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Abstract Formic acid is one of the most promising candidates for the long-term storage of hydrogen in liquid form. Herein, we present a new collection of ruthenium pincer complexes of the general formula [RuHCl(POP)(PPh3)] using commercially available or easy-to-synthesize tridentate xantphos-type POP pincer ligands. We applied these complexes in the dehydrogenation of formic acid to CO2 and H2 using the ionic liquid BMIM OAc (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) as solvent under mild, reflux-free conditions. The best performing catalyst with respect to maximum turnover frequency, the literature-known complex [RuHCl(xantphos)(PPh3)] Ru-1, produced a maximum turnover frequency of 4525 h−1 with 74% conversion after 10 min at 90 °C and complete conversion (> 98%) occurring within 3 h. On the other hand, the best overall performing catalyst, the novel complex [RuHCl(iPr-dbfphos)(PPh3)] Ru-2, facilitated full conversion within 1 h leading to an overall turnover frequency of 1009 h−1. Moreover, catalytic activity was observed at temperatures as low as 60 °C. Only CO2 and H2 are observed in the gas phase, with no CO detected. High-resolution mass spectrometry suggests the presence of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in the reaction mixture.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing global concern in small animal veterinary practices. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in companion animals can contribute to the spread of AMR between animals and humans. This study aimed to assess small animal veterinarians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR in North Macedonia. A web-based questionnaire was developed, including questions addressing demographics, owner influence on antibiotic prescription and prescribing practices. The response rate of the small animal veterinarians was 47.50% (57/120), with most of them (84.20%) having 1-15 years of work experience. Pearson’s chi-square test of independence was used for contingency tables that met the chi-square assumption, and Fisher’s exact test was conducted for contingency tables that did not. Most veterinarians responded that they had perceived pressure and direct demands from pet owners to prescribe antimicrobials (35.09% frequently, 45.61% occasionally). In the survey, 50.77% of the veterinarians reported frequently administering antibiotics without conducting bacteriological or antimicrobial susceptibility testing. They typically resorted to these tests in cases with recurrent infections, such as skin infections (19.63%), or when empirical therapy is ineffective (14.72%). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that veterinarians play a crucial role in tackling the AMR in North Macedonia. The lack of stewardship programs or guidelines for responsible antimicrobial use in companion animals is a critical issue that requires urgent attention, emphasizing the vital role of veterinarians in combating AMR.

Editorial.

Abstract Materials for radiation detection are critically important and urgently demanded in diverse fields, starting from fundamental scientific research to medical diagnostics, homeland security, and environmental monitoring. Low-dimensional halides (LDHs) exhibiting efficient self-trapped exciton (STE) emission with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) have recently shown a great potential as scintillators. However, an overlooked issue of exciton-exciton interaction in LDHs under ionizing radiation hinders the broadening of its radiation detection applications. Here, we demonstrate an exceptional enhancement of exciton-harvesting efficiency in zero-dimensional (0D) Cs3Cu2I5:Tl halide single crystals by forming strongly localized Tl-bound excitons. Because of the suppression of non-radiative exciton-exciton interaction, an excellent α/β pulse-shape-discrimination (PSD) figure-of-merit (FoM) factor of 2.64, a superior rejection ratio of 10−9, and a high scintillation yield of 26 000 photons MeV−1 under 5.49 MeV α-ray are achieved in Cs3Cu2I5:Tl single crystals, outperforming the commercial ZnS:Ag/PVT composites for charged particle detection applications. Furthermore, a radiation detector prototype based on Cs3Cu2I5:Tl single crystal demonstrates the capability of identifying radioactive 220Rn gas for environmental radiation monitoring applications. We believe that the exciton-harvesting strategy proposed here can greatly boost the applications of LDHs materials.

The objective of this article is to present the potential of network analysis in the field of music historiography. Starting from previous research, I will try to expand the applicative horizons of the technique in two different ways. First, by involving a wide plurality of music practices; then through the employment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The case study examined will be the live music scene of Milan at the time of the economic boom (1958-1962), observed through the lens of a data set of 8288 musical events. Network analysis will allow us to synchronically visualize different types of relationships, such as the ones between performers and composers, which appear to have been unequivocally reticular. Then, it will be possible to demonstrate how the properties of these networks are closely linked to music genre and mediated by urban and performative space. Finally, the consonance between the results achieved and pre-existing historiographical research will suggest the effectiveness of an “ecological” approach to musical network analysis.

A synthesis route to access triazole–pyrazole hybrids via triazenylpyrazoles was developed. Contrary to existing methods, this route allows the facile N-functionalization of the pyrazole before the attachment of the triazole unit via a copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition. The developed methodology was used to synthesize a library of over fifty new multi-substituted pyrazole–triazole hybrids. We also demonstrate a one-pot strategy that renders the isolation of potentially hazardous azides obsolete. In addition, the compatibility of the method with solid-phase synthesis is shown exemplarily.

The aim of this discussion paper is to show the way to the outdoors by shedding light on conditions in the physical environment enabling outdoor stays for older adults living in residential care facilities (RCFs). The origin was that outdoor stays is a basic human need and applies to everyone. However, despite extensive research on the health-promoting values of contact with the outdoors, it seems that for older adults in RCFs this is not met because they often have difficulty getting outdoors on their own. Therefore, the access to and the conditions of outdoor environments are discussed and exemplified through two cases based on evidence-based approaches, namely the principal model of four zones of contact with the outdoors, and the Swedish version of the Sheffield Care Environment Assessment Matrix (S-SCEAM). An interdisciplinary team, including both researchers and practitioners highlights future directions by showing the way to the outdoors on a national level with six suggested points. As a reader, you will gain increased knowledge about environmental qualities that support outdoor stays as well as initiatives that are needed to achieve equal conditions related to outdoor stays in RCFs.

Se efectúa una sucinta revisión histórica de la evolución del rol del siquiatra, desde la edad antigua hasta la actualidad, con el objeto de reivindicar su imagen profesional, deslindar su campo de acción científico-social, proyectar su real perfil profesional, relievar su identidad con el quehacer siquiátrico y afirmar su liderazgo en el área de la salud mental. Desde el año 313 d.J.C. hasta 1793, los siquiatras fueron marginados en la atención del paciente siquiátrico, merced a la concepción sobrenatural de las enfermedades mentales que prevaleció durante el medievo. Desde entonces la siquiatría y los siquiatras han heredado estigmas que aún prevalecen en el consenso social. Se mencionan algunas contribuciones trascedentales aportadas al campo de la siquiatría por figuras paradigmáticas de la medicina y de la siquiatría mundial,. al final, se describe el elevado grado de formación científica, académica y humanística del siquiatra moderno, que lo califica como un sicoterapeuta y promotor de salud mental por antonomasia.

A large body of literature indicates that physical activity in general is associated with a variety of health benefits. Mountain sport activities (e.g., mountain hiking, climbing, mountaineering, or skiing) are considered popular modalities of physical activity in both inhabitants of and tourists in mountainous areas. In addition, the majority of mountain sport activities show characteristics that may be favorable for a positive influence on mental health. However, the potential of mountain sport activities on mental health parameters (including, but not limited to affective state, stress, coping abilities, self-efficacy, and quality of life) has been less researched compared to non-mountain sport activities. Therefore, the aims of the present narrative review are to identify characteristics of mountain sport activities related to potential influences on mental health and to summarize current findings on the acute and longer-term effects of sport activities in mountainous areas on affective state and on mental health in general. Furthermore, hypotheses aiming to explain these effects are discussed. Although mountain sport activities show a large diversity in their features, many modalities share characteristics that can be considered relevant in the context of both short-term effects on affective states and of longer-term effects on mental health (Figure 1). Already existing secondary literature focusing specifically on mountain sport activities is limited to one systematic review in the context of mountaineering (Jackman et al., 2020) and one narrative review on health effects of skiing (Burtscher et al., 2019). Original articles for acute effects on affective state and for longer-term effects on mental health parameters were found for mountaineering/alpine climbing, sport climbing, mountain hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. In summary, it can be said that single bouts of mountain sport activities have the potential to positively influence affective state. Observations on negative affective state during the activity are explained by the focus that the participants need to overcome the challenges during the activities. Positive longer-term effects on mental health by mountain sport activity programs are reported in literature. Negative effects on mental health are reported less frequently and occur primarily in the case of accidents or are related to the strenuous experiences during mountaineering expeditions. Potential benefits of mountain sport activities can be explained using approaches related to the physical activity (similar to non-mountain sport activities, e.g., self-efficacy hypothesis) and the environmental conditions in which the activities are practiced (e.g., attention restoration theory). However, the number of studies on hypotheses explaining mental health effects is limited. In addition, not all modalities of mountain sport activities are represented in the literature. In particular, mechanistic considerations of the decisive factors in the various mountain sport activities that can influence mental health would be desirable. References Burtscher, M., Federolf, P. A., Nachbauer, W., & Kopp, M. (2019). Potential health benefits from downhill skiing. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, Article 1924. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01924 Jackman, P. C., Hawkins, R. M., Burke, S. M., Swann, C., & Crust, L. (2020). The psychology of mountaineering: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 16(1), 27-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984x.2020.1824242

Introduction & Purpose Research shows that even short exercise programs can have positive effects on affective state (Focht, 2009), which in turn could have a positive influence on the intention to exercise in the future (Finne et al., 2022). The state of research in recent years also indicates that such benefits can be enhanced by manipulating expectations (Helfer et al., 2015). However, most of these studies on expectation effects were conducted in laboratory settings, meaning that the results are transferable to a natural context or everyday situations only to a limited extent. The aim of this study was therefore to examine whether the manipulation of affective expectations can influence affective state after physical activity in a more naturalistic setting; in addition, it was investigated whether the expectation manipulation has an effect on the intention for future exercise. Methods In an online experiment, 121 physically active students (25.58 ± 5.11 years), 70.2% female, were randomly assigned to either a ten-minute, virtually-guided whole-body workout (PA), a ten-minute, virtually-guided whole-body workout after manipulation of affective expectations via audio file (PA + EM), or a sedentary control intervention (CG). In the audio file, a purported speaker for the research team highlighted that recent research indicates that brief workouts would have particularly positive effects on stress experience and affective state. Pre- and post-intervention data, including affective state and intention, were collected using questionnaires, such as the Mood Survey Scales by Abele-Brehm and Brehm (1986). Results After controlling for the baseline level before the intervention via analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), PA and PA + EM showed significantly more positive scores than CG in several parameters of affective state (e.g., scale Activation, Elation, Fatigue) after the intervention, in some scales (e.g., Affective Valence, Depression) only PA + EM differed significantly from CG. The mean scores in intention after the intervention did not differ significantly between PA + EM (27.00 ± 4.57), PA (27.41 ± 6.79), and CG (27.70 ± 5.78), p = .836. Discussion Even a short, virtually-guided workout can have strong positive effects on affective state. No direct effects of the expectation manipulation on affective state or intention were found. Possible reasons for this include ceiling effects in the participants’ expectations, or that the form of expectation manipulation used was less suitable for influencing the outcomes. However, in some affective parameters, the expectation manipulation was the decisive factor for the differences to the control group, so that more latent effects of the manipulation cannot be ruled out. Conclusion Even though no significant effects of the expectation manipulation were found, the results do not appear to be entirely unaffected by it. Also, because the differences found in affect could have a long-term effect on physical activity behavior, further research is needed in this field in order to be able to make more reliable statements. From a practical perspective, when designing or implementing interventions to increase physically active behavior, practitioners should be aware of the importance of the wording used when describing physical activity to their clients. References Abele-Brehm, A., & Brehm, W. (1986). Zur Konzeptualisierung und Messung von Befindlichkeit: Die Entwicklung der „Befindlichkeitsskalen“ (BFS) [The conceptualization and measurement of mood: The development of the “Mood Survey“]. Diagnostica, 32(3), 209-228. Finne, E., Nigg, C., Weyland, S., Sauzet, O., Wienke, B., & Jekauc, D. (2022). Examining the role of affective states in relation to exercise intentions and participation in extra-curricular exercise classes at university: A repeated measurement observational study. Frontiers in Psychol, 13, Article 815466. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815466 Focht, B. C. (2009). Brief walks in outdoor and laboratory environments: Effects on affective responses, enjoyment, and intentions to walk for exercise. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80(3), 611-620. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2009.10599600 Helfer, S. G., Elhai, J. D., & Geers, A. L. (2015). Affect and exercise: Positive affective expectations can increase post-exercise mood and exercise intentions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(2), 269-279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-014-9656-1

Introduction & Purpose Substrate metabolism, especially lipid metabolism and thus fat oxidation, is of special interest to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases (diabetes, high cholesterol or triglycerides, etc), and improve athletic performance (Aird et al., 2018). Thus, patients and athletes are recommended to engage in exercise training at a mild to moderate intensity where fat oxidation is high. Fasting is known to increase lipolysis (i.e., fat oxidation) and therefore may represent a simple intervention to increase training induced adaptions in fat oxidation (Venables & Jeukendrup, 2008). However, breaking the fast with a carbohydrate meal prior to aerobic training may limit these benefits because carbohydrate consumption is known to prioritize carbohydrate oxidation during exercise (Achten & Jeukendrup, 2003). Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that 8 weeks of aerobic exercise training at a workload that maximizes fat oxidation would improve the maximal rate of fat oxidation during exercise. Moreover, engaging in a fasting regime would augment the improvements in fat oxidation, but breaking the fast prior to training with a carbohydrate rich snack would attenuate the improvements in fat oxidation. Methods Thirty-six participants (28 females, 8 males) were randomized into three groups. 1) One group fasted for at least 14 hours prior to training, 2) One group fasted, but consumed a carbohydrate rich snack 30 minutes prior to training, 3) One exercise only control group where participants could eat ad libitum. Pre-tests included anthropometric measurements, a bio-impedance-analyses, and cycle ergometry combined with indirect calorimetry to identify maximum rates of fat oxidation (fatmax). All participants exercised on a stationary bike 3x/week for 60 min at a heart rate that corresponded to 90-100% of their individualized fatmax values. Pre-test measurements were repeated after the intervention. Rates of fat and carbohydrate oxidation, energy expenditure and heart rate were analysed as workload matched and absolute data using a series of 3 x 2 mixed ANOVAs. Results 3 x 2 mixed ANOVA showed no group-by-time interactions for any workload-matched data (fatmax: p = 0.371, η²p = 0.058; CHO: p = 0.540, η²p = 0.037; EE: p = 0.470, η²p = 0.045; HR: p = 0.570, η²p = 0.033). No significant group-by-time interactions at the absolute maximal fat oxidation rate were observed (fatmax: p = 0.262, η²p = 0.078; CHO: p = 0.966, η²p = 0.002; EE: p = 0.111, η²p = 0.125; HR: p = 0.618, η²p = 0.029). Discussion and conclusion In the current study, the addition of a 16-hour fasting window did not provide any additional improvements in fat oxidation rates beyond an ad libitum control group. This is surprising as both low-intensity training (Achten & Jeukendrup, 2004) and TRF (Jong-Yeon et al., 2002) have independently been shown to improve fat oxidation. We conclude that fatmax training is an effective lifestyle intervention to improve fat oxidation in young healthy individuals. Collectively, these data suggest fatmax training independent of the fed state might be a useful lifestyle intervention in healthy individuals looking to maintain or improve their metabolic health and avoid future metabolic disease. References Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2003). The effect of pre-exercise carbohydrate feedings on the intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 21(12), 1017–1025. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410310001641403 Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Optimizing fat oxidation through exercise and diet. Nutrition, 20(7-8), 716–727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.04.005 Aird, T. P., Davies, R. W., & Carson, B. P. (2018). Effects of fasted vs fed-state exercise on performance and post-exercise metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 28(5), 1476–1493. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13054 Jong-Yeon, K., Hickner, R. C., Dohm, G. L., & Houmard, J. A. (2002). Long- and medium-chain fatty acid oxidation is increased in exercise-trained human skeletal muscle. Metabolism, 51(4), 460–464. https://doi.org/10.1053/meta.2002.31326 Venables, M. C., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2008). Endurance training and obesity: Effect on substrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(3), 495–502. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31815f256f

Introduction & Purpose The prevalence of smoking among people with mental illness is two to four times higher than in the general population. Unsuccessful quit attempts, often due to low confidence in their ability to quit, suggest that smokers with mental illness may benefit from additional smoking cessation strategies (Mann-Wrobel et al., 2011). Exercise as an adjunct treatment for smoking cessation in healthy individuals is increasingly recommended in the literature (Ussher et al., 2019), but there is limited data for people with mental illness. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an exercise program as an add-on therapy for smoking cessation in people with mental illness. Methods 66 smokers with a diagnosed mental illness or mood disorders were included in a randomized controlled trial and received a standardized group smoking cessation program. Out of these 66 smokers, 38 individuals additionally participated in an exercise group (Nordic walking) and 28 in a control group (social contact group discussing health issues). Outcome variables were assessed by questionnaires at baseline (data available for 59 participants: 32 exercise group, 27 control group), during (after 3 weeks), and at the end of the program (5 weeks). Results The study had a dropout rate of 32%. At the end of the program, the abstinence rate was 19% in the exercise group and 30% in the control group (intention-to-treat analysis). There were no significant time-by-group interaction effects for any outcome variables. Significant group differences were found after 3 weeks for internal stimuli of self-efficacy (smokers’ confidence to resist smoking in certain situations; p = 0.026, ƞ² = 0.121) and after 5 weeks for frequency (p = 0.003, ƞ² = 0.210) and intensity (p = 0.007, ƞ² = 0.174) of cigarette craving. The control group showed higher self-efficacy and lower frequency and intensity of cigarette craving compared to the exercise group. Main effects over time were observed in both groups with improvement in several outcome variables (e.g., self-efficacy, positive affect, frequency, and intensity of cigarette craving). Discussion Group differences may be explained by pre-existing differences in cigarette dependence, motivation to quit, and BMI at baseline. It is known from the literature that higher cigarette dependence can lead to less successful quitting and higher relapse rates (Gierisch et al., 2012). Participants also had difficulty integrating program content into their daily lives and had low attendance rates. According to Zhou et al. (2023), a higher adherence rate would lead to a higher quit rate. Since the study was conducted in groups, the influence of group dynamics on motivation to quit smoking needs to be considered. Conclusion An additional effect of exercise as an adjunctive therapy in smoking cessation could not be confirmed, since the control group showed better outcome scores. Due to the high dropout rate, further studies with larger samples are needed. Improving access to smoking cessation programs, developing additional strategies, integrating evidence-based treatment into existing settings, and training health care professionals to engage people with mental illness in smoking cessation remain important areas for improvement (Falcaro et al., 2021). References Falcaro, M., Osborn, D., Hayes, J., Coyle, G., Couperthwaite, L., Weich, S., & Walters, K. R. (2021). Time trends in access to smoking cessation support for people with depression or severe mental illness: A cohort study in English primary care. BMJ Open, 11(12), Article e048341. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048341 Gierisch, J. M., Bastian, L. A., Calhoun, P. S., McDuffie, J. R., & Williams, J. W. (2012). Smoking cessation interventions for patients with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 27(3), 351–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-011-1915-2 Mann-Wrobel, M. C., Bennett, M. E., Weiner, E. E., Buchanan, R. W., & Ball, M. P. (2011). Smoking history and motivation to quit in smokers with schizophrenia in a smoking cessation program. Schizophrenia Research, 126(1-3), 277–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2010.10.030 Ussher, M. H., Faulkner, G. E. J., Angus, K., Hartmann-Boyce, J., & Taylor, A. H. (2019). Exercise interventions for smoking cessation. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019(10), Article CD002295. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002295.pub6 Zhou, Y., Feng, W., Guo, Y., & Wu, J. (2023). Effect of exercise intervention on smoking cessation: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 14, Article 1221898. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1221898

Background. Preformed donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) are a well-known risk factor in kidney transplantation. There is still considerable debate, however, about the optimal risk stratification among patients with preformed DSA. Additionally, data on the prognostic value of different crossmatch assays in DSA-positive patients are scarce. Methods. DSA-positive living kidney transplant recipients were selected from a multicenter study examining 4233 consecutive renal transplants. An additional 7 patients from 2 further centers were included. Flow cytometric crossmatches (FXM), Luminex-based crossmatches, and virtual crossmatches based on C1q- and C3d-binding antibodies (C1qXM and C3dXM) were performed retrospectively using pretransplant sera and lymphocytes isolated from fresh samples. These samples were obtained from 44 donor and recipient pairs from 12 centers. Clinical outcome data and the control group without DSA were compiled from the previous study and were supplemented by data on 10-y death-censored graft survival (10yGS). Results. Between 19% (C3dXM) and 46% (FXM) of crossmatches were positive. Crossmatch-positive patients showed high incidences of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) within 6 mo (up to 60% in B-cell FXM+ patients). The incidence of AMR in crossmatch-negative patients ranged between 5% (FXM−) and 13% (C1qXM−). 10yGS was significantly impaired in patients with positive T-cell FXM and total FXM compared with both patients without DSA and those with DSA with negative FXM. Conclusions. Especially FXM are useful for risk stratification, as the outcome of DSA-positive, FXM-negative patients is similar to that of DSA-negative patients, whereas FXM-positive patients have both more AMR and decreased 10yGS. Because of their lower sensitivity, the significance of Luminex-based crossmatches, C1qXM, and C3dXM would have to be examined in patients with stronger DSA.

Abstract Cardiac function requires appropriate proteins in each chamber. Atria requires slow myosin to act as reservoirs, while ventricles demand fast myosin for swift pumping. Myosins are thus under chamber-biased cis-regulation, with myosin gene expression imbalances leading to congenital heart dysfunction. To identify regulatory inputs leading to cardiac chamber-biased expression, we computationally and molecularly dissected the quail Slow Myosin Heavy Chain III (SMyHC III) promoter that drives preferential expression to the atria. We show that SMyHC III gene states are orchestrated by a complex Nuclear Receptor Element (cNRE) of 32 base pairs. Using transgenesis in zebrafish and mice, we demonstrate that preferential atrial expression is achieved by a combinatorial regulatory input composed of atrial activation motifs and ventricular repression motifs. Using comparative genomics, we show that the cNRE might have emerged from an endogenous viral element through infection of an ancestral host germline, revealing an evolutionary pathway to cardiac chamber-specific expression.

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) is a common disease in the intensive production of salmonids. The IHN virus (IHNV) was isolated for the first time in North Macedonia in 2018. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and genotype of IHN in farmed rainbow trout and autochthonous salmonid fish in North Macedonia following the first detection. The samples were collected from 47 trout farms. Trout fry with or without clinical signs of IHN were selected as individual samples. Kidney, spleen, and heart were taken from each fish during the dissection. Three pooled samples were collected from each farm. A total of 141 pooled samples were collected: Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) n=127, Macedonian trout (Salmo macedonicus) n=11, and Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica) n=3. The virus was detected in 43 samples (30.50%): rainbow trout (n=40), Macedonian trout (n=2), and Ohrid trout (n=1). There were 18 (38.30%) positive fish farms. The MAKIHNV1 isolate from 2018 (MN641902) and the newly isolated virus shared a similarity of >99 and were placed in clade E-1 of European genogroup E. The IHN has spread throughout the country and is also present in the autochthonous salmonids.

The present study aimed to determinate the effect of external progesterone (P4) supplementation on luteolysis in cows under heat stress. Forty-eight (n=48) dairy cows in the period from July September 2018 were part of and at day 35±3 postpartum scored for BSC, synchronized using PG-3-G + Ovsynch protocol and randomly allocated into two treatments: PRID group (n=27) treated with external P4 device between G1 and PGF2α and CON group (n=21) left without treatment. Collection of blood samples to assess P4 concentrations was done at Pre-PG, at G1, at PGF2α, at 72 h after PGF2α (at timed artificial insemination TAI) and at d 21 after TAI. The pregnancy diagnosis was done at d 21 and d 30 after TAI by ultrasound. The average temperature humidity index (THI) was 79.5±0.6. At G1, the P4 was significantly lower in the PRID group (1.84±0.99 ng/mL) in comparison to the CON group (2.97±1.82 ng/mL). In contrast, at PGF2α, there was a tendency (p=0.09) of increased P4 concentration in PRID group compared with the CON group (4.26±1.68 and 3.74±2.39 ng/mL), respectively. At TAI, more PRID cows (p=0.0001) had a lower P4 (0.06±0.03 ng/mL), in comparison to CON (1.28±2.41 ng/mL). At d 21 and d 30 after TAI, more PRID cows were predicted and diagnosed pregnant (16/27 or 59.25% and 13/27 or 48.14%) compared with the CON group (11/21 or 52.38% and 8/21 or 38.08%) respectively, but without any significant differences. Supplementation of the P4 during the Ovsynch protocol increases the P4 before TAI and reduces the incomplete luteolysis in heat stressed dairy cows.

Hyperadrenocorticism (HAC) in dogs is routinely treated with trilostane single-dose (CTG) which is reported to cause adverse reactions. The current retrospective study of several dogs with terminal stage of HAC aimed to compare the clinical, hematological, and biochemical effects of trilostane titration-dose treatment (TTG) with the single-dose treatment (CTG). All clinical cases (n=7) were confirmed on HAC by anamnestic, clinical, hematology, biochemistry, and low-dose dexamethasone suppression test findings, indicative for Cushing’s disease. Two cases were treated with CTG (2.2-6.7 mg/kg, single dose daily) and their treatment was discontinued on the second week due to adverse reactions. The TTG cases were treated for up to 12 weeks (0.5 mg/kg once daily for 7 days, and then with 0.5 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days). Blood samples and clinical checks were performed on 0., 4., and 12. weeks of the treatment. Hemoglobin was non-significantly higher in TTG at 12 weeks. Alanine transaminase was significantly lower in the TTG cases on the 12. week of the treatment (78.04±15.37 U/L) compared to the 0-week (137.81±24.03 U/L), and 4-week samples (131.92±23.36 U/L). No significant differences were observed with the CTG cases. Alkaline phosphatase was significantly lower on 12-week samples in TTG (251.02±93.06) compared to the 4-week (567.94±283.93 U/L), and 0-week samples (1,341.84 U/L). In conclusion, TTG has indicated to have significantly higher tendency to decrease alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase, alleviating the negative effects on the liver. The clinical findings were more adverse for the CTG.

The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) in the field of urban music studies has been recently increasing. In this article, I will initially address the benefits and risks ingrained in the employment of these digital tools and highlight the importance of adopting a blended approach such as the one proposed by “deep mapping.” In the last decade, in fact, the constellation of mapping practices associated with the “depth” metaphor has shown the potential of GIS as an experiential platform, capable of including both quantitative data and qualitative multimedia content. I will then present the advantages of employing Leaflet for R, an open-source web-mapping library, in the creation of deep maps. In fact, its level of accessibility also to non-professional programmers makes it a valid alternative to commercial platforms. In the second part, I will present as a case study my research on the historical live music scene of Milan (1958–1962). In particular, I will show how the flexibility of the proposed tools allowed me to create a circular workflow that integrates historical sources, field research, and data visualization.

IntroductionFreezing of gait (FOG) is a paroxysmal motor phenomenon that increases in prevalence as Parkinson’s disease (PD) progresses. It is associated with a reduced quality of life and an increased risk of falls in this population. Precision-based detection and classification of freezers are critical to developing tailored treatments rooted in kinematic assessments.MethodsThis study analyzed instrumented stand-and-walk (SAW) trials from advanced PD patients with STN-DBS. Each patient performed two SAW trials in their OFF Medication—OFF DBS state. For each trial, gait summary statistics from wearable sensors were analyzed by machine learning classification algorithms. These algorithms include k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, naïve Bayes, random forest, and support vector machines (SVM). Each of these models were selected for their high interpretability. Each algorithm was tasked with classifying patients whose SAW trials MDS-UPDRS FOG subscore was non-zero as assessed by a trained movement disorder specialist. These algorithms’ performance was evaluated using stratified five-fold cross-validation.ResultsA total of 21 PD subjects were evaluated (average age 64.24 years, 16 males, mean disease duration of 14 years). Fourteen subjects had freezing of gait in the OFF MED/OFF DBS. All machine learning models achieved statistically similar predictive performance (p < 0.05) with high accuracy. Analysis of random forests’ feature estimation revealed the top-ten spatiotemporal predictive features utilized in the model: foot strike angle, coronal range of motion [trunk and lumbar], stride length, gait speed, lateral step variability, and toe-off angle.ConclusionThese results indicate that machine learning effectively classifies advanced PD patients as freezers or nonfreezers based on SAW trials in their non-medicated/non-stimulated condition. The machine learning models, specifically random forests, not only rely on but utilize salient spatial and temporal gait features for FOG classification.

The health status (HS) of children is influenced by a variety of factors, including physical fitness (PF) or social and environmental characteristics. We present a 4-year longitudinal study carried out with 263 primary school children. PF was assessed yearly using the German Motor Performance Test 6–18. Demographic data, leisure time behavior and socioeconomic factors were collected using questionnaires for children and parents. Based on parents' ratings in year 4, children were categorized as either “very good health status” (VGHS) or “good health status or below” (GHSB). Children with VGHS (73%) showed a larger improvement of global PF (p < 0.001), a significantly higher proportion of being/playing outside (p < 0.001), significantly lower proportions of overweight (p < 0.001), of media availability in the bedroom (p = 0.011) and of daily media consumption > 2 h (p = 0.033) compared to children with GHSB. Regarding socio-economic factors, children with VGHS revealed significantly fewer parents with lower education (p = 0.002), lower physical activity levels (p = 0.030) and lower migration background (p < 0.001). Physical fitness (p = 0.019) and outdoors exercising (p = 0.050) were the only variables to provide significantly higher chances of perceiving one's own health as very good when tested within a complex model including all the variables studied in this work. Considering the little focus on PF in the current Austrian physical education curriculum and the favorable environmental features of the Tyrolean region, more emphasis should be given to promoting didactical and pedagogical approaches that allow schoolers to be active in the nature.

Further reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions from road vehicles is a major task for the automotive industry. Stricter regulations regarding emissions and fleet fuel consumption require the continuous development of new powertrains and methods. In particular, the combination of hybrid powertrains on the technical side and the focus on real driving emissions (RDE) on the legislative side pose significant challenges to the vehicle calibration process. Against this background, new test methods and environments are being investigated to counteract the high number of interactions between hybrid drive systems and quasi-infinite test conditions due to RDE. Complementary to new test environments, innovative methods for data analysis are needed that allow the exploitation of the complete potential of measurement data. The application of such a method in the field of emission calibration is presented in this paper. For this purpose, a clustering method (HDBSCAN) is applied to critical sequences from emission tests. Within this presentation, the clustering process is based on a single signal only. This paper shows how signals of various characteristics can be processed with dynamic time warping and generically structured with the clustering method used. Here, 959 single events are automatically categorized into 24 clusters. This provides a new basis for system evaluation, enabling the automatic identification, categorization, and prioritization of calibration weaknesses. Using twelve signals of different characteristics, the generic usability of the clustering method is demonstrated.

Mixed plastic packaging waste sorting residue (MPO323) was treated by thermal pyrolysis to utilize pyrolysis oil and char. The pyrolysis oil was found to contain aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The chlorine and bromine contents were as high as 40,000 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Additionally, other elements like sulfur, phosphorous, iron, aluminum, and lead were detected, which can be interpreted as impurities relating to the utilization of oils for chemical recycling. The pyrolysis char showed high contents of potentially active species like silicon, calcium, aluminum, iron, and others. To enhance the content of aromatic hydrocarbons and to reduce the level of contaminants, pyrolysis oil was reformed with the corresponding pyrolysis char to act as an active material in a fixed bed. The temperature of the reactor and the flow rate of the pyrolysis oil feed were varied to gain insights on the cracking and reforming reactions, as well as on performance with regard to decontamination.

Pr-doped scintillators are attracting attention because of their potential applications in medical devices. In this study, we focused on Pr-doped (La, Y)2Si2O7 scintillators to grow single crystals by the micro-pulling-down method and to evaluate their optical and scintillation properties. From the powder XRD results, the crystal structure and the space group were identified to be monoclinic and P21/n, respectively. The results of optical and scintillation characterization show that the luminescence from the Pr3+ 5d1–4f transition increases with increasing Pr3+ concentration. The maximum light yield was also obtained for the sample with the highest Pr3+ concentration. The Pr-doped (La, Y)2Si2O7 single crystal shows promising properties for application in radiation detection.

Asymptomatic long-term carriers of Shigatoxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are regarded as potential source of STEC-transmission. The prevention of outbreaks via onward spread of STEC is a public health priority. Accordingly, health authorities are imposing far-reaching restrictions on asymptomatic STEC carriers in many countries. Various STEC strains may cause severe hemorrhagic colitis complicated by life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), while many endemic strains have never been associated with HUS. Even though antibiotics are generally discouraged in acute diarrheal STEC infection, decolonization with short-course azithromycin appears effective and safe in long-term shedders of various pathogenic strains. However, most endemic STEC-strains have a low pathogenicity and would most likely neither warrant antibiotic decolonization therapy nor justify social exclusion policies. A risk-adapted individualized strategy might strongly attenuate the socio-economic burden and has recently been proposed by national health authorities in some European countries. This, however, mandates clarification of strain-specific pathogenicity, of the risk of human-to-human infection as well as scientific evidence of social restrictions. Moreover, placebo-controlled prospective interventions on efficacy and safety of, e.g., azithromycin for decolonization in asymptomatic long-term STEC-carriers are reasonable. In the present community case study, we report new observations in long-term shedding of various STEC strains and review the current evidence in favor of risk-adjusted concepts.

Foundation: advances in imaging and its implementation in Dentistry allow for better treatments.Objective: to describe the results of the orthoradial technique vs parallel technique in the identification of upper first premolars canals and lower first molars.Methods: observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study in patients in need of root canal treatment of upper first premolars or lower first molars, who attended the Dental Care Unit of the Andes Regional Autonomous University from April to August 2019. The sample consisted of 62 patients, separated into two upper premolar groups (n=30) or lower first molars (n=32) and both into two other groups according to the technique used (parallel technique and orthoradial technique).Results: in the upper first premolars, the orthoradial technique showed better results than the parallel technique to obtain accurate images (100% vs. 20%). In the lower first molars, the orthoradial technique showed superior results to the parallel technique for the mesiolingual canal (93.75% vs 31.25%) and distolingual canal (31.25% vs 12.5%). Root elongation predominated in the orthoradial technique (n=8), as did dental overlap (n=10).Conclusions: the orthoradial technique showed superior results when locating both the buccal and palatine canal in the upper first premolars and for the mesiolingual canal and the distolingual canal. Root elongation was observed to a greater extent in the orthoradial technique, as was dental overlap.

(Gd,Y,Ce)3(YxGa1−x)2GaAl2O12 (GYGAG:Ce) scintillation ceramics with different Y excess, where x = 0.005−0.08, were fabricated by the solid-state reaction method. The effects of stoichiometry on the phase composition, optical quality, and microstructure of GYGAG:Ce ceramics were analyzed. GYGAG:Ce ceramics have a pure garnet phase and obtain good in-line transmittance when x < 0.04, while more Y excess leads to the creation of the secondary phase. The change of x value influences the sintering behavior of the GYGAG:Ce ceramics: The excess of Y works as the self-sintering aid and significantly reduces the sintering temperature of ceramics. When x = 0.01–0.04, the X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) spectra and light yields of GYGAG:Ce ceramics are similar. The fast scintillation decay time and afterglow intensity of GYGAG:Ce ceramics show a slight decrease with increasing x value. Finally, additional 50–500 ppm MgO and 100–500 ppm CaO were introduced to the GYGAG:Ce ceramic with x = 0.04, and both were found to significantly increase the fast scintillation component and reduce the afterglow intensity by two orders of magnitude to 0.01% after X-ray cut-off.

Brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) staining is a method used for selection of developmentally competent porcine oocytes, in addition to the standard morphological classification. The aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between BCB staining in porcine oocytes with high and low morphological characteristics and its maturation rate. In the first part of the study, cumulus-oocytes complexes (COCs) (n=434) were aspirated from 60 ovaries. According to the morphological classification and BCB staining, they were divided in 4 groups: COC+/BCB+, COC-/BCB+, COC+/BCB-, and COC-/BCB-. In the second experiment, COCs (n=445) were categorized into 3 groups: control, BCB+, and BCB-. Significant differences in the maturation rate were observed between COC+/BCB+ and COC-/BCB- (66% vs. 23%), and between COC+/BCB+ and COC-/BCB+ (66% vs. 38%) (p

In this study, we propose novel three-layer composite scintillators designed for the simultaneous detection of different ionizing radiation components. These scintillators are based on epitaxial structures of LuAG and YAG garnets, doped with Ce3+ and Sc3+ ions. Samples of these composite scintillators, containing YAG:Ce and LuAG:Ce single crystalline films with different thicknesses and LuAG:Sc single crystal substrates, were grown using the liquid phase epitaxy method from melt solutions based on PbO-B2O3 fluxes. The scintillation properties of the proposed composites, YAG:Ce film/LuAG:Sc film/LuAG:Ce crystal and YAG:Ce film/LuAG:Ce film/LuAG:Sc crystal, were investigated under excitation by radiation with α-particles from a 239Pu source, β-particles from 90Sr sources and γ-rays from a 137Cs source. Considering the properties of the mentioned composite scintillators, special attention was paid to the ability of simultaneous separation of the different components of mixed ionizing radiation containing the mentioned particles and quanta using scintillation decay kinetics. The differences in scintillation decay curves under α- and β-particle and γ-ray excitations were characterized using figure of merit (FOM) values at various scintillation decay intensity levels (1/e, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01).

This paper presents the work performed to transition a lab-scale synthesis (1 g) to a large-scale (400 g) synthesis of the 3-5-diamino-1H-Pyrazole Disperazol, a new pharmaceutical for treatment of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infections. The potentially hazardous diazotisation step in the lab-scale synthesis was transformed to a safe and easy-to-handle flow chemistry step. Additionally, the paper presents an OSHA-recommended safety assessment of active compound E, as performed by Fauske and Associates, LLC, Burr Ridge, IL, USA.

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Purpose: To characterize the postoperative outcomes and economic costs of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures using synthetic biomechanical intervertebral cage (BC) and structural allograft (SA) implants. Overview of Literature ACDF is a common spine procedure that typically uses an SA or BC for the cervical fusion. Previous studies that compared the outcomes between the two implants were limited by small sample sizes, short-term postoperative outcomes, and procedures with single-level fusion. Methods: Adult patients who underwent an ACDF procedure in 2007–2016 were included. Patient records were extracted from MarketScan, a national registry that captures person-specific clinical utilization, expenditures, and enrollments across millions of inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug services. Propensity-score matching (PSM) was employed to match the patient cohorts across demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and treatments. Results: Of 110,911 patients, 65,151 (58.7%) received BC implants while 45,760 (41.3%) received SA implants. Patients who underwent BC surgeries had slightly higher reoperation rates within 1 year after the index ACDF procedure (3.3% vs. 3.0%, p=0.004), higher postoperative complication rates (4.9% vs. 4.6%, p=0.022), and higher 90-day readmission rates (4.9% vs. 4.4%, p=0.001). After PSM, the postoperative complication rates did not vary between the two cohorts (4.8% vs. 4.6%, p=0.369), although dysphagia (2.2% vs. 1.8%, p

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Purpose: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common surgical intervention for patients diagnosed with cervical degenerative diseases with or without myelopathy. A thorough understanding of outcomes in patients with and without myelopathy undergoing ACDF is required because of the widespread utilization of ACDF for these indications. Overview of Literature Non-ACDF approaches achieved inferior outcomes in certain myelopathic cases. Studies have compared patient outcomes across procedures, but few have compared outcomes concerning myelopathic versus nonmyelopathic cohorts. Methods: The MarketScan database was queried from 2007 to 2016 to identify adult patients who were ≤65 years old, and underwent ACDF using the international classification of diseases 9th version and current procedural terminology codes. Nearest neighbor propensity-score matching was employed to balance patient demographics and operative characteristics between myelopathic and nonmyelopathic cohorts. Results: Of 107,480 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 29,152 (27.1%) were diagnosed with myelopathy. At baseline, the median age of patients with myelopathy was higher (52 years vs. 50 years, p

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although several studies have demonstrated the consistently high prognostic value of stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), its prognostic value in patients with CKD is not well established. We aimed to assess the safety and the incremental prognostic value of vasodilator stress perfusion CMR in consecutive symptomatic patients with known CKD. Methods Between 2008 and 2021, we conducted a retrospective dual center study with all consecutive symptomatic patients with known stage 3 CKD, defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 30 and 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, referred for vasodilator stress CMR. All patients with eGFR

A novel series of 1,2-dihydroquinolinhydrazonopropanoate have been synthesized via a convenient aza-Michael addition reaction between hydrazinylquinolinones and ethyl propiolate in ethanol under refluxing temperature. The structures for all obtained products were confirmed with FTIR, NMR spectrums, as well as mass spectrometry. In addition, the monoclinic structure for compounds 8a, 8c, and 8d was also confirmed via X-ray crystallography analyses. The E-configuration for the obtained products was confirmed form the X-ray analysis. On the other hand, the crystal packing shows that the intermolecular and hydrogen bonds between atoms are parallel to the bc plan.

Introduction Lung cancer (LC) is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Its early detection can be achieved with a CT scan. Two large randomised trials proved the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT)-based lung cancer screening (LCS) in high-risk populations. The decrease in specific mortality is 20%–25%.Nonetheless, implementing LCS on a large scale faces obstacles due to the low number of thoracic radiologists and CT scans available for the eligible population and the high frequency of false-positive screening results and the long period of indeterminacy of nodules that can reach up to 24 months, which is a source of prolonged anxiety and multiple costly examinations with possible side effects.Deep learning, an artificial intelligence solution has shown promising results in retrospective trials detecting lung nodules and characterising them. However, until now no prospective studies have demonstrated their importance in a real-life setting.Methods and analysis This open-label randomised controlled study focuses on LCS for patients aged 50–80 years, who smoked more than 20 pack-years, whether active or quit smoking less than 15 years ago. Its objective is to determine whether assisting a multidisciplinary team (MDT) with a 3D convolutional network-based analysis of screening chest CT scans accelerates the definitive classification of nodules into malignant or benign. 2722 patients will be included with the aim to demonstrate a 3-month reduction in the delay between lung nodule detection and its definitive classification into benign or malignant.Ethics and dissemination The sponsor of this study is the University Hospital of Nice. The study was approved for France by the ethical committee CPP (Comités de Protection des Personnes) Sud-Ouest et outre-mer III (No. 2022-A01543-40) and the Agence Nationale du Medicament et des produits de Santé (Ministry of Health) in December 2023. The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and national and international conference presentations.Trial registration number NCT05704920.

El cinturón hortícola platense (CHP) se caracteriza por la presencia de un modelo de producción-comercialización hortícola ligado a la utilización de la tecnología del invernáculo y circuitos de comercialización largos, en donde participan varixs intermediarixs. En contraposición a este modelo, ciertxs productorxs agroecológicxs, pertenecientes a un movimiento socioterritorial, elaboran y ejecutan diversas estrategias territoriales para afianzar y expandir a la agroecología en el CHP. Por ello, en este trabajo, a partir de una metodología que combinó una lectura y revisión bibliografía y los resultados de observaciones participantes y entrevistas semiestructuras realizadas a participantes de la Federación Rural por la Producción y el Arraigo, indagamos acerca de dichas estrategias y sus implicancias. Como resultado, entendemos que, gracias a la implementación de estas, se logra territorializar incipientemente a la agroecología en el CHP, desterritorializando al modelo de producción-comercialización hortícola dominante.

IntroductionPsychological research has shown that, among other variables, affective state, expectancy, and behavioral intention influence whether or not a (physically active) behavior is performed. Environmental effects during physical activity on affective state have been well studied; however, research regarding environmental effects on expectancy or intention is limited. Sport climbing is a form of physical activity that is performed both indoors and outdoors and is therefore considered as suitable to study environmental effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate environmental effects during sport climbing on affective state, expectancy, and intention. The nature of the relationship between some of these parameters should also be explored.MethodsUsing a within-subjects design, 48 participants were to climb both once indoors in a climbing gym and once outdoors at a crag. The design included questionnaire-based surveys at multiple time points. Affective state, expectancy, and behavioral intention were measured at different test time points.ResultsTwo-factor repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of the factors environment (indoor – outdoor) and time (T1 – T2 – T3) for affective state, indicating more positive affective state during outdoor climbing. No environment*time interactions were found. Furthermore, significantly higher intention (d = 0.32; p = 0.032) was measured after the outdoor condition (M = 32.5, SD = 4.1) compared to the indoor condition (M = 31.2, SD = 4.7). Multiple linear regressions revealed that expectancies (measured before and after the session) significantly predicted post-climbing intention only indoors.ConclusionThe results at least partly suggest environmental effects on behaviorally relevant variables during climbing. Outdoor climbing might provide more favorable characteristics for physically active behavior compared to indoor climbing. Health psychologists or public health professionals who focus on increasing physical activity for their clients could recommend outdoor climbing over indoor climbing.

Book review on Ondřej Sikora – Jakub Sirovátka (vyd.) Lévinas v konfrontaci. Praha (Oikúmené) 2019, 279 str.

The incidence of clinical mastitis (CM) in small and large-scale dairy cow farms can be highly variable and can be affected by age, parity, post-calving status, and atmospheric conditions. The current study aimed to assess the CM-incidence and its association with the post-calving days, number of lactations, season, and number of affected udder quarters in dairy cows in small-scale dairy farms. The study was conducted within one calendar year in 177 small-scale farms with 864 dairy cows. Clinically confirmed CM cows (n=72) were sampled from each udder quarter and processed for bacteriology examination. The CM-positive samples were grouped according to the season (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), the number of days after calving (180), the number of lactations (1-st, 2-5-th, and >6-th), and the number of affected udder quarters (one, two, three, and four). The CM-positive samples (n=72, 8.3%) were confirmed on bacteriology examination in significantly lower count (n=56, 6.5%). The 2-5-th lactations cows (n=35, 68.6%) were significantly more compared to the first lactation (n=6, 11.8%), and >6-th lactation cows (n=10, 19.6%). CM cows with infection of one udder quarter (n=40, 78.4%) were significantly more than the cows with two (n=6, 11.8%), and four infected quarters (n=5, 9.8%). The CM-incidence in small-scale dairy cow farms in North Macedonia was 8.3% and 6.5% by clinical and bacteriology examination, respectively. The highest CM susceptibility was observed in the cows between the second and fifth lactations. One udder quarter was most frequently affected in CM-positive cases.

Reducing the amount of annotated data required to train predictive models is one of the main challenges in applying artificial intelligence to histopathology. In this paper, we propose a method to enhance the performance of deep learning models trained with limited data in the field of digital pathology. The method relies on a two-stage transfer learning process, where an intermediate model serves as a bridge between a pre-trained model on ImageNet and the final cancer classification model. The intermediate model is fine-tuned with a dataset of over 4,000,000 images weakly labeled with clinical data extracted from TCGA program. The model obtained through the proposed method significantly outperforms a model trained with a traditional transfer learning process.

ObjectiveThe spatiotemporal gait changes in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) remain a treatment challenge and have variable responses to L-dopa and subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS). The purpose of this study was to determine whether low-frequency STN-DBS (LFS; 60 Hz) elicits a differential response to high-frequency STN-DBS (HFS; 180 Hz) in spatiotemporal gait kinematics.MethodsAdvanced PD subjects with chronic STN-DBS were evaluated in both the OFF and ON medication states with LFS and HFS stimulation. Randomization of electrode contact pairs and frequency conditions was conducted. Instrumented Stand and Walk assessments were carried out for every stimulation/medication condition. LM-ANOVA was employed for analysis.ResultsTwenty-two PD subjects participated in the study, with a mean age (SD) of 63.9 years. Significant interactions between frequency (both LFS and HFS) and electrode contact pairs (particularly ventrally located contacts) were observed for both spatial (foot elevation, toe-off angle, stride length) and temporal (foot speed, stance, single limb support (SLS) and foot swing) gait parameters. A synergistic effect was also demonstrated with L-dopa and both HFS and LFS for right SLS, left stance, left foot swing, right toe-off angle, and left arm range of motion. HFS produced significant improvement in trunk and lumbar range of motion compared to LFS.ConclusionThe study provides evidence of synergism of L-dopa and STN-DBS on lower limb spatial and temporal measures in advanced PD. HFS and LFS STN-DBS produced equivalent effects among all other tested lower limb gait features. HFS produced significant trunk and lumbar kinematic improvements.

El valor del cliente es un arma estratégica para atraer y retener clientes, puesto que se ha transformado en uno de los factores más significativos para el éxito empresarial. El objetivo de la investigación es evaluar el desempeño del CRM mediante el modelo de comportamiento del cliente para la definición de su calidad de relación en la industria textil de Tungurahua. El método cuantitativo permitió evaluar la percepción de los clientes de las 2 empresas de moda textil. Se utilizó un muestreo estratificado en 320 clientes y las aristas evaluadas fueron valor para el cliente y desempeño de CRM basado en su comportamiento. Los resultados revelaron que todas las dimensiones del valor del cliente tienen un efecto significativo en su satisfacción. Sin embargo, destacó el valor emocional al establecer un coeficiente de rotación del 95 %. Se concluyó que los gerentes deben obtener un equilibrio entre las diferentes medidas del desempeño de la relación con el cliente, ello si esperan mejorar el rendimiento de CRM basado en su comportamiento.

Abstract Background Quality of life (QoL) of people with dementia (PwD) is an important indicator of quality of care. Studying the impact of acute hospital settings on PwD’s QoL requires assessment instruments that consider environmental factors. Until now, dementia-specific QoL instruments have not yet demonstrated their feasibility in acute hospitals because their use takes up too much time or their validity depends on observation periods that usually exceed the average length of hospital stays. Therefore, validated instruments to study QoL-outcomes of patients with dementia in hospitals are needed. Methods Data stem from a study that analyzed the impact of a special care concept on the QoL of patients with dementia in acute hospitals. Total sample size consisted of N = 526 patients. Study nurses were trained in using an assessment questionnaire and conducted the data collection from June 2016 to July 2017. QoL was assessed with the QUALIDEM. This instrument consists of nine subscales that can be applied to people with mild to severe dementia (N = 344), while six of the nine subscales are applicable for people with very severe dementia (N = 182). Scalability and internal consistency were tested with Mokken scale analysis. Results For people with mild to severe dementia, seven out of nine subscales were scalable (0.31 ≤ H ≤ 0.75). Five of these seven subscales were also internally consistent (ρ ≥ 0.69), while two had insufficient reliability scores (ρ = 0.53 and 0.52). The remaining two (positive self-image, feeling at home) subscales had rather low scalability (H = 0.17/0.16) and reliability scores (ρ = 0.35/0.36). For people with very severe dementia, all six subscales were scalable (0.34 ≤ H ≤ 0.71). Five out of six showed acceptable internal consistency (ρ = 0.65–0.91). Only the item social relations had insufficient reliability (ρ = 0.55). Conclusions In comparison with a previous evaluation of the QUALIDEM in a long-term care setting, the application in a hospital setting leads to very similar, acceptable results for people with mild to severe dementia. For people with very severe dementia, the QUALIDEM seems to fit even better in a hospital context. Results suggest either a revision of unsatisfactory items or a general reduction to six items for the QUALIDEM, for all PwD. In general, the QUALIDEM can be recommended as instrument to assess the QoL for PwD in the context of hospital research. Additionally, an investigation of the inter-rater reliability is necessary because the qualification of the nurses and the length of stay of the patients in the hospital differ from the previous investigations of the inter-rater reliability of QUALIDEM in the nursing home.

Artificial insemination (AI) as a part of assisted reproductive technologies represents the oldest and most widespread method used to accelerate genetic progress in all domestic animals. After its first implementation in ovine reproduction and almost 80 years afterward, AI is continuously used for improving the genetic merit, utilizing either fresh or shorttime chilled semen. Nevertheless, regardless of the semen used for insemination, the conception rate (CR) is still lower in comparison to natural service. At least two factors are commonly thought to limit the success of the AI and reduce the CR: (1) failure of placing the semen directly into the uterus due to the specific anatomic structure of the ewe’s cervix; (2) lower viability of ram spermatozoa during cryopreservation (

In this paper we conceptualize formative peer feedback principles by analyzing and comparing six empirical examples of formative peer feedback in a set of international STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) contexts. By discussing how these different approaches to peer feedback unfold in practice, we aim to facilitate the bridging of the gap between theory and practice in implementing peer feedback in Higher Education. As a group of researchers and teaching practitioners from six Higher Education institutions, we discussed, analyzed, and synthesized practical examples of peer feedback in STEM that cover a breadth of settings, aims, and forms. The analysis and comparison of these examples illustrate how principles in peer feedback emerge in practice. We discuss how the context in peer feedback influences its practical implementation, particularly with regard to its purpose and aims, the development and use of assessment criteria, and embedding and supporting the initiatives into the teaching and learning activities.

The development of photochromic systems is an important and growing area of research, in particular for bioactive molecular photoswitches. Here, the authors report on photopharmacological antimitotic agents, operational under visible light, based on a peptide-derived hemipiperazine photochrome.

The study focuses on the interpretation of the motif of unaddressed phenomena in the dialogue between Adolf Portmann’s thought and phenomenology. It establishes the closeness between Portmann and phenomenology, not in the foundation of phenomenality, but rather in employing nonaddressedness for interpreting phenomenality’s meaning. The concept of invisibility, especially in M. Merleau-Ponty and M. Henry, is considered as a phenomenological parallel to nonaddressedness. Both nonaddressedness and invisibility determine a layered perceptual environment that is based neither on representation of the perceived in a perceiving subject nor on an objective, causally interrelated system of functional relations.

Humanity’s growing dependence on non-renewable resources and the ensuing environmental impact thus generated have spurred the search for alternatives to replace chemicals and energy obtained from petroleum derivatives. Within the group of biofuels, biodiesel has managed to expand worldwide at considerable levels, going from 20 million tn/year in 2010 to 47 million tn/year in 2022, boosting the supply of glycerol, a by-product of its synthesis that can be easily used as a renewable, clean, low-cost raw material for the manufacture of products for the chemical industry. The hydrogenolysis of glycerol leads to the production of glycols, 1,2-propylene glycol (1,2-PG) and 1,3-propylene glycol (1,3-PG). In particular, 1,3-PG has the highest added value and has multiple uses including its application as an additive in the polymer industry, the manufacture of cosmetics, cleaning products, cooling liquids, etc. This review focuses on the study of the hydrogenolysis of glycerol for the production of 1,3-PG, presenting the main reaction mechanisms and the catalysts employed, both in liquid and vapor phase. Engineering aspects and the effect of the operating variables to achieve maximum yields are discussed. Finally, studies related to the stability and the main deactivation mechanisms of catalytic systems are presented.