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Tilia species (linden) exert anti-cancer effects on MIA PaCa-2 cells through the modulation of oxidative stress and inflammation

Fabrication of composite ceramic polymeric membranes for agricultural wastewater treatment

Abstract Humans have contaminated water supplies with harmful compounds, including different heavy metals. Heavy metals can interfere with human and animal vital organs and metabolic processes. They are also persistent and bioaccumulative. So, this study aimed to fabricate composite ceramic membranes (CCM) from Egyptian raw substances to eliminate heavy metals from agricultural wastewater. A ceramic supporting (CS) filter constructed from ball clay, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz using corn starch flour as a pore-developing agent. CS fired at two different temperatures and soaking times. Then, a thin polyamide 6 (PA6) coating was dip-coated over the upper layer of the support membranes. The raw materials and prepared CCM were subjected to characterization and applied to treat agricultural wastewater from the Kitchener drain in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. The results showed that the CCM (M2) (membrane sintered at 1000 °C/30 min soaking time and modified with PA6) had a higher pure water permeability of 558.5 L h−1 m−2 than the membrane (M4) (membrane sintered at 1100 °C/180 min soaking time and modified with PA6). The study examined how effectively the membranes removed toxic substances from wastewater. The findings exhibited an excellent removal of > 80% and up to 97.02%, > 80% and up to 99.97% of the heavy metals, and optimum fluxes of 341.07 and 276.35 L h−1 m−2 were achieved in the cases of M2 and M4, respectively. Furthermore, with a low flux decline ratio and a high permeate recovery of 92.3% for wastewater, the modified M4 membrane demonstrated remarkable antifouling capabilities.

A lower atherogenic index of plasma was associated with a higher incidence of sarcopenia

Hybrid multi-objective optimization of µ-synthesis robust controller for frequency regulation in isolated microgrids

Abstract Frequency regulation in isolated microgrids is challenging due to system uncertainties and varying load demands. This study presents an optimal µ-synthesis robust control strategy that regulates microgrid frequency while enhancing system performance and stability—a proposed fixed-structure approach for selecting performance and robustness weights, informed by subsystem frequency analysis. The controller is optimized using multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) and multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) under inequality constraints, employing a Pareto front to identify optimal solutions. Comparative analyses demonstrate that the MOPSO-optimized controller achieves superior robustness and performance, tolerating up to 236% uncertainty compared to 171% for conventional µ-synthesis controllers. Additionally, it significantly reduces frequency deviation and enhances transient response. Nyquist stability analysis confirms robustness across renewable energy uncertainties. The results highlight the proposed controller’s effectiveness in isolated microgrid frequency regulation, with future work focused on discrete-time implementation for practical digital signal processing (DSP) applications.

In vitro antitumor effects of methanolic extracts of three Ganoderema mushrooms

Abstract Ganoderma mushrooms have a variety of pharmacological activities and may have antitumor effects. Therefore, the antitumor activity of the methanolic fruiting body extracts of three Ganoderma spp. will be evaluated by estimating cell viability, cell cycle parameters and the mode of cellular death. In this regard, Sulfo-rhodamine B staining and flow cytometry were used. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and breast ductal carcinoma (T-47D) cell lines were used as cancer models, while mouse normal liver (BNL) and oral epithelial cell (OEC) lines were used as respective controls. The results revealed that Ganoderma resinaceum extract decreased the viability of BNL at an IC50 > 100 µg/mL but not that of HepG2 at an IC50 of 72.32 µg/mL. Additionally, Ganoderma australe and Ganoderma mbrekobenum decreased the viability of OEC cell line at an IC50 of 328.29 and 271.56 µg/ mL, respectively. On the other hand, the IC50 of T-47D were 221.95 and 236.45 µg/mL, respectively. The three extracts arrested the cell life cycle at the G1 phase in each case. G. resinaceum extract stimulated total apoptosis (Q2 + Q4) of 19.99% with low necrosis (Q1). However, the percentages of total cell necrosis in the T-47D cell line treated with the other two extracts were 31.10% and 18.28%, respectively while the percentages of total cell apoptosis were 6.83% and 1.78%, respectively. Thus, G. resinaceum significantly inhibited the viability of the HepG2 cell line, while both the G. australe and G. mbrekobenum extracts significantly decreased the viability of the T-47D cell line. These results may encourage speculation about their possible use for the therapeutic management of hepatocellular carcinoma and breast ductal carcinoma after further investigation.

The role of host plants, land cover and bioclimate in predicting the invasiveness of Aromia bungii on a global scale

Performance improvements and increased ruminal microbial interactions in Angus heifers via supplementation with native rumen bacteria during high-grain challenge

Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapy with tislelizumab plus axitinib for nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus: a retrospective study

Sociodemographic factors associated with dental students knowledge and attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19

Abstract Despite maintaining a lower mortality rate and greater control of victims infected by COVID-19, the world’s population and science are still confronted with this coronavirus. Therefore, the aim was to assess the association between sociodemographic factors and the level of knowledge and attitudes of dental students regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study evaluated 503 dental students from the capital city and one Peruvian province between February and June 2022. A validated 13-item questionnaire was used. A Poisson regression model with robust variance was used to evaluate the influence of the variables sex, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin, death of a family member due to COVID-19, and history of COVID-19, with the level of knowledge and attitudes of the dental students, considering a significance level of p < 0.05. Of the total participants, 14.3% showed sufficient knowledge, and 89.3% showed positive attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, those from the capital city were 52% less likely to have sufficient knowledge regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19, compared to those from the province (APR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.31–0.75). Moreover, none of the variables considered in this study were significantly associated with attitudes toward this topic (p > 0.05). A minority of dental students presented sufficient knowledge, while the majority presented positive attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In addition, being from the capital city was a limiting factor for sufficient knowledge. The variables sex, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin, death of a family member due to COVID-19, and history of COVID-19 were not influential factors for positive attitudes on this topic.

Prognostic factors for survival in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma treated with percutaneous transhepatic drainage

Abstract Biliary drainage is then one of the necessary procedures to help patients suffering from icterus to reduce serum bilirubin levels and relieve symptoms. The aim of this study was identifying risk factors for survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) treated with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and to develop a simple scoring system predicting survival from PTBD insertion. This single-centre retrospective study included 175 consecutive patients undergoing PTBD for extrahepatic CCA (perihilar and distal). Prognostic factors affecting survival of patients with CCA treated with PTBD were analysed. A multivariate analysis showed that mass forming tumor with mass larger than 5 cm and presence of metastasis at the time of PTBD served as a negative prognostic factor (p = 0.002), better survival was associated with lower preprocedural bilirubin and lower CRP (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis identified two significant risk factors for 3-month mortality: mass-forming tumors and bilirubin levels exceeding 185 µmol/L. A simple scoring system was developed to predict 3-month mortality after PTBD in patients with advanced CCA, demonstrating 86.3% negative predictive value and 43.2% positive predictive value.

Socioeconomic disparities in mortality from indoor air pollution: A multi-country study

Background Indoor air pollution is a major public health concern, contributing to approximately 2.9 million deaths and 81.1 million disability-adjusted life years lost annually. This issue disproportionately affects underprivileged communities that depend on solid fuels for cooking. As a result, these communities suffer from heightened exposure to indoor air pollutants, which increases the risk of morbidity, mortality, and worsening health disparities. Objective This study investigates the association between socioeconomic status and mortality related to indoor air pollution across multiple countries. Methods Data from the 2019 Demographic and Health Survey, WHO, and World Bank were utilized to examine the impact of socioeconomic status on indoor air pollution-related mortality. The primary outcome was mortality associated with solid fuel use, with income quintiles as the independent variable. Linear and logistic regression analyses were applied to assess these relationships. Results Logistic regression analysis revealed a strong negative association where household income increases and indoor air pollution-related mortality significantly decreases. Specifically, Households in the highest income quartile showed a 22% reduction progressively in the odds of mortality risk compared to the lowest income quintile. Additionally, access to clean fuel correlated with a 0.59 times lower odds of mortality, highlighting the clean energy sources’ protecting effect. Conclusion The findings highlight the critical need to prioritize clean fuel access, particularly in low-income communities, to reduce indoor air pollution mortality. Policies should focus on increasing clean energy accessibility and supporting vulnerable populations through targeted subsidies and poverty alleviation programs to reduce indoor air pollution exposure disparities.

Subcytotoxic transepidermal delivery using low intensity cold atmospheric plasma

Climate-denying rumor propagation in a coupled socio-climate model: Impact on average global temperature

Individual attitudes vastly affect the transformations we are experiencing and are vital in mitigating or intensifying climate change. A socio-climate model by coupling a model of rumor dynamics in heterogeneous networks to a simple Earth System model is developed, in order to analyze how rumors about climate change impact individuals’ opinions when they may choose to either believe or reject the rumors they come across over time. Our model assumes that when individuals experience an increase in the global temperature, they tend to not believe the rumors they come across. The rumor rejectors limit their CO2 emissions to reduce global temperature. Our numerical analysis indicates that, over time, the temperature anomaly becomes less affected by the variations in rumor propagation parameters, and having larger groups (having more members) is more efficient in reducing temperature (by efficiently propagating rumors) than having numerous small groups. It is observed that decreasing the number of individual connections does not reduce the size of the rejector population when there are large numbers of messages sent through groups. Mitigation strategies considered by the rejectors are highly influential. The absence of mitigative behavior in rejectors can cause an increase in the global average temperature by 0.5°C. Our model indicates that rumor propagation in groups has the upper hand in controlling temperature change, compared to individual climate-denying propagation.

A simulation study to quantitatively assess the performance of electronic prescribing systems in English NHS Hospital Trusts

Volatility, correlation and risk spillover effect between freight rates in BCI and BPI markets: Evidence from static and dynamic GARCH-Copula and dynamic CoVaR models

The dry bulk shipping market plays a crucial role in global trade. To examine the volatility, correlation, and risk spillover between freight rates in the BCI and BPI markets, this paper employs the GARCH-Copula-CoVaR model. We analyze the dynamic behavior of the secondary market freight index for dry bulk cargo, highlighting its performance in a complex financial environment and offering empirical support for the shipping industry and financial markets. The findings reveal that: (1) There are significant differences in correlation across various routes, with the correlation between BCI and BPI routes fluctuating over time. Among all route combinations, C5 and P3A_03 exhibit the highest positive correlation. (2) A one-way risk spillover exists between P1A_03 an C5, while two-way positive risk spillover is observed between other routes. This suggests that when a risk materializes on a specific route, other routes are also exposed to potential risks, with varying intensities of spillover. (3) The distance and geographical location of routes may be key factors influencing the differing intensities of risk spillover. This highlights the need to consider the geographical characteristics of routes in understanding risk transmission. This paper aims to provide risk management strategies based on these empirical findings, assisting shipping companies and investors in developing more effective responses to market volatility.

Horticultural activity in soil inoculated with Streptomyces rimosus improved depressive mood with altered electroencephalogram and serum metabolism in adults

Heritable polygenic editing: the next frontier in genomic medicine?

Abstract Polygenic genome editing in human embryos and germ cells is predicted to become feasible in the next three decades. Several recent books and academic papers have outlined the ethical concerns raised by germline genome editing and the opportunities that it may present1–3. To date, no attempts have been made to predict the consequences of altering specific variants associated with polygenic diseases. In this Analysis, we show that polygenic genome editing could theoretically yield extreme reductions in disease susceptibility. For example, editing a relatively small number of genomic variants could make a substantial difference to an individual’s risk of developing coronary artery disease, Alzheimer’s disease, major depressive disorder, diabetes and schizophrenia. Similarly, large changes in risk factors, such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure, could, in theory, be achieved by polygenic editing. Although heritable polygenic editing (HPE) is still speculative, we completed calculations to discuss the underlying ethical issues. Our modelling demonstrates how the putatively positive consequences of gene editing at an individual level may deepen health inequalities. Further, as single or multiple gene variants can increase the risk of some diseases while decreasing that of others, HPE raises ethical challenges related to pleiotropy and genetic diversity. We conclude by arguing for a collectivist perspective on the ethical issues raised by HPE, which accounts for its effects on individuals, their families, communities and society4.

Correction: Diversity of lithophytic moss species in karst regions in response to elevation gradients

FRET analysis of the unwrapping of nucleosomal DNA containing a sequence characteristic of the + 1 nucleosome

Trends of adverse pregnancy outcomes and its determinants in Arba Minch Zuria and Gacho Baba Woredas from 2018 to 2022: Analysis of health and demographic surveillance data

Introduction Many family members and the expectant mother view pregnancy as a time of joyful anticipation. However, it can also bring about a range of issues that may pose serious and potentially life-threatening risks for both the mother and the unborn child. Adverse pregnancy outcomes are an alarming public issue in different parts of the world and have a seriously harmful influence on both their health and well-being. Nevertheless, less is known about trends and determinates of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the Arba Minch zuria and Gacho Baba districts in southern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to fill these gaps in the study setting. Methods An open, dynamic cohort study design was employed among 8885 pregnancies from 2018 to 2022, health and demographic surveillance data were involved. Data to be collected at Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS) using a structured questionnaire. A log-binomial regression model was used to identify determinates. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered to declare a statistically significant association. Results In this study, the overall adverse pregnancy outcomes were 8.89 per 1000 live births [95%CI: 6.93, 10.84]. The stillbirth and abortion rates were 5.74 per 1000 live births (95%CI: 4.36, 7.54) and 3.15 per 1000 live births [95%CI: 1.97, 4.02], respectively. The trends of adverse pregnancy outcomes showed 11.1/1000 in 2018 and 14.1/1000 in 2022. Age > 34 years old (aPPR = 2.93, 95%CI: 1.67, 5.17), antenatal care (aPPR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.33, 0.83), and history of pregnancy loss (aPPR = 2.68, 95%CI: 1.36, 5.29) were identified as determinates for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion The prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes is still high, and trends vary from time to time. As such, attention is needed for the women who had a previous history of pregnancy loss, and addressing those determinants could potentially reduce the rates of stillbirths and abortions, ultimately promoting healthier pregnancies and better pregnancy outcomes.