With the development of artificial intelligence technology, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has become a major approach to the design of intelligent vehicle-to-everything (V2X) routing protocols for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). However, if the V2X routing protocol does not consider both real-time traffic conditions and historical vehicle trajectory information, the source vehicle may not transfer its packet to the correct relay vehicles and, finally, to the destination. Thus, this kind of routing protocol fails to guarantee successful packet delivery. Using the greater network flexibility and scalability of the software-defined network (SDN) architecture, this study designs a two-phase integrated DQN and RF Packet Routing Framework (IDRF) that combines the deep Q-learning network (DQN) and random forest (RF) approaches. First, the IDRF offline phase corrects the vehicle’s historical trajectory information using the vehicle trajectory continuity algorithm and trains the DQN model. Then, the IDRF real-time phase judges whether vehicles can meet each other and makes a real-time routing decision to select the most appropriate relay vehicle after adding real-time vehicles to the VANET. In this way, the IDRF can obtain the packet transfer path with the shortest end-to-end delay. Compared to two DQN-based approaches, i.e., TDRL-RP and VRDRT, and traditional VANET routing algorithms, the IDRF exhibits significant performance improvements for both sparse and congested periods during intensive simulations of the historical GPS trajectories of 10,357 taxis within Beijing city. Performance improvements in the average packet delivery ratio, end-to-end delay, and overhead ratio of the IDRF over TDRL-RP and VRDRT under different numbers of pairs and transmission ranges are at least 3.56%, 12.73%, and 5.14% and 6.06%, 11.84%, and 7.08%, respectively. Full article

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) were investigated as biomarkers for the diagnosis of early pregnancy in cattle. The levels of prospective miRNA biomarkers and the features of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the blood were evaluated. In Study 1, plasma samples from cows 21 days after artificial insemination (AI) were examined using RT-qPCR to determine the levels of seven circulating miRNAs. Only the levels of miR-126-3p were significantly lower in the pregnant group than in the non-pregnant group. In Study 2, among individuals not pregnant at the first AI, the miRNA levels were compared between the individuals pregnant at the second AI and those who remained non-pregnant. The miR-25 levels were significantly higher in the pregnant group at the second AI than in the pregnant group at the first AI; miR-19b, miR-27b, and miR-29a levels were also high. In the non-pregnant group, changes were absent in the miRNA levels in the same individual between the first and second AIs. In Study 3, Western blotting and RT-qPCR showed the presence of miRNAs in EVs and their levels were lower than in plasma. Thus, circulating miR-126-3p may serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of early pregnancy in cattle. In addition, the expression of some miRNAs tended to be higher during pregnancy than during non-pregnancy in the same individual, suggesting their potential as an index to determine pregnancy and non-pregnancy rates using a comparative method. Full article

In recent years, the rapid development of autonomous driving and intelligent driver assistance has brought about urgent demands on high-precision road maps. However, traditional road map production methods mainly rely on professional survey technologies, such as remote sensing and mobile mapping, which suffer from high costs, object occlusions, and long updating cycles. In the era of ubiquitous mapping, crowdsourced trajectory data offer a new and low-cost data resource for the production and updating of high-precision road maps. Meanwhile, as key nodes in the transportation network, maintaining the currency and integrity of road intersection data is the primary task in enhancing map updates. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for detecting road intersections based on crowdsourced trajectory data by introducing an attention mechanism and modifying the loss function in the YOLOv5 model. The proposed method encompasses two key steps of training data preparation and improved YOLOv5s model construction. Multi-scale training processing is first adopted to prepare a rich and diverse sample dataset, including various kinds and different sizes of road intersections. Particularly to enhance the model’s detection performance, we inserted convolutional attention mechanism modules into the original YOLOv5 and integrated other alternative confidence loss functions and localization loss functions. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved YOLOv5 model achieves detection accuracy, precision, and recall rates as high as 97.46%, 99.57%, and 97.87%, respectively, outperforming other object detection models. Full article

Hydroxytyrosol (HT), a plant-derived phenolic compound, is recognized for its potent antioxidant capabilities alongside a spectrum of pharmacological benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. These attributes have propelled HT into the spotlight as a premier nutraceutical and food additive, heralding a new era in health and wellness applications. Traditional methods for HT production, encompassing physico-chemical techniques and plant extraction, are increasingly being supplanted by biotechnological approaches. These modern methodologies offer several advantages, notably environmental sustainability, safety, and cost-effectiveness, which align with current demands for green and efficient production processes. This review delves into the biosynthetic pathways of HT, highlighting the enzymatic steps involved and the pivotal role of genetic and metabolic engineering in enhancing HT yield. It also surveys the latest progress in the biotechnological synthesis of HT, examining innovative strategies that leverage both genetically modified and non-modified organisms. Furthermore, this review explores the burgeoning potential of HT as a nutraceutical, underscoring its diverse applications and the implications for human health. Through a detailed examination of both the biosynthesis and biotechnological advances in HT production, this review contributes valuable insights to the field, charting a course towards the sustainable and scalable production of this multifaceted compound. Full article

This paper presents the numerical solution of the heat conduction model with a fractional derivative of the Riemann–Liouville type with respect to the spatial variable. The considered mathematical model assumes the dependence on temperature of the material parameters (such as specific heat, density, and thermal conductivity) of the model. In the paper, the boundary conditions of the first and second types are considered. If the heat flux equal to zero is assumed on the left boundary, then the thermal symmetry is obtained, which results in a simplification of the problem and the possibility of considering only half the area. The numerical examples presented in the paper illustrate the effectiveness and convergence of the discussed computational method. Full article

Background: We recently reported that extract prepared from the aerial part of Cichorium intybus L. (CE) possesses hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic properties. This paper focuses on the effects of CE on the male rat reproductive system and the effects of this treatment on pregnancy and offspring development. Methods: The experimental male rats received 100 mg/kg bw/day, 500 mg/kg bw/day, and 1000 mg/kg bw/day of CE orally for 60 consecutive days. Rats that received tap water were used as controls. After treatment, we evaluated the effects of CE on the male reproductive system, fertility, and offspring development. Results: For CE-treated male rats, there was a significant increase in the (1) diameter of seminiferous tubules, (2) spermatogenic index, (3) number of total and motile spermatozoa, and (4) testosterone levels. Additionally, there was a decrease in the pre- and post-implantation death of the embryos in the CE-treated group. All pups born from CE-treated males demonstrated normal development. Conclusions: CE treatment significantly improved male reproductive functions. No adverse effects on pregnancy and offspring development were observed when males were treated with CE. Further clinical evaluation of CE should lead to the development of a safe and effective phytodrug for treating male infertility. Full article

Recently, the widespread use of social media and easy access to the Internet have brought about a significant transformation in the type of textual data available on the Web. This change is particularly evident in Arabic language usage, as the growing number of users from diverse domains has led to a considerable influx of Arabic text in various dialects, each characterized by differences in morphology, syntax, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Consequently, researchers in language recognition and natural language processing have become increasingly interested in identifying Arabic dialects. Numerous methods have been proposed to recognize this informal data, owing to its crucial implications for several applications, such as sentiment analysis, topic modeling, text summarization, and machine translation. However, Arabic dialect identification is a significant challenge due to the vast diversity of the Arabic language in its dialects. This study introduces a novel hybrid machine and deep learning model, incorporating an attention mechanism for detecting and classifying Arabic dialects. Several experiments were conducted using a novel dataset that collected information from user-generated comments from Twitter of Arabic dialects, namely, Egyptian, Gulf, Jordanian, and Yemeni, to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The dataset comprises 34,905 rows extracted from Twitter, representing an unbalanced data distribution. The data annotation was performed by native speakers proficient in each dialect. The results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the performance of long short-term memory, bidirectional long short-term memory, and logistic regression models in dialect classification using different word representations as follows: term frequency-inverse document frequency, Word2Vec, and global vector for word representation. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of implementing a basketball-specific exercise program using Fitlight technology on the coordinative abilities (reactive coordination, reactive reaction time, and reactive movement combination capacity) of U14 and U16 junior basketball players. This study included 70 male basketball players, 36 subjects U14 and 34 subjects U16, divided into two equal groups for each age category: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). This study included an initial and a final test, between which, training was conducted over a period of 18 weeks. For the EG, the program aimed to develop coordinative abilities through an experimental program that utilized Fitlight technology, while the control groups underwent an identically timed program, but their training did not include the use of technology. Four tests were adapted and applied: the Reactive Reaction Test, Choice Reactive Reaction Test, Reactive Hand–Eye Coordination Test, and a test to evaluate the reactive capacity for combining movements. The results of this study showed statistically significant progress between the initial and final tests for the experimental group, p < 0.05. The Cohen’s d values for the experimental groups were above 0.8, indicating a very large effect size, while for the control group, these values were small to medium. The comparative analysis of the experimental groups U14 and U16 and control groups shows statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental groups U14 and U16. This study highlights the effectiveness of implementing specific training programs that use modern technologies in developing coordinative abilities in the training and evaluation process of junior basketball players. Full article

Invasive dental procedures, such as wisdom teeth removal, have been identified as potential triggers for vascular events due to the entry of oral bacteria into the bloodstream, leading to acute vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. This study presents the case of a 27-year-old healthy male who developed ischemic stroke resulting from bacteremia after undergoing wisdom teeth extraction. Initially, the patient experienced fever and malaise, which were followed by right-sided hemiplegia. Diagnostic imaging, including a CT scan, identified a subacute infarction in the posterior crus of the left internal capsule, and MRI findings indicated inflammatory changes in the masticatory muscles. Further investigations involving biopsies of the masticatory muscles, along with blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples, confirmed bacterial meningitis with associated vasculitis. Notably, oral bacteria linked to periodontitis, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia, and Parvimonas micra, were found in the biopsies and microbiological analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case showing that bacteremia following dental procedures can lead to such severe neurological outcomes. This case underscores the importance of recognizing bacteremia-induced vasculitis in patients presenting with neurological symptoms post-dental procedures, emphasizing the broader implications of oral infections in such pathologies. Full article

In this note, we study skew cyclic and skew constacyclic codes over the mixed alphabet $\mathcal{R}={\mathbb{F}}_q{\mathcal{R}}_1{\mathcal{R}}_2$, where $q=p^m,$ p is an odd prime with m odd and ${\mathcal{R}}_1={\mathbb{F}}_q+u{\mathbb{F}}_q$ with $u^2=u$, and ${\mathcal{R}}_2={\mathbb{F}}_q+u{\mathbb{F}}_q+v{\mathbb{F}}_q$ with $u^2=u,v^2=v,uv=vu=0.$ Such codes consist of the juxtaposition of three codes of the same size over ${\mathbb{F}}_q,$${\mathcal{R}}_1,$ and ${\mathcal{R}}_2$, respectively. We investigate the generator polynomial for skew cyclic codes over $\mathcal{R}$. Furthermore, we discuss the structural properties of the skew cyclic and skew constacyclic codes over $\mathcal{R}.$ We also study their q-ary images under suitable Gray maps. Full article

Different resources, such as environmental enrichment, are being evaluated in order to minimize animal stress and promote better conditions during the life cycle of animals, as consumers are increasingly concerned about animal welfare issues. Lairage represents an important stage in the swine production chain and is directly related to animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lairage time in the slaughterhouse and environmental enrichment on the level of skin lesions and behavioral responses in pigs. A total of 648 finishing pigs of both sexes were assessed before and after lairage at the slaughterhouse with a five-point scale (0 = none, to 4 = ≥16 superficial lesions or >10 deep lesions). After lairage (after slaughter), lesions were also classified according to their source (mounting, fighting, and handling). Pigs were distributed into two treatments groups during lairage: with environmental enrichment (EE) on the pen, with hanging metal chains, and with no enrichment (NE). Behavior was monitored during the first four hours of lairage. Proportional odds, mixed linear model for longitudinal data, and non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to analyze the relation between treatments, skin lesions, and behavior. The simple metal chains did not affect skin lesion score or pigs’ behavior (p > 0.05), whereas lairage duration influenced standing (SA), sitting (S), lying (L), idleness (I), and drinking water (D) (p < 0.001). The main source of skin lesions was handling, which did not differ between treatments (EE and NE) (p > 0.05). It was observed that the severity of the lesions (highest scores of 3, 4, and 5) increased in the different anatomical regions of the pigs when compared before and after slaughter, with the exception of the frontal area, which was the same (p = 0.7547). Lairage time has a proportional relation with skin lesions, and hanging chains at the slaughterhouse pens was not enough to reduce the number of lesions and to change pig behavior. Full article

A predictive model for the spatiotemporal distribution of electric vehicle (EV) charging load is proposed in this paper, considering multimodal travel behavior and microscopic traffic simulation. Firstly, the characteristic variables of travel time are fitted using advanced techniques such as Gaussian mixture distribution. Simultaneously, the user’s multimodal travel behavior is delineated by introducing travel purpose transfer probabilities, thus establishing a comprehensive travel spatiotemporal model. Secondly, the improved Floyd algorithm is employed to select the optimal path, taking into account various factors including signal light status, vehicle speed, and the position of starting and ending sections. Moreover, the approach of multi-lane lane change following and the utilization of cellular automata theory are introduced. To establish a microscopic traffic simulation model, a real-time energy consumption model is integrated with the aforementioned techniques. Thirdly, the minimum regret value is leveraged in conjunction with various other factors, including driving purpose, charging station electricity price, parking cost, and more, to simulate the decision-making process of users regarding charging stations. Subsequently, an EV charging load predictive framework is proposed based on the approach driven by electricity prices and real-time interaction of coupled network information. Finally, this paper conducts large-scale simulations to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of EV charging load using a regional transportation network in East China and a typical power distribution network as case studies, thereby validating the feasibility of the proposed method. Full article

Epidural and subdural hematomas are commonly associated with traumatic brain injury. While surgical removal is the primary intervention for these hematomas, it is also critical to prevent and reduce complications such as post-traumatic epilepsy, which may result from inflammatory responses in the injured brain areas. In the present study, we observed that high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) decreased in the injured brain area beneath the epidural hematoma (EDH) in rats, concurrent with elevated plasma levels of HMGB1. Anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody therapy strongly inhibited both HMGB1 release and the subsequent increase in plasma levels. Moreover, this treatment suppressed the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines and related molecules such as interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the injured areas. Our in vitro experiments using SH-SY5Y demonstrated that hematoma components—thrombin, heme, and ferrous ion— prompted HMGB1 translocation from the nuclei to the cytoplasm, a process inhibited by the addition of the anti-HMGB1 mAb. These findings suggest that anti-HMGB1 mAb treatment not only inhibits HMGB1 translocation but also curtails inflammation in injured areas, thereby protecting the neural tissue. Thus, anti-HMGB1 mAb therapy could serve as a complementary therapy for an EDH before/after surgery. Full article

As an antioxidant and antiozonant, N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) is predominantly used in the rubber industry to prevent degradation. However, 6PPD can be ozonated to generate a highly toxic transformation product called N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine quinone (6PPD-quinone), which is toxic to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Thus, 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone, two emerging contaminants, have attracted extensive attention recently. This review discussed the levels and distribution of 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone in the environment and investigated their toxic effects on a series of organisms. 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone have been widely found in air, water, and dust, while data on soil, sediment, and biota are scarce. 6PPD-quinone can cause teratogenic, developmental, reproductive, neuronal, and genetic toxicity for organisms, at environmentally relevant concentrations. Future research should pay more attention to the bioaccumulation, biomagnification, transformation, and toxic mechanisms of 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone. Full article

Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide and it has many beneficial properties, including antimicrobial. However, in this plant, the chemical diversity of the essential oil is very pronounced. The aim of this work was to process the GC-MS results of four samples of H. italicum essential oil of Serbian origin by chemometric tools, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro and in silico. Overall, 47 compounds were identified, the most abundant were γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene, followed by α-ylangene, neryl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, italicene, α-selinene, limonene, and italidiones. Although the four samples of H. italicum essential oil used in this study were obtained from different producers in Serbia, they belong to the type of essential oil rich in sesquiterpenes (γ-curcumene and ar-curcumene chemotype). In vitro antimicrobial potential showed that five were sensitive among ten strains of tested microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Therefore, these microorganism models were used further for in silico molecular docking through the mechanism of ATP-ase inhibitory activity. Results showed that among all compounds from H. italicum essential oil, neryl acetate has the highest predicted binding energy. Artificial neural network modeling (ANN) showed that two major compounds γ-curcumene and α-pinene, as well as minor compounds such as trans-β-ocimene, terpinolene, terpinene-4-ol, isoitalicene, italicene, cis-α-bergamotene, trans-α-bergamotene, italidiones, trans-β-farnesene, γ-selinene, β-selinene, α-selinene, and guaiol are responsible for the antimicrobial activity of H. italicum essential oil. The results of this study indicate that H. italicum essential oil samples rich in γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene cultivated in Serbia (Balkan) have antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in silico. In addition, according to ANN modeling, the proportion of neryl acetate and other compounds detected in these samples has the potential to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Full article

The Swedish Paradox is a well-known phenomenon related to high research and development (R&D) investment with supposedly low aggregate economic performance owing to economic saturation. The Korean economy has not yet become an advanced economy; however, its R&D performance is negligible. Recently, also the R&D share of the GNP has become much higher, and its contribution to the economic growth rate is rapidly decreasing, implying a negative relationship between R&D activities and economic performance. This study uses slacks-based data envelopment analysis to investigate investment performance at the local government level in Korea. Our findings reveal that the average score for R&D investment performance in Korea is 64%, indicating huge potential for an efficiency enhancement of 36%. Notably, among the 16 local governments examined, Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan areas showed the lowest R&D efficiency, while Gangwon and Gwangju exhibited superior performance. Since these two regions have promoted specific missions, such as the medical hub in Gangwon and the optical fiber strategic platform in Gwangju, precise and accurate differentiation appears necessary to avoid a lack of governance. To determine the workable mechanism of R&D support policies, we further divided R&D productivity into three categories by incorporating the Malmquist Index (MI). The paper productivity of R&D shows an increasing trend over the experimental period from 2016 to 2021. However, overall, the MI shows slightly deteriorating productivity with 0.978, owing to the aggravating effect of patents and commercialization of R&D. The success in the paper comes from the harmonized partnership between the strong push factor of the government and voluntary pull factor of the R&D support receiving universities. Thus, we suggest that the Korean government should not depend on the superficial effectiveness of R&D in the term but on public–private partnerships with stronger performance-oriented responsibility. Full article

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides able to form noncovalent water-soluble complexes useful in many different applications for the solubilization, delivery, and greater bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs. The complexation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with natural or synthetic cyclodextrins permits the solubilization of this poorly soluble anticancer drug. In this theoretical work, the complexes between β-CD and 5-FU are investigated using molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in water. The inclusion complexes are formed thanks to the favorable intermolecular interactions between β-CD and 5-FU. Both 1:1 and 1:2 β-CD/5-FU stoichiometries are investigated, providing insight into their interaction geometries and stability over time in water. In the 1:2 β-CD/5-FU complexes, the intermolecular interactions affect the drug’s mobility, suggesting a two-step release mechanism: a fast release for the more exposed and hydrated drug molecule, with greater freedom of movement near the β-CD rims, and a slow one for the less-hydrated and well-encapsulated and confined drug. MD simulations study the intermolecular interactions between drugs and specific carriers at the atomistic level, suggesting a possible release mechanism and highlighting the role of the impact of the drug concentration on the kinetics process in water. A comparison with experimental data in the literature provides further insights. Full article

A novel energy management system featuring a unique framework involving multiple hierarchical controllers at the distribution and transmission network levels is proposed. The unique objective function of this energy management system is designed to enhance system inertia during black start and optimise load shedding. The objective function further aims to increase reliance on renewable energy sources, prioritising solar power along with battery and fuel cell technologies. This work delves deeply into the dynamics of multi-area power networks, where some areas possess black start capabilities (BSAs) while others do not (NBSAs). The proposed energy management system specifically explores the complex interplay between these black start capabilities and the hierarchical load restoration order. During grid blackouts, the systems located in BSA areas are tasked with first restoring essential loads in their own regions before extending aid to the adjacent NBSA areas, taking into account factors such as their available reserved power and geographical proximity. This work is extended to analyse complex multi-area power network architectures. This extended analysis provides invaluable insights for enhancing power restoration processes and facilitating the large-scale integration of sustainable energy solutions in complex systems. The proposed energy management system is validated using the IEEE 39-Bus network, which consists of ten distinct areas, each differing in their black start capabilities. The results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed system. Full article

To evaluate the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels, it is necessary to study an index system for the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels. This paper uses a literature research method. The damage of highway tunnels in 12 earthquake disasters recorded in detail in China and abroad was investigated. According to the types of hazard-beating bodies and damage forms, 17 seismic damage scenes of highway tunnels are classified. According to different damage scenes, the fault tree analysis model is used to identify the damage-causing factors. Combined with the industry standards, norms and research results related to the earthquake resistance of highway tunnels, the evaluation indices are analyzed from three perspectives: engineering geological factors, tunnel structural factors and operation management factors. According to the principle of index system construction, a four-level index system is constructed, which takes the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels as the target layer; engineering geological factors, tunnel structural factors and operation management factors as the criterion layer indices; 12 indicators as the index layer and 35 specific indicators. The established index system for the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels has strong scientific, rational and application value and can provide a reference for the evaluation of the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels and can also provide important support for the safe operation and sustainable development of highway tunnels. Full article

This paper addresses the hole-forming process of a duckbilled hole-forming device. Based on a coupled simulation using the multi-body dynamics software RecurDyn and the discrete element software EDEM, the hole-forming mechanism of a duckbilled hole-forming device and the influence of control parameters on the hole-forming performance of the hole-forming device were studied. In this paper, we analyze the direction and speed of soil particles transported under soil disturbance by a hole-forming device through the simulation and study of the hole-forming mechanism of the hole-forming device. By controlling parameters such as the traction angle, forward speed, and mass of the hole-forming device, the influence of the control parameters on the hole-forming trajectory of the duckbilled hole-forming device was investigated. Orthogonal tests determined the optimal combination of control parameters. The results show that the hole-forming process of the hole-forming device mainly comprises squeezing and shearing the soil to form holes, and the hole-forming performance of the hole-forming device was optimal when the traction angle was 17.3°, the forward speed was 1.11 m/s, and the mass of the hole-forming device was 17.9 kg. Full article

Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating multisystemic disease characterized by a complex, incompletely understood etiology. Methods: To facilitate future clinical and translational research, a multicenter German ME/CFS registry (MECFS-R) was established to collect comprehensive, longitudinal, clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory data from adults, adolescents, and children in a web-based multilayer-secured database. Results: Here, we present the research protocol and first results of a pilot cohort of 174 ME/CFS patients diagnosed at two specialized tertiary fatigue centers, including 130 (74.7%) adults (mean age 38.4; SD 12.6) and 43 (25.3%) pediatric patients (mean age 15.5; SD 4.2). A viral trigger was identified in 160/174 (92.0%) cases, with SARS-CoV-2 in almost half of them. Patients exhibited severe functional and social impairment, as reflected by a median Bell Score of 30.0 (IQR 30.0 to 40.0) and a poor health-related quality of life assessed with the Short Form-36 health survey, resulting in a mean score of 40.4 (SD 20.6) for physical function and 59.1 (SD 18.8) for mental health. Conclusions: The MECFS-R provides important clinical information on ME/CFS to research and healthcare institutions. Paired with a multicenter biobank, it facilitates research on pathogenesis, diagnostic markers, and treatment options. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05778006. Full article

Improvement of hydrophysical properties and corrosion resistance of self-compacting concrete to the effects of alternate freezing–thawing and aggressive soils of Southern and Central Kazakhstan is of interest to a wide range of researchers from the side of practical application of the obtained results in construction practice. It is proposed to form a spatially reinforced fine crystalline structure of a cement matrix with the maximum dense packing by using a complex modifier (hyperplasticizer + polymer + microsilica + fibro fibers) in the composition of self-compacting concretes (SCCs). The introduction of the calculated amount of the above additives increases the operational reliability of the current SCC compositions, increasing the water resistance to W16, frost resistance to F = 500, increasing the compressive strength by 20%, and reducing the mass loss of samples during corrosion leaching to 50%. It has been experimentally established that the proposed addition of the complex modifier (hyperplasticizer + polymer + microsilica + fibro fibers) to the SCC composition allows obtaining self-compacting concrete of high quality with improved performance characteristics (compressive strength, water resistance, frost resistance, and corrosion resistance). Studies have shown that the complex modifier-modified SCC compositions have a high degree of resistance in aggressive environments and leaching corrosion. Based on the results of the conducted tests, it is possible to recommend the obtained SCC compositions for the production of building products working in the zone of alternating freezing–thawing and aggressive soils. Full article