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In the present study, the physicochemical characteristics of 108 yoghurts purchased from the Greek market have been assessed. Generally, the range of the mean pH values of samples was 3.58–4.64, of fat 0–10.8%, of protein 3.29–10.05%, of total solids 10.75–25.18%, and of ash 0.5–1.17%. Samples were categorized as strained and non-strained (traditional with a crust or plain without a crust). The milk origin was classified as being from sheep, goats, cows, mixture of sheep–goat–cow milk, or cow–donkey milk combination. A significant effect of species origin was determined for yoghurt physicochemical attributes, whereas geographical origin, mainland or island, affected yoghurt acidity only. Discriminant analysis revealed MDA, pH, acidity, syneresis, fat, and protein content and color lightness and redness as the traits responsible for the discrimination of yoghurts into milk-type classes, whereas fat, protein, and ash content, pH, and syneresis attributes were responsible for the discrimination into fat content classes. Yoghurt samples were sufficiently clustered according to their fat content, whereas protein content and species origin discriminated yoghurts to a lesser extent. This first in-depth descriptive research on a wide range of samples of the renowned Greek yoghurt showed that several physicochemical characteristics can be used for sample discrimination.

Furins are serine endoproteases that are involved in many biological processes, where they play important roles in normal metabolism, in the activation of various pathogens, while they are a target for therapeutic intervention. Dichlorophenyl-pyridine “BOS” compounds are well known drugs that are used as inhibitors of human furin by an induced-fit mechanism, in which tryptophan W254 in the furin catalytic cleft acts as a molecular transition energy gate. The binding of “BOS” drug into the active center of furin has been computationally studied using the density functional theory (DFT) and ONIOM multiscaling methodologies. The binding enthalpies of the W254 with the furin-BOS is −32.8 kcal/mol (“open”) and −18.8 kcal/mol (“closed”), while the calculated torsion barrier was found at 30 kcal/mol. It is significantly smaller than the value of previous MD calculations due to the relaxation of the environment, i.e., nearby groups of the W254, leading to the reduction of the energy demands. The significant lower barrier explains the experimental finding that the dihedral barrier of W254 is overcome. Furthermore, sartans were studied to evaluate their potential as furin inhibitors. Sartans are AT1 antagonists, and they effectively inhibit the hypertensive effects induced by the peptide hormone Angiotensin II. Here, they have been docked into the cavity to evaluate their effect on the BOS ligand via docking and molecular dynamics simulations. A consistent binding of sartans within the cavity during the simulation was found, suggesting that they could act as furin inhibitors. Finally, sartans interact with the same amino acids as W254, leading to a competitive binding that may influence the pharmacological efficacy and potential drug interactions of sartans.

Investigating heritage language (HL)-contact effects on the dominant language has received limited attention despite its importance in understanding the dynamic interplay between linguistic systems in situations of bilingualism. This study compares the acoustic characteristics of Greek vowels produced by heritage speakers (HSs) of Albanian and monolingual Greek speakers, aiming to identify potential differences and explain them. The participants were adult second-generation HSs of Albanian with Greek as their dominant language, born and raised in Greece. A control group of age-matched monolingual Greek speakers was included for comparison purposes. All participants engaged in a controlled speech production task, with the data segmented to extract acoustic values pertaining to the first three formants and the duration of Greek vowels. Bayesian regression models were employed for the subsequent statistical analysis. The results demonstrated differences in the first three formants of certain vowels and the duration of all vowels. These differences can be attributed to the crosslinguistic effect of HL on the dominant language, as well as the interplay between the dynamic and internalized language system of the speakers and the complex effect of the sociophonetic context. These outcomes contribute to the hypothesis positing the emergence of deflected phonetic categories among a distinctive group of bilinguals, namely HSs. Furthermore, this study underscores the significance of a comprehensive exploration of the sociophonetic context of HSs for a nuanced understanding of their phonetic patterns.

Concrete and other semi-brittle materials are pressure sensitive. Their resistance to shear depends on the confining pressure acting normal to the shear plane. This behaviour is modelled using experimentally calibrated failure criteria, such as the Mohr–Coulomb failure surface. Pressure sensitivity is also strongly evident in fibre-reinforced, strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC), despite the internal confinement these materials possess on account of their fibre content. However, because of the great range and variety of mixes used in such materials, no general failure criteria have yet been proposed. In this paper, the pressure-sensitive shear strength of SHCC containing short discontinuous PVA fibres is modelled with a three-parameter failure criterion. The parameters of the criterion are calibrated to the experimental results obtained from several tests that combine shear and normal pressure. These include uniaxial tension and compression, split tests, triaxial compression, and a series of push-off tests with and without reinforcement crossing the shear sliding plane. The calibration of the failure criterion explicitly accounted for the magnitude of internal confinement which is generated in the cementitious matrix in response to fibre tension. The criterion is appropriate for general purpose analysis of the stress state of SHCC, but most importantly it is used to assess the SHCC contribution to the shear strength of structural elements.

Current diagnostic and prognostic tests for prostate cancer require specialised laboratories and have low specificity for prostate cancer detection. As such, recent advancements in electrochemical devices for point of care (PoC) prostate cancer detection have seen significant interest. Liquid-biopsy detection of relevant circulating and exosomal nucleic acid markers presents the potential for minimally invasive testing. In combination, electrochemical devices and circulating DNA and RNA detection present an innovative approach for novel prostate cancer diagnostics, potentially directly within the clinic. Recent research in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, voltammetry, chronoamperometry and potentiometric sensing using field-effect transistors will be discussed. Evaluation of the PoC relevance of these techniques and their fulfilment of the WHO’s REASSURED criteria for medical diagnostics is described. Further areas for exploration within electrochemical PoC testing and progression to clinical implementation for prostate cancer are assessed.

Retrotransposons are invasive genetic elements, which replicate by copying and pasting themselves throughout the genome in a process called retrotransposition. The most abundant retrotransposons by number in the human genome are Alu and LINE-1 elements, which comprise approximately 40% of the human genome. The ability of retrotransposons to expand and colonize eukaryotic genomes has rendered them evolutionarily successful and is responsible for creating genetic alterations leading to significant impacts on their hosts. Previous research suggested that hypomethylation of Alu and LINE-1 elements is associated with global hypomethylation and genomic instability in several types of cancer and diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes mellitus (DM). With the advancement of sequencing technologies and computational tools, the study of the retrotransposon’s association with physiology and diseases is becoming a hot topic among researchers. Quantifying Alu and LINE-1 methylation is thought to serve as a surrogate measurement of global DNA methylation level. Although Alu and LINE-1 hypomethylation appears to serve as a cellular senescence biomarker promoting genomic instability, there is sparse information available regarding their potential functional and biological significance in DM. This review article summarizes the current knowledge on the involvement of the main epigenetic alterations in the methylation status of Alu and LINE-1 retrotransposons and their potential role as epigenetic markers of global DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of DM.

Over 100 innovative in vitro transcribed (IVT)-mRNAs are presently undergoing clinical trials, with a projected substantial impact on the pharmaceutical market in the near future. Τhe idea behind this is that after the successful cellular internalization of IVT-mRNAs, they are subsequently translated into proteins with therapeutic or prophylactic relevance. Simultaneously, cancer immunotherapy employs diverse strategies to mobilize the immune system in the battle against cancer. Therefore, in this review, the fundamental principles of IVT-mRNA to its recruitment in cancer immunotherapy, are discussed and analyzed. More specifically, this review paper focuses on the development of mRNA vaccines, the exploitation of neoantigens, as well as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cells, showcasing their clinical applications and the ongoing trials for the development of next-generation immunotherapeutics. Furthermore, this study investigates the synergistic potential of combining the CAR immunotherapy and the IVT-mRNAs by introducing our research group novel, patented delivery method that utilizes the Protein Transduction Domain (PTD) technology to transduce the IVT-mRNAs encoding the CAR of interest into the Natural Killer (NK)-92 cells, highlighting the potential for enhancing the CAR NK cell potency, efficiency, and bioenergetics. While IVT-mRNA technology brings exciting progress to cancer immunotherapy, several challenges and limitations must be acknowledged, such as safety, toxicity, and delivery issues. This comprehensive exploration of IVT-mRNA technology, in line with its applications in cancer therapeutics, offers valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges in the evolving landscape of cancer immunotherapy, setting the stage for future advancements in the field.

Holliday junctions are the first recognized templates of legitimate recombination. Their prime physiological role is meiotic homologous recombination, resulting in rearrangements of the genetic material. In humans, recombination hotspots follow a distinct epigenetic pattern designated by the presence of PR domain-containing protein 9 (PRDM9). Repetitive DNA elements can replicate in the genome and can pair with short inverted repeats (SIRs) that form Holliday junctions in a significantly high frequency in vitro. Remarkably, PRDM9 and SIR sequence motifs, which may have the potential to act as recombination primers associated with transposable elements (TEs) and their presence, may lead to gradual spreading of recombination events in human genomes. Microdeletion and microduplication syndromes (MMSs) constitute a significant entity of genetic abnormalities, almost equal in frequency to aneuploidies. Based on our custom database, which includes all MMSs shorter than 5 Mbs in length which is the cut-off point for the standard cytogenetic resolution, we found that the majority of MMSs were present in sequences shorter than 0.5 Mbs. A high probability of TE-associated and non-TE-associated PRDM9/SIR sequence motifs was found in short and long MMSs. Significantly, following the Reactome pathway analysis, a number of affected genes have been associated with the pathophysiological pathways linked to MMSs. In conclusion, PRDM9 or SIR sequence motifs in regions spanning MMSs hotspots underlie a potential functional mechanism for MMS occurrences during recombination.

Predictive tools provide a unique opportunity to explain the observed differences in outcome between patients of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to associate individual demographic and clinical characteristics with disease severity in COVID-19 patients and to highlight the importance of machine learning (ML) in disease prognosis. The study enrolled 344 unvaccinated patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data collected by integrating questionnaires and medical records were imported into various classification machine learning algorithms, and the algorithm and the hyperparameters with the greatest predictive ability were selected for use in a disease outcome prediction web tool. Of 111 independent features, age, sex, hypertension, obesity, and cancer comorbidity were found to be associated with severe COVID-19. Our prognostic tool can contribute to a successful therapeutic approach via personalized treatment. Although at the present time vaccination is not considered mandatory, this algorithm could encourage vulnerable groups to be vaccinated.

An efficient numerical approach based on weighted-average finite differences is used to solve the Newtonian plane Couette flow with wall slip, obeying a dynamic slip law that generalizes the Navier slip law with the inclusion of a relaxation term. Slip is exhibited only along the fixed lower plate, and the motion is triggered by the motion of the upper plate. Three different cases are considered for the motion of the moving plate, i.e., constant speed, oscillating speed, and a single-period sinusoidal speed. The velocity and the volumetric flow rate are calculated in all cases and comparisons are made with the results of other methods and available results in the literature. The numerical outcomes confirm the damping with time and the lagging effects arising from the Navier and dynamic wall slip conditions and demonstrate the hysteretic behavior of the slip velocity in following the harmonic boundary motion.

The formation of adhesions is a common complication following traumatic injuries and surgical procedures, often resulting in pain, stiffness, and loss of function. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of using a composite material comprising of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyethylene oxide (PEO), and calcium chloride, for preventing adhesions between muscle and bone during the healing stage, as well as its effect on the bone healing process. Ten healthy purpose-bred laboratory Beagle dogs were randomly subjected to two consecutive operations with a 6-month interval, alternating between left and right forelimbs. On the left forelimb an osteotomy at the ulna was performed, while on the right forelimb the same procedure was supplemented by the application of the anti-adhesion agent in the osteotomy site prior to closure. Clinical, diagnostic imaging, macroscopic, and histological evaluations were performed at various time points. The results showed no significant differences in surgical site perimeter (p = 0.558), lameness (p = 0.227), and radiographic bone healing (p = 0.379) between the two groups. However, the macroscopic (p = 0.006) and histological assessments revealed significantly lower adhesion scores (p = 0.0049) and better healing (p = 0.0102) in the group that received the anti-adhesion agent. These findings suggest that the CMC/PEO composite material is a safe and potentially effective intervention for preventing post-traumatic and post-surgical adhesions in canine patients without compromising bone healing. Further research is warranted to fully characterize the clinical benefits of this approach.

This paper presents new classes of strong fuzzy negations, fuzzy implications and Copulas. It begins by presenting two theorems with function classes involving the construction of strong fuzzy negations. These classes are based on a well-known equilibrium point theorem. After that, a construction of fuzzy implication is presented, which is not based on any negation. Finally, moving on to the area concerning copulas, we present proof about the third property of copulas. To conclude, we will present two original constructions of copulas. All the above constructions are motivated by a specific formula. For some specific conditions of the variables x, y and other conditions for the function f(x), the formula presented produces strict and strong fuzzy negations, fuzzy implications and copulas.

Background and Objectives: The presence and contribution of senescent cells in premalignant lesions is well documented, but not in germ cell neoplasia in situ. The purpose of this study is to identify the presence of senescent cells in pre-malignant testicular conditions and in different histological types of testicular cancer. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients who underwent orchiectomy due to testicular tumors were included. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) testicular tissue for each patient was available. Sections from these specimens were examined by immunohistochemical analysis with the following markers: GL13 for cellular senescence, p21WAF1/Cip1 for cell cycle arrest, and Ki67 for cell proliferation. Results: Thirteen (43.3%) suffered from seminoma with a mean total proportion of GCNIS senescence of 20.81 ± 6.81%. In the group of embryonal testicular tumors, nine (30%) patients were included, with an average rate of 6.64 ± 5.42% of senescent cells in GCNIS. One (3.3%) patient suffered from chondrosarcoma in which 7.9% of GL13+ cells were detected in GCNIS. Four (13.4%) patients suffered from teratoma and three (10%) from yolk sac tumors, while GCNIS senescence was detected in a range of 4.43 ± 1.78% and 3.76 ± 1.37%, respectively. Conclusions: Cellular senescence was detected in both germ cell neoplasia in situ and testicular cancer, but was more prevalent within the premalignant lesions.

The Mediterranean, and particularly its Eastern basin, is a crossroad of air masses advected from Europe, Asia and Africa. Anthropogenic emissions from its megacities meet over the Eastern Mediterranean, with natural emissions from the Saharan and Middle East deserts, smoke from frequent forest fires, background marine and pollen particles emitted from ocean and vegetation, respectively. This mixture of natural aerosols and gaseous precursors (Short-Lived Climate Forcers—SLCFs in IPCC has short atmospheric residence times but strongly affects radiation and cloud formation, contributing the largest uncertainty to estimates and interpretations of the changing cloud and precipitation patterns across the basin. The SLCFs’ global forcing is comparable in magnitude to that of the long-lived greenhouse gases; however, the local forcing by SLCFs can far exceed those of the long-lived gases, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Monitoring the spatiotemporal distribution of SLCFs using remote sensing techniques is important for understanding their properties along with aging processes and impacts on radiation, clouds, weather and climate. This article reviews the current state of scientific know-how on the properties and trends of SLCFs in the Eastern Mediterranean along with their regional interactions and impacts, depicted by ground- and space-based remote sensing techniques.

Currently, the global shift towards green energy is at the forefront of efforts introducing a new era, thus rendering exploration for critical raw materials essential. To this purpose, the utilization of advanced machine learning methods in remote sensing has emerged as a rapid and cost-effective approach. This study proposes a new methodology, utilizing Sentinel-2 satellite data, to distinguish ferronickel (Fe-Ni-) laterite from bauxite across pre-mining, mining, and post-mining occurrences worldwide. Both ores contain mineral raw materials such as nickel, iron, cobalt, and alumina and their discrimination is generally macroscopically challenging, especially when their locations are often in geographical proximity. The proposed method is based on Support Vector Machines (SVM) classification using spectral signatures of known Fe-Ni-laterite and bauxite-bearing pixels in Greece, Cuba, and Jamaica. The highest classification accuracies are obtained by combining b12 with b6 or b7 spectral bands. Comparisons with specific ore mineralogies show that b6 and b7 are strongly linked to the ferric phase, while b12 is mainly associated with the argillic mineralogies, the latter probably being the key discriminating factor between the two ores. From laboratory chemical analyses, we also establish that b12 and b6 or b7 are strongly associated with Al2O3 and Fe2O3 content correspondingly. The proposed method is accurate, it has reduced prospection costs, and it can facilitate the initial screening of broad areas by automatically characterizing whether an ore is bauxite or Fe-Ni-laterite. This underscores the methodology’s significance in ore differentiation and exploration within the context of green energy endeavors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of a machine learning (ML) system for optimizing a gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) protocol for the detection of delayed gastric emptying (GE), which is considered a primary indication for the diagnosis of gastroparesis. Methods: An ML model was developed using the JADBio AutoML artificial intelligence (AI) platform. This model employs the percent GE at various imaging time points following the ingestion of a standardized radiolabeled meal to predict normal versus delayed GE at the conclusion of the 4 h GES study. The model was trained and tested on a cohort of 1002 patients who underwent GES using a 70/30 stratified split ratio for training vs. testing. The ML software automated the generation of optimal predictive models by employing a combination of data preprocessing, appropriate feature selection, and predictive modeling analysis algorithms. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to evaluate the predictive modeling performance. Several models were developed using different combinations of imaging time points as input features and methodologies to achieve optimal output. By using GE values at time points 0.5 h, 1 h, 1.5 h, 2 h, and 2.5 h as input predictors of the 4 h outcome, the analysis produced an AUC of 90.7% and a balanced accuracy (BA) of 80.0% on the test set. This performance was comparable to the training set results (AUC = 91.5%, BA = 84.7%) within the 95% confidence interval (CI), demonstrating a robust predictive capability. Through feature selection, it was discovered that the 2.5 h GE value alone was statistically significant enough to predict the 4 h outcome independently, with a slightly increased test set performance (AUC = 92.4%, BA = 83.3%), thus emphasizing its dominance as the primary predictor for delayed GE. ROC analysis was also performed for single time imaging points at 1 h and 2 h to assess their independent predictiveness of the 4 h outcome. Furthermore, the ML model was tested for its ability to predict “flipping” cases with normal GE at 1 h and 2 h that became abnormal with delayed GE at 4 h. Conclusions: An AI/ML model was designed and trained for predicting delayed GE using a limited number of imaging time points in a 4 h GES clinical protocol. This study demonstrates the feasibility of employing ML for GES optimization in the detection of delayed GE and potentially shortening the protocol’s time length without compromising diagnostic power.

Thiazolin-4-ones and their derivatives represent important heterocyclic scaffolds with various applications in medicinal chemistry. For that reason, the synthesis of two 5-substituted thiazolidin-4-one derivatives was performed. Their structure assignment was conducted by NMR experiments (2D-COSY, 2D-NOESY, 2D-HSQC and 2D-HMBC) and conformational analysis was conducted through Density Functional Theory calculations and 2D-NOESY. Conformational analysis showed that these two molecules adopt exo conformation. Their global minimum structures have two double bonds (C=N, C=C) in Z conformation and the third double (C=N) in E. Our DFT results are in agreement with the 2D-NMR measurements. Furthermore, the reaction isomerization paths were studied via DFT to check the stability of the conformers. Finally, some potential targets were found through the SwissADME platform and docking experiments were performed. Both compounds bind strongly to five macromolecules (triazoloquinazolines, mglur3, Jak3, Danio rerio HDAC6 CD2, acetylcholinesterase) and via SwissADME it was found that these two molecules obey Lipinski’s Rule of Five.

A versatile family of quaternary propargylamines was synthesized employing the KA2 multicomponent reaction, through the single-step coupling of a number of amines, ketones, and terminal alkynes. Sustainable synthetic procedures using transition metal catalysts were employed in all cases. The inhibitory activity of these molecules was evaluated against human monoaminoxidase (hMAO)-A and hMAO-B enzymes and was found to be significant. The IC50 values for hMAO-B range from 152.1 to 164.7 nM while the IC50 values for hMAO-A range from 765.6 to 861.6 nM. Furthermore, these compounds comply with Lipinski’s rule of five and exhibit no predicted toxicity. To understand their binding properties with the two target enzymes, key interactions were studied using molecular docking, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and MM/GBSA binding free energy calculations. Overall, herein, the reported family of propargylamines exhibits promise as potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, this is the first time a propargylamine scaffold bearing an internal alkyne has been reported to show activity against monoaminoxidases.

North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe (NAMEE domain) host a variety of suspended particles characterized by different optical and microphysical properties. In the current study, we investigate the importance of the lidar ratio (LR) on Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization–Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIOP-CALIPSO) aerosol retrievals towards assessing aerosols’ impact on the Earth-atmosphere radiation budget. A holistic approach has been adopted involving collocated Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) observations, Radiative Transfer Model (RTM) simulations, as well as reference radiation measurements acquired using spaceborne (Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System-CERES) and ground-based (Baseline Surface Radiation Network-BSRN) instruments. We are assessing the clear-sky shortwave (SW) direct radiative effects (DREs) on 550 atmospheric scenes, identified within the 2007–2020 period, in which the primary tropospheric aerosol species (dust, marine, polluted continental/smoke, elevated smoke, and clean continental) are probed using CALIPSO. RTM runs have been performed relying on CALIOP retrievals in which the default and the DeLiAn (Depolarization ratio, Lidar ratio, and Ångström exponent)-based aerosol-speciated LRs are considered. The simulated fields from both configurations are compared against those produced when AERONET AODs are applied. Overall, the DeLiAn LRs leads to better results mainly when mineral particles are either solely recorded or coexist with other aerosol species (e.g., sea-salt). In quantitative terms, the errors in DREs are reduced by ~26–27% at the surface (from 5.3 to 3.9 W/m2) and within the atmosphere (from −3.3 to −2.4 W/m2). The improvements become more significant (reaching up to ~35%) for moderate-to-high aerosol loads (AOD ≥ 0.2).

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1), a serum antioxidant enzyme, has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis that involves early oxidative damage. Corinthian currants and their components have been shown to display antioxidant and other neuroprotective effects in AD. We evaluated the effect of a Corinthian currant paste-supplemented diet (CurD), provided to 1-month-old 5xFAD mice for 1, 3, and 6 months, on PON1 activity and levels of oxidation markers in serum and the brain of mice as compared to a control diet (ConD) or glucose/fructose-matched diet (GFD). Administration of CurD for 1 month increased PON1 activity and decreased oxidized lipid levels in serum compared to ConD and GFD. Longer-term administration of CurD did not, however, affect serum PON1 activity and oxidized lipid levels. Furthermore, CurD administered for 1 and 3 months, but not for 6 months, increased PON1 activity and decreased free radical levels in the cortex of mice compared to ConD and GFD. To probe the mechanism for the increased PON1 activity in mice, we studied the effect of Corinthian currant polar phenolic extract on PON1 activity secreted by Huh-7 hepatocytes or HEK293 cells transfected with a PON1-expressing plasmid. Incubation of cells with the extract led to a dose-dependent increase of secreted PON1 activity, which was attributed to increased cellular PON1 expression. Collectively, our findings suggest that phenolics in Corinthian currants can increase the hepatic expression and activity of antioxidant enzyme PON1 and that a Corinthian currant-supplemented diet during the early stages of AD in mice reduces brain oxidative stress.

This study aimed to examine whether we could use the discrepancy consistency method on CAS-2: Brief data collected in Cyprus. A total of 438 Grade 6 children (201 boys, 237 girls, Mage = 135.75 months, SD = 4.05 months) from Cyprus were assessed on the Cognitive Assessment System-2: Brief that is used to operationalize four neurocognitive processes, namely Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) processing. They were also assessed on two measures of reading (Wordchains and CBM-Maze) and mathematics (Mathematics Achievement Test and Mathematics Reasoning Test). The results showed that 31.5% of our sample had a PASS disorder, and 8% to 10% of our sample had both a PASS disorder and an academic disorder. These numbers are similar to those reported in previous studies that used DCM in North America and suggest that the method can be used to inform instruction, particularly in places where no screening for learning disabilities is available.

Obesity in children and adolescents has been associated with oxidative stress (OS). The lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) that oxidatively modify proteins (Pr) (i.e., PrMDA and PrTBARS, respectively) represent markers of OS-associated lipid peroxidation. We aimed to assess OS in children and adolescents with obesity using—for the first time—markers involved in the early and late lipid oxidation process. LOOH, PrMDA, and PrTBARS were investigated in 41 children and adolescents with obesity and 31 controls. Obesity was defined as BMI > 95% for age and sex. The PrMDA/PrTBARS pair, which reflects a late peroxidation stage, was found to be significantly high (39%/180%) in children and adolescents with obesity compared to controls (p < 0.001). Similarly, the early LOOH peroxidation stage marker was increased by 30%. The studied OS parameters were not influenced by sex or age. Our study introduces LOOH, PrTBARS, and PrMDA as markers for evaluating OS in children and adolescents with obesity. LOOH, PrTBARS, and PrMDA may also hold promise as prognostic markers for potential obesity-associated long-term complications.

Early response assessment is critical for personalizing cancer therapy. Emerging therapeutic regimens with encouraging results in the wild-type (WT) KRAS colorectal cancer (CRC) setting include inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and glutaminolysis. Towards predicting clinical outcome, this preclinical study evaluated non-invasive positron emission tomography (PET) with (4S)-4-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-glutamic acid ([18F]FSPG) in treatment-sensitive and treatment-resistant WT KRAS CRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Tumor-bearing mice were imaged with [18F]FSPG PET before and one week following the initiation of treatment with either EGFR-targeted monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy, glutaminase inhibitor therapy, or the combination. Imaging was correlated with tumor volume and histology. In PDX that responded to therapy, [18F]FSPG PET was significantly decreased from baseline at 1-week post-therapy, prior to changes in tumor volume. In contrast, [18F]FSPG PET was not decreased in non-responding PDX. These data suggest that [18F]FSPG PET may serve as an early metric of response to EGFR and glutaminase inhibition in the WT KRAS CRC setting.

Although there has been considerable research on the interplay between intelligence and second language (L2) learning, research focusing on the intelligence and L2 speech perception link is limited. The present study aims to fill this gap. The native language of the participants was Cypriot Greek and they spoke English as an L2. The participants completed a forced-choice psychoacoustic test in which they discriminated L2 sound contrasts and a nonverbal intelligence test which measured their nonverbal intelligence capacities. They were divided into two groups according to their performance in the intelligence test, namely, a low IQ and a high IQ group. The results showed that the high IQ group discriminated the majority of the L2 contrasts better than the low IQ group. In addition, the degree of perceived difficulty for most L2 contrasts differed between the two groups. It is concluded that nonverbal intelligence is associated with the discrimination of L2 sounds. This can be explained by the possibility that either intelligence triggers the more efficient functioning of other domains, such as information processing and attention, leading to increased speech perception skills, or that it directly affects the categorization of speech sounds resulting in the development of more robust L2 categories.

Sustainability in construction is related to the use of industrial by-products, such as fly ash (FA). FA varies in chemical/mineralogical composition, depending on the raw materials burnt during its production. While FA produced from coal-fired power stations is extensively used in cementitious composites, heavy oil FA produced from the firing of heavy fuels (e.g., mazut or diesel) remains largely unused. This paper focuses on the novel use of heavy fuel fly ash (HFFA), as a replacement of Class F FA, in high-volume fly ash self-compacting composites. Two different grain size distributions of HFFA were used in quantities 5–15% w/w of cement and Class F FA for the production of the composites. The assessment of the physico-mechanical properties and microstructure of the end-products at different curing ages suggests that HFFA may be used at quantities ≤10% w/w, without any negative effects. In fact, depending on the quantity and grain size distribution of the HFFA, this may even improve some of the properties of the end-products in the long term, provided that a careful mix design is adopted. The findings show the potential of sustainable reuse of HFFA and are beneficial for its incorporation into design codes.

The critical arguments for radiofrequency radiation exposure limits are currently based on the principle that radio frequencies (RF) and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are non-ionising, and their exposure limits are even 100-fold lower than those emitted from the Sun in the whole RF-EMF spectrum. Nonetheless, this argument has been challenged by numerous experimental and theoretical studies on the diverse biological effects of RF-EMF at much lower power density (W/m2) levels than today’s exposing limits. On the other hand, less attention has been given to counterarguments based on the differences in the physics concepts underlying man-made versus natural electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and on the fact that man’s biology has been adapted to the natural EMR levels reaching Earth’s surface at single EMF wavelengths, which are the natural limits of man’s exposure to EMFs. The article highlights the main points of interaction of natural and man-made radiation with biomatter and reveals the physical theoretical background that explains the effects of man-made microwave radiation on biological matter. Moreover, the article extends its analysis on experimental quantum effects, establishing the “ionising-like” effects of man-made microwave radiation on biological matter.

The effective allocation of limited resources and the establishment of targeted goals play a pivotal role in enhancing the overall efficiency of large enterprises and organizations. To achieve optimal organizational efficiency, managers seek dynamic strategies that adapt to the constraints of limited and uncertain historical data. This paper introduces an evaluation of organizational efficiency through a stochastic framework, employing a bilevel data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. This decision-making process is centralized within a decision-making unit (DMU) overseeing subordinate decision-making units (subDMUs). Discrete scenarios, each associated with a realization probability, define the uncertain parameters in the bilevel DEA-based model. This stochastic approach allows for recourse actions upon scenario realization leading to an enhanced overall organizational strategy. Decision-makers acting within uncertain and dynamic environments can benefit from this research since it allows the investigation of efficiency assessment under alternative scenarios in the presence of volatility and risk. The potential impact of applying this methodology varies depending on the specific domain. Although, the context of this paper focuses on banking, in general, enhancing resource allocation and target setting under stochasticity, contributes to advancing sustainability across all its three dimensions (economic, environmental, social). As mentioned earlier, the practical application of our approach is demonstrated via a case study in the banking sector.

Sardinia, located in Italy, is a significant producer of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) sheep cheeses. In response to the growing demand for high-quality, safe, and traceable food products, the elemental fingerprints of Pecorino Romano PDO and Pecorino Sardo PDO were determined on 200 samples of cheese using validated, inductively coupled plasma methods. The aim of this study was to collect data for food authentication studies, evaluate nutritional and safety aspects, and verify the influence of cheesemaking technology and seasonality on elemental fingerprints. According to European regulations, one 100 g serving of both cheeses provides over 30% of the recommended dietary allowance for calcium, sodium, zinc, selenium, and phosphorus, and over 15% of the recommended dietary intake for copper and magnesium. Toxic elements, such as Cd, As, Hg, and Pb, were frequently not quantified or measured at concentrations of toxicological interest. Linear discriminant analysis was used to discriminate between the two types of pecorino cheese with an accuracy of over 95%. The cheese-making process affects the elemental fingerprint, which can be used for authentication purposes. Seasonal variations in several elements have been observed and discussed.

This study aimed to compare incisional wound healing in cats and dogs after the topical application of Μanuka honey and a new medical device, Dermapliq. Comparisons were made between each treatment and control, between the two treatments, and between dogs and cats. Twelve cats and twelve dogs were included in this study, and the impact of the two substances was examined through cosmetic, clinical, ultrasonographical, and histological evaluation. The use of Dermapliq in first-intention wound healing achieved a significantly better cosmetic evaluation score and better total clinical score at days 20–41, compared to the control, in both dogs and cats. The ultrasonographically estimated wound area was smaller with Dermapliq compared to the control. Wounds treated with Dermapliq showed histologically less inflammation compared to the control. The use of Manuka honey did not show a significantly better cosmetic score compared to the control. Skin thickening was significantly higher after using Manuka honey compared to the control and so was the total clinical score. However, the median wound area, as was evaluated ultrasonographically, was significantly smaller when wounds were treated with Manuka honey, the difference being more apparent in dogs. Dermapliq was proven to be a better choice in achieving favorable wound healing than Manuka honey in dogs and cats in first-intention healing. In our study, cats had a statistically better cosmetic score and less skin thickening and scar width compared to dogs. Histologically, cats showed significantly less edema, higher inflammation and angiogenesis scores, and lower fibroblast and epidermis thickening scores when compared to dogs.

Aluminium–magnesium alloys find widespread application in diverse industrial and technological fields owing to their unique characteristics such as lightweight nature, favourable physical and mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and cost-effectiveness. During production, these alloys often undergo various forming processes that significantly affect the morphology and microstructure of their surface layers. Consequently, the surface properties, including corrosion resistance, are notably influenced by these treatments. In this study, the impact of cold rolling on the corrosion behaviour of the 5083 aluminium alloy, which is considered as an important alloy for the aerospace and naval industry, was investigated. The 5083 Al alloy underwent a cold-rolling process, resulting in specimens with reduced average thicknesses of 7% and 15%, respectively. The microstructure of the alloy was examined by using X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Furthermore, the corrosion behaviour of both the as-received and cold-rolled aluminium alloy specimens was evaluated through potentiostatic and potentiodynamic corrosion measurements. The experimental results demonstrated that higher cold deformation percentages, within the specified experimental parameters, led to an enhanced corrosion resistance for the alloy. This improvement was primarily attributed to the reduction in grain size induced by recrystallization and to the formation of a passivating aluminium oxide film.

We propose a methodology for the rheological characterization of a semisolid metal slurry using experimental squeeze-flow data. The slurry is modeled as a structural thixotropic viscoplastic material, obeying the regularized Herschel–Bulkley constitutive equation. All rheological parameters are assumed to vary with the structure parameter that is governed by first-order kinetics accounting for the material structure breakdown and build-up. The squeeze flow is simulated using finite elements in a Lagrangian framework. The evolution of the sample height has been studied for wide ranges of the Bingham and Reynolds numbers, the power-law exponent as well as the kinetics parameters of the structure parameter. Systematic comparisons have been carried out with available experimental data on a semisolid aluminum alloy (A356), where the sample is compressed from its top side under a specified strain of 80% at a temperature of 582 °C, while the bottom side remains fixed. Excellent agreement with the experimental data could be achieved provided that at the initial instances (up to 0.01 s) of the experiment, the applied load is much higher than the nominal experimental load and that the yield stress and the power-law exponent vary linearly with the structure parameter. The first assumption implies that a different model, such as an elastoviscoplastic one, needs to be employed during the initial stages of the experiment. As for the second one, the evolution of the sample height can be reproduced allowing the yield stress to vary from 0 (no structure) to a maximum nominal value (full structure) and the power-law exponent from 0.2 to 1.4, i.e., from the shear-thinning to the shear-thickening regime. These variations are consistent with the internal microstructure variation pattern known to be exhibited by semisolid slurries.

P.M. Pu and Y.M. Liu extended Moore-Smith’s convergence of nets to fuzzy topology and Y.M. Liu provided analogous results to J. Kelley’s classical characterization theorem of net convergence by introducing the notion of fuzzy convergence classes. In a previous paper, the authors of this study provided modified versions of this characterization by using an alternative notion of convergence of fuzzy nets, introduced by B.M.U. Afsan, named fuzzy net ideal convergence. Our main scope here is to generalize and simplify the preceding results. Specifically, we insert the concept of a fuzzy function ideal convergence class, L, on a non-empty set, X, consisting of triads (f,e,I), where f is a function from a non-empty set, D, to the set FP(X) of fuzzy points in X, which we call fuzzy function, e∈FP(X), and I is a proper ideal on D, and we provide necessary and sufficient conditions to establish the existence of a unique fuzzy topology, δ, on X, such that (f,e,I)∈L iff fI-converges to e, relative to the fuzzy topology δ.

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by a progressive clinical course marked by frequent exacerbations and repeated hospitalizations, leading to considerably high morbidity and mortality rates. Patients with HF present with a constellation of bothersome symptoms, which range from physical to psychological and mental manifestations. With the transition to more advanced HF stages, symptoms become increasingly more debilitating, interfere with activities of daily living and disrupt multiple domains of life, including physical functioning, psychological status, emotional state, cognitive function, intimate relationships, lifestyle status, usual role activities, social contact and support. By inflicting profuse limitations in numerous aspects of life, HF exerts a profoundly negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). It is therefore not surprising that patients with HF display lower levels of HRQOL compared not only to the general healthy population but also to patients suffering from other chronic diseases. On top of this, poor HRQOL in patients with HF becomes an even greater concern considering that it has been associated with unfavorable long-term outcomes and poor prognosis. Nevertheless, HRQOL may differ significantly among patients with HF. Indeed, it has consistently been reported that women with HF display poorer HRQOL compared to men, while younger patients with HF tend to exhibit lower levels of HRQOL than their older counterparts. Moreover, patients presenting with higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (III–IV) have significantly more impaired HRQOL than those in a better NYHA class (I–II). Furthermore, most studies report worse levels of HRQOL in patients suffering from HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) compared to patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF). Last, but not least, differences in HRQOL have been noted depending on geographic location, with lower HRQOL levels having been recorded in Africa and Eastern Europe and higher in Western Europe in a recent large global study. Based on the observed disparities that have been invariably reported in the literature, this review article aims to provide insight into the underlying differences in HRQOL among patients with HF. Through an overview of currently existing evidence, fundamental differences in HRQOL among patients with HF are analyzed based on sex, age, NYHA functional class, ejection fraction and geographic location or ethnicity.

Mussel shells, with their calcium carbonate content, serve as a natural pH buffer, aiding in neutralizing acidic soils and, consequently, enhancing nutrient availability for plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of treating soils with mussel shells as a soil pH amendment on the agronomic characteristics and productivity of Rosmarinus officinalis. A pot experiment was set up for two growing years. The treatments were amended using different doses of mussel shells. Overall, the treatments were the following: C: unamended soil (control); T1: 0.1%; T2: 0.3%; T3: 0.5%; T4: 1%; T5: 3%; T6: 6%. Plant height was higher in pots amended with 6% mussel shells and reached the value of 32.2 cm in the first year and 51 cm in the second. The application of mussel shells increased the branch length by 53.4–58.7% and the number of branches per plant by 61.3–62% in T6 compared to the control. The total yield of fresh and dry weight in the 1st and 2nd year was ordered as follows: T6 > T5 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T1 > C. In conclusion, while the established optimal quantity for neutralizing soil pH is 300 g of mussel shells per 10 kg of soil, it has been observed that a ratio of 600 g of mussel shells proves more effective in terms of both the productivity and agronomic characteristics of rosemary.

(1) Background: Abnormal uterine contractility for nonpregnant women has been associated with gynecological pathologies and infertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a novel monitoring technique to assess the contractility of the nongravid uterus using a simple, standardized, direct, in vivo methodology during the different phases of the menstrual cycle. (2) Methods: Twenty-six healthy women of reproductive age (28–48 years) were recruited. An ElectroUteroGraph (EUG) was used to measure the electrical activity from the contractility of the junctional zone endometrium (JZE) across the menstrual cycle. Derived recordings were separated into the early proliferative (EP) (n = 10), late proliferative (LP) (n = 31), early luteal (EL) (n = 27), and late luteal (LL) (n = 12) phases of the menstrual cycle. EUG recordings were performed by inserting a flexible electrode array into the endometrial cavity. (3) Results: Waveforms that were measured from the electrode closer to the fundus (1 cm distance) were processed. The Root-Mean-Square (RMS) Voltage Amplitude (VJZE-RMS) (in μV) and the Mean Frequency (fJZE-mean) (in cycles/min) of the JZE’s electrical activity, as direct indicators of the intensity and frequency changes in the JZE’s contractions, were extracted from the recorded waveforms. There was a trend in the median values of the VJZE-RMS decreasing from the EP to the LP phase (247–158 μV). During the EL phase, an upward trend was observed (158–374 μV, p < 0.05), reaching its highest value during the LL phase (374–477 μV, p < 0.05) when compared to the LP phase. The fJZE-mean showed the opposite trend, increasing from 2.5 cycles/min during the EP phase to 2.96 cycles/min during the LP phase. During the EL phase, a downward trend was observed (2.96–2.37 cycles/min), continuing to fall to 1.33 cycles/min, in the LL phase, with p < 0.05 when compared to the previous three phases. (4) Conclusions: The novel in vivo monitoring technique has shown clinically, for the first time, significant electrical activity differences in the different sub-phases of the menstrual cycle, recorded in a safe and painless way.

Patent analysis is a field that concerns the analysis of patent records, for the purpose of extracting insights and trends, and it is widely used in various fields. Despite the abundance of proprietary software employed for this purpose, there is currently a lack of easy-to-use and publicly available software that can offer simple and intuitive visualizations, while advocating for open science and scientific software development. In this study, we attempt to fill this gap by offering PatentInspector, an open-source, public tool that, by leveraging patent data from the United States Trademark and Patent Office, is able to produce descriptive analytics, thematic axes and citation network analysis. The use and interpretability of PatentInspector is illustrated through a use case on human resource management-related patents, highlighting its functionalities. The results indicate that PatentInspector is a practical resource for conducting patent analytics and can be used by individuals with a limited or no background in coding and software development.

The study of natural products as potential drug leads has gained tremendous research interest. Quercetin is one of those natural products. It belongs to the family of flavonoids and, more specifically, flavonols. This review summarizes the beneficial pharmaceutical effects of quercetin, such as its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, which are some of the quercetin effects described in this review. Nevertheless, quercetin shows poor bioavailability and low solubility. For this reason, its encapsulation in macromolecules increases its bioavailability and therefore pharmaceutical efficiency. In this review, a brief description of the different forms of encapsulation of quercetin are described, and new ones are proposed. The beneficial effects of applying new pharmaceutical forms of nanotechnology are outlined.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) will transform transport, but public opinion will play a key role in decisions on how widely and quickly they are adopted. The purpose of the study presented here was to investigate community’s views on that transition. As a method for primary data collection on public awareness, attitudes, and readiness to use autonomous cars, survey was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Following that, we used statistical tools to analyse responses. Our findings indicate that the participants are largely receptive to using new technologies and had favourable attitudes towards the transition. Ordinal logistic regression model showed a wide variation in public opinion regarding the expected benefits that may accompany the transition. Our findings reveal that awareness of AVs’ benefits is positively correlated with the age of participants. Perceived costs on one side, and convenience and safety on the other, were found to have had a substantial impact on the opinions of the participants. Investigation presented here shows a sample of the public’s perception of AVs in Saudi Arabia. This can guide the development of AVs and their deployment in that region as well as worldwide.

Background: The valorization of byproducts to obtain high nutritional value foods is of utmost importance for our planet where the population is booming. Among these products are oils rich in ω-3 fatty acids produced from fishery byproducts. Recently, mullet roe oil from roe byproducts was produced that was rich in the ω-3 fatty acids eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Oils are customarily characterized for their composition and degree of oxidation but little is known of their biological effects, especially the effect of the extraction method. Methods: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of freshly extracted mullet roe oil from mullet roe byproducts and the effect of the extraction method on human red blood cells (hRBCs) and platelets. To this end, the hemocompatibility (cytotoxicity), oxidative effects, and erythrocyte membrane changes were examined after 1 and 24 h of incubation. Antiplatelet effects were also assessed in vitro. Results: The expeller press oil extraction method and alcalase-assisted extraction produced the most biocompatible oils, as shown by hemocompatibility measurements and the absence of erythrocyte membrane alterations. Solvent extracts and protease-assisted extraction oils resulted in the rupture of red blood cells at different examined dilutions, creating hemolysis. Conclusions: It seems that the proper functioning of oil–erythrocyte interactions cannot be explained solely by ROS. Further investigations combining chemical analysis with oil–cell interactions could be used as an input to design high nutritional value oils using green extraction technologies. All samples exhibited promising antiplatelet and antiblood clotting effects in vitro.

The objective of this experimental study was to compare the semitendinosus (ST) to the split-semitendinosus (SST) myocutaneous flap in covering distal limb skin defects in cats. Twenty-eight purpose-bred laboratory DSH cats were used and allocated into two groups (ST-group (A); n = 14, SST-group (B); n = 14). ST flaps, based on the distal muscle pedicle, and SST flaps, after longitudinal division of the muscle based on both muscle pedicles, were tested over skin defects created on the medial distal tibia. Clinical assessment, planimetry, CT-angiography (CTA) and histological examination were compared between groups. Days to complete flap healing between ST and SST-flaps (30.36 ± 9.1, 32.29 ± 5.44, respectively) and final total flap areas (68.36% ± 27.18, 51.83% ± 22.48, respectively) revealed no significant differences. On CTAs, the caliber of the distal caudal femoral vein on day 10 was statistically significant higher (p < 0.001) for group A and a significantly higher caliber of the distal caudal femoral artery on day 30 for group B (p = 0.021). Histology revealed statistically higher degeneration at 6 months (p = 0.047) for group A, and statistically higher fibrosis at 12 months (p = 0.019) for group B. Both ST and SST flaps had similar healing times and provided coverage of skin tibial defects in cats.

Molecular investigations of the HIV-1 pol region (2253–5250 in the HXB2 genome) were conducted on sequences obtained from 331 individuals infected with HIV-1 in Cyprus between 2017 and 2021. This study unveiled four distinct HIV-1 putative transmission clusters, encompassing 19 previously unidentified HIV-1 recombinants. These recombinants, each comprising eight, three, four, and four sequences, respectively, did not align with previously established Circulating Recombinant Forms (CRFs). To characterize these novel HIV-1 recombinants, near-full-length genome sequences were successfully obtained for 16 of the 19 recombinants (790–8795 in the HXB2 genome) using an in-house-developed RT-PCR assay. Phylogenetic analyses, employing MEGAX and Cluster-Picker, along with confirmatory neighbor-joining tree analyses of subregions, were conducted to identify distinct clusters and determine subtypes. The uniqueness of the HIV-1 recombinants was evident in their exclusive clustering within generated maximum likelihood trees. Recombination analyses highlighted the distinct chimeric nature of these recombinants, with consistent mosaic patterns observed across all sequences within each of the four putative transmission clusters. Conclusive genetic characterization identified four novel HIV-1 CRFs: CRF129_56G, CRF130_A1B, CRF131_A1B, and CRF138_cpx. CRF129_56G exhibited two recombination breakpoints and three fragments of subtypes CRF56_cpx and G. Both CRF130_A1B and CRF131_A1B featured seven recombination breakpoints and eight fragments of subtypes A1 and B. CRF138_cpx displayed five recombination breakpoints and six fragments of subtypes CRF22_01A1 and F2, along with an unclassified fragment. Additional BLAST analyses identified a Unique Recombinant Form (URF) of CRF138_cpx with three additional recombination sites, involving subtype F2, a fragment of unknown subtype origin, and CRF138_cpx. Post-identification, all putative transmission clusters remained active, with CRF130_A1B, CRF131_A1B, and CRF138_cpx clusters exhibiting further growth. Furthermore, international connections were identified through BLAST analyses, linking one sequence from the USA to the CRF130_A1B strain, and three sequences from Belgium and Cameroon to the CRF138_cpx strain. This study contributes valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of HIV-1 diversity and transmission patterns, emphasizing the need for ongoing molecular surveillance and global collaboration in tracking emerging viral variants.

The influence of incorporation of post-distillation solid wastes of the aromatic plants (SWAP), oregano, rosemary, lemon balm, and spearmint into wheat breads at 1% and 2% levels on their physicochemical and sensorial properties, and antioxidant and volatile profiles were investigated. SWAP breads had darker crumbs and crust and greener crumbs compared to the control, but rather similar loaf specific volume and textural attributes (crust puncture test and crumb Texture Profile Analysis). Although the mold growth on bread crumb surface was not inhibited by SWAP presence, LC-DAD-MS revealed a large increase in terpenoids, like carnosic acid (all SWAP), carnosol (rosemary) and carvacrol (oregano), phenolic (rosmarinic and salvianolic) acids and flavonoids in bread with SWAP inclusion, leading to enhanced antioxidant capacity (ABST, DPPH and FRAP assays). The distinct aromatic plant flavors were detected in the fortified breads by trained assessors and confirmed by SPME-GC/MS volatile analysis, showing high levels of terpenoids in SWAP breads, like carvacrol (oregano), caryophyllene (rosemary and lemon balm), and carvone (spearmint), and rendering the 2% fortification unacceptable by consumers. Nevertheless, breads with 1% oregano or rosemary waste had similar control overall acceptability scores, indicating that SWAP can be a promising ingredient for developing antioxidant-enriched wheat breads.

Glutathione (GSH) is a ubiquitous tripeptide that is biosynthesized in situ at high concentrations (1–5 mM) and involved in the regulation of cellular homeostasis via multiple mechanisms. The main known action of GSH is its antioxidant capacity, which aids in maintaining the redox cycle of cells. To this end, GSH peroxidases contribute to the scavenging of various forms of ROS and RNS. A generally underestimated mechanism of action of GSH is its direct nucleophilic interaction with electrophilic compounds yielding thioether GSH S-conjugates. Many compounds, including xenobiotics (such as NAPQI, simvastatin, cisplatin, and barbital) and intrinsic compounds (such as menadione, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and dopamine), form covalent adducts with GSH leading mainly to their detoxification. In the present article, we wish to present the key role and significance of GSH in cellular redox biology. This includes an update on the formation of GSH-S conjugates or GSH adducts with emphasis given to the mechanism of reaction, the dependence on GST (GSH S-transferase), where this conjugation occurs in tissues, and its significance. The uncovering of the GSH adducts’ formation enhances our knowledge of the human metabolome. GSH–hematin adducts were recently shown to have been formed spontaneously in multiples isomers at hemolysates, leading to structural destabilization of the endogenous toxin, hematin (free heme), which is derived from the released hemoglobin. Moreover, hemin (the form of oxidized heme) has been found to act through the Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap1)–nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway as an epigenetic modulator of GSH metabolism. Last but not least, the implications of the genetic defects in GSH metabolism, recorded in hemolytic syndromes, cancer and other pathologies, are presented and discussed under the framework of conceptualizing that GSH S-conjugates could be regarded as signatures of the cellular metabolism in the diseased state.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders. According to the energy requirements, oxidative phosphorylation and the electron transport chain work together to produce ATP in sufficient quantities in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. Abnormal mitochondrial activity causes fat accumulation and insulin resistance as cells require a balance between the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in the mitochondria and the dissipation of the proton gradient to reduce damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study aims to explore the relationship between the mitochondrial content of sperm and the ratio of mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA in relation to body mass index (BMI) and how it may affect the progressive motility of sperm cell. Understanding the relationships between these important variables will help us better understand the possible mechanisms that could connect sperm motility and quality to BMI, as well as further our understanding of male fertility and reproductive health. Methods: Data were collected from 100 men who underwent IVF/ICSI at the University Hospital of Ioannina’s IVF Unit in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. The body mass index (BMI) of the males tested was used to classify them as normal weight; overweight; and obese. Evaluations included sperm morphology; sperm count; sperm motility; and participant history. Results: In the group of men with normal BMI, both BMI and progressive motility displayed a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) with mitochondrial DNA content, relative mitochondrial DNA copy number, and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio. Similar to this, there was a positive association between BMI and motility in the groups of men who were overweight and obese, as well as between the expression of mitochondrial DNA and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). There was not a statistically significant difference observed in the association between the relative mtDNA copy number and BMI or motility for the overweight group. Finally, the relative mtDNA copy number in the obese group was only associated with motility (p = 0.034) and not with BMI (p = 0.24). Conclusions: We found that in all three groups, BMI and progressive motility exhibited comparable relationships with mitochondrial DNA expression and the mtDNA/nDNA ratio. However, only in the normal group and in the obese group, the relative mitochondrial DNA copy number showed a positive association with BMI and progressive motility.

We examined what executive functioning (EF) components predict reading and mathematics within the same study and whether the effects of behavioral ratings of EF overlap or complement those of performance-based measures. One hundred and nine Grade 2 Mandarin-speaking Chinese students from Chengdu, China (55 girls, 54 boys, Mage = 8.15 years), were assessed on measures of EF (planning, inhibition, shifting, and working memory), speed of processing, reading and mathematics. Parents also rated their children’s EF skills using the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that only working memory among the performance-based EF measures predicted reading and mathematics. In addition, none of the behavioral ratings of EF made a significant contribution to reading and mathematics after controlling for mother’s education and speed of processing. Taken together, these findings suggest that working memory is a domain general predictor of academic achievement, but only when measured with cognitive tasks.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of intelligence—operationalized in terms of Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, and Successive (PASS) processing skills—in reading and mathematics. Two hundred and forty-two Grade 6 Greek-speaking students (114 boys and 128 girls, Mage = 135.65 months, SD = 4.12 months) were assessed on PASS processes, speed of processing (Visual Matching), reading (Wordchains and CBM-Maze), and mathematics (Mathematics Achievement Test and Mathematics Reasoning Test). The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that, after controlling for family’s socioeconomic status and speed of processing, Attention and Successive processing predicted reading and Planning and Simultaneous processing predicted mathematics. Taken together, these findings suggest that different PASS processes may account for individual differences in reading and mathematics.

Both reading difficulties (RD) and mathematics difficulties (MD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders. The co-occurrence of RD and MD, known as comorbid RDMD, is estimated to range between 21% and 45% of children with learning disabilities. Deficits in working memory have been reported in both RD and MD groups, as well as among comorbid RDMD. However, previous comorbidity studies have only examined the role of some components of working memory, and they do not strictly match their groups on relevant reading and mathematics tasks. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the nature of working memory deficits in comorbid RDMD after matching groups based on reading and mathematics tasks. We assessed four groups of children (RD [n = 21, Mage = 10.96 years], MD [n = 24, Mage = 11.04 years], comorbid RDMD [n = 26, Mage = 10.90 years], and chronological-age controls [n = 27, Mage = 10.96 years]) on measures of the phonological loop (word span and digit span forward tasks), central executive (complex word and digit span), and updating tasks (word and digit 2-back). The results of ANCOVA (covarying for gender and non-verbal IQ) showed first that the RD and RDMD groups performed significantly worse than the MD and control groups in both measures of the phonological loop. For the central executive and updating tasks, we found an effect based on stimulus type. For word-related tasks, the RD and comorbid RDMD groups performed worse than the MD and control groups, and for number-related tasks, the MD and comorbid RDMD groups performed worse than the RD and control groups. Taken together, our findings provide support for the correlated liability model of comorbidity, which indicates that working memory deficits experienced by the RDMD group are an additive combination of deficits observed in the RD and MD groups, suggesting that working memory tasks used to examine underlying deficits in reading and/or mathematics difficulties may dictate whether or not significant group differences are found.

Home automation technologies are a vital part of humanity, as they provide convenience in otherwise mundane and repetitive tasks. In recent years, given the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors, these technologies have seen a tremendous rise, both in the methodologies utilized and in their industrial impact. Hence, many organizations and companies are securing commercial rights by patenting such technologies. In this study, we employ an analysis of 8482 home automation patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to extract thematic clusters and distinguish those that drive the market and those that have declined over the course of time. Moreover, we identify prevalent competitors per cluster and analyze the results under the spectrum of their market impact and objectives. The key findings indicate that home automation networks encompass a variety of technological areas and organizations with diverse interests.

Remote sensing of particulate matter (PM) absolute concentration levels can address the need for continuous wide-area monitoring in urban environments, which arises from the adverse effects of air pollution on human health. Raymetrics PMeye is a unique aerosol monitoring system designed around a state-of-the-art polarization scanning UV lidar that offers large-area PM concentration monitoring and high spatial resolution source localization. The PMeye lidar employs a novel inversion scheme for converting raw lidar signals to PM concentrations. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and accuracy of remote monitoring PM concentration measurement results in the region of Attica, Greece. Potential synergistic use with inversion modeling techniques and dispersion models to support an advanced warning system for the population and local authorities of the Athens metropolitan area is also discussed.

In the framework of the ESA-NASA Joint Aeolus Tropical Atlantic Campaign (JATAC), the ASKOS experiment was implemented during the summer and autumn of 2021 and 2022. ASKOS comprised roughly 9 weeks of measurements in the Saharan dust outflow towards the North Atlantic, with operations conducted from the Cabo Verde Islands. Through its unprecedented dataset of synergistic measurements in the region, ASKOS will allow for the calibration and validation of the aerosol/cloud product from Aeolus and the preparation of the terrain for EarthCARE cal/val activities. Moreover, ASKOS marks a turning point in our ability to study Saharan dust properties and the processes affecting its atmospheric transport, as well as the link to other components of the Earth’s system, such as the effect of dust particles on cloud formation over the Eastern Atlantic and the effect of large and giant particles on radiation. This is possible through the synergy of diverse observations acquired during the experiment, which include intense 24/7 ground-based aerosol, cloud, wind, and radiation remote sensing measurements, and UAV-based aerosol in situ measurements within the Saharan air layer, up to 5.3 km altitude, offering particle size-distributions up to 40 μm as well as sample collection for mineralogical analysis. We provide an outline of the novel measurements along with the main scientific objectives of ASKOS. The campaign data will be publicly available by September of 2023 through the EVDC portal (ESA Validation Data Center).