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A series of small- and large-scale experiments and numerical simulations were carried out to produce datasets for maximum scour depth at the base of longitudinal structures. The small-scale experimental datasets were employed to develop an empirical relationship for predicting maximum local scour depth. The measured datasets for scour patterns and depths were used to validate the accuracy of our morphodynamics model, the Virtual Flow Simulator (VFS-Geophysics). The large-scale experimental measurements and numerical simulations lead to the development of another empirical relationship to estimate the maximum general scour depth near the longitudinal structures in large-scale meandering streams/rivers. The premise of this study is that the maximum scour depths obtained from the two equations can be used independently to represent local and general scour at the base of longitudinal walls in meandering rivers. However, for a more conservative prediction, the two can be linearly summed up to obtain a total maximum scour depth. The presented correlations illustrate regression goodness of r2 = 0.63 and 0.82 for the maximum local and general scour depth equations, respectively. Nonetheless, the developed equations are valid within a specific range of parameter for the sediment material, flow field, and waterway characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbon/CoFe2O4 composite was synthesized by precipitation method. The morphology of the composite was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The electrocapacitive behaviors of the composite has been studies by cycle voltammogram and galvanic charge/discharge. The size of the nanoparticles carbon composite of CoFe2O4 was uniform and 209 nm. Due to a high percent of carbon, electrochemical measurements showed electrical double layer mechanism. Specifically, the carbon/cobalt ferrite electrode exhibited high specific capacitance of 102.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.16 A g−1, and high rate capability with 30% retention of capacitance even up to 20 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability with 81.5% retention of the initial capacitance after 6000 charge/discharge cycles, supporting that the carbon cobalt ferrite composite electrode could be a potential candidate for supercapacitor application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A versatile reaction chamber and its accessories as well as a multiparameter data acquisition system were designed, assembled, and installed in the R&D hall at NRCAM to allow nuclear measurements. The 209Bi(p,f) and 197Au(p,f) reaction experiments at Ep=30 MeV were performed. The good agreement between our experimental results as compared with previously published data are presented here to show the reliability of our apparatus. In the case of the bismuth reaction, the fission cross section obtained by using pair spectrometry as well as its associated error have been measured for the first time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Regulated cell death, including pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, is vital for the body's defense system. Recent research suggests that these three types of cell death are interconnected, giving rise to a new concept called PANoptosis. PANoptosis has been linked to various diseases, making it crucial to comprehend its mechanism for effective treatments. PANoptosis is controlled by upstream receptors and molecular signals, which form polymeric complexes known as PANoptosomes. Cell death combines necroptosis, apoptosis, and pyroptosis and cannot be fully explained by any of these processes alone. Understanding pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis is essential for understanding PANoptosis. Physical exercise has been shown to suppress pyroptotic, apoptotic, and necroptotic signaling pathways by reducing inflammatory factors, proapoptotic factors, and necroptotic factors such as caspases and TNF-alpha. This ultimately leads to a decrease in cardiac structural remodeling. The beneficial effects of exercise on cardiovascular health may be attributed to its ability to inhibit these cell death pathways.

The replacement of pyridyl by pyrazinyl in ligands of polypyridyl-based cobalt water reducing catalysts (WRC) shifts reduction potentials anodically. Together with a new, trinuclear Re I photosensitizer, these WRCs show strongly improved photocatalytic performances in turnover numbers (TONs) and maximal H 2 evolution rate. Depending on the catalyst structure, up to 65 kTONs at 1 μM WRC concentration were reached. Under electrocatalytic conditions in both DMF and H 2 O, one of the reported WRCs displays remarkable stability, producing H 2 steadily over 21 and 14 d, respectively., (© 2024 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Aim: Sleep duration has been suggested to be associated with hypertension (HTN). However, evidence of the nature of the relationship and its direction has been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between sleep duration and risk of HTN incidence, and to distinguish more susceptible populations., Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest were searched from January 2000 to May 2023 for cohort studies comparing short and long sleep durations with 7-8 hours of sleep for the risk of HTN incidence. Random-effect model (the DerSimonian-Laird method) was applied to pool risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: We included sixteen studies ranging from 2.4 to 18 years of follow-up duration evaluating HTN incidence in 1,044,035 people. Short sleep duration was significantly associated with a higher risk of developing HTN (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.06-1.09). The association was stronger when the sleep duration was less than 5 hours (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08-1.14). In contrast to males, females (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.04-1.09) were more vulnerable to developing HTN due to short sleep duration. No significant difference between different follow-up durations and age subgroups was observed. Long sleep duration was not associated with an increased incidence of HTN., Conclusion: Short sleep duration was associated with higher risk of HTN incidence, however, there was no association between long sleep duration and incidence of HTN. These findings highlight the importance of implementing target-specific preventive and interventional strategies for vulnerable populations with short sleep duration to reduce the risk of HTN., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hosseini et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Mitral regurgitation is one of the most prevalent valvulopathies with a disease burden that incurs significant healthcare costs globally. Surgical repair of the posterior mitral valve leaflet is a standard treatment, but approaches for repairing the anterior mitral valve leaflet are not widely established. Since anterior leaflet involvement is less common and more difficult to repair, fewer studies have investigated its natural history and treatment options. In this review, we discuss surgical techniques for repairing the anterior leaflet and their outcomes, including survival, reoperation, and recurrence of regurgitation. We show that most patients with mitral regurgitation from the anterior leaflet can be repaired with good outcomes if performed at centers with expertise. Additionally, equal consideration for early repair should be given to patients with mitral regurgitation from both anterior and posterior pathology. However, more studies to better evaluate the efficacy and safety of anterior mitral valve leaflet repair are needed., (Copyright © 2024 Hellenic Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Skin diseases pose challenges in treatment due to the skin's complex structure and protective functions. Topical drug delivery has emerged as a preferred method for treating these conditions, offering localized therapy with minimal systemic side effects. However, the skin's barrier properties frequently limit topical treatments' efficacy by preventing drug penetration into deeper skin layers. In recent years, laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD) has gained attention as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. LADD involves using lasers to create microchannels in the skin, facilitating the deposition of drugs and enhancing their penetration into the target tissue. Several lasers, such as fractional CO 2 , have been tested to see how well they work at delivering drugs. Despite the promising outcomes demonstrated in preclinical and clinical studies, several challenges persist in implementing LADD, including limited penetration depth, potential tissue damage, and the cost of LADD systems. Furthermore, selecting appropriate laser parameters and drug formulations is crucial to ensuring optimal therapeutic outcomes. Nevertheless, LADD holds significant potential for improving treatment efficacy for various skin conditions, including skin cancers, scars, and dermatological disorders. Future research efforts should focus on optimizing LADD techniques, addressing safety concerns, and exploring novel drug formulations to maximize the therapeutic benefits of this innovative approach. With continued advancements in laser technology and pharmaceutical science, LADD has the potential to revolutionize the field of dermatology and enhance patient care., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease affecting different cereals, particularly wheat, and poses a serious threat to global wheat production. Chitinases and β-glucanases are two important proteins involved in lysing fungal cell walls by targeting essential macromolecular components, including chitin and β-glucan micro fibrils. In our experiment, a transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum) was generated by introducing chitinase and glucanase genes using Biolistic technique and Recombinant pBI121 plasmid (pBI-ChiGlu (-)). This plasmid contained chitinase and glucanase genes as well as nptII gene as a selectable marker. The expression of chitinase and glucanase was individually controlled by CaMV35S promoter and Nos terminator. Immature embryo explants from five Iranian cultivars (Arta, Moghan, Sisun, Gascogen and A-Line) were excised from seeds and cultured on callus induction medium to generate embryonic calluses. Embryogenic calluses with light cream color and brittle texture were selected and bombarded using gold nanoparticles coated with the recombinant pBI-ChiGlu plasmid. Bombarded calluses initially were transferred to selective callus induction medium, and later, they were transfferd to selective regeneration medium. The selective agent was kanamycin at a concentration of 25 mg/l in both media. Among five studied cultivars, A-Line showed the highest transformation percentage (4.8%), followed by the Sisun, Gascogen and Arta in descending order. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration of genes into the genome of wheat cultivars. Furthermore, in an in-vitro assay, the growth of Fusarium graminearum was significantly inhibited by using 200 μg of leaf protein extract from transgenic plants. According to our results, the transgenic plants (T 1 ) showed the resistance against Fusarium when were compared to the non-transgenic plants. All transgenic plants showed normal fertility and no abnormal response was observed in their growth and development., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an underdiagnosed cause of acute coronary syndrome, particularly in younger women. Due to limited information about SCAD, case reports and case series can provide valuable insights into its features and management. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the features of SCAD patients who experienced psychophysical stress before the SCAD event., Methods: We conducted an electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception until January 7, 2023. We included case reports or series that described patients with SCAD who had experienced psychophysical stress before SCAD. Patients with pregnancy-associated SCAD were excluded from our analysis., Results: In total, we included 93 case reports or series describing 105 patients with SCAD. The average patient age was 44.29 ± 13.05 years and a total of 44 (41.9%) of patients were male. Among the included SCAD patients the most prevalent comorbidities were fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and hypertension with the prevalence of 36.4 and 21.9%, respectively. Preceding physical stress was more frequently reported in men than in women; 38 out of 44 (86.4%) men reported physical stress, while 36 out of 61 (59.1%) females reported physical stress (p value = 0.009). On the other hand, the opposite was true for emotional stress (men: 6 (13.6%)), women: 29 (47.6%), p value < 0.001). Coronary angiography was the main diagnostic tool. The most frequently involved artery was the left anterior descending (LAD) (62.9%). In our study, recurrence of SCAD due to either the progression of a previous lesion or new SCAD in another coronary location occurred more frequently in those treated conservatively, however the observed difference was not statistically significant (p value = 0.138)., Conclusion: While physical stress seems to precede SCAD in most cases, emotional stress is implicated in females more than males., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Adenosine receptors are important in the normal physiological function of cells and the pathogenesis of various cancer cells, including breast cancer cells. The activity of adenosine receptors in cancer cells is related to cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, immune system evasion, and interference with apoptosis. Considering the different roles of adenosine receptors in cancer cells, we intend to investigate the function of adenosine receptors and their biological pathways in breast cancer to improve understanding of therapeutically relevant signaling pathways., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: The rapid spread of the COVID-19 omicron variant virus has resulted in an overload of hospitals around the globe. As a result, many patients are deprived of hospital facilities, increasing mortality rates. Therefore, mortality rates can be reduced by efficiently assigning facilities to higher-risk patients. Therefore, it is crucial to estimate patients' survival probability based on their conditions at the time of admission so that the minimum required facilities can be provided, allowing more opportunities to be available for those who need them. Although radiologic findings in chest computerized tomography scans show various patterns, considering the individual risk factors and other underlying diseases, it is difficult to predict patient prognosis through routine clinical or statistical analysis. Method: In this study, a deep neural network model is proposed for predicting survival based on simple clinical features, blood tests, axial computerized tomography scan images of lungs, and the patients' planned treatment. The model's architecture combines a Convolutional Neural Network and a Long Short Term Memory network. The model was trained using 390 survivors and 108 deceased patients from the Rasoul Akram Hospital and evaluated 109 surviving and 36 deceased patients infected by the omicron variant. Results: The proposed model reached an accuracy of 87.5% on the test data, indicating survival prediction possibility. The accuracy was significantly higher than the accuracy achieved by classical machine learning methods without considering computerized tomography scan images (p-value <= 4E-5). The images were also replaced with hand-crafted features related to the ratio of infected lung lobes used in classical machine-learning models. The highest-performing model reached an accuracy of 84.5%, which was considerably higher than the models trained on mere clinical information (p-value <= 0.006). However, the performance was still significantly less than the deep model (p-value <= 0.016). Conclusion: The proposed deep model achieved a higher accuracy than classical machine learning methods trained on features other than computerized tomography scan images. This proves the images contain extra information. Meanwhile, Artificial Intelligence methods with multimodal inputs can be more reliable and accurate than computerized tomography severity scores., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Hamid R. Rabiee reports financial support was provided by 10.13039/501100003968Iran National Science Foundation. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Background: One of the basic necessities for fostering innovation in nursing students is to study the level of individual innovation using an appropriate tool. This study was conducted with the aim of translation and psychometric analysis of 20-item individual innovativeness scale (IIS) developed by Hurt et al., among Iranian nursing students., Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 140 nursing students between September 2020 and June 2021 in one of the southern cities of Iran. IIS was translated through forward-backward method, and its face validity and content validity were examined quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, its construct validity was measured by exploratory factor analysis, and its stability and internal consistency were examined., Results: The evidence of qualitative face validity and content validity of IIS were observed. The impact score was higher than 1.5, content validity ratio was between 0.6 and 1, content validity index was between 0.8 and 1, and SCVI-Average was 0.91. Based on exploratory factor analysis, three sub-scales were extracted that explained 55.49% of the changes in the questions. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.880 and 0.949, respectively., Conclusion: The Persian version of IIS had acceptable validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used to assess the level of individual innovation among nursing students and planning interventions in this field. In addition, nursing education researchers can also use this tool for descriptive and interventional studies in the field of individual innovation in nursing students., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Cancer cells require continuous synthesis of nucleotides for their uncontrolled proliferation. Deoxy thymidylate kinase (DTYMK) belongs to the thymidylate kinase family and is concerned with pyrimidine metabolism. DTYMK catalyzes the ATP-based conversion of deoxy-TMP to deoxy-TDP in both de novo and salvage pathways. Different studies demonstrated that DTYMK was increased in various types of cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma, colon cancer, lung cancer, etc. Increased level of DTYMK was associated with poorer survival and prognosis, stage, grade and size of tumor, cell proliferation, colony formation, enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs, migration. Some studies were showed that knockdown of DTYMK reduced the signaling pathway of PI3K/AKT and downregulated expression of CART, MAPKAPK2, AKT1 and NRF1. Moreover, some microRNAs could suppress DTYMK expressions. On the other hand based on the TIMER database, the infiltration of macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, B cells, CD4+ T cell and CD8+ T cell is affected by DTYMK. In the present review, we describe the genomic location, protein structure and isoforms of DTYMK and focus on its role in cancer development., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)