In this work, we study gravitational lensing in the weak field limits and the shadow by charged black holes in non-linear electrodynamics corrections. To find the deflection angle in vacuum (non-plasma) up to the leading order terms, we compute the optical Gaussian curvature from optical metric and utilize the Gauss-Bonnet theorem by applying Gibbons and Werner’s technique. Also, we derive the bending angle in plasma and dark matter mediums and observe that the bending angle increases by increasing the effects of these mediums. Further, in vacuum and plasma mediums, we investigate the graphical behavior of the bending angle with respect to the impact parameter u and notice that the bending angle exponentially decreases. Moreover, we calculate the Hawking temperature using the Gauss-Bonnet theorem and compare it with a standard method of computing the Hawking temperature. Furthermore, we investigate the bound of the greybody factor and graphically examine that bound converges to the 1. We relate our obtained results with the results of black holes given in the literature. Finally, we have considered exploring the effect of NLED, plasma, and dark matter on the black hole’s shadow radius to broaden the study’s scope. Results for the shadow indicate that the three parameters give different deviations to the shadow radius. Interestingly, while plasma affects both the photonsphere and shadow, dark matter only influences the shadow.

Off-grid electrification planning increasingly recognizes the importance of productive use of electricity (PUE) to promote community value creation and (financial) project sustainability. To ensure a sustainable and efficient integration in the community and energy system, PUE assets must carefully be evaluated to match both the community needs and the residential electricity demand patterns. We propose a novel methodology interlinking qualitative interviews, statistical analysis, and energy system modelling to optimize decision-making for PUE integration in off-grid energy systems in rural Madagascar by aligning relevant PUE effectively with anticipated residential electricity demand patterns based on socio-economic determinants of the community. We find that a possible contribution of the PUE to reducing the electricity costs depends signifi-cantly on three factors: 1. the residential electricity consumption patterns that are influenced by the socio-economic composition of the community, 2. the degree of flexibility of i) PUE assets and ii) operational preferences of the PUE user, and 3. the capacity of community members to finance and operate PUE assets. Our study demonstrates that significant cost reductions for PUE-integrated off-grid energy systems can be achieved by applying our proposed methodology. When matching PUE and residential consumption patterns, the integration of PUE assets in residential community energy system can reduce the financial risk of operators, provided the PUE enterprise operates reliably and sustainably. We highlight that the consideration of local value chains and co-creation approaches are essential to ensure the energy system is addressing the community’s needs, creates value for the community, enhances the project´s financial sustainability, and is achieving the overall objectives of decentralized energy system planning.

Monolayer graphene absorbs 2.3 percent of the incident visible light. This “small” absorption has been used to emphasize the visual transparency of graphene, but it in fact means that multilayer graphene absorbs a sizable fraction of incident light, which causes non-negligible fluorescence. In this paper, we formulate the light emission properties of multilayer graphene composed of tens to hundreds of layers using a transfer matrix method and confirm the method’s validity experimentally. We could quantitatively explain the measured contrasts of multilayer graphene on SiO2/Si substrates and found sizable corrections, which cannot be classified as incoherent light emissions, to the reflectance of visible light. The new component originates from coherent emission caused by absorption at each graphene layer. Multilayer graphene thus functions as a partial coherent light source of various wavelengths, and it may have surface-emitting laser applications.

Here we will model the curvature and contraction of space-time using as a basis the equation of state of an ideal gas and the Hawking´s equation for the temperature of a black hole. We will use this mathematical model to hypothesize that the Boltzmann´s constant depends on the state of matter, that is, there is a known Boltzmann´s constant for flat space-time and an effective Boltzmann´s constant for curved space-time. This model will allow us to quantify the structure of space-time and will serve as a basis to determine the origin of gravity and the origin of elementary particles. Using the Shannon-Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy relation, we will demonstrate that information is not lost and depends on the state of matter, the information is encoded and depends on the effective Boltzmann´s constant.

Protein degradation is a biological phenomena essential for cellular homeostasis and survivor. Selective protein degradation is performed by the ubiquitination system which selectively target proteins that need to be eliminated and lead them to proteasome degradation. In this review, we focus on the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 O (UBE2O) and highlight the role of UBE2O in many biological and physiological process. We further discuss the UBE2O implications in various human diseases, particularly in leukemias and solid cancers and suggest how UBE2O targeting could be novel strategy in the treatment of different human neoplasia.

Human induced climate change led to the recognition of Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) as one of the remedies in building adaptive capacity and resilience of communities. It recognizes the resources and the skills as well as the agency of communities in shaping the optimal strategy. CBA interventions are vital in addressing community needs and contextual specificities, enable participatory and inclusive engagement and thereby facilitate more profound adaptation impacts. Agent-based modelling (ABM) harbors the potential to be the ideal tool to support developing of tailored adaptation strategies while considering capacities, resources, skills, priorities, needs and the cultural context of local communities. ABM allows to capture the complex relationships among various components within community decision making on CBA actions, the CBA actions themselves and the environment. There exist plenty of tools, however they provide for varying degrees of freedom in agent definition, sensitivity analysis, scalability, experiment design and output analysis to name a few. A set of required key criteria for CBA modelling is developed and all available ABM modelling and simulation tools are assessed for their suitability for CBA. NetLogo emerges as the most fitting tool for incorporating and handling the special features of CBA. It is closely followed by GAMA and Envision. The article provides insights and guidance to researchers and practitioners in selecting ABM tools aligned with the specific requirements of their CBA simulations and projects.

This work provides critical commentary on and corrections of a recently published taxonomy of Montiaceae. Valid citation and publication dates of novel taxa per the International Code of Nomenclature for Plants, Algae, and Fungi are summarized.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory condition which significantly affects quality of life in both patients and their caregivers. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are a class of immunosuppressive drugs predominantly inhibiting T cell mediated immune processes. CNI form complex by binding with immunophilins and in turn inhibit calcineurin and suppress downstream inflammatory pathway. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are topical CNI approved for the treatment of mild to severe AD in both children and adults. Application site reactions are frequently seen. They have been issued with black box warning towards increased risk of malignancies but supportive evidence is lacking. Cyclosporine, though highly effective, is used off-label for AD management. It is used for controlling acute flares of AD due to its very rapid onset of action. Nephrotoxicity and hypertension are its serious complications. CNI have not been reported with teratogenicity and may be used conditionally during pregnancy and lactation.

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.

This paper investigates the efficacy of YOLOv8 variants for vehicle detection and license plate detection within smart parking applications, emphasizing performance under varying ambient lighting conditions. The proposed system is to seize full video frames, extracts regions of interest containing vehicles, and feeds them into separate, pre-trained YOLOv8 models – one dedicated to vehicle detection and another for license plate detection. Four YOLOv8 variants, nano, small, medium, and large, are evaluated. As a pre-processing step, the images are processed with the help of OpenCV and Pillow libraries to adjust the luminosity and increase the images’ DPI so that they would be easy to perceive by the Tesseract OCR engine. Sixteen potential combinations arise from pairing the four YOLOv8 models for vehicle and license plate detection tasks. To identify the most suitable combinations, we employ the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method, specifically Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis. This analysis considers 4 critical metrics: Precision, mean average precision at 95% Intersection of Union threshold, Recall and Total Inference Time. The objective is to achieve an optimal balance between high accuracy and real-time processing. Following the selection of optimal YOLOv8 combinations through TOPSIS analysis, we assess their performance under varying ambient light intensity (measured in lux). This evaluation aims to identify the most robust model combinations that ensure accurate vehicle and license plate recognition across the diverse lighting conditions encountered in real-world environment.

This article touched upon various issues regarding vulnerability, disparities amongst community settings, and the effect of air pollution on the populace (low-income communities). Furthermore, the paper emphasized environmental ethics approaches like anthropocentric, nature-centric, and deep-ecological approaches. More so, it addresses the importance of handling these disparities, particularly from the geopolitical dimension, and recommends cross-border cooperation and accountability in promoting environmental justice in India.

Biopolymer gels have gained tremendous potential for therapeutic applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to adsorb and bind biological fluids, making them attractive for drug delivery and therapy. The versatility of biopolymer gels in theranostic backgrounds, with a focus on integrating imaging features and facilitating real-time monitoring of drug delivery. Different methods of delivery are explored imaging agents into biopolymer gels, including encapsulation, surface functionalization, nanoparticle encapsulation and layer-by-layer assembly techniques. Integration of Agents and Real-Time Monitoring Drug Delivery We summarize the synthesis methods, general properties, and mechanisms of biopolymer gels functionality, demonstrating their broad applications as multimodal systems for imaging-based therapeutics. These techniques not only enable multiple imaging but also provide signal enhancement and imaging a targeted facilitates, increasing the diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy. In addition, current techniques for incorporating imaging agents into biopolymer gels are discussed, and their role in precise drug delivery and monitoring.

In this paper, we study quantum gravity effect on the symmergent black hole which is derived from quadratic-curvature gravity. To do so, we use the Klein-Gordon equation which is modified by generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). After solving the field equations, we examine the symmergent black hole's tunneling and Hawking temperature. We explore the graphs of the temperature through the outer horizon to check the GUP influenced conditions of symmergent black hole stability. We also explain how symmergent black holes behave physically when influenced by quantum gravity. The impacts of thermal fluctuations on the thermodynamics of a symmergent black holes spacetime are examined. We first evaluate the model under consideration's thermodynamic properties, such as its Hawking temperature, angular velocity, entropy, and electric potential. We evaluate the logarithmic correction terms for entropy around the equilibrium state in order to examine the impacts of thermal fluctuations. In the presence of these correction terms, we also examine the viability of the first law of thermodynamics. Finally, we evaluate the system's stability using the Hessian matrix and heat capacity. It is determined that a stable model is generated by logarithmic corrections arising from thermal fluctuations.

The extent of access to energy of displaced populations in settlements and camps in Africa is largely 14 unknown. A multitude of contextual factors, such as the location and the characteristics of housing, 15 the legal status, the socio-cultural background, and the availability of humanitarian and public ser- 16 vices impact the living conditions and the needed energy services. Limitations in accessing energy 17 services have direct, multilayered, and far-reaching implications, including impacts on health, nu- 18 trition, education, protection, and livelihood. The objective of this article is to contribute to a more 19 comprehensive overview of the current state of energy access in displacement contexts on the Afri- 20 can continent by identifying and utilizing existing data. After a screening of the vast and various 21 available information, setting up of a database, consolidating the gathered data as well as assessing 22 the quality through a quality assessment method, the currently available information is visualized 23 and discussed. Considerable differences in the access to electricity for displaced persons across the 24 countries are found. For both electricity and clean cooking, the availability for displaced persons 25 ranges from nearly no access at all up to an access rate of 100%. More strikingly, the results also 26 show that besides South Africa and countries in the Maghreb region, the access to both clean cook- 27 ing and electricity for displaced persons is very low. At the same time, the fragmented data availa- 28 bility, the poor data quality, and the questionable expediency of available data allows neither solid 29 theoretical conclusions nor planning of effective practical implementation measures. Novel inter- 30 disciplinary research, conceptual frameworks and indicators are needed for the purpose of compa- 31 rability and consistency. Future research has the potential to more comprehensively capture the 32 current state of access to energy in displacements contexts and in a next step to examine how energy 33 is interwoven in the lives of displaced people to derive a set of more detailed context-sensitive en- 34 ergy indicators. It is essential that the concerned persons, the displaced persons themselves are in- 35 cluded in the research in a meaningful way.

In this paper, precise examination of multi-port antennas with large mutual coupling between the ports is studied. For this purpose, some vital parameters such as active reflection coefficients and realised gain are emphasized. The main motivation of this research is the ignorance of this issue in several recently published papers. Hence, corrections and criticisms to some recently reported results are presented. At first, a microstrip patch consisting of two inverted U-slots is re-examined, which has been proposed in a recently published paper for wideband applications. However, the authors did not present satisfactory results to indicate the performance of the proposed structure. In reverse, some important parameters such as the antenna gain appear to be incorrectly reported. In this paper, the characteristics of the antenna are compared with a simple 50 Ω microstrip line excited by two probes, indicating no significant differences. In the remainder of this paper, some corrections are provided on two examples of wide-beam circularly polarised multi-fed antennas for satellite applications. The first example is the multi-fed spiral antennas with folded arms, which have been proposed as the widebeam antennas at 435 MHz. It is indicated that the antenna height should be increased for better performance. The second example is the quadrifilar square helical antennas with folded arms, which have been proposed as the widebeam antennas for 435 MHz with minor responses at 145 MHz. Some corrections are presented on the previously reported minor responses at 145 MHz.

The larvae of some species of the subgenus Orthocladius s. str. (Diptera, Chironomidae) are here described for the first time with corrections and additions to the descriptions of adult males and pupal exuviae. The identification of larvae is generally not possible without association with their pupal exuviae and/or adult males, so the descriptions here are based only on reared material or on pupae with the associated larval exuviae. Usually, Chironomidae larvae can be separated on the basis of morphometric characters, and the most discriminant characters ones are: 1- the ratio between the width of median tooth of mentum (Dm) and the width of the first lateral tooth (Dl) = mental ratio (DmDl), 2- the ratio between the length of the first antennal segment (A1) and the combined length of segments 2-5 (A(2-5)2-5) = antennal ratio (AR). The shape of mandible, maxilla, and other body parts are almost identical in all the species considered in this study. The larva of Orthocladius (Symposiocladius) lignicola is very characteristic and can be separated by the shape of mentum and the larvae of all the known species of Symposiocladius are characterized by the presence of large Lauterborn organs on antennae and of tufts of setae on abdominal segments. The larvae of Orthocladius (Orthocladius) oblidens and Orthocladius (Orthocladius) rhyacobius can be distinguished from other species basing on their large Dm and to each other by AR. A principal component analysis was carried out using 5 characters: 1- Dm, 2- Dl, 3- length of A1, 4- width of A1 (A1W), 5- combined length of segments 2-5 (A2-5). The most discriminant characters were Dm and A1, confirming that DmDl and AR can be used to separate species at larval stage, but the large superposition of morphometric characters in different species confirms that association with pupal exuviae is in any case needed to identify larvae. In future perspective, the development of reference DNA barcodes from specimens identified by specialists is recommended since possibly the best tool for larvae identification, but association of barcodes with morphotypes is in any case fundamental.

Many anti-tumor effects of group-specific component-derived macrophage-activating factors (GcMAFs) have been reported; however, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Controlling tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment is essential for cancer treatment. This study assessed the role of GcMAF in macrophage activation, elucidated the mechanisms by which it exerts its anti-tumor effects, and determined its effects on TAMs in the tumor microenvironment. GcMAF-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and EMT6 breast tumor cells were co-cultured in a 0.4-µm pore cell culture insert, and gene and protein expression and cell viability were evaluated. DNA microarray analysis of GcMAF-stimulated RAW264.7 cells was conducted. The induction of M2 RAW264.7 cells by interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 was analyzed. GcMAF stimulation increased the tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA and protein levels in RAW264.7 cells but decreased the viability of co-cultured EMT6 cells. These results were confirmed in the M2 RAW264M2.7 cells, suggesting that GcMAF exerts anti-tumor effects by inducing the differentiation of macrophages into the M1 type and reprogramming M2 macrophages to the M1 type. The anti-tumor activity of GcMAF via M2-to-M1 macrophage reprogramming could aid in developing novel cancer immunotherapies.

The realization of a perfect absorber A = 1 with transmittance and reflectance T=R=0 by a thin metasurface is one of the hot topics in recent nanophotonics prompted by energy harvesting and sensor applications (A + R + T =1 is the energy conservation). Here we tested optical properties of over 400 structures of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) metasurfaces for a range of variation in thickness of insulator, the diameter of a disc and intra-disc distance experimentally and numerically. Conditions of a near-perfect absorption A > 95% with simultaneously occurring anti-reflection property (R < 5%) were experimentally determined. Differences between the bulk vs. nano-thin film properties at mid-IR of the used materials can be of interest for plasmonic multi-metal alloys and high entropy metals.

According to current forecasts, global heating is likely to exceed 2,8°C by the end of the century. This makes substantial adaptation measures necessary to secure a broad basis for livelihoods provision and the conservation of biodiversity. While the implementation of top-down and technocratic adaptation efforts is the majority, related adaptation shortcomings of socio-economic and ecological nature are becoming more and more apparent. Community-based adaptation (CBA) with its participatory, inclusive and needs-based bottom-up approach offers a promising and powerful alternative. This article uses a semi-systematic literature review approach to screen the current literature and identify core issues of CBA. Linking communality, locality, multidimensionality, power imbalances, transformative potential, localisation, the triad of adaptation metrics and adaptation with nature to corresponding potential actions for practical implementations provides a more holistic conceptualisation and broadens the horizons for further learnings, research and improved application.

Quasi-interpolation is a powerful tool for approximating functions using radial basis functions (RBFs) such as Gaussian kernels. This avoids solving large systems of equations as in RBF interpolation. However, quasi-interpolation with Gaussian kernels on compact intervals can have significant errors near the boundaries. This paper proposes a quasi-interpolation method with Gaussian kernels using Chebyshev points and boundary corrections to improve the approximation near the boundaries. The boundary corrections use a linear approximation of the function beyond the interval to estimate the truncation error and add correction terms. Numerical studies on test functions show that the proposed method reduces errors significantly near boundaries compared to quasi-interpolation without corrections, for both equally spaced and Chebyshev points. The convergence and accuracy with the boundary corrections are generally better with Chebyshev points compared to equally spaced points. The proposed method provides an efficient way to perform quasi-interpolation on compact intervals while controlling the boundary errors.

In recent years, bioengineered and biotechnological products have gained tremendous attention to identify unique biologic features associated with oncology. To overwhelm the complexity of tumor personalized medicines (PM) or vaccines could be a promising way-out to be considered. Cancer is a heterogeneous disease. This characteristic variability of cancer provides itself to the emergent era of PM i.e., precision oncology. The prime objective of PM is merely to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. For instance, imatinib was effectively targeted chronic myeloid leukemia. To date, attainment in using PM approaches to cancer treatment have been mixed. The next-generation sequencing (NGS), and the use of several biomarkers (e.g., HER2, BRAF, ALK, etc.), to drive precise cancer treatment through a timely and cost-effective manner. In current review, author summarizes the advancement in the field of PM such as CRISPR-Cas9, NGS, pharmacogenomics, and the benefits of machine learning techniques. The precise communication between healthcare professionals, regulatory bodies, and patients is essential to translate advances in PM into immense benefits for patients with cancer globally.

The search of DNA polymorphisms useful for the genetic improvement of dairy farm animals lasts more than 40 years with relevant findings in cattle for milk traits, where the best combination of alleles for dairy processing have been found in casein genes and in the DGAT1. Nowadays, similar results are not reached yet in river buffaloes despite advanced genomic technologies and accurate phenotype records are available. The aim of the present study was to investigate and validate in a larger buffalo population the effect on six milk traits of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CSN1S1, CSN3, SCD and LPL genes, previously reported to be associated with or affect dairy traits in smaller populations often belonging to one farm. A total of 800 buffaloes were genotyped. Daily milk yield (dMY, kg), protein yield (dPY, kg) and fat yields (dFY, kg), fat and protein contents (dFP, % and dPP, %), somatic cell count (SCC, 103cell/ml) and urea (mg/dl) were individually recorded in each month for the whole lactation from 2010 to 2021. A total of 15,742 individual milk test day records (2,496 lactations) were available on 680 buffalo cows with 3.6±1.7 parity (from 1 to 13) and 6.1±1.2 test day records per lactation on average. Three out four SNP in CSN1S1, CSN3 and LPL were associated with at least one of analyzed traits. In particular, the CSN1S1 (AJ005430:c.578C&gt;T) gave favorable associations with all yield traits (dMY, p=0.022; dPY, p=0.014 ; dFY, p=0.029) and SCS (p=0.032), whereas the CSN3 (HQ677596: c.536C&gt;T) positively associated with SCS (p=0.005) and milk urea (p=0.04). Favorable effect on dMY (p=0.028), dFP (p=0.027) and dPP (p=0.050) were observed for the LPL. Conversely, SCD did not show any association with milk traits. This is the first example of confirmation study carried out in the Mediterranean river buffalo for genes of economic interest in dairy field and it represents a very important indication for the preselection of young bulls destined to breeding programs in the view of a more sustainable dairy production.

In the frame of the I-MOVE-COVID-19 project, a cohort of 2050 patients admitted in two Spanish reference hospitals between March 2020 and December 2021 was selected, and a range of clinical factors data were collected at admission to assess their impact on the risk COVID-19 severity outcomes through a multivariate adjusted analysis and nomograms. The need for ventilation and ICU admission were found directly associated with a higher mortality risk (OR 6.9 and 3.2, respectively). The clinical predictors of mortality were need for ventilation and ICU, advanced age, neuromuscular disorders, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminaemia, dementia, cancer, elevated CPK and neutrophilia (OR between 1.8 and 3.5), whilst the presence of vomiting, sore throat and cough diminished risk of death (OR 0.5, 0.2 and 0.1 respectively). Admission to ICU was predicted by the need for ventilation, abdominal pain and elevated LDH (OR 371.0, 3.6 and 2.2, respectively) as risk factors; otherwise, it was prevented by advanced age (OR 0.5). In turn, the need for ventilation was predicted by low oxygen saturation, elevated LDH and CPK, diabetes, neutrophilia, obesity and elevated GGT (OR between 1.7 and 5.2), whilst prevented by hypertension (OR 0.5). These findings could enhance patient management and strategic interventions to combat COVID-19.

Accurate determination of the concentration of alcohols and their metabolites is important in forensics and in several life science areas. A new method has been developed to quantify alcohols and their oxidative products using a headspace gas chromatography- mass spectrometer and isotope-labelled internal standards. This work demonstrates the application of this method, specifically in quantifying the concentration of oxidative products of alcohol and other minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers, which have become an essential household item since the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the major component, the minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers include methanol, isopropanol, and n-propanol. In ethanol-based hand sanitizers, a significant amount of acetaldehyde was observed as an oxidation product, while in isopropanol-based hand sanitizers, acetone was observed. The concentration of acetaldehyde in ethanol-based hand sanitizers significantly increased with storage time and temperature, whereas no such increase of acetone concentration was observed in isopropanol-based hand sanitizers with storage time and temperature.

Background: Population studies have shown that prehypertension is associated with adverse cardiometabolic risk profile even among apparently healthy populations. Although associations between serum triglyceride (TG) concentrations and the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease have been reported, there are lack of data on the association of hypertriglyceridemia with cardiovascular risk (CVR) in a low risk prehypertensive population. Aim: Our aim was to analyze the cardiorenometabolic characteristics of prehypertensives (PHT) compared to normotensives (NT) and untreated hypertensives (HT) and its associations with CVR. Materials and methods: In our cross-sectional study we included 323 apparently healthy untreated subjects 18-45 years who underwent basic anthropometric and standardized blood pressure measurement, fasting blood sampling, spot urine collection and transthoracic echocardiogram. Results: Higher BMI, waist circumference, HOMA-IR, LDL-cholesterol, TG, uric acid and LVMI contribute to higher CVR in PHT compared to true NT (p

Senna rugosa is a species found in the Cerrado and used in folk medicine as a vermifuge and in the treatment of poisonous snakebites accidents. In this work, we identified the main secondary metabolites present in ethanolic extracts of the leaves (ELSR) and roots (ERSR) of S. rugosa and evaluated the potential cytoprotective effect against cellular macromolecular damage, as well as the cytotoxic properties of the extracts on the K562 and Jurkat leukemic cell lines. The identification of metabolites was done by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activities were investigated by direct ABTS•+ and DPPH• radical scavenging methods, protection against oxidative damage in proteins and DNA. The cytotoxic properties were investigated against healthy cells, isolated from human peripheral blood (PBMC) and leukemic cell lines. The leaf extract contains catechin, rutin, epigallocatechin derivatives, kaempferol glycosides, luteolin, and dimeric and trimeric procyanidins, while the root extract profile shows obtusichromoneside derivatives, 2-methoxystypandrone, stilbene derivatives, naphthopyranones, and flavanone derivatives. The extracts showed antioxidant activity, with IC50 of 4.86 ± 0.51 µg/mL and 8.33 ± 0.90 µg/mL in the ABTS assay for ELSR and ERSR, respectively. And in the DPPH• assay, the IC50 was 19.98 ± 1.96 µg/mL for ELSR and 13.37 ± 1.05 µg/mL for ERSR. The extracts protected macromolecules against oxidative damage at concentrations of 5 µg/mL. The cytotoxicity test against leukemic strains was observed after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. After 48 h, results against the K562 cell line demonstrate IC50 of 242.54 ± 2.38 µg/mL and 223.00 ± 2.34 µg/mL for ELSR and ERSR , respectively. While against the Jurkat cell line, these extracts showed IC50 of 171.45 ± 2.25 µg/mL and 189.30 ± 2.27 µg/mL, respectively Results on PBMC viability, demonstrate that the extracts showed selectivity for the leukemic cell lines. Together, our results reveal that the leaves and roots of S. rugosa have completely distinct and complex chemical compositions. This study expands the repertoire of identified chemical compounds and underscores their significant pharmacological potential in conditions related to oxidative stress and leukemia.

Antibacterial bone cements (ABCs), such as antibiotic-loaded bone cements (ALBCs), have been widely utilized in clinical treatments. Currently, bone cements loaded with vancomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, or clindamycin are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, traditional ALBCs exhibit drawbacks like burst release and bacterial resistance. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of antibacterial bone cements containing novel agents. In this review, we summarize the latest advancements in ABCs. More importantly, we provide an overview and outlook on novel antibacterial agent-loaded bone cements, including metallic antibacterial agents, pH-switchable antibacterial agents, cationic polymers, N-halamines, non-leaching acrylic monomers, antimicrobial peptides, etc. Offering novel perspectives for designing ABCs and treating bone infections.

In the process of sewage coagulation treatment, quartz sand is often used as a heavy medium to accelerate the settling rate of flocs, but it will adversely affect the removal efficiency of pollutants. The factors that affect the coagulation effect and can be controlled manually include the quartz sand dosage, coagulant dosage, sewage pH, stirring time, settling time, etc, their reasonable setting is critical to. This paper was to study the optimal conditions of quartz sand enhanced coagulation(QSEC), first, single-factor tests were conducted to preliminarily explore the optimal range of influencing factors, and then response surface methodology（RSM）tests were performed to accurately determine the optimums of significant factors. The results showed that the addition of quartz sand can’t improve the water quality of coagulation treatment, but it can significantly accelerate the coagulation settlement process, the quartz sand dosage, the coagulant dosage and sewage pH all impacted significantly on its coagulation effect, and existed inflection points. A model that could guide QSEC was obtained by RSM tests. The model optimization and experimental validation showed that the optimal QSEC conditions for treating domestic sewage were as follows: the polyaluminum chloride(PAC) dosage, cationic polyacrylamide(CPAM) dosage, the sewage pH, quartz sand dosage, stirring time and settling time were 0.97 g·L-1, 2.25 mg·L-1, 7.22, 2 g·L-1, 5 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively, and the turbidity of treated sewage was reduced to 1.15 NTU.

The pervasive use of plastic for milk packaging has raised significant health concerns, despite its advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, convenience, and durability. The potential correlation between cancer and plastic packaging is one of these concerns. This mini-review examines the health implications of plastic materials used in milk packaging, with a particular emphasis on their carcinogenic hazards. This work endeavors to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of plastic components on human health and underscore the importance of ongoing research in this field by utilizing insights from a comprehensive review article. Harmful chemicals have been observed to leach into milk from plastics used in milk packaging, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), particularly under conditions of protracted storage and heat. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and styrene are among the most prevalent leachates. These chemicals have been associated with a variety of health issues, such as an elevated risk of cancer, and are recognized for their endocrine-disrupting properties. BPA and phthalates, in particular, have the potential to disrupt hormone function, which may result in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other hormone-related malignancies.This review emphasizes the significance of comprehending the precise components of plastics utilized in milk packaging and their potential health consequences. It advocates for more rigorous research to completely elucidate the long-term health impacts of these materials by emphasizing the current state of knowledge and regulatory initiatives. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of innovative packaging technologies to guarantee consumer protection and mitigate the risk of exposure to carcinogenic substances.

Here we mathematically model black holes and the early universe following dynamics similar to RLC electrical models, focusing on their similarities at the singularity. We use this mathematically modelling to hypothesize the evolution of an expanding universe as the result of a black hole collapse followed by its evaporation. Or model consists of several steps defined by: (1) the formation of a black hole following general relativity equations; (2) growth of the black hole modelled as a resistance-capacitance-like electrical circuit; (3) expansion of space-time following the disintegration of the black hole, modelled by RLC-like dynamics. In updating this article, version 2, we will expand by presenting three additional examples related to the theory of the generalization Boltzmann's constant in curved space-time and the theory of general and especial relativity. We will calculate the critical mass to produce a black hole in the LHC, the existence of a high temperature Bose-Einstein condensate and finally we will demonstrate the existence of a tangential force to the repulsion force in the disintegration of subatomic particles. In the update of this article, version 3, we will expand to develop two examples. First, we will present the relationship between M-theory, extra dimensions with the theory of the generalization of Boltzmann's constant in curved space-time. Secondly, we will propose the idea of ​​updating the Lambda-CDM model, considering the primordial gravitational waves to correctly describe the evolution of the universe.

Aiming to improve medical diagnosis and treatment, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformational force in the healthcare industry. In this article, we examine how AI is increasingly being used to improve healthcare, with an emphasis on how it is changing medical diagnosis and treatment. We explore the opportunities, threats, and ethical concerns of incorporating AI into healthcare practice. In addition, we feature important AI applications in radiology, pathology, cardiology, and cancer. AI has great potential to improve patient outcomes, diagnostic accuracy, and the ability to provide individualized treatment plans in the future if it is used and refined with care.

Several recent studies have indicated that miR-30a plays critical roles in various biological processes and diseases. However, the mechanism of miR-30a participation in the regulation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is ambiguous. Our previous study demonstrated that miR-30a may function as a novel therapeutic target for lung fibrosis by blocking mitochondrial fission, which is dependent on dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp-1). However, the regulatory mechanism between miR-30a and Drp-1 has yet to be investigated. In addition, whether miR-30a can act as a potential therapeutic has not been verified in vivo. In this study, the miR-30a expression in IPF patients was evaluated. Computational analysis and a dual luciferase reporter system assay were used to identify the target gene of miR-30a, and cell transfection was used to confirm this relationship. Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) was validated as a direct target of miR-30a, and the transfection of miR-30a mimic/inhibitor significantly reduced/increased the expression of TET1 protein. Further experiment verified that the interference on TET1(siRNA) could inhibit the hydroxymethlation of the Drp-1 promoter. Finally, miR-30a agomir was designed and applied to identify and validate the therapeutic effect of miR-30a in vivo. Our study demonstrated that miR-30a could inhibit the TET1 expression by base pairing with complementary sites in the 3′ untranslated region to regulate the hydroxymethlation of the Drp-1 promoter. Furthermore, miR-30a could act as a potential therapeutic target for IPF.

(1) Background: The rapid development of information technology has changed the traditional concept of space, gradually shifting the "container space" to the "relational space" . The constraints of geographical spatial elements are diminishing, and the theory of virtual agglomeration is gaining attention. (2) Methods: In this study, we constructed an evaluation system for virtual agglomeration, comprising four primary indicators: virtual infrastructure level, virtual output level, virtual input level, and virtual service level. The TOPSIS method was used to calculate the virtual agglomeration level for each province, and the DEA-Malmquist method was employed to measure provincial total factor productivity (TFP) in China. Using panel data from 30 provincial regions in China from 2013 to 2021, we examined the mechanism and impact path of virtual agglomeration on TFP. (3) Result: There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between virtual agglomeration and TFP in China. The overall development level of virtual agglomeration is relatively low, within the range where the marginal effect of virtual agglomeration on TFP is positive but diminishing, indicating significant potential for further development. The impact of virtual agglomeration on TFP is stronger in the Yangtze River Economic Belt compared to non-Yangtze River areas, and the highest stable point of TFP is higher in central provinces than in eastern and western provinces. (4) Conclusions: This study provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for improving the level of virtual agglomeration.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which joints are gradually de-stroyed, and early diagnosis and treatment before joint deformation or destruction is im-portant. The detection of novel RA biomarkers in saliva may facilitate the early detection of RA before the onset of disease. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive proteomic analysis of salivary proteins from RA model mice. Proteins were identified by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum, saliva, and ankle joints from DBA/1JJmsSlc mice, a model of rheumatoid arthritis. Ankle joints and submandibular glands were hematoxylin and eosin stained and immunostained, and the results were compared with those of control mice. Citrullinated α1 antitrypsin (A1AT, 46 kDa) was commonly detected in saliva, serum, and ankle joints of severe RA model mice, and was confirmed by proteome analysis. Western blotting detected a band corresponding to 46 kDa in serum, saliva and ankle joints, and immunostaining of ankle joints with A1AT an-tibody showed a strong positive signal in the synovium. In DBA/1JJmsSlc mice, not only cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies but also A1AT may be involved in protein citrulli-nation and contribute to the development and severity of RA.

Research into lightweight structural concrete using volcanic tuff is of great importance to the construction industry. These materials have excellent thermal insulation properties, which helps improve the energy efficiency of buildings. A three-factor experimental design was used to build the statistical model. The test methods used were methods for determining the crushability of volcanic tuff, determining the average density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of lightweight structural concrete. The influence of basalt fiber on the properties of lightweight structural concrete has been determined. The optimal compositions of lightweight structural concrete using tuff have been selected. The compressive strength of lightweight structural concrete reached 32.0 MPa. The average density range is 1754.6-2114.0 kg/m³. Good thermal conductivity values ​​were obtained in the range of 0.653-0.818 W/m·K. The article obtained the optimal compositions of lightweight structural concrete using volcanic tuff as a filler.

Spermatogenesis is critical for insect reproduction and is regulated by many different genes. In this study, we found that Forkhead transcription factor Fd59a functions as a key factor in spermatogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster. Fd59a contains a conversed Forkhead domain, and it is clustered to the FoxD subfamily with other FoxD members from some insect and vertebrate species. Mutation in Fd59a caused swelling in the apical region of the testis. More importantly, only a few mature sperm were present in the seminal vesicle of Fd59a mutant flies compared to the control flies, and the fertility of Fd59a2/2 mutant males was significantly lower than that of the control flies. Immunofluorescence staining showed that the homeostasis of testis stem cell niche in Fd59a2/2 mutant and Fd59a RNAi flies was disrupted, and apoptosis of sperm bundles was increased. Furthermore, results from RNA-sequencing and qRT-PCR suggest that Fd59a can regulate expression of genes related to reproductive process and cell death. Taken together, our results indicated that Fd59a plays a key role in the spermatogenesis of Drosophila.

This study examines the evolution of the two-factor authentication method and its adaptability to the online education system. Two-factor authentication is a security measure used especially in areas where information such as banking is valuable. Parallel to technological developments, it has developed as much as daily. It aims to take security one step forward because it is composed of two phases. Today, banking, IOT devices, public transport tickets and many other areas are used. Two-factor authentication methods against security attacks in the field of information are also being updated. In recent years, new technologies such as biometric (iris pattern, retinal pattern, etc.) or behavioral biometry (location tracking, walking information, touch speed etc.) were studied. Instead of physically studying somewhere like going to a course in modern society, online trainings become more advantageous. Most of these online trainings are given certificates such as participation certificate, success certificate, etc. The main problem here is whether the person who is being certified is true. In the study conducted in line with these details, there is a proposal for the application of the Mimic Control Method with Sound Intensity (MCMSI) method for on-line training by examining the two-factor authentication techniques up to the day.

Long COVID, a name often given to the persistent symptoms following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, poses a multifaceted challenge for health. This review explores the intrinsic relationship between comorbidities and autoimmune responses in shaping the trajectory of long COVID. Autoantibodies have emerged as significant players in COVID-19 pathophysiology, with implications for disease severity and progression. Studies show immune dysregulation persisting months after infection, marked by activated innate immune cells and high cytokine levels. The presence of autoantibodies against various autoantigens suggests their potential as comorbid factors in long COVID. Additionally, the formation of immune complexes may lead to severe disease progression, highlighting the urgency for early detection and intervention. Furthermore, long COVID is highly linked to cardiovascular complications and neurological symptoms, posing challenges in diagnosis and management. Multidisciplinary approaches, including vaccination, tailored rehabilitation, and pharmacological interventions, are used for mitigating long COVID's burden. However, numerous challenges persist, from evolving diagnostic criteria to addressing the psychosocial impact and predicting disease outcomes. Leveraging AI-based applications holds promise in enhancing patient management and improving our understanding of long COVID. As research continues to unfold, unravelling the complexities of long COVID remains paramount for effective intervention and patient care.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a major cause of severe respiratory disease in infants and young children worldwide. Two vaccines targeting the elderly and pregnant women have been recently approved employing the prefusion form of the RSV-fusion protein (F). However, there are currently no vaccines for infants. Studies have shown a fusion-inactive prefusogenic F form is significantly more immunogenic and produces higher antibody titers to both the prefusion and postfusion structures of the F protein. Here we have developed RSV virus-like particles (RSV-VLPs) consisting of prefusogenic F, RSV glycoprotein and matrix proteins, produced them using the baculovirus expression system, and studied their protective efficacy in Balb/c mice. Morphology and successful assembly of VLPs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and western blot. Mice immunized with VLPs developed high levels of serum IgG and neutralizing antibodies as compared with mice immunized with inactivated virus. The VLP vaccine also induced higher levels of IFNγ and IL4, elicited limited proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells but higher cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte responses. VLP immunization abolished lung pathology in the mice after RSV challenge. Overall, our results indicate that RSV-VLPs consisting of prefusogenic F, glycoprotein and matrix proteins are a potential vaccine candidate against RSV.

The r-process is one of the processes that produce heavy elements in the Universe. One of its possible astrophysical sites is the neutron star - black hole (NS-BH) merger. We first show that the neutrons may be degenerate before and during the r-process in these mergers. Previous studies assumed neutrons were non-degenerate and the related rates were calculated under Maxwell-Boltzmann approximations. Hence, we corrected the related rates with neutron degeneracy and put into the network code and calculated with the trajectories of NS-BH mergers. We show that there are differences in the nuclei distributions and leads to big changes in the heat generation and hence the temperature changes during the r-process. The higher temperatures in the r-process lead to higher luminosity of the light curves of these mergers than the one using non-degenerate rates. However, this has little effect on the final abundances.

Biochar is a carbonaceous material derived from the thermochemical conversion of biomass under oxygen-lean conditions. Its properties render it many applications in agriculture, environmental remediation, and catalysis. Commonly produced by pyrolysis under a nitrogen atmosphere, the biochar composition is influenced mainly by residence time, heating rate, and process temperature. The existing literature primarily assesses biochar properties, such as ultimate, proximate, calorific, porosity, and combustibility, generated under various thermo-conversion conditions. However, there is a notable lack of sufficient investigation and attention given to the practical application of biochar. This article seeks to bridge that gap by enhancing the comprehension of the necessary experimental assessment for specific biochar applications and proposing process optimization methods using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). By delving into these aspects, the study offers a concise overview of biochar production and presents a comprehensive panorama based on articles and patents. Additionally, the research explores the physicochemical characterization techniques associated with biochar and its various applications in conjunction with MCDA. This comprehensive approach aims to uncover valuable insights that could further advance the practical and sustainable utilization of biochar in a wide range of fields.

An equation for the Fermi level of impurity isotropic semiconductors is considered when the bottom of the conduction band and the top of the valence band are at the center of the first Brillouin zone. The energy of charge carriers in the valence and conduction bands of semiconductors is considered taking into account the real positions of the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band in the first Brillouin zone. A universal equation for determining the Fermi levels of impurity isotropic semiconductors is presented.

Q-switched laser radiation at wavelengths of 355 nm, 532 nm, and 1064 nm from a Nd: YAG laser was used to generate plasma in laboratory air at the target surface made of compressed nano-silver particles of size 95 ± 10 nm. The emitted resonance spectra from the neutral silver at wavelengths of 327.9 nm and 338.2 nm indicate existence of self-reversal in addition to plasma self-absorption. Both lines were identified in emission spectra at different laser irradiation wavelengths with characteristic dips at the un-shifted central wavelengths. These dips are usually associated with self-reversal. Under similar conditions, plasmas at the corresponding bulk silver target were generated. The recorded emission spectra were compared to those obtained from the nano-material target. The comparisons confirm existence of self-reversal of resonance lines that emerge from plasmas produced at nano-material targets. This work suggests a method for recovery of the spectral line shapes and discusses practical examples. In addition, subsidiary calibration efforts that utilize the Balmer series Hα-line reveal that other Ag I lines at 827.35 nm and 768.7 nm are optically thin under variety of experimental conditions and are well-suited as reference lines for measurement of the laser plasma electron density.

Integrated crop-livestock production (ILP) is an interesting alternative for more sustainable soil use. However, more studies are needed to analyze soil pore properties under ILP at the micrometer scale. Thus, this study proposes a detailed analysis of soil pore architecture at the micrometer scale in three dimensions. For this purpose, samples of an Oxisol under ILP subjected to minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT) with ryegrass as cover crop (C) and silage (S) were investigated. The soil micromorphological properties of the soil were analyzed using X-ray microtomography. The MT(C) system showed the highest values of porosity (c. 20.4%), connectivity (c. 32.8×103), volume (c. 26%), and number of pores (c. 32%) in a rod-like shape. On the other hand, the MT(S), NT(C), and NT(S) systems showed higher tortuosities (c. 2.2, c. 2.0, and c. 2.1) and lower pore connectivities (c. 8.3×103, c. 6.9×103, and c. 6.2×103), especially in S use. Ellipsoidal and rod-shaped pores predominated over spheroidal and disc-shaped pores in all treatments. The results of this study show that the use of ryegrass as a cover crop improves soil physical properties, especially in MT. For S use, the type of soil management (MT or NT) did not show any differences.

Plants are subjected to abiotic stresses throughout their developmental period. Abiotic stresses include drought, salt, heat, cold, heavy metals, nutritional element and oxidative stresses. Improving plant response to various environmental stresses is critical for plant survival and perpetuation. The WRKY transcription factors have special structure (WRKY structural domains), which enable WRKY transcription factors to have different transcriptional regulatory functions. The WRKY transcription factors can not only regulate abiotic stresses response and plant growth and development by regulating phytohormone signalling pathways, but also promote or suppress the expression of downstream genes by binding to the W-box [TGACCA/TGACCT] in the promoters of their target genes. In addition, WRKY transcription factors not only interact with other families of transcription factors to regulate plant defence responses in abiotic stresses, but also self-regulate by recognizing and binding to W-boxes in their own target genes to regulate their defence responses to abiotic stresses. However, in recent years, research reviews on the regulatory roles of WRKY transcription factors in higher plants are scarce and shallow. In this review, we focus on the structure and classification of WRKY transcription factors, as well as the identification of their downstream target genes and molecular mechanisms involved in the response to abiotic stresses, which can improve the tolerance ability of plants in abiotic stress and we also look forward to their future research directions, with a view to providing theoretical support for the genetic improvement of crop abiotic stresses tolerance.

Background: We prepared reference materials of fentanyl and amphetamines in hair, and established methods for the certification of reference materials of fentanyl and amphetamines in hair samples. Methods: Hair samples containing 15 drugs were prepared by immersion method (water-dimethylsulfoxide). On the basis of single-factor experiment, Box-Behnken design-response surface was used to optimize the pre-treatment conditions of samples. In MRM/SIM mode, 15 drugs were quantitatively analyzed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS methods. Results: The contents of 15 drugs in the mixed hair samples were: 1.050 ng mg-1~7.771 ng mg-1, RSDs&lt;7%(n=11). The results showed that the two analytical methods developed were highly sensitive (LODs as low as 0.05 pg mg-1), reproducible (intra-day and inter-day precision RSDs were&lt;10%) and accurate. F-test was performed on the prepared hair samples and the results showed that the homogeneity of the prepared hair samples was good. Conclusions: The established methods were used for the detection of fentanyl and amphetamine drugs in human hair, with high sensitivity, accuracy and specificity. It can be used as a certified method for the development of fentanyl and amphetamine matrix certified reference materials. The developed hair reference materials are expected to be applied in forensic drug abuse detection and laboratory quality control.

Chronic inflammatory diseases are considered the most significant cause of death worldwide. Current treatments for inflammatory diseases are limited due to the lack of understanding of the biological factors involved in early-stage disease progression. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor directly associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases like osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been shown that NGF levels are significantly upregulated at the site of inflammation and play a crucial role in developing a robust inflammatory response. However, little is known about NGF's temporal expression profile during the initial progressive phase of inflammation. This study aimed to determine the temporal expression pattern of NGF in rat skin during Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis (AIA). Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control and Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) treated groups. Levels of NGF were evaluated following unilateral AIA at different time points and it was found that peripheral inflammation due to AIA significantly upregulated the expression of NGF mRNA and Protein in a biphasic pattern. These results suggest that NGF signaling is crucial for initiating and maintaining peripheral neurogenic inflammation in rats during AIA.

Malassezia is a lipid-dependent genus of yeasts known for being an important part of the skin mycobiota. These yeasts have been associated in the development of skin disorders and cataloged as a causal agent of systemic infections under specific conditions, making them opportunistic pathogens. Little is known about the host-microbe interaction of Malassezia spp., and unraveling this implies the implementation of infection models. In this mini review we present different models that have been implemented in the fungal infections study with greater attention in Malassezia spp. infections. These models range from in vitro (cell cultures and ex vivo tissue), to in vivo (murine models, rabbits, guinea pigs, insects, nematodes, and amoebas). We additionally highlight the alternative models that reduce the use of mammals as model organisms, which have been gaining importance in the study of fungal host-microbe interactions. This is due to the fact that these systems have shown to have reliable results, which correlate with those obtained from mammalian models. Example of alternative models are Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Tenebrio molitor, and Galleria mellonella. These are invertebrates that have been implemented in the study of Malassezia spp. infections in order to identify differences in virulence between Malassezia species.

Many engineering systems are described by using differential models whose solutions, generally obtained after discretization, can exhibit a noticeable deviation with respect to the response of the physical systems that those models are expected to represent. In those circumstances one possibility consists of enriching the model in order to reproduce the physical system behavior. The present paper considers a dynamical system, and proposes enriching the model solution by learning the dynamical model of the gap between the system response and the model-based prediction, while ensuring that the time integration of the learnt model remains stable. The proposed methodology is applied on the simulation of the top-oil temperature evolution of a power transformer, whose data is provided by RTE, the French Electricity Transmission System Operator.

Abiotic stress is an adverse environmental factor that severely affects plant growth and development, and plants have developed complex regulatory mechanisms to adapt to these unfavourable conditions through long-term evolution. In recent years, many transcription factor families of genes have been identified to regulate the ability of plants to respond to abiotic stresses. Among them, AP2/ERF (APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor) family is a large class of plant-specific that regulate plant response to abiotic stresses and can also play a role in regulating plant growth and development. This paper reviews the structural features and classification of AP2/ERF transcription factors, that transcriptional regulation, reciprocal proteins, downstream genes and hormone-dependent signalling and hormone-independent signalling pathways are involved in the response to abiotic stress. The study of AP2/ERF transcription factors and interacting proteins, as well as the identification of their downstream target genes, can provide us with a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of plant action in response to abiotic stress, which can improve the tolerance ability of plants in abiotic stress, and provide more theoretical basis for rice to obtain more yields under abiotic stress.

Tumor to stroma ratio is a highly debated prognostic factor in the management of several solid tumors and there is no universal agreement on its practicality. In our study we proposed to confirm or dismiss the hypothesis that a simple measurement of stroma quantity is an easy-to-use and strong prognostic tool. We have included 74 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who underwent primary curative abdominal surgery. The tumors have been grouped into stroma-poor (stroma &lt;10%), medium-stroma (between 10 and 50%) and stroma-rich (over 50%). The proportion of tumor stroma ranged from 5% to 70% with a median of 25%. Very few, only 6.8% of patients had stroma-rich tumors, 4% stroma-poor tumors and 89.2%tumors with a medium quantity of stroma. The proportion of stroma, at any cut-off, had no statistically significant influence on the disease specific survival. This can be explained by the low proportion of stroma-rich tumors in our patient group and the inverse correlation of stroma proportion with tumor grade. The real-life proportion of stroma-rich tumors and the complex nature of the stroma-tumor interaction has to be further elucidated.

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

The glucocorticoid receptor alpha (GRα), a pivotal component of the ancient glucocorticoid (GC) signaling system that emerged nearly 450 million years ago, has been instrumental in directing vertebrate evolution and is essential for survival, regulating fertility and fetal development, the function of every organ and circulating cells, metabolism, immune responses, and adaptation to stress. While its anti-inflammatory properties have been recognized since the mid-20th century, GRα’s broader role as the master regulator of homeostatic corrections, particularly in health and critical illness, has only recently been fully appreciated.GRα orchestrates three key phases of homeostatic correction: the Priming Phase, where it rapidly activates early immune responses, mobilizes energy reserves, and prepares the body to mount an immediate defense against various physiological stressors, including infection and injury. During this phase, GRα enhances glucose metabolism, supports mitochondrial function, and facilitates the release of key immune cells to the site of damage, ensuring the body is equipped to handle the initial assault. The Modulatory Phase follows, in which GRα fine-tunes the inflammatory response to prevent excessive tissue damage. By balancing pro- and anti-inflammatory signals, GRα helps contain the immune response, preventing the harmful effects of prolonged inflammation while maintaining immune surveillance. This phase also involves the regulation of oxidative stress, vascular tone, and the preservation of cellular integrity to protect vital organs from injury. Finally, in the Restorative Phase, GRα plays a critical role in resolving inflammation and initiating tissue repair. During this phase, GRα supports cellular regeneration, promotes the clearance of apoptotic cells and debris, and restores anatomical and physiological balance. It aids in rebuilding tissue architecture and returning the neuroendocrine-immune system to its baseline state, ensuring long-term recovery and stability.Throughout these phases, GRα manages complex interactions, including recently discovered co-regulation with pro-inflammatory transcription factors, while also regulating mitochondrial function to ensure bioenergetic and metabolic stability during stress. In critically ill patients, depletion of bioenergetic and micronutrient reserves severely impairs GRα’s capacity to regulate immune responses, heightening the risk of morbidity and mortality.This review, in light of this new understanding, underscores the need to re-evaluate current glucocorticoid (GC) treatment strategies, emphasizing the incorporation of micronutrient support to optimize GRα function across all phases of homeostatic correction. This integrated therapeutic approach has the potential to enhance both immediate immune responses and long-term recovery in critically ill patients, offering a more comprehensive strategy for managing the complex pathobiology of critical illness. Furthermore, this integrative approach could decrease glucocorticoid dose and duration requirements and potential side effects.

The 70/30 copper–nickel alloy is mainly used in critical parts with more demanding conditions in marine settings. There is a need for innovative methods that offer fast production and cost-effectiveness to supplement current copper–nickel alloy manufacturing processes. In this study, we employ wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) to fabricate the 70/30 copper–nickel alloy. The as-built microstructure is characterized by columnar grains with prominent dendrites and chemical segregation in the inter-dendritic area. The aspect ratio of the columnar grain increases with increasing travel speed (TS) at the same wire feed speed (WFS). This is in contrast to an equiaxed grain structure with a more random orientation of conventional sample. The sample built with a WFS of 8 m/min, TS of 1000 mm/min, and a track distance of 3.85 mm exhibits superior corrosion properties in the 3.5 wt% NaCl solution compared to the conventional one, as evidenced by a higher film resistance and breakdown potential, along with a lower passive current density of the WAAM sample. The corrosion morphology reveals the critical roles played by the nickel element unevenly distributed between the dendrite core and inter-dendritic area.

The aim of this work is to compare two softwares (MAUD and TOPAS) based on the Rietveld algorithm and to test the concept of tolerance factor using the dissolution at high temperature of yttrium into BaTiO₃. In general, both softwares give up different values of the crystalline parameters however the trends are similar in most cases but the analysis of the strain and crystallite size in the BaTiO₃ crystals suggests that, in this particular case, MAUD offered results more consistent with the expected behavior. Using the crystalline parameters calculated by Rietveld, the tolerance factor values were obtained and these data suggest even better stability in the crystalline structure than that expected using theoretical parameters. Tolerance factor concept also indicates that Ti⁴⁺ should be preferred.

The number of physical devices connected to the Internet such as vehicles, household appliances and other "things" has been steadily increasing in recent years, thus forming the basis for the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT ecosystem extends beyond country borders and application domains, combining thousands of versatile devices that differ in terms of their structures, capabilities, and available resources. It is therefore not surprising that the landscape of wireless communication technologies and the degree of IoT devices available today is excessively broad and diverse. Interference between networks leads to frame collisions and consequent packet loss. Frame collisions occur when two or more packets overlap in time and frequency and use the same Long Range (LoRa) parameters, i.e. the same Spreading Factor (SF), Bandwidth (BW) and Carrier Frequency (CF). When most devices use the same configuration, collision probability is higher. The probability of frame collisions is also affected by traffic characteristics, particularly the periodicity of the transmission and the payload size. Larger payload sizes and more frequent transmissions accumulate with higher Time on Air (ToA) and channel occupancy [1]. Transmission powers and the location of the gateways also influences this situation. The aim of this experimental work is to verify the effects of collisions and interference in Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), regarding the periodicity of transmissions and the payload sizes in a context of an inter-SF interference scenario. And to validate measuring tools like Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), ToA and Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR) in the reliability of a network. We validate our conclusions by analyzing ToA according with RSSI and different data sizes, the RSSI for different SFs and different data sizes and finally the packet loss through the PDR for a better understanding of the reliability of packet transmission in our link. In the end we conclude that in an environment with inter-SF interference, the choice of SFs and packet lengths impacts ToA. When dealing with multiple devices near gateways, different SFs and varying packet lengths can lead to increased latency and longer ToA. Consequently, the risk of packet loss becomes more significant, especially if the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is low. This limitation will therefore affect scalability, particularly in Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) scenarios.

Objective To explore the endoscopic anatomical structures of lumbar surgery. Methods A total of 290 patients who underwent lumbar endoscopic surgery due to lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation from September 2020 to September 2022 were retrospectively reviewed in our hospital,179 patients had complete surgical video recordings, including 108 males and 71 females, aged from 19 to 65 years, with an average age of 41±16 years. The endoscopic structures through the intervertebral foramen and interlaminar space were independently identified by 3 doctors with more than 3 years of related surgery experience. When there were differences of opinions, the three doctors would discuss and come to a consensus. The probability, location, and neighboring structures of each specific structures were statistically analyzed. Results The anatomical structures observed through the lumbar foramen under endoscopy include muscles and ligaments attached to the superior articular process (SAP), main blood vessels inside the intervertebral foramen, blood vessels on the surface of IVD, and blood vessels on the surface of the dural sac and nerve root. The major anatomical structures observed through interlaminar space are multifidus, the conjugated ligament of ligament flavum and capsule ligament (capsule part of flavum ligaments), edges of the lamina, specific vessel bundle to facet with exit nerve root. Conclusion The anatomical structures under spinal endoscopy have certain characteristics, which are grossly different from those under open surgery. Familiarity with these anatomical structures has important clinical significance.

SET protein carries out multiple functions including those for protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition, histone modification, DNA repair and gene regulation. SET overexpression has been detected in brain neurons of Alzheimer's disease patients, follicle theca cells of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) patients, and ovarian cancer cells, indicating that SET may play a pathological role for these disorders. SET transcript 2, produced by a specific promoter, represents a major transcript variant in different cell types. In this study, we characterized the transcriptional activation of human SET transcript 2 promoter in HeLa cells. Promoter deletion experiments and co-transfection assays indicated that ZFX, the Zinc finger and X-linked transcription factor, was able to transactivate the SET promoter. A proximal promoter region containing four ZFX-binding sites was found to be critical for the ZFX-mediated transactivation. Mutagenesis study indicated that the site located closest to the transcription start site accounted for most of the ZFX-mediated transactivity. Manipulation of ZFX levels by overexpression or siRNA knockdown confirmed the significance and specificity of the ZFX-mediated SET promoter activation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation results verified the binding of ZFX to its cognate site in the SET promoter. These findings have led to identification of ZFX as an upstream factor regulating SET gene expression. More studies are required to define the in vivo significance of this mechanism, and specifically, its implication for several benign and malignant diseases related to SET dysregulation.

Energy from biogas is one of the most promising renewable energy sources. Significant, for technical, economic, and environmental reasons, is the construction of agricultural microgas plants next to households specialising in cattle rearing. The availability of free substrate makes it possible not only to produce one's electricity and heat but also to produce a more environmentally and human-friendly manure. The operation of biogas plants is, unfortunately, associated with technical problems. This paper presents the results of a study of the quality of electricity generated in an agricultural biogas plant built at a farm specialising in dairy cows, where the owner reported a problem with the voltage in the power supply network. Therefore, selected power quality parameters occurring at the connection point of the biogas plant were analysed in detail. As the authors' research showed, in the case in question, the agricultural biogas plant was connected via a cable with too small a conductor cross-section, which resulted in significant voltage exceedances, making it impossible to switch on the second of the biogas plant's generators. Replacement of the feed-in cable has enabled both generators to run, but significant fluctuations in the feed-in voltage values were still noticeable. Analysis of the subsequent measurements revealed the need for changes in the design of the digester itself. The proposal for change is to replace the two current digester mixers (each rated at 9 kW) with more mixers of lower power. The new mixers would operate in an alternating system, where only one would always be activated.

We have previously shown that the transmembrane protein ODZ1 promotes cytoskeletal remodelling of glioblastoma (GBM) cells and invasion of the surrounding parenchyma through activation of a RhoA-ROCK pathway. We also described that GBM cells can control the expression of ODZ1 through transcriptional mechanisms triggered by binding of IL-6 to its receptor and a hypoxic environment. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a key role in the invasive capacity of GBM. However, the molecular mechanisms that enable tumor cells to acquire the morphological changes to migrate out from the tumor core have not been fully characterized. Here we show that EGF is able to induce the expression of ODZ1 in primary GBM cells. We analysed the levels of EGF receptor (EGFR) in 20 GBM primary cell lines and found expression in 19 of them by flow cytometry. We selected two cell lines that do or do not express EGFR and found that EGFR-expressing cells responded to EGF ligand by increasing ODZ1 at the mRNA and protein level. Moreover, blockade of EGF-EGFR binding by Cetuximab, inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway or siRNA-mediated knockdown of MAPK11 (p38 MAPK) reduced the induction of ODZ1 in response to EGF. Overall, we show that EGF may activate an EGFR-mediated signalling pathway through p38 MAPK, to upregulate the invasion factor ODZ1, which may initiate morphological changes for tumor cells to invade the surrounding parenchyma. These data identify a new candidate of the EGF-EGFR pathway for novel therapeutic approaches.

Wave and tidal energy, recognized as vital renewable resources, harness the ocean's kinetic and potential power. This study aims to provide an in-depth patent analysis of the technological landscape within these sectors. We applied a dual approach: first, a descriptive analysis was conducted to explore patent publication trends, technology lifecycle stages, patent activity by country, top assignees, and IPC classifications. Our analysis provided a detailed overview of the sector's growth and the key players involved. Second, we utilized topic modeling, specifically BERTopic enhanced with large language models (LLMs), to identify and fine-tune key technolog-ical themes within the patent data. In this study, we identified seven distinct clusters each for wave and tidal energy using this approach. This method led to a novel categorization of the pa-tents, revealing latent themes within the patent data. Although our categorization differs from traditional methods, it provides deeper insights into the thematic focus of the patents, highlight-ing emerging trends and areas of innovation within wave and tidal energy technologies to better exploit and optimize ocean energy conversion infrastructure.

(1) E-governance is defined as the application of electronic means in the interaction between government and citizens and government and business, as well as in internal government operations to simplify and improve democratic, governmental, and business aspects of governance. Thus, e-governance is built from a paradigmatic dimension such as e-democracy (relationship between government and citizens) and an operational one such as e-government. The objective was to design and validate an instrument to measure e-governance based on three factors: a) e-administration, b) e-services, and c) e-democracy; (2) Methods: Based on the level of importance given to each factor (sample of 2042 Latin American citizens), as well as the relationships between them, an analysis of the importance of each factor is carried out; (3) Results: After the confirmatory analysis, the definitive instrument with which e-governance can be measured by other researchers and future research is obtained, considering the three selection factors, namely: e-administration, e-services and e-democracy; (4) Conclusions: This research contributes to political science through the design and validation of an instrument consisting of 39 items that can be used to measure e-governance according to the dimensions proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The present paper reports an exact approach quantifying the electromagnetic contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment occurring in isolated system comprised of non-composite particle carrying elementary electric charge. Essential averaging procedure and regularization of the electromagnetic field potentials necessary when quantifying the electromagnetic self-interactions and when deriving equations of motion without singularities and obeying the conservation laws are thoroughly discussed. The study shows that the dynamics of the considered system is associated to unique classical transcendental equations of motion satisfied by the particle's velocity and the electromagnetic contribution to the anomalous $g$-factor known from the quantum electrodynamics. The equations of motion lead to an exact analytical expression for the anomalous $g$-factor that provides more accurate result than that calculated with the aid of quantum electrodynamics. It matches the experimentally measured value reported in the literature to a one part per trillion. We obtain a_e=0.00115965218000(65) thus reveling the potential of non-perturbative, non-probability methods in predicting the electron's anomalous g-factor.

Neurosteroids are pleiotropic molecules involved in various neurodegenerative diseases with neuroinflammation. We assessed neurosteroids serum levels in a cohort of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients with heterozygous glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutations (GBA-PD) compared with matched cohorts of consecutive non-mutated PD (NM-PD) patients, and healthy subjects with (GBA-C) and without (NM-HC) GBA mutations. A consecutive cohort of GBA-PD was paired for age, sex, disease duration, Hoehn &amp; Yahr stage, and comorbidities with a cohort of consecutive NM-PD. Two cohorts of GBA-C and HC were also considered. Clinical assessment included the MDS-UPDRS and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Serum samples were processed and analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Twenty-two GBA-PD (males: 11, age: 63.68), 22 NM-PD (males: 11, age: 63.05), 14 GBA-C (males: 8; age: 49.36), and 15 HC (males: 4; age: 60.60) were studied. Compared to NM-PD, GBA-PD showed more hallucinations and psychosis (p&lt;0.05, Fisher’s exact test) and higher MDS-UPDRS part-II (p&lt;0.05). Most of the serum neurosteroids were reduced in both GBA-PD and NM-PD compared to the respective control cohorts, except for 5α-DHP. Allopregnanolone was the only neurosteroid significantly lower (p&lt;0.01, Dunn’s test) in NM-PD compared to GBA-PD patients. Only in GBA-PD, allopregnanolone, and pregnanolone levels correlated (Spearman) with a more severe MDS-UPDRS part-III. Allopregnanolone levels also negatively correlated with MoCA scores, and pregnanolone levels correlated with more pronounced bradykinesia. This pilot study provides the first observation of changes in neurosteroid peripheral levels in GBA-PD. The involvement of the observed changes in the development of neuropsychological and motor symptoms of GBA-PD deserves further attention.

Abstract — Game development using technology was started in 1950 around the first video game created Tennis for Two by Higginbotham as a fun diversion, to show the power of technology. The advanced development of Artificial intelligence (AI), has turned out to be the heart of game development technology and AI has revolutionized gaming and brought so many features to life.in reality, it isn't easy to give a definition and meaning to it even though games are becoming a part of human survival. It is difficult to define the real meaning of a game but it is part of human survival as it usually refers to the cleverness of the way the human being involvement in the characters of the game. As a part of game development, many technologies were used to create a game for the players with creativity, complex design, variety of levels, and aspects for the player to use choices effectively and efficiently to interact with the character in the game and enhance the experience to the next levels. This paper initially gives the importance of game development and need for the technology usage to enhance the current state of games. Then analyzes the history and present state of Artificial intelligence in game development. Finally, it explains the highlights of potential changes in game development and the impact and influence of artificial intelligence and machine learning models in the future development of games.

As the demand of heating and air conditioning is increasing day by day due to getting a comfortable life, for that reason, the market for heat pump and air conditioning systems or both, is seeing a steady increase in low global warming potential. All researchers on heat pump and air conditioning systems are searching for environmentally friendly refrigerants. However, a significant number of contemporary refrigerants (HCFCs) have the potential to cause global warming and ozone depletion, such as those found in heat pump air conditioning systems. Using more environmentally friendly refrigerants, including hydrocarbon and blend refrigerant mixtures, is one way to lower GWP and Ozone depletion potential. This study examines the performance of several alternative refrigerants, including R32, R134A, R410A, R22, and R290. In order to examine the performance of R290, theoretical and simulation results are compared on various refrigerants while taking into account a number of performance parameters, including the refrigerant energy efficiency ratio, mass flow rate, coefficient of performance, cooling capacity, and compressor work for one ton of refrigeration (1TR) air conditioners. One player with a very low GWP is R290. However, the only drawback is that it can catch fire and is hazardous to use in split-type commercial heat pump air conditioning applications. The environmental and thermo physical properties of HC-290 are significantly better than those of other materials, according to theoretical and simulation studies utilizing Cool Pack software, hence it is a viable replacement.

Suicide is a public health problem influenced by a variety of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Recognizing the warning signs at each stage is crucial for prevention and helping those at risk. In this context, body awareness, especially interoceptive body awareness, emerges as a potentially relevant and underexplored factor. In this study, binary logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between interoceptive body awareness and suicidal orientation in Colombian university students. In addition, the bootstrap technique was used to resample and estimate the distribution of the data. The results support the idea that greater interoceptive awareness may protect against suicidal orientation by improving emotional regulation. An inverse relationship was found between interoceptive awareness and suicidal ideation. These findings are consistent with previous literature on the importance of body awareness for emotional well-being. Further longitudinal research is needed to explore this relationship in depth.

Biosolids from stabilized sludge presents a high fertilization potential due to its rich content of nutrients and organic matter. Three formulas of organo-mineral fertilizers based on biosolids were manufactured having at least 2 % N, 2 % P2O5, and 2 % K2O and characterized by classical and advanced methods. The content of N and P in the final formula was measured using specific reactants combined with VIS-nearIR spectroscopy. Additionally, all three formulas were characterized by advanced 1H NMR relaxometry, double-quantum and FT-IR spectroscopy. Structural characterization was performed using SEM, EDX and X-ray diffraction. Four dynamical components were identified in the T2-distribution showing that the rigid component is into a percentage larger than 90 %. In order to evaluate the release properties of organo-mineral fertilizers dynamic measurements of electric conductivity and pH were performed, by placing 0.25 g of formulas (V1, V2 and V3) in 200 ml of distillate water. It was found that V3 present the smallest release velocity, but release the largest amount of fertilizers. Two release mechanisms were also observed.

This bibliometric study analysed breast cancer research trends and outputs from 2014 to 1 2023, utilising data from the Scopus database. The primary objectives include analysing publication 2 growth, citation metrics, document type distribution, leading countries, preferred journals and 3 authorship patterns. The study reveals a significant increase in breast cancer research publications, 4 with a total of 12,073 documents and 216,769 citations over the ten-year period. The United States 5 leads in publication output and citation impact, followed by China and Japan. Articles are the 6 predominant document type for total 73.4% of publications, while reviews and book chapters also 7 contribute notably. The most preferred journals for publishing breast cancer research include Breast 8 Cancer Research and Treatment, Clinical Breast Cancer, and Breast Cancer Research. Authorship 9 patterns show a trend towards multi-authored papers, with a substantial number of papers having 10 more than five authors. The study underscores the global collaborative effort in advancing breast 11 cancer research and highlights key areas for future exploration.12

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a prevalent valvular disorder that often requires surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) to alleviate symptoms and improve survival. However, the selection of an appropriate prosthetic valve size is crucial to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM), which can lead to suboptimal hemodynamic outcomes. Von Willebrand factor (VWF), a key component of hemostasis, has been shown to be altered in AS patients and may contribute to the hemostatic imbalance observed following valve replacement. This prospective study aimed to investigate the impact of PPM on postprocedural VWF levels in patients undergoing SAVR for severe AS. The study included 31 consecutive patients diagnosed with severe AS who underwent SAVR. By focusing on the relationship between PPM and VWF dynamics, this study sought to provide valuable insights into the potential role of VWF as a marker for hemostatic changes associated with PPM, ultimately informing strategies for optimal valve selection and perioperative management to minimize complications.

In view of the fact that the field monitoring information can more intuitively and accurately reflect the stability state of slopes, this paper takes the warning threshold of slope deformation rate monitoring as the slope stability evaluation standard, and puts forward a method for solving the safety coefficient of rocky slopes. The discrete element method 3DEC, which is suitable for rocky slopes, is selected as the numerical calculation tool, and the convergence criterion of its strength reduction method is modified to the slope deformation rate threshold, and the method is realized by the bifurcation method through its built-in FISH programming language. The results of the classical case show that, by selecting the slope deformation rate threshold in the appropriate interval, the results of this paper's method are very close to those of the finite unit stress method and the limit equilibrium method, which verifies the reliability of this paper's method. Further, the method of this paper is applied to an open-pit mine slope project, based on the slope deformation on-site monitoring data, through the time series prediction method to determine the slope deformation rate warning threshold, using the threshold as an evaluation criterion to solve the slope's coefficient of safety, the calculation results show that: the slope's coefficient of safety in natural working conditions is 1.086, basically stable, suffered from continuous rainfall, the slope body is gradually saturated, the slope's coefficient of safety is reduced to 0.987, the slope's safety is reduced to 0.987. After continuous rainfall and gradual saturation of the slope, the coefficient of safety decreased to 0.987, destabilizing and destroying, which is consistent with the site conditions.

Recently, microfluidics deformability cytometry has emerged as a powerful tool for high throughput mechanical phenotyping of large populations of cells. These methods characterize cells by their mechanical fingerprints through exerting hydrodynamic forces and monitoring the resulting deformation. These devices have shown great promise for label free cytometry, yet there is a critical need to improve their accuracy and reconcile any discrepancies with other methods, such as atomic force microscopy. In this study, we employ computational fluid dynamics simulations and uncover how the elasticity of frequently used carrier fluids such as methyl-cellulose dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline is significantly influential to the resulting cellular deformation. We conducted CFD simulations that are conventionally used within the deformability cytometry field, which neglect fluid elasticity. Subsequently, we incorporated a more comprehensive model that simulates the viscoelastic nature of the carrier fluid. A comparison of the predicted stresses between these two approaches underscores the significance of the emerging elastic stresses in addition to the well-recognized viscous stresses along the channel. Furthermore, we utilize a two-phase flow model to predict the deformation of a promyelocyte (i.e. HL-60 cell type) within a hydrodynamic constriction channel. The obtained results highlight a substantial impact of the elasticity of carrier fluid on cellular deformation and raise questions about the accuracy of mechanical property estimates derived by neglecting elastic stresses.

Arboviruses are infections caused by arboviruses that may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic, according to individuals' resistance and immune response, which dietary patterns can influence. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the possible association between the occurrence of clinical manifestations of arboviruses and the dietary pattern of the population studied. The study was conducted in a rural population in the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará State, Brazil. The sampling consisted of 95 individuals during a febrile outbreak. Two investigations were conducted: clinical-epidemiological-dietary and laboratory investigation based on blood samples taken for arbovirus analysis. Out of the 95 individuals studied, more than half (57.89%) showed clinical manifestations. Following the laboratory serology (HI and IgM ELISA) analyses, viral isolation in C6/36 cells, and viral genome detection (RT-qPCR), the final diagnosis of the cases was 47.37% Oropouche Fever, 2.11% Oropouche Fever and Chikungunya Fever, and 1.05% Mayaro Fever. Regarding dietary pattern, as for the comparison analyses, statistical significance was observed between dietary pattern and classification regarding the presence of symptoms (p<0.05); after the correspondence analysis, symptomatic cases were more associated with a bad dietary pattern, while asymptomatic cases were more associated with a good dietary pattern.

The number of physical devices connected to the Internet such as vehicles, household appliances and other "things" has been steadily increasing in recent years, thus forming the basis for the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT ecosystem extends beyond country borders and application domains, combining thousands of versatile devices that differ in terms of their structures, capabilities, and available resources. It is therefore not surprising that the landscape of wireless communication technologies and the degree of IoT devices available today is excessively broad and diverse. Interference between networks leads to frame collisions and consequent packet loss. Frame collisions occur when two or more packets overlap in time and frequency and use the same LoRa parameters, i.e. the same spreading factor (SF), bandwidth (BW) and carrier frequency (CF). When most devices use the same configuration, collision probability is higher. The probability of frame collisions is also affected by traffic characteristics, particularly the periodicity of the transmission and the payload size. Larger payload sizes and more frequent transmissions accumulate with higher time on air (ToA) and channel occupancy [1]. Transmission powers and the location of the gateways also influences this situation. The aim of this experimental work is to verify the effects of collisions and interference in LoRaWAN, regarding the periodicity of transmissions and the payload sizes. The hardware used is an Arduino board programmed in C/C++, a LoRa Bee module operating at a frequency of 868 MHz and a LoRaWAN LG02 gateway. Different scenarios were tested in an outdoor environment, with Line of Sight and Non-Line of Sight, and different variables such as: SFs equal to 7, 9 and 12; distances of 20, 40 and 60 meters and different data sizes of 14, 32 and 51 bytes, over the same channel. The packets with different SF’s and different data sizes were transmitted in a (pseudo) random way, one after the other, overlapping different SFs in the same channel and testing this way (theoretical) orthogonality among them. By fixing the bandwidth in 125 kHz, and testing different SFs we intend to increase the probability of cause packet loss by applying to our connection a combination of emitted power/short distance that leaves an interference power received, strong enough [2] for the effect. We validate our conclusions by analyzing ToA according with RSSI and different data sizes, the RSSI for different SFs and different data sizes and finally the packet loss through the PDR-Packet Delivery Ratio for a better understanding of the reliability of packet transmission in our link.

Glutamate functions as the major excitatory neurotransmitter for primary sensory neurons and has a crucial role in sensitizing peripheral nociceptor terminals producing sensitization. Glutaminase (GLS) is the synthetic enzyme that converts glutamine to glutamate. GLS-immunoreactivity (-ir) and enzyme activity are elevated in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuronal cell bodies during chronic peripheral inflammation, but the mechanism for this GLS elevation is yet to be fully characterized. It has been well established that, after nerve growth factor (NGF) binds to its high-affinity receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA), a retrograde signaling endosome is formed. This endosome contains the late endosomal marker Rab7GTPase and is retrogradely transported via axons to the cell soma located in DRG. This complex is responsible for regulating the transcription of several critical nociceptive genes. Here, we show that this retrograde NGF signaling mediates the expression of GLS in DRG neurons during the process of peripheral inflammation. We disrupted the normal NGF/TrkA signaling in adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) Sprague Dawley rats by pharmacological inhibition of TrkA or blockade of Rab7GTPase, which significantly attenuated the expression of GLS in DRG cell bodies. These results indicate that NGF/TrkA signaling is crucial for the production of glutamate and has a vital role in the development of neurogenic inflammation. In addition, our pain behavioural data suggest that Rab7GTPase can be a potential target for attenuating peripheral inflammatory pain.

The escalating antibiotic crisis in Nigeria presents a critical challenge, violating fundamental human rights and ethical obligations. Skyrocketing antibiotic costs severely restrict access to essential medications, particularly for vulnerable populations. This crisis not only exacerbates health disparities but also fuels the emergence of antibiotic resistance, posing grave public health risks. Rooted in regulatory gaps, lack of transparency in drug pricing, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure, the crisis demands a comprehensive, collaborative response. Policy interventions targeting antibiotic affordability, regulatory reforms, and healthcare infrastructure investments are imperative. Upholding ethical standards and accountability mechanisms is essential to ensuring equitable access to antibiotics and safeguarding public health in Nigeria.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer tumors frequently have intratumor heterogeneity. Tumors with high intratumor heterogeneity have caused therapeutic resistance and have human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) heterogeneity in response to HER2-targeted therapies. This study aimed to investigate whether high HER2 heterogeneity levels were clinically related to poor prognosis for HER2-targeted adjuvant therapies resistance in primary breast cancers. METHODS: This study included patients with primary breast cancer (n = 251) treated with adjuvant HER2-targeted therapies. HER2 heterogeneity was manifested by the shape of HER2 fluorescence in situ hybridization amplification (FISH) distributed histograms with HER2 gene copy number within a tumor sample. Those heterogeneity classified each tumor into the biphasic grade graph (high heterogeneity [HH]) group and the monophasic grade graph (low heterogeneity [LH]) group. Both groups were evaluated for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for a median of ten years of annual follow-up. RESULTS: Of 251 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, 46 (18.3%) and 205 (81.7%) were classified into the HH and LH groups, respectively. The HH group had more distant metastases and a poorer prognosis than the LH group (DFS: P < 0.001 (HH:63% vs LH:91% at 10 years), and OS: P = 0.012 (HH:78% vs LH:95% at 10 years). CONCLUSION: High HER2 heterogeneity is a poor prognostic factor in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. A novel approach of heterogeneity, which is manifested by the shape of HER2 FISH distributions, might be clinically useful in the prognosis prediction of patients after HER2 adjuvant therapy.

Background: Despite a range of available treatments, there is a remaining unmet need for patients with severe post-partum hemorrhage (sPPH). Objective: This manuscript evaluated efficacy and safety of recombinant activated factor VIIa (rFVIIa) in sPPH management. Methods: An open-label, multi-center, randomized controlled trial (RCT; NCT00370877) and four observational studies (OS; OS-1 [NCT04723979], OS-2, OS-3 and OS-4) were analyzed regarding efficacy (need for subsequent invasive procedures, including uterine compression sutures, uterine or iliac artery ligation, arterial embolization or hysterectomy) and safety (incidence of thromboembolic events [TE] and maternal mortality) of rFVIIa for sPPH. The RCT, and OS-1 and OS-2, included a control group of women who did not receive rFVIIa (with propensity score-matching used in OS-1 and OS-2), whereas OS-3 and OS-4 provided descriptive data for rFVIIa exposed women only. Results: A total of 446 women exposed to rFVIIa and 1,717 non-exposed controls were included. In the RCT, fewer rFVIIa exposed women (50% [21/42]) had an invasive procedure versus non-exposed women (91% [38/42]; odds ratio 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.03–0.35). In OS-1, more rFVIIa exposed women (58% [22/38]) had an invasive procedure versus non-exposed women (35% [13.3/38]; odds ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval 1.06–5.99). In OS-2, 17% (3/18) of rFVIIa exposed women and 32% (5.6/17.8) of non-exposed women had an invasive procedure (odds ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.03–1.75). Across all included women, TEs occurred in 1.5% (0.2% arterial and 1.2% venous) of rFVIIa exposed women and 1.6% (0.2% arterial and 1.4% venous) of non-exposed women with available data. Conclusions: The positive treatment effect of rFVIIa in the RCT was not confirmed in the OS. However, the safety analysis did not show any increased incidence of TEs with rFVIIa treatment.

Deuterium is a heavy nonradioactive isotope of hydrogen, having a neutron as well as a proton, making it twice as heavy. It is a natural element, present at 156 parts per million in seawater. The ATPase pumps in the mitochondria utilize proton motive force to drive ATP synthesis, and deuterons damage the pumps, producing a stutter that can cause reactive oxygen release and inefficiencies in ATP synthesis. Cellular metabolism incorporates several novel mechanisms to assure low deuterium content in the mitochondria and other organelles. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a major carrier of deuterium depleted (deupleted) protons to supply the mitochondria. Many enzymes, especially flavoproteins, are able to use proton tunneling to fractionate out deuterium. In this paper, we argue that the amino acid proline is able to trap and sequester deuterium, and that peptidyl prolyl isomerases (PPIases) play a central role in facilitating deuterium trapping in proline-rich proteins, most notably collagen. The endothelial glycocalyx also sequesters deuterium in gelled water lining the blood vessels, creating a battery and promoting low deuterium in the circulation. Excess deuterium promotes cancer growth, and cancer cells release large quantities of lactate via aerobic glycolysis to help reverse deuterium overload, systemically.

Third and fourth-degree anal sphincter injuries are among the most severe traumas women can experience during childbirth, often leading to lifelong continence issues. Despite extensive research, current repair techniques are often inadequate, failing to provide long-term solutions. Women with previous severe injuries face a higher risk of recurrence in subsequent deliveries, making caesarean sections a safer option in many cases. The existing WHO classification system is outdated, as it doesn't account for injuries to muscles like the levator ani, which are crucial for continence. Effective repairs require skilled surgeons and often involve more than just fixing the sphincter. Smaller hospitals may not have the necessary expertise and resources for these complex repairs. Delaying repairs to allow specialists to perform them can be just as effective as immediate repairs. Comprehensive care that includes thorough anatomical knowledge and surgical skill is essential. As maternal age increases and birth rates decline, it's crucial for specialized centers to handle severe perineal injuries to ensure the best outcomes and long-term care for patients.

The high mutation rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plays a major role in treatment resistance from the development of vaccines to long-lasting drugs. In addressing the crux of the issue, various attempts to estimate the mutation rate of HIV-1 resulted in a large range of 10-5 - 10-3 errors/bp/cycle due to the use of different types of investigation methods. In this review, we discuss the different assay methods, their findings on the mutation rates of HIV-1 and how the location of these mutations can be further analyzed for their potential allosteric effects to reveal potentially new inhibitors with different pharmacodynamics that can be used to circumvent fast occurring HIV drug resistance. Given that HIV is one of the fastest mutating viruses, it is a good model for comprehensive study of its mutations that can give rise to much horizontal understanding towards overall viral drug resistance as well as emerging viral diseases.

Therapeutics antibodies have increasingly shifted the paradigm of disease treatments, from small molecules to biologics, especially in cancer therapy. Despite the increasing number of antibody candidates, much remains unknown about the antibody and how its various regions interact. In fact, the constant region can govern effects that might be useful in reducing the unwanted consequences resulted from systemic circulation. For this reason, apart from the commonly used IgG isotypes, IgA antibodies are promising therapeutics drugs, given its localized mucosal effects. While the antibody Fc effector cell activity has been well explored, recent research has shown evidences that the constant region of the antibody can also influence antigen binding, challenging the conventional idea of region-specific antibody functions. To further investigate this, we analyzed the IgA antibody constant and its allosteric effects onto the antigen binding regions, using recombinant Pertuzumab IgA1 and IgA2 variants. We found mutations in the C-region to reduce Her2 binding, and our computational structural analysis showed that such allosteric communications were highly dependent on the antibody hinge, providing the evidence to consider antibodies as a whole protein rather than a sum of functional regions.

The early 2-factor (E2F) family of transcription factors, including E2F1-8, plays a critical role in apoptosis, metabolism, proliferation, and angiogenesis within glioblastoma (GBM). However, the specific functions of E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) and their impact on the malignancy of Bevacizumab (BVZ)-responsive GBM subtypes remain unclear. This study used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to explore the impact of eight E2F family members on the clinical characteristics of BVZ-responsive GBM subtypes and possible mechanisms of recurrence after BVZ treatment.To predict the possibility of GBM patient survival and progression, we classified and comparedthe expression of E2Fs according to BVZ-responsive subtypes and employed a machine learning method-TreeBagger, one random forest algorithm. Multiple bioinformatics analyses have shown that the significant increased E2F8 post BVZ treatment may enhance the function of angiogenesis and stem cell proliferation, indicating one of the mechanisms of GBM recurrence after treatment. In addition, BVZ treatment in unresponsive GBM patients may potentially worsen disease progression. Our findings suggest that E2F family members play important roles in GBM malignancy and BVZ treatment response, highlighting their potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets and recommending precise BVZ treatment for GBM patients.

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes rhinopneumonitis, abortion and neurological outbreaks (equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, EHM) in horses. EHV-1 also causes lethal encephalitis in laboratory small animals such as mice and hamsters experimentally. EHV-1 ORF76 is a homologue of HSV-1 US9, which is a herpesvirus kinase. Starting with an EHV-1 bacterial artificial chromosome clone of neuropathogenic strain Ab4p (pAb4p BAC), we constructed an ORF76 deletion mutant (Ab4p∆ORF76) by replacing ORF76 with the rpsLneo gene. Deletion of ORF76 had no influence on replication, cell-to-cell spread in cultured cells or replication in primary neuronal cells. In western blots of EHV-1-infected cell lysates, an EHV-1 Us9-specific polyclonal antibody detected multiple bands ranging from 35 to 42-kDa. In a CBA/N1 mouse infection model following intranasal inoculation, the parent and Ab4p∆ORF76 revertant caused the same histopathology in the brain and olfactory bulbs. The parent, Ab4p∆ORF76 and revertant mutant replicated similarly in the olfactory mucosa, although Ab4p∆ORF76 was not transported to the olfactory bulbs and was unable to infect the CNS. These results indicated that the ORF76 (US9) plays an essential role in the anterograde spread EHV-1.

Studies over the past three years have substantially expanded the involvements of eIF3 in mRNA translation. It now appears that this multi-subunit complex is involved in every possible form of mRNA translation, controlling every step of protein synthesis from initiation to elongation, termination and quality control in positive as well as negative fashion. Through the study of eIF3, we are beginning to appreciate protein synthesis as a highly integrated process coordinating protein production with protein folding, subcellular targeting, and degradation. At the same time, eIF3 subunits appear to have specific functions that probably vary between different tissues and individual cells. Considering the broad functions of eIF3 in protein homeostasis, it comes as little surprise that eIF3 is increasingly implicated in major human diseases and first attempts at therapeutically targeting eIF3 have been undertaken. Much remains to be learned, however, about subunit- and tissue-specific functions of eIF3 in protein synthesis and disease and their regulation by environmental conditions and posttranslational modifications.

HIV treatment strategies against viral enzymes are continuously hampered by viral drug resistance. Recent findings show that viral substrate Gag contributes to HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor (PI) resistance, leading to demands for new strategies in HIV treatment where Gag is recognized as a drug target. To successfully target Gag, there is a need of in-depth understanding of the Gag polyprotein and the effects of Gag mutations. Here, we propose new strategies in designing novel Gag inhibitors against existing and novel emerging Gag mutations via a structural understanding of the Gag-Protease relationship in PI resistance. In this review, we discuss the role of both novel and previously reported mutations, revealing insights to how they aid in PI resistance, and how new Gag inhibitors can be designed.

Aim: To analysis the relationship between healthy adults right ventricular diameter (RVD) and geographical factors. Location: China’s 22 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. Methods: Using correlation analysis the relationship between RVD and nine geographic factors, build predictive models by factor analysis. Results: There is significant correlation between RVD and geographical factors, and the annual average temperature is most relevant geographical factors, a predictive model was built by factor analysis: Ŷ = 19.46 + 0.0007072X1 + 0.001034X2 -0.05412X3 -0.001405X4 -0.0006351X5 + 0.02903X6 + 0.01243X7 -0.01033X8 + 0.03816X9 ± 0.63. Then using Kriging interpolation interpolate the geographical distribution of Chinese healthy adult right ventricular diameter reference value in ArcGIS software. Main Conclusion: If geographic factors can be derived in anywhere of China, RVD can be calculated by the model, you can also get RVD from geographical distribution.

Newton's kinetic energy equation delineates the laws of motion for objects travelling at speeds much less than the speed of light, an equation extensively validated at these lower velocities. Any new, more complete formulation of kinetic energy must approximate Newton's kinetic energy equation under these conditions. Einstein's special relativity, utilizing the Lorentz factor, introduces a new perspective on spacetime, adhering to the requirement that the Newtonian kinetic energy equation serves as an approximation at low velocities. In this paper, we identify all factor expressions satisfying the condition that their approximate solutions at low velocities align with Newton's kinetic energy equation. We introduce the Yuyunrui factor, incorporating two real number hyperparameters, $\alpha$ and $\beta$, encompassing all potentially correct factors, with the Lorentz factor as a specific instance where $(\alpha=0$, $\beta=1)$. We classify all potentially correct $(\alpha, \beta)$ combinations into six categories based on their distinct scaling effects and present the corresponding scaling effects. The combinations of $(\alpha, \beta)$ values applicable in the real world are necessarily included within these candidates, with the precise values requiring rigorous experimental validation. This work aims to refine our understanding of special relativity beyond the Lorentz factor.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pleiotropic cytokine regulating many physiological and pathological immune-mediated processes. Although initially described as a tumor-cytotoxic agent, over time, it has also been recognized as an essential pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of different autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have shown an increase in TNF expression both in acute and chronic active MS brain lesions, as well as its involvement in maintaining a chronic inflammatory intrathecal process known as “compartmentalized inflammation”, which contributes to disease progression and disability accumulation in MS, even more than acute inflammatory activity. Indeed, high TNF levels were observed in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of subjects with MS and correlated to disease severity, promoting axonal damage and, consequently, neurodegeneration. In this review we discuss the current knowledge of TNF and its receptors involvement in MS progression, focusing on disability progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA), meant as the disability accumulation evident in relapsing MS patients not related to acute inflammatory events.

Cotton fiber is the leading natural textile material, and fiber elongation plays an essential role in the formation of cotton yield and quality. Although a wealth of components in the molecular network controlling cotton fiber elongation have been reported, a lot of players still need to be functionally dissected to understand the regulatory mechanism of fiber elongation comprehensively. In the present study, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, GhMYB201, was characterized and functionally verified via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing. GhMYB201 was homologous to Arabidopsis AtMYB60, and both coding genes (GhMYB201At and Dt) were preferentially expressed in elongating cotton fibers. Knocking-out of GhMYB201 significantly reduced the rate and duration of fiber elongation, resulting in shorter and coarser mature fibers. It was found that GhMYB201 could bind and activate the transcription of cell wall loosening genes (GhRDLs), and also β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (GhKCSs) genes to enhance very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) levels in elongating fibers. Taken together, our data demonstrated that the transcription factor GhMYB201s play essential roles in promoting fiber elongation via activating genes related to cell wall loosening and VLCFA biosynthesis.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevailing neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by memory dysfunction and the presence of hyperphosphorylated tau and amyloid β (Aβ) aggregate in multiple brain regions, including the hippocampus and cortex. The exact etiology of AD has not yet been confirmed. However, epidemiological reports suggest that populations who were exposed to environmental hazards are more likely to develop AD than those who were not. Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring environmental risk factor abundant in the Earth’s crust and human exposure to As predominantly occurs through drinking water. Convincing evidence suggests that As causes neurotoxicity and impairs memory and cognition although the hypothesis and molecular mechanism of As-associated pathobiology in AD are not clear yet. However, exposure to As and its metabolites leads to various pathogenic events such as oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunctions, ER stress, apoptosis, impaired protein homeostasis, and abnormal calcium signaling. Evidence has indicated that As exposure induces alterations that coincide with most of the biochemical, pathological, and clinical developments of AD. Here, we overview existing literature to gain insights into the plausible mechanisms that underlie As-induced neurotoxicity and the subsequent neurological deficits in AD. Prospective strategies for the prevention and management of arsenic exposure and neurotoxicity have also been discussed.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health problem exacerbated by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics and an inadequate capacity of laboratories to conduct AMR surveillance. This study assessed the capacity of laboratories in seven faith-based hospitals to conduct bacteriology, AMR testing and surveillance in Zambia. This multi-facility, cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted from February 2024 to April 2024. We collected and analysed data using the self-scoring Laboratory Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Testing Capacity (LAARC) tool. This study found an overall score of 39%, indicating a low capacity of laboratories to conduct AMR surveillance. The highest capacity score was 47%, while the lowest was 25%. Only one hospital had full capacity (100%) to utilise a Laboratory Information System (LIS). Three hospitals had good capacity to perform data management with scores of 83%, 85%, and 95%. Only one hospital had full capacity (100%) to process specimens, and only one hospital had good safety requirements for a microbiology laboratory, with a score of 89%. This study demonstrates that all the assessed hospitals have a low capacity to conduct AMR surveillance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to strengthen the microbiology capacity of laboratories to enhance surveillance in faith-based hospitals in Zambia.

Stress has been identified as a prominent contributor to the development and advancement of bowel cancer, however its specific involvement is intricate and diverse. This abstract tries to offer a concise summary of the correlation between stress and bowel cancer, consolidating significant discoveries from several research fields. The investigation commences by studying the molecular pathways by which chronic stress impacts the development of colon cancer. Chronic stress causes disruption in the functioning of neuroendocrine, immunological, and inflammatory pathways, leading to the development of a microenvironment within the gastrointestinal system that promotes the growth of tumours. Furthermore, changes in the composition of gut microbiota, variations in epigenetics, and alterations in immune function caused by stress also have a role in increasing the risk and advancing the advancement of cancer. Psychological aspects, including how one perceives stress, the tactics they use to cope with it, and the level of psychosocial support they receive, are crucial in determining a person's susceptibility to bowel cancer and impacting the effectiveness of treatment. Stress management therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction, have demonstrated potential in enhancing patient well-being and promoting adherence to treatment. Moreover, epidemiological studies and clinical trials offer vital knowledge regarding the correlation between stress and the risk, prognosis, and treatment results of bowel cancer. Although the evidence is inconclusive, it is essential to continue researching the intricate relationship between stress and bowel cancer. This will help us understand the connection better and create specific strategies to reduce its impact on patient outcomes.

This review article discusses the involvement of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the control of pain. BDNF, a neurotrophin known for its essential role in neuronal survival and plasticity, has garnered significant attention for its potential implications as a modulator of nociception and pain. This comprehensive review aims to provide insights into the multifaceted interactions between BDNF and pain pathways, encompassing both physiological and pathological pain conditions. I delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying BDNF's involvement in pain processing and discuss potential therapeutic applications of BDNF and its mimetics in managing pain. Furthermore, I highlight recent advancements and challenges in translating BDNF-related research into clinical practice.

For more than half a century, Manfred Deistler has been contributing to the construction of the rigorous theoretical foundations of the statistical analysis of time series and more general stochastic processes. Half a century of unremitting activity is not easily summarized in a few pages. In this short note, we chose to concentrate on a relatively little-known aspect of Manfred's contribution which nevertheless had quite an impact on the development of one of the most powerful tools of contemporary time series and econometrics: dynamic factor models.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), meningoencephalitis, neonatal sepsis, and even fatal encephalitis in children, thereby representing a serious public health hazard. It is important to determine the mechanisms underlying the regulation of EV71 infection. In this study, we initially reveal that the interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 (ILF2) down-regulates EV71 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50), attenuates EV71 plaque formation unit (PFU), thereby repressing EV71 infection. Moreover, we reveal a distinct mechanism by which EV71 antagonizes ILF2-mediated antiviral effects. Chip data analyses show that ILF2 mRNA is reduced upon EV71 infection. Cellular studies indicate that EV71 infection represses ILF2 mRNA expression and protein production in human leukemic monocytes (THP-1) differentiated macrophages and in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells. Additionally, EV71 non-structural protein 2B interacts with ILF2 in human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells. Interestingly, in the presence of EV71 2B, ILF2 is translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and co-localizes with 2B in the cytoplasm. Therefore, we reveal a distinct mechanism by which EV71 antagonizes ILF2-mediated antiviral effects by inhibiting ILF2 expression and promoting ILF2 translocation from the nucleus to cytoplasm through its 2B protein.

The object of study in the article is the auxiliary variable-frequency electric drive onboard of an AC electric locomotive, and more precisely, the structure and parameters of the control system of the active corrector of power factor (ACPF), which is part of the electric drive, as a unit that ensures electromagnetic compatibility of the electric drive with other equipment on board the electric locomotive and catenary and its energy efficiency. The topic of the article's research is the substantiation of the structure of the ACPF control system, the choice of types (transfer functions) of controllers and the calculation of their parameters. The research method chosen was the calculation of the transfer functions of the controllers of the cascaded loops control system, followed by computer simulation using the OrCAD software. The results of simulating a cascaded two loops control system of an ACPF with different types of controllers are presented and analytically compared. It is concluded that it is advisable to use a cascaded two loops control system, containing a voltage control loop and a current control loop. The best results show the simulation when using an aperiodic current controller (A-controller) and a proportional-integral voltage controller (PI-controller). The data obtained serve as the basis for further improvement of the operation of the ACPF by enhancing and optimizing the settings, structure and algorithms of the control system, which, with the selected hardware of power converter unit, will allow the ACPF to perform its functions with a high degree of reliability in an entire range of disturbing and control influences.

Dysregulation of cartilage homeostasis and the changes in the density and the architecture of the subchondral bone were postulated as a potent mechanically pathological activity contributing to osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a new, none invasive and effective method in the treatment of animal OA model. In the current study, we demonstrated that shockwave induced the expression of protein-disulfide isomerase-associated 3 (Pdia-3) which is a multifunctional protein hypothesized to be a significant mediator for 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)₂D₃) signaling pathway using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Histological analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were verified and observed that the expression of Pdia-3 at 2 weeks was significantly higher than that of any other group at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks post-shockwave treatment in early OA knee of rat. The other factors of the 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ rapid membrane signaling pathway including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 (ERK1), osteopontin (OPG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13) were measured and significantly increased by qPCR at 2 weeks post-shockwave treatment in early OA knee. Our proteomic data revealed significant Pdia-3 expression in microenvironments of joint tissue that could be actively responded to ESWT, which may potentially regulate biological function of chondrocytes and osteoblasts in the treatment of OA knee.

Diabetic wound (DW) is the most devastating complication resulting in significant mortality and morbidity in diabetic patients. Although the pathophysiology of DWs is multifaceted, evidence revealed that prolonged inflammation with infections, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and unnecessary NETosis impair DW healing. This theoretical problem commands the necessity of developing a novel strategy focused on targeting the 'specific' molecular modalities of DW. The primary culprits, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and protein kinase C (PKC)-βII, are responsible for impaired angiogenesis, NETosis, and ECM degradation. Thus, there is reinvigorated interest in identifying selective inhibitors for the effective management of DW. The current study exemplified human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), a biological macromolecule as a dual-inhibitor of MMP-9 and PKC-βII using protein-protein docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies. Residue-residue interactions and binding affinity were investigated using Z-dock. Chemical bonding behavioral changes, structural dynamics, and functional changes were determined using GROMACS by analyzing RMSD, ROG, RMSF, SASA, FEL, and PCA. Overall, the data analysis revealed that HBD-2 possesses strong binding affinity and stability against MMP-9 and PKC-βII, which can be an ideal therapeutic for the accelerated healing of DW. The study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying hBD-2's potential therapeutic effects, offering new avenues for the development of innovative treatment strategies. The clinical relevance of our findings lies in their potential to inform the development of new approaches for diabetic wound management, addressing a significant healthcare concern.

In the last decades the primordial black holes ({\bf pbhs}) have attracted much attention of cosmologists and astrophysicists. This is associated with origination of such black holes in the early Universe as a result of a gravitational collapse of the high-density matter, making them natural ''detectors'' of the processes involved. In inflationary cosmology of particular importance are {\bf pbhs} originated during the pre-inflationary period. And, since they are small and generated at the energies close to the Planck energies, for them we should take into consideration the quantum-gravitational corrections ({\bf qgcs}). In turn, these corrections change (shift) the inflationary parameters. The paper presents a study of the above-mentioned shifts with regard to these corrections for different scenarios. It is shown that probabilities of occurrence of the {\bf pbhs} under study with due regard for the given {\bf qgcs} are rising as compared to the semiclassical consideration. Besides, high-energy deformations of Friedmann Equations created on the basis of these corrections have been derived for different patterns. Conclusion contains the general remarks concerning the above-mentioned {\bf qgcs} for cosmological parameters and perturbations due to inflation; the steps for their investigation are outlined and the key problems of such a study are formulated.