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In vivo diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is limited in signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and acquisition time, which constrains spatial resolution to the macroscale regime. Ex vivo imaging, which allows for arbitrarily long scan times, is critical for exploring human brain structure in the mesoscale regime without loss of SNR. Standard head array coils designed for patients are sub-optimal for imaging ex vivo whole brain specimens. The goal of this work was to design and construct a 48-channel ex vivo whole brain array coil for high-resolution and high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging on a 3T Connectome scanner. The coil was validated with bench measurements and characterized by imaging metrics on an agar brain phantom and an ex vivo human brain sample. The two-segment coil former was constructed for a close fit to a whole human brain, with small receive elements distributed over the entire brain. Imaging tests including SNR and G-factor maps were compared to a 64-channel head coil designed for in vivo use. There was a 2.9-fold increase in SNR in the peripheral cortex and a 1.3-fold gain in the center when compared to the 64-channel head coil. The 48-channel ex vivo whole brain coil also decreases noise amplification in highly parallel imaging, allowing acceleration factors of approximately one unit higher for a given noise amplification level. The acquired diffusion-weighted images in a whole ex vivo brain specimen demonstrate the applicability and advantage of the developed coil for high-resolution and high b-value diffusion-weighted ex vivo brain MRI studies.

Throughout history, honey has been used to treat various diseases. The present work examined and assessed the in vivo anti-inflammatory potential of Moroccan thyme honey and its association with essential oils from three selected plants: Origanum vulgare L.; Mentha spicata L.; Eucalyptus globulus L. The chemical composition of the essential oils was studied, and preliminary toxicity, in vitro anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial tests were conducted. Then the anti-inflammatory effect was determined by applying carrageenan and an experimental trauma-induced paw edema test in rats. The essential oils were rich in phytochemicals and showed significant antibacterial activity against four selected ATCC bacterial strains. The results revealed the significant anti-inflammatory potential of honey and mixtures with essential oils and indicated higher efficiency of mixtures compared to honey alone. It can be concluded that the mixtures of honey and essential oils have advantageous anti-inflammatory effects and may be used for treating different types of inflammation in humans after certain clinical trials.

The use of recombinant lentivirus pseudotyped with the coronavirus Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 would circumvent the requirement of biosafety-level 3 (BSL-3) containment facilities for the handling of SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Herein, we describe a fast and reliable protocol for the transient production of lentiviruses pseudotyped with SARS-CoV-2 Spike (CoV-2 S) proteins and green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporters. The virus titer is determined by the GFP reporter (fluorescent) expression with a flow cytometer. High titers (>1.00 E+06 infectious units/ml) are produced using codon-optimized CoV-2 S, harbouring the prevalent D614G mutation and lacking its ER retention signal. Enhanced and consistent cell entry is achieved by using permissive HEK293T/17 cells that were genetically engineered to stably express the SARS-CoV-2 human receptor ACE2 along with the cell surface protease TMPRSS2 required for efficient fusion. For the widespread use of this protocol, its reagents have been made publicly available.Graphic abstract:Production and quantification of lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein

The orthogonal moments giving relevant results of these last years within the framework of object detection, pattern recognition and image reconstruction, this work based on orthogonal functions called Orthogonal Jacobi Polynomials (OJPs), and we introduce a new set of moments called Generalized Jacobi Fourier Moments (GJFMs), these polynomials are characterized by parameters α,β and λ. However, it was very important to optimize these parameters in order to obtain a good result, in this context; this study used a new approach to optimized Jacobi Fourier parameters α,β and λ using the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC) in order to improves the quality of reconstruction of images of large sizes. On the one hand, to validate this technique which offers a high image reconstruction quality. On other hand, the comparison carried out with other algorithms clearly indicates the advantage of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteomyelitis of the elbow is a rare but potentially serious inflammatory condition affecting the elbow joint. The condition is characterized by infection of the bone and surrounding tissue, usually caused by pathogenic bacteria. Although less frequent than osteomyelitis seen in other parts of the body, such as the hips or knees, elbow osteomyelitis requires special attention due to its complex localization and the diagnostic challenges it presents. Case Presentation: We will discuss the case of a 46-year-old patient who presented with an osteosynthesis-treated olecranon fracture and poor follow-up, who subsequently presented to the emergency department with osteomyelitis of the elbow. Conclusion: Elbow osteomyelitis is a complex and potentially devastating condition requiring a multidisciplinary clinical approach and early management. In light of the case study presented and the review of existing literature, several important conclusions can be drawn to improve the management of this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are proteoglycans with an unusual molecular structure characterised by the presence of a protein part and carbohydrate chains. Their specific properties at different stages of the fruit ripening programme make AGPs unique markers of this process. An important function of AGPs is to co-form an amorphous extracellular matrix in the cell wall-plasma membrane continuum; thus, changes in the structure of these molecules can determine the presence and distribution of other components. The aim of the current work was to characterise the molecular structure and localisation of AGPs during the fruit ripening process in transgenic lines with silencing and overexpression of SlP4H3 genes (prolyl 4 hydroxylase 3). The objective was accomplished through comprehensive and comparative in situ and ex situ analyses of AGPs from the fruit of transgenic lines and wild-type plants at specific stages of ripening. The experiment showed that changes in prolyl 4 hydroxylases (P4H3) activity affected the content of AGPs and the progress in their modifications in the ongoing ripening process. The analysis of the transgenic lines confirmed the presence of AGPs with highmolecular weights (120-60 kDa) at all the examined stages, but a changed pattern of the molecular features of AGPswas found in the last ripening stages, compared to WT. In addition to the AGP molecular changes, morphological modifications of fruit tissue and alterations in the spatio-temporal pattern of AGP distribution at the subcellular level were detected in the transgenic lines with the progression of the ripening process. The work highlights the impact of AGPs and their alterations on the fruit cell wall and changes in AGPs associated with the progression of the ripening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) is a system that allows an electric vehicle to connect and exchange energy with the electricity grid. This system is part of the smart-grid, which is an intelligent electricity network offering bidirectional communication and contributes to the environmental protection. Different actors are involved in communication in a V2G network, such as electric vehicles, charging stations, energy suppliers, and network operators, etc. Therefore, the V2G network faces several security challenges, such as data integrity, power system security, physical security of charging systems, data confidentiality and system interoperability. In this paper, an intrusion detection system (IDS) is proposed with the aim of predicting attacks in the V2G network. The study started with the generation of a dataset and the implementation of the Cockroach Behavior-Based Machine Learning Classifier with the objective of enhancing security of V2G networks by addressing Men-in-the-Middle (MitM) and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. The simulation results, through the MiniV2G simulator, show that the proposed system achieved a detection accuracy of 98.93 %. This improves the reliability of the V2G network for users and better protects Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) against DoS and MitM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the contribution of a multiplex PCR for respiratory viruses on antibiotic and antiviral prescription, ancillary test prescription, admission and length of stay of patients. Methods: Two hundred ninety-one adult and pediatric patients visiting the emergency department during the 2015–2016 influenza epidemic were prospectively included and immediately tested 24/7 using the FilmArray Respiratory Panel. The results were communicated to the practitioner in charge as soon as they became available. Clinical and biological data were gathered and analyzed. Findings: Results from the FilmArray Respiratory Panel do not appear to impact admission or antibiotic prescription, with the exception of a lower admission rate for children who tested positive for influenza B. Parameters that account for the clinical decisions evaluated are CRP level, white blood cell count, suspected or proven bacterial infection and, for adult patients only, signs of respiratory distress. Length of stay is also not significantly different between patients with a positive and a negative result. A rapid influenza test result permits a more appropriate prescription of oseltamivir. Keywords: FilmArray Respiratory Panel, Patient management, Respiratory viruses, Influenza, Antibiotic, Antiviral, Length of stay

In Morocco, the effects of climate change coupled with the degradation of soil resources are major factors limiting socio-economic development. Among these factors, intensive plowing practiced by Moroccan farmers causes depletion of soil organic matter (OM) and affect their physical properties (structural stability, apparent density) which promotes their erosion. The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent to which no-till (SD) can be used to address these various challenges. The adopted methodology consists of monitoring the OM contents at different depths in two sites on soils of Central Morocco with mixed plowing practices in the medium and long term: direct seeding (SD) and conventional seeding (SC). In addition, we studied the effect of SD on two physical properties of the soil: structural stability and apparent density (Da). The results obtained showed the favorable effects of the EA system on these soil properties. Differences between the two treatments were recorded on the one hand on the soil surface after 10 and 11 years of testing (first site) and on the other hand, at depth after 32 years of testing (second site) . These differences were significant (P-value

The isotherm phase diagram of the ternary system (Cu(SO4)–Zn(SO4)–H2O) was firstly established at 25 °C using a synthetic method of conductivity measurement. Then, we made use of volumetric dosing, in order to identify solid phases. The obtained isotherm has revealed the presence of two solid phases that having a stable equilibrium with the liquid phase, which are Cu(SO4)·5H2O, and the Zn(SO4)·7H2O. This study was confirmed numerically while going through the calculation of the binary and ternary Pitzer parameters for the studied salts through a Nelder Mead simplex algorithm. Indeed, the comparison of these with the bibliographic data has confirmed the accuracy of our experimental results. Keywords: Isotherm, Pitzer, Zinc sulfate, Copper sulfate, Gibbs energy

Objectives: The aim was to characterize the clinical features, outcomes, and strain diversity of laboratory-confirmed Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus, GAS) infections among inpatients hospitalized at a tertiary level hospital in Brussels, Belgium, according to the patients’ housing status (homeless vs. not homeless). Methods: Between August 2016 and January 2018, all patients hospitalized with a laboratory-confirmed GAS infection were prospectively enrolled and risk factors were recorded. GAS strains were characterized using emm-typing and emm-clustering in both inpatients and outpatients. Analyses were performed according to homelessness status. Results: During the study period, 48% (28/58) of adults hospitalized with a GAS infection at the tertiary hospital were homeless. The estimated incidence rate was 100 times higher for homeless persons. Skin abscesses were more frequent in the homeless group (21.4% vs. 3.3%) and mortality was high (10.7%). Limited emm-type diversity was found in this group, with four emm-types (64, 77, 83, and 101) accounting for 76.1% of the infections, and the majority of these emm-types belonged to the D4 emm-cluster. Pooled analyses of inpatient and outpatient strains indicated lower diversity in the homeless group. Conclusions: The homeless are disproportionately affected by GAS and have a higher rate of abscesses and high mortality. The lower emm-type diversity and preferential infection with four emm-types likely reflects endemic circulation of GAS in this population. Preventive strategies are warranted in this fragile population. Keywords: Streptococcus pyogenes, Epidemiology, Streptococcal m protein, Skin infections, Homeless persons

Lentiviral vectors (LVs) have recently witnessed an increasing demand in research and clinical applications. Their current purification processes represent the main bottleneck in their widespread use, as the methods used are cumbersome and yield low recoveries. We aimed to develop a one-step method to specifically purify LVs, with high yields and reduced levels of impurities, using the biotin-streptavidin system. Herein, packaging HEK293T cells were genetically engineered with a cyclical biotin-mimicking peptide displayed on a CD8α stalk, termed cTag8. LVs were modified with cTag8 by its passive incorporation onto viral surfaces during budding, without viral protein engineering or hindrance on infectivity. Expression of cTag8 on LVs allowed complete capture of infectious particles by streptavidin magnetic beads. As cTag8 binds streptavidin in the nanomolar range, the addition of micromolar concentrations of biotin resulted in the release of captured LVs by competitive elution, with overall yields of ≥60%. Analysis of eluted LVs revealed high purity with a >3-log and 2-log reduction in DNA contamination and host cell proteins, respectively. This one-step purification was also tested for scalable vector processing using monolith affinity chromatography, with an encouraging preliminary overall yield of 20%. This method will be of valuable use for both research and clinical applications of LVs. Keywords: lentiviral vectors, synthetic peptide, biotin mimic, streptavidin, purification, affinity chromatography, competitive elution