Decrease In Rate Research Articles

Experimental and Computational Analyses of Sustainable Approaches in Railways

Railway transportation is widely recognized as an environment-friendly and sustainable means for conveying freight and passengers over long distances. This article investigates the effectiveness of utilizing scrap tire rubber granules and geosynthetics to enhance track performance in response to the growing demands for railway transport and the consequent escalation of train-induced loading. A multi-faceted methodology, incorporating experimental, numerical, and analytical techniques, is employed to examine the efficacy of these sustainable approaches. Results from three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) analyses conducted on slab tracks for high-speed railways reveal that the addition of a resilient layer, comprising scrap tire rubber granules, reduces vertical stress within the track substructure. Laboratory investigations on an innovative composite material consisting of soil, scrap rubber granules, and polyurethane demonstrate its potential to enhance track performance. Findings from two-dimensional (2D) FE analyses conducted on pile-supported railway embankments highlight an enhanced transfer of load to the pile head following the installation of a geogrid layer at the embankment base. Finally, the results from the analytical approach indicate a reduction in track settlement and a decrease in the track geometry degradation rate on reinforcing the ballast layer with 3D cellular geoinclusion. The novelty of this study lies in the comprehensive assessment of the innovative composite material under drained and cyclic loading conditions, the investigation of the influence of train loading on geosynthetic tension and the load transfer mechanism in railway embankments, and the development of an innovative computational methodology capable of assessing the effectiveness of 3D cellular inclusions in improving the ballasted railway track performance. The findings from this article underscore the effectiveness of these sustainable approaches in mitigating the challenges posed by increased loads on railway tracks, providing valuable insights for the ongoing efforts to optimize railway transportation infrastructure.

Escalating climate-related health risks for Hajj pilgrims to Mecca.

Global temperatures are on the rise, leading to more frequent and severe heatwaves with associated health risks. Heat-related illnesses (HRIs) are an increasing threat for travellers to hot climate destinations. This study was designed to elucidate the interplay between increasing ambient temperatures, incidence of HRIs and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies during the annual Hajj mass gathering over a 40-year period. An observational study was conducted utilizing historical records spanning four decades of meteorological data, and the rates of heat stroke (HS) and heat exhaustion (HE) during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. With an annual population exceeding 2million participants from over 180 countries, the study analysed temporal variations in weather conditions over two distinct Hajj hot cycles and correlated it with the occurrence of HS and HE. The effectiveness of deployed mitigation measures in alleviating health vulnerabilities between the two cycles was also assessed. Throughout the study period, average dry and wet bulb temperatures in Mecca escalated by 0.4°C (Mann-Kendall P < 0.0001) and 0.2°C (Mann-Kendall P = 0.25) per decade, respectively. Both temperatures were strongly correlated with the incidence of HS and HE (P < 0.001). Despite the intensifying heat, the mitigation strategies including individual, structural and community measures were associated with a substantial 74.6% reduction in HS cases and a 47.6% decrease in case fatality rate. The study underscores the escalating climate-related health risks in Mecca over the study period. The mitigation measures' efficacy in such a globally representative setting emphasizes the findings' generalizability and the importance of refining public health interventions in the face of rising temperatures.

Large‐Scale Solution‐Processed Ultrathin 2D Tri‐layer Heterostructures for Photodetector Applications

AbstractHeterojunction‐based photodetectors of 2D TMDs provide the solution‐processability and scalability to fabricate devices. In this study, we have produced photodetectors using a solution‐processable approach, focusing on the heterojunction of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). The photodetection properties of the fabricated devices have been thoroughly examined at two different wavelengths 660 nm and 785 nm. This hybrid 2D tri‐layer heterojunction strategy, employing a MoS2/MoSe2 heterojunction as the photosensitizer and a TiS2 layer as the conducting pathway, is fabricated to understand high‐performance photodetectors. A simple and low‐cost solution process was used to fabricate all the active layers of the photodetector. 2D TMDs were synthesized by liquid phase exfoliation which exhibits absorption in both visible as well as NIR spectral regions. The as‐fabricated photodetector shows a response time of 220 msec and responsivity of ~28 mA W−1 in the visible region and ~44 mA W−1 in the near IR region. This improved response of the as‐fabricated photodetector of tri‐layer heterojunction results from the effective decrease in recombination rate and efficient electron–hole separation.

Oral-diadochokinesis between Parkinson's disease and neurotypical elderly among Malaysian-Malay speakers.

Parkinson's disease (PD) has an impact on speech production, manifesting in various ways including alterations in voice quality, challenges in articulating sounds and a decrease in speech rate. Numerous investigations have been conducted to ascertain the oral-diadochokinesis (O-DDK) rate in individuals with PD. However, the existing literature lacks exploration of such O-DDK rates in Malaysia and does not provide consistent evidence regarding the advantage of real-word repetition. To explore the effect of gender, stimuli type and PD status and their interactions on the O-DDK rates among Malaysian-Malay speakers. O-DDK performance of 62 participants (29 individuals with PD and 33 healthy elderly) using a non-word ('pataka'), a Malay real-word ('patahkan') and an English real-word ('buttercake') was audio recorded. The number of syllables produced in 8s was counted. A hierarchical linear modelling was performed to investigate the effects of stimuli type (non-word, Malay real-word, English real-word), PD status (yes, no), gender (male, female) and their interactions on the O-DDK rate. The model accounted for participants' age as well as the nesting of repeated measurements within participants, thereby providing unbiased estimates of the effects. The stimuli effect was significant (p < 0.0001). Malay real-word showed the lowest O-DDK rate (5.03 ± 0.11 syllables/s), followed by English real-word (5.25 ± 0.11 syllables/s) and non-word (5.42 ± 0.11 syllables/s). Individuals with PD showed a significantly lower O-DDK rate compared to healthy elderly (4.73 ± 0.15 syllables/s vs. 5.74 ± 0.14 syllables/s, adjusted p < 0.001). A subsequent analysis indicated that the O-DDK rate declined in a quadratic pattern. However, neither gender nor age effects were observed. Additionally, no significant two-way interactions were found between stimuli type, PD status and gender (all p > 0.05). Therefore, the choice of stimuli type has no or only limited effect considering the use of O-DDK tests in clinical practice for diagnostic purposes. The observed slowness in O-DDK among individuals with PD can be attributed to the impact of the movement disorder, specifically bradykinesia, on the physiological aspects of speech production. Speech-language pathologists can gain insights into the impact of PD on speech production and tailor appropriate intervention strategies to address the specific needs of individuals with PD according to disease stages. What is already known on this subject The observed slowness in O-DDK rates among individuals with PD may stem from the movement disorder's effects on the physiological aspects of speech production, particularly bradykinesia. However, there is a lack of consistent evidence regarding the influence of real-word repetition and how O-DDK rates vary across different PD stages. What this study adds to existing knowledge The O-DDK rates decline in a quadratic pattern as the PD progresses. The research provides insights into the advantage of real-word repetition in assessing O-DDK rates, with Malay real-word showing the lowest O-DDK rate, followed by English real-word and non-word. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Speech-language pathologists can better understand the evolving nature of speech motor impairments as PD progresses. This insight enables them to design targeted intervention strategies that are sensitive to the specific needs and challenges associated with each PD stage. This finding can guide clinicians in selecting appropriate assessment tools for evaluating speech motor function in PD patients.

The effect of seed sowing rates on spring durum wheat productivity

The purpose of the current study was to establish the effect of sowing rates of spring durum wheat on its productivity. There has been established that reducing seed sowing rates from 7 to 3 million germinated seeds per 1 ha allows reducing spring durum wheat vegetation period by 6–7 days. There has been identified maximum density of productive stems of the two varieties at a seeding rate of 6 and 7 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The highest productive tillering capacity for two spring durum wheat varieties was obtained at the variant with a norm of 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. Thus, according to the experimental variants, the average plant height of the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Niva’ was 70.6 cm in the control variant and 81.8 cm at a sowing rate of 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Zolotistaya’ has produced the tallest plants of 79.5 cm, with a seeding rate of 4 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. There has been established that the length of a head also increases with a seeding rate decrease; for example, in the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Niva’, the maximum indicators of the main head were formed at a seeding rate of 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha, where the maximum length of the main head was 6.7 cm, the number of grains was 27.5 pieces with a weight of 1.47 g. For the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Zolotistaya’, the maximum head length was 5.6 cm, and the number of grains was 24 pieces at a rate of 4 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The fullest grain of the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Niva’ with 53.4 g of ‘1000-grain weight’ was formed at a seeding rate of 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha; the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Zolotistaya’ was 50.4g with a norm of 6 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The maximum productivity of the variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Niva’ was 3.54 t/ha with a seeding rate of 5 million germinated seeds per 1 ha. The variety ‘Bezenchukskaya Zolotistaya’ formed a yield of 3.23 t/ha with a seeding rate of 6 million germinated seeds per 1 ha.

Engineering Site 228 of Streptomyces coelicolor Laccase for Optimizing Catalytic Activity.

Malachite green (MG) poses a formidable threat to ecosystems and human health. Laccase emerges as a promising candidate for MG degradation, prompting an investigation into the catalytic activity modulation of a small laccase (SLAC) from Streptomyces coelicolor, with a focus on amino acid position 228. Through saturation mutagenesis, five mutants with a 50% increase in the specific activity were generated. Characterization revealed notable properties, Km of E228F was 8.8% of the wild type (WT), and E288T exhibited a 133% kcat compared to WT. Structural analyses indicated improved hydrophobicity and electrostatic potential on the mutants' surfaces, with the stable E228F-ABTS complex exhibiting reduced flexibility, possibly contributing to the observed decrease in turnover rate. Mutants demonstrated enhanced MG decolorization, particularly E228G. Site 228 acts as a crucial functional control switch, suggesting its potential role in SLAC engineering. This study provides insights into laccase modulation and offers promising avenues for enzymatic bioremediation applications.

Comparison of the therapeutic efficacy of magneto-LED therapy and magnetostimulation applied as the adjuvant treatment of venous leg ulcers – preliminary study

ABSTRACT Purpose Venous leg ulcers are chronic wounds that are difficult to cure. The aim of the study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy of two methods of physical medicine – magneto-LED therapy and magnetostimulation, applied as adjuvant treatment in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. Methods The study included 81 patients, 37 male (45.6%) and 44 female (54.3%) ones, age range between 45 and 90 years, with venous leg ulcers. The patients were assigned to two study groups: magneto-LED therapy (group 1) or magnetostimulation (group 2). In both groups, a total of 40 daily procedures were performed. Wound healing was evaluated using computerized planimetry and the pain intensity on numeric rating scale. Results After treatment, the decrease in healing rate in group 1 was statistically significantly higher in comparison to group 2 (p < 0.001), while a statistically significant reduction in the surface area of ulcers was obtained, amounting on the average from 6.34 ± 1.29 cm2 to 2.31 ± 1.25 cm2 in group 1 (p < 0.001), and from 6.52 ± 1.20 cm2 to 4.79 ± 1.17 cm2 in group 2 (p < 0.001). The percentage changes of ulcers area in group 1 (64.21 ± 17.94%) were statistically significantly greater as compared to group 2 (25.87 ± 14.07%) (p < 0.001). After treatment, the decrease in pain relief in group 1 was statistically significantly higher in comparison to group 2 (p = 0.006), while pain intensity after treatment decreased statistically significantly in both compared groups of patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions Magneto-LED therapy and magnetostimulation caused significant reduction of surface area of the treated venous leg ulcers and pain intensity, yet magneto-LED therapy was more efficient. Both evaluated methods also significantly reduced pain intensity.

Analysis of glomerulopathies in kidney neoplasms

Background. Malignant neoplasms, including those of the kidneys, are widespread in the world. The main treatment for kidney tumors is surgery, one of its options is nephrectomy. Malignant tumors of various localizations can lead to a variety of kidney damage. Glomerulopathies of various origins are often asymptomatic, and therefore, patients do not seek medical help. For the diagnosis of glomerulopathies, it is necessary to assess morphological changes with the formulation of an immunofluorescence reaction and electron microscopy.The aim: to analyze the clinical manifestations, frequency and structure of glomerulopathies in kidney neoplasms.Patients and Methods. The study included 141 patients. The patients underwent nephrectomy, the daily protein loss, the number of altered erythrocytes in the urine, the level of creatinine in the blood serum were determined, and the glomerular filtration rate (CKD-EPI) was calculated. Morphological evaluation of samples included immunofluorescence reaction and electron microscopy. To assess the statistical significance of the relationship between variables, Spearman's nonparametric rank correlation coefficient (Rs) was calculated. The results obtained were considered significant at p&lt;0.05. RESULTS. Glomerulopathies were detected in 41.8 % of patients. Glomerulonephritis was observed in 10.6 % of cases and diabetic nephropathy was detected in 31.2 % of patients. Prior to nephrectomy, proteinuria was higher in patients with glomerulonephritis; after surgical treatment, there were no differences in the level of proteinuria. Before nephrectomy, there were no significant differences in glomerular filtration rate; after surgery, glomerular filtration rate was higher in patients without glomerular pathology. After one year, there was a significant decrease in glomerular filtration rate in patients with glomerulopathies. CONCLUSION. When examining the surgical material, the morphologist should also evaluate changes in the kidney tissue outside the tumor. It is advisable to jointly manage the patient by an oncologist and a nephrologist Keywords: tumor, glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, glomerular filtration rate&gt; ˂ 0.05.Results. Glomerulopathies were detected in 41.8 % of patients. Glomerulonephritis was observed in 10.6 % of cases and diabetic nephropathy was detected in 31.2 % of patients. Prior to nephrectomy, proteinuria was higher in patients with glomerulonephritis; after surgical treatment, there were no differences in the level of proteinuria. Before nephrectomy, there were no significant differences in glomerular filtration rate; after surgery, glomerular filtration rate was higher in patients without glomerular pathology. After one year, there was a significant decrease in glomerular filtration rate in patients with glomerulopathies.Conclusion. When examining the surgical material, the morphologist should also evaluate changes in the kidney tissue outside the tumor. It is advisable to jointly manage the patient by an oncologist and a nephrologist.

Survival Among Patients With High-Risk Gastrointestinal Cancers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Prior reports demonstrated that patients with cancer experienced worse outcomes from pandemic-related stressors and COVID-19 infection. Patients with certain malignant neoplasms, such as high-risk gastrointestinal (HRGI) cancers, may have been particularly affected. To evaluate disruptions in care and outcomes among patients with HRGI cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic, assessing for signs of long-term changes in populations and survival. This retrospective cohort study used data from the National Cancer Database to identify patients with HRGI cancer (esophageal, gastric, primary liver, or pancreatic) diagnosed between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Data were analyzed between August 23 and September 4, 2023. Trends in monthly new cases and proportions by stage in 2020 were compared with the prior 2 years. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression were used to assess 1-year mortality in 2020 compared with 2018 to 2019. Proportional monthly trends and multivariable logistic regression were used to evaluate 30-day and 90-day mortality in 2020 compared with prior years. Of the 156 937 patients included in this study, 54 994 (35.0%) were aged 60 to 69 years and 100 050 (63.8%) were men. There was a substantial decrease in newly diagnosed HRGI cancers in March to May 2020, which returned to prepandemic levels by July 2020. For stage, there was a proportional decrease in the diagnosis of stage I (-3.9%) and stage II (-2.3%) disease, with an increase in stage IV disease (7.1%) during the early months of the pandemic. Despite a slight decrease in 1-year survival rates in 2020 (50.7% in 2018 and 2019 vs 47.4% in 2020), survival curves remained unchanged between years (all P > .05). After adjusting for confounders, diagnosis in 2020 was not associated with increased 1-year mortality compared with 2018 to 2019 (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97-1.01). The rates of 30-day (2.1% in 2018, 2.0% in 2019, and 2.1% in 2020) and 90-day (4.3% in 2018, 4.4% in 2019, and 4.6% in 2020) operative mortality also remained similar. In this retrospective cohort study, a period of underdiagnosis and increase in stage IV disease was observed for HRGI cancers during the pandemic; however, there was no change in 1-year survival or operative mortality. These results demonstrate the risks associated with gaps in care and the tremendous efforts of the cancer community to ensure quality care delivery during the pandemic. Future research should investigate long-term survival changes among all cancer types as additional follow-up data are accrued.

A novel data-driven integrated detection method for network intrusion classification based on multi-feature imbalanced data

The multi-feature and imbalanced nature of network data has always been a challenge to be overcome in the field of network intrusion detection. The redundant features in data could reduce the overall quality of network data and the accuracy of detection models, because imbalance could lead to a decrease in the detection rate for minority classes. To improve the detection accuracy for imbalanced intrusion data, we develop a data-driven integrated detection method, which utilizes Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) for feature selection, and screens out features that are conducive to model recognition for improving the overall quality of data analysis. In this work, we also apply the Adaptive Synthetic Sampling (ADASYN) method to generate the input data close to the original dataset, which aims to eliminate the data imbalance in the studied intrusion detection model. Besides, a novel VGG-ResNet classification algorithm is also proposed via integrating the convolutional block with the output feature map size of 128 from the Visual Geometry Group 16 (VGG16) of the deep learning algorithm and the residual block with output feature map size of 256 from the Residual Network 18 (ResNet18). Based on the numerical results conducted on the well-known NSL-KDD dataset and UNSW-NB15 dataset, it illustrates that our method can achieve the accuracy rates of 86.31% and 82.56% in those two test datasets, respectively. Moreover, it can be found that the present algorithm can achieve a better accuracy and performance in the experiments of comparing our method with several existing algorithms proposed in the recent three years.

Pulsatile pressure-driven non-Newtonian blood flow through a porous stenotic artery: A computational analysis

Blood flow through a narrowed artery, such as those caused by plaque buildup, can lead to various cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, studying this phenomenon is essential for developing better treatments and understanding the underlying mechanisms. In this study, a mathematical model is developed to simulate blood flow through stenotic arteries with porous walls. The familiar Navier-Stokes equations are executed to simulate flow, whereas the Carreau fluid model is employed to quantify blood rheology. This model illustrates both Newtonian and non-Newtonian characteristics depending on the shear rate. Other than that, the blood vessel is assumed to have a moderate level of stenosis with porous saturated walls. The solution of the governed partial differential equations is carried out using a finite difference scheme. Our research addresses the impacts of permeability and rheological parameters, stenosis size, Brinkman number, and Prandtl number on blood velocity, flow rate, resistance to flow, wall shear stress, and temperature distribution. The findings demonstrate that while flow resistance reduces, the velocity, shear stress, and flow rate increase with high permeability values. Conversely, as the stenosis amplitude increases, the magnitude of wall shear stresses, velocity, and flow rates decrease. In addition, blood rheology also has the potential to transfigure the aforementioned factors. We also found that the temperature distribution increases with the Brinkman number, stenosis size, permeability, and power law exponent. It drives down, however, by raising the values of Weissenberg number and Prandtl number. Collectively, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the complicated phenomena of blood flow in stenotic vessels with porous saturated walls. The findings of this study may be valuable in establishing improved therapies for cardiovascular disorders and formulating more precise mathematical models to forecast blood flow in vivo.

A chemical kinetics theory for interpreting the non-monotonic temperature dependence of enzymatic reactions

Abstract. One notable observation of enzymatic chemical reactions is that, for a given abundance of enzymes and substrates, temperature increases cause reaction rates to first increase consistent with the Arrhenius relationship, then plateau, and finally fall off quickly to zero at high temperatures. While many mathematical functions have been used to describe this pattern, we here propose a chemical kinetics theory which successfully replicates this observation and provides insights into the processes responsible for these dynamics. The chemical kinetics theory combines the law of mass action, von Smoluchowski's diffusion-limited chemical reaction theory, and Eyring's transition state theory. This new theory reveals that the thermally reversible enzyme denaturation ensured by the ceaseless thermal motion of molecules and ions in an enzyme solution explains the plateau and subsequent decrease in chemical reaction rates with increasing temperature. The temperature-dependent affinity parameter (K) that relates enzymes and substrates through their binding also affects the shape of the emergent temperature response. We demonstrate that with an increase in substrate availability, K shifts the optimal temperature, where reaction rates plateau, towards higher values. Further, we show that the chemical kinetics theory accurately represents 12 sets of published enzyme assay data and includes the popular mechanistic model by Ratkowsky et al. (2005) as a special case. Given its good performance and solid theoretical underpinning, we believe this new theory will facilitate the construction of more mechanistic-based environmental biogeochemical models.

Time trends in liver cancer mortality rates in Montenegro from 1990 to 2018.

Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hepatitis B and C infections are the main factors affecting mortality. During recent years, Montenegro conducted activities on eradication of viral hepatitis according to the global strategy for the primary prevention of liver cancer mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the liver cancer mortality trend in Montenegro for the period of 1990-2018 using regression techniques. liver cancer mortality data in Montenegro from 1990 to 2018 were collected. Mortality rates were age standardized to the World Standard Population. The joinpoint, linear and Poisson regressions were used to assess liver cancer mortality trends both overall and gender specific. The mortality trend was constant, with no significant increase or decrease in mortality rates both at the overall level and by gender. The number of cases, however, increases significantly at the overall level by an average of 1.4% per year [average annual percentage change (AAPC) (95% confidence interval, CI): 1.4 (0.5-2.3); P = 0.004] and in women by 1.9% per year [AAPC (95% CI): 1.9 (0.8-3.1); P = 0.002]. In men, there was no change in the number of cases. The three age groups most burdened by mortality from liver cancer were 65-74 (34.9%), 75-84 (26.6%) and 55-64 (25.8%). The consistent implementation of prevention measures and hepatitis virus infection treatment has played a role in partially favorable liver cancer mortality trends in Montenegro. It is crucial to closely monitor guidelines for this cancer and give particular attention to the elderly population as the most affected.

Interfacial Engineering Boosting the Activity and Stability of MIL-53(Fe) toward Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction.

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) has emerged as a promising strategy for green ammonia synthesis. However, it suffers unsatisfactory reaction performance owing to the low aqueous solubility of N2 in aqueous solution, the high dissociation energy of N≡N, and the unavoidable competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, a MIL-53(Fe)@TiO2 catalyst is designed and synthesized for highly efficient eNRR. Relative to simple MIL-53(Fe), MIL-53(Fe)@TiO2 achieves a 2-fold enhancement in the Faradaic efficiency (FE) with an improved ammonia yield rate by 76.5% at -0.1 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). After four cycles of electrocatalysis, MIL-53(Fe)@TiO2 can maintain a good catalytic activity, while MIL-53(Fe) exhibits a significant decrease in the NH3 yield rate and FE by 79.8 and 82.3%, respectively. Benefiting from the synergetic effect between TiO2 and MIL-53(Fe) in the composites, Fe3+ ions can be greatly stabilized in MIL-53(Fe) during the eNRR process, which greatly hinders the catalyst deactivation caused by the electrochemical reduction of Fe3+ ions. Further, the charge transfer ability in the interface of composites can be improved, and thus, the eNRR activity is significantly boosted. These findings provide a promising insight into the preparation of efficient composite electrocatalysts.

Soil Cd increased the leaf litter Cd remains of Solanum nigrum and Solanum lycopersicum

Plant litter decomposition is a natural pathway of heavy metal cycling in soil ecosystems, but the dynamics of heavy metal release during litter decomposition are relatively poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of species, soil fauna and soil Cd addition on litter decomposition and Cd release dynamics. Therefore, we selected two plants, Solanum nigrum and S. lycopersicum with large differences in Cd accumulation capacity. First, they were enriched with Cd during the growing period and leaf litter was harvested after 6 months of pretreatment. Then, the decomposition of leaf litter was conducted with or without soil Cd and Eisenia fetida through lab pot tests. Our results showed that leaf litter Cd led to a significant decrease in litter decomposition rate (K value), with a maximum decrease of 32.1% in S. nigrum and 30.1% in S. lycopersicum. We observed that the presence of E. fetida significantly increased K value, but the effect was similar in the +leaf Cd treatment and the -leaf Cd treatment, both for S. nigrum and S. lycopersicum. Interestingly, the litter Cd concentration did not decrease during decomposition, but showed an increasing trend, especially for S. nigrum in the +soil Cd treatment. Moreover, the litter Cd remains was higher in the +soil Cd treatment compared to the -soil Cd treatment for both S. nigrum and S. lycopersicum, no matter whether with or without E. fetida. This result suggests that the Cd may be transferred from soil to litter, thus increasing the litter Cd remains. Overall, our study shows that leaf litter Cd slowed down the carbon cycling in ecosystems. In addition, the release of litter Cd has a lag, and the litter has a certain adsorption capacity for soil Cd, which intensifies the harm to the ecology during litter transfer.

A honeycomb-inspired carboxymethyl chitosan-covalently link NH2-black phosphorene biobased cellulose green nanocomposites with tremendously enhancement fire safety and thermal conductivity

Biobased carboxymethyl chitosan-modified black phosphorene (BP-CMC) was prepared through an amidation reaction between amino group functionalized black phosphorene (NH2-BP) and CMC. Density functional theory (DTF) express that the adsorption energy between urea and phosphene is −6.28 eV, indicating a strong interaction. The resulting BP-CMC was further applied to reinforce the mechanical, flame-retardant and thermal conductivity performance of honeycomb cellulose nanofiber (CNF) film via vacuum filtration. Cone calorimetry test (CCT) result exhibits that the introduction of 30 wt% BP-CMC significantly promoted the fire safety of CNF. For instance, a 98.41% reduction in smoke production rate (SPR), 92.00 % decline in CO release and a 61.31% decrease in heat release rate (HRR) were observed compared to neat CNF. Furthermore, Thermogravimetric infrared (TG-IR) indicates a significant decrease in the release of flammable gases. Raman spectra verify that the incorporation of 30 wt% BP-CMC improves the graphitization degree of residual chars, thus limiting the transfer of heat and oxygen. The improvement in fire safety is attributed to the formation of an intumescent flame-retardant system, which is rich in carbon source (CMC), acid source (BP) and gas source (amino). Simultaneously, the introduction of 30 wt% BP-CMC into CNF leads to considerable enhancement in thermal conductivity (up to 17.49 %), thermal diffusion (utmost to 43.45 %) and heat capacity (increased by 19.23 %). Moreover, the 30 wt % addition of BP-CMC into CNF possesses excellent mechanical properties with the improvement of toughness (increased by 143.50 %) and tensile strength (increased by 140.90 %). This strategy not only provides a new strategy for functionalizing BP but also upgrades the application potential of BP nanosheets in the fire safety of polymer composite films.

Docking Study on Caspase 3 Inhibitors As Potential Drugs For Traumatic Brain Cell Apoptosis

Background: Apoptosis of brain cells (neurons and glia) has a crucial role in humans' pathology of traumatic brain injury (TBI). So, a decrease in the apoptosis rate can potentially reduce the harmful effects and lead to better functional outcomes. Drug repurposing by computational methodologies like protein-ligand docking allows us to make drug discovery more efficient and less expensive. Objective: In the current study, we used the methodology to study the inhibitory effect of thousands of FDA/non-FDA approved, investigational compounds on caspase 3 as one of the most important members of the cell apoptosis pathway. Methods: Molecular docking and pharmacokinetic properties calculations were done. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of all complexes and free caspase 3 were carried out. We carried out docking experiments using in silico methods and docked a pool of medications to the active site of the human caspase-3 X-ray structure. The best compounds were selected and subjected to pharmacokinetic analysis, molecular simulation, and free energy calculations. Results: Finally, 6 components (Naldemedine, Celastrol, Nilotinib, Drospirenone, Lumacaftor, and R- 343) were selected as the best in terms of structural and pharmaceutical properties, low toxicity that can be administered orally for the preclinical and clinical future investigations.

Epidemiology of typhoid fever in the Philippines during the last six decades from 1960-2019: a profile and its trend

Regardless of the numerous reviews and publications on typhoid fever in the Philippines, it continues to be an issue regarding public health. Using data obtained from the Philippine Health Statistics (PHS), this study examined trends in typhoid fever mortality across an interval of six decades in the Philippines. The mortality and morbidity rates of typhoid fever were analyzed to discover trends of change for each year, age group, sex, and area. The Microsoft Excel software tool became used for all data analysis. The results show a decrease in typhoid fever fatality rates in the Philippines over the previous year. In terms of sex-specific deaths, males outnumbered females. The individuals aged 70 and older have the highest death rates when it comes to age-specific mortality rates. In the Philippines, Region I also has the highest mortality rate from typhoid fever. For instance, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has the lowest mortality rate from typhoid fever. The highest average morbidity rate is in the Cordillera administrative region (CAR), while the lowest is in Region IVB. To eliminate typhoid fever in the next few years and to completely combat typhoid fever throughout the years, educational campaign awareness or intimate knowledge must be conducted locally and globally.

A study of Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels in patients with prostatic cancer

Background: Vitamin D, a key nutrient in the body, has been linked to a decrease in prostate cancer (PCa) morbidity and mortality rates. The study concluded that any compensation mechanism may no longer be adequate for patients with PCa, and further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between serum Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) homeostasis. The findings will help determine cancer prevalence and trends in India and support public health initiatives to control cancer. Aims and Objectives: The aim is to assess the mean values of Vitamin D and PTH in patients with PCa and also to compare these levels with that of healthy controls (non-PCa). Materials and Methods: One hundred participants in the outpatient department of the Department of Biochemistry were assigned as control subjects, and another 100 participants were participants with PCa. 5 mL of fasting venous blood were drawn into red top vials using a disposable syringe and needle in an aseptic manner. PTH and serum Vitamin D were estimated. Results: When comparing PCa patients to healthy controls, the observed Vitamin D level was significantly lower in the former group. Furthermore, a notable distinction in Vitamin D levels was noted between the two groups. Furthermore, we found that PCa patients had higher PTH values than healthy controls. When we compared the PTH values of the two groups, we found a substantial difference. Conclusion: The authors conclude from the study that with alterations in the study parameters in patients with PCa, any compensation mechanism may become insufficient.

Changing practice to a new-generation triple-taper collared femoral component reduces periprosthetic fracture rates after primary total hip arthroplasty.

Periprosthetic femoral fracture (PPF) is a major complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Uncemented femoral components are widely preferred in primary THA, but are associated with higher PPF risk than cemented components. Collared components have reduced PPF rates following uncemented primary THA compared to collarless components, while maintaining similar prosthetic designs. The purpose of this study was to analyze PPF rate between collarless and collared component designs in a consecutive cohort of posterior approach THAs performed by two high-volume surgeons. This retrospective series included 1,888 uncemented primary THAs using the posterior approach performed by two surgeons (PKS, JMV) from January 2016 to December 2022. Both surgeons switched from collarless to collared components in mid-2020, which was the only change in surgical practice. Data related to component design, PPF rate, and requirement for revision surgery were collected. A total of 1,123 patients (59.5%) received a collarless femoral component and 765 (40.5%) received a collared component. PPFs were identified using medical records and radiological imaging. Fracture rates between collared and collarless components were analyzed. Power analysis confirmed 80% power of the sample to detect a significant difference in PPF rates, and a Fisher's exact test was performed to determine an association between collared and collarless component use on PPF rates. Overall, 17 PPFs occurred (0.9%). There were 16 fractures out of 1,123 collarless femoral components (1.42%) and one fracture out of 765 collared components (0.13%; p = 0.002). The majority of fractures (n = 14; 82.4%) occurred within 90 days of primary THA. There were ten reoperations for PPF with collarless components (0.89%) and one reoperation with a collared component (0.13%; p = 0.034). Collared femoral components were associated with significant decreases in PPF rate and reoperation rate for PPF compared to collarless components in uncemented primary THA. Future studies should investigate whether new-generation collared components reduce PPF rates with longer-term follow-up.