SeviL, a galactoside-binding lectin previously isolated from the mussel Mytilisepta virgata, was demonstrated to trigger apoptosis in HeLa ovarian cancer cells. Here, we show that this lectin can promote the polarization of macrophage cell lines toward an M1 functional phenotype at low concentrations. The administration of SeviL to monocyte and basophil cell lines reduced their growth in a dose-dependent manner. However, low lectin concentrations induced proliferation in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line, which was supported by the significant up-regulation of TOM22, a component of the mitochondrial outer membrane. Furthermore, the morphology of lectin-treated macrophage cells markedly changed, shifting from a spherical to an elongated shape. The ability of SeviL to induce the polarization of RAW264.7 cells to M1 macrophages at low concentrations is supported by the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as by the enhancement in the expression of IL-6- and TNF-α-encoding mRNAs, both of which encode inflammatory molecular markers. Moreover, we also observed a number of accessory molecular alterations, such as the activation of MAP kinases and the JAK/STAT pathway and the phosphorylation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α, which altogether support the functional reprogramming of RAW264.7 following SeviL treatment. These results indicate that this mussel β-trefoil lectin has a concentration-dependent multifunctional role in regulating cell proliferation, phenotype, and death in macrophages, suggesting its possible involvement in regulating hemocyte activity in vivo. Full article

Ruthenium chloride (RuCl₃) is widely utilized for synthesis and catalysis of numerous compounds in academia and industry and is utilized as a key molecule in a variety of compounds with medical applications. Interestingly, RuCl₃ has been demonstrated to modulate human plasmatic coagulation and serves as a constituent of a compounded inorganic antivenom that neutralizes the coagulopathic effects of snake venom in vitro and in vivo. Using thrombelastography, this investigation sought to determine if RuCl₃ inhibition of the fibrinogenolytic effects of Crotalus atrox venom could be modulated by vehicle composition in human plasma. Venom was exposed to RuCl₃ in 0.9% NaCl, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), or 0.9% NaCl containing 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). RuCl₃ inhibited venom-mediated delay in the onset of thrombus formation, decreased clot growth velocity, and decreased clot strength. PBS and DMSO enhanced the effects of RuCl₃. It is concluded that while a Ru-based cation is responsible for significant inhibition of venom activity, a combination of Ru-based ions containing phosphate and DMSO enhances RuCl₃-mediated venom inhibition. Additional investigation is indicated to determine what specific Ru-containing molecules cause venom inhibition and what other combinations of inorganic/organic compounds may enhance the antivenom effects of RuCl₃. Full article

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids and is considered a candidate gene for improving milk and meat quality traits. Sanger sequencing was employed to investigate the genetic polymorphism of the fifth exon and intron of bovine SCD1, revealing four SNPs, g.21272246 A>G, g.21272306 T>C, g.21272422 C>T, and g.21272529 A>G. Further variance analysis and multiple comparisons were conducted to examine the relationship between variation sites and economic traits in Chinese Simmental cattle, as well as milk production traits in Holstein cows. The findings revealed these four loci exhibited significant associations with carcass traits (carcass weight, carcass length, backfat thickness, and waist meat thickness), meat quality (pH value, rib eye area, and marbling score), adipogenic traits (fat score and carcass fat coverage rate), and fatty acid composition (linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid). Furthermore, these loci were additionally found to be significantly associated with average milk yield and milk fat content in cows. In addition, a haplotype analysis of combinations of SNPs showed that H2H3 has a significant association with adipogenic traits and H2H2 was associated with higher levels of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid than the other combinations. These results suggest that the four SNPs are expected to be prospective genetic markers for the above economic traits. In addition, the function of SNPs in exon 5 of SCD1 on gene expression and protein structure needs to be explored in the future. Full article

The effect of climate warming on rice production in China is profound, yet there has been limited research on how it affects the grain yield, nitrogen (N) uptake, and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) of the double-cropping indica rice in South China. To address this gap, we conducted a free air temperature increase (FATI) experiment in Guangdong province during 2020 and 2021. Our findings revealed that warming led to a significant reduction in grain yield, with early rice (ER) and late rice (LR) experiencing average decreases of 5.2% and 6.3%, respectively, compared to control treatments. This decline was primarily attributed to the reduced grain weight of ER and the fewer spikelet numbers per panicle of LR under warming conditions. Although the dry matter translocation, harvest index, and N translocation efficiency of ER remained unchanged under warming conditions, these of LR decreased by an average of 58.1%, 8.8%, and 22.3%, respectively. Additionally, while warming did not affect the N uptake in ER at maturity, it significantly increased the N uptake in LR by an average of 11.0%. Therefore, under warming conditions, the NUtE of both ER and LR was markedly decreased by 6.9% and 15.5% over the two years. These results indicate that climate warming may have significant negative impacts on the grain yield and the NUtE of indica rice within double-rice cropping systems in South China. Understanding these dynamics is vital for maintaining the stability of rice yields in anticipation of future climate warming. Full article

Currently, the integration of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and Inertial Navigation System (INS) has become a reliable positioning method for outdoor dynamic vehicular and airborne applications, enabling high-precision and continuous positioning in complex environments. However, environmental interference and limitations of single positioning sources pose challenges. Especially in areas with limited access to satellites and UWB base stations, loosely coupled frameworks for GNSS/INS and UWB/INS are insufficient to support robust estimation. Furthermore, within a tightly coupled framework, parameter estimations from different sources can interfere with each other, and errors in computation can easily contaminate the entire positioning estimator. To balance robustness and stability in integrated positioning, this paper proposes a comprehensive quality control method. This method is based on the semi-tightly coupled concept, utilizing the INS position information and considering the dilution of precision (DOP) skillfully to achieve complementary advantages in GNSS/UWB/INS integrated positioning. In this research, reliable position and variance information obtained by INS are utilized to provide a priori references for a robust estimation of the original data from GNSS and UWB, achieving finer robustness without increasing system coupling, which fully demonstrates the advantages of semi-tight integration. Based on self-collected data, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed quality control strategy are validated under severely occluded environments. The experimental results demonstrate that the semi-tightly coupled robust estimation method proposed in this paper is capable of accurately identifying gross errors in GNSS and UWB observation data, and it has a significant effect on improving positioning accuracy and smoothing trajectories. Additionally, based on the judgment of the DOP, this method can ensure the output of continuous and reliable positioning results in complex and variable environments. Verified by actual data, under the conditions of severe sky occlusion and NLOS (Non-Line-of-Sight), compared with the loosely coupled GNSS/INS, the positioning accuracy in the E, N, U directions of the semi-tight coupled GNSS/INS proposed in this paper has improved by 37%, 46%, and 28%. Compared with the loosely coupled UWB/INS, the accuracy in the E and N directions of the semi-tight coupled UWB/INS has improved by 60% and 34%. In such environments, GNSS employs the RTD (Real-Time Differential) algorithm, UWB utilizes the two-dimensional plane-positioning algorithm, and the positioning accuracy of the semi-tight coupled robust model of GNSS/UWB/INS in the E, N, U directions is 0.42 m, 0.55 m, and 3.20 m respectively. Full article

An investigation of phenolic glycosides extracted from Salix germplasm revealed that arbusculoidin (benzyl 1-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-1-hydroxy-6-oxo-2-cyclohexenyl carboxylate) and its enolic 6-glycoside isomer, isoarbusculoidin, are widespread across the Salix family. An analysis of natural hybrid species and progeny from a willow breeding programme demonstrated that the putative biosynthetic pathway leading to the salicinoid family of phenolic glycosides runs in parallel to a “benzyl”-based pathway to arbusculoidin. The introduction of a known Diels–Alder reaction trait from Salix dasyclados, as well as an acylation trait, into progeny containing both salicyl- and benzyl- pathways caused the formation of all possible hetero-cyclodimers from mixtures of reactive dienone (acyl)glycosides that participated in cross-over reactions. In addition to providing access to new analogues of the anti-cancer dimer miyabeacin, the analysis of the breeding progeny also indicated that these dienone (acyl)glycosides are stable in planta. Although the immediate biosynthetic precursors of these compounds remain to be defined, the results suggest that the (acyl)glycosylation reactions may occur later in the pathway than previously suggested by in vitro work on cloned UGT enzymes. Full article

As a novel technology for fabricating large-screen OLED devices, OLED inkjet printing places extreme demands on the positioning accuracy of inkjet printing platforms. However, thermal deformation of the connection mechanism often reduces the printing precision of OLED printing equipment, significantly impacting overall print quality. This study introduces a compliant connection mechanism that achieves precise positioning of the inkjet printing platform and can self-eliminate thermal distortion. The design of the mechanism’s core component is based on the Freedom and Constraint Topology (FACT) principle. This component is constructed from three distinct compliant sections arranged in series, collectively providing three degrees of freedom. Furthermore, the resistance to deformation caused by gravity and other external forces was evaluated by analyzing both vertical and horizontal stiffness. To validate the mechanism’s thermal distortion elimination and gravity resistance capabilities, finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out. The results demonstrate that the mechanism effectively reduces the maximum deformation of the platform by approximately 46% and the average deformation across the entire platform by approximately 59%. These findings confirm that the mechanism has potential in high-precision positioning tasks that need to mitigate thermal distortion. Full article

Recent focus has been given to nanoparticles as an alternative fungicidal compound instead of chemical ones. More environmentally friendly ways of synthesis are the highest priority regarding the antifungal agents in the agriculture sector. Therefore, in this research, hyssop (H. officinalis) and sage (S. officinalis) aqueous extracts were prepared and used as a reducing source in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Aqueous extracts and green synthesized AgNPs were examined for phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity. Hyssop and sage extracts based AgNPs were analyzed using UV-vis spectrometry, SEM-EDS, and TEM-EDS. Antifungal activity against Fusarium spp. isolates collected from different infected crops was determined. Fusarium spp. isolates from strawberry, asparagus, pea, carrot, wheat, and rapeseed samples identified at the molecular level by translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1α) gene amplification and sequencing. Green synthesized AgNPs had lower phytochemical content, however higher antioxidant activity compared to pure extracts. Both hyssop and sage extracts are suitable reducing agents for AgNPs formation, and sage extract results in larger particle size. Aqueous hyssop extract had higher antifungal activity than aqueous sage extract. However, a 10% concentration of whole sage extract based AgNPs solution, added to the PDA medium, and a 5% concentration of hyssop extract based AgNPs inhibited Fusarium spp. the most. F. proliferatum was the most sensitive to all treatments among the other fungi. Full article

Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies such as anemia are considered significant public health challenges in Bangladesh, which enhancing fish consumption is a well-established food-based intervention to address these. This paper documents the establishment of community-based fish chutney production and reports the impact of its consumption on mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels among targeted 150 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in rural Bangladesh. A fish chutney was developed using locally available ingredients followed by a series of laboratory tests, including nutrient composition, shelf-life and food safety. A community-based fish chutney production process was designed to: (1) supply locally available ingredients for processing; (2) establish two fish drying sites; (3) initiate a community-based production site; and (4) distribute fish chutney to PLW for one year by six women nutrition field facilitators. Then a pre- and post-intervention study was designed for a selected 150 PLW to receive 30 g of fish chutney daily for 12 months. Differences in mean MUAC and Hb levels pre- and post-consumption were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Consumption of 30 g of fish-chutney resulted in significant increases of the mean values of Hb levels and MUAC among the targeted PLW. Full article

Background: Pregestational diabetes mellitus, if not well controlled, determines maternal and fetal complications. According to the new diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes, the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus can also occur in early pregnancy (overt diabetes). Aim: This study aims to determine pregnancy outcomes in women with overt diabetes compared to women with pre-existing type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this retrospective study, we selected women with pre-existing type 2 and overt diabetes who had at least one pregnancy in the 2010–2022 period at the Diabetic Care Unit of Padova. Results: We analyzed 83 pregnancies, and overt diabetes was diagnosed in 18 pregnancies. In total, 95.5% of patients with overt diabetes and 48% of T2DM patients were immigrants (p < 0.143). No patients with overt diabetes planned their pregnancy, while pregnancy was planned in 26.3% of patients with pre-exiting type 2 diabetes (p < 0.05). Periconception and first-trimester glycemic control were the worst in patients with overt diabetes (HbA1c 9.7 ± 3.1% vs. 7.3% ± 2.3%, p < 0.044, at first visit; 8.1 ± 1.9% and 7.0 ± 1.6%, p < 0.037 in the first trimester) with respect to patients with pre-existing type 2 diabetes. As for maternal outcomes, 16.6% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage, and 5.5% of women developed gestational hypertension; as for newborn outcomes, 16.6% of newborns were LGA, and 11.1% were affected by congenital anomalies without any significant difference with respect to women with pre-existing type 2 diabetes. The high rate of congenital malformations in pregnancies of women with overt diabetes is probably a result of the poor, metabolic control observed during the periconception period when the organogenesis of the fetus takes place. Conclusions: It is essential to utilize procedures for diabetes screening in women of childbearing age not only at the beginning of the pregnancy, but also during the preconception phase or the postmenarcheal period when strong risk factors for diabetes onset are present, such as a high BMI, glycemic disorders, and those who fall under high-risk ethnicity categories. Full article

Background: Shoulder pain is one of the most important musculoskeletal conditions affecting the upper extremities. Glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) and rotator cuff injuries (RCIs) are notable for their high prevalence. The critical shoulder angle (CSA) is a significant radiological measure for determining the diagnosis and progression of patients with these conditions. Although there are reports in the international literature about this measure, in our country, guideline values considering these two pathologies are unknown. Objective: Our objective was to assess patients diagnosed with GHOA and RCI using an AP X-ray view and the CSA. Methods: To conduct this, we identified differences between sexes and age categories. Fifty-nine adult patients with GHOA and RCI were included. CSA grades varied depending on the age category and type of injury evaluated. Results: Significant differences between the age ranges of 40 and 54 (p = 0.05), 55–69 (p = 0.001), and 70–84 (p = 0.017) were observed. Conclusions: Patients with RCI tended to be younger and have a higher CSA compared to those with GHOA. It is important to have more normative values and to continue monitoring the critical shoulder angle in these patients. Full article

Zn-Al alloy with the addition of Al (5–25 wt.%) was fabricated into as–cast and rod–shaped alloys. SEM/EDS and XRD technology were used to examine the impacts of the Al–element content on the alloys’ microstructure, mechanical characteristics, electrical conductivity, wetting ability, and corrosion resistance. The findings demonstrate how the Zn-Al alloy’s microstructure is dramatically altered by the different additions of the Al content. When the Al content reaches 15 wt.%, the eutectoid structures of the as–cast Zn-Al alloy are the finest, and the microhardness and tensile strength of the extruded–state alloy reach their maximum and exhibit the best corrosion resistance. The spreading area of the Zn-15Al solder alloy achieves its maximum on the 6061 Al plate, while it reaches its minimum on the T2 Cu plate. Furthermore, the electrical resistivity of the Zn-Al alloy continuously decreases as the Al content increases. Full article

Growing evidence suggests that activators of nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2), such as sulforaphane, may represent promising novel pharmacological targets for conditions related to oxidative stress, including depressive disorder. Therefore, we conducted a study to explore the behavioral and biochemical effects of repeated (14 days) sulforaphane (SFN) treatment in the olfactory bulbectomy (OB) animal model of depression. An open field test (OFT), splash test (ST), and spontaneous locomotor activity test (LA) were used to assess changes in depressive-like behavior and the potential antidepressant-like activity of SFN. The OB model induced hyperactivity in mice during the OFT and LA as well as a temporary loss of self-care and motivation in the ST. The repeated administration of SFN (10 mg/kg) effectively reversed these behavioral changes in OB mice across all tests. Additionally, a biochemical analysis revealed that SFN (10 mg/kg) increased the total antioxidant capacity in the frontal cortex and serum of the OB model. Furthermore, SFN (10 mg/kg) significantly enhanced superoxide dismutase activity in the serum of OB mice. Overall, the present study is the first to demonstrate the antidepressantlike effects of repeated SFN (10 mg/kg) treatment in the OB model and indicates that these benefits may be linked to improved oxidative status. Full article

Urbanization and demographic growth have led to increased global energy consumption in recent years. Furthermore, construction products and materials industries have contributed significantly to this increase in fossil fuel use, due to their significant energy requirements, and consequent environmental impact, during the extraction and processing of raw materials. To address this environmental problem, architectural design and civil engineering are trying to implement strategies that enable the use of high-performance materials while minimizing the usage of energy-intensive or toxic and dangerous building materials. These efforts also aim to make buildings less energy-consuming during their useful life. Using waste materials, such as Construction and Demolition Waste (CdW), is one of the most promising approaches to address this issue. In recent years, the European Union (EU) has supported recovery strategies focused on using CdW, as they account for more than 30% of the total waste production in the EU. In this regard, reuse techniques—such as incorporating concrete fragments and bricks as road floor fillers—have been the subject of targeted scientific research. This review will outline various strategies for producing green cement and concrete, particularly emphasizing the reuse of Construction and Demolition Waste (CdW). Full article

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has emerged as a pivotal tool in viticulture, offering unique capabilities for various applications. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art applications of SAR in viticulture, highlighting its significance in addressing key challenges and enhancing viticultural practices. The historical evolution and motivations behind SAR technology are also provided, along with a demonstration of its applications within viticulture, showcasing its effectiveness in various aspects of vineyard management, including delineating vineyard boundaries, assessing grapevine health, and optimizing irrigation strategies. Furthermore, future perspectives and trends in SAR applications in viticulture are discussed, including advancements in SAR technology, integration with other remote sensing techniques, and the potential for enhanced data analytics and decision support systems. Through this article, a comprehensive understanding of the role of SAR in viticulture is provided, along with inspiration for future research endeavors in this rapidly evolving field, contributing to the sustainable development and optimization of vineyard management practices. Full article

Background: To assess intraocular pressure (IOP) changes and complications after XEN45 implants in medically controlled eyes (MCE) vs. medically uncontrolled eyes (MUE). Methods: A retrospective study, in a tertiary referral hospital, on mild-to-moderate primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) cases under topical medication, including 32 eyes with IOP < 21 mmHg (MCE group) and 30 eyes with IOP ≥ 21 mmHg (MUE group). The success criteria using Kaplan–Meier analysis was IOP < 21 mmHg without medications (complete success) or fewer drugs than preoperatively (qualified success) at the last visit, without new surgery or unresolved hypotony. Results: No significant preoperative differences were found between the groups. The mean IOP was 15.6 ± 3.8 mmHg in MCE and 15.1 ± 4.1 mmHg in the MUE group (p > 0.05; Mann–Whitney test) at the end of the follow-up (mean of 26.1 ± 15.6 months and 28.3 ± 15.3 months, respectively) (p = 0.414, Mann–Whitney Test). The device caused a significant IOP reduction at 24 h in both groups. Thereafter, the MCE group significantly tended to increase IOP, recovering baseline values at 1 month and maintaining them until the end of the follow-up. In contrast, in the MUE group, the IOP values tended to be similar after the first reduction. No relevant complications and no significant differences between the groups in the survival analysis were found. Conclusions: XEN45 provided stable IOP control in both the MCE and MUE group without important complications in the medium term. The IOP increasing in the MCE group, after a prior decrease, led to restored baseline values 1 month after surgery. The homeostatic mechanism that causes the rise in the IOP to baseline values and its relationship with failure cases remains to be clarified. Full article

Gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDSs) have gained substantial attention in the last 20 years due to their ability to retain the drug in the stomach for an extended time, thus promoting an extended release and high bioavailability for a broad range of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that are pH-sensitive and/or have a narrow absorption window. The currently existing GRDDSs include floating, expanding, mucoadhesive, magnetic, raft-forming, ion-exchanging, and high-density systems. Although there are seven types of systems, the main focus is on floating, expanding, and mucoadhesive systems produced by various techniques, 3D printing being one of the most revolutionary and currently studied ones. This review assesses the newest production technologies and briefly describes the in vitro and in vivo evaluation methods, with the aim of providing a better overall understanding of GRDDSs as a novel emerging strategy for targeted drug delivery. Full article

Currently, Internet of Things (IoT)-based cloud systems face several problems such as privacy leakage, failure in centralized operation, managing IoT devices, and malicious attacks. The data transmission between the cloud and healthcare IoT needs trust and secure transmission of Electronic Health Records (EHRs). IoT-enabled healthcare equipment is seen in hospitals that have been implementing the technology for many years. Nonetheless, medical agencies fail to consider the security risk associated with healthcare IoT devices, which are readily compromised and cause potential threats to authentication and encryption procedures. Existing cloud computing methods like homomorphic encryption and the elliptic curve cryptography are unable to meet the security, identity, authentication, and security needs of healthcare IoT devices. The majority of conventional healthcare IoT algorithms lack secure data transmission. Therefore, fog computing is introduced to overcome the problems of IoT device verification, authentication, and identification for scalable and secure transmission of data. In this research manuscript, fog computing includes a hybrid mathematical model: Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and Proxy Re-encryption (PR) with Enhanced Salp Swarm Algorithm (ESSA) for IoT device verification, identification, and authentication of EHRs. ESSA is incorporated into the PR algorithm to determine the optimal key size and parameters of the PR algorithm. Specifically, in the ESSA, a Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is integrated with the conventional Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) to enhance its global and local search processes. The primary objective of the proposed mathematical model is to further secure data sharing in the real time services. The extensive experimental analysis shows that the proposed model approximately reduced 60 Milliseconds (ms) to 18 milliseconds of processing time and improved 25% to 3% of reliability, compared to the traditional cryptographic algorithms. Additionally, the proposed model obtains a communication cost of 4260 bits with a memory usage of 680 bytes in the context of security analysis. Full article

Campylobacter jejuni is the foodborne pathogen causing most gastrointestinal infections. Understanding its ability to form biofilms is crucial for devising effective control strategies in food processing environments. In this study, we investigated the growth dynamics and biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC 11168 in various culture media, including chicken juice (CJ), brain heart infusion (BHI), and Mueller Hinton (MH) broth. Our results demonstrated that C. jejuni exhibited a higher growth rate and enhanced biofilm formation in CJ and in 1:1 mixtures of CJ with BHI or MH broth compared to these measures in BHI or MH broth alone. Electron microscopy unveiled distinct morphological attributes of late-stage biofilm cells in CJ, including the presence of elongated spiral-shaped cells, thinner stretched structures compared to regular cells, and extended thread-like structures within the biofilms. Proteomic analysis identified significant alterations in protein expression profiles in C. jejuni biofilms, with a predominance of downregulated proteins associated with vital functions like metabolism, energy production, and amino acid and protein biosynthesis. Additionally, a significant proportion of proteins linked to biofilm formation, virulence, and iron uptake were suppressed. This shift toward a predominantly coccoid morphology echoed the reduced energy demands of these biofilm communities. Our study unlocks valuable insights into C. jejuni’s biofilm in CJ, demonstrating its adaptation and survival. Full article

Although there have been some advances during in recent decades, the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains challenging. Resistance is a major issue for various treatments that are used, including both the conventional standards of care (radiotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy) and the newer EGFR and checkpoint inhibitors. In fact, all the non-surgical treatments currently used for HNSCC are associated with intrinsic and/or acquired resistance. Herein, we explore the cellular mechanisms of resistance reported in HNSCC, including those related to epigenetic factors, DNA repair defects, and several signaling pathways. This article discusses these mechanisms and possible approaches that can be used to target different pathways to sensitize HNSCC to the existing treatments, obtain better responses to new agents, and ultimately improve the patient outcomes. Full article

The structural components of large-scale public construction projects are more complex than those of ordinary residential buildings, with irregular and diverse components, as well as a large number of repetitive structural elements, which increase the difficulty of BIM-modeling operations. Additionally, there is a significant amount of inherent parameter information in the construction process, which puts forward higher requirements for the application and management capabilities of BIM technology. However, the current BIM software still has deficiencies in the parameterization of complex and irregular structural components, fine modeling, and project management information. To address these issues, this paper takes Grasshopper as the core parametric tool and Revit as the carrier of component attribute information. It investigates the parametric modeling logic of Grasshopper and combines the concepts of parameterization, modularization, standardization, and engineering practicality to create a series of parametric programs for complex structural components in building projects. This approach mainly addresses intricate challenges pertaining to the parametric structural shapes (including batch processing) and parametric structural attributes (including the batch processing of diverse attribute parameters), thereby ensuring the efficiency in BIM modeling throughout the design and construction phases of complex building projects. Full article

The therapeutic potential of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a primary cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, has led to its development into oral medical products for treating various conditions. However, THC, being a psychoactive substance, can lead to addiction if taken in inappropriate amounts. Thus, studying the pharmacokinetics of THC is crucial for understanding how the drug behaves in the body after administration. This study aims to develop a multi-compartmental model to investigate the pharmacokinetics of medical THC and its metabolites after oral administration. Using the law of mass action, the model was converted into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to describe the rate of concentration changes of THC and its metabolites in each compartment. The nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) method was then applied to construct numerical solution schemes, which were implemented in MATLAB along with estimated pharmacokinetic rate constants. The results demonstrate that the simulation curves depicting the plasma concentration–time profiles of THC and 11-hydroxy-THC (THC-OH) closely resemble actual data samples, indicating the model’s accuracy. Moreover, the model predicts the pharmacokinetics of THC and its metabolites in various tissues. Consequently, this model serves as a valuable tool for enhancing our understanding of the pharmacokinetics of THC and its metabolites, guiding dosage adjustments, and determining administration durations for oral medical THC. Full article