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Sago industry is an important industry in East Malaysia (mainly Sarawak). Sago starch is produced as an alternative carbohydrate source in the food chain. To produce one tonne of sago starch, a minimum of 20 tonnes of sago wastewater would be generated. In order to comply with local regulation and to reduce environmental impacts, the produced wastewater requires proper wastewater treatment (WWT). However, with several WWT technologies available in the market, this becomes a challenge for decision makers to select WWT technologies with minimum investment cost while meeting discharge regulations. As shown in the previous research works, the investment cost can be minimised by reducing the resources used. This can be done by reused and recycled the treated water within the processes. Apart from this, the cost for waste (sludge cake) generation should be minimised since the sludge cake will not bring any value to the WWT plant. This can be addressed by using the concept of Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA). MFCA is a management tool which quantifies material flows across a production process in both physical and monetary values. The application of MFCA had been adapted in previous research works to prioritise waste streams for waste recovery and to reduce investment costs for WWT plants. In this work, MFCA is further extended to a more comprehensive and realistic WWT plant optimisation, taking into account of sludge treatment. The proposed MFCA can determine the monetary value associated with sludge cake production within the WWT plant. To illustrate the proposed approach, a sago-based WWT plant is solved in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the near-IR band in the electronic absorption spectra of bis(tetrapyrrole) rare earth(III) complexes Y(Pc)2 (1), La(Pc)2 (2), Y(Pc)(Por) (3), Y(Pc)[Pc(α-OCH3)4] (4), Y(Pc)[Pc(α-OCH3)8] (5), and Y(Pc)[Pc(β-OCH3)8] (6) was studied on the basis of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. The electronic dipole moment along the z-axis in the electronic transition of the near-IR band in all the studied neutral bis(tetrapyrrole) yttrium(III) and lanthanum(III) double-deckers is well explained on the basis of the composition analysis of the orbitals involved. The electronic transition in the near-IR band causes the reversion of the orbital orientation of one tetrapyrrole ring in both homoleptic and heteroleptic bis(tetrapyrrole) rare earth complexes and induces electron transfer from the tetrapyrrole ring with lower orbital energy to the other ring in the heteroleptic bis(tetrapyrrole) rare earth(III) complexes. The near-IR band can work as an ideal characteristic absorption band to reflect the π–π interaction between the two tetrapyrrole rings in bis(tetrapyrrole) rare earth(III) double-decker complexes because of its peculiar electronic transition nature. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium phthalocyanine (PdPc) nanowires (NWs) were developed to achieve the gas sensing of NO2 in the sub-parts-per-million (ppm) range. Non-substituted metal phthalocyanine are well known for their p-type semiconducting behavior, which is responsible for its gas-sensing capabilities. Nanofabrication of the PdPc NWs was performed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) on an interdigitated gold electrode (IDE). The coordination of palladium in the structure was confirmed with UV–Vis spectroscopy. Gas-sensing experiments for NO2 detection were undertaken at different sensed gas concentrations from 4 ppm to 0.5 ppm at room temperature. In this work, the responses at different gas concentrations are reported. In addition, structural studies of the PdPc NWs with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDS) are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil, the main vegetable oil produced globally, serves diverse purposes, ranging from cooking to the production of processed foods, cosmetics, and biodiesel. Despite contributing significantly to the economies of major producing nations, the escalating production of palm oil raises serious environmental concerns, including deforestation, biodiversity loss, and various forms of pollution. Palm oil mill effluent (POME), a byproduct of palm oil extraction, poses a severe environmental threat when left untreated. As an eco-friendly alternative, anaerobic digestion in controlled bioreactors has emerged, offering simultaneous POME treatment and biofuel generation, particularly hydrogen, with high energy efficiency. This review explores the challenges and opportunities associated with biohydrogen production from POME. Key considerations involve optimizing parameters through pretreatments, nanoparticle incorporation, defining optimal bioreactor conditions, determining hydraulic retention times, and integrating multi-stage processes like dark fermentation followed by photofermentation. This review also emphasizes the significance of sustainable practices and economic analyses in shaping the future of hydrogen production from POME, positioning it as a pivotal player in the palm oil industry’s circular economy and the global energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research in Sports Science is the property of Aves Yayincilik Ltd. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The comprehensive performance of unmanned excavators is crucial for the development and optimization of the field of construction machinery. To effectively improve the unmanned excavator to meet the needs of the market, it is imperative to quantify the evaluation method of the comprehensive performance of unmanned excavators. In this study, an evaluation method combining a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and multivariate image area analysis method is proposed. Firstly, based on the feature extraction of the signal stability of the unmanned excavators, fifteen evaluation indexes were proposed. Then, the case study is used to obtain the scores corresponding to these indexes. The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is applied to determine the relative weight of the selected evaluation criteria, in which the uncertain and imprecise judgments of decision makers are converted into fuzzy numbers. At the same time, the braking performance of the three types of unmanned excavators was comprehensively evaluated and ranked using the multivariate image area analysis method as an empirical example. Finally, a weight analysis is performed to check the robustness of the ranking results. The results show that the proposed method is effective and feasible. It provides a reference for the performance improvement and efficiency optimization of unmanned excavators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the vital role of green energy technologies in mitigating carbon emissions and advancing sustainable energy transition. It emphasizes the significance of green energy in reducing the carbon footprint, delves into the environmental consequences of carbon emissions, and analyzes the mechanisms through which green energy contributes to carbon reduction. This paper discusses technological advancements across various renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, tidal, wave, nuclear, osmotic, and salinity-powered energy generation. It also examines emerging green energy technologies, identifies barriers to adoption, offers an Indonesian perspective, and provides recommendations for a greener energy future. Overall, this paper offers a comprehensive exploration of green energy's transformative potential in combatting climate change and promoting sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bread waste (BW) poses a significant environmental and economic challenge in the United Kingdom (UK), where an estimated 20 million slices of bread are wasted daily. BW contains polysaccharides with great potential for its valorization into building block chemicals. While BW valorization holds tremendous promise, it is an emerging field with low technology readiness levels (TRLs), necessitating careful consideration of sustainability and commercial-scale utilization. This review offers a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability aspects of BW valorization, encompassing economic, environmental, and social factors. The primary objective of this review article is to enhance our understanding of the potential benefits and challenges associated with this approach. Incorporating circular bioeconomy principles into BW valorization is crucial for addressing global issues stemming from food waste and environmental degradation. The review investigates the role of BW-based biorefineries in promoting the circular bioeconomy concept. This study concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities of BW valorization and waste reduction, along with proposing potential strategies to tackle these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is commonly utilized as a therapeutic to treat metabolic acidosis in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). While increased dietary sodium chloride (NaCl) is known to promote volume retention and increase blood pressure, the effects of NaHCO3 loading on blood pressure and volume retention in CKD remain unclear. In the present study, we compared the effects of NaCl and NaHCO3 loading on volume retention, blood pressure, and kidney injury in both 2/3 and 5/6 nephrectomy remnant kidney rats, a well-established rodent model of CKD. We tested the hypothesis that NaCl loading promotes greater volume retention and increases in blood pressure than equimolar NaHCO3. Blood pressure was measured 24 h daily using radio telemetry. NaCl and NaHCO3 were administered in drinking water ad libitum or infused via indwelling catheters. Rats were housed in metabolic cages to determine volume retention. Our data indicate that both NaHCO3 and NaCl promote hypertension and volume retention in remnant kidney rats, with salt-sensitivity increasing with greater renal mass reduction. Importantly, while NaHCO3 intake was less pro-hypertensive than equimolar NaCl intake, NaHCO3 was not benign. NaHCO3 loading significantly elevated blood pressure and promoted volume retention in rats with CKD when compared with control rats receiving tap water. Our findings provide important insight into the effects of sodium loading with NaHCO3 in CKD and indicate that NaHCO3 loading in patients with CKD is unlikely to be benign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Indonesian national health survey in 2018, the prevalence of anemia in young women aged 15-34 was 48.9%. This study aimed to examine the influence of knowledge and attitude on anemia prevention practice and to identify reasons for not practicing anemia prevention among female high school students in Banjarmasin municipality, Indonesia. A mixed method sequential explanatory was applied for this study. The respondents are 350 female high school students from three senior high schools, chosen purposively for a cross-sectional study and followed by focus group discussion with 15 students and in-depth interviews with three teachers and four health workers. The results revealed that 254 (72.6%) female students had poor practice, 147 (42.0%) had poor attitude, and 169 (48.3 %) had poor knowledge related to iron deficiency anemia (IDA) prevention. Female students in the older age group (17-18 years old) (adjusted odds ratio/AOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12, 3.16), studying at vocational school (AOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.05, 3.27), good knowledge (AOR 2.52, 95% CI 1.49, 4.26) were significant predictors on iron deficiency anemia (IDA) prevention. The qualitative findings found that the reasons for not practicing anemia prevention include poor knowledge about anemia practice prevention, dislike of iron tablets, and ineffective anemia education program due to poor coordination and communication between health workers and teachers. Effective anemia education programs at schools are needed to enhance students' knowledge related to anemia prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenotypic plasticity is defined as a property of individual genotypes to produce different phenotypes when exposed to different environmental conditions. This ability may be expressed at behavioral, biochemical, physiological, and/or developmental levels, exerting direct influence over species' demographic performance. In reef-building corals, a group critically threatened by global change in the Anthropocene, non-genetic mechanisms (i.e., epigenetic and microbiome variation) have been shown to participate in plastic physiological responses to environmental change. Yet, the precise way in which these mechanisms interact, contribute to such responses, and their adaptive potential is still obscure. The present work aims to fill this gap by using a multi-omics approach to elucidate the contribution and interconnection of the mechanisms modulating phenotypic plasticity in staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) clones subject to different depth conditions. Results show changes in lipidome, epigenome and transcriptome, but not in symbiotic and microbial communities. In addition, a potential shift toward a more heterotrophic feeding behavior was evidenced in corals at the deeper site. These observations are consistent with a multi-mechanism modulation of rapid acclimation in corals, underscoring the complexity of this process and the importance of a multifactorial approach to inform potential intervention to enhance coral adaptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of computational technology and the increasing energy demand have improved heat exchanger network (HEN) synthesis. The HEN synthesis involves several optimizations of matches, distributions of heat loads, and stream splitting of heat units. Thus, obtaining good results at high efficiency has been the main standard for evaluating the techniques in the research area of HEN synthesis. This paper first summarizes and analyzes the main contributions of the existing HEN synthesis techniques. To compare related data quantitively, information on ten typical cases is presented in this paper. Furthermore, recently improved solutions for commonly encountered existing literature cases demonstrate the evolution and competition trends in the field of HEN synthesis. The comparison data presented in this paper not only provide a useful reference for future research but also present the optimization directions. Based on the findings of this study, it is noted that there is still a large room for improvement, and current approaches are incapable of dealing with all HEN cases. Moreover, it is still difficult to escape a local optimum and overcome structural constraints when seeking the global optimum. As a follow-up to the current work, the parallel computing mode and adaptively coordinating the ratio of global and local searching abilities are major development trends for future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Association of Southeast Asian Economies (ASEAN's) logistical concerns and support for bioenergy production from biomass waste are consolidated to discuss the updates and the areas needing modification/improvement to sustain the increasing trend of bioenergy production and consumption amidst food security and other ecological issues in the region. A systematic narrative review was conducted to address the current information scarcity on bioenergy logistics and discuss methods for moving forward. Regardless, the biofuels supply chain primarily supports biofuels and has numerous logistical concerns, including feedstock, conversion, and generation. The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation has coordinated the ASEAN's present bioenergy development that shows slow yet determined steps. As a result of policies and mandates, bioenergy production has progressed steadily, as well as a continuous improvement of current energy logistics (mostly fossil fuel‐based) to increase biofuel deployment. The current logistics for bioenergy is still lacking and technologically ill‐equipped, with significant inefficiency and sub‐optimality issues. Huge support to re‐engineer and retool bioenergy logistics is necessary to make bioenergy competitive with fossil fuels in ASEAN countries with varying economic and modernization status. Regional cooperation is key in developing an efficient and optimal logistical system for bioenergy in ASEAN, which needs to be supported with intensified R&D, smart solutions, green financing, incentive system, risk management, and policy frameworks. Green logistics is advocated to push forward decarbonizing the future across the ASEAN region with bioenergy. This article is categorized under:Sustainable Energy > BioenergyClimate and Environment > Net Zero Planning and DecarbonizationSustainable Development > GoalsClimate and Environment > Circular Economy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, facing difficult environmental and sustainability questions, the palm oil industry is an important force in global trade and development. As a transformative solution to these problems, this review assesses the implementation of circular economy (CE) strategies. CE principles promote the transformation of waste into value through recycling, upcycling and other low-carbon innovation applications. This review estimates the capability of palm-based biomass, including palm oil mill effluent (POME) and refinery wastes. It evaluates how different technologies such as gasification are used to change these fuel sources into energy fuels and value-added products for industry. It also involves incorporating Industry 4.0 to boost efficiency and waste value creation into the operation. Although the potential of CE in creating an eco-friendly, profitable palm oil industry is apparent, nevertheless it must overcome all kinds and levels of barriers -- from economic to technological to social. This review points out for collaborative efforts, technological advancement, and supportive policies to navigate these challenges, advocating for a unified shift towards sustainability and efficiency in the palm oil sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical proteomics, which involves studying the covalent modifications of proteins by small molecules, has significantly contributed to our understanding of protein function and has become an essential tool in drug discovery. Mass spectrometry (MS) is the primary method for identifying and quantifying protein‐small molecule adducts. In this review, we discuss various methods for measuring proteomic reactivity using MS and covalent proteomics probes that engage through reactivity‐driven and proximity‐driven mechanisms. We highlight the applications of these methods and probes in live‐cell measurements, drug target identification and validation, and characterizing protein‐small molecule interactions. We conclude the review with current developments and future opportunities in the field, providing our perspectives on analytical considerations for MS‐based analysis of the proteomic reactivity landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim: implementation of the principles of green chemistry by regenerating the synthesis solvent 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and reusing it during the synthesis of the Naphazoline nitrate substance. Study of the influence of the regenerated solvent on the quality of the final product by controlling analytical quality parameters. Development of a method for the quantitative determination and validation of synthesis solvents in a substance. Materials and methods: samples of the substance were synthesized according to the optimized proprietary technology of Farmak JSC. The obtained batches of fresh and regenerated 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene were analyzed according to the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia on Naphazoline nitrate 0147. Results: the possibility of using regenerated 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene for the synthesis of the substance Naphazoline nitrate has been proven. It is shown that the regenerated solvent does not have a negative effect on the profile of impurities and the polymorphic form of the substance. Analytical quality parameters met the requirements of the internal specification and the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia monograph. The developed and validated method of quantitative determination of synthesis solvents makes it possible to determine them at the required level. Conclusions: the introduction of regenerated 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene into the synthesis scheme made it possible to significantly reduce the amount of waste per 1 kg of product, which in turn significantly reduced the negative impact on the environment. Analytical quality parameters for regenerated 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene meet the requirements of the internal specification. Industrial series obtained on the regenerated solvent meet the requirements of the monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia. The polymorphic form of the substance batches manufactured on regenerated 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene corresponds to the polymorphic form of the substance batches manufactured on the fresh solvent. The obtained results on the influence of the regenerated solvent on the profile of impurities in the finished substance show the similarity of the profile of the series manufactured on both solvents. According to the requirements of ICH Q3C Impurities: Guideline for residual solvents, a method for quantitative determination of the residual content of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene in the final product by gas chromatography was developed and validated. The absence of synthesis solvents at the limit of detection is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Espanola de Comunicacion en Salud is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Comunicacion Sanitaria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ultra-silicon-rich nitride with refractive indices ~ 3 possesses high nonlinear refractive index-100× higher than stoichiometric silicon nitride and presents absence of two-photon absorption, making it attractive to be used in nonlinear integrated optics at telecommunications wavelengths. Despite its excellent nonlinear properties, ultra-silicon-rich nitride photonics devices reported so far still have fairly low quality factors of [Formula: see text], which could be mainly attributed by the material absorption bonds. Here, we report low temperature plasma-deposited dichlorosilane-based ultra-silicon-rich nitride (Si 8 N) with lower material absorption bonds, and ~ 2.5× higher quality factors compared to ultra-silicon-rich nitride conventionally prepared with silane-based chemistry. This material is found to be highly rich in silicon with refractive indices of ~ 3.12 at telecommunications wavelengths and atomic concentration ratio Si:N of ~ 8:1. The material morphology, surface roughness and binding energies are also investigated. Optically, the material absorption bonds are quantified and show an overall reduction. Ring resonators fabricated exhibit improved intrinsic quality factors [Formula: see text], ~ 2.5× higher compared to conventional silane-based ultra-silicon-rich nitride films. This enhanced quality factor from plasma-deposited dichlorosilane-based ultra-silicon-rich nitride signifies better photonics device performance using these films. A pathway has been opened up for further improved device performance of ultra-silicon-rich nitride photonics devices at material level tailored by choice of different chemistries., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Empty fruit bunch (EFB), an abundant lignocellulosic residue from the palm oil milling process, is typically discarded on open land or used as mulch. In this work, a simple method that mimics a papermaking process, was developed to upcycle EFB into higher value fibreboard without the need for any polymeric binders. The cellulose network from pulp fibres was utilised to hold the otherwise loose EFB fibres together to produce a rigid EFB fibreboard. Mechanical refinement was performed using a re-circulating colloid mill to improve the binding performance of the cellulose fibres . EFB fibreboard containing 30 wt.% of 30 min refined "hairy" cellulose fibres possessed a flexural modulus of ~2.9 GPa and strength of ~22 MPa, comparable to commercial particleboard (PB) and medium density fibreboard (MDF). A lifecycle analysis (LCA) model using ReCiPe 2016 method and Ecoinvent database was used to compare the environmental impact of the EFB fibreboard and MDF production. The results show that the EFB fibreboard possessed a lower environmental impact on global warming potential and the various end-point impact categories compared to MDF. This work unveils new opportunities to convert palm oil waste into all-lignocellulosic fibreboard, moving away from traditional practices which align with the concept of a circular bioeconomy., (© 2024 The Author(s). ChemSusChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Limited research has looked at the present-day sleep problems among Chinese children with Down syndrome (DS). This study aimed to investigate the situation of the sleep problems of school-aged children with DS in northern China., Methods: Parents of children with DS were a convenience sample recruited through the special education schools of Shandong Province in China. The Chinese version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was applied to assess the sleep problems of children with DS., Results: Parents of 334 children with DS reported the average sleep duration was 9.7 (9.3-10.2) hours per night, and 62.0% of children with DS were reported sleeping less than 10 h per night. Additionally, the total prevalence rate of sleep problems among children with DS was 69.8%. Sleep-disordered breathing (59.2%), sleep duration (33.8%) and bedtime resistance (32.0%) were the three most commonly reported sleeping problems. Younger children with DS (age 6-8 years) had severe problems with bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety and parasomnias than older children with DS (age 9-12 years) (all P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Sleep problems are prominent among children with DS in northern China and are worthy of attention. Caregivers and health professionals should raise awareness of sleep problems in this group of children and implement targeted interventions to improve their sleep quality as early as possible., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons and MENCAP.)

Existing studies examining the predictive ability of biomarkers for cognitive outcomes do not account for variance due to measurement error, which could lead to under-estimates of the proportion of variance explained. We used data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) (N = 1084) to estimate the proportion of variance explained by Alzheimer's disease (AD) imaging biomarkers in four cognitive outcomes: memory, executive functioning, language, and visuospatial functioning. We compared estimates from standard models that do not account for measurement error, and multilevel models that do account for measurement error. We also examined estimates across diagnostic subgroups (normal, MCI, AD). Estimates of the proportion of variance explained from multilevel models accounting for measurement error were larger (e.g., for language, 9-47% vs. 7-34% under standard modeling), with relatively greater differences between standard and multilevel measurement models for cognitive outcomes that have larger measurement error variance. Heterogeneity across subgroups also emphasized the importance of sample composition. Future studies should evaluate measurement error adjustments when considerable measurement error in cognitive outcomes is suspected., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A novel tricationic Zn(II)phthalocyanine derivative, (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ , was synthesized by ring expansion reaction of boron(III) [2,9(10),16(17)-trinitrosubphthalocyaninato]chloride. First, the reaction of this subphthalocyanine with 2,3-naphthalenedicarbonitrile and Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 catalyzed by 8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene was used to obtain the A 3 B-type nitrophthalocyanine. After reduction of nitro groups with Na 2 S and exhaustive methylation of amino groups, (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ was formed in good yields. In addition, the tetracationic analog (NCH 3 ) 4 ZnPc 4+ was synthesized to compare their properties. The absorption and fluorescence spectra showed the Q-bands and the red emission, respectively, which are characteristic of the Zn(II)phthalocyanine derivatives in N,N-dimethylformamide. Furthermore, photodynamic activity sensitized by these compounds was studied in the presence of different molecular probes to sense the formation of reactive oxygen species. (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ efficiently produced singlet molecular oxygen and also it sensitized the formation of superoxide anion radical in the presence of NADH, while the photodynamic activity of (NCH 3 ) 4 ZnPc 4+ was very poor, possibly due to the partial formation of aggregates. Furthermore, the decomposition of L-tryptophan induced by (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ was mainly mediated by a type II mechanism. Antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation sensitized by these phthalocyanines was evaluated in Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans, as representative microbial cells. In cell suspensions, (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ was rapidly bound to microbial cells, showing bioimages with red fluorescence emission. After 5 min of irradiation with visible light, (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ was able to completely eliminate S. aureus, E. coli and C. albicans, using 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 μM phthalocyanine, respectively. In contrast, a low photoinactivation activity was found with (NCH 3 ) 4 ZnPc 4+ as a photosensitizer. Therefore, the amphiphilic tricationic phthalocyanine (NCH 3 ) 3 ZnPc 3+ is a promising photosensitizing structure for application as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial phototherapeutic agent., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Photochemistry Association, European Society for Photobiology.)

Under the 'Cap-and-Trade' mechanism of carbon emission, the low carbon management of supply chain is an indispensable link in the process of enterprise emission reduction. Constrained by carbon price and consumers' environmental awareness, this paper establishes a two-stage game model between retailers and manufacturers under decentralized and centralized decisions. Under the decentralized decision, this paper analyzes the optimal carbon emissions before and after the transfer, the conditions of transfer and the changes of profits with the proportion of transfer. Under the centralized decision, Nash equilibrium is used to study the distribution of additional profits. Conclusions are obtained as follows. (a) There are thresholds for carbon price and consumers' environmental awareness on carbon emissions, and the optimal emissions on both sides of the threshold will vary with the cost of emission reduction. (b) In a decentralized decision, the participation of retailers in abatement depends on the market abatement costs and abatement benefits, while a certain range of transfer rates can optimize the profitability of retailers. (c) In the centralized decision, manufacturer and retailer formulate emission reduction strategies jointly and share the extra profits equally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement error (ME) and missing values in covariates are often unavoidable in disciplines that deal with data, and both problems have separately received considerable attention during the past decades. However, while most researchers are familiar with methods for treating missing data, accounting for ME in covariates of regression models is less common. In addition, ME and missing data are typically treated as two separate problems, despite practical and theoretical similarities. Here, we exploit the fact that missing data in a continuous covariate is an extreme case of classical ME, allowing us to use existing methodology that accounts for ME via a Bayesian framework that employs integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA) and thus to simultaneously account for both ME and missing data in the same covariate. As a useful by‐product, we present an approach to handle missing data in INLA since this corresponds to the special case when no ME is present. In addition, we show how to account for Berkson ME in the same framework. In its broadest generality, the proposed joint Bayesian framework can thus account for Berkson ME, classical ME, and missing data, or any combination of these in the same or different continuous covariates of the family of regression models that are feasible with INLA. The approach is exemplified using both simulated and real data. We provide extensive and fully reproducible Supporting Information with thoroughly documented examples using R‐INLA and inlabru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the MobIlCaps mobile application. On the basis of cognitive, constructivist and connectivist theories, it has been developed on an instructional design model, based on the user experience. In the context of mobile teaching in higher education, an innovative application is proposed for the self-learning of information literacy by students of Social Sciences. With the collaboration of both teachers and students, the application was developed, following the ADDIE model, through the phases of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The last phase provided the improvement proposals for the optimization of the final version of the tool, a progressive open access website. The application is organized into six capsules that follow the framework of ACRL (2015): learn, search, evaluate, create, research and disseminate. It includes multimedia resources in the form of microcontents that highlight readability, organization and visualization as characteristics. The app focuses on the user and is a relevant instrument to facilitate teaching The different analyses, followed by proposals for improvement and revisions, led to the achievement of a very useful application for students, teachers and library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, sustainable development goals (SDGs) have gained significant importance due to the uncertain environmental and economic condition that needs researchers' attention. Therefore, the present paper aims to scrutinize the effect of environmental and social responsibilities and corporate governance on the achievement of SDGs of logistic firms in Malaysia. The present research also examines the mediating impact of innovative culture among the linkage of environmental and social responsibilities, corporate governance, and achievement of SDGs of logistic firms in Malaysia. The current article has applied the questionnaire method to gather the primary data from selected respondents. The present research also applied the Smart-PLS to analyze the primary data using measurement and structural model assessment. The results indicated that environmental and social responsibilities have a positive linkage with the achievement of SDGs of logistic firms in Malaysia. The findings also exposed that innovative culture significantly mediates the relationship between environmental and social responsibilities and the achievement of SDGs of logistic firms in Malaysia. The present article has provided the guidelines to the policymakers while formulating the regulations and policies related to the achievement of SDGs in the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalocyanine is a safe and better biocompatible compound, and it has been used in diagnostic and cancer imaging. But the application in the treatment of colon and cervical cancer is elusive. In the present study, we have synthesized Iron (II) phthalocyanine and Zinc phthalocyanine respectively. The bonding, structure, and physical characteristics of the prepared products were analyzed and confirmed by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX methods. We have also examined the anti-cancer properties of the compounds on two different cancer cells (colon cancer HCT-116 and cervical cancer HeLa) by MTT assay. The cell viability assay results showed that a noteworthy reduction in the cell viability post-treatments of Iron (II) phthalocyanine. However, treatment of Zinc phthalocyanine did not show any inhibitory action on both HCT-116 and HeLa cancer cells. We have also calculated the inhibitory concentration (IC50) post treatment of Zinc phthalocyanine and Iron (II) phthalocyanine on HCT-116 and HeLa cells. The IC50 was 30 µg/ml for HCT-116 cells treated with Iron (II) phthalocyanine, whereas it was 33 µg/ml for the HeLa cells. We have also examined the impact of Zinc phthalocyanine and Iron (II) phthalocyanine on non-cancerous cells (HEK-293), and MTT results showed that Iron (II) phthalocyanine and Zinc phthalocyanine induced no significant inhibitory action on HEK-293 cells. In addition, we have also examined the anti-fungal action of Zinc phthalocyanine and Iron (II) phthalocyanine. We have also examined the impact of Iron (II) phthalocyanine on cancer cells using DAPI staining, we have found that was a major reduction in cancer cells population, but there is no reduction in the Iron (II) phthalocyanine -treated cells. We have found that Iron (II) phthalocyanine induced significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans, whereas no significant antifungal activity was observed with Zinc phthalocyanine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Firat Tip Dergisi is the property of Firat University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Dandelion (Pugongying) is one of the most frequently used Chinese herbs for treating lactational mastitis (LM). Pugongying granules, a patented medication primarily comprised of dandelion extract, have been approved by CFDA for LM treatment in China. The aims of this study were to investigate the etiology of LM and the mechanism by which Pugongying granules decrease LM symptoms, with a particular focus on the microbial communities found in breastmilk. Methods: Participants were recruited from a previously performed randomized controlled trial (Identifier: NCT03756324, ClinicalTrials.gov). Between 2019 and 2020, women diagnosed with unilateral LM at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital were enrolled. In total, 42 paired breastmilk samples from the healthy and affected breasts of the participants were collected. Additionally, 37 paired pre- and post-treatment breastmilk samples from the affected breast were collected from women who received a 3-day course of either Pugongying granules (20 women) or cefdinir (17 women). Clinical outcomes [e.g., body temperature, visual analogue scale (VAS) score for breast pain, the percentage of neutrophils (NE%)] were analyzed pre- and post-treatment, and the breastmilk samples were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the alpha and beta diversities and identify significant bacteria. Finally, the relationship between microorganisms and clinical outcomes was analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference in fever and pain between the Pugongying group and cefdinir group. The most prevalent bacterial genera in breastmilk were Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Compared to healthy breastmilk, microbial diversity was reduced in affected breastmilk, and there was a higher relative abundance of Streptococcus. After Pugongying treatment, there was an increase in microbial diversity with significantly higher abundance of Corynebacterium. A negative correlation was found between Corynebacterium, VAS score, and NE%. Treatment with cefdinir did not affect microbial diversity. Taken together, our results show a correlation between LM and reduced microbial diversity, as well as an increased abundance of Streptococcus in affected breastmilk. Conclusion: Pugongying granules enhanced microbial diversity in breastmilk samples. Given the substantial variation in individual microbiomes, identifying specific species of Streptococcus and Corynebacterium associated with LM may provide additional insight into LM pathogenesis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of quantitative disease resistance in many host-pathogen systems is controlled by genes at multiple loci, each contributing a small effect to the overall response. We used a systems genomics approach to study the molecular underpinnings of quantitative disease resistance in the soybean-Phytophthora sojae pathosystem, incorporating expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping and gene co-expression network analysis to identify the genes putatively regulating transcriptional changes in response to inoculation. These findings were compared to previously mapped phenotypic (phQTL) to identify the molecular mechanisms contributing to the expression of this resistance. A subset of 93 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from a Conrad × Sloan population were inoculated with P. sojae isolate 1.S.1.1 using the tray-test method; RNA was extracted, sequenced, and the normalized read counts were genetically mapped from tissue collected at the inoculation site 24 h after inoculation from both mock and inoculated samples. In total, more than 100,000 eQTLs were mapped. There was a switch from predominantly cis-eQTLs in the mock treatment to an almost entirely nonoverlapping set of predominantly trans-eQTLs in the inoculated treatment, where greater than 100-fold more eQTLs were mapped relative to mock, indicating vast transcriptional reprogramming due to P. sojae infection occurred. The eQTLs were organized into 36 hotspots, with the four largest hotspots from the inoculated treatment corresponding to more than 70% of the eQTLs, each enriched for genes within plant-pathogen interaction pathways. Genetic regulation of trans-eQTLs in response to the pathogen was predicted to occur through transcription factors and signaling molecules involved in plant-pathogen interactions, plant hormone signal transduction, and MAPK pathways. Network analysis identified three co-expression modules that were correlated with susceptibility to P. sojae and associated with three eQTL hotspots. Among the eQTLs co-localized with phQTLs, two cis-eQTLs with putative functions in the regulation of root architecture or jasmonic acid, as well as the putative master regulators of an eQTL hotspot nearby a phQTL, represent candidates potentially underpinning the molecular control of these phQTLs for resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), who cease growing earlier than individuals without DS. These characteristics may be associated with increased obesity and subsequent SDB signs, such as snoring and apnoea or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Thus, we assessed the influence of growth on the association between obesity and SDB signs or EDS; we used questionnaires sent to young individuals with DS and their caregivers, in a cross‐sectional study. Methods: We sent out 2000 questionnaires to individuals with DS and their caregivers. The surveys included questions about SDB signs (witnessed snoring or apnoea), subjective sleeping time including witnessed midnight arousal, the Epworth sleepiness scale and witnessed napping as well as sex, age, body weight and body height. Results: Of the 1222 questionnaires we received, 660 were from young individuals and were included in the analysis. SDB signs were highly prevalent (77.1%), and frequency of SDB signs increased with growth (P‐trend: P = 0.02) in individuals with DS. Multivariate analyses showed that EDS (Epworth sleepiness scale > 10 points) was associated with body mass index Z‐score (Z‐BMI) in the 6–9 years age group (odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.69 [1.09–2.62], P = 0.02). Conversely, SDB signs were associated with Z‐BMI in the 13–15 (OR [95% CI]: 1.99 [1.06–3.72], P = 0.03) and 16–18 years age groups (OR [95% CI]: 3.04 [1.22–7.59], P = 0.02). For the 19–21 years age group, SDB signs were associated with only male sex (OR [95% CI]: 7.28 [1.22–43.38], P = 0.03). Conclusions: This study showed that the association between Z‐BMI and SDB or EDS was age dependent. In early school‐age children with DS, high Z‐BMI could not accurately predict the presence of SDB, but it was associated with EDS. In the pubescent period (i.e. 13–18 years), high Z‐BMI was associated with SDB signs but not with EDS. Overall, obesity affected SDB signs and EDS differently based on age in young individuals with DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Ciencia, Tecnologia y Sociedad is the property of Centro de Estudios sobre Ciencia, Desarrollo y Educacion Superior and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Line-intensity mapping (IM) experiments seek to perform statistical measurements of large-scale structure with spectral lines such as 21 cm, CO, and Ly α. A challenge in these observations is to ensure that astrophysical foregrounds, such as galactic synchrotron emission in 21 cm measurements, are properly removed. One method that has the potential to reduce foreground contamination is to cross correlate with a galaxy survey that overlaps with the IM volume. However, telescopes sensitive to high-redshift galaxies typically have small field of views compared to IM surveys. Thus, a galaxy survey for cross correlation would necessarily consist of pencil beams that sparsely fill the IM volume. In this paper, we develop the formalism to forecast the sensitivity of cross correlations between IM experiments and pencil-beam galaxy surveys. We find that a random distribution of pencil beams leads to very similar overall sensitivity as a lattice spaced across the IM survey and derive a simple formula for random configurations that agrees with the Fisher matrix formalism. We explore examples of combining high-redshift James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations with both an SPHEREx-like Ly α IM survey and a 21 cm experiment based on the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA). We find that the JWST-SPHEREx case is promising, leading to a total signal-to-noise ratio of ∼5 after 100 total hours of JWST (at z = 7). We find that HERA is not well-suited for this approach owing to its drift-scan strategy, but that a similar experiment that can integrate down on one field could be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Malaysian government has identified green hydrogen (H2) as one of the potential energy sources. However, the high production cost of green H2 and technical complications of H2 storage conditions for distribution undermines the strategic framework of the H2 roadmap in Malaysia. The lack of investments in pre-requisite support infrastructure for the H2 production, conversion, and storage technologies impedes the progress of the H2 economy in Malaysia. Recently, ammonia (NH3) has emerged as a promising carbon-free energy carrier due to its increased ease and safety during transportation and storage. There is limited literature regarding the inclusion of an NH3 synthesis and storage loop in green H2 supply chains. This research proposes a systematic approach for the techno-economic evaluation of green H2 supply chains with green NH3 as a clean energy carrier of H2 storage and distribution. A superstructure-based mathematical optimisation model was developed to synthesise the optimum supply chain network configuration for a given optimisation objective. A case study is solved to illustrate the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the reliability of expert tennis coaches/biomechanists to qualitatively assess selected features of the serve with the aid of two-dimensional (2D) video replays. Two expert high-performance coaches rated the serves of 150 male and 150 female players across three different age groups from two different camera viewing angles. Serve performance was rated across 13 variables that represented commonly investigated and coached (serve) mechanics using a 1–7 Likert rating scale. A total of 7800 ratings were performed. The reliability of the experts' ratings was assessed using a Krippendorffs alpha. Strong agreement was shown across all age groups and genders when the experts rated the overall serve score (0.727–0.924), power or speed of the serve (0.720–0.907), rhythm (0.744–0.944), quality of the trunk action (0.775–1.000), leg drive (0.731–0.959) and the likelihood of back injury (0.703–0.934). They encountered greater difficulty in consistently rating shoulder internal rotation speed (0.688–0.717). In high-performance settings, the desire for highly precise measurement and large data sets powered by new technologies, is commonplace but this study revealed that tennis experts, through the use of 2D video, can reliably rate important mechanical features of the game's most important shot, the serve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of smartphones, the means of information exchange have significantly changed. Technological innovations such as m-learning via smartphones are important for future education because they provide many benefits such as the ability to learn at any time and from any location. The study aims to investigate the student's adoption intention of m-learning apps framed by e-WOM in the context of Signalling theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on university students in India. Smart-PLS 3.0 was used to analyse the data. The model explains 58.2% of the variance in user engagement from e-WOM (user-generated and marketer-generated) and 49% of the intention to use. The findings reveal that e-WOM as a signal moves from the sender (marketer in this study) to the receiver (students in the present context), which develops the m-learning app engagement, leading to trust. Furthermore, the findings confirm the impact of user trust on the adoption intention of m-learning Apps. The conclusion, implications and limitations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the effect of multiple intelligences (MIs) teaching strategy with technology-enriched environments on business administration students' self-efficacy, confidence, and learning outcomes. The study involved 276 participants from a university's business administration department, undergoing an international business course. A range of technology-based activities incorporating MI strategies was employed, exploring key topics such as globalization, corporate social responsibility, and market segmentation. Hypothesis testing revealed that high expectations and changes in viewpoints positively impacted self-concept, ability, and motivation, contributing to improved learning outcomes. The integration of technology in teaching facilitated these transformations, demonstrating how digital tools like virtual reality, interactive platforms, and online tutorials can enhance learning experiences. However, the effect on learning gain varied when viewpoints changed, indicating a need for further research into the differential impact of technology on learning outcomes. Despite some limitations, the study offers compelling evidence supporting the integration of MIs teaching strategy with technology-enriched environments in business administration education. Future studies should further explore the role of emerging technologies in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic metal or element exposure has the potential to cause significant negative health effects in human populations. During the goldrushes of the colonial period, mercury amalgamation was one of the most common methods of extracting gold from alluvial deposits or crushed ore, and exposure to mercury was an occupational health hazard. In this study we examine mercury exposure in mining populations from New Zealand's first major goldrush, which began in Central Otago in 1861. We explore mercury toxicity through laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometric analysis of archaeological hair and sediment samples associated with the Tuapeka goldfields. Our analysis highlights ubiquitous low‐level mercury exposure on the goldfields, as well as one individual with such high mercury concentrations in their hair that we suspect direct mercury intake, perhaps medicinally, rather than from environmental contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A (2+1)-dimensional electronic system is considered, in which the relation between the Green functions and the conductivity is used. A current-current correlation function, Π( B), of the fermion system was obtained in the presence of nonquantized fermion magnetic field B, chemical potential η and gap m. Using this function one can obtain an expression for polarization operator calculated without the magnetic field. The result obtained can be applied for graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is common in children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). Clinical guidelines recommend that all children with DS have polysomnography (PSG) for assessment of OSA by the age of 4 years, but access is limited and testing may be burdensome for children and families. Methods: The purpose of this prospective cross‐sectional cohort study was to identify a model to predict OSA in this group that could be tested in an external population to triage children and adolescents with DS for PSG. These models were based on a comprehensive set of potential predictive demographic, anthropometric, quality of life and sleep‐related variables. Results: The results of this study show the predictive power of a model based on the sleep disordered breathing subscale of the Pediatric Sleep Survey Instrument and sleep fragmentation quantified using actigraphy in determining moderate–severe OSA in children and adolescents with DS. This model exhibits high sensitivity (82%), specificity (80%), positive predictive value (75%) and negative predictive value (86%). Conclusions: We demonstrate the utility of a tool containing the sleep disordered breathing subscale of the Pediatric Sleep Survey Instrument and sleep fragmentation quantified using actigraphy in identifying children and adolescents with DS who have moderate/severe OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Assessment of treatment response after systemic amoxicillin/metronidazole adjunctive to subgingival instrumentation (SI) according to stages and grades of the 2018 classification of periodontal diseases. Materials and Methods: We carried out exploratory re‐analysis of the placebo‐controlled, multi‐centre ABPARO trial (52; 45/60 years of age; 205 males, 114 active smokers). Patients were randomized to SI with systemic amoxicillin 500 mg/metronidazole 400 mg (three times a day for 7 days, n = 205; ANTI) or placebo (n = 200; PLAC) and maintenance therapy every 3 months. Patients were reclassified according to the 2018 classification (stage/extent/grade). Treatment effect was the percentage of sites per patient with new attachment loss ≥1.3 mm (PSAL ≥ 1.3 mm) at 27.5 months post‐baseline/randomization. Results: All patients were assigned according to the stage (n = 49 localized stage III, n = 206 generalized stage III, n = 150 stage IV). Because of missing radiographs, only 222 patients were assigned to grades (n = 73 B, n = 149 C). Treatment (PLAC/ANTI) resulted in PSAL ≥ 1.3 mm (median; lower/upper quartile) in localized stage III (PLAC: 5.7; 3.3/8.4% vs. ANTI: 4.9; 3.0/8.3%; p =.749), generalized stage III (8.0; 4.5/14.3% vs. 4.7; 2.4/9.0%; p <.001), stage IV (8.5; 5.1/14.4% vs. 5.7; 3.3/10.6%; p =.008), grade B (4.4; 2.4/6.7% vs. 3.6; 1.9/4.7%; p =.151) and grade C (9.4; 5.3/14.3% vs. 4.8; 2.5/9.4%; p <.001). Conclusions: In generalized periodontitis stage III/grade C, a clinically relevant lower percentage of disease progression after adjunctive systemic amoxicillin/metronidazole was observed compared to placebo (PLAC: 9.7; 5.8/14.3% vs. ANTI: 4.7; 2.4/9.0%; p <.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we design and simulate a three-dimensional (3D) SU-8 tapered edge coupler for effectively guiding light from an edge-emitting semiconductor laser diode directly to a silicon waveguide to realize a hybrid on-chip silicon light source. A series of coupling efficiencies for the commonly used top silicon thicknesses of the silicon-on-insulator wafers from 220 to 3000 nm are obtained, showing that this polymer taper can largely improve the coupling efficiency when the silicon waveguide thickness is moderate, for instance, from 41% (with no taper) to 67% for the 700 nm- thick silicon waveguide under 1 μ m gap offset and relax the lateral misalignment tolerance to above one micron by suppressing the butt refractive index contrast and the mode mismatch between the laser diode and the silicon waveguide. Wave transformation inside the tapered coupler and the input silicon waveguide has also been revealed by 3D finite-difference time-domain simulations. This 3D tapered coupler is cost effective and easily fabricated which can have wide practical applications in massive production of various silicon photonic chips based on the present complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor foundry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While international trade in agricultural commodities can spur economic development especially where governance is strong, there are also concerns about the local impacts of commodity production and their distribution on the environment and on people. The sustainable development goals (SDGs), though seeing trade as a means to support their achievement, recognise the need to address potential negative social and environmental impacts. It is therefore important to assess the contribution of international trade to the SDGs in commodity production areas. The environmental impacts of commodity production are widely acknowledged, but much less is known about its social impacts, and how this affects poverty reduction objectives across different dimensions. Impacts on human wellbeing and equity depend on a multitude of factors, including resources, systemic conditions and outputs of production. Through a broad literature review on soy, coffee, cocoa and palm oil, we show how studies have addressed different aspects of these factors and their impacts. The paper demonstrates how efforts by actors in global supply chains are related to a large number of SDGs and their targets. We link the social impacts and factors to the SDGs and a list of potential indicators and variables to guide operationalisation of assessments in new empirical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synchronization dynamics for the circadian gene expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus is investigated using a transcriptional circadian clock gene oscillator model. With global coupling in constant dark (DD) conditions, the model exhibits a one-cluster phase synchronized state, in dim light (dim LL), bistability between one- and two-cluster states and in bright LL, a two-cluster state. The two-cluster phase synchronized state, where some oscillator pairs synchronize in-phase, and some anti-phase, can explain the splitting of the circadian clock, i.e., generation of two bouts of daily activities with certain species, e.g., with hamsters. The one- and two-cluster states can be reached by transferring the animal from DD or bright LL to dim LL, i.e., the circadian synchrony has a memory effect. The stability of the one- and two-cluster states was interpreted analytically by extracting phase models from the ordinary differential equation models. In a modular network with two strongly coupled oscillator populations with weak intragroup coupling, with appropriate initial conditions, one group is synchronized to the one-cluster state and the other group to the two-cluster state, resulting in a weak-chimera state. Computational modeling suggests that the daily rhythms in sleep–wake depend on light intensity acting on bilateral networks of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) oscillators. Addition of a network heterogeneity (coupling between the left and right SCN) allowed the system to exhibit chimera states. The simulations can guide experiments in the circadian rhythm research to explore the effect of light intensity on the complexities of circadian desynchronization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The order-of-addition (OofA) experiment has received a great deal of attention in the recent literature. The primary goal of the OofA experiment is to identify the optimal order in a sequence of m components. All the existing methods are model-dependent and are limited to small number of components. The appropriateness of the resulting optimal order heavily depends on (a) the correctness of the underlying assumed model, and (b) the goodness of model fitting. Moreover, these methods are not applicable to deal with large m (e.g., m ≥ 7 ). With this in mind, this article proposes an efficient adaptive methodology, building upon the quick-sort algorithm, to explore the optimal order without any model specification. Compared to the existing work, the run sizes of the proposed method needed to achieve the optimal order are much smaller. Theoretical supports are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed method is able to obtain the optimal order for large m (e.g., m ≥ 20 ). Numerical experiments are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sleep disturbances including bedtime problems and night awakenings are common during infancy. Polysomnography during the first years of life is performed mainly to rule out sleep‐disordered breathing; however, sleep‐related movement disorders can constitute a significant contributor to sleep disruption in this age group. Almost no studies have investigated the presence of periodic limb movements during sleep and underlying iron deficiency in infants, especially in those born preterm or with an underlying genetic syndrome. In this retrospective study we included infants 3–24 months referred for polysomnography for snoring or frequent nocturnal awakenings. All children had bloodwork (ferritin and haemoglobin) conducted within 3 months of the overnight sleep study. We studied 79 infants, including 31 (39.2%) full‐term without diagnosis, 10 (12.7%) born premature, 16 (20.3%) with Down syndrome, 15 (19.0%) with Prader–Willi syndrome, and the remaining seven (8.9%) had various disorders. Compared with those with Down syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome and full‐term infants, those with prematurity showed a statistically significant elevated periodic limb movement index and lower ferritin levels than the other groups. Both ferritin (r = −0.18) and haemoglobin (r = −0.30) were negatively correlated with periodic limb movement index; however, this correlation reached statistical significance only for haemoglobin. Iron deficiency is associated with increased periodic leg movements during sleep in infants. Infants with prematurity had higher periodic limb movement index and lower ferritin levels than infants with Down syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome or without diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]