The use of AI in research and the literature is increasing. The need for transparency is clear. Here we present a guideline to transparently reporting the use of AI in any manuscript in general. The guideline items cover; declaration, purpose and scope, AI tools and configuration, data inputs and safeguards, human oversight and verification, bias, ethics and regulatory compliance and reproducibility and transparency. This guide will evolve over time as technology, systems and behaviour evolve.
Economists have long been drawn to the ambitious quest of discovering the general laws of capitalism. David Ricardo, for example, predicted that capital accumulation would terminate in economic stagnation and inequality as a greater and greater share of national income accrued to landowners. Karl Marx followed him by forecasting the inevitable immiseration of the proletariat. Thomas Piketty’s (2014) tome, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, emulates Marx in his title, his style of exposition, and his critique of the capitalist system. Piketty is after general laws that will demystify our modern economy and elucidate the inherent problems of the system—and point to solutions. But the quest for general laws of capitalism is misguided because it ignores the key forces shaping how an economy functions: the endogenous evolution of technology and of the institutions and the political equilibrium that influence not only technology but also how markets function and how the gains from various different economic arrangements are distributed. Despite his erudition, ambition, and creativity, Marx was led astray because of his disregard of these forces. The same is true of Piketty’s sweeping account of inequality in capitalist economies. In the next section, we review Marx’s conceptualization of capitalism and some of his general laws. We then turn to Piketty’s approach to capitalism and his general laws. We will point to various problems in Piketty’s interpretation of the economic relationships underpinning inequality, but the most important shortcoming is that,
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading global threat to human health. The clinical application of vascular stents improved the survival rates and quality of life for patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, despite the benefits stents bring to patients, there are still notable complications such as thrombosis and in-stent restenosis (ISR). Surface modification techniques represent an effective strategy to enhance the clinical efficacy of vascular stents and reduce complications. This paper reviews the development strategies of vascular stents based on surface functional coating technologies aimed at addressing the limitations in clinical application, including the inhibition of intimal hyperplasia, promotion of re-endothelialization. These strategies have improved endothelial repair and inhibited vascular remodeling, thereby promoting vascular healing post-stent implantation. However, the pathological microenvironment of target vessels and the lipid plaques are key pathological factors in the development of atherosclerosis (AS) and impaired vascular repair after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, restoring normal physiological environment and removing the plaques are also treatment focuses after PCI for promoting vascular repair. Unfortunately, research in this area is limited. This paper reviews the advancements in vascular stents based on surface engineering technologies over the past decade, providing guidance for the development of stents.
Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials, Biology (General)
Abstract Agricultural practices are the largest anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas contributing to global climate change. Applying symbiotic microbial inoculants capable of complete denitrification offers a promising strategy to mitigate N2O emissions from agricultural fields. This study reports the strain-level diversity and geographical distribution of soybean symbiont bacteria Bradyrhizobium species carrying the nosZ gene, which encodes nitrous oxide reductase. Of 227 indigenous Bradyrhizobium isolates from soybean root nodules across South Korea, 162 were found to possess the nosZ gene, indicating their potential for N2O reduction. The majority of the most prevalent species, Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens, harbor the nosZ gene, contributing to the overall high frequency of nosZ-positive genotypes nationwide. In contrast, no evidence of the nosZ gene was detected in the second most abundant species, Bradyrhizobium elkanii, which was predominantly isolated from the southwestern regions, raising the possibility of elevated N₂O emissions in these areas. The presence of the nosZ gene varies substantially even within the same species, highlighting the importance of understanding strain-level genetic and functional diversity to develop Bradyrhizobium inoculants optimized for both nitrogen fixation and denitrification.
Purpose. The paper aims to highlight and substantiate the need to find rational design schemes for lattice tube concrete bridges with a ride on top based on the analysis of recent research and regulatory documents. Methodology. The current scientific research is analyzed to determine the current state of development of pipe concrete lattice structures. Methods for improving structures are presented. Combinations of filling the grating elements with concrete, variants of cross-sections of the grating elements, their advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. The state of building codes of Ukraine and other countries is considered in order to determine possible options for the design of pipe concrete bridge structures. Due to the lack of detailed research on this issue, the feasibility of implementing optimization studies for these structures and the steps necessary for this are determined. Findings. The optimization of pipe-concrete bridge structures is a relevant area of research, but it requires a multicomponent approach and the use of modern computer facilities. The method of linear optimization is proposed and its general steps for finding economic models are determined. It was found that the base of Ukrainian SCSs in the field of pipe and concrete structures is limited, but can be expanded by using European standards and other international regulations. Originality. The necessity of global development and improvement of pipe concrete gratings of bridge spans is highlighted. Attention is focused on the advantages of this area, which contributes to decision-making at the stage of selecting the type of bridge and detailed design of pipe-concrete lattice bridges. A methodology for finding the optimal grids is proposed, which can integrate existing methods of structural improvement and the requirements of regulatory documents. Practical value. The results of the study can be used to improve the design of pipe concrete bridges at the design stage. Optimization of gratings can help to increase the efficiency of construction and reliability of this type of bridge structure.
Mohammad Rasool Khazaei, Zahra Ami, Mozafar Khazaei
et al.
Background: Men’s infertility and lack of production of healthy and active sperm are concerns of recent years in mostcountries. Studies on the preparation of extracellular matrix (ECM) from decellularization of testis tissue and spermatogenesiscould provide proper results to solve some of the men’s infertility problems. This study aims to decellularize calftestis by different methods to reach a suitable scaffold and introduce it in spermatogenesis studies.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, calf testis were decellularized by a freeze-de freeze, 1% sodiumdeoxycholate (SD), 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 0.1% SDS-vacuum, 1% SDS, 1% SDS-vacuum, and Triton-X100 methods. The content of DNA, collagen, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was analyzed using the kit and stainingwith Hematoxylin-Eosin, Masson’s trichrome, Alcian blue, and Orcein methods. The morphology of the scaffolds wasanalyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM).Results: Methods of 1% SDS, 1% SDS-vacuum, and 1% SD completely removed the cells. The preservation of collagenand GAG was confirmed using the staining kit and methods. The use of a vacuum showed greater porosity inthe SEM images. Toxicity and hemolysis were not observed in the scaffolds.Conclusion: Testis decellularization with 1% SDS and 1% SD, in addition to cell removal, could maintain the ECMstructure to a large extent without having cytotoxic and hemolysis effects.
Today, chemistry and nanotechnology cover molecular separations in liquid and gas states by aiding in the design of new nano-sized materials. In this regard, the synthesis and application of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are current fields of research in which structurally defined 2D materials are being used in membrane separation either in self-standing membranes or composites with polymer phases. For instance, pervaporation (PV), as a highly selective technology for liquid separation, benefits from using 2D materials to selectively transport water or other solvent molecules. Therefore, this review paper offers an interesting update in revising the ongoing progress of PV membranes using 2D materials in several applications, including solvent purification (the removal of water from organic systems), organics removal (the removal of organic molecules diluted in water systems), and desalination (selective water transport from seawater). In general, recent reports from the past 3 years have been discussed and analyzed. Attention has been devoted to the proposed strategies and fabrication of membranes for the inclusion of 2D materials into polymer phases. Finally, the future trends and current research gaps are declared for the scientists in the field.
Yen-Feng Wang, Yi-Shiang Tzeng, Chia-Chun Yu
et al.
Dependence behaviors are common in patients with medication-overuse headache (MOH). This prospective study aimed to characterize dependence behaviors in MOH by using Leeds dependence questionnaire (LDQ), and to determine the clinical utility of LDQ in the diagnosis of MOH. In total, 563 consecutive chronic migraine (CM) patients (451F/112M, mean age 41.7 ± 12.0 years) were recruited, including 320 with MOH (56.8%) (254F/66M, mean age 42.3 ± 11.6 years). LDQ scores were positively correlated with the monthly frequency of acute medication use (Spearman’s rho = 0.680, p < 0.001). When compared with patients without, those with MOH scored higher on LDQ (13.0 ± 7.6 vs. 3.9 ± 5.1, p < 0.001). By using a receiver operating characteristics curve, the cutoff value of LDQ was determined at 7 (sensitivity = 77.5%, specificity = 77.4%, area under curve = 0.85) for a diagnosis of MOH. An LDQ score of ≥7 was predictive of MOH (odds ratio = 11.80, 95% confidence interval = 7.87–17.67, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the presence of MOH in patients with CM is associated with more severe dependence behaviors. An LDQ score of ≥7 is useful in the detection of MOH in CM patients.