virtual learning among dental residents and faculty and employ Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) to understand the impact of motivational orientations on virtual learning during COVID pandemic. Methods: 46 dental residents and 10 faculty in Upstate New York participated in the study (June -August 2021). Questionnaires were used to collect demographics, perceptions of virtual learning, burnout, and RFT types (promotion and prevention focus). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with perceptions of virtual learning and burnout. Results: Overall, 70% of residents and 44% of faculty found virtual learning effective. Younger residents with less experience preferred virtual learning more than their older, experienced peers. Residents trained outside the U.S. and Canada favored in-person learning more than those trained within. Furthermore, residents with a higher promotion focus score found virtual learning more interactive for didactic courses. Additionally, 52% of residents experienced burnout, with a higher incidence among females (p=0.044). Conclusions: Virtual learning is well-received by dental residents and faculty, with potential for continued use post-pandemic. Future efforts should focus on creating an inclusive and supportive educational environment that meets the motivational and well-being needs of dental residents and faculty.

The objective of this research is to measure the perception that teachers had about their own performance when they were forced to carry out an Emergency Remote Teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire was provided to teachers of every educational stage in the Basque Country (Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education, Professional Training and Higher Education) obtaining a total of 4,586 responses. The statistical analysis of the data shows that the greatest difficulties reported by educators are shortcomings in their training in digital skills, which has made them perceive more workload during the lockdown and negative emotions. Another finding is the existing digital divide between teachers based on their gender, age and type of school. A further worrying result is the lower technological competence in lower educational levels, which are the most vulnerable in remote teaching. These results invite us to reflect on the measures to be taken to improve equity, social justice and resilience of the educational system, which align with some of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), each sensor node can estimate the global parameter from the local data in distributed manner. This paper proposed a robust diffusion estimation algorithm based on minimum error entropy criterion with self-adjusting step-size, which are referred to as diffusion MEE-SAS (DMEE-SAS) algorithm. The DMEE-SAS algorithm has fast speed of convergence and is robust against non-Gaussian noise in the measurements. The detailed performance analysis of the DMEE-SAS algorithm is performed. By combining the DMEE-SAS with diffusion minimum error entropy (DMEE) algorithms, an Improving DMEE-SAS algorithm is proposed, in non-stationary environment where tracking is very important. The Improving DMEE-SAS algorithm can avoid insensitivity of the DMEE-SAS algorithm due to the small effective step-size near the optimal estimator, and obtain a fast convergence speed. Numerical simulations are given to verify the effectiveness and advantages of these proposed algorithms.

During the last two years the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world population in several ways. An important increase in mental health problems is a consequence of this pandemic that is ubiquitous worldwide. In this work we study the effect of the pandemic on the mental health of a population of teenagers and youth based on the analysis of natural language processing, machine learning algorithms and expert knowledge. The data analysed was obtained from a chat helpline called Safe time from theIt Get’s Better Foundation in Chile. The data consists of 10,986 conversations gathered from 2018 until 2020 between volunteers from the foundation and users of the platform. We compared the conversationsbefore and during the pandemic in terms of their thematic content. Our analysis found: a significantdecrease in self-image appreciation during the pandemic; a significant decrease in the quality of personalrelationships during the pandemic, and a significant increase of performance appreciation.

Background: The practice of self-medication is common worldwide and is an important component of medical self-care. However, the practice can be dangerous and is linked to various risks for the patients and the entire community. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with self-medication among Bangladeshi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and June 2021 among Bangladeshi adults (aged &gt;19 years) using convenient sampling. A total of 1320 data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with self-medication practice (SMP). Results: Overall, 41% of adults in our survey reported SMP. The most common illnesses that prompted SMP were common cold/flu (66.4%), gastric problems (65%), and headache (64.4%). The most frequent reasons for SMP were to get better services (30.59%), perceive SMP without side effects (23.28%), and save time with effectiveness (14.56%). Potential risk factors included 10 years (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.04 - 3.50) and &gt;12 years of schooling (AOR = 5.03; 95% CI: 2.27 - 11.15), being a businessman (AOR = 4.64; 95% CI: 1.74 - 12.37), having ≤6 family members (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.40 - 3.24), being a member of a social group (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.12), a health status check after every six months (AOR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08 - 2.13), and current ill-health (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.87). Protective factors identified included ≤30 years of age (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.93), and practice of modern (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22- 0.69) and herbal (AOR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21- 0.97) healing types. Conclusion: More than one-third of the study participants reported practicing self-medication. Increasing the community’s awareness of the extreme consequences of SMP and not just the average experience might sway individuals away from SMP, and implementing strict jurisdiction could be a way to minimize the SMP.

The aim of the study was the comparison of conventional sintering versus additive manufacturing techniques for β-TCP bioceramics, focusing on mechanical properties and biocompatibility. A "critical" bone defect requires surgical intervention beyond simple stabilization. Autologous bone grafting is the gold standard treatment for such defects but it has its limitations. Alloplastic bone grafting using synthetic materials is becoming increasingly popular. The use of bone graft substitutes has increased significantly and current research was focused on optimizing these substitutes, whereas this study compares two existing manufacturing techniques and the thereby produced β-TCP implants. The 3D-printed β-TCP hybrid structure implant was fabricated using two components, a column structure and a freeze-foam, which were sintered together. The conventionally manufactured ceramics were made by pouring. Both scaffolds were characterized according to porosity, mechanical properties and biocompatibility. The hybrid structure had a total porosity of 74.4 ± 0.5%. Microporous β-TCP implants had a porosity of 43.5 ± 2.4%, while macroporous β-TCP implants had a porosity of 61.81%. Mechanical testing revealed that the hybrid structure had a compressive strength of 10.4 ± 6 MPa, significantly lower than the microporous β-TCP implant’s with 32.9 ± 8.7 MPa. Biocompatibility evaluations showed a steady increase in cell proliferation over time for all β-TCP implants, with minimal cytotoxicity. This study provides valuable insight into the potential of additive manufacturing for β-TCP bioceramics in the treatment of bone defects.

The goal of farmers operating in a market economy is to maximise profit. In the face of the changing political situation, the main social interest, besides food security, should be energy security. This article aims to indicate the direction of agricultural policy development so that it guarantees both the economic security of producers—farmers—and Europe’s energy security. The work uses data obtained from the agri benchmark Cash Crop database. DEA method and stepwise multiple regression were used. The research showed that plants are already grown in Europe which will ensure high energy efficiency of production without compromising farm financial results (including oats, peas and winter rye) and that improving the involvement of certain inputs results in improved production efficiency (among others, by expenditure on agricultural advisory services). The significance of the presented research results from the fact that the recent COVID pandemic and escalation of the military conflict in Ukraine have led to a renewed interest in the concept of EU energy security, i.e. generation of generating the greatest possible amount of energy within the EU, to be used both for food and non-food purposes.

Elderly individuals frequently perceive companion robots devoid of warmth, resulting in a reluctance to accept these robots' services. This perception has become a significant barrier to the introduction of companion robots into households. To address this issue, this study employs KE methods to translate the elderly's need for warmth perception from companion robots into elements of modelling design. Initially, 20 pairs of affective words and 22 sample images of companion robots were chosen. The "rational-emotional" and "dim-bright" dimensions were identified as positively influencing the elderly's warmth perception of companion robots through SD method analysis. Subsequently, a hierarchical analysis table was established, with warmth perception as the root layer, modelling style and color matching as the basic layer, "rational-emotional" and "dim-bright" as the expansion layer, and the eight characteristic elements of companion robots as the morphological layer. The link between affective imagery and design elements was then established from the sample robots with higher warmth perception scores. Based on the correlation between the two, various design schemes were formed through random combinations. Finally, the design schemes were evaluated using the warmth perception scale, and the warmth perception scores of each sample model were obtained. This research provides design references for designing companion robots for the elderly with a "sense of warmth".

The period of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid development of innovative education methods, in particular using e-learning and remote work tools. The effects of this development are also post-pandemic changes in formal teaching regulations, in particular in higher education, allowing classes and lectures to be carried out with Blended Learning or Flipped Classroom methods. This paper provides information about a case study of implementing ICT technologies with elements of the mentioned methods in one of the subjects at a technical university. The implemented tools and solutions in the field of e-learning and interactivity are presented, along with information regarding their perception by students during two academic years in the post-COVID-19 period. The analysis of results of these information and student evaluations indicates their generally positive approach to such innovations in the educational path, and at the same time shows significant challenges for teachers to increase the attractiveness and effectiveness of the teaching process and the development of practical, technical skills of students.

Improvement of hydrophysical properties and corrosion resistance of self-compacting concrete to the effects of alternate freezing-thawing and aggressive soils of southern and central Kazakhstan is of interest to a wide range of researchers from the side of practical application of the obtained results in construction practice. It is proposed to form a spatially reinforced fine crystalline structure of cement matrix with maximum dense packing by using a complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fibro fibers) in the composition of self-compacting concretes (SCC). The introduction of the calculated amount of the above additives increases the operational reliability of the current SCC compositions, increasing the water resistance to W16, frost resistance to F=500, increasing the compressive strength by 20%, reducing the mass loss of samples during corrosion leaching to 50%. It has been experimentally established that the proposed addition of complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fiber fibers) to the SCC composition allows obtaining self-compacting concrete of high quality with improved performance characteristics (compressive strength, water resistance, frost resistance and corrosion resistance). Studies have shown that the complex modifier-modified SCC compositions have a high degree of resistance in aggressive environments and leaching corrosion. Based on the results of the conducted tests, it is possible to recommend the obtained SCC compositions for production of building products working in the zone of alternating freezing-thawing and aggressive soils.

Background. The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ) is widely used to measure functional ability in persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The instrument was developed with limited involvement from persons with RA, and their perception of the instrument has not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to explore how persons with RA experience the use of the HAQ in care. Methods. Forty persons with RA were purposefully recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were then analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results. The participants questioned the relevance of the HAQ but nevertheless experienced that the instrument had a profound effect on their understanding of health and how care is delivered. The analysis resulted in three themes: Problems with individual items, meaning of the summative score, and effects on care and health perceptions. Conclusions. To make the HAQ relevant to persons with RA, it needs to be revised or to include an option to select items most meaningful to the respondent. To ensure relevance, the HAQ update should preferably be co-created by researchers, clinicians and persons with RA.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is shaking the foundations of public health governance all over the world. Researchers are challenged by informing and supporting authorities on acquired knowledge and practical implications. This commentary applies established theories of risk perception research to COVID-19 and reflects on the role of risk perceptions in these unprecedented times. Moreover, it calls for utilizing the knowledge on risk perception to improve health risk communication, build trust and contribute to a collaborating governance.

National heatwave plans are aimed at reducing the avoidable human health consequences due to heatwaves, by providing warnings to and improving communication between relevant stakeholders. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of key stakeholders within plans in Belgium and the Netherlands on their responsibilities, the partnerships, and the effectiveness of the local implementation in Brussels and Amsterdam. Key informant interviews were held with stakeholders that had an important role in development of the heatwave plan in these countries, or its implementation in Brussels or Amsterdam. Care organisations, including hospitals and elderly care organisations, had a lack of familiarity with the national heatwave plan in both cities, and prioritised heat the lowest. Some groups of individuals, specifically socially isolated individuals, are not sufficiently addressed by the current national heatwave plans and most local plans. Stakeholders reported that responsibilities were not clearly described and that the national plan does not describe tasks on a local level. We recommend to urgently increase awareness on the impact of heat on health among care organisations. More emphasis needs to be given to the variety of heat risk groups. Stakeholders should be involved in the development of updates of the plans.

Background: In recent years, the abusive use of the smartphone has reached a situation that could be considered pathological, although there is no such classification in the DSM-IV. In this sense, different instruments to assess this problematic use or addiction to the smartphone are used. Among them, we found the SPAI, which has been validated in the Spanish language. The main difficulty of these scales is to establish a cut-off point that determines such mobile addiction. On the other hand, self-perception has been used in different addictions as a predictor of the problem. Aim: The objective of this study is to establish the cutting point in the scores of the SPAI scale validated in Spanish, using as a referent the self-perception of addiction values. Methods: A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was carried out, establishing as the cut-off point the one that presented a higher value of Youden J, indicative of its sensitivity and specificity. Results: 2598 participants from the university community completed the SPAI-Spain questionnaire. When using the self-perception of smartphone addiction as the benchmark value, a score of 44 has been established as the cutting point of the SPAI questionnaire, with a Youden J corresponding to 0.416. Conclusions: The implementation of a cut-off point of the SPAI questionnaire makes it an instrument that allows early identification of those individuals at risk of addiction as well as the establishment of preventive and/or intervention measures.

This longitudinal study aimed to analyze the effects of a team rowing-based training program on physical fitness and anthropometric parameters in female breast cancer survivors (n=40; 56.78±6.38 years). Participants were divided into two groups: one rowed in fixed seat rowing (FSR) boats (n=20; 56.35±4.89 years) and the other in sliding seat rowing (SSR) boats (n=20; 57.20±7.7 years). Both groups engaged in two 75-minute sessions per week for 24 weeks. Significant improvements were observed in both groups in terms of weight (FSR: -1.93 kg, SSR: -1.75 kg), body mass index (FSR: -0.73 kg/m², SSR: -0.67 kg/m²), waist circumference (FSR: -2.83 cm, SSR: -3.66 cm), and hip circumference (FSR: -2.02 cm, SSR: -2.88 cm). Muscle strength improved in lower extremities (jump test: FSR: 2.99 cm, SSR: 3.11 cm) and upper extremities (dominant: FSR: 4.13 kgf, SSR: 4.34 kgf; non-dominant: FSR: 3.67 kgf, SSR: 3.32 kgf). Aerobic capacity also improved, with the SSR group showing a greater increase (FSR: 63.05 m, SSR: 93.65 m). Flexibility tests revealed better results in the SSR group for both dominant (SSR: 1.75 cm vs. FSR: -5.55 cm) and non-dominant limbs (SSR: 1.72 cm vs. FSR: -3.81 cm). These findings suggest that the type of rowing modality can influence physical fitness outcomes, with the SSR group showing superior improvements compared to the FSR group.

A low cost, scalable and robust process has been proposed as innovative method for coating solar mirrors with a self-cleaning, transparent in the full solar range and versatile material based on auxetic aluminium nitrides, previously obtained on the laboratory scale. This work presents the scaling-up of fabrication process from laboratory to prototypal scale and pre-liminary results of outdoor self-cleaning solar mirror prototypes testing in the demonstrative CSP plant ENEASHIP located in Casaccia (Rome) ENEA research centre. Prototypes 50x40cm have shown stability in external conditions: no degradation occurs during the test campaign. Their washing restores the initial reflectance affected by soiling and the self-cleaning performance allows the utilization of a reduced quantity of water for cleaning operations with respect to uncoated glass of back surface mirrors. A similar self-cleaning AlN coating could be utilized on other solar components affected by soiling, such as glass envelopes of heat collecting elements, PV panels and everywhere are required self-cleaning performance combined to optical ones.

P versus NP is considered as one of the most fundamental open problems in computer science. This consists in knowing the answer of the following question: Is P equal to NP? It was essentially mentioned in 1955 from a letter written by John Nash to the United States National Security Agency. However, a precise statement of the P versus NP problem was introduced independently by Stephen Cook and Leonid Levin. Since that date, all efforts to find a proof for this problem have failed. Another major complexity class is NP-complete. It is well-known that P is equal to NP under the assumption of the existence of a polynomial time algorithm for some NP-complete. We show that the Monotone Weighted Xor 2-satisfiability problem (MWX2SAT) is NP-complete and P at the same time. Certainly, we make a polynomial time reduction from every directed graph and positive integer k in the K-CLOSURE problem to an instance of MWX2SAT. In this way, we show that MWX2SAT is also an NP-complete problem. Moreover, we create and implement a polynomial time algorithm which decides the instances of MWX2SAT. Consequently, we prove that P = NP.

Background and objective: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is one of the most common neurosurgical entities affecting mostly elderly patients. In this study, we aimed to provide detailed characteristics of surgically treated patients with cSDH and evaluate outcomes between the two conventional treatment methods. Materials and methods: Patients with cSDH surgically treated with burr hole craniostomy (BHC) and craniotomy (CO) in tertiary centers in Croatia and Serbia during 2017-2019 were included in the study. Characteristics and outcomes of these patients were prospectively collected. Results: In total, 155 patients (mean age 72.3±13.4) were included in the study. BHC group consisted of 124 (80 %) and CO group of 31 (20 %) patients. 32 (20.6 %) patients presented with bilateral cSDH, head trauma was documented in 92 (59.4 %), and anticoagulant therapy in 37 (23.9 %) individuals. The most common symptom was hemiparesis (n=85, 54.8 %). The two groups did not differ by age. CO group had higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at the admission, with a significant decrease at discharge compared to admission (12.6±4.8 vs 14.4±1.7, p

Self-sustained learning (SSL) is considered a crucial factor in promoting students’ long-term learning and development in a sustainable society. To deepen the understanding of SSL, especially in the context of learning English as a second language, the current study examined the influence of intercultural communicative skills, language mindset, and positive L2 self on SSL in English learning among 1,238 college students in China. The results showed that students not only had a strong language mindset, positive L2 self, and intercultural communicative skills but also scored higher in long-term self-sustained English learning. Findings from the Structural Equation Modeling indicated that both language mindset and intercultural communicative skills positively predicted positive L2 self and self-sustained English learning. Furthermore, language mindset and intercultural communicative skills had an indirect impact on self-sustained English learning through positive L2 self. These findings suggest that to promote English learners’ SSL, instructors should help facilitate students’ intercultural communicative skills and foster a growth language mindset, as well as positive language learning beliefs.

The application of non-uniform spiral gratings to control structure, topological parameters and propagation of orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams was studied experimentally with coherent near-infrared light. Adapted digital spiral grating structures were programmed into the phase map of a high-resolution liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM). It is shown that characteristic spatio-spectral anomalies related to Gouy phase shift can be used as pointers to quantify rotational beam properties. Depending on sign and gradient of spatially variable periods of chirped spiral gratings (CSG), variations of rotation angle and angular velocity as a function of propagation distance were measured. Propagation-dependent self-torque is introduced in analogy to known local self-torque phenomena of OAM beams as obtained by the superposition of temporally chirped or phase modulated wavepackets.

Throughout the Covid19 period, families were forced to stay indoors, adapting to online school-ing, remote work, and virtual social engagements, inevitably altering the dynamics within households. There is a notable increase in mental health challenges in terms of anxiety and de-pression in children and adolescents. This study intends to explore the psychosocial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italian families adopting self- and proxy-report questionnaires on anxiety, anger, and health-related quality of life. The results showed that approximately 20% obtained a clinical anxiety score and only 10% obtained a clinical anger score. There was found a difference in the perception of the quality of life reported by the child and that perceived by the parent. The stepwise regression model showed that total anxiety scores were predicted by sex, quality of life scores from the parents' self-report version and total anger score. Another stepwise regression model identified physiological and social anxiety as the best predictors that impact the quality of life. Parental well-being actively influences the well-being of children, so it is fundamental to implement preventive programmes and promote child well-being providing parents the most adequate support possible.

Background: Glioma surgery was remarkably renewed in the past 2 decades, with improved safety and limited but yet improved life expectations. Fluorescence-guided resection of high-grade gliomas (HGG) plays a central role in this sense, by allowing higher degrees of extent of resection (EOR). The introduction of the exoscopic guided surgery may be considered an implementation for fluorescence techniques over the traditional microscopes. We present the application and the advantages of the exoscopic guided surgery compared to the microscopic surgery in tumor resection guided by 5-ALA fluorescence in patients with HGG. Methods: ten consecutive patients underwent a surgery for HGG resection. The surgery was performed via an exoscopic-guided procedure (Olympus Orbeye) and after oral administration of Gliolan 5 hours before the procedure. During surgery, the procedure was shifted to microscope (Kinevo 900, Zeiss) view. The intensity of the fluorescence under the two different was subjectively measured in different picture samples during the surgery in a 1 to 5 (from minimum to maximum) scale. The brightness of the surgical field and the detailing of the anatomy were also analyzed comparatively. Results: among the ten patients the histopathological diagnosis was an high grade glioma in all cases. In 9 cases was possible to achieve the gross total resection. There was no perioperative mortality. The median fluorescence intensity, on a scale of 1–5, was 4.5 in the exoscope group and 3.5 in the microscope group (p<0.01). Conclusions: The exoscopic guided surgery adds advantages to the traditional fluorescence- guided surgery with 5-aminolevulinic acid. Beyond the important advantage of low cost and the possibility to perform collaborative surgeries, it adds a plain and continuous visualization of the tumor and the surgical field in the fluorescence guided glioma surgery compared to the microscopic guided one.

An undesirable sensory attribute (“floral taint”) has been recently detected in red wines in some winegrowing jurisdictions in North America (e.g. Ontario, British Columbia, Washington), caused by introduction of frost-killed leaves and petioles [materials-other-than-grapes (MOG)] during mechanical harvest and winemaking. It was hypothesized that terpenes, norisoprenoids, and higher alcohols would be the main responsible compounds. Objectives were to investigate causative volatile compounds for floral taint, and explore threshold concentrations for this problem. Commercial wines displaying varying intensities of floral taints were subjected to GC-MS and sensory analysis. Several odor-active compounds were higher in floral-tainted wines, including terpenes (geraniol, citronellol, cis- and trans-rose oxide), norisoprenoids (β-damascenone, β-ionone), five ethyl esters, and three alcohols. Thereafter, fermentations of Cabernet franc (CF) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) (2016, 2017) were conducted. MOG treatments were (wt/wt): 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% petioles, and 0, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% leaf blades. Terpenes (linalool, geraniol, nerol, nerolidol, citronellol, citral, cis- and trans-rose oxides, eugenol, myrcene), norisoprenoids (α- and β-ionone), and others (e.g. hexanol, octanol, methyl and ethyl salicylate) increased linearly/quadratically with increasing MOG levels in both cultivars. Principal components analysis separated MOG treatments from the controls with 5% petioles and 2% leaves as extremes. Increasing MOG levels in CF wines increased floral aroma intensity, and were primarily associated with terpenes, higher alcohols, and salicylates. Increased leaf levels in CF were associated with higher vegetal and earthy attributes. Increased petioles in CS were not correlated with floral aromas, but increased leaves increased floral, vegetal and herbaceous attributes. Overall, petioles contributed more to floral taint than leaves through increased terpenes and salicylates (floral notes), while leaves contributed norisoprenoids and C6 alcohols (green notes).

In Cameroon, Aedes mosquitoes transmit various arboviruses, posing significant health risks. We aimed to characterize the Aedes virome in southwestern Cameroon and identify potential core viruses which might be associated with vector competence. A total of 398 Aedes mosquitoes were collected from four locations (Bafoussam, Buea, Edea and Yaounde). Aedes albopictus dominated all sites except for Bafoussam where Aedes africanus prevailed. Metagenomic analyses of mosquitoes grouped per species into 54 pools revealed notable differences in eukaryotic viromes between Ae. africanus and Ae. albopictus, with the former exhibiting greater richness and diversity. Thirty-seven eukaryotic virus species from 16 families were identified, including six novel viruses with near complete genome sequences. Seven viruses were further quantified in individual mosquitoes via qRT-PCR. Although none of them could be identified as core viruses, Guangzhou sobemo-like virus and Bafoussam mosquito solemovirus virus were highly prevalent regionally in Ae. albopictus and Ae. africanus, respectively. This study highlights the diverse eukaryotic virome of Aedes species in southwestern Cameroon. Despite their shared Genus, Aedes species exhibit limited viral sharing, with varying viral abundance and prevalence across locations. Ae. africanus, an understudied vector, harbors a rich and diverse virome, suggesting potential implications for arbovirus vector competence.

This paper presents the design and analysis of a novel 3-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) parallel ma-nipulator equipped with self-sensing Ni-Ti (Nitinol) actuators. The manipulator's architecture and mechanical design are elucidated, emphasizing the integration of Nitinol actuators. The self-sensing technique implemented in a previous work was extended to a 20 mm actuator length, and the actuator was used to design the 3 DOF manipulator. Kinematic analyses were conducted to eval-uate the manipulator's performance under various operating conditions. A dynamic model was implemented for the dynamic dimensioning of the actuators, which work synergistically with a bias spring. The manipulator was realized, and a control strategy was implemented. Experimental tests, although documenting some positioning accuracy issues, show the efficacy and potential applica-tions of the proposed manipulator in robotics and automation systems, highlighting the advantages of self-sensing Nitinol actuators in small parallel manipulator designs.

Background: One challenge in implant dentistry is to reduce marginal bone resorption to avoid long-term esthetic and biological complications. Sub-gingival implant placement has been suggested as a suitable strategy. Methods: 38 healthy patients were enrolled to receive bone level (BL – Control group) or 2 mm sub-crestal (SC - Test group) conical connection, platform-switched implants. An immediate tissue level abutment was used in the Test group by following a One Time Abutment (OTA) restorative procedure. Marginal Bone Modification (MBM) was calcu-latied on standardized radiographs at surgery (T0), loading (T1), and 6 months (T2) and 12 months after loading (T3), and cathegorised in Bone Loss (BL) if the resorption occurred below the implant neck and Bone Remodeling (BR) if above. Pocket probing depth (PPD), Bleeding on probing (BoP) and Plaque Index (PI) were also collected. Results: The mean MBM in the test group after 12 months was 0.61mm, compared to 0.52mm in the control group. However, no BL was observed in the test group, as the MBM completely occurred above the implant neck as BR, whilst in the control group MBM corresponded in total to BL. The average PPD was 2.38mm in the test group and 3.04mm in the control group after 12 months, BoP 50% and 43%, PI 33% and 19.44% respectively. Conclusions: Sub-crestal conical connection, platform-switched implants could be a suitable clinical choice to avoid BL with exposure of the treated implants surfaces.

From grape cultivation to ripening and harvest timing to processing, each step can be a critical point when it comes to wine quality and phenolic composition. In this study, the influence of winemaking technology on resveratrol and quercetin content, as well as other polyphenolic compounds, was investigated. Resveratrol is a non-flavonoid polyphenolic stilbene synthesized by grape skin when damaged by infectious diseases or ionizing radiation. Quercetin is a phenol found in grape skins and stems and is produced to protect grapes from UV light damage. Trans-resveratrol and quercetin are known to act as antioxidants, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and prevent the release of allergic and inflammatory molecules. However, the question was whether red wine could be enriched with these phenols using an innovative winemaking technology. The innovative idea was to completely replace the cold maceration process with maceration with the addition of wild yeast (Torulaspora delbrueckii, Td). Maceration with the addition of wild yeast (Td) offers the following advantages over traditional cold maceration: (1) higher concentrations of trans-resveratrol (>35-40%) and quercetin (>35-40%) in the final wine, (2) the new wine has a higher potential for human health, (3) the wine has a better aroma and stability due to the higher mannoprotein content, and (4) the better energy efficiency in the production process. The study of stability during storage and aging also included derivatives of benzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid, piceid, catechin, naringenin, rutin, kaempherol, hesperetin, and anthocyanins. The study found that younger wines had higher phenolic content, while storage of the wine resulted in a decrease in total phenolic content, especially monomeric stilbenes and quercetin.

Glass and ceramics have a fundamental and crucial role in our lives due to their properties and aesthetic decoration. However, they create serious environmental problems, mainly due to their high occupation of landfills and harmful emissions. Both wastes could be utilized to reduce the natural resources' adverse environmental effects and exhaustion. With increasing environmental concerns to reduce solid waste as much as possible, the concrete industry has adopted several methods to achieve this goal. Hence this study examines the performance of self-compacted concrete (SCC) utilizing various percentages of recycled waste materials such as those deposited from glass and ceramic industries. The idea of utilizing recycled waste materials in concrete manufacturing has gained massive attention due to their impressive results in rheological and mechanical state. Recycled glass (RG) and ceramic waste powder (CWP) were utilized to replace fine aggregate and cement, respectively. Five mixes were designed, including the control mix, and the other four mixes with different dosages of RG and CWP as fine aggregate and cement replacement ranging between 5 to 25%. Mixes were tested for both rheological and mechanical properties to evaluate their compilment with SCC requirements as per codes and guidelines. The results revealed that 20%CWP or less as cement replacement and 10% or less of RG as fine aggregate replacement would provide suitable rheological properties along with mechanical ones. Utilizing recycled glass and ceramic waste powder provides strength like the mix designed with natural resources, which helps us structure economically and environmentally friendly.

The study explores how different dimensions of perfectionism influence psychological well-being (PWB) in emerging adults. Literature has deepened the relationships between maladaptive perfectionism (e.g., excessive self-criticism, perceived discrepancy from the standards) and low PWB. Less is known about whether and how adaptive perfectionism (e.g., pursuing personal standards) relates to PWB. Secondly, the study has investigated whether self-compassion (i.e., self-benevolence, seeing personal imperfections as a common condition) may mediate the relationships between adaptive/maladaptive perfectionism and PWB. Participants (N=217, 18-35 y. o.) completed self-report questionnaires measuring: adaptive/maladaptive perfectionism (Almost Perfect Scale-Revised, APS-R: high standards and order/discrepancy, respectively), PWB, and self-compassion (SCS). Adaptive perfectionism resulted associated with PWB, particularly higher presence of purpose in life, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, and personal growth. Conversely, discrepancy resulted the most robust predictor of low PWB (β=-.68), followed by high standards with a positive direction (β=.23; Rc²=.514, p&lt;.001). A strong negative association emerged between discrepancy and SCS (r=-.67, p&lt;.001). A mediation analysis shows that self-compassion has an indirect effect reducing the strength of the relationship between discrepancy and low PWB. Results suggest focusing on self-compassion as a buffer factor that reduces the negative impact of maladaptive perfectionism on psychological well-being. Implications for education and health psychology are discussed.

Using the example of a generator model with dedicated inertia, a theoretical study of two coupled self-oscillators with capacitive coupling, their sequential single-frequency synchronization, chaos and two-frequency synchronization with an adiabatic change in the magnitude of the coupling between partial self-oscillators was carried out. The parameters of self-oscillators and the values of the coupling coefficient at which the specified operating modes of coupled self-oscillators exist are determined. The results of numerical studies, illustrating the conditions for excitation of single-frequency, chaotic and dual-frequency oscillations in a system of coupled self-oscillators are presented.

The Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and the Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) indices are used to assess the indoor environment in terms of human thermal comfort-discomfort. In this study, an experimental combined objective and subjective investigation of thermal comfort perception has been performed in students between 16-18 years old, in a non-air-conditioned school building. The objective approach included instrumentation measurements and data processing according to ISO 7730, whereas, the subjective one was based on answers collection following ISO 10551. The study is mainly devoted to the verification of Fanger’s approach in a building, in free running conditions, under a mild (moderate) climate.The comparison between instrumentation data and questionnaire results presented an underestimation of the mean vote, predicting a cooler sensation than the actual one.

Acute and chronic graft versus host disease (a/cGVHD) are major complications of allogeneic stem cell transplantation and a frequent cause of non relapse-mortality. The treatment of a/cGVHD consists of steroid administration at full dose. In the case of aGVHD, around 60 % of patients with grade III/IV fails to respond (steroid-resistant, SR), requiring a second line therapy. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) represents a good option for second line treatment, leading to multiorgan response in several patients. Here, we have evaluated the performances of a cytofluorimetric quality control of the first ECP procedure in 29 patients with severe SR aGVHD who underwent ECP. The quality control represents a check control of in vitro cell apoptosis/death induction in collected and irradiated CD3+ cells by ECP. Our analysis shows that in more than 70 % quality controls a relevant apoptotosis/death of CD3+ cells was observed after cell irradiation, as compared to non-irradiated controls. Albeit observed in a small patients’ series, the occurrence of relevant in vitro effect after ECP relates to less procedures and/or to a better survival on ECP. Age, disease, gender, aGVHD grade and time from transplant to the first ECP had not impact on ECP efficacy in this patients’ series.

Background: The surgical approach to treating calcaneal fractures, specifically Sanders types II, III, and IV, is still a subject of controversy. The decision to opt for open reduction and internal fix-ation (ORIF) or minimally invasive osteosynthesis (MIOS) remains uncertain owing to varying complication rates. This study intends to examine each treatment’s pros and cons in relation to the incidence of complications. Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined 70 patients treated between January 2018 and September 2022: 50 received ORIF, and 20 underwent MIOS. We evaluated functional outcomes with the Maryland Foot Score and the Creighton-Nebraska Health Foundation Assessment Scale (CNHFAS). We also assessed the amount of anatomical restoration using Böhler’s and Gissane’s angles, determined by radiographic checks, and the frequency of postoperative complications. Results: A significant reduction in the risk of reinter-vention was observed in patients with high anesthetic risks, polytraumatized individuals, and those with comorbidities who underwent MIOS. The chi-square test analysis of postoperative complications highlighted no substantial differences between the ORIF and MIOS groups in rela-tion to tendinitis, chronic pain and swelling, algodystrophy, and surgical wound infections (p > 0.20 for all). Conclusion: ORIF is more suitable for patients who have high motor function re-quirements, a long-term activity schedule and can endure potential additional procedures. This preference is because ORIF provides better anatomical restoration and features a lower osteoar-thritis occurrence rate.

In this paper, a new type of self-excited thermomechanical oscillator containing an oscillating shape memory alloy (SMA) filament with two symmetrically arranged spheres is investigated. The self-excitation of the oscillations is due to a heater of constant temperature, which causes periodic contractions of the filament when it approaches it. The contracted filament moves away from the heater a distance sufficient to cool it. Under the action of the weight of the spheres, the cooled filament re-approaches the heater, causing the above processes to repeat periodically. On the basis of experimental studies, approximating functions of the heater's heat field distribution are derived. A dynamic model of the oscillator has been created, in which the minor and major hysteresis in the SMA alloy and the distribution of the heat field around the heater have been taken into account. By numerical solutions of the differential equations, the laws of motion of the spheres are obtained. The displacements of the spheres in two perpendicular directions were measured using an experimental system. The obtained experimental results validate the proposed dynamic model and its assumptions with a high degree of confidence. Conclusions are drawn about the stochastic nature of the oscillations due to the hysteresis properties of the SMA and the temperature variation of the natural frequency of the oscillating system.

Edvard Munch, a founder of Expressionism was pre-occupied with depicting his subjective experience and the most prolific painter of self-portraits since Rembrandt. Based on evidence that faces and self-related images are more salient than other objects it is plausible that self-portraits, in which the subject and object are the same, reflect the artist’s state of mind. Although he suffered from a variety of physical and psychological illness Munch was not diagnosed with any specificity in his lifetime. Posthumous diagnoses include schizophrenia, anxiety, bipolar and other disorders. Recent research has revealed altered visual perception in such patients. The present study empirically analysed three stylistic elements of Munch’s painted self-portraits and portraits: contrast, colour and fractal dimension and his painted productivity, to determine if variations correlate with critical life events and if so whether they indicate states of mind. It found significant increases in contrast and colour brightness and persistent high complexity during critical periods supporting the conclusion that Munch is diagnostically best described as suffering from early onset schizophrenia and comorbid social anxiety disorder.

(1) Background: The rapid expansion of 4G and 5G networks has raised public concerns about potential health risks associated with electromagnetic radiation. This study addresses these fears by investigating electromagnetic measurements in crowded squares, where human exposure is heightened. Despite rigorous scientific methodologies showing generally low levels of radiation from these technologies, public apprehension persists; (2) Methods: We conducted 496 measurements in Larissa's major squares, using a portable field strength analyzer and GIS mapping. Squares were categorized by traffic and population density; (3) Results: Low-traffic squares exhibited exposure ratios consistently below ICNIRP limits, with median values of 0.0012 and 0.00173 in non-active and active mobile phone cases, respectively. In high-traffic squares, the median exposure ratio was 0.00335 in non-active mobile phone cases, remaining below recommended limits; (4) Conclusions: These findings indicate no significant risk of electromagnetic radiation in crowded squares in Larissa, emphasizing the importance of factual communication and dispelling public misconceptions.

In this study the impact of terrorist attacks on exchange rate is estimated. Particularly, the study focuses on Turkish terrorist attacks and its implication on Turkish lira versus pound sterling exchange rate. In order, to find the causal effect the study employed Autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bound testing approach as an estimation technique. Accordingly, the analysis reveals that terrorist attack has a negative impact on the exchange rate in both short and long-run. However, the negative effect of terrorism tends to be small in both the short-run and long-run. More precisely, terrorist attack depreciates the exchange rate between Turkish lira and pound sterling by approximately 0.00072 in the next trading day. The long-term effect also shows that terrorist attack depreciates the exchange rate on average by 0.00212.

To better understand the shape memory materials and self-healing materials, a new series of liquid-crystalline shape memory polyurethane (LC-SMPU) composites, named SMPU-OOBAm, were successfully prepared by incorporating 4-octyldecyloxybenzoic acid (OOBA) into the PEG-based SMPU. The effect of OOBA on the structure, morphology and properties has been carefully investigated. The results demonstrate that SMPU-OOBAm have liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties and self-healing properties. The incorporated OOBA promotes the crystallizability of both soft and hard segments of SMPU, and the crystallization rate of the hard segment of SMPU decreases when the OOBA-content increases. Additionally, the SMPU-OOBAm forms a two-phase separated structure (SMPU phase and OOBA phase), and it shows two-step modulus changes upon heating. Therefore, the SMPU-OOBAm shows triple-shape memory behavior, and the shape recovery ratio decreases with an increase in the OOBA content. Finally, SMPU-OOBAm shows self-healing properties. The new mechanism can be ascribed to the heating-induced “bleeding” of OOBA in the liquid crystalline state and the subsequent re-crystallization upon cooling. This successful combination of liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties and self-healing properties make the SMPU-OOBAm composites with many promise applications in smart optical devices, smart electronic devices and smart sensors.

Speeding is a significant global issue, with disparities in speed outcome and speed research between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). This study aims to address speed research gaps by examining the prevalence of self-reported speeding and factors influencing drivers' speeding behavior (SB) using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). An online survey involving 387 anonymous drivers was conducted in Yaoundé. Results showed that all drivers reported exceeding speed limits, with 81% exceeding by 5km/h, 12% by 10km/h, and 7% by more than 10km/h in urban areas. On highways, 54% reported exceeded the limit by more than 10km/h. Age, driver's license, and gender showed significant associations with speed limits non-compliance. The study results suggests that the TPB can be useful in assessing speeding behavior, as the inclusion of TPB variables led to a more than 50% proportionate increase in SB variance. Structural equation modeling revealed attitude towards speeding as the strongest predictor of speeding intention (SI), along with certain demographics indirectly influencing SB through SI. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) and SI directly influenced SB. These findings emphasize the potential of interventions targeting attitude, intentions, and perceived behavioral control to modify speeding behavior and improve road safety.

The evolution of human societal dynamics over the course of decades and centuries has led to an ever-increasingly complex digital modern life, one of the hallmark of which is the need for multi-tasking, inclusive of that with media. Is there an empirical mapping between this macroscopic (digital) evolution of the human societal dynamics (in terms of multi-tasking) and the microscopic evolution of the functional molecular units within cells (i.e., proteins) and their manifold cross-talks? Multi-tasking requires a certain degree of intrinsic or adapted flexibility which is as true at the bio-molecular level. Evolutionary diversification of structure-function relationship in proteins emphasizes the functional importance of intrinsically disordered entities (IDPs/IDRs) which are highly dynamic biological soft matters. Multi-functionality is favorably supported by their fluid-like shapes and other new malleable members of the protein family. The new wealth of knowledge coming from recent research on protein intrinsic disorder, fold-switching, moonlighting, hub proteins etc. has given us new insights into protein structure – functional relationship. This has led to a paradigm shift in protein science, clearly diverging from the traditional 'one structure – one function' model applicable to enzyme classes to a more complex understanding of protein functionality. This paradigm shift has caused scientists to delve deeper into the subject, exploring various evolutionary toys and tools to fit the cumulative multi-functional demands in higher organisms. This commentary covers the different evolutionary arsenals to achieve the growing multi-functionality and argues in favor of protein intrinsic disorder as probably the sharpest weapon of all.

During the exploration of the surrounding environment, the brain links together external inputs, giving rise to perception of a persisting object. During imaginative processes, the same object can be recalled in mind even if it is out of sight. Here, topological theory of shape provides a mathematical foundation for the notion of persistence perception. In particular, we focus on ecological theories of perception, that account for our knowledge of world objects by borrowing a concept of invariance in topology. We show how a series of transformations can be gradually applied to a pattern, in particular to the shape of an object, without affecting its invariant properties, such as boundedness of parts of a visual scene. High-level representations of objects in our environment are mapped to simplified views (our interpretations) of the objects, in order to construct a symbolic representation of the environment. The representations can be projected continuously to an environmental object that we have seen and continue to see, thanks to the mapping from shapes in our memory to shapes in Euclidean space.

Soil-borne Trichoderma spp. have been extensively studied for their biocontrol activities against pathogens and growth promotion ability with plants. However, the beneficial effect of Trichoderma on inducing resistance against insect herbivores has been considered only recently. Among diverse Trichoderma species, consistent with previous reports, we showed that root colonization by T. virens triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) to leaf-infecting fungal pathogens. Whether T. virens induces ISR to insect pests has not been tested before. In this study, we investigated whether T. virens affects jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and defense against fall armyworm (FAW) and western corn rootworm (WCR). Unexpectedly, the results showed that T. virens colonization of maize seedlings grown in autoclaved soil suppressed wound-induced production of JA, resulting in reduced resistance to FAW. Similarly, the bacterial endophyte Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 suppressed systemic resistance to FAW due to reduced JA. Further comparative analyses of the systemic effects of these endophytes when applied into sterile or non-sterile field soil showed that both T. virens and P. chlororaphis 30-84 triggered ISR against hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola in both soil conditions, but only suppressed resistance to FAW in sterile soil. In contrast to the effect on FAW defense, T. virens colonization of maize roots suppressed WCR larvae survival and weight gain. This is the first report suggesting the potential role of T. virens as a biocontrol agent against WCR.

Verticillium wilt is a soil borne disease caused by distinct vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) of the fungus Verticillium dahliae. Two V. dahliae isolates were recovered from symptomatic cot-ton plants in Australian cotton fields and were assigned to two distinct vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs). One corresponding to the defoliating (VCG 1A) and the other non-defoliating (VCG 2A) pathotypes of Verticillium, have been transformed with Red and Green Fluorescent protein genes, respectively. The transformants maintained their ability to infect cotton and both strains were observed to colonise the xylem vessels of cotton plants. Moreover, we observed that the cotton V. dahliae strains could also infect some sampled non-Gossypium species found in the Australian landscape. The fluorescently labelled strains of V. dahliae will allow us to gain a thorough understanding of the infection processes of this important pathogen.

For many engineering applications it is sufficient to use the concept of simple materials. However, higher gradients of the kinematic variables are taken into account to model materials with internal length scales as well as to describe localization effects using gradient theories in finite plasticity or fluid mechanics. In many approaches length scale parameter have been introduced that are related to a specific micro structure. An alternative approach is possible, if a thermodynamically consistent framework is used for material modelling as shown in the present contribution. However, even if sophisticated and thermodynamically consistent material models can be established there are still not yet standard experiments to determine higher order material constants. In order to contribute to this ongoing discussion system identification based on the method of self-adaptive filtering is proposed in this paper. To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach it has been applied to second-order gradient materials considering longitudinal vibrations. Based on thermodynamically consistent models that have been solved numerically it has been possible to prove that system identification based on self-adaptive filtering can be used effectively for both narrow-band and broadband signals in the field of second-order gradient materials. It has also been found that the differences identified for simple materials and gradient materials allow for condition monitoring and detection of gradient effects in the material behavior.

Soil management in orchards can have several economic and environmental implications. In this study, three different soil management systems were compared in a dry-farmed olive grove: conventional tillage (Tillage), glyphosate-based herbicide (Herbicide) and Sheep Walking. The experiment lasted eleven years (2011-2022) and was carried out after a previous trial conducted on the same plot with the same treatments and duration (2001-2011). However, in the earlier trial, the Herbicide and Sheep Walking treatments switched positions in the plot, while the tillage treatment remained in its original place. The average total accumulated olive yields between 2011 and 2022 were 225.1, 230.9, and 245.0 kg tree–1 for the Sheep Walking, Tillage, and Herbicide treatments, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed between the treatments. The levels of total organic carbon in the soil, measured in samples collected in the last year of the study, were 41.3, 33.7, and 37.3 g kg–1, respectively for the same treatments. These findings indicated that the Tillage treatment exhibited lower soil organic matter content and reduced bioavailability of some nutrients, which raises concerns about its sustainability. On the contrary, employing Sheep Walking with an appropriate stocking rate, effectively controlling vegetation in the spring, ensured favourable soil properties and olive yields comparable to the other treatments. Moreover, the Sheep Walking approach provides supplementary advantages to the farmer, including revenue from the sale of animal products and the opportunity to transition to organic farming systems, which better align with the preferences of contemporary societies.

Owing to the nondiffracting, self-accelerating, and self-healing properties, Airy beams of different nature have become a subject of immense interest in the past decade. Their interesting properties have opened doors to many diverse applications. Consequently, the questions of how to properly design spatial manipulation of Airy beams or how to implement them in different setups have become important and timely in the development of various optical devices. Here, based on our previous work, we present a short review on the spatial control of Airy beams, including the interactions of Airy beams in nonlinear media, beam propagation in harmonic potential, and the dynamics of abruptly autofocusing Airy beams in the presence of a dynamic linear potential. We demonstrate that under the guidance of nonlinearity and external potential, the trajectory, acceleration, structure, and even the basic properties of Airy beams can be adjusted to suit specific needs. We describe other fascinating phenomena observed with Airy beams, such as self-Fourier transformation, periodic inversion of Airy beams, and the appearance of spatial solitons in the presence of nonlinearity. These results have promoted the development of Airy beams, and have been utilized in various applications, including particle manipulation, self-trapping, and electronic matter waves.

Recent lines of evidence suggest the intriguing hypothesis that consuming common culinary herbs of the mint family might help prevent or treat Covid. Individual citizens could easily explore the hypothesis using ordinary kitchen materials. I offer a philosophical framework to account for the puzzling lack of public health messaging about this interesting idea.

Even in the first quarter of XXI century, the presence of organic dyes in wastewaters is a normal occurrence in a series of countries, and being these compounds toxics, their removal from these waters is of a necessity. Among the separation technologies, adsorption processing appeared as one of the most widely used to reach this goal. The present work reviewed the most recent approaches (first half of 2021 year) about the use of a variety of adsorbents on the removal of, also, a variety of organic dyes of different nature.

Despite their prevalence in almost all publicly orientated conservation settings, sign design receives limited attention in the research literature. We used a remote eye-tracking device to test how visitors read educational signs, maps, and species signage. Three designs, plus a plain-text control sign, were tested for each sign type. Sign content was based on Brackenhurst Botanic Garden, Kenya and included four different information texts (156-256 words long) and a species information text (64 words long). Four presentations of extinction threat-status were also tested as were depictions of trail routes on maps. Data were collected from 51 participants at six cultural venues across Nottingham, UK. Signs positioned centre-left of an exhibit were read first. Information on the left-hand side of signs was read first and dwelled upon the longest. Signs with a single large image and a single block of text were generally preferred, and images were most frequently recalled. Extinction threat-status was most frequently viewed and best recalled from green-red thermometer diagrams and least from the IUCN red-list diagram. Map routes were clearest when presented as coloured solid lines. This study indicates the potential benefit of eye-tracking research for measuring sign use and assisting in sign design.

Aortic stenosis continues to be still the most frequently valvular pathology in the elderly population of the Western countries. According to the latest guidelines, the therapeutic choice of aortic stenosis depends on the age of the patient (&lt;75 years or &gt;75 years) and the risk class (STS-Prom/ Euroscore II &lt; o &gt; 4%). Therefore, if the surgical indication is clear in young and low risk patients and percutaneous treatment is the gold standard in older and high-risk patients, the therapeutic choice is still debated in intermediate-risk patients. In this group of patients the aortic valve stenosis treatment depends on the patient's global evaluation, on the experience of the center and no less important on the patient's will. Two main therapeutic options are debated: surgical aortic valve replacement with sutureless prosthesis versus transcatheter aortic valve implantation. In addition, the progressive development of mininvasive techniques for aortic valve surgery (right -anterior minitoracotomy) has also reduced the peri and post -operative risk in this group of patients. The goal of our review is to analyze the literature evidence of the best therapeutic choice in intermediate risk patients with severe aortic stenosis.

In this study, we use descriptive statistics and data visualization techniques to analyze datasets and identify patterns and relationships between bikeshare and other transportation modes. We also use regression analysis to quantify the impact of various factors on bikeshare usage. Our results indicate that bikeshare trips during the pandemic were much longer compared to pre-pandemic times. Moreover, usage of bikeshare differed by user group, with casual users showing a greater increase in usage compared to subscribers. We plotted bivariate choropleth maps to visualize the spatial distribution of changes in bikeshare usage. Our findings suggest that an increase in bikeshare travel was associated with a reduction in travel by ride-hailing and public transit, especially in the northern part of the city, indicating a potential replacement of other modes of transportation. On the western and southern boundary of the city, bikeshare had a complementary effect with other modes. Overall, the data acquired for this study provides a valuable opportunity to understand the behavior of bikeshare users in Chicago, the intercorrelation of bikeshare with other transportation modes, and the impact of infrastructure on bikeshare usage. The findings of this study can inform the design and implementation of bikeshare systems in other cities and contribute to the development of a more sustainable transportation system.

In the past two decades, several floods have affected people and their properties in Burkina Faso, with the unprecedented flooding occurring in Ouagadougou in September 2009. So far, most studies have focused on Ouagadougou and surrounding localities and have paid little attention to other flood-prone regions in Burkina Faso. Specifically, there is a data and knowledge gap about the flood risk in the Haut-Bassins region, which in turn hampers the development of mitigation strategies and risk reduction measures in communities. This study demonstrates how data collected at the household level can be used to understand flood risk and its components at the village level in this data-scarce region. Using an indicator-based method, we analyze both flood risk and flood risk perception at the village level. Moreover, we determine the factors influencing flood risk perception at the household level using an ordered logit model. We find that 12 out of the 14 villages considered, experience high levels of flood risk. The management of runoff from the nearest urban areas and poorly designed civil engineering infrastructures, such as roads, were highlighted by the households as significant factors that increase their vulnerability. Hence, dependencies in space and between urban and rural areas may play a substantial role in modifying risk. The perceived flood risk consistently exceeds the estimated flood risk, with an insignificant positive correlation between both risk indices. Regression results indicate that flood risk perception is mainly influenced by informational and behavioral factors of the households. The findings of this study can provide valuable information to municipal and regional authorities involved in disaster risk management in the study area. Moreover, the method is transferable to other data-scarce regions

: Suicide is a serious public health problem, with a global mortality rate of 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, and the leading cause of unnatural death in Spain. The use of clinical simulation has proven to be a beneficial tool in the training of nursing students. Such experiences allow them to develop cognitive and affective skills that are fundamental for the detection of warning signs and use of interventions in cases of people who want to take their own lives. Working in a mental health environment can be difficult for nursing students; therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of nursing students on the approach, management and intervention of suicidal crisis through clinical mental health simulation. Methods: qualitative descriptive phenomenological study through focus groups and reflective narratives in a sample of 45 students. A thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS-ti. Results: After the analysis, three themes were obtained: (a) management and handling of emotions (b) identification of suicide motives (c) intervention in suicidal crisis. Discussion: Clinical simulation in mental health allows students to exercise clinical judgment reasoning, detect warning signs for a better treatment approach, and provide tools for effective intervention and management of patient care. The results of this study indicate that nursing students face challenges in approaching mental health clinical simulation due to lack of prior exposure.

In this paper we propose a novel self-supervised approach of keywords and keyphrases retrieval and extraction by an end-to-end deep learning approach, which is trained by contextually self-labelled corpus. Our proposed approach is novel to use contextual and semantic features to extract the keywords and has outperformed the state of the art. Through the experiment the proposed approach has been proved to be better in both semantic meaning and quality than the existing popular algorithms of keyword extraction. In addition, we propose to use contextual features from bidirectional transformers to automatically label short-sentence corpus with keywords and keyphrases to build the ground truth. This process avoids the human time to label the keywords and do not need any prior knowledge. To the best of our knowledge, our published dataset in this paper is a fine domain-independent corpus of short sentences with labelled keywords and keyphrases in the NLP community.

The concept of economic self-reliance, widely known by Thai people as the philosophy of sufficiency economy, has been widely promoted in rural Thai societies. By practicing this philosophy, it is expected that the citizens’ quality of life and local environments could be sustainably improved. This study aims to explore the contribution of the community practices of the sufficiency economy philosophy to rural villagers’ quality of life improvement, and to investigate potential factors that determine the trust of villagers in the philosophy. With the purpose to propose strategies which could enhance trust and promote villagers’ practices of the philosophy, the study investigated influences of three relevant factors on trust towards the philosophy. Those factors included factors related to cognitive-based trust, factors related to emotional-based trust, and factors related to demographic characteristics. Questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with community leaders and local villagers were conducted in the Ban Jamrung community, in Thailand’s Rayong province. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the residents who applied the sufficiency economy philosophy in their daily lives experienced a relatively better quality of life. Additionally, it was found that trust in the philosophy could be predicted more by rational factors than by emotional factors. These findings could be utilized to develop strategies to maintain and enhance the trust of the people in the philosophy of sufficiency economy.

This study aims to unravel the paradox of perceptions and knowledge of the flood victims towards the causes of the disaster in both internal and external context. Internal context comprises of a comparison of perceptions and knowledge based on individual characteristics (age, gender, education and income). Whereas, the external context includes the factors of the awareness of the victims towards the amount of rainfall, the impact of land use changes as well as the negligence of the responsible parties. The main objective of this study is to determine the differences of perception and knowledge of December 2014 flood victims in Kelantan towards the factors that lead to the flood. This disaster had resulted in huge amount of money loss as well as traumatize the victims in which can be felt to this day. Since that incident, there were various points of view and different perceptions in finding the cause of the disaster occurred. Besides that, the study found that the level of perception and knowledge as to the cause of the disaster is different in the internal context (individual characteristics). This difference has a significant influence on the awareness of the causes of the floods that occurred in the external context. Significant relationships at the level of p <0.05 has existed between perception and knowledge of the causes of the disaster victims affected by environmental changes in the last 10 years. This indicates that although the victim is aware of the physical environment changes happening around them, but all that is seen as not a major contributing factor to the cause of the floods in Kelantan in 2014.

COVID-19 is the most severe health crisis of the 21st century. COVID-19 presents a threat to almost all countries world-wide. The restriction of human mobility is one of the strategies used to control the transmission of COVID-19. However, it has yet to be determined how effective this restriction is in controlling the rise in COVID-19 cases, particularly in major capital cities such as Jakarta, Indonesia. Using Facebook's mobility data, our study explores the impact of restricting human mobility on COVID-19 case control in Jakarta. Our main contribution is showing how the restriction of human mobility data can give important information about how COVID-19 spreads in different places. We proposed modifying a global regression model into a local regression model by accounting for the spatial and temporal interdependence of COVID-19 transmission across space and time. We applied Bayesian hierarchical Poisson spatiotemporal models with spatially varying regression coefficients. We estimated the regression parameters using an Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation. We found that the local regression model with spatially varying regression coefficients outperforms the global regression model based on DIC, WAIC, MPL, and R2 criteria for model selection. In Jakarta's 44 districts, the impact of human mobility varies significantly. The impacts of human mobility on the log relative risk of COVID-19 range from –4.445 to 2.353. The prevention strategy involving the restriction of human mobility may be beneficial in some districts but ineffective in others. Therefore, a cost-effective strategy had to be adopted.

The social- and self-directed behaviours of two golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) was investigated while having residence in the tropical house of Aalborg Zoo, Denmark. The behaviour of the female had been distinct from the male since 2018. Despite several diagnostic examinations and medicinal treatments, the cause of the aberrant and apparently stereotypical behavioural patterns remained undetermined, which initiated this study. The pair were recorded throughout a predetermined observation period and these recordings were analysed to illuminate the behaviours of the individuals. The results showed that there were differences in the type, frequency, and durations of both social- and self-directed behaviours between the sick female and the healthy male. The female expressed both social- and self-directed behaviours more frequently and for longer durations, while the male were more socially reserved and did not engage in social behaviours as frequently. Furthermore, subsequent necropsy of the female revealed uro-genital disease.

This study addresses the critical challenge of Speech Enhancement (SE) in noisy environments, where the deployment of Deep Neural Networksolutions on microcontrollers is hindered by their extensive computational demands. Focusing on this gap, our research introduces a novel SE method optimized for MCUs, employing a 2-layer GRU model that capitalizes on perceptual speech properties and innovative training methodologies. By incorporating self-reference signals and a dual strategy of compression and recovery based on the Mel scale, we develop an efficient model tailored for low-latency applications. Our GRU-2L-128 model demonstrates a significant reduction in size and computational requirements, achieving a 14.2× decrease in model size and a 409.1× reduction in operations compared to traditional DNN methods like DCCRN, without compromising performance. This advancement offers a promising solution for enhancing speech intelligibility in resource-constrained devices, marking a pivotal step in SE research and application.

This study examined local communities' perceptions of mangroves in coastal southeastern Cuba. A variety of methods were employed, including mixed and structured questionnaire surveys, interviews with key informants, and document reviews. Data were gathered from 334 respondents living in communities adjacent to four mangrove social-ecological systems (SESs). The analysis focused on five variables: community use of mangrove resources, ecosystem services, threats to the ecosystem, management activities, and social-ecological relationships. To qualitatively assess the influence of social-ecological relationships and governance, a matrix was created based on anthropogenic activities identified by respondents and their perceptions of ecosystem services. The results indicated that while local people recognize the uses and ecosystem services of mangroves, they do not rely on them for their livelihoods. They also showed moderate to full awareness of management responsibilities and activities at each site. The most commonly identified threats were climate change, drought, and deforestation. Three types of social-ecological relationships were identified based on the characteristics of the communities, their economic activities, and their impacts on the mangroves: urban-industrial, rural-agricultural, and rural-agricultural/tourism. Finally, the research proposed a set of five recommendations and eight associated indicators to ensure that mangrove management framework become more inclusive and participatory, thereby contributing to the articulation of mangrove SES governance in the southeastern region of Cuba.

Psoriasis is a lifelong, systemic, immune mediated inflammatory skin condition, affecting 1-3% of the world’s population, with an impact on quality of life similar to diseases like cancer or diabetes. Genetics are the single largest risk factor in psoriasis, with GWAS studies showing that many psoriasis risk genes lie along the IL23/Th17 axis. Potential psoriasis risk genes determined through GWAS can be annotated and characterised using functional genomics, allowing the identification of novel drug targets and the repurposing of existing drugs. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is complex and focusing on the IL23/Th17 axis can provide insight into key cell types, cytokines and intracellular signaling pathways involved. Examination of currently available biological treatments, time to relapse post drug withdrawal and rates of drug primary/secondary drug failure show the need for greater understanding of the underlying genetic mechanisms of psoriasis and how they can impact treatment. This could allow for patient stratification towards the treatment most likely reduce dis-ease burden for the longest period possible.

Leucokinins (LKs) constitute a neuropeptide family first discovered in a cockroach and later identified in numerous insects and several other invertebrates. The LK receptors are only distantly related to other known receptors. Among insects, there are many examples of species where genes encoding LKs and their receptors are absent. Furthermore, genomics has revealed that LK signaling is lacking in several of the invertebrate phyla and in vertebrates. In insects, the number and complexity of LK expressing neurons vary, from the simple pattern in the larva of Drosophila where the entire CNS has 20 neurons of three main types, to cockroaches with about 250 of many different types. Common to all studied insects is the presence or 1-3 pairs of LK-expressing neurosecretory cells in each abdominal neuromere of the ventral nerve cord, that, at least in some insects, regulate secretion in Malpighian tubules. This review summarizes the diverse functional roles of LK signaling in insects, as well as other arthropods and mollusks. These functions include regulation of ion and water homeostasis, feeding, sleep-metabolism interactions, state-dependent memory formation, as well as modulation of gustatory sensitivity and nociception. Other functions are implied by the neuronal distribution of LK, but remain to be investigated.

Urban spatial perception critically influences human behavior and emotional reactions, emphasizing the necessity of aligning urban spaces with human needs for enhanced urban living. However, functionality-based categorization of urban architecture is prone to biases, stemming from disparities between objective mapping and subjective perception. These biases can result in urban planning and designs that fail to cater adequately to the needs and preferences of city residents, negatively impacting their quality of life and the city's overall functionality. In this study, we apply machine learning to elucidate these biases within urban spatial perception research, utilizing a three-step methodology: objective mapping, subjective perception analysis, and perception deviation assessment. Our findings reveal that machine learning can expose hidden patterns within this research field, bearing substantial implications for urban planning and design. Of particular note, the study revealed significant discrepancies in the distribution centroids between commercial buildings and residential or public buildings. This result illuminates the spatial organization characteristics of urban architectural functions, serving as a valuable reference for urban planning and development. Moreover, it uncovers the advantages and disadvantages of different data sources and techniques in interpreting urban spatial perception, paving the way for a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. These findings underscore the importance of integrating both objective mapping and subjective perspectives in urban architectural functionality classification.

Since ancient times, various scientists and doctors have utilized different herbs to heal diseases. Due to the rise in drug resistance and the negative effects of chemosynthetic drugs, researchers and the general public around the world have become more interested in medicinal herbs and plant metabolites/extracts. This is due to its non-toxicity and several health benefits when used to treat diseases in clinical and medical settings. Ocimum basilicum is one such plant, possessing a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals including alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, reducing sugars, cardiac glycosides, steroids and glycosides, as well as complex pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, wound healing and antiviral properties. The results of many studies on Ocimum basilicum plant extracts are collected and presented in this review. The plant extracts have an excellent potential to be used as medicinal raw materials and exhibit an extensive variety of therapeutic capacities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

Abstract: Background: Surgery on varicose veins (crossectomy and stripping) leads to recurrence and has clinical and socio-economic repercussions. Their etiopathogenesis has yet to fully under-stood. Objective: Study the expression of endoglin and other molecules involved in the neovascu-larisation process in patients suffering from this disease. Methods: 43 patients that have undergone surgery for varicose veins (24 primary and 19 recurrent). They were identified on the venous wall (proximal -saphenofemoral junction- and distal), via real-time RT-PCR, and in serum, via ELISA: Endoglin (Eng), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF-A), its receptors 1 and 2 (VEGFR1 or FLT1), (VEGFR2 or FLK), and the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF-1A). All the patients signed a con-sent form. Results: The recurrent group recorded a higher expression of Eng, VEGF-A, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 at the level of proximal venous wall compared to the primary group. HIF-1A did not record any differences. As regards the determination of the distal venous wall, no markers recorded differ-ences between the groups. Among the serum determinations, only sFLT1 recorded a significant drop among the patients with recurrent varicose veins. Conclusions: Patients with recurrent vari-cose veins record a higher expression of endoglin and other markers of angiogenesis in proximal veins. Endoglin in the blood (sEng) has not proven to be of any use in recurrent varicose veins.

A large number of physicists now admit that quantum mechanics is a non-local theory. EPR argument and the many experiences (including recent “loop-hole free” tests) showing the violation of Bell’s inequalities seem to have confirmed convincingly that quantum mechanics cannot be local. Nevertheless, this conclusion can only be drawn inside a standard realist framework assuming an ontic interpretation of the wave function and viewing the collapse of the wave function as a real change of the physical state of the system. We show that this standpoint is not mandatory and that if the collapse is no more considered as an actual physical change, it is possible to recover locality.

We discuss further details on the concepts of “drug-likeness”, “lead-likeness”, and “natural product-likeness”. The discussion will first focus on natural products as drugs, then a discussion of previous studies in which the complexities of the scaffolds and chemical space of naturally occurring compounds have been compared with synthetic, semi-synthetic compounds and FDA-approved drugs. This is followed by guiding principles for designing “drug-like” natural product libraries for lead compound discovery purposes. We end up by presenting a tool for measuring “natural product-likeness” of compounds and a brief presentation of machine learning approaches and a binary quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) for classifying drugs from non-drugs and natural compounds from non-natural ones, respectively.

The basis for computation in the brain is the quantum threshold of the ‘soliton’ accompanying the ion changes of the action potential and the refractory membrane at convergences. We provide a logical explanation from the action potential to a neuronal model of the coding and computation of the retina and have explained how the visual cortex operates by quantum phase processing. In the small world network parallel frequencies collide into definable patterns of distinct objects. Elsewhere we have shown how many sensory cells are mean sampled to a single neuron and that convergences of neurons are common. We have also demonstrated, using the threshold and refractory period of a quantum phase pulse, that action potentials diffract across a neural network due to the annulment of parallel collisions in phase ternary computation (PTC). Thus, PTC applied to neuron convergences results in collective mean sampled frequency and is the only mathematical solution within the constraints of brain neural networks (BNN). In the retina and other sensory areas, we discuss how this information is coded and then understood in terms of network abstracts within the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and visual cortex. First by defined neural patterning within a neural network, and then in terms of contextual networks, we demonstrate that the output of frequencies from the visual cortex contain information amounting to abstract representations of objects in increasing detail. We show that nerve tracts from the LGN provide time synchronisation to the neocortex (defined as the location of the combination of connections of the visual cortex, motor cortex, auditory cortex, etc). The full image is therefore combined in the neocortex with other sensory modalities so that it receives information about the object from the eye, and all abstracts that make up the object. Spatial patterns in the visual cortex are formed from individual patterns illuminating the retina and memory is encoded by reverberatory loops of computational actions potentials (CAPs). We demonstrate that a similar process of PTC may take place in the cochlea and associated ganglia, as well as ascending information from the spinal cord, and that this function should be considered universal where convergences of neurons occur.

The Action Control Theory (ACT) is an enactive theory of perception and mental imagery with six components: Schemata, Objects, Actions, Affect, Goals and Others’ Behavior. The evidence support-ing these six connected processes is reviewed in light of research on mental imagery vividness. The six processes and their interconnections receive empirical support from a wide range of studies. All six domains of perception and mental imagery are influenced by individual differences in vividness. Real-world applications of ACT show interesting potential to improve human well-being in both healthy people and patients. Mental imagery can be applied in creative ways to make new collective goals and actions for change that are necessary to maximize the future prospects of the planet.

This paper propose an original approach of achieving a Cymatics based visual perception of isolated speech commands. The idea is to smartly combine the effective speech processing and analysis methods with the phenomena of Cymatics. In this context, an effective approach for automatic isolated speech based message recognition is proposed. The incoming speech segment is enhanced by applying the appropriate pre-emphasis filtering, noise thresholding and zero alignment operations. The Mel-Frequency Cepstral coefficients (MFCCs), Delta coefficients and Delta-Delta coefficients are extracted from the enhanced speech segment. Later on, the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) technique is employed to compare these extracted features with the reference templates. The comparison outcomes are used to make the classification decision. The classification decision is transformed into a methodical excitation. Finally, this excitation is converted into the systematic visual perceptions via the phenomenon of Cymatics. The system functionality is tested with an experimental setup and results are presented. The approach is novel and can be employed in various applications like visual art, encryption, education, archeology, architecture, integration of impaired people, etc.

The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological links of HIV, HCV and HIV-HCV coinfections to less studied types of transmission in certain populations. We performed an observational, prospective study on 903 patients aged between 15-87 years who took part in the Open Test Project. They were divided into two subgroups: general population and individuals from prisons, and questioned about multiple risk factors. Chi-Square Independence Test was used to establish correlations between the risk factors and the results of the screening tests. Logistic regression was used to calculate the probability of a reactive screening test based on each independent risk factor and age. HIV was very strongly associated with unprotected sexual intercourse with HIV-positive partners (the strongest association), unprotected sexual intercourse with sex workers, newly diagnosed sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), intravenous drug use (IDUs) and sharing injecting materials. In the case of HCV reactive tests, very strong associations have been established with injecting drug use (the strongest association), unprotected sexual intercourse with IDUs and sharing injecting materials. Our study indicates the need for implementing targeted public health programs, tailored to the local epidemiology that can ultimately lead to micro-elimination of hepatitis and HIV infections in this area.