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Abstract Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a physical technology with notable effects on living organisms. In the present study, tomato seeds (Solanum lycopersicum var. Bassimo Mill.) were exposed to CAP for various time intervals, ranging from 1 to 5 min, in both continuous and intermittent periods, and were compared with a control group that received no CAP treatment. Seedlings grown from treated seeds exhibited improvements in levels of growth traits, photosynthetic pigments, and metabolite contents when compared to the control group. Seedlings from seeds treated with S04 displayed significant increases in shoot and root lengths, by 32.45% and 20.60% respectively, compared to the control group. Moreover, seedlings from seeds treated with S01 showed a 101.90% increase in total protein, whereas those treated with S02 experienced a 119.52% increase in carbohydrate content. These findings highlight the substantial improvements in growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, and metabolite levels in seedlings from treated seeds relative to controls. Total antioxidant capacity was boosted by CAP exposure. The activities of enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidases were stimulated by S02 and exceeded control treatment by (177.48%, 137.41%, and 103.32%), respectively. Additionally, exposure to S04 increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants like flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, and tannins over the control group (38.08%, 30.10%, 117.19%, and 94.44%), respectively. Our results indicate that CAP-seed priming is an innovative and cost-effective approach to enhance the growth, bioactive components, and yield of tomato seedlings.

Zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA)/Al2TiO5 composites were prepared via a sol–gel route. The prepared samples were uniaxially pressed and pressurelessly sintered at 1650–1700 °C for 1 h. The microstructure, densification, and X-ray diffraction patterns of the sintered ZTA/Al2TiO5 composites were investigated, and their mechanical properties, thermal coefficient, and shock resistance were characterized. The addition of Al2TiO5 hindered the grain growth of the alumina particles and enhanced the relative density, Vickers hardness, and bending strength of the composites compared with pure ZTA samples. The fracture toughness was improved by 19% upon the addition of 40 wt% Al2TiO5. Moreover, increasing the Al2TiO5 content resulted in an improvement in the thermal shock resistance.

Groundwater is an important source of drinking water and the protection of groundwater is a major environmental issue as the importance of water quality to human health. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the groundwater quality around dumpsites in Bauchi metropolis, Bauchi State, Nigeria using standard analytical techniques and multivariate statistical analysis methods such as correlation analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The mean concentration of the parameters in ground water samples ranged from pH 7.55 to 9.06, temperature 32.55 to 34.25 oC, conductivity 54.80 to 65.38 μS/cm, salinity 0.20 to 0.29 mg/L, TSS 0.36 to 1.93 mg/L, TDS 57.53 to 59.95 mg/L, HCO3 26.80 to 31.00 mg/L, PO43- 1.05 to 2.06 mg/L, SO42- 2.25 to 3.26 mg/L, NO3- 1.40 to 4.50 mg/L, NO2- 0.01 to 0.03 mg/L, and Cl- 2.14 to 8.31 mg/L. The result shows that the investigated parameters were below the WHO, permissible limit, except PO43-. The concentration of the parameters were in following trend; TDS > conductivity > temperature > HCO3> pH > NO3> SO4>Cl> PO4> TSS > salinity > NO2. Multivariate analysis revealed that the main sources of water quality parameters might be related to dumpsites around the study area. According to the HCA, and PCA, the parameters were divided into three groups; the first group correlated with Salinity, TSS, SO4, NO3 and NO2; the second group correlated with TDS and HCO3, and the third with pH, temperature, and conductivity. The hydrochemistry of groundwater from the area reveals that the water could be applied to irrigation.

The out-of season induced spawning of the Cyprinus carpio was done during the period October 2009 to February 2010 (Autumn and Winter), in the hatchery of Marin Science Center. The brooders average weight was 1.700-4.000 kg for females and 1.500-1.800 kg for males. The brooders were acclimated on 22 °C, for a period of 10 days. The photoperiod was 12-14 hour/day. The results showed that in this regime only one female and 3males had positive reaction to the pituitary gland hormone injection. While 4 female were positive to the Ovaprim during the second regime, in which the brooders were acclimated for 25 days, with same temperature and photoperiod. It was seen that the thermal acclimation for a long period out-of season was better for the maturation and spawning, and the use of Ovaprim give more response than PG extract. The indoor rearing of the larvae gives average weight of 0.5 g after 6 weeks. These results means that we can produce the fry of common carp before one month prior to the usual spawning season, which will prolong the production season in Basra Province.

In this paper, we establish some new dynamic inequalities involving C-monotonic functions with C≥1, on time scales. As a special case of our results when C=1, we obtain the inequalities involving increasing or decreasing functions (where for C=1, the 1-decreasing function is decreasing and the 1-increasing function is increasing). The main results are proved by applying the properties of C-monotonic functions and the chain rule formula on time scales. As a special case of our results, when T=R, we obtain refinements of some well-known continuous inequalities and when T=N, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the results are essentially new.

Abstract Currently, phage biocontrol is increasingly used as a green and natural technology for treating Salmonella and other infections, but phages exhibit instability and activity loss during storage. Therefore, in this study, the effects of lyophilization on the activity and stability of phage cocktails for the control of multidrug-resistant Salmonella in broiler chickens were determined. Eight serotypes of Salmonella were isolated and identified from broiler chicken farms, and bacteriophages against multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kentucky, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimrium and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis were isolated. The bacteriophage cocktail was prepared and lyophilized, and it was subjected to in vitro and in vivo examinations. A reconstituted lyophilized bacteriophage cocktail was used for the oral treatment of chicks before and after challenge with multidrug-resistant S. Kentucky. The colonization of cecum by S. Kentucky was detected by using real-time PCR, and the serum levels of IgM, IgA and IL-4 and pathological changes in the different groups were detected. Three Caudovirales phages families were identified including Autographiviridae, Straboviridae and Drexlerviridae against multidrug-resistant S. Kentucky, S. Typhimrium and S. Enteritidis. The groups treated with the bacteriophage cocktail showed no clinical signs, no postmortem lesions, and a mortality rate of 0%, which improved the growth performance parameters. Additionally, the estimated serum levels of IgM, IgA and IL-4 were significantly greater in the bacteriophage cocktail-treated groups. Lyophilization effectively preserves the long-term storage stability of phages. Therefore, lyophilized bacteriophage cocktail therapy is a valuable approach for controlling multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections in broiler chickens.

Abstract The study was designed to explore the efficiency of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs)/bacterial cell assembly to biodegrade lignin and lignocellulose, decontaminate pulp and paper-contaminated wastewater and optimize lignin adsorption by Fe3O4 NPs. Water samples were collected from three paper and carton manufacturing companies, Alexandria Governorate, Egypt. Pseudomonas otitidis MCC10330, the most active and promising strain among 10 previously screened indigenous and exogenous isolates, was selected and decorated with magnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticles, that were prepared by the co-precipitation method, characterized and used to decontaminate paper and pulp effluent in a batch mode bioassay for 4 h. Fe3O4 NPs/bacterial cell assembly achieved the highest removals (64.1, 52.0, 54.3 and 66.6%) of TSS, COD, BOD, and Total Tannin and Lignin after 1, 4 and 4 h, reaching residual concentrations (RCs) of 322, 216, 112 and 7 mg/L, which are still slightly higher (5.35, 2.7 and 1.86-fold) than their maximum permissible limits (MPLs), respectively. RCs of pH, DO and TDS in the treated effluent are accepted for safe discharging. Maximum lignin adsorption and removal (82.14%) using Fe3O4 NPs was achieved at the optimized conditions (pH 6, Fe3O4 NPs dosage of 100 mg and 10 min contact time). Results confirmed that the proposed magnetite-coated Pseudomonas otitidis treatment system is highly efficient and recommended to treat the highly contaminated pulp and paper wastewater. Also, as far as we know, this integrated assemblage is the first time to be used as a novel, very promising, eco-friendly, renewable and economical biotechnological approach to minimize/eliminate the involved pollutants with the least running time.

In order to reduce errors and enhance precision while estimating the unknown parameters of the distributions, it is crucial to choose a representative sample. The common estimation methods that estimate the parameters associated with the bathtub-shaped distribution include maximum likelihood (ML), maximum product of spacings estimation (MPSE), and Cramér-von Mises estimation (CME) methods. However, four modifications are used with the sample selection technique. They are simple random sampling (SRS), ranked set sampling (RSS), maximum ranked set sampling (MaxRSS), and double ranked set sampling (DBRSS), which is due to small sample sizes. Based on the estimation methods such as ML, MPSE, and CME, the ranked set sampling techniques do not have simple functions to manage them. The MaxRSS matrix has variable dimensions but requires fewer observations than RSS. DBRSS requires a greater number of observations than MaxRSS and RSS. According to simulation studies, the RSS, MaxRSS, and DBRSS estimators were more effective than the SRS estimator for different sample sizes. Additionally, MaxRSS was discovered to be the most efficient RSS-based technique. Other techniques, however, proved more effective than RSS for high mean squared errors. The CM method estimated the true values of the parameters more accurately and with smaller biases than ML and MPSE. The MPSE method was also found to have significant biases and to be less accurate in estimating the values of the parameters when compared to the other estimate methods. Finally, two datasets demonstrated how the bathtub-shaped distribution could be feasible based on different sampling techniques.

This paper investigates the oscillatory behavior of nonlinear third-order dynamic equations on time scales. Our main approach is to transform the equation from its semi-canonical form into a more tractable canonical form. This transformation simplifies the analysis of oscillation behavior and allows us to derive new oscillation criteria. These criteria guarantee that all solutions to the equation oscillate. Our results extend and improve upon existing findings in the literature, particularly for the special cases where $ \mathbb{T} = \mathbb{R} $ and $ \mathbb{T} = \mathbb{Z} $. Additionally, we provide illustrative examples to demonstrate the practical application of the developed criteria.

The study aimed to investigate the antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and cytotoxicity activity of a carbothioamide indole derivative. The 2-NPHC activity was evaluated using the ex vivo rat aorta ring assay, the in vivo chick chorioallantois membrane assay, the DPPH assay for scavenging activity, and the expression of the VEGF gene in colon cancer cell line (HCT116). The 2-NPHC had significant antiangiogenic activity in a dose-dependent manner in the rat aorta assay. 2-NPHC managed to reduce the DPPH free radical in a concentration-dependent, 2-NPHC had low to non-toxic effects on the HUVEC cell line, with an IC50 value of 711.7 μg/ml. The VEGF gene expression in the HCT116 cell line reduced the target gene expression compared to control cells. In conclusion, 2-NPHC exhibited significant inhibition of the angiogenesis process, either directly by inhibiting the release or activity of VEGF or indirectly through its antioxidant properties.

Abstract Background The insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and growth hormone (GH) genes have been identified as major regulators of milk yield and composition, and reproductive performance in cattle. Genetic variations/polymorphism in these genes have been found to influence milk production, yield and quality. This investigation aimed to explore the association between IGF-I and GH polymorphisms and milk yield and composition, and reproductive performance in a herd consisting of 1000 Holstein–Friesian (HF) dairy cattle from El-Alamia farm. The experimental animals were 76 ± 7.25 months in age, with an average live weight of 750 ± 50.49 kg, and raised under the same conditions of feeding and weather. The studied animals were divided into three categories; high producers (n = 280), medium producers (n = 318) and low producers (n = 402). Results The digestion of 249 bp for IGF-I-SnaBI using the Restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism (RFLP) technique yielded two alleles; T (0.59) and C (0.41) and three genotypes; TT (0.52), TC (0.39) and CC (0.09) and this agrees with the results of DNA/gene sequencing technique. The sequencing analysis of the IGF-I gene revealed polymorphism in position 472 (C > T). Nucleotide sequencing of the amplified fragment of the IGF-I gene of different genotypes was done and submitted to the NCBI GenBank with Accession no. MH156812.1 and MH156811.1. While the digestion of 432 bp for GH-AluI using the RFLP technique yielded two alleles; A (0.81) and G (0.19) and two genotypes; AA (0.77) and AG (0.23) and this agrees with the results of DNA/gene sequencing technique. The sequencing analysis of the GH gene revealed polymorphism in the position 1758 C > G and in turn led to changes in amino acid sequence as Alanine for (A) compared to Glycine for (G). Nucleotide sequencing of the amplified fragment of the GH gene was done and submitted to the NCBI GenBank with Accession no. MH156810.1. The results of this study demonstrate the effects of variants of the GH-IGF-I somatotrophic axis on milk production and composition traits in commercial HF cattle. The greatest values of milk yield and reproductive performance were observed on IGF-I-SnaBI-TC and GH-AluI-AG genotypes. While the greatest % fat and % protein values were observed on IGF-I-SnaBI-CC and GH-AluI-AA genotyped individuals. Conclusion The genetic variation of the studied genes can be utilized in selecting animals with superior milk yield, composition and reproductive performance in Holstein–Friesian Dairy Cattle under subtropical conditions.

The literature on laboratory objectives in engineering education research is scattered and inconsistent. Systematic literature reviews identified the need for better understanding. This paper ranks the laboratory learning objectives across the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains to improve scaffolding. It provides an opportunity for reflection, a pathway to confirm assessment alignment, and opens future research areas. To accomplish this, the Laboratory Learning Objectives Measurement (LLOM) instrument is used to survey 160 academics from around the world representing 18 engineering disciplines. The results suggest that the collective ranking order does represent a framework that can be used broadly. However, for greater alignment with consensus thinking, discipline rankings should be used. The cognitive domain was deemed the most important. These results provide the community's opinion and may not necessarily be best practice, providing an opportunity for reflection.

Electrical and mechanical properties of polymer composite materials are investigated through the determination of resistivity and hardness for composites samples. Epoxy composite samples have been prepared with different concentrations of certain inorganic fillers such as; Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Silica (SiO2), of various size (micro, nano and hybrid) to study the electrical and mechanical behavior. The volume resistivity reaches 3.23×1014 ohm.cm for the micro silica composite. Surface of composite material has been mechanically examined by hardness test. The results show that the resistivity of microcomposites and nanocmposites are increased with the decrease of filler concentration. But the resistivity of hybrid composites is increased with the increase of filler concentration. Maximum hardness value was obtained from hybrid silica composite with 0.1% filler concentration.

Abstract In recent years, handheld and portable terahertz instruments have been in rapid development for various applications ranging from non-destructive testing to biomedical imaging and sensing. For instance, we have deployed our Portable Handheld Spectral Reflection (PHASR) Scanners for in vivo full-spectroscopic imaging of skin burns in large animal models in operating room settings. In this paper, we debut the polarimetric version of the PHASR Scanner, and describe a generalized calibration technique to map the spatial and spectral dependence of the Jones matrix of an imaging scanner across its field of view. Our design is based on placement of two orthogonal photoconductive antenna (PCA) detectors separated by a polarizing beam splitter in the PHASR Scanner housing. We show that as few as three independent measurements of a well-characterized polarimetric calibration target are sufficient to determine the polarization state of the incident beam at the sample location, as well as to extract the Jones propagation matrix from the sample location to the detectors. We have tested the accuracy of our scanner by validating polarimetric measurements obtained from a birefringent crystal rotated to various angles, as compared to the theoretically predicted response of the sample. This new version of our PHASR scanner can be used for high-speed imaging and investigation of heterogeneity of polarization-sensitive samples in the field.

Abstract The escalating threat posed by the Monkeypox virus (MPXV) to global health necessitates the urgent discovery of effective antiviral agents, as there are currently no specific drugs available for its treatment, and existing inhibitors are hindered by toxicity and poor pharmacokinetic profiles. This study aimed to identify potent MPXV inhibitors by screening a diverse library of small molecule compounds derived from marine fungi, focusing on the viral protein VP39, a key methyltransferase involved in viral replication. An extensive virtual screening process identified four promising compounds—CMNPD15724, CMNPD28811, CMNPD30883, and CMNPD18569—alongside a control molecule. Rigorous evaluations, including re-docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and hydrogen bond analysis, were conducted to assess their inhibitory potential against MPXV VP39. CMNPD15724 and CMNPD30883, in particular, demonstrated a superior binding affinity and stable interactions within the target protein's active site throughout the MD simulations, suggesting a capacity to overcome the limitations associated with sinefungin. The stability of these VP39-compound complexes, corroborated by MD simulations, provided crucial insights into the dynamic behavior of these interactions. Furthermore, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based free energy landscape assessments offered a detailed understanding of the dynamic conformational changes and energetic profiles underlying these compounds' functional disruption of VP39. These findings establish CMNPD15724, CMNPD28811, CMNPD30883, and CMNPD18569 as promising MPXV inhibitors and highlight marine fungi as a valuable source of novel antiviral agents. These compounds represent potential candidates for further experimental validation, advancing the development of safer and more effective therapeutic options to combat this emerging viral infection.

The results of this study showed that out of 287 individuals (135 males and 152 females) of the spider crab Menaethius monoceros collected from the Red Sea and the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, 15 individuals (6 males and 9 females) were infected with Parasacculina pilosella (Van Kampen & Boschma, 1925) (Polyascidae: Rhizocephala: Cirripedia: Crustacea). A total of 20 externae were recorded, including 11 singles, three doubles, and only one triple on the infected crab abdomens. The overall infection rate was 5.23% for the combined sexes at all sites, declined to 4.44% in males, but increased to 5.92% in females, reaching a higher rate of 16.07% in the populations of Marsa Alam and Shalateen sectors during summer. The examined externae have variable colors, sizes, and shapes based on their sexual maturity, which has been classified into four stages: immature or virgin, early mature, maturing, and late (spent externae). The largest number of externae was eight extruded on the 3rd abdominal segment, while it decreased to six, two, and one on the 4th, 2nd and 5th segments, respectively. The size of externae varied from 1.3 × 1.0 × 1.0 to 6.3 × 4.5 × 2.5 mm (Breadth × Height × Thickness). These results showed changes in the external secondary sexual characters of the infected males, represented by the remarkable broadness of the abdomen fringed with marginal setae and invagination of the sternum, but were limited in infected females.

Purpose: To determine the effect of electromagnetic waves of mobile phone stations on several sperm parameters and the male reproductive system. Methods: This observational study was performed on 216 subjects, aged 18-60 years. Two equal groups of subjects were assigned to group A (study group) if they were living close to cell phone tower stations for at least 6 months and group B (control group) formed from individuals living 100 meters away from cell phone tower stations. Every subject underwent a comprehensive history taking, a clinical assessment, and laboratory testing. Results: Regarding morphology index in the studied groups, the exposed group exhibited a trend of reduced percentage of normal morphology compared to the non-exposed group, with no statistical difference between the two groups. Regarding the total sperm motility (A+B+C) and progressive sperm motility (A+B) in the studied groups, the exposed group showed a trend of decreased total sperm motility and of progressive sperm motility in contrast to the non-exposed group, with no statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusions: Personal wrong lifestyles with exposure to electromagnetic waves have shown a trend towards a reduced percentage of normal morphology and reduced motility although nonstatistically significant compared with non-exposed populations.

Cancer is a critical health problem, and chemotherapy administration is mandatory for its eradication. However, chemotherapy like doxorubicin (Dox) has serious side-effects including cognitive impairment or chemo brain. Melatonin is a neuroprotective agent that has antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to explore melatonin's effect on Dox-induced chemo brain to discover new mechanisms associated with Dox-induced neurotoxicity and try to prevent its occurrence. Thirty-two male albino rats had been equally divided into four groups; control, melatonin-administrated, Dox-induced chemo brain, and melatonin + Dox treated. On the 9th day, brain had been excised after scarification and had been assessed for reactive oxygen species measurement, histopathological analysis, immunohistochemical, gene and protein expressions for the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), p53 and Silent information regulator 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1). Our results show that melatonin coadministration diminished Dox induced hippocampal and prefrontal cortex (PFC) cellular degeneration. It alleviated Nitric Oxide (NO) level and reversed the decline of antioxidant enzyme activities. It also upregulated Nrf2, SIRT1 and downregulated p53 gene expression in rats receiving Dox. Moreover, melatonin elevated the protein expression level of Nrf2, SIRT1 and reduced p53 corresponding to immunohistochemical results. The data suggested that melatonin can mitigate Dox-induced neurotoxicity by aggravating the endogenous antioxidants and inducing neurogenesis through activation of Nrf2/p53–SIRT1signaling pathway in adult rats' PFC. These effects were associated with Nrf2, SIRT1 activation and p53 inhibition. This could be guidance to add melatonin as an adjuvant supplement to Dox regimens to limit its adverse effect on the brain function.

إذا كان الأدب نوع من أنواع التعبير الراقي عن الأحاسيس والمشاعر الإنسانية التي تجول بخاطر الأديب، والتعبير عن منطلقاته الفكرية، وخبرته الإنسانية في الحياة، فإنَّ الشعر فرع من فروع الأدب، وهو ما يتضمن رؤى ويحتوي توجهات يقدمها الشاعر بصورة فنية وشعرية رمزية متبنياً تلك الرؤى والأفكار، متخذاً مبنى وأسلوباً تقنياً ليفرغ ما في ذهنه من تلك التوجهات الفكرية بصورة أدبية، فإنَّ دراستنا هذه تتخذ منر الرمز الديني والتاريخي مجالاً للوقوف على الرمز في شعر بلند الحيدري، وطريقة توظيفه، وكيف غدا عنده الرمز الديني والتاريخي تراثاً رمزياً، تماهي مع التاريخي والديني، فحول القصيدة إلى رؤيا ونبوءة وحلم، ووصلها باللاواقع واللازمان. تحدث الدارس عن علاقة الرمز بالشعر والتاريخ، وعن توظيف الرمز عند الشاعر بلند وشهرته في هذا المجال، وعن توظيف شخصيات تاريخية دينية سواء أكانت إيجابية أو سلبية، متخذاً تقنية الرمز إطاراً فنياً يوظفه بما يناسب تجربته الذاتية وإضفاء الموضوعية إلى نتاجه الإبداعي وكيفية تعامله مع ذلك النوع من الرموز، وتلك الشخصية الدينية والتاريخية، في الاعتماد عليهما لإيصال تجربته الشعرية وموقفه من الواقع لمتلقيه الواعي لتلك الشخصية وذلك التوظيف الرمزي، وهذا ما سنتناوله في هذا البحث لسبر أغوار تجربة بلند وبحث مصادر الصورة الفنية في أعماله الشعرية، متخذين المنهج الوصفي التحليلي خطاً ومنهجاً دراسياً نسير عليه في تفسير وتحليل المقاطع الشعرية.

Magnetohydrodynamic and entropy generation of double-diffusive mixed convection in a curvilinear cavity filled with nano-enhanced phase change material and a rotating cylinder has been studied in this paper. Three heat sources have been considered and a range of different variables such as Reynolds number (10 ≤ Re ≤ 100), Richardson number (0.1≤ Ri ≤ 10), Hartmann number (0≤ Ha ≤50) Lewis number (0.1≤ Le ≤ 0.9), bouncy ratio (1≤ Nz ≤ 5), fusion temperature (0.1≤ θf ≤0.9) and Stephan number (0.1≤ Ste ≤0.9). These variables have been numerically solved by applying the Finite Element Method. The main results indicated that heat transfer, mass transfer and heat capacity are hugely increased with the increase of the Re, Ri and volume concentration while decreasing with the increase of the Ha number and entropy generation. Furthermore, the melting/solidification region is hugely influenced by the fusion temperature while this variable has a negligible influence on streams, heat transfer and mass transfer. Furthermore, the value of the average Nusselt number and average Sherwood number has increased by 328 % and 258 % respectively by increasing the Reynolds number from 10 to 100. Also, these two numbers have decreased by 61 % and 54 % respectively by increasing the Hartmann number from 0 to 20.

The dense plasma focus (DPF) device has great potential as a fusion energy generator using hydrogen-boron (pB11) fuel1. Experiments using deuterium have already demonstrated mean ion energies >200 keV, in the range needed for burning pB112. To test that potential, we are preparing for experiments with hydrogen-boron fuel in the megampere DPF device, FF-2B. We plan to use isotopically-pure decaborane (B10H14) as the fuel source and have installed equipment for the safe handling and disposal of the toxic vapors from this material. High isotopic purity of the boron-11 is required to avoid generation of radioactive Be-7. While the main pB11 fusion reaction produces no neutrons, two side reactions do produce both neutrons and radioactive C-11. We show how these reaction products can be used with suitable detectors to provide accurate data on fusion yield, and the density and ion energy of the confined fusion-producing plasma.

Abstract Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions are both acute allergic responses known to be potentially fatal if not treated emergently. Signs include bronchospasm, urticaria, nausea and vomiting, pharyngeal edema and cardiovascular collapse. Nicardipine hydrochloride is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker that has emerged as a first‐line antihypertensive in which emergent blood pressure control is critical. The patient in this case is a 52‐year‐old male who arrived at the emergency department (ED) with right‐sided hemineglect, severe dysarthria, and aphasia, and he was diagnosed with an acute left thalamic hemorrhage. His blood pressure readings were initially 252/135 mmHg despite multiple intermittent boluses of intravenous hydralazine. He was administered a nicardipine hydrochloride infusion at 2.5 mg/h. Due to poor blood pressure control, the rate was titrated up in increments of 2.5 mg/h in the span of 30 min. While up titrating the infusion rate, he developed diffuse swelling and erythema to his left upper extremity in which the medication was being infused, a body wide urticarial rash, tachycardia, diaphoresis, wheezing, and hypoxemia saturating 85% on room air.

The rise in drug-resistant fungal infections poses a significant public health concern, necessitating the development of new antifungal therapies. We aimed to address this challenge by targeting a yeast casein kinase of Candida albicans for antifungal drug development. The compound library contained 589 chemical structures similar to the previously identified kinase inhibitor GW461484A. Through virtual screening, four compounds with the PubChem IDs 102583821, 12982634, 102487860, and 86260205 were selected based on their binding energies. Hydrophobic bonds and van der Waals interactions stabilised the docked complexes. Comprehensive interaction studies and a 200-nanosecond molecular dynamics simulation suggested that these molecules can maintain stable interactions with the target, as evidenced by satisfactory RMSD and RMSF values. The Rg-RMSD-based Free Energy Landscape of these complexes indicated thermodynamic stability due to the presence of conformers with global minima. These promising findings highlight the potential for developing novel antifungal therapies targeting Yck2 in C. albicans. Further experimental validation is required to assess the efficacy of these compounds as antifungal agents. This research provides a significant step towards combating antifungal resistance and opens up a new avenue for drug discovery.

This research aims at studying the intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater to diffuse environmental pollutants in the Muravera coastal agricultural area of Sardinia, Italy. The area faces contamination risks arising from agricultural practices, especially the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and various chemicals that can seep into the groundwater. The study examined the interplay among hydrological elements, including soil characteristics, groundwater depth, climate conditions, land use, and aquifer properties. To do that, the outcomes of FLOWS 1D physically-based agrohydrological model were analyzed in parallel with those of the overlay-and-index model SINTACS, in a sort of reciprocal benchmarking. By using FLOWS, water movement and solute transport in the unsaturated zone were simulated by, respectively, solving the Richard Equation (RE) and the Advection-Dispersion equation (ADE). As such, this model allowed to account for the role of soil hydraulic and hydro-dispersive properties variability in determining the travel times of a conservative solute through the soil profile to the groundwater. For FLOWS simulations, a complete dataset was used as input, including soil horizons, soil physical and hydraulic properties of 36 soil profiles, average annual depth to groundwater table at each soil profile (ranging from 1 to 50 meters), and climatic temporal series data on rainfall and evapotranspiration. Detailed analyses of travel times for the movement of 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the solute mass to reach groundwater were conducted, revealing that the depth to groundwater predominantly influences vulnerability. This result was coherent with SINTACS vulnerability map due to the large impact of the depth to groundwater on SINTACS analysis.

The neutron irradiation facilities offered by the ET-RR-2 and the HPGe-detection system are used for elemental investigation of three samples of domestic fertilizers. A total of 31 elements have been identified as major and minor concentration values. The Pneumatic Irradiation Transfer Systems (PITS) and the core of the reactor are used for short and long time irradiation. The data obtained for some of the identified elements are compared with the corresponding values obtained by the XRF and the ICP-MS techniques for the same samples. The range of the concentration values of these elements was in between several parts per million (ppm) up to 45 %. A discussion on the elemental concentration values and their biological effect are given.

This study presents a novel investigation into the thermal behavior of a hybrid nanofluid (MgO − Ag − H2O) in natural convection around a porous fin in a triangular enclosure under the influence of radiation and magnetohydrodynamic effects. The research uniquely combines these complex phenomena, addressing a significant gap in the literature. This configuration has potential applications in advanced solar thermal collectors, electronic cooling systems for high-power devices, and compact heat exchangers in various industries. The main objectives are to understand how various parameters influence heat transfer and fluid flow behavior and to optimize the design for enhanced thermal performance. The study considers a range of variables including Rayleigh number (103 − − 106), Hartmann number (0 – 50), Aspect ratio (0.3 – 0.6), radiation parameters (Rd = 1 − − 5, λ = 1 − 5), and volume concentration (0- 0.05), which have been numerically analyzed using the finite element method (FEM). The findings reveal that increasing the Darcy number (Da) enhances heat transfer at low Rayleigh numbers (Ra = 103,104). However, at higher Ra (Ra = 106), the impact of Da becomes more complex, with a critical Da beyond which heat transfer efficiency decreases due to an increase in flow resistance. The nanoparticle volume concentration plays a vital role, as higher concentrations lead to improved heat transfer efficiency, especially at higher Ra, through enhanced thermal conductivity and thermal dispersion. The length of the porous fin greatly impacts fluid flow patterns and heat transfer rates, with longer fins creating more complex flow patterns, promoting enhanced heat transfer and stronger thermal plumes. Thermal radiation, represented by the radiation parameters (Rd and λ), significantly influences both the heat transfer rate and the convective flow patterns within the enclosure. This study also incorporates a comprehensive entropy generation analysis, providing novel insights into system irreversibilities and optimization potential. The entropy analysis reveals the complex interplay between various parameters and their impact on system efficiency, offering valuable guidance for designing high-performance thermal management systems.