Background: Cellular migration is important for physiological and pathological processes. As such, angiogenesis and regenerative wound healing are reliant on the promotion of distinct endothelial cell phenotypes exhibiting increased migratory capacity. Functional monitoring of these hallmark events in vitro is invaluable for discovering novel therapeutics. However, while respective methods are usually simple and economic, they often lack a high-throughput character or accurate analysis tools, which are essential for effective screening suitability. Experimental approach: We stained nuclei of confluent human umbilical vein endothelial cells with Hoechst33342 prior to induction of an artificial scratch wound. Treatments with various growth factors and several concentrations of nintedanib were performed to evaluate impacts on wound closure. Images were taken frequently over 24 h to achieve high time-resolution. We developed an ImageJ macro and a Python script for automated analysis of these image sets. Utilizing cell-free area measuring or cellular density evaluation, respectively, cellular migration behavior was assessed well-wise for each time point. Key results: We proved the functionality of our novel tools and identified pro-migratory effects of interleukin 1β as well as inhibitory actions of nintedanib. Hoechst33342 staining allowed for cell counting which could be excluded as a contributing factor to wound closure in our assay. Conclusion: We herein developed a cost-effective, high-throughput pipeline that allows to monitor endothelial cell migration in vitro. We believe that our protocol will significantly accelerate pre-clinical screenings not only for medications targeting angiogenic processes but also drug discovery research in a broad range of diseases with altered vascularization.

Introduction Patients with food allergies necessite having personalized information on their risk of reaction in “real-life” situations. This multicentric study aimed to investigate the link during accidental reactions between the nature and amount of food allergens consumed in “real life situation” and the severity of the symptoms. Methods Patients were prospectively recruited from the 1 st of December 2020 to the 31 st of December 2021 at the emergency departments in the Geneva University Hospitals and local pediatric urgent care, trough the allergology outpatient consultation, at school and daycare facilities and trough their primary care physicians. Medical history of patients presenting reactions suggestive with immediate food allergy and suspected food samples were collected. Allergy diagnostic tests were retrospectively and prospectively collected. The samples were analyzed for their allergen content. Results We recruited 147 subjects with an accidental immediate-type allergic reaction to a food. We were able to collect 115 reaction-eliciting food samples allowing to quantify the allergen amount occasioning the reaction, as well as correlating this amount to the severity of the reaction. Children represented a large part of the reactors, and most reactions were to common food allergens such as tree nuts, cow’s milk as well as peanuts and hen’s egg. Reactions were mostly to pre-packaged foods and seven were to products with Precautionary allergy labeling, or without labelling to the corresponding allergen. Reactions were of various degrees of severity, and independent to the amount of allergen ingested. Discussion The severity of reactions did not show a direct correlation with allergen quantity, emphasizing individual sensitivity. Some reactions occurred with allergen amounts significantly below the legal limit for mandatory labelling of 1 g/kg in Switzerland. The study also highlighted considerable variability in allergen concentrations in foods labeled with possible “contaminations” or “traces.” These findings raise questions about the accuracy of allergen labeling and regulations.

Aims This randomized controlled pilot study aimed to assess the differences in the frequency, type, and severity of prescribing errors made by medical students when assessed in an electronic prescribing system (EPS) compared to traditional prescribing methods (e.g., writing/typing out a prescription). Methods Fourth year medical students in the period of November 1st to July 31st, 2023, were asked to participate in this single center prospective, randomized, controlled intervention study. Participants performed a prescribing assessment in either an EPS (intervention group) or in a more traditional prescribing platform (control group). The prescriptions were checked for errors, graded, and categorized. Differences in prescribing errors, error categories, and severity were analyzed. Results Out of 334 students, 84 participated in the study. Nearly all participants (98.8%) made one or more prescribing errors, primarily involving inadequate information errors. In the intervention group, more participants made prescribing errors involving the prescribed amount (71.4% vs. 19.0%; P<0.01), but fewer involving administrative errors (2.4% vs. 19.0%; P=0.03). Prescribing-method-specific errors were identified in 4.8% and 40.5% of the intervention and control group, respectively, with significant differences in overlapping errors as well. Conclusions This study shows the importance of training electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) competencies in medical curricula, in addition to traditional prescribing methods. It identifies prescribing-method-specific prescribing errors and emphasizes the need for further research to define e-prescribing competencies. Additionally, the need for an accessible real-life-like e-prescribing environment tailored to educators and students is essential for effective learning and incorporation of e-prescribing into medical curricula.

Background: The respiratory diseases represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric age group, considered a public health problem and generate a great economic impact given the frequent use of the health system. The current study aims to verify the correlation of respiratory syncytial virus with the main risk factors associated with recurrent wheezing in hospitalized infants. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, carried out from May 2019 to May 2021, through the analysis of 681 electronic medical records in a secondary public hospital. The study included 105 infants aged less than 24 months, hospitalized for recurrent wheezing. The variables analyzed were subdivided into two groups according to the presence of the etiological agent: positive or negative for RSV. Results: Of the sample studied, 75.2% were RSV negative, with a predominance of males and an average age of 13 months. With respect to the risk factors analyzed, there was a higher incidence of prematurity (19.2%), heart disease (11.5%), family history of asthma (61.5%), and use of prophylaxis (73%) among those positive for RSV. Among positive for RSV, we observed greater use of mechanical ventilation (80%) and need for readmissions (65.4%), and a positive correlation was observed between the etiological agent and prematurity (p=0.009*), heart disease (p=0.026*), readmission (p=0.009*), and the use of mechanical pulmonary ventilation (p=0.007*). Conclusion: Faced with this prevalent public health pathology, there is a need to improve clinical care, with qualification and standardization of conduct by general pediatricians.

Background: In this hospital-based cohort study, we evaluated the accuracy of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) and explored factors affecting their results. Methods: Patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) visiting the emergency departments of a tertiary medical center were recruited from November 2012 to June 2015. RIDTs and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR) were used to test all subjects for influenza. Results: Among the 263 patients with influenza-like illnesses, 36% tested positive by RT-PCR. The sensitivity and specificity of RIDTs were 46.4% and 84.2%, respectively, while physicians’ gestalt showed a sensitivity of 94.3% and a specificity of 42.2%. RIDTs performed better for H3N2 than for H1N1 but showed similar performance across specimens obtained from different body sites. False-negative results from RIDTs were significantly associated with productive cough and muscle soreness compared to true negative results. Conclusions: Given the observed significant association of false-negative RIDTs with symptoms such as productive cough and muscle soreness, it is recommended to confirm patients with these symptoms and negative RIDT results with RT-PCR.

The global warming crisis, together with environmental concerns, has already led governments to replace traditional fossil-fuel cars with low-emission Electric Vehicles (EVs). This replacement has resulted in the addition of a large number of EVs capable of connecting to the grid. A coordinated charging method is needed to promote EVs on a large scale while preventing grid overloading. In this work, EVs are categorized based on their battery capacity, as cars, trucks, and buses. A charging/discharging mechanism based on Real Time Pricing (RTP) for each hour is developed for a 20-minute block has been formed. The locations of EV charging stations have been identified using Voltage Stability Index (VSI). In the present work, the power loss when Distributed Generator (DG) units are deployed after the EVs are located in the system for charging and discharging is analyzed. The DGs are considered as solar based or wind based generators for studying the economic benefit of such an investment under two different weather scenarios and topologies on standard test systems. The results thus obtained give an insight into the various technical and economic benefits.

As a machine learning approach, domain adaptation methods are widely applied in cross-scenario fault diagnosis. However, the target domain may need more annotated data, posing challenges to the performance of domain adaptation methods. This paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on hybrid physics and domain adaptation (HPDA) with its application to marine current turbines (MCTs) scenarios. Specifically, this method first establishes a rotational feature alignment model based on physical variables. Then, it aligns the feature of the target domain data with physical parameters. Finally, an augmented domain adversarial model is trained using pre-alignment samples. Data from MCT prototypes are collected to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed method’s superior stability and data transferability compared with the state-of-the-art.

Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a globally significant agricultural pest, causing severe damage to commercial crop production in China. Chemical odor-based trapping is a major approach for S. litura control, making it essential to understand the antennal sensillum types of the insect to enhance development of effective chemical odor attractants. In the present study, the S. litura antennal sensillum types were examined by low-voltage field emission scanning electron microscope and the morphological descriptions were provided. A total of eight types and three subtypes of S. litura antennal sensillum were identified, including Böhm’s bristles (I and II), sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica, sensilla coeloconica, sensilla styloconica, sensilla squamiformia (I and II), and sensilla auricillica (I and II). Among them, Böhm bristle II, sensilla squamiformia II, and sensilla auricillica II are reported for the first time for S. litura. This study provides the morphological information to aid in conducting antennal sensillum electrophysiological tests on S. litura. Research Highlights The types of sensilla of Spodoptera litura were examined, identifying eight types and three subtypes, including Böhm’s bristles (I and II), sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica, sensilla coeloconica, sensilla styloconica, sensilla squamiformia (I and II), and sensilla auricillica (I and II). Detailed low-voltage field emission scanning electron microscope images and descriptions were provided for each sensillum type.

A document by Faten Mostafa Hatem. Click on the document to view its contents.

Objective: To identify the most commonly reported drugs associated with QT interval prolongation in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and evaluate their risk for QT interval prolongation. Methods: We employed the preferred term (PT) “electrocardiogram QT prolonged” from the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) 26.0 to identify adverse drug events (ADEs) of QT interval prolongation in the FAERS database from the period 2004-2022. Reporting odds ratio (ROR) was performed to quantify the signals of ADEs. Results: We listed the top 40 drugs that caused QT interval prolongation. The 3 drugs with the highest number of cases were quetiapine (1151 cases, ROR 7.62), olanzapine (754 cases, ROR 7.92), and citalopram (720 cases, ROR 13.63). The two most frequently reported first-level Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) groups were the drugs for nervous system (n=19, 47.50%) and antiinfectives for systemic use (n=7, 17.50%). More females (7,536, 51.24%) than males (5,158, 35.07%) were involved. 3720 patients (25.29%) suffered serious clinical outcomes resulting in deaths or life-threatening conditions. Most drugs caused QT interval prolongation had early failure types according to the assessment of the Weibull’s shape parameter (WSP) analysis. Conclusions: Our study offered a list of drugs that frequently caused QT interval prolongation based on the FAERS system, along with a description of some risk profiles for QT interval prolongation brought on by these drugs. When prescribing these drugs in clinical practice, we should closely monitor the occurrence of ADE for QT interval prolongation. Keywords: QT interval prolongation, pharmacovigilance, FAERS, data mining

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still causing extensive sickness, death, and social and economic devastation worldwide. Effective prophylactic strategies such as personal protection measures, social distancing, and vaccination is critical in limiting disease transmission. However, more than two years after the emergence of COVID-19, the pandemic continues to have a global impact, with new variants and surges in cases and fatalities. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the Pakistani public’s perception and knowledge regarding various aspects of COVID-19 after a period of two years of the pandemic. The study also aimed to investigate the association between education level and knowledge about COVID-19. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 1100 individuals from different cities in Pakistan. The survey consisted of various sets of questions covering the aspects of the study objectives. Results: Most participants reported a solid understanding of COVID-19; however, there were some misconceptions and knowledge gaps concerning certain pandemic elements. The study also highlighted a link between education level and awareness of COVID-19, with a higher education level related to a better understanding of the pandemic and effective preventive strategies. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insight into the perception and education level of the Pakistani public regarding COVID-19. The findings highlight the need of continued public health efforts to promote and ensure access to effective prevention measures, particularly in vulnerable populations who may face barriers to obtaining protective equipment.

Alsophila spinulosa (Hook) Tryon, a relict plant of glaciers in the early tertiary, is one of the world’s oldest living fossils and a significant plant for studying ancient climates and species evolution in geographical distribution. We utilized 476 geographical data points of A. spinulosa and analyzed 15 climate, soil, and terrain factors using Biomod2 software to construct an ensemble model. The model was employed to simulate the potential distribution of A. spinulosa during the past (Last Glacial Maximum, mid-Holocene), current, and future periods (2041–2060, 2061–2080), while identifying the primary environmental variables influencing its distribution. The results demonstrated that the ensemble model, derived from four optimal indi-vidual models, yielded superior predictions of suitable habitats for A. spinulosa compared to the single models. The combination model achieved impressive true skill statistic (TSS) and receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of 0.979 and 0.999, respectively, confirming the high accuracy of the simulated outcomes. Presently, the primary distribution of A. spinulosa concen-trates within the region of 15° to 40° N in Asia, with a prominent presence in East Asia, northern South Asia, and Southeast Asia, covering a total area of approximately 1.7858 million km2. The major environmental factors influencing its distribution include isothermality, minimum temper-ature of the coldest month, and precipitation during the warmest quarter. During the Last Glacial Maximum, A. spinulosa was predominantly found in the eastern Himalayan region, and its poten-tial geographical range during the mid-Holocene resembled the current distribution. Under future climate conditions, the suitable habitat of A. spinulosa is projected to expand northwestward, and its centroid is expected to shift northward as temperatures rise. This migration speed is positively correlated with the degree of warming. The findings provide valuable insights for the conservation, cultivation, and selection of protected areas for A. spinulosa in response to climate change.

This paper aims to solve the problem of accurately estimating flow duration curves (FDC) in catchments lacking diachronic flow data. Based on 645 sets of observed data in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (YZR), which include 22 basin characteristic variables, eight machine learning (ML) models (SVM, RF, BPNN, ELM, XGB, RBF, PSO-BP, GWO-BP) were integrated to predict the FDC (quantiles of flow rate corresponding to 15 exceedance probabilities were studied), after which the model most suitable for predicting was determined. Finally, the SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) method was used to determine and quantify the impact of various input variables on different quantiles and the degree of that influence. Results indicate that: (1) The GWO-BP model is the best ML model for predicting FDC among the eight, having good prediction performances throughout the entire duration with determination coefficients (R2) on the testing set of 0.86 to 0.94 and Nash-Sutcliff criterion (NSE) of 0.78 to 0.94. (2) The ML model (BPNN) optimized using swarm intelligence can effectively predict FDC. (3) The predictive impact of variables on different quantiles varies, with and BFI_mean contributes significantly to predicting FDC. The former has a negative effect on the prediction result and has better contribution to predicting higher flow rate (i.e., having higher accuracy in predicting the upper tail of FDC), whereas the latter is the opposite. SHAP’s explanations are consistent with the physical model, revealing local interactions between predictive factors. The results demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper can greatly improve the prediction accuracy and is innovative and valuable in model interpretation and factor selection.

A document by Fahmi Othman. Click on the document to view its contents.

Dilemma of seronegative lupus nephritis: A case report of diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with thrombotic microangiopathyYuxuan Wu1, Qiaoyu Wang1, Haiyan Zhang2, Jianhua Qin1*, Weihua Wu1*1Department of Nephrology,Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University; Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy; Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China

Case ReportChairside and Labside CAD/CAM Workflow for Esthetic and Functional Smile Design RehabilitationDragoș Andrei Adam 1, Andrei B. Faur1,2, and Anca Jivănescu 1,21 Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania; adam.deagos@umft.ro (D.A.); andrei.faur@umft.ro (A.B.F.); jivanescu.anca@umft.ro (A.J.)2 TADERP Research Center, Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania* Correspondence: adam.dragos.andrei@gmail.com; Tel.: +40-744765857Abstract: Esthetic restorations that mimic the patient’s individual naturalness must be shaped and guided by the patient’s complex facial features and physiognomy. CAD/CAM protocols allow us to communicate treatment options with the patient, enabling us to understand the patient’s aesthetic preferences and to convey to the dental technician a viable, functional, physiognomic, and yet patient-accepted treatment option.This case report presents a case of aesthetic frontal rehabilitation based on a fully digital workflow on a young female patient with Kennedy class IV frontal edentulousness. The workflow consisted in a digital smile design protocol, 3D-printed diagnostic wax-up, multiple 3D-printed provisional restorations and a CAD/CAM zirconia fixed dental prostheses.Complex cases of frontal rehabilitation can be functional and aesthetically solved using digital methods and predictable CAD/CAM protocols, by establishing a good communication of the whole team, accurately and thoroughly transmitting all the details related to the aesthetics and natural anatomy of the patient and performing several stages of provisional treatment before the final restoration.Keywords: CAD/CAM, zirconia fixed dental prostheses, 3D-printed provisional restorations, 3D-printed diagnostic wax-up, frontal rehabilitation, digital workflow.1. IntroductionA person s smile is influenced by the size, shape, and color of the teeth, the position, texture, color and lines of the lips and gingiva, as well as the shape of the jaws. The most appealing, fulfilling, and fascinating component of dentistry is creating aesthetically pleasing smile design [1,2]Fulfill the patient’s expectation is a key goal of the aesthetic treatments, and the result be improving the appearance of his or her face and smile. By achieving a simulation and previsualization of the outcome of the suggested therapy, Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a digital tool that aids in the creation and projection of the new smile. A digital mockup of the patient’s new smile is created and presented to them before the actual treatment process begins. This allows for careful examination of the patient’s facial and dental characteristics that play a crucial role in determining the treatment plan [3–5].The development of simplified and predictable protocols in the field of restorative dentistry has been made possible by the advancement of digital technology in dentistry. CAD software can be used to create the temporary and permanent prosthesis as well as the master die model, which can then be produced using 3D printing or milling.Additive procedures have recently been used in restorative dentistry in order to give the dental professional more restorative alternatives. As printing methods are becoming more accurate, the doctor can use digital design (CAD) to create initial diagnostic models, full removable dentures, surgical guides, and temporary restorations. Due to its reproducibility, low cost, and speed of treatment, utilizing a three-dimensional (3D) printed coping to assess the marginal adaptation of the final prosthetic restoration is a solid option. Fixed dental prosthesis using printed materials and techniques may become quite popular in the near future [6,7].Zirconia was initially employed in dentistry at the beginning of the 1990s and has since become widely accessible through the use of CAD/CAM technology. According to recent surveys, dentists frequently propose ceramics, particularly lithium disilicate and zirconia, for both front and back single crowns [8].In the present dental industry, there are several different zirconia materials, and the level of yttrium oxide significantly affects the mechanical and optical capabilities of the restoration. High biological stability and biocompatibility, as well as excellent mechanical qualities, are all characteristics of zirconia. The main drawback of this material is its opacity, which makes it less aesthetically pleasing than other ceramic materials, but can be overcome by stabilizing it with yttrium. While zirconia with 3 mol% yttrium oxide (3 Y-TZP) exhibit high flexural strength, it is not the same for case zirconia with 5 mol% yttrium oxide (5 Y-TZP). Although it is not advised to fabricate fixed dental prostheses larger than three units from 5 Y-TZP, greater translucency may also result in superior aesthetics [9–12].This case report presents a smile design rehabilitation for a young female patient with Kennedy class IV frontal edentulousness, based on a fully digital workflow. The workflow consisted in a digital smile design protocol, 3D-printed diagnostic wax-up, multiple 3D-printed provisional restorations and a CAD/CAM zirconia fixed dental prostheses, in order to restore the smile design considering the facial characteristics, in an accurate and predictable way.2. Case PresentationThe patient was a 26-year-old Asian woman who came to the Department of Prosthodontics Clinic at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, Timisoara, Romania, in February 2023, with a chief complaint regarding her old prosthetic. The patient presented a Kennedy class IV frontal edentulousness, restored with an eleven years old removable partial denture (Figure 1).

Understanding community assembly of living organisms has been a prominent ecological question since the early days of the discipline. The impact of habitat filtering and limiting similarity on plant community structures is well-known, as both processes are influenced by individual responses to environmental changes. However, identifying and quantifying potential abiotic and biotic factors that ultimately influence community structures at a fine scale remains a challenge. Here, we employed different species pool null models to assess the importance of habitat filtering and limiting similarity at two spatial scales. We used 63 natural vegetation plots, each measuring 5m x 5m, with 3 nested subplots measuring 1m x 1m, from the 2021 field survey, to examine the alpha diversity of plots and subplots as well as Beta diversity. We also used linear mixed-effects models (LMEs) to assess how environmental factors affect the assembly process. Our findings indicate that habitat filtering was the dominant assembly process at both the plot and subplot levels, while limiting similarity was stronger at the subplot level. Plot-level limiting similarity was positively correlated with fine-scale partitioning, suggesting that trait divergence resulted from a combination of limiting similarity species and spatial partitioning. Our results also suggest that the assembly process varies more strongly along the mean annual temperature (MAT) gradient than the mean annual precipitation (MAP). Additionally, the community assembly process of different traits varied with these environmental factors, indicating the importance of multi-dimensional traits. This study provides a valuable example of non-random assembly rules from spatial scale and environmental factors in grassland communities in the loess hilly region. These results highlight the essential role of additional constraints with spatial scales and environmental factors for understanding the process of grassland community assembly.

The fertile Anatolian lands in Turkey, supporting about 80 million people, rely on abundant water resources. The Kızılırmak River basin in Anatolia is vulnerable to global warming, mainly due to snowmelt in its headwaters. Quantifying the upper watershed’s climate sensitivity is crucial for assessing water availability. Instead of using Global Climate Model (GCM)-driven projections, a sensitivity-based approach was employed with the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model to assess the region’s hydrological vulnerability to potential future climatic changes. Considering the consistent projections of increasing temperature (T) over this region in GCMs, the system was perturbed to examine gradients of a more challenging climate, characterized by warming and drying conditions. The sensitivity of streamflow, snowpack water equivalence, and evapotranspiration to T and Precipitation (P) variations under each perturbation or “reference” climates was quantified. Results indicate that streamflow responds to T negatively under all warming scenarios. Streamflow responding to P increases nonlinearly as P decreases in the reference climates. These results suggest that there will be heightened difficulty in managing water resources in the region if it undergoes both warming and drying due to the following setbacks: 1) water availability will shift away from the summer season of peak water demand due to the warming effects on the snowpack, 2) annual water availability will likely decrease due to a combination of warming and lower precipitation, and 3) streamflow sensitivity to hydroclimatic variability will increase, meaning that water managers will likely need to plan for a system that is more sensitive to weather variations.

The present study deals with the role of pre-disposing environmental factors in agricultural land conversion. A quantitative research design with structured questionnaire was adopted to gather information from a sample of 375 households through simple random sampling technique. Further the data was analyzed in terms of descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS. At descriptive analysis simple frequencies and percentages distributions was carried out, where at bivariate and multivariate analysis Chi-square and Tau-c is a directional test was adopted to found the association between the study variables. The results disclosed that due to low agricultural productivity farmers enforce to convert their land for other purpose (P = 0.000; T c = 0.259), growth in population creates immense pressure on land conversion (P = 0.000; T c = 0.091), growth in population creates immense pressure on land conversion (P = 0.000; T c = 0.091), infertility of agricultural land is responsible for low productivity (P = 0.000; T c = 0.140) with relation to agricultural land conversion. Additionally, at multivariate analysis the association between free-disposing environmental factors and agricultural land conversion while controlling gender of the respondents was found highly significant (P = 0.000) and positive (T c = 0.292). Lastly, the association between free-disposing environmental factors with agricultural land conversion while controlling gender of the respondent was found significant (P = 0.000) and positive (T c = 0.292). Implementation of agricultural land policies and laws in their true spirit, empowerment and equipping agricultural staff, community empowerment and involvement in agricultural land governance, government interventions in land policies is needed to preserve agricultural lands, a strong system of monitoring and apprehension and punishment of illegitimate practices were some of the recommendations in light of the study.

Maximizing the recombinant protein yield necessitates optimizing the production medium. This can be done using a variety of methods, including the conventional “one-factor-at-a-time” approach and more recent statistical and mathematical methods like the artificial neural network ANN (artificial neural network), GA (genetic algorithm), etc. Every approach has advantages and disadvantages of its own, yet even when a technique has flaws, it is nevertheless used to get the best results. Here, one categorical variable and four numerical parameters including post-induction time, inducer concentration, post-induction temperature, and cell density of induction time were optimized using the 232 experimental assays of the CCD (central composite design). The direct and indirect effects of factors on the yield of anti-EpEx (anti-EpCAM extracellular domain) fragment antibody were examined using statistical methods. Induction at the cell density of 0.7 and an IPTG (Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside) concentration of 0.6 mM for 32 hours at 30 °C in BW25113 was the ideal culture condition leading to the protein yield of 259.51 mg/L. Under the optimum condition, the output values predicted by the ANN model (259.83 mg/L) was more in line with the experimental data (259.51 mg/L) than the RSM (response surface methodology) (276.13 mg/L) expected value. This outcome demonstrated that the ANN model outperforms the RSM in terms of prediction accuracy.

Background: Sanghuangporus vaninii has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and other effects. However, the antitumor effects and mechanisms of S.vaninii gainst pancreatic cancer remain unclear. Methods: The antitumor activity of compounds isolated from S. vaninii was evaluated, and cell function experiments, such as wound healing, transwell and 3D culture assays, were conducted after the target cancer species was determined. Transcriptome analysis, Micro-Scale Thermophoresis and western blot were used to verify the targets and signaling pathways. Results: 13 compounds were isolated and identified from S.vanini. Among them, compound 1, the phenylpentane derivative compound, has the strongest inhibitory activity on the pancreatic cancer cells. In vitro, compound 1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, tube formation and colony formation of PANC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Through transcriptome analysis, the signaling pathways compound 1 targeted were identified as MAPK/PI3K and HIPPO pathways. Western blot and immunofluorescence assay also showed that compound 1 can inhibit the EMT through inactivated HIPPO signaling pathway. By molecular docking and MST assay, we confirmed that compound 1 interacted with EGFR by binding with LYS745/PHE856 of EGFR. After knocking down EGFR, the effect of compound 1 on downstream signaling pathways was weakened, and the functions such as migration and invasion of cancer cells were also decreased. Conclusion: Compound 1, the phenylpentane derivative isolated from S. vaninii, inhibited the malignant process and EMT in PANC-1 cells via MAPK/PI3K and HIPPO signaling pathways by targeting EGFR. These data indicated that compound 1 might be a potential drug candidate for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory infections in infants, young children, and elderly people. However, there are no effective treatments or vaccines available in most countries. In this study, we explored the anti-RSV potential of 2, 4-Di-tert-butylphenol (2, 4-DTBP), a compound derived from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. To overcome the poor solubility of 2, 4-DTBP, we encapsulated it in polymeric micelles and delivered it by inhalation. We found that 2, 4-DTBP-loaded micelles inhibited RSV infection in vitro and improved survival, lung pathology, and viral clearance in RSV-infected mice. Our results suggest that 2, 4-DTBP-loaded micelles are a promising novel therapeutic agent for RSV infection and that micellar delivery can enhance the efficacy of lipophilic drugs.

A document by Claudia Finger. Click on the document to view its contents.

Abstract Objective: To examine the validity and reliability of the Birth Satisfaction Scale – Revised Indicator (BSS-RI) and to adapt it to Hausa language. Design: Cross-sectional research design Setting: Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria Population or Sample: The population of the study were women at postnatal wards of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. Methods: The sample size was 422 respondents, selected using a simple random sampling technique. The BSS-RI, comprising 6 items, was translated into Hausa and validated. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: The study revealed that the Hausa version of the BSS-RI had good face and content validity, with a content validity index (CVI) of 1.0. Construct validity was established through exploratory factor analysis, revealing a 2-factor structure, explaining 51.40% of total variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO) was calculated to be 0.683. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a strong, positive correlation (r = 0.901, p = .005). Divergent validity was demonstrated by the very weak positive correlation (r = 0.059, p = .725). The internal consistency reliability of the Hausa BSS-RI was high, with a Cronbach’s Alpha value of 0.763. Conclusions: The study established that the Hausa version of the BSS-RI is a valid and reliable tool for measuring birth satisfaction among postpartum women in Kano, Nigeria. This instrument can contribute to improving maternal care and ultimately reduce maternal mortality in low- and middle-income settings like Nigeria. Keywords: Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised Indicator, BSS-RI, intrapartum care, psychometric properties, validity, reliability, Nigeria.