Major Form Research Articles

Web-Ecosystem for Students with Special Needs

Abstract: India faces a significant challenges for student, children with disabilities in minor or major forms for any of the physical organs or mentally unstable children are considered to be specially-abled ones educational ecosystem, the needs of such an environment need to be catered according to the category of ailments that exist in the students and provisions need to be made in order to make them feel special, and cared for and set the right mindset while they grow. educational ecosystem, the needs of such an environment need to be catered according to the category of ailments that exist in the students. The aim of this problem statement solution is also to produce innovative solutions which may use digital and physical mediums together to make sure disabled persons are able to access and run these applications. Students with special needs often face various challenges in educational settings. It is important to recognize that these challenges can vary widely depending on the type and severity of the disability. A web ecosystem for students with special needs involves designing a platform that is inclusive, accessible, and tailored to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities.

Onset of Alveolization Processes in Sandstones Exposed to Salt Weathering

Sandstones of the Lourinhã Formation were studied. Alveolization is the major form of weathering on the façades of monuments near Peniche in the western region of Portugal. Salt weathering is an important cause of this degradation form. Stones of specimens, similar to those found in these ancient buildings, were used for an experimental program of artificial salt ageing through the use of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium sulfate solutions, all at 10% (w/w). Salt weathering follow-up was carried out viz. the assessment of the degradation effect on these specimens of lower values of porosity under crystallization–dissolution cycles. Sodium chloride and sodium chloride with calcium sulfate were the more deleterious solutions, causing failure of the specimens after at least 40 cycles of immersion/drying. Surfaces of the sandstone specimens of variety A showed the onset of the alveolization form due to the use of a saline solution of sodium chloride with calcium sulfate.

Messenger RNA Surveillance: Current Understanding, Regulatory Mechanisms, and Future Implications.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is an evolutionarily conserved surveillance mechanism in eukaryotes primarily deployed to ensure RNA quality control by eliminating aberrant transcripts and also involved in modulating the expression of several physiological transcripts. NMD, the mRNA surveillance pathway, is a major form of gene regulation in eukaryotes. NMD serves as one of the most significant quality control mechanisms as it primarily scans the newly synthesized transcripts and differentiates the aberrant and non-aberrant transcripts. The synthesis of truncated proteins is restricted, which would otherwise lead to cellular dysfunctions. The up-frameshift factors (UPFs) play a central role in executing the NMD event, largely by recognizing and recruiting multiple protein factors that result in the decay of non-physiological mRNAs. NMD exhibits astounding variability in its ability across eukaryotes in an array of pathological and physiological contexts. The detailed understanding of NMD and the underlying molecular mechanisms remains blurred. This review outlines our current understanding of NMD, in regulating multifaceted cellular events during development and disease. It also attempts to identify unanswered questions that deserve further investigation.

Association mining of coastline change and land use patterns to enhance conservation

Coastal zones, as interfaces between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, possess great ecological and economic value but are environmentally fragile. This research provides a new perspective for studying development and change patterns in coastal zones, offering insights for land planning and contributing to the ecological preservation and sustainable development of coastal areas. We utilized Landsat TM and OLI sensor imagery (from the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020) to extract coastline and land use information from the coastal zone of Shandong Province. Through the establishment of association mining models between coastline changes and land use patterns, the relationships between spatial layout changes and development processes in different geographical locations are revealed. In the initial stage, weak expansion and moderate changes in the coastline corresponded to units with lower land development intensity sequences. In the intermediate stage, with increasing coastline expansion and intense changes, the sequence of land development intensity was extremely strong > strong > moderate > weak from the sea to the land. This type of association was mostly distributed in the Laizhou Bay salt field and coastal port areas and was mostly focused on aquaculture and port trade, causing “strong” and “extremely strong” units of regional land development intensity. In the later stage, as coastline expansion slowed, the use of ports and docks caused the development intensity of the surrounding land to fluctuate. Farming, fishing, salt field and port construction in the coastal zone of Shandong Province were the major forms of land expansion and change. The association rules between coastline expansion or erosion and coastal development intensity revealed the impact of coastline changes on the spatial pattern from sea to land, which is important for planning layouts, optimizing industrial structures, and maximizing socioeconomic and environmental benefits in coastal areas.

Mediatization of Religion and Its Impact on Youth Identity Formation in Contemporary China

In response to the trend of information technology development, religions in China are undergoing a process of mediatization. This study takes the popular Chinese animated films Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child (哪吒之魔童降世) (2019) and New Gods: Yang Jian (新神榜: 杨戬) (2022) as research cases of mediatization of religion and conducts a focused study of the respective protagonists Ne Zha (哪吒) and Yang Jian (杨戬), both prominent figures in Chinese religious and folk traditions. Through text analysis and empirical research on the two movies and their fans, this study examines how religion is being mediatized in contemporary China in the transformation to Religion 2.0 or a type of amalgamation of real- and virtual-world practices that enact a relationship with the divine, and how this shapes identity formation for fans, who are mostly young individuals in their teens and twenties. This research argues that to obtain permission for dissemination in mainstream media and thrive in the cultural context of China, religion chooses to assume the form of media products that can bypass scrutiny that forbids “supernatural phenomena” and aligns with the mainstream ideology. It has to be a “contributory religion” that contributes to the “revitalization” of national spirit and inherited Chinese culture, not a potential “superstitious” threat to the Marxist orthodoxy. In the context of official promotion of atheism and the regulation of public discourse, animated films with themes adapted from traditional mythological and religious stories, such as Ne Zha: Birth of the Demon Child and New Gods: Yang Jian, have become a major cultural form through which people in China engage with religious symbols and narratives. The enormous success of the two movies resulted in a large population of young fans. Influenced by these films, their fans have developed an egoistic religious perspective rather than assimilating the religious or cultural messages contained in the movies. These fans may experience solace and a call to faith to some extent in their consumption of the movies, but they selectively enhance religious literacy that only meets their personal needs. Interest in divine individuals far outweighs interest in or loyalty to the religious doctrine or sect itself. Pilgrimages are undertaken to fulfill personal fantasies, and the promotion of the divine is aimed at vying for influence within fan communities. The second part of this study examines the activities of the fans that I argue are characteristic of the age of Religion 2.0.

Defining the Neurologic Consequences of Preterm Birth

(N Engl J Med. 2023; 389:441–53) Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely (before 37 wk gestation) each year, making prematurity the leading cause of neonatal deaths. Despite advancements in perinatal health care, preterm survivors still face a high risk of long-term issues, especially neurological and developmental disabilities. While severe cerebral palsy rates have decreased in the past 2 decades, cognitive impairment and social-emotional challenges among preterm children and young adults remain prevalent. Very preterm children (born <32 wk) typically exhibit lower intelligence quotient scores, with more significant deficits in those born before 26 weeks. The variability in outcomes reflects the extent of brain injury and dysmaturation, with earlier births carrying a risk that is more significant. New insights from advanced neuroimaging and developmental neuroscience emphasize that both brain injury and impaired brain development contribute to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. This review explores the major forms of brain injury, subsequent dysmaturation, mediating factors, and their impact on preterm infant neurodevelopment and aims to guide neonatal clinicians in implementing future neuroprotective strategies for better long-term outcomes.

Neglected function of gastrin to reduce feeding in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) via cholecystokinin receptor B.

Gastrin is an important intragastrointestinal hormone, but reports on its regulation of feeding behavior in fish are still scarce. This study aimed to determine the feeding regulatory function of gastrin in sturgeon. In this study, a gastrin/cholecystokinin-like peptide was identified in the genomes of sturgeon and proved to be gastrin by evolutionary tree analysis. Tissue distribution of gastrin and its receptor, cholecystokinin receptor B (CCKRB), showed that both had high mRNA abundance in the hypothalamus and gastrointestinal tract. In the duodenum, gastrin and CCKRB mRNAs were reduced at 1h of fasting, and both were also observed in the stomach and hypothalamus in response to changes in feeding status. Sulfated gastrin 17 is the major form of gastrin in vivo. Therefore, we investigated the effect of sulfated gastrin 17 on feeding by intraperitoneal injection into Siberian sturgeon using sulfated gastrin 17. The results showed that gastrin 17 significantly reduced the cumulative feeding of Siberian sturgeon in the short term (1, 3 and 6h) and long term (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7days). Finally, we explored the potential mechanism of feeding inhibition after intraperitoneal injection of gastrin 17 for 7 consecutive days. The results showed that gastrin 17 treatment significantly increased the mRNA levels of anorexigenic peptides (cart, cck and pyy), while it had no significant effect on the mRNA abundance of orexigenic peptides (npy and agrp). In addition, gastrin 17 treatment significantly affected the expression of appetite signaling pathways in the hypothalamus, such that the mRNA expression of ampkα1 was significantly reduced, whereas the mRNA abundance of stat3, mtor and s6k was significantly increased. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the anorectic effect of gastrin on Siberian sturgeon.

Observation of the Water-HNSO2 Complex.

Sulfamic acid (NH2SO3H, SFA) is supposed to play an important role in aerosol new particle formation (NPF) in the atmosphere, and its formation mainly arises from the SO3-NH3 reaction system in which weakly bonded donor-acceptor complexes such as SO3···NH3 and isomeric HNSO2···H2O have been proposed as the key intermediates. In this study, we reveal the first spectroscopic observation of HNSO2···H2O in two forms in a solid Ar matrix at 10 K. The major form consists of two intermolecular H bonds by forming a six-membered ring structure with a calculated dissociation energy of 7.6 kcal mol-1 at the CCSD(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory. The less stable form resembles SO3···H2O in containing a pure chalcogen bond (S···O) with a dissociation energy of 7.2 kcal mol-1. The characterization of HNSO2···H2O with matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy is supported by D- and 18O-isotope labeling and quantum chemical calculations.

Potential Alzheimer’s early biomarkers in a transgenic rat model and benefits of diazoxide/dibenzoylmethane co-treatment on spatial memory and AD-pathology

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the major form of dementia prevalent in older adults and with a high incidence in females. Identification of early biomarkers is essential for preventive intervention to delay its progression. Furthermore, due to its multifactorial nature, a multi-target approach could be therapeutically beneficial. Our studies included 4- (pre-pathology) and 11-month (mild-pathology) TgF344-AD rats, a transgenic Alzheimer’s model that exhibits age-dependent AD progression. We identified two potential early biomarker genes for AD, early growth response 2 (EGR2) and histone 1H2AA (HIST1H2AA), in the hippocampus of 4-month females. Out of 17,168 genes analyzed by RNA sequencing, expression of these two genes was significantly altered in 4-month TgF344-AD rats compared to wild-type littermates. We also evaluated co-treatment with diazoxide (DZ), a potassium channel activator, and dibenzoylmethane (DIB), which inhibits eIF2α-P activity, on TgF344-AD and wild-type rats. DZ/DIB-treatment mitigated spatial memory deficits and buildup of hippocampal Aβ plaques and tau PHF in 11-month TgF344-AD rats but had no effect on wild-type littermates. To our knowledge, this preclinical study is the first to report EGR2 and HIST1H2AA as potential AD biomarkers in females, and the benefits of DZ/DIB-treatment in AD. Evaluations across multiple AD-related models is warranted to corroborate our findings.

Exploring Cardiac Exosomal RNAs of Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI), often a frequent symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD), is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a major form of cardiovascular disease, necessitates a deep understanding of its complex pathophysiology to develop innovative therapeutic strategies. Exosomal RNAs (exoRNA), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs) within cardiac tissues, play a critical role in intercellular communication and pathophysiological processes of AMI. This study aimed to delineate the exoRNA landscape, focusing especially on miRNAs in animal models using high-throughput sequencing. The approach included sequencing analysis to identify significant miRNAs in AMI, followed by validation of the functions of selected miRNAs through in vitro studies involving primary cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Numerous differentially expressed miRNAs in AMI were identified using five mice per group. The functions of 20 selected miRNAs were validated through in vitro studies with primary cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. This research enhances understanding of post-AMI molecular changes in cardiac tissues and investigates the potential of exoRNAs as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. These findings offer new insights into the molecular mechanisms of AMIs, paving the way for RNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics and therapies and contributing to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine.

Low‐rise buildings in big cities: Theory and evidence from China

AbstractThis article explores the determinants of floor area ratio (FAR) limit, a major form of construction density regulation, in China. I develop a spatial equilibrium framework to study local governments’ optimal FAR design and investigate over 400,000 residential land transactions between 2007 and 2019 to perform the empirical analysis. Exploiting the exogenous variations generated by administrative adjustments and applying a propensity score matching approach, I find that a one standard deviation increase in local budgetary revenue decreases FAR limits by 0.29. Further counterfactual analysis suggests that the land finance model contributes to housing affordability issues and spatial inequality in China.

The Biosynthesis of Astaxanthin Esters in Schizochytrium sp. is Mediated by a Bifunctional Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase.

Astaxanthin esters are a major form of astaxanthin found in nature. However, the exact mechanisms of the biosynthesis and storage of astaxanthin esters were previously unknown. We found that Schizochytrium sp. synthesized both astaxanthin and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-enriched lipids. The major type of astaxanthin produced was free astaxanthin along with astaxanthin-DHA monoester and other esterified forms. DHA accounted for 41.0% of the total fatty acids from astaxanthin monoesters. These compounds were deposited mainly in lipid droplets. The biosynthesis of the astaxanthin esters was mainly carried out by a novel diacylglycerol acyltransferase ScDGAT2-1, while ScDGAT2-2 was involved only in the production of triacylglycerol. We also identified astaxanthin ester synthases from the astaxanthin-producing algae Haematococcus pluvialis and Chromochloris zofingiensis, as well as a thraustochytrid Hondaea fermentalgiana with an unknown carotenoid profile. This investigation enlightens the application of thraustochytrids for the production of both DHA and astaxanthin and provides enzyme resources for the biosynthesis of astaxanthin esters in the engineered microbes.

Financial distance and FDI flows: Evidence from OECD economies

AbstractForeign direct investment (FDI) has grown dramatically as a major form of international capital transfer over the past decades. The unprecedented growth of cross‐country FDI flows has been attributed to a rich set of economic, geographical and institutional factors. In this paper, Ι examine the role of financial system heterogeneity as a potential detrimental factor to FDI flows across OECD economies. To do so, Ι use a panel dataset of the most recently updated bilateral FDI data at the country level according to OECD BMD4 definition and construct measures of financial distance using a broad set of financial indicators. The econometric approach consists of a gravity‐style model, estimated according to the latest advancements in econometric techniques in order to avoid omitted variable bias. The results indicate that financial system similarity is associated with increased bilateral FDI flows, a conclusion that is robust across different estimation strategies and financial distance measures. This insightful policy implication for advanced economies is that the restructuring of the financial system and harmonisation to best practices can contribute to economic recovery through the FDI channel as well. Finally, the results highlight the importance for the full implementation of the Banking Union and the Capital Markets Union in the EU.

Transcriptomic response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to secukinumab in epidermolytic ichthyosis

Epidermolytic ichthyosis (EI) is a subtype of ichthyosis, characterized by generalized blistering and erythroderma since birth followed by scaling and palmoplantar keratoderma. Several major orphan forms of ichthyosis have been linked to T helper (Th)17 signalling upregulation. Anecdotal reports also described the beneficial role of Th17-targeted agents in ichthyosis. However, the therapeutic efficacy and the transcriptomic changes caused by secukinumab in EI have rarely been discussed. We present a patient treated with secukinumab for 1 year and evaluated the transcriptomic alterations in peripheral blood after treatment, which revealed that interleukin-1 signalling and Toll-like receptor 2 cascade may underpin the inflammatory and hyperkeratotic footprint in EI.

How Game Ecology Drives Player Choices in Strategy Video Games: An Environmental Determinism Perspective

Background Recent years have witnessed increasing attention on the study of game ecology, the virtual environments, and underlying mechanics within games. Yet, these studies often focus on the active role that players have in changing game ecology, while overlooking the reciprocal influence between game ecology and players. Methods This study investigates the potential impact of game ecology on player choices from an environmental determinism perspective—the development of humanity is shaped by the physical environment. This new perspective is substantiated by a case study of two strategy games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI and Humankind, using an immersive-participatory method to analyze their game mechanics. Results This study identifies four major forms of game mechanics that use game ecology to influence player choices: spatial constraints, movement modifiers, uncommon events, and dynamic indexes. Discussion This study discusses how the identified game mechanics reflect environmental determinism and contrast with the conventional ideology of cultural determinism. Additionally, environmental determinism in video games, derived from a broader social background, is constantly evolving into new forms. Conclusion This study introduces a new perspective of environmental determinism for analyzing the interaction between game ecology and players. This approach has the potential to offer valuable insights into guiding future game design and research endeavors.

Mainstreaming climate change in policy frameworks for community-based natural resource management in a semi-arid savannah environment: case study of Botswana

Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) is a concept that was introduced in southern Africa back in the 1980s with the dual aim of biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction in communities endowed with natural resources. Community-based tourism (CBT), one of the major forms of CBNRM, depends on natural resources, particularly wildlife, and weather and climatic conditions. However, natural resources are under threat from climatic changes and other anthropogenic and natural disturbances. This calls for the need to interrogate the extent to which CBNRM initiatives mainstream climate change in their agenda. The main aim of this article is to assess the extent to which the climate change agenda has been mainstreamed into the policy framework of Botswana's CBNRM program. The specific objectives are to (1) document the impacts of climate change on CBNRM-related initiatives in Botswana; (2) determine the relationship between climate parameters (temperature and rainfall), extreme events (drought and extreme heat), and visitor trends in Botswana and the Okavango Delta; (3) establish a historical correlation between evolution of climate change policy and CBNRM policy and vice versa, policy initiatives, programs, strategies, and projects in Botswana; (4) explore the extent to which international, regional, national, and local climate policies mainstream CBNRM and tourism issues and vice versa; and (5) explore the challenges and opportunities related to climate change and CBNRM, with a particular focus on adaptation and mitigation initiatives. This study mostly used qualitative approaches (desktop review of policy documents and scholarly articles) as well as secondary quantitative data (time-series data) to explore the evolution of CBNRM in Botswana, providing an overview of its structure, policy initiatives, programs, and projects and how these correspond with climate change issues. A scoping review was conducted to identify relevant studies on the impacts of climate change on CBNRM initiatives published between 1992 and 2023. A total of 50 articles were identified to answer the following research question: What evidence is available regarding the impacts of climate change on CBNRM initiatives? The article further looks at how climate change–related extreme events, particularly drought, has affected tourism performance over the years. The article then zeros down on the effects of climate change on CBNRM initiatives and the challenges, threats, and opportunities, as well as the mitigation and adaptation strategies adopted by the CBNRM projects in Botswana. The findings indicate that climate change–induced events, particularly drought, have affected nature-based tourism products in Botswana. However, it was revealed that although there is no statistically significant correlation between drought and tourism performance, evidence from the literature reveals that drought has impacted tourism in Botswana. The findings from policy analysis indicate that the climate change agenda is woven into more recent key legal and policy documents on CBNRM, on one hand, while the climate change policy documents also include components that speak to CBNRM, on the other. This implies that the tourism sector can leverage these provisions to strengthen climate resilience through transformative adaptation and mitigation action.

C-terminally truncation is a prominent post-translational modification of human erythrocyte α-synuclein.

α-Synuclein is a protein related to synucleinopathies with high expression in the central nervous system and erythrocytes which are a major source of peripheral α-synuclein. Recent reports have suggested the presence of α-synuclein within extracellular vesicles derived from erythrocytes, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. While Lewy bodies, intracellular inclusions containing aggregated α-synuclein, are prominently observed within the brain, their occurrence in peripheral neurons implies the dissemination of synucleinopathy pathology throughout the body via the propagation of α-synuclein. In this study, we found erythrocytes and circulating extracellular vesicles obtained from plasma contained α-synuclein, which was separated into four major forms using high-resolution clear native-PAGE and isoelectric focusing. Notably, erythrocyte α-synuclein was classified into full-length and C-terminal truncated forms, with truncation observed between Y133 and Q134 as determined by LC-MS/MS analysis. Our finding revealed that C-terminally truncated α-synuclein, which was previously reported to exist solely within the brain, was also present in erythrocytes and circulating extracellular vesicles obtained from plasma.

Structure of Health Care System: Vital in Promoting Community Well-Being

It is understood on a comprehensive basis that individuals, belonging to all occupations, communities, and socio-economic backgrounds are overwhelmed by different types of health problems and illnesses. These are experienced in a major or minor form. The research studies have indicated that in rural communities, the individuals are depending on the natural environmental conditions in order to treat various types of health problems and illnesses. But there are formulation of programs, which are putting emphasis on bringing about improvements in health care services within rural communities. On the other hand, within urban communities, the medical and health care services are in a well-developed condition. The individuals employed in these are required to be well-versed in terms of job duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, the different types of methodologies and procedures are required to be put into operation in a satisfactory manner. As a consequence, individuals are rendering an important contribution in promoting good health, physically as well as psychologically. One of the important aspects that needs to be taken into account is, individuals are required to prepare themselves adequately in making sure, individuals are benefitting from the services. Therefore, it is well-understood, structure of health care system is vital in promoting community well-being. The main concepts that are taken into account in this research paper are, the health care system in rural areas, functioning of community health care centres, functioning of primary health care centres, functioning of sub-centres and measures to be implemented in bringing about improvements in structure of health care system.

Pectic-AGP is a major form of Arabidopsis AGPs

As a key component in cell walls of numerous organisms ranging from green algae to higher plants, AGPs play principal roles in many biological processes such as cell-cell adhesion and regulating Ca2+ signaling pathway as a Ca2+-capacitor. Consistently, AGP structures vary from species to species and from tissue to tissue. To understand the functions of AGPs, it is vital to know their structural differences relative to their location in the plant. Thus, AGPs were purified from different Arabidopsis tissues. Analyses of these AGPs demonstrated that the AGPs comprised covalently linked pectin and AGP, referred to as pectic-AGPs. Importantly, these pectic-AGPs were glycosylated with a remarkable variety of polysaccharides including homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan-I, and type II arabinogalactan at different ratios and lengths. This result not only suggests that pectic-AGP is a major form of Arabidopsis AGPs, but also supports AGPs serve as crosslinkers covalently connecting pectins with structures tailored for tissue-specific functions.

Mycotoxin occurrence in kernels and straws of wheat, barley, and tritordeum

Thirty-two varieties of common and durum wheat, hordeum, barley, and tritordeum collected over two harvesting years (2020 and 2021) were investigated for the presence of multiple Fusarium-related mycotoxins in asymptomatic plants. DON, 3-AcDON, 15-AcDON, T-2, HT-2, and ZEN together with the emerging mycotoxin ENN B and the major modified form of DON, namely DON3Glc, were quantified by means of UHPLC-MS/MS. Overall, DON and ENN B were the most frequently detected mycotoxins, albeit large inter-year variability was observed and related to different climate and weather conditions. Straws had higher mycotoxin contents than kernels and regarding DON occurrence tritordeum was found to be the most contaminated group on average for both harvesting years, while barley was the less contaminated one. Emerging mycotoxin ENN B showed comparable contents in kernels compared to straw, with a ratio close to 1 for tritordeum and barley. Regarding the occurrence of the other evaluated mycotoxins, T-2 and HT-2 toxins have been spotted in a few tritordeum samples, while ZEN has been frequently found only in straw from the harvesting year 2020. The data collected confirms the occurrence of multiple Fusarium mycotoxins in straws also from asymptomatic plants, highlighting concerns related to feed safety and animal health. The susceptibility of Tritordeum, hereby reported for the first time, suggests that careful measures in terms of monitoring, breeding, and cultural choices should be applied when dealing with his emerging crop.