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UAV-aided maritime communication over the Pacific Ocean using the elevated duct toward future wireless networks

Sleep quality in Spanish university professors: Association with lifestyle habits and physical and mental health indicators

Background There is currently a growing interest in knowing the state of health of university professors. Sleep habits are essential for health and performance in any profession, including university teaching, and are related to different aspects of a teacher’s work productivity and general wellbeing. Objective The study aimed to analyse sleep quality in Spanish university professors and to determine its association with lifestyle habits and physical and mental health indicators. Method The study was carried out on a sample of 1560 university professors (47.39 ± 11.29 years) from thirteen universities belonging to the Spanish Network of Health Promoting Universities. Sleep quality, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, self-fulfilment, quality of life, stress, anxiety, depression, vocal fatigue, sedentary time and eating behaviour were assessed. Results Thirty-three percent of university professors were found to have poor sleep quality (95% CI: 30.7% - 35.3%). Significant differences were identified based on sociodemographic factors, particularly gender, with 74.9% of men reporting good sleep quality compared to 50.5% of women. According to the regression analysis, sleep problems were associated with less improvement in vocal symptoms after rest and lower quality of life scores. Additionally, they were linked to greater vocal fatigue, physical discomfort in the voice, female gender, and higher scores in mental health disorders (stress, anxiety, and depression). University professors with poor sleep quality also showed lower levels of physical activity, increased sedentary time, and higher levels of uncontrolled and emotional eating. Conclusions Enhancing sleep quality and rest among university professors can boost cognitive and physical performance, foster better overall well-being, and lead to higher job satisfaction.

Author Correction: Evaluating the impact of mine tailings wastes on the development of sustainable Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced concrete

Does innovation policy drive rural revitalization in China? - An empirical study based on Chinese rural areas

Innovation serves not only as the cornerstone of rural revitalization but also as the fundamental driving force behind agricultural and rural modernization in China. Since 2008, China has initiated the implementation of innovative city pilot projects, gradually expanding their scope. This study, based on mechanism analysis, employs panel data from 280 cities and local rural areas spanning from 2004 to 2018 to empirically examine the impact of pilot policies on local rural revitalization levels using methods such as the difference-in-differences model. The research findings indicate that innovative city pilot policies significantly enhance rural revitalization levels. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the effect of innovation policies is pronounced in cities with high entrepreneurial activity but shows no significant correlation with city level, or science and education resources. Furthermore, the study finds that innovative city pilot policies contribute to strengthening local rural communication levels, cultural and educational development, promoting talent aggregation, and indirectly facilitating other policies supporting rural areas, thereby positively influencing rural development. Additionally, the aggregation effect of talents and the incentive effect on business investment are crucial reasons for enhancing urban innovation levels. The conclusions drawn in this study provide policy insights for fully unleashing the rural revitalization effects of innovation-driven policies, thus promoting high-quality economic development in China and enhancing the international community’s understanding of Chinese policies and rural areas.

Effects of temperature and confinement mechanisms on the deformation of selective laser melting 3D printed SS316 using finite element analysis

A novel approach to studying infective endocarditis: Ultrasound-guided wire injury and bacterial challenge in mice

Background Infective endocarditis (IE) is frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and most commonly affects the aortic valve. Early diagnosis and treatment initiation are challenging because the involved immunological processes are poorly understood due to a lack of suitable in vivo models. Objectives To establish a novel reproducible murine IE model, based on ultrasound-guided wire injury (WI) induced endothelial damage. Methods IE was established by inducing endothelial damage via ultrasound-guided wire injury followed by bacterial challenge with S. aureus using 10 4-6 colony-forming units (CFU) 24h to 72h after wire injury. Cross-sections of valvular leaflets were prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunofluorescence microscopy to visualize valvular invasion of macrophages, neutrophils, and S. aureus. Bacterial cultivation was carried out from blood and valve samples. Systemic immune response was assessed using flow cytometry. Results Wire injury induced endothelial damage was observed in all mice after wire-injury in SEM imaging. We reliably induced IE using 10 5 (85%) and 10 6 (91%) CFU S. aureus after wire injury. Aortic regurgitation was more prevalent in wire injury mice after bacterial challenge. Mice undergoing bacterial challenge responded with significant neutrophilia and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines in the blood. Immunofluorescence staining revealed significantly increased immune cell accumulations using our proposed model compared to controls. Conclusion Echocardiography and ex vivo histological staining demonstrated consistent infective endocarditis induction in our new model, combining a wire injury-induced endothelial damage and S. aureus administration. Further exploration of the initial immune cell response and biomarker expression could potentially identify indicators for early IE diagnosis and novel treatment targets.

Immunoinformatics-driven design of a multi-epitope vaccine targeting neonatal rotavirus with focus on outer capsid proteins VP4 and VP7 and non structural proteins NSP2 and NSP5

In vivo quantification of collagen-induced arthritis mouse model by three-dimensional volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler

Purpose Ultrasound combined with Doppler techniques has been widely utilized to evaluate joint inflammation and internal structural changes in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. However, previous assessments using these techniques were predominantly semi-quantitative, which may limit the precision and reliability of the results. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to explore the potential advantages of three-dimensional (3D) volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler in quantitatively assessing the progression of disease. Objective To quantify the severity and progression of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model using a micro-imaging tool, 3D volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler, and assess if 3D model-based volumetric changes of joint space and vascularity correlate with clinical, histological and bone destruction findings. Methods CIA was induced in mice on a DBA/1J background at 7 ~ 8 weeks of age. 3D volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler analysis was performed on knee and ankle joints of all mice using the Vevo 2100 system at 0, 2, 4, 8 weeks after the booster immunization. Clinical, histological and bone destruction analysis were performed as usual. Correlation analysis of the volumetric changes of joint space and vascularity with clinical, histological and bone destruction score were assessed via Spearman’s test. Results It was possible to quantify the severity of joint inflammation and intra-articular changes during the progression of CIA by 3D volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler. The 3D model-based volumetric changes of joint space and vascularity have significant correlations with clinical, histological and bone destruction score of arthritis. Conclusions We demonstrated that 3D volumetric ultrasound and color Doppler is a noninvasive, quantitative tool for evaluating CIA mice in vivo. Despite certain limitations, those technology significantly enhance our ability to monitor disease progression and severity, assess therapeutic interventions, and reduce reliance on invasive techniques.

Diverse evolutionary pathways of spheroidal asteroids driven by rotation rate

Tensions regarding inclusion meanings from stakeholders’ perspectives: A qualitative study

In literature, a divergence is apparent concerning the definition of educational inclusion. The study aims to describe the relationship between the diversity of actors in the university community and their perception of institutional inclusion in higher education organizations in Chile. We employed a qualitative methodology based on Grounded Theory, conducting focus groups with 16 students, 17 teachers, five non-teaching staff, and eight authorities. We conducted a semi-structured interview with an authority, encompassing all three university campuses in the country. The data analysis revealed five subcategories associated with the topic. What is understood by the concept of inclusion? What do they think about inclusion? Who should be the subjects of inclusion? What changes have been observed in inclusion? Moreover, why is it necessary to define inclusion? The emphasis is on the diverse existing views around the approach to the concept and the need to generate definitions with institutional relevance to advance its development and implementation.

Caper bush (Capparis spinosa L.) bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity as affected by adaptation to harsh soils

Direct medical cost of adult Covid-19 ınpatients and ıts determinants at a university hospital

Background and objectives The aim of this study is to determine the direct medical costs of adult cases diagnosed with Covid-19 and hospitalized at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine Farabi Hospital (KTUFMFH). Methods This is a cost of illness study. The direct medical costs of adult cases who were hospitalized and treated for Covid-19 at KTUFMFH between 13.03.2020-12.03.2021 were examined. The study was retrospectively, on hospital perspective, using a prevalence-based approach and a bottom-up costing method. Per case costs, distribution of costs, and factors were examined for 113 cases. The determinants of the costs were evaluated via logistic regression analysis. Results The median cost per case was 263.55 (min: 28.30 – max: 18,947.60) USD [229.55 (min: 23.90 – max: 15,633.67) EUR]. One-day increase in hospitalization (O.R. = 2.600 and %95 C.I. = 1.576-4.289), the presence of chronic disease (O.R. = 15.130 and %95 C.I. = 1.644-139.216) and receiving oxygen inhalation therapy (O.R. = 15.238 and %95 C.I. = 1.784-130.157) have been identified to increase medical cost of Covid-19 inpatients. Conclusion Covid-19 hospital costs are of significant economic burden. The actions in order to lower the severity of the disease may play role to lower the medical costs in future coronavirus related pandemics.

One-step 3D printing of flexible poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels for enhanced mechanical and electrical performance in wearable strain sensors

Changes in the network structure of energy markets and financial markets under the different shocks of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and COVID-19

Employing the quantile coherency method, we analyze the different impacts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the global shock caused by COVID-19 on energy and stock markets, highlighting how market behaviors varied under these two crises. The findings reveal that natural gas performed better than oil during the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict in the short and medium term. In contrast, oil outperforms natural gas over the long term.

Temporal proteome profiling of Botrytis cinerea reveals proteins involved in plant invasion and survival

Abstract Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that poses a significant threat to many crops. Understanding the proteome dynamics of phytopathogens during infection can help combat plant diseases. However, most proteomics studies in phytopathogens face interference from abundant host proteins. Here, we optimized a solid media that better mimics in-planta conditions and used it to perform the temporal protein dynamics in Botrytis cinerea. An agar media with 20% tomato fruit extract and 2% deproteinised leaf extract was utilized for label-free quantitative proteomics at 12, 36, 72 and 120 hpi. Out of 3244 quantified proteins, 2045 showed differential regulation. Glycosyl hydrolases, pectin esterases, stress protein DDR48, RhoGEF and essential transcription factors were found to be upregulated during the early phase, highlighting their role in fungal virulence. Meanwhile, pathways such as macromolecule synthesis, purine, and carbohydrate metabolism were upregulated in the late-growth phase. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive understanding of proteome dynamics during Botrytis infection.

Increased preference for lysine over arginine in spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 variant and its daughter lineages

The COVID-19 pandemic offered an unprecedented glimpse into the evolution of its causative virus, SARS-CoV-2. It has been estimated that since its outbreak in late 2019, the virus has explored all possible alternatives in terms of missense mutations for all sites of its polypeptide chain. Spike protein of the virus exhibits the largest sequence variation in particular, with many individual mutations impacting target recognition, cellular entry, and endosomal escape of the virus. Moreover, recent studies unveiled a significant increase in the total charge on the spike protein during the evolution of the virus in the initial period of the pandemic. While this trend has recently come to a halt, we perform a sequence-based analysis of the spike protein of 2665 SARS-CoV-2 variants which shows that mutations in ionizable amino acids continue to occur with the newly emerging variants, with notable differences between lineages from different clades. What is more, we show that within mutations of amino acids which can acquire positive charge, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 exhibits a prominent preference for lysine residues over arginine residues. This lysine-to-arginine ratio increased at several points during spike protein evolution, most recently with BA.2.86 and its sublineages, including the recently dominant JN.1, KP.3, and XEC variants. The increased ratio is a consequence of mutations in different structural regions of the spike protein and is now among the highest among viral species in the Coronaviridae family. The impact of high lysine-to-arginine ratio in the spike proteins of BA.2.86 and its daughter lineages on viral fitness remains unclear; we discuss several potential mechanisms that could play a role and that can serve as a starting point for further studies.

Author Correction: Gene expression analyses of the calmodulin binding protein 60 family under water stress conditions in rice

Test allocation based on risk of infection from first and second order contact tracing

Strategies such as testing, contact tracing, and quarantine have been proven to be essential mechanisms to mitigate the propagation of infectious diseases. However, when an epidemic spreads rapidly and/or the resources to contain it are limited (e.g., not enough tests available on a daily basis), to test and quarantine all the contacts of detected individuals is impracticable. In this direction, we propose a method to compute the individual risk of infection over time, based on the partial observation of the epidemic spreading through the population contact network. We define the risk of individuals as their probability of getting infected from any of the possible chains of transmission up to length-two, originating from recently detected individuals. Ranking individuals according to their risk of infection can serve as a decision-making tool to prioritise testing, quarantine, or other preventive measures. We evaluate interventions based on our risk ranking through simulations using a fairly realistic agent-based model calibrated for COVID-19 epidemic outbreak. We consider different scenarios to study the role of key quantities such as the number of daily available tests, the contact tracing time-window, the transmission probability per contact (constant versus depending on multiple factors), and the age since infection (for varying infectiousness). We find that, when there is a limited number of daily tests available, our method is capable of mitigating the propagation more efficiently than some other approaches in the recent literature on the subject. A crucial aspect of our method is that we provide an explicit formula for the risk, avoiding the large number of iterations required to achieve convergence for the algorithms proposed in the literature. Furthermore, neither the entire contact network nor a centralised setup is required. These characteristics are essential for the practical implementation using contact tracing applications.

Neurotrophic factor biomarkers for ischemic stroke diagnosis and mechanistic insights

Objective demonstration and quantitation of musical learning in older adult novices across a 12-month online study

This work aimed to objectively (mainly computationally) measure the extent to which 68 older adult novices developed specific musical abilities. The participants learned aural and keyboard performance skills in a 12-month online course with an expert piano teacher, spending six months each on a digital piano keyboard and an iPad virtual piano. Within each 6 months, 3 were devoted successively to each of melodic replication and improvisation. Teaching sought correctness of pitches/sequences (for replication), and introduction of systematic diversity thereof (for improvisation). We measured aural perception using melody detection and beat alignment tests; and replication and improvisation learning using computational measures of MIDI-recordings. Bayesian modelling showed that melody detection, replication and improvisation were learned successfully and seemingly progressively, while beat detection, and rhythmic precision in replication, which were not our focus, were not. These skills were retained over a 6-month follow-up period. Improvisation teaching was the bigger predictor of melody detection, and replication teaching of replication performance. Potential applications for these findings in learning contexts are discussed.