There is currently insufficient acknowledgment of the relationship between fish welfare and ultimate fillet quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the impacts of pre-slaughter handling and stocking density as fish welfare markers on fillet quality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Fish from three stocking densities of 35, 50, and 65 kg·m⁻³ were reared in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for 12 weeks and received commercial feed. Ultimately, the fish were either stunned with percussion on the head (control group) or subjected to air exposure for 3 min (anoxia group) before stunning and subsequent collection of blood and fillet samples. Western blot analysis revealed the degradation of actin in both groups. Additionally, higher oxidation progress and lower hardness and pH were observed in anoxia compared to the control group. We observed higher hardness at 35 kg·m⁻³ in anoxia compared to 50 and 65 km⁻³. The initial hardness values at 35, 50, and 65 km⁻³ were 1073, 841, and 813 (g) respectively in the anoxia group. Furthermore, the anoxia and control groups had rigor mortis after 6 and 10 h, respectively. Cortisol and glucose levels, and oxidative enzymes activity were higher in anoxia than in the control group. In conclusion, oxidation induced by anoxia likely plays a crucial role as a promoter of the quality deterioration of largemouth bass fillets. Full article

Consumers often rely on evaluations such as online reviews shared by other consumers when making purchasing decisions. Online reviews have emerged as a crucial marketing tool that offers a distinct advantage over traditional methods by fostering trust among consumers. Previous studies have identified group similarity between consumers and reviewers as a key variable with a potential impact on consumer responses and purchase intention. However, the results remain inconclusive. In this study, we identify self-construal and group similarity as key factors in the influence of online review ratings on consumers’ purchase intentions. We further investigate the role of consumers’ self-construal in shaping consumers’ perceptions of online reviews in terms of belongingness and diagnosticity. To test the hypothesis, we conducted a 2 (online review rating) × 2 (group similarity) × 2 (self-construal) ANOVA on 276 subjects collected through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), and contrast analysis and PROCESS macro model 12 were used for the interaction effect analysis and moderated mediation analysis. Our findings reveal that consumers with an interdependent self-construal are sensitive to both review ratings and group similarity with regards to their purchase intentions. They demonstrate a positive purchase intention when both group similarity and online review ratings are high. However, their purchase intention is not influenced by review ratings when group similarity is low. Conversely, consumers with an independent self-construal exhibit a more positive purchase intention when the online review rating is high, irrespective of group similarity. Additionally, our study highlights the mediating roles of perceived diagnosticity and belongingness in the relationship between online review ratings, group similarity, self-construal, and purchase intentions. Results show significant indirect effects for perceived diagnosticity and belongingness, meaning that the impact of online review ratings on purchase intention is mediated by these two variables. The outcomes of our research offer theoretical and practical implications concerning online reviews and suggest new avenues for future research in the area of online consumer behavior. Full article

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) arise after a documented history of chemo/radiotherapy as treatment for an unrelated condition and account for 10–20% of myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia. T-MN are characterized by a specific genetic signature, aggressive features and dismal prognosis. The nomenclature and the subsets of these conditions have changed frequently over time, and despite the fact that, in the last classification, they lost their autonomous entity status and became disease qualifiers, the recognition of this feature remains of major importance. Furthermore, in recent years, extensive studies focusing on clonal hematopoiesis and germline variants shed light on the mechanisms of positive pressure underpinning the rise of driver gene mutations in t-MN. In this manuscript, we aim to review the evolution of defining criteria and characteristics of t-MN from a clinical and biological perspective, the advances in mechanistic aspects of malignant progression and the challenges in prevention and management. Full article

Developing non-destructive evaluation methods for the radio frequency (RF) conductivity of conductive coatings can accelerate the performance evaluation and development of wireless communication devices. By using a split-resonator cavity to compare 800 nm copper/graphite and 1000 nm copper/graphite, we found that the RF conductivity increased by 45.5% and 82.7%, respectively, from 15 GHz to 40 GHz (pure copper was −7.2%), indicating that the bulk materials analysis method is not suitable for coating materials. Combined with electromagnetic wave theory, we believe that the critical factor lies in the additional losses of the electromagnetic waves at the copper/graphite interface and substrate. Based on the skin depth theory, the concept of triple skin depth is proposed to calculate the power loss of copper/graphite at different frequencies, considering rough $P_{eff}$ (including the power loss of the rough surface, copper coatings, copper/graphite interface, and graphite) compared with smooth pure copper $P_c$. Combined with the relationship between RF conductivity and electromagnetic wave power loss, the conductivity of copper coatings ${\sigma }_{Cu}$ at different frequencies is obtained by analyzing the measured ${\sigma }_{eff}$. Compared with the roughness model, the calculation error decreased from 30% to below 7%. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the regulation of the RF conductivity of metal coatings at different frequencies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neuropathic chronic postherniorrhaphy inguinal pain (CPIP) is a serious adverse outcome following inguinal hernia repair surgery. The optimal surgical treatment for neuropathic CPIP remains controversial in the current literature. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various surgical techniques utilized to manage neuropathic CPIP. Methods: The electronic databases Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar were searched. Inclusion criteria were defined to select studies reporting on the efficacy of surgical interventions in patients with neuropathic CPIP. The primary outcome was postoperative pain relief, as determined by postoperative numerical or nonnumerical pain scores. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Three surgical techniques were identified: selective neurectomy, triple neurectomy, and targeted muscle reinnervation. Proportions of good postoperative results of the surgical techniques ranged between 46 and 88 percent. Overall, the surgical treatment of neuropathic CPIP achieved a good postoperative result in 68 percent (95% CI, 49 to 82%) of neuropathic CPIP patients (n = 244), with targeted muscle reinnervation yielding the highest proportion of good postoperative results. Conclusions: The surgical treatment of neuropathic CPIP is generally considered safe and has demonstrated effective pain relief across various surgical techniques. Targeted muscle reinnervation exhibits considerable potential for surpassing current success rates in inguinal hernia repair surgery. Full article

This study conducted to evaluate catchment storage and command relationship and water use strategies under supplemental irrigation for sustainable rainfed agriculture in the semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, India. In southern Rajasthan, a small category of farmers is above 78%, the potential evapotranspiration is greater than the average rainfall with prevailing arid conditions, and rainfed agriculture is a challenging task. An agricultural micro watershed of 2.0 ha evaluated to establish a catchment storage command area (CSC) relationship and micro irrigation system as an effective water use strategy. The significant results indicate that a farm pond with a storage capacity of 560 m³ with permanent lining (cement + brick) is sufficient to harvest runoff water from a 2.0 ha catchment under the rainfall conditions of below normal (up to 50% deficit), long-term average, and wet years. Harvested rainwater can be used to irrigate a command area of even up to 1.0 ha, with supplemental irrigation of 5 cm in both the seasons of kharif as well as rabi. The two crops, maize (Zea mays) in the kharif season and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) in the rabi season, were significantly profitable with supplemental irrigation by adopting a drip irrigation system. Full article

(1) Purpose: The management of melanonychia is highly controversial. With growing melanonychia, in case of doubt, the entire lesion should be examined. It may appear similar to nail melanoma or may turn into melanoma. Here, we present surgical cases of nail bed total removal and free flap reconstruction. (2) Methods: Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, eleven patients were operated on for growing melanonychia, involving the hand and foot. After complete resection of the nail root and plate, immediate reconstruction was performed using a fasciocutaneous free flap. The authors describe the procedures in detail with a few illustrations and clinical photographs depicting the techniques. (3) Results: All patients underwent complete nail unit removal around the anatomic boundaries of the nail. Histology showed a nevus and no malignancy in all cases. We used three onychocutaneous flaps, three hypothenar flaps and five venous flaps. All flaps survived, with one case of partial necrosis which spontaneously healed with secondary intention. In the follow-up periods, there was no recurrence or nail regrowth. (4) Conclusions: These free flap techniques are very useful for total nail bed defect reconstruction after melanonychia lesion total ablation. Full article

Background and Aim: Non-pharmacological treatments such as electroencephalogram (EEG) neurofeedback have become more important in multidisciplinary approaches to treat chronic pain. The aim of this scoping review is to identify the literature on the effects of EEG neurofeedback in reducing pain complaints in adult chronic-pain patients and to elaborate on the neurophysiological rationale for using specific frequency bands as targets for EEG neurofeedback. Methods: A pre-registered scoping review was set up and reported following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The data were collected by searching for studies published between 1985 and January 2023 in PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Results: Thirty-two studies on various types of chronic pain were included. The intervention was well-tolerated. Approximately half of the studies used a protocol that reinforced alpha or sensorimotor rhythms and suppressed theta or beta activity. However, the underlying neurophysiological rationale behind these specific frequency bands remains unclear. Conclusions: There are indications that neurofeedback in patients with chronic pain probably has short-term analgesic effects; however, the long-term effects are less clear. In order to draw more stable conclusions on the effectiveness of neurofeedback in chronic pain, additional research on the neurophysiological mechanisms of targeted frequency bands is definitely worthwhile. Several recommendations for setting up and evaluating the effect of neurofeedback protocols are suggested. Full article

The aim of this work was to assess the chemical composition and physico-chemical, techno-functional, and in vitro antioxidant properties of flours obtained from the peel and flesh of pitahaya (Hylocereus ocamponis) to determine their potential for use as ingredients for food enrichment. The chemical composition, including total betalains, mineral content, and polyphenolic profile, was determined. The techno-functional properties (water holding, oil holding, and swelling capacities) were also evaluated. For the antioxidant capacity, four different methodologies, namely ferrous ion-chelating ability assay, ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay; 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging ability assay, and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical assay, were used. Pitahaya-peel flour had higher values for protein (6.72 g/100 g), ash (11.63 g/100 g), and dietary fiber 56.56 g/100 g) than pitahaya-flesh flour, with values of 6.06, 3.63, and 8.22 g/100 g for protein, ash, and dietary fiber, respectively. In the same way, pitahaya peel showed a higher content of minerals, betalains, and polyphenolic compounds than pitahaya-flesh flour, with potassium (4.43 g/100 g), catechin (25.85 mg/g), quercetin-3-rhamnoside (11.66 mg/g) and myricetrin (12.10 mg/g) as principal compounds found in the peel. Again, pitahaya-peel flour showed better techno-functional and antioxidant properties than pitahaya-flesh flour. The results obtained suggest that the flours obtained from the peel and pulp of pitahaya (H. ocamponis) constitute a potential material to be utilized as an ingredient in the food industry due to the high content of bioactive compounds such as betalains, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, with notable antioxidant capacity. Full article

Metabolomics has gained much attention due to its potential to reveal molecular disease mechanisms and present viable biomarkers. This work uses a panel of untargeted serum metabolomes from 602 children from the COPSAC2010 mother–child cohort. The annotated part of the metabolome consists of 517 chemical compounds curated using automated procedures. We created a filtering method for the quantified metabolites using predicted quantitative structure–bioactivity relationships for the Tox21 database on nuclear receptors and stress response in cell lines. The metabolites measured in the children’s serums are predicted to affect specific targeted models, known for their significance in inflammation, immune function, and health outcomes. The targets from Tox21 have been used as targets with quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs). They were trained for ~7000 structures, saved as models, and then applied to the annotated metabolites to predict their potential bioactivities. The models were selected based on strict accuracy criteria surpassing random effects. After application, 52 metabolites showed potential bioactivity based on structural similarity with known active compounds from the Tox21 set. The filtered compounds were subsequently used and weighted by their bioactive potential to show an association with early childhood hs-CRP levels at six months in a linear model supporting a physiological adverse effect on systemic low-grade inflammation. Full article

Indonesia is experiencing population growth, as well as urbanization, thus increasing the needs of housing. As a result, land prices are soaring, and the housing supply cannot meet the demand. The most recent measure to overcome housing problems is the One Million House Program, which aims to provide more than a million homes annually, with the majority of them being simple housing. The main characteristics of simple housing are limited space, limited facilities, and the use of basic materials. Regulation stated that any housing must satisfy the requirement of livable housing, which means the fulfilment of safety, health, and living-area requirements. This paper looks at affordability, livability, and sustainability criteria based on government regulation. It is found that the performance of housing cannot satisfy some of the requirements. The problems come from either inherently limited housing design, occupant requirements, or local climates. The existing research only focuses on one of three factors. Intertwined relationships between the three factors make an integrated approach necessary. A solution based on integrated performance modeling of the criteria is proposed. Full article

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are mesenchymal malignant lesions that develop in soft tissues. Despite current treatments, including radiation therapy (RT) and surgery, STSs can be associated with poor patient outcomes and metastatic recurrences. Neoadjuvant radiation therapy (nRT), while effective, is often accompanied by severe postoperative wound healing complications due to damage to the surrounding normal tissues. Thus, there is a need to develop therapeutic approaches to reduce nRT toxicities. Avasopasem manganese (AVA) is a selective superoxide dismutase mimetic that protects against IR-induced oral mucositis and lung fibrosis. We tested the efficacy of AVA in enhancing RT in STSs and in promoting wound healing. Using colony formation assays and alkaline comet assays, we report that AVA selectively enhanced the STS (liposarcoma, fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and MPNST) cellular response to radiation compared to normal dermal fibroblasts (NDFs). AVA is believed to selectively enhance radiation therapy by targeting differential hydrogen peroxide clearance in tumor cells compared to non-malignant cells. STS cells demonstrated increased catalase protein levels and activity compared to normal fibroblasts. Additionally, NDFs showed significantly higher levels of GPx1 activity compared to STSs. The depletion of glutathione using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) sensitized the NDF cells to AVA, suggesting that GPx1 may, in part, facilitate the selective toxicity of AVA. Finally, AVA significantly accelerated wound closure in a murine model of wound healing post RT. Our data suggest that AVA may be a promising combination strategy for nRT therapy in STSs. Full article

The relapse rate of substance abusers is high, and addiction rehabilitation adjunct drugs need to be developed urgently. There have been numerous reports on blocking the formation of substance addiction, but studies on drugs that can alleviate withdrawal symptoms are very limited. Both the dopamine transporter (DAT) hypothesis and D3 dopamine receptor (D3R) hypothesis are proposed. DAT activators reduce the extracellular dopamine level, and D3R antagonists reduce the neuron’s sensitivity to dopamine, both of which may exacerbate the withdrawal symptoms subsequently. The D3R partial agonist SK608 has biased signaling properties via the G-protein-dependent pathway but did not induce D3R desensitization and, thus, may be a promising drug for the withdrawal symptoms. Drugs for serotoninergic neurons or GABAergic neurons and anti-inflammatory drugs may have auxiliary effects to addiction treatments. Drugs that promote structural synaptic plasticity are also discussed. Full article

Large-particle-size graded crushed stone mixtures (LPS-GCSMs) can improve the shortcomings of conventional graded crushed stone, such as low strength, high deformation, and a low modulus of resilience. At present, there is no systematic research on the gradation design and field evaluation of the LPS-GCSMs. In this study, compaction and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests and field construction conditions were combined to design six kinds of gradation of LPS-GCSM, and the optimum gradation was revealed. In order to improve the mechanical properties of LPS-GCSM, 2.5% cement was added to the mixture to prepare a low-content cement-modified LPS-GCSM (LCC-LPS-GCSM) based on the suggested gradation. The mechanical properties of the LCC-LPS-GCSM were investigated through unconfined compression strength (UCS) and compression rebound modulus (CRM) tests. Moreover, the compaction and deflection properties of LPS-GCSM and LCC-LPS-GCSM were examined through the test battery. The results showed that the optimum gradation of LPS-GCSM can be achieved with a combination of aggregate sizes of 20–40 mm, 10–20 mm, 5–10 mm, and 0–5 mm at a ratio of 44:20:10:26. The passing rates of 19 mm and 4.75 mm should be approximately at the median value of the gradation in view of field construction uniformity and a coarse aggregate interlocking effect. The UCS and CRM values of LCC-LPS-GCSM increased rapidly from 0 day to 28 days while they slowed after 28 days, which was similar to those of cement-stabilized materials. The field detection suggested that LPS-GCSM exhibited favorable compaction and that the addition of cement improved the stability of the field compaction of the mixture. Adding a subbase course of LPS-GCSM between the old pavement and the LCC-LPS-GCSM base can lead to more uniform stress on the base. The results of this study provide a reference for the gradation design of LPS-GCSM and optimization of the design indicators. Full article

There is a growing demand for comprehensive evaluations of the clinical learning quality of nursing education and the necessity to establish robust predictors and mediators for enhancing its outcomes within the context of mental health practice. This study is threefold: 1. Evaluating nursing students’ clinical learning quality before and after mental health nursing practice; 2. Establish if the grade of a theoretical course in mental health nursing and the student’s perception of their theoretical knowledge level predicts the grade of mental health nursing practice; 3. Explore how model learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety, and nursing care quality mediate learning environment quality and tutorial strategies quality following mental health nursing practice. Using a before and after the study, 107 undergraduate nursing students at an Israeli university completed a questionnaire and the Clinical Learning Quality Evaluation Index tool to assess their perceptions of clinical learning quality before and after mental health nursing practice. The results showed a decline in students’ perceptions of tutorial strategy quality following mental health practical learning in clinical settings, with the theoretical course grade predicting the practical experience grade and underscoring the mediating role of learning opportunities between the learning environment and tutorial strategies. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of an adaptive learning environment and a solid theoretical foundation in fostering effective tutorial strategies and enhancing the overall learning outcomes for nursing students in mental health education. Full article

Water quality modeling is a key element for the support of environmental protection and policymaking. The aim of this work is to describe the application of a far-field water quality model for the simulation of marine pollution occurring from heavy metals (cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, and zinc). The highly stressed marine area of the Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean) was chosen for investigation. Major pollution sources were identified, loads were estimated, and the model was parameterized to reproduce the local seawater conditions. The distribution of the pollutants between the dissolved and particulate phases was examined. The performance of the model set-up was evaluated using field concentration measurements. The described implementation succeeded in reproducing the observed levels of pollution and therefore can be used as a baseline configuration to examine the cumulative impact of future pollution sources; for example, accidental pollution events. Full article

The autonomous navigation of mobile robots contains three parts: map building, global localization, and path planning. Precise pose data directly affect the accuracy of global localization. However, the cumulative error problems of sensors and various estimation strategies cause the pose to have a large gap in data accuracy. To address these problems, this paper proposes a pose calibration method based on localization and point cloud registration, which is called L-PCM. Firstly, the method obtains the odometer and IMU (inertial measurement unit) data through the sensors mounted on the mobile robot and uses the UKF (unscented Kalman filter) algorithm to filter and fuse the odometer data and IMU data to obtain the estimated pose of the mobile robot. Secondly, the AMCL (adaptive Monte Carlo localization) is improved by combining the UKF fusion model of the IMU and odometer to obtain the modified global initial pose of the mobile robot. Finally, PL-ICP (point to line-iterative closest point) point cloud registration is used to calibrate the modified global initial pose to obtain the global pose of the mobile robot. Through simulation experiments, it is verified that the UKF fusion algorithm can reduce the influence of cumulative errors and the improved AMCL algorithm can optimize the pose trajectory. The average value of the position error is about 0.0447 m, and the average value of the angle error is stabilized at about 0.0049 degrees. Meanwhile, it has been verified that the L-PCM is significantly better than the existing AMCL algorithm, with a position error of about 0.01726 m and an average angle error of about 0.00302 degrees, effectively improving the accuracy of the pose. Full article

The aqueous extract of Annona muricata L. leaves was thoroughly analyzed using the UPLC-MS/MS, in addition to a new approach of examination of the extract’s impact on cancer of EAC(Ehrlich ascites carcinoma) in albino male mice. The aim was to investigate the diversity of the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous leaf capsule extract and their impacts on EAC as anticancer agents. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS screening resulted in 410 tentatively identified metabolites. Among them, 384 compounds were tentatively identified in a previous study, besides a number of 26 compounds belonging to acetogenins, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other miscellaneous compounds, which were exclusively identified in the aqueous extract of the leaf capsule. Interestingly, a new compound was tentatively characterized as galloyl-quinic acid-rutinoside. This study also demonstrated that treating EAC mice with an extract from A. muricata leaves significantly improved the abnormalities in the expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax and caspase-3) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) genes. Furthermore, the extract showed good protection against induced Ehrlich hepatocarcinoma, according to the microscopical, histological, and immune-histochemical analyses of the liver tissues and tumor mass. Full article

In this paper, we are proposing extensions to the multinomial principal component analysis (MPCA) framework, which is a Dirichlet (Dir)-based model widely used in text document analysis. The MPCA is a discrete analogue to the standard PCA (it operates on continuous data using Gaussian distributions). With the extensive use of count data in modeling nowadays, the current limitations of the Dir prior (independent assumption within its components and very restricted covariance structure) tend to prevent efficient processing. As a result, we are proposing some alternatives with flexible priors such as generalized Dirichlet (GD) and Beta-Liouville (BL), leading to GDMPCA and BLMPCA models, respectively. Besides using these priors as they generalize the Dir, importantly, we also implement a deterministic method that uses variational Bayesian inference for the fast convergence of the proposed algorithms. Additionally, we use collapsed Gibbs sampling to estimate the model parameters, providing a computationally efficient method for inference. These two variational models offer higher flexibility while assigning each observation to a distinct cluster. We create several multitopic models and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses using real-world applications such as text classification and sentiment analysis. Full article

In hot, arid regions, outdoor spaces suffer from intense heat. This study explores how vegetation can improve outdoor thermal performance for pedestrians in low-density residential areas. Specifically, it seeks to identify the best combination of grass and trees for optimal comfort. Four scenarios were simulated using ENVI-met software, varying the proportions of grass and three tree types: 50% grass, 50% grass with 25% trees, 50% grass with 50% trees, and 50% grass with 75% trees. A reference scenario with no vegetation was also investigated. The simulated outputs encompassed air temperature (Ta), mean radiant temperature (T_mrt), relative humidity (RH), and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The findings show that scenarios with a higher percentage of trees exhibited the best reduction in air temperature, ranging from 0.2 k to 0.92 k. Additionally, the inclusion of trees and grass in the scenarios resulted in a substantial improvement in thermal performance, with an average reduction of 7.5 degrees in PET. Among the evaluated scenarios, the one comprising 75% trees and 50% grass exhibits the most noteworthy enhancement. This study underscores the significance of strategically positioning vegetation to coincide with prevailing wind patterns, thereby enhancing convective cooling mechanisms and improving overall thermal comfort levels. These insights offer valuable implications for urban planning and the development of sustainable design strategies. Full article

Background: Chronic/latent viral infections may accelerate immunological aging, particularly among people living with HIV (PLWH). We characterized chronic/latent virus infections across their lifespan and investigated their associations with leukocyte telomere length (LTL). Methods: Participants enrolled in the CARMA cohort study were randomly selected to include n = 15 for each decade of age between 0 and >60 y, for each sex, and each HIV status. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and HSV-2 infection were determined serologically; HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and hepatitis B (HBV) were self-reported. LTLs were measured using monochrome multiplex qPCR. Associations between the number of viruses, LTL, and sociodemographic factors were assessed using ordinal logistic and linear regression modeling. Results: The study included 187 PLWH (105 female/82 male) and 190 HIV-negative participants (105 female/84 male), ranging in age from 0.7 to 76.1 years. Living with HIV, being older, and being female were associated with harbouring a greater number of chronic/latent non-HIV viruses. Having more infections was in turn bivariately associated with a shorter LTL. In multivariable analyses, older age, living with HIV, and the female sex remained independently associated with having more infections, while having 3–4 viruses (vs. 0–2) was associated with a shorter LTL. Conclusions: Our results suggest that persistent viral infections are more prevalent in PLWH and females, and that these may contribute to immunological aging. Whether this is associated with comorbidities later in life remains an important question. Full article

The use of enzymes to hydrolyze the plant cell matrix is a method known for extracting bioactive substances. The current work used this strategy to produce a rose petal extract rich in anthocyanins that is stable in the presence of marine polysaccharides and has a high antioxidant activity. The process evaluation was carried out sequentially, initially comparing water, ethanol, and their mixtures to anthocyanins extracted in the presence or absence of enzymes. Then, a multi-objective desirability function optimized experimental conditions such as solvent and enzyme concentrations. This study is the first report describing the use of a statistical tool, the central composite rotatable design (CCRD), to optimize anthocyanin extraction from rose petals. This method obtained a maximum extraction of 9.99 mg/g of phenols. The stability of the rose petal extract when using marine polysaccharides retained 60% of the anthocyanins over 28 days without deterioration when protected from sunlight but was practically degraded upon exposure to sunlight. The rose petal extract demonstrated a very high antioxidant capacity of 3.19 μg/mL, close to the literature data for citrus compounds, known to be high in antioxidant compounds for cosmetic food purposes. Full article