Great Intensity Research Articles

A nucleus-targeting fluorescence probe for rapid diagnosis of colorectal cancer

Due to non-specific signs in the early stage of colorectal cancers, most patients result in a low early diagnosis rate. Survivin protein is upregulated in many malignant tumors, making it an ideal diagnostic and therapeutic target for colorectal cancers. However, the survivin protein is located in the cell nucleus, which needs the probe to penetrate the complex nuclear membrane structure for targeting and recognizing. Here, we have developed a sub-100 nm perovskite-based fluorescent probe modified with the survivin antibody, which can freely target survivin protein through the nuclear membrane. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) coated perovskite crystals are obtained by the supersaturated crystallization, which keep the probe with great fluorescence intensity and resistance of water and oxygen. We have established colorectal cancer cell lines and colorectal cancer tissues to test the feasibility and efficacy of the probe. After investigating the fluorescence intensity values of 20 probing samples, the average fluorescence intensity of colorectal cancer sections is 8.7 times higher than that of paracancerous tissues. Our work demonstrates that the survivin can be an ideal fluorescence target for rapid diagnosis of colorectal cancer, which also provides a research foundation for fluorescence-guided surgery and nano-therapy for targeting the survivin protein.

Activation of GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus alleviates hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal.

Menopausal and postmenopausal women, characterized by a significant reduction in ovarian hormones, have a high prevalence of chronic pain with great pain intensity. However, the underlying mechanism of hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal remains poorly understood. Here, we report that decreases in the activity and excitability of GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are associated with hyperalgesia induced by ovariectomy in mice. Supplementation with 17β-estradiol, but not progesterone, is sufficient to increase the mechanical pain threshold in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and the excitability of DRN GABAergic (DRNGABA) neurons. Moreover, activation of the DRNGABA neurons projecting to the lateral parabrachial nucleus was critical for alleviating hyperalgesia in OVX mice. These findings show the essential role of DRNGABA neurons and their modulation by estrogen in regulating hyperalgesia induced by ovarian hormone withdrawal, providing therapeutic basis for the treatment of chronic pain in physiological or surgical menopausal women.

Review and Study of the Inhibiting Character of Coffee Husk Extract to Reduce Corrosion Rate in Stainless Steel-AISI 440 in 1M H2SO4 Acid Medium Validated by Techniques Electrochemical – EIS

Corrosion problems in industrial sectors, it is necessary to use corrosion inhibitors, most of the compounds used in the manufacture of inhibitors are very toxic. The use of green corrosion inhibitors has been studied with great intensity for the development of sustainable economies that promote the care of the environment through ecological alternatives and of low cost. Plant extracts are biodegradable and represent a renewable source of chemical compounds. In this work the coffee husk was used as a corrosion inhibitor, the material studied was a stainless steel AISI 440 in 1M H2SO4 medium. EIS tests were performed to compare the inhibitory effect. The results showed that in fact, the addition of coffee extract in the solutions rich in sulfuric acid was able to inhibit pitting and localized corrosion in stainless steel.

Field Artillery in the defensive war of Ukraine 2022-2023. Part II. Methods of task implementation

This article is a continuation of the considerations regarding the use of field artillery in Ukraine’s defensive war in the period from 24th February 2022 to the 2023 summer offensive of the Ukrainian army. Artillery in this armed conflict is used by both sides with great intensity and is an essential means of fire support, often decisive for the success of the implemented operations. The aim of the second part of the article is to present ways of using field artillery units in selected operations of the Ukrainian war. As before, the subject of the research is the missile forces and artillery of the warring parties, but in this case, above all, the way they carry out their tasks. In his research, the author wants to answer the following problematic questions: How did the field artillery units of both parties involved in the conflict carry out combat tasks in selected phases of the war? What conclusions can be drawn from this for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, which are currently increasing their capabilities, especially their artillery capabilities, as well as for other NATO armies? The Author, an artillery officer by education and currently a military academic teacher academically involved in the issue of state military security, based his academic analysis largely on his personal academic achievements and conclusions gained from participating in military exercises, conversations, and workshops conducted with Ukrainian officers before the outbreak of the war, as well as on the latest academic studies and reports on the course of warfare.

From Orientalism to neo-Orientalism: medial representations of Islam and the Muslim world

ABSTRACT The debate on Orientalist representations of Islam and/or Muslims has been rampant in academic literature since Edward Said’s publication of his seminal work Orientalism (1978). The articulation of this discourse however has transformed in due course. It has manifested into its new variant ‘neo-Orientalism’, which has gained prominence in the post-9/11 era. In this paper, I discuss the transition from Orientalism to neo-Orientalism, and argue that this new mode of representation does not exclusively result from the 9/11 events and the subsequent War on Terror, but also from the portrayals of Muslims in the last quarter of the twentieth century. These portrayals, disseminated with great intensity by people in the media, journalists, politicians, and Orientalist academics, as well as in literary and cultural productions, continue to reify narratives about Islam and Muslim societies. This paper concludes with the dynamics Orientalism holds and reveals the role authors of the Middle East and South Asia play in disseminating neo-Orientalist discourses with the often-detrimental effect of catering to and promoting modern-day Islamophobia in contemporary Western societies. This is briefly illustrated on the examples of Nadeem Aslam’s Maps for Lost Lovers (2004), Qaisra Shahraz’s The Holy Woman (2001), and Uzma Aslam Khan’s Trespassing (2003).

Use of fire as a tactic in agricultural practices

The use of fire in agriculture is an ancient practice that is still used in modern times to prepare the land, but this technique can lead to environmental problems, generating various impacts on the environment, including the loss of biodiversity. Several reasons lead to environmental degradation, among the main ones are logging, fires and farming activities, where years ago fires were predominantly carried out at the beginning of the dry season and were replaced by fires at the end of the dry season, causing fires of great extent and intensity, causing greater plant mortality and consequences for the supply of water sources. Despite the dangers of using fire in agriculture, fire management and the use of these areas is restricted by Brazilian legislation, so it continues to be practiced by many producers in Brazil, which instigates the study of the practice and its implications for society.

Phytotherapy in anxiety control

Anxiety is a psychic state of apprehension or fear brought about by the anticipation of an unpleasant or dangerous situation. Its characteristics are physical and mental, when it is in great intensity and intercurrence, is also called panic syndrome. Thus, the use of herbal medicines can be quite effective in anxiety, not causing adverse symptoms than expected, such as effects caused by conventional pharmacological treatments. In view of the above, the objective of this study will be the use of phototherapy in anxiety, using drugs with anxiolytic activities in the treatment of anxiety, which has been growing as an anxiety treatment in the last 5 years. This growth is due to low cost, being an effective therapeutic option and culturally appropriate, aiming to obtain safety in its use by the users of herbal medicine. Legislation was created in ANVISA, PNPIC, SUS and PNPMF that govern the matter, seeking the regulation of phototherapy, expanding access to herbal and phototherapeutic plants, guaranteeing safety and efficacy to SUS users.

Endocytosis in anaerobic parasitic protists.

The incorporation of different molecules by eukaryotic cells occurs through endocytosis, which is critical to the cell's survival and ability to reproduce. Although this process has been studied in greater detail in mammalian and yeast cells, several groups working with pathogenic protists have made relevant contributions. This review analysed the most relevant data on the endocytic process in anaerobic protists (Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Tritrichomonas foetus). Many protozoa can exert endocytic activity across their entire surface and do so with great intensity, as with E. histolytica. The available data on the endocytic pathway and the participation of PI-3 kinase, Rab, and Rho molecular complexes is reviewed from a historical perspective.

The influence of elevated CO2 concentrations and UVB radiation in antioxidant activity of selected Chenopodium quinoa varieties

Ecosystems have been affected by climate change. Both agriculture and environmental changes are correlated with various features since climate change is the main cause of abiotic and biotic stress, which affects crop plants. Climate change and its severe impact on plant productivity showed great intensity due to the effects of abiotic stress. In the present investigation, we selected two quinoa varieties to study the response to future climatic factors such as eCO2, enhanced UVB radiation, and UVB+eCO2 combined effects in open-top chambers in the hot climate of the UAE. The treatments were administered for 90 days in the hot UAE weather conditions and the experiment was carried out in a transparent OTC facility. The response of the studied quinoa varieties was measured by analyzing their non-enzymatic antioxidant and antioxidant enzyme activities. Our findings showed that quinoa varieties are suitable as industrial crops for their levels of antioxidants under stimulating climatic conditions because the quantity and quality of their yield have not been affected. Based on the results obtained in the present investigation, further study is warranted for screening more varieties with the addition of climate change factors such as temperature and humidity to find more tolerant varieties of quinoa suitable for future climatic conditions.

All-dielectric terahertz metamaterial with polarization switching characteristic

All silicon dielectric metamaterial (SDM) composed of two outer symmetric semi-circular rings and two inner symmetric split-ring resonators (SRRs) is presented. The electromagnetic responses of SDM device with different structure heights in transverse electrical (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes are studied by numerical simulations and experiments. By increasing structure height of SDM device, the resonances of the SDM devices exhibit red-shift and the resonant intensities become stronger. The shifting ranges of resonances are 0.36 THz in TE mode and 0.27 THz in TM mode. Furthermore, the SDM device with structure height of 100 μm demonstrates great resonant intensity, and two extra resonances are generated at 1.60 THz and 2.26 THz in TM mode. By further investigating the polarization characteristics of SDM device with structure height of 100 μm, there are two linear trends for the polarization switching function at 1.60 THz and 2.10 THz. The corresponding correction coefficients are 0.99608 and 0.99726 and the modulation depths are 74 % and 74.5 % for the resonance at 1.60 THz and 2.10 THz, respectively. This SDM design paves the way to the strategy of the development of frequency filtering, polarization switching, and resonance modulation characteristics in the THz-wave applications.

INTERPRETING THE LANGUAGE OF INFERENTIAL EPILEPSY IN EMILY DICKINSON’S POETRY

<p>This paper explores the possibility that Emily Dickinson was living with a form of epilepsy. It uses research by contemporary neurologists, who have differentiated how patients with epileptic seizures, and patients with non-epileptic seizures, use language features to describe their subjective seizure experiences. The features of language used by patients with epilepsy have been applied to the reinterpretation of a series of Emily Dickinson’s poems that appear to be related to neurological experiences, especially ‘inner’ poems focusing on the operations of the “Brain”, “Thought”, “Mind”, and “Consciousness”. Further contemporary research into the auras of seizures, identified four signs that could stay in a person’s memory if they remained conscious during a simple partial seizure (SPC). These are “suddenness, passivity or automatism, great intensity, and strangeness”, which provided insights into Dickinson’s ‘inner’ poem, Fr340, “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,”. The identification of the sensory manifestations of auras, such as, Somatosensory, Visual, Auditory, Vertiginous, Olfactory, and Psychic auras, has also helped to clarify aspects of Dickinson’s ‘inner’ poems, especially Fr355, “It was not Death, for I stood up,”. The autobiography of the Welsh writer, Margiad Evans, identified language use arising from epileptic episodes, including the response of ‘giggling’, and the appearance of a ‘double self’, which revealed a close association to Dickinson’s language use in a range of poems. The application of research into autoscopy and “Déjà” experiences, and their appearance in poems, strengthened critical reading interpretations as expressions of inferential epileptic experiences. Finally, the poems featuring neurological experiences are seen to possess empirical dimensions that might help to explain Dickinson’s consultations with Dr Williams in Boston during 1864 and 1865, as a quest for a diagnosis and remedy for the disruptions to her consciousness.</p>

PROFESSIONAL AND EMOTIONAL BURNOUT OF TEACHERS AS A MANIFESTATION OF THEIR EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY

The article reveals the problem of professional and emotional burnout of teachers as a manifestation of their emotional instability. The author notes the spread of this phenomenon among the professional and pedagogical community, which is facilitated by a number of reasons. The great emotional intensity of teachers’ professional activity, non-standard pedagogical situations, responsibility and complexity of teachers’ professional work contributes to the development of emotional instability. The author claims that emotional instability is a consequence of professional burnout of teachers. Emotional stability of teachers is associated with their ability to resist emotional burnout. This article describes the results of an empirical study aimed to test the effectiveness of the training course developed by the author to correct emotional burnout of teachers. The study was conducted in 2023 on the basis of one of the educational organisations of Novorossiysk. To obtain the necessary information, the author selected appropriate research methods. The results of the study showed that 16 teachers had symptoms of emotional burnout in the resistance stage. The work has reduced the degree of tension of most of the symptoms of emotional burnout, which reduces their destructive effect on teachers’ psychological health and increases emotional stability.

GEV Analysis of Extreme Rainfall: Comparing Different Time Intervals to Analyse Model Response in Terms of Return Levels in the Study Area of Central Italy

The extreme rainfall events of recent years in central Italy are producing an increase in hydrogeological risk, with disastrous flooding in terms of human lives and economic losses, as well as triggering landslide phenomena in correspondence with these events. A correct prediction of 100-year return levels could encourage better land planning, sizing works correctly according to the expected extreme events and managing emergencies more consciously through real-time alerts. In the recent period, it has been observed that the return levels predicted by the main forecasting methods for extreme rainfall events have turned out to be lower than observed within a few years. In this context, a model widely used in the literature, the generalised extreme value (GEV) with the “block maxima” approach, was used to assess the dependence of this model on the length of the collected precipitation time series and the possible addition of years with extreme events of great intensity. A total of 131 rainfall time series were collected from the Adriatic slope in central Italy comparing two periods: one characterised by 70 years of observations (1951–2020), the other by only 30 years (1991–2020). At the same time, a decision was made to analyse what the effect might be—in terms of the 100-year return level—of introducing an additional extreme event to the 1991–2020 historical series, in this case an event that actually occurred in the area on 15 September 2022. The results obtained were rather surprising, with a clear indication that the values of the 100-year return level calculated by GEV vary according to the length of the historical series examined. In particular, the shorter time series 1991–2020 provided higher return level values than those obtained from the 1951–2020 period; furthermore, the addition of the extreme event of 2022 generated even higher return level values. It follows that, as shown by the extreme precipitation events that have occurred in recent years, it is more appropriate to consider a rather short period because the ongoing climate change does not allow true estimates to be obtained using longer time series, which are preferred in the scientific literature, or possibly questioning the real reliability of the GEV model.

Bàn về một số phương pháp lượng hóa rủi ro tỷ giá

Exchange rate is the price of one currency expressed in terms of another currency. The fluctuation of the exchange rate depends on both domestic factors and foreign factors, in which changes in interest rate policies of central banks become a factor that causes exchange rates to fluctuate rapidly, significantly, and unpredictably. From the beginning of 2022 up to now, inflation has been exploded all over the world, including the US, EU and developed countries, forcing central banks to apply tight monetary policies by raising interest rates. During the period from the beginning of 2022 until now, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) has raised interest rates 8 times with a very high frequency and great intensity, causing the USD to be appreciated against most currencies, including VND. When the exchange rate fluctuates, it will affect almost all of economic activities such as import-export activities, foreign investment, international trade competitiveness, and even businesses and consumers that do not generate receipts or payments in foreign currency. Therefore, the study of measurement of exchange rate risks has become increasingly important from the perspectives of both theory and practice

A Chalcone-based Fluorescence Probe for H2S Detecting Utilizing ESIPT Coupled ICT Mechanism.

The accurate and effective identification of hydrogen sulfide holds great significance for environmental monitoring. Azide-binding fluorescent probes are powerful tools for hydrogen sulfide detection. We combined the 2'-Hydroxychalcone scaffold with azide moiety to construct probe Chal-N3, the electron-withdrawing azide moiety was utilized to block the ESIPT process of 2'-Hydroxychalcone and quenches the fluorescence. The fluorescent probe was triggered with the addition of hydrogen sulfide, accompanied by great fluorescence intensity enhancement with a large Stokes shift. With excellent fluorescence properties including high sensitivity, specificity selectivity, and wider pH range tolerance, the probe was successfully applied to natural water samples.

Numerical investigation on heat transfer of liquid–solid two-phase flow in vertical multi-tube circulating fluidized bed heat exchanger

A new correlation for the heat transfer of liquid–solid two-phase flow is established and validated. The numerical investigation on the heat transfer of liquid–solid two-phase flow in an up-flow multi-tube circulating fluidized bed heat exchanger is performed by hooking the new correlation to the corresponding computational domain. Operational conditions are optimized by examining the effects of the operating parameters on the heat transfer enhancing factors of the particles including SiC particles, glass bead and POM particles. The results indicate that the amount of added particles and wall temperature are more important to enhance heat transfer than inlet velocity. The enhancing factor of SiC particle is superior to those of the other particles due to great collision intensity with the wall. The enhancing factors of POM particles are significantly raised at the great amount of added particles of 3% and the high wall temperature of 360 K.

Endodontically treated dental elements: a retrospective comparative observational cohort study

Generation X is a generation of great intensity, with great social and financial anxiety in pursuit of self-improvement. Millennials are lazier and narcissistic, but more confident. This study aimed to search the database of the UNORTE – Universidade do Norte de São Paulo dentistry clinic for endodontically treated elements and draw a comparison between generations X and Y. 150 medical records that fit within the parameters were selected. It was concluded that Generation X has approximately 70% more endodontically treated elements than Generation Y.

Encapsulated natural pigments: Techniques and applications

AbstractNatural food colorants have proven to be just as impactful as artificial ones, with the added advantages of being safer, offering health benefits in addition to instilling organoleptic attributes, exerting multiple benefits as ingredients that also function as polyphenols, antioxidants, sometimes as preservatives, and consequently giving food products its efficacious characteristics. Color plays a crucial role in determining the quality of a product as well as its acceptance. Regardless of their collective advantages like owing great color intensity, there are many factors like handling, storage, and processing conditions that influence their final hue which is sometimes not desirable. An overview of current literature on utilizable wall materials for natural colorants and a description of techniques for microencapsulating food colorants are provided in this paper. The retention of pigment for maximum bioavailability in the human gastrointestinal system through food supplementation requires adequate encapsulation strategies. The present review also discusses recent developments in traditionally used techniques that have been employed to maximize physicochemical characteristics of food. Additionally, the purpose of this review is to explore and examine some of the application of natural food colors in food industry.Practical applicationTo meet the ever‐increasing consumer demand for natural‐derived and safer food ingredients that lack any adverse effects and can even encourage good health, a number of experiments have been conducted for the development of more effective and selective food colorants that are consumer‐friendly. To equate their properties with synthetic ones, natural colorants must be optimized for processing conditions, research into new sources, and new formulations for stability must be done. This article reflects on one such strategy which is encapsulation. The purpose of this review is to elaborate on the usage of different techniques and applications in order to assess the stability, efficiency and commercial possibilities of encapsulated colorant and to summarize briefly the regulation administered by different authorities for standardization of these colorants. Therefore, it is strongly advised that rules and initiatives to educate consumers and food businesses concerning food colors be put into effect. Regulations, labeling requirements, and product developments make it difficult to navigate this rapidly changing dynamics of natural food colors. Therefore, substantial studies on each valid core and wall material provide immeasurable scope of study. Furthermore, the stabilization of natural pigments poses the greatest challenge to their use as food colors. This can only be overcome by extensive research that can make us familiar with all their implications.

Tunable emission color and anti-thermal-quenching behaviors in niobates for high-sensitive optical thermometry

Non-contact remote optical thermometers as a significant technique have been extensively developed. However, it is still a challenge to design new Bismuth-doped phosphor materials with tunable spectra for high-sensitive optical temperature sensors. Herein, a novel YxLu1-xNbO4:Bi3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) phosphor is constructed by the isomorphic end components LuNbO4 and YNbO4. Owing to the modification of crystal field strength around Bi3+ ions, the emission positions controllably shifted from 475 to 462 nm with the increase of Y3+ ions concentrations. Besides, systematic luminescence modifying from blue to red across the white light region could be achieved via the design of Bi3+→Eu3+ energy transfer (ET). Intriguingly, an anti-thermal-quenching behavior of Eu3+ ion originating from the ET is found in Y0.8Lu0.2NbO4:Bi3+, Eu3+ (YLNO:Bi3+, Eu3+) phosphors, while Bi3+ ion presents a great emission intensity loss with only retaining 46.8% at 383 K. Based on the disparate thermal responses, the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) of Eu3+ to Bi3+ demonstrates excellent thermometry properties from 303 to 503 K. The maximum absolute sensitivity (Sa) and relative sensitivity (Sr) reach 0.318 K−1 (@328 K) and 1.62%K−1 (@393 K). In addition, the thermochromic performance of the resultant phosphors could be applied to qualitatively estimate the surrounding temperature. The spectral adjustability and high-sensitive of the developed phosphors highlight their multiplicity of applications in non-contact temperature measurement and white LED.

Numerical study of extreme waves driven by synthetic tropical cyclones in the northwest Pacific Ocean

Extreme waves induced by extreme tropical cyclones (TCs) with a very strong intensity threaten marine production and transportation. In this paper, six tropical cyclones with a typical track and extremely strong intensity were synthesized to study the extreme waves. The data on TC tracks were extracted from the China Meteorological Administration. The historic TCs from 1949 to 2018 were classified into six groups according to their tracks, and a representative track was synthesized for each group of TCs. We applied an extremely strong intensity to the tracks for studying the extreme wave field. The synthesized track of typical track cyclones (TTCs) was based on the maximum probability of the translation distance and direction of the TC center according to historical data. The central pressure (Pc) was used to represent the TC intensity and was studied at the recurrence periods of 100, 1,000, and 10,000 years. The synthetic TC with a representative track and extremely strong intensity was called a typical tropical cyclone (TTC). The extreme wave fields driven by TTCs were simulated by Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN). The wind field driving the waves was calculated using the Holland parametric wind model and was well-verified with observations. This paper calculated the extreme Hs and Tp values of the return periods of 100, 1,000, and 10,000 years for six types of TTCs. It was found that the extreme Hs values were very different for each TTC. The highest Hs could reach 31.3 m in the recurrence period of 10,000 years. Followed by TTC-I with 18 m, TTC-VI was the weakest with less than 10 m. The TC track position frequency and its spatial variation of extreme intensity were discussed. The synthetic tracks were representative, and the intensity could be influenced by spatial variation. In the end, four historical typhoons with great intensity, wide impact, and serious disaster-causing effects were selected to compare with TTC. This paper can provide guidance for maritime planners.