Homayoun Sadeghi-Bazargani, Ali Jafari-Khounigh, Hamid Sharifi
et al.
Background — Travel restrictions and adhering to health protocols while traveling was among the key strategies to combat COVID-19 pandemic.
Objective — The present study aims to measure and evaluate travel patterns and compliance with COVID-19 prevention protocols during traveling.
Methods — In this cross-sectional study, 589 individuals from the capitals of six provinces of Iran were included in the study using the cluster sampling method. There were 40 clusters. For data analysis, the mean value of responses in each individual was calculated for each section of the questionnaire.
Results — The response rate was 92% (589/640). Of all participants, 309 (52.5%) were women. The mean age of study participants was 42.84 years (SD=16.59). Among participants, 355 (60.3%) had a travel history during the COVID-19 pandemic. We revealed statistically significant relationships of the travel history with age (P<0.001), education level (P<0.001), and province (P<0.001). No statistically significant relationships of the travel history with socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and occupation subgroup were detected (P>0.05). The majority of study participants (38.5%) traveled for recreational purposes.
Conclusion: According to our findings, unnecessary travel was not avoided in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the participants who traveled during the COVID-19 pandemic did not follow safety precautions. Thus, some of the most important issues such as cultural influences, different risk tolerance levels among people, law enforcement, and stricter oversight by decision makers need to be taken into account.
Abstract Background Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a rare but fatal complication after pneumonectomy. When a BPF occurs late (weeks to years postoperatively), direct resealing of the bronchial stump through the primary thoracic approach is challenging due to the risks of fibrothorax and injury to the pulmonary artery stump, and the surgical outcome is generally poor. Here, we report a case of late left BPF following left pneumonectomy successfully treated using a right thoracic approach assisted by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Case presentation We report the case of a 57-year-old male patient who underwent left lower and left upper lobectomy, respectively, for heterochronic double primary lung cancer. A left BPF was diagnosed at the 22nd month postoperatively, and conservative treatment was ineffective. Finally, the left BPF was cured by minimally invasive BPF closure surgery via the right thoracic approach with the support of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). Conclusions Advanced BPF following left pneumonectomy can be achieved with an individualized treatment plan, and the right thoracic approach assisted by ECMO is a relatively simple and effective method, which could be considered as an additional treatment option for similar patients.
Anna Teresa Seiche, Lucas Wittstruck, Thomas Jarmer
In order to meet the increasing demand for crops under challenging climate conditions, efficient and sustainable cultivation strategies are becoming essential in agriculture. Targeted herbicide use reduces environmental pollution and effectively controls weeds as a major cause of yield reduction. The key requirement is a reliable weed detection system that is accessible to a wide range of end users. This research paper introduces a self-built, low-cost, multispectral camera system and evaluates it against the high-end MicaSense Altum system. Pixel-based weed and crop classification was performed on UAV datasets collected with both sensors in maize using a U-Net. The training and testing data were generated via an index-based thresholding approach followed by annotation. As a result, the F1-score for the weed class reached 82% on the Altum system and 76% on the low-cost system, with recall values of 75% and 68%, respectively. Misclassifications occurred on the low-cost system images for small weeds and overlaps, with minor oversegmentation. However, with a precision of 90%, the results show great potential for application in automated weed control. The proposed system thereby enables sustainable precision farming for the general public. In future research, its spectral properties, as well as its use on different crops with real-time on-board processing, should be further investigated.
The semiphysical method is presently the most widely used for predicting litter moisture content, but it produces some errors. These are mainly due to the simplification of the water loss process and not accounting for the fuelbed structure, which can have a serious impact on the accuracy of litter moisture content predictions and, consequently, on forest fire management. As such, in this study, we constructed fuelbeds with different degrees of compactness, and the moisture content is saturated at this time. The drying process is recorded every 10 min under different wind velocity, and the experiment is stopped when the moisture content is not changing. Taking the saturated fibers’ moisture content (30%) as the threshold value, the drying process was artificially divided into two stages (from the initial moisture content to 30%, it is a process of free water drying, and from 30% to the equilibrium moisture content, this is the process of drying of bound water), which is called the distinguishing drying process. The whole drying process (from the initial to the equilibrium moisture content) is called the undistinguishing drying process. Drying coefficient and effect factors were calculated by distinguishing and not distinguishing the drying process, respectively. This established a prediction model based on compactness and wind velocity. The results show that the drying coefficients, k2 and k, of the two litter types were significantly different: the k2 of the white oak fuelbed was significantly lower than its k, with a maximum variation difference of 57.10%. The k2 in the Masson pine fuelbed was significantly higher than its k, with a maximum variation difference of 72.76%. Wind velocity and compactness had significant effects on all the drying coefficients of the two litter types, but with changes in the effect factors. The changes in k2 were weaker than those of the other drying coefficients. Compared with the model that did not distinguish the drying process, the MRE of the prediction models for white oak and Masson pine decreased by 27.39% and 2.35%, respectively. The prediction accuracy of the model of the drying coefficient obtained by distinguishing the drying loss process was higher than that of the model that did not distinguish the drying process. This study was an indoor simulation experiment that elucidated the drying mechanism of litter and established a prediction model for the drying coefficient based on effect factors. It is of great significance for further field verification and for improving the accuracy of moisture content predictions based on the semiphysical method and will significantly improve the accuracy of fire risk and fire behavior prediction.
An asymmetric image encryption algorithm based on integer wavelet transformation (IWT) and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithm is proposed. Firstly, two plain characteristic parameters (PCP) of the plain image are extracted and two random numbers are chosen. Then, a new parameter transformation model (PTM) is constructed to do nonlinear processing for them, and three cipher characteristic parameters (CCP) are got. After applying RSA operation for CCP (seen as plain messages), three cipher messages are obtained. Secondly, a new initial value obtaining model (IOM) for all plain messages and cipher messages is established, by which initial values of 3D chaotic system are produced. Then, three chaotic sequences can be generated. Thirdly, chaotic sequences are used to confuse the plain image by a way of row-column cycle. Then, IWT operation is carried out and the above chaotic sequences are employed to confuse again the wavelet coefficients. Thereafter, inverse IWT is applied to get the confused image, realizing double confusion operations on both spatial domain and frequency domain. Finally, the confused image is diffused as a whole to get the cipher image. Experiment results explain that the proposed algorithm can realize the encryption in short time, and resist effectively against brute-force attack and noise attack.
This study focused on two crucial chemistry concepts, chemical bonding and related reactions. It explored how learners may conceptually use the periodic table in their scientific understanding. Specifically, the study's goal was to ascertain the effect of the use of this tool on learners' conceptual knowledge and/or reasoning abilities during learning or knowledge construction. The study utilized qualitative methodology and was based on a case (the school). For the purposes of the experiment, the participating learners—learners in grade 11 chemistry—were split into two groups (control group and experimental group). The study's findings indicate relationships between learners' knowledge (re)construction of chemical processes and their applicability to the periodic table. Future research is suggested by the researchers on the links between learning conceptual change and teaching approaches using the periodic table.
This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in the public sector of tourism and their role in enhancing promotion and engagement within the tourism industry. The background of the study highlights the increasing importance of digital platforms in marketing and the need for the public sector to adopt effective strategies to promote tourism. The objective of this research is to analyze the methods employed by public sector organizations in implementing digital marketing strategies and to assess their impact on promotion and engagement in the tourism industry. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was utilized, combining quantitative analysis of digital marketing campaigns and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the public sector of tourism. The quantitative analysis involved evaluating the reach and engagement metrics of various digital marketing initiatives, including social media campaigns, email marketing, and website optimization. The qualitative interviews provided insights into the decision-making processes, challenges, and success factors associated with implementing digital marketing strategies. The findings of this research reveal that effective digital marketing strategies play a crucial role in promoting tourism and enhancing engagement in the public sector. The analysis of digital marketing campaigns demonstrates the significant impact of social media platforms, targeted email marketing, and website optimization in reaching and engaging with the target audience. Additionally, the interviews highlight the importance of collaboration between public sector organizations, private sector stakeholders, and local communities in designing and implementing effective digital marketing strategies.
Political institutions and public administration (General)
Natsuko Kitajima, Takahisa Nakajo, Takeshi Katayoshi
et al.
Sebocytes express Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs), which participate in the innate immune response of the skin. Although the roles of TLRs and NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) in inflammatory responses in sebocytes have been reported, the expression and functions of other NLR members, such as NOD protein-1 and -2 (NOD1 and NOD2, respectively), remain unclear. In this study, we showed that, in sebocytes, the expression of NOD1 is higher than that of NOD2, and that NOD1 is involved in inflammatory responses, such as the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. A NOD1 agonist, L-alanyl-γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (Tri-DAP) induced the expression and secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and activated the nuclear factor-kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. On the other hand, a NOD2 agonist, muramyl dipeptide, did not. Either inhibition with a NOD1 inhibitor, ML130, or knockdown of NOD1 expression abolished Tri-DAP-induced inflammatory responses, suggesting that NOD1 is involved in the immunogenic signaling system of sebocytes. Furthermore, Tri-DAP and an agonist of TLR2 or TLR4 additively increased IL-8 expression compared with each agonist alone. Our results reveal the role of NOD1 in the inflammatory responses of sebocytes and may provide a novel therapeutic target for sebaceous gland inflammatory diseases, such as acne vulgaris.
Purpose: To investigate the clinical features and risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia (MP) with secondary MRSA bloodstream infections (MRSA-BSI) (termed MP-BSI) compared with MP alone and to study the incidence of MP-BSI among patients with MP. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study with clinical data derived from previous medical records. The cases were divided into groups: MP alone and MP-BSI. The determination of independent risk factors for MP-BSI relied on logistic regression analysis. Additionally, the crude outcomes were compared. Results: A total of 435 patients with MP were recruited, with 18.9% (82/435) having MP-BSI. The median age was 62 (interquartile range, 51,72) years, and 74.5% of the patients were male. Multivariate analysis revealed that immunosuppression, community-acquired MP (CA-MP), time from initial to targeted antibiotic use, high Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, increased respiratory rate, and elevated γ-GT level (all p < 0.05) were independent risk factors for MP-BSI, while targeted treatment with linezolid was a protective factor. Patients with MP-BSI had a longer duration of hospitalization (median days, 27.5 vs. 19, p = 0.001), a higher 28-day mortality rate (24.4% vs. 11.0%, p = 0.001), and a higher in-hospital mortality rate (26.8% vs. 14.7%, p = 0.009) than those with MP alone. Conclusion: Secondary MRSA-BSI among patients with MP is not rare. Immunosuppression, CA-MP, time from initial to targeted antibiotic use, high SOFA score, increased respiratory rate and elevated γ-GT level are all independent risk factors for MP-BSI; however, linezolid, as a targeted antibiotic, is a protective factor. Moreover, patients with MP may have worse clinical outcomes when they develop MRSA-BSI.
With the development of multimedia techniques, the demand for copyright protection of digital products has also gradually risen.Digital watermarking is an effective means to protect the copyright of digital products.It is generally made by adding important identification information (i.e., digital watermark) to a digital carrier (e.g., text, image, etc.), so that the carrier carries the identification information but does not affect the normal use of the carrier.The common digital watermark embedding scheme is to embed the watermark information by modifying the carrier via specific algorithms.In the actual application scenarios, there are many images or objects to be protected (such as art paintings, etc.) that are not allowed to be modified.Based on this background, a new carrier-independent deep optical watermarking algorithm was proposed, which can realize watermark information embedding without modifying the original carrier and achieve the purpose of copyright protection.Specifically, a new watermark template expression scheme at the embedding end was proposed, which expressed the watermark information by visible light modulation.By analyzing the visual system of human eyes, a watermark template pattern based on alternating projection was proposed to embed the watermark information, which made the embedding process neither require modification of the original carrier nor affect the visual senses of human eyes.At the extraction end, a watermark extraction network based on residual connection was designed, and the captured watermarked images were fed into this network after perspective transformation to extract the watermark information.The experiments were conducted under various conditions and comparisons with three baseline algorithms were made.The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm generates watermarked images with less visual distortion and is robust to the ＆quot;projecting-shooting＆quot; process.The watermark extraction network has high accuracy in extracting watermark information at different distances, angles and illumination conditions, and has certain advantages over other general networks.
Vittoria Roncalli, Marco Uttieri, Iole Di Capua
et al.
Living organisms deeply rely on the acquisition of chemical signals in any aspect of their life, from searching for food, mating and defending themselves from stressors. Copepods, the most abundant and ubiquitous metazoans on Earth, possess diversified and highly specified chemoreceptive structures along their body. The detection of chemical stimuli activates specific pathways, although this process has so far been analyzed only on a relatively limited number of species. Here, in silico mining of 18 publicly available transcriptomes is performed to delve into the copepod chemosensory genes, improving current knowledge on the diversity of this multigene family and on possible physiological mechanisms involved in the detection and analysis of chemical cues. Our study identifies the presence of ionotropic receptors, chemosensory proteins and gustatory receptors in copepods belonging to the Calanoida, Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida orders. We also confirm the absence in these copepods of odorant receptors and odorant-binding proteins agreeing with their insect specificity. Copepods have evolved several mechanisms to survive in the harsh marine environment such as producing proteins to respond to external stimulii. Overall, the results of our study open new possibilities for the use of the chemosensory genes as biomarkers in chemical ecology studies on copepods and possibly also in other marine holozooplankters.
Zhengyi Zhu, Glen A. Satten, Caroline Mitchell
et al.
Abstract Background Matched-set data arise frequently in microbiome studies. For example, we may collect pre- and post-treatment samples from a set of individuals, or use important confounding variables to match data from case participants to one or more control participants. Thus, there is a need for statistical methods for data comprised of matched sets, to test hypotheses against traits of interest (e.g., clinical outcomes or environmental factors) at the community level and/or the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level. Optimally, these methods should accommodate complex data such as those with unequal sample sizes across sets, confounders varying within sets, and continuous traits of interest. Methods PERMANOVA is a commonly used distance-based method for testing hypotheses at the community level. We have also developed the linear decomposition model (LDM) that unifies the community-level and OTU-level tests into one framework. Here we present a new strategy that can be used with both PERMANOVA and the LDM for analyzing matched-set data. We propose to include an indicator variable for each set as covariates, so as to constrain comparisons between samples within a set, and also permute traits within each set, which can account for exchangeable sample correlations. The flexible nature of PERMANOVA and the LDM allows discrete or continuous traits or interactions to be tested, within-set confounders to be adjusted, and unbalanced data to be fully exploited. Results Our simulations indicate that our proposed strategy outperformed alternative strategies, including the commonly used one that utilizes restricted permutation only, in a wide range of scenarios. Using simulation, we also explored optimal designs for matched-set studies. The flexibility of PERMANOVA and the LDM for a variety of matched-set microbiome data is illustrated by the analysis of data from two real studies. Conclusions Including set indicator variables and permuting within sets when analyzing matched-set data with PERMANOVA or the LDM is a strategy that performs well and is capable of handling the complex data structures that frequently occur in microbiome studies. Video Abstract
Abstract Dendrophthora and Phoradendron are neotropical genera of mistletoes belonging to the tribe Phoradendreae. The phylogenetic relationships between these two genera are still not entirely understood and, morphologically, Dendrophthora differs from Phoradendron solely by the presence of one, anther locule, as opposed to two in the latter. This study provides a synopsis of species of both genera for Brazil, where we revised all the names with Brazilian types or cited for the country. A total of 173 names were evaluated and the presence of 44 taxa in Brazil was confirmed: three species of Dendrophthora and 41 of Phoradendron. An identification key for the confirmed taxa is proposed and taxonomic comments are elaborated, along with an iconography, geographic distribution of the taxa, and original illustrations and photos of some species. Six new synonyms are proposed in Dendrophthora, and 12 in Phoradendron; 27 names are lectotypified.
The fundamental characteristics of nanoparticle (NP) deposition of the fluoropolymer CYTOP using a femtosecond (fs) laser were investigated. In previous studies, we have demonstrated the microfluidic fabrication of CYTOP, which enables clear microscopic observation of the fluid boundary because of its low refractive index, as well as that of water. In the present work, we generated CYTOP NPs using holographic fs laser processing with a spatial light modulator to demonstrate the capabilities of this functional polymer. We established a deposition technique via five-dot parallel fs laser beam irradiation for fibrous network and monolayer structures composed of CYTOP NPs on the surface of glass slides by manipulating the various fundamental laser processing parameters. The network structure on the glass surface exhibits superhydrophobic behavior, while the monolayer structure performs almost the same wettability as that of CYTOP thin film. After an investigation of the surface features of the NPs deposited onto the glass, the combination of the holographic fs laser deposition and the removal of CYTOP NPs was used to selectively pattern CYTOP NPs on the glass slide for HeLa cell culturing. Consequently, cells were selectively cultured on the glass surface where the laser removal of deposited NPs was carried out.
Bettina Mannerström, Roman Kornilov, Ahmed G. Abu-Shahba
et al.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are central to intercellular communication and play an important role in cancer progression and development. Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive bone tumour, characterized by the presence of malignant mesenchymal cells. The specific tumour-driving genetic alterations that are associated with OS development are currently poorly understood. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of osteogenic lineage have been postulated as likely candidates as the cells of origin for OS, thus indicating that MSCs and OS stroma cells may be related cell types. Therefore, this study set out to examine the EV-mediated intercellular crosstalk of MSCs and OS. MSCs and pre-osteoblasts were treated with OS-EVs at different time points, and the epigenetic signature of OS-EVs was assessed by methylation analysis of LINE-1 (long interspersed element) and tumour suppressor genes. In addition, surface markers and expression of specific genes were also evaluated. Our data indicated that OS-EVs mediated LINE-1 hypomethylation in MSCs, whereas an opposite effect was seen in pre-osteoblasts, indicating that MSCs but not pre-osteoblasts were susceptible to epigenetic transformation. Thus, OS-EVs modulated the fate of MSCs by modulating the epigenetic status, and also influenced the expression of genes related to bone microenvironment remodelling. Overall, this study provided evidence that epigenetic regulation appears to be an early event in the transformation of MSCs during the development of OS. Elucidating the mechanisms of EV-mediated communication may lead to new avenues for therapeutic exploitation.
V. Vijaya Kumar, C. Ramesh Kumar, A. Suresh
et al.
Four types of polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based polymers (m-PBI, p-PBI, pyridine-based m-PBI and alkylated m-PBI) have been prepared and characterized. Extraction behaviour of heavy metal ions, viz. U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II), with these polymers was investigated. Distribution ratios for the extraction of these metal ions were measured as a function of nitric acid concentration. Extraction data reveal that, in general, p-PBI exhibits a higher distribution ratio for U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) compared with the other polymeric resins evaluated in the present study. Column chromatography experiments were carried out with a solution of U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) in dilute nitric acid media using columns packed with m- and p-PBI polymeric material for understanding the sorption and elution behaviour. The p-PBI-based resin has shown higher palladium sorption capacity (1.8 mmol g−1). The studies also established that p-PBI resin is a potential candidate material for the recovery of U(VI) and Th(IV) (capacity 0.22 mmol g−1 and 0.13 mmol g−1) from an aqueous stream, e.g. mine water samples.
Simultaneously feared and desired, night is a polemic field in Johannesburg in general and in Maboneng in particular. In this space which is undergoing a process of gentrification in the lower-class neighbourhood of Jeppestown, the nocturnal practices of the lower classes are indeed invisibilized, devalorized and criminalized by the dominant classes who are reinvesting nocturnal spaces. This symbolic and material reinvestment of space and time has also an economic dimension: the night-time economy is thought as a way to revitalize and securize nocturnal urban spaces. However, the extension of the night-time economy encounters contestations. Through discourses and material transformations of nocturnal urban spaces, political and economic issues turn the night into a political object, into an urban frontier.
<p>Munderikadavu is rich in avifaunal diversity. A total of 82 species of birds from 36 families belonging to 13 orders were recorded in the wetland including wetland dependant species. Lowland vegetation had the highest species richness (46 species) followed by upland (41 species), aerial (38 species), emergent vegetation (22 species) and paddy fields (21 species). Open water had the lowest species richness. Upland vegetation had the highest species diversity (H′-3.19) followed by aerial (H′-2.52). There was more species overlap between emergent and low land vegetations (Cm-0.7). The threats in Munderikadavu wetland were dumping of waste and conversion of cultivation land into shrimp farming area. Thus land use changes need to be regulated in order to conserve the wetland and bird community. </p><div> </div>
Ecology, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Grażyna Końska, Jean Guillot, Stanisław Kohlmünzer
et al.
This study proved the presence of lectin in mycelial cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus. Lectin was excreted into the medium and its erythroagglutinating activity was not high. No active lectin was detected in hyphae using both extraction and immunofluorescence method. Comparative studies based on immunological methods indicate~ that the lectin synthesised in vitro differed from the lectin produced in fruit-bodies.