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Wilayah pesisir dan laut Teluk Banten merupakan ekosistem unik yang menyimpan berbagai potensi dan permasalahan pemanfaatan sumberdaya alam. Disinilah pentingnya peranan hutan mangrove dan sebagai bagian dari upaya restorasi dan konservasi untuk mengatasi dari berbagai masalah yang teridentifikasi di wilayah pesisir dan laut Provinsi Banten. Kajian ini memperkirakan berapa besar nilai ekonomi yang akan hilang akibat aktivitas kontak di wilayah pesisir di lokasi penelitian. Harapannya, penilaian ini dapat memberikan gambaran tentang kesehatan ekosistem mangrove saat ini dan menjadi dasar bagi strategi pengelolaan mangrove di masa mendatang. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode valuasi ekonomi guna memberikan gambaran tentang kondisi kesehatan ekosistem saat ini dan untuk menjadi dasar strategi pengelolaan mangrove di waktu yang akan datang di Desa Citeureup, Kecamatan Panimbang, Kabupaten Pandeglang, Provinsi Banten. Metode analisis yang digunakan pada penelitian ini meliputi valuasi ekonomi terhadap hutan mangrove, produktivitas perikanan, dan nilai ekonomi lahan pesisir. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Total Economic Value (TEV) di Desa Citeureup Rp 20.290.350.289 per tahun dengan luas total lahan kajian sebesar 3 ha mangrove. Masyarakat Desa Citeureup telah memanfaatkan hutan mangrove sebagai bahan pangan, pelindung pantai, dan penunjang sektor rekreasi.

High-grade serious ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is an aggressive malignancy that remains refractory to current immunotherapies. While advanced stage disease has been extensively studied, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that promote early immune escape in HGSOC remain largely unexplored. Here, we report that primary HGSO tumors program neutrophils to inhibit T cell anti-tumor function by activating the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor IRE1α. We found that intratumoral neutrophils exhibited overactivation of ER stress response markers compared with their counterparts at non-tumor sites. Selective deletion of IRE1α in neutrophils delayed primary ovarian tumor growth and extended the survival of mice with HGSOC by enabling early T cell-mediated tumor control. Notably, loss of IRE1α in neutrophils sensitized tumor-bearing mice to PD-1 blockade, inducing HGSOC regression and long-term survival in ~ 50% of the treated hosts. Hence, neutrophil-intrinsic IRE1α facilitates early adaptive immune escape in HGSOC and targeting this ER stress sensor might be used to unleash endogenous and immunotherapy-elicited immunity that controls metastatic disease.

Subject to a long research tradition, the tree line is considered an important biogeographic indicator of climate changes and associated range shifts. Realized tree line positions and the potential tree line isotherm are, however, rarely in equilibrium because trees are unable to track rapid temperature variations. Often ignored in tree line research, this dilemma constrains the suitability of tree line trees for understanding alpine vegetation responses to anthropogenic warming. Here, we present combined dendrochronological and wood anatomical assessments of 1,351 seedlings and saplings from three subalpine forest species—larch (Larix decidua Mill.), pine (Pinus cembra L.), and spruce (Picea abies)—collected between ~2,200 and 2,600 m.a.s.l. in the Swiss Alps. We found evidence for temperature-induced, pulse-like seedling germination, rather than a continuous, long-term upward movement. Though the species spread across overlapping elevational ranges, larch was found at the highest elevations, followed by spruce and pine. Surprisingly, we found a varying age structure, with no sign of decreasing age toward higher elevations. Spring and summer temperatures promoted germination pulses, but postgermination survival was likely facilitated by species-specific plant traits. Our study demonstrates the importance of seedling and sapling data from above the tree line to understand prevailing vegetation dynamics at cold temperature extremes and also suggests future tree line advancement in the Swiss Alps.

La realidad de la gestión empresarial conlleva al planteamiento de resultados oportunos para obtener actividades productivas con valor agregado y de esa manera incrementar su competitividad en el mercado de consumo. El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar la capacitación en gestión empresarial y su impacto en la competitividad de los agricultores del Valle de Supe, en Barranca-Perú. La investigación fue de tipo aplicada, con diseño preexperimental, longitudinal y nivel explicativo. La población estuvo conformada por 150 agricultores de los sectores Cantagallo, la Minka y Campiña de Supe, y se tomó una muestra no probabilística por conveniencia de 20 agricultores. Como resultado se obtuvo un p=valor de (0.000< 0.05), entonces existen evidencias para rechazar la hipótesis nula y aceptar la hipótesis alterna, infiriendo que la capacitación en gestión empresarial incrementa la percepción a cerca de la importancia de la competitividad en los agricultores. Se concluye que a través de la adquisición de habilidades y conocimientos la capacitación no solo fortalece las capacidades individuales de los agricultores, sino que también contribuye al desarrollo sostenible de la región al fomentar la innovación, la eficiencia y la resiliencia en el sector agrícola.

Bottled water has become a popular beverage choice worldwide, with consumers increasingly seeking healthier options. However, label elements can significantly influence consumer perception and purchasing decisions. The research aimed to assess how label elements affect the liking, purchase intention, preference and concept of healthy bottled water. Two stages involved 180 and 100 participants aged between 18 and 40, provided sociodemographic information. The first stage used a hedonic scale and ranking test to perception of nine labels with different elements. The second stage selected a consensus label from prior tests. Four labels were designed, differing in brand color and nutritional information placement. In this last stage, the acceptability, preference ranking and concept of healthy were re-evaluated and eye tracking via the Pupil Lab program. Findings showed varied responses in acceptability and purchase intention among consumers. However, significant differences were observed in preferences and healthiness perceptions based on label characteristics. The label with the highest preference and perceived healthiness featured a sky-blue design with nutritional information on the right side. Combining sensory testing and eye tracking offers valuable insights for designing labels that positively impact consumer perception. The results provide important implications for bottled water manufacturers and marketers in developing effective labeling strategies to meet consumer preferences and promote healthier choices.

Abstract The Serrote do Letreiro Site, found on the northwest periphery of the Sousa Basin, Brazil, presents a remarkable convergence of paleontological and archaeological elements. It is constituted of sub-horizontal "lajeiros", or rock outcrops, intermingled with endemic Caatinga vegetation. The three prominent outcrops feature fossilized footprints of theropod, sauropod, and iguanodontian dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Period. Adjacent to these dinosaur tracks, indigenous petroglyphs adorn the surface. The petroglyphs, mainly characterized by circular motifs, maintain a striking resemblance to other petroglyphs found in the states of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. This study primarily endeavors to delineate the site's major characteristics while concentrating on the relationship between the dinosaur footprints and the petroglyphs. It concurrently assesses the preservation status of this invaluable record, shedding light on its implications for the realms of paleontology, archaeology, and cultural heritage studies.

Deep learning has gained popularity in recent years for reconstructing hyperspectral and multispectral images, offering cost-effective solutions and promising results. Research on hyperspectral image reconstruction feeds deep learning models with images at specific wavelengths and outputs images in other spectral bands. Although encouraging results of previous works, it should be determined to what extent the reconstructed information can lead to an advantage over the captured images. In this context, the present work inspects whether or not reconstructed spectral images add relevant information to segmentation networks for improving urban tree identification. Specifically, we generate red-edge (ReD) and near-infrared (NIR) images from RGB images using a conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN). The training and validation are carried out with 5770 multispectral images obtained after a custom data augmentation process using an urban hyperspectral dataset. The testing outcomes reveal that ReD and NIR can be generated with an average structural similarity index measure of 0.93 and 0.88, respectively. Next, the cGAN generates ReD and NIR information of two RGB-based urban tree datasets (i.e., Jekyll, 3949 samples, and Arbocensus, 317 samples). Subsequently, DeepLabV3 and SegFormer segmentation networks are trained, validated, and tested using RGB, RGB+ReD, and RGB+NIR images from Jekyll and Arbocensus datasets. The experiments show that reconstructed multispectral images might not add information to segmentation networks that enhance their performance. Specifically, the p-values from a T-test show no significant difference between the performance of segmentation networks.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major public health problem due to the aging population and multifaceted pathology; therefore, the search for new therapeutic alternatives is of the utmost importance. In this sense, a series of six 1-(3-phenoxypropyl)piperidines alkyl-linked to a triphenylphosphonium cation derivative were synthesized as H3R ligands with antioxidant properties to regulate excessive mitochondrial oxidative stress and contribute to potential new therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases. Radioligand displacement studies revealed high affinity for H3R with Ki values in the low to moderate two-digit nanomolar range for all compounds. Compound 6e showed the highest affinity (Ki H3R = 14.1 nM), comparable to that of pitolisant. Antioxidative effects were evaluated as radical-scavenging properties using the ORAC assay, in which all derivatives showed low to moderate activity. On the other hand, cytotoxic effects in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were investigated using the colorimetric alamar blue assay, which revealed significant effects on cell viability with an unequivocally structure–toxicity relationship. Finally, docking and molecular simulation studies were used to determine the H3R binding form, which will allow us to further modify the compounds to establish a robust structure-activity relationship and find a lead compound with therapeutic utility in neurodegenerative diseases.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami bagaimana kecepatan teknologi dalam dunia game melalui media Smartphone menyebabkan perubahan gaya bermain yang berpotensi mengubah kehidupan para pemain game di masa depan. Dengan game MOBA merupakan salah satu jenis game yang sangat populer di kalangan komunitas gamer karena mudah dimainkan dimana saja dan fleksibel. Namun kemudahan teknologi membuat pemain sulit melepaskan diri dari belitan kesenangan yang ada pada game sehingga berujung pada stigma buruk bermain game terhadap lingkungan. Analisis ini didasarkan pada teori Dromologi yang dikembangkan oleh Paul Virilio mengenai dromologi dan kesadaran akan teknologi yang semakin canggih, dibantu dengan pandangan terhadap nilai-nilai kemanusiaan yang menjadi fokus penelitian ini. Penelitian ini bersifat kualitatif dengan menggunakan metode etnografi pada komunitas pemain Game MOBA. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Mobile Online Games berkembang sangat pesat sehingga memerlukan perhatian terhadap implikasinya terhadap kebutuhan generasi mendatang. Dengan digitalisasi menimbulkan efek kecepatan sehingga menyulitkan manusia untuk mengendalikannya. Dan kemudahan bermain yang dihadirkan menyebabkan perjuangan melalui kecelakaan yang hadir dalam game MOBA yang mereka ikuti. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan pengingat tentang dampak potensial dari kecepatan mempengaruhi Mobile Online Game terhadap perkembangan fisik dan emosional manusia.

Joseph Atupele Mwabaleke,1,2 Ibe Michael Usman,1 Andrew Emmanuel Tito,1 Kebe Edet Obeten,1 Mikail Umar Isyaku,1 Ekom Monday Etukudo,1 Victor Adolf Fischer1 1Department of Human Anatomy, Kampala International University, Western Campus, Ishaka, Bushenyi, Uganda; 2Department of Human Anatomy, Mwanza University, Mwanza, TanzaniaCorrespondence: Joseph Atupele Mwabaleke, Tel +256 700 495 805, Email joe.atupele@gmail.comBackground: Proficiency in anatomy is of great importance for healthcare professionals and medical students alike, as it facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of the human body. Despite the obvious significance, medical students have often felt challenged in studying anatomy.Purpose: The studyassessed the perceptions and challenges faced by undergraduate medical students in studying anatomy at Kampala International University – Western Campus (KIU-WC) in Uganda.Materials and Methods: Employing a quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design, the study involved the administration of a standardized questionnaire to a cohort of 525 first- and second-year medical students. The questionnaire encompassed sections on student perceptions and challenges faced in studying anatomy.Results: The findings revealed that the majority of respondents 473/525 (90%) held positive perceptions of anatomy recognizing its importance in diagnosis, understanding the human body, medical terminology acquisition, and clinical preparation. While age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.54 − 1.97, p=0.93) and gender (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.32 − 0.87, p=0.93) did not significantly impact student perceptions, positive perceptions were observed across different religious affiliations and nationalities, suggesting the universal recognition of anatomy’s importance. The commonest challenges were a limited time for revision before their mid-semester and end-of-semester examination 383/525 (73.0%), information overload 374/525 (71.2%) and a lack of suitable equipment and poor internet connection for assessing online resources 352/525 (67.1%).Conclusion: In conclusion, respondents with positive perceptions dominated with higher percentages among all ages, genders, nationalities, and religions; the commonest challenges included a limited time for revisions before their mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations, information overload, a lack of suitable equipment and poor internet connection for assessing online resources.Keywords: anatomy study, student perception, study challenges

La proximidad de los servicios es crucial para reducir las desigualdades sociales. Aquí se estima la cobertura espacial de escuelas/hospitales; también se analiza si las variaciones en la cantidad de servicio recibido se asocian con el nivel socioeconómico de los vecindarios. Partimos del supuesto de que la geografía del servicio es ineficaz e inequitativa. Con el cálculo de buffers, estadísticas de zona y regresiones lineales, se encontró que el servicio de bachilleratos y hospitales está centralizado, no así la distribución de primarias/secundarias; además, los grupos desfavorecidos reciben menor oferta de servicios, pero esto débilmente se relaciona con el factor socioeconómico.

Enteric fever is a significant health problem in developing countries caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi. Unfortunately, the burden of the disease remains high not only because of the complications related to the disease but also, especially, because of the spread of the strains of Salmonella resistant to antibiotics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance patterns of Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi clinical isolates as well as the risk factors associated with infection. This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2020 to September 2021. One thousand and seventy-six patients in the age range (1− ≥ 50 years) were recruited including 423 (39.31%) infected with S. Typhi, 115 (10.68%) infected with S. Paratyphi, and 538 (50%) noninfected after obtaining their informed consent using a face-to-face interview and questionnaire. The stool samples were collected in clean and sterile boxes reserved for this purpose and were cultured. Demographic parameters such as sex, age, occupation, water source, level of education, as well as clinical signs and symptoms were obtained. The resistance profile determination was carried out by the disk diffusion method. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with infection. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed positive and significant associations (OR > 1; p

The thread blight disease (TBD) of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in the department of Amazonas, Peru was recently reported to be caused by Marasmius tenuissimus (sect. Neosessiles). This same species is known to be the main causal agent of TBD in West Africa. However, some morphological characteristics, such as the presence of rhizomorphs, the almost exclusively white color, and pileus sizes less than 5 mm, among others, differ to the description of M. tenuissimus. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a taxonomic revision of the cacao-TBD causal agent in Peru, by using thorough micro and macro morphological, phylogenetic, and nuclear and mitochondrial genomic approaches. We showed that the causal agent of TBD of cacao in Amazonas, Peru, belongs to a new species, Marasmius infestans sp. nov. This study enriches our knowledge of species in the sect. Neosessiles, and strongly suggests that the M. tenuissimus species complex is highly diverse.

Objetivo. Estimar la carga de enfermedad por sustancias químicas en Cali (Colombia). Métodos. Se realizó el análisis secundario a partir de las bases de datos sobre morbilidad y mortalidad por intoxicación por sustancias químicas de la Secretaria Distrital de Salud de Cali (Colombia), ocurridas durante el período comprendido entre los años 2018 y 2020. Se utilizó la metodología estándar para estimar los años de vida ajustados por discapacidad (AVAD) y la distribución de Poisson para estimar las brechas. Resultados. Durante el periodo estudiado, los hombres perdieron 1701 años vida saludable debido a intoxicaciones por sustancias químicas, y las mujeres 895 años. La brecha fue de OR 2,2 (2,0 – 2,4), mayor en los hombres que en las mujeres. Conclusiones. Se registró un aumento del 14,5 %, en la morbilidad por intoxicaciones con sustancias químicas antes del inicio de la pandemia y una reducción del 53,9 % durante el año de la pandemia por la COVID-19.

Although much research has focused on AlSi10Mg processed via laser-based powder bed fusion, the material deformation mechanisms at the microscale are still unclear. To improve the current understanding, 3D measurements of the strain field at the microstructural scale are needed to complement surface-based SEM observations. This work demonstrates that X-ray tomography combined with digital volume correlation can be used to measure the strain in the bulk of AlSi10Mg using the Si-rich particles contained in the heat-treated microstructure as markers. The method allows for measuring strains larger than 0.5 % with a spatial resolution of 35 μm and it can thus be used to study the impact of factors like porosity distribution or crystallographic texture on the material deformation and damage mechanisms.

The IRE1α-XBP1 arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR) has been associated with immunosuppression and cancer progression. Here the authors show that IRE1α-XBP1 activation is associated with poor overall survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and that IRE1α loss in cancer cells promotes anti-tumor immune responses in lung cancer preclinical models.

Abstract The origin of the air sac system present in birds has been an enigma for decades. Skeletal pneumaticity related to an air sac system is present in both derived non-avian dinosaurs and pterosaurs. But the question remained open whether this was a shared trait present in the common avemetatarsalian ancestor. We analyzed three taxa from the Late Triassic of South Brazil, which are some of the oldest representatives of this clade (233.23 ± 0.73 Ma), including two sauropodomorphs and one herrerasaurid. All three taxa present shallow lateral fossae in the centra of their presacral vertebrae. Foramina are present in many of the fossae but at diminutive sizes consistent with neurovascular rather than pneumatic origin. Micro-tomography reveals a chaotic architecture of dense apneumatic bone tissue in all three taxa. The early sauropodomorphs showed more complex vascularity, which possibly served as the framework for the future camerate and camellate pneumatic structures of more derived saurischians. Finally, the evidence of the absence of postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in the oldest dinosaurs contradicts the homology hypothesis for an invasive diverticula system and suggests that this trait evolved independently at least 3 times in pterosaurs, theropods, and sauropodomorphs.

Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns can trigger the inositol-requiring enzyme 1 α (IRE1α) arm of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in innate immune cells. This process maintains ER homeostasis and also coordinates diverse immunomodulatory programs during bacterial and viral infections. However, the role of innate IRE1α signaling in response to fungal pathogens remains elusive. Here, we report that systemic infection with the human opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans induced proinflammatory IRE1α hyperactivation in myeloid cells that led to fatal kidney immunopathology. Mechanistically, simultaneous activation of the TLR/IL-1R adaptor protein MyD88 and the C-type lectin receptor dectin-1 by C. albicans induced NADPH oxidase–driven generation of ROS, which caused ER stress and IRE1α-dependent overexpression of key inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and TNF-α. Selective ablation of IRE1α in leukocytes, or treatment with an IRE1α pharmacological inhibitor, mitigated kidney inflammation and prolonged the survival of mice with systemic C. albicans infection. Therefore, controlling IRE1α hyperactivation may be useful for impeding the immunopathogenic progression of disseminated candidiasis.

Museums featuring dinosaur fossils have always attracted the attention of the crowd. However, sustaining public interest in science becomes more challenging year after year, even for popular attractions, calling for changes in how exhibits appear in the face of new technologies. To enrich the user’s experience and enhance the exhibition’s attractiveness, we developed and evaluated an immersive and interactive Virtual Reality (VR) experience to integrate the Paleontology exhibition at the Câmara Cascudo Museum in Natal, Brazil. Experienced VR users were interviewed and reported, through software tests, that the system was stable and performed as intended without any noticeable issues that could affect the user experience. They also found the content adequate, except for the suggestion to include more information about Paleoichnology and the finding of fossil tracksites. The graphical quality received mixed reviews, with some participants suggesting improvements to the terrain, such as adding vegetation and enhancing lighting. They also noted that the experience would appeal to younger audiences, thanks to the novelty of VR technology and the accessibility offered by the museum. Improvements were made to the environment based on their feedback, including changes to the terrain and lighting. Additionally, we developed two alternative versions of the experience, one for multi-projection in a room and another without interactive elements. Our results indicate that the VR experience can be successfully integrated with the exhibition and has the potential to enhance museum visits. It can connect the audience with the actual fossils on display by using a dinosaur in the exhibition. It allows one to visualize how their region changed in the past million years. Finally, this experiment helped bridge the population from an unprivileged region with the science that is produced upon the fossils found in their context. Such knowledge broadens the public’s imagination and triggers a whole chain of development for the community around the museum. Our VR exhibition prototype showed great potential to amplify this mission.

This study aims to analyze the development of health assessment indicators and the financial health condition of PT Pos Indonesia (Persero). This research used a quantitative approach. The analysis technique used for evaluating the level of financial health referred to the Decree of The Minister of State-Owned Enterprises No. Kep- 100/MBU/2002. The data collection technique used was documentation studies sourced from the annual report of PT Pos Indonesia (Persero) from 2018 through 2020. The results showed that the development of the indicator value of return on equity, return on investment, and cash ratio decreased, while the value of collection periods, the ratio of equity to total assets, and inventory turn over increased. This study also found the fluctuated value of the current ratio and total asset turnover. The financial health assessment in 2018 and 2019 had a healthy predicate. However, in 2020, it had an unhealthy financial health assessment predicate. Therefore, the company needs to have better financial performance to achieve good financial health conditions that will finally affect all stakeholders.

Abstract This study reports the occurrence of pneumosteum (osteohistological structure related to an avian-like air sac system) in a nanoid (5.7-m-long) saltasaurid titanosaur from Upper Cretaceous Brazil. We corroborate the hypothesis of the presence of an air sac system in titanosaurians based upon vertebral features identified through external observation and computed tomography. This is the fifth non-avian dinosaur taxon in which histological traces of air sacs have been found. We provided a detailed description of pneumatic structures from external osteology and CT scan data as a parameter for comparison with other taxa. The camellate pattern found in the vertebral centrum (ce) of this taxon and other titanosaurs shows distinct architectures. This might indicate whether cervical or lung diverticula pneumatized different elements. A cotylar internal plate of bone tissue sustains radial camellae (rad) in a condition similar to Alamosaurus and Saltasaurus. Moreover, circumferential chambers (cc) near the cotyle might be an example of convergence between diplodocoids and titanosaurs. Finally, we also register for the first time pneumatic foramina (fo) and fossae connecting camellate structures inside the neural canal in Titanosauria and the second published case in non-avian dinosaurs. The extreme pneumaticity observed in this nanoid titanosaur contrasts with previous assumptions that this feature correlates with the evolution of gigantic sizes in sauropodomorphs. This study reinforces that even small-bodied sauropod clades could present a hyperpneumatized postcranial skeleton, a character inherited from their large-bodied ancestors.

The pterosaur fossil record in Portugal is scarce, comprising mainly isolated teeth and rare postcranial material. Here, we describe a well-preserved right proximal femur of a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian, Upper Jurassic Praia da Amoreira–Porto Novo Formation of Peniche, Portugal. It is noteworthy for its relatively large size, compared to other Jurassic pterosaurs. It shows affinities with dsungaripteroids based on a combination of features including the bowing of the shaft, the mushroom-like cap of the femoral head, and the distinctly elevated greater trochanter. The femur has a relatively thinner bone wall compared to dsungaripterids, and is more similar to basal dsungaripteroids. A histological analysis of the bone cortex shows it had reached skeletal maturity. The preserved last growth period indicates fast, uninterrupted growth continued until the final asymptotic size was reached, a growth pattern which could best be compared to pterodactyloid femora from the Early Cretaceous. The specimen is the second confirmed report of a dsungaripteroid from the Jurassic, and it is the first record of this group from the Iberian Peninsula.

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis is a normal commensal of the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, upon disruption of gut homeostasis, this nonmotile bacterium can egress from its natural niche and spread to distal organs. While this translocation process can lead to life-threatening systemic infections, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Our prior work showed that E. faecalis migration across diverse surfaces requires the formation of matrix-covered multicellular aggregates and the synthesis of exopolysaccharides, but how enterococcal cells are reprogrammed during this process is unknown. Whether surface penetration endows E. faecalis with adaptive advantages is also uncertain. Here, we report that surface penetration promotes the generation of a metabolically and phenotypically distinct E. faecalis population with an enhanced capacity to endure various forms of extracellular stress. Surface-invading enterococci demonstrated major ultrastructural alterations in their cell envelope characterized by increased membrane glycolipid content. These changes were accompanied by marked induction of specific transcriptional programs enhancing cell envelope biogenesis and glycolipid metabolism. Notably, the surface-invading population demonstrated superior tolerance to membrane-damaging antimicrobials, including daptomycin and β-defensins produced by epithelial cells. Genetic mutations impairing glycolipid biosynthesis sensitized E. faecalis to envelope stressors and reduced the ability of this bacterium to penetrate semisolid surfaces and translocate through human intestinal epithelial cell monolayers. Our study reveals that surface penetration induces distinct transcriptional, metabolic, and ultrastructural changes that equip E. faecalis with enhanced capacity to resist external stressors and thrive in its surrounding environment. IMPORTANCE Enterococcus faecalis inhabits the GIT of multiple organisms, where its establishment could be mediated by the formation of biofilm-like aggregates. In susceptible individuals, this bacterium can overgrow and breach intestinal barriers, a process that may lead to lethal systemic infections. While the formation of multicellular aggregates promotes E. faecalis migration across surfaces, little is known about the metabolic and physiological states of the enterococci encased in these surface-penetrating structures. The present study reveals that E. faecalis cells capable of migrating through semisolid surfaces genetically reprogram their metabolism toward increased cell envelope and glycolipid biogenesis, which confers superior tolerance to membrane-damaging agents. E. faecalis’s success as a pathobiont depends on its antimicrobial resistance, as well as on its rapid adaptability to overcome multiple environmental challenges. Thus, targeting adaptive genetic and/or metabolic pathways induced during E. faecalis surface penetration may be useful to better confront infections by this bacterium in the clinic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of lives globally. While COVID-19 did not discriminate against developed or developing nations, it has been a significant challenge for third world countries like Honduras to have widespread availability of advanced therapies. The concept of early treatment was almost unheard of when early outpatient treatments utilizing repurposed drugs in Latin American countries began showing promising results. One such drug is fluvoxamine, which has shown tremendous potential in two major studies. As a direct result, fluvoxamine was added to the standard of care in a major medical center outpatient COVID-19 clinic.Methods: This is a prospective observational study performed at the Hospital Centro Médico Sampedrano (CEMESA) in San Pedro Sula, Cortes, Honduras in the COVID-19 outpatient clinic. All patients were at least 15 years of age who had presented with mild or moderate signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and who also had a documented positive SARS-CoV-2 antigen or Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) were included in the study. These patients then were all prescribed fluvoxamine. The cohort of patients who decided to take fluvoxamine were compared for primary endpoints of mortality and hospitalization risk to the cohort who did not take fluvoxamine. Patients were then monitored for 30 days with the first follow up at 7 days and the second follow up at 10–14 days of symptom onset. Categorical variables were compared by Pearson Chi-square test. The Relative risk was calculated using regression models. Continuous variables were compared by t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.Results: Out of total 657 COVID-19 cases, 594 patients took fluvoxamine and 63 did not take fluvoxamine. A total of five patients (0.76 percent) died, with only one death occurring in the fluvoxamine group. Patients who received fluvoxamine had a significantly lower relative risk of mortality (RR 0.06, p 0.011, 95% CI 0.007–0.516). There was a lower relative risk of hospitalization in the patients who in the fluvoxamine group. (−10 vs. 30 hospitalizations, RR 0.49, p = 0.035, 95% CI 0.26–0.95). There was 73 percent reduction in relative risk of requiring oxygen in the fluvoxamine group (RR 0.27, p < 0.001, 95% CI 0.14–0.54 Mean lymphocytes count on the first follow-up visit was significantly higher in the fluvoxamine group (1.72 vs. 1.38, Δ 0.33, p 0.007, CI 0.09–0.58).Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that fluvoxamine lowers the relative risk of death, hospitalization, and oxygen requirement in COVID 19 patients.

The conditional random field is a suitable framework for contextual classification of two-dimensional (images) and three-dimensional (point clouds) data. This framework is based on probabilistic graphical models, an alternative representation of a conditional probability distribution over random variables. In general, a graphical model encodes probabilistic relationships between random variables by their edges. However, graph structure (set of edges) is not always known in advance. In particular, if we consider each point of a point cloud as a graph node, we might not have information about nodes interaction (i.e. graph structure is unknown). Given that there is no agreement about what structure to use for point cloud contextual classification, we focused on determining a suitable graph structure by comparing the performance of four different graph structures and twenty feature sets. All experiments were performed in urban environments. The quantitative errors (type I, type II and total error) and classification accuracy were the metrics we used to evaluate the performance of Conditional Random Fields. Results suggest that optimal neighbor and 3D Delaunay structures achieved best classification performance. Theses structures combined with point-slope, curvature, and segment height node based features performed a classification accuracy error of 93.5% and the best type I error, 1.56%.

Introduction: Hyperkalemia, a potentially life-threatening electrolyte disturbance, is commonly encountered in the Emergency Department (ED). However, the frequency of factitious hyperkalemia, an artificially elevated potassium level in hyperkalemic ED patients, is unknown. This study aims to detect the rate of factitious hyperkalemia among patients with a potassium concentration of ≥5.0 mmol/l in an all-comer ED population.Methods: This retrospective, monocentric chart review analyzed data of 2,440 ED patients who presented with a potassium concentration of ≥5.0 mmol/L in their initial whole blood or plasma sample, who also underwent a repeat potassium measurement on the same day. Two groups were established based on potassium levels in the initial and repeat blood tests: 1) True hyperkalemia, characterized by consistently elevated potassium levels in both the initial and repeat samples; and 2) Factitious hyperkalemia, defined by an elevated initial potassium level while the repeat blood test showed a normal potassium level. A subset of factitious hyperkalemia was spurious hyperkalemia. In spurious hyperkalemia, the initial blood sample showed an elevated potassium level with evidence of hemolysis, but a repeat test revealed a normal potassium level without evidence of hemolysis.Results: Of the 2,440 patients, 1,576 (65%) had true hyperkalemia and 864 (35%) factitious hyperkalemia. Among the 864 patients with factitious hyperkalemia, 597 (69%) displayed hemolysis in their initial blood sample, indicating spurious hyperkalemia due to in-vitro hemolysis.Conclusion: These data show that about one third of all hyperkalemic blood samples drawn in the ED were due to factitious hyperkalemia. The leading cause of factitious hyperkalemia was spurious hyperkalemia due to in-vitro hemolysis.

Pada umumnya perkembangan teknologi modern dan otomatisasi didunia industri saat ini banyak membuat pekerjaan menjadi lebih mudah. Banyak industri yang mulai meninggalkan sistem manual dan sudah beralih ke sistem otomasi dan teknologi yang lebih modern. Masalah lain yang timbul dari sistem manual adalah industri yang masih menggunakan sistem manual. Maka industri sekarang dituntut untuk menghasilkan produk secara cepat agar dapat memenuhi permintaan konsumen, dengan kualitas dan proses industri sesuai standard perusahaan dan mencapai target yang lebih maksimal. Alternatif yang dapat dilakukan melihat masalah yang masih banyak di industri saat ini, yaitu dengan dibangunnya proses produksi yang menggunakan sistem otomatis. Dari tuntutan industri seperti ini maka dikembangkan suatu sistem kontrol otomasi modern menggunakan PLC. Dimana saat sekarang ini PLC sangat banyak dijadikan sebagai kontrol otomasi utama dalam sebuah industri. Selain itu juga menggandengkan PLC dengan HMI. Salah satu fungsi utama HMI untuk menghubungkan manusia dengan teknologi dan meningkatkan interaksi antara mesin dengan operator melalui tampilan layar. HMI sendiri berfungsi untuk menampilkan kesalahan mesin, proses sistem, status sistem yang sedang berjalan dan melakukan maintenance terhadap kinerja mesin. Untuk mengantisipasi semua itu, sistem mounting device ini didesain menggunakan PLC sebagai kontrol dan menggunakan HMI untuk memonitoring keadaan alat yang dikontrol semua oleh PLC SIEMENS Type S7 300 dan ditampilkan di HMI menggunakan software TIA Portal versi 13. Dengan adanya alat ini, setidaknya dapat meningkatkan penguasaan dan kemampuan menggunakan PLC sebagai sistem kontrol dan mampu menggunakan HMI sebagai monitoring alat. Juga dapat menguasai program dengan menggunakan Software TIA Portal v 13.

La investigación realizada, es viable para mejorar la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la matemática en nuestro medio, para ello se tuvo objetivos de investigación, como: Determinar la influencia del uso del software educativo interactivo en la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la matemática para estudiantes de la educación básica en la región Pasco. Se ha usado el método científico, el diseño cuasi experimental con pre test y post test y grupo experimental, se han elaborado test, con confiabilidad 0,76 y validez fuerte, con coeficiente de Aiken 1. La información recabada se usó para prueba de hipótesis, con la puntuación Z. Estos procedimientos y la discusión de resultados nos permitieron llegar a conclusiones válidas.

Annalisa Tito, 1 Massimiliano Minale, 2 Salvatore Riccio, 2 Fabrizia Grieco, 2 Maria Gabriella Colucci, 1, 3 Fabio Apone 1, 3 1Arterra Bioscience Srl, Naples, 80142, Italy; 2Farmaceutici Damor S.p.A., Naples 80145, Italy; 3VitaLab Srl, Naples, 80142, ItalyCorrespondence: Annalisa TitoArterra Bioscience Srl, via Benedetto Brin 69, Naples 80142, ItalyTel +39 0816584411Fax +39 081 2144864Email annalisa@arterrabio.itIntroduction: Chronic skin lesions represent a problem of increasing occurrence, mostly due to the global ageing of the world population. Research in skin care and dermatology is constantly looking for new non-invasive solutions, preferably those based on the use of natural certified products, able to accelerate the spontaneous skin repair mechanisms and without altering the skin normal appearance and functionality. The wound healing process in the skin is finely regulated by several factors and orchestrated mechanisms, which modulate the progression and the fitting of different consequent phases, including haemostasis, inflammation, cell proliferation and tissue remodelling. It was previously shown that a patented Triticum vulgare aqueous extract was able to trigger the skin repair process by stimulating new tissue growth and reducing the expression levels of inflammatory mediators, such as IL-6, TNFα, prostaglandin E2, and nitric oxide.Methods: Scratch assay was performed in Human Dermal Fibroblasts (HDF). The production of fibronectin was measured by gene expression, protein quantification and localization using specific antibodies in HDF. The polymerization of actin was measured using rhodamin-phalloidin in HDF. The epidermal lipid content was estimated in HaCaT (human spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes) using Nile Red staining and the increasing GBA gene expression and activity was demonstrated by RT-PCR and enzymatic activity assay.Results: In the present study, it was demonstrated that the T. vulgare extract enhanced cell migration inducing the synthesis of fibronectin, new actin polymerization and stimulating the expression of the Hyaluronan Synthase 2. Furthermore it improved the restoration of the epidermal barrier stimulating lipid synthesis.Conclusion: In conclusion, we demonstrated that the T. vulgare extract possessed promising potential to be developed as a wound healing promoting agent in skin care and dermatology.Keywords: plant extract, wound healing, skin cell culture, ECM component, epidermal barrier

This article presents load and displacement data of Norway Spruce quasi-static compression test as well as video recordings of the experiment using the Universal Testing Machine (UTM). The specimens are 4 cm × 4 cm × 8 cm clear-wood cuboids with grain direction perpendicular to and loading direction parallel to the long axis. Due to the radially-arranged annual ring at such scale of the specimens, the plane of interest features significantly-varying orientation of the weak axes, namely the radial (R) and tangential (T) directions. A hemispherical knee joint underneath the specimen were fine-adjusted under preload before each experiment to ensure evenly-distributed load. Additionally, grids of 5 mm spacing were drawn on the plane of interest for better clarity of the deformed shape. Both load and displacement history recorded by the UTM as well as the deformation process recorded as video may provide valuable information for validation of wood material models or simulation methods with wood material implementations.

The importance of the stable isotopes in tree rings for the study of the climate variations caused by volcanic eruptions is still unclear. We studied δ18O, δD, δ13C stable isotopes of larch and cembran pine cellulose around four major eruptions with annual resolution, along with a superposed epoch analysis of 34 eruptions with 5-year resolution. Initial analysis of the tropical Tambora (1815 CE) and Samalas (1257 CE) eruptions showed a post-eruption decrease in δ18O values attributed to post-volcanic cooling and increased summer precipitation in Southern Europe, as documented by observations and climate simulations. The post-volcanic cooling was captured by the δD of speleothem fluid inclusion. The δ18O decrease was also observed in the analysis of 34 major tropical eruptions over the last 2000 years. In contrast, the eruptions of c. 750, 756, and 764 CE attributed to Icelandic volcanoes left no significant responses in the cellulose isotopes. Further analysis of all major Icelandic eruptions in the last 2000 years showed no consistent isotopic fingerprints, with the exception of lower post-volcanic δ13C values in larch. In summary, the δ18O values of cellulose can provide relevant information on climatic and hydroclimatic variations following major tropical volcanic eruptions, even when using the 5-year resolution wood samples of the Alpine Tree-Ring Isotope Record database.

Introduction/Main Objectives: This study estimates how much economic value will be lost from contact activities within the coastal areas in the research location. Background Problems: The area of Semarang City has flood and tidal problems, the damage to the mangrove forests in Semarang City began with the boom in shrimp farming between 1980 and 1990. Hopefully, this valuation can provide an overview of the current health of the ecosystem and become the basis for a mangrove management strategy in the future. Novelty: The novelty of this study is that it uses a sharper satellite (Image Pleades Resolution 0.5 m) to calculate the mangrove area in the research location. Research Methods: This research uses a total economic valuation, an estimation of the mangrove’s carbon stock and heavy metals, the replacement cost to prevent tidal flooding, and the willingness to pay. Findings/Results: We find that the existing economic value in the study area is very large and should be preserved for conservation. Conclusion: The environment cannot produce something instantly, but it needs to be preserved as a balance to nature.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural polymer which have superior properties, like high porosity, high purity, and high permeability. The study objective is to determine the influence of chemical pretreatment on tensile strength and the porosity of BC. The method was to make BC films from pineapple peel extract through fermentation process for 14 days. The pretreatment was conducted by immersion of BC in BmimCl, H2O2, and NaOH solution with a concentration of 2.5%; 5%; and 7.5 %, heated at 80 °C then dried in the oven, and the samples were then tested by a tensile test using ASTM-D636-V standard, morphology analysis using Scanning Electron Microscope, and porosity analysis. The results indicate that the tensile strength of control sample was 123 MPa, whereas after chemical pretreatment, the tensile strength was decreased with the greater reduction occurred using NaOH pretreatment compared than the other solutions that having a lower tensile strength of 8.54 MPa at 7.5 % of NaOH. The results of porosity show that the value increased after being treated chemically. The BC film porosity was 87.13% after NaOH treatment of 7.5% while BC film untreated had porosity of 19.15%. This phenomenon was occurred due to the increasing pore, so the absorption of water increased.

Oil spills are a frequent perturbation to the marine environment that has rapid and significant impacts on the local microbiome. Previous studies have shown that exposure to synthetic dispersant alone did not enhance heterotrophic microbial activity or oxidation rates of specific hydrocarbon components but increased the abundance of some taxa (e.g., Colwellia). In contrast, exposure to oil, but not dispersants, increased the abundance of other taxa (e.g., Marinobacter) and stimulated hydrocarbon oxidation rates. Here, we advance these findings by interpreting metatranscriptomic data from this experiment to explore how and why specific components of the microbial community responded to distinct organic carbon exposure regimes. Dispersant alone was selected for a unique community and for dominant organisms that reflected treatment- and time-dependent responses. Dispersant amendment also led to diverging functional profiles among the different treatments. Similarly, oil alone was selected for a community that was distinct from treatments amended with dispersants. The presence of oil and dispersants with added nutrients led to substantial differences in microbial responses, likely suggesting increased fitness driven by the presence of additional inorganic nutrients. The oil-only additions led to a marked increase in the expression of phages, prophages, transposable elements, and plasmids (PPTEPs), suggesting that aspects of microbial community response to oil are driven by the mobilome, potentially through viral-associated regulation of metabolic pathways in ciliates and flagellates that would otherwise throttle the microbial community through grazing.IMPORTANCEMicrocosm experiments simulated the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill by applying oil and synthetic dispersants (Corexit EC9500A and EC9527A) to deep ocean water samples. The exposure regime revealed severe negative alterations in the treatments heterotrophic microbial activity and hydrocarbon oxidation rates. We expanded these findings by exploring metatranscriptomic signatures of the microbial communities during the chemical amendments in the microcosm experiments. Here we report how dominant organisms were uniquely associated with treatment- and time-dependent trajectories during the exposure regimes; nutrient availability was a significant factor in driving changes in metatranscriptomic responses. Remarkable signals associated with PPTEPs showed the potential role of mobilome and viral-associated survival responses. These insights underscore the time-dependent environmental perturbations of fragile marine environments under oil and anthropogenic stress.