A document by Giovanni Cannarozzo. Click on the document to view its contents.

The kinetic process of a slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) always constrains the efficiency of overall water electrolysis for H2 production. In particular, nonprecious metal electrodes for the OER have difficulty simultaneously possessing good electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability in pH-universal media. In this work, urea is first used as a pore-forming agent and active C/N source to fabricate a nanoporous NiFeCoCN medium-entropy alloy (MEA) by high-temperature sintering based on the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. The NiFeCoCN MEA achieves an overpotential of 432 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a lower Tafel slope of 52.4 mV dec-1 compared to the IrO2/Ti electrode (58.6 mV dec-1) in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. In a 1 M KOH solution, the NiFeCoCN MEA obtains an overpotential of 177 mV for 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 36.1 mV dec-1, which is better than IrO2/Ni foam. This work proves a novel strategy to design and prepare nanoporous MEA materials with desirable C/N species, which provides promising prospects for the industrial production of H2 energy.

A transition-metal free three-component coupling reaction of azaindoles, C60, and bromoalkanes/triphenylamines has been developed to provide an efficient access to diverse azaindole functionalized 1,4-C60 adducts. This protocol exhibits low cost, operational-simplicity, wide substrate scope, and mild and convenient conditions.

In order to improve the ability of the modular multi-level converter to quickly clear and isolate faults in the multi-terminal flexible DC grid, this paper analyzes the characteristics of current faults in the multi-terminal flexible direct current grid, introduces the comprehensive distance of current fault waveform, and proposes a line protection method based on the similarity of current fault waveform. This protection method firstly uses Euclid DTW (Dynamic Time Warping) distance and entropy weight method to process electrical quantity signals, calculates the comprehensive distance of current fault waveform of two converter stations, and builds the protection criterion based on the similarity of current fault waveform. Then, the fault identification is realized by using the calculated comprehensive distance, and the fault pole identification is realized by using the ratio of comprehensive distance between positive and negative poles. Finally, PSCAD was used to build a simulation model to output the fault data under different fault conditions, and MATLAB was used to process the fault data to verify the protection algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed method has good resistance to high resistance, and its rapidity and adaptability are further improved. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for the safe and reliable operation of flexible DC power grid.

The prediction of protein-ligand complexes (PLC), using both experimental and predicted structures, is an active and important area of research, underscored by the inclusion of the Protein-Ligand Interaction category in the latest round of the Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction experiment CASP15. The prediction task in CASP15 consisted of predicting both the 3-dimensional structure of the receptor protein as well as the position and conformation of the ligand. This paper addresses the challenges and proposed solutions for devising automated benchmarking techniques for PLC prediction. The reliability of experimentally solved PLC as ground truth reference structures is assessed using various validation criteria. Similarity of PLC to previously released complexes are employed to judge the novelty and difficulty of a PLC as a prediction target. We show that the commonly used PDBBind time-split test-set is inappropriate for comprehensive PLC evaluation. Finally, we introduce a fully automated pipeline that predicts PLC and evaluates the accuracy of the protein structure, ligand pose, and protein-ligand interactions.

Aim: This study aimed to use the micro-computed tomography to evaluate the interfacial adaptation and the presence of gaps of NeoMTA Plus, BioRoot RCS, and MTA in the root-end cavities. Methodology: Thirty standardized bovine roots measuring 15 mm in length were selected. Chemical-mechanical preparation was performed up to instrument #80 and obturation with the cold lateral compaction technique with cement based on zinc oxide and eugenol. The roots were kept at 37º C for seven days. Afterward, apicectomy of the apical 3mm and a root-end filling cavity was performed at 3mm depth. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was performed to measure the volume of the retroactivity. The roots were divided by stratified randomization into three groups according to the retro-end filling material: NeoMTA Plus, BioRoot RCS, and MTA. A new micro-CT was performed to assess the presence of voids in the root-end filling material and between it and the canal wall. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were performed using the BioEstat 4.0 program. Results: There was no difference in the initial volume values of the root-end cavities (P > 0.05). After the insertion of root-end filling materials, the most significant volumes of voids were observed in the NeoMTA Plus group (P < 0.05), with no difference for the BioRoot RCS and MTA Angelus groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Micro-computed tomography showed that MTA and BioRoot RCS have better interfacial adaptation and presented fewer number of gaps than NeoMTA Plus when used as root-end filling materials.

N-linked glycosylation is a process in which glycans are added to the nitrogen atom of the asparagine amino acid of the protein. It has a significant impact on protein function, stability, and immunogenicity. Modelling N-glycosylation is a complex task due to the diversity of glycan structures, the variability of glycosylation sites, and the heterogeneity of the glycosylation process. Various computational models have been developed to predict N-glycosylation patterns and understand the relationship between glycan structures and biological function. These models use different methods, such as molecular dynamics simulations, protein engineering, and machine learning, to study the glycosylation process and predict the glycan structures. Understanding the factors influencing N-glycosylation can provide insights into developing therapeutic interventions for diseases like inflammation, viral infections, and cancer. This paper reviews the current state of modelling N-glycosylation and highlights recent advances in this field.

Recientemente, varios estudios han identificado una asociación significativa entre el nivel educativo y la probabilidad de que las mujeres experimenten violencia por parte de su pareja íntima. En este estudio, se utilizan datos de la Encuesta Nacional sobre la Dinámica de las Relaciones en los Hogares 2021 de México para explorar esta asociación en mujeres mayores de 15 años. Mediante una serie de modelos logit, encontramos evidencia estadística de una asociación negativa entre la educación y la violencia contra las mujeres. Además, encontramos que la violencia está asociada positivamente con la edad, con la violencia experimentada por la mujer durante su infancia y que las mujeres de las regiones centro y sur de México son las más propensas a sufrir violencia por parte de sus parejas. Los hallazgos de este estudio sugieren que el acceso a la educación, libre e igualitaria, podría jugar un papel crucial en la prevención y erradicación de la violencia contra la mujer.Palabras clave: Violencia de pareja; Educación; ENDIREH; Modelos Probabilísticos

A new fishery model is proposed by using the strategy of seasonal harvesting. Sufficient and necessary conditions are established to ensure the existence of a unique equilibrium or a periodic solution by the approach of Poincaré maps. It is shown that the equilibrium or the periodic solution is globally asymptotically stable. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the model dynamics and some biological implications are given as well.

In this paper, we study a class of sequential fractional differential inequalities involving Caputo fractional derivatives with different orders. The nonexistence of nontrivial global solutions is investigated in a suitable space via the test function technique and some properties of fractional integrals. Our results are supported by numerical examples.

A document by Prajwal Pudasaini. Click on the document to view its contents.

Changes to ambient temperatures under climate change may detrimentally impact small ectotherms that rely on their environment for thermoregulation, however there is currently a limited understanding of larval thermoregulation. In this study we investigate the thermoregulatory capacity (buffering ability) of 14 species of day-flying Lepidoptera, whether this is influenced by body length or gregariousness, differs between adult and larval life stages, and what mechanisms are used; microclimate selection or behavioural thermoregulation. We found that Lepidoptera larvae differ in their buffering ability between species and body lengths. Gregariousness did not influence species buffering abilities. Larvae are worse at buffering air temperature than adults, and rely on different thermoregulatory mechanisms; adults rely on behavioural thermoregulation, and larvae rely on microclimate selection. This implies that larvae are dependent on the area around their foodplant for effective thermoregulation. These findings have implications for the management of land and species.

Conventionally, the method of solving fourth-order initial value problems of an ordinary differential is to first reduce it to a system of first-order differential equations. This approach affects the effectiveness and convergence of the numerical method as a result of the transformation. This paper comprises of the derivation, analysis, and implementation of a new hybrid block method which is derived by collocation and interpolation of an assumed basis function. The basic properties of the block method including zero stability, error constants, consistency, order, and convergence were analyzed. From the analysis, the block method derived was found to be zero-stable, consistent, and convergent. Also, the block method was tested on some numerical examples and the result computed shows that the derived schemes are more accurate than existing methods in the literature.

1. IntroductionCutaneous metastases occur in approximately 0.7–0.9% of all cancer patients.1 Cutaneous metastasis can cause symptoms such as exudates, bleeding, and pain, which remarkably reduce patient’s quality of life. Radiation therapy is one of the effective treatment methods for cutaneous metastasis.2,3 Recently, the “Quad Shot” regimen, comprising 2 days of twice-daily fractionation with a fraction size of 3.5–3.7 Gy (14.0–14.8 Gy per cycle) repeated at 3–6-week intervals for a total of three cycles, has been successfully adapted for palliative treatment of head and neck cancer.4,5 However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no reports of using the Quad Shot regimen for cutaneous metastasis.Herein, we report a case in which radiation therapy using the Quad Shot regimen was effective in the treatment of cutaneous metastasis from parotid gland cancer.

ABATRACT: Hemorrhagic shock is one of the most important complications of war trauma and an important cause of early death from trauma, so timely diagnosis and treatment are of overwhelming importance. A rat model of 65% severe hemorrhagic shock was established to analyze the different proteins in the plasma between normal rats and predict the mechanism preliminarily by Blood+ proteomics. The results showed that a total of 190 regulated proteins were detected in plasma in rats with severe hemorrhagic shock compared to normal rats. Bioinformatics and enrichment analysis of regulated proteins showed that they were widely distributed in 45 signaling pathways. Of these, 25 of the 190 proteins were enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, indicating a strong link between this pathway and severe ischemia. Other enrichment pathways in this study include primary immunodeficiency (PID), toll-like receptor signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, all of which are closely related to autoimmune disorders, inflammatory responses, and anti-inflammatory responses. In conclusion, this study revealed an overview of the framework of protein changes in the plasma of rats with severe hemorrhagic shock, and preliminarily analyzed the mechanism of initial response to severe ischemia.

Compound/silicon heterojunction (SCH) solar cells have been widely studied due to the low parasitic absorption of the window layer, high short-circuit current, and simple preparation process. So far, most reported SCH solar cells are small-area devices. By depositing MoO x hole transport layer using hot-wire oxidation-sublimation deposition technique and employing a front-contact back-junction cell architecture, the large-area SCH solar cells are successfully fabricated on M6 (166 mm) n-type silicon wafers. Indium cerium oxide (ICO) film with the optimal thickness of about 110 nm is inserted between MoO x and Ag. The ICO/Ag stack functions well as a back reflector and is beneficial for increasing the short-circuit current density, reducing the contact resistance, and improving the device stability. A power conversion efficiency of 21.59% is achieved on the champion SCH solar cell with the device area of 274.15 cm 2.

Anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) poses a major threat to marine life, biodiversity, and ecosystems, which is particularly alarming due to its growing abundance, durability, and persistence in the marine environment. In addition to well-studied impacts on marine organisms' health and survival, recent research indicates an additional but less obvious impact: AMD facilitates long-distance and even transoceanic dispersal, acting increasingly as a vector for transport and introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) globally. AMD may facilitate new introductions but also promote secondary spread of invasions, compounding even further its ecological impact in marine ecosystems. Around the world, opportunistic and targeted sampling has already provided extensive information on marine debris as a vector and the associated species. However, the information is mostly scattered and with no systematic organization or curation. In this context, we launched 'DeNIS': a global database on marine Debris and Non-Indigenous Species designed to compile crucial information on AMD and its epibionts. DeNIS was developed on an easy-to-use platform for data synthesis and functional visuals, integrating past and ongoing measures, and includes a back-office interface for data gathering, classification and rigorous analysis.

Introduction: Following the “hygiene hypothesis” and the increase in prevalence of atopic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, a plethora of studies have investigated the role of sibship composition as a protective factor, but findings are conflicting. Aim: To synthesize the global literature linking birth order and sibship size (number of siblings) to the risk of allergic rhinitis. Methods: Fifteen databases were systematically searched, with no restrictions on publication date or language. Observational studies with defined sibship composition (birth order or sibship size) as exposure and allergic rhinitis or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (self-reported or clinically diagnosed) as outcome were eligible. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment was performed independently in pairs. Relevant data were summarized in tables. Comparable numerical data were analyzed using meta-analysis with robust variance estimation (RVE). Results: Seventy-six reports with >2 million subjects were identified. Being second- or later-born child was associated with protection against both current (pooled risk ratio [RR] 0.79, 95%CI 0.73-0.86) and ever (RR 0.77, 95%CI 0.68-0.88) allergic rhinitis. Having siblings, regardless of birth order, was associated with a decreased risk of current allergic rhinitis (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.95) and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (RR 0.92, 95%CI 0.86-0.98). These effects were unchanged across age, time period, and geographical regions. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that primarily, a higher birth order, and to a lesser extent the number of siblings, is associated with a lower risk of developing allergic rhinitis.

Objective: The long-term efficacy of single-allergen-specific immunotherapy in polysensitized allergic rhinitis (AR) subjects remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of dust mite subcutaneous immunotherapy (SLIT) in monosensitized and polysensitized children with AR. Methods: This prospective study recruited 130 children with AR, divided into a monosensitization group and a polysensitization group. Patients received standardized dust mite SLIT for 3 years and were followed up for 5 years. Total nasal symptom score (TNSS), symptom and medication score (SMS), visual analogue scale (VAS) and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) were assessed and compared between the two groups at T0 (before treatment), T1 (1 year of SLIT), T2 (2 years of SLIT), T3 (end of SLIT) and T5 (2 years after the end of SCIT). Safety was assessed through adverse events (AEs). Results: 51 monosensitized and 50 polysensitized children completed this study. At the end of SCIT, 47 monosensitized and 46 polysensitized children were effectively treated, respectively, with no significant difference (P > 0.05). TNSS, SMS, VAS and RQLQ were significantly lower in T1, T2, T3 and T5 in the two groups compared with T0 (P < 0.05). The differences in TNSS, SMS, VAS and RQLQ between the two groups were not statistically significant at T1, T2, T3 and T4 (P > 0.05), while the differences were significant at T5 (P < 0.05). No serious AEs were reported. Conclusion: Standardized dust mite SCIT has similarly beneficial long-term efficacy and safety in monosensitized and polysensitized children. Monosensitization children appear to receive more durable benefits.

Software organizations are increasingly embracing the advantages of Global Software Development (GSD), such as access to highly skilled developers and reduced development costs. However, the implementation of Requirement Change Management (RCM) activities in GSD is often hindered by a lack of communication and coordination among project stakeholders, as well as an insufficient focus on traceability and monitoring of RCM activities. To overcome these issues, we have enhanced and improved an existing RCM framework to mitigate the identified challenges and to develop a quality product while achieving customer satisfaction and business objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed Enhanced AZ-Model, we sought feedback from the industrial experts and performed a statistical analysis of the collected data. The Enhanced AZ-Model was further validated by performing simulations of the model. The empirical and simulation results indicate that the Enhanced AZ-model efficiently and effectively manage the demanded changes according to the budget and time constraints.

Projections for future air mobility envisage intensely utilised airspace that does not simply scale up from existing systems with centralised air traffic control. This paper considers the implementation and test of a software and hardware framework for decentralised control of aerial vehicles within intensely used airspace. Up to 10 rotary wing vehicles of maximum all up mass of 1 kg are flown in an outdoor volume with length scale of 100 m with GPS and WiFi connectivity. Flight control is implemented using a Pixhawk 4 flight controller running the PX4 firmware with guidance algorithms run on a separate onboard companion computer. Deconfliction is implemented using a simple elastic repulsion model with a guidance update rate of 10 Hz. Traffic structures are constructed from a path of directed waypoints and associated cross sectional geometry. Junctions are implemented when two paths converge into one or when one path diverges into two. Agents engage with structures through execution of flow, merge and swirl velocity rules. Calibration experiments showed that the worst case latency in agents sharing position information was of the order of 0 .5 s made up from delays due to finite guidance update rate, WiFi processing and centralised message processing. A choice of vehicle cruise speed of 2 m/s and conflict radius of 2 .5 m provided an acceptable compromise between experiment time efficiency (speed) and spatial efficiency (resolution) within the test volume. Results from recirculating junction experiments show that peak deconfliction activity occurs at the junction node, however biased distribution of agents within a corridor means the peak intensity is pushed ahead of the node. Use of meshed helical junction structures significantly reduces the intensity of conflict at the expense of reduced junction time efficiency.

Background: Several countries, including Bahrain, used Wastewater surveillance for disease activity monitoring. This study aimed to determine the presence of SARS-COV-2 in untreated wastewater and to correlate it with the disease spread. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for all wastewater samples tested for SARS-CoV-2 in public health laboratories from October 2020 to October 2022. Samples were collected weekly between February and October 2022 from different areas across Bahrain. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, and the results were correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases in the same area. Results: Of a total of 387 wastewater samples, 103 (26.6%) samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. In late 2020, of 42 samples collected initially, 4 (9.5%) samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the 4 locations that hosted COVID-19 isolation facilities. Between February and October 2022, 345 specimens of wastewater were tested, and 99 (28.7%) were positive. The highest detection rate was in February, June, and July (60%, 45%, and 43%, respectively), which corresponded to COVID-19 peaks during 2022, and the lowest detection rate was in August and September (11% and 0%, respectively), corresponding to the low number of COVID-19 cases. Conclusion: The detection rate of SARS-COV-2 in wastewater samples from Bahrain was high and was significantly correlated with the number of reported COVID-19 cases. Wastewater surveillance can aid the existing surveillance system in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 spread.

A document by Kazuhide Mimura. Click on the document to view its contents.

Background: The outbreak of SARS-COV-2 has necessitated the implementation of urgent measures to suppress the transmission of the virus, including the mandatory public use of masks, regular hand washing, and social distancing. These measures may also be effective in reducing other respiratory infectious deseases, such as Influenza and severe acute respiratory illness. Therefore, the aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of respiratory pathogens among SARS-CoV2 non-reactive patients, admitted in healthcare facilities in the context of COVID-19 management. Material and Method: From February to July 2021, a total number of 167 nasopharyngeal swabs from adults fitting the case definition of COVID-19 syndrome and negative to SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled from seven regional sites in Morocco.All samples were subject to a multiplexed nucleic acid test intended for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of 22 respiratory pathogens. Results: Our study showed that overall, theprevalence of respiratory pathogens was 43% (n=72). The main detected pathogens were typed as Human Rhinovirus (HRV) (38%), Human Coronavirus OC43 (37%) and Human Parainfluenza3 (HPIV3) (12%). Conclusion: Our findings support the notion that during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, the detection of Influenza A/B, Human Metapneumovirus, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus all declined. Meanwhile, there was a noticeable increase in HRV and HCoV OC43. The dynamics of airborne transmission and epidemic patterns were thus assumed to be greatly improved by the SARS-CoV-2 prophylactic measures. These findings could be useful in guiding future prevention and management of respiratory illnesses.