Recent times have witnessed an increasing number of countries and private firms pledging carbon neutrality by mid-century. Whilst representing a significant improvement in intentions to tackle climate change, such pledges lack substance and structure. For instance, individual pledges lack coordination and aggregation among peers, while strategies and measures to achieve ambitious targets are largely absent. Moreover, current disagreements obstructing progress in international climate change negotiations further undermine the reliability of carbon neutrality objectives. Effective international policies are needed to foster aggregate mitigation ambitions and the creation of adequate supporting mechanisms. This theoretical paper describes a governance innovation aimed at overcoming such shortfalls and disagreements through a unifying yet customizable pathway towards carbon neutrality. It does so by first outlining a political governance framework based on a climate club interpretation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Secondly, it proposes carbon emission mitigation effort sharing on a per capita basis to ensure efficiency, equity and political feasibility. Thirdly, this paper describes how the supply of certified mitigations of carbon emissions required to satisfy effort sharing-based demand can be assetized as carbon credits by operationalizing Article 6 as a joint certification mechanism. The resulting governance architecture for managing demand and supply of mitigations shifts efforts to tackle climate change from a ‘problem-driven’ cost approach to ‘opportunity-driven’ value creation pathways towards carbon neutrality.

The measures related to climate change and international technology transfer have been closely intervened as most international environmental instruments, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol as well as Paris Agreement which contain the provisions concerning environmentally friendly technology transfer. However, technologies have not been transferred adequately owing to the flaws in the relevant provisions and due to the fact that most technologies are possessed by transnational corporations and other private sectors. In order to undertake the commitment by the governments of developed countries and at the same time, to conform the commercial activities of their respective private sectors to the level of promised international obligation, an uniform international technology transfer agreement needs to be established separately, particularly under the World Trade Organization regime in Post Pairs-Agreement era. This paper first explores the defects and challenges found in provisions related to technology transfer in existing environmental agreements, and examines the possibilities of concluding an international technology transfer agreement both from theoretical and practical perspectives. climate change;environmentally sound technology;international technology transfer;Post Paris-Agreement Era

This study presents the design and comprehensive 3D multiphysics simulation of a novel microfluidic immunosensor for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of pro-inflammatory biomarkers in human sweat. The patch-like device, designed using COMSOL Multiphysics, integrates magnetofluidic manipulation with direct-field capacitive sensing. The sensor comprises two distinct units: an immunocomplex enhancement unit, employing a series of microcoils to optimize the binding efficiency, reaction kinetics, and homogeneity of biomarker-magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) interactions, thereby enhancing the sensor's specificity; and a layered capacitive sensing unit, designed to concentrate and detect biomarker-tagged MNPs, thus amplifying sensitivity. Simulations of the capacitive sensing unit revealed a substantial sensitivity increase of up to 42.48\% at an 85\% MNP concentration within the detection zone. These findings highlight the potential of the proposed immunosensor for efficient and precise real-time biomarker monitoring, which may facilitate early disease diagnosis and enable personalized healthcare interventions.

Curcumin, found in the rhizome of turmeric, has extensive therapeutic promises via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo data have shown curcumin to be an effective treatment for multiple cancers. These effects are drived by curcumin's ability to induce G2/M cell cycle arrest, induction of autophagy, activation of apoptotic pathways, disruption of molecular signaling, inhibition of invasion and metastasis, and by increasing the efficacy of existing chemotherapeutics. Here we focused on the hormetic behaviour of curcumin. Frequently, low doses of toxins and other stressors not only are harmless but also activate an adaptive stress whereas high dose activates acute responses like autophagy and cell death. This phenomenon is referred to as hormesis. Many molecules that cause cell death elicite an initial autophagic step that is a cytoprotective mechanism relying on elimination of dysfunctional structures intracellular, notably by mitophagy. This phenomenon is considered as a primarily protective mechanism against stressors. At higher doses, cells undergo mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization due to calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum and die. Herein, we address the complex crosstalk between the induced mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial destabilization accompanied by mitophagy and cell death that can also be at play.

The importance of agricultural programs in reducing poverty, improving livelihoods, and increasing productivity cannot be overstated. Poverty and unemployment remain the most pressing developmental concerns in rural communities of Africa in general and South Africa in particular. The study was derived from the contribution of the agricultural development programs and sought to discover how the Fortune 40 initiative impacted rural livelihoods of youth in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality. Primary data using cross-sectional research design was collected from beneficiaries of the Fortune 40 program, through use of a questionnaire. An ordered probit model was used to analyse the impact of Fortune 40 initiative to rural livelihoods. Empirical results revealed that age of beneficiaries, household size, type of farming, credit access and land size were the factors with the likelihood to influence the impact of the Fortune 40 program. Therefore, it can be concluded that the land size for production should increase or expanded to enhance production of vegetables; provision of credit facilities for youths in agriculture through micro-finance and rural commercial banks is essential; also, youth, such as agricultural graduates looking for practical experience and on-farm training, should be considered in the program.

The well-being and sociability of individuals have always been part of modernity. The development of new technologies that meet these aspirations is receiving increasing attention. Thus, strengthening the desired objectives of these tools and minimizing their undesirable side effects is the subject of a growing commitment. The present contribution aims, in this context, to evaluate and analyze the desired and undesirable effects of the interaction of electromagnetic fields with living tissues in general. This involves routines reinforcing expected functions as well as those controlling and protecting against undesirable effects. First, the interactions of electromagnetic fields with tissues are analyzed, involving their thermal biological effects of desired and undesired exposures. The roles of blood and sap fluids in bio-affected tissues are then analyzed. Secondly, the governing electromagnetic, bio-heat equations, and their coupled solution are studied. Third, the thermal behavior of tissues and the exposure adverse effects are examined. Next, monitoring and defending of the effects of exposures are discussed. This contribution illustrates and discusses mathematical modeling routines based on a generalized interaction of electromagnetic fields with living tissues.

Today, there are commercially available high-performance electric wheelchairs, capa-ble of responding to strong limitations. However, despite these advancements, there is a significant portion of the population with severe disabilities who cannot access this mobility solution due to safety reasons. Indeed, either due to motor issues preventing reliable control of the wheelchair's commands, or associated visual or cognitive pathologies, the use of an electric wheelchair by these individuals would put them at risk and could also constitute a danger to those around them. This is why our research team is working on the development of augmented wheelchairs that allow a greater autonomy. We are mainly developing a system compatible with all electric wheel-chairs on the market, capable of making them anti-collision and anti-fall on uneven ground (sidewalks, stairs, etc.). In this article, we present our solution regarding the anti-collision function, in particular the sensors used to do this, as well as the strategy. We will focus on the shortcomings and weaknesses of various types of sensors and demonstrate how, by combining them in a certain way, we can develop a collision avoidance device capable of managing the diversity of everyday life situations. The two types of sensors that will be combined here are an in-house developed special near infrared sensor from the laboratory and a commercially available ultrasonic sensor. We will present the internal operation of the sensors, their limitations, experimental tests involving integration with the wheelchair, and the structure of the complete device.

The objective of this study was to detail the monomer composition of resin-based dental materials sold in the market in 2023 and to evaluate the proportion of BPA derivatives in relation with their applications. A search on manufacturers’ websites was performed to reference resin-based dental materials currently on the market. Their monomer composition was determined from material safety data sheets and completed with a search on PubMed database. Among the 543 material compositions exploitable, 382 (70.3%) contained BPA derivatives. Among them, 56.2% contained BisGMA, 28% BisEMA, the most frequently reported. A total of 59 monomers of which 6 BPA-derivatives were found. 309 materials (56.9%) contained UDMA and 292 (53.8%) TEGDMA. Less than one third of materials identified contained no BPA derivatives. These proportions vary a lot depending on their applications with materials dedicated to dental care of young populations containing the highest proportions of BPA-derivatives monomers. The long-term effects on human health of the different monomers identified including BPA-derivatives monomers is a source of concern. For children and pregnant or lactating women arises the question to take a precautionary principle and avoid the use of resin-based dental materials likely to release BPA by opting for alternative materials.

Luminescent carbon dots (CDs) were locally synthesized in the core of CYTOP fibers using IR femtosecond laser direct writing (FLDW), a one-step simple method serving as a post-treatment of the genuine fiber. This approach enables the creation of several types of modifications such as ellipsoid voids. The CDs and photoluminescence (PL) distribute at the periphery of the voids. The PL spectral properties were studied through Excitation Emission Matrix in the visible range and excitation/emission spectrum in UV/visible range. Our finding reveals the presence of at least 3 distinct luminescent species, facilitating a broad excitation range extending from UV to green, and light emission spanning from blue to red. The average laser power and dose influence the quantity and ratio of these luminescent CD species. Additionally, we measured the spatially resolved lifetime of the luminescence during and after the irradiation. We found longer lifetimes at the periphery of the laser-induced modified regions and shorter ones closer to the center, with a dominant lifetime ~ 2ns. Notably, unlike many other luminophores, these laser-induced CDs are insensitive to oxygen, enhancing their potential for display or data storage applications.

Crystallization of glass through conventional thermal annealing in a furnace is a well-understood process. However, crystallization by femtosecond (fs) laser brings another dimension to this process. The pulsed nature of the irradiation necessitates a reevaluation of parameters for optimal crystallization and to understand the particularities in the case of using fs laser. This includes adjusting the laser pulse energy, the repetition rate, and the writing speed to either initiate nucleation or achieve substantial crystal growth. Therefore, a key challenge to this work is to establish reliable calculations for understanding the relation of the size of the crystallized region with respect to an ongoing transition (e.g., solid-to-solid, liquid-to-solid), and accounting for the aforementioned laser parameters. In this context and based on previous work, we simulate a temperature distribution (in space and time) to model the thermal treatment at any point in the glass. By setting the condition that the temperatures are between the glass transition and melting temperature, we can deduce the crystallized region size to be compared with experimental observations. For that purpose, the knowledge of the beam width at the focal point and of the absorbed beam energy fraction are critical inputs that were extracted from experiments found in the literature. After that, management of the crystallization process and the width of the crystallization line can be achieved according to pulse energy e.g. crystallite size, and also the effect of the scanning speed can be understood. Among the main conclusions to highlight, we disclose the laser conditions that determine the extent of the crystallized area and deduce that it is never interesting to increase the pulse energy too much but rather the repetition rate for uniform crystallized line.

Global warming leads in general to a reduction in precipitations and non-rainfall water contributions such as dew. The present study, carried out in Gujarat (India) for 17 years between 2005 and 2021, shows however a rare increase of the rain falls and dew condensation, the latter related to an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in wind amplitudes. Rain was obtained from meteo stations. Dew was calculated from an energy model and meteo data from 15 meteo stations (14 in India and 1 in Pakistan) and compared to early and dedicated measurements in 13 sites. Maps of dew, rain and their relative contributions during the period are provided. They show that, while rain mainly occurs during the monsoon (June to September), dew forms during the dry season (October to April). This water resource was mapped over the Gujarat state of India by using a kriging process. According to the site, the dew/rain ratios can represent between 4.6% (Ahmedabad) to 37.2% (Jamnagar) on the whole period of 17 years. This positive evolution, which is observed since 2015-2017, is likely to continue in the future.

In our previous papers, we demonstrated that inflammation and aging are the common roots of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In both diseases, there is an inhibition of the mitochondria. In cancer, the alkaline intracellular pH (pHi) is associated with cell proliferation; acidic pHi causes apoptosis in AD. This difference is because cancer feeds on chemically neutral glucose, while neurons feed on acidic lactic acid. Increased uptake of lactic acid is responsible for acidic pH and cell death. Similarly, to AD, inflammation is responsible for metabolic shifts in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In AD, there is hyperosmolarity responsible for increased lactic secretion by glial cells. Increased lactic secretion will cause neo-angiogenesis and neural cell death. Drugs increasing hyperosmolarity (Polyethylene Glycol) cause neo-angiogenesis and drusen-like structures in rodents. The link between AMD and inflammation is reinforced by the fact that treatments aiming at restoring mitochondrial activity, such as lipoic acid and/or methylene blue, have been experimentally shown to be effective in each set of diseases. The role of osmolarity has been demonstrated in the pathologies of the anterior segment of the eye, such as dry eye, corneal ulceration, cataracts, and glaucoma. The role of increased osmolarity in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been largely overlooked. We herein suggest that metabolic shift, inflammation, and hyperosmolarity are key players in the pathogenesis of AMD.

In the context of global warming and increasing scarcity of fresh water resources, it becomes significant to evaluate the contribution and evolution of non-rainfall waters such as dew. This study therefore aims to evaluate the relative dew and rain contributions in three sites of south-western of Madagascar (Ifaty, Toliara and Andremba), a semi-arid region which suffers from a strong water deficit. The studied period is 1/1991 – 7/2023, with extrapolation to 8/2033. Dew is calculated from meteo data by using a well-established energy model. The extrapolation of dew and rain follows an artificial neural network approach. It is found that dew forms regularly (2-3 days in average between events), in contrast to rain (10-15 days). The evolutions of dew and rain are similar, with an increase from 1991 to 2000, a decrease up to 2020 and a further increase until 2033. These oscillations follow the Indian Ocean dipole variations and should be influenced by the climate change. Dew contribution to the water balance remains modest on a yearly basis (3-4%) but is important during the dry season (Apr.-Oct.), up to 30%. Dew therefore appears to be a reliable and sustainable resource for plants, small animals and population, especially during droughts.

The successive steps of the oxidation mechanism of crocin, major compound of saffron, by the free OH• radical are investigated by the pulse radiolysis, steady-state (gamma) radiolysis methods and molecular simulations. The optical absorption properties of the transient species and their reaction rate constants are determined. The absorption spectrum of the oxidized radical of crocin resulting from the H-abstraction presents a maximum at 678 nm and a band at 441 nm, almost as intense as that of crocin. The spectrum of the covalent dimer of this radical contains an intense band at 441 nm and a weaker one at 330 nm. The final oxidized crocin, issued from radical disproportionation, absorbs weaker with a maximum at 330 nm. The molecular simulation results suggest that the OH• radical is electrostatically attracted by the terminal sugar and is scavenged predominantly by the neighbor methyl site of the polyene chain as in a sugar-driven mechanism. Based on detailed experimental and theoretical investigations, the antioxidant properties of crocin are highlighted.

Acidic ostreolysin A/pleurotolysin B (OlyA/PlyB, formerly known as ostreolysin (Oly), and basic 20 kDa equinatoxins (EqTs) are cytolytic proteins isolated from the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus and the sea anemone Actinia equina, respectively. Both toxins, although from different sources, share many similar biological activities: (i) colloid-osmotic shock by forming pores in cellular and artificial membranes enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin; (ii) increased vascular endothelial wall permeability in vivo and perivascular oedema; (iii) dose-dependent contraction of coronary vessels; (iv) haemolysis with pronounced hyperkalaemia in vivo; (v) bradycardia, myocardial ischemia and ventricular extrasystoles accompanied by progressive fall of arterial blood pressure and respiratory arrest in rodents. Both types of toxins are haemolytic within nanomolar range concentrations, and it seems that hyperkalaemia plays an important role in toxin cardiotoxicity. However, it was observed that the haemolytically more active EqT III is less toxic than EqT I, the most toxic and least haemolytic EqT. In mice, EqT II is more than 30 times more toxic than OlyA/PlyB when applied intravenously. These observations imply that haemolysis with hyperkalaemia is not the sole cause of the lethal activity of both toxins. Additional mechanisms responsible for lethal action of the two toxins are direct effects on heart, coronary vasoconstriction and related myocardial hypoxia. In this review, we appraise the pathophysiological mechanisms related to the chemical structure of OlyA/PlyB and EqTs, as well as their toxicity.

Introduction: Management of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) has been the subject of international recommendations. However, some aspects remain within the realm of service practices and appear to vary greatly from one center to another. Objectives: To achieve a multidisciplinary consensus in France regarding management of HIE newborns that are not covered by international and national guidelines. Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter study using the Delphi method from April 21, 2021, to July 15, 2021. Perinatal professionals were contacted through professional societies. Participants received a questionnaire in three successive rounds. Each proposal was rated using a Likert scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 8 (completely agree). An item was considered consensual if at least 70% of responses were in agreement or disagreement. Results: 58 french neonatal professionals participated. A consensus was reached in the first round concerning the use of passive hypothermia in maternity ward, with 84% agreement and to define the target temperature between 35.0°C and 35.5°C at the third round. Regarding hypoglycemia in the delivery room, 79.2% agreed in the first round to correct blood glucose levels below a threshold of

Breast cancer develops upon sequential acquisition of driver mutations in mammary epithelial cells; however how these mutations collaborate to transform normal cells remains unclear in most cases. We aimed to reconstitute this process in a particular case. To this end, we combined the activated form of the PI 3-kinase harboring the H1047R mutation with the inactivation of the histone lysine methyl-transferase KMT2D in the non-tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cell line MCF10A. We found that PI 3-kinase activation promoted cell cycle progression, especially when growth signals were limiting, as well as cell migration, both in a collective monolayer and as single cells. Furthermore, we showed that KMT2D inactivation had relatively little influence on these processes, except for single cell migration that KMT2D inactivation promoted in synergy with PI 3-kinase activation. Combination of these two genetic alterations induced expression of the ARPC5L gene that encodes a subunit of the Arp2/3 complex. ARPC5L depletion fully abolished the enhanced migration persistence exhibited by double-mutant cells. Our reconstitution approach in MCF10A has thus revealed both the cell function, single cell migration, and the underlying Arp2/3-dependent mechanism, which are synergistically regulated when KMT2D inactivation is combined with the activation of the PI 3-kinase.

The scattering eigenstates of any Hamiltonian of electrons, coupled through a two-body force and moving on a one-dimensional lattice, are shown to be Bethe's wave-functions. The energy of the groundstate is compared with values, obtained previously for the Hubbard Hamiltonian by means of Bethe's wave-function and within the framework of the correlated Fermi gas. The same analysis is applied to electrons, interacting on neighbouring sites. The significance of those various groundstates is assessed with help of thermodynamics.

NMR spectroscopy, which is based on the phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance, has been widely popularized by its application in medical imaging under the name of MRI. In the organic laboratory, the 13C NMR spectrum of a newly synthetized compound remains an essential step in elucidating its structure. For the chemist, the interpretation of such a spectrum, which is a set of chemical shift values, is made easier if he has a tool capable of predicting with sufficient accuracy the carbon shift values from the structure he intends to prepare. As there are few open source methods for accurately estimating this property, we applied our graph machine approach to build models capable of predicting the chemical shifts of carbons. For this study, we have focused on benzene compounds building an optimized model derived from training a database of 10577 chemical shifts originating from 2026 structures which contain up to ten types of atoms other than carbon, namely H, O, N, S, P, Si and halogens. It provides a training root mean squared relative error (RMSRE) of 0.5 %, i.e. a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.6 ppm, and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.4 ppm for estimating the chemical shifts of the 10k carbons. The predictive capability of the graph machine model is also compared with that of three commercial software on a data set of 171 original benzenic structures (1012 chemical shifts). The graph machine model proves very efficient in predicting chemical shifts with an RMSE of 0.9 ppm, and compares favorably with the RMSEs of 3.4, 1.8 and 1.9 ppm computed with ChemDraw, ACD and MestReNova softwares respectively. Finally, a Docker-based tool is proposed to predict the carbon chemical shifts of benzenic compounds solely from their SMILES codes.

High-throughput screening technologies continues to produce large amounts of multiomics data from different populations and cell types for various diseases, such as cancer. However, analysis of such data encounters difficulties due to cancer heterogeneity, further exacerbated by human biological complexity and genomic variability. There is a need to redefine the drug discovery development pipeline, bringing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered informational view that integrates relevant biological information and explores new ways to develop effective anticancer approaches. Here, we show SynPred, an interdisciplinary approach that leverages specifically designed ensembles of AI-algorithms, links omics and biophysical traits to predict synergistic anticancer drug synergy. SynPred exhibits state-of-the-art performance metrics: accuracy – 0.85, precision – 0.77, recall – 0.75, AUROC – 0.82, and F1-score - 0.76 in an independent test set. Moreover, data interpretability was achieved by deploying the most current and robust feature importance approaches. A simple web-based application available online at http://www.moreiralab.com/resources/synpred/ was constructed to predict synergistic anticancer drug combinations requiring only the upload of the two drug SMILES to be tested, allowing easy access by non-expert researchers.

The present paper investigates flaw strength distributions established using various flexural tests on batches of SiC bar test specimens: 4-point bending as well as 3-point bending with different span lengths. Flaw strength is given by the elemental stress operating on the critical flaw at fracture of a test specimen. Fracture inducing flaws and their locations are identified by fractography. A single population of pores was found to dominate fracture. The construction of diagrams of p-quantile vs elemental strengths was aimed at assessing the Gaussian nature of flaw strengths. Then, empirical cumulative distributions of strengths were constructed using the normal distribution function. Weibull cumulative probability distributions were derived from the mean and the standard deviation using the first moment equation. Agreement was obtained between both Weibull and normal flaw strengths distributions. The cumulative distributions for the different bending tests were predicted satisfactorily from the flaw strength density function using the elemental strength model. Flaw strength distributions that include potential weaker flaws encountered in larger test pieces are extrapolated using the p-quantile diagrams. Implications are discussed about the pertinence of an intrinsically representative flaw strength distribution, about failure predictions, about size effects, and about the significance of flaw spatial distributions.

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a rare severe hereditary skin disease characterized by skin and mucosa fragility, resulting in blister formation. The most severe complication in RDEB patients is the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) leading to premature death. Multiple evidences suggest a permissive tumor micro-environment (TME) as driver of SCC development in RDEB patients. In a cohort of RDEB patients, we characterized the immune profiles of RDEB-SCCs and compared them with clinical, histopathological, and prognostic features. RDEB-SCCs were subdivided into 4 groups based on their occurrence (first onset or recurrences) and grading according to their clinical-histopathological parameters of aggressiveness. Thirty-eight SCCs from 20 RDEB patients were analysed. Five RDEB patients experienced an unfavorable course af-ter the diagnosis of the first SCC, with early recurrence or metastasis, whereas 15 pa-tients developed multiple SCCs without metastasis. High-risk primary RDEB-SCCs showed a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the tumor microenvironment, and an increased proportion of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET). Additionally, citrullinated histone H3, a marker of NETs, was increased in the serum of RDEB patients with high-risk primary SCC, suggesting that this modified form of histone H3 may serve as a potential blood marker of unfavorable prognosis in RDEB-SCCs.

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.

Abstract: RNase Y is an endoribonuclease that governs global mRNA turnover/processing in Ba-cillus subtilis and likely many other bacteria. The enzyme is anchored at the cell membrane, a pseudo-compartmentalization that appears coherent with its task to initiate decay of mRNAs translated predominantly at the cell periphery. However, the reason and consequence for RNase Y attachment to the membrane are largely unknown. We have studied a strain expressing wild-type levels of a cytoplasmic form of RNase Y from the chromosomal locus. This strain exhibits a slow growth phenotype similar to an RNase Y null mutant. Genome-wide data show a significant effect on the expression of hundreds of genes. Certain RNA substrates clearly require RNase Y membrane attachment but others do not. We found no correlation between mRNA stabilization and the cellular location or function of encoded proteins. The Y-complex, an RNase Y specificity factor, appears to also recognize the cytoplasmic form of the enzyme which is able to restore wild-type levels of the corresponding transcripts. We propose that membrane attachment of RNase Y is required for the functional interaction with many coding and non-coding RNAs, for limiting the cleavage of certain substrates and potentially to avoid unfavorable competition between RNase Y and other ribonucleases like RNase J that have a similar evolutionarily conserved cleavage speci-ficity.

The properties of the current-induced Hall effect are analysed, for which the static magnetic field, supplied by an external source in the traditional experiment, is created by the current itself. The special experimental setup, needed for its observation, is described. It is shown how, combined with the skin effect, it could give access to the concentration of conduction electrons in superconductors. Besides this experiment might permit to dodge shortcomings, ensueing from the Meissner effect and limiting severely the sensitivity of the conventional Hall voltage measurement.

Adaptable or adapted? Whether it is a question of physical, biological or even economic systems, this problem arises when all these systems are the location of matter and energy conversion. To this interdisciplinary question we propose a theoretical framework based on the two principles of thermodynamics. Considering a finite time linear thermodynamic approach, we show that non-equilibrium systems operating in quasi-static regime are quite deterministic as long as boundary conditions are correctly defined. The Novikov-Curzon-Ahlborn approach [1,2] applied to non-endoreversible systems then makes it possible to precisely determine the conditions for obtaining characteristic operating points. As a result, power maximization principle (MPP), entropy minimization principle(mEP), efficiency maximization, or waste minimization states are only specific modalities of system operation. We show that boundary conditions play a major role in defining operating points because they define the intensity of the feedback that ultimately characterizes the operation. Armed with these thermodynamic foundations, we show that the intrinsically most efficient systems are also the most constrained in terms of controlling the entropy and dissipation production. In particular, we show that the best figure of merit necessarily leads to a vanishing production of power. On the other hand, a class of systems emerges which, although they do not offer extreme efficiency or power, have a wide range of use and therefore marked robustness. It therefore appears that the number of degrees of freedom of the system leads to an optimization of the allocation of entropy production.

Background. The markerless motion capture system (MLS) is a new technology that uses deep learning to detect body segments from digital images. This study tested the agreement between the MLS and a force-plate based system (FPS, “gold standard”) to quantify stability control and motor performance (MP) during gait initiation (GI). Methods. Healthy adults (young and elderly) and patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) performed GI series at spontaneous and maximal velocity on an FPS while being filmed by an MLS. Signals from both systems were used to compute the peak of forward center-of-mass velocity (indicator of MP) and the braking index (BI, indicator of stability control). Results. Descriptive statistics indicated that both systems detected between-groups differences and velocity effects similarly, while a Bland-Altman (BA) plot anal-ysis showed that BI and MP mean biases were virtually zero in all groups and conditions. Bayes factor 01 indicated strong (for BI) and moderate (for MP) evidence that both systems provided equivalent values. However, trial-by-trial analysis of BA plots revealed the possibility of differ-ences > 10% between the two systems. Conclusion. Although non-negligible differences do occur, MLS appears to be as efficient as FPS in detecting PD and velocity condition effects on BI and MP

The purpose of this study was to compare Electromyographic (EMG) with Mechanomyo- 1 graphic (MMG) recordings during isometric conditions, and during a simulated load-lifting task. 2 Twenty-two males (age: 25.5 ± 5.3 years) first performed maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and 3 submaximal isometric contractions of upper limb muscles at 25%, 50% and 75% MVC. Participants 4 then executed repetitions of a functional activity simulating a load-lifting task above shoulder level, 5 at 25%, 50% and 75% of their maximum activity (based on MVC). The low frequency part of the 6 accelerometer signal (< 5 Hz) was used to segment the 6 phases of the motion. EMG and MMG were 7 both recorded during the entire experimental procedure. Root mean square (RMS) and mean power 8 frequency (MPF) were selected as signal extraction features. During isometric contractions, EMG 9 and MMG exhibited similar repeatability scores. They also shared similar RMS vs force relationship, 10 with RMS increasing to 75% MVC and plateaued to 100%. MPF decreased with increasing force to 11 75% MVC. In dynamic condition, RMSMMG exhibited higher sensitivity to changes in load than 12 RMSEMG. These results confirm the feasibility of MMG measurements to be used during functional 13 activities outside the laboratory. It opens new perspectives for future applications in sports science, 14 ergonomics and human-machine interfaces conception.

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a candidate for screening programs, since its prognosis is excellent when diagnosed in an early disease stage. Targeted screening of those at high risk for developing CM, a cost-effective alternative to population-wide screening, requires valid procedures to identify the high-risk group. Self-assessment of the number of nevi has been suggested as a component of such procedures, but its validity has not yet been established. We analyzed the level of agreement between self-assessments and expert assessments of the number of melanocytic nevi in the area between the wrist and the shoulder of both arms based on 4548 study subjects in whom mutually blinded double counting of nevi was performed. Nevus counting followed the IARC protocol. Study subjects received written instructions, photographs, a mirror, and a “nevometer” to support self-assessment of nevi larger than 2 mm. Nevus counts were categorized based on the quintiles of the distribution into five levels defining a nevus score. Cohen’s weighted kappa-coefficient was estimated to measure the level of agreement. In the total sample, agreement between self-assessments and expert-assessments was moderate (raw agreement: 50.29%, weighted κ=0.596). Self-assessed nevus counts were higher than those determined by experts (mean differ-ence: 3.33 nevi). The level of agreement was independent of sociodemographic and cutaneous factors; however, participants’ eye color had a significant impact on the level of agreement. Our findings show that even with comprehensive guidance, only a moderate level of agreement between self-assessed and expert-assessed nevus counts can be achieved. Self-assessed nevus information does not appear to be reliable enough to be used in individual risk assessment to target screening activities.

Physical laws manifest themselves through the amalgamation of mathematical symbols, numbers, functions, geometries, and relationships. These intricate combinations unfold within a mathematical model devised to capture and represent the ``objective reality'' of the system under examination. In this symbiotic relationship between physics and mathematics, the language of mathematics becomes a powerful tool for describing and predicting the behavior of the physical world. The language used and the associated concepts are in a perpetual state of evolution, mirroring the ongoing expansion of the phenomena accessible to our scientific understanding. In this contribution, written in honor of Richard Kerner, we delve into fundamental, at times seemingly elementary, elements of the mathematical language inherent to the physical sciences, guided by the overarching principles of symmetry and group theory. Our focus turns to the captivating realm of spheres, those strikingly symmetric entities that manifest prominently within our geometric landscape. By exploring the interplay between mathematical abstraction and the tangible beauty of symmetry, we seek to deepen our understanding of the underlying structures that govern our interpretation of the physical world.

Free-Living Amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in both nature and artificial environments such as drinking water. Besides the ability of all FLA to transport various pathogenic microorganisms, certain species, Acanthamoeba spp. or Balamuthia mandrillaris, have intrinsic pathogenic abilities and cause severe cerebral infections. Previous work has shown an enrichment of FLA cysts in biofilm developed in upper levels of Drinking Water Storage Towers (DWST), suggesting that differences in densities of FLA cysts may play a role in their unequal distribution in the water column. To evaluate this hypothesis, a model of a water column was created for this study and used to analyze the vertical distribution of cysts of the FLA Acanthamoeba castellanii, Vermamoeba vermiformis and Balamuthia mandrillaris from 0 to 23 weeks. Interestingly, our data showed that the cysts of both A. castellanii and V. vermiformis were enriched in upper water levels during their aging. However, B. mandrillaris cysts were equally distributed in the water column during the entire study. These results showed that, besides the role of the water level variation in the DWST, some FLA cysts can become less dense during their aging, which contributes to their enrichment in upper water, and thus biofilm levels.

The German Constitutional Court’s climate verdict provides a re-interpretation of liberal- democratic core concepts and is highly relevant for liberal constitutional law in general – including EU and international law. The verdict accepts human rights as intertemporal and globally applicable; it applies the precautionary principle to these rights and frees them from the misleading causality debate. However, the court fails to address the most important violations of human rights, and it categorised climate policy as a greater threat to freedom than climate change. And the court does not make it clear that the Paris 1.5-degree limit implies a radically smaller carbon budget. Furthermore, little attention has so far been paid to the fact that the ruling implies an obligation for more EU climate protection, especially since most emissions are regulated supranationally. To be effective, the EU emissions trading system demands a reform, which should go well beyond the existing EU proposals to enable societal transformation to sustainability.

Currently, there is no widely accepted consensus regarding a consistent thermodynamic framework within the special relativity paradigm. However, by postulating that the inverse temperature 4-vector, denoted as β, is future-directed and timelike, intriguing insights emerge. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the q-dependent Tsallis distribution can be conceptualized as a de-Sitterian deformation of the relativistic Maxwell-Jüttner distribution. In this context, the curvature of the de Sitter space-time is characterized by Λ/3, where Λ represents the cosmological constant within the ΛCDM standard model for Cosmology. For a simple gas composed of particles with proper mass m, and within the framework of quantum statistical de Sitterian considerations, the Tsallis parameter q exhibits a dependence on the cosmological constant given by q=1+ℓcΛ/n where ℓc=ℏ/mc is the Compton length of the particle and n is a positive numerical factor. This formulation establishes a novel connection between the Tsallis distribution, quantum statistics, and the cosmological constant, shedding light on the intricate interplay between relativistic thermodynamics and fundamental cosmological parameters.

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), maintaining data confidentiality and protecting user privacy have become increasingly challenging. End devices in IoT are often deployed in unattended environments and connected to open networks, which can make them vulnerable to physical tampering and other security attacks. Different authentication key agreement (AKA) schemes have been validated to date, but most schemes do not cover the necessary security features or are incompatible with resource-constrained end devices. Besides, their security proofs have been performed under the real-or-random model, which is not guaranteed to be secure in real applications. To reduce the weaknesses, we present an AKA protocol for end devices and servers. The proposal leverages the ECC-based key exchange mechanism and one-way hash function-based message authentication method to achieve mutual authentication, user anonymity, and forward security. Formal security proof of the proposed scheme is performed under the standard model with the elliptic curve encryption computational assumptions, and an automatic formal verification was performed with ProVerif. Further, the performance comparison verifies that our scheme reduces computation and communication costs while providing improved security features.

Hereditary polyposis syndromes are rare but potentially devastating conditions which require multidisciplinary care from an early age. Societal guidelines serve as the framework for disease diagnosis, surveillance and treatment. Guidelines are based on expert opinion and ideally are evidence-based; however, recommendations may vary among different societies and can result in discordant care. This paper aims to summarize key differences in management based on societal guidelines for pediatric polyposis syndromes and identify some of the factors which may contribute to divergence in care.

The impact of nanomaterials on lung fluids or on the plasma membrane of living cells has prompted researchers to examine the interactions between nanoparticles and lipid vesicles. Recent studies have shown that nanoparticle-lipid interaction leads to a broad range of structures including supported lipid bilayers (SLB), particles adsorbed at the surface or internalized inside vesicles, and mixed aggregates. Today, there is a need to have simple protocols that can readily assess the nature of structures obtained from particles and vesicles. Here we apply the method of continuous variation for measuring Job scattering plots and provide analytical expressions for the scattering intensity in various scenarios. The result that emerges from the comparison between modeling and experimental measurements is that electrostatics plays a key role in the association, but it is not sufficient to induce the formation of supported lipid bilayers.

Port state control inspections implemented under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) have become known as one of the best instruments for maritime administrations in European Union (EU) Member States to ensure that the ships docked in their ports comply with all maritime safety requirements. This paper focuses on the analysis of all inspections made between 2013 and 2018 in the top ten EU ports incorporated in the Paris MoU (17,880 inspections). The methodology consists of a multivariate statistical information system (STATIS) analysis using the inspected ship’s characteristics as explanatory variables. The variables used describe both the inspected ships (classification society, flag, age and gross tonnage) and the inspection (type of inspection and number of deficiencies), yielding a dataset with more than 600,000 elements in the data matrix. The most important results are that the classifications obtained match the performance lists published annually by the Paris MoU and the classification societies. Therefore, the approach is a potentially valid classification method and would then be useful to maritime authorities as an additional indicator of a ship’s risk profile to decide inspection priorities and as a tool to measure the evolution in the risk profile of flag over time.

The phenomena of light absorption, fluorescence and laser emission are accounted for within a unique picture. The atomic dipole is dealt with in a quantum framework, whereas the electromagnetic field is assumed to be a classical sine-wave. The on and off resonance cases are investigated. This is achieved owing to a novel application of Poynting's theorem. Observable predictions are made, regarding absorption of the electromagnetic energy and the frequency bandwidth of light emitted either by fluorescence or laser effect.

The development of integrated, compact, and multifunctional photonic circuits is crucial to increase the capacity of all-optical signal processing for communications, data management or microsystems. Plasmonics brings compactness to numerous photonic functions, but its integration into circuits in not straightforward due to insertion losses and poor modes matching. The purpose of this article is to detail the integration strategies of plasmonic structures on dielectric waveguides, and to show through some examples the variety and the application prospect of integrated plasmonic functions.

We explores the relational, dynamic elements of Complex Buildings, a type of architecture designed to incubate uses, located in urban areas with high housing density. The uses of Complex Buildings concern different elements, including the network of agents using or managing them, the environment, and the activities and functions that take place occasionally, temporarily or permanently. Data was gathered through ethnographic research lasting 6 months and a chronotopian approach was used to describe time and space. We analyzed and discussed the interaction of the elements of Complex Buildings through a cellular automaton model, a computational method that simulates the growth of complex systems. It was used here to generate patterns that suggest configurations of uses that can optimize management and therefore increase economic and social capital. The cellular automaton model was also used to develop an abstraction of the Centquatre, a public cultural center in Paris. This center is a good example of a Complex Building, being based on a public-private partnership and having an architectural configuration designed to host a wide range of art, social and productive activities. The building includes a large central space used as an urban public area open to different types of people. The importance of this case study lies in its capacity to produce economic value by combining different uses, and also by welcoming different people to the public space. Regarding the building as a living organism, the cellular automaton model reveals the determinant nature of the concepts of configuration, compatibility of uses and economic value generated by the presence of people. We argue that this approach makes it possible to show that the space-time design and public space dimensions are determinant factors in Complex Buildings.

For college students, speaking skills are a priceless commodity that can solve a wide range of social, professional, and academic problems. Proficiency in oral communication allows students to express themselves coherently and convincingly in academic and workplace contexts, which improves their involvement in group projects, presentations, and class debates. This paper determines to collect literature to prove that speaking skills can be a panacea for college students in the classroom and the workplace. Having speaking skills is, in fact, a college student's greatest asset, providing a plethora of advantages that go beyond scholastic achievement to encompass personal and professional growth. These abilities should be prioritized in colleges and institutions, with thorough curricula incorporating technological integration, practice opportunities, and public speaking courses. More investigation is required to look into creative approaches to improving speaking abilities and helping students get past obstacles. In essence, emerging strong speaking skills prepare college students with a multipurpose device that improves various aspects of their lives, making it a true panacea.

Diffuse type of gastric cancer (GC) has an increasing prevalence worldwide, especially in Western countries, is usually diagnosed at advanced stages, and has no efficacious treatment options. Epidemiological studies have reported an increased mortality from GC after occupational exposure to well-studied pro-carcinogen that are metabolically activated by Cyp P450 enzymes through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Substantial studies support the involvement of AhR in gastric carcinogenesis. However, little is known about the role of AhR in diffuse GC, as compared to intestinal GC. In a cohort of 29 gastric tumors, we described a significantly increased AhR protein and mRNA expression levels in GCs, independently of subtypes and clinical parameters. AhR and RhoA mRNA expression were correlated in diffuse GC. Further, our study characterized how AhR affects gene expression in diffuse GC. Using qRT-PCR, we compared the expression levels of AhR, Cyp1A1 and Cyp1B1 to the expression of genes in a panel previously described. In diffuse GC, Cyp1A1 expression correlated with genes involved in IGF signalling, EMT (VIM), migration (MMP2). In an in vitro assay using the poorly differentiated KATOIII epithelial cell line, two well-known ligands for AhR (TCDD and BaP) induced mRNA expression of CYP1A1, IL1b, as well as UGT1, NQO1 and AhRR to a lower extent. We also observed a strong increase in Cyp1B1 expression in diffuse GC, along with a lower TCDD-increased Cyp1B1 expression as compared to Cyp1A1 in KATOIII cells, and immunostaining in stromal cells. In intestinal GC, Cyp1B1 inversely correlated with several genes including IDO1 (generating endogenous kynurenin-e AhR ligand). Our data provide evidence for a major role of AhR in GC, as an environmental xenobiotics receptor, through different mechanisms and pathways in diffuse and intestinal GC. Our results support continued efforts to clarify the identities of exogenous AhR ligands in diffuse GC in order to define new therapeutic strategies.

Background : Drug treatments for gait disorders in post-stroke patients aim to reduce muscular hyperactivity. Analysis of muscle activity is essential to help clinicians understand these disorders. The aim of this study was to quantify changes in muscle synergies before (PRE) and after (POST) rectus femoris nerve block. Methods : Gait analysis of 8 post-stroke patients before and immediately after nerve block. Muscle synergies were quantified from electromyographic signals. We have selected: the account for variance indicating the robustness of the synergies, the recruitment selectivity index indicating the degree of multiplexing of the synergies, and the recruitment consistency index indicating the variability of the synergies. Results : A decrease in VAF is observed, suggesting a reduction in gait pattern robustness. We also note that spatial and temporal primitives are slightly different (IRC, IRS) in PRE vs. POST, and that their activation is more nested in POST than in PRE. Conclusions : The motor nerve block has not created new muscle synergies of the paretic limb during gait, but indicates that there is flexibility in motor organization. This method of quanti-fication may enable clinicians to assess the motor adaptation potential of their post-stroke patient.

We address security and privacy problems for digital devices and biometrics from an information-theoretic optimality perspective, where a secret key is generated for authentication, identification, message encryption/decryption, or secure computations. A physical unclonable function (PUF) is a promising solution for local security in digital devices and this review gives the most relevant summary for information theorists, coding theorists, and signal processing community members who are interested in optimal PUF constructions. Low-complexity signal processing methods such as transform coding that are developed to make the information-theoretic analysis tractable are discussed. The optimal trade-offs between the secret-key, privacy-leakage, and storage rates for multiple PUF measurements are given. Proposed optimal code constructions that jointly design the vector quantizer and error-correction code parameters are listed. These constructions include modern and algebraic codes such as polar codes and convolutional codes, both of which can achieve small block-error probabilities at short block lengths, corresponding to a small number of PUF circuits. Open problems in the PUF literature from a signal processing, information theory, coding theory, and hardware complexity perspectives and their combinations are listed to stimulate further advancements in the research on local privacy and security.

Consumer protection in the financial market has several dimensions. From a formal point of view, consumer rights are guaranteed by law. Market asymmetries are eliminated through the obligation to provide consumers with complete and objective information about financial products and services, honest marketing communication and professional sales practices. Programs are implemented in schools and the media to promote knowledge and responsible use of financial products and services. Despite the efforts made, the number of incorrect and suboptimal financial decisions is so high that the risk of households falling into excessive debt remains significant. The limited effectiveness of the law led to the claim that only effective education can reduce the risk of suboptimal financial decisions. Unfortunately, the efforts made in this area are not fully satisfactory. The aim of the article is to review scientific research on the financial knowledge of consumers in Central Europe and compare it to the results of a study conducted in Poland in January 2024. The results of the analysis could indicate the direction of further research on the possibilities of eliminating suboptimal financial decisions of consumers without limiting - for their better protection - access to financial products.

Our aim was to compare the inter-rater agreement of Transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) regarding diagnosing adenomyosis and for various predefined imaging features of adenomyosis in the same set of women. MRIs were assessed by four experienced radiologists and 2D TVS videoclips and 3D ultrasound volumes were assessed by five experienced sonographers. Each rater subjectively evaluated the presence or absence of adenomyosis, assessed various imaging. Fleiss kappa (κ) was used to reflect inter-rater agreement for categorical data and the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to reflect the reliability of quantitative data. Agreement between raters for diagnosing adenomyosis was higher for TVS than for MRI (κ =0.42 vs.0.28). MRI had a higher inter-rater agreement in assessing wall asymmetry irregular Junctional Zone (JZ) presence of myometrial cysts, while TVU had a better agreement for globular shape. MRI showed a moderate-good reliability for measuring the JZ (ICC=0.57-0.82). For TVS, JZ was unmeasurable in &gt; 50% of cases and the remaining cases had a low reliability (ICC=-0.31-0.08). We found that Inter-rater agreement for diagnosing adenomyosis was higher for TVS than for MRI, despite that MRI showed a higher inter-rater agreement in most specific features. Measurements of JZ in the coronal plane with 3D TVS were unreliable and thus unlikely to be useful for diagnosing adenomyosis.

The era of Internet of Things (IoT) has begun to evolve and with this the devices around us are getting more and more connected. Vehicular Ad-hoc NETworks (VANETs) is one of the applications of IoT. VANET allow vehicles within these networks to communicate effectively with each another. VANETs can provide an extensive range of applications that support and enhance passenger safety and comfort. It is important that VANETs are applied within a safe and reliable network topology; however, the challenging nature of reaching reliable and trustworthy agreement in such distributed systems is one of the most important issues in designing a fault-tolerant system. Therefore, protocols are required so that systems can still be correctly executed, reaching agreement on the same values in a distributed system, even if certain components in the system fail. In this study, the agreement problem is revisited in a VANET with multiple damages. The proposed protocol allows all fault-free nodes (vehicles) to reach agreement with minimal rounds of message exchanges, and tolerates the maximal number of allowable faulty components in the VANET.

The global photovoltaic (PV) installed capacity, vital for the electric sector decarbonation, has reached 1,552.3 GWp in 2023. In France, the capacity stood in April 2024 at 19.9 GWp. The growth of the PV installed capacity over a year was nearly 32% worldwide and 15.7% in France. However, integrating PV electricity into grids is hindered by poor knowledge of rooftop PV systems, constituting 20% of France's installed capacity, and the lack of measurements of the production stemming from these systems. This problem of lack of measurements of the rooftop PV power production is referred to as the lack of observability. Using ground truth measurements of individual PV systems, available at an unprecedented temporal and spatial scale, we show that estimating the PV power production of an individual rooftop system by combining solar irradiance and temperature data, the characteristics of the PV system inferred from remote sensing methods and an irradiation-to-electric power conversion model provides accurate estimations of the PV power production. Our study shows that we can improve rooftop PV observability, and thus its integration into the electric grid, using little information on these systems, a simple model of the PV system and weather data.

In addition to the canonical loss-of-function mutations, mutations in proteins may additionally result in gain-of-function through the binary activation of cryptic ‘structural capacitance elements’. Our previous bioinformatic analysis allowed us to propose a new mechanism of protein evolution - structural capacitance – that arises via the generation of new elements of microstructure upon mutations that cause a disorder-to-order (DO) transition in previously disordered regions of proteins. Here we propose that the DO transition is a necessary follow-on from expected early codon-anticodon and tRNA acceptor stem-amino acid usage, via the accumulation of structural capacitance elements - reservoirs of disorder in proteins. We develop this argument further to posit that structural capacitance is an inherent consequence of the evolution of the genetic code.

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare genodermatosis caused by β-human papillomaviruses (HPV) in immunodeficient patients. EV is characterized by flat warts and pityriasis-like lesions and might be isolated or syndromic, associated with some other infectious manifestations. We report here three patients from 2 independent families with syndromic EV for 2 of them. By whole exome sequencing, we found that patients carry new homozygous variants in STK4, both leading to a premature stop codon. STK4 deficiency causes a combined immunodeficiency characterized by a broad infectious susceptibility to bacteria, viruses and fungi. Auto-immune manifestations were also reported. Deep immunophenotyping revealed multiple cytopenia in the three affected patients, in particular deep CD4+ T cells deficiency. We report here the fourth and the fifth cases of syndromic EV due to STK4 deficiency.

In order to assess the impact of nitrogen availability on lipid metabolism of Streptomyces coelicolor, we first assessed the global lipid content of 21 strains derived from S. coelicolor M145 deleted for at least one gene involved in nitrogen metabolism. This study revealed that only 7 strains deleted either for genes encoding, proteins involved in polyamine (GlnA2/SCO2241, GlnA3/SCO6962, GlnA4/SCO1613) or protein (Pup/SCO1646) degradation, for the global regulator DasR/SCO5231 that controls negatively the degradation of N acetylglucosamine, a constituant of peptidoglycan, or for two proteins involved in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism, GlnE/SCO2234 and GlnK/SCO5584, had a higher triacylglycerol content than the original strain whereas 5 of these strains (with the exception of glnA2 and pup mutant strains) had a lower cardiolipin content than the original strain. Furthermore, the determination of the level of production of the blue polyketide, actinorhodin (ACT), of these 7 strains grown either in phosphate (Pi) limitation or proficiency, revealed that ACT production was totally abolished in the dasR mutant in both Pi conditions whereas the deletion of pup, glnA2, glnA3 and glnA4 was correlated with a significant increase of total ACT production, in Pi limitation. However, in Pi proficiency, ACT production was only slightly enhanced in the pup, glnA2 and glnA4 mutants and was strongly reduced in the glnA3 mutant. Altogether our data suggest that high TAG and ACT biosynthesis and low cardiolipin biosynthesis might all contribute to the lowering of oxidative stress resulting from nitrogen limitation or from other causes.

So-called ‘zero’ or ‘null’ tenses have often been characterized as functionally deficient forms, deprived of any inherent content. In this paper, we will focus on the semantics of a morpho-phonologically null inflectional verbal paradigm in Anindilyakwa (Groote Eylandt, N.T., Australia, which is both temporally and aspectually underspecified. Through a quantitative corpus study conducted in the paper, we establish that ‘zero inflection’ in this language, contra prior works on such tenses in general (e.g. Bybee 1990) and in Anindilyakwa in particular (Bednall 2019), presents various degrees of sensitivity to traditional Vendlerian aspectual parameters. We show that while telicity is not a significant predictor for the temporal interpretation of zero-inflected Anindilyakwa verbs, and dynamicity is a good but not very good predictor, only a very broad opposition between change-of-state (including qua boundedness) and non-change-of-state, or perfective/imperfective, gives very significant biases towards past vs. present anchoring. We also show that atomic telicity is the only categorical Aktionsart predictor for temporal anchoring in this context correctly predict the temporal anchoring of such verbs, and stativity is not biased towards present interpretations, thereby questioning currently received typological theories of the semantics of so-called ‘zero-tenses’ / aspectuo-temporally underspecified tenses.

In this study we were interested in the behaviors of individuals who preserve the social and organizational environment by ensuring sustainability. More specifically we are interested in allegiants behaviors. Numerous studies have highlighted the normative character of allegiance. To confer an object the status of social norm means to assign value (in terms of desirability and utility) to that object. Therefore we questioned the value attributed to allegiance. 170 employees were questioned on the desirability and utility they attribute to a future work colleague (future peer or future subordinate) starting from the answers the latter was supposed to have given to a questionnaire on allegiance. It was observed that desirability and utility make reference to two independent dimensions, utility being often more important. It was also noted there is greater severity assigned to endo-group targets (future peers) than to exo-group targets (future subordinates). Finally, it was noted there was not so much a valuation of allegiant targets, but rather a rejection of rebel targets, which raises the question of the bi-dimensionality of the valuation-devaluation process.

Background: Implantation of an endovascular device disrupts the homeostatic CD31:CD31 interactions among quiescent endothelial cells, platelets, and circulating leukocytes. The aim of this study was to mask endovascu-lar stents with peptides imitating CD31, to mimic the device's surface to resemble that of a healthy vascular endothelium. Methods: Peptide design relied on established trans-homophilic sequences found within domains 1 and 2 of CD31. Subsequently, synthetic peptides were immobilized onto flat CoCr and nitinol discs and their impact on the primary human arterial endothelial cell phenotype was evaluated in vitro. Following this, clinical-grade CoCr and nitinol endovascular devices were coated with one of the peptides that demonstrated the capability to induce a pro-physiologic endothelial phenotype, implanted in the arteries of rabbits, and compared to un-coated controls. Results: Membrane-distal CD31 domains 1 and 2 peptides exhibited a distinct capability to foster a healthy endothelial phenotype in vitro. By day 7 post-aortic implantation, CoCr stents were evenly covered by whole-some endothelial cells, devoid of thrombo-inflammatory signs, in contrast to both bare metal and drug-eluting stents. At day 60, nitinol-coated flow diverters demonstrated enhanced performance in comparison to the control groups for excluding experimental carotid aneurysms, facilitating the formation of a seamless "neo-arterial" wall. Conclusion: Membrane-distal CD31 biomimetic peptides effectively camouflage the device surface, prevent-ing local reactions and promoting rapid and seamless endovascular integration.

The processes of soliton generation and interference focus on the complex nonlinear soliton dynamics resembling matter particles. In order to further understand the dynamic process of solitons from a multidimensional perspective, here we report the vectorial solitons nature under two-sets pulse splitting in a single cavity induced by dual-core fiber assisted ultrafast fiber lasers. Owing to the weakly coupled cores in symmetrical dual core fiber (SDCF), two pulse groups interaction are formed in a cavity. By using the dispersive Fourier transformation technique (DFT), it was found that the four-component polarized rotation vector solitons (PRVS) generate. Moreover, gradually increasing the power can obtain the locked soliton bound state in two core space, and the corresponding evolution is similar to that of non-degenerate bright solitons in Bose Einstein condensates (BEC). In addition, by properly controlling the soliton phase offset in SDCF, the soliton rain state of multi pulse evolution can be obtained. The related experimental results would be fruitful to the communities interested in soliton dynamics and frequency comb lasers.

In this paper, we propose a lightweight physical layer aided authentication and key agreement (PL-AKA) protocol in the internet of things (IoT). Conventional evolved packet system AKA (EPS-AKA) used in long-term evolution (LTE) systems may suffer from congestions in core networks by the large signaling overhead as the number of IoT devices increases. Thus, in order to alleviate the overhead, we consider a cross-layer authentication by integrating physical layer approaches to cryptography-based schemes. To demonstrate the feasibility of the PL-AKA, universal software radio peripheral (USRP) based tests are conducted as well as numerical simulations. The proposed scheme shows a significant reduction in signaling overhead compared to the conventional EPS-AKA in both simulation and experiment. Therefore, the proposed lightweight PL-AKA has the potential for practical and efficient implementation of large-scale IoT networks.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the first cause of dementia worldwide without any current curative treatment. Facing an increasing prevalence and its associated costs, AD represents a public health challenge. Usual diagnostic methods still rely on extended interviews and paper tests provided by an exterior examiner. We aim to create a novel, quick cognitive-screening tool on a numerical tablet. Methods: This program, built and edited with Unity®, runs on Android® for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE®. Composed of seven tasks inspired by the Mini-Mental Status Examination and the Montréal Cognitive Assessment, it browses several cognitive functions. The architectural design of this tablet application is distinguished by its multifaceted capabilities, encompassing not only seamless offline functionality but also a mechanism to ensure the singularity of data amalgamated from diverse sites. Additionally, a paramount emphasis is placed on safeguarding the confidentiality of patient information in the healthcare domain. Furthermore, the application empowers individual site managers to access and peruse specific datasets, enhancing their operational efficacy and decision-making processes. We performed a preliminary usability assessment among healthy subjects. Results: 24 healthy patients were included with a final F-SUS score of "excellent". Participants perceived the tool as simple to use and achieved the test in a mean time of 142 seconds. No technical errors occurred. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that our new assessment on a numerical tablet allows a short cognitive screening.

High-resolution K-shell photoionization cross-sections for the C-like atomic nitrogen ion (N+) are reported in the 398 eV (31.15 Å) to 450 eV (27.55 Å) energy (wavelength) range. The results were obtained from absolute ion-yield measurements using the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility for spectral bandpasses of 65 meV or 250 meV. In the photon energy region 398 eV - 403 eV, 1s⟶2p autoionizing resonance states dominated the cross section spectrum. Analyses of the experimental profiles yielded resonance strengths and Auger widths. In the 415 eV - 440 eV photon region 1s⟶1s2s22p2 4Pnp and 1s⟶1s2s22p2 2Pnp resonances forming well-developed Rydberg series up n=7 and n=8 , respectively, were identified in both the single and double ionization spectra. Theoretical photoionization cross-section calculations, performed using the R-matrix plus pseudo-states (RMPS) method and the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock (MCDF) approach were bench marked against these high-resolution experimental results. Comparison of the state-of-the-art theoretical work with the experimental studies allowed the identification of new resonance features. Resonance strengths, energies and Auger widths (where available) are compared quantitatively with the theoretical values. Contributions from excited metastable states of the N+ ions were carefully considered throughout.

Background: Perinatal exposure to pollutants could lead to side-effects in mothers and children, since this is a period of high vulnerability. Sparse and contradictory data are available on the impact of pollutants on breast milk. Objective: The present study consists of a scoping to review the recent research on the persistent presence of organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals in breast milk. Design: We performed a scoping review using two online databases to identify articles published from 1995 to 2023 on pollutants in breast milk, using the PRISMA Checklist. Results: A total of 54 articles were found relevant. POPs were present in breast milk in higher concentrations the longer the lactation period. In 3-year-old children, the presence of POPs correlated with the duration of breastfeeding. Estimated dietary exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) during pregnancy was positively associated with plasma concentrations in 3-year-old children, but not in pregnant women, suggesting transplacental transfer of these substances. Indeed, plasma concentrations were approximately 40% higher in children compared to pregnant women. In China, a clinical study assessed the risks of POPs in breastfed infants under 6 months of age. POPs decreased over time. Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) was present in infants living in coastal areas. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was the pollutant of greatest concern. Parity is a major determinant of POP levels in breast milk, as are heavy metals. Carcinogenic PAHs were found to a greater extent in obese mothers than in mothers with a normal body mass index. Discussion: POPs and heavy metals could be found in infant formula as well as maternal milk. furthers studies are needed to compare the concentrations between the two milks. Conclusions: Breastfeeding is the only food recommended by the WHO for optimal infant growth. It would seem advisable to pursue risk reduction policies to protect mothers and infants from contaminants in breast milk.

Biochar is a carbon allotrope obtained by pyrolysis of biomass, usually agro-waste. Owing to the demand for sustainable development, biochar is continuously raising much hope in the scientific community. However, in order to impart it with new properties, its modification is required, either in situ during pyrolysis, or after the carbonization process. Herein, we propose a new direct approach to obtain bimetallic copper/nickel nanoparticle-loaded on olive stone biochar. The bimetallic-coated biochar and the reference materials bare biochar, copper-loaded and nickel-loaded biochar were prepared at 400 °C under a stream of dinitrogen from olive pit powder particles impregnated first with citric acid (CA), and then with copper and nickel nitrates. We have employed citric acid in the process in order to check its effect on the structural and textural properties of biochar supporting the metallic nanoparticles. Surprisingly, citric acid induced the formation of agglomerated or even raspberry-shaped, bimetallic copper/nickel nanoparticles. Large 450-500 nm-sized agglomerates of ~80 nm bimetallic CuNi NPs were noted for B-CA@CuNi. Interestingly, for biochar material prepared with initial Cu/Ni=10 molar ratio (B-CA@CuNi10/1), the bimetallic NPs formed unusual nano-raspberries (1748 nm in size) which are agglomerates of individual 10-20 nm-sized CuNi10/1 nanoparticles. The B-CA@CuNi and reference materials were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetometry. The B-CA@CuNi and B-CA@Ni materials could be attracted efficiently with a magnet, but not B-CA@CuNi10/1 due to a low nickel loading. B-CA@CuNi was tested as a catalyst for the degradation of methyl orange (MO). Discoloration was noted within 10 min, much faster than a similar material prepared in the absence of CA. B-CA@CuNi could be recycled at least 3 times with exhibit as fast discoloration catalysis performance. This paper stresses the important role of citric acid in shaping the bimetallic nanoparticles loaded in situ on biochar during the slow pyrolysis process and to enable faster catalysed discoloration of organic dye solution.

In order to ensure the sustainability of the shipping industry and marine ecosystem of Montenegro, it is necessary that Montenegro becomes a full member of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) on Port State Control. The reasons for doing so are numerous: the full adoption of standards stipulated by the Memorandum in relation to ship control; continuous keeping the pace with and development of new standards in compliance with turbulent changes in the maritime industry and operation (including the increasing scope of maritime transport); decrease in the number of detained ships which meet the requirements stipulated in international conventions and elimination of substandard ships in perspective; prevention of environmental pollution, sea and port incidents. This justified endeavour is supported by the fact that Montenegro is one out of two countries in Europe that are not the full members of the Paris MoU. Additionally, in this context it is necessary to emphasise the fact that the marine ecosystem of Montenegro makes an integral part of the world ocean. Accordingly, the improvement of the quality of national legislation which is compliant with international requirements is an imperative which has positive implications on the regional and global sustainability.

The Samenta study was conducted in 2009 in the Greater Paris area to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the homeless. A cross-sectional survey was performed with a three-stage random sample of homeless people (n = 859), including users of day services, emergency shelters, hot meal distribution, long-term rehabilitation centres and social hotels. Information was collected by a lay interviewer, using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and completed by a psychologist through an open clinical interview. In the end, a psychiatrist assessed the psychiatric diagnosis according to the ICD10. One third of the homeless in the Paris area had at least one severe psychiatric disorder: psychotic disorders (13%), anxiety disorders (12%) or severe mood disorders (7%). One in five was alcohol dependent and 18% were drug users. Homeless women had significantly higher prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression and men were more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders. Homeless people of French origin were at higher risk of SPD, as well as people who experienced various adverse life events before the age of 18 (running away, sexual violence, parental disputes, and/or addictions) and those who experienced homelessness for the first time before the age of 26. The prevalence rates of main psychiatric disorders within the homeless population of our study are consistent with those reported in other Western cities. Our results advocate for an improvement in detection, housing and care of psychiatric homeless.

This article provides exact analytical formulae for various kinds of rainbow step barrier options. These are highly flexible and sophisticated multi-asset barrier options based on the following principle : the option life is divided into several time intervals on which different barriers are monitored w.r.t. different underlying assets. From a mathematical point of view, new formulae are provided for the first passage time of a multidimensional geometric Brownian motion to a boundary defined as a step function. The article shows how to implement the obtained valuation formulae in a simple and very efficient manner. Numerical results highlight a strong sensitivity of rainbow step barrier options to the correlations between the underlying assets.

GNSS is nowadays a standard tool for monitoring and studying the Earth’s dynamic environment. However, the development of dense GNSS measurements remains limited in many experiments by the cost of geodetic-class equipments allowing to achieve the high precision required by many applications. Recently, multi-constellation, multi-frequency, low-power and, above all, less expensive GNSS electronic chips have become available. We present a prototype of a low-cost, open-source multi-GNSS station. Our prototype comprises a dual-frequency GNSS chip, a calibrated antenna, a Raspberry Pi card and a 4G key for data transmission. The system is easy to deploy in the field and allows precise positioning in real time and post-processing. We assess the performance of our prototype in terms of raw data quality, and quality of the obtained high rate and daily position one-year-long time series. Our results demonstrate a quality equivalent to geodetic-class equipment and better quality than other low-cost systems proposed so far.

Land and climate are strongly connected through multiple interface processes and climate change may lead to significant changes in land use. In this study, high-resolution observational gridded datasets are used to assess modifications in the Köppen-Geiger and Worldwide Bioclimatic (WBCS) Classification Systems, from 1950‒1979 to 1990‒2019 in Portugal. A compound Bioclimatic-Shift Exposure Index (BSEI) is also defined to identify the most exposed regions to recent climatic changes. The temporal evolution of land cover with vineyards and olive groves between 1990 and 2018, as well as correlations with areas with bioclimatic shifts, are analyzed. Results show an increase (decrease) of CSa Warm Mediterranean climate with hot summer (CSb, warm summer) of 18.1% (‒17.8%). The WBCS Temperate areas also reveal a decrease of ‒5.11%. Arid and semi-arid ombrotypes areas increased, conversely to humid to sub-humid ombrotypes. Thermotypic horizons depict a shift towards warmer classes. BSEI highlights the most significant shifts in northwestern Portugal. Vineyards have been displaced towards regions that are either the coolest/humid, in the northwest, or the warmest/driest, in the south. For oliviculture, the general trend for a relative shift towards cool/humid areas suggests an attempt of the sector to adapt, despite the cover area growth in the south. As vineyards and olive groves in southern Portugal are commonly irrigated, options for the intensification of these crops in this region may threaten the already scarce water resources and challenge the future sustainability of these sectors.

This research paper examines a cosmological model in flat space-time via $f(R,G)$ gravity where $R$ and $G$ are respectively the Ricci scalar and Gauss-Bonnet invariant. Our model assumes that $f(R,G)$ is an exponential function of $G$ combined with a linear combination of $R$. We scrutinize the observational limitations under a power law cosmology that relies on two parameters - $H_0$, the Hubble constant, and $q$, the deceleration parameter, utilizing the 57-point $H(z)$ data, 8-point BAO data, 1048-point Pantheon data, joint data of $H(z)$ + Pantheon, and joint data of $H(z)$ + BAO + Pantheon. The outcomes for $H_0$ and $q$ are realistic within observational ranges. We have also addressed Energy Conditions, $Om(z)$ analysis and cosmographical parameters like Jerk, Lerk and Snap. Our estimate of $H_0$ is remarkably consistent with various recent Planck Collaboration studies that utilize the $\Lambda$CDM model. According to our study, the power law cosmology within the context of $f(R,G)$ gravity provides the most comprehensive explanation for the important aspects of cosmic evolution.

Transformative education significantly advances society's growth as an essential doorway to fresh language learning chances. It equips people to succeed in a complicated world by encouraging critical thinking, inclusivity, social responsibility, lifelong learning, and international collaboration. Adopting transformative education can result in a more inventive, sustainable, and equal society where everyone can realize their potential and advance society's interests as educational systems change. This paper aims to gather literature regarding how transformative education becomes a door toward new learning opportunities in societal development especially language. Transformative education may produce a generation of knowledgeable, sympathetic, and proactive students who can bring about constructive social change by prioritizing holistic development. Hence, educators should work to foster a learning atmosphere where all students feel supported and respected. Through integrating social justice ideals into the educational process, transformative education equips students to act as change agents and advocates for equity both within and outside their communities.

Background & Aims: Globally, liver diseases account for 2 million deaths per year. For those with advanced liver disease the only curative approach is liver transplantation. However, less than 10% of those in need get a liver transplant due to limited organ availability. To circumvent this challenge, there has been a great focus in generating a bioengineered liver. Despite its essential role in liver functions, a functional biliary system has not yet been developed. In this framework, exploration of epithelial cell self-organogenesis and microengineering-driven geometrical cell confinement allow to envision the bioengineering of a functional biomimetic intrahepatic biliary tract. Approach: Three-dimensional (3D) bile ducts were built in vitro by restricting cell adhesion to two-dimensional (2D) patterns to guide cell self-organization. Tree shapes mimicking the configuration of the human biliary system were micropatterned on glass slides, restricting cell attachment to these areas. Different tree geometries and culture conditions were explored to stimulate self-organogenesis of normal rat cholangiocytes (NRCs) used as a biliary cell model, either alone or in coculture with human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: Pre-seeding the micropatterns with HUVECs promoted luminogenesis with higher efficiency to yield functional branched biliary tubes. Lumen formation, apico-basal polarity, and preservation of the cholangiocyte phenotype were confirmed. Moreover, intact and functional biliary structures were detached from the micropatterns for further manipulation. Conclusion: This study presents physiologically relevant 3D biliary duct networks built in vitro from 2D micropatterns. This opens opportunities for investigating bile duct organogenesis, physiopathology, and drug testing.

Plantar flexors (PF) spasticity is known to poorly correlate with active dorsiflexion (DF) impairment throughout the swing phase of hemiparetic gait. Spastic Cocontraction, instead, stemming from descending pathways, potentially misdirect antagonist PF activity opposing DF during swing. Electromyographic (EMG) recordings, while unable to differentiate between reflex-based and descending origins, may offer valuable insights into this distinction by exploring PF EMG activity after tibial nerve neurotomy (which eliminates PF spasticity). Eleven subjects with hemiparesis walking at comfortable velocity and 11 controls walking at comfortable and slow velocity, underwent kinematic and PF/DF EMG analysis. Five of the hemiparetic subjects underwent tibial neurotomy &gt;1 year prior. We evaluated spasticity at rest (Tardieu scale), maximal ankle dorsiflexion, tibialis anterior agonist recruitment and gastrocnemius medialis and soleus cocontraction coefficients during swing. At slow velocity, controls (0.80±0.12 m/s) moved at a similar pace as hemiparetic subjects (0.73±0.37 m/s, NS). Hemiparetic subjects showed: (i) reduced ankle DF across swing (ii) increased PF cocontraction, including before any DF (iii) higher cocontraction despite absent spasticity in tibial neurotomy subjects (iv) higher tibialis anterior recruitment. Increased PF cocontraction occurs in the absence of spasticity or ankle DF despite higher agonist recruitment. Spastic cocontraction is a major factor limiting active DF at swing, unlike spasticity.

In today's world, the significance of reducing energy consumption globally is increasing, making it imperative to prioritize energy efficiency in the 5th Generation (5G) networks. However, it is crucial to ensure that these energy-saving measures do not compromise the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as user experience, quality of service (QoS), or other important aspects of the network. To address this challenge, advanced wireless technologies have been incorporated into the design of 5G networks across various network layers. Given the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and emerging technology trends such as Machine Learning (ML), which is considered a subset of AI, the integration of such trends into 5G networks has become a significant area of research. The primary objective of this survey is to analyze AI integration into 5G networks for enhanced energy efficiency. By exploring this intersection between AI and 5G, we aim to identify potential strategies and techniques for optimizing energy consumption while maintaining the desired network performance and user experience.

Late onset Pompe disease is a recessive lysosomal storage disease. Clinical features include skeletal muscles deficiency and diaphragm weakness. Clinical management relies on supportive treatment and mechanical ventilation in patents with chronic respiratory failure. M mode ultrasound and tissue Doppler imaging can be used to assess and to follow up diaphragm function.

In 1922, Albert Einstein visited Paris and interacted extensively with an illustrious section of the French academia. In overfilled sessions at the Coll\`{e}ge de France and the Sorbonne, Einstein explained his theories of relativity, and prominent physicists, mathematicians and philosophers listened, debated, questioned and explored facets of relativity. The 1922 visit had its echoes in the life and works of many who participated, particularly decisive for Einstein and the philosopher Henri Bergson. This essay examines that eventful visit, focusing on the physical and logical aspects of Bergson's critique, with physics commentaries, linking prominent French physicists and mathematicians Langevin, Painlev\'{e}, Hadamard, Becquerel, Sagnac, and Kastler. I give particular attention to the logical and empirical accuracy of the physics issues involved, delineating Bergson's exact reasoning for his philosophical enthusiasm in Einstein's theory and for the ensuing critique. Bergson's philosophical stand on duration and simultaneity is reassessed in the context of later developments in cosmological physics as well as the wealth of empirical data involving comparison of atomic clocks. Finally we are led naturally to a surprising completion of the philosopher's program on universal time, duration and simultaneity, in harmony with the time of the physicist. In the appendices after the main text I also give the physics background and easily verifiable proofs for the assertions made in the text, pertaining to relativity, simultaneity and time dilation, clearly distinguishing beliefs and facts.

Diarylethene is a prototypical molecular switch that can be reversibly photoisomerized between its open and closed forms. Ligands bpy-DAE-bpy, consisting of a phenyl-diarylethene-phenyl (DAE) central core and bipyridine (bpy) terminal substituents, are able to self-organize. They are investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy at the solid-liquid interface. Upon light irradiation, cooperative photochromic switching of the ligands is recognized down to the sub-molecular level. The closed isomers show different electron density of states (DOS) contrasts, attributed to the HOMO or LUMO molecular orbitals observed. More importantly, the LUMO images show remarkable differences between the open and closed isomers, attributed to combined topographic and electronic contrasts mainly on the DAE moieties. The electronic contrasts from multiple HOMO or LUMO distributions, combined with topographic distortion of the open or closed DAE, are interpreted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

In proteomics, it is essential to quantify proteins in absolute terms if we wish compare results among studies and integrate high-throughput biological data into genome-scale metabolic models. While labeling target peptides with stable isotopes allows protein abundance to be accurately quantified, the utility of this technique is constrained by the low number of quantifiable proteins that it yields. Recently, label-free shotgun proteomics has become the “gold standard” for carrying out global assessments of biological samples containing thousands of proteins. However, this tool must be further improved if we wish to accurately quantify absolute levels of proteins. Here, we used different label-free quantification techniques to estimate absolute protein abundance in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. More specifically, we evaluated the performance of seven different quantification methods, based either on spectral counting (SC) or extracted-ion chromatogram (XIC), which were applied to samples from five different proteome backgrounds. We also compared the accuracy and reproducibility of two strategies for transforming relative abundance into absolute abundance: a UPS2-based strategy and the total protein approach (TPA). This study mentions technical challenges related to UPS2 use and proposes ways of addressing them, including utilizing a smaller, more highly optimized amount of UPS2. Overall, three SC-based methods (PAI, SAF, and NSAF) yielded the best results because they struck a good balance between experimental performance and protein quantification.

The supply of mental health processes in primary care has gaps. This study aims to analyze the association of agreement criteria and flows between primary care teams and the Family Health Support Center (NASF) for mental health collaborative care, considering the difference between capital and non-capital cities in Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted based on secondary data from the Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program. Agreement criteria and flows were obtained from 3883 NASF teams of the matrix support or collaborative care. The Chi-square test and multiple Poisson regression were used; p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Prevalence ratios of negative associations demonstrated protective factors for support actions: follow-up at Psychosocial Care Center, management of psychopharmacotherapy, offer of other therapeutic actions, care process for users of psychoactive substances, and offer of activities to prevent the use of psychoactive substances. Collaborative care in primary care was effective, and capital cities were a protective factor compared with non-capital cities.

Clinical agreement between two quantitative measurements on a group of subjects is generally assessed with the help of the Bland-Altman (B-A) limits. The interpretation regarding agreement is based on whether B-A limits are within the pre-specified clinical tolerance. Thus, clinical tolerance limits are necessary for this method. We argue in this communication that such limits of clinical tolerance can be directly used for assessing agreement and plead that this nonparametric approach is simple and robust to the distribution pattern and outliers. Such direct use of clinical tolerance limits has more flexibility, and it is more effective in assessing the extent of agreement.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in biological processes and offer hope for the development of effective treatments for ROS-dependent diseases, including cancer. The interaction of hydrogen peroxide with proteins stimulates the creation of chemical molecules that can weaken or stop the pathological process in cancer. However, reliable drugs have not yet been described. To understand the reason for the failure, we studied the behavior of ROS-containing compounds in cancer cells. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated by interaction with a ligand protein, as well as by binding the chemical structure of hydrogen peroxide to the catalytic cysteine in the intracellular domain. Both mechanisms trigger signaling pathways in cells. The EGFR can be inactivated by protein tyrosinase phosphatase PTP-1B, which itself is activated by hydrogen peroxide. A simple in-gel fluorescence technique was used to demonstrate the rapid binding of hydrogen peroxide to a large number of proteins, including both activating and inactivating target proteins. Natural defense systems take longer to action and apparently cannot prevent hydrogen peroxide from binding to protect cells from exposure to unwanted proteins. Therefore, superoxide dismutase, which produces hydrogen peroxide, is not a suitable target for disease therapy.

Transportation systems through the ages have seen drastic evolutions in terms of transportation methods, speed of transport, infrastructure, technology, connectivity, influence on the environment, and accessibility. The massive transformation seen in the transportation sector has been fueled by the industrial revolutions which have continued expansion and progress into the fourth industrial revolution. However, the methodologies of data collection and processing used by the many drivers of this progress differ. The significance of standardized data and its mode of collection cannot be overstated as it has a major impact on the process outcomes. In order to achieve a better understanding of the impact of this, this study methodically reviewed the literature on the subject of the data collection and processing mechanism of 4IR technologies in the context of the transport industry with an emphasis on the areas of accomplishment of several studies and drawing attention to their limitations. Although the industry has advanced significantly as a result of the adoption and application of various research studies in this field, considerable focus needs to be placed in the areas of standardized data collection and computational approaches, which will ultimately assist in achieving various benefits in the transportation industry.

The number of families sheltered in the Paris region (France) increased by a factor of 5 between 1999 and 2009. In 2013, a survey was performed on homeless families in order to characterize their living conditions, their health needs and the developmental problems in children. This random survey was conducted in 17 languages among homeless families sheltered in emergency centers for asylum-seekers, emergency housing centers, social rehabilitation centers and social hotels in the Paris region. The situation was particularly worrying regarding their food security. Indeed, only 14.0% of people were with food security, whereas 43.3% were with low food security and 9.8% very low food security (a situation where children are also affected). Stratified multivariate robust Poisson models showed that some characteristics can lead homeless families to be at higher risk of food insecurity and/or at higher risk of falling into very low food security, such as residential instability, single parenthood, having more than 3 children, depressive symptoms, housing in social hostels, difficult access to cheap or free food locally. These harmful situations are intolerable in such a wealthy region as the Paris region. They argue for a better detection of these families, a closer social follow-up and an increase in food aid.

Background: To implement the new marker in clinical practice, reliability assessment, validation, and standardization of utilization must be applied. This study evaluated the reliability of TILs and TSR assessment through conventional microscopy by comparing observers’ estimations. Methods: Intratumoral and tumor-front stromal TILs, and TSR were assessed by three pathologists using 86 HE slides CRC. TSR and TILs were categorized using one and four different proposed cut-off systems, respectively and agreement was assessed using the intraclass coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s kappa statistics. Pairwise evaluation of agreement was performed using the Fliess Kappa statistic and the concordance rate and it was visualized by Bland-Altman plots. Results: For the evaluation of intratumoral stromal TILs, ICC of 0.505 (95% CI:0.35-0.64) was obtained, Kappa values were in the range of 0.21 to 0.38, and concordance rates in the range of 0.61 to 0.72. For the evaluation of tumor-front TILs, ICC was 0.52 (95% CI:0.32 - 0.67), the overall kappa value ranged from 0.24 to 0.30, and the concordance rate ranged from 0.66 to 0.72. For estimating the TSR, the ICC was 0.48 (95% CI:0.35 - 0.60), the kappa value was 0.49 and the concordance rate was 0.76. Conclusion: The agreement between pathologists in estimating these markers corresponds to poor to the moderate agreement, however, implementing immune scores in daily practice requires more concentration in inter-observer agreements.

The DnaA protein has long been considered to play the key role in the initiation of chromosome replication in modern bacteria. Many questions about this role, however, remain unanswered. Here, we raise these questions within a framework based on the dynamics of hyperstructures alias large assemblies of molecules and macromolecules that perform a function. In this dynamics, hyperstructures can (1) emit and receive signals or (2) fuse and separate from one another. We ask whether the DnaA-based initiation hyperstructure acts as a logic gate receiving information from the membrane, the chromosome and metabolism to trigger replication; we try to phrase some of these questions in terms of DNA supercoiling, strand opening, glycolytic enzymes, SeqA, ribonucleotide reductase, the Macromolecular Synthesis operon, post-translational modifications and metabolic pools. Finally, we ask whether, underpinning the regulation of the cell cycle, there is a physico-chemical clock inherited from the first protocells, and whether this clock emits a single signal that triggers both chromosome replication and cell division.

Background: Our previous study highlighted important healthcare access and utilization concerns among new immigrants. Hence, in this study, we aimed to explore the role of public and patient involvement (PPI) may have in enhancing the accessibility and their contribution to migration health studies. Method: An open and in-depth interactive consecutive virtual discussion was conducted among volunteer asylum seekers and refugees from Eritrea and Syria in Switzerland. The novel PPI establishment had three phases; inception, training phase, and contribution phase. Result: At the beginning, the concept of PPI was apprehensive to grasp, as it was a new approach. After training and consecutive discussions, volunteers were ardent to engage actively. Hence, among the prime findings were the PPI's role and effect in raising awareness, PPI's role in exploring and communicating the healthcare system accessibilities and utilization among their community, the impact of PPI in echoing the healthcare needs of their fellow migrants, and PPI's contribution in enhancing and strengthening migration health researches. Conclusion: The PPI volunteers in the study were keen to raise their community's awareness through their networks, and bridge the research gap between researchers and the public.

Plastid gene expression involves many post-transcriptional maturation steps resulting in a complex transcriptome composed of multiple isoforms. Although short read RNA-seq has considerably improved our understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling these processes, it is unable to sequence full-length transcripts. This information is however crucial when it comes to understand the interplay between the various steps of plastid gene expression. Here, the study of the Arabidopsis leaf plastid transcriptome using Nanopore sequencing showed that many splicing and editing events were not independent but co-occurring. For a given transcript, maturation events also appeared to be chronologically ordered with splicing happening after most sites are edited.

From an industrial point of view, the milling of 2.5D cavities is a frequent operation, 1 consuming time and presenting optimization potential, especially through a judicious choice of 2 the tool trajectory. Among the different types of trajectories, some have a general spiral-like aspect 3 and can potentially offer a reduced machining time. They are called curvilinear trajectories and are 4 obtained by interpolation between structure curves which are the numerical solutions of a partial 5 differential equation. In this case, the machine tool will connect points and the trajectory will be made 6 up of small segments. Even if, macroscopically, these trajectories have all the qualities to allow the 7 tool to move quickly, on a small scale, the discontinuities in tangency, inherent in the discretization, 8 significantly increase machining time. This article suggests to enhancing the continuity level of the 9 toolpath by rebuilding structure curves with a set of Hermite quartic spline patches connected in 10 tangency and curvature. Thanks to this, the tool will machine at an average feedrate closer to the 11 programmed one and will, de facto, reduce traveling time. 12 This article shows that the proposed method increases, on the two tested cavities, toolpath quality 13 indicators, reduces milling time from 10% to 18% for a curvilinear method without a filter and make 14 it possible to generalize the Bieterman and Sandström method for all non convex pockets.

Agroforestry systems with multipurpose tree species, for the double production of timber and fruit, along with the intercropping with herbaceous crops, can be fundamental land use systems for multiple ecosystems services. Research was conducted in Italy, for one growing season, in 18 years old agroforestry experimental plots with common walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees, according to the previous agroforestry management (AFM) since tree planting. The aim is i) estimating trees growth and herbaceous yield in relation to increasing tree size, especially referring to the trees basal area (G); ii) evaluating the role of nut production as additional product to timber and food crops. Observations were run on tree growth and leaf phenology, total light transmittance (TTL) below tree canopy and hay yield with and without walnut intercropping. Nut yield was estimated from available literature and associated to G. At the end of the study year, representing two third of trees rotation, their height varied between 10 and 11 m, with much larger variation for tree diameter between 17 and 22 cm, according to the previous AFM, including tree mulching with plastic film. Hay yield varied between 4.5 and 3 Mg ha year-1 outside and under tree canopy, respectively. Negative regression were determined for G and TTL, and G and hay yield, with an annual reduction of 5% per G unit. Simulations were run on hay and nut yield, using G as main input parameter. The work points out the following key findings: i) the usefulness of plastic mulching, at tree planting, to increase the long-term timber productivity of the trees intercropped with herbaceous crops; ii) the negative linear relationship between hay productivity and walnut trees G; iii) G influences, in positive way, more markedly nut than hay yield. Suggestions are given on the optimum tree planting spacing and AFM for balancing timber, nut and hay yields.

To understand the molecular mechanism underlying yellowing in pineapples during ripening, coupled with alterations in fruit quality, comprehensive metabolome and transcriptome investigations were carried out. These investigations were conducted using the pulp samples collected at three distinct stages of maturity: young fruit (YF), mature fruit (MF), and fully mature fruit (FMF). This study revealed a noteworthy increase in the levels of total phenols and flavones, coupled with a concurrent decline in lignin and total acid content, as the fruit transitioned from YF to FMF. Furthermore, the analysis yielded 167 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and 2194 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis based on DAMs and DEGs revealed that the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites, particularly the flavonol, flavonoid, and phenypropanoid pathways, plays a pivotal role in fruit yellowing. Additionally, a comprehensive regulatory network encompassing genes that contribute to metabolisms of flavones, flavonols, lignin, and organic acids was proposed. This network sheds light on the intricate processes that underlies fruit yellowing and quality alterations. These findings enhance our understanding of the regulatory pathways governing pineapple ripening and offer valuable scientific insight into the molecular breeding of pineapples.

Digital healthcare systems play a pivotal role in providing efficient and accessible healthcare services. However, ensuring secure authentication and key agreement mechanisms is essential to protect sensitive patient data and maintain the integrity of the system. The existing methods face limitations in terms of vulnerability to cyber attacks, scalability, and resource utilization. Furthermore, the integration of blockchain technology introduces new complexities that need to be addressed. This research proposes an optimized fuzzy logic approach combined with blockchain technology to address the authentication and key agreement challenges in digital healthcare systems. The proposed solution leverages the flexibility and adaptability of fuzzy logic algorithms to handle uncertainty and imprecision in authentication decisions. By employing fuzzy logic, the system can effectively minimize false positives and false negatives, enhancing the robustness against adversarial attacks. Moreover, the integration of blockchain technology provides a decentralized and tamper-proof infrastructure for securely storing and managing authentication and key agreement data. This ensures transparency and trust in the system, mitigating the risks of unauthorized access and data manipulation. The blockchain-based architecture also enables efficient resource utilization and scalability, allowing the system to handle authentication requests in a timely manner, even in large-scale digital healthcare environments.The proposed method is evaluated by using the NIST Special Database 302 and it shows superior performance compared to existing methods, with minimum False Rejection Rate (FRR), False Acceptance Rate (FAR), and response time. Moreover, the proposed method minimizes communication overhead during the authentication process and resists different cyber attacks including a Replay attack, Man-in-the-middle attack, Denial of Service (DoS) attack, and Impersonation attack. The proposed method achieves excellent performance in terms of security, efficiency, and resistance to various cyber-attacks, making it a promising approach for secure data sharing in P2P cloud environments.

We summarize structural instabilities exhibited by the one dimensional (1D) (arene)2X family of organic conductors in relation with their electronic and magnetic properties. With a charge transfer of one electron to each anion X these salts exhibit a quarter-filled (hole) conduction band located on the donor stacks. Compounds built with donors such as fluorenthene and perylene derivatives and anions X such PF6 or AsF6 exhibit a high temperature (TP~170K) conventional Peierls transition which is announced by a sizeable regime of 1D 2kF charge density wave fluctuations (kF is the Fermi wave vector of the 1D electron gas located on Per stacks). Surprisingly, and probably because of the presence of a multi-sheet warped Fermi surface, the Peierls transition is considerably reduced in the perylene series α-(Per)2[M(mnt)2] where X is the dithiolate molecule with M=Au, Cu, Co and Fe. A special attention is devoted in this paper to physical properties of α-(Per)2[M(mnt)2] salts which with M=Pt, Pd and Ni incorporate segregated S=1/2 1D antiferromagnetic (AF) dithiolate stacks with 1D metallic Per stacks. We analyse conjointly the structural and magnetic properties of these salts in relation with the 1D spin-Peierls (SP) instability located on the dithiolate stacks. We show that the SP instability of the Pd and Ni derivatives occurs in the classical (adiabatic limit) while the SP instability of the Pt derivative occurs in the quantum (anti-adiabatic limit). Furthermore we show that in the Pd and Ni derivatives frustrated 1st neighbour direct and 2nd neighbour indirect (through a fine tuning with the mediated 2kF RKKY coupling interaction on Per stacks) AF interactions add their contribution to the SP instability to open a singlet-triplet gap. Our analysis of the data show unambiguously that magnetic α-(Per)2[M(mnt)2] salts are a typical realization of the physics predicted for two chain 1D Kondo lattices.

We study epidemic spreading in complex networks by a multiple random walker approach. Each walker performs an independent simple Markovian random walk on a complex undirected (ergodic) random graph where we focus on Barabási-Albert (BA), Erdös-Rényi (ER) and Watts-Strogatz (WS) types. Both, walkers and nodes can be either susceptible (S) or infected and infectious (I) representing their states of health. Susceptible nodes may be infected by visits of infected walkers, and susceptible walkers may be infected by visiting infected nodes. No direct transmission of the disease among walkers (or among nodes) is possible. This model mimics a large class of diseases such as Dengue and Malaria with transmission of the disease via vectors (mosquitos). Infected walkers may die during the time span of their infection introducing an additional compartment D of dead walkers. Infected nodes never die and always recover from their infection after a random finite time. This assumption is based on the observation that infectious vectors (mosquitos) are not ill and do not die from the infection. The infectious time spans of nodes and walkers, and the survival times of infected walkers, are represented by independent random variables. We derive stochastic evolution equations for the mean-field compartmental populations with mortality of walkers and delayed transitions among the compartments. From linear stability analysis, we derive the basic reproduction numbers R M , R 0 with and without mortality, respectively, and prove that R M < R 0 . For R M , R 0 > 1 the healthy state is unstable whereas for zero mortality a stable endemic equilibrium exists (independent of the initial conditions) which we obtained explicitly. We observe that the solutions of the random walk simulations in the considered networks agree well with the mean-field solutions for strongly connected graph topologies, whereas less well for weakly connected structures and for diseases with high mortality. Our model has applications beyond epidemic dynamics, for instance in the kinetics of chemical reactions, the propagation of contaminants, wood fires, among many others.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were originally classified as exclusively deleterious compounds, have gained increasing interest in the recent years given their action as bona fide signalling molecules. The main target of ROS action is the reversible oxidation of cysteines, leading to the formation of disulfide bonds, which modulate protein conformation and activity. ROS endowed with signalling properties are mainly produced by NADPH oxidases at the plasma membrane, but their action also involves a complex machinery of multiple redox-sensitive protein families that differs in their subcellular localization and their activity. Given that the levels and distribution of ROS are highly dynamic in part due to their limited stability, the development of various fluorescent ROS sensors, some of which are quantitative (ratiometric), represents a clear breakthrough in the field and have been adapted to both ex vivo and in vivo applications. The physiological implication of ROS signalling will be presented mainly in the frame of morphogenetics processes, embryogenesis, regeneration, and stem cell differentiation. Gain and loss of function as well as pharmacological strategies have demonstrated the wide but specific requirement of ROS signalling at multiple stages of these processes and its intricate relationship with other well-known signalling pathways.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) occurs in 20-50% of recipients following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Corticosteroids (CS) remain the first line treatment but have suboptimal efficacy and carry the risk of long-term side effects. New agents with a better safety profile and higher efficacy, ideally combining immunomodulatory and antifibrotic properties, are urgently needed. From 2016 to 2020, we conducted a phase 2 clinical trial with ATO in chronic GvHD (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02966301 - GMED16-001). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a first-line combination of arsenic trioxide (ATO) and CS in adult patients with cGvHD who require systemic therapy after a first allo-HSCT for a haematological disease. In this prospective, national, multicenter, single-arm, open-label phase II study, conducted in 5 university hospital centers in France, ATO was initiated within 10 days of starting CS at 1 mg/kg/day. Patients received 11 infusions of ATO per 4-week cycle, at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg per infusion. Patients received 1 or 2 cycles of treatment depending on the clinical response and the assessment of the treating physician. The results were published in July 2022 in a paper entitled "High Response Rate and Corticosteroid Sparing with ATO-Based First-Line Therapy in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation". The GMED16-001 study demonstrated convincing efficacy and safety characteristics of the intravenous drug (Trisenox^®/Arscimed^®): the first-line use of ATO in addition to corticosteroids was associated with a high clinical response rate and correlated with rapid corticosteroid (CS) sparing in moderate to severe cGvHD after allo-HSCT. We performed a post-hoc analysis of the data to determine the best schedule for treating cGvHD patients with ATO. Our post-hoc analysis leads us to the conclusion that two cycles of ATO, at 0.15 mg/kg/day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks each, separated by a 4-week therapy-free interval, appears to be the most promising treatment schedule.

Background : The quantification of electromyographic activity using surface electrodes is inval-uable for understanding gait disorders in patients with central nervous system lesions. We propose to evaluate a commercially available low-cost system compared to a reference system in partic-ipants with stroke-related movement disorders in functional situations. Methods : Three hemiparetic participants performed three functional tasks: two treadmill walks at different speeds and a sit-to-stand test. The vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius medialis muscles were equipped with two EMG sensors. The comparison between the two EMG systems was based on 883 identified cycles. Spearman’s correlation coefficients (SC), linear correlation coefficients (LCC), and cross-correlation coefficients (CCC) were calculated. Results : The main results indicate good to very good similarity of the EMG signals collected from the two tested sEMG systems. In the comfortable walking condition, an SC of 0.894±0.091 and an LCC of 0.909±0.094 were noted. In the fast walking condition, an SC of 0.918±0.064 and an LCC of 0.935±0.056 were observed. For the 1-minute sit-to-stand test an SC of 0.880±0.058 and an LCC of 0.881±0.065 were noted. Conclusions : This study demonstrates good to very good similarity between the two sEMG systems, enabling the analysis of muscle activity during functional tasks.

A planar microwave sensor devoted to the detection of humidity in underwear and clothes in general is proposed. The ultimate goal of the sensor is to detect the presence of liquids in fabrics, of interest to aid patients that suffer from certain pathologies, such as hyperhidrosis and enuresis. The main target in the design of the sensor, considering the envisaged application, is simplicity. Thus, the sensor operates at a single frequency, and the working principle is the variation in the mag-nitude of the transmission coefficient of a matched line loaded with an open-ended quar-ter-wavelength sensing stub resonator. The stub, which must be in contact with the so-called fabric under test (FUT), generates a notch in the transmission coefficient with a resonance frequency that depends on the humidity level of the fabric. By designing the stub with a moderately high quality factor, the variation in the resonance frequency causes a significant change in the magnitude level at the operating frequency, the resonance frequency when the sensing stub is loaded with the dry fabric, and the presence of liquid can be detected by means of an amplitude detector. A prototype device is proposed and experimentally validated.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that has been shown to be an essential regulator of a broad spectrum of biological activities required for maintaining the body's vital functions. AhR also plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Its role in cancer is complex, encompassing both pro- and anti-tumorigenic activities. Its level of expression and activity are specific to each tumor and patient, increasing the difficulty of understanding the activating or inhibiting roles of AhR ligands. We explored the role of AhR in tumor cell lines and patients using genomic data sets and discuss the extent to which AhR can be considered as a therapeutic target.

Background and Objectives: The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) is designed to assess affective temperaments. The short version of TEMPS-A (TEMPS-A-SV) was translated into diverse languages for its broad application in research and clinical settings. However, no study was conducted to validate the Korean version of TEMPS-A-SV among patients with mood disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the TEMPS-A-SV in mood disorder patients of the Korean population. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional retrospective study, a total of 715 patients (267 patients with major depressive disorder, 94 patients with bipolar disorder I, and 354 patients with bipolar disorder II) completed the Korean TEMPS-A-SV. Cronbach's alpha and McDonald’s omega was used to assess reliability. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was also performed. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to examine associations between five temperaments. The difference in five temperament scores between gender or diagnosis groups were analyzed, and the correlation between five temperament scores and age were tested. Results: The Korean TEMPS-A-SV displayed good internal consistency (α = 0.65–0.88, ω = 0.66–0.9) and significant correlations between the subscales except one (correlation between hyperthymic and anxious). Using EFA, a two-factor structure was produced: Factor I (cyclothymic, depressive, irritable, and anxious) and Factor II (hyperthymic). The cyclothymic temperament score differed by gender and the anxious temperament score was significantly correlated with age. All the temperaments, except for irritable temperament, showed significant differences between diagnosis groups. Conclusions: Overall, our findings indicate that TEMPS-A-SV is a valid and reliable measure of estimating affective temperaments among Koreans. Our results confirm validity of TEMPS-A-SV among Korean patients with mood disorders. However, more study is required on affective temperaments and associated characteristics in people with mood disorders.

The misuse of antibiotics during the last decades led to the emergence of multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria. This phenomenon constitutes a major public health issue. Consequently, the discovery of new antibacterials in the short term is crucial. Colicins, due to their antibacterial properties, thus constitute good candidates. These toxin proteins, produced by E. coli to kill enteric relative competitors, exhibit cytotoxicity through ionophoric activity or essential macromolecule degradation. Among the 25-colicin types known to date, colicin M (ColM) is the only one colicin interfering with peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Accordingly, ColM develops its lethal activity in E. coli periplasm by hydrolyzing the last peptidoglycan precursor, lipid II, into two dead-end products, thereby leading to cell lysis. Since the discovery of its unusual mode of action, several ColM orthologs have also been identified based on sequence alignments; all of the characterized ColM-like proteins display the same enzymatic activity of lipid II degradation and narrow antibacterial spectra. This publication aims at being an exhaustive review about what is currently known on this new family of antibacterial enzymes as well as on their potential use of food preservatives or therapeutic agents.

We explore the possibility of using the external regions of galaxy clusters to measure their mass accretion rate (MAR). The main goal is to provide a method to observationally investigate the growth of structures on the nonlinear scales of galaxy clusters. We derive the MAR by using the mass profile beyond the splashback radius, evaluating the mass of a spherical shell and the time it takes to fall in. The infall velocity of the shell is extracted from N-body simulations. The average MAR returned by our prescription in the redshift range z=[0, 2] is within 20-40% of the average MAR derived from the merger trees of dark matter haloes in the reference N-body simulations. Our result suggests that the external regions of galaxy clusters can be used to measure the mean MAR of a sample of clusters.

Prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP, PCP, Lysosomal Pro-X-carboxypeptidase, Angiotensinase C) controls angiotensin - and kinin- induced cell signaling. Elevation of PRCP appear to be activated in chronic inflammatory diseases (cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes) in proportion to severity. Vascular endothelial cell senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction have consistently been shown in models of CVD in aging. The cellular senescence, a driver of age-related dysfunction, can differentially alter the expression of lysosomal enzymes due to lysosomal membrane permeability. There is a lack of data demostrating the effect of age-related dysfunction on the expression and function of PRCP. To explore the changes in PRCP, PRCP-dependent prekallikrein (PK) pathway was charcterized in early – and late-passage human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs). Detailed kinetic analysis of cells treated with high molecular weight kininogen (HK), a precursor of bradykinin (BK), and PK revealed a mechansim by which senescent HPAECs activate the generation of kallikrein upon the assembly of the HK-PK complex on HPAECs in parallel with an upregulation of PRCP and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) and NO formation. The NO production and expression of both PRCP and eNOS increased in early-passage HPAECs while decreased in late-passage HPAECs. Low activity of PRCP in late passage HPAECs was associated with rapid decreased telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA levels. We also found that, with an increase in the passage number of HPAECs, reduced PRCP altered respiration rate. These results indicated that aging dysregulates PRCP protein expression, and further studies will shed light into the complexity of PRCP-dependent signling pathway in aging.

Most developing countries with petroleum resources are constrained in the ability to refine their oil and gas resources. This virtually results in the involvement of the International Oil Company (IOC) by the National Oil Company (NOC) of a particular nation to enter into an agreement to achieve the production of oil based on an agreed framework. However, in cur-rent development, there is little focus on the contractual agreement, particularly on the pro-duction sharing agreement by the IOC in the exploration of petroleum resources of developing countries. The primary objective of this paper is to critically explore the contract structure of production sharing agreement by the IOC in the exploration and development of petroleum resources in developing countries. Content analysis was used as the methodology of the study after examining several literatures. The findings indicate that the contract structure of the production sharing agreement (PSA) between NOC and IOC plays a significant role in the cost and risk of exploration and development of oil. In addition, it is noted that the joint committee of the NOC and IOC plays a paramount role in monitoring the operations of PSA between the NOC and IOC. Hence, from the gross oil production, the NOC gets its share as profit while IOC gets its share income tax. As an instrument of contract structure in the oil and gas sector, PSA needs further entrenchment between IOC and NOC to avoid likely issues that can emanate between the two parties in the face of current developments.

The active debate about the processes governing the organic-rich sediment deposition generally involves the relative roles of elevated primary productivity and enhanced preservation related to anoxia. However, other less spotlighted factors could have a strong impact on such deposits: e.g. residence time into the water column (bathymetry), sedimentation rate, transport behavior of organo-mineral floccules on the sea floor. They are all strongly interrelated and may be obscured in the current conceptual models inspired from most representative modern analogues (i.e. upwelling zones and stratified basins). To improve our comprehension of organic matter distribution and heterogeneities, we conducted a sensitivity analysis on the processes involved in organic matter production and preservation which have been simulated within a 3D stratigraphic forward model. The Lower-Middle Toarcian of the Paris Basin was chosen as a case study as it represents one of the best documented example of marine organic matter accumulation. The relative influence of the critical parameters (bathymetry, diffusive transport, oxygen mixing rate and primary production) on the output parameters (Total Organic Carbon, and oxygen level), determined performing a Global Sensitivity Analysis, shows that, in the context of a shallow epicontinental basin, a moderate primary productivity (> 175 gC.m^-².yr^-1) can led to local anoxia and organic matter accumulation. We argue that, regarding all the processes involved, the presence and distribution of organic-rich intervals is linked as a first-order parameter to the morphology of the basin (e.g. ramp slope, bottom topography). These interpretations are supported by very specific ranges of critical parameters which allowed to obtain output parameter values in accordance with the data. This quantitative approach and its conclusions open new perspectives about the understanding of global distribution and preservation of organic-rich sediments.