ALBERT

Description: Horizontal wells can significantly improve the gas production and are expected to be an efficient exploitation method for the industrialization of natural gas hydrates (NGHs) in the future. However, the near-wellbore hydrate is highly prone to decomposition during the drilling process, owing to the disturbance aroused by the factors such as the drilling fluid temperature, pressure, and salinity. These issues can result in the engineering accidents such as bit sticking and wellbore instability, which are required for further investigations. This paper studies the characteristics of drilling fluid invasion into the marine NGH reservoir with varied drilling fluid parameters via numerical simulation. The effects of the drilling fluid parameters on the decomposition behavior of near-wellbore hydrates are presented. The simulating results show that the adjustments of drilling fluid density within the mud safety window have limited effects on the NGH decomposition, meanwhile the hydrates reservoir is most sensitive to the drilling fluid temperature variation. If the drilling fluid temperature grows considerably due to improper control, the range of the hydrates decomposition around the horizontal well tends to expand, which then aggravates wellbore instability. When the drilling fluid salinity varies in the range of 3.5–7.5%, the increase in the ion concentration speeds up the hydrate decomposition, which is adverse to maintaining wellbore stability.

Description: Fault tolerance in IoT systems is challenging to overcome due to its complexity, dynamicity, and heterogeneity. IoT systems are typically designed and constructed in layers. Every layer has its requirements and fault tolerance strategies. However, errors in one layer can propagate and cause effects on others. Thus, it is impractical to consider a centralized fault tolerance approach for an entire system. Consequently, it is vital to consider multiple layers in order to enable collaboration and information exchange when addressing fault tolerance. The purpose of this study is to propose a multi-layer fault tolerance approach, granting interconnection among IoT system layers, allowing information exchange and collaboration in order to attain the property of dependability. Therefore, we define an event-driven framework called FaTEMa (Fault Tolerance Event Manager) that creates a dedicated fault-related communication channel in order to propagate events across the levels of the system. The implemented framework assist with error detection and continued service. Additionally, it offers extension points to support heterogeneous communication protocols and evolve new capabilities. Our empirical results show that introducing FaTEMa provided improvements to the error detection and error resolution time, consequently improving system availability. In addition, the use of Fatema provided a reliability improvement and a reduction in the number of failures produced.

Description: Apart from numerous technical challenges, the transition towards a carbon-neutral energy supply is greatly hindered by limited economic feasibility of renewable energy sources. This results in their slow and bounded penetration in both commercial and residential sectors that are responsible for over 40% of final energy consumption. This paper aims to demonstrate that combined application of sophisticated planning methodologies at building-level and presents incentive mechanisms for renewables that can result in prosumers, featuring hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES), with economic performance comparable to that of conventional energy systems. The presented research enhances existing planning methodologies by integrating appliance-level demand side management into the decision process and investigates its effect on the planning problem. Moreover, the proposed methodology features an innovative and holistic approach that simultaneously assess electrical and thermal domain in both an isolated and grid-connected context. The analyzed hybrid system consists of solar photovoltaic, wind turbine and battery with thermal supply featuring solar thermal collector and a ground-source heat pump. Overall optimization problem is modeled as a mixed-integer linear program, while ranking of all feasible alternatives is made by the multicriteria decision-making algorithm against several technological, economic, and environmental criteria. A real-life scenario of energy system retrofit for a building in the United Kingdom was employed to demonstrate overall cost savings of 12% in the present market and regulation context.

Description: We mainly focus on the effects of small changes of parameters on the dynamics of charged particles around Kerr black holes surrounded by an external magnetic field, which can be considered as a tidal environment. The radial motions of charged particles on the equatorial plane are studied via an effective potential. It is found that the particle energies at the local maxima values of the effective potentials increase with an increase in the black hole spin and the particle angular momenta, but decrease with an increase of one of the inductive charge parameter and magnetic field parameter. The radii of stable circular orbits on the equatorial plane also increase, whereas those of the innermost stable circular orbits decrease. On the other hand, the effects of small variations of the parameters on the orbital regular and chaotic dynamics of charged particles on the non-equatorial plane are traced by means of a time-transformed explicit symplectic integrator, Poincaré sections and fast Lyapunov indicators. It is shown that the dynamics sensitivity depends on small variations in the inductive charge parameter, magnetic field parameter, energy, and angular momentum. Chaos occurs easily as each of the inductive charge parameter, magnetic field parameter, and energy increases but is weakened as the angular momentum increases. When the dragging effects of the spacetime increase, the chaotic properties are not always weakened under some circumstances.

Description: The paper addresses the sustainability of the European Union’s food consumption through a water footprint assessment of selected vulnerable agricultural imports from a two-pronged perspective: (1) the degree of the EU’s dependence on global green water resources embedded in the apparent consumption of selected water-intensive agricultural products and (2) the degree of commitment of countries of origin to sustainability policies. The study argues that the vulnerability of the EU’s agricultural imports to water risks can be estimated based on the amount of green water consumed in producing crops in the countries of origin. The results show that the EU’s consumption of agricultural goods is highly dependent on virtual water imports for all six selected vulnerable agricultural products, from the lowest footprint for bananas (5 mil. km3) to the largest for coffee (69 mil. km3). The analysis also points to a greater concern for quality issues in the countries of origin (56.53%) relative to management (26.52%) and availability issues (16.85%), but the latter are to arise in importance for sustainable production in the years to come. Our conclusions contribute to building up a responsible commitment towards (1) development of environmental policies and the design of practical measures by providing quantitative information that makes problems more clearly defined and tangible, and (2) assessing the outcome of policies and practical measures by understanding their effects on the sustainability of food consumption.

Description: In the single-polyelectrolyte aqueous phase separation (APS) approach, membranes are prepared by precipitating a weak polyelectrolyte from a concentrated aqueous solution using a pH switch. This has proven to be a versatile and more sustainable method compared to conventional approaches as it significantly reduces the use of organic solvents. Poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) (PSaMA) is a polymer that has been extensively investigated for APS and has been the basis for both open and dense membranes with good performances. These membranes are chemically crosslinked and, in this work, we further investigated ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes prepared with PSaMA for their stability in various organic solvents and under different pH conditions. It was shown that these membranes had stable performances in both isopropanol (IPA) and toluene, and a slightly reduced performance in N-methyl-2-pyrollidone (NMP). However, PSaMA did not perform well as a selective layer in these solvents, indicating that the real opportunity would be to use the UF-type PSaMA membranes as solvent-stable support membranes. Additionally, the membranes proved to be stable in an acidic-to-neutral pH regime (pH 2–7); and, due to the pH-responsive nature of PSaMA, for the NF membranes, a pH-dependent retention of Mg2+ and SO42− ions was observed and, for the UF membranes, a strong responsive behavior was observed, where the pH can be used to control the membrane permeability. However, long-term exposure to elevated pH conditions (pH 8–10) resulted in severe swelling of the NF membranes, resulting in defect formation, and compaction of the UF membranes. For the UF membranes, this compaction did prove to be reversible for some but not all of the membrane samples measured. These results showed that in aqueous systems, membranes prepared with PSaMA had interesting responsive behaviors but performed best at neutral and acidic pH values. Moreover, the membranes exhibited excellent stability in the organic solvents IPA and toluene

Description: A simple one-pot approach was developed for the synthesis of furan-2(5H)-one derivative containing indole fragments. This method includes the telescoped multicomponent reaction of indole, 4-methoxyphenylglyoxal, and Meldrum’s acid. The synthetic utility of the prepared furan-2(5H)-one was demonstrated by condensation with 4-methoxybenzaldehyde. The advantages of this method include the employment of readily accessible starting materials, atom economy, process simplicity, and the easy isolation of the target products. The structure of the synthesized furanones was confirmed by 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI-HRMS).

Description: Volcanic ash fall-out represents a serious hazard for air and road traffic. The forecasting models used to predict its time–space evolution require information about the core characteristics of volcanic particles, such as their granulometry. Typically, such information is gained by the spot direct observation of the ash collected at the ground or by using expensive instrumentation. In this paper, a vision-based methodology aimed at the estimation of ash granulometry is presented. A dedicated image processing paradigm was developed and implemented in LabVIEW™. The methodology was validated experimentally using digital reference images resembling different operating conditions. The outcome of the assessment procedure was very encouraging, showing an accuracy of the image processing algorithm of 1.76%.

Description: Stand structure and topography are important factors affecting forest vegetation carbon density (FVCD). Revealing the interaction mechanisms between stand structure and topography on FVCD is of great significance for enhancing forest vegetation carbon storage and achieving regional carbon neutrality. Based on stratified sampling, systematic distribution and forest continuous inventory sample plots in Jiangxi province, the variation characteristics of FVCD and its correlations with stand structure and topographic factors were studied. The results are as follows: (1) The average FVCD in Jiangxi province was 44.23 Mg/ha, which was dominated by the carbon density of the arbor layer, accounting for about 81.39% of the total forest—far lower than the average level of global FVCD, which proved that the forest in Jiangxi province was dominated by middle-age and young forests with low carbon density, and also showed that the potential for forest vegetation carbon storage in Jiangxi province was huge. (2) Except for vegetation carbon densities of shrub and herb layers, the vegetation carbon densities of other forest layers in Jiangxi province were significantly different among different forest types. Volume per unit area was the most important factor affecting the vegetation carbon densities of arbor and total forest, and vegetation carbon density–volume models of the main forests were built for vegetation carbon density calculation in Jiangxi province. (3) The vegetation carbon densities of arbor layer, snag and log layer, and total forest increased significantly with increases in elevation and slope. Except for the shrub layer and herb layer, the vegetation carbon densities of the other layers and the total forest had extremely significant or significant differences between slope position gradients—indicating that the effect of topography on FVCD in Jiangxi province was significant, mainly through influencing of forest distribution and human disturbance intensity.

Description: Gut microbiota, a major contributor to human health, is influenced by physical activity and diet, and displays a functional cross-talk with skeletal muscle. Conversely, few data are available on the impact of hypoactivity, although sedentary lifestyles are widespread and associated with negative health and socio-economic impacts. The study aim was to determine the effect of Dry Immersion (DI), a severe hypoactivity model, on the human gut microbiota composition. Stool samples were collected from 14 healthy men before and after 5 days of DI to determine the gut microbiota taxonomic profiles by 16S metagenomic sequencing in strictly controlled dietary conditions. The α and β diversities indices were unchanged. However, the operational taxonomic units associated with the Clostridiales order and the Lachnospiraceae family, belonging to the Firmicutes phylum, were significantly increased after DI. Propionate, a short-chain fatty acid metabolized by skeletal muscle, was significantly reduced in post-DI stool samples. The finding that intestine bacteria are sensitive to hypoactivity raises questions about their impact and role in chronic sedentary lifestyles.

Description: This study presents a 2-D lidar odometry based on an ICP (iterative closest point) variant used in a simple and straightforward platform that achieves real-time and low-drift performance. With a designated multi-scale feature extraction procedure, the lidar cloud information can be utilized at multiple levels and the speed of data association can be accelerated according to the multi-scale data structure, thereby achieving robust feature extraction and fast scan-matching algorithms. First, on a large scale, the lidar point cloud data are classified according to the curvature into two parts: smooth collection and rough collection. Then, on a small scale, noise and unstable points in the smooth or rough collection are filtered, and edge points and corner points are extracted. Then, the proposed tangent-vector-pairs based on edge and corner points are applied to evaluate the rotation term, which is significant for producing a stable solution in motion estimation. We compare our performance with two excellent open-source SLAM algorithms, Cartographer and Hector SLAM, using collected and open-access datasets in structured indoor environments. The results indicate that our method can achieve better accuracy.

Description: Background: After preterm birth, infants are at high risk for delays in language development. A promising intervention to reduce this risk is represented by the exposure to parental voices through book-reading in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). This study investigated the possible advantages of book-reading to preterm neonates during their NICU stay on their subsequent language development. Methods: 100 families of preterm infants were recruited. The parents of 55 preterm infants (Reading Group) received a colored picture-book on NICU admission and were supported to read to their neonate as often as possible and to continue after hospital discharge. Forty-five infants (Control Group) were recruited before the beginning of the intervention. Infant language development was assessed with the Hearing and Language quotients of the Griffith Mental Development Scale at the corrected ages of 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months. Results: Regardless of group membership, Hearing and Language mean quotients decreased between 9 and 18 months; nevertheless, this decrease was considerably reduced in the Reading group, compared to the Control Group. Conclusions: Reading in NICUs represents a suitable intervention that could positively influence language development and parent-infant relationships in preterm children. The study findings support its implementation as a preventive measure.

Description: Due to their low density, magnesium alloys are very appealing for light-weight constructions. However, the use of the most common magnesium alloy, AZ91 (Mg 9 wt.% Al, 1 wt.% Zn), is limited to temperatures below 150 °C due to creep failure. Several alloys with an improved creep resistance have been developed in the past, for example the alloy MRI 230D or Ca-alloyed AZ91 variants. However, there is an ongoing discussion in the literature regarding the mechanisms of the improved creep resistance. One factor claimed to be responsible for the improved creep resistance is the intermetallic phases which form during casting. Another possible explanation is an increased creep resistance due to the formation of precipitates. To gain more insight into the improved creep resistance of MRI 230D, nanoindentation measurements have been performed on the different phases of as-cast, creep-deformed and heat-treated samples of MRI 230D and Ca-alloyed AZ91 variants. These nanoindentation measurements clearly show that the intermetallic phase (IP) of the alloy MRI 230D does not lose strength during creep deformation in contrast to the Ca-alloyed AZ91 variants. High-temperature nanoindentation measurements performed at 200 °C clearly show that the intermetallic phases of the MRI 230D alloy maintain their strength. This is in clear contrast to the Ca-alloyed AZ91 variants, where the IP is significantly softer at 200 °C than at room temperature. Atom probe measurements have been used to gain insight into the differences in terms of chemical composition between the IPs of MRI 230D and the Ca-alloyed AZ91 variants in order to understand the dissimilar behaviour in terms of strength loss with increasing temperature.

Description: The electric power industry sector has become increasingly aware of how counterproductive voltage sag affects distribution network systems (DNS). The voltage sag backfires disastrously at the demand load side and affects equipment in DNS. To settle the voltage sag issue, this paper achieved its primary purpose to mitigate the voltage sag based on integrating a hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) with the DNS using a distribution static synchronous compensator (D-STATCOM) system. Besides, this paper discusses the challenges and opportunities of D-STATCOM in DNS. In this paper, using HFC is well-designed, modeled, and simulated to mitigate the voltage sag in DNS with a positive impact on the environment and an immediate response to the issue of the injection of voltage. Furthermore, this modeling and controller are particularly suitable in terms of cost-effectiveness as well as reliability based on the adaptive network fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), fuzzy logic system (FLC), and proportional–integral (P-I). The effectiveness of the MATLAB simulation is confirmed by implementing the system and carrying out a DNS connection, obtaining efficiencies over 94.5% at three-phase fault for values of injection voltage in HFC D-STATCOM using a P-I controller. Moreover, the HFC D-STATCOM using FLC proved capable of supporting the network by 97.00%. The HFC D-STATCOM based ANFIS proved capable of supporting the network by 98.00% in the DNS.

Description: ArcheoBot is a prototype of a Telegram Bot: it is an experimental prototype that builds on the common digital experiences of the authors of this article, aiming to offer a quick, powerful, easy to use tool. It aims to serve archaeological and topographical investigations quickly and to interface with other software for the management of collected data.

Description: Stripping crystallization (SC) was introduced in this work to purify p-chlorophenol from the p-chlorophenol-rich liquid mixture and to purify m-chlorophenol from the m-chlorophenol-rich liquid mixture, respectively. Essentially, SC combines melt crystallization and vaporization to produce the solid product and the vapor from a liquid mixture via a series of three-phase transformations at reduced pressures during the cooling process. At the end of the SC, only the solid product remained while the liquid mixture was almost eliminated and the produced vapor was removed. A set of differential equations based on the mass and energy balances were proposed to determine the incremental variations of the amounts of remaining liquid, produced solid and produced vapor during the batch SC process. The experimental yield and product purity of the final product obtained from the batch SC experiments were compared with those predicted by the model.

Description: Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) is a staple food crop in the Asia-Pacific region in areas where rising sea levels are threatening agricultural production. However, little is known about its response to salinity. In this study, we investigated the effects of salinity on the growth, morphology, physiology, and chemical traits of taro to predict the impacts of rising sea levels on taro production and nutritional value in the Pacific. We grew taro (approximately 4 months old) with a range of NaCl treatments (0–200 mM) for 12 weeks. Full nutrient, micronutrient, and secondary metabolite analyses were conducted, including measures of calcium oxalate (CaOx), an irritant that reduces palatability. Significant reductions in growth and biomass were observed at and above 100 mM NaCl. Concentrations of macro- and micronutrients, including sodium, were higher on a per mass basis in corms of plants experiencing salt stress. Foliar sodium concentrations remained stable, indicating that taro may utilize a salt exclusion mechanism. There was a large amount of individual variation in the concentrations of oxalate and phenolics, but overall, the concentrations were similar in the plants grown with different levels of salt. The total contents of CaOx and phenolics decreased in plants experiencing salt stress. Taro’s ability to survive and produce corms when watered with a 200 mM NaCl solution places it among the salt-tolerant non-halophytes. The nutritional quality of the crop is only marginally affected by salt stress. Taro is, therefore, likely to remain a useful staple in the Pacific region in the future.

Description: A case study involving a healthy trained male athlete who completed a 786 km multi-stage ultra-trail race. Several markers were analyzed in blood and urine samples: creatinine (SCR) for kidney damage, sodium ([Na+]) for hyponatremia, creatine kinase (CK) for exertional rhabdomyolysis, as well as other hematological values. Samples were taken before and after the race and during the recovery period (days 2 and 9 after the race). Results showed: SCR = 1.13 mg/dL, [Na+] =139 mmol/L and CK = 1.099 UI/L. Criteria for the determination of acute kidney damage were not met, and [Na+] concentration was above 135 mEq/L, indicating the absence of hyponatremia. Exertional rhabdomyolysis was suffered by the athlete (baseline CK increased fivefold), though this situation was reverted after 9 days of recovery. Ultra-trail races cause biochemical changes in athletes, which should be known about by healthcare professionals.

Description: Biogas is a promising renewable energy source; however, it needs to be upgraded to increase its low calorific value. In this study, oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) was selected to convert it to a higher fuel standard. Prior to establishing the scaled-up OCM process, the effect of organic/inorganic binders on catalytic activity was examined. The selection of the binders and composition of the catalyst pellet influenced the pore structure, fracture strength, and catalytic activity of the catalyst pellets. It was also observed that the O2 supply from the inorganic binder is a key factor in determining catalytic activity, based on which the composition of the catalyst pellets was optimized. The higher heating value increased from 39.9 (CH4, Wobbe index = 53.5 MJ/Nm3) to 41.0 MJ/Nm3 (OCM product mixture, Wobbe index = 54.2 MJ/Nm3), achieving the fuel standard prescribed in many countries (Wobbe index = 45.5–55.0 MJ/Nm3). The reaction parameters (temperature, gas hourly space velocity, size of the reaction system, and the CH4/O2 ratio) were also optimized, followed by a sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, the catalyst was stable for a long-term (100 h) operation under the optimized conditions.

Description: Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a promising technology to extract sustainable salinity gradient energy. However, the RED technology has not reached its full potential due to membrane efficiency and fouling and the complex interplay between ionic flows and fluidic configurations. We investigate renewable power generation by harnessing salinity gradient energy during reverse electrodialysis using a lab-scaled fluidic cell, consisting of two reservoirs separated by a nanoporous ion exchange membrane, under various flow rates (qf) and salt-concentration difference (Δc). The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the single RED unit reveals a linear dependence, similar to an electrochemical cell. The experimental results show that the change of inflow velocity has an insignificant impact on the I-V data for a wide range of flow rates explored (0.01–1 mL/min), corresponding to a low-Peclet number regime. Both the maximum RED power density (Pc,m) and open-circuit voltage (ϕ0) increase with increasing Δc. On the one hand, the RED cell’s internal resistance (Rc) empirically reveals a power-law dependence of Rc∝Δc−α. On the other hand, the open-circuit voltage shows a logarithmic relationship of ϕ0=BlnΔc+β. These experimental results are consistent with those by a nonlinear numerical simulation considering a single charged nanochannel, suggesting that parallelization of charged nano-capillaries might be a good upscaling model for a nanoporous membrane for RED applications.

Description: There has been a significant increase in the number of reported human cryptosporidiosis cases in recent years. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents and shrews, and investigate the species and genotype distribution to assess zoonotic risk. Partial 18S rRNA gene nested-PCR reveals that 36.8, 53.9 and 41.9% of mice, voles and shrews are infected with Cryptosporidium species. The highest prevalence occurred in the Microtus agrestis (field vole) and Myodes glareolus (bank vole). Interestingly, bank voles caught in fields were significantly more often Cryptosporidium-positive compared to those caught in forests. The proportion of infected animals increases from over-wintered (spring and summer) to juveniles (autumn) suggesting acquired immunity in older animals. Based on Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, Apodemus flavicollis (yellow-necked mouse) is commonly infected with zoonotic C. ditrichi. Voles carry multiple different Cryptosporidium sp. and genotypes, some of which are novel. C. andersoni, another zoonotic species, is identified in the Craseomys rufocanus (grey-sided vole). Shrews carry novel shrew genotypes. In conclusion, this study indicates that Cryptosporidium protozoan are present in mouse, vole and shrew populations around Finland and the highest zoonotic risk is associated with C. ditrichi in Apodemus flavicollis and C. andersoni in Craseomys rufocanus. C. parvum, the most common zoonotic species in human infections, was not detected.

Description: Dimethacarb is a carbamate insecticide developed in China that contains 3,5-dimethylphenyl methylcarbamate (XMC) and 3,4-dimethylphenyl methylcarbamate (MPMC) isomers. Dimethacarb has been registered for use in rice in China, but no residue or degradation of dimethacarb in rice has been reported and the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for rice have not been established. A versatile high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed with modified QuEChERS sample preparation to determine two isomers of dimethacarb in rice. The average recovery of XMC and MPMC in brown rice, rice husk, and rice straw ranged from 71.69 to 100.60%, with spike levels of 0.01 to 1 mg/kg and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.21 to 8.41%. Field experiments showed that the half-lives of XMC and MPMC in rice straw were 4.08 to 4.23 days and 3.48 to 3.69 days, respectively. Final residues of XMC and MPMC in rice husk after 21 days of spraying at six sites ranged from 0.23–2.65 mg/kg and 0.06–1.10 mg/kg, and

Description: Bulk metallic glass (BMG) has received consistent attention from the research community owing to its superior physical and mechanical properties. Modulating and controlling the surface functionalities of BMG can be more interesting for the surface engineering community and will render more practical applications. In this work, a facile laser-based surface texturing technique is presented to modulate and control the surface functionalities (i.e., wettability and hardness) of Zr-based BMG. Laser surface texturing was first utilized to create periodic surface structures, and heat treatment was subsequently employed to control the surface chemistry. The experimental results indicate that the laser textured BMG surface became superhydrophilic immediately upon laser texturing, and it turned superhydrophobic after heat treatment. Through surface morphology and chemistry analyses, it was confirmed that the wettability transition could be ascribed to the combined effects of laser-induced periodic surface structure and controllable surface chemistry. In the meantime, the microhardness of the BMG surface has been remarkably increased as a result of laser surface texturing. The facile laser-based technique developed in this work has shown its effectiveness in modification and control of the surface functionalities for BMG, and it is expected to endow more useful applications.

Description: The elementary particles of relativistic quantum field theory are not simple field quanta, as has long been assumed. Rather, they supplement quantum fields, on which they depend on but to which they are not reducible, as shown here with particles defined instead as a unified collection of properties that appear in both physical symmetry group representations and field propagators. This notion of particle provides consistency between the practice of particle physics and its basis in quantum field theory.

Description: Indigenous populations around the world face disproportionately high rates of disease related to the environment and animals. One Health is a concept that has been used effectively to understand and address these health risks. One Health refers to the relationships and interdependencies between animal, human, and environmental health and is an emerging research field that aligns with indigenous views of health. To understand the applicability of One Health in indigenous communities, a critical review was undertaken to investigate evidence of One Health research in indigenous communities internationally, assess the strength of evidence, and understand what gaps are present. This review included the appraisal of twenty-four studies based in five regions: Canada, Africa, Australia, South America, and Central America. The review found that there is a need for studies of high strength, with rigorous methods, local leadership, and active involvement of indigenous viewpoints, to be undertaken in indigenous communities internationally that focus on One Health. It highlights the need to further consider indigenous viewpoints in research to reduce limitations, increase effectiveness of findings, consider appropriateness of recommendations, and benefit communities.

Description: The first step in the infection of fungal pathogens in humans is the adhesion of the pathogen to host tissue cells or abiotic surfaces such as catheters and implants. One of the main players involved in this are the expressed cell wall adhesins. Here, we review the Flo adhesin family and their involvement in the adhesion of these yeasts during human infections. Firstly, we redefined the Flo adhesin family based on the domain architectures that are present in the Flo adhesins and their functions, and set up a new classification of Flo adhesins. Next, the structure, function, and adhesion mechanisms of the Flo adhesins whose structure has been solved are discussed in detail. Finally, we identified from Pfam database datamining yeasts that could express Flo adhesins and are encountered in human infections and their adhesin architectures. These yeasts are discussed in relation to their adhesion characteristics and involvement in infections.

Description: RNA activation (RNAa) is a mechanism whereby RNA oligos complementary to genomic sequences around the promoter region of genes increase the transcription output of their target gene. Small activating RNA (saRNA) mediate RNAa through interaction with protein co-factors to facilitate RNA polymerase II activity and nucleosome remodeling. As saRNA are small, versatile and safe, they represent a new class of therapeutics that can rescue the downregulation of critical genes in disease settings. This review highlights our current understanding of saRNA biology and describes various examples of how saRNA are successfully used to treat various oncological, neurological and monogenic diseases. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-class compound that reverses CEBPA downregulation in oncogenic processes using CEBPA-51 saRNA has entered clinical trial for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preclinical models demonstrate that MTL-CEBPA reverses the immunosuppressive effects of myeloid cells and allows for the synergistic enhancement of other anticancer drugs. Encouraging results led to the initiation of a clinical trial combining MTL-CEBPA with a PD-1 inhibitor for treatment of solid tumors.

Description: Cardiovascular diseases are currently among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in many developed countries. They are distinguished by chronic and latent development, a course with stages of worsening of symptoms and a period of improvement, and a constant potential threat to life. One of the most important disorders in cardiovascular disease is ischemic stroke. The causes of ischemic stroke can be divided into non-modifiable and modifiable causes. One treatment modality from a neurological point of view is acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), which blocks cyclooxygenase and, thus, thromboxane synthesis. The legitimacy of its administration does not raise any doubts in the case of the acute phase of stroke in patients in whom thrombolytic treatment cannot be initiated. The measurement of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) in serum (a stable metabolic product of TxA2) is the only test that measures the effect of aspirin on the activity of COX-1 in platelets. Measurement of thromboxane B2 may be a potential biomarker of vascular disease risk in patients treated with aspirin. The aim of this study is to present the role of thromboxane B2 in ischemic stroke and to present effective therapies for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Scientific articles from the PubMed database were used for the work, which were selected on the basis of a search for “thromboxane and stroke”. Subsequently, a restriction was introduced for works older than 10 years, those concerning animals, and those without full text access. Ultimately, 58 articles were selected. It was shown that a high concentration of TXB2 may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke or ischemic heart disease. However, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that thromboxane could be used in clinical practice as a marker of ischemic stroke. The inclusion of ASA in the prevention of stroke has a beneficial effect that is associated with the effect on thromboxane. However, its insufficient power in 25% or even 50% of the population should be taken into account. An alternative and/or additional therapy could be a selective antagonist of the thromboxane receptor. Thromboxane A2 production is inhibited by estrogen; therefore, the risk of CVD after the menopause and among men is higher. More research is needed in this area.

Description: A europium(III) hybrid material Eu(tta)3bpdc-SiO2@mTiO2 (Htta = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, H2bpdc = 2,2′-bipyridine-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid) was successfully designed and synthesized by the covalent grafting complex Eu(tta)3bpdc to SiO2@mTiO2 core–shell nanosphere. The FT-IR, PXRD, XPS, TEM, HRTEM, SAED, TGA and PL were performed to characterize these materials. The results indicate that core–shell nanosphere structure and anatase crystallites of SiO2@mTiO2 are retained well after grafting the europium complex. Hybrid material Eu(tta)3bpdc-SiO2@mTiO2 displays uniform nanosphere structure, bright red color and long lifetime, which can serve as a multicolor emission material modulated by using Al3+ ions via the cation exchange approach under a single-wavelength excitation. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first multicolor emissive sensor for Al3+ ions based on the lanthanide hybrid material.

Description: Governance, financing, and business models are deeply interlinked and relevant for the successful implementation of urban nature-based solutions (NBS). However, during the definition of urban NBS projects the importance and interrelation of these models are usually neglected. To overcome this limitation, this paper presents an overarching framework (conceptual and operational) and a derived preselection web tool which interrelate governance, financing, and business models for NBS projects. First, based on recent literature, governance, financing, and business models that could be applied to NBS were mapped, and their integration proposed. Later, key contextual factors influencing NBS implementation were identified. They form the basis of a WHAT–WHO–HOW framework that structures the links between specific NBS projects, their implementation context, and the most suitable models. From that framework, and an analysis of 50 successful NBS case studies, a suitability matrix was developed with known models. The matrix allows pairing types of NBS and their initiating actors with suitable financing and governance models. Lastly, a tailored NBS business model canvas was designed to evaluate the business model components. From the overarching framework, the preselection web tool was created to guide decision-making on suitable governance, finance, and business models in the early phases of NBS projects.

Description: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to various conduct and behavior problems within juvenile delinquents, but fewer studies focused on these associations among specific forensic typologies of offending. Utilizing data from 3382 institutionalized delinquents in Texas, logistic regression models indicated multiple associations between ACEs and forensic typologies in both adjusted and unadjusted models, with sexual abuse and physical abuse emerging as the most consistent and robust predictors. Supplemental sensitivity models confirmed the associations between sexual abuse and physical abuse among youth who fit multiple forensic typologies. Models fared poorly at identifying youth who are engaged in fire setting. Implications for total and singular ACEs are discussed, along with how those relate to more clinically meaningful, forensic forms of juvenile delinquency.

Description: The need to compete for users’ attention and provide them with the best user experience has increased the use of persuasion strategies in modern systems. Currently, Persuasive Systems (PSs) promote healthy behavior for well-being, energy consumption, and learning. Although the educational domain has limited investigation compared to other areas, PSs in education have been shown to be effective in motivating students. This paper summarizes the existing evidence on Persuasive Educational Systems (PESs), emphasizing research on the current design methods, evaluation methods, and characteristics. We follow Kitchenham’s method to perform a systematic literature review about PESs published between 2014 and 2020, with 19 relevant studies selected. We highlight some results from the analysis of selected papers such as persuasion strategies, use of a personalized persuasion technique, study of students’ susceptibility to strategies, integration of gamification mechanisms, and proposed tools to design PES. Moreover, we discuss interesting facts such as the common practice of using more than one tool to design PES, aspects of interaction, persuasion, learning, and the challenges in evaluating persuasive impact. Finally, as the main contribution of the paper we identify the seven necessary characteristics to build a persuasive educational system.

Description: Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biocompatible resorbable material, but its use is limited due to the fact that it is characterized by the lack of cell adhesion to its surface. Various chemical and physical methods are described in the literature, as well as modifications with various nanoparticles aimed at giving it such surface properties that would positively affect cell adhesion. Nanomaterials, in the form of membranes, were obtained by the introduction of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs and functionalized nanotubes, MWCNTs-f) as well as electro-spun carbon nanofibers (ESCNFs, and functionalized nanofibers, ESCNFs-f) into a PCL matrix. Their properties were compared with that of reference, unmodified PCL membrane. Human osteoblast-like cell line, U-2 OS (expressing green fluorescent protein, GFP) was seeded on the evaluated nanomaterial membranes at relatively low confluency and cultured in the standard cell culture conditions. The attachment and the growth of the cell populations on the polymer and nanocomposite samples were monitored throughout the first week of culture with fluorescence microscopy. Simultaneously, Raman microspectroscopy was also used to track the dependence of U-2 OS cell development on the type of nanomaterial, and it has proven to be the best method for the early detection of nanomaterial/cell interactions. The differentiation of interactions depending on the type of nanoadditive is indicated by the ν(COC) vibration range, which indicates the interaction with PCL membranes with carbon nanotubes, while it is irrelevant for PCL with carbon nanofibers, for which no changes are observed. The vibration range ω(CH2) indicates the interaction for PCL with carbon nanofibers with seeded cells. The crystallinity of the area ν(C=O) increases for PCL/MWCNTs and for PCL/MWCNTs-f, while it decreases for PCL/ESCNFs and for PCL/ESCNFs-f with seeded cells. The crystallinity of the membranes, which is determined by Raman microspectroscopy, allows for the assessment of polymer structure changes and their degradability caused by the secretion of cell products into the ECM and the differentiation of interactions depending on the carbon nanostructure. The obtained nanocomposite membranes are promising bioactive materials.

Description: Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) are omnidirectional turbomachines commonly used in rural areas for small-to-medium-scale power generation. The complex flow observed in the wake region of VAWTs is affected by a number of factors, such as rotor blades design. A damaged rotor significantly alters the flow field in the wake region of the VAWT, degrading its power generation capability. Published literature on damaged wind turbine blades is severely limited to torque signal analysis and basic flow field description in the wake region. In this study, detailed numerical investigations have been carried out to establish and quantify the relationship between damaged rotor and the wake dynamics of a VAWT. Time-based Computational Fluid Dynamics analyses have been performed on two VAWT models, one undamaged and the other with a missing rotor blade. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition has been used to extract the energy content and temporal coefficients of the various flow patterns associated with the wake region. The results indicate that the first pressure-based flow mode contains 99% of the energy and provides a functional basis for accurate reconstruction of the wake. It is envisaged that this study will aid the development of novel machine learning algorithms for rotor damage detection in wind farms.

Description: Purpose: Both anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and shoulder hemiarthroplasty (SHA) are used for the management of end-stage glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA). The present study compared TSA and SHA in terms of clinical outcome and complication rate. Methods: This meta-analysis followed the PRISMA guidelines. In October 2021, the following databases were accessed: Web of Science, Google Scholar, Pubmed, Scopus. All clinical trials comparing anatomical TSA versus SHA for GHOA were considered. Results: Data from 11,027 procedures were retrieved. The mean length of the follow-up was 81.8 (16 to 223.20) months. The mean age of the patients was 61.4 ± 8.6 years, and 56.0% (5731 of 10,228 patients) were women. At last follow-up, the age-adjusted constant score was greater following TSA (p 〈 0.0001), as were active elevation (p 〈 0.0001), flexion (p 〈 0.0001), abduction (p 〈 0.0001), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Score (p 〈 0.0001). Postoperative pain (p 〈 0.0001) and revision rate (p = 0.02) were lower in the TSA group. Conclusions: Anatomic TSA performed better than SHA in patients with GHOA.

Description: This work presents different formulations to obtain the solution for the Giesekus constitutive model for a flow between two parallel plates. The first one is the formulation based on work by Schleiniger, G; Weinacht, R.J., [Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 40, 79–102 (1991)]. The second formulation is based on the concept of changing the independent variable to obtain the solution of the fluid flow components in terms of this variable. This change allows the flow components to be obtained analytically, with the exception of the velocity profile, which is obtained using a high-order numerical integration method. The last formulation is based on the numerical simulation of the governing equations using high-order approximations. The results show that each formulation presented has advantages and disadvantages, and it was investigated different viscoelastic fluid flows by varying the dimensionless parameters, considering purely polymeric fluid flow, closer to purely polymeric fluid flow, solvent contribution on the mixture of fluid, and high Weissenberg numbers.

Description: Background: Salmonellaenterica is one of the common pathogens in both humans and animals that causes salmonellosis and threatens public health all over the world. Methods and Results: Here we determined the virulence phenotypes of nine Salmonellaenterica subsp. enterica (S. enterica) isolates in vitro and in vivo, including pathogenicity to chicken, cell infection, biofilm formation and virulence gene expressions. S. Enteritidis 211 (SE211) was highly pathogenic with notable virulence features among the nine isolates. The combination of multiple virulence genes contributed to the conferring of the high virulence in SE211. Importantly, many mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were found in the genome sequence of SE211, including a virulence plasmid, genomic islands, and prophage regions. The MGEs and CRISPR-Cas system might function synergistically for gene transfer and immune defense. In addition, the neighbor joining tree and the minimum spanning tree were constructed in this study. Conclusions: This study provided both the virulence phenotypes and genomic features, which might contribute to the understanding of bacterial virulence mechanisms in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. The first completed genomic sequence for the high virulent S. Enteritidis isolate SE211 and the comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses provided a preliminary understanding of S. enterica genetics and laid the foundation for further study.

Description: Coagulase is a critical factor for distinguishing Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Our previous studies demonstrated that the null mutation of coagulase (coa) or its direct regulator, SaeRS, significantly enhanced the ability of S. aureus (CA-MRSA 923) to survive in human blood in vitro. This led us to further investigate the role of coagulase and its direct regulator, SaeRS, in the pathogenicity of CA-MRSA 923 in bacteremia during infection. In this study, we found that the null mutation of coa significantly decreased the mortality of CA-MRSA 923; moreover, the single null mutation of saeRS and the double deletion of coa/saeRS abolished the virulence of CA-MRSA 923. Moreover, the mice infected with either the saeRS knockout or the coa/saeRS double knockout mutant exhibited fewer histological lesions and less neutrophils infiltration in the infected kidneys compared to those infected with the coa knockout mutant or their parental control. Furthermore, we examined the impact of coa and saeRS on bacterial survival in vitro. The null mutation of coa had no impact on bacterial survival in mice blood, whereas the deletion mutation of saeRS or coa/saeRS significantly enhanced bacterial survival in mice blood. These data indicate that SaeRS plays a key role in the lethality of CA-MRSA 923 bacteremia, and that coagulase is one of the important virulence factors that is regulated by SaeRS and contributes to the pathogenicity of CA–MRSA 923.

Description: Semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) are mostly wing-polymorphic species with flight dispersal as an important life history trait, but the specific flight ability and dispersal pattern remain unexplored in most species. This report presents the results of a long-term survey based on the individual marking of more than 23,000 specimens of eight water striders (Gerridae) and a water cricket Velia caprai (Veliidae). Three distinct lentic habitats were sampled (solitary fishponds, systems of nearby fishponds and systems of small, often temporary pools) and one lotic habitat—a small forest stream. Recaptures revealed that three gerrid species tend to stay at the breeding site, but can differ in dispersal via the water surface. Reproductive flightless females disperse most actively via the water surface, possibly bypassing the trade-off between dispersal and reproduction. One species has a sex-dependent dispersal pattern, with females being rather philopatric, whereas males often disperse. Three other gerrid species are highly dispersive and tend to change breeding site. V. caprai, the only lotic species included in this survey, tend to move upstream and possibly compensate for the downstream drift.

Description: After successful surgeries for patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, the most common cause of retinal redetachment is proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which causes severe vision impairment and even blindness worldwide. Until now, the major treatment for PVR is surgical removal of the epiretinal membrane, while effective treatment to prevent PVR is still unavailable. Therefore, we investigated the potential of doxycycline, an antibiotic in the tetracycline class, to treat PVR using a mouse model. We used the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line, ARPE-19, for in vitro and in vivo studies to test doxycycline for PVR treatment. We found that doxycycline suppressed the migration, proliferation, and contraction of ARPE-19 cells with reduced p38 MAPK activation and total MMP activity. Intravitreal doxycycline and topical tetracycline treatment significantly ameliorated the PVR severity induced by ARPE-19 cells in mice. PVR increased the expression of MMP-9 and IL-4 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation and modestly decreased IL-10. These effects were reversed by doxycycline and tetracycline treatment in the mouse retina. These results suggest that doxycycline will be a potential treatment for PVR in the future.

Description: Global climatic changes have been observed for all natural biomes, with the greatest impact in the permafrost zone. The short series of direct observations of air temperature and precipitation from meteorological stations for this territory make it difficult to use them in studies of the impact of climate change on forest and forest-tundra ecosystems, but only longer series of gridded data expand the temporal-spatial resolution of this analysis. We compared local and gridded air temperature, precipitation and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) data, analyzed the trends of their changes over the last century for three sites in the permafrost zone (YAK and TAY in Russia, and CAN in Canada), and estimated the effect of their variability on oxygen isotopes in the tree-ring cellulose (δ18Ocell) of three different species (Larix cajanderi Mayr, Larix gmelinii Rupr. Rupr and Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss). Climate trend analysis showed strong changes after the 1980s, and even more pronounced from 2000 to 2020. We revealed that δ18Ocell-YAK showed mixed signals of the July temperature (r = 0.49; p = 0.001), precipitation (r = −0.37; p = 0.02) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) (r = 0.31; p = 0.02), while δ18Ocell-CAN captured longer March–May (r = 0.37, p = 0.001) and July (r = 0.32, p 〈 0.05) temperature signals as well as spring VPD (r = 0.54, p = 0.001). The δ18Ocell-TAY showed a significant correlation with air temperature in July (r = 0.23, p = 0.04) and VPD in March (r = −0.26, p = 0.03). The obtained eco-hydrological relationships indicate the importance of temperature and moisture to varying degrees, which can be explained by site- and species-specific differences.

Description: Ditch-pond systems can effectively alleviate the adverse effects of agricultural drainage on downstream canals and flood control in downstream areas. In this study, peak flow reduction rate (PFR) and drainage volume detention rate (DVD) are used to evaluate the effectiveness of an off-line ditch-pond system for reducing peak flow, retarding agricultural drainage water, and examining the key influencing factors. The results show that the PFR and DVD of the off-line ditch-pond system are significantly affected by three parameters: weir depth (Ld), weir width (Lw), and pond area-to-drainage area ratio (Ksp). Both the PFR and DVD increase with the increase in Ld, Lw, and Ksp. The effects of Ld and Lw on the PFR and the DVD are significant, whereas that Ksp is relatively small. Adjusting Ld and Lw increases both the PFR and DVD up to 80%. Specifically, Ld contributes 75% of the variations in the PFR and the DVD, and Lw affects only 17% of the PFR variations and 11% of the DVD variations. These findings confirm that an off-line ditch-pond system can be effectively used for the detention of agricultural drainage water. Thus, when such a system is designed with an appropriate diversion weir, the impact of agricultural drainage water on downstream canals and downstream areas can be reduced remarkably.

Description: Diabetes is a severe threat to global health. Almost 500 million people live with diabetes worldwide. Most of them have type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D patients are at risk of developing severe and life-threatening complications, leading to an increased need for medical care and reduced quality of life. Improved care for people with T2D is essential. Actions aiming at identifying undiagnosed diabetes and at preventing diabetes in those at high risk are needed as well. To this end, biomarker discovery and validation of risk assessment for T2D are critical. Alterations of DNA methylation have recently helped to better understand T2D pathophysiology by explaining differences among endophenotypes of diabetic patients in tissues. Recent evidence further suggests that variations of DNA methylation might contribute to the risk of T2D even more significantly than genetic variability and might represent a valuable tool to predict T2D risk. In this review, we focus on recent information on the contribution of DNA methylation to the risk and the pathogenesis of T2D. We discuss the limitations of these studies and provide evidence supporting the potential for clinical application of DNA methylation marks to predict the risk and progression of T2D.

Description: Affect plays a major role in the individual’s daily life, driving the sensemaking of experience, psychopathological conditions, social representations of phenomena, and ways of coping with others. The characteristics of affect have been traditionally investigated through physiological, self-report, and behavioral measures. The present article proposes a text-based measure to detect affect intensity: the Affective Saturation Index (ASI). The ASI rationale and the conceptualization of affect are overviewed, and an initial validation study on the ASI’s convergent and concurrent validity is presented. Forty individuals completed a non-clinical semi-structured interview. For each interview transcript, the ASI was esteemed and compared to the individual’s physiological index of propensity to affective arousal (measured by heart rate variability (HRV)); transcript semantic complexity (measured through the Semantic Entropy Index (SEI)); and lexical syntactic complexity (measured through the Flesch–Vacca Index (FVI)). ANOVAs and bi-variate correlations estimated the size of the relationships between indexes and sample characteristics (age, gender), then a set of multiple linear regressions tested the ASI’s association with HRV, the SEI, and the FVI. Results support the ASI construct and criteria validity. The ASI proved able to detect affective saturation in interview transcripts (SEI and FVI, adjusted R2 = 0.428 and adjusted R2 = 0.241, respectively) and the way the text’s affective saturation reflected the intensity of the individual’s affective state (HRV, adjusted R2 = 0.428). In conclusion, although the specificity of the sample (psychology students) limits the findings’ generalizability, the ASI provides the chance to use written texts to measure affect in accordance with a dynamic approach, independent of the spatio-temporal setting in which they were produced. In doing so, the ASI provides a way to empower the empirical analysis of fields such as psychotherapy and social group dynamics.

Description: Rabbitfish (Siganidae) are coral reef fish that are distributed across diverse habitats that include estuaries, mangroves, reefs, and even seaweed mats. Given their ecological diversity and natural widespread distributions across the Indo-Pacific region, we were interested to investigate the evolutionary history of this group and patterns of divergence that have contributed to their present-day distributions. In the present study, samples were collected from the South China Sea to study taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships, and divergence times. We investigated the taxonomic relationships among modern rabbitfish species, reconstructed their molecular phylogeny, and estimated divergence times among selected lineages based on a fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and sequences of the nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO). Our results indicate that modern rabbitfish likely originated in the Indo-West Pacific during the late Eocene [37.4 million years ago (mya)], following which they diverged into three major clades during the Pliocene/Pleistocene. Subsequent diversification and origins of the majority of siganids may likely be associated with episodes of paleo-oceanographic events, including greenhouse and glaciation events (Eocene–Miocene) as well as major plate tectonic events (Pliocene–Pleistocene). Some modern siganid species may naturally hybridize with congeneric species where their geographical ranges overlap. A comprehensive taxonomic analysis revealed that the phylogeny of Siganidae (cladogenesis of Clades I, II, and III) is characterized by divergence in several external morphological characters and morphometric parameters. Our study demonstrates that morphological characteristics, geographical heterogeneity, and environmental change have contributed to siganids’ historical diversification.

Description: Heart rate is one of the most important diagnostic bases for cardiovascular disease. This paper introduces a deep autoencoding strategy into feature extraction of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, and proposes a beat-to-beat heart rate estimation method based on convolution autoencoding and Gaussian mixture clustering. The high-level heartbeat features were first extracted in an unsupervised manner by training the convolutional autoencoder network, and then the adaptive Gaussian mixture clustering was applied to detect the heartbeat locations from the extracted features, and calculated the beat-to-beat heart rate. Compared with the existing heartbeat classification/detection methods, the proposed unsupervised feature learning and heartbeat clustering method does not rely on accurate labeling of each heartbeat location, which could save a lot of time and effort in human annotations. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method maintains better accuracy and generalization ability compared with the existing ECG heart rate estimation methods and could be a robust long-time heart rate monitoring solution for wearable ECG devices.

Description: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent primary brain cancer in the pediatric and adult population. It is known as an untreatable tumor in urgent need of new therapeutic approaches. The objective of this work was to develop multifunctional nanomedicines to treat GBM in clinical practice using combination therapy for several targets. We developed multifunctional nanopolymers (MNPs) based on a naturally derived biopolymer, poly(β-L-malic) acid, which are suitable for central nervous system (CNS) treatment. These MNPs contain several anticancer functional moieties with the capacity of crossing the blood–brain barrier (BBB), targeting GBM cells and suppressing two important molecular markers, tyrosine kinase transmembrane receptors EGFR/EGFRvIII and c-Myc nuclear transcription factor. The reproducible syntheses of MNPs where monoclonal antibodies are replaced with AP-2 peptide for effective BBB delivery were presented. The active anticancer inhibitors of mRNA/protein syntheses were Morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (AONs). Two ways of covalent AON-polymer attachments with and without disulfide bonds were explored. These MNPs bearing AONs to EGFR/EGFRvIII and c-Myc, as well as in a combination with the polymer-attached checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1 antibody, orchestrated a multi-pronged attack on intracranial mouse GBM to successfully block tumor growth and significantly increase survival of brain tumor-bearing animals.

Description: In standard district cooling (DC) plants, central chillers produce cold energy for space cooling throughout the district network. In recent times, the integration of the vapor compression system, which includes the functionalities of vapor compression chillers (VCC), and thermal energy storage (TES) tanks in the DC setup, has gained more implementation across the globe. This is due to the possibility of load shifting by using the VCC to produce chilled water for charging the TES tanks during off peak periods. Since the environmental implications of various energy intensive systems are largely determined by the amount of material and energy consumed throughout their life cycle, it is critical to conduct a sustainability assessment of these systems in terms of environmental contributions, and suggest design options to reduce these impacts. A cradle to grave life cycle assessment (LCA) model is created in response to these issues and in order to meet the project’s objectives. The life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) results of the analysis reveal that the carbon footprint per 1 RTh of the produced chilled water is estimated at 0.72 kg CO2 eq/RTh. The operation phase of the system’s life cycle accounted for the most impact, about 98%, with other life cycle phases having negligible contributions. In substantiating the study’s investigation, the environmental performance based on several design options were discussed and compared to the case study. Among the several scenarios considered, incorporating the Sweden mix technology provided the case study with the most significant environmental savings, of about 94%.

Description: An objective Bayesian method for the Tweedie Exponential Dispersion (TED) process model is proposed in this paper. The TED process is a generalized stochastic process, including some famous stochastic processes (e.g., Wiener, Gamma, and Inverse Gaussian processes) as special cases. This characteristic model of several types of process, to be more generic, is of particular use for degradation data analysis. At present, the estimation methods of the TED model are the subjective Bayesian method or the frequentist method. However, some products may not have historical information for reference and the sample size is small, which will lead to a dilemma for the frequentist method and subjective Bayesian method. Therefore, we propose an objective Bayesian method to analyze the TED model. Furthermore, we prove that the corresponding posterior distributions have nice properties and propose Metropolis–Hastings algorithms for the Bayesian inference. To illustrate the applicability and advantages of the TED model and objective Bayesian method, we compare the objective Bayesian estimates with the subjective Bayesian estimates and the maximum likelihood estimates according to Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, a case of GaAs laser data is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Description: In this study, the effects of graphene and design differences on bow-tie microstrip antenna performance and bandwidth improvement were investigated both with simulation and experiments. In addition, the conductivity of graphene can be dynamically tuned by changing its chemical potential. The numerical calculations of the proposed antennas at 2–10 GHz were carried out using the finite integration technique in the CST Microwave Studio program. Thus, three bow-tie microstrip antennas with different antenna parameters were designed. Unlike traditional production techniques, due to its cost-effectiveness and easy production, antennas were produced using 3D printing, and then measurements were conducted. A very good match was observed between the simulation and the measurement results. The performance of each antenna was analyzed, and then, the effects of antenna sizes and different chemical potentials on antenna performance were investigated and discussed. The results show that the bow-tie antenna with a slot, which is one of the new advantages of this study, provides a good match and that it has an ultra-bandwidth of 18 GHz in the frequency range of 2 to 20 GHz for ultra-wideband applications. The obtained return loss of −10 dB throughout the applied frequency shows that the designed antennas are useful. In addition, the proposed antennas have an average gain of 9 dBi. This study will be a guide for microstrip antennas based on the desired applications by changing the size of the slots and chemical potential in the conductive parts in the design.

Description: Objective: To test the efficacy of the Athletics Injury Prevention Programme (AIPP) to reduce the percentage of athletes presenting at least one injury complaint leading to participation restriction (ICPR) over an athletics season. Methods: During the 2017–2018 athletics season, we included in this cluster randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03307434) 840 athletes randomly assigned (randomisation unit: athletic clubs) to a control group (regular training) or to an intervention group (regular training plus the AIPP 2/week). Using a weekly online questionnaire, athletes reported the ICPR, training and competition exposures, and, for the intervention group, the compliance with the AIPP. The primary outcome was the percentage of athletes presenting at least one ICPR over the study follow-up. Results: A total of 449 and 391 athletes were included in the intervention and control groups, respectively. From them, 68 (15.1%) and 100 (25.6%) athletes, respectively, provided 100% of the requested information during the follow-up (39 weeks). A total of 6 (8.8%) performed the AIPP 2/week or more. The proportion of athletes who had at least one ICPR over the follow-up period was similar in the intervention (64.7%) and control groups (65.0%), with adjusted odds ratios: 0.81 (95% CI 0.36 to 1.85). There were no between-group differences when comparing separately the subgroups corresponding with the different compliance levels. Conclusion: This cluster randomised controlled trial reported no efficacy of the AIPP. However, the overall response proportion and the compliance with the AIPP in the intervention group were low. In individual sports especially, efforts should be first made to improve the implementation and adoption of interventions.

Description: Among the many known physicochemical methods for the separation of organic compounds and metal ions from aqueous solutions, liquid–liquid extraction and membrane techniques hold a special position, enabling their recovery from dilute aqueous solutions [...]

Description: Land-use classification is fundamental for environmental and water resource evaluation in coastal plain areas. However, comprehensive remote sensing image-based land-use analysis is challenged by the lack of massive remote sensing images and the massive computing power of large-scale server systems. In this paper, the spatial-temporal land-use change characteristics of the Hangzhou Bay area coastal plain are investigated on the Google Earth Engine platform. The proposed model uses a random forest algorithm to assist the land-use classification. The dataset is selected from the year 2009 to 2020 and classified with an average classification accuracy of 89% and Kappa coefficient of 88%. The results show that the land use in the selected region is affected by urbanization, the balance of cultivated land occupation and compensation, construction of economic development zone, and other activities. The investigation also shows that in the past 12 years, land use has changed rapidly, and each land-use type maintains the dynamic balance of occupation and compensation. Although the overall land-use distribution is stable, the information entropy fluctuates at a high level, with an average value of 1.15, and the multi-year average value of equilibrium is as high as 0.83. The driving force of land-use change is analyzed and accounted as demographics and human population dynamics, social-economic development, urbanization, and coupling effects of the above-mentioned factors.

Description: Eight new cytochalasins 1–8 and ten known analogs 9–18 were isolated from the endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. xz-18. The planar structures of the cytochalasins were determined by HR-ESI-MS and NMR analysis. Compounds 1, 2, 9 and 10 were 5/6/6/7/5-fused pentacyclic cytochalasins; compounds 3 and 4 had conjugated diene structures in the macrocycle; and compound 6 had a β,γ-unsaturated ketone. The absolute configuration of 6 was confirmed for the first time by the octant rule. The acid-free purification process proved that the pentacyclic system was a natural biosynthetic product and not an acid-mediated intramolecular cyclized artifact. The new compounds did not exhibit activities against human cancer cell lines in cytotoxicity bioassays or antipathogenic fungal activity, but compounds 1, 3 and 4 showed moderate antibacterial activity in disk diffusion assays.

Description: The DNA damage response revolves around transmission of information via post-translational modifications, including reversible protein ADP-ribosylation. Here, we applied a mass-spectrometry-based Af1521 enrichment technology for the identification and quantification of ADP-ribosylation sites as a function of various DNA damage stimuli and time. In total, we detected 1681 ADP-ribosylation sites residing on 716 proteins in U2OS cells and determined their temporal dynamics after exposure to the genotoxins H2O2 and MMS. Intriguingly, we observed a widespread but low-abundance serine ADP-ribosylation response at the earliest time point, with later time points centered on increased modification of the same sites. This suggests that early serine ADP-ribosylation events may serve as a platform for an integrated signal response. While treatment with H2O2 and MMS induced homogenous ADP-ribosylation responses, we observed temporal differences in the ADP-ribosylation site abundances. Exposure to MMS-induced alkylating stress induced the strongest ADP-ribosylome response after 30 min, prominently modifying proteins involved in RNA processing, whereas in response to H2O2-induced oxidative stress ADP-ribosylation peaked after 60 min, mainly modifying proteins involved in DNA damage pathways. Collectively, the dynamic ADP-ribosylome presented here provides a valuable insight into the temporal cellular regulation of ADP-ribosylation in response to DNA damage.

Description: Yeast can be isolated from tofu wastewater and the cell wall in the form of β-glucan can act as a natural decontaminant agent. This study aimed to isolate and characterize native yeast from tofu wastewater, which can be extracted to obtain β-glucan and then identify the yeast and its β-glucan activity regarding antifungal ability against Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin-reducing activity towards aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and B2 (AFB2). Tofu wastewater native yeast was molecularly identified, and the growth observed based on optical density for 96 h and the pH also measured. β-glucan was extracted from native yeast cell walls with the acid-base method and then the inhibition activity towards A. flavus was tested using the well diffusion method and microscopic observation. AFB1 and AFB2 reduction were identified using HPLC LC-MS/MS. The results showed that the native yeast isolated was Pichia norvegensis with a β-glucan yield of 6.59%. Pichia norvegensis and its β-glucan showed an inhibition zone against Aspergillus flavus of 11.33 ± 4.93 and 7.33 ± 3.51 mm, respectively. Total aflatoxin-reducing activity was also shown by Pichia norvegensis of 26.85 ± 2.87%, and β-glucan of 27.30 ± 1.49%, while AFB1- and AFB2-reducing activity by Pichia norvegensis was 36.97 ± 3.07% and 27.13 ± 1.69%, and -glucan was 27.13 ± 1.69% and 32.59 ± 4.20%, respectively.

Description: We show that when strongly focusing a linearly polarized optical vortex with the topological charge 2 (or −2) in the near-focus region, there occurs not only a reverse energy flow (where the projection of the Poynting vector is negative) but the right- (or left-) handed circular polarization of light as well. Notably, thanks to spin–orbital conversion, the on-axis polarization vector handedness is the same as that of the transverse energy flow, i.e., anticlockwise (clockwise). An absorbing spherical microparticle centered on the optical axis placed in the focus may be expected to rotate anticlockwise (clockwise) around its axis and its center of masses. We also show that in the case of sharp focusing of light with linear polarization (without an optical vortex) before and after focus, the light has an even number of local regions with left- and right-handed circular (elliptical) polarizations. Theoretical predictions are corroborated by the numerical simulation.

Description: The Jeffreys divergence is a renown arithmetic symmetrization of the oriented Kullback–Leibler divergence broadly used in information sciences. Since the Jeffreys divergence between Gaussian mixture models is not available in closed-form, various techniques with advantages and disadvantages have been proposed in the literature to either estimate, approximate, or lower and upper bound this divergence. In this paper, we propose a simple yet fast heuristic to approximate the Jeffreys divergence between two univariate Gaussian mixtures with arbitrary number of components. Our heuristic relies on converting the mixtures into pairs of dually parameterized probability densities belonging to an exponential-polynomial family. To measure with a closed-form formula the goodness of fit between a Gaussian mixture and an exponential-polynomial density approximating it, we generalize the Hyvärinen divergence to α-Hyvärinen divergences. In particular, the 2-Hyvärinen divergence allows us to perform model selection by choosing the order of the exponential-polynomial densities used to approximate the mixtures. We experimentally demonstrate that our heuristic to approximate the Jeffreys divergence between mixtures improves over the computational time of stochastic Monte Carlo estimations by several orders of magnitude while approximating the Jeffreys divergence reasonably well, especially when the mixtures have a very small number of modes.

Description: We recently reported that the inability of osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes to repair oxidative stress (OS) induced DNA damage is linked to Cav-1 overexpression/improper localization. We speculated that the senescent status of OA cells was responsible for this Cav-1 dysregulation. Here, to further investigate this hypothesis, we used Wharton Jelly derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) and investigated Cav-1 function as cells reached replicative senescence or upon stress induced senescence (SIPS). We showed that Cav-1 is upregulated, phosphorylated and translocated to the nucleus in young WJ-MSCs upon acute exogenous OS, and that it returns back to basal/nonphosphorylated levels and exports the nucleus in the recovery phase. However, as cells reach senescence, this regulation is lost. OS did not induce any Cav-1-mediated response, which is concomitant with the inability of older cells to restore DNA damage. Furthermore, downregulation of Cav-1 resulted in persistent OS-induced DNA damage and subsequent onset of senescence. We also report that the establishment of senescence is mediated by autophagy stimulation, since downregulation of autophagy key molecule Atg5, simultaneously with Cav-1 downregulation, was found to inhibit SIPS. Basically, we propose that Cav-1 involvement in DNA damage response can lead to senescence, either because the damage is extensive or because Cav-1 is absent/unable to perform its homeostatic role.

Description: Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) proteins constitute a superfamily that encodes transmembrane ion channels with highly diverse permeation and gating properties. Filamentous fungi possess putative TRP channel-encoded genes, but their functions remain elusive. Here, we report that a putative TRP-like calcium channel, trpR, in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, performs important roles in conidiation and in adapting to cell wall disruption reagents in a high temperature-induced defect-dependent manner, especially under a calcium-limited culture condition. The genetic and functional relationship between TrpR and the previously identified high-affinity calcium channels CchA/MidA indicates that TrpR has an opposite response to CchA/MidA when reacting to cell wall disruption reagents and in regulating calcium transients. However, a considerable addition of calcium can rescue all the defects that occur in TrpR and CchA/MidA, meaning that calcium is able to bypass the necessary requirement. Nevertheless, the colocalization at the membrane of the Golgi for TrpR and the P-type Golgi Ca2+ ATPase PmrA suggests two channels that may work as ion transporters, transferring Ca2+ from the cytosol into the Golgi apparatus and maintaining cellular calcium homeostasis. Therefore, combined with data for the trpR deletion mutant revealing abnormal cell wall structures, TrpR works as a Golgi membrane calcium ion channel that involves cell wall integration.

Description: Calcareous and siliceous CDW wastes from concrete and glass wastes when mixed in binary mixtures has been analyzed in this study. Fine CDW fractions (

Description: The civil engineering educators focused on implementing interdisciplinary learning in artificial intelligence (AI) based on a more innovative application of construction requirements. However, only a few pieces of literature discussed the educational learning efficiency and feedback for this trend. Hence, this study surveyed the 237 data from eight universities that issued the interdisciplinary courses. The factors were modified from the scales in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Further, the descriptive analysis was used to explain this situation in Taiwan. A novel approach based on data envelopment analysis and Mahalanobis distance approaches was proposed to solve this problem. The advantages of the proposed approach were discussed and compared with traditional method. Based on the student gains in the interdisciplinary courses, three groups were clustered and compared. The feedback of a high-input and low-efficiency student group was suggested for improving learning strategies. The sensitivity analysis of this special group showed that effective teaching practice is the key factor in the artificial intelligence courses for civil engineering students. These students may increase technical efficiency by 37% by paying 21% inputs. Therefore, this paper provided a useful and easy approach to make learning strategies for non-informatics students in AI learning.

Description: Pozol is a Mexican beverage prepared from fermented nixtamalized maize dough. To contribute to understanding its complex microbial ecology, the effect of inoculating on MRS-starch pure and mixed cultures of amylolytic Sii-25124 and non-amylolytic W. confusa 17, isolated from pozol, were studied on their interactions and fermentation parameters. These were compared with L. plantarum A6, an amylolytic strain isolated from cassava. Microbial growth, kinetic parameters, amylolytic activity, lactic acid production, and hydrolysis products from starch fermentation were measured. The population dynamics were followed by qPCR. L. plantarum A6 showed higher enzymatic activity, lactic acid, biomass production, and kinetic parameters than pozol LAB in pure cultures. Mixed culture of each pozol LAB with L. plantarum A6 showed a significant decrease in amylolytic activity, lactic acid yield, specific growth rate, and specific rate of amylase production. The interaction between Sii-25124 and W. confusa 17 increased the global maximum specific growth rate (µ), the lactic acid yield from starch (Ylac/s), lactic acid yield from biomass (Ylac/x), and specific rate of lactic acid production (qlac) by 15, 30, 30, and 40%, respectively, compared with the pure culture of Sii-25124. Interactions between the two strains are essential for this fermentation.

Description: Environmental exposure is known to have toxic effects. Maternal environmental exposure not only affects mothers but also their fetuses in utero, which may interrupt their early development. Preterm birth, one of the outcomes of prenatal exposure, is a significant factor in lifelong health risks. To understand the effects of prenatal exposome on preterm birth, we studied the association between maternal and prenatal heavy metal exposure and gestational age, using resources from the MOthers’ and Children’s Environmental Health (MOCEH) study in South Korea. Additionally, a methylation assay was performed to analyze epigenetic mediation using genomic DNA derived from the cord blood of 384 participants in the MOCEH study. The results suggest that maternal cadmium exposure is associated with a decrease in gestational age through an alteration in DNA methylation at a specific CpG site, cg21010642. The CpG site was annotated to a gene involved in early embryonic development. Therefore, irregular methylation patterns at this site may contribute to premature birth by mediating irregular biological mechanisms.

Description: Based on the necessity and urgency of detecting infectious disease marker procalcitonin (PCT), a novel unlabeled photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was prepared for the rapid and sensitive detection of PCT. Firstly, SnO2 porous nanoflowers with good photocatalytic performance were prepared by combining hydrothermal synthesis and calcining. BiOI nanoflowers were synthesized by facile ultrasonic mixed reaction. Ag2S quantum dots were deposited on SnO2/BiOI composites by in situ growth method. The SnO2/BiOI/Ag2S composites with excellent photoelectric properties were employed as substrate material, which could provide significantly enhanced and stable signal because of the energy level matching of SnO2, BiOI and Ag2S and the good light absorption performance. Accordingly, a PEC immunosensor based on SnO2/BiOI/Ag2S was constructed by using the layered modification method to achieve high sensitivity analysis of PCT. The linear dynamic range of the detection method was 0.50 pg·mL−1~100 ng·mL−1, and the detection limit was 0.14 pg·mL−1. In addition, the designed PEC immunosensor exhibited satisfactory sensitivity, selectivity, stability and repeatability, which opened up a new avenue for the analyzation of PCT and further provided guidance for antibiotic therapy.

Description: A number of studies have demonstrated that local government’s self-governing mechanisms can bring about positive collective outcomes for an entire region. However, less attention has been paid to different levels of collective outcomes (e.g., individual local governments vs. entire regions). Comparing such selective and collective outcomes in interlocal collaborations, this study attempts to explore which specific collaborative self-governing mechanisms can better work for which respective outcomes. Applying network approaches with time-series cross-sectional data, this study investigates how each local government’s network position and the network structure as a whole influence the impact of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants on job creation in terms of the regional green economy. Empirical results demonstrate the need for separating selective and collective outcomes in developing theories of regional governance. Additionally, the results provide practitioners with advice on how to manage interlocal relationships in order to maximize collective outcomes at different levels

Description: The bioavailability and pharmacokinetics in turkeys of cefquinome (CFQ), a broad-spectrum 4th-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, were explored after a single injection of 2 mg/kg body weight by intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) routes. In a crossover design and 3-weeks washout interval, seven turkeys were assigned for this objective. Blood samples were collected prior to and at various time intervals following each administration. The concentration of CFQ in plasma was measured using HPLC with a UV detector set at 266 nm. For pharmacokinetic analysis, non-compartmental methods have been applied. Following IV administration, the elimination half-life (t1/2ʎz), distribution volume at steady state (Vdss), and total body clearance (Cltot) of CFQ were 1.55 h, 0.54 L/kg, and 0.32 L/h/kg, respectively. Following the IM administration, CFQ was speedily absorbed with an absorption half-life (t1/2ab) of 0.25 h, a maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of 2.71 μg/mL, attained (Tmax) at 0.56 h. The bioavailability (F) and in vitro plasma protein binding of CFQ were 95.56% and 11.5%, respectively. Results indicated that CFQ was speedily absorbed with a considerable bioavailability after IM administration. In conclusion, CFQ has a favorable disposition in turkeys that can guide to estimate optimum dosage regimes and eventually lead to its usage to eradicate turkey’s susceptible bacterial infections.

Description: Should the internal structure of a system matter when it comes to autonomy? While there is still no consensus on a rigorous, quantifiable definition of autonomy, multiple candidate measures and related quantities have been proposed across various disciplines, including graph-theory, information-theory, and complex system science. Here, I review and compare a range of measures related to autonomy and intelligent behavior. To that end, I analyzed the structural, information-theoretical, causal, and dynamical properties of simple artificial agents evolved to solve a spatial navigation task, with or without a need for associative memory. By contrast to standard artificial neural networks with fixed architectures and node functions, here, independent evolution simulations produced successful agents with diverse neural architectures and functions. This makes it possible to distinguish quantities that characterize task demands and input-output behavior, from those that capture intrinsic differences between substrates, which may help to determine more stringent requisites for autonomous behavior and the means to measure it.

Description: Trisomy 21 (Ts21) causes alterations in skeletal development resulting in decreased bone mass, shortened stature and weaker bones in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). There is a sexual dimorphism in bone mineral density (BMD) deficits associated with DS with males displaying earlier deficits than females. The relationships between causative trisomic genes, cellular mechanisms, and influence of sex in DS skeletal abnormalities remain unknown. One hypothesis is that the low bone turnover phenotype observed in DS results from attenuated osteoblast function, contributing to impaired trabecular architecture, altered cortical geometry, and decreased mineralization. DYRK1A, found in three copies in humans with DS, Ts65Dn, and Dp1Tyb DS model mice, has been implicated in the development of postnatal skeletal phenotypes associated with DS. Reduced copy number of Dyrk1a to euploid levels from conception in an otherwise trisomic Ts65Dn mice resulted in a rescue of appendicular bone deficits, suggesting DYRK1A contributes to skeletal development and homeostasis. We hypothesized that reduction of Dyrk1a copy number in trisomic osteoblasts would improve cellular function and resultant skeletal structural anomalies in trisomic mice. Female mice with a floxed Dyrk1a gene (Ts65Dn,Dyrk1afl/wt) were mated with male Osx-Cre+ (expressed in osteoblasts beginning around E13.5) mice, resulting in reduced Dyrk1a copy number in mature osteoblasts in Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/Osx-Cre P42 male and female trisomic and euploid mice, compared with littermate controls. Male and female Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/+ (3 copies of DYRK1A in osteoblasts) and Ts65Dn,Dyrk1a+/+/Osx-Cre (2 copies of Dyrk1a in osteoblasts) displayed similar defects in both trabecular architecture and cortical geometry, with no improvements with reduced Dyrk1a in osteoblasts. This suggests that trisomic DYRK1A does not affect osteoblast function in a cell-autonomous manner at or before P42. Although male Dp1Tyb and Ts65Dn mice exhibit similar skeletal deficits at P42 in both trabecular and cortical bone compartments between euploid and trisomic mice, female Ts65Dn mice exhibit significant cortical and trabecular deficits at P42, in contrast to an absence of genotype effect in female Dp1Tyb mice in trabecular bone. Taken together, these data suggest skeletal deficits in DS mouse models and are sex and age dependent, and influenced by strain effects, but are not solely caused by the overexpression of Dyrk1a in osteoblasts. Identifying molecular and cellular mechanisms, disrupted by gene dosage imbalance, that are involved in the development of skeletal phenotypes associated with DS could help to design therapies to rescue skeletal deficiencies seen in DS.

Description: Hemostasis is vital to save lives, reducing risks of organ failure and hemorrhagic shock. Exploring novel hemostatic materials and precise monitoring of the hemostatic status is of great importance for efficient hemostasis. We present the development of chitosan–graphene oxide-based hemostatic composite and multi-scale photoacoustic evaluation of the hemostatic performance. The hemostatic sponge can quickly and efficiently absorb the blood with its porous cavity and specific surficial property. We inspect the hemostatic performance via an in vitro blood absorption test and in vivo mouse bleeding injury experiments. Results show that the synthesized hemostatic sponge can not only absorb plasma in blood fast with its interior porous structure but also stimulate the interfacial reaction with erythrocytes and platelets. The superiority of multi-scale photoacoustic imaging for guiding, monitoring, and evaluating the hemostatic stages of sponges is demonstrated with high spatial resolution and great sensitivity at depths. Photoacoustic evaluation of a chitosan–graphene oxide-based hemostatic sponge has the potential to be transferred toward the clinical assessment of wound healing.

Description: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) represents 85% of newly diagnosed lung cancers. In this study, we utilized our untargeted assignment tool Small Molecule Isotope Resolved Formula Enumerator (SMIRFE) and ultra-high-resolution Fourier transform mass spectrometry to examine lipid profile differences between paired cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissue samples from 86 patients with suspected stage I or IIA primary NSCLC. Correlation and co-occurrence analysis revealed significant lipid profile differences between cancer and non-cancer samples. Further analysis of machine-learned lipid categories for the differentially abundant molecular formulas identified a high abundance sterol, high abundance and high m/z sphingolipid, and low abundance glycerophospholipid metabolic phenotype across the NSCLC samples. At the class level, high abundances of sterol esters and cardiolipins were observed suggesting altered stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) or acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (ACAT1) activity and altered human cardiolipin synthase 1 or lysocardiolipin acyltransferase activity respectively, the latter of which is known to confer apoptotic resistance. The presence of a shared metabolic phenotype across a variety of genetically distinct NSCLC subtypes suggests that this phenotype is necessary for NSCLC development and may result from multiple distinct genetic lesions. Thus, targeting the shared affected pathways may be beneficial for a variety of genetically distinct NSCLC subtypes.

Description: Failed filament eruption remains mysterious on its initiation, magnetic environment, and erupting and failing mechanisms. We present multi-wavelength observations of a failed filament eruption and its associated hovered coronal mass ejection (hovered-CME) from limb observations of the Ahead of Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. On-disk observations from Solar Dynamics Observatory show the expansion of the anchored leg of an S-shaped filament during the pre-eruption phase. The main eruption starts as a sudden ejection of the erupted leg, which is followed by the appearance of EUV brightening in the S-shaped magnetic field. The brightening is spatio-temporal accompanied with hard X-ray emission enhancement, and cancellation of opposite magnetic polarities, which imply possible reconnection. After reaching the maximum displacement, the erupted material drains back to the Sun along the remaining anchored leg. The non-linear force free magnetic field extrapolation shows an S-shaped magnetic field, formed by two magnetic structures, with a strong enveloped magnetic field. The decay index at the possible apex of the filament is 0.8–1.2. Observations indicate that the failed filament eruption is triggered by tether cutting reconnection and is possibly confined by the upper magnetic field. The hovered-CME, resulting from the failed filament eruption and recording as a coronal mass ejection (CME), may cause the overestimation of the CME count.

Description: The objective of this study is to assess the efficiency of the operations strategy matrix in the healthcare system of U.S. states amid COVID-19. Output-Oriented Data Envelopment Analysis was used to assess the efficiency of the operations strategy matrix. Strategic Decision Areas (Capacity, Supply Network, Process Technology, and Development and Organization) were considered inputs while competitive priorities (Quality, Cost, Delivery, and Flexibility) were considered outputs. According to results; Alaska, Alabama, Arkansans, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are relatively efficient. Additionally, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming are fully efficient while South Dakota is the state that needs the most improvement in terms of strategic decision areas and competing priorities. On the other hand, inefficient states have larger population and GDP than efficient states. Based on these results, implications for sustainable development goals (SDGs) are drawn.

Description: Building typification is of theoretical interest and practical significance in map generalization. It aims to transform an initial set of buildings to a subset, while maintaining the essential distribution characteristics and important individual buildings. This study focuses on buildings located in residential suburban or rural areas and generalizes them to medium or small scale, for which the typification process can be viewed as point-similar object selection that generates exemplars in local building clusters. From this view, we propose a novel building typification approach using affinity propagation exemplar-based clustering. Based on a sparse graph constructed on the input building set, the proposed approach considers all buildings as potential cluster exemplars and keeps passing messages between those objects; thus, high-quality representative objects (i.e., exemplars) of the initial building set can be obtained and further outputted as the typified result. Experiments with real-life building data show that the proposed method is superior to the two existing representative methods in maintaining the overall distribution characteristics. Meanwhile, the importance of each individual building and the constraints of the road network can be embedded flexibly in this method, which gives some advantages in terms of preserving important buildings and the local structural distribution along the road, etc.

Description: Many researchers have unraveled innovative ways of examining geographic information to better understand the determinants of crime, thus contributing to an improved understanding of the phenomenon. Property crimes represent more than half of the crimes reported in Portugal. This study investigates the spatial distribution of crimes against property in mainland Portugal with the primary goal of determining which demographic and socioeconomic factors may be associated with crime incidence in each municipality. For this purpose, Geographic Information System (GIS) tools were used to analyze spatial patterns, and different Poisson-based regression models were investigated, namely global models, local Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression (GWPR) models, and semi-parametric GWPR models. The GWPR model with eight independent variables outperformed the others. Its independent variables were the young resident population, retention and dropout rates in basic education, gross enrollment rate, conventional dwellings, Guaranteed Minimum Income and Social Integration Benefit, purchasing power per capita, unemployment rate, and foreign population. The model presents a better fit in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto and their neighboring municipalities. The association of each independent variable with crime varies significantly across municipalities. Consequently, these particularities should be considered in the design of policies to reduce the rate of property crimes.

Description: Recently, with the large scale of power grids and the increase in frequency of extreme weather, the safe and stable operation of power systems is facing great challenges. Therefore, mobile emergency power source (MEPS) are a promising and feasible way to deal with extreme weather and reduce economic losses. However, the current urban power grid and transportation network are closely coupled, and the congested traffic hinders the rapid configuration of MEPSs. Therefore, this paper proposes an MEPS configuration scheme considering real-time traffic conditions. Firstly, the dynamic road traffic index (DRTI) is defined, which can fully describe the dynamic characteristics of traffic. The wavelet neural network (WNN) is used to predict the traffic flow. Then, combined with the knowledge of graph theory, an A-Star algorithm (AS) is used to determine the optimal path. Secondly, the optimal installation location of MEPSs is determined by forward–backward sweep method in distribution network. Finally, the feasibility, accuracy, and time cost of the proposed method are verified by numerical simulations, which can meet the requirements of online application.

Description: The aim of the study was to analyse and evaluate the determinants influencing the overall satisfaction of patients with inpatient healthcare in the conditions of the Czech Republic. A total of the 1425 patients, who experienced hospitalisation and agreed to participate, were questioned in the study. A research questionnaire was used to obtain data on satisfaction with hospitalisation. The subject of the research consisted of the indicators related to the following factors: (i) satisfaction with the hospital, clinic, room and meals; (ii) satisfaction with medical staff—nurses, physician expertise and other staff; (iii) the quality of the treatment provided; (iv) satisfaction with leaving the hospital. The formulated statistical hypotheses were evaluated through structural equation modelling. The results of the analyses brought interesting findings. Satisfaction with medical staff is the most significant factor which has a positive effect on satisfaction with hospitalisation. Physician expertise (with trust and good communication skills) is more important for patients than satisfaction with nurses or other staff. The results obtained from the study represent valuable information for policymakers, regional healthcare plans, as well as for managers of hospitals.

Description: Various fungal species can degrade lignocellulolytic materials with their enzyme cocktails composed of cellulolytic and lignolytic enzymes. In this work, seven fungal species (Mucor indicus DSM 2185, Paecilomyces variotii CBS 372.70, Myceliophthora thermophila CBS 663.74, Thielavia terrestris CBS 456.75, Botryosphaeria dothidea JCM 2738, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. langenariae JCM 9293, and Fusarium verticillioides JCM 23107) and four nutrient media were used in the screening for effective lignocellulose degrading enzymes. From the seven tested fungi, F. oxysporum and F. verticilliodes, along with nutrient medium 4, were selected as the best medium and producers of lignocellulolytic enzymes based on the determined xylanase (〉4 U mg−1) and glucanase activity (≈2 U mg−1). Nutrient medium 4 supplemented with pretreated corn cobs was used in the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes by sequential solid-state and submerged cultivation of F. oxysporum, F. verticilliodes, and a mixed culture of both strains. F. oxysporum showed 6 times higher exoglucanase activity (3.33 U mg−1) after 5 days of cultivation in comparison with F. verticillioides (0.55 U mg−1). F. oxysporum also showed 2 times more endoglucanase activity (0.33 U mg−1). The mixed culture cultivation showed similar endo- and exoglucanase activities compared to F. oxysporum (0.35 U mg−1; 7.84 U mg−1). Maximum xylanase activity was achieved after 7 days of cultivation of F. verticilliodes (≈16 U mg−1), while F. oxysporum showed maximum activity after 9 days that was around 2 times lower compared to that of F. verticilliodes. The mixed culture achieved maximum xylanase activity after only 4 days, but the specific activity was similar to activities observed for F. oxysporum. It can be concluded that both fungal strains can be used as producers of enzyme cocktails for the degradation of lignocellulose containing raw materials, and that corn cobs can be used as an inducer for enzyme production.

Description: Treatment of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting the aberrant activation of the survival signaling pathways has received considerable attention. We investigated the probable action of DHA on the suppression of cell proliferation in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. Our results demonstrated that DHA dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation through an induction of cell cycle arrest in human PDAC cells. DHA suppressed the expression of phosphorylated-Rb (p-Rb), cyclin D1, cyclin E, cyclin A, E2F1 and c-Myc proteins. Blocking the activation of STAT3 signaling pathway led to an inactivation of CAMKII and increased phosphorylation of c-Myc (T58) protein accompanied with decreased expression of c-Myc protein. Treatment of DHA effectively inhibited cell survival through decreased phosphorylation levels of EGFR, STAT3 and CAMKII proteins. The mechanisms of action were associated with increased phosphorylation levels of c-Myc (T58) and instability of c-Myc proteins. DHA inhibited cell survival through an increased GSSG/GSH ratio and oxidative stress level in HPAF-II cells. DHA induced cell apoptosis through increased expression of Bax, c-caspase 3 and c-PARP proteins in HPAF-II cells. Moreover, treatment of DHA significantly inhibited nucleotide synthesis. In conclusion, DHA might significantly suppress the proliferation of PDAC cells and therefore have potential as an anti-cancer therapeutic agent.

Description: The precipitation phase (PP) affects the hydrologic cycle which in turn affects the climate system. A lower ratio of snow to rain due to climate change affects timing and duration of the stream flow. Thus, more knowledge about the PP occurrence and drivers is necessary and especially important in cities dependent on water coming from glaciers, such as Quito, the capital of Ecuador (2.5 million inhabitants), depending in part on the Antisana glacier. The logistic models (LM) of PP rely only on air temperature and relative humidity to predict PP. However, the processes related to PP are far more complex. The aims of this study were threefold: (i) to compare the performance of random forest (RF) and artificial neural networks (ANN) to derive PP in relation to LM; (ii) to identify the main drivers of PP occurrence using RF; and (iii) to develop LM using meteorological drivers derived from RF. The results show that RF and ANN outperformed LM in predicting PP in 8 out of 10 metrics. RF indicated that temperature, dew point temperature, and specific humidity are more important than wind or radiation for PP occurrence. With these predictors, parsimonious and efficient models were developed showing that data mining may help in understanding complex processes and complements expert knowledge.

Description: Low-cost air quality sensors (LCSs) have become more widespread due to their low cost and increased capabilities; however, to supplement more traditional air quality networks, the performance of these LCSs needs to be validated. This study focused on NO2 measurements from eight Clarity Node-S sensors and used various environmental factors to calibrate the LCSs. To validate the calibration performance, we calculated the root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), R2, and slope compared to reference measurements. Raw results from six of these sensors were comparable to those reported for other NO2 LCSs; however, two of the evaluated LCSs had RMSE values ~20 ppb higher than the other six LCSs. By applying a sensor-specific calibration that corrects for relative humidity, temperature, and ozone, this discrepancy was mitigated. In addition, this calibration improved the RMSE, MAE, R2, and slope of all eight LCS compared to the raw data. It should be noted that relatively stable environmental conditions over the course of the LCS deployment period benefited calibration performance over time. These results demonstrate the importance of developing LCS calibration models for individual sensors that consider pertinent environmental factors.

Description: Background: Brahmophthalma hearseyi (Lepidoptera: Brahmaeidae) is widely distributed across China. Its larvae damage the leaves of many plants such as those belonging to the Oleaceae family, causing significant economic losses and seriously affecting the survival and reproduction of Cervus nippon; however, genetic data for this species are scarce. Methods: The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of B. hearseyi was sequenced using long-PCR and primer-walking methods. Phylogenetic analysis that was based on 13 PCGs and two rRNAs was carried out using the neighbor-joining and Bayesian interference methods. Results: The mitogenome is a typical circular molecule that is made up of 15,442 bp, which includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and an A + T-rich region (456 bp). All of the PCGs, except for COX1 and COX2, start with ATN codons. COX2 and ND5 use the incomplete termination codon T, and 11 other PCGs use the typical stop codon TAA. All tRNA genes, except for trnS1 and trnS2, display a typical cloverleaf structure; trnS1 lacks the “DHU” arm, whereas trnS2 exhibits two mismatched base pairs in the anticodon stem. Phylogenetic analysis showed that B. hearseyi is clustered into Brahmaeidae, and the phylogenetic relationships are (Brahmaeidae + Lasiocampidae) + (Bombycidae + (Sphingidae + Saturniidae)). Conclusions: This study provides the first mitogenomic resources for the Brahmaeidae.

Description: Breastfeeding rates remain extremely low in Greece and women with gestational diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism may experience additional difficulties. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a structured individualized lactation educational intervention by a midwife on increasing breastfeeding rates in women with endocrine disorders and low-risk women compared to women receiving standard care, 24 months after delivery. Two-hundred women made up the study population. Half of them were experiencing endocrine pregnancy disorders and 100 women constituted the low-risk pregnancy standard care control group. Women who were breastfeeding exclusively were significantly higher in the midwifery intervention group with endocrine disorders, namely breastfeeding continued at four months (breastfeeding: 20% vs. 12%, exclusive breastfeeding: 50% vs. 26%, p = 0.0228), and at six months after childbirth (breastfeeding: 54% vs. 28%, exclusive breastfeeding: 32% vs. 12%, p = 0.0011), compared to the standard care control group with endocrine disorder. The low-risk midwifery intervention group breastfed at four months (22% vs. 14%, p = 0.0428) and at six months (52% vs. 26%, p = 0.0018) at higher rates compared to the standard care control group. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding was significantly higher in the low-risk midwifery intervention group at four months (46% vs. 20%, p = 0.0102) and six months (38% vs. 4%, p 〈 0.0001) compared to the standard care control group. This study was the first attempt of a structured midwifery breastfeeding education in Greece and its major contribution reflects a significant positive impact on breastfeeding rates in terms of duration and exclusivity in women with gestational endocrine disorders as well as in low-risk women, and could possibly be applied and instituted in everyday clinical practice to increase the low breastfeeding rates in Greece.

Description: Herniation of the intervertebral disc (IVDH) is the most common cause of neurological and intervertebral disc degeneration-related diseases. Since the disc starts to degenerate before it can be observed by currently available diagnostic methods, there is an urgent need for novel diagnostic approaches. To identify molecular networks and pathways which may play important roles in intervertebral disc herniation, as well as to reveal the potential features which could be useful for monitoring disease progression and prognosis, multi-omics profiling, including high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics and tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics was performed. Cerebrospinal fluid of nine dogs with IVDH and six healthy controls were used for the analyses, and an additional five IVDH samples were used for proteomic data validation. Furthermore, multi-omics data were integrated to decipher a complex interaction between individual omics layers, leading to an improved prediction model. Together with metabolic pathways related to amino acids and lipid metabolism and coagulation cascades, our integromics prediction model identified the key features in IVDH, namely the proteins follistatin Like 1 (FSTL1), secretogranin V (SCG5), nucleobindin 1 (NUCB1), calcitonin re-ceptor-stimulating peptide 2 precursor (CRSP2) and the metabolites N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and adenine, involved in neuropathic pain, myelination, and neurotransmission and inflammatory response, respectively. Their clinical application is to be further investigated. The utilization of a novel integrative interdisciplinary approach may provide new opportunities to apply innovative diagnostic and monitoring methods as well as improve treatment strategies and personalized care for patients with degenerative spinal disorders.

Description: Tetracyclines and sulfonamides are broad-spectrum antibacterial agents which have been used to treat bacterial infections for over half a century. The widespread use of tetracyclines and sulfonamides led to the emergence of resistance in a diverse group of bacteria. This resistance can be studied by searching for resistance genes present in the bacteria responsible for different resistance mechanisms. Salmonella is one of the leading bacteria causing foodborne diseases worldwide, and its resistance to tetracyclines and sulfonamides has been widely reported. The literature review searched the Virtual Health Library for articles with specific data in the studied samples: the resistance genes found, the primers used in PCR, and the thermocycler conditions. The results revealed that Salmonella presented high rates of resistance to tetracycline and sulfonamide, and the most frequent samples used to isolate Salmonella were poultry and pork. The tetracycline resistance genes most frequently detected from Salmonella spp. were tetA followed by tetB. The gene sul1 followed by sul2 were the most frequently sulfonamide resistance genes present in Salmonella. These genes are associated with plasmids, transposons, or both, and are often conjugative, highlighting the transference potential of these genes to other bacteria, environments, animals, and humans.

Description: The efficacy of plant-based biostimulants lays on the extraction of bioactive compounds that can trigger positive biological responses in plants. Their use has been increasing for lowering the production costs, enhance the yield and the stress tolerance, and improve the cropping systems’ sustainability. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of maceration time on borage extracts, subsequently sprayed on rocket plants hydroponically grown. A preliminary test was also assessed to evaluate the extracts’ effect on seeds germination. Borage leaves and flowers were separated and macerated in the same conditions for different times. The obtained borage extracts were applied two times during the cultivation of rocket plants. The yield was not affected by the treatments, while the quality of leafy vegetables was improved. The results indicated that the flower extracts (FE) were more active than leaf extracts (LE) in stimulating the crop response. Promising results were observed on the nitrate assimilation, with reduced accumulation in the edible and commercial parts. Non-destructive analysis revealed that electron transport rates were significantly higher in treated plants. Biostimulant effects were also confirmed by the lowering of sucrose and sugars content in the treated plants and by a general increment of secondary metabolites.

Description: Mitochondrial biogenesis is a highly controlled process that depends on diverse signalling pathways responding to cellular and environmental signals. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a critical metabolic enzyme that acts at a central control point in cellular energy homeostasis. Numerous studies have revealed the crucial roles of AMPK in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis; however, molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still largely unknown. Previously, we have shown that, in cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum, the overexpression of the catalytic α subunit of AMPK led to enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, which was accompanied by reduced cell growth and aberrant development. Here, we applied mass spectrometry-based proteomics of Dictyostelium mitochondria to determine the impact of chronically active AMPKα on the phosphorylation state and abundance of mitochondrial proteins and to identify potential protein targets leading to the biogenesis of mitochondria. Our results demonstrate that enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis is associated with variations in the phosphorylation levels and abundance of proteins related to energy metabolism, protein synthesis, transport, inner membrane biogenesis, and cellular signalling. The observed changes are accompanied by elevated mitochondrial respiratory activity in the AMPK overexpression strain. Our work is the first study reporting on the global phosphoproteome profiling of D. discoideum mitochondria and its changes as a response to constitutively active AMPK. We also propose an interplay between the AMPK and mTORC1 signalling pathways in controlling the cellular growth and biogenesis of mitochondria in Dictyostelium as a model organism.

Description: In preparation for whole-genome sequencing, the axenic culture for two strains of a freshwater diatom Fragilaria radians were produced. Although their axenicity was controlled for the cultures’ entire lifetime, the published genomic assembly was later found to contain a large amount of bacterial sequences. Using various in silico analyses of whole genome read libraries and 16S rRNA sequencing of culture samples, we reconstruct the history of the contamination and document the failures of various axenicity control methods. This knowledge is used to discuss how these failures could have been avoided, and to provide guidelines for future works on axenic diatom cultures.

Description: Nowadays, desalination continues to expand globally, which is one of the most effective solutions to solve the problem of the global drinking water shortage. However, desalination is not a fail-safe process and has many environmental and human health consequences. This paper investigated the desalination procedure of seawater with different technologies, namely, multi-stage flash distillation (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED), and reverse osmosis (RO), and with various energy sources (fossil energy, solar energy, wind energy, nuclear energy). The aim was to examine the different desalination technologies’ effectiveness with energy sources using three assessment methods, which were examined separately. The life cycle assessment (LCA), PESTLE, and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods were used to evaluate each procedure. LCA was based on the following impact analysis and evaluation methods: ReCiPe 2016, IMPACT 2002+, and IPCC 2013 GWP 100a; PESTLE risk analysis evaluated the long-lasting impact on processes and technologies with political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors. Additionally, MCDA was based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to evaluate desalination technologies. This study considered the operational phase of a plant, which includes the necessary energy and chemical needs, which is called “gate-to-gate” analysis. Saudi Arabia data were used for the analysis, with the base unit of 1 m3 of the water product. As the result of this study, RO combined with renewable energy provided outstanding benefits in terms of human health, ecosystem quality, and resources, as well as the climate change and emissions of GHGs categories.

Description: The multi-foci division of through thickness nonlinear pulse energy absorption on ultrashort pulse laser singulation of single side polished sapphire wafers has been investigated. Firstly, it disclosed the enhancement of energy absorption by the total internal reflection of the laser beam exiting from an unpolished rough surface. Secondly, by optimizing energy distribution between foci and their proximity, favorable multi-foci energy absorption was induced. Lastly, for effective nonlinear energy absorption for wafer separation, it highlighted the importance of high laser pulse energy fluence at low pulse repetition rates with optimized energy distribution, and the inadequacy of increasing energy deposition through reducing scanning speed alone. This study concluded that for effective wafer separation, despite the lower pulse energy per focus, energy should be divided over more foci with closer spatial proximity. Once the power density per pulse per focus reached a threshold in the order of 1012 W/cm2, with approximately 15 m between two adjacent foci, wafer could be separated with foci evenly distributed over the entire wafer thickness. When the foci spacing reduced to 5 m, wafer separation could be achieved with pulse energy concentrated only at foci distributed over only the upper or middle one-third wafer thickness.

Description: As one of the most promising metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, the selective laser melting (SLM) process has high expectations ofr its use in aerospace, medical, and other fields. However, various defects such as spatter, crack, and porosity seriously hinder the applications of the SLM process. In situ monitoring is a vital technique to detect the defects in advance, which is expected to reduce the defects. This work proposed a method that combined acoustic signals with a deep learning algorithm to monitor the spatter behaviors. The acoustic signals were recorded by a microphone and the spatter information was collected by a coaxial high-speed camera simultaneously. The signals were divided into two types according to the number and intensity of spatter during the SLM process with different combinations of processing parameters. Deep learning models, one-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D-CNN), two-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (2D-CNN), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), Long Short Term Memory (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) were trained to establish the relationships between the acoustic signals and characteristics of spatter. After K-fold verification, the highest classification confidence of models is 85.08%. This work demonstrates that it is feasible to use acoustic signals in monitoring the spatter defect during the SLM process. It is possible to use cheap and simple microphones instead of expensive and complicated high-speed cameras for monitoring spatter behaviors.

Description: Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are suitable materials for contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their potential clinical applications range from diagnosis to therapy and follow-up treatments. However, a deeper understanding of the interaction between IONPs, culture media and cells is necessary for expanding the application of this technology to different types of cancer therapies. To achieve new insights of these interactions, a set of IONPs were prepared with the same inorganic core and five distinct coatings, to study their aggregation and interactions in different physiological media, as well as their cell labelling efficiency. Then, a second set of IONPs, with six different core sizes and the same coating, were used to study how the core size affects cell labelling and MRI in vitro. Here, IONPs suspended in biological media experience a partial removal of the coating and adhesion of molecules. The FBS concentration alters the labelling of all types of IONPs and hydrodynamic sizes ≥ 300 nm provide the greatest labelling using the centrifugation-mediated internalization (CMI). The best contrast for MRI results requires a core size range between 12–14 nm coated with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) producing R2* values of 393.7 s−1 and 428.3 s−1, respectively. These findings will help to bring IONPs as negative contrast agents into clinical settings.

Description: Studies have investigated the associations of coffee and tea with mammographic breast density (MBD) in premenopausal women with inconsistent results. We analyzed data from 375 premenopausal women who attended a screening mammogram at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO in 2016, and stratified the analyses by race (non-Hispanic White (NHW) vs. Black/African American). Participants self-reported the number of servings of coffee, caffeinated tea, and decaffeinated tea they consumed. Volpara software was used to determine volumetric percent density (VPD), dense volume (DV), and non-dense volume (NDV). We used generalized linear regression models to quantify the associations of coffee and tea intake with MBD measures. Coffee: 〉1 time/day (β = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.93–1.21; p-trend = 0.61) and caffeinated tea: 〉1 time/day (β = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.88–1.17; p-trend = 0.61) were not associated with VPD. Decaffeinated tea (≥1 time/week) was positively associated with VPD in NHW women (β = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.06–1.39) but not in African American women (β = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.73–1.17; p-interaction = 0.02). Coffee (〉1 time/day) was positively associated with DV in African American women (β = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.11–2.07) but not in NHW women (β = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.95–1.29; p-interaction = 0.02). Our findings do not support associations of coffee and caffeinated tea intake with VPD in premenopausal women. Positive associations of decaffeinated tea with VPD, with suggestions of effect modification by race, require confirmation in larger studies with diverse study populations.

Description: Urban compactivity models are increasing around the globe, and sustainability has become the new buzzword. In recent decades, the focus of ecological responsibility has been shifted to the world’s cities, as they are the source of excessive consumption, major waste production, social inequalities, and global imbalances of economic wealth. This literature review is a contribution to the exploration of compactivity models that urgently aim at more sustainable forms of urban land-use, habitation, and transportation and considers: (i) compact cities; (ii) the 15-minute city; (iii) eco-villages/urban villages; (iv) transit oriented development; and (v) transit-corridor-livability. In the second section, we will address the debate on the need for governing authorities and the interdependence between micro-, meso- and macro dynamics for the implementation of transformational plans on a longue-durée. The work will be concluded with the presentation of a set of questions for exploring the need for a priority shift in political decision-making, the role of leadership articulation, and socio-economic inequity under the umbrella of environmental public anthropology.

Description: Climate change is one of the major risks facing developing countries in Africa for which agriculture is a predominant part in the economy. Alterations in rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) could lead to a decline in agricultural production in many areas requiring significant changes in agricultural practices and land distribution. The study provided estimates of the economic impacts of climate change, compared these with historical impacts of drought spells, and estimated the extent to which the current Moroccan agricultural development and investment strategy, the Plan Maroc Vert, helps in agricultural adaptation to climate change and uncertainty. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of climate change on the overall economy by using an integrated framework incorporating a computable general equilibrium model. A concomitant factor to climate change will be the increase in population and its distribution and level of consumption, which will also influence agricultural production strategies, the conversion of agricultural land, the type of irrigation, and technological development. We demonstrated how changes in cereal production and area, affluence, and climate (rainfall and temperature) can be acquired for 12 regions of Morocco and used to develop and validate an earth system model in relation to the environment and socio-economic level, which projects their impact on current and potential land use over the next 20 years. We used different mathematical equations based on cereal area and production, population, consumption (kg/person), and change in climate (temperature and rainfall) in bour and irrigated areas for the growing season of 2014 in 12 regions to project agricultural land use over the next 20 years. Therefore, several possible scenarios were investigated to explore how variations in climate change, socio-economic level, and technological development will affect the future of agricultural land use over the next 20 years, which in turn could have important implications for human well-being. Among the 12 Moroccan regions, only 4 had a surplus of cereal production compared to their local consumption. The increase in population will generate a cereal deficit in 2024 and 2034, thus lowering the average annual quantity available per capita of cereals from 204.75 to 160.61 kg/p in 2014 and 2034, respectively. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the amount of cereals per person by 5 kg/p and 25 kg/p so that the 2014 production could satisfy the population projected in 2024 and 2034. We found that cereal production will decrease with increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation according to the simulated scenarios, which might not satisfy the growing population in 2024 and 2034. This study provides a practical tool that can be used to provide policy makers with advice on food security assurance policy based on our current knowledge of the impending onset of climate change, including socio-economic statistics and the agricultural constraints of cereals in the 12 regions of Morocco.

Description: Barite scalings are a common cause of permanent formation damage to deep geothermal reservoirs. Well injectivity can be impaired because the ooling of saline fluids reduces the solubility of barite, and the continuous re-injection of supersaturated fluids forces barite to precipitate in the host rock. Stimulated reservoirs in the Upper Rhine Graben often have multiple relevant flow paths in the porous matrix and fracture zones, sometimes spanning multiple stratigraphical units to achieve the economically necessary injectivity. While the influence of barite scaling on injectivity has been investigated for purely porous media, the role of fractures within reservoirs consisting of both fractured and porous sections is still not well understood. Here, we present hydro-chemical simulations of a dual-layer geothermal reservoir to study the long-term impact of barite scale formation on well injectivity. Our results show that, compared to purely porous reservoirs, fractured porous reservoirs have a significantly reduced scaling risk by up to 50%, depending on the flow rate ratio of fractures. Injectivity loss is doubled, however, if the amount of active fractures is increased by one order of magnitude, while the mean fracture aperture is decreased, provided the fractured aquifer dictates the injection rate. We conclude that fractured, and especially hydraulically stimulated, reservoirs are generally less affected by barite scaling and that large, but few, fractures are favourable. We present a scaling score for fractured-porous reservoirs, which is composed of easily derivable quantities such as the radial equilibrium length and precipitation potential. This score is suggested for use approximating the scaling potential and its impact on injectivity of a fractured-porous reservoir for geothermal exploitation.

Description: Background: Postpartum return to smoking (PPRS) is a common and important public health problem. Interventions to prevent PPRS have not been shown to be effective. We aimed to qualitatively explore the barriers and facilitators to staying smoke-free after having a baby, and women’s views on the support needed to avoid PPRS to inform future intervention development. Methods: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews (n = 26) with pregnant women who quit smoking (n = 9), and postpartum women who were abstinent at delivery and returned to smoking (n = 7) or stayed smoke-free (n = 10). Inductive thematic analysis was used. Results: Five overarching themes were identified: (i) smoking intentions; (ii) facilitators to staying smoke-free; (iii) barriers to staying smoke-free; (iv) support to avoid relapse; and (v) e-cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy, and varenicline. Facilitators to staying smoke-free were the health benefits to their baby, whilst barriers included stress, cravings, and being in environments where they would previously have smoked. Women wanted continuous offers of support to stay smoke-free throughout the extended postpartum period, with a particular interest in support for partners to quit smoking and self-help support. Women expressed safety concerns for e-cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy, and varenicline. Conclusion: Offers of support to stay smoke-free should continue throughout the postpartum and engage with partners or other household members who smoke. Reassuring women about the relative safety of nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes by a health professional, particularly for those who are breastfeeding, could be beneficial.

Description: Currently, the number of people suffering from obesity is increasing worldwide. In addition, the disease is affecting younger individuals. Therefore, it is essential to search for new diagnostic methods and markers for early assessment of the risk of obesity, metabolic disorders, and other comorbidities. The discovery of the secretory function of adipose tissue and coexistence of low-grade chronic inflammation with obesity set a new direction in this disease diagnosis using the assessment of the concentration of inflammatory markers secreted by adipose tissue. The aim of this review was to determine, based on previous findings, whether saliva can be useful in the diagnosis of obesity and its early metabolic complications and whether it can be an alternative diagnostic material to serum.