Functional Components Research Articles

Study of functional components of the construction technology modules

The purpose of the proposed article is to study the functional components of mechanized construction technological equipment. The methodology is based on research and creative approaches. The methods of development analysis, synthesis of technical solutions, and simulation modeling were used. Scientific novelty. The study of the functional components of mechanized technological equipment, the analysis of technical solutions allowed us to substantiate the composition of the construction technological module for the construction of reinforced concrete monolithic structures. The authors proposed the results of the synthesis of constructive solutions that are implemented in the design of vertically mobile formwork, which allows improving the technological performance of the construction process by reducing the use of heavy crane equipment for the construction of vertical building structures. Research results. The article considers important issues of forming the components of construction technological equipment, in particular the formwork module. The proposed solutions ensure the implementation of smooth movement of the formwork module, optimization of the process of peeling the budding forming contour from the concrete layer of the vertical building structure.

Based on Orthogonal Experimental Analysis: Effects of Formulation Systems on the Mechanical, Heat Resistance, and Aesthetic Properties of High-Gloss Black PMMA/ASA Alloys

High gloss and heat resisting PMMA/ASA is applied in many fields such as automotive materials. There are many researches focusing on single properties but no comprehensive quantitative evaluation. In this work, we used orthogonal experiments and variance methods, along with a custom Python program, to conduct in-depth experimental analysis and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of each component in the material system. The results demonstrate that this analysis method can appropriately assess the enhancements that each functional component contributes to corresponding performances. Additionally, it was observed that the strategy of blending high and low melt flow index PMMA affects the overall performance, as the application of high and low melt flow index PMMA changes the distribution and gradient of the functional components, significantly enhancing performance for certain surface or gradient-sensitive properties.

Nutritive, Polyphenolic, and Antioxidative Properties of Locally Produced Cereals and Pseudograins

Cereals and pseudograins are known for their bioactive components and hence used as functional food worldwide. Recently, locally grown cheena, kaon, quinoa, and chia are available in Bangladeshi markets. The study aimed to determine the macronutrients, polyphenols, and flavonoids contents of selected cereals (bajra, zob, cheena, and kaon) and pseudograins (quinoa and chia) along with their antioxidant properties. Cheena (13.48%) and kaon (13.55%) showed higher protein content among cereals, whereas chia of commercial and local sources showed high quantities of protein (22.40% and 22.35%, respectively) among pseudograins. A high amount of carbohydrate was found in kaon and quinoa (64.57% and 59.79%, respectively), whereas chia contained a high amount of fat (20.88 to 29.77%) and dietary fiber (31.46% to 36.85%). Locally grown bajra exhibited a markedly higher concentration of total phenolics (135.75±0.33 mg/g GAE dw) and total flavonoids (17.44±0.05 mg/gm QE dw) compared to other foods studied. Regarding antioxidant activity determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and half-maximal inhibitory (IC50) values, chia from Dinajpur field showed the best results. Therefore, cereals and pseudograins studied and reported here could provide utilizable nutritional and functional bioactive polyphenolic components that may have the potential in the nutritional management of noncommunicable diseases. J. of Sci. and Tech. Res. 6(1): 89-98, 2024

Do executive functions and processing speed mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and educational achievement? Analysis of an observational birth cohort study

BackgroundThere are large and persistent social inequalities in children’s educational attainment, with children from more socioeconomically disadvantaged families consistently having lower attainment. Despite this being widely reported, the mechanisms underlying the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and educational attainment are not well understood. It is important to understand the potential mechanisms by which socioeconomic disadvantage may impede on educational outcomes, as this knowledge could then be used to help target possible interventions to improve educational outcomes for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. Children’s executive functions (including working memory and inhibition) and processing speed abilities may underlie these inequalities, however, the previous literature regarding this is limited. This study examined longitudinal mediating mechanisms between socioeconomic status (SES) and educational achievement, using a socioeconomically deprived and ethnically diverse cohort.MethodsData from the Born in Bradford longitudinal cohort study was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (n = 4201; 28% White British, 56% Pakistani heritage, 16% Other; 54% Female). SES was measured before birth, executive functions and processing speed were measured in middle childhood (Mage=8.45 years), and educational achievement was obtained through educational records (Mage=10.85 years). All models adjusted for child gender, age, language ability, ethnicity, and mother immigration status.ResultsExecutive functions significantly mediated the association between SES and educational achievement (B = 0.109), whilst processing speed did not. Examination of executive function components revealed that working memory significantly mediated the associated between SES and educational achievement (B = 0.100), whilst inhibition did not. Working memory appeared to account for a large proportion (39%) of the total effect of SES on educational achievement.ConclusionsThese results, and the theoretical mechanisms linking working memory to educational achievement, both indicate the importance of finding ways to support children with working memory difficulties in the classroom. This is an important avenue for future research and may be useful for closing the socioeconomic gap in educational achievement.

Nonstationary Functional Time Series Forecasting

ABSTRACTWe propose a nonstationary functional time series forecasting method with an application to age‐specific mortality rates observed over the years. The method begins by taking the first‐order differencing and estimates its long‐run covariance function. Through eigendecomposition, we obtain a set of estimated functional principal components and their associated scores for the differenced series. These components allow us to reconstruct the original functional data and compute the residuals. To model the temporal patterns in the residuals, we again perform dynamic functional principal component analysis and extract its estimated principal components and the associated scores for the residuals. As a byproduct, we introduce a geometrically decaying weighted approach to assign higher weights to the most recent data than those from the distant past. Using the Swedish age‐specific mortality rates from 1751 to 2022, we demonstrate that the weighted dynamic functional factor model can produce more accurate point and interval forecasts, particularly for male series exhibiting higher volatility.

APPROACHES TO OPTIMIZING DESIGN SOLUTIONS OF ARCHITECTURAL OBJECTS AND COMPLEXES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

It has been established that in solving the problem of increasing the efficiency of urban environment development, a special place belongs to design, in which scientific and technical achievements are implemented. They determine the technical and economic level of production. The article is devoted to the study of approaches to optimizing design solutions of architectural objects. The concept of “optimization of design solutions” is defined. It is determined that the optimization of architectural and urban planning solutions is one of the most important areas of architectural activity. It determines the main approaches to improving the quality of the living environment of the population, considering social, ideological, functional, structural and technical, economic, urban planning and compositional requirements. It is determined that design searches for the creation of innovative buildings that ensure high quality of the urban environment should be carried out systematically using computer modelling of objects. The main characteristics and influence of innovative technologies on the process of optimizing design solutions of architectural objects and complexes have been identified. It has been established that the strategic direction of qualitative transformations of buildings and structures in the urban environment is the improvement of their material and spatial characteristics, including functional, ecological and aesthetic components, as well as the modernization of infrastructure and information and communication systems. Modern approaches to optimizing design solutions of architectural objects of various functional purposes have been identified. It is determined that the procedure for selecting the best project option happens considering the specifics of the task of comprehensive assessment of design solutions. This considers the number and technical and economic content of the criteria, the multivariate nature of architectural, construction, organizational and technological solutions. Its implementation is based on establishing the hierarchical significance of the criteria and the range of their limitations depending on the tasks and material and financial capabilities of the customer. It is important to narrow down the set of options after going through them at each hierarchical level and select effective solutions that meet the given limitations. Perspective trends have been identified in the field of implementing solutions for the optimal use of exterior spaces of various functional purposes. Such perspective trends are aimed at humanizing the living, working and recreational environment of a person, considering regional, national, natural and climatic and other features, environmental, technical, sanitary and hygienic and aesthetic requirements. They provide for the rational use of territorial and other architectural and urban resources, protection of the population and reduction of damage from possible manifestations of dangerous man-made and geological natural disasters, preservation of valuable architectural and urban heritage, development of national and cultural traditions in architecture and urban planning.

Reconstruction of electron velocity distribution function and Gibbs entropy from electron cyclotron emission in magnetized plasmas

Abstract We propose a method for reconstructing the fluctuation components of the electron velocity distribution function, and the electron entropy, which is a functional of the fluctuation components of the electron velocity distribution function, using the harmonic spectrum from pure X-mode electron cyclotron emission (ECE) in optically thin plasmas. This formulation employs the maximum entropy method in velocity space using the Hankel transform, which converts from v⊥ space to p space (where, v⊥ and p are the electron velocity perpendicular to the background magnetic field and the index of the wavenumber in velocity space). Numerical tests validated the effectiveness of the proposed method, which is applicable across a wide range of magnetized plasma conditions, including conditions with both non-relativistic and relativistic electrons, except in cases of harmonic overlap or under optically thick conditions. Notably, this method does not require radiometer calibration for ECE measurements. This method fascilitates the experimental evaluation of electron entropy transport in fusion plasma experiments. Moreover, when combined with measurements in k-space (spatial distribution), this approach enables entropy distribution acquisition in phase space (k-p space).

Enhancing the Recognition of Collinear Building Patterns by Shape Cognition Based on Graph Neural Networks

ABSTRACT Building patterns are important components of urban structures and functions, and their accurate recognition is the foundation of urban spatial analysis, cartographic generalization, and other tasks. Current building pattern recognition methods are often based on a shape index that can only characterize shape features from one aspect, resulting in significant errors. In this study, a building pattern recognition method based on a graph neural network is proposed to enhance shape cognition and focus on recognizing collinear patterns. First, a building shape classification model that integrates global shape and graph node structure features was constructed to quantitatively study shape cognition. Subsequently, a collinear pattern recognition (CPR) model was established based on a dual building graph. The shape cognition results were integrated into the model to enhance its recognition ability. The results show that the shape classification model can be used to effectively distinguish different shape categories and support building pattern recognition tasks. Based on the CPR model, false recognitions can be avoided, and recognition results similar to those of visual cognition can be obtained. Compared with the comparative methods, both models have significant advantages in terms of statistical results and implementation.

First-Principles insights into ferromagnetic, optoelectronic and dynamical properties of Eu/Er Co-doped AlGaN

Abstract In this thorough investigation, we analyze the complex electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of wurtzite-structured aluminum gallium nitride (Al0.125Ga0.75N) when co-doped with the rare-earth elements erbium and europium. Leveraging a modified LSDA+U approach that adeptly captures the pivotal interactions within the 4f shell, our findings unveil that the co-doped AlGaN exhibits distinct semiconducting behavior. Remarkably, in stark contrast to its pristine Al0.125Ga0.75N counterpart, the co-doped material manifests an indirect band gap whose value is notably reduced. This intriguing phenomenon of ferromagnetism observed in the co-doped system can be attributed to the intricate interplay between the f-p and p-d states, culminating in the formation of hybridized f-p-d orbitals. Our investigation further elucidates the intricate hybridization of various orbitals at the valence band maximum (VBM), including the harmonious fusion of p-d orbitals derived from Eu-5d, Er-5d, and N-2p. Notably, the magnetic moment exhibits a pronounced localization at the Eu and Er sites, attaining substantial values of 5.90 μB and 2.99 μB, respectively. Moreover, our comprehensive exploration encompasses the calculation of the real and imaginary components of the dielectric function, refractive index, and extinction coefficient, spanning an impressive photon energy range of up to 12 eV. Significantly, in the ultraviolet region of the optical spectrum, the imaginary part of the Eu and Er co-doped Al0.125Ga0.75N unveils a pronounced absorption coefficient, a pivotal property with far-reaching implications for optoelectronic applications.


A retinex inspired deep image prior model for despeckling and deblurring of aerial and satellite images using proximal gradient method

ABSTRACT Unsupervised learning models, particularly in the remote sensing domain, have gained significant attention in recent years. Various degradations in the satellite images, primarily occurring during acquisition, pose a substantial hurdle in obtaining reliable ground truth and extensive training data. The Deep Image Prior model (DIP) addresses these issues by performing restoration tasks using a single image, relying on the implicit regularization inherent in the network architecture. In this paper, we propose a novel approach, integrating the DIP model within the retinex framework to restore aerial and satellite images from the Gamma distributed speckles and linear shift-invariant Gaussian blur along with contrast enhancement using the alternating proximal gradient descent ascent (PGDA) method. Our proposed methodology combines implicit regularization with explicit total variational (TV) regularization, incorporating automated estimation of local regularization parameters. The data-fidelity component in the optimization function is formulated using the Bayesian Maximum A posteriori (MAP) estimate, assuming the speckles follow the Gamma distribution. Demonstration of despeckling and deblurring alone and in addition as a combined task is carried out on aerial and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images with different resolutions and polarization from various sources. Results obtained are compared with various state-of-the-art despeckling and deblurring models using distinct image quality metrics such as Equivalent Number of Looks (ENL), Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR), Edge Preserving Index (EPI), Entropy, Global Contrast Factor (GCF), Natural Image Quality Evaluator (NIQE), Blind/Referenceless Image Spatial Quality Evaluator (BRISQUE) and Bradley-Terry (B-T) score based on the various factors. The quality of restored images depicted superior performance of the proposed method over the existing models under study.

Health-Related Quality of Life among Medical Students and Its Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its associated factors among medical students residing in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Aziz Fatimah Medical and Dental College, Faisalabad, Pakistan from July 2023 to December 2023. All medical students aged 18 years and above were included. HRQOL was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), covering eight domains: Physical Functioning, Role Limitations due to Physical Health, Role Limitations due to Emotional Problems, Vitality, Mental Health, Social Functioning, Bodily Pain, and General Health Perception. Each domain was scored from 0 (low) to 100 (high). Physical and Mental Component Summary scores were also calculated. Results: Of total 300 students, SF-36 domains showed higher mean scores in Bodily Pain and Physical Functioning i.e., 66.6 ±24.9 and 61.6 ±29.1. Males reported significantly higher mean scores in General Health Perception (pvalue < 0.001) and Vitality (p-value 0.013), while females had significantly higher Physical Functioning scores (pvalue <0.005). Students >21 years had significantly higher mean scores in Physical Functioning (p-value 0.017). Furthermore, day scholars showed significantly better mean scores in Physical Functioning (p-value <0.001), Bodily Pain (p-value 0.020), Social Functioning (p-value 0.030), and Physical Component Summary (p-value <0.001) than hostelites. Students who exercised (p-value 0.020), had strong family relationships (p-value 0.003), and faced no distressing family events (p-value <0.001) reported significantly higher SF-36 scores. Conclusion: Overall, SF-36 domains showed higher mean scores in Bodily Pain and Physical Functioning, with significant differences in HRQOL based on age, gender, residence, and lifestyle factors among medical students.

Application of FCEEMD-TSMFDE and adaptive CatBoost in fault diagnosis of complex variable condition bearings

The mode mixing problem and inherent mode function selection bias in Fast Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (FEEMD) result in ineffective extraction of fault components during the denoising stage, the loss of coarse-grained information in Multiscale Fuzzy Dispersion Entropy (MFDE) reduces the stability of fault features, and the lack of adaptability of CatBoost hyperparameters leads to reduced diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, a complex variable operating condition fault diagnosis method based on Fast Complementary Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (FCEEMD) - Time-shift Multiscale Fuzzy Dispersion Entropy (TSMFDE) and adaptive Optuna-CatBoost is proposed. We introduce paired white noise with opposite signs in the construction of FCEEMD, effectively suppressing mode aliasing by neutralizing the residual noise generated during decomposition. Then, the Maximum Information Coefficient / Gini Index was introduced to construct a composite screening strategy, retaining the Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) components that are strongly correlated with the original signal and have a fault impact to reconstruct the denoised signal. Secondly, time-shift multiscale is introduced into the coarse-grained process, and the constructed TSMFDE effectively extracts complete and stable fault features. Finally, with the introduction of the Optuna hyperparameter optimization framework, the adaptive Optuna-CatBoost can accurately diagnose bearing faults. The average fault diagnosis accuracy of the proposed method reached 99.76% and 99.33%, indicating that FCEEMD based on white noise can quickly and accurately decompose non-aliasing vibration modes, and the composite screening strategy can further filter out irrelevant noise modes and improve signal quality; The proposed TSMFDE can extract stable fault features, and its combination with Optuna-CatBoost can further improve the accuracy of fault diagnosis. This model is expected to be applied in more fields of feature extraction and pattern recognition.

Annular lithography for fabricating micro- and mesoscale optical structures on curved surfaces.

This paper presents an advanced exposure system that, we believe, for the first time, enables annular lithography to create micro- and mesostructures on curved surfaces. The principle of ring creation is based on an axicon zoom system whereas the exposure tool exhibits several features that enhance its performance over previous models. Its optical design features a high numerical aperture, resulting in narrow ring widths and high resolution. Additionally, the ring diameter, which can be varied between 400 µm and 8 mm, remains constant along the optical axis due to telecentric imaging. Further functional components include an observation unit for alignment and monitoring, as well as an integrated autofocus system. In addition to determining the exposure ring width (∼ 10 µm), diffractive lenses on planar substrates as well as on a spherical lens with a radius of curvature of 68.8 mm were structured. The periods of the diffractive structure varied between 60 µm and 460 µm.

Physical Properties, Health Functionality, and Sensory Evaluation of Bread with the Unused Parts of Waxy Barley

In Japan, rising demand for waxy barley has led to concerns over bran waste. We investigated the effects of replacing wheat flour with different proportions of the waxy variety ‘Kirarimochi’ barley bran on the physical properties and health functionality of the bread. We used both the inner bran layer (IBLP) and outer bran layer (OBLP) of waxy barley as replacement sources and tested their effects on the appearance, height, specific volume, β-glucan, antioxidant properties, physical and sensory properties of bread. Bread with a 10% IBLP replacement group showed significantly increased height, specific volume, and softness compared to the control, indicating that IBLP at this level serves as an effective enhancer of bread volume and texture. At higher replacement levels (30–50% IBLP), the breads exhibited increased β-glucan content and enhanced antioxidant properties. Sensory evaluation revealed a stronger aroma, increased moistness, and stickiness of bread with 50% IBLP substitutions. OBLP was not suitable for sensory evaluation. These results show that IBLP can improve the specific volume and texture of bread and enhance its health functional components by adjusting the ratio. It also provides a clue to solving the problem of bran disposal.

Mechanisms and Impact of Rhizosphere Microbial Metabolites on Crop Health, Traits, Functional Components: A Comprehensive Review.

Current agricultural practices face numerous challenges, including declining soil fertility and heavy reliance on chemical inputs. Rhizosphere microbial metabolites have emerged as promising agents for enhancing crop health and yield in a sustainable manner. These metabolites, including phytohormones, antibiotics, and volatile organic compounds, play critical roles in promoting plant growth, boosting resistance to pathogens, and improving resilience to environmental stresses. This review comprehensively outlines the mechanisms through which rhizosphere microbial metabolites influence crop health, traits, functional components, and yield. It also discusses the potential applications of microbial secondary metabolites in biofertilizers and highlights the challenges associated with their production and practical use. Measures to overcome these challenges are proposed, alongside an exploration of the future development of the functional fertilizer industry. The findings presented here provide a scientific basis for utilizing rhizosphere microbial metabolites to enhance agricultural sustainability, offering new strategies for future crop management. Integrating these microbial strategies could lead to increased crop productivity, improved quality, and reduced dependence on synthetic chemical inputs, thereby supporting a more environmentally friendly and resilient agricultural system.

Bioactive Components in Functional Foods, Mechanism of Action and Impacts on Health with a Focus on COVID-19 –A Review

Functional food plays a critical role on enhancing an individual’s health, in the current scenario. The health benefits of functional foods are elaborated through a review of bioactive components present in these foods. The importance of the components such as minerals, polyols, prebiotics, probiotics, carotenoids, flavonoids, proteins, dietary fibres, vitamins, and fatty acids such as Omega n-3 fatty acids which are present in our daily diet and their role in promoting human health is reviewed in this article. The mechanism of action of these components in the gut and their biochemical responses are discussed. This study also emphasizes the use of controlled delivery of the components by nanotechnological research, typically conducted "in-vitro." A detailed note is included to describe how these bioactive ingredients work to treat and prevent COVID-19 infection. The functional components present in foods such as garlic, green tea, curcumin and so forth, can impede the spike glycoproteins of the COVID 19 virus and the ACE2 (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) receptors present in the human body. These components act by modulating the host immune response against the SARS CoV2 virus in addition to their own inherent antiviral action. Since COVID infection has become an endemic, the daily dietary supplementation of functional components is a novel idea of battling the same. A few of the adverse effects of the bioactive components are also outlined.

Left Atrial Functional and Structural Characteristics in Patients After Total and Bicaval Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

Background/Objectives: Currently, the most popular techniques for orthotopic heart transplantation (OHTx) are bicaval and total OHTx. Although bicaval OHTx has shown advantages over the biatrial approach, comparisons between bicaval and total OHTx reain limited. To compare the functional and morphological characteristics of the left atrium (LA) in patients after bicaval and total OHTx. Methods: Sixty-six patients (age 51.2 ± 10.5 years) after total OHTx (33 patients) and bicaval OHTx (33 patients) were included in this case–control study. Recipients were matched for sex, age, and time from transplantation and absence of severe graft rejection based on routine endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) performed during follow-up. Echocardiography included standard measurements along with a speckle-tracking assessment of LA strain. Results: Compared with the bicaval OHTx, the total OHTx group showed higher atrial mitral inflow velocity, resulting in a lower E/A ratio, lower LA volume index, and higher LA emptying fraction. Both the reservoir and contraction components of LA function, as assessed by LA deformation, were found to show more favorable profiles in the total OHTx group than in the bicaval group (26.5 ± 6.9 vs. 17.4 ± 4.7, p < 0.001 and 14.8 ± 5.8 vs. 6.0 ± 4.5, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariable analysis identified surgical technique, left ventricular global longitudinal strain, and the presence of diabetes in the recipient as independent determinants of LA strain. Conclusions: Total OHTx is associated with better LA morphology and function than bicaval OHTx. This may provide better conditions for LA-LV coupling in transplanted hearts and contribute to a more stable electrophysiological environment in atrial tissue.

Enhancing combat readiness via evidence-based pedagogical innovations in National Guard of Ukraine officer training

This study examines the effectiveness of innovative pedagogical conditions in enhancing combat readiness among future officers of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU). Utilising a quasi-experimental design, we implemented and evaluated a set of pedagogical interventions integrating recent combat experience into officer training at the Kyiv Institute of the National Guard of Ukraine. The study involved 74 trainee officers divided into experimental (n=35) and control (n=39) groups. Results demonstrated significant improvements in the experimental group across functional, psychological, and reflective components of combat readiness, with increases of 43%, 25%, and 32%, respectively, in high-level readiness. These findings underscore the importance of rapidly integrating field experiences into military education, offering valuable insights for enhancing officer training in dynamic conflict environments. The study contributes to the broader understanding of adaptive military education strategies and provides a framework for implementing evidence-based training reforms in military institutions globally.

Cytotoxic and apoptotic potentials of four native apricot varieties from Malatya, Turkey: A comprehensive evaluation.

In recent years, the role of functional foods in addressing various health issues, including cancer, has gained significant attention. Among these, the cytotoxic and apoptotic properties of Malatya apricots hold particular interest for their potential therapeutic benefits. This study focused on exploring the effects of methanol and acetone extracts from four popular Malatya apricot varieties-Hacıhaliloğlu, Hasanbey, Kabaaşı, and Soğancı-on cancer cell lines. The extracts were derived from apricots in their raw, ripe, and dried form, which can be consumed in three ways, and were tested for their cytotoxic and apoptotic activities against MCF-7 and Caco-2 cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, wound scratch, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining tests. Additionally, we assessed the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts. Our findings revealed that the acetone extracts of dried and raw Kabaaşı apricots exhibited the lowest IC50 values against the MCF-7 cell line over 24 and 48h, with values of 3.9 and 0.5mg/mL, respectively. Similarly, in the Caco-2 cell line, the dried Kabaaşı apricot extracts showed the lowest IC50values of 3.59 and 1.95mg/mL for the same time frames. In the wound scratch assay, utilizing apricot extracts at their lowest IC50 values revealed significant differences in cell migration inhibition between treated and control groups. For Caco-2 cells, the control group's wound closure was around 70%, whereas apricot extract treatment resulted in 10%-30% opening after 24h, indicating a strong antiproliferative effect. Similarly, in MCF-7 cells, the control group showed approximately 80% wound closure, in contrast to the 0%-12% opening observed in cells treated with apricot extract, further emphasizing the extracts' potent inhibitory impact on cell proliferation. Additionally, morphological evidence of cell death and apoptosis was observed in the images obtained through the AO/EB staining method, conducted to showcase the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the apricot extract. Apricot extracts consistently demonstrated strong cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on both Caco-2 and MCF-7 cell lines, underscoring Malatya apricots' potential as a functional food component with promising therapeutic properties against cancer.

Pain sensitization in fibromyalgia. Cross-sectional associations between quantitative sensory testing of pain sensitization and fibromyalgia disease burden.

Whether fibromyalgia burden is related to measures of sensitization, assessed by quantitative sensory testing (QST), is not clear. We examine the associations between sensitization and fibromyalgia disease burden as measured by the polysymptomatic sistress scale (PDS) and the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) (range 0-100). Participants were recruited from referrals to a rheumatology outpatient clinic and the fibromyalgia diagnosis was verified by a rheumatologist. They completed the PDS and FIQ and underwent QST of pressure pain threshold (PPT) at five sites, temporal summation (TS), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) estimated as post-stimuli/pre-stimuli PPT. The associations between QST and disease burden were analysed in linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. A total of 78 individuals with clinically verified fibromyalgia (90% women, mean age 40.9 years (SD 7.3)) were recruited. Overall mean PPT was associated with the FIQ total score (β-2.1, 95% CI-4.3, -0.0) and the function component (β-2.1, (-4.3, -0.0)). When examining the associations between PPT at individual sites and fibromyalgia disease severity, PPTs at the distal interphalangeal joint and tibialis anterior muscle were associated with both FIQ total score and the FIQ fatigue component. All associations were weak and insignificant after Bonferroni corrections. In this cohort of individuals with fibromyalgia, sensitization was not significantly associated with self-reported disease burden. Our results point to the multifactorial nature of fibromyalgia disease severity. In patients with fibromyalgia, commonly used measures of sensitization do not explain the symptom burden or the functional impact.