As cities strive to become sustainable, it is imperative to consider even the smallest components of the urban environment and prioritize sustainability. Ensuring the sustainability of urban furniture, especially the numerous benches found in cities, is crucial. This study proposes an alternative solution to the sustainability issue in cities regarding urban furniture. This is because a review of the literature indicates that while efforts have been made to evaluate the sustainability of urban amenities and furniture, studies conducting life cycle analysis specifically for urban furniture are lacking. This study will contribute to the identified gap in the literature by analyzing 14 different seating elements in recreational areas located in the city of Rize, Turkey, using the Ccalc program to calculate their carbon footprints. In the subsequent phase of this study, an eco-design process will be conducted based on the findings, aiming to create an eco-seating unit design. Based on the data obtained, materials with high environmental impact were identified, material replacement recommendations were made, and consequently, a model proposal was presented. The potential reduction in carbon footprints with the use of transformed materials was discussed. The findings revealed that carbon footprint values were particularly high in the seating units where concrete and polypropylene materials were used. Additionally, it was determined that solvent paint, especially varnish, affects the carbon footprint, and it was recommended that would be used in its natural form, which is eco-friendly. In conclusion, the recommendations developed for the sustainability of urban furniture in coastal areas will contribute to the future of cities and humanity. Full article

Supporting refugee and migrant health has become a critical focus of healthcare policy. Developing and designing health literacy interventions that meet the needs of refugees and migrants is core to achieving this objective. This literature review sought to identify antecedents and consequences of health literacy among refugees and migrants during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We systematically searched nine electronic databases and numerous grey literature sources to identify studies published between December 2019 and March 2022. The antecedents (societal and environmental determinants, situational determinants, and personal determinants) and consequences of health literacy among refugees and migrants were mapped to a validated integrated health literacy model. Social and environmental determinants (n = 35) were the most reported antecedent influencing health literacy among refugees and migrants during the first two years of COVID-19. Language (n = 26) and culture (n = 16) were these determinants’ most frequently reported aspects. Situational determinants (n = 24) and personal determinants (n = 26) were less frequently identified factors influencing health literacy among refugees and migrants. Literacy (n = 11) and socioeconomic status (n = 8) were the most frequently reported aspects of personal determinants. Media use (n = 9) and family and peer influence (n = 7) were the most cited situational determinants reported. Refugees and migrants with higher levels of health literacy were more likely to use healthcare services, resulting in better health outcomes. The findings of this review reveal personal and situational factors that impacted health literacy among refugees and migrants during COVID-19 that require attention. However, the inadequate adaptation of health literacy interventions for linguistic and cultural diversity was a greater problem. Attention to this well-known aspect of public health preparedness and tailoring health literacy interventions to the needs of refugees and migrants during pandemics and other public health emergencies are paramount. Full article

The maximum energy at which a laser can be operated safely is a matter of paramount importance. This is patently related to laser induced damage. In the nanosecond regime, this poses a unique challenge, as it is not solely influenced by laser intensity or thermal load. Instead, it arises from the cumulative effects that includes those two factors. While extensive research has explored this dependence for various pulse lengths, the exploration of different longitudinal modes and temporal shapes is relatively limited. Our study aims to fill this gap by determining the safe operational fluence for any pulse shape, leveraging established dependencies on pulse duration. We propose a straightforward and adaptable method to ascertain these operational limits, independent of the type or origin of laser damage. This approach allows us to derive fluence limits for diverse pulse shapes. Full article

The cavity form of complex microcavity lasers predominantly relies on disordered structures, whether found in nature or artificially prepared. These structures, characterized by disorder, facilitate random lasing through the feedback effect of the cavity boundary and the internal scattering medium via various mechanisms. In this paper, we report on a random fiber laser employing a disordered scattering cladding medium affixed to the inner cladding of a hollow-core fiber. The internal flowing liquid gain establishes a stable liquid-core waveguide environment, enabling long-term directional coupling output for random laser emission. Through theoretical analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrate that controlling the disorder at the cavity boundary allows liquid-core fiber random microcavities to exhibit random lasing output with different mechanisms. This provides a broad platform for in-depth research into the generation and control of complex microcavity lasers, as well as the detection of scattered matter within micro- and nanostructures. Full article

In this article, a comparison of ionization techniques is provided and discussed. Conventional liquid chromatography with an electrospray ionization source shows higher robustness and repeatability in comparison with liquid chromatography coupled with a coordination ion spray (CIS-MS) source using silver nitrate as the dopant. However, the higher sensitivity and possibility to collect more data in untargeted applications mean CIS-MS is emerging as an instrument used in specific applications. During this research, the limit of detection (LOD) for GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 was established at 0.2 ng/mL, and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng/mL for CIS-MS. For conventional ESI-MS combined with solid-phase extraction on weak cation exchange columns, the limit of detection was found to be 1 ng/mL, and the lower limit of quantification was 2 ng/mL. Full article

Although scales that evaluate postpartum stress exist, they lack specificity in maternal postpartum stress. The MPSS was created because there was a need to assess maternal stress during the postpartum stage. The introduction of the MPSS has enriched the evaluation tools for postpartum stress and has helped understand maternal stress at various postpartum time points and identify women at high risk for postpartum stress during this period. The aim was to translate the MPSS into Spanish and study its psychometric properties. Postpartum women (N = 167) with a mean age of 34.26 (SD = 4.71) were involved in this study. In addition to the MPSS, a battery of instruments was administered: a demographic sheet, the Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The MPSS data were analyzed, checking item communality first. As a result, three items showed unsatisfactory communality values (h² < 0.40). Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted, comparing factor models using the full pool of MPSS items or the version without items with unacceptable communality. As a result, the original three-factor structure was endorsed on the Spanish MPSS, with better fit indices when removing items with low communality (RMSEA = 0.067, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99). The reliability of this version was satisfactory (ω = 0.93). Finally, group comparisons for some perinatal variables were performed, showing no significant differences between groups of interest (p = 0.05 and above). To conclude, the MPSS will contribute to the existing literature, having a wider capacity to assess perinatal mental health difficulties in Spanish-speaking populations. Full article

In this paper, we study the networks of financial institutions using textual data (i.e., news). We draw knowledge graphs after the textual data has been processed via various natural language processing and embedding methods, including use of the most recent version of ChatGPT (via OpenAI api). Our final graphs represent bank networks and further shed light on the systemic risk of the financial institutions. Financial news reflects live how financial institutions are connected, via graphs which provide information on conditional dependencies among the financial institutions. Our results show that in the year 2016, the chosen 22 top U.S. financial firms are not closely connected and, hence, present no systemic risk. Full article

Procedures are a core element of medical professional practice. Today’s training approach was formulated in the mid-twentieth century based on a computer analogue of the brain. Despite minor modifications, the system has remained relatively unchanged for the past 70 years. It delivers competence. However, competence is not reliable performance. The inability to adapt to the variety of patients and variations in the performance environments, such as the operating room, results in patient morbidity and mortality. There is a need for changes in the development and training of medical procedural skills based on current theories of skill acquisition, movement theory, and motor control. Achieving optimal performance necessitates the ability to adapt through training in diverse patient and performance environments rather than merely imitating prescribed movements. We propose a novel model of training, the Constraints-Led Approach, which allows for robust training by altering the factors affecting skill acquisition and lifelong learning. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a considerable proportion of patients developed a severe condition that included respiratory failure, shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) has been recognized as a possible cause of severe COVID-19 development. Given this, this study investigates the occurrence and consequences of AKI in Mexican patients to contribute to better knowledge and management of this problem. Methods: Using a retrospective observational cohort methodology, we investigated 313 cases from a cohort of 1019 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at the IMSS Zacatecas General Hospital of Zone No. 1 in 2020. The prevalence of AKI was determined using the AKIN criteria based on serum creatinine levels and a detailed review of demographic characteristics, medical history, comorbidities, and clinical development. Results: The data showed a 25.30% prevalence of AKI among patients infected with severe COVID-19. Remarkably, these patients with AKI exhibited an advanced age (>65 years), arterial hypertension, a higher number of white blood cells during admission and the hospital stay, and elevated levels of C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Clinically, patients with AKI had signs of prostration, pneumonia, and the requirement for ventilatory assistance when compared to those without AKI. Finally, those diagnosed with AKI and COVID-19 had a 74% death rate. Relative risk analyses indicated that age (>65 years), arterial hypertension, high creatinine levels, endotracheal intubation, and pneumonia are associated with the development of AKI. On the other hand, among the protective factors against AKI, high hemoglobin levels and the consumption of statins during COVID-19 were found. Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the significance of promptly identifying and effectively managing AKI to potentially alleviate the negative consequences of this complication within the Mexican population during COVID-19. Full article

Nutritional status plays a vital role in regulating ovary activity. This regulation is mediated by the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis and by effects exerted directly on the ovary. Therefore, to achieve the best reproductive performance, it is essential to know how the nutritional status affects the secretion of GnRH, gonadotrophins, and sex steroid hormones. Adequate body reserves and energy balance are critical for optimal reproductive performance in sheep and goats. However, over- or under-conditioned animals experience issues like extended anestrus, irregular ovarian cycles, and reduced conception. Body condition scoring allows for the evaluation of the relationships between adiposity, nutritional status, and fertility. Acute feed deficits briefly stimulate processes, but chronic restrictions suppress pulsatile LH release, disrupting ovarian function. The process of follicle development is a very complex one which involves intricate interactions between the pituitary gonadotrophins and metabolic hormones as well as between the locally produced factors by the ovarian somatic and germ cells including the IGF system and the TGF-β superfamily members. Genotype and nutrition are factors that have an impact on follicular development, and seasonal factors are also involved. This review will give a brief overview on how the body condition can be evaluated and the effects of nutrition on the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonad axis and ovarian activity, which are responsible for reproductive regulation. This paper presents a clear and reasonable summary of the pathway that runs from the nutritional status of small ruminants to ovarian activity through the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. This review summarizes methods for body condition evaluation in small ruminants and evidence regarding acute versus prolonged nutritional impacts on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis and ovarian activity controlling reproduction. Full article

Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) is the latest and most intriguing technology for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, due to its capability to generate irreversible and cardiomyocytes-selective electroporation of cell membranes by delivering microsecond-lasting high-voltage electrical fields, leading to high expectations. The first trials to assess the clinical success of PFA, reported an arrhythmia-free survival at 1-year of 78.5%, while other trials showed less enthusiastic results: 66.2% in paroxysmal and 55.1% in persistent AF. Nevertheless, real world data are encouraging. The isolation of pulmonary veins with PFA is easily achieved with 100% acute success. Systematic invasive remapping showed a high prevalence of durable pulmonary vein isolation at 75 and 90 days (range 84–96%), which were significatively lower in redo procedures (64.3%). The advent of PFA is prompting a reconsideration of the role of the autonomic nervous system in AF ablation, as PFA-related sparing of the ganglionated plexi could lead to the still undetermined effect on late arrhythmias’ recurrences. Moreover, a new concept of a blanking period could be formulated with PFA, according to its different mechanism of myocardial injury, with less inflammation and less chronic fibrosis. Finally, in this review, we also compare PFA with thermal energy. Full article

The Bosniak classification of renal cysts aims to provide a probabilistic risk assessment indicating the likelihood of malignancy from imaging findings. Originally designed to classify adult renal cysts based on computed tomography findings, the Bosniak classification has been extended to pediatric patients, with some adjustments made with the aim of accommodating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US). Bosniak IV lesions are rare in adolescents, indicating localized renal cell carcinoma and requiring surgical intervention. In contrast, Bosniak III lesions can be treated conservatively, although there is a lack of specific guidelines on their management. We present a case of a 14-year-old boy with a Bosniak III lesion, which was incidentally detected during the US evaluation of a left varicocele. After a 12-month follow-up, MRI revealed progression to a Bosniak IV cyst. Robot-assisted tumor enucleation was performed with selective artery clamping when the patient was 15. Histopathology showed tubulocystic renal cell carcinoma without adverse features. Immunocytochemistry supported a favorable prognosis of this rare tumor (<1% of renal tumor), thus obviating the need for adjuvant treatment. At the 18-month follow-up, no recurrence or distant metastasis were observed. This case highlights the importance of an aggressive treatment in persistent Bosniak III and Bosniak IV renal cysts in children and adolescents and the necessity to offer a nephron-sparing surgery. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aims to compare the neuromuscular structure of the vagina in women with posterior vaginal wall prolapse with the neuromuscular structure of the vagina in women without prolapse, to determine the difference, and to demonstrate the role of neuromuscular structure in the physiopathology of prolapse. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, women aged between 40 and 75 years who had not undergone any vaginal surgery and had not undergone any abdominal prolapse surgery were included. Thirty-one women diagnosed with rectocele on examination were included in the study group. Thirty-one patients who underwent vaginal intervention and hysterectomy for reasons other than rectocele (colposcopy, conization, etc.) without anterior or posterior wall prolapse were included in the control group. Biopsy material was obtained from the epithelium of the posterior wall of the vagina, including the fascia that fits the Ap point. Immunohistochemical staining with Protein Gene Product 9.5 and smooth muscle α-actin was performed in the pathology laboratory. The epithelial thickness measurement and smooth muscle density parameters obtained with these immunohistochemical stainings were compared between the two groups. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 23 package program. p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: In the control group, muscle thickness and the number of nerves per mm² of fascia were statistically significantly higher than in the study group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: We found that smooth muscle tissue and the number of nerves per mm² of fascia were decreased in posterior vaginal wall prolapse compared to the general population. Based on the correlation coefficients, age was the parameter that most affected the degree of prolapse, followed by parity, number of live births, and number of vaginal deliveries. Full article

In recent years, research has intensified in exploring the genetic basis of psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Genome-wide association studies (GWASs), including tools like ImmunoChip, have significantly deepened our understanding of disease mechanisms by pinpointing risk-associated genetic loci. These efforts have elucidated biological pathways involved in PsO pathogenesis, particularly those related to the innate immune system, antigen presentation, and adaptive immune responses. Specific genetic loci, such as TRAF3IP2, REL, and FBXL19, have been identified as having a significant impact on disease development. Interestingly, different genetic variants at the same locus can predispose individuals to either PsO or PsA (e.g., IL23R and deletion of LCE3B and LCE3C), with some variants being uniquely linked to PsA (like HLA B27 on chromosome 6). This article aims to summarize known and new data on the genetics of PsO and PsA, their associated genes, and the involvement of the HLA system and cytokines. Full article

Exercise reduces the risk of inflammatory diseases by modulating different tissue and cell types, including those within the gastrointestinal tract. Obtaining a more comprehensive understanding of pathophysiology requires monitoring of dynamic changes in cometabolites. This study aimed to develop a method for determining gut microbiota–host cometabolites and indoleamines in human urine. Four key gut microbiota–host cometabolites were chromatographically separated by isocratic elution, with a running time of 10 min. The linearity of this method was confirmed over different concentration ranges: 1.0–400 ng/mL for melatonin (MEL), indole-3-propionic acid (3-IPA), indole (IND), and skatole (SKT). This method was extremely sensitive and stable and hence could be successfully applied to characterize the changes in gut microbiota–host cometabolites in human before- and after-running urine. The concentrations of MEL, 3-IPA, IND, and SKT in after-running urine were 84.0 ± 9.69, 25.9 ± 3.39, 343.7 ± 36.8, and 14.6 ± 1.36 ng/mL, respectively. Moreover, the concentrations in before-running urine were 54.2 ± 5.10, 14.4 ± 1.30, 250.8 ± 14.1, and 9.43 ± 1.07 ng/mL, respectively, which showed significantly less difference in concentrations (p < 0.05) in before- than after-running urine. Overall, the established method could simultaneously monitor gut microbiota–host cometabolites and hence can be further applied to clinical and comprehensive pathophysiological studies. Full article

Visceral leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease that affects humans and dogs. The infection is endemic in the municipality of Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Given the role of dogs in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis, strategies to enhance surveillance and reduce transmission are focused on dogs. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed records of canine visceral leishmaniasis from 2013 to 2022. According to this database, the prevalence of dogs testing positive for leishmaniasis fluctuated, with an average of 65.04% (6590/10,133). Cases were clustered in 10 statistically significant areas. Environmental analyses identified a significant geographical association between animals testing positive and higher vegetation density rates compared with animals testing negative. The period from sample collection to diagnosis and euthanasia, as recommended by the Brazilian Ministry, correlated with disease prevalence and decreased over time. These findings serve to implement different action plans against leishmaniasis for each geographic region and to understand the impact and efforts of strategies in an endemic area. Full article

Atorvastatin (ATV) is a well-established lipid-lowering agent. ATV has two stereogenic centers, and of the four possible stereoisomers, only the (3R,5R) form is used therapeutically. The European Pharmacopoeia (EP) monograph 2022 for ATV calcium salt describes a normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination of enantiomeric purity in both drug substance and working standard samples, based on a 150 mm × 4.6 mm Chiralpak AD-H column. The main problems with this method are the very long analysis time and the high solvent consumption. Here, an alternative chromatographic protocol was developed using the Chiralpak AD-3 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm) packed with 3 μm silica particles instead of the 5 μm silica particles of the Chiralpak AD-H chiral stationary phase and characterized by the same polysaccharide selector, amylose-tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate). Using a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of n-hexane-ethanol-formic acid 90:10:0.1 (v/v/v) as the mobile phase and setting the flow rate and column temperature to 1.0 mL min⁻¹ and 35 °C, respectively, a simultaneous stereo-selective separation was achieved within 35 min without observing any overlap between the enantiomeric impurity peak and peaks related to other ATV impurities. Compared to HPLC EP conditions, the analysis time to elute all the potentially related substances was faster and significantly less mobile phase volume was required. The linearity of the method has been demonstrated in the range of 4.4 μg mL⁻¹ to 1000 μg mL⁻¹ (R² > 0.999). At a concentration of 4.4 μg mL⁻¹, which is 0.075% of the test solution (5.8 mg mL⁻¹, as ATV free acid), the signal-to-noise ratio was found to be 20. Full article

In this paper, we will study a singular problem involving the fractional $(q_1(x,.)$-$q_2(x,.))$-Laplacian operator in the whole space ${\mathbb{R}}^N,(N\ge 2)$. More precisely, we combine the variational method with monotonicity arguments to prove that the associated functional energy admits a critical point, which is a weak solution for such a problem. Full article

Introducing fillers into polymeric materials is one of the methods of modifying the properties or reducing the costs of polymeric materials. Thanks to their use, it is possible to obtain new materials with interesting mechanical and chemical properties. Some features are often improved among the new materials obtained, while others deteriorate. In this work, an attempt was made to obtain a polymer composite based on PLA filled with cork flour in amounts of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 30% by weight. The processing and sample preparation process using injection molding technology was assessed and the basic mechanical properties were assessed. The research shows that it is possible to obtain PLA products with a cork filler without the mixing process on an extruder, but only by using an injection molding machine and appropriately selecting the parameters of the technological process. Tests of mechanical properties showed deterioration of parameters, but not to such an extent that the obtained composites were disqualified from use in products that are not subject to heavy mechanical loads. The undoubted advantage of the obtained materials is maintaining their so-called “green” character and thus the ability to biodegrade. Full article

Small RNAS (sRNAs) participate in regulatory RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms in a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, including fungi. The fungus Fusarium fujikuroi, a model for the study of secondary metabolism, contains a complete set of genes for RNAi pathways. We have analyzed by high-throughput sequencing the content of sRNAs in total RNA samples of F. fujikuroi grown in synthetic medium in the dark or after 1 h of illumination, using libraries below 150 nt, covering sRNAs and their precursors. For comparison, a parallel analysis with Fusarium oxysporum was carried out. The sRNA reads showed a higher proportion of 5′ uracil in the RNA samples of the expected sizes in both species, indicating the occurrence of genuine sRNAs, and putative miRNA-like sRNAs (milRNAS) were identified with prediction software. F. fujikuroi carries at least one transcriptionally expressed Ty1/copia-like retrotransposable element, in which sRNAs were found in both sense and antisense DNA strands, while in F. oxysporum skippy-like elements also show sRNA formation. The finding of sRNA in these mobile elements indicates an active sRNA-based RNAi pathway. Targeted deletion of dcl2, the only F. fujikuroi Dicer gene with significant expression under the conditions tested, did not produce appreciable phenotypic or transcriptomic alterations. Full article

Most banana improvement programs are restricted to using a sub-set of edible landraces for sexual hybridization as the majority are female sterile. This results from an array of factors that work in tandem and lead to sterility. Use of pollination germination media (PGM) during pollination significantly increases seed set, but it is a very small fraction compared to the potential seed set. This research therefore explored early pollination (a day before anthesis), evening pollination, saline treatment, plant growth regulators (PGRs) treatment, and ovule culture as potential techniques for overcoming sterility in bananas. Early and evening pollinations did not increase seed set because of immature flowers and a mismatch of male and female flower opening, respectively (t-prob. = 0.735 and 0.884). Immersion of bunches in a saline solution before pollination and ovule culture also did not overcome pollination barriers. Auxin antagonists (TIBA and salicylic acid) increased seed set, though their respective increases were not statistically significant (t-prob. = 0.123 and 0.164, respectively). The use of auxin antagonists shows great potential for overcoming pollination barriers in bananas. However, application rates and time of application have to be optimized and used holistically with other promising techniques, such as use of PGM. Full article

The state of health is a crucial state that suggests the capacity of lithium-ion batteries to store and restitute energy at a certain power level, which should be carefully monitored in the battery management system. However, the state of health of batteries is unmeasurable and, currently, it is usually estimated within a specific area of the whole charging data, which is very limited in practical application because of the incomplete and random charging behaviors of users. In this paper, we intend to estimate the state of health of batteries with flexible partial charging curves and normal multi-layer perceptron based on the degradation data of eight 0.74 Ah batteries. To make the estimation more adaptive and flexible, we extract several features from partial charging curves. Analysis of the relationship between extracted features and the state of health shows that the extracted features are useful in estimation. As the length of the partial charging curve increases, the extracted features still function well, and the root mean square error of the test set is lower than 1.5%. Further validation on the other two types of batteries reveals that the proposed method achieves high accuracy even with different sampling and working conditions. The proposed method offers an easy-to-implement way to achieve an accurate estimation of a battery’s state of health. Full article