Comprehending the replication kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 variants helps explain why certain var-iants spread more easily and are more contagious, and pose significant health menaces to the global populations. The replication kinetics of Malaysian isolates of the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants were studied in the Vero E6 cell line. Their replication kinetics were deter-mined using the plaque assay, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and viral growth curve. The Beta variant exhibited the highest replication rate at 24 hours post-infection (h.p.i), as evi-denced by the highest viral titers and lowest viral RNA multiplication threshold. The plaque phenotypes also varied among the variants, in which the Beta and Omicron variants formed the largest and smallest plaques, respectively. All studied variants showed strong cytopathic effects after 48 h.p.i. The whole-genome sequencing highlighted cell-culture adaptation, where the Beta, Delta and Omicron variants acquired mutations at the multibasic cleavage site after three cycles of passaging. The findings suggest a strong link between the replication rates and their respec-tive transmissibility and pathogenicity. This is essential in predicting the impacts of the upcom-ing variants on the local and global populations and is useful in designing preventive measures to curb the virus outbreaks.

Building defects are very prevalent and contribute significantly to a building's economic value. There are numerous information sources on building defects that have a lot potential for learning more about building defects. This study aimed to identify the information sources used in previous building defect studies and to identify the motivation for carrying out such studies. To fulfil this aim a scoping study was carried out. The information sources identified included insurance companies, private databases, questionnaire surveys, lawsuits, building surveys, client complaint forms, and maintenance reports. This study found that insurance company and client complaint forms include the largest collection of real building defect cases, but such databases may lack detailed descriptions of the causes of the defects. The main purposes of building defects studies identified here included design challenges, identification of defects, building maintenance management, quality management, systematization in data collection, providing an overview of typical defects, and classifying defects. Identification was found to be the most common purpose, indicating that the industry wants to learn more. This study identified research gaps in the climate perspective in relation to building defects. Most of the studies focused on the economical perspective, and none focused on the carbon footprint perspective.

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

Background: Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) have been identified as the main pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble Aβ oligomers, rather than monomer or insoluble amyloid fibrils, show membrane-binding capacity to red blood cells (RBCs) and trigger several morphological and functional alterations in RBCs that can result in impaired oxygen transport and delivery. Since bioactive lipids have been recently proposed as potent protective agents against Aβ toxicity, we investigated the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in signaling pathways involved in the mechanism underlying ATP release in Aβ-treated RBCs. Methods: In RBCs following different treatments, ATP, 2,3 DPG, cAMP levels, and caspase 3 activity were determined by spectrophotometric and immunoassay. Results: S1P rescued the inhibition of ATP release from RBCs triggered by Aβ through a mechanism involving caspase-3 and restoring 2,3 DPG and cAMP levels within the cell. Conclusions: These findings reveal the molecular basis of S1P protection against Aβ in RBCs and suggest new therapeutic avenues in AD.

In the present study. At first, some properties of r-fuzzy soft β-closed sets are introduced on fuzzy soft topological spaces based on the paper Aygunoglu et al. (Hacet. J. Math. Stat. 2014, 43, 193-208). Also, we define the closure and interior operators with respect to the classes of r-fuzzy soft β-closed and r-fuzzy soft β-open sets, and investigate some of their properties. In addition, the concept of r-fuzzy soft β-connected sets is introduced and characterized with help of fuzzy soft β-closure operators. Thereafter, some properties of a fuzzy soft β-continuity are studied. Furthermore, we introduce and study the concepts of fuzzy soft almost (weakly) β-continuous functions, which are weaker forms of a fuzzy soft β-continuity. Also, the relationships between these classes of functions are specified with the help of some illustrative examples. Finally, we explore new types of fuzzy soft functions called, fuzzy soft β-irresolute (strongly β-irresolute, β-irresolute open, β-irresolute closed and β-irresolute homeomorphism) functions, and discuss some properties of them. Also, we show that fuzzy soft strongly β-irresolute → fuzzy soft β-irresolute → fuzzy soft β-continuity, but the converse may not be true.

Hypertension is a global public health challenge, with a high prevalence across various regions and significant implications for cardiovascular risk. This article reviews the effectiveness of herbal medicine as a potential therapeutic approach for hypertension, offering an alternative or complementary solution to conventional pharmacological treatments. It highlights several natural agents that have demonstrated efficacy in lowering systolic blood pressure (SBP) in clinical and meta-analytical studies. The methodology involved a systematic review of articles that discuss herbal therapeutics for hypertension, focusing on their efficacy compared to placebo and standard treatments. The findings suggest that certain nutraceuticals, such as garlic, hawthorn, and CoQ10, can significantly reduce SBP, presenting a viable option for managing hypertension. This review underscores the need for further research to validate these findings and optimize herbal treatment strategies, potentially expanding the use of these natural products in clinical practice. The article aims to increase awareness among medical professionals and patients about the benefits and applications of herbal medicines in treating hypertension.

Reducing and time-shifting household energy demand is important for a sustainable transition of energy systems, and dynamic electricity pricing, like real-time pricing (RTP), is a popular instrument to incite households to change energy demand. However, the effect of such products relies on the assumption that dynamic price signals incorporate into everyday routines and rhythms. This paper investigates the flexibility of households’ everyday routines and rhythms. The study provides three insights based on 11 Danish household visits and interviews with electricity customers who are new to RTP. First, the interviews indicated confusion over terminology for dynamic pricing products and low interest in flexible energy demand. Second, everyday practices (already) appeared flexible but for other reasons than energy demand flexibility. Third, energy habits were important for providing meaning to everyday practices. In addition, the study shows that energy flexibility is not just about energy demand, but rather about all the other activities that form routines and rhythms in everyday life. We suggest 1) designing products that reflect ‘natural’ or ‘societal’ daily rhythms, 2) focusing on the engaged households, and 3) being aware that for some households, changes in pricing, including new payment schemes, might put extra pressure on already harried everyday routines.

Context. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patient care was mainly organised around the hospital. Pre-hospital care has, to our knowledge, never been evaluated. Objective: To evaluate the impact of pre-hospital pathways on hospitalisation during the last part of the pandemic. Design. This was a monocentric retrospective analysis of prospectively collected medical records. Data from patients admitted to our institute between 1 February and 7 March 2022 were analysed. Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary outcomes were defined as the number of hospitalisations, resuscitations, and deaths at the time of interview and in the subsequent 30 days. The main explanatory variables were times from onset of symptoms to care, age, gender, News2 score, comorbidities, and pre-hospital pathways and their duration. Results: Three pre-hospital pathways have been identified: a pathway in which the patient consults a general practitioner for a test (PHP1); a pathway in which the patient consulted for care (PHP2); and no pre-hospital pathway and direct admission to hospital (PHP3). Factors independently associated with outcome (hospitalisation) were being male (OR 95% CI; 2.21 [1.01–4.84], p=0,04), News2 score (OR 95% CI; 2.04 [1.65–2.51], p<0.001), obesity (OR 95% CI; 3.45 [1.48–8.09], p=0.005), D-dimers > 0.5 µg/ml (OR 95% CI; 3.45 [1.47–8.12], p=0.005), prolonged time from symptoms to hospital care (PHP duration) (OR 95% CI; 1.07 [1.01–1.14], p=0.03). All things being equal, patients with a “PHP2” pre-hospital pathway had a higher probability of hospitalisation compared to those with a “PHP3” pre-hospital pathway (OR 95% CI; 4.31 [1.48–12.55], p=0.007). Conclusions. Along with recognised risk factors such as gender, News 2 score, and obesity, the patient’s pre-hospital pathway is an important risk factor associated with hospitalisation.

High hepcidin is linked to low-grade inflammation and lower iron levels. The consequence of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on inflammation and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is undetermined. We investigate the effect of TRT on the inflammatory cardiovascular risk markers hepcidin-iron, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)-phosphate-klotho, and calprotectin pathways. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study at an academic tertiary-care medical center. Interventions were testosterone gel (TRT, n=20) or placebo gel (n=19) for 24 weeks. We included 39 men (50─70 years) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on metformin monotherapy with bioavailable testosterone levels <7.3 nmol/L. Body composition was assessed by DXA- and MRI-scans; main study outcomes were serum hepcidin-iron, FGF23, phosphate, klotho, and calprotectin. Results: Hepcidin levels decreased during TRT (β=-9.5 ng/mL, P<0.001), lean body mass (β=1.9 kg, P=0.001) increased, and total fat mass (β=-1.3 kg, P=0.009) decreased compared to placebo. Delta hepcidin was not associated with changes in lean body mass or fat mass. Iron and the pathways of FGF23-phosphate-klotho and calprotectin were unchanged during TRT. Conclusions: During TRT, the reduction in hepcidin was not associated with circulating iron levels, lean body mass, or fat mass; these findings suggested a direct anti-inflammatory effect of TRT and no indirect effect mediated through these factors.

The state of the grinding wheel in the grinding process directly affects the surface quality of the workpiece. The monitoring of the wear state of the grinding wheel can effectively identify the wear information of the grinding wheel and timely and effectively repair the grinding wheel. In this paper, a multi-sensor fusion precision grinding wheel wear intelligent monitoring system is established for typical difficult-to-machine aerospace material titanium alloy, and a multi-eigenvalue fusion algorithm based on improved support vector machine (SVM) is proposed. The extracted sound emission signal wavelet packet decomposition coefficient mean square value, force signal grinding force ratio, and vibration signal effective value are used as the input of the improved support vector machine, and the identification strategy is adjusted by the entropy weight evaluation method. The results show that the monitoring system established in this paper can effectively identify the wear state of the grinding wheel, and the monitoring accuracy can reach more than 92%.

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

Objective: We reviewed the available literature on patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) with either transthoracic clamping (TTC) or endoaortic balloon occlusion (EABO). Methods: Original research studies that evaluated the perioperative outcomes of TTC versus EABO group were identified, from 2000 to 2024. The incidence of all-cause mortality, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), and aortic dissections were the primary endpoints. The cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), cross-clamp, and ventilation time, along with the incidence of conversion to sternotomy, re-exploration, new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), ICU stay, and LOS were the secondary endpoints. Subgroup analyses were performed regarding EABO cannulation approach (femoral and aortic) and MIMVS approach (video-assisted and robotic-assisted). Sensitivity analyses were performed including risk-adjusted populations and with the leave-one-out method. Results: Sixteen studies were included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. After pooling data from 6,335 patients, both groups demonstrated similar outcomes on all primary and secondary endpoints in the non-adjusted and adjusted total cohort analyses. These outcomes were further validated by the leave-one-out sensitivity analysis. In addition, the aortic cannulation EABO was associated with lower cross-clamp time, followed by TTC and femoral cannulation EABO approach. Furthermore, in the video-assisted subgroup analysis, the EABO approach was associated with a higher incidence of CVA, conversion to sternotomy, and longer ICU stay compared to the TTC group. Conclusions: The present meta-analysis indicates that both aortic occlusion techniques are safe and feasible in the context of MIMVS. A future well-designed Randomized-Control Trial should further validate the current outcomes.

The systematic sampling is used as a method to get the quantitative results from the tissues and the radiological images. Systematic sampling on real line (R) is a very attractive method within which the biomedical imaging is consulted by the practitioners. For the systematic sampling on R, the measurement function (MF) is occurred by slicing the three-dimensional object equidistant systematically. The currently used covariogram model in variance approximation proposed by [28,29] is tested for the different measurement functions in a class to see the performance on the variance estimation of systematically sampled R. This study is an extension of [17], and an exact calculation method is proposed to calculate the constant λ(q,N) of confidence interval in the systematic sampling. The exact value of constant λ(q,N) is examined for the different measurement functions as well. As a result, it is observed from the simulation that the proposed MF should be used to check the performances of the variance approximation and the constant λ(q,N). Synthetic data can support the results of real data.

Enhancing spectral efficiency, especially in Non-line-of-Sight environments, is emerging as a pivotal necessity when dealing with the evolving landscape of 5G networks and beyond, sur-passing the capabilities of previous 4G systems to achieve a high information rate combined with minimal interference. Contrary to depending on the traditional Orthogonal Multiple Access (OMA) systems to tackle the issues caused by Non-line-of-Sight (NLoS) environments, advanced wireless networks are focusing on adopting innovative models such as Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), MIMO, IRS technology, etc. In this paper, we present technologies that can be integrated with NOMA to enhance communication reliability in environments that suffer from issues such as limited coverage and lower spectral efficiency mainly caused by huge obstacles. Our exploration includes the fundamental concepts of Cooperative NOMA (C-NOMA), Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Intelligent Reflective Surfaces (IRS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and Energy Harvesting (HV), which adds a layer of sophistication, promising not only improved connectivity but also contributing to a more reliable and environmentally friendly data trans-mission landscape.

Keywords: Linear differential arrays; beam steering; frequency-invariant beamforming.

Spontaneous tumours in higher plants can develop depending on plant genotype without any pathogen invasion. Spontaneous tumour formation on the taproots is consistently observed in certain inbred lines of radish (Raphanus sativus var. radicula Pers.). In this work, we have sequenced the genomes of two closely related radish inbred lines that differ in their ability to spontaneously form tumours. We have identified numerous single nucleotide variants (amino acid substitutions, insertions or deletions) that are likely to be associated with the spontaneous tumour formation. Furthermore, we performed the identification of CLE and WOX genes the genomic sequences of the radish inbred lines and, as a result, identified two unique radish CLE genes which probably encode proteins with multiple CLE domains. The results obtained provide a basis for investigating the mechanisms of plant tumour formation and also for future genetic and genomic studies of radish.

In this paper, we report a comprehensive and consistent annotation of the locus encoding the horse T cell receptor b-chain (TRB), as inferred from the most recent genome assembly. The horse TRB locus spans approximately 1 Mb, making it the largest locus among the mammalian species stud-ied to date, with a significantly higher number of genes related to extensive duplicative events. In the region, 136 TRBV, belonging to 29 subgroups, 2 TRBD, 13 TRBJ and 2 TRBC genes, were iden-tified. The general genomic organization resembles that of other mammals, with a V-cluster of 135 TRBV genes, located upstream of two in-tandem aligned TRBD-J-C clusters, and an inverted TRBV gene at the 3’ end of the last TRBC gene. However, the horse b-chain repertoire would be affected by a high number of non-functional TRBV genes. Thus, we queried a transcriptomic da-taset derived from splenic tissue of a healthy adult horse, using each TRBJ gene as a probe to ana-lyse clonotypes encompassing the V(D)J junction. This analysis provided insights into the usage of the TRBV, TRBD and TRBJ genes and the variability of the juxtaposition region. Our results clearly demonstrated that the horse β-chain constitutes a complex level of variability broadly like that described in other mammalian species.

Directed energy deposition (DED) parameters were determined for near-β alloy Ti-55511 by employing statistical design of experiments (DOE) methods. Parameters resulting in fully dense freeform deposits were identified using two sequential DOEs. Single laser tracks were printed with several laser power, traverse rate, and powder feed rate settings in an initial DOE to identify promising build parameters. Capture efficiency and effective deposition rate were used to characterize and rank the single track deposits. The best parameters were then used to print solid cube with various X-Y and Z-overlaps (different hatch spacing, HS, and layer thickness, ZS) in a second DOE. Suitable deposition parameters were selected based on cube density and microstructure and were used to fabricate larger tensile samples for mechanical testing. Multiple parameter sets were found to provide dense Ti-55511 deposits with acceptable mechanical properties and parametric models showed statistical significance.

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

This article presents a buck converter in which the inductor has been replaced by a transmission line. This approach would be practically conceivable if the power supply and load have a greater spatial distance. In the time domain, this new converter can be described by a system of coupled partial and ordinary differential equations. In the frequency domain, a transcendental transfer function is obtained. For comparison with an equivalently parameterized conventional converter, Padé approximants are derived. A linear controller is designed for the converter topology under consideration.

Artificial neural networks are highly efficient tools for numerous kinds of tasks, which include forecasting, regression, and recognizing patterns in classification and pattern recognition. An artificial neural network is a model for processing information using essential components called artificial neurons that are inspired by the human brain. Two significant aspects of delayed neural networks dynamic activity are their stability and the synchronization phenomenon. This work presents a bidirectional associative memory (BAM) incommensurate fractional-order delay neural network model. The incommensurate fractional orders are calculated within the stability region through the corresponding eigenvalues and their points of equilibrium. The involved neuron states are synchronized with each other for the calculated incommensurate stable fractional orders. The reduction of the time delay will give more relaxation time for the state variable $w_4(t)$ to be stable as compared to the state variable $w_3(t)$ due to the induction of extra activation functions. The theoretical findings of this research have significance for providing guidance and controlling the dynamic behavior of artificial neural networks.

Elizabethkingia anophelis is an opportunistic pathogen causing lifethreatening infections in humans, particularly in immunocompromised patients, neonates and elderly. Infections caused by this species are exceptionally challenging to treat due to its multiresistance to antimicrobials. We report a case of central line-associated bloodstream infection by E. anophelis in a 2.5-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia successfully treated with a combination of piperacillin/tazobactam and amikacin. The literature was also reviewed on paediatric infections caused by E. anophelis. Accurate identification with MALDI-TOF, or using molecular techniques, is crucial because of varying susceptibilities among species. Early, accurate diagnosis and prompt effective treatment optimize outcomes.

Metal-catalyzed lipid oxidation is a major factor in food waste, as it reduces shelf life. Addressing this issue, our study investigates the potential of hydrolysates derived from potato protein, a by-product of potato starch production, as metal chelating antioxidants. Through sequential enzymatic hydrolysis using Alcalase or Trypsin combined with Flavourzyme, we produced various hydrolysates, which were then fractionated via ultrafiltration. Using a combination of peptidomics and bioinformatics, we predicted the presence of metal-chelating and free radical scavenging peptides across all hydrolysate fractions, with a trend indicating a higher content of antioxidant peptides in lower molecular weight fractions. To validate these predictions, we utilized Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and a 9-day emulsion storage experiment. While SPR demonstrated potential in identifying antioxidant activity, it faced challenges in differentiating between hydrolysate fractions due to significant standard errors. In the storage experiment, all hydrolysates showed lipid oxidation inhibition, though not as effectively as EDTA. Remarkably, one fraction (AF13) was not significantly different (p < 0.05) from EDTA in suppressing hexanal formation. These results highlight SPR and peptidomics/bioinformatics as promising yet limited methods for antioxidant screening. Importantly, this study reveals the potential of potato protein hydrolysates as antioxidants in food products, warranting further research.

The attitude dynamics and orbit dynamics of large rigid space structures are coupled with each other under gravity gradient, which may affect the stability of the large rigid space structures. In this paper, the gravity gradient stability of a large rigid space structure is studied under both small and large disturbances. Based on the rigid body dynamics and orbit dynamics, an accurate dynamic model without any linearization of the large rigid space structure is established via the natural coordinate formulation (NCF), which is able to describe the large overall motions of the structures. By using the generalized-α algorithm, the gravity gradient stability of the large rigid space structure is simulated and analyzed via various examples, including the influence of large disturbance angles, the positions at the stabilization and unstabilization regions. Finally, the relationship between spinning stability and gravity gradient stability is also investigated via a large spinning space structure.

Recent advancements in semiconductor photonic and electronic devices such as Uni-travelling-carrier photodiodes (UTC-PDs), have played a significant role in the development of Terahertz communication technology. However, a major challenge that still persists is the limited output power from a single UTC-PD required for practical transmission distances. To enhance the output power, we propose and demonstrate a novel Terahertz wave power combining technique using a photomixer device that comprises of two arrayed UTC-PDs monolithically integrated with a microstrip line-based 2 × 1 Wilkinson power combiner and a rectangular patch antenna on a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate at 300 GHz. At photocurrents of 8 mA and 10 mA from the two UTC-PDs, the device experimentally exhibited a 7.3 dB increase in power relative to the power obtained with 8 mA UTC-PD and a 4.4 dB increase in power relative to the power obtained with 10 mA UTC-PD, when both UTC-PDs were irradiated. This implies that power can be enhanced by a factor of N2 if the photocurrent is multiplied by a factor of N. This technology presents a holistic and cutting edge platform for further power multiplication by further increasing the number of arrayed UTC-PDs.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be considered as semi-rigid all-carbon polymers. However, unlike conventional polymers that can form 3D networks such as hydrogels or elastomers through crosslinking with each other in solution, the cylindrical carbon lattice of CNTs was not believed to be directly crosslinkable in solution until our recent discovery of UV-defluorination driven direct CNT crosslinking. In this study, we further reveal that the UV-defluorination-driven crosslinked CNTs are metastable and can decompose more readily than fluorinated or pristine CNTs upon exposure to Raman laser irradiation. Specifically, we investigate the stability of UV-defluorinated single-walled and multi-walled fluoro-nanotubes using Raman spectroscopy under controlled varying laser power. The results indicate that both the defluorinated single-walled and multi-walled CNTs are thermally less stable than pristine CNTs or untreated fluorinated CNTs, which can be attributed to the strains on the crosslinking bonds created from the curved carbon lattice of linked CNTs. This instability, particularly evident under high-power laser irradiation, leads to combustion processes ignited at relatively lower temperatures that cause an extended burned area centered on the laser spot, offering potential future applications as mechanically robust, lightweight materials with feasible post-use degradation options.

Background In this study we investigated in detail the role of cannabidiol (CBD), Beta-caryophyllene (BC), or their combinations in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DN). The key factors that contribute to DN include mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Methods Briefly, Streptozotocin (STZ) (55 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to induce DN in Sprague Dawley rats and performed procedures including Randall Sellito Calipers, Von Frey Aesthesiometer, hot plate, and cold plate methods to determine mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in vivo. The blood flow to the nerves was assessed by using the Laser Doppler device. Schwann cells were exposed to high glucose (HG) at a dose of 30 mM to induce hyperglycemia and DCFDA, JC1 & Mitosox staining were done to determine mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxides in-vitro. The rats were administered i.p with BC (30mg/kg), CBD (15mg/kg), or combination while Schwann cells were treated with 3.65 µM CBD, 75 µM BC, or combination to assess their role in DN amelioration. Results Our results revealed that exposure to BC and CBD diminished HG-induced hyperglycemia in Schwann cells, in part, through reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxides. Further, BC and CBD combination treatment in-vivo could prevent the deterioration of mitochondrial quality control system by promoting autophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis while improving blood flow. CBD and BC treatments also reduced pain hypersensitivity to hyperalgesia and allodynia with increased antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action in diabetic rats. These in vivo effects were attributed to significant upregulation of AMPK, SIRT3, Nrf2, PINK1, PARKIN, LC3B, Beclin1 and TFAM functions while downregulation of NLRP3 inflammasome, NFκB, COX2 and p62 activity was noted as determined by western blotting. Conclusion the present studies demonstrated that STZ & HG induced oxidative and nitrosative stress play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. We find, for the first time, that CBD and BC combination ameliorate DN via modulating the mitochondrial quality control system.

Previous control methods developed by our research team cannot satisfy the high-accuracy requirements of unmanned surface vessel (USV) path-tracking during bathymetric mapping because of the excessive overshoot and slow convergence speed. For this reason, this study developed an adaptive fuzzy integral-derivative line-of-sight (AFIDLOS) guidance law for USV path-tracking control. Integral and derivative terms were added to counteract the effect of the sideslip angle, with which the USV could be quickly guided to converge to the planned path for bathymetric mapping. To obtain a high-accuracy of the look-ahead distance, a fuzzy control method was proposed. The proposed method was verified using simulations and outdoor experiments. The results demonstrate that the AFIDLOS guidance law can reduce the overshoot by 79.85%, shorten the settling time by 55.32% in simulation experiments, and reduce the average cross-track error by 10.91%, and can ensure a 30% overlap of neighboring strips of bathymetric LiDAR outdoor mapping when compared with the traditional method.

We changed the symmetry of the Weak Force from SU(2) to the quaternion group $Q_8$, and found that spin spacetime separates into two complementary spaces: a spin polarization spacetime of even parity states, and a spin coherence space, in the $S^3$ hypersphere, of odd parity coherent states. Under the quaternion group, spin is a boson of spin 1 in free flight and a fermion of spin $\frac{1}{2}$ when measured. It immediately follows that neutrinos are not needed to balance spin and conserve energy in beta decay. Additionally, we find the boson electrons emitted in beta decay are odd to parity, leading to parity conservation even though the observed beta distribution is asymmetrical.

The main objective of this paper is to introduce a further extension of extended (p, q)-beta function by considering two Mittag-Leffler function in the kernel. We investigate various properties of this newly defined beta function such as integral representations, summation formulas and Mellin transform. We define extended beta distribution and its mean, variance and moment generating function with the help of extension of beta function. Also, we establish an extension of extended (p, q)-hypergeometric and (p, q)-confluent hypergeometric functions by using the extension of beta function. Various properties of newly defined extended hypergeometric and confluent hypergeometric functions such as integral representations, Mellin transformations, differentiation formulas, transformation and summation formulas are investigated.

For multi-sensor integrated systems, such as a mobile mapping system (MMS), data fusion at sensor-level, i.e., the 2D-3D registration between optical camera and LiDAR, is a prerequisite for higher level fusion and further applications. This paper proposes a line-based registration method for panoramic images and LiDAR point cloud collected by a MMS. We first introduce the system configuration and specification, including the coordinate systems of the MMS, the 3D LiDAR scanners, and the two panoramic camera models. We then establish the line-based transformation model for panoramic camera. Finally, the proposed registration method is evaluated for two types of camera models by visual inspection and quantitative comparison. The results demonstrate that the line-based registration method can significantly improve the alignment of the panoramic image and LiDAR datasets under either the ideal spherical or the rigorous panoramic camera model, though the latter is more reliable.

This paper proposes a definition of fractional line integral, generalising the concept of fractional definite integral. The proposal replicates the properties of the classic definite integral, namely the fundamental theorem of integral calculus. It is based on the concept of fractional anti-derivative used to generalise the Barrow formula. To define the fractional line integrals the Gr\"unwald-Letnikov and Liouville directional derivatives are introduced and their properties described. The integral is defined first for broken line paths and afterwards to any regular curve

The utilization of natural waxes to form oleogels has emerged as a new and efficient technique for structuring liquid edible oil into solid-like structures for diverse food applications. The objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between sunflower wax (SW) and monoglycerides (MGs) in olive oil oleogels and to assess their physical characteristics and storage stability. To achieve this, pure SW and a combination of SW with MGs in a 1:1 ratio were examined within a total concentration range of 6-12% w/w. The formed oleogels were characterized based on their microstructure, melting and crystallization properties, textural characteristics, and oxidative stability during storage. All the oleogels were shelf-stable, and as the concentration increased, the hardness of the oleogels also increased. The crystals of SW oleogels were long needle-like, while the combination of SW and MGs led to the formation of crystal aggregates and rosette-like crystals. The differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR showed that the addition of MGs led to different crystal structures. The oxidation results revealed that oleogels had low peroxide and TBARS values throughout the 28-day storage. These results provide useful insights about the utilization of SW and MGs oleogels for potential applications in the food industry.

Biomimetic materials are substances that replicate natural structures. There are several methods for producing such materials with highly developed surfaces from a wide range of polymers, but electrospinning is of particular interest due to its simplicity of implementation and the ability to modify the produced fibrous materials resembling structures found in living organisms. This study explores new biomimetic materials based on polyhydroxyalkanoates, specifically poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, modified with chlorophyll derivatives. The research investigates the impact of chlorophyll derivatives on the morphology, supramolecular structure, and key properties of nonwoven materials. The obtained results are of interest for the development of new biomimetic environmentally friendly materials for biomedicine with special properties.

The paper presents the possibility of using KINECT v2 module to control an industrial robot by means of gestures and voice commands. It describes elements of creating software for off-line and on-line robot control. The application for KINECT module was developed in C# language in Visual Studio environment, while the industrial robot control program was developed in RAPID language in RobotStudio environment. The development of a two-threaded application in RAPID language allowed to separate two independent tasks for the IRB120 robot. The main task of the robot is performed in thread no. 1 (responsible for movement). Simultaneously working thread no. 2 ensures continuous communication with the KINECT system and provides information about the gesture and voice commands in real time without any interference in thread no. 1. The applied solution allows the robot to work in industrial conditions without negative impact of communication task on the time of robot’s work cycles. Thanks to the development of a digital twin of the real robot station, tests of proper application functioning in off-line mode (without using a real robot) were conducted. Obtained results were verified online (on the real test station). Tests of correctness of gesture recognition were carried out, the robot recognized all programmed gestures. Another test carried out was the recognition and execution of voice commands. A difference in the time of task completion between the actual and virtual station was noticed - the average difference was 0.67 s. The last test carried out was to examine the impact of interference on the recognition of voice commands. With a 10dB difference between the command and noise, the recognition of voice commands was equal to 91.43%. The developed computer programs have a modular structure, which enables easy adaptation to process requirements.

Background: beta blockers of three generations are first-line drugs in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). However, to date there is no clear understanding of the effect of beta blockers on myocardial energy metabolism disorders in CHF. The aim of the study: to conduct a study of beta-blockers of different generations on myocardial energy metabolism in the experimental CHF. Methods: CHF was modeled in white outbred rats by administering doxorubicin. The study drugs were administered intragastrically – new drug Hypertril (1-(β-phenylethyl)-4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium bromide)-3.5 mg/kg, metoprolol - 15 mg/kg, Nebivolol -10 mg/kg, Carvedilol 50 mg/kg, Bisoprolol, 10 mg/kg. In the myocardium, the main indices of energy metabolism were determined - ATP, ADP, AMP, malate, lactate, pyruvate, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, NAD-dependent malate dehydrogenase (NAD-MDH) activity. Results: traditional second-generation beta-blockers (Metoprolol and Bisoprolol) did not affect the studied indices of energy metabolism, and third-generation beta-blockers with additional properties - Carvedilol and, especially, Nebivalol and Hypertril improved myocardial energy metabolism. Conclusions: obtained results will help to expand our understanding of the effect of beta-blockers of various generations used to treat cardiovascular diseases on energy metabolism, and are also an experimental justification for the practical choice of these drugs in the complex therapy of CHF.

This article aims to explore the existence and stability of solutions to differential equations involving a regularized ψ−Hilfer fractional derivative, which, compared to standard ψ−Hilfer fractional derivatives, provide a clear physical interpretation when dealing with initial conditions. We discovered that the regularized ψ−Hilfer fractional derivative can be represented as the inverse operation of the ψ−Riemann–Liouville fractional integral, and used this property to prove the existence of solutions for linear differential equations with a regularized ψ−Hilfer fractional derivative. Additionally, we applied the Mönch’s fixed-point theorem and knowledge of non-compactness measures to demonstrate the existence of solutions for nonlinear differential equations with a regularized ψ−Hilfer fractional derivative, and further discussed Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability and semi-Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability of these solutions. Finally, we illustrated our results through case studies.

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and perceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there is limited real-world data on their safety. We evaluated the reported side effects and factors associated with reported side effects following vaccination with whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines - BBiBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and CoronaVac (Sinovac). A quantitative survey evaluating attitudes and side effects from vaccination was administered to 1016 adults presenting at vaccination centers. Two follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to determine side effects after the first and second vaccination dose. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated; 26.0% and 14.4% reported side effects after the first and second dose respectively. The most frequent local and systemic side effects were pain at the injection site and headaches respectively. Most symptoms were mild, and no participants re-quired hospitalization. Participants who perceived COVID-19 vaccines as safe or had a personal COVID-19 experience were significantly less likely to report side effects. Our findings provide data on the safety and tolerability of whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in an African population, providing the necessary data to create effective strategies to increase vaccination and support vaccination campaigns.

We report on recent experimental results on β decay into self-conjugate (N=Z) nuclei with mass number 58≤A≤70. Super-allowed β decays from the Jπ=0+ ground state of a Z=N+2 parent nucleus are to the isobaric analogue state, through so-called Fermi transitions, and to Jπ=1+ states, by way of Gamow–Teller (GT) transitions. The operator of the latter decay is a generator of Wigner’s SU(4) algebra and as a consequence GT transitions obey selection rules associated with this symmetry. Since SU(4) is progressively broken with increasing A, mainly as a consequence of the spin–orbit interaction, this symmetry is not relevant for the nuclei considered here. We argue, however, that the pseudo-spin–orbit splitting can be small in nuclei with 58≤A≤70, in which case nuclear states exhibit an approximate pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. To test this conjecture, GT decay strength is calculated with use of a schematic Hamiltonian with pseudo-SU(4) symmetry. Some generic features of the GT β decay due to pseudo-SU(4) symmetry are pointed out. The experimentally observed GT strength indicates a restoration of pseudo-SU(4) symmetry for A=70.

Thalassemia is genetic blood disease cause by absence or decrease of one or more of the globin chain synthesis. Beta thalassemia is characterized by one or more mutations in beta globin gene. Absence or reduced amount the of beta globin chains cause ineffective erythropoiesis which leads to anemia. Beta thalassemia has been further divided into three main forms: Thalassemia minor/silent carrier, major and intermedia. More severe form is thalassemia major in which patients depend upon blood transfusion for survival and high level of iron occur as a consequence of consistent blood transfusion. Over loaded iron invokes the synthesis of reactive oxygen species that are toxic in redundancy and triggering the impairment to vascular, endocrine and hepatic system. Thalassemia can be diagnosed and detected through various laboratory tests such as blood smear, prenatal testing (genetic testing of amniotic fluid), DNA analysis (genetic testing) and complete blood count. Treatment of thalassemia intermedia is symptomatic but it can also be managed by splenectomy and folic supplementation. While thalassemia major can be treated by transplantation of bone marrow, regular transfusion of blood and iron chelation treatment, stimulation of fetal hemoglobin production, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and gene therapy.

We proposed a so-called Beta Kumaraswamy Burr Type X distribution which gives the extension of the Kumaraswamy-G class of family distribution. Some properties of this proposed model were provided, like: the expansion of densi- ties and quantile function. We considered the Bayes and maximum likelihood methods to estimate the parameters and also simulate the model parameters to validate the methods based on dierent set of true values. Some real data sets were employed to show the usefulness and exibility of the model which serves as generalization to many sub-models in the elds of engineering, medical, survival and reliability analysis.

We proposed a so-called Beta Kumaraswamy Burr Type X distribution which gives the extension of the Kumaraswamy-G class of family distribution. Some properties of this proposed model were provided, like: the expansion of densities and quantile function. We considered the Bayes and maximum likelihood methods to estimate the parameters and also simulate the model parameters to validate the methods based on different set of true values. Some real data sets were employed to show the usefulness and flexibility of the model which serves as generalization to many sub-models in the field of engineering, medical, survival and reliability analysis.

A new generalization of extended beta function and its various properties, integral representations and distribution are given in this paper. In addition, we establish the generalization of extended hypergeometric and con uent hypergeometric functions using the newly extended beta function. The properties these extended and con uent hypergeometric functions such as integral representations, Mellin transformations, dif- ferentiation formulas, transformation and summation formulas are also investigated.

In this paper we introduce the concept of Nano Beta Closure, Nano Beta Interior and study the relationship between them also study some of their properties. Based on these notions we introduced the topological Approach to Decision Making and Its Application in the Medical Field" which describes the use of topological methods in decision-making, specifically through the utilization of nano beta closure and nano beta interior. These mathematical tools are applied in the medical field to improve diagnostic accuracy and aid in treatment planning. The authors demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through a case study on the diagnosis of Chronic Kidney. The results show that the topological approach using nano beta closure and nano beta interior provides a reliable and accurate method for medical decision-making. Finally, we introduce a medical application for disease groups patients of with chronic kidney. To identify the main causative agent of kidney disease. where using this approach, the medical team can identify the specific areas of the kidney that are affected by the infection, as well as the extent of damage and any potential complications. This information is used to create an individualized treatment strategy that is customized to meet the specific requirements of the patient. and medical history. We write an algorithm that can be a helpful tool for doctors to utilize in diagnosing infection disease Chronic Kidney infections. By utilizing this approach, clinicians can provide accurate diagnoses, develop effective treatment plans, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. finally, we show that fractals hold significant importance in future nano topological generation of the human factor. Their unique properties and self-similar patterns offer insights into the complex organization of biological systems and provide a foundation for designing advanced Nanosystems.

With reference to Planck scale, Mach’s relation, increasing support for large scale cosmic anisotropy and preferred directions and by introducing two new parameters Gamma and Beta, right from the beginning of Planck scale, we make an attempt to estimate ordinary matter density ratio, dark matter density ratio, mass, radius, temperature, age and expansion velocity (from and about the baby universe in all directions). We would like suggest that, from the beginning of Planck scale, 1) Dark matter can be considered as a kind of cosmic foam responsible for formation of galaxies. 2) Cosmic angular velocity is directly proportional to squared cosmic temperature. 3) Ratio of critical temperature to actual temperature plays a heuristic role in understanding ordinary and dark matter density ratios. 4) Cosmic expansion velocity increases with decreasing total matter density ratio. 5) There is no need to consider dark energy for understanding cosmic acceleration.

The novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) is a contagious acute respiratory infectious disease whose causative agent has been demonstrated to be a novel virus of the coronavirus family, SARSCoV-2. A recent pre-print study has showed a heme attack on the 1-beta chain of hemoglobin by COVID19. Beta-thalassemia results of a default in the hemoglobin beta- chain synthesis. 1,5% global population are heterozygotes for this disease. In this study, by a multiple linear regression, we have analyzed the evolution of COVID-19 infection in three Italian regions (Puglia, Sardinia, Sicilia) with different beta-thalassemic prevalences, in order to search a link. The results have showed that betathalassemic heterozygote population prevalence is correlated to immunity against COVID-19, by a regression. This paper is only for academic discussion, the hypotheses and conclusions needs to be confirmed by further research .

The chemical stability of tetramethylammonium (TMA) head groups, both with and without the presence of a choline chloride and ethylene glycol-based deep eutectic solvent (DES), was studied using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and ab initio Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. DFT calculations of transition state energetics (ΔEreaction, ΔGreaction, ΔEactivation, and ΔGactivation) for key degradation mechanisms, ylide formation (YF) and nucleophilic substitution (SN2), suggested that the presence of DES enhances the stability of the TMA head groups compared to systems without DES. Ab initio MD simulations across hydration levels (HLs) 1 to 5 indicated that without DES, YF dominates at lower HLs, while SN2 does not occur. In contrast, both mechanisms are suppressed in the presence of DES. Temperature also plays a role: without DES, YF dominates at 298 K, while SN2 becomes prominent at 320 K and 350 K. With DES, both degradation mechanisms are inhibited. These findings suggest DES could improve the chemical stability of TMA head groups in anion exchange membranes.

Underwater natural gas pipelines constitute critical infrastructure for energy transportation. Any damage or leakage in these pipelines poses serious security risks, directly threatening marine and lake ecosystems and potentially causing operational issues and economic losses in the energy supply chain. Due to the difficulty in detecting deterioration over time and regularly inspecting these submerged pipelines by divers, the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) becomes crucial in this field. In this study, an underwater pipeline tracking experiment was carried out by providing autonomous features to a remote-controlled unmanned underwater vehicle. During the tracking of the underwater pipeline, damages were identified, and the locations of these damages were determined. The navigation information of the underwater vehicle, including orientation in the x, y, z axes (roll, pitch, yaw) from a gyroscope integrated with magnetic compass, speed and position information in the three axes from an accelerometer, and the distance to the water surface from a pressure sensor, was integrated into the vehicle. Pre-tests determined the necessary pulse width modulation values for the thrusters of the vehicle, enabling autonomous operation by providing these values as input to the thruster motors. In this study, the vehicle moves in 3D was achived by the vertical thruster of the vehicle was activated to maintain a specific depth, and applying equal force to the vehicle’s right and left thrusters forward movement, while differential force induced deviation angles. In pool experiments, the unmanned underwater vehicle autonomously tracked the pipeline as intended, identifying damages on the pipeline using images captured by the vehicle's camera. The images for damage assessment were processed using a convolution neural network (CNN) algorithm, which is a deep learning method. The position of the damage relative to the vehicle was estimated from the pixel dimensions of the identified damage. The location of the damage relative to its starting point was obtained by combining these two positional pieces of information from the vehicle's navigation system. The all study was performed within the Python environment.

Age is the primary risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and a leading cause of death in the elderly population of the United States. No effective treatments for these diseases currently exist. Identifying effective treatments for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases is a major current focus of national scientific resources, and there is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies. Here we investigate the potential for targeting the kynurenine pathway metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) using Caenorhabditis elegans expressing amyloid-beta or a polyglutamine peptide in body wall muscle, modeling proteotoxicity in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease-related, respectively. We show that knocking down the enzyme that degrades 3HAA, 3HAA dioxygenase (HAAO) delays age-associated paralysis in both models. This effect on paralysis was independent of protein aggregation in the polyglutamine model. We also show that the mechanism of protection against proteotoxicity from HAAO knockdown is mimicked by 3HAA supplementation, supporting elevated 3HAA as the mediating event liking HAAO knockdown to delayed paralysis. This work demonstrates potential for 3HAA as a targeted therapeutic in neurodegenerative disease, though the mechanism is yet to be explored.

Understanding the dynamics of teamwork and communication among healthcare professionals is crucial in the face of evolving healthcare challenges. This study assessed relational coordination among healthcare professionals in the South Tyrolean healthcare system in Italy, focusing on communication and teamwork dynamics in a cross-sectional survey. Using the validated Relational Coordination Survey (RCS) instrument and 525 completed online responses, the questionnaire aimed to understand the implications of different levels of relational coordination ratings by general practitioners, hospital physicians, nurses, and administrative personnel (response rate 26%). The demographics of the participants revealed a predominance of female professionals (64%), with an average age of 50 and 18 years of service. The resulting RCS scores varied significantly across professional groups, with nurses reporting the highest within-group scores, indicating moderate coordination, and administrators reporting the lowest scores, reflecting areas of weak coordination. Between-group relational coordination was generally perceived as weak across professional groups, with the least weakness observed between general practitioners and nurses. German or Italian language and health district affiliation emerged as significant factors influencing relational coordination ratings, highlighting the need for differentiated understanding and strategies in multilingual and diverse regional settings. Assessments of interdisciplinary feedback and referral practices highlight the variation in teamwork and communication weaknesses and underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve relational coordination. This study provides insights into the complexity of relational dynamics in health care settings. It suggests that improving relational coordination through tailored strategies could significantly improve team effectiveness, quality of patient care, and overall system efficiency.

Based on the need for real-time sag monitoring of Overhead Power Lines (OPL) for electricity transmission, this article presents the implementation of a hardware and software system for online monitoring of OPL cables and cable sag determination. The mathematical model based on differential equations and the methods of algorithmic calculation of OPL cable sag are presented. Considering that, based on the mathematical model presented, the calculation of OPL cable sag can be done in different ways depending on the sensors used, and the presented application uses a variety of sensors. Therefore, a direct calculation is made using one of the different methods. Subsequently, the verification relations are highlighted directly and, respectively, the calculation by the alternative method, which uses another group of sensors, to generate both a verification of the calculation and the functionality of the sensors, thus obtaining a defect observer of the sensors. The hardware architecture of the OPL cable online monitoring application is presented, together with the main characteristics of the sensors and communication equipment used. The configurations required to transmit data using the ModBUS and ZigBee protocols are also presented. The main software modules of the OPL cable condition monitoring application are described, which ensure the monitoring of the main parameters of the power line and the visualisation of the results both on the electricity provider's intranet using a web server and MySQL database, and on the Internet using an Internet of Things (IoT) server. This categorisation of the data visualisation mode is done in such a way as to ensure a high level of cyber security. Starting from the mathematical model of the OPL cable sag calculation, it goes through the stages of creating such a monitoring system, from the numerical simulations carried out using Matlab to the real-time implementation of this monitoring application. The main modules of the application software are: the software module for reading quantities from the sensor network through a ModBUS Input/Output (I/O) server, the software module for real-time calculation of the OPL cable sag, the software module for read/write operations based on MySQL type data, the software module for transferring data to the user's intranet through a web server, and the software module for viewing data by authorised users based on user and password through an IoT server. The development software environments used are Matlab and Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW).

Nonlinear nonparametric statistics (NNS) algorithm offers new tools for curve fitting. A relationship between k-means clustering and NNS regression points is explored with graphics showing a perfect fit in the limit. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate NNS as a form of unsupervised learning, and supply a proof of its limit condition. The procedural similarity NNS shares with vector quantization is also documented, along with identical outputs for NNS and a k nearest neighbours classification algorithm under a specific NNS setting. Fisher's iris data and artificial data are used. Even though a perfect fit should obviously be reserved for instances of high signal to noise ratios, NNS permits greater flexibility by offering a large spectrum of possible fits from linear to perfect.

Cercospora beticola Sacc. is an ascomycete pathogen that causes Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.) and other related crops. The disease symptoms are characterized by circular lesions with an ash-gray centre and dark brown to purple margins on the leaves. It can lead to significant yield losses if not effectively managed. This study aims to characterize and assess the impact of bacterial biological control agents against C. beticola. Following a dual-culture screening, 18 bacteria exhibiting over 50% inhibition were selected, with six of them demonstrating more than 80% control. Identification of the bacteria was carried out through sequencing of the16S rDNA, revealing potentially 12 species belonging to six genera including Bacillus which was represented by four species. Additionally, the bacteria underwent in-depth characterization of biochemical and molecular properties, as well as plant-growth promotion. PCR detection of genes responsible for producing antifungal metabolites revealed that 83%, 78%, 89%, and 56% of the selected bacteria possessed the bacillomycin, iturin, fengycin, and surfactin encoding genes, respectively. Infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of lipopeptide structure in the bacteria supernatant filtrate. Subsequently, the bacteria were assessed for their effect on sugar beet plants in controlled conditions. The bacteria exhibited notable capabilities, promoting growth in both roots and shoots, resulting in significant increases in root length, weight, and shoot length. The field experiment with four bacterial candidates demonstrated good performance against C. beticola compared to difenoconazole fungicide. These bacteria played a significant role in disease control, achieving a maximum efficacy of 77.42%, slightly below the 88.51% efficacy attained by difenoconazole. Additional field trials are necessary to verify the protective and growth-promoting effects of these candidates, whether applied individually, combined in consortia, or integrated with chemical inputs in sugar beet crop production.

Rebar cages form the skeletal framework of reinforced concrete structural members. They comprise longitudinal and transverse reinforcing bars, usually connected by tie wires. Past studies have identified tie-wire connections as the "weak links" in large, prefabricated rebar cages, leading to their failure during site handling and construction stages. Recent research has explored the use of mechanical U-bolt connectors to bolster stability and safety of rebar cages while reducing their vulnerability and risk of failure. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation of a new type of mechanical connector, referred to as "Cage Clamp", to enhance rebar cage stability and safety. Component-level experimental tests are conducted to determine the force-displacement response of Cage Clamp connectors for crossbar connections in different degrees of freedom. The results highlight the remarkable strength and stiffness of Cage Clamp connectors, significantly outperforming traditional tie-wire connections. Furthermore, full-scale experimental tests are performed on a circular underground pile-shaft rebar cage with Cage Clamp connectors to assess its behavior under various site handling conditions. The data obtained from these experiments are used to construct and refine detailed 3D finite element models of the rebar cages, capable of capturing the complex behavior of rebar cages with Cage Clamp connectors. Using the numerical model, a sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the effect of the number of Cage Clamps on the deflection and stability of the rebar cage. The findings show that using cage clamps to connect pick-up rebar with lateral reinforcement at every 8 to 10 feet is sufficient to ensure the stability of the cage during typical site handling conditions. The results of this study serve as a basis for establishing analysis, design, fabrication, and handling guidelines for rebar cages, contributing to safe and efficient construction practices.

The stock beta coefficient literature extensively discusses the proper methods for the estimation of beta as well as its use in asset valuation. However, there are relatively few references with respect to the appropriate time horizon that investors should utilize when evaluating the risk-return relationship of a stock. We examine the appropriate time horizon for beta estimation differentiating our results by sector according to the Industry Classification Benchmark. We employ data from the NYSE and we estimate varying lengths of beta employing data from 30 to 250 trading days. The constructed beta series is then examined for the presence of breaks using the endogenous structural break literature. Results show evidence against the use of betas that employ more than 90 trading days of data provisional to the sector under study.

While vaccines are a well-established method of controlling the spread of infectious diseases, vaccine hesitancy jeopardizes curbing the spread of COVID-19. Through the Vaccine Information Network (VIN), this study explored barriers and motivators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We conducted 18 focus group discussions with male and female community members, stratified by country, age group, and—for Zimbabwe only—by HIV status. Participants’ median age across both countries was 40 years (interquartile range of 22–40) and most (65.9%) were female. We conceptualized the key themes within the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) 3Cs (convenience, confidence, complacency) vaccine hesitancy model. Barriers to vaccine uptake—lack of convenience, low confidence, and high complacency—included inaccessibility of vaccines and vaccination sites, vaccine safety and development concerns, and disbelief in COVID-19’s existence. Motivators to vaccine uptake—convenience, confidence and low complacency—included accessibility of vaccination sites, user-friendly registration processes, trust in governments and vaccines, fear of dying from COVID-19 and knowing someone who had died or become infected with COVID-19. Overall, vaccine hesitancy in South Africa and Zimbabwe was influenced by inconvenience, a lack of confidence, and high complacency around COVID-19 vaccines.

Concerns regarding the safety of ethoxyquin (EQ) have gradually increased, highlighting the necessity of identifying safer and more effective antioxidants for use in animal feed. This study investigates the effects of a compound antioxidant (CA) as an alternative to ethoxyquin on feed oxidative stability, growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health in broilers. A total of 351 one-day-old Arbor Acres Plus male broilers were randomly assigned to three treatments with nine replicates of 13 birds each. The experimental treatments included: CON group (basal diet), EQ group (basal diet + 200 g/ton EQ at 60% purity), and CA group (basal diet + 200 g/ton compound antioxidant, which comprises 18% butylated hydroxytoluene, 3% citric acid, and 1% tertiary butylhydroquinone). The experiment lasted for 21 days. Compared to the control group, supplementation with CA significantly reduced the acid value, peroxide value, and malondialdehyde content in the feeds after storage. Moreover, CA supplementation significantly decreased feed intake and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) without affecting weight gain of boilers, while also improving liver antioxidant capacity (increased T-AOC and SOD levels), intestinal antioxidant capacity (increased CAT, HO-1, and GPX7 protein expression), and enhancing the duodenal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and jejunal villus height. Additionally, CA treatment reduced intestinal barrier permeability (decreased diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate levels), potentially by promoting the expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and Mucin2 protein. Furthermore, the addition of CA elevated the protein levels of NF-κB p50 along with its inhibitory factors, IκB and NF-κB p105, in the intestines of broilers, thereby enhancing immune regulatory capacity. This supplementation also led to an increased abundance of beneficial gut microorganisms, including Lactobacillus, Alistipes, Candidatus Arthromitus, and Turicibacter. In comparison to the EQ group, CA supplementation enhanced feed oxidative stability, decreased the FCR, and improved the intestinal morphology, barrier functions, and inflammatory status in broilers. These findings suggest that this compound antioxidant may serve as a healthier and more effective alternative to ethoxyquin.

The research on the excavation mechanical properties of underpass tunnels has already had certain results, but fewer of them consider the effects of dynamic and static loads on the excavation mechanical properties of underground tunnels at the same time, especially the lack of research cases of double-line highway tunnels with angled underpasses of existing railway tunnels. In this paper, based on the tunnel project of the new double-line Shiqian Highway Tunnel passing under the Hurong Railway at an oblique angle, the mechanical parameters of the rock body in the cross-tunneling area under the influence of static and dynamic load coupling are obtained by using the disturbance quantification coefficients and the Hoek-Brown criterion based on the method of over-advanced geological prediction and the investigation of the surrounding rock on the palisade face, and the engineering-scale finite element model is constructed and the mechanical characteristics of the excavation in the tunnel of the double-lane highway tunnel passing under the existing railroad under the influence of the static and dynamic loads are analyzed. The results show that: the new tunnel rock movement law for the top of the arch sinking, bottom plate bulging, side wall to move outward, the height and width of the arch and bottom plate arch with the tunnel excavation and increase, the side wall rock displacement effect is smaller; left and right lines of the tunnel disturbed area of the rule of change is similar; the existing tunnel bottom plate displacement is more than the top plate and the left and right side walls by the excavation of the time step influence is larger. Typical profile displacement is mainly determined by the distance from the excavation surface; the new tunnel in the four types of calculation conditions of the rock disturbance angle is the same; the existing tunnel roof and side wall Von Mises stress extreme occurs in the tunnel structure, the bottom plate there are pressure relief and pressure-bearing areas; based on the displacement control criteria, the recommended upper and lower step blasting method.

Due to its potential harm to space payload, microwave corona breakdown of microstrip circuits has attracted much attention. This work describes an efficient way to suppress corona breakdown. Since corona breakdown threshold is determined by the highest electric field intensity at the surface of microstrip circuits, lacquer coating with thickness of tens of microns is sprayed on the top of microstrip circuits. The applied dielectric coating is used to move the discharge location away from circuit’s surface which is equivalent to reduce the highest electric field intensity on the in-terface of solid/air of the circuit and thus results into higher breakdown threshold. Two designs of classic coupled-line band-pass filter were used for verification. Corona experimental results at 2.5 GHz show that, in the interested low pressure range (100 to 4500 Pa), 5.3 dB improvement of mi-crowave corona breakdown threshold can be achieved for a filter with narrowest gap of 0.2 mm while its electrical performances like insertion loss, Q-factor are still acceptable. A threshold improvement prediction method is also presented and validated.

Carbapenem antibiotics are the drug of choice for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) are carbapenemase capable of hydrolyzing nearly all therapeutically available beta-lactam antibiotics. Consequently, a need to assess the frequency and phenotypic resistance phenomena of two MBL genes in diarrheal and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Samples were collected through a cross-sectional study, with MBLs genes detected via PCR. Two hundred twenty eight diarrheal bacteria were isolated from 240 samples. The most predominant pathogens were Escherichia coli (32%) and Klebsiella spp. (7%). Phenotypic resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, aztreonam, cefuroxime, cefixime, cefepime, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, netilmicin, and amikacin was 50.4%, 65.6%, 66.8%, 80.5%, 54.4%, 41.6%, 25.7%, 41.2%, 37.2%, and 42.9%, respectively.  Total 142 UTI pathogens were obtained from 150 urine samples, with Klebsiella spp. (39%) and Escherichia coli (24%) are the major pathogens. Phenotypic resistance to amoxycillin-clavulanic acid, aztreonam, cefuroxime, cefixime, cefepime, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, netilmicin, and amikacin was 93.7%, 75.0%, 91.5%, 93.7%, 88.0%, 72.5%, 13.6%, 44.4%, 71.1%, and 43%, respectively.  Twenty four diarrheal isolates carried either blaNDM-1 or blaVIM genes; the overall MBL gene prevalence was 10.5%. Thirty six UTI pathogens carried either blaNDM-1 or blaVIM genes (25.4%). Seven isolates carried both blaNDM-1 and blaVIM genes.  MBL genes exhibited a strong association with phenotypic carbapenem and other beta-lactam antibiotic resistance. Resistance to carbapenems requires active surveillance and stewardship.

Our objective was to investigate the effects of topically applied neuropeptide Y (NPY) on ischemic wounds. Initially, the animal model for ischemic wound healing was validated using 16 male Sprague-Dawley albino rats. In the intervention study, an additional 28 rats were divided into three groups: NPY (0.025%), the positive control insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I, 0.0025%), and the hydrogel carrier alone (control). The hydrogel was selected due to its capacity to prolong NPY release (p &lt; 0.001), as demonstrated in a Franz diffusion cell. In the animals, an 8-mm full-thickness wound was made in a pedunculated dorsal ischemic skin flap. Wounds were then treated and assessed for 14 days, and procured at the end of the experiment for in situ hybridization analysis (RNAscope®) targeting NPY receptor Y2R and for meticulous histologic examination. Wound healing rates, i.e. the percentage wound area changes, did not show an increase with NPY (p = 0.938) but did with rhIGF-I (p = 0.039) compared to the control. Y2R mRNA was not detected in the wounds or adjacent skin but was identified in the rat brain (positive control). Light microscopic examination revealed trends of increased angiogenesis and enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration with NPY compared to control. An interesting secondary discovery was the presence of melanophages in the wounds. Our findings suggest the potential of NPY to enhance neovascularization under ischemic wound healing conditions, but further optimization of the carrier and dosage is necessary. The mechanism is elusive but likely involves NPY receptor subtypes other than Y2R.

The stability properties of the Hill equation are discussed, and especially those of the Mathieu equation that characterize ion motion in electrodynamic traps. The solutions of the Mathieu equation for a trapped ion are characterized by using the Floquet theory and Hill's Method solution, which yields an infinite system of linear and homogeneous equations whose coefficients are recursively determined. Stability is discussed for parameters $a$ and $q$ that are real. Characteristic curves are introduced naturally by the Sturm-Liouville problem for the well known even and odd Mathieu equations $ce_m(z,q)$ and $se_m(z,q)$. We illustrate the stability diagram for a combined (Paul and Penning) trap and represent the frontiers of the stability domains for axial and radial motion. In case of a Paul trap the stable solution corresponds to a superposition of harmonic motions. The problem of evaluating the maximum amplitudes of stable oscillations for the ideal conditions (taken into consideration) is also approached. Anharmonic corrections are discussed within the frame of the perturbation theory, while the frontiers of the modified stability domains are determined as a function of the chosen perturbation parameter. The results apply to 2D and 3D ion traps used for different applications in quantum engineering, among which optical clocks, quantum logic and quantum metrology, but not restricted only to these.

Fisheries and bottom seawater data were collected in July in 2022 and 2023 from 15 sampling stations in the Huanghe River Estuary and adjacent seas in China. The patterns of functional alpha- and beta-diversity of fish communities in this area and their relationship with environmental factors were studied using trait-based analysis. Five functional classifications, which included 16 functional traits, four functional alpha-diversity indices (functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean), three functional beta-diversity indices (functional beta-diversity and its turnover and nestedness components), and 14 bottom environmental factors were considered. The dominant traits of fish communities were: benthivorous feeding habits, small and front-facing mouths, high trophic level, demersal, anguilliform, low growth coefficient, medium resilience, low vulnerability, and adapted to warm temperate conditions. The dominant migration traits and types of fish eggs varied by year, and fish abundance was the main factor affecting the dominant traits of the communities. The results of multiple regression on distance matrices and variance partitioning analysis indicated that ammonia nitrogen content, total phosphorus content, and pH were the main environmental factors that affected fish functional diversity. The N/P ratio had an upward control effect on fish functional diversity. Our findings also revealed that high pH gradients and distant geographical distances can inhibit trait turnover in fish communities.

Using the method of the beta function, Sun has recently evaluated some series of the type $\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}(ak+b)x^k/\binom{mk}{nk}$. By factorization of the polynomial $t^{m-n}(1-t)^n-x$, we will give a general method to find new $\pi$-series.

Accurate forecasting of icing thickness has a great significance for ensuring the security and stability of power grid. In order to improve the forecasting accuracy, this paper proposes an icing forecasting system based on fireworks algorithm and weighted least square support vector machine (W-LSSVM). The method of fireworks algorithm is employed to select the proper input features with the purpose of eliminating the redundant influence. In addition, the aim of W-LSSVM model is to train and test the historical data-set with the selected features. The capability of this proposed icing forecasting model and framework is tested through the simulation experiments using real-world icing data from monitoring center of key laboratory of anti-ice disaster, Hunan, South China. The results show that the proposed W-LSSVM-FA method has a higher prediction accuracy and it may be a promising alternative for icing thickness forecasting.

The geological and hydrological conditions of tunnels near reservoirs are complex, and the impact of water level changes on the stability and leakage assessment of the lining structure is not considered in the current leakage evaluation. In order to construct an evaluation model for leakage level of tunnels near reservoirs, the influence of water level changes on tunnel stability and changes in environmental conditions on the leakage of tunnels were researched. Based on the AHP and extensibility theory, a hierarchical system for leakage assessment, incorporating values from nine indexes representing three aspects: geological conditions, hydrological conditions, and tunnel engineering. Numerical simulation was used to analyze the influence of water level changes. It was found that the water level change index greatly influences the displacement and stress distribution inside the tunnel structure. The leakage evaluation model was applied to the Tiebeishan Tunnel, resulting in a rating of 3, indicating medium-level leakage. Attention should be paid to water leakage in tunnels with changes in reservoir water levels. The leakage evaluation model for tunnels near reservoirs can effectively assess leakage levels under various conditions, providing a reference for safety assessments of tunnel leakage near reservoirs.

Many spectroscopic diagnostics are routinely used as a technique to infer the plasma parameters from line emission spectra but their accuracy depends on the numerical model or code used for the fitting process. However, the validation of a line shape code requires some steps : comparison of the line shape code with other similar codes for some academic (simple) cases and then more complex ones, comparison of the fitting parameters obtained from the best fit of the experimental spectra with those obtained with other diagnostic techniques and/or comparison of the fitting parameters obtained by different codes to fit the same experimental data. Here we compare the profiles of the hydrogen Balmer β line in a helium plasma computed by six codes for a selected set of plasma parameters and we report on the plasma parameters inferred by each of them from the fitting to a number of experimental spectra measured in a helium corona discharge where the pressure was in the range 1- 5 bar.

In this paper, we study a one-dimensional Bresse-Cattaneo system with infinite memories and time-dependent delay term (the coefficient of which is not necessarily positive) in the internal feedbacks. First, it is proved that the system is well-posed by means of the Hille-Yosida theorem under suitable assumptions on the relaxation functions. Then, without any restriction on the speeds of wave propagations, we establish the exponential or general decay result by introducing suitable energy and Lyapunov functionals.

We revisit a 2023 JAMA-published analysis of data from patients admitted for either COVID-19 or influenza to U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals in the fall/winter of 2022-2023. We note that baseline characteristics between the cohorts were similar, and the difference in vaccination rates was minimal, even after propensity score weighting. Had the vaccines been even minimally effective, significant differences in vaccination percentages would be expected. These findings call into question any efficacy claims associated with either the COVID-19 or influenza vaccines. Furthermore, the lack of efficacy of the influenza vaccines in reducing hospitalization is consistent with an earlier detailed study that found the same lack of efficacy, further validating the current result. This suggests that comparing vaccination rates between those hospitalized for different vaccine-preventable diseases can serve as a practical method for validating the vaccine efficacy claims of different vaccines.

Many people in the USA have lost their lives or become addicted to opioids via prescription opioids given for chronic pain. The chronic pain epidemic has emerged due to a convergence of factors, including the medicalization of pain as well as injuries happening in the workplace, in the home, or during recreation. Opioid prescriptions rose precipitously from the late 1990’s through to approximately 2020, and despite public awareness, still are increasing. This review examines literature on integrative approaches to chronic pain as delineated by pain type. The review is organized by the most common causes of chronic pain, and randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses and systematic reviews are extracted for each cause of chronic pain. Several promising interventions may alleviate chronic pain of some causes, and some interventions may work across pain causes. Lowering inflammation through dietary or lifestyle regimens may be a general way of reducing pain. Pain can be alleviated through several adjunctive and integrative treatment approaches, which may serve to lower the need for opioid medication.

Electrowetting display (EWD) device is a new type of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) equipment which can achieve a paper-like display effect under the control of electric field. In this microfluidic system, the stability of grayscale could be affected by various factors, such as the physicochemical properties of materials, device structure, and electric field distribution. To improve the grayscale stability of active matrix electrowetting displays (AM-EWDs), the impact of different polarities of driving voltage on oil backflow was investigated in this study. Based on the driving principles of AM-EWD, an optimized inter-frame bipolar reset driving waveform was designed to overcome oil backflow. The proposed driving waveform maintained the stability of the oil state by periodically and rapidly releasing trapped charges in the dielectric layer through a reverse driving voltage. Additionally, the effect of feed through voltage on the pixel driving voltage was eliminated by compensating for the driving voltage on common electrode. Finally, the performance of the designed driving waveform was evaluated with a 6-inch AM-EWD driving platform. Compared to the conventional unipolar reset driving waveform, the backflow speed decreased by 2.70 a.u./s. The standard deviation of the display luminance was also reduced by 11.24 a.u. Experimental results indicated that both the oil backflow speed and the fluctuation range of luminance were effectively suppressed by the proposed driving waveform.

Induction motors are the most numerous and significant dynamic loads in power systems. In transient voltage stability analysis, dynamic equivalent models are commonly used to simplify the representation of a group of induction motors. This paper presents an method for the grouping and aggregation of induction motors at a common bus. Firstly, grouping rules were provided for clustering induction motors into several subgroups based on the mechanical principles of rotor force and motion, and Aggregation Rules were provided for aggregating a motor subgroup into a single-unit model based on the relationship between voltage drop and power transmission in distribution networks. Secondly, guided by the grouping rules, high-speed remaining electromagnetic torque and low-speed remaining electromagnetic torque were defined as new clustering indicators, and an adaptive K-means clustering method using silhouette coefficient verification was provided to obtain the optimal motor subgroups. Thirdly, guided by the Aggregation Rules, a dynamic equivalent method was further provided to obtain the equivalent single-unit model from a motor subgroup. Lastly, a transient voltage stability simulation in a typical distribution network was presented to illustrate that the proposed clustering and equivalent methods are more reasonable, accurate, and effective than traditional methods, as the obtained model has better dynamic characteristics and can more accurately reproduce the process of voltage collapse.

Sports video analysis is an interesting and emerging field in the domain of computer vision. It has become a very popular subject among scholars all over the world in the last decade due to the need of automated classification of events such as offsides, in/out situations, goals and so on. The most important problem in sports video analysis is detection and tracking of ball and players. Extraction of court lines is also another important problem since it is necessary in the classification of aforementioned events. In this study, considering some of the previous work on the subject, we develop a method for tracking the ball and players in tennis videos where the camera position and orientation is supposed fixed.

A thorough analysis and comparison of the fatty acid profiles of stipe and blade from Laminaria hyperborea, a kelp species found in the northern Atlantic, is presented. Lipids were extracted and fractionated into neutral lipids, free fatty acids and polar lipids, then derivatized to fatty acid methyl esters prior to GC-MS analysis. A total of 42 fatty acids were identified and quantified, including the n-3 fatty acids α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. An n-6/n-3 ratio of 0.8:1 was found in blade and 3.5:1 in stipe, respectively. The ratios vary between the lipid fractions within stipe and blade, with the lowest ratio in the polar lipid fraction of blade. The fatty acid amounts are higher in blade than in stipe, and the highest amounts of n-3 fatty acids are found within the neutral lipid fractions. The amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids are 3.4 times higher in blade than stipe. This study highlights the compositional differences between the lipid fractions of stipe and blade from L. hyperborea. The amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, compared to saturated- and monounsaturated fatty acids, as well as the n-6/n-3-ratio, is known to influence human health. In the pharmaceutical, food, and feed industries this can be of importance for production and sale of different health products. Additionally, lipids are today among the unused by products of alginate production, exploiting this material for commercial interest should give both economical and environmental benefits.

The current work reveals the fine tuning between stability zones and randomness of Pointwise Stationary Fluid Flow Approximation (PSFFA) model of the non-stationary queueing D/M/1 system. More specifically, this clearly provides more insights into developing a contemporary PSFFA theory that unifies non-stationary queueing theory with chaos theory and fields in both theoretical physics and chaotic systems. This opens new grounds for stability analysis of non-stationary queueing systems.

A novel quasi-twisted miniaturized wideband Branch Line Coupler (BLC) is proposed. The design is based on bisecting the conventional microstrip line BLC transversely and folding bisected sections on double-layered substrates with a common ground plane in between. The pair of quarter wavelength horizontal parallel arms is converted to a Z-shape meandered microstrip line in the designed structure. On the other hand, the pair of quarter wavelength vertical arms are cut by half into two lines and converted to a periodically loaded slow wave structure. The bisected parts of BLC are placed on the opposite side of the doubled-layer substrate and connected through four vias passing through the common ground plane. This technique enabled a compact BLC size of 6.4×18 mm2, which corresponds to a surface area miniaturization by ~50% as compared to the classical BLC size of 10×23 mm2 at 6GHz, Moreover, the attained relative bandwidth is 73.9% (4.6-10 GHz) for S11, and 75.8% (4.5-10 GHz) for S33 as compared to 41% for the ordinary BLC at the same resonant frequency. The circuit is constructed on a double-layered low-cost FR4 substrate with a relative permittivity of 4.3, and a loss tangent of 0.025. An isolation of -13dB was realized in both S13 and S31 demonstrating an excellent performance. The transmission coefficients between input/output ports S21, S41, S23, and S43 are between -3.1dB to -3.5dB at the frequency of 6GHz. Finally, the proposed BLC provides phase differences between output ports of 90.5o and 94.8o at the frequency of 6GHz when the input ports 1 and 3 are excited, respectively. The presented design offers the potential of being utilized as a unit cell for building a Butler-matrix (BM) for sub-6GHz 5G beamforming networks.

A precise understanding of the genes and associated genomes of SARS-CoV2 is important for various reasons such as discovering origin of the virus and virulence and so on. A thorough descriptive understanding of the SARS-CoV2 genomes and other coronavirus of the beta-coronavirus genus is primarily important. In this article, a set of ten genomes of four CoVs and their associated genes are considered for this present study. A spatial representations of nucleotide bases including purine-pyrimidine representations of the different genes of the corresponding genomes are quantified using Hurst exponent, Shannon entropy and density estimation of different nucleotides including GC content, in order to draw a comparison and contrast among the ten genomes of different types of CoVs which include MERS, SARS-CoV, HKU1 (Human Coronavirus) and associated their genes.

Increased activity of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a key factor mediating kidney impairment in diabetes. Glomerular podocytes, the crucial component of the renal filter, are a direct target of TGF-β action, resulting in irreversible cell loss and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urolithin A (UA) is a member of the family of polyphenol metabolites produced by gut microbiota from ellagitannins and ellagic acid-rich foods. The broad spectrum of biological ac-tivities of UA makes it a promising candidate for the treatment of podocyte disorders. In this in vitro study, we investigated whether UA influences the changes exerted in podocytes by TGF-β and high glucose. Following a 7-day incubation in normal (NG, 5.5 mM) or high (HG, 25 mM) glucose the cells were treated with UA and/or TGF-β1 for 24 hours. HG and TGF-β1, each independent and in concert reduced expression of nephrin, increased podocyte motility and up-regulated expression of b3 integrin and fibronectin. These typical for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) effects were inhibited by UA in both HG and NG conditions. UA also reduced the typically elevated in HG expression of TGF-β receptors and activation of TGF-β signal transducer Smad2. Our results indicate that in podocytes cultured in conditions mimicking diabetic milieu, UA inhibits and reverses changes underlying podocytopenia in diabetic kidneys. Hence, UA should be considered as a po-tential therapeutic agent in podocytopathies.

This review was carried out to identify different beta-lactamase resistance genes reported in published literature from Nigeria and to determine the proportion estimates of the important beta-lactamase resistance genes in Nigeria. Sixty-three (63) articles were included in this review based on the eligibility criteria. All the beta-lactamases reported were detected from the Gram-negative bacteria, most especially from Enterobacteriaceae (n=53). Thirty-six different beta-lactamase genes have been reported from Nigeria. These genes belong to the narrow-spectrum, AmpC, extended-spectrum, and carbapenemase beta-lactamase resistance genes. Eight (8) genes (bla_DHA, bla_CTXM-1, bla_CTXM-14, bla_GES-1, bla_VEB-1, bla_OXA-1, bla_OXA-2, and bla_TEM-1) were shared between animals and humans, 5 genes (bla_SHV-1, bla_SHV-2, bla_SHV-11, bla_SHV-12, and bla_NDM-1) were common to both humans and environment while none of the genes was unique to both animals and environment. Four genes including bla_CMY, bla_TEM-1, bla_AmpC, and internationally pandemic bla_CTXM-15 gene were unique to animals, humans, and the environment. No carbapenemase gene was reported from animals yet. The pooled proportion estimate of ESBL genes in Nigeria was 31% (95% CI: 26-36%, P<0.0001), while the estimate of bla_CTXM-15 gene in Nigeria was 46% (95% CI: 36-57%, P<0.0001). The proportion estimate of AmpC genes was 32% (95% CI: 11-52%, P<0.001), while the estimate for carbapenemases was 8% (95% CI: 5-12%, P<0.001). This study has provided information on the beta-lactamases distribution in Nigeria. This is necessary for a better understanding of molecular epidemiology of clinically important beta-lactamases especially the extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenemases in Nigeria.

This research investigates the intricate dynamics between intellectual Capital (VAIC) and the stability of banks in the evolving context of Saudi Arabia's banking sector. Against the backdrop of rapid economic reforms under Vision 2030 and the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pan-demic, the research provides a nuanced analysis of how intellectual capital and intellectual capital's components—Human Capital Efficiency (HCE), Structural Capital Efficiency (SCE), and Capital Employed Efficiency (CEE)—affect the financial stability of Saudi banks. The research analyses a decade-long panel dataset from 2012 to 2022, utilizing both fixed effects and cross-section random effects models to discern the impact of intellectual capital on bank stability. The findings reveal a positive overall influence of intellectual capital on bank stability; however, individual compo-nents present a complex relationship, with CEE showing a positive association and HCE and SCE demonstrating unexpected negative correlations with bank stability. The research identifies lev-erage (LEV) as a significant factor negatively impacting stability. Operational efficiency (OPEF) and size (SIZE) also negatively affect stability. Surprisingly, macroeconomic indicators and bank size exhibit non-significant effects on bank stability. Similarly, the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be non-significant, suggesting a resilient banking environment or the presence of effective mitigating strategies. As Saudi Arabia continues its ambitious economic transformation, this research underscores the critical role of effectively managed intellectual capital in ensuring the banking sector's stability. It provides a foundation for ongoing research in this vital area.

Practical applications of CsPbX3 nanocrystals (NCs) are limited by their poor stability. The formation of heterojunction between CsPbX3 NCs and oxides is an effective means to protect perovskite from polar solvents and other external factors. Significantly improving the stability and photocatalytic properties of the core/shell perovskite is very important for its application in photoelectric and photocatalytic technology. Here, we report the synthesis of asymmetrical CsPbBr3/TiO2 core-shell heterostructure NCs at single particle level by hot injection liquid phase synthesis and sol-gel method, where each CsPbBr3 NCs is partially covered by titanium dioxide. It is shown that the type II arrangement is generated at the heterogeneous interface, which greatly facilitates the separation of electron-hole pairs and increases the carrier transport efficiency. More crucial, due to the protection of titanium dioxide shell, the product has higher long-term stability in humid air compared with bare CsPbBr3 NCs. The asymmetrical core-shell heterostructure prepared in this study not only improves the stability of CsPbX3 NCs, but also provides some ideas for optoelectronic device applications and TiO2-based photocatalysts.

Our skin epidermis constitutes the most important innate defense barrier against all pathogens. Therefore, even if skin lesions are common due to infections, scarring, genetic disorders, and other diseases, skin integrity is crucial for maintaining body homeostasis. Marine collagen peptides (MCPs) and Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) have been described as potential wound healing (WH) agents. Recently, through an ex vivo clinical approach, we have demonstrated the nutricosmetic potential of fish cartilage hydrolysate (FCH), which presents a combination of collagen peptides and GAGs. Here, we coupled a clinical approach with in vitro experiments on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and applied a Data Independent Acquisition - Parallel Accumulation Serial Fragmentation (diaPASEF) proteomic analysis, to assess the potential benefit of FCH in WH and its mode of action. Our results show that human serum enriched with circulating metabolites resulting from FCH ingestion, improved wound closure in scratch assays. In support, some proteins with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties or prone to promote hydration and extracellular matrix (ECM) stability showed increased expression in HDFs, after exposure to FCH-enriched serum. These findings suggest that FCH appears as a promising nutrient for WH and skin regeneration.

The strictness of the result of an excavation, whether mechanical or by means of explosives, is naturally conditioned by the objective, and therefore by the type of technique applied to achieve it. To attain the best results in terms of rock breakage and respect of the final profile, it’s important to evaluate the excavation specific energy and its optimization. This research focuses on evaluating the effects of different techniques on the quality of final walls in open-pit and underground operations. Different geometries and configurations can be applied to both quarrying and tunnelling blasts. The research is aimed to push contour blasts to their limits, and the main aspects are discussed in order to improve the blast parameters in the daily practice.

In this study, we aim to evaluate how cyclodextrin molecules affect the hydrophilicity and selec-tivity of PVDF membrane. Herein, we prepared PVDF-PVP(1-x) β-CDx membranes, with x rang-ing from 0 to 1 wt%. The membranes were deeply characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR), Raman spectroscopies, Thermal gravimet-ric analysis (TGA), Contact angle measurement (CA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The study unequivocally demonstrates the effectiveness of the addition of β-CD molecules on membranes' structural, morphological, and dielectric properties. Adding 0.25wt% β-CD enhanced hydrophilicity, with CA decreasing from 72.6° to 56° and roughness decreasing from 81 to 29 nm. The PVDF-PVP(1-x) β-CDx membranes were then fully characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to determine their dielectric properties, which clearly showed that the presence of β-CD induced polarization of the mem-brane. The separation of various dyes with different sizes and charges was utilized. These dyes included methylene blue (MB, positive, 0.504 nm), methyl red (MR, neutral, 0.487 nm), rose Bengal (RB, negative, 0.588 nm), and brilliant blue (BB, negative, 0.798 nm). Based on our re-search, we found that the membrane's selectivity is determined by both exclusion factors (such as size and dielectric properties) and inclusion inside the β-CD cage. We found that using alpha-CD instead of beta-CD led to the disappearance of dye inclusion. These findings strongly sug-gest that β-CD molecules can be a viable solution for dye removal from wastewater.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate if tests used to assess core stability could be used to determine success in physiological tests applied to assess dynamic balance and agility for a young active population. Methods: Pearson's r correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between the core stability tests and the dynamic balance and agility tests. Evaluation of the tests was established using Cronbach's coefficient of variance as part of intra-rater reliability tests. An analysis of 18 active college aged students was conducted (males: n= 13, females: n= 5). The mean ± SD age for males was 19.2 years ± 3.22 years and for females was 19.4 years ± 1.14 years. Conclusion: The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between tests that assess core stability and tests conducted to assess dynamic balance in active young adults. With the exception of the abdominal flexion test, no significant relationship exists between the remaining core stability tests and agility T-Test. Core stability is not a determinant of balance and agility.

The present work reports an experimental thermodynamic study of two nitrogen heterocyclic organic compounds, fenclorim and clopyralid, that have been used as herbicides. The sublimation vapor pressures of fenclorim (4,6-dichloro-2-phenylpyrimidine) and of clopyralid (3,6-dichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) were measured, at different temperatures, using a Knudsen mass-loss effusion technique. The vapor pressures of both crystalline and liquid (including supercooled liquid) phases of fenclorim were also determined using a static method based on capacitance diaphragm manometers. The experimental results enabled accurate determination of the standard molar enthalpies, entropies and Gibbs energies of sublimation for both compounds and of vaporization for fenclorim, allowing a phase diagram representation of the (p,T) results, in the neighborhood of the triple point of this compound. The temperatures and molar enthalpies of fusion of the two compounds studied were determined using differential scanning calorimetry. The standard isobaric molar heat capacities of the two crystalline compounds were determined at 298.15 K, using drop calorimetry. The gas phase thermodynamic properties of the two compounds were estimated through ab initio calculations, at the G3(MP2)//B3LYP level, and their thermodynamic stability was evaluated in the gaseous and crystalline phases, considering the calculated values of the standard Gibbs energies of formation, at 298.15 K.

Aim: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer deaths worldwide. Treatment methods are listed as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy depending on the stage of the cancer, but developing resistance to chemotherapy increases the need for alternative agents that act on the same pathways. In this study, the effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) and doxorubicin (DX) on the activation of FOXP3, an important tumor suppressor gene, in OVCAR3 cells were examined. Material Method: In the study, human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line was used. MTT test was applied to determine the effect of rosmarinic acid and doxorubicin on the proliferation of OVCAR3 cells. Expression levels of FOXP3 for cell proliferation and Capase-3 for Apoptosis were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Wound healing model was applied to determine metastasis. The results were evaluated with one-way ANOVA in SPSS 20.0 program as p≤0.05. Results: It was determined that rosmarinic acid alone and in combination with doxorubicin inhibited the proliferation of OVCAR3 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner for 24, 48 and 72 hours, and caused the cells to die by causing them to undergo apoptosis. It was observed that Caspase-3 expression increased approximately tenfold in OVCAR3 cells, while FOXP3 expression increased only in RA treatment and was downregulated in DX and RA+DX treatments. Coclusion According to the results of our study, it was observed that many steps of the signaling pathways related to proliferation, migration and apoptosis were affected by the combination of RA and DX in OVCAR3 cells. This shows that RA will gain an important place in cancer treatment with more comprehensive studies.

Studies on crop response to light quality [red (R) to far-red (FR) light ratio] often recommend early weed removal to reduce the effects of shade avoidance responses on crop yield. However, it is unclear whether crops are able to distinguish reflected light quality of kin from that of non-kin. We evaluated the response of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) to reflected FR light from sugarbeet, common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and bare soil (control) under outdoor conditions in 2016 and 2017. Treatments were completely randomized with 10 replications per treatment. The study methods ensured there was no direct resource competition. The reflected R:FR of plant species ranged from 0.06 (common lambsquarters) to 0.24 (sugarbeet) compared to 0.7 for the bare soil. In both 2016 and 2017, there were 2 to 4 more leaves in the sugarbeet surrounded by soil compared to sugarbeet surrounded by neighboring species. There was up to 47, 57, 43, and 23% reduction in sugarbeet leaf area, shoot dry weight, root diameter, and root dry weight, respectively, due to reflected R:FR light from neighboring species. Sugarbeet did not respond differently to reflected light quality of kin compared to non-kin.

Many signaling pathways, molecular and cellular actors which are critical for wound healing have been implicated in cancer metastasis. These two conditions are a complex succession of cellular biological events and accurate regulation of these events is essential. Apart from inflammation, macrophages-released ROS arise as major regulators of these processes. But, whatever the pathology concerned, oxidative stress is a complicated phenomenon to control and requires a finely tuned balance over the different stages and responding cells. This review provides an overview of the pivotal role of oxidative stress in both wound healing and metastasis, encompassing the contribution of macrophages. Indeed, macrophages are major ROS producers but also appear as their targets since ROS interfere with their differentiation and function. Elucidating ROS functions in wound healing and metastatic spread may allow the development of innovative therapeutic strategies involving redox modulators.

It is an utmost importance to characterize drug candidates as early in the development pipeline as possible. Appropriate application of the emerging high throughput analytical techniques unlocks the opportunities to obtain experimental data for in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) profiling of large compound libraries which is crucial for selection of lead compounds. In an usual scenario, only one drug candidate will be selected from thousands of early compounds based on several stability and screening results. A high to medium throughput screening approaches could significantly accelerates the subsequent research and production phases. Traditionally, the analysis of metabolic stability assays heavily relies on high throughput LC-MS/MS techniques to meet with the lead profiling demands. In this study presented an innovative experimental approach that can offer a refreshing alternative. Laser Assisted Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LA-REIMS) is a quick and efficient method for characterizing complex biological samples without laborious sample preparation and chemical separation. Therefore, using an automated LA-REIMS well plate reader as fast as 8 seconds per sample, we assessed the oxidative metabolic stability of active agents using biomimetic metalloporphyrin-based oxidative model reactions at various pH for commercially available drug substances and compared stability measurements with traditional HPLC-DAD-MS results.

This study aims to investigate the interfacial tension, emulsion stability, and the impact on oil displacement effectiveness of mixed systems containing nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants at different ratios. To achieve this, three different emulsion stability formulations were prepared by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants in ratios of 1:1, 3:2, and 3:1 respectively. By adjusting the proportions of betaine and nonionic surfactants, variations in interfacial tension and emulsion formation among the three mixed systems were studied to analyze the mechanism of interaction between betaine and nonionic surfactants and evaluate their effects on crude oil displacement and enhanced oil recovery in reservoirs. Subsequently, microscopic and macroscopic oil displacement experiments were conducted on the three mixed systems, along with experiments on emulsion flow resistance. The aim was to verify the oil displacement effectiveness of different mixed systems and further understand their potential applications in reservoirs. By comprehensively analyzing the experimental results, optimal ratios and conditions for the mixed systems were determined. The experimental results indicate that the emulsification system formed by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 achieves molecular synergies through electrostatic interactions and mixed adsorption with betaine, resulting in a compact arrangement of interface membranes and demonstrating a synergistic effect in reducing interfacial tension to an ultra-low value of 10 -4 mN/m. Additionally, as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the viscosity of the aqueous phase liquid film increases, the rate of thinning of the liquid film slows down, the rate of water release slows down, and the stability of the emulsion increases. Microscopic oil displacement experiments verified that the three mixed systems increase oil washing efficiency through low interfacial tension and emulsification stripping action, thereby increasing the oil displacement mechanism's coefficient. Emulsion flow resistance experiments demonstrated that as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the system exhibits better plugging ability. However, macroscopic oil displacement experiments revealed differences in compatibility between different emulsion stability solutions and rocks with different permeabilities. The mixed system of betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 exhibits the best emulsification plugging ability in rocks with a permeability of 109mD, while the 1:1 mixed system performs best in rocks with a permeability of 12mD. This holds significant theoretical and practical significance for reservoir development and enhanced production.

Background: Though ancient Greece preserves many pictures of combat sports, there is research in terms of biomechanics on the principles of human motion. This research aimed to investigate Pankration postures of ancient Greek athletics, expecting to bridge the gap between historical sports practices and contemporary biomechanical applications. Methods: This study employed computational tools to analyze two images from ancient Greek Pankration, constructing a static multi-segmental model. Anthropometric models simulated postures analogous to those in historical depictions. Analysis estimated joint forces and moments, along with weight distribution and ground reaction forces for these postures. Implications for training and strength development were deduced through integration with modern scientific insights. Moreover, strategic elements of these postures were assessed using game theory to explore their correspondence with contemporary theoretical constructs. Results: The findings indicated that static postures facilitate the development of tendon stiffness, joint stability, and neuromuscular control. In the "readiness" posture, 68% of the athlete's centre of gravity (CoG) was distributed to the hind leg, enhancing stability and power generation, while the front leg promoted agility. Analysis of the kick posture revealed delivery with a dorsiflexed ankle and pronounced heel protrusion.Conclusion: The application of the proposed model suggests that ancient athletes optimized their performance using biomechanical principles, thereby gaining a competitive advantage. This study highlights the value of integrating ancient biomechanical strategies with contemporary athletic training and injury prevention, advocating for a synthesis of historical practices and modern biomechanical analysis in combat sports.

Crustacean hyaluronidases are 1 poorly understood both in terms of their enzymatic properties and in terms of their structural features. In this work, we have shown that the hepatopancreas homogenate of the red king crab has a hyaluronidase activity that is an order of magnitude higher than its commercial counterpart. Zymography revealed the hyaluronidase activity of the protein roughly from40 to 50 kDa relative to the molecular marker used in electrophoresis. Analysis of the hepatopancreas transcriptome revealed a hyaluronidase sequence with an expected molecular weight of 42.5 kDa. It turned out that the reaction of cleavage of hyaluronate in the presence of a homogenate proceeds by the mechanism of b-elimination, which is well known for bacterial hyaluronidases. Thus, a new hyaluronidase of higher eukaryotes was found and described, which is not integrated into the modern classification of hyaluronidases.

(1) Background: In this work, a series of benzimidazole derivatives containing colchicine-like and cathechol-like moieties with methyl group substitution in the benzimidazole ring were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic and antioxidative activity against highly invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and related impairment of tubulin dynamics; (2) Methods: MTT assay was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity. In vitro tubulin polymerization assay as well as docking analysis was applied to prove the alterations in tubulin polymerization. Immunofluorescent and DAPI staining reveal the pro-apoptotic potential of benzimidazole derivatives and the effect on tubulin’s dynamics in living cells. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by scavenging of H2O2 and hypochlorite ion and ortho-phenanthroline tests; (3) Results: The compounds containing colchicine-like moiety displayed significant growth inhibitory effect against cancer cell line as was highlighted the role of methyl functional group on the tubulin aggregation and blockage of mitosis. All compounds showed an ability to scavenge H2O2, while the compounds with cathecol-like moiety were more effective against hypochlorite ion and chelation of iron; (4) Conclusions: The benzimidazole derivative containing colchicine-like moiety and methyl group substitution in benzimidazole ring is a potential antiproliferative and microtubule destabilizing agent.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate a series of complete blood cell count – based biomarkers of systemic inflammation as predictors of clinical outcomes in patients who underwent first-line chemoimmunotherapy for advanced NSCLC. Methods: Consecutive patients with pathologically diagnosed stage III/IV NSCLC who underwent first-line chemoimmunotherapy were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical outcomes used for biomarker evaluation were Objective Response Rate (ORR) and Overall Survival (OS). Results: Non-responders had significantly higher values of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR, median: 5.36; IQR: 2.78–10.82 vs. 3.31; IQR: 2.15–4.12, p = 0.019), neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR, median: 14.00; IQR: 8.82–21.20 vs. 9.20; IQR: 7.45–11.20, p = 0.013), and systemic inflammation index (SII, median: 1,395; IQR: 929–3,334 vs. 945; IQR: 552–1,373, p = 0.025), but only NLR and NMR remained independently related with clinical response in multivariate logistic regression. In univariate analysis white blood cells (OR:1.2202; 95% CI: 1.0339 - 1.4400, p=0.019), neutrophils (OR:1.2916; 95% CI: 1.0692 - 1.5604, p=0.008), NLR (OR:1.3601: 95% CI: 1.0949 - 1.6896, p=0.005) and NMR (OR:1.2159; 95% CI: 1.00396 - 1.4221, p=0.015) were significantly associated with survival; Cox regression models confirmed that neutrophils, NLR and MLR were independently associated with survival; NLR at a cut-off value of 4.0 showed the better AUC (0.749) in predicting survival. Conclusions: Baseline complete blood cell count biomarkers, especially the NLR, can predict clinical outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy.

Using pumps operating as turbines (PATs) offers the possibility of increasing the sustainability of water and energy systems by recovering the excess of energy that would be otherwise lost in pressure reducing valves or head loss chambers. In on-grid applications, there are many research works and implementations of PATs. However, there is still limited research for the optimization of efficiency and stability of PATs operating in off-grid systems. This work contributes to the development of stable direct current (DC) off-grid electric systems based on PATs, by optimizing and analysing the energy efficiency and stability for a wide range of operation. A self-excited induction generator (SEIG) coupled to the PAT is provided to cover the conventional type of electric ma-chines typically coupled to the hydraulic pumps. In this context, a methodology is proposed, based on the hydraulic, mechanical and electric subsystems, to define the PAT-SEIG operational area, to maximize energy conversion and the system efficiency. This will guarantee stable electric output quantities when operating in a DC off-grid system. In addition, an analytical model is proposed to estimate the PAT-SEIG operation under specific conditions. With this, water managers are suitable to design and optimize an off-grid PAT-SEIG system and to define the best hydraulic machines, electronic equipment, and all different control elements to maximize energy conversion within the target of operational limits. To develop and verify this new methodology, two micro PAT-SEIG setups were implemented in the hydraulic laboratory of IST/CERIS under typical operating conditions. The proposed solution proved to be resilient under a variable load regime. The system's maximum efficiency can be adapted using different capacitor values for the excitation of the SEIG, and the operational range is limited to the electric components. Considering the nominal efficiencies of the system’s components, the maximum p.u. efficiency obtained for each PAT-SEIG system were between 0.7 and 0.8 p.u.

Maize is an important staple food crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, the average grain yield on farmers’ fields falls considerably short of the demand of the region’s population. In addition, the normal endosperm maize widely consumed in SSA is deficient in vitamin A. Drought, a consequence of climate change, is a major constraint to maize production, resulting in seasonal low grain yield in farmers’ fields. The objectives of this study were to assess the performance of newly developed extra-early maturing provitamin A hybrids under managed drought and well-watered conditions, compare the outcomes of multiple trait base-index and multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance index selection procedures, and identify drought-tolerant hybrids with stable performance across contrasting environments for commercialization in SSA. One hundred and ninety provitamin A hybrids and six checks were evaluated under managed drought and well-watered conditions at Ikenne for two seasons between 2021 and 2023. A 14*14-lattice design was used for the field evaluations under both research conditions. Drought stress was achieved by the complete withdrawal of irrigation water 25 days after planting. Results revealed significant differences among the hybrids under drought and well-watered conditions. Grain yield, ears per plant, and plant aspect under managed drought were correlated to the same traits under well-watered conditions suggesting that the expression of these traits is governed by common genetic factors. Twenty-nine hybrids were identified as top-performing drought-tolerant hybrids by the multiple trait base index and multiple-trait genotype–ideotype distance index. Of the selected outstanding 29 hybrids, 34% were derived from crosses involving the tester TZEEIOR 197, demonstrating the outstanding genetic potential of this inbred line. Further analysis of the 29 selected hybrids revealed TZEEIOR 509 × TZEEIOR 197 as the hybrid that combined the most drought-tolerant adaptive traits. However, the hybrids TZEEIOR 526 × TZEEIOR 97, TZEEIOR 384 × TZEEIOR 30, TZEEIOR 515 × TZEEIOR 249, TZEEIOR 510 × TZEEIOR 197, TZEEIOR 479 × TZEEIOR 197, and TZEEIOR 458 × TZEEIOR 197 were identified as the most stable hybrids across drought and well-watered conditions. These hybrids should be extensively tested in multi-location trials for deployment and commercialization in SSA.

The effect of ceria doping of (ZrO2)1-x(Sm2O3)x crystals on their phase composition, microhardness and fracture toughness has been studied. The (ZrO2)0.995-х(Sm2O3)х(СеО2)0.005 crystals (where x = 0.032, 0.037 and 0.04) have been grown using directional melt crystallization in cold skull. The phase composition and structure of the crystals have been studied using X-ray diffraction, TEM and Raman spectroscopy. The mechanical properties such as microhardness and fracture toughness have been studied using Vickers indentation. It has been shown that the (ZrO2)0.995-х(Sm2O3)х(СеО2)0.005 solid solution crystals contain both Се4+ and Се3+ ions. Phase analysis data suggest that СеО2 doping increases the tetragonality degree of the transformable t phase and reduces the tetragonality degree of the non-transformable t' phase as compared to the (ZrO2)1-x(Sm2O3)x crystals. As a result, the t→m phase transition triggered by the indentation-induced stress in the СеО2 doped crystals is more intense and covers greater regions. СеО2 doping of the solid solutions increases the fracture toughness of all the crystals studied whereas the microhardness of the crystals changes but slightly. СеО2 doping of the (ZrO2)1-х(Sm2O3)х solid solutions in the experimental concentration range does not improve the high-temperature phase stability of the crystals and does not prevent high-temperature degradation of their fracture toughness.

Understanding the relationship between sugar yield and related traits is crucial for successfully breeding this important industrial crop. Thirteen sugar beet monogram cultivars were evaluated during 2018-2019. The study used a split-factorial design with two planting dates as the main plot, while cultivars and harvesting dates were laid out as CRBD as subplots. Significant differences were observed among the cultivars for all measured traits. The genetic correlation coefficients showed the highest positive and significant correlations between sugar yield and white sugar yield (WSY) (0.88**), sugar content (SC) (0.71**), and white sugar content (0.65**). Conversely, the highest negative and significant correlations were found between sugar yield and molasses sugar content (-0.62**), alkalinity coefficient (-0.58**), and root potassium content (-0.52**). In the stepwise multiple regression analysis, white sugar content (WSC), sugar content (SC), root α-amino nitrogen content, and root yield were included in the regression model, explaining 84% of the total variance in the sugar yield. Path analysis revealed that sugar content (1.12) and root yield (1.03) had the highest direct effects on sugar yield. These traits can be used as key criteria for developing superior hybrids with high economic productivity, thereby accelerating the selection process in various breeding programs.

The discovery by the Large Area Telescope on board Fermi of variable gamma-ray emission from radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) galaxies revealed the presence of a possible third class of AGN with relativistic jets in addition to blazars and radio galaxies. Considering that NLSy1 are usually hosted in spiral galaxies, this finding poses intriguing questions about the nature of these objects and the formation of relativistic jets. We report on a systematic investigation of the gamma-ray properties of a sample of radio-loud NLSy1, including the detection of new objects, using 7 years of Fermi-LAT data with the new Pass 8 event-level analysis. In addition we discuss the radio-to-very-high-energy properties of the gamma-ray emitting NLSy1, their host galaxy, and black hole mass in the context of the blazar scenario and the unification of relativistic jets at different scales.