The anomalous variation in the diversion of flow and sediment at the major bifurcation nodes of the Pearl River network in recent years has been generally recognised and accepted, yet the underlying mechanisms have not been revealed. In this study, a large-scale two-dimensional flow-sediment numerical model of the Pearl River estuary was constructed using the TELEMAC-MASCARET modelling system. Additionally, synchronous field surveys from the dry season of 2016 and wet season of 2017 were used to validate the model. The complex branches system of the Pearl River network was generalised. The theoretical models for calculating the water diversion ratio of complex estuarine river networks were proposed. The water diversion ratio at each river network node is related to the Manning's roughness coefficient, the average cross-sectional water depth, the water surface slope, the length of the branches, and the average cross-sectional area from the river network nodes to the main estuary outlets. Specifically, the average cross-sectional water depth is the main driver of the formation of the water diversion ratios at the nodes in the Pearl River network. The sediment diversion ratios at the primary and secondary lateral branching nodes, are significantly higher than the water diversion ratios in the dry season, which explains the uneven distribution of flow and sediment. Sediment mining and reclamation are the main factors that have affected the variation in flow and sediment diversion ratios in the Pearl River network over recent decades.

Water plays an important role in maintaining life on the earth. Water pollution poses a significant risk to humans and other elements of the ecosystem. Limited availability of fresh water emphasizes using it judiciously and it becomes imperative to protect and conserve water sources. Rainfall is one of the important sources of water recharge in water bodies, which ultimately is consumed for various activities. However, runoff generated because of these rainfall events flows over a variety of lands before entering into these water bodies, causing intrusion of several pollutants including pesticides, fertilizers, organic matter, nutrients, manure, and other minerals, subsequently polluting the water bodies. This study explores the impact of monsoon rains on the water quality of the river Indus at upstream and downstream of Kotri Barrage. Water samples were collected from upstream and downstream of Kotri Barrage, and analyzed for pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total suspended solids (TSS), hardness, turbidity, and chloride concentrations. Results indicated the alteration of all parameters in the post-monsoon season. pH and hardness of the river decreased while TSS, turbidity, TDS, and EC increased in the post-monsoon season. The chloride concentration and acidity of the river were slightly increased after the rainfall events. Notably, TSS (Total Suspended Solids) and turbidity values exceeded the WHO limits, indicating higher levels of suspended particles and cloudiness in the water during the post-monsoon season. The findings of this study collectively underscore the influence of various factors contributing to the deteriorating water quality parameters during the post-monsoon season.

Fungal endophytes are reservoirs of bioactive molecules imparting therapeutic potential to the indigenous medicinal plants. Since new strains of microbial pathogens are evolving with their ability towards drug resistance, herbal phytometabolites are new lead for exploiting their potential in the field of medicine. Ethnobotanical literatures and scientific potential of medicinal plants in traditional medicine has always developed interest for the quest of new bioactive compounds produced by endophytic bacteria and fungi. The endophytic association of medicinal plant imparts therapeutic attributes to the plant metabolites. Endophytes include bacteria, virus and fungi but as per literature fungal endophytes are more promising for exploring the potential compounds, they synthesize in host plants. The occurrence of endophytic association is found in almost all plant species and their roles are well established. This association are present in root, stem and leaves these microbial endophytes enhance growth, yield, stress tolerance, control plant pathogens and manage diseases naturally. In present review, the potential benefits of endophytes such as anti- inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antidepressants, immunosuppressant, etc. are discussed.

Background: The management of idiopathic premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) is mainly based on the presence of PVC-related symptoms. However, the characteristics associated with the presence of PVC-related symptoms and why many patients of PVCs reported no symptom were still unclear. In this study, we tried to identify the characteristics associated with the presence of PVC-related symptoms. Methods: Patients of idiopathic PVCs with 24-h PVC burden more than 1% were enrolled and were assigned to symptomatic group if they reported palpitation or skipped heartbeat, or symptomless group if they denied any symptom. Demographic data, characteristics of PVCs on 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and 24-h ECG were analyzed and compared between two groups. Origins of PVCs were recorded for part of patients who underwent radio-frequency ablation. Results: PVC burden was not statistically different between patients with and without symptoms. More symptomatic patients of PVCs were female and slim, had low ejection fraction of left ventricle, high proportions of daytime PVCs especially PVCs in the morning, with the presence of PVCs positively associated with heart rate, and had higher prevalence of paired PVCs, interpolated PVCs and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. Conclusion: Female gender, low BMI, daytime PVCs, fast-heart rate-dependent PVCs, the presence of paired PVCs, interpolated PVCs and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia were associated with the presence of PVC-related symptoms.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal signs and symptoms are frequent in cow’s milk (CM) protein allergy; however, gastritis is not usually mentioned among these manifestations. Here we present a series of infants with CM-induced gastritis. Methods: We analyzed retrospectively data of infants who presented at our center with hematemesis and endoscopic gastritis with clinical improvement after exclusion of CM protein. Results: Thirty-one infants (17 females) were included in this study. The mean age was 5.8 months. The mean time from CM introduction to hematemesis was 3.5 months. A family history of allergies was found in 67.7% of cases. The initial symptoms included hematemesis (100%), vomiting (67.7%) and melena (22.6%). Gastritis was noted in all the infants (erosive in 58.1%). Gastric biopsies were performed in only 10/31 patients and eosinophilic infiltration was observed in all patients. CM-specific IgE tests performed on 20/31 infants were negative in all cases. All infants were asymptomatic after exclusion of CM. When performed between 3 and 4 weeks after the exclusion of CM, oral food challenge was positive in 17/17. Tolerance to CM was achieved after 6 to 9 months of CM exclusion in all 31 infants. Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the importance of recognizing hematemesis as a warning sign for CM protein induced gastritis, a non-IgE mediated form of CM allergy.

Injection moulded short fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (SFRT) consist of a layer structure of different fibre orientations. As a result, the material’s stiffness and strength properties are highly anisotropic across the part and through the thickness. This study investigates the stress redistribution between layers with transverse and parallel fibre orientation caused by fatigue loading. For the analysis, fatigue data obtained from homogeneous highly oriented specimens are used to avoid layer interactions. The degradation of the dynamic stiffness of the meso plane acquired during the tests is implemented in a finite element (FE) model. Homogenisation methods for the fibre-matrix system are applied to describe the orthotropic layer stiffness. The study reveals stress redistributions from layers with transversely oriented fibres to layers with parallel fibres in relation to the load direction. The magnitude of the redistributed stresses in the simulated composite is small in relation to the quasistatic strength with a maximum amount of 0.26%.

Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative force, promising to reshape traditional banking and revolutionize financial transactions. This research paper explores the future of financial transactions through the lens of blockchain in the banking sector. The study begins with an analysis of the historical background of banking and the emergence of blockchain technology, followed by an in-depth literature review on the characteristics of blockchain, its benefits, and the challenges it poses to the financial industry. Through case studies of successful blockchain adoption in banking, this research identifies best practices and lessons learned, shedding light on the potential disruptive impact of blockchain in the financial sector. The paper further examines the challenges and barriers hindering widespread blockchain adoption and presents strategies for banks and financial institutions to successfully integrate blockchain technology. Finally, the research outlines opportunities, future outlook, and potential collaboration between banks and fintech companies in a blockchain-enabled world, offering valuable insights to stakeholders seeking to navigate the transformative landscape of financial transactions.

The integration of blockchain and machine learning has emerged as a promising paradigm that can revolutionize various industries and applications. Blockchain’s decentralized and immutable nature, coupled with the analytical capabilities of machine learning, presents new opportunities for secure and transparent data sharing, collaborative model training, and intelligent decision-making. This research paper explores the concept of synergistic integration of blockchain and machine learning, providing an overview of the underlying technologies, related work, and existing frameworks. It proposes a novel Decentralized Intelligent Learning Network (DILN) framework that combines the strengths of both technologies to create a decentralized and efficient ecosystem for collaborative machine learning applications. The paper presents case studies in healthcare, finance, supply chain management, IoT, and academic research to showcase the potential impact of this integration. Furthermore, it discusses technical approaches, challenges, and ethical considerations to address in the deployment of decentralized intelligent systems. The research paper concludes by encouraging further research and development in the field to unlock the full potential of this transformative technology.

With the growing urbanization and increasing traffic challenges in smart cities, accurate traffic prediction has become a critical component for efficient urban planning and intelligent transportation systems. This research paper explores the application of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for traffic prediction and its implications in various smart city applications. GNNs offer a promising approach to model the complex relationships and interactions inherent in traffic networks, making them well-suited for traffic prediction tasks. The paper presents a comprehensive literature review on traffic prediction techniques, highlighting the evolution of GNNs in this domain. Furthermore, a proposed framework outlines the steps involved in designing and implementing GNN models for traffic prediction in smart cities. The performance evaluation and comparison section demonstrates the effectiveness of GNNs against traditional methods, emphasizing their accuracy and interpretability. Several case studies showcase real-world implementations of GNNs in smart city applications, such as urban planning, intelligent transportation systems, and real-time traffic management. Finally, the research paper discusses the challenges and future directions in leveraging GNNs for traffic prediction and smart city advancement.

This paper addresses the boundary control problem of the transport equation. Namely, we propose a control method, which is merely a delayed output feedback relying on a partial pole placement idea, that consists in assigning an appropriate exponential decay rate to the closed-loop system's solution. The proposed control structure appearing in the transport boundary, which has proven its effectiveness in controlling finite dimensional systems, consists of an autoregressive relation linking the transport equation's input and output. The obtained result provides an analytical lower bound for the solution's exponential decay.

A one-pot synthesis of vicinal diamines using indoles, pyrazoles, and phenothiazines in a tandem multi-component reaction is developed. The utilization of a copper-iodine co-catalytic system enables the generation of a diverse range of vicinal diaminoindoles with good selectivity and moderate to good yields. An attractive aspect of this method is that it can be conducted under mild and environmentally friendly conditions, showcasing its potential as an alternative approach for synthesizing vicinal diamines. Moreover, the use of a multicomponent tandem reaction highlights the power and versatility of such strategies in synthetic chemistry.

A document by Nicholas D. Lybarger. Click on the document to view its contents.

Globally, around half of all tropical forests are secondary communities which are recovering from previous disturbances. In these communities, dominant pioneers play a critical role in the successional dynamics due their ability to modify the environment, and thus to facilitate or hinder the performance of other species. In this study, we examined the population dynamics of the dominant pioneer species, Mimosa acantholoba var. eurycarpa, in a tropical dry forest during the process of secondary succession. We collected data from permanent plots over a period of 13 years and used integral projection models to analyze the vital rates and changes in population size. Most vital rates were negatively related to successional age, with resprouting, survival and recruitment of individuals responding more strongly, and individual growth rate more weakly. These vital-rate trends translated into significant variation of population size over succession, with a maximum size at year four and a rapid decline thereafter. Overall, our findings suggest that this species benefits from its ability to display a large number of resprouts in very early stages of succession, contributing to the rapid increase in population density. However, as succession unfolds, a lack of resprouting and a decline in survival reduce its population size, to the point of local extinction. These results highlight the importance of resprouting in the early dynamics of tropical dry forest communities recovering from disturbance.

Background Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) to platinum-based drugs are heterogenous and restrict their access, and drug desensitization (DD) has provided a ground-breaking procedure for their re-introduction, although the response is heterogeneous. We aimed to identify the phenotypes, endotypes and biomarkers of reactions to carboplatin and oxaliplatin and their response to DD. Methods Seventy-nine patients presenting with DHRs to oxaliplatin (N=46), and carboplatin (N=33) were evaluated at the Allergy Departments of two tertiary care hospitals in Spain. Patient symptoms, skin testing, biomarkers, and outcomes of 267 DDs were retrospectively analyzed. Results Oxaliplatin-reactive patients presented with type I (74%), cytokine release reaction (CRR) (11%), and mixed (Mx) (15%) phenotypes. In contrast, carboplatin reactive patients presented with predominantly type I (85%) and Mx (15%) but no CRRs. Out of 267 DDs, breakthrough reactions (BTRs) to oxaliplatin occurred twice as frequently as carboplatin (32% versus 15%; p<0.05). Phenotype switching from type I to another phenotype was observed in 46% of oxaliplatin DDs compared to 21% of carboplatin DDs. Tryptase was elevated in type I and Mx reactions, and IL-6 in CRR and Mx, indicating different mechanisms and endotypes. Conclusion Carboplatin and oxaliplatin induced three different types of reactions with defined phenotypes and endotypes amendable to DD. Although most of the initial reactions for both were type I, oxaliplatin presented with unique CRR reactions. During DD, carboplatin reactive patients presented mostly type I BTR, while oxaliplatin reactive patients frequently switched from type I to CRR, providing a critical difference and the need for personalized DD protocols.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the global guidelines on diagnostic methods for penicillin allergy and to provide evidence for regulating diagnostic procedures for penicillin allergy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, VIP database, Clinical Guidelines database, World Bank GDP ranking of the top 15 countries of the health sector, multinational organisations and related societies websites were searched. The AGREE II instrument was used to evaluate the methodology and reporting quality of the guidelines. Results: 34 articles were included, from 14 countries and regions, including ten government and intergovernmental organisation guidance documents, nine clinical guidelines, and 15 expert consensuses. After AGREE Ⅱ evaluation, the overall quality of the included literature was not high, and most of the literature did not show a systematic, rigorous production process. There are apparent differences in the recommendations of each literature, including the diagnosis object, time, method and approach. Conclusion: The methods of allergy diagnosis for penicillin allergy differ significantly from country to country around the world, mainly in terms of diagnostic target, diagnostic staff, timing, diagnostic steps, diagnostic reagents and determination of results, with the main gaps being in the diagnostic steps and diagnostic reagents, and further original studies are expected to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each protocol.

It is important to know the relationship between different species in plant breeding. Lilium regale is the key source to breeding modern Trumpet (T) and Oriental-Trumpet (OT) lilies; however, L. leucanthum has not been reported for breeding modern lily cultivars though it has some good horticultural traits, and it belongs to the same section as L. regale. In order to unveil the affiliation between L. regale and L. leucanthum, the present research compared their stomata and photosynthesis, made hybridization between them using normal pollination and cut style pollination, and analyzed them and their hybrids through fluorescein in situ hybridization (FISH) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The results showed that, except for their stomate size, other characteristics of stomate and photosynthesis were similar; they had indiscriminate FISH karyotypes and were highly crossable; and most PAPD fragment bands were quite similar except that a few bands were species-specific. We concluded: L. regale and L. leucanthum could considered a biological species though they are two morphologically taxonomic species, therefore, L. leucanthum could be used in breeding new Trumpet and Oriental-Trumpet lilies as L. regale.

Background The child-friendly EQ-5D (EQ-5D-Y) has been available in both a 3-level (Y-3L) and a 5-level (Y-5L) version. The study aimed to assess the measurement properties of both versions in paediatric patients with asthma and their caregivers. Methods Patients and their caregivers completed the self-complete and proxy Y-5L and Y-3L questionanires, respectively, twice in two consecutive visits. Test-retest reliability and patient-caregiver agreement of Y-3L index, Y-5L level sum score (LSS) and EQ Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Known-groups validity compared scores of patients with different asthma control statuses. Responsiveness to improved overall health and asthma control was assessed uisng standardized effect size (SES). Results Seventy-six patients (age range: 8-16.7 years) and their caregivers participanted. The ICC for test-retest reliability of the Y-3L, Y-5L and EQ VAS scores ranged from 0.744 to 0.898 for the slef-complete version and 0.525 to 0.767 for the proxy version. As hypothesized, Y-3L, Y-5L and EQ VAS scores derived from both EQ-5D-Y versions indicated that well or partially controlled patients had better health than uncontrolled patients. SES values ranged from 0.20 to 1.40 for self-complete version and 0.39 to 1.26 for proxy version. ICC for parient-caregiver agreement ranged from 0.556 for Y-5L LSS to 0.833 for Y-3L index. Conclusion The results support the relaibility, validity, and responsiveness of both the self-complete and proxy versions of the two EQ-5D-Y questionnaires for assessing health outcomes of asthmatic children. Moreover, the self-complete and proxy-reported versions appears to have good agreement.

Cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most common food allergy in infancy. CMPA is associated with gut microbial dysbiosis, characterized by low Bifidobacteriaceae levels. This study investigated the impact of a human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) mixture of 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) and lacto- N-neotetraose (LNnT), as well as lactose (L), on the fecal microbiome of infants with clinically diagnosed CMPA (n=12), using the ex vivo intestinal fermentation SIFR ® technology. The fecal microbiota displayed considerable heterogeneity, with low abundances of Bifidobacteriaceae found in most infants, except two breastfed infants. HMO and lactose both enriched Bifidobacteriaceae via stimulation of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) related to B. breve, B. longum, B. pseudocatenulatum and, for HMO+L, also B. bifidum. All supplementations significantly boosted the production of acetate, propionate, aromatic lactic acids and N-acetylated amino acids, with additive effects observed for combining HMO+L. Additional contributors to HMO fermentation were OTUs related to Bacteroides fragilis, Blautia obeum/wexlerae and Ruminococcus gnavus, while OTUs related to Escherichia coli and Veillonella parvula were involved in lactose fermentation, suggesting involvement of substrate-specific fermentation pathways. In conclusion, the observed bifidogenic effect of HMO confirms the potential of 2’-FL and LNnT to ameliorate CMPA-associated dysbiosis, with additive effects found for the abundance of B. bifidum and bifidobacterial metabolite levels. The clinical significance of the partial reversal of fecal microbial dysbiosis and enhanced production of beneficial metabolites on the clinical course of CMPA requires further investigation.

A phosphine-catalyzed [4+3] annulation between dinucleophilic indole derivatives and Morita−Baylis−Hillman (MBH) carbonates was discovered by using the N1 and N4′ or C4′ nucleophilicities of indole precursors, which provides an efficient and facile access to in-dole-1,2-fused 1,4-diazepinones and azepines in good to high yields in one step, in which indoles act as four atom synthons. Various transformations of products illustrate promising applications of the given protocols.

Aim: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been reported to manifest controversial relationships with cancer, and recent focus concerning the tumorigenic effect of ACEIs mainly falls on lung cancer. We compared ACEIs with ARBs for their impact on the risk and prognosis of lung cancer and non-lung cancers, respectively. Methods: A meta-analysis was performed to explore the impact of ACEIs on the risk of lung cancer and non-lung cancers, while a systematic review was performed to further analyze ACEIs’ influence on the prognosis of lung cancer. Terms concerning ACEIs and cancer were searched, and 10 cohort studies were included for risk analysis, while 5 cohort studies were included for analyzing the prognosis of lung cancer. Results: Initial pooled result revealed that ACEIs prescription is associated with an observed increase on the risk of lung cancer (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.02-1.61), colorectal cancer (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.13-1.87) and hepatic cancer (RR 2.00, 95% CI 1.01-3.94) when compared with ARBs, but further sensitivity analyses suggested the results unsolid, thus neither the development of lung cancer nor non-lung cancers could be proved associated with ACEIs prescription. However, systematic review suggested that ACEIs prescription is associated with an improved lung cancer prognosis. Conclusion: There has been no adequate evidence to demonstrate that ACEIs are associated with a higher incidence of lung cancer or non-lung cancers, but an improved prognosis of lung cancer was observed in patients taking ACEIs. Large-scale RCTs are needed and underlying mechanisms need further exploration.

Predictive coding framework posits that our brain continuously monitors changes in the environment and updates its predictive models, minimizing prediction errors to efficiently adapt to environmental demands. However, the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of these predictive phenomena remain unclear. The present study aimed to explore the systemic neurophysiological correlates of predictive coding processes during passive and active auditory processing. Electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) measures were analyzed using an auditory pattern-based novelty oddball paradigm. A sample of thirty-two healthy subjects was recruited. The results showed shared slow evoked potentials between passive and active conditions that could be interpreted as automatic predictive processes of anticipation and updating, independent of conscious attentional effort. A dissociated topography of the cortical hemodynamic activity and distinctive evoked potentials upon auditory pattern violation were also found between both conditions, whereas only conscious perception leading to imperative responses was accompanied by phasic ANS responses. These results suggest a systemic-level hierarchical reallocation of predictive coding neural resources as a function of contextual demands in the face of sensory stimulation. Principal component analysis permitted to associate the variability of some of the recorded signals.

A document by Marius G. Floriancic. Click on the document to view its contents.

Rapeseed oil is one of the most popular types of edible oil worldwide due to its nutrition and flavor properties. The flavor and odor of rapeseed oil depend on the species and amounts of volatile compounds, including aldehydes, alcohols, thiocyanates, isothiocyanates, furans, pyrazines and other heterocyclic compounds. These compounds primarily derived from three pathways during oil processing, including lipid oxidation, glucosinolate degradation and Maillard reaction. In order to improve and modulate the flavor properties of rapeseed oil, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of the three pathways. Lipid oxidation is determined by radical reaction. Glucosinolate degradation can be attributed to enzymatic process or thermal pyrolysis. Maillard reaction is the most important approach but quiet complex. To date, many studies were performed to clarify the formation pathways of flavor compounds. By summarizing the reaction mechanisms, it can be helpful to understand and improve the quality and flavor of rapeseed oil to meet customer's desire.

Long-term studies of cyclic rodent populations have contributed fundamentally to the development of population ecology. Previous research has shown macroecological patterns of population dynamics in relation to latitude, but without disentangling the role of underlying ecological and climate drivers. We collected 26 rodent time-series from the tundra biome and assessed how population dynamics characteristics of the most prevalent species varied with latitude and environmental variables. While we could not find a relationship between latitude and population cycle peak interval, other characteristics of population dynamics had latitudinal patterns. The environmental predictor variables provided insight into causes of these patterns, as i) increased proportion of optimal habitat in the landscape led to higher population cycle amplitudes in all species and ii) mid-winter climate variability had negative impacts on cycle amplitude in Norwegian lemmings and grey-sided voles. These results indicate that biome-scale climate and landscape change can be expected to have profound impacts on rodent population cycles and that the macro-ecology of such functionally important tundra ecosystem characteristics is likely to be subjected to transient dynamics.