A total of 27 microsatellites markers , scattered all over the genom of barley, were used for characterization,and diversity analysis in 33 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) accessions and cultivars of Algeria.Over the 27 genetic loci studied, 110 alleles were identified with a mean of 4.1 alleles per locus and the average polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.46,the marker Ebma0806 showed the greatest value of PIC with 0.83.Genetic diversity at 27 microsatellite loci varied from 0 to 0.84 (Mean=0.50) for 33 Algerian cultivars. The genetic distance among the cultivars ranged from 0.2 to 0.85. Cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on the SSR data clearly differentiate the all genotypes studied.

Plato defined a quality as “some degree of perfection” [49]. Studies on quality have unveiled the internal and external quality factors [17] that significantly impact product quality [4]. Internal factors are invisible to the end customer and are dependent on overall work organisation by the development team [17]. This work organisation is called “the process” [11],[33]. In this article, we will discuss how to address the drone-dedicated software development process to support system verification and ensure product quality by supporting quality characteristics and therefore increase software development awareness and control. We will discuss the process's influence on overall work activities and relationships between those activities by addressing the software development process utilised in the drone-dedicated GNSS-denied navigation system development project. The result was observable after three weeks of starting the software development. It was focused on better team awareness, faster task completion, lower number of development mistakes, and better and faster change response than we observed in other projects that didn’t follow the predefined process.

This study investigates the land surface temperature (LST) distribution from thermal infrared data for analyzing the characteristics of surface coverage using the Vegetation-Impervious-Soil (VIS) approach. A set of ten images, obtained from Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper, between 2001 and 2010, were used to study the urban environmental conditions of 47 neighborhoods of Porto Alegre city, Brazil. Porto Alegre has had the smallest population growth rate of all 27 state capitals in the last two decades in Brazil, with an increase of 11.55% in inhabitants from 1,263 million in 1991 to 1,409 million in 2010. We applied the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory in order to test the influence of the economically-related scenario on the spatial nature of social-environmental arrangement of the city at neighborhood scale. Our results suggest that the economically-related scenario exerts a non-negligible influence on the physically driven characteristics of the urban environmental conditions as predicted by EKC theory. The linear inverse correlation R2 between household income (HI) and LST is 0.36 and has shown to be comparable to all other studied variables. Future research may investigate the relation between other economically-related indicators to specific land surface characteristics.

Establishing systemic communications between the project plan, stakeholders, and the organization through integrated management meets stakeholders' demands and managerial expectations in project-oriented organizations. Performance assessment can be defined as a control system in any company that reviews its daily operations and evaluates how well it has achieved its goals. This study aims to investigate the impact of an integrated project management system on the financial performance of the Organization for Renovation, Development, and Equipment of Schools. This applied research is descriptive-analytical. The statistical population comprises 2,700 employees of the organization, with a sample size of 340 individuals examined. The reliability of the designed questionnaire was confirmed by experts in the organization using Cronbach's alpha (α=0.91). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and AMOS 18 software through descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicate that the seven dimensions of the integrated project management system (cost management, quality management and continuous control, change management, systems and information management, human resources management, interaction and communication management, procurement management) have a positive and significant impact on the financial performance of the Organization for Renovation, Development, and Equipment of Schools.

Climate change has resulted in increased incidences of abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, salinity, and waterlogging. These stressors have a negative impact on the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop and cause significant yield losses. Each stressor induces specific physiological and metabolic alterations interconnected with the complex changes at molecular levels. Understanding the molecular pathways that govern the cotton plant's stress responses is crucial to develop stress-tolerant cotton cultivars that can withstand different stresses. Molecular investigations have mapped the changes in the expression of stress-responsive genes, encompassing heat shock proteins and ion transporters, which play a vital role in facilitating adaptive responses. These approaches have been shown to help identify dynamic gene expression patterns and elucidate intricate regulatory networks using advanced metagenomics and multi-omics techniques. By leveraging genetic diversity and utilizing advanced molecular methods, it would be possible to develop stress-resilient cotton varieties to ensure sustainable cotton production in the face of abiotic stresses. This review provides an overview of the effects of various abiotic stressors on cotton plants, including drought, salt, heat, and waterlogged soil. We also explore the extensive network of stress-responsive genes, proteins, and signaling pathways in cotton by summarizing the studies on gene expression regulation, proteins involved in stress response, and biochemical characteristics.

The construction time of concrete structures in hydraulic tunnels is long, the construction environment is complex, and there are many influencing factors. The requirements for construction quality are high, not only to meet the strength requirements, but also to meet the design requirements of erosion resistance, crack resistance, and seepage resistance according to its specific operating environment. Therefore, evaluating the construction quality of concrete structures in hydraulic tunnels is of great significance. Considering the randomness and fuzziness of factors affecting the construction quality of concrete structures in hydraulic tunnels, this paper proposes a comprehensive evaluation model based on Combined Weighting (CWM) and Uncertainty Measurement Theory (UM). The IAHP method and CRITIC method are used to determine the subjective and objective weights of evaluation indicators, combined weighting is based on the principle of minimum entropy, and the UM method is used to evaluate the construction quality level. Finally, taking a hydraulic tunnel as an example, its construction quality grade is calculated to be III according to the evaluation model proposed in this paper, which matches with the engineering reality, and a comparative study is made with the mixture element topology theory at the same time. It is verified that the evaluation model can scientifically and reasonably evaluate the construction quality level of concrete structures in hydraulic tunnels.

The North China Plain is among the regions most afflicted by ground fissure disasters in China. Recent urbanization has accelerated ground fissure activity in the three counties of the northern North China Plain, posing significant threats to both the natural environment and socioeconomic sustainability. Despite the increased attention, a lack of comprehensive understanding persists due to delayed recognition and limited research. This study conducted field visits and geological surveys across 43 villages and 80 sites to elucidate the spatial distribution patterns of ground fissures in the aforementioned counties. By integrating these findings with regional geological data, we formulated a causative model to explain ground fissure formation. Our analysis reveals a concentration of ground fissures near the Niuxi and Rongxi faults, with the former exhibiting the most extensive distribution. The primary manifestations of ground fissures include linear cracks and patch-shaped collapse pits, predominantly oriented in east-west and north-south directions, indicating tensile failure with minimal vertical displacement. Various factors contribute to ground fissure development, including fault activity, ancient river channel distribution, bedrock undulations, rainfall, and ground settlement. Fault activity establishes a concealed fracture system in shallow geotechnical layers, laying the groundwork for ground fissure formation. Additionally, the distribution of ancient river channels and bedrock undulations modifies regional stress fields, further facilitating ground fissure emergence. Rainfall and differential ground settlement serve as triggering mechanisms, exposing ground fissures at the surface. This research offers novel insights into the causative mechanisms of ground fissures in the northern North China Plain, providing valuable scientific evidence for mitigating ground fissure disasters during the urbanization process in the region.

This comprehensive article explores the intricate responsibilities of executives leading AI projects within the framework of Federal Directives, specifically Executive Order 14110 and Executive Order 14091. The executive role is dissected, covering aspects such as defining leadership in the AI context, historical perspectives, current trends, and challenges in AI project leadership. The article delves into the significance of Federal Directives, particularly Executive Order 14110, which emphasizes safe, secure, and trustworthy AI development, and Executive Order 14091, focusing on racial equity and support for underserved communities. Key provisions of these orders are outlined, including safe AI development, secure AI implementation, trustworthy AI use, and commitments to racial equity. The article also highlights steps that should guide documenting case studies that align with successful AI projects, showcasing compliance with Executive Orders and positive impacts on communities and organizations. The future outlook focuses on anticipating regulatory changes, adapting to evolving ethical standards, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement within AI projects. The conclusion summarizes executive responsibilities, emphasizing the call to action for ethical and inclusive AI leadership, contributing to the positive evolution of AI technologies for societal well-being.

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.

Macrophages are well known for the involvement in the biocompatibility, as well as biodistribution, of nano(bio)materials. Although there are a number of rodent cell lines, they may not fully recapitulate primary cell responses; particularly for those of human cells. Isolation of tissue resident macrophages, from humans, is difficult and may result in insufficient cells with which to determine the possible interaction with nano(bio)materials. Isolation of primary human monocytes, and differentiation to monocyte-derived macrophages, may provide a useful tool with which to study, further, these interactions. To that end, we developed a standard operating procedure for this differentiation, as part of the REFINE project, and used it to measure the secretion of bioactive molecules from M1 and M2 differentiated monocytes in response to model nano(bio)materials, following an initial assessment of pyrogenic contamination which may confound, potential, observations. The SOP was deployed in two partner institutions with, broadly, similar results. The work presented here shows the utility of this assay but, highlights the relevance of donor variability in responses to nano(bio)materials. Whilst donor variability can provide some, logistical, challenges to application of such assays, this variability is much closer to the heterogeneous cells that are present in vivo, compared to homogeneous, non-human, cell lines.

China's implementation of public-private partnerships projects has been quite effective, involving infrastructure and other livelihood projects, a total of 19 industries, and an investment of nearly 1.5 trillion yuan. The characteristics of PPP projects such as long construction period and large investment amount determine the risks of PPP projects are also great, and the PPP projects of comprehensive environmental governance are also the same. The government and social capital use the PPP model to cooperate, and use the principal component analysis method to assess the risks of the entire life cycle of the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project. Therefore, it plays an important role in ensuring the smooth implementation of projects and reducing the losses caused by risks. According to the risk factors of the whole life cycle of the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project, an indicator system of 5 first-level indicators, 18 second-level indicators, and 43 third-level indicators has been established. Principal component analysis is used to analyze the influence weight of risk factors at each stage. The analysis shows that among the four stages, environmental pollution risk, project approval delay risk, completion risk, interest rate and financial fluctuation risk, and franchise life risk are the most influential risks in the implementation of PPP projects. Therefore, suggestions are made through the risk factors of each stage in the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project. For example, strengthen the response to the external environment risks of the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project, standardize the bidding and procurement of the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project, and strengthen the subsequent management of the transfer of the comprehensive environmental governance PPP project. In this way, the ability to resist risks of comprehensive environmental governance PPP projects is improved; the smooth implementation of the project is guaranteed, and the long-term development of comprehensive environmental governance PPP projects is promoted.

The domain of construction engineering and management is evolving rapidly. Optimizing resource positioning is crucial for meeting the challenges of efficiency and productivity. This research presents a novel methodology that incorporates Agent-Based Modeling (ABM), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technologies, augmented with a Client Early Warning System (CEWS) and a Decision Support System (DSS). What makes this study unique is that it provides a real-time methodology for resource allocation and project management, tailored to address the complexities of modern construction projects. The application of this integrated technological framework marks a significant leap in construction management, empowering data-driven decision-making and significantly improving project efficiency. Empirically validated through a case study at Helwan University's College of Engineering and substantiated by expert surveys, this research showcases a transformative model for resource management. The findings not only underscore the practical applicability of this approach but also open new horizons for its adoption in global construction practices, offering insights for future research endeavors focused on expanding these methodologies to a wider range of resources.

The family context has been associated with children's weight status. This study aims to investigate the association between parents' adherence to the Mediterranean diet and family time with the weight status of children. The research is part of the BeE-school, a cluster randomized trial implemented in primary schools located in social vulnerable contexts. A total of 735 children (380 boys), aged 6 to 10, participated in the study. Anthropometrics were assessed during school time, weight status categorized, while parents self-reported sociodemographic variables, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MEDAS questionnaire), and family time. Children from families with higher education levels whose parents have a high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, have lower odds to have overweight/obesity (odds ratio (OR) 0.301, 95% CI 0.143-0.634, p=0.002). Also, children from families with lower education levels who have more time together with their family, have lower odds to have overweight/obesity (OR 0.731, 95% CI 0.573-0.934, p=0.012). The family environment, mainly family time together and adherence to Mediterranean diet, exerts a significant influence on children’s weight status. Professionals working in children’s health should consider the family when fostering health-promoting behaviors.

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

This article, based on network science, aims to contribute to overcoming its geometric and technological phases. The novelty consists in considering links of networks as linked by superimposed networks, termed here multiple superimposed soft networks (MSSN), which is introduced as a research issue. Such links of links (termed here as passive links) concern, for instance, correspondences, incompatibilities, and temporal synchronizations between the occurrences of pairs of active links of effective networks, such as those based on electrical and telecommunication. A possible constitutive mechanism of such passive linkage consists of linkage representations for practices and histories of use expressed by their validating statistical reoccurrences. We consider the possible emergent nature of the passive linkage. The reason for introducing the design and usage of MSSN properties as a research issue involves making new approaches to profile and manage networks available. Correspondence between active linkage and MSSN properties should be a matter for an experiential, machine-learning approach. Research issues relate their possible usage on the active linkage such as for classification, comparations, detection of criticalities, diagnosis, performance evaluation, and regulatory as weak forces. Furthermore, the possible identification of standard corresponding configurations of passive and active linkage are finalized to avoid their establishment or, conversely, in facilitating their establishment and keeping their replication in different contexts (or partially and in combinations) and identifying related standardized approaches (also for classes of configurations having significant levels of equivalence). This research project has methodological generalizing aspects of trans-disciplinarity. We conclude by mentioning related research issues.

Background: Alfalfa, the most economically important forage legume worldwide, features modest genetic progress due to long selection cycles and large extent of non-additive genetic variance associated with its autotetraploid genome. Methods: To improve the efficiency of genomic selection in alfalfa, we explored the effects of genome parametrization (as autotetraploid and diploid dosage, plus allele ratios) and SNP marker subsetting (all available SNPs; only genic regions; only non-genic regions) on genomic regressions, together with various levels of filtering on reading depth and missing rates. We used Genotyping by Sequencing-generated data and focused on traits of different genetic complexity, i.e., dry biomass yield in moisture-favorable (FE) and drought stress (SE) environments, leaf size, and onset of flowering, assessed on 143 genotyped plants from a genetically-broad European reference population and their phenotyped half-sib progenies. Results: On average, allele ratio improved the predictive ability compared with other genome parametrizations (+7.9% vs. tetraploid dosage, +12.6% vs. diploid dosage), SNP subsetting offered an advantage compared with any tested subsettings (+3.7% vs. genic regions, +7.6% vs. non-genic regions). However, when focusing on specific traits, different combinations of genome parametrization and subsetting reached better performances. We also released Legpipe2, a SNP calling pipeline tailored for reduced representation (GBS, RAD) medium-sized genotyping experiments.

Education is one of the most important tools available to policymakers and non-governmental bodies to promote a change in the behavior of society and to address the climate crisis, in line with the 4^th and 13^th Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Project-based learning (PBL) addresses real and global challenges and allows the academic and professional formation of students. As part of the reflection stage of the educational action research method using the Business Canvas Model (BMC), pedagogic deficiencies were identified in the PBL and a didactic proposal was elaborated to emulate the interaction of students with the ecosystems of society. A prototype for improving the management of organic manures as soil amendments was initially developed, to provide the students with a quick start on the first steps of the proposed project. In the 10 sessions designed for the PBL (Make it happen!), the students elaborate a more sophisticated artifact in response to the demands of potential clients, as per the outcomes of the primary market research (5^th session). Active teaching methods and tools, such as a modified template of the BMC with the Rumsfeld’s matrix, aid the metacognition of students and their competences development. In a double session of the PBL, the primary market research is organized with key stakeholders of the agroindustry to enquire about the feasibility of the implementation of the technological solution and the logistics at farm level. Finally, the evaluation relies on the suitability of the upgraded prototype to respond customers’ demands.

In eastern part of Ethiopia groundnut is very commonly intercropped with sorghum. Even though intercropping of sorghum with groundnut is practiced in the eastern part of Ethiopia the population density at what ratio should not be known. Therefore determining the population ratio is found to be crucial to draw management options. The study was conducted at two locations at Fadis (on station) and Babile (sub- station). Sorghum variety (Teshale) and groundnut (Fetene) were used as planting materials. All agronomic data were collected and analyzed by using GenStat software. Significant different were obtained among the treatments. The research result showed that, there were significance difference for both sorghum and ground nut yield per hectare in the years (2014 and 2015) among treatments. The result over time(in 2014 and 2015) at Fadis and Erer showed that the highest sorghum and groundnut yield per hectare were obtained/harvested from the intra row spacing of 25cmx20cm and 30cmx20cm intercropping sorghum with ground nut system with (1.27 and 1.31) respectively. The highest LER (1.31) and highest GMV (10218.00 ETBr/ha) were obtained from the intercropping of 30cmx20cm (Sorghum & groundnut). Clearly showed that, with intercropping of sorghum and Groundnut, it is possible to produce additional yield of sorghum without significant reduction in groundnut yield. As a result of this, the intra spacing of the main crop (sorghum) 25cm and 30cm and for the subsidiary crop (groundnut) 20cm was recommended for further production in the study areas of eastern Harerghe zone and similar agro-ecologies.

The European Union's recent decision to renew the authorization for the use of glyphosate until 15 December 2033 stimulates the scientific discussion all around the world regarding its toxicity or otherwise for humans. Glyphosate is a chemical used by millions of tons in the last 50 years worldwide to drying weeds in cultivated fields, greenhouses, roadsides. Concern has been raised in many quarters about the possible presence in the food chain and the consequent adverse effects on health: both aspects that argue in favor of toxicity and those that instead may indicate limited toxicity of glyphosate are here discussed. The great debate that has been generated requires further investigations and field measurements to understand its fate once dispersed in the environment and its concentration in the food chain. Hence the need for validated analytical methods that are available to analysts in the field. In the present review, methods for the analytical determination of glyphosate and its main metabolite, AMPA, are discussed, with a specific focus on chromatographic techniques applied to cereal products. The experimental procedures are explained in any detail, including cleanup, derivatization, and instrumental conditions to give the laboratories involved enough information to proceed with the implementation of this line of analysis. The prevalent chromatographic methods used are LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/SIM, and GC-MS/MS but sufficient indications are also given to those laboratories that wish to use the simpler HPLC-FLD, HPLC-UV, GC-NPD or GC-FPD techniques for screening purposes. Concentrations from literature measured in wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats, soybean, and cereal-based foods are reported together with the regulatory status in various parts of the world and the accumulation mechanism. As for the accumulation in cereals, available data show that glyphosate tends to accumulate more in wholemeal flours than in refined ones, that its concentration in the product strictly depends on the treatment period (the closer it is to the time of harvesting, the higher the concentration) and that in cold climates the herbicide tends to persist in the soil for a long time.

(1) Background: The aim of the work was to characterize the climatic evolution and change based on the Multi Criteria Classification through the dynamics of bioclimatic indices in viticulture across Italy and its regional administrative boundaries, focusing on latitudes and elevations. (2) Methods: The impact of climate change on viticulture in Italy was analysed and spatialized with reference to historical data from 1991 to 2021 and to the Future Scenarios up to 2080 assumed by SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, taking into account 13 GCMs. (3) Results: The bioclimatic indices have all shown a significant trend in the historical period, with an increase in temperature and a decrease in precipitation, reflecting their effects on the entire Italian territory with respect to HI, up to 44°N for CI and up to 46°N for DI, regardless of altitude. The Future Scenarios highlighted a shift towards the warmer classes of the two temperature-based indices (HI and CI) for both SSPs, especially for altitudes up to 900 m a.s.l.. The DI-based classification based on DI remained relatively stable in Italy over time, although DI values will become increasingly negative in the near future. (4) Conclusions: The climate in Italy is warming, especially in the south and in the coastal regions. By 2080, more areas will be “Very Hot” with “Warm Nights.” Drought will also increase and have a negative impact on viticulture. The importance of higher latitudes and altitudes in mitigating the effects of climate change justifies the continuing trend towards the relocation of vineyards as a medium-term solution and as an alternative to targeted cultivation methods that must be adopted in the short-term to safeguard the suitability of an area to quality viticulture.

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

Raru’s plants bark has long been used as traditional medicine in Batak’s tribe. Raru’s bark is derived from several trees that are usually used in a mixture in Batak traditional beverages. This bark is generally used as antidiabetic remedies. This study aims to combine the rarus’s bark extract and mocaf activated-carbon (MAC) in order to study antidiabetics in rats. The combination of raru’s bark extract and MAC were tested on male rats as of Sprague Dawley strain for testing antidiabetic bioactivity. The result showed that antidiabetic activity of raru’s extract and MAC exposed the antidiabetic level declines in rat’s blood. The various treatments of different concentration ratios of raru’s extract and MAC useful in the experiments showed that the levels of blood level reduction were slightly different (14-21%). The raru’s extract pure was observed more effective in decreasing the blood glucose level in rat’s blood, in comparison the positive control. The mixture of raru’s extract and MAC with 75:25 ratio is better than 50:50 ratio. The involvement of MAC in the alleged antidiabetic agent did little in improving the blood glucose level decrease in rat’s blood. Raru’s extract and MAC indicate its potential utilization as an antidiabetic agent.

The lean supply chain of construction engineering projects is to achieve the maximum satisfaction of the owners' needs in order to effectively achieve the goal of supply chain management. This paper explores an effective method of lean supply chain cost management for construction engineering projects with target cost management, so that each participating unit on the supply chain node can fully utilizes its core competencies to minimize internal consumption and waste, and achieve the optimal overall efficiency of the supply chain. According to the requirements of the goal planning theory of the construction project company, establish a lean supply chain cost planning system for the construction project, realize the basic model of the lean supply chain cost management of the construction project, and set the target cost from the lean project of the construction project. The technical decomposition is established by the process of cost decomposition and cost pressure transmission and sub-target cost planning.

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

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

This study observes, interprets, and analyses the knowledge production in the research field of Human–Robot Interaction (HRI). It intends to foreground the hidden assumptions that are often taken for granted when roboticist design and conduct their research. By doing so, this study demonstrates how these assumptions influence the result of their research. Based on data collected through sociological field observation, this study argues that the current practise in HRI research is highly anthropocentric. In short, the robots are designed to be like human instead of for human. Therefore, the human–robot relationship embodies the existing power relations between human beings. These relations generate inequality, hierarchy, and dominance, which are the opposite of the common imagination of the robotised future among roboticists. For the purpose of enabling the robotised future closer to their ideal, this study suggests that HRI researchers to go beyond the conventional methodology, to allow a human–robot relationship that realises reciprocity.

Individuals and their leadership competencies have been the sole focus of project leadership research, rather than the project leadership's behaviour and functions in project and organizational settings. As a result, this study investigates the project leadership functions and behaviours required for various project and organizational situations in order to propose a project leadership model that will be effective in all project and organizational situations. The model that was developed and tested in this study theorized on the project leadership function that project leaders are expected to perform as a result of their positions. It also described how project leaders could tailor their leadership functions and behaviours to address issues related to positions, organizational situations, and project situations. Three hypotheses were developed and tested using structural equation modelling to validate the model. The model's perceptive power demonstrates adequate validity. The model's validity implies that there are appropriate project leadership functions for different leadership levels and circumstances. The model's validity also implies that each project leadership behaviour has its own value, as conditions and necessities dictate. The study assumes that a project leader can embrace project leadership by combining a few different project leadership functions and behaviours.

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

We report neutralization titer data against contemporary SARS-CoV-2 sublineages from an ongoing, open-label, phase 2/3 trial of a single 30-μg dose of monovalent Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine. Healthy participants had previously received ≥3 doses of a US-authorized mRNA vaccine, with the most recent being a bivalent Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted vaccine administered ≥150 days before study vaccination. In this analysis, Omicron XBB.1.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1 serum neutralizing titers were assessed at baseline and 1 month after vaccination in a subset of ≥18-year-olds (N = 40) with evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Immunogenicity was also evaluated in a demographically matched group of participants who received bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 in another study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05472038). The XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine elicited higher XBB.1.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1 neutralizing titers than those elicited by bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2. Overall geometric mean fold rises in neutralizing titers from baseline to 1 month after vaccination were higher among participants who received XBB.1.5-adapted BNT162b2 than those who received bivalent BA.4/BA.5-adapted BNT162b2 for XBB.1.5 (7.6 vs 5.6), slightly higher for JN.1 (3.9 vs 3.5), and similar for BA.2.86 (4.8 vs 4.9). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05997290.

This paper reports on the conception and implementation of a participatory approach within an agricultural research project aimed at fostering the transition towards organic in the Italian rice district. We investigate the relationships among scientists and stakeholders, exploring researchers’ attitudes, barriers, and potential in relation to participatory research. We use participant observation, in-depth interviews, and systematic cataloguing of communication documents, from the beginning to two years into project implementation, for a total period of three years. The results of the analysis show that, despite a high level of authoritative commitment to participation, scientists reveal a scarcity of knowledge and skills, and poor attitudes that come from a negative perception of participatory research. They engage in various forms of collaboration with stakeholders, as long as decision-making remains essentially in their hands. With the deep analysis of a case study, the paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on the quality of participatory agricultural research, in particular presenting evidence on the key role of researchers and their attitudes. The paper also contributes to the development of a culture of learning by doing, through honest monitoring and evaluation, and the capacity to learn from failure.

This study focused on the stories of women planters in the implementation of Taranuman Project in the Third District of Albay. Particularly, this explores and documents the experiences, challenges, and successes of women planters involved. By understanding their stories, this undertaking shed light on the motivations and aspirations of women planters, the barriers they have experienced, and their strategies to achieve success. The researchers used descriptive-qualitative research and made use of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). From the collection of the respondents’ narratives, three (3) recurring themes emerged on the motivation and aspirations of women planters in Taranuman Project; Taranuman para sa Pagkasararo (Social cohesion, belonging and unity), Taranuman para sa Pangkabuhayan (Economic empowerment), and Taranuman para sa Karapatang Pampulitika (Political rights, engagement and participation). This study also revealed major challenges in its implementation including infertility of the soil, the distant location of the lands to be cultivated for the project, and the insufficiency in the supply of tools and equipment. However, despite the emerging problems, strategies to counter the difficulties were also formulated. Even so, the researchers strongly recommend that implementers should expand the Taranuman Project in all of the district’s municipalities, enhance women planters' financial and communication skills through training, maintain close partnerships with agencies for project support, encourage beneficiary communication, and develop comprehensive strategies to overcome ongoing challenges and ease beneficiaries’ burdens.

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

The study findings revealed significant variability in various wood properties among different genetic families, although the static modulus of elasticity did not exhibit significant differences between the chosen genetic families. All measured wood properties decreased from the bottom to the top of the model trees. Wood hardness displayed a moderately negative correlation with wood density and weak correlations with MOE and MOR. Given the weak correlations between wood hardness and other wood mechanical properties, it is suggested that the MOEdyn would be a more suitable trait for genetic studies.

Materials engineering based on metal oxides for manipulating the solar spectrum and producing solar energy have been under intense investigation over the last years. In this work, we present NiO thin films double-doped with niobium (Nb) and nitrogen (N) as cation and anion dopants (NiO:(Nb,N)) to be used as p-type layers in all oxide transparent solar cells. The films were grown by sputtering a composite Ni-Nb target on room-temperature substrates in plasma containing 50% Ar, 25% O2 and 25% N2 gases. The existence of Nb and N dopants in the NiO structure was confirmed by the Energy Dispersive X-Ray and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy techniques. The nominally undoped NiO film, which was deposited by sputtering a Ni target and used as the reference film, was oxygen-rich, single-phase cubic NiO, having a visible transmittance of less than 20%. Upon double doping with Nb and N the visible transmittance of NiO:(Nb,N) film increased to 60%, which was further improved after thermal treatment to around 85%. The respective values of the direct band gap in the undoped and double-doped films were 3.28 eV and 3.73 eV just after deposition and 3.67 eV and 3.76 eV after thermal treatment. The changes in the properties of the films such as structural disorder, direct and indirect energy band gaps, Urbach tail states and resistivity were correlated with the incorporation of Nb and N in their structure. The thermally treated NiO:(Nb,N) film was used to form a diode with a spin-coated two-layer, mesoporous on top of a compact, TiO2 film. The NiO:(Nb,N)/TiO2 heterojunction exhibited visible transparency of around 80%, showed rectifying characteristics and the diode’s parameters were deduced using the I-V method. The diode revealed photovoltaic behavior upon illumination with UV light exhibiting a short circuit current density of 0.2 mA/cm2 and open-circuit voltage of 500 mV. Improvements of the output characteristics of the NiO:(Nb,N)/TiO2 UV-photovoltaic by proper engineering of the individual layers and device processing procedures are addressed. Transparent NiO:(Nb,N) films can be potential candidates in all-oxide ultraviolet photovoltaics for tandem solar cells, smart windows and other optoelectronic devices.

Summary Genome assembly projects have grown exponentially due to breakthroughs in sequencing technologies and assembly algorithms. Evaluating the quality of genome assemblies is critical to ensure the reliability of downstream analysis and interpretation. To fulfil this task, we have developed the AssemblyQC pipeline that performs file-format validation, contaminant checking, contiguity measurement, gene- and repeat-space completeness quantification, telomere inspection, taxonomic assignment, synteny alignment, scaffold examination through Hi-C contact-map visualisation, and assessments of completeness, consensus quality and phasing through K-mer analysis. It produces a comprehensive HTML report with method descriptions, tables, and visualisations. Availability and Implementation The pipeline uses NextFlow for workflow orchestration and adheres to the best-practice established by the nf-core community. This pipeline offers a reproducible, scalable, and portable method to assess the quality of genome assemblies – the code is available online.GitHub: https://github.com/Plant-Food-Research-Open/assemblyqc Supplementary information Pipeline usage documentation, parameter descriptions and example outputs are available on GitHub: https://github.com/Plant-Food-Research-Open/assemblyqc/tree/main/docs. A preview report is also hosted online: https://plant-food-research-open.github.io/assemblyqc

The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenge for the whole world and it had major secondary effects on humans and environmental health. The viral infection induced, in many situations, secondary bacterial infections, especially enteric infections by destabilizing the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota. The large-scale use of antibiotics and biocides both for curative and preventive purposes has determined an increase in bacterial resistance and at the same time the possibility of pathogenic microorganisms’ multiplication and their dissemination to natural environments. Wastewater is the main vector of faecal microorganisms that favour their dissemination into natural aquatic ecosystems. The present paper aimed to analyze the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the microbiological quality of wastewater from sewage treatment plants in Romania and its impact on receiving rivers. In order to highlight different and important areas of Romania, 3 cities from the east, center and west were selected for a microbiological evaluation of their WWTPs influent and effluent between ante-Covid-19 and Covid-19 pandemic peak period, when the Covid-19 pandemic had a direct impact on WWTPs microbial composition. Our study showed a higher contamination with fecal bacteria linked to a higher Covid-19 incidence. The increased usage of pharmaceutical compounds, at their turn, increased the number of resistant bacteria reaching the environment via WWTP effluents.

The aim of our study was a comprehensive comparative assessment of the effect of consumption of 1 and 2% cholesterol as part of a standard diet with and without regular moderate physical activity on the main biomarkers of lipid and cholesterol metabolism, as well as the intestinal microbiota of male Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into 5 groups according to body weight and Open Field test results: Control (n=10), 1% Chol (n=10), 2% Chol (n=10), 1% Chol + RUN (n=10) and 2% Chol + RUN. The cholesterol was additionally added in the amount of 1g or 2g/100g, respectively, to the diet of animals. The rats of experimental groups 1% Chol + RUN and 2% Chol + RUN were subjected to regular (2 days a week) physical activity on a Treadmill. In rats of four experimental groups, when compared to the Control, a response of 39 indicators was revealed. The largest number of changes in biomarkers - 29 (statistically significant, p

This research paper aims to evaluate and model the performance of rice husk gasifier cook stoves for household energy use, a byproduct of rice milling. The study aims to address environmental issues and promote the use of rice husk as a renewable energy source and pest repellent in stoves. The study compared insulated and non-insulated gasifier stoves using rice husk gasification. The study compared the start-up time of insulated and non-insulated gasifier stoves, where the insulated stove showed a lower start-up time, but there was no significant difference at a 5% probability level. The temperature change also was not significant, as heat transfer and temperature change started when the husk was ignited. The burner stoves had different size and volume. The maximum operated or flame temperature was 1,190.30oC at room or minimum temperature of 27.33 oC, whereas the average temperature was 758.916oC for the non-insulated type of gasifier stove. The insulated gasifier stove also observed maximum and average temperatures of 518.30 oC and 289.014oC respectively at the same room temperature. The operating time of stoves directly influences the fuel consumption rate, specific gasification rate, and combustion zone rate of stoves. The fuel consumption rate has a significant effect on the type of gasifier stove, with the maximum rates being 3.820 and 2.099 kg/hr. The time to consume rice husks to gasify them depends on the density of the rice husk, reactor volume, and fuel consumption rate. The average specific gasification rate for insulated and non-insulated stoves is 106.45 and 120.63 kg/m2h, respectively. The fuel or rice husk holding capacity of each type of stove is significant at a 5% level, with the amount of rice husk and biochar produced being 1.18kg and 0.27kg for insulated stoves, and 2.511kg and 0.688kg for non-insulated stoves, respectively. The performance of gasifier stoves varies based on the bio char conversion rate, with non-insulated stoves producing a higher bio char mass per rice husk. Multiple regression analysis was used to model the relationship between time elapse with temperature and heat energy. The Squirrel-2020 data logger was used to measure the temperature produced by burning rice husks in the reactor of the stove as well as related generated and losses of heat. A relationship between the heat energy produced and the operating time of gasifier stoves was conducted to estimate the model. The cubic polynomial model was found to be the best predictive model fit for all variables of this study.

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

Despite the partial disclosure of driving scenario knowledge graphs, they still fail to meet the comprehensive needs of intelligent connected vehicles for driving knowledge. Current issues include the high complexity of pattern layer construction, insufficient accuracy of information extraction and fusion, and limited performance of knowledge reasoning models. To address these challenges, a hybrid knowledge graph method was adopted in the construction of the Driving Scenario Knowledge Graph (DSKG). Firstly, core concepts in the field were systematically sorted and classified, laying the foundation for the construction of a multi-level classified knowledge graph top-level ontology. Subsequently, by deeply exploring and analyzing the Traffic Genome data, 34 entities and 51 relations were extracted and integrated with the ontology layer, achieving the expansion and updating of the knowledge graph. Then, in terms of knowledge reasoning models, an analysis of the training results of the TransE, Complex, Distmult, and Rotate models in the entity linking prediction task of DSKG revealed that the Distmult model performed the best in metrics such as hit rate, making it more suitable for inference in DSKG. Finally, a standardized and widely applicable Driving Scenario Knowledge Graph was proposed. The DSKG and related materials have been publicly released for use by industry and academia.

Fires constitute a significant threat due to the pollutants emitted and the destruction they cause. People who take part in fire-fighting operations must be equipped with appropriate tools, including special clothing that will allow them to work and guarantee safety. One of the threats are compounds from the PAH group, which are characterized by high toxicity and carcinogenicity. Therefore, it is important that the materials used constitute a barrier to contamination. Various materials from which individual elements of special firefighter's clothing are made were tested. Additionally, the importance of height on the possibility of sorption of PAH compounds on a given type of material was analyzed. Based on the results obtained, it was found that the type of material and the zone in which the clothing items are used are important in the sorption processes of pollutants. Data in this area may be important for taking further actions regarding the modification of materials used in special fire brigade clothing and in their cleaning processes.

Citrus species essential oils (EOs) are significant sources of bioactive compounds and demonstrate diverse therapeutic effects. However, limited documentation exists regarding the phytochemicals associated with their biological activities. This study aims to assess the antioxidant activity, plant inhibitory properties, and brine shrimp cytotoxic effects of EOs derived from three Citrus species: C. sinensis, C. limon, and C. hystrix. Utilizing chemometric analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) fingerprints, the volatile components contributing to antioxidant activity were elucidated. The peels of the Citrus samples were hydro-distillated to obtain EOs, and subsequently subjected to antioxidant, plant inhibitory, and brine shrimp cytotoxic assays. The results indicated that C. limon EO exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while C. hystrix and C. sinensis EOs demonstrated pronounced inhibitory effects against Aetrmia salina and Lactuca sativa, respectively. GC-MS analysis facilitated the identification of key compounds in each EO. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchy cluster analysis (HCA) effectively categorized Citrus EOs based on their antioxidant properties, highlighting the proximity of C. limon and C. sinensis. Among the identified compounds, D-limonene, α-Terpineol, Caryophyllene, (+)-3-Carene, β-Pinene, (-)-Spathulenol, trans-p-Mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol, and trans-Verbenol were the most discriminating compounds affected the antioxidant activity of C.limon and C. sinensis EOs.

Silicon carbide single crystal (SiC) has been widely used in the field of power devices, while it is difficult to fabricate ultra-flat surface by traditional manufacturing technologies due to its difficult-to-machine property. This paper investigates the interaction process during femtosecond laser ablation of crystalline silicon carbide based on the two-temperature model simulation and experimental study. The findings reveal that parameters such as laser pulse energy, scanning interval, and defocus amount exert significant influence on ablation depth, roughness, and surface morphology. The femtosecond laser proves effective in removing surface defects from cut SiC substrates, albeit resulting in increased surface roughness. However, subsequent polishing treatment of the laser-ablated silicon carbide surface can mitigate this roughness, underscoring the feasibility of laser surface ablation for silicon carbide single crystals.

Introduction: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may cause acute respiratory failure but also remains responsible for many other pathologies, including electrolyte disorders. SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause dysfunction of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and disrupt water hemostasis with thirst and appetite abnormalities. Dysnatremia affects prognosis and may be associated with mortality in patients admitted to SARS-CoV2 intensive care. Patients and Methods: The study included 209 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit between April 12, 2021, and March 1, 2022 who were over 18 years old and diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection by clinical and thoracic tomography findings or with a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result. The laboratory markers, treatment modalities, nutritional, and respiratory support also for outcome evaluation, length of stay in the ICU, total hospitalization duration, and mortality in ICU were recorded.The laboratory marker comparison was made admission with the final assessment performed before the time of mortality in ICU or discharge. Results: Inotropic requirements among patients were high which was reflected in the first-month mortality. Hypernatremia presence was associated with an increase in enteral support and inotropic support requirement and mortality. Hypernatremia was correlated with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, and a longer duration under mechanical ventilation. Discussion: Hypernatremia was an important risk factor in ICU patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was also affected by the treatment regimens given itself. This complex relationship underlies the importance of proper electrolyte management, especially in patients who were under severe stress and organ failure.

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

Background/Aim: Stool gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) determination is now considered a valuable tool for detecting dietary lapses in treated celiac disease (CeD) patients. Our study aims to explore the diagnostic performance of a qualitative lateral flow immunoassay point-of-care test (LFIA/PoCT) compared with a qualitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of stool GIP. Methods: The study is a post hoc analysis of stool samples collected in the real-life conditions from a cohort of gluten-free diet-treated CeD patients. Stool GIP was measured in µg/g of stool using an ELISA kit (iVYLISA GIP S®, Biomedal SL). For the qualitative evaluation of stool GIP, a LFIA/PoCT test (GlutenDetect®; Biomedal S.L) was employed, which reported results as positive or negative. The LFIA/PoCT performance was evaluated against ELISA, considered as the gold standard. GIP concentrations

Two new dimacrolide sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids (DMSPAs), dimacroregelines A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the stems of Tripterygium regelii. The structures of both compounds were characterized by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, as well as HRESIMS data. Compounds 1 and 2 are two rare DMSPAs possessing unique 2-(3′-carboxybutyl)-3-furanoic acid units forming the second macrocyclic ring, representing the first example of DMSPAs bearing an extra furan ring in their second macrocyclic ring system. Compound 2 showed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of human rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblast cell (MH7A) at a concentration of 20 μM.

The article presents the results of studies aimed to identify the effect of foliar treatments of winter wheat, sugar beets and soybeans with mineral and bioorganic fertilizers. Their positive effect on increasing the concentration of mineral forms of nitrogen in soil was revealed. The crop types have a greater influence on the size of nitrous oxide emissions: in winter wheat crops - 679 µg/m3, soybeans - 637.2 µg/m3, sugar beets - 576.8 µg/m3. The amounts of nitrous oxide emissions were lower in the variants without the use of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. The Ruter AA fertilizer showed the greatest efficiency on winter wheat crops - 42.7 c/ha. Soybean grain yield of 44.2 c/ha was also achieved by using Ruter AA, as well as Geo-humate together with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. On the background of the actual supply of phosphorus and potassium, maximum yield was obtained when using N30 on the leaf - 39.3 c/ha. Foliar feeding ensured a yield of sugar beet root crops of up to 67.1-77.4 c/ha on the backdrop of the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers with the advantage of using Amino turbo. The largest yield of sugar beet roots without use of mineral phosphorus and potassium was ensured by N30 treatment of the leaf in the phases of 4-6 and 8 leaves - 63.2 t/ha. Of the organo-mineral fertilizers and biostimulants, the best result was shown by the use of Ruter A - 62.6 t/ha. We believe that foliar feeding of crops can be a sustainable farming method that can increase crop yields and reduce N2O emissions.

Quite a number of cottonseed varieties are existed. The seeds of each variety produce a different amount of gossypol as a natural toxic compound. The increased interest in this natural product and its toxic effects were enhanced the demand for establishing simple silica-gel-based methods for its isolation, purification, and characterization. Historically, silica gel plays a significant role in isolation and purification of many different natural products. Silica gel is variants and can intro-duce a lab, simple tool for tracking a compound in certain plants during its purification process. In this study, gossypol was isolated and purified in the form of yellow crystals as gossypol acetic ac-id. Several methods and tools were used for its characterization including TLC, preparative TLC, silica gel column, UV/IR spectrophotometer and HPLC (Robust spherical silica gel). A compara-tive study between its amounts in both Egyptian and Chinese varieties were performed. Under the experimental condition, the Egyptian cottonseeds contain 8.705 gm/kg, while the Chinese contains 5.395 gm/kg. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) had been flourished the science of the phytochemistry and still popular till nowadays and is recommended for fast, accurate, and inex-pensive evaluation and quantification of gossypol. It is recommended to isolate and purify gossy-pol as gossypol acetic acid using optimized combined methods used in this study. Using Silica gel different protocols will assist and facilitate the parallel comparison and save the compact column from any unexpected contaminants during the purification steps. During each step the silica gel itself could be simply removed by paper filtration.

Water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a significant challenge to crop production, with drought being a prevalent factor limiting grain production globally. Enhancing agricultural water use efficiency is crucial for managing water resources effectively in these areas. Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing, and optimizing the use of water resources. Water use efficiency management is also essential for crop growth in arid regions. Various agronomic and irrigation strategies can improve crop water use efficiency and drought tolerance. The primary goal of these strategies is to maximize irrigation efficiencies by applying the precise amount of water needed to restore soil moisture to the desired level. These sustainable practices not only reduce the cost of water and labor for farmers through reduced irrigation but also optimize the use of soil moisture storage. This review paper explores practical techniques to improve water use efficiency, highlighting the role of nutrients in enhancing water use efficiency in crop plants.

Introduction: Hypertension is a serious public health problem in Morocco. The objective of this pilot study was to estimate the salt intake of Moroccan adults by measuring 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Methods: 132 participants were recruited from the central region of Morocco. Sodium, potassium and creatinine levels were measured using the 24-hour urine samples. Additional data included anthropometric measurements and socio-demographic questionnaire. Results: The daily sodium, potassium and creatinine excretions were 2779.1±1334.9 mg, 1350.0±642.8 mg and 820.3 ± 381.2 mg, respectively. Data analysis revealed that 71.2% of the participants had a daily sodium intake more than 2000 mg (5g of salt) recommended by the WHO. The mean of potassium excretion was 1350.0±642.8 mg /day, this average was lower than 3.51g per day recommended by the WHO. Conclusion: Public health measures to reduce sodium and increase potassium consumption in order to decrease the population’s risk of high blood pressure and heart disease are recommended.

In this study, a basic study was performed to analyze the seasonal temperature status of a research room in the Global Environment Research Building where ceiling-embedded indoor units are installed to study the room temperature status of the building as well as to improve its thermal environment. In addition, a direction for improvement of the indoor thermal environment in the winter was proposed through a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation and was proven by an additional experiment. Through the results of this study, it appeared that if the ceiling-embedded indoor unit was installed in the small indoor space without considering the thermal vulnerability of its perimeter boundary, the air temperature of the upper part was greatly different from that of the bottom part in the winter. Hence, in this study, as a means to improve it, convectors were installed to minimize the effect of the external thermal environment and angle-controllable air flowing fans were installed to mitigate the stratification distribution. With such result, it was intended to present the essential data for improvement of the thermal environment as well as conservation of heating energy in the winter for buildings by reviewing the use of the ceiling-embedded indoor unit in the future.

Cisplatin is a widely used anticancer drug for treating solid tumors, but it is associated with severe side effects, including nephrotoxicity. Various studies have suggested that the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin could be overcome; nonetheless, an effective adjuvant drug has not yet been established. Oleanolic acid acetate (OAA), a triterpenoid isolated from Vigna angularis, is commonly used to treat inflammatory and allergic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of OAA against cisplatin-induced apoptosis and necroptosis using TCMK-1 cells and a mouse model. In cisplatin-treated TCMK-1 cells, OAA treatment significantly reduced Bax and cleaved-caspase3 expression, whereas increased Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, in cisplatin-induced kidney injury mouse model, OAA treatment alleviated weight loss in the body and major organs and also relieved cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity symptoms. RNA sequencing analysis of kidney tissues identified lipocalin-2 as the most upregulated gene by cisplatin. Additionally, necroptosis-related genes such as receptor interacting protein kinase (RIPK) and mixed lineage kinase domain like (MLKL) were identified. In vitro study, the phosphorylation of RIPKs and MLKL was reduced by OAA pretreatment in both cisplatin-treated cells and cells boosted by co-treatment with z-VAD-FMK. In conclusion, OAA could protect the kidney from cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and may serve as an anticancer adjuvant.

Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) has emerged as the predominant causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. Since the declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic, the incidence of infectious diseases, including HFMD, has decreased markedly. When social mitigation was relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, re-emergence of HFMD was observed in Gwangju, South Korea, and seasonal characteristics of the disease appeared to have changed. To investigate the molecular characteristics of enterovirus (EV) associated with HFMD during 2022, 277 specimens were collected. Children aged under 5 years accounted for the majority of affected individuals. EV detection and genotyping were performed using real-time RT-PCR and nested RT-PCR followed by sequence analysis. EV detection rate was found to be 82.3%, and the main genotype identified was CV-A6. Sixteen CV-A6 samples were selected for whole genome sequencing. According to phylogenetic analysis, all CV-A6 strains from this study belonged to the sub-genotype D3 clade based on VP1 sequences. Analysis of 3D polymerase phylogeny showed that only the recombinant RF-A group was identified. In conclusion, circulating EV types should be continuously monitored to understand pathogen emergence and evolution during the post-pandemic era.

Researches on the runoff and sediment reduction effects of soil and water conservation measures are being on the rise, which is of great significance for carrying out strategic on soil and water conservation in the Yellow River Basin. Through the analysis of various soil and water conserva-tion measures, runoff, sediment, and rainfall datas in the Sanchuan River Basin from 1960 to 2019, we use the lagrange multiplier method to determining the threshold year of soil and water con-servation measures on runoff and sediment processes. The preliminary conclusion is as follows: The trend of flood season rainfall and annual rainfall in the Sanchuan River Basin is consistent. The 10-year average rainfall in each periods indicates that before 2000, it gradually decreased and then significantly increased. The 10-year average runoff showed a gradual decrease before 2010, followed by a sudden increase, while the 10-year average sediment has shown a decreasing trend years by years, especially after the centralized treatment period. Terrace and dam measures show a trend of first decreasing, then increasing, and then approaching stability during different treat-ment periods, while the trend of forest and grass measures is slightly decreasing and then in-creasing rapidly. The runoff and sediment reduction effects of various soil and water conservation measures during different treatment periods indicate that the runoff reduction effect reached its peak in 2005, while the sediment reduction benefit reached its best in 2015. Based on the compre-hensive benefits of runoff and sediment regulation, 2015 are considered as the threshold year for various soil and water conservation measures, with each measure areas being 4.86 × 104, 17.91 × 104, 1.20 × 104, and 0.83 × 104hm2, respectively. The research results will have certain reference significance for the high-quality development of soil and water conservation in the Yellow River Basin.

Many types of banana (Musa spp.)—one of the most economically important horticultural crops—exist, and their ploidy (diploid, triploid, and tetraploid, usually) and genome types (containing A or/and B genome in most cases) differ. At present, observation and genome type detection are commonly used to identify banana germplasm resources. However, the former is tedious, while the latter cannot distinguish categories below genome types. It is therefore urgent that a simple and effective method for identifying banana germplasm resources is established. We sequenced and analyzed the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of 62 banana germplasm and found that the sequencing peaks, especially the 20 bp region near the 420 bp position (referred to as the “420 bp region”), exhibited relatively recognizable and repeatable polymorphism characteristics. Using the “420 bp region” as a marker, we were able to quickly distinguish bananas belonging to different genome type groups (comprising the AA, AB, AAA, ABB, AAB, ABBB, AAAB, and AAAA groups) or different subgroups in the same genome type group (for example, the Cavendish, Gros Michel, Red, Lakatan, and Ibota Bota subgroups in the AAA group; and the Pisang Raja, Plantain, Pome and Silk subgroups in the AAB group). Moreover, it appeared that Sanger sequencing of ITS could be used for identifying banana hybrid offspring. These results demonstrated that the banana ITS region contains rich genetic information that is useful for genotyping. In general, ITS sequencing simplifies the classification of banana germplasm resources and has potential application in several areas of Musa improvement.

Two experiments were conducted to develop a Nano green manganese and assess its effect on grapevines. The first experiment was microbiological, where several incorporation strategies were utilized to enrich the yeast with manganese, as follows: (1) adding manganese to the liquid medium (growth phase), (2) adding after 24 h of incubation (non-growth phase). As the results, growth phase reduced the possibility of medium contamination. Manganese concentration in the yeast cells was increased as that of manganese sulphate in the medium. Manganese incorporation in yeast cells was 99.93% higher than that of the medium at 0.0195 g/l of manganese. Although the concentration of manganese in the medium raised the OD of yeast cell biomass, manganese sulphate had no passive influence on it. The second experiment was horticultural, done on Flame Seedless grapevines, since both active fresh and frozen yeast enriched with manganese resulted from the first experiment were sprayed twice a year at 10 or 20 cm3/l comparing with manganese sulphate, and manganese chelate. The results demonstrated that yeast extracts in both forms increased the yield and improved fruit properties. The most effective treatment on vegetative growth, yield and fruit properties was the frozen yeast enriched with manganese at 20 cm3/l.

Continuous technological progress places significant demands on the materials used in increasingly modern devices. An important parameter is often the long-term thermal resistance of the material. The use of heat-resistant polymer materials worked well in technologically advanced products. An economically justified direction in searching for new materials is the area of polymer nanocomposite materials. It is necessary to appropriately select both the polymer matrix and the nanofillers best able to demonstrate the synergistic effect. A promising area of exploration for such nanocomposites is the use of organosilicon polymers, which results from the unique properties of these polymers related to their structure. This review presents the results of the analysis of the most important literature reports regarding organosilicon polymer nanocomposites with increased thermal resistance. Particular attention was paid to modification methods of silicone nanocomposites focused on the increase of their thermal resistance related to the modification of siloxane molecular structure and by making nanocomposites using inorganic additives, carbon nanomaterials. Attention was also paid to such important issues as the influence of the dispersion of additives in the polymer matrix on the thermal resistance of silicone nanocomposites and the possibility of modifying the polymer matrix and permanently introducing nanofillers thanks to the presence of various reactive groups. The thermal stability mechanism of these nanocomposites was also analysed.

The key links of face recognition are digital image preprocessing, facial feature extraction and pattern recognition, this article aimed at the current problem of slow speed and low recognition accuracy of face recognition , from the above three key links, on the basic of analyzing the therories of Fractional Differential Masks Operator (FDMO), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM), design a kind of FDMO+PVA+SVM coupling algorithm that applies to face recognition to improve the speed and accuracy of it. To realize FDMO+PCA+SVM coupling algorithm, first, we should apply FDMO to face image processing binary marginalization, the purpose is getting face contour; Then, we apply PCA to get the feature of face image which is disposed by binary marainalization. At last, we can apply One-Against All of the SVM classifier and LibSVM software package to realize face recognition. Beside, the article with nine different coupling algorithm design four groups of experimental reaults on the ORL face database verified by comparative analysic FDMO+PCA+SVM coupling algorithm in the superiority of face recognition accuracy and speed.

Aspalathin (ASP) can protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes against high glucose (HG)-induced shifts in myocardial substrate preference, oxidative stress and apoptosis. While the protective mechanism of aspalathin remains unknown, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) has emerged as a key factor for intracellular responses against oxidative stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that aspalathin protects the myocardium against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage by up-regulating Nrf2 expression in H9c2 cardiomyocytes and diabetic (db/db) mice. Using an oxidative stress RT2 Profiler PCR array, ASP at a dose of 1 µM was demonstrated to protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes against HG-induced oxidative stress, but silencing of Nrf2 abolished this protective response of ASP and exacerbated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Db/db mice and their non-diabetic (db/+) littermate controls were subsequently treated daily for 6 weeks with either a low (13 mg/kg) or high (130 mg/kg) ASP dose. Compared to nondiabetic mice the db/db mice presented increased cardiac remodeling and enlarged left ventricular wall that occurred concomitant to enhanced oxidative stress. Daily treatment of mice with ASP at a dose of 130 mg/kg for 6 weeks was more effective at reversing complications than both a low dose ASP or metformin, eliciting enhanced expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes. These results indicate that ASP maintains cellular homeostasis and protects the myocardium against hyperglycemia-induced stress through activation of Nrf2 and its downstream target genes.

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

This study explores innovative strategies to enhance hands-on learning experiences in a Database Management Systems (DBMS) course while addressing challenges related to software installation complexities and financial barriers. The investigation focuses on an online course format catering to students majoring in information systems, healthcare administration, business administration, and marketing. Traditional software installation hurdles, especially for complex systems like Microsoft Access and MySQL, can impede students' engagement and access. To overcome these challenges, the study proposes leveraging cloud-based solutions and clientless remote desktop gateways like Apache Guacamole. Results indicate that these approaches effectively eliminate software installation obstacles, ensuring seamless access to essential tools for all students. The study underscores the importance of innovative technological solutions in promoting inclusive and impactful learning environments in higher education.

The Bay of Espirito Santo is located in the Espírito Santo State, in the eastern part of Brazil. It is surrounded by the city of Vitoria on one side and by the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Superficial sediments of Espirito Santo Bay were analyzed at 12 (western shallow silt sediments) + 8 (eastern sandy sediments and relatively deep sampling stations) = 20 uniformly distributed sampling points where geochemical analysis was performed. Nineteen elements were analyzed: Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ni, Mn, Fe, As, U, Th, Sr, Cd, Sb, Bi, V, Cr, Ba, and Al. This selection was made based on the most representative heavy metals present in this area and according to the results obtained from the geochemical analysis. Their concentrations were compared with metal contamination benchmarks like Screening Quick Reference Tables (SQuiRTs), Effects Range-Low (ERLs) and Effects Range-Median (ERMs), TELs (Threshold Effects Levels), PELs (Probable Effects Levels), ERM (Effects range median), and AETs (Apparent Effects Thresholds). Results indicate that there is no particular pollution condition able to alter the condition of any part of this water body. The Authors conclude that the Espirito Santo Bay is only moderately polluted and some elements are virtually absent.

The Bay of Espirito Santo is located in the Espírito Santo State, in the eastern part of Brazil. It is surrounded by the city of Vitoria on one side and by the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Superficial sediments of Espirito Santo Bay were analyzed at 12 (western shallow silt sediments) + 8 (eastern sandy sediments and relatively deep sampling stations) = 20 uniformly distributed sampling points where geochemical analysis was performed. Nineteen elements were analyzed: Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ni, Mn, Fe, As, U, Th, Sr, Cd, Sb, Bi, V, Cr, Ba, and Al. This selection was made based on the most representative heavy metals present in this area and according to the results obtained from the geochemical analysis. Their concentrations were compared with metal contamination benchmarks like Screening Quick Reference Tables (SQuiRTs), Effects Range-Low (ERLs) and Effects Range-Median (ERMs), TELs (Threshold Effects Levels), PELs (Probable Effects Levels), ERM (Effects range median), and AETs (Apparent Effects Thresholds). Results indicate that there is no particular pollution condition able to alter the condition of any part of this water body. The Authors conclude that the Espirito Santo Bay is only moderately polluted and some elements are virtually absent.

The main objective of this study was to compare the removal efficiency of nutrients using Lactuca sativa, Medicago sativa and Phragmites australis in subsurface flow constructed wetlands with horizontal flow. In order to test water quality, fabricated reactors designed and the plants cultivated in the soil while their root were inside the wastewater. A long time study carried out from spring till end of autumn (9 months) in order to evaluate the difference in removal rate based on the seasonal changes. The highest removal rate was during summer which followed by spring and autumn. Thus, the effect of plants on the removal efficiency of organic matter (COD, BOD), TSS and nutrient (P and TN) appeared to be dependent on the seasonal growth. Phragmites australis the most sensitive species in order the removal of nutrient from wastewater.

This study optimizes the placement and farm layout of Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) using a neural fuzzy network, an advanced machine learning system, and meta-heuristic algorithms. The methodology introduces a novel approach to enhance turbine efficiency and overall farm performance. The objective is to determine the optimal configuration of vertical axis wind turbines using a neural-fuzzy system and meta-heuristic optimizers. Turbine efficiency and power generation rates are assessed through three-dimensional numerical simulations based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. This innovative design, featuring straight blades with bevel-angle vortex generators, represents a significant advancement over traditional straight-blade VAWTs. Comparative analyses demonstrate that the oblique configuration exhibits higher average output moment and power. A novel concept integrates the strengths of Darrieus VAWTs, enhancing efficiency through vortex generator integration. Simulation results are validated with empirical data, confirming the superior aerodynamic efficiency and increased power generation of the oblique configuration. Inspired by the optimal group movements of birds, this study recommends adopting the oblique arrangement for improved wind turbine performance.

In this paper, the deformation behavior of S32750 duplex stainless steel during low cycle fatigue was studied by controlling number of cycles. The microstructure of the specimens under different cycles was characterized by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Microhardness of two phases was measured by a digital microhardness instrument. The results showed that the microhardness of ferrite increases significantly after the first 4000 cycles, while the austenite shows a higher strain hardening rate after fatigue fracture, and the microhardness of ferrite and austenite increases by 23 HV and 87 HV, respectively. Two-phase kernel average misorientation (KAM) diagram showed that the continuous accumulation of plastic deformation easily leads to the initiation of cracks inside the austenite and at the phase boundaries. The evolution of dislocation morphology in two phases was obviously different. With the increase of cycle number, the dislocation in ferrite gradually transforms from dislocation bundles and dislocation array to sub-grain structure, while the dislocation in austenite gradually develops from dipole array to ordered Taylor lattice network structure.

In this study, we investigated the features of co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and nonpathogenic strain LEV8 of coxsackievirus A7 or enterovirus A71 for Vero E6 cells and Syrian hamsters. The investigation of co-infection with SARS-СoV-2 and LEV-8 or EV-A71 in the cell model was shown that a competitive inhibitory effect for these viruses were especially significant against SARS-CoV-2. Pre-infection with enteroviruses in animals caused more than a 100-fold decrease in the levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus replication in the respiratory tracts and more rapid clearance of the lower respiratory tract from infectious SARS-CoV-2. Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and LEV-8 or EV-A71 also reduced the severity of clinical manifestations of the SARS-CoV-2 infection for animals. Additionally, the histological data illustrated that co-infection with nonpathogenic coxsackievirus decreased the level of pathological changes by SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs. Research into the chemokine/cytokine profile demonstrated that the studied enteroviruses efficiently triggered this part of antiviral immune response, which can be associated with significant inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These results demonstrate that there exists a strong viral interference between the studied nonpathogenic strain of coxsackievirus A7 or enteroviruses A71 and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenic for humans in vitro and in vivo.

In this study the effects of three different main preparatory tillage operations [ploughing at 0.4 m (P40) and 0.20 m (P20) depth and minimum tillage at 0.20 m depth (MT) each of them carried out at two different soil water contents (WC) [low, 58% (LH) and high, 80% (HH) of field capacity] were investigated. The results obtained in this research show high values of soil strength in term of Penetration resistance (CI) and shear strength (SS) particularly in deeper soil layers at lower water content. Fossil-fuel energy requirements both for P40 LH and P20 LH were 25 and 35% higher with respect to the HH treatments and tractor slip were very high (P40 LH = 32.4%) with respect to the P40 HH treatment (16%). Therefore soil water content had significantly influenced tractor performance during soil ploughing, particularly at 0.40 m depth while MT was not influenced at all. A significant correlation between grain yield and soil penetration resistance was found highlighting how soil strength may be good indicator of its productivity. Obtained results during these field tests allowed considering MT and P20 treatments more suitable for this type of soil in climate change scenarios.

This study aimed to learn disturbance information to effectively control multiple small unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for marine research purposes at sea. The learned disturbance information was used to investigate the control of multiple USV swarms based on the leading–following formation technique. Numerous studies have already been conducted on swarm control using drones in the air; however, there has been a paucity of studies on swarm control in the sea. Contrary to swarm control in aviation, the fluid density of the sea is high, and the environment is constantly changing; thus, a robot system would be significantly affected by disturbances. This ultimately influences the maintenance of swarm formations and the accomplishment of missions [1,2]. Therefore, it is difficult to control numerous moving objects while maintaining a formation at sea by using the existing aerial drone swarm control technology. To solve this problem, we learned a long short-term memory (LSTM) model with time-series marine environmental data to predict maritime disturbances. Thereafter, the model was applied to a mission-based position control algorithm of each USV constituting the swarm to design a marine unmanned floating vessel swarm control system that can be applied to various marine environments. Specifically, to effectively control numerous small USVs for marine research purposes, ocean currents are learned using the LSTM algorithm, and the predicted ocean currents are used to generate a swarm USV control system for USV formations. In this study, a control system model of several small USVs equipped with two rear thrusters and a front lateral thruster was designed. The LSTM algorithm was learned using the previous ocean current data, and the velocity of the following ocean currents was predicted. The predictions were then used as a system disturbance to determine the thrust of the controller. To measure ocean currents in the sea when each USV moves, the velocity, azimuth, and position (latitude, longitude) data from the GPS mounted on the USV were used to measure the velocity and direction of the hull's movement. Further, the flow rate was measured using a flow rate sensor on a small USV. The USV movement and position were controlled using an artificial neural network-PID (ANN-PID) controller. This study entailed a comparative analysis of the designed USV model results and those generated by the simulator, including the behavior control rule of the USV swarm and the path of the actual USV swarm at sea. It was verified that the effectiveness of the USV mathematical model and behavior control rules. By comparing the movement path of the swarm USV with and without the disturbance learning algorithm and ANN-PID control algorithm applied to the designed simulator, the position error and maintenance performance of the swarm formation were analyzed, and the application results were compared.

Wavelength selective switches (WSSs) are essential elements for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks, as they offer cost-effective, high port-count and flexible spectral channel switching. This work proposes a new hybrid WSS architecture that leverages the beam shaping and steering features of uniform silicon nitride (SiN) based end-fire optical phased arrays (OPAs). By introducing beamforming to a WSS system, the spectral channels on the liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) panel can be tailored and arranged properly, depending on the optical configuration, using the beam control capabilities of OPAs. Combining 3D-FDTD and ray tracing simulations, the study shows that by reducing the input beam dimensions with proper sizing of the OPAs, the WSS design with the null-steering OPAs layout and 4×No switch size features increased spectral resolution. This extensive beamforming study on the steering-enabled layout reveals the acquirement of an even higher input channel number, achieving up to the 8×No WSS scheme with flexible channel routing on the LCoS panel. Such implementation of beamsteerers can unlock an extra degree of freedom for the switching capabilities of hybrid WSS devices. The results show great promise for the introduction of OPAs in WSS systems and provide valuable insight for the design of future wireless communication links and WDM systems.

The landscape of business intelligence (BI) is marked by rapid growth, extensive research, and practical implementations, reflecting its sustained relevance in modern business strategies. This paper delves into the dynamics of BI, particularly focusing on the interplay between maturity and agility. While BI maturity emphasizes optimization and predefined goals, BI agility prioritizes adaptability and response to change. The paper highlights the contradictions between these concepts, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach in BI strategy formulation.The role of organizational culture in fostering BI agility is explored through literature review and interviews with BI professionals. Key insights include the necessity of an open culture for effective BI utilization, clear strategic vision, decision delegation, information sharing, business-IT cooperation, and a learning-oriented mindset. These cultural factors contribute significantly to BI effectiveness and the ability to navigate dynamic business landscapes. The paper proposes pillars of agile maturity supported by an open organizational culture, including efficient communication, information integration, creative problem-solving, and close collaboration between business and IT. These pillars underscore the importance of a flexible and open mindset in navigating BI challenges and ensuring sustained value. Empirical validation and further research are suggested to deepen our understanding of the impact of organizational culture on BI agility and effectiveness.

Despite the successful introduction of oral cholera vaccines, Zambia continues to experience multiple, sporadic, and protracted cholera outbreaks in various parts of the country. While vaccines have been useful in staying the cholera outbreaks, the ideal window for re-vaccinating individual’s resident in cholera hotspot areas remains unclear. Using a prospective cohort study design, 225 individuals were enrolled, re-vaccinated with two doses of Shanchol™ regardless of previous vaccination and followed-up for 90 days. Bloods collected at baseline before re-vaccination, at day 14 prior to second dosing and subsequently on days 28, 60, and 90. Vibriocidal assay was performed on samples collected at all five time points. Our results showed that anti-LPS and vibriocidal antibody titers increased at day 14 after re-vaccination and decreased gradually at 28, 60 and 90 across all the groups. Seroconversion rates were generally comparable in all treatment arms. We therefore conclude that vibriocidal antibody titers generated in response to re-vaccination still wane quickly irrespective of previous vaccination status. However, despite the observed decline, the levels of vibriocidal antibodies remained elevated over baseline values across all groups, an important aspect for Zambia where there is no empirical evidence as to the ideal time for re-vaccination.

This paper, from the perspective of Mode 3 of knowledge production, takes the important carrier of knowledge, scientific research papers, as the research object. The mainstream databases (SCIE and SSCI) are chosen as the data sources. Firstly, bibliometric methods are applied to analyze the cooperation status among the main bodies of paper production, including authors and their affiliated institutions, countries, and disciplines; secondly, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to construct a comprehensive evaluation model for the state of research cooperation in carbon neutrality. Based on the evaluation model, the cooperation characteristics of different disciplinary fields and the relationship between paper cooperation status and high-impact research papers are comparatively analyzed. At the same time, an analysis is conducted on the support from the government, the sponsorship from enterprises, and the participation of the public in the process of paper production. Finally, some suggestions are put forward on how to build an innovative ecosystem for carbon neutrality research from the perspective of Mode 3 of knowledge production.

Angiogenesis is a critical physiological response to ischemia but becomes pathological when dysregulated and driven excessively by inflammation. We recently identified a novel angiogenic role for tripartite-motif-containing protein 2 (TRIM2) whereby lentiviral shRNA-mediated TRIM2 knockdown impaired endothelial angiogenic functions in vitro. This study sought to determine whether these effects could be translated in vivo and to determine the molecular mechanisms involved. CRISPR/Cas9-generated Trim2–/– mice that underwent a periarterial collar model of inflammation-induced angiogenesis exhibited significantly less adventitial macrophage infiltration relative to wildtype (WT) littermates, concomitant with decreased mRNA expression of macrophage marker Cd68 and reduced adventitial proliferating neovessels. Mechanistically, TRIM2 knockdown in endothelial cells in vitro attenuated inflammation-driven induction of critical angiogenic mediators, including nuclear HIF-1α, and curbed the phosphorylation of downstream effector eNOS. Conversely, in a hindlimb ischemia model of hypoxia-mediated angiogenesis, there were no differences in blood flow reperfusion to the ischemic hindlimbs of Trim2–/– and WT mice despite a decrease in proliferating neovessels and arterioles. TRIM2 knockdown in vitro attenuated hypoxia-driven induction of nuclear HIF-1α but had no further downstream effects on other angiogenic proteins. Our study has implications for understanding the role of TRIM2 in the regulation of angiogenesis in both pathophysiological contexts.

The p53 tumor suppressor protein shows antiviral activity. The replication of viruses is also antagonized by interferons (IFNs) – cytokines, which control immunity genes by the STAT transcription factors. The best studied interferons belong to type I (e.g. IFNα) and type II (IFNγ) groups. IFNα and IFNγ both induce activating phosphorylation of STAT1 on Tyr701. Previously, we noticed that p53 activates SOCS1, which is a negative regulator of STAT1 phosphorylation. Thus, we hypothesized that p53 by activating SOCS1 expression reduces phosphorylation of STAT1 and attenuates activation of genes stimulated either by IFNα or IFNγ. To test this hypothesis, we exposed p53-proficient and p53-deficient cells to strong p53 activators, and either to IFNα or IFNγ. Subsequently, we estimated the phosphorylation status of STAT1 and the expression of genes regulated by either of these cytokines. Strong activation of p53 reduced the phosphorylation of STAT1 on Tyr701, however surprisingly it did not lead to reduced expression of most tested interferon-stimulated genes. On contrary, p53 and IFNγ synergized in the activation of CASP1, IFIT1 and IFIT3 genes. We conclude that the interactions between p53 and interferon-activated pathways are more complicated than initially expected, but the apparent cooperation between p53 and IFNγ deserves further studies.

Chemical pollution poses a significant threat to human health, with detrimental effects on various physiological systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, mental, and perinatal domains. While the impact of pollution on these systems has been extensively studied, the intricate relationship between chemical pollution and immunity remains a critical area of investigation. The focus of this study is to elucidate the relationship between chemical pollution and human immunity. To accomplish this task, this study presents a comprehensive review that encompasses in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, shedding light on the ways in which chemical pollution can modulate human immunity. Our aim is to unveil the complex mechanisms by which environmental contaminants compromise the delicate balance of the body's defence systems going beyond the well-established associations with defence system delving into the less-explored link between chemical exposure and various immune disorders, adding urgency to our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and their implications for public health.

Malaria parasites increase their host erythrocyte’s permeability to obtain essential nutrients from plasma and facilitate intracellular growth. In the human P. falciparum pathogen, this increase is mediated by the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) and has been linked to CLAG3, as encoded by one member of the conserved clag multigene family. Whether paralogs encoded by other clag genes also contribute to PSAC formation or serve unrelated roles remains unknown. Here, we generated transfectant lines carrying epitope-tagged versions of each CLAG. Each paralog colocalized with CLAG3, with concordant trafficking via merozoite rhoptries to the host erythrocyte membrane of newly-invaded erythrocytes. Each also exists within infected cells in at least two forms: an alkaline-extractable soluble form and a form integral to the host membrane. Like CLAG3, CLAG2 has a variant region cleaved by extracellular protease but CLAG8 and CLAG9 are protease-resistant. Paralog knockout lines, generated through CRISPR/Cas9 transfection, exhibited uncompromised growth in PGIM, a modified medium with more physiological nutrient levels; this finding is in marked contrast to a recently reported CLAG3 knockout parasite. CLAG2 and CLAG8 knockout lines exhibited compensatory increases in transcription of remaining clags and associated rhoph genes, yielding increased PSAC-mediated uptake to specific solutes. We also report distinct transport properties of these knockout lines, suggesting partially overlapping roles of CLAG paralogs in PSAC activity. We propose that the nutrient channel pore is formed by a higher order assembly of CLAG proteins at the host membrane.

The Saudi Vision 2030 is critical to boosting national development, notably in the construction industry. The construction industry is getting a lot of attention in a variety of ways, the most visible of which is the promotion of best practices, including project management office (PMO) applications. Hail province, like others, is experiencing project delivery issues. Thus, the purpose of this research is to explore the suitable PMO model for Hail public construction projects. A literature review included the drive factors for establishing PMO in construction firms, as well as PMO models and typologies that describe functions. Therefore, those drive factors and PMO models were subjected to a focus group to explore their suitability in the context of Hail. The research findings reveal that the Enterprise PMO is the main for Hail public construction pro-jects, followed respectively by the Program Management Office model and the Project Management Center of Excellence (PMCOE). This method of selection a PMO model is driving construction companies and related businesses to change in order to improve the sector while also ad-dressing construction project delivery challenges in Hail province.

This research investigates the alignment of soft power and institutional skills in Montenegro's journey towards accession to the European Union (EU), with a particular focus on the environmental sector. An online survey targeting individuals employed in state institutions directly engaged in negotiation processes, notably the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection, was conducted. The research conducted an online survey, distributed before and after the summer recess to accommodate the transition of power following parliamentary elections, aimed at assessing the effectiveness of current personnel and identifying areas for improvement in staffing and negotiation strategies within Montenegro's environmental sector. Employing diverse methodologies, the survey's analysis delved into the demographic, social, and professional backgrounds of respondents. It explored their roles within institutions, involvement in environmental negotiations, and possession of relevant skills and expertise. Furthermore, respondents' knowledge of environmental issues, legislation, and challenges facing the country was assessed to gauge institutional capacity for environmental governance. Demographic data, including gender, age, education and regional origin, were collected to understand gender-specific attitudes and regional disparities in environmental perspectives. The sample of 84 individuals, comprising executives and employees from both institutions, provided insights into the age structure and regional diversity of personnel involved in negotiation tasks for Chapter 27. The selection of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection reflects their pivotal roles in shaping Montenegro's environmental policies and addressing climate change challenges. This study aims to illuminate the dynamics of environmental governance within Montenegro's state administration, contributing to the country's path towards EU accession. The research findings highlight the critical need for Montenegro to prioritize strategic initiatives in personnel management, skill development, and institutional capacity-building within its environmental sector. The implications of this research extend beyond academia to inform policymaking and societal action, emphasizing the urgency for Montenegro to bolster its environmental sector capabilities, fostering both EU alignment and sustainable governance practices for the benefit of present and future generations.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has not significantly benefited from advances in immunotherapy, mainly because of the lack of well-defined actionable antigen targets. Using proteogenomic analyses of primary EOC tumors, we previously identified 91 aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) originating from unmutated genomic sequences. Most of these TSAs derive from non-exonic regions, and their expression results from cancer-specific epigenetic changes. The present study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity of 48 TSAs selected according to two criteria: presentation by highly prevalent HLA allotypes and expression in a significant fraction of EOC tumors. Using targeted mass spectrometry analyses, we found that pulsing with synthetic TSA peptides leads to a high-level presentation on dendritic cells. TSA abundance correlated with the predicted binding affinity to the HLA allotype. We stimulated naïve CD8 T cells from healthy blood donors with TSA-pulsed dendritic cells and assessed their expansion with two assays: MHC-peptide tetramer staining and TCR Vβ CDR3 sequencing. We report that these TSAs can expand sizeable populations of CD8 T cells and, therefore, represent attractive targets for EOC immunotherapy.

This article aims to identify the relationship between sustainability and strategic management to determine whether sustainability can be considered a strategic management research fashion. This involves a bibliometric analysis of recent academic literature from 2021 to 2023 to identify the latest academic research, key trends, collaboration and keyword networks within this relationship. The analysis was conducted using two datasets from the Scopus database. These datasets focus on English-language journal articles on business, management and accounting. The first covers academic research on strategic management, while the second expands to sustainability and sustainable development. The results show that strategic management research focusing on sustainability has recently grown faster (24.70%) than the whole strategic management research area (14.30%). Furthermore, the geographical analysis of co-authorship identified articles from 88 countries, suggesting a broad interest in this relationship. Notably, the strategic management network mapping revealed a unique, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and sustainability cluster. Moreover, extended mapping revealed four clusters covering crisis management, strategic and creative sustainable development, operational and regulatory sustainability, sustainable supply chains, and resource management. The results thus confirm the rapid growth and widespread coverage of research on sustainability and strategic management, highlighting sustainability as a strategic management research fashion.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are renewable energy sources, are increasingly being utilized in distributed generation. To maintain a stable energy balance, energy storage systems such as batteries (BAT) play a vital role. Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a promising solution with rechargeable battery systems for operation. The BATs must maintain their state of charge within design boundaries, despite intermittent PV and load power fluctuations, and advanced power control and management techniques are essential for their effective operation. The article evaluates an intelligent controller that uses a Sliding Mode Control adaptive deep learning algorithm Convolutional Neural Networks (SMC-CNN) and a unique Strategy for managing supervisory power. (SPMS) for photovoltaic systems with battery energy storage for better regulation of DC bus voltage. SMC-CNN offers exceptional resilience and seamless functionality, minimizing fluctuations in DC bus voltage in the control strategy design requirements. The primary goals are maintaining a consistent power supply and ensuring continuous service by preventing system components from exceeding capacity. This study aims to enhance the control of DC bus voltage in the PV and battery system, with the primary significance focusing on the following aspects. The advanced SPMS has been created, incorporating control system constraints to enhance SOC balancing speed and reduce fluctuations in DC bus voltage. Power flow management involves optimizing energy flow between the PV system, battery system, and load while minimizing battery capacity requirements. The proposed SMC-CNN and SPMS are demonstrated through real-time simulation using Matlab/Simulink, as demonstrated in comprehensive case studies.

Background. Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and CD98hc are candidates for targeted therapy at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Our objective was to challenge the expression of TfR1, GLUT1, and CD98hc in brain capillaries by the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) valproic acid (VPA). Methods. Primary mouse brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) and brain capillaries isolated from mice injected intraperitoneally with VPA were examined using RT-qPCR and ELISA. Targeting to the BBB was performed by injecting monoclonal anti-TfR1 (Ri7217)-conjugated gold nanoparticles measured using ICP-MS. Results. In BCECs co-cultured with glial cells, Tfrc mRNA expression was significantly higher after 6 h VPA returning to baseline after 24 h. In vivo Glut1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in males, but not females', receiving VPA, whereas Cd98hc mRNA expression was unaffected by VPA. TfR1 increased significantly in vivo after VPA, whereas GLUT1 and CD98hc were unchanged. Uptake of anti-TfR1-conjugated nanoparticles was unaltered by VPA in spite upregulated TfR expression. Conclusions. VPA upregulates TfR1 in brain endothelium in vivo and in vitro. VPA does not increase GLUT1 and CD98hc proteins. The increase in TfR1 does not result in higher anti-TfR1 antibody targetability, suggesting targeting sufficiently occurs with available transferrin receptors without further contribution from accessory VPA-induced TfR1.

Apple replant disease (ARD) is a complex issue caused by various fungal, oomycetes pathogens and parasites which can differ in their abundance between sites within a geographic region. Knowledge of the specific etiology of ARD at a particular site is required in order to develop commercially viable soil management strategies to combat specific/individual components of the disease. In this study we analyzed the soil from six ARD sites for the presence of fungal, bacterial and oomycetes communities and plant parasitic nematodes. Five fungal, and 17 bacterial classes were differentially represented in the microbiomes from different locations. Mortierellomycetes was the most abundant fungal taxa represented followed by Sordariomycetes. Mortierella exigua a fungal endophyte was the most abundant fungal amplicon sequence variant (ASV) in the core microbiome. Proteobacteria was the most prevalent phylum identified in orchard soils. Several potential phytopathogenic fungi involved in ARD and endophytes including Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Nectria ramulariae, Ilyonectria robusta and Nectriaceae were identfied in the orchard soil. Pythium attrantheridium (Globisporangium attrantheridium), P. monospermum and P. ultimum (Globisporangium ultimum) were the most abundant oomycete taxa identified in these soil samples. Six different groups of plant-parasitic nematodes were found across the six orchards soil. Root-lesion nematodes, Pratylenchus spp., which are commonly associated with ARD, were identified in all orchards soil at population densities ranging from 12 to 33/100 cm3 soil. This research contributes valuable understanding of the ARD complex as the apple industry needs alternative approaches to combat the disease.

More than 20 years after the discovery of the first anelloviruses (AVs), they still remain a mysterious group of viruses. To date, there is no clear understanding of their impact on the host organism, although information is emerging about their participation in various pathologies. However, it is well known that AVs are an important component of the human virome. In the current study we assessed the abundance of AVs in viromes from four nasal and pharyngeal samples from children with respiratory symptoms using a metagenomic approach. It is worth noting that three patients had known respiratory viruses and one did not have any. Regarding AVs, they were detected in all samples, namely Torque teno mini virus (TTMV). The greatest abundance and diversity of AVs (Torque teno virus (TTV), TTMV and Torque teno midi virus (TTMDV)) were shown in a diseased patient with an absence of respiratory viruses, which may indicate the potential involvement of AVs in the maintenance of respiratory symptoms. An activated immune system to combat the main pathogens, against the background of which the number of AVs decreases, is discussed as a possible reason for the reduced diversity of anellome in other patients. We also compared the results of the metagenomic approach and qPCR for major respiratory viruses, which were in agreement. In addition, metagenomic sequencing made it possible to obtain additional data on viral genomes in order to establish their taxonomic identification and characterize individual viral profiles in patients from the Siberian part of Russia.

Background: The coexistence of HIV infection and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) presents a significant public health concern due to the increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation and progression to active disease. The multicenter observational cohort study, TUBHIVIT, conducted in Italy from 2017 to 2023, aimed to assess the prevalence of LTBI among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their outcomes following LTBI screening and therapy initiation. Methods: We performed a prospective study in 5 referral centers for HIV care in Italy. PLHIV who consented to participate underwent QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and clinical, microbiological, and radiological assessments to exclude subclinical tuberculosis, as opportune. PLHIV diagnosed with LTBI that started chemoprophylaxis were followed until the ending of therapy. Results: A total of 1105 PLHIV were screened for LTBI using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test, revealing a prevalence of 3.4% of positive results (38/1105). Non-Italy-born individuals exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of testing positive. Thirty-one were diagnosed with LTBI, 1 showed active subclinical TB, 6 were lost to follow-up before discriminating between latent and active TB. Among PLHIV diagnosed with LTBI, 83.9% (26/31) started chemoprophylaxis. Most individuals received 6-9 months of isoniazid-based therapy. Of the 26 PLHIV commencing chemoprophylaxis, 18 (69.2%) completed the therapy, while 3 discontinued it and 5 were still on treatment at the time of the analysis. Adverse events were observed in two cases, while in one case the patient refused to continue the treatment.

The rapid and accurate detection of viruses and the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are crucial for disease management and understanding viral evolution. In this study, a pipeline for virus detection, validation, and SNP discovery from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data is presented. By integrating state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools with artificial intelligence, the pipeline processes raw sequencing data to identify viral sequences with high accuracy and sensitivity. Before aligning the reads to the reference genomes, quality control measures and adapter trimming are performed to ensure the integrity of the data. Unmapped reads are subjected to de novo assembly to reveal novel viral sequences and genetic elements. The effectiveness of the pipeline is demonstrated by the identification of virus sequences, illustrating its potential for the detection of known and emerging pathogens. SNP discovery is performed using a custom Python script that compares the entire population of sequenced viral reads to a reference genome. This approach provides a comprehensive overview of viral genetic diversity and identifies dominant variants and a spectrum of genetic variations. The robustness of the pipeline is confirmed by the recovery of complete viral sequences, which improves our understanding of viral genomics. This study highlights the synergy between traditional bioinformatics techniques and modern approaches, providing a robust tool for analyzing viral genomes and contributing to the broader field of viral genomics.

Plant cells' ability to withstand abiotic stress is strongly linked to modifications in their mechanical characteristics. Nevertheless, the lack of a workable method for consistently tracking plant cell mechanical properties severely restricts our comprehension of the mechanical alterations in plant cells under stress. With Polyethylene Glycol (PEG6000), we created a drought-like environment, and we used the Double Resonator Piezoelectric Cytometry (DRPC) method to dynamically and non-invasively track changes in the stress (ΔS) created and viscoelasticity (storage modulus G' and loss modulus G") of protoplasts and suspension cells of rice during drought stress. The findings demonstrate that, rice suspension cells and protoplasts react mechanically differently to 5%–15% PEG6000 stress, implying distinct resistance mechanisms. However, neither of them can withstand 25% PEG6000 stress, they respond mechanically similarly to 25% PEG6000 stress. The results of DRPC are further corroborated by the morphological alterations of rice cells and protoplasts observed under an optical microscope. To sum up, the DRPC technique functions as a precise cellular mechanical sensor and offers novel research tools for the evaluation of plant cell adversity and differentiating between the mechanical reactions of cells and protoplasts under abiotic stress.

Keywords: contamination; bioaccumulation; fish and mollusks tissue; ecosystem components; heavy metals; organochlorine pesticides; polychlorinated biphenyls; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Despite the efforts made to stop the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, it still remains one of the leading causes of death from an infectious disease. Previous work in the group uncovered a new family of amides which showed promising activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A closer look at the literature showed that these compounds are structurally related to the DNB family of DprE1 inhibitors, so, we decided to study a wide range of substituted amides and determine their activity, focusing on unexplored structures related to the dinitrobenzamides (DNB) found in the literature. To synthesize our library of compounds we started from 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid to form the nitroaromatic core that is characteristic of the DNB’s, to which we then added linear or cyclic amine moieties. Additionally, the impact of terminal aromatic moieties was also assessed for some derivatives, via an ether, ester, or amide bond. In order to obtain the desired derivatives, multiple synthetic approaches were used, mainly focused on nucleophilic addition/elimination reactions, SN2 reactions and Mitsunobu reactions. The activity was impacted mainly by two structural features, the addition of an aromatic moiety as a terminal group and the type of the linker. The most interesting compounds exhibited activities comparable to isoniazid and DNB1. Computational studies were also performed aimed at understanding their possible interactions with DprE1. The most active compounds are a good starting point for further development, and we plan to study an extended family of compounds based in those structures.

Chemical flooding methods are used to recover the remaining oil after water flooding, and surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding is an important chemical flooding technology. It is of great significance to design and screen high-performance oil displacement agents in order to overcome the increasingly challenging high temperature (>70 ℃) and high salinity (>10,000 mg/L) reservoirs. Based on the characteristics of high temperature (70 ℃) and high salinity (151,000 mg/L) in the Qinghai Gasi reservoir, the performance of the SP flooding system was studied. This study considered interfacial tension, emulsification, viscosity, compatibility, and oil displacement efficiency. The selected formula demonstrated high resistance to both salinity (151,000 mg/L) and temperature (70 ℃), characterized by a low oil-water interfacial tension (10-2 mN/m) and high viscosity (18.13 mPa.s). After water flooding achieved an oil recovery rate of 64.64%, the subsequent replacement rate of crude oil increased by 26.95%, confirming that SP flooding can be used as a technology for enhancing oil recovery in high-temperature, high-salinity reservoirs represented by Qinghai Gasi reservoirs.

Aspalathin, a C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone, has previously been shown to protect cardiomyocytes against hyperglycemia-induced shifts in substrate preference and subsequent apoptosis. However, the precise gene regulatory network remains to be elucidated. To unravel the mechanism and provide insight into this supposition, the direct effect of aspalathin in an isolated cell-based system, without the influence of any variables, was tested using an H9c2 cardiomyocytes model. Cardiomyocytes were exposed to high glucose (33 mM) for 48 hours before post-treatment with or without aspalathin. Thereafter, RNA was extracted and RT2 PCR Profiler Arrays were used to profile the expression of 336 genes. Results showed that, 57 genes were differentially regulated in the high glucose or high glucose and aspalathin treated groups. STRING analysis revealed lipid metabolism and molecular transport as the biological processes altered after high glucose treatment, followed by inflammation and apoptosis. Aspalathin was able to modulate key regulators associated with lipid metabolism (Adipoq, Apob, Cd36, Cpt1, Pparγ, Srebf1/2, Scd1 and Vldlr), insulin resistance (Igf1, Akt1, Pde3 and Map2k1), inflammation (Il3, Il6, Jak2, Lepr, Socs3, and Tnf13) and apoptosis (Bcl2 and Chuk). Collectively, our results propose that aspalathin could reverse metabolic abnormalities by activating Adipoq while modulating the expression of Pparγ and Srebf1/2, decreasing inflammation via Il6/Jak2 pathway, which together with an observed increased expression of Bcl2 prevents myocardium apoptosis.

The p53 tumor suppressor protein is an activator of transcription. Diverse stress factors lead to various sets of posttranslational modifications of p53 what results in different sets of upregulat-ed genes. We noticed that actinomycin D and nutlin-3a (A+N) synergize in inducing activating phosphorylations of p53 and upregulation of selected p53-target genes. Here we found that one of these genes is DUSP13, which codes for poorly-studied, dual-specificity phosphatase having at least two isoforms, one expressed in testis and the other in skeletal muscles. In cancer cells ex-posed to A+N, DUSP13 is expressed from an alternative promoter in intron, what results in ex-pression of isoform named TMDP-L1. The luciferase reporter tests demonstrated that this pro-moter is activated by both endogenous and ectopically expressed p53. We showed for the first time that mRNA expressed from this promoter actually produces the protein, which can be de-tected by Western blotting in all examined cancer cell lines with wild-type p53 exposed to A+N. In some cell lines it is also induced by clinically relevant camptothecin or by nutlin-3a acting alone. This isoform, fused with green fluorescent protein localizes in perinuclear region of cells. Thus, TMDP-L1 isoform may be an important element of p53-regulated stress response system.

This study addresses the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9) in the European Union as of January 1, 2018, replacing the International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39) to introduce a new model for recognizing Loan Loss Provisions (LLP) based on Expected Credit Loss (ECL). This model responds to criticisms of the former Incurred Credit Loss (ICL) system for its inability to reflect credit losses in a timely manner, potentially exacerbating the effects of financial crises (Bushman & Williams, 2015; Gebhardt & Novotny-Farkas, 2011). The study focuses on the effects of adopting the ECL model on the level of Loan Loss Allowances (LLA) in loans, own equity, and the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio across 13 Portuguese commercial banks. A mean comparison test is used to evaluate scenarios before and after the application of the ECL model, highlighting the importance of regulator actions and the adequacy of loss recognition policies, including the effects of Regulation (EU) 2017/2395 of December 12. The results obtained demonstrate significant negative impacts on the net values of loans, own equity, and the CET1 ratio upon adopting the IFRS 9 ECL model, due to the widespread increase in LLAs.

Salinity, resulting from climate change and excessive mineral fertilization, burdens farmers and negatively impacts soil and water ecosystems in the Northeastern Nile Delta. Organic and biological approaches are crucial for addressing these issues. This study examined the effects of individual and combined inoculations with cyanobacteria, yeast, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), with or without K-humate, on enhancing salinity tolerance, increasing yield, and improving crop quality of wheat and faba bean. The aim was to reduce NPK mineral fertilizer application rates to 25% of recommended doses. An economic evaluation was also conducted. In a preliminary laboratory experiment, the interactive effects of these microbiomes on the production of plant antioxidant enzymes and soil enzymes were investigated under salinity stress. Results showed that co-inoculation, especially with K-humate, yielded superior outcomes compared to individual inoculations. The laboratory experiment findings were confirmed by a field trial conducted in saline-alkaline soil in the Northeastern Nile Delta region. The study found that the integrated inoculation of cyanobacteria, yeast, and mycorrhizae with K-humate, along with 25% mineral NPK fertilization enhanced microbial activity, including AMF colonization, spore density, and total bacteria, cyanobacteria, and yeast counts in the plant rhizosphere. It also increased soil enzyme activity, improving soil fertility compared to individual or mineral control treatments. This integration resulted in wheat yields of 2.77 tons/ha and faba bean yields of 4.75 tons/ha. Crop quality improved, with higher levels of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and protein in wheat grains and faba bean seeds. Microbiomes inoculation increased potassium uptake over sodium, enhancing the potassium/sodium ratio and salt stress tolerance. This approach reduces reliance on costly mineral fertilizers by up to 75%, enabling economically viable cultivation in marginal lands. These sustainable practices optimize resource utilization, maximize economic efficiency, and preserve natural resources.

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

The aim of this work was to describe the physiological limitations induced under drought conditions in young sweet orange trees, including the crop capability to recuperate its physiological status once re-watering, and after a water withholding. The trial was conducted during two consecutive months (July and August) in two-years old sweet orange trees. Three irrigation treatments were arranged: A full irrigation treatment; (FI); a low-frequency deficit-irrigation treatment (LFDI); and a sustained-deficit irrigation (SDI) treatment. The obtained results showed that for Stem values below -1.5 MPa, significant decreases in gas exchange rates, evidencing diffusive limitations to drought stress. Additionally, there was evidence of increased osmolyte synthesis, compatible as a defensive response to prevent oxidative damage. Likewise, the isohydric behaviour observed also resulted in significant decreases in gs even for moderate stress situations. In addition, it was observed that in the LFDI treatment, the stress levels reached caused a significant increase in the levels of Pro and MDA, which were not equal to those detected in FI during the recovery periods, which leads us to assume that potential values below -1.8 MPa would be causing significant oxidative damage with no capacity for subsequent recovery, and probably affecting the final yield.

The terpolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) with acrylic acid and triethylene glycol methacrylate were synthesized with more than 90% yield by radical copolymerization in ethanol from monomeric mixtures of different composition (98 : 2 : 2, 95 : 5: 2 and 98 : 2: 5). Their physical and chemical characteristics such as monomer composition, absolute molecular masses and hy-drodynamic radii in aqueous media at different temperature were determined. The temperature effect on the behavior of terpolymers in water and aqueous saline buffer solution with pH 7.4 has been studied and the ability of a copolymer enriched with dimethacrylates units was discovered to respond to a temperature change in these media. On the basis of terpolymers and linear polyvi-nylpyrrolidone (PVP), polymer compositions of hydrophobic dye methyl pheophorbide a, MPP, that is fluorescent in the red region of the spectrum, were obtained; the sizes of the polymer nanostructures of MPP in water were determined. The structures based on terpolymers were demonstrated to be more stable than MPP-PVP ones. It was carried out the quantum-chemical modelling of the possible structures of MPP-copolymer that formed as a result of intermolecular interaction between MPP and terpolymer’s chains; the possibility of the formation of hydrogen bonds between the donors of the electrons of terpolymer units and the proton donors of the MPP molecule was shown. Using the MTT test, it was established that copolymers of various compositions are low toxic for non-tumor Vero cells and HeLa tumor cells. It was shown that the cytotoxicity of polymer particles loaded with MPP for FetMSC and HeLa cells increased. Using fluorescence microscopy, the accumulation and distribution of polymer particles in non-tumor (FetMSC) and tumor (HeLa) cells was studied and an increase in the accumulation of MPP with both types of particles was shown.

In order to develop novel botanical insecticides, the joint action of Ligusticum chuanxiong oil (LCO) and lemongrass oil (LO) against Aphis citricola van der Goot was determined systematically indoors and outdoors. The chemical profiles of LCO and LO as determined by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry analysis revealed that main compounds from LCO were Z-Ligustilide (44.58%) and Senkyunolide A (26.92%), and that of LO were geranial (42.16%) and neral (32.58%), respectively. The mixture of LCO and LO showed significant synergy against A. citricola, with a common-toxicity coefficient (CTC) value of 221.46 at the optimal ratio of LCO to LO (4: 1, w/w). Based on the results of solvents and emulsifiers screening, L. Chuanxiong oil · Lemongrass oil 20% emulsifiable concentrate (20% LCO · LO EC) was developed, which was confirmed to meet the requirements of a commercial pesticide by quality test. Field trials indicated that the insecticidal activity of the diluted 20% LCO · LO EC (1000 fold dilution) was comparable to conventional pesticide (20% imidacloprid EC) on A. citricola 7 days after application. Thus, the mixture of LCO and LO has the potential to be further developed as a botanical pesticide.