A retrospective study including 49 women with ovarian clear cell carcinoma between January 2009 and December 2021 at Oxford cancer centre was done. The mean age was 63 years, with 78% post-menopausal. All women underwent cytoreductive surgery with no residual disease (R0) in 39 women. The follow-up time ranged between 12-144 months, with mean of 105.5 months. The 3-year OS was 73.4%, and 3-year PFS was 81.3%, with a mean of 101.7months (95%CI, 84.63-118.93). As expected, women with stage 1 disease had the best outcome. In comparing OS in respect to absence or presence of residual disease, the 3-year OS was 88.6% (95% CI 108.6-141.8), compared to 12.5% (95% CI 4.48-32.11) respectively (P<0.001). In multivariant analysis the variables included were CA 125 (< or >200 IU/ml), Hb (< or >115 g/L), albumin (< or >40 g/L), associated endometriosis, ascites, residual disease, and FIGO staging. FIGO stage was the only independent prognostic indicator of OS with (p<0.05). Surgery to achieve no residual tumour is necessary to improve the prognosis in advanced OCCC. At present, the true challenge is to predict which patients with early-stage disease are at higher risk of recurrence and would most benefit from adjuvant treatments.

It is widely accepted that plastic waste is one of our most urgent environmental concerns the world is currently facing. Plastic has contributed greatly to innovation in all fields, but the raw material for its production (fossil fuels), as well as the linear economy in which it is currently produced and used, makes the material problematic from a sustainability and human health perspectives. The emergence of bio-based plastics provides an opportunity to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and transition to a more circular plastics economy. For polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most prevalent plastics in packaging and textiles, there exist two bio-based alternatives that are similar or superior in material property and recyclability. These are polyethylene furanoate (PEF) and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). The overarching aim of this study was to examine the transition from fossil-based to renewable plastics, through the lens of PET upcycling into PEF and PTT. The process for the production of PEF and PTT from three feed streams (post-consumer PET waste, lignocellulosic biomass-derived cellulose and biodiesel-derived crude glycerol) was developed in the software SuperPro Designer and the economic viability assessed via a discounted cumulative cash flow (DCCF) analysis. This study represents a conceptual case study of the valorisation of existing plastic waste into new, recyclable bio-based plastics, for a more sustainable plastics production. A techno-economic analysis of the designed process revealed that the minimum selling price (MSP) of second generation-derived PEF and PTT is 3.13 USD/kg, and that utilities and the feedstock used for the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) needed in PEF synthesis contributed the most to the process operating costs. The effect of recycling PEF and PTT through the process at three recycling rates (42%, 50% and 55%) was investigated and revealed that increased recycling could reduce the MSP of the 2G bio-plastics (by 48.5%) to 1.61 USD/kg. This demonstrates that increasing recycling rates would have a beneficial effect on the economic viability of the plastic biorefinery.

The Krudum granite body comprises highly fractionated granitic rocks ranging from medium-F biotite granites to high-F, high-P₂O₅ Li-mica granites. This unique assemblage is an ideal site to continue recent efforts in petrology to characterize the role of zircon, monazite and xenotime as hosts to REEs. The granitic rocks of the Krudum body analysed in this study were found to contain variable concentrations of monazite and zircon, while xenotime was only found in the high-F, high-P₂O₅ Li-mica granites and in the alkali-feldspar syenites of the Vysoký Kámen stock. For analysed monazites of all magmatic suites cheralite substitution was significant. The highest concentration of cheralite was found in monazites from the high-F, Li-mica granites and from the alkali-feldspar syenites. The proportion of YPO₄ in all analysed xenotimes ranges from 71 to 84 mol. %. Some xenotimes were found to be hydrated and the observed water content estimated from analytical data ranged from 5 to 11 wt. % H₂O. Analysed xenotimes were commonly enriched in HREEs (9.3– 19.5 wt. % HREE₂O₃) and thorite-coffinite and cheralite exchange was observed. Analysed zircons from granite suites of the Krudum granite body contained moderate Hf concentrations (1.0–4.7 wt. % HfO₂; 0.010–0.047 apfu Hf). The highest concentrations of HfO₂ were found in zircons from the high-F, high P₂O₅ Li-mica granites (1.2–4.7 wt. % HfO₂) and from the alkali-feldspar syenites (1.3–4.1 wt. % HfO₂). Zircons from the high-F, high-P₂O₅ Li-mica granites were often hydrated and fluorised. The concentrations of F in zircon from partly greisenised high-F, high-P₂O₅ Li-mica granites reached up to 1.2 wt. % (0.26 apfu F). In zircons from the alkali-feldspar syenites enrichment in P, which is not associated with a simultaneous enrichment in Y + REE, was also observed. Analysed zircons from the high-F, high P₂O₅ Li-mica granites were enriched in Y (up to 5.5 wt. % Y₂O₃; 0.10 apfu Y) and Sc (up to 1.17 wt. % Sc₂O₃; 0.03 apfu Sc).

Background and Objectives. Prevalence of GERD is increased among individuals with obesity and RYGB is considered as the most effective procedure to control GERD and obesity. However, some patients continue to have GERD after RYGB. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and the risk factors of GERD after RYGB. Material and Methods. This prospective study included 180 patients operated with RYGB and followed for on average of 12.2 (0.6) years. 126 (70%) patients agreed to participate in online consultations and provided data on weight, GERD symptoms, filled GERD-HRQL, TFEQ-18 and GSRS questionnaires. Results. The average age before surgery was 42.7 (10.5) years and BMI was 45.2 (6.4) kg/m2. 128 (71.1%) were females and preoperative GERD was diagnosed in 74 (41.1%) patients. At 12 years follow-up the mean %EBMIL and %TWL were 60.37 and 25.73, respectively. The median %WR was 18.0 (39.0). The GERD was present in 30 (23.8%) patients, of whom 12 (40%) continued to have GERD symptoms and 18 (60%) developed de novo GERD. The GERD-HRQL score significantly decreased from 3.0 (8.0) at baseline to 2.0 (5.0) (p=0.028) at 12 years. GSRS Diarrhea and Indigestion median scores increased significantly, from 1.33 (0.67) to 1.5 (2.42) (p 3.2.

The paper introduces and describes the recent and still ongoing development activities performed in Luxembourg for In-Orbit Attach Mechanisms for (Drag) Sails Modules to be operated from Space Tugs. After some preparatory work aiming at understanding the possible operational aspects, three designs have been completed for their 3D (Metal and Plastic) Printing. The Plastic-printed prototype underwent a series of automated tests where a robotic arm, equipped with an advanced force sensor, replicated four docking scenarii in ideal and degraded modes. The observation of the forces and torques behaviors at and after impact allowed to characterize the typical patterns for the various contacts but also, to identify a type of impact potentially dramatic for the safety of the docking and its equipment: in case of off-axis approach, “point” contacts shall be avoided as they instantaneously transfer the total kinetic energy in a small area that could break.

This paper presents the latest developments in microCT, both globally and locally, for supporting the additive manufacturing industry. There are a number of recently developed capabilities which are especially relevant to the non-destructive quality inspection of additive manufactured parts; and also for advanced process optimization. These new capabilities are all locally available but not yet utilized to their full potential, most likely due to a lack of knowledge of these capabilities. The aim of this paper is therefore to fill this gap and provide an overview of these latest capabilities, showcasing numerous local examples.

COVID-19 virus has become a global threat to the human population and society. The virus which originated from China in December, 2019 has swept across continents in the world. Cameroon has been one of the countries with a high infectious rate in the recent period having a majority of the infectious cases in the Littoral region. Lack of awareness play a major role in the rise of COVID-19 cases. This paper examined the perceptions of the existence and spread of the COVID-19 virus in Wouri Division, Littoral Region of Cameroon. The study involved a qualitative survey designed by online questionnaires which were forwarded to the inhabitants of Wouri Division through e-mails and ‘WhatsApp’. The survey included the perception of the origin and existence of the COVID-19 virus, its mode of disease transmission, preventive and control measures. A total of 573 respondents were obtained (317 females and 256 males). From the results, although a greater proportion of the respondents showed knowledge towards the COVID- 19 virus existence, transmission and prevention that could lead to a reduction in the spread of the disease, our findings suggested that there’s more need for public sensitisation of the virus especially its method of transmission, control and prevention.

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

Satellite communication (Satcom) is an artificial geostationary satellite that facilitates a wide range of telecommunications. Considering its quality of service (QoS) and security is crucial in government/military applications. The most challenging situation for efficient Satcom is radio frequency interference (RFI) environment. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that transmissions are incorruptible or at least sense the quality of its spectrum. This paper presents a new method to recognize received signal characteristics using a hierarchical classification in a multi-layer perceptron neural network. We consider signal modulation and the type of RFI as the characteristics of a real-time video stream transmitted in the direct broadcast satellite. Four different modulation types are investigated in this study. Moreover, the combination of the communication signal with various kinds of interference and their effects on the classification method widely have been analyzed. Besides, two robust feature selection techniques have been developed to reduce the data-set dimensional, which leads to optimizing the classification process. The results show that the Genetic Algorithm (GA) slightly outperforms Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for feature selection. Furthermore, the robustness of the proposed techniques is assessed to detect unknown signals at different signal to noise ratios.

The aerospace industry develops prognosis and health management algorithms to ensure better safety on board. Particularly for in-flight controls where jamming is dreaded. For that, vibration signals are monitored to predict future defect occurrences. However, time series are not labeled according to severity level, and the user can only assess the system health from the data mining procedure. To that extent, we developed a clustering algorithm using a deep neural network core. We encoded the time series into pictures to be feed into an artificially trained neural network: U-NET. From the segmented output, one-dimensional information on cluster frontiers is extracted and filtered without any parameter selection. Then, a kernel density estimation finally transforms the signal into an empirical density. Ultimately, a Gaussian mixture model extracts the latter independent components. The method empowered us to reveal different degrees of severity faults in the studied data, with their respective likelihood without prior knowledge. We compared it to state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms. However, internal clustering results evaluation for time series is an open question. As state-of-the-art indexes were not producing relevant results, we built a new indicator to fulfill this task. We applied the whole method to an actuator consisting of an induction machine linked to a ball screw. This study lays the groundwork for future training of diagnosis and prognosis structures in the health management framework.

INTRODUCTION: Achalasia is a pathology with an incidence of 1 in 100,000 inhabitants per year. There are very limited data on achalasia in the obese population, especially in those undergoing bariatric surgery. The approach of choice for cases of achalasia is fundoplication to correct the reflux; however, lacking a fundus due to a previous gastrectomy, an alternative that offers optimal results should be chosen. Here we present the surgical approach in a case of esophageal achalasia and a history of vertical sleeve gastrectomy, where we performed simultaneous Heller's cardiomyotomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, as well as the results obtained. CASE PRESENTATION: 44-year-old woman with no chronic degenerative diseases, with a previous record of vertical sleeve gastrectomy 5 years ago, who started 1 year and 5 months earlier with dysphagia to liquids, then to solids, in addition to weight loss of 10 kilograms in 4 months. The BMI before vertical sleeve gastrectomy was 32 kg/m2, her BMI at the time of admission was 20 kg/m2; she also presented regurgitation and generalized weakness. After analyzing the surgical options, it was decided to perform a Heller cardiomyotomy and a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The procedure turned out to be safe and successful in treating achalasia symptomatology, in addition to complete resolution of the reflux symptom.

An 18-month-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was presented for an emergency consultation after falling from the second floor. The cat sustained minor traumatic injuries but did not exhibit any dyspnea. Routine radiographic examination raised suspicion of a diaphragmatic hernia, but the circumscribed nature of the soft tissues visible in the thorax was atypical for a classic traumatic diaphragmatic hernia. A positive contrast peritoneography highlighted the likely presence of a hernial sac, which strongly suggested a “true diaphragmatic hernia” also known as “pleuroperitoneal hernia”. This diagnosis was confirmed during laparotomy, which allowed the visualization of a 3 cm radial diaphragmatic defect in the right ventral quadrant of the pars sternalis. The diaphragm's edges were rounded. A portion of the falciform ligament and a part of the omentum were protruding through the defect and were contained within a hernial sac. Herniorrhaphy was performed. The cat recovered without complications. Given its presentation and location, ventrally and to the right, this anomaly is analogous to what is described in humans as “Morgagni hernia”. We believe that 6 other cases of Morgagni hernias have been reported in cats but were not identified as such. This case underscores the utility of peritoneography, a straightforward technique usefull for diagnosing diaphragmatic hernias, which enables differentiation between acquired traumatic forms and congenital forms, particularly pericardoperitoneal hernias and pleuroperitoneal hernias. True diaphragmatic hernias are almost always serendipitous discoveries.

RNA silencing serves key roles in a multitude of cellular processes, including development, stress responses, metabolism, and maintenance of genome integrity. Dicer, Argonaute (AGO), double-stranded RNA binding (DRB), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) and DNA-dependent RNA polymerases known as Pol IV and Pol V form core components to trigger RNA silencing. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an important staple crop worldwide. In this study, we aimed to unravel the components of the RNA-guided silencing pathway in this non-model plant taking advantage of the availability of two genome assemblies of Andean and Meso-American origin. We identified six PvDCLs, thirteen PvAGOs, 10 PvDRB, 5 PvRDR, in both genotypes, suggesting no recent gene amplification or deletion after the gene pool separation. In addition, we identified one PvNRPD1 and one PvNRPE1 encoding the largest subunits of Pol IV and Pol V, respectively. These genes were categorized into subgroups based on phylogenetic analyses. Comprehensive analyses of gene structure, genomic localization and similarity among these genes were performed. Their expression patterns were investigated by means of expression models in different organs using online data and quantitative RT-PCR after pathogen infection. Several of the candidate genes were up-regulated after infection with the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum.

The retrieval of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence is greatly beneficial to studies of marine phytoplankton biomass, physiology, and composition and is required for user applications and services. Customarily phytoplankton chlorophyll fluorescence is determined from satellite measurements through a fluorescence line-height algorithm using three bands around 680 nm. We propose here a modified retrieval, making use of all available bands in the relevant wavelength range with the goal to improve the effectiveness of the algorithm in optically complex waters. For the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) we quantify a Fluorescence Peak Height from fitting a Gaussian function and related terms into the top-of-atmosphere reflectance bands between 650 and 750 nm. This algorithm retrieves, what we call Fluorescence Peak Height from fitting a Gaussian function upon other terms to top-of-atmosphere reflectance bands between 650 and 750 nm. This approach is applicable to Level-1 and Level-2 data. We find a good correlation of the retrieved fluorescence product to global in-situ chlorophyll measurements, as well as a consistent relation between chlorophyll concentration and fluorescence from radiative transfer modelling and OLCI/in-situ comparison. The algorithm is applicable to complex waters without needing an atmospheric correction and vicarious calibration and features an inherent correction of small spectral shifts, as required for OLCI measurements.

Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) detection and characterization play a critical role to in ensuring the security of all wireless communication networks. Advances in Machine Learning (ML) have led to the deployment of many robust techniques dealing with various types of RFI. To sidestep an unavoidable complicated feature extraction step in ML, this paper proposes an efficient end-to-end method using the latest advances in deep learning to extract the appropriate features of the RFI signal. Moreover, this study utilizes the benefits of transfer learning to determine both the type of received RFI signals and their modulation types. To this end, the scalogram of the received signals is used as the input of the pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNN), followed by a fully-connected classifier. This study considers a digital video stream as the signal of interest (SoI), transmitted in a real-time satellite-to-ground communication using DVB-S2 standards. To create the RFI dataset, the SoI is combined with three well-known jammers namely, continuous-wave interference (CWI), multi- continuous-wave interference (MCWI), and chirp interference (CI). This study investigated four well-known pre-trained CNN architectures, namely, AlexNet, VGG-16, GoogleNet, and ResNet-18, for the feature extraction to recognize the visual RFI patterns directly from pixel images with minimal preprocessing. Moreover, the robustness of the proposed classifiers is evaluated by the data generated at different signal to noise ratios (SNR).

Abstract: Agarose is known to form a homogeneous thermoreversible gel in aqueous medium over a critical polymer concentration. The solid-liquid phase transitions are thermoreversible but depend on the molecular structure of the agarose sample tested. Then, in a first step, the structure was characterised by 1H and 13C NMR in D2O and in DMSO which is a solvent of agarose whatever the temperature. A low yield in methyl substituent on the D-galactose unit was determined. Then, evolution of the 1H NMR spectrum was followed as a function of temperature in increasing and decreasing temperature process from 25 to 80°C. A large thermal hysteresis is obtained and discussed. It helps to interpret rheological behaviour. In fact, NMR signals are related to proton relaxation and especially to proton involved in H-bonds between water and -OH agarose for tightly bound water and agarose/agarose in chain packing. In a second step, water was exchanged against ethanol which is a non solvent of agarose. A stable gel was demonstrated and characterised by rheology to be compared with aqueous behaviour. Bound water playing the role of plasticizer is probably removed and the gel is much stronger (and brittle) in ethanol with a larger thermal stability. It is the first time that such gel is characterised without phase transition when passing from a good-solvent to a non-solvent. This extends the domains of application of agarose.

Dampers provide safety by control of unwanted motion, due to conversion of mechanical work into another form of energy (e.g., heat). State of the art materials are elastomers including thermoplastic-elastomers. For polymer-appropriate replacement of multi-component shock absorbers comprising mounts, rods, hydraulic fluids, pneumatic devices, or electro-magnetic devices, among others, deep insights of the dynamic thermo-mechanical characteristics of damper materials have to be gained. The ultimate objective is to reduce complexity by utilizing inherent material damping rather than structural (multi-component) damping properties. The objective of this work was to compare the damping behavior of different elastomeric materials including thermoplastic poly(urethane) (TPU), and silicone rubber blends (mixtures of different poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)). Therefore, the materials were hyper- and viscoelastic characterized, a finite element calculation of a ball-drop test was performed, and for validation the rebound resilience was measured experimentally. In an attempt, the coil-over shock absorber of a model car was replaced by a damper made of the examined and modeled materials. The results revealed that the material parameter determination methodology is reliable, and the data applied for simulation lead to realistic predictions. Interestingly, the rebound resilience of the mixture of soft and hard PDMS (50:50)w% is the highest and the lowest values were measured for TPU.

The global warming our generation is experiencing is just one of the great environmental crises of the Anthropocene, a geological period that began with the use of fossil fuels and that, in merely one century and a few decades of industrial activity, has altered ecosystemic processes that sustain human health and well-being. Beyond the loss of the “intrinsic value of nature”, changes in the magnitude and direction of biogeochemical cycles and increases in temperature are phenomena that not only accompany the loss of habitats and species but impair resilience by ultimately generating greater and more complex numbers and types of exposures that constitute a danger to human health. In this study, we attempted to offer some notes about the margin, understood as that space with the greatest inequity and therefore the fastest growth of risk: the collision area where deprivation marks the social determinants of health and where the greatest interaction with causes of disease occur.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective long-term treatment for Class III obesity. Reduced dietary intake is considered a behavioral driver of post-surgical weight loss, but limited data have examined this association. Therefore, this study examined prospective, longitudinal relationships between dietary intake and weight loss over 24 months following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy. Relationships between weight loss and dietary intake were examined using a validated 24-hour dietary recall method. Associations between total energy/macronutrient intake and weight loss outcomes were assessed at 12-, 18-, and 24-months following MBS, defining patients as “responders” and “suboptimal responders” according to the Reinhold criteria of 50% excess weight loss. Consistent with previous literature, 12-month responders and suboptimal responders showed significant associations between weight loss and dietary intake. Unlike previous work, this study revealed that many of these associations are no longer significant 24 months post-MBS, despite consistent weight loss trends. This study suggests a short-term signal between these dietary factors and weight loss outcomes 12 months post-MBS, consistent with previous observations. However, this signal does not persist beyond 12 months. These results are essential for interpreting and designing clinical studies measuring long-term post-surgical weight loss outcomes.

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic, which was brought on by the brand-new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has claimed a sizable number of lives. Despite the urgency, COVID-19 does not have any particular antiviral treatments at this time. As a result, scientists are concentrating on repurposing already existing antiviral medications or creating brand-new ones. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease, which is necessary for viral replication, has been identified as a possible target for a family of medicines called main protease inhibitors (MPIs). Studies of the major proteases from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which have remarkably similar structures and functions to SARS-CoV-2, have provided insight for the creation of MPIs. By analyzing the MPI trials for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, this review sheds light on the possible therapeutic uses of MPIs for COVID-19. The review talks about how MPIs work, how effective they are against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and how safe they are. The paper also emphasizes current developments in the creation of MPIs for SARS-CoV-2, including as computational studies, in vitro and in vivo research, and clinical trials. According to the review, there is a lot of hope for MPIs in the treatment of COVID-19, and numerous medications are in the works. Although more research is needed to assess their safety and effectiveness in clinical settings, these medications may offer patients with COVID-19 a much-needed therapeutic option. The review also emphasizes the importance of ongoing research into the structure and function of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, as this information will be critical for the development of effective MPIs and other antiviral drugs in the future.

Adolescence is a critical developmental period associated with an increase in stress, the appearance of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and changes in sleep patterns. Even though the disruption of sleep patterns in stress and anxiety and depressive disorders is well known, the independent effects of childhood trauma and stressful life events on sleep patterns are less understood. We tested the independent effects of stress (childhood trauma and stressful life events) while controlling for anxiety and depression on adolescent sleep patterns. Seven hundred fifty-two adolescents completed self-report questionnaires about childhood trauma, stressful life events, anxiety, and depression. Four sleep factors identifying movement during sleep, sleep regularity, sleep disturbances and sleep pressure were extracted in the principal component analysis of sleep questions. Both childhood trauma and recent stressful life events were significantly associated with sleep disturbances before and after controlling for anxiety and depression.

The determinants of metacognition are still poorly understood in bipolar disorders (BD). We aimed to examine the clinical determinants of metacognition, defined as the agreement between objective and subjective cognition in individuals with BD. The participants consisted of 281 patients with BD who underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery and clinical evaluation. To assess subjective cognition, participants provided a general rating of their estimated cognitive difficulties. Clinical characteristics of BD were also recorded, along with medication. We studied the potential moderation of the association between cognitive complaints and global objective cognitive performance by several clinical variables with ordinal logistic regressions. Depression and impulsivity were associated with greater cognitive complaints. The only variable that moderated the relationship between objective and subjective cognition in the global model was the prescription of antipsychotics. Patients taking antipsychotics had a poorer association between cognitive complaints and objective neuropsychological performance. This result suggests a role for dopamine in the modulation of metacognitive performance, and calls for the systematic control of antipsychotic medication in future studies documenting metacognitive deficits in severe and persistent mental disorders. Depression and impulsivity should be investigated as potential therapeutic targets for individuals with BD and cognitive complaints, before proposing an extensive neuropsychological evaluation.

Prostate cancer (PCa) ranks as the second most fatal and sixth most prevalent cancer among males globally. This study focuses on leveraging deep learning networks to detect the Gleason grading of prostate cancer from histopathology images stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&amp;E). Six pathologists annotated the images, resulting in six distinct labels for each input image. A common ground truth label was established through majority voting approach. Subsequently, the dataset was trained using architectures: UNeT, UNeT++, DeepLabV3, DeepLabV3+, and GAN based segmentation network. Notably, GAN based network demonstrated superior performance, achieving an F1-score of 0.872 and a Jaccard Index of 0.777, outperforming the other architectures considered in this study.

Cancer diagnosis and classification are pivotal for effective patient management and treatment planning. In this study, we present a comprehensive approach utilizing ensemble deep learning techniques to analyze breast cancer histopathology images. Our datasets are based on two widely employed datasets from different centers for two different tasks: BACH and BreakHis. Within the BACH Dataset, we deployed an ensemble strategy incorporating VGG16 and ResNet50 architec-tures to achieve precise classification of breast cancer histopathology images. Introducing a novel image patching technique, to preprocess a high-resolution image, which facilitates focused analysis of localized regions of interest. The annotated BACH dataset encompasses 400 WSIs across four distinct classes: Normal, Benign, In Situ Carcinoma, and Invasive Carcinoma. In addition, we employed the BreakHis dataset, utilizing VGG16, ResNet34, and ResNet50 models to classify mi-croscopic images into eight distinct categories (four benign and four malignant). For both models we leveraged a five-fold cross-validation approach for rigorous training and testing. Preliminary ex-perimental results indicate a Patch classification accuracy of 95.31% (on BACH dataset) and WSI image classification accuracy of 98.43% (BreakHis). This research significantly contributes to on-going endeavors in harnessing artificial intelligence to advance breast cancer diagnosis, potentially fostering improved patient outcomes and alleviating healthcare burdens.

The proliferation of radio frequency devices in today's society, especially in smart homes, Internet of Things devices, and smartphones, underscores the urgent need for robust identification methods to strengthen cybersecurity. This paper delves into the field of radio frequency fingerprinting to propose a Bluetooth device identification method based on the application of the Jensen-Shannon divergence to the statistical distribution of noise in Bluetooth signals. A detailed case study is performed to investigate the Bluetooth radio frequency noise recorded at 5 Gsps from different devices is investigated to define a statistical radio frequency fingerprint for each Bluetooth device. A noise model is used to extract a unique, universal, persistent, recoverable, and robust statistical radio frequency fingerprint that identifies each Bluetooth device. Then, using the Jensen-Shannon divergence, different noise signals provided by each Bluetooth device are compared with the statistical radio frequency fingerprint of all devices and a membership resolution is declared. The study shows that the proposed method can discriminate between devices of the same brand and model, achieving an identification effectiveness of 99.5 \%. By leveraging the statistical radio frequency fingerprint of Bluetooth devices, this research not only contributes to the advancement of the field of implicit device authentication systems based on wireless communication but also provides valuable insights into the practical implementation of radio frequency identification techniques that could be useful in forensic processes.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic which emerged and spread, has sparked intense research on its spike protein, which is essential for viral entrance into host cells. Viral reproduction and transmission, host immune response regulation, receptor recognition and host cell entrance mechanisms, as well as structural and functional effects have all been linked to mutations in the spike protein. Spike protein mutations can also result in immune evasion mechanisms that impair vaccine effectiveness and escape, and they are linked to illness severity and clinical consequences. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the effects of these mutations on the spike protein structure and how it interacts with host factors. These results have important implications for the design and development of medicines and vaccines based on spike proteins as well as for the assessment of those products' efficiency against newly discovered spike protein mutations. The paper gives a general overview of how spike protein mutations are categorized and named, as well as the genomic and phylogenetic techniques that have been used to track their genesis and dissemination. Additionally, it looks at the links between spike protein mutations and clinical outcomes, illness severity, unanswered problems, and future research prospects. Additionally, explored are the effects of these mutations on vaccine effectiveness as well as the possible therapeutic targeting of spike protein mutations.

Our research assesses the effects of four forest species, namely Swietenia macrophylla King, Swietenia mahogany (L.) Jack., Pinus occidentalis Swartz, and Pinus caribaea Morelet var. Caribaea, on organic carbon (OC) dynamics and carbon dioxide equivalent balance (BCO2 Eq.) in the soils beneath these species. Reforestation projects in the study region cover 1,200, 543, 770, and 1,152 hectares, with these four species, respectively, being the most relevant species in reforestation projects within the country. To determine the BCO2 Eq. per unit area, we compared the greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) with the OC reserves found in the mineral soil to a depth of 30 cm and in the forest litter. For 18 months, we conducted field measurements in sixteen stands, four for each species. Our results indicate that S. macrophylla absorbed the highest amount of CO2, while S. mahogany released the highest amount into the atmosphere. BCO2 Eq. from S. macrophylla soils was -23.19 metric tons of CO2 Eq. ha-1 year-1, while for P. occidentalis, S. mahogany, and P. caribaea, the corresponding quantities were -3.838, -2.299, and +0.982, respectively. During the measurement period, soils under S. macrophylla, P. occidentalis, and P. caribaea were net sinks of CO2 Eq., while soils under S. mahogany behaved as a source. The absorption rate of CO2 Eq. from the atmosphere was approximately 6, 10, and 24 times higher in S. macrophylla when compared to the respective rates of P. occidentalis, P. caribaea, and S. mahagony.

We aim to determine the sleep correlates of age-related brain loss in a sample of middle-aged to older males with obstructive sleep apnea. We evaluated consecutive treatment naïve male patients with OSA (AHI≥15 events/hr) without dementia, stroke or heart disease, from January to November of 2019. We collected demographic variables, vascular risk factors, and sleep questionnaires. We also obtained computerized neurocognitive testing with the Go-No-Go Response Inhibition Test, Stroop Interference Test, Catch Game Test, Staged Information Processing Speed Test, Verbal Memory Test and Non-Verbal Memory Test. We derived age and education adjusted domain-specific Z-scores for global cognition, memory, attention, processing speed and executive function. We used brain MRI T1-weighted images to derive total hippocampal and gray matter volumes. Partial correlations evaluated associations between the ISI, AHI, and oxygen level during sleep, with cognitive domains and brain volumes. Sixteen participants, age 40-76 years, 73% Hispanic/Latino, with mean AHI=48.9±25.5 and mean oxygen saturation of 91.4±6.9% during sleep. Hypertension was seen in 66% and diabetes in 27%. We observed that ISI and oxygen level during sleep had strong correlations with brain volumes and cognition. These preliminary findings may aid in developing future strategies to improve age-related brain loss in OSA.

Many dioecious plants have sex chromosomes that are cytologically heteromorphic, but about half of species lack cytological differences between males and females and are thus homomorphic. Very little is known about the size and content of the non-recombining sex-determining region (SDR) in these species. Here, we assess the size and content of the SDR of the diploid dioecious herb Mercurialis annua, which has homomorphic sex chromosomes and shows signatures of mild Y-chromosome degeneration. We used RNAseq to identify new Y-linked markers for M. annua. Twelve of 24 transcripts with male-specific and male-biased expression could only be PCR-amplified from males and are thus Y-linked. We found a further six Y-linked sequences that were present in males but not females using genome capture data from multiple populations. We used the Y-linked sequences to identify and sequence 17 sex-linked bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), which form 11 groups of non-overlapping sequence, covering a total sequence length of about 1.5 Mb. Content analysis of this region suggests it is enriched for repeats, has a low gene density and contains few candidate sex-determining genes. The BACs map to a subset of the sex-linked region of the genetic map, which is estimated to be at least 14.5 Mb. This is substantially larger than estimates for other dioecious plants with homomorphic sex chromosomes, especially given the small genome size of M. annua. Our data provide a rare, high-resolution view of the homomorphic Y chromosome of a dioecious plant.

A major public health emergency has been created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is brought on by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Due to its crucial function in viral replication, the primary protease (Mpro) of the virus is a prime target for therapeutic research. In this study, we used molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations to examine the potential therapeutic uses of Mpro inhibitors for the treatment of COVID-19. Using induced fit docking and molecular dynamics simulations, we confirmed the top compounds after screening a library of compounds for their ability to bind to Mpro. Simulation interaction diagrams were used to investigate protein-ligand interactions, and MM-GBSA was used to determine binding energies. The Swiss ADME server was used to predict ADME properties. According to our findings, numerous substances are strong COVID-19 medication candidates since they have excellent ADME features and high binding affinities. This work serves as a foundation for additional experimental research and drug development initiatives aimed at Mpro.

Finishing coatings in the wood-based composites industry not only influence the final appearance of the product but also serve to protect against fungi, and molds, and reduce the release of harmful substances, particularly formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Carbon-rich materials, such as those derived from birch bark extraction, specifically suberin acids, can fulfil this role. Previous research has demonstrated that adding suberin acid residues (SAR) at 20% and 50% by weight significantly enhances the gas barrier properties of surface finishing materials based on poly(lactide) (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), particularly in terms of Total VOC (TVOC) and formaldehyde emissions. This study aims to explore whether these properties can be further improved through the incorporation of nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO). Previous research has shown that these nanoparticles possess strong resistance to biological factors and can positively affect the characteristics of nanofilms applied as surface protection. The study employed PLA and PCL finishing layers blended with SAR powder at 10% w/w and included 2% and 4% nano-zinc oxide nanoparticles. The resulting blends were milled to create a powder, which was subsequently pressed into 1 mm thick films. These films were then applied to raw particleboard surfaces. TVOC and formaldehyde emission tests were conducted. Additionally, the fungal resistance of the coated surfaces was assessed. The results showed that PLA/SAR and PCL/SAR composites with the addition of nano-zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibited significantly improved barrier properties, offering a promising avenue for developing biodegradable, formaldehyde-free coatings in the furniture industry with enhanced features. Furthermore, by utilizing SAR as a post-extraction residue, this project aligns perfectly with the concept of upcycling.

Leptin is the archetypal adipokine that promotes a negative whole-body energy balance largely through its action on brain leptin receptors. As such, the sustained weight loss and food intake suppression induced by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery have been attributed to enhancement of leptin receptor signalling. We formally revisited this idea in Zucker Fatty fa/fa rats, an established genetic model of leptin receptor deficiency, and carefully compared their body weight, food intake and oral glucose tolerance after RYGB with that of sham-operated fa/fa (obese) and sham-operated fa/+ (lean) rats. We found that RYGB rats sustainably lost body weight, which converged with that of lean rats and was 25.5 % lower than that of obese rats by the end of the 4 week study period. Correspondingly, daily food intake of RYGB rats was similar to that of lean rats from the second postoperative week, while it was always at least 33.9 % lower than that of obese rats. Further, oral glucose tolerance of RYGB rats was normalized at the forth postoperative week. These findings assert that leptin is not an essential mediator of the sustained weight loss and food intake suppression as well as the improved glycemic control induced by RYGB, and instead point to additional circulating and/or neural factors.

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created an incomparable global health problem. PLpro is a key protein involved in viral polyprotein processing and immune system evasion, making it a prime target for the development of antiviral drugs to combat COVID-19. The review begins by elucidating the functional and structural properties of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro, underscoring its significance in viral pathogenicity and replication. Employing homology modeling, a tertiary structure model of PLpro is constructed, laying the groundwork for subsequent investigations. To expedite the search for potential therapeutic candidates, the study harnesses computational methodologies. Molecular docking techniques are employed to explore binding sites for antiviral drugs within the catalytic region of PLpro. This computational approach not only aids in drug development but also provides crucial preliminary data before experimental research commences. The stability of drug-PLpro complexes is assessed through comprehensive all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, affording dynamic insights into drug-PLpro interactions. By evaluating binding energy estimates from MD simulations, stable drug-PLpro complexes with potential antiviral properties are identified. However, it is emphasized that experimental validation is imperative to confirm these computational findings, necessitating in vitro and in vivo tests to assess safety and efficacy. This pivotal stage bridges the computational realm with real-world clinical applications. The review emphasizes the imperative need for enhancements in the existing PLpro-targeting drugs currently on the market. Their actions are insufficient for clinical use and necessitate thorough characterization and improvement. The Supervised Molecular Dynamics (SuMD) simulation technique reveals critical information about drug unbinding pathways, shedding light on opportunities for refinement. In addition to optimizing existing drugs, the investigation of sub-structurally similar molecules emerges as a promising avenue for drug development. In conclusion, the review underscores the pivotal role of targeting SARS-CoV-2 PLpro in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. By integrating molecular dynamics simulations, structural modeling, and computational insights, a robust foundation is established for identifying promising antiviral drug candidates. The continual need for improvement in existing drugs and the exploration of novel compounds remain paramount in the global effort to combat COVID-19. The evolution and management of COVID-19 hinge on the symbiotic relationship between computational insights and experimental validation, illustrating the interdisciplinary synergy crucial to this endeavor.

In the design and development of novel materials that have excellent mechanical properties, classification and regression methods have been diversely used across mechanical deformation simulations or experiments. The use of materials informatics methods on large data that originate in experiments or/and multiscale modeling simulations may accelerate materials discovery or develop new understanding of materials’ behavior. In this fast-growing field, we focus on reviewing advances at the intersection of data science with mechanical deformation simulations and experiments, with a particular focus on studies of metals and alloys. We discuss examples of applications, as well as identify challenges and prospects.

Obesity is a troubling public health problem worldwide as it increases risks of respiratory complications, systemic arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). As a measure to counteract comorbidities associated with severe obesity, bariatric surgery stands out. This study aimed to investigate the adiponectin/leptin ratio in women with severe obesity with and without MetS undergone Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and to characterize the biochemical, glucose, and inflammatory parameters of blood in women with severe obesity before and after RYGB. Were enrolled female with severe obesity undergoing RYGP with MetS (n=11) and without (n=39). Anthropometric data and blood samples were obtained before and 6 months after RYGB to analyze total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high- density lipoprotein (HDL), non-HDL total cholesterol, and glucose; and circulating levels of adiponectin and leptin. Significant reductions in weight, body mass index, and glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, and leptin were observed after surgery, with higher levels of HDL, adiponectin, and adiponectin/leptin ratio observed after surgery compared to preoperative values. This study demonstrated that weight loss induced by RYGB in patients with severe obesity with or without MetS improved biochemical and systemic inflammatory parameters, particularly the adiponectin/leptin ratio.

To explore a new set of anticancer agents, a novel series of pyrazolo[4,3-e]pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine derivatives 7a-l have been designed and synthesized via cyclocondensation reactions of pyrazolo-enaminone 5 with a series of arylidene malononitriles; compound 5 was obtained from 5-amino-4-cyanopyrazole (3). The structures of the target compounds 7a-l were investigated by spectral techniques and elemental analysis (IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and ESI-MS). All compounds were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity employing a panel of different human tumor cell lines, A375, HT29, MCF7, A2780, FaDu as well as non-malignant NIH 3T3 and HEK293 cells. It has been found that the conjugate 7e was the most active towards many cell lines with EC50 values ranging between 9.1 and 13.5 µM, respectively. Moreover, in silico docking studies of 7e with six anticancer drug targets, i.e. DHFR, VEGFR2, HER-2/neu, hCA-IX, CDK6 and LOX also was performed, in order to gain some insights into their putative mode of binding interaction and to estimate the free binding energy of this bioactive molecule.

The world is currently, subjected to the worst health crisis documented in modern history; an epidemic led by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the epicenter of this crisis, healthcare professionals continue working to safeguard our well-being. To the regular high levels of stress, COVID new heights even more to healthcare professionals so depending on the area, specialty, and type of work. Here we investigated what are the tendencies, or areas most affected. Through an adaptation of the original COVID-stress scale, we developed a remote, fast test designed for healthcare professionals of the Northeastern part of Mexico, an important part of the country with economic and cultural ties to the US. Our results showed 4 key correlations as highly dependent: Work area – Xenophobia (p &lt; 0.045), Work with COVID patients - Traumatic stress (p &lt; 0.001) and Total number of COVID patients per day – Traumatic stress (p &lt; 0.027), and Total number of COVID patients - Compulsive checking and reassurance. Overall concluding that normal levels of stress have increased (mild – moderate). Additionally, we further determine that the fear of being an asymptomatic patient (potential to spread without knowing) continues being a concern.

We introduce the Transformation Flower Approach (TFA), a Theory of Change that attends to multiple value creation and institutional change as a dual design challenge. We highlight how the TFA integrates social scientific theories and models relevant for transformative change (in particular focusing on pathways, leverage points, governance, power, and values) and demonstrate its practical value by an application to the ongoing transformation of the Dutch food system. By providing a holistic, transdisciplinary and practically relevant approach that aims to support new social contract formation, the TFA goes beyond other transformative change approaches. Based on the notion of pathways, it offers a toolbox that aids in working towards desired futures, involving both incumbents and challengers in an effort to harness untapped yet proximal potentials in a forward-looking way. By embracing an innovation approach, it not only promises to circumvent resistance to change, but also serves as a step-by-step approach to identify options for multiple value creation and effective cooperation. We demonstrate the analytical and practical value of the TFA by discussing action perspectives at various levels and scales in the context of the Dutch food system transition, including (1) area-oriented approaches, (2) acceleration agendas for specific transformation pathways, and (3) actor-specific transformation flowers. In developing these, we emphasize the importance of interdependencies between leverage points. Our approach helps to identify opportunities to link transformative options (the what), actors (the who) and levers (the how) in dynamic interaction to embark on transformative pathways.

Background An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China in 2020 has led to an unprecedented shortage of fraxiparin. Most patients, especially those kept in hospital for surgery, are currently treated with prophylactic anticoagulation (AC). In search of alternatives for fraxiparin, we found no sufficient data on alternatives for neurosurgical patients, such as tinzaparin of European origin. We compared fraxiparin and tinzaparin concerning adverse events (bleeding versus thromboembolic events) in neurosurgical patients. Methods Between 2012 and 2018, 517 neurosurgical patients with benign and malignant brain tumors as well as 297 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were treated in the Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leipzig receiving prophylactic anticoagulation within 48 hours. In 2015, prophylactic anticoagulation was switched from fraxiparin to tinzaparin throughout the university hospital. In a retrospective manner, the frequency and occurrence of adverse events (rebleeding and thromboembolic events) in connection with the substance used was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test and the chi-squared test. Results Rebleeding rates were similar in both fraxiparin and tinzaparin cohorts in patients being treated for meningioma, glioma, and SAH combined (8.8 vs 10.3%). Accordingly, the rates of overall thromboembolic events were not significantly different (5.5% vs 4.3%). The severity of rebleeding did not vary. There was no significant difference among subgroups when compared for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). Conclusion In this retrospective study, tinzaparin seems to be a safe alternative to fraxiparin for AC in patients undergoing brain tumor surgery or suffering from SAH.

Understanding extremophiles and their usefulness in biotechnology involves studying their habitat, physiology and biochemical adaptations , as well as their ability to produce biocatalysts, in environments that are still poorly explored. In northwestern Peru, which saline lagoons of marine origin Pacific Ocean, the other site from the coast of Brazil of the Atlantic Ocean. Both environments are considered extreme. The objective of the present work was to compare two different strains isolated from these extreme environments at the metabolic level using molecular network methodology through the Global Natural Products Molecular Social Network (GNPS). In our study, the MS/MS spectra from the network were compared with GNPS spectral libraries, where the metabolites were annotated. Differences were observed in the molecular network presented in the two strains of Streptomyces spp. coming from these two different environments. Within the annotated compounds from marine bacteria, the metabolites characterized for Streptomyces sp. B-81 from Peruvian marshes were lobophorins A (1) and H (2), as well as divergolides A (3), B (4) and C (5). Streptomyces sp. 796.1 produced different compounds, such as glucopiericidin A (6) and dehydro-piericidin A1a (7). The search for new metabolites in underexplored environments may therefore reveal new metabolites with potential application in different areas of biotechnology.

In this investigation, Cu-Ni alloys for possible fixed dental prostheses (FDPs), with different aluminum additions were produced using vacuum atmosphere. Annealed alloys (He atmosphere) with low aluminum concentration showed a coarse dendritic structure, while samples with high aluminum concentration showed a refined dendritic structure. Structural defects analyses have shown a relative low vacancy concentrations. Hardness value increases approximately five times for the alloyed samples compared with the as-cast and unalloyed samples. Compression test results have shown a noticeable strengthening improvement, mainly in samples heat treated with 10 at % Al, while samples with 5 at % Al presented also acceptable resistance. Results are discussed in terms of dislocation mobility and hardening precipitation mechanism.

Vaccination attitudes among healthcare workers (HCWs) is a vital factor for measuring their level of vaccination uptake and intention to recommend vaccinations to their patients. To our knowledge, no study has been conducted in South Africa to assess hesitancy to influenza vaccines among HCWs. We used questionnaire adapted from Betsch and colleagues to conduct an online and face-to-face cross-sectional study among HCWs at the start of COVID-19 vaccine roll-out prior to the flu season. Main outcome was influenza vaccine hesitancy. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess predictors of influenza vaccine hesitancy. Of 401 participants, 64.5% were women, 49.2% nurses, and 12.5% physicians. A total of 54.9% were willing to accept vaccination, 20.4% were undecided, and 24.7% intended to refuse. Older participants above 17-25 years and physicians were likely to receive the vaccine. Key predictors of vaccine acceptance were confidence in the effectiveness, consideration of benefits and risks, and willingness to be vaccinated to protect others. Influenza vaccine hesitancy was highest in those who did not trust that influenza vaccines are safe. For future flu seasons, tailored education programs targeting younger HCWs and more information about the composition of flu vaccines would be vital to improve vaccine uptake.

Mining interspecies interactions remain a challenge due to the complex nature of microbial communities and the need for computational power to handle big data. Our meta-analysis indicates that genetic potential alone does not resolve all issues involving mining of microbial interactions. Nevertheless, it can be used to define the building blocks to infer synergistic interspecies interactions and to limit the search space (i.e., number of species and metabolic reactions) to a manageable size. A reduced search space decreases the number of additional experiments necessary to validate the inferred putative interactions. As validation experiments, we examine how multi-omics and state of the art imaging techniques may further improve our understanding of species interactions’ role in ecosystem processes. Finally, we analyze pros and cons from the current methods to infer microbial interactions from genetic potential and propose a new theoretical framework based on: (i) genomic information of key members of a community; (ii) information of ecosystem processes involved with a specific hypothesis or research question; (iii) the ability to identify putative species’ contributions to ecosystem processes of interest; and, (iv) validation of putative microbial interactions through integration of other data sources.

Currently, one of the main focuses of attention in academia is microgrids (MGs) and their ability to maintain stable, resilient, reliable and high–power quality operations. A crucial component in MGs is power converters (PC), which facilitate the decentralization of power generation. This decentralization, however, poses challenges in terms of power quality. This paper presents a microgrid model based on the IEEE 14–bus distribution system and aims to investigate the power quality when the MG operates while connected to the conventional power grid. The MG model has been developed using MATLAB–Simulink®, a specialized tool for electrical engineering simulations. The results obtained are subjected to rigorous analysis and compared with the compatibility levels established by the IEEE–519 standard. This approach allows an accurate assessment of the MGs’ ability to maintain power quality at acceptable levels while interconnected to the conventional power grid. Finally, this study provides a valuable contribution to the MGs’ field of microgrids by providing a detailed and quantitative assessment of power quality, which will aid in the design and optimization of MGs’ for effective implementation in real electric power systems.

Background: In the present study, we assessed the feasibility and success outcomes of voice prosthesis (VP) changes when performed by speech-language pathologist (SLP). Methods: Patients treated with total laryngectomy (TL) from January 2020 to December 2020 were prospectively recruited from our medical center. Patients benefited from tracheoesophageal puncture. The VP changes were performed by the senior SLP and the following data were collected for each VP change: date of placement; change or removal; VP type and size; reason for change or removal; and use of a washer for periprosthetic leakage. A patient-reported outcome questionnaire including 6 items was proposed to patients at each VP change (Appendix 1). Items were assessed with a 10-point Likert-scale. Results: Fifty-two VP changes were performed by the senior SLP during the study period. The mean duration of the SLP consultation, including patient history, examination and VP change procedure was 20 min (range: 15-30). The median prosthesis lifetime was 88 days. The main reasons for VP changes were transprosthetic (N=34; 79%) and periprosthetic (N=7; 21%) leakages, respectively. SLP successfully performed all VP changes. He did not change one VP but used a periprosthetic silastic to stop the periprosthetic leakages. In two cases, SLP needed the surgeon examination to discuss about the following indication: implant mucosa inclusion and autologous fat injection. The patient satisfaction was high according to the speed and the quality of care by the SLP. Conclusion: The delegation of VP change from the otolaryngologist-head and neck sur-geon to the speech-language pathologist (SLP) may be done without significant complications. The delegation of VP change procedure to SLP may be interesting in some rural regions with otolaryngologist shortage.

The Greenland ice sheet is a major contributor to sea level rise, adding an estimated 0.47 +/− 0.23 mm/yr to global mean sea level between 1991 and 2015 (van den Broeke et al., 2016). Making sea level rise projections for the future and understanding the processes controlling current observed rates of sea level rise are crucially dependent on understanding the present-day state of the ice sheet. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of the mass budget of Greenland based on satellite gravimetry and remote sensing observations of surface elevation change, ice sheet velocity and calving front positions. We also combine these essential climate variables with a regional climate model (RCM) output from an ice sheet model (ISM) to gain insight into poorly understood ice sheet dynamical and surface mass processes. On average from 1992 to 2017 the ice sheet in some locations has lost up −2.65 m/yr in elevation based on ESA Radar altimetry analysis. Calving fronts have retreated all around Greenland since the 1990s and in only two out of 28 study locations have they remained stable. The locations of grounding lines at 5 key glaciers with floating ice tongues have remained stable over the observation period. However a detailed case study at Petermann glacier with an ice fracture model shows the sensitivity of these floating ice shelves to future climate change. GRACE gravimetric mass balance (GMB) data allows us to tie together disparate lines of evidence showing that Greenland has lost about 265 +/− 25 Gt/yr of ice over the period 2002 to 2015. RCM and ISM simulations show that surface mass processes dominate the overall Greenland ice sheet mass budget except for areas of fast ice sheet flow but marked differences between models and between models and observations indicate that not all processes are captured accurately, indicating areas of greater uncertainty and directions of future research for future sea level rise projections.

Mammalian fertilization initiates the reprogramming of oocytes and sperm, leading to the formation of a totipotent zygote. The zygotic genome remains transcriptionally silent throughout this intricate process, undergoing the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) and subsequent zygotic genome activation (ZGA). Histone modifications are pivotal in shaping cellular identity and gene expression in many mammals. Recent advances in chromatin analysis enable a detailed exploration of histone modifications during ZGA. This review delves into conserved and unique regulatory strategies, providing essential insights into the dynamic changes in histone modifications and their variants during ZGA in mammals. The objective is to explore recent advancements in leading mechanisms related to histone modifications governing this embryonic development phase in depth. These considerations will be useful for informing future therapeutic approaches that target epigenetic regulation in diverse biological contexts, ranging from regenerative medicine to cancer research. It will also contribute to the extensive areas of evolutionary and developmental biology and possibly lay the foundation for future research and discussion on this seminal topic.

Background: Pteropodine (PT) is a component of some plants with potentially useful pharmaco-logical activities for humans. This compound has biomedical properties related to the modulation of the immune system, nervous system, and inflammatory processes. This study addresses the an-ti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of pteropodin in a murine model of arthritis and induced edema of the mouse ear. Methods: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity, we used the reversed passive Arthus reaction (RPAR), which includes the rat paw edema test, the rat pleurisy test, and a mouse ear edema model. The antioxidant effect was evaluated by determining the myeloperoxidase enzyme activity. Results: PT showed an anti-inflammatory effect in the different specific and non-specific tests. We found a 52 to 74% of inhibitory effect of PT in the rat paw edema test, 52% of reduction of the pleural exudate volume, and low neutrophil count (28%), when compared to the control group. We also found a 81% of inflammatory inhibition of the ear edema, and a significant myeloperoxidase enzyme inhibition by the three doses of PT. Conclusions: PT exerted a potent an-ti-inflammatory effect in the acute inflammation model in rodents.

The Ti-6Al-4V alloy is widely used in the manufacture of components that should have low density, high corrosion resistance, and fatigue strength. The fatigue strength can be improved by surface modification. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of plasma nitriding on the fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy with a lamellar microstructure (Widmanstätten type). Nitriding was executed at 720 °C for 4 hours in an atmosphere with N₂, Ar and H₂. Samples microstructure characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction analysis, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The average roughness of the specimens was determined, and fatigue tests were executed in a bending-rotating machine with reverse tension cycles (R= -1). X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the matrix phases α and β, and the phases Ɛ-Ti₂N and δ-TiN in the nitrided alloy. A nitrogen diffusion layer was formed between the substrate and the titanium nitrides. Plasma nitriding resulted in an increase in low cycle fatigue strength, whereas at high cycles, both conditions exhibit similar behavior. The fracture surface of the fatigue tested specimens clearly revealed the lamellar microstructure. The fracture mechanism appears to be due to cracking at the interface of α and β phases of the lamellar microstructure.

The virus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in numerous modelling approaches arising rapidly to understand the spread of the disease COVID-19 and to plan for future interventions. Herein, we present an SEIR model with a spatial spread component as well as four infectious compartments to account for the variety of symptom levels and transmission rate. The model takes into account the pattern of spatial vulnerability in South Africa through a vulnerability index that is based on socioeconomic and health susceptibility characteristics. Another spatially relevant factor in this context is level of mobility throughout. The thesis of this study is that without the contextual spatial spread modelling, the heterogeneity in COVID-19 prevalence in the South African setting would not be captured. The model is illustrated on South African COVID-19 case counts and hospitalisations.

Like many coastal lagoons in several countries, “Navío Quebrado” lagoon (La Guajira-Colombia) is a very delicate and precious environment; indeed, it is a nationally recognized Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. Several factors, amongst which climate change, are threatening its existence because of changes in the governing hydro-morphological processes. A first step to address this problem certainly is to understand its hydrological behavior and to be able to replicate via simulation its recent history and then infer likely futures. These potential futures will be marked by changes in the water input by its tributary, the Camarones River, and by a modified water exchange with the sea, according to a foreseen sea level rise pattern, as well as by a different evaporation from the free surface, according to temperature changes. In order achieve the required ability to simulate future scenarios, data on the actual behavior have to be gathered, i.e. a monitoring system has to be set up, which to date is not existent. Conceptually, designing a suitable monitoring system is not a complex issue and seems easy to implement. However, the environmental and socio-cultural and socio-economic context makes every little step a hard climb. An extremely simple –almost “primitive”- monitoring system has been set up in this case which is based on very basic measurements of current velocity and water levels and a direct participation of local stakeholders, first of all the National Park unit of the Sanctuary. All this may clash with the latest groovy advances of science, like in situ automatized sensors, remote sensing, machine learning and digital twins, and certainly several improvements are possible and desirable. But it has strong positive points: it is providing surprisingly reasonable data and…it is working at almost zero additional cost. Several technical difficulties made this exercise interesting in itself and worth being shared. Its novelty lies in showing how old, simple methods may offer a working solution to new challenges. This humble experience may be of help in several other similar situations across the world.

Radiolabelled tracers targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) have become important radiopharmaceuticals for the PET-imaging of prostate cancer. In this connection we recently developed the fluorine-18 labelled PSMA-ligand [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007 as next generation radiofluorinated Glu-ureido PSMA inhibitor after [¹⁸F]DCFPyL and [¹⁸F]DCFBC. Since radiosynthesis so far was suffering for rather poor yields novel procedures for the automated radiosyntheses of [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007 have been developed. We herein report on both the two-step and the novel one-step procedures, which have been performed on different commonly used radiosynthesisers. Using the novel one-step procedure the [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007 was produced in good radiochemical yields ranging from 30-70 % and synthesis times less than 55 minutes. Furthermore, upscaling to product activities up to 50 GBq per batch was successfully conducted. All batches passed quality control according to European Pharmacopoeia standards. Therefore, we were able to disclose a new, simple and at the same time high yielding production pathway for the next generation PSMA radioligand [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007. Actually it turned out that the radiosynthesis is as easily realised as the well-known [¹⁸F]FDG synthesis and thus transferable onto all currently available radiosynthesisers. Using the new procedures, clinical daily routine can be sustainably supported in-house even in larger hospitals by a single production batch.

Non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs), namely coxsackieviruses (CV), echoviruses (E), enteroviruses (EV), and rhinoviruses (RV), are responsible for a wide variety of illnesses. Some infections can progress to life-threatening complications in children or immunocompromised patients. To date, no treatments have been approved. Several molecules have been evaluated through clinical trials without success. To overcome these failures, the multi-target directed ligand (MTDL) strategy can be applied to tackle enterovirus infections. This work analyzes clinical trials to highlight the best candidates and develops filters to apply to a selection for MTDL synthesis. We explicitly stated the methods used to answer the question: Which solution can fight NPEVs effectively? We note the originality and relevance of this proposal in relation to the state of the art in the enterovirus-inhibitors field. Several combinations are possible to broaden the antiviral spectrum and potency. We discuss data related to the virus and data related to each LEAD compound identified. Overall, this study proposes a perspective on different strategies to overcome issues identified in clinical trials and evaluate the “MTDL” potential to improve the efficiency of drugs synergistically, broaden the targeted, and reduce the adverse effects and drug design cost as well as limit the opportunity of drug-resistant viruses.

Prostate Cancer remains a prevalent health concern, emphasizing the critical need for early diagnosis and precise treatment strategies to mitigate mortality rates. Accurate prediction of cancer grade is paramount for timely interventions. This paper introduces an approach to prostate cancer grading, framing it as a classification problem. Leveraging ResNet models on multi-scale patch-level digital pathology and the Diagset dataset, the proposed method demonstrates notable success, achieving an accuracy of 0.999 in identifying clinically significant prostate cancer. The study contributes to the evolving landscape of cancer diagnostics, offering a promising avenue for improved grading accuracy and, consequently, more effective treatment planning. By integrating innovative deep-learning techniques with comprehensive datasets, our approach presents a step forward in the pursuit of personalized and targeted cancer care.

Viruses are the most numerically abundant biological entities on Earth. As ubiquitous replicators of information molecules and agents of community change, viruses have potent effects on life on Earth and may play a critical role in human spaceflight missions, life detection missions to other planetary bodies, and in planetary protection. However, major knowledge gaps constrain our understanding of the Earth’s virosphere: 1) the role viruses play in biogeochemical cycles, 2) the origin(s) of viruses, and 3) the involvement of viruses in the evolution, distribution, and persistence of life. As viruses are the only replicators that span all known types of nucleic acids, an expanded experimental and theoretical toolbox built for Earth’s viruses will be pivotal for detecting and understanding life on Earth and beyond. Only by filling in these knowledge and technical gaps will we obtain an inclusive assessment of how to distinguish and detect life on other planetary surfaces. Meanwhile, space exploration requires life-support systems for the needs of humans, plants, and their microbial inhabitants. Viral effects on microbes and plants are essential for Earth’s biosphere and human health, but virus-host interactions in spaceflight are poorly understood. Viral relationships with their hosts respond to environmental changes in complex ways which are difficult to predict by extrapolating from Earth-based proxies. These relationships must therefore be studied in space to fully understand how spaceflight will modulate viral impacts on human health and life-support systems, including microbiomes. This review addresses key questions that must be examined to incorporate viruses into Earth system models, life-support systems, and life detection. Further, the results of tackling these questions will help in our efforts to develop planetary protection protocols and further our understanding of viruses in astrobiology.

International guidelines are published in oncology to provide standardized information and fertility preservation (FP) care for adults and children with cancer. For benign gynecologic diseases (BGD), many recommendations are based on data coming from oncofertility studies rather than studies with a stronger and broader evidence base. The purpose of the study was to conduct a modified Delphi process for generating FP guidelines for BGD. A steering committee identified 42 potential FP practices for BGD. Then 114 key stakeholders were asked to participate in a modified Delphi process via two online survey rounds and a final meeting. Consensus was reached for 28 items. Among them, stakeholders rated age-specific information concerning the risk of diminished ovarian reserve after surgery as important but rejected proposals setting various upper and lower age limits for FP. All women should be informed about the benefit/risk balance of oocyte vitrification, in particular about the likelihood of live birth according to age. FP should not be offered in rASRM stages I and II endometriosis without endometriomas. These guidelines could be useful for gynecologists to identify situations at risk of infertility and to better inform women with BGDs who might need personalized counseling for FP.

Dengue virus infections are a serious public health problem worldwide. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue in Cuba. Since there is no vaccine or specific treatment, the control efforts are directed to reduce mosquito populations. The indiscriminate use of pesticides can lead to increase insecticide resistance as well as adverse effects on human health. The sterile insect technique is a species-specific and environmental friendly method of insect control based on the release of large numbers of sterile males. The success of this technique in sustainable control of agricultural pests has encouraged its evaluation for mosquito control. Here, we describe an open field trial to evaluate the effect of the release of irradiated males on a wild population of Aedes aegypti. The case-control study was performed in a suburb of Havana, and compared the mosquito population before and after the intervention, in both control and treated areas. The wild population was monitored by an ovitrap network, recording frequency and density of eggs as well as their hatch rate. A significant induced sterility was observed in the field population, compared to the control. The ovitrap index and the mean eggs/ trap declined dramatically after an expected lag period of twelve and five weeks, respectively. For the last three weeks, no egg was collected in the treated area, evidencing a significant suppression of the wild population. We conclude that the sterile males released competed successfully, and induced enough sterility to suppress the local Aedes aegypti population.

The main proteinase (Mpro), or 3CLpro, is a critical enzyme in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lifecycle and is responsible for breaking down and releasing vital functional viral proteins crucial for virus development and transmission. As a catalytically active dimer, its dimerization interface has become an attractive target for antiviral drug development. Recent research has extensively investigated the enzymatic activity of Mpro, focusing on its role in regulating the coronavirus replication complex and its significance in virus maturation and infectivity. Computational investigations have identified four druggable pockets, suggesting potential allosteric sites beyond the substrate-binding region. Empirical validation through site-directed alanine mutagenesis targeted residues in both the active and allosteric regions corroborated these predictions. Structural studies of drug target proteins can inform therapeutic approaches, with metadynamics simulations shedding light on the role of H163 in regulating Mpro function and providing insights into its dynamic equilibrium to the wild-type enzyme. Despite the efficacy of vaccines and drugs in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 spread, ongoing viral evolution, selective pressures, and continued transmission pose challenges, potentially leading to resistance mutations. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the existence of several resistance variations predating drug introduction to the human population, emphasizing the likelihood of drug spread. Hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry reveals the structural influence of the mutation, while clinical trials on 3CLPro inhibitors underscore the clinical significance of reduced enzymatic activity and offer avenues for future therapeutic exploration. Understanding the implications of 3CLPro mutations holds promise for shaping forthcoming therapeutic strategies against COVID-19. This review delves into factors influencing mutation rates and identifies areas warranting further investigation, providing a comprehensive overview of Mpro mutations, their categorization, and terminology. Moreover, we examined their associations with clinical outcomes, illness severity, unresolved issues, and future research prospects, including their impact on vaccine efficacy and potential therapeutic targeting.

Introduction: Clinicians have been struggling with the optimal diagnostic approach of patients with suspected COVID-19. We evaluated the added value of chest CT over RT-PCR alone. Methods: Consecutive adult patients with suspected COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department (Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, the Netherlands) from March 16^th to April 16^th were retrospectively included if they required hospital admission and underwent chest CT and RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The CO-RADS classification was used to assess the radiological probability of COVID-19, where a score of 1-2 was considered as negative, 3 as indeterminate, and 4-5 as positive. CT results were stratified by initial RT-PCR results. For patients with a negative RT-PCR but a positive CT, serology or multidisciplinary discussion after clinical follow-up constituted the final diagnosis. Results: 258 patients with suspected COVID-19 were admitted, of which 239 were included because they had both CT and RT-PCR testing upon admission. Overall, 112 patients (46.9%) had a positive initial RT-PCR, and 14 (5.9%) had a positive repeat RT-PCR. Of 127 patients with a negative or indeterminate initial RT-PCR, 38 (29.9% [95%CI 21.3-39.3%]) had a positive CT. Of these, 13 had a positive RT-PCR upon repeat testing, and 5 had positive serology. The remaining 20 patients were assessed in a multidisciplinary consensus meeting, and for 13 it was concluded that COVID-19 was ‘very likely’. Of 112 patients with a positive initial RT-PCR result, CT was positive in 104 (92.9% [95%CI 89.3-97.5%]). Conclusion: In a high-prevalence emergency department setting, chest CT showed high probability of COVID-19 (CO-RADS 4-5) in 29.9% of patients with a negative or indeterminate initial RT-PCR result. As the majority of these patients had proven or ‘very likely’ COVID-19 after follow-up, we believe that CT helps in the identification of patients who should be admitted in isolation.

The increasing use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) has brought about a significant transformation in numerous fields, such as image categorization and identification. In the development of a CNN model for classifying images of sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) from weed images, four architectures were explored: CNN-Model Variant 1, CNN-Model Variant 2, VGG16, and ResNet50. The CNN-Model Variant 1 demonstrated 100 % validation accuracy, while Variant 2 achieved 90.78% validation accuracy. Pre-trained models, like VGG16 and ResNet50, were also analyzed. In contrast, ResNet50's steady learning pattern indicated potential for better generalization. A detailed evaluation of these models revealed that Variant 1 achieved a perfect score in precision, recall, and F1-score, indicating superior optimization and feature utilization. Variant 2 presented a balanced performance, with metrics between 86% and 93%. The VGG16 mirrored the behavior of Variant 2, both maintaining around 90% accuracy, but ResNet50's results revealed a conservative approach for class 0 predictions. Overall, Variant 1 stood out in performance, while both Variant 2 and VGG16 showed balanced results. The reliability of CNN model Variant 1 is highlighted by the significant accuracy percentages, which demonstrate its potential for practical implementation in agriculture. Smartphone application for the identification of SL in a field-based trial has shown promising results with an accuracy of 98%-99%. Using a CNN model with batch normalization has the potential to play a crucial role in redefining and optimizing the management of undesirable vegetation in the future.

Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Unfortunately, the current etiological treatment for CD is unsatisfactory, due to the high toxicity and low cure efficacy of compounds, mainly during the chronic phase of this disease. Thus, the discovery of new drugs for the treatment of CD is urgent. In the present study, we report the synthesis of a series of guanidines and its evaluation in in vitro assays to determine the trypanocidal effects on the Tulahuen T. cruzi strain, transfected with a β-galactosidase reporter gene, in comparison to the cytotoxic effects on vertebrate cells. The most potent and selective compounds LQOF-G1 and LQOF-G29 were considered good drug prototypes and candidates for in vivo tests using mice. Both compounds possess an electron withdrawing group on the aniline moiety, namely a NO2 and Br group, respectively, which effectively decrease the electron density. LQOF-G29 stands out among the investigated compounds due to the replacement of the benzyl group by methyladamantane.

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

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

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

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

The 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.