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A DFT insight into the potential of cycloparaphenylenes as efficient sensors for detecting Paracetamol
Meta-analysis on sex differences in mortality and neurodevelopment in congenital heart defects
Abstract Given the increasing survival rates among congenital heart disease (CHD) patients and the growing emphasis on their quality of life, there is a need to comprehensively assess the impact of surgical interventions on neurodevelopmental outcomes. With increasing awareness in sex-related disparities in CHD, there is a need to explore potential differences in surgical mortality and neurodevelopmental outcomes between male and female patients. In this systematic review, we adhered to PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO registration (#CRD42021225610). Articles published from 2015 to 2021 were searched using MeSH descriptors in three major databases (MEDLINE Ovid, Elsevier Embase, and Cochrane Library). Study selection criteria focused on pediatric (< 18 years of age) CHD patients undergoing primary cardiac surgery. A total of 163 articles that met inclusion criteria were reviewed. The definition and assessment of neurodevelopmental impairment, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and statistical analysis methods were adhered by blinded reviewers. Previous studies have reported higher rates of early childhood mortality in female patients and higher rates of neurodevelopmental impairment in male patients with CHD requiring surgery. Our meta-analysis suggests that these differences may no longer be valid in contemporary surgical cohorts. However, it is unclear if sex-related risk factors have truly been mitigated with current surgical and medical approaches Our meta-analysis does underscore the need for further research considering sex as a variable and for additional investigative efforts in long term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Lacidophilin tablets relieve irritable bowel syndrome in rats by regulating gut microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal inflammation
Assessing the impacts of mitigation and geoengineering intervention scenarios on Earth system dynamics and climatological variability with multimodal simulations
Modeling the mechanical properties of an impacted body and the overload signal characteristic parameters of the projectile during the impact
Ecological geological vulnerability assessment in Northern Shanxi Province (China) based on sensitivity resilience pressure (SRP) model
Influence of Tithonia diversifolia biochar on selected soil physicochemical properties, leaf nutrient concentrations and broccoli growth
Abstract A screen house experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Tithonia diversifolia biochar on selected soil physicochemical properties. The study included five treatments with Tithonia diversifolia biochar applied at rates of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 t ha− 1, arranged in a completely randomised design with three replicates. Surface soil (0–15 cm depth) from the Iwo soil series (sandy loam) was collected from the Teaching and Research Farm of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Each 10 kg soil sample was thoroughly mixed with the respective biochar rate and maintained at field moisture capacity for four weeks in the screen house before sowing broccoli seeds. Soil samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, bulk density, porosity, moisture content, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Agronomic parameters measured included broccoli height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth, and fresh weight of broccoli biomass. Leaf nutrient concentrations of broccoli were also determined. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, and significant means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at p = 0.05. Results indicated that biochar-amended plots significantly improved soil physicochemical properties compared to the control. Biochar application also significantly increased broccoli height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth, leaf nutrient concentrations, and fresh weight of broccoli biomass. The application of tithonia biochar at rates of 10, 20, 30, and 40 t ha− 1 increased the fresh weight of broccoli biomass by 13%, 38%, 26%, and 23%, respectively, compared to the control. The application rate of 20 t ha− 1 was found to be the most beneficial, enhancing leaf nutrient concentrations and growth parameters. This study recommends the use of Tithonia diversifolia biochar as a soil amendment to improve soil quality of sandy loam and enhance broccoli productivity and quality.
A case study on thermal conductivity characteristics and prediction of rock and soil mass at a proposed ground source heat pump (GSHP) site
PM2.5 concentration prediction using machine learning algorithms: an approach to virtual monitoring stations
Effects of heavy metals on variation in bacterial communities in farmland soil of tailing dam collapse area
Evaluating the strength of industrial wastesbased concrete reinforced with steel fiber using advanced machine learning
Computational insights into the allosteric behavior of mini proinsulin driven by C peptide mobility
Larval spongy moth transcriptomic response to ingestion of broad-versus narrow-spectrum insecticidal Chromobacterium species
Abstract The PRAA4-1T strain of Chromobacterium subtsugae was the first insecticidal bacterium to be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in crop protection applications since approval for Bacillus thuringiensis was granted in 1961. C. subtsugae, a Gram-negative betaproteobacterium, exhibits oral toxicity against a broad range of important insects, including dipteran, coleopteran, lepidopteran, and at least some hemipteran and tetranychidan pests. Chromobacterium sphagni is a closely related bacterium exhibiting a distinctly narrower activity spectrum than that of C. subtsugae: it is toxic to lepidopteran, but not dipteran or coleopteran pest insects. The molecular mode of activity for either species is not well characterized at present, and it remains unclear whether these bacterial species affect insects similarly, notwithstanding their close evolutionary relatedness. In this study, synchronized third-instar larvae of the destructive lepidopteran forest pest, Lymantria dispar dispar (European spongy moth), were separately fed with cultures of C. subtsugae strain PRAA4-1T or C. sphagni strain 14B-1T and sampled after 24 h post infection. Gene expression levels in healthy reference versus treated insects were independently compared at the whole-insect and midgut-only tissue levels to characterize host-specific transcriptional responses to intoxication. Treatment induced up-regulation of such antimicrobial peptides as attacin and cecropin, of two cytochrome P450-encoding genes, and of gelsolin, a molecule involved in actin organization. Some differentially expressed genes were novel or uncharacterized, hence future work with lepidopteran species will be necessary to understand insect physiological responses to Chromobacterium infection.
Network pharmacology and metabolomics analysis of Tinospora cordifolia reveals BACE1 and MAOB as potential therapeutic targets for neuroprotection in Alzheimer’s disease
Poor sleep quality and associated factors among community-dwelling older adult at Gondar town
Printed circuit board substrates derived from lignocellulose nanofibrils for sustainable electronics applications
Abstract This study investigates lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNF) as a sustainable alternative material for printed circuit board (PCB) substrates, demonstrating an application through the development of an eco-friendly computer mouse demonstrator. LCNF is derived from lignin-rich cellulose pulp, a side stream product of biorefinery processes, combining the natural strength of cellulose fibrils with lignin to enhance mechanical and electrochemical properties. The research outlines the process of fibrillating lignin-rich cellulose pulp at 10 kW/h per kg into LCNF, followed by thermal and pressure treatment (at Δp = 50 – 1500 kN, ΔT = 30 – 120 °C) to achieve a rigid PCB substrate. Comprehensive characterization of the LCNF substrate included assessments of its mechanical properties (flexural and tensile testing), dimensional stability, electrical properties, surface uniformity and thermal conductivity. The LCNF PCB was integrated in a computer mouse demonstrator featuring inkjet printing of circuit layouts and electronic component assembly, while the mouse housing was designed and 3D-printed using eco-friendly Wood-PLA filament. Electrical properties characterization of the printed circuit and resulting functionality of the computer mouse showcases a sustainable approach to eco-electronics using wood-derived materials. This study underscores the potential of wood-derived nanomaterials like LCNF to reduce electronic waste (e-waste) associated with conventional PCB materials and promote the development of a more eco-friendly electronics, contributing to sustainable, high-performance ecoPCBs and advancing green technology.