The motility-induced phase separation (MIPS) phenomenon in active matter has been of great interest for the past decade or so. A central conceptual puzzle is that this behavior, which is generally characterized as a nonequilibrium phenomenon, can yet be explained using simple equilibrium models of thermodynamics. Here, we address this problem using a new theory, statistical teleodynamics, which is a conceptual synthesis of game theory and statistical mechanics. In this framework, active agents compete in their pursuit of maximum effective utility, and this self-organizing dynamics results in an arbitrage equilibrium in which all agents have the same effective utility. We show that MIPS is an example of arbitrage equilibrium and that it is mathematically equivalent to other phase-separation phenomena in entirely different domains, such as sociology and economics. As examples, we present the behavior of Janus particles in a potential trap and the effect of chemotaxis on MIPS.

In this case report, we describe a 74-year-old woman with paroxysmal tachycardias. During the electrophysiological study, a change in the QRS morphology and peculiar features of the diseased AV node complicated the diagnosis. A rare left atriofascicular accessory pathway as the sole anterograde connection between atria und ventricles was revealed, underscoring the importance of meticulous electrophysiological assessment.

Background: Oxytocin is commonly used during labor and delivery for induction of labor and prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. This study aimed to assess the effects of labor oxytocin use on liver enzyme function in newborns. Methods: A case-control study was conducted. The case group consisted of 70 newborns whose mothers received oxytocin during labor, while the control group consisted of 70 newborns whose mothers did not receive oxytocin. Complete blood count (CBC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total and indirect bilirubin levels were measured in all newborns on the second day of life. Results: The levels of AST and total and indirect bilirubin were found to be higher in the case group than in the control group (51 vs. 42, 7.8 vs. 4.6, and 7.4 vs. 4, respectively; p < 0.005). The levels of CPK and LDH were also higher in the case group (p < 0.005). However, the difference in ALT levels was not significant between the study groups. Conclusion: The observed increase in liver enzymes in this study can indicate the effect of maternal oxytocin on the newborn’s liver function. The changes in liver enzyme levels due to oxytocin use were not found to be high enough to cause liver damage.

In connection with the cultivation of microalgae, the type of photobioreactors is one of the major parameters that should be considered as it directly affects the economy and efficiency of the process. In this study, a new design and fabrication of a microalgae culture photobioreactor using a plastic bag were performed. The performance of the photobioreactor was enhanced, and technically evaluated through tests such as stability, physical strength, light penetration rate, mass transfer rate, temperature control and mixing. The experimental results on plastic photobioreactors indicated that the main issues were related to the aeration and mixing in the system. To address this problem, an airlift pump was designed and installed at the end of the photobioreactor. The performance of the photobioreactor in the production of microalgae biomass was tested using the municipal effluent of Malek Ashtar University as a culture medium and inoculation of Chlorella vulgaris species. To optimize the culture conditions of microalgae, three factors: urea, phosphate, and baking soda concentrations were considered. The results showed the relationship between carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sources in increasing the cellular content of microalgae, which in the minimum amount of organic carbon source, with increasing the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus, cell biomass production increases significantly. Accordingly, the production of more than 14 g/l of biomass in the amount of 0.9 g/l of baking soda, 0.25 g/l of urea, and 0.5 g/l of phosphate was obtained..

There has been a great deal of progress in the research on parameter estimation for uncertain differential equations (UDEs). However, in the modeling process, sometimes the amount of information obtained is not sufficient to construct a parametric model. For UDEs with nonparametric functions, this paper proposes a method based on Laguerre polynomials to convert nonparametric functions into parametric functions with weights. Estimates of the weights are derived with the help of the goodness of fit properties of the residuals, and the reasonableness is verified using uncertain hypothesis testing. Then two numerical examples are given to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. Finally, the proposed methodology is applied to the actual modeling of carbon dioxide emissions in China.

Fleas are small wingless hematophagous insect that are frequently infesting on rodents and other small mammals while acting as vectors of many zoonotic diseases including plague, a disease challenging public health in many part of the world including Tanzania. 291 rodents from nine species were captured with Sherman traps in farm land, peridomestic areas, bush and forest buffer zone across wet and dry season in plague and non-plague foci villages. Captured rodents were anaesthetized and 190 fleas comprising four species were collected and morphologically identified with available dichotomous key. Dinopsyllus lypusus were (46.32%) , Ctenophthalmus spp (26.84%), Xenopsylla brasiliensis (16.32%) and Xenopsylla cheopis (10.53%). 38.42% of fleas were collected from Mastomy natalensis, 22.63% from Lemniscomys striatus and 18.42% from Rattus rattus. Highest flea infestation prevalence was found on R.rattus and was strongly associated with X.cheopis and X.brasiliensis. Specific flea index of X.cheopis on R.rattus was (01) in plague foci and (<0.5) in non-plague foci. Result of GLM final model indicated that flea abundance was significant influenced by rodent species ( p < .001), season ( p= .031), habitats ( p= .02), rodent weight ( p < .001), rodent sex ( p < .001) and plague locations ( p= .02). There was significance difference in variation of flea abundance between rodent sexes (W = 9158.5, p = .009) and weak positive correlation between rodent’s weight and fleas abundance ( R= 0.17, p< 0.05). Despite that, specific flea index of X.cheopis on rats in both plague foci and non-plague foci villages were not indicating alarming condition that would require urgent control of fleas, still society should consistently adhere to rodent and fleas control methods especially in farm land and peridomestic areas where flea abundance is high and human activities are customarily implemented.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death globally in children aged 0-5 years. Early access to pulse-oximetry and supplemental oxygen in low-resource, pre-hospital settings may result in improved pediatric pneumonia outcomes. However, few data exist regarding their application in such settings. We performed an exploratory cost-effectiveness analysis using a decision analysis model to examine use of pulse-oximetry and supplemental oxygen in low-resource, pre-hospital settings. Our model yielded an Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for pre-hospital pulse-oximetry use of $229 (USD) per life-year (LY) saved compared to no pulse-oximetry use. Given that inpatient management is the standard of care for hypoxemic pneumonia, when only pre-hospital costs were considered the result was an ICER of $13/LY saved. Both values were considered cost-effective according to a strict willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold set for the lowest GDP per capita in the world. When oxygen was analyzed in combination with pulse-oximetry, we found a baseline WTP threshold for pre-hospital oxygen of $1.18 per patient. Again, when the payer perspective included only pre-hospital costs, that WTP for oxygen rose to $26.64. For every 1% reduction in total pediatric pneumonia mortality consequent to pre-hospital oxygen use, we determined the recommended WTP allowance for oxygen would increase by approximately $1.75. We conclude that pulse-oximetry is likely cost-effective in low-resource, pre-hospital environments. We acknowledge the need for further research on the effectiveness of pre-hospital oxygen in reducing pediatric pneumonia mortality and suggest ranges of cost and efficacy for which oxygen is likely to be found cost-effective in tandem with pulse-oximetry.

Background: Data on equine thoracic pathology hardly exist in other breeds than Thoroughbreds. Objectives: To describe pathological changes of the osseous thoracic vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses, and to compare prevalence and severity. Study design: Descriptive post-mortem study. Methods: Computed tomography examined the thoracic vertebral column of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses. Osteoarthritis (OA), periarticular osteolysis (PO), cyst-like lesions (CLL) and fragments of articular processes (APJs), costovertebral (CVJs) and costotransverse (CTJs) joints, soft tissue (ST) mineralisation surrounding these joints, intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous processes (SPs) and spondylosis were scored. Results: APJ aplasia (98%; 58/ 59) occurred in 14 Shetland ponies. OA predominated in Warmblood horses across all joints (45% vs. 29 and 32%, p<0.001). OA and PO were particularly found in CTJs (p<0.001) across all breeds. Warmblood and Konik horses showed more and severe ST mineralisation than Shetland ponies (2.3%, score 1.5 and 3.2%, score 1.3, respectively, vs. 0.3%, score 0.9, p<0.01). Mid location was most often affected with highest severity score (4.2%, 1.5, p=0.001). Konik horses displayed the highest IVD mineralisation (20%, p<0.001), which notably increased with age (p<0.001) compared to Warmblood horses (4.5%) and Shetland ponies (1.1%). SPs impingement was absent in Shetland ponies, and most prevalent in Warmblood horses (11.2%, p=0.0004) compared to Konik horses (2.2%). CLL, fragments and spondylosis were minimal in all breeds, nearly absent in Shetland ponies. Main limitations: Clinical histories were unavailable. Conclusions: Distinct breed differences exist in prevalence and severity of thoracic vertebral column osseous pathologies. CTJ pathology prevails over APJ in all breeds. Warmblood horses are prone to OA, spondylosis and SPs impingement; Konik horses exhibit significant IVD mineralisation, and Shetland ponies demonstrate high APJ aplasia . PO, CLL, fragments and ST mineralisation are notably low in Shetland ponies.

Most eco-evolutionary research focuses on ecological effects of single-species evolution. We therefore know little of eco-evolutionary dynamics when multiple species evolve simultaneously. We quantified evolution-mediated ecological effects in communities equivalent in genetic diversity and starting biomass, but different in selection background (heatwave exposure) of one or all four zooplankton species (three Daphnia and one Scapholeberis species). We observed transient eco-evolutionary effects that differed depending on which species in the community had evolved. Evolution did not always lead to higher abundances of the evolved species. Indirect effects on species abundances caused by evolution of another species could be as strong as direct effects mediated by its own evolution. The cumulative effect of evolution in multiple species was antagonistic for community composition and grazing pressure but additive for community-wide biomass. Our results imply that focusing on single species’ evolutionary effects on ecology may lead to unreliable predictions when multiple species evolve simultaneously.

Lianas are important components of tropical forest diversity and dynamics, yet little is known about the drivers of their community structure and composition. Combining extensive field and LiDAR data, we investigated the influence of local topography, forest structure and tree composition on liana community structure and composition in a moist forest in northern Republic of Congo. We inventoried all lianas ≥ 1 cm in diameter in 144 20×20 m quadrats located in four 9-ha permanent plots, where trees and giant herbs were inventoried. We characterized the functional strategies of selected representatives of the main liana taxa using a set of resource-use leaf and wood traits. Finally, we used complementary statistical tests, including multivariate and randomization schemes, to test whether forest structure, topography and tree composition influence the structure, floristic, and functional composition of liana communities. The structure of liana communities was strongly shaped by local forest structure, with higher abundances and total basal areas in relatively open-canopy forests, where lianas competed with giant herbs. Liana floristic composition exhibited a weak spatial structure over the study site, but was marginally influenced by local forest structure and topography. Only forest structure had a weak but significant effect on liana functional composition with more conservative strategies—higher stem tissue density and lower PO4 leaf concentration and SLA values—in tall and dense forests. Finally, we found evidence of host specificity with significant attraction/repulsion for 19% of the tested liana and tree species associations, suggesting that the unexplained floristic variation may be partly attributed to these host species-specific associations, although the underlying mechanisms behind remain elusive. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the structure of liana communities can be much better predicted than their composition, calling for a better understanding of the implication of the large functional diversity observed in liana communities.

The timing of autumn leaf senescence is crucial for ecosystem dynamics, influencing plant productivity and nutrient cycling. Despite its importance, the influence of species diversity on senescence and its implications for predicting phenological shifts in plant communities under climate change remain poorly understood. Here we address this knowledge gap by integrating ground-sourced data from Northern China with global remote sensing data to examine grassland ecosystems. Our analysis reveals that increased species diversity in grasslands leads to earlier autumn senescence, regardless of climatic and soil attributes. This effect is largely attributed to the effect of species diversity on resource allocation, enhancing belowground biomass at the expense of aboveground resources, thereby advancing senescence. Our findings highlight the role of biodiversity in modifying resource distribution and the growing season length, offering essential insights for understanding ecosystem responses to climate change.

Language control in bilingual speakers is thought to be implicated in effectively switching between languages, inhibiting the non-intended language, and continuously monitoring what to say and what has been said. It has been a matter of controversy concerning whether language control operates in a comparable manner to cognitive control processes in non-linguistic domains (domain-general) or if it is exclusive to language processing (domain-specific). As midfrontal theta oscillations have been considered as an index of cognitive control, examining whether a midfrontal theta effect is evident in tasks requiring bilingual control could bring new insights to the ongoing debate. To this end, we reanalysed the EEG data from two previous bilingual production studies where Dutch-English bilinguals named pictures based on colour cues. Specifically, we focused on three fundamental control processes in bilingual production: switching between languages, inhibition of the nontarget language, and monitoring of speech errors. Theta power increase was observed in switch trials compared to repeat trials, with a midfrontal scalp distribution. However, this midfrontal theta effect was absent in switch trials following a short sequence of same-language trials compared to a long sequence, suggesting a missing modulation of inhibitory control. Similarly, increased midfrontal theta power was observed when participants failed to switch to the intended language compared to correct responses. Altogether, these findings tentatively support the involvement of domain-general cognitive control mechanisms in bilingual switching.

Background Viral interference is the concept that different viruses have an effect on the incidence of other viruses– either positive or negative. While this has been demonstrated in vitro and in animal models, it is not well described in large observational studies. Methods We analysed all patients tested for positive respiratory viruses between January 2016– December 2019 just prior to the pandemic in the National University Hospital laboratory, Singapore. Nasal, throat, and/ or nasopharyngeal swabs were collected by treating clinicians and tested by either multiplex PCR or immunofluorescence. Survival plots were created to study the time for a second viral infection following the initial respiratory viral detection. Results RSV (HR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.43–0.92; p<0.01) and influenza (HR: 0.41, 95%CI: 0.27-0.61; p<0.001) -positive cases showed a greater delay in subsequent respiratory infections compared to other pathogens, suggesting relative protection, while enterovirus/ rhinovirus (HR: 2.05, 95%CI: 1.52-2.77; p<0.001) and Parainfluenza (HR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.18-2.63; p<0.001) showed heightened susceptibility. No significant associations were found for Adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses, and other pathogens. Conclusion We found that it is possible that prior infections with Influenza virus or RSV conferred significant cross-protection against subsequent circulating respiratory viral infections for the next 4 years. Larger studies are needed to explore mechanisms behind this possible broad-spectrum antiviral response in human hosts as this may have implications for vaccination strategies.

Objectives: Xerostomia is defined as the subjective feeling of dry mouth. It is a condition that affects millions of patients worldwide. The aim was to study prevalence and severity of self-reported xerostomia by sociodemographic variables and to evaluate self-reported halitosis, burning mouth, and mouth sores. Methods: A questionnaire regarding sociodemographic data and the 11-item Xerostomia Inventory was delivered to patients, 20-65 years of age applied to the XXXX University Faculty of Dentistry for dental treatment before the COVID-19 pandemic. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the relationships between the presence of xerostomia and other variables such as age, gender, the presence of a systemic disease, medication use, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the use of removable prostheses. Results: A total of 300 patients were included in the study; a prevalence of xerostomia of 54.6% was identified. A significant relationship was found between age and xerostomia ( p = 0.023; p = 0.001). The prevalence of xerostomia decreased as age increased. Xerostomia was more common in female patients ( p = 0.028; p = 0.004). The prevalence of xerostomia was found to be high, not only in the elderly, but also in younger adults. Conclusion: Xerostomia was reported in approximately one in two patients in an adult Turkish population. Factors associated with xerostomia were age, female gender and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. In this study, the high prevalence of xerostomia was due to smoking.

Background Older adults in nursing and care homes (NCHs) are vulnerable to severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, hospitalisation, and death. This study aimed to gather data on RSV disease among older adults in NCHs and identify reported risk factors for RSV hospitalisation and case fatality. Methods The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022371908). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global Health databases to identify articles published between 2000 and 2023. Observational and experimental studies conducted among older adults in NCHs requiring assistive care and reporting RSV illness were included and relevant data were extracted. Results Of 18,690 studies screened, 32 were selected for full-text review and 20 were included. Overall, the number of NCH residents ranged from 42 to 1,459 with a mean age between 67.6 and 85 years. Attack rates ranged from 6.7 – 47.6% and annual incidence ranged from 0.5 – 14%. Case fatality rates ranged from 7.7 – 23.1%. We found similar annual incidence rates of RSV-positive acute respiratory infection (ARI) of 4,582 (95% CI: 3,259 – 6,264) and 4,785 (95% CI: 2,258 – 10,141) per 100,000 reported in two studies. Annual incidence rate of RSV-positive lower respiratory tract infection was 3,040 (95% CI: 1,986 – 4,454) cases per 100,000 adults. Annual RSV-ARI hospital admission rates were between 600 (95% CI: 190 -10,000) and 1,104 (95% CI: 350 – 1,930) per 100,000 person-years. Among all RSV disease cases, commonly reported chronic medical conditions included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, cerebrovascular accident, malignancies, dementia, and those with a Charlson comorbidity score > 6.5. Conclusion Data on RSV infection among NCH residents are limited and largely heterogeneous but document a high risk of illness, frequent hospitalisation, and high mortality. Preventive interventions, such as vaccination should be considered for this high-risk population. Nationally representative epidemiologic studies and NCH-based viral pathogen surveillance could more precisely assess the burden on NCH residents.

Acute genitourinary pain and swelling in a child- look out for the rashes!

Summary: This prospective study investigates the impact of local anesthesia on ciliary function in nasal epithelium. The primary objective was to assess whether lidocaine 2% and naphazoline 0.5% nasal spray alter ciliary beat frequency and pattern in subjects undergoing nasal brushing, aiming to enhance primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) diagnosis. Hypothesis: It was hypothesized that local anesthesia administration would not significantly affect ciliary function in nasal epithelium. Study design: A prospective, simple-blind randomized study was conducted between 2020 and 2023. The study employed digital high-speed videomicroscopy to analyze ciliary beat frequency and pattern. Patient/subject selection: A cohort of 38 participants was recruited, consisting of 25 healthy volunteers and 13 referred individuals (including 7 diagnosed with PCD). Selection criteria ensured absence of chronic respiratory diseases, recent respiratory tract infections, or regular use of nasal medications. Methodology: Participants underwent nasal brushing with administration of lidocaine and naphazoline nasal spray in one nostril and saline in the contralateral nostril. Ciliary beat frequency and pattern were measured using digital high-speed videomicroscopy. Results: Nasal spray administration did not significantly alter ciliary beat frequency or pattern compared to saline (p = 0.841 and p = 0.125, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed consistent results across healthy volunteers, referred patients, and PCD patients. Conclusion: Local anesthesia with lidocaine and naphazoline spray did not affect ciliary function outcomes. These findings support the safe use of these agents in clinical practice for PCD diagnostic procedures. Further research with larger cohorts is warranted for validation.

Genes involved in reproduction often evolve rapidly due to postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) driven by male-male competition and male-female sexual conflict, but the impact of PCSS on gene expression has been under-explored. Further, though multiple tissues contribute to male reproductive success, most studies have focused on the testes. To explore the influence of mating system variation on gene expression in the Peromyscus male reproductive tract, we generated RNAseq libraries and quantified gene expression in the testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and liver of wild-caught monogamous P. californicus and polygynandrous P. boylii and P. maniculatus males and tested for positive and relaxed selection on Peromyscus-expressed genes using published rodent genomes. We identified 3,627 mating-system associated differentially expressed genes (MS-DEGs), where expression shifted in the same direction in P. maniculatus and P. boylii relative to P. californicus. Gene expression variation was most strongly associated with mating behavior in the seminal vesicles, where 89% of differentially expressed genes were MS-DEGs, including two key seminal fluid proteins, Svs2 and Pate4. Though but most genes showing evidence of positive selection or differential expression did not overlap, 203 MS-DEGs showed evidence of positive selection. Additionally, fourteen reproductive genes were under tree-wide positive selection but showed evidence of convergent relaxed selection in P. californicus and Microtus ochrogaster, a distantly related monogamous species. Changes in transcript abundance and gene sequence evolution in association with mating behavior suggest that male mice may respond to variation in sexual selection by altering aspects of sperm motility, sperm-egg binding, and copulatory plug formation.

Introduction (168 words)Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for patients with severe movement disorders such as essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, and dystonia. It is also beneficial in patients with refractory psychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or Tourette’s syndrome (1). The procedure involves the stereotactic implantation of electrodes into specific deep brain structures, followed by the connection of subcutaneous wires to a stimulation device usually placed underneath the clavicle. While the implantation of electrodes can be completed under monitored anaesthesia care in most cases, tunnelling of wires requires general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation.The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) considers DBS to be a low-risk procedure (2–4). Indeed, while the perioperative mortality rate is below 1%, severe adverse surgical events such as intracranial haemorrhage or intracranial abscess are reported in 1-2% of cases. Cardiopulmonary instability is either very rare or underreported. Here, we present the case of a patient with severe Parkinson’s disease and pulmonary artery hypertension who suffered an intraoperative cardiac arrest.

Objective: The interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assays still fail to meet the diagnostic needs of etiology negative tuberculosis (TB) patients. The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of the IL-2-enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay in the auxiliary diagnosis of TB. Methods: We recruited 127 TB patients, 49 non-TB patients with other diseases (NTB), and 198 healthy people, whose peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated by Mtb-specific antigen CFP-10/ESAT-6 fusion protein to study the changes of T cells secreting IFN-γ and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) by ELISPOT method. Results: The combination of IFN-γ and IL-2 had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.867 (IFN-γ: 0.835, IL-2: 0.866) in the diagnosis of TB and could increase the sensitivity of IFN-γ detection alone from 79.5% to 86.6%. The cut-off value for IL-2 and IFN-γ was 16. IL-2 could increase the positive diagnostic rates of IFN-γ-ELISPOT (-) in the etiologically positive and negative ATB patients by 9.4% and 7.1%. In the ATB group, the positive rates and the numbers of spot-forming cells (SFC) of IFN-γ and IL-2 showed significant differences compared to the normal control subjects and NTB group (P<0.05). And SFCs of IFN-γ-ELISPOT were significantly higher than that of IL-2-ELISPOT in ATB patients. Before the treatment, the SFC values of the etiologically positive TB patients were higher than those of the etiologically negative patients. However, this situation was totally reversed after anti-TB treatment. After effective treatment, the positive rates and SFC values of IFN-γ and IL-2 in TB patients decreased and exhibited a decreasing and increasing trend in etiologically positive and negative TB patients, respectively. Conclusions: The combination of IL-2 and IFN-γ could improve the diagnostic sensitivity of single-factor detection in TB patients and these two cytokines could be used as effective biomarkers for the treatment monitoring in TB patients.

To create synergies between offshore wind integration, trading capacities, and operational flexibility, interconneting HVDC links to multi-terminal networks is highly desired. However, its technical realisation remains a major challenge – especially in a multi-vendor environment. In particular, it is crucial to prevent DC faults from leading to an intolerable loss of power infeed to the connected AC grid(s). To restrict this loss of power infeed, this paper proposes a concept based on state-of-the-art equipment only – i.e., without dependence on DC circuit breakers (DCCB) – for linear HVDC networks. In this concept, the DC-side interconnection is preventively decoupled via DC high-speed switches (DC-HSS) whenever the cumulative wind infeed exceeds the frequency containment reserve of the adjacent onshore AC grid. At all other times, the multi-terminal network is operated in a coupled manner. The decoupling sequence is realised via the converters’ (VDC/P)-droop controls and a supervisory control. Both the decoupling sequence and the resulting DC fault behaviour in decoupled state are validated via EMT simulations of a four-terminal network, and challenges as well as the expandability to larger networks are discussed. The proposed concept could help to de-risk and accelerate the development of first offshore multi-terminal HVDC networks at reasonable costs.

The advances in technology users frequently utilize online platforms and direct applications to access YouTube. The amount of people who make a career from YouTube has also increased dramatically along with the growth in the number of people who use the platform nowadays. They are having trouble selecting a YouTube career since it is extremely hard to determine which of the many categories and channels is most popular and appropriate for a particular country. The user can choose a successful career path and potentially become a successful YouTuber if they are aware of the most popular category or channel. Consequently, it has been suggested that YouTube Trending Analysis can assist those who are struggling to decide on a professional life, especially those who want to use YouTube as a source of income. The most popular careers in the United States (U.S.), Japan, and India right now are determined based on the content criteria of each video in YouTube. Additionally, the proposed machine learning model compares with Naïve Bayes Classifier, a method-based approach, to do sentiment analysis. Linear regression model is used to get the predicted results from trending analysis, then user is given an accurate, robust, and genuine recommendation for the proposed model’s outcome in the visualization.

Rationale: Wildlife scientists are quantifying steroid hormones in a growing number of tissue types and employing novel methods which must undergo validation before application. This study tested the accuracy and precision of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods for use on blubber samples from short-finned pilot whales ( Globicephala macrorhynchus). We expanded upon a method for corticosteroid quantification by increasing the number of analytes and optimizing internal standards application. Methods: We optimized a method for the quantification of seven steroid hormones using LC-MS/MS with a C18 column. We assessed the accuracy and precision of this updated C18 method and an existing Biphenyl method for use with short-finned pilot whale blubber tissue by conducting a spike-recovery experiment and calculating percent recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) for each analyte. To explore the potential for running this method more cost-effectively with fewer matched internal standards (IS), we compared the performance of multiple internal standards for each analyte. Results: The C18 method produced reliable quantitation for the seven target adrenal steroids. The measurement of all 11 adrenal and gonadal analytes was both accurate and precise, with percent recoveries between 82 % to 110 % and RSDs below 10 %. IS comparisons showed 10 of 11 analytes could be calculated accurately and precisely with at least one of the IS substitutes. Though many internal standard substitutions met percent recovery and RSD requirements, some of these substitutions significantly altered the analyte concentrations calculated. Discussion: The methods developed and tested in this study provide reliable detection and quantification of 11 steroid hormones, including DHEA, which has not been previously quantified in blubber. These methods can be used for more comprehensive assessments of adrenal and gonadal steroid hormones from whales. Laboratories can reduce costs through IS substitution but should consider how these substitutions might affect results.

Recent data suggest that passive smoking has a risk comparable to active smoking. Passive smoking is considered dangerous in children and is suspected as a cause of asthma. However, some reports are opposing such claims, indicating the need for solid results and large-scale studies. This scientific work aims to develop a method for the determination of nicotine (NCOT) and major nicotine’s metabolite cotinine (COT) in urine samples, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For sample preparation, liquid-liquid extraction was applied after an optimization study with different extraction media. Eventually, 1 mL of dichloromethane was selected for the extraction of 0.5 mL of urine. Suitable chromatographic conditions were found for the rapid and accurate determination of NCOT and COT. The method was validated to meet the criteria for application in a bioanalytical laboratory. Injection of 2 μL was done in GC/MS, and SIM (selected ion monitoring) analysis was performed with the following ions (m/z): 162 (quantifier ion) and 84, 133, 161 qualifier ions for NCOT, and 176 (quantifier ion) and 98, 118, 119, 147 qualifier ions for COT. Nicotine-D4 (NCOT-D4) and cotinine-D3 (COT-D3) and were used as internal standards with quantifier ions 101 and 166, respectively. The retention time (Rt) for NCOT was 7.557 min and for COT 9.743 min. The duration of the GC-MS analysis was 20 minutes. The method showed a linear dynamic range from 0.5 to 50 ng/mL. Finally, the method was applied to the analysis of sixty clinical pediatric samples obtained from Aristotle University’s pediatric clinic to check for possible exposure to smoke.