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Farming practices reliant solely on synthetic agrochemicals face unreliability in the current era marked by unpredictable climate changes and rapid soil health deterioration. Consequently, a shift towards sustainable approaches is imperative to ensure both food security and environmental quality. Molasses and vinasse, abundant organic liquid by-products from sugar processing and distillery industries respectively, have historically served as soil conditioners and biofertilizers. Despite their potential, their effectiveness as organic amendments remain relatively unknown globally. In response, we conducted a systematic literature review to unveil the benefits of molasses and vinasse as organic amendments. Our findings reveal that these by-products consist of both inorganic and organic compounds that enhance soil and aquatic ecosystem performance. These compounds include essential plant nutrients as mineral elements and organic matter, contributing to improved soil physico-chemical and biological properties. Notably, the application of molasses and vinasse in crop production has demonstrated superiority over chemical fertilizers, particularly when combined with other inorganic amendments. Molasses and vinasse have been reported to significantly increase yield in several crops including sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), soybean (Glycine max), maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa). Strategic utilization of vinasse has the potential to enhance environmental quality by reducing soil heavy metal loads and mitigating negative impacts associated with synthetic fertilizers. However, it is crucial to note that irregular disposal or misuse of these by-products can result in detrimental effects on the environment and human health. To encourage sustainable utilization on a global scale, it is essential to establish appropriate dosages, raise awareness among farmers and stakeholders regarding judicious use, and develop effective methods for handling and application of molasses and vinasse. This approach ensures cost-effective and environmentally friendly organic amendments, fostering a harmonious balance between agricutural productivity and ecological well-being.

The Influence of the German Language on Czech and Upper Sorbian Phraseology: Czech-Upper Sorbian Parallels The article is an attempt to assess the influence of the German language on Czech and Upper Sorbian phraseology. Research on this topic is motivated by the fact of the very long contact of Czech and the constant contact of Upper Sorbian with German, as well as Upper Sorbian-Czech contacts. The study analyses idioms of German origin in contemporary Upper Sorbian and Czech languages – primarily calques, but also semi-calques and idioms containing a German component. A separate place is devoted to the so-called winged words of German origin belonging to the phraseological resources of these two languages. The collected material shows that all the mentioned types of idioms significantly enrich these resources. Wpływ języka niemieckiego na czeską i górnołużycką frazeologię: czesko-górnołużyckie paralele Artykuł jest próbą oceny wpływu języka niemieckiego na czeską i górnołużycką frazeologię. Do podjęcia tego tematu skłania bardzo długi kontakt czeszczyzny i stały kontakt górnołużycczyzny z językiem niemieckim, a także kontakty górnołużycko-czeskie. Przedmiotem analizy są frazeologizmy pochodzenia niemieckiego we współczesnych językach górnołużyckim i czeskim – przede wszystkim kalki, ale także półkalki i frazeologizmy zawierające komponent niemiecki. Osobne miejsce poświęca się tzw. skrzydlatym słowom pochodzenia niemieckiego należącym do zasobów frazeologicznych tych dwóch języków. Zgromadzony materiał pokazuje, że wszystkie wymienione typy frazeologizmów istotnie te zasoby wzbogacają.

Traditional houses and villages are a cultural asset of the West Sulawesi region and should be passed down to future generations to preserve the community’s identity. The Orobua settlement, located in Mamasa Regency, West Sulawesi Province, is a settlement that had maintained its traditional landscape until the 1990s. However, since the mid-2000s, most traditional houses have either been modified or replaced with modern ones. This paper examines the cultural heritage of the Orobua settlement and suggests strategies to preserve its traditional landscape. Source data were obtained through a literature review, field survey, and interviews with residents.

This study focuses on addressing the challenges associated with doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline chemotherapeutic widely used in cancer treatment. Despite its efficacy, DOX is linked to severe side effects that limit its clinical applications. Novel pharmaceutical formulations aim to mitigate these issues, providing better safety profiles. The development of these formulations requires analytical methods that can accurately and quickly quantify DOX. A cost-effective and portable electrochemical sensor for DOX detection was developed utilizing in-house printed carbon electrodes decorated with gold nanoparticles. DOX was detected using differential pulse voltammetry. The sensor demonstrated an accurate quantification of DOX from novel pharmaceutical formulations and serum, presenting a dynamic range of 1 to 500 μg/mL and a low detection limit of 0.3 μg/mL. The method, successfully applied to characterize DOX-loaded nanosomes, offers a valuable alternative in the early stages of formulation development, reducing costs and saving time, while maintaining accuracy.

Abstract Background The overall goal of the present study is to investigate the economics of an integrated biorefinery converting hybrid poplar into jet fuel, xylitol, and formic acid. The process employs a combination of integrated biological, thermochemical, and electrochemical conversion pathways to convert the carbohydrates in poplar into jet fuel, xylitol, and formic acid production. The C5-sugars are converted into xylitol via hydrogenation. The C6-sugars are converted into jet fuel via fermentation into ethanol, followed by dehydration, oligomerization, and hydrogenation into jet fuel. CO2 produced during fermentation is converted into formic acid via electrolysis, thus, avoiding emissions and improving the process’s overall carbon conversion. Results Three different biorefinery scales are considered: small, intermediate, and large, assuming feedstock supplies of 150, 250, and 760 dry ktonne of poplar/year, respectively. For the intermediate-scale biorefinery, a minimum jet fuel selling price of $3.13/gallon was obtained at a discount rate of 15%. In a favorable scenario where the xylitol price is 25% higher than its current market value, a jet fuel selling price of $0.64/gallon was obtained. Co-locating the biorefinery with a power plant reduces the jet fuel selling price from $3.13 to $1.03 per gallon. Conclusion A unique integrated biorefinery to produce jet fuel was successfully modeled. Analysis of the biorefinery scales shows that the minimum jet fuel selling price for profitability decreases with increasing biorefinery scale, and for all scales, the biorefinery presents favorable economics, leading to a minimum jet fuel selling price lower than the current price for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The amount of xylitol and formic produced in a large-scale facility corresponds to 43% and 25%, respectively, of the global market volume of these products. These volumes will saturate the markets, making them infeasible scenarios. In contrast, the small and intermediate-scale biorefineries have product volumes that would not saturate current markets, does not present a feedstock availability problem, and produce jet fuel at a favorable price given the current SAF policy support. It is shown that the price of co-products greatly influences the minimum selling price of jet fuel, and co-location can further reduce the price of jet fuel.

Background: The study of fluoride effects at the cellular level is still essential for biophysics, medicine, and ecology as one of the most common environmental pollutants. Its impact on embryonic objects is poorly understood. Objectives: The aim of the work was: 1) to study the effect of sodium fluoride (in the minimum concentration to inhibit growth) on the morphological development of loaсh embryos; 2) evaluation of the degree of survival of embryos in the presence of sodium fluoride in the incubation medium and determination of the coefficient Ks. Materials and methods: Ovulation in loach females (Misgurnus fossilis L.) was stimulated by intramuscular injection of female chorionic gonadotropin (500 units), eggs were obtained by 36 h after stimulation, fertilized in Petri dishes with a suspension of sperm according to Neifach A. A. The stages of development were observed visually used a binocular microscope MBS-9 with a photo camera. The experimental embryos were incubated in Goltfreter's solution with the addition of sodium fluoride to a final minimum concentration to inhibit growth of 500 μmol/l. Results: Sodium fluoride inhibits the development of loach embryos and leads to developmental defects. The noticeable developmental defects caused by sodium fluoride were a reduction in the size of the larvae's head and tail, low body pigmentation, changes in the eye diameter, and embryonic touch reflex. As a result of the accumulation of fluoride in embryonic cells, on the third day of development, embryonic mortality increased to 88,9%. On 12 days under the action of sodium fluoride, the total number of larvae was about 2%. Conclusions: The ability of NaF to act as a direct teratogen was tested on the cold-blooded embryo model, the same effect was found by other investigators on the FETAX model. The possibility that sodium fluoride may cause toxic and/or neuromuscular developmental defects in human embryos also should be considered. Avoiding excessive getting of fluoride in the body by limiting the consumption of foods or beverages high in fluoride, the use of fluoride in dental care products, etc. requires detailed assessment.

Multiple lines of evidence support differences in the megakaryopoiesis during development. Murine in vitro models to study megakaryopoiesis employ cultured megakaryocytes MKs derived from adult bone marrow (BM) or fetal livers (FL) of mouse embryos. Mouse models allow to study the molecular basis for cellular changes utilizing conditional or knock-out models and permit further in vitro genetic or pharmacological manipulations. Despite being extensively used, MKs cultured from these two sources have not been systematically compared. In the present study, we compared BM- and FL-derived MKs, assessing their size, proplatelet production capacity, expression of common MK markers (αIIb, β3, GPIb α, β) and cytoskeletal proteins (filamin A, β1-tubulin, actin), the subcellular appearance of α-granules (VWF), membranes (GPIbβ) and cytoskeleton (F-actin) throughout in vitro development. We demonstrate that FL MKs although smaller in size, spontaneously produce more proplatelets than BM MKs and at earlier stages express more β1-tubulin. In addition, early FL MKs show increased internal GPIbβ staining and present higher GPIbβ (early and late) and VWF (late stages) total fluorescence intensity (TFI)/cell size than BM MKs. BM MKs have up-regulated TPO signaling corresponding to their bigger size and ploidy, without changes in c-Mpl. Expressing endogenous β1-tubulin or the presence of heparin improves BM MKs ability to produce proplatelets. These data suggest that FL MKs undergo cytoplasmic maturation earlier than BM MKs and that this, in addition to higher β1-tubulin levels and GPIb, supported with an extensive F-actin network, could contribute to more efficient proplatelet formation in vitro.

Background/Objectives: Kidney transplantation (kTx) is the preferred treatment for end-stage kidney disease. Limited evaluation of structural changes in transplanted kidneys hinders the timely prediction of disease progression and the implementation of treatment modifications. Protocol biopsies provide valuable insights but are invasive and carry risks of biopsy-related complications. This study investigates whether multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including T1 and T2 mapping and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), can predict kidney function and the progression of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) in the early post-transplant period. Methods: A prospective study was conducted at The Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos from May 2022 to March 2024. Thirty-four patients receiving kidney transplants from deceased donors underwent baseline biopsies and post-transplant MRI scans. Follow-up assessments included kidney function evaluation, biopsies, and MRI scans at three months post-transplant. Results: Significant correlations were observed between MRI parameters and kidney function: T1 and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) corticomedullary differentiation (CMD) correlated with eGFR at discharge (r = −0.338, p = 0.05; r = 0.392, p = 0.022, respectively). Linear and logistic regression models demonstrated that post-transplant T1 and ADC CMD values significantly predicted kidney function at discharge. Furthermore, T1 CMD values measured 10–15 days post-transplant predicted IF/TA progression at three months post-kTx, with an area under the curve of 0.802 (95% CI: 0.616–0.987, p = 0.001) and an optimal cut-off value of −149.71 ms. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.818 and 0.273, respectively (Youden's index = 0.545). T2 mapping was not predictive. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential immediate clinical utility of MRI-derived biomarkers, particularly ADC and T1 CMD, in centers equipped with advanced imaging capabilities as tools for assessing kidney function in the early post-transplant period. With an AUROC of 0.802, T1 CMD demonstrates strong discriminatory power for predicting IF/TA progression early in the post-transplant period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural evolution of metavanadate compounds under high pressure offers valuable insights into phase transitions and changes in material properties. This study explores the structural behavior of BaV2O6 under pressures up to 12 GPa using powder X-ray diffraction and density-functional theory (DFT) simulations. The results indicate a phase transition from the ambient pressure orthorhombic phase (space group C222) to a monoclinic phase (space group C2) at 4 GPa, likely driven by the distortion of the vanadium oxide polyhedron. Above 10 GPa, the C2 phase undergoes amorphization, attributed to the breakdown of the infinite [VO4] chains into [VO3]− units. Additionally, BaV2O6 exhibits anisotropic lattice contraction and a relatively low bulk modulus (B0 ≈ 50 GPa). DFT calculations further explore the pressure dependence of enthalpy differences, Raman modes, and band structures, providing insights into the structural and electronic transformations of BaV2O6 under high pressure. This work deepens the understanding of the structural and band structure development of the metavanadate family under high pressure, contributing to advancements in materials science under extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper presents the estimates of the parameters of a Markovian queuing model that considers a Poisson arrival rate and a state-dependent service rate based on the system’s condition. State-dependent service implies that the server’s performance varies according to the number of customers waiting for service. If there’s a lengthy queue, the server operates more efficiently, whereas if there are fewer customers, the server works at a slower pace. The primary goal of this paper is to compute estimates for the traffic intensity (ρ), using two prominent statistical approaches: maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian estimation. The central premise of our study revolves around these estimation techniques under the assumption of various prior distributions, including the beta prior of first and second kind, gamma, truncated gamma, and uniform prior. To achieve our objectives, we employ the powerful method of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations. Here MCMC simulations serve as a crucial tool in generating estimates for traffic intensity, encompassing both ML and Bayesian perspectives. Moreover, we go beyond point estimates and obtained confidence intervals and credible intervals for the parameters. Also, we calculate the posterior risk which takes into consideration not only the estimates themselves but also the associated uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Well-functioning National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) are valuable contributors to decision-making processes in the complex immunization policy arena. This paper describes the progress made globally on the establishment and strengthening of these key advisory groups and discusses some of their strengths, challenges, and opportunities. Methods: The data submitted annually by countries to the World Health Organization (WHO) via the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form (JRF) were analyzed, comparing the NITAG functionality criteria in 2012 and 2023. Results: In 2023 and 2012, 88% and 61% of countries, respectively, reported having a NITAG. A total of 77% of NITAGs met all six NITAG process criteria in 2023 compared to 33% in 2012. This progress was most notable in the WHO African Region, increasing from 7% (2012) to 77% (2023), and the South-East Asia Region, increasing from 45% (2012) to 91% (2023). In 2023, 84% of NITAGs issued a vaccine-policy recommendation that was adopted by decision-makers. Discussion: Marked progress has been made since 2012 on establishing and maintaining NITAGs, with a small number of countries yet to form an advisory committee. Supporting and sustaining NITAG functions remains an important means for countries to foster independent and transparent expert advice on vaccine and immunization policy. Setbacks in countries facing instability or political turmoil are a reminder of the reversibility of progress. WHO and partners play an important role in supporting countries in strengthening these advisory committees. Continuous commitment by countries to the function and involvement of NITAGs in policy recommendations is essential for enhancing the strength and resilience of immunization programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to obtain the Bayesian estimates of traffic intensity ( ρ ) in an M/M/1 queueing model with balking. Balking is a behavior of impatient customers in which upon arrival, customer decides not to enter the queue and leave the system without getting served. In this article, we considered balking probability as a function of the number of customers present in the system. We obtained the Bayesian estimates of ρ for the model under study by using various asymmetric loss functions such as modified quadratic loss function (M/QLF), entropy loss function (ELF), De'groot loss function (DLF), and linex loss function (LLF). Also, we provide some simulation results for supporting our findings for different sample sizes and parametric values. Further, a numerical application, for the better understanding of the model, will also be analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]