As a pivotal node in both urban and rural power grids, the box-type substation not only serves the functions of power conversion and distribution but also need to provide structural support and environmental adaptability. However, deficiencies in strength, stiffness, or vibration characteristics may lead to vibration and noise issues, and extreme environmental changes can pose risks of structural damage. This study aims to verify and optimize the seismic resistance and environmental adaptability of box-type substations through finite element simulation methods. Using SOLIDWORKS, a three-dimensional model of the box-type substation was constructed, and static and dynamic analyses were conducted using Ansys Workbench to comprehensively evaluate the dynamic response of the box-type substation under wind, snow loads, and seismic action. Through iterative simulations and a comparison of multiple design solutions, the structural optimization of the substation was achieved. The optimized structure balances strength and stiffness, significantly reducing the weight of the substation body, with the wall thickness reduced by 60%. Additionally, the phenomenon of stress concentration on the side walls was eliminated, ensuring that the equivalent stress is below the material yield strength. This research provides methods and empirical results for enhancing the performance and reliability of box-type substations under seismic conditions, confirming the feasibility of a lightweight design, while ensuring structural safety. Full article

Often in the forensic context, child victims and witnesses are interviewed several times, exposing them to suggestive questions and social pressures. The present study had the main purpose of verifying the effect of coping strategies on the levels of immediate suggestibility and on the Resistant Behavioral Responses (RBRs) of children subjected to repeated suggestive interviews. A sample of 90 children, aged between 11 and 14, were administered the two parallel Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales (GSS2 and GSS1) a few months apart and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) to detect their coping strategies. The results showed that the avoidance coping increased suggestive vulnerability and reduced resistant responses. Task-oriented coping favored responses with greater source monitoring, which allow for the rejection of misleading information. Coping strategies did not show direct effects on the management of the socioemotional aspects involved in the suggestive interaction. After the negative feedback that invites children to be more accurate, a smaller effect of the avoidance strategy was recorded, indicating how actively requesting greater source monitoring can lead children to better recognize misleading information. Full article

This article explores the use of olive pit powder (OPP) as a promising resource for enhancing the thermal insulation properties of epoxy mortars. A comprehensive analysis of the chemical and physical characteristics of OPP was conducted, employing analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis and emitted gas analysis (TG-MS-EGA), and proximal analysis. Experimental samples of epoxy grout were prepared by using different proportions of a conventional inorganic filler, quartz powder, and OPP within an epoxy mortar matrix. As the percentage of OPP in the formulation increased, the microstructure of the samples gradually became more porous and less compact. Consequently, there was a decrease in density with the increase in OPP content. The 28-day compressive strength decreased from 46 MPa to 12.8 MPa, respectively, in the samples containing only quartz (Sample E) and only OPP (Sample A) as a filler. Similarly, flexural strength decreased from 35.2 to 5.3 MPa. The thermal conductivity decreased from 0.3 W/mK in Sample E to 0.11 in Sample A. Therefore, increasing the %wt of OPP improved insulating properties while reducing the mechanical resistance values. This study highlights the potential of OPP as an environmentally friendly and thermally efficient filler for epoxy mortars, thereby promoting sustainable construction practices. Full article

In an attempt to reutilize marble waste, a new approach is presented in the current study to promote its use in the field of shielding against ionizing radiation. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel and sustainable/eco-friendly lead-free radiation shielding material by improving artificial marble (AM) produced from marble waste combined with polyester by reinforcing it with bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃) nanoparticles. Six samples of AM samples doped with different concentrations ($0\%$,$5\%$,$10\%$,$15\%$, $20\%$, and $25\%$) of Bi₂O₃ nanoparticles were prepared. The linear attenuation coefficient ($LAC$) values were measured experimentally through the narrow beam method at different energies $(0.0595 \mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$, $0.6617 \mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$, $1.1730 \mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$, and $1.330 \mathrm{M}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}$) for all samples with various concentrations of Bi₂O₃. Radiological shielding parameters such as half value layer ($HVL$), tenth-value layer ($TVL$), and radiation shielding efficiency ($RSE$) were estimated and compared for all the different samples. The results prove that increasing the concentration of Bi₂O₃ leads to the enhancement of the radiation shielding properties of the AM as a shielding material. It was observed that as the energy increases, the efficiency of the samples falls. High energy dependence was found when calculating the $HVL$ and $TVL$ values of the samples, which increased with increases in the energy of the incident photons. A comparison between the sample with the most efficient gamma radiation attenuation capability (AM-$25\%$), concrete, and lead was conducted, and a discussion regarding their radiation shielding properties is presented herein. The results show that the AM-$25\%$ sample is superior to the ordinary concrete over all the studied energy ranges, as evidenced by its significantly lower $HVLs$. On the contrary, lead is superior to the AM-$25\%$ sample over all the studied energy ranges owing to its unbeatable density as a shielding material. Overall, this new type of artificial marble has the potential to be used as a radiation shielding material at low- to medium-gamma energy regions, specifically in medical imaging and radiation therapy. Full article

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a stigmatizing disease that disproportionately affects African Americans and Latinos among people living with HIV (PLWH). Researchers are increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large amounts of data such as social media data and electronic health records (EHR) for various HIV-related tasks, from prevention and surveillance to treatment and counseling. This paper explores the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI for HIV with a focus on acceptability, trust, fairness, and transparency. To improve acceptability and trust towards AI systems for HIV, informed consent and a Federated Learning (FL) approach are suggested. In regard to unfairness, stakeholders should be wary of AI systems for HIV further stigmatizing or even being used as grounds to criminalize PLWH. To prevent criminalization, in particular, the application of differential privacy on HIV data generated by data linkage should be studied. Participatory design is crucial in designing the AI systems for HIV to be more transparent and inclusive. To this end, the formation of a data ethics committee and the construction of relevant frameworks and principles may need to be concurrently implemented. Lastly, the question of whether the amount of transparency beyond a certain threshold may overwhelm patients, thereby unexpectedly triggering negative consequences, is posed. Full article

Clinicians often use endoscopic ultrasonography to survey pancreatic tumors. When endoscopists conduct this examination and find the tumor to be unresectable, a fine-needle biopsy is subsequently performed for tissue confirmation. However, if the tumor is deemed resectable, the necessity of a pre-operative fine-needle biopsy remains debatable. Therefore, we performed a retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort of patients with pancreatic tumors who underwent an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy or aspiration (EUS-FNB or FNA) between 2020 and 2022. This study focused on patients diagnosed with resectable malignant pancreatic tumors. The exclusion criteria included individuals diagnosed with benign pancreatic lesions and those with unresectable tumors. A total of 68 patients were enrolled in this study. Histological examination revealed that pancreatic adenocarcinoma was the predominant type of tumor (n = 42, 61.8%), followed by neuroendocrine tumors (n = 22, 32.3%), and metastasis (n = 4, 5.9%). Notably, 17 patients had a history of other cancers, with 23.5% being diagnosed with a metastatic tumor rather than primary pancreatic cancer. Therefore, EUS-FNA/FNB is crucial in patients with a resectable pancreatic tumor and a history of cancer to differentiate between a primary and a metastatic tumor. Full article

Background and Objectives: The ki67 nuclear protein is a tool for diagnosis and prognosis in oncology that is used to evaluate cell proliferation. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma is usually a slow-growing neoplasm, the most common type being the papillary form. Some clinical and pathological aspects may predict aggressive behaviour. There are reported cases of recurrence without clinico-pathological findings of aggressiveness. To obtain better predictions of the disease outcome in thyroid carcinoma, many immunohistochemical markers have been studied. The aim of this narrative literature review is to identify the benefits that ki67 may add to the management of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, according to the latest evidence. Materials and Methods: We performed a search on the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using controlled vocabulary and keywords to find the most suitable published articles. A total number of sixty-eight items were identified, and five other articles were selected from other sources. After refining the selection, the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were applied, and a total number of twenty-nine articles were included in this literature review. Results and Discussion: The studies consist of retrospective studies (89.66%), case reports (6.9%) and literature reviews (3.45%), evaluating the role, implications and other parameters of ki67 as a diagnostic and/or prognostic tool. The statistical correlations between ki67 and other features were systematized as qualitative results of this review in order to improve the treatment strategies presented in the included articles. Conclusions: The included studies present converging data regarding most of the aspects concerning ki67. The ki67 proliferation index is a diagnostic/prognostic tool of interest in differentiated thyroid carcinoma and a good predictor of disease-free survival, disease recurrence and metastatic development. Prospective studies on large cohorts may add value for ki67 as a specific tool in the management strategy of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Full article

Hemodialysis (HD) is a life-sustaining membrane-based therapy that is essential for managing kidney failure. However, it can have significant physical and psychological effects on patients due to chronic or acute consequences related to membrane bioincompatibility. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on hemodialysis have a high incidence of psychiatric illness, particularly depression and anxiety disorders, and poor quality of life has been observed. Dialysis can also lead to physical symptoms of its own, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, anemia, low blood pressure, and fluid overload, in addition to the symptoms associated with kidney failure. Therefore, this critical review aims to comprehensively understand the impact of dialysis membrane bioincompatibility and the use of varying molecular weight cut-off membranes on the physical and psychological symptoms experienced by dialysis patients. We analyzed the latest research on the correlation between major inflammatory biomarkers released in patients’ blood due to membrane incompatibility, as well as the critical influence of low levels of hemoglobin and vital proteins such as human serum albumin due to the use of high-cut-off membranes and correlated these factors with the physical and psychological symptoms experienced by dialysis patients. Furthermore, our study aims to provide valuable insights into the impact of dialysis on critical symptoms, higher hospitalization rates, and the quality of life of First Nations, as well as child and youth dialysis patients, in addition to diabetic dialysis patients. Our goal is to identify potential interventions aiming to optimize the dialysis membrane and minimize its negative effects on patients, ultimately improving their well-being and long-term outcomes. Full article

The lateral stability control of vehicles is one of the most crucial aspects of vehicle safety. This article introduces a coordinated-control strategy designed to enhance the handling stability of distributed-drive electric vehicles. The upper controller uses active front steering and direct yaw moment-control controllers designed based on sliding-mode control theory. The lower controller optimally allocates control inputs to the upper controller, considering factors such as load transfer and tire load rate. It divides the stability region by relying on the phase plane and develops a coordinated-control strategy based on the degree of deviation of the vehicle state from the stability region. The results of the simulation experiments demonstrate that the proposed control strategy effectively improves handling stability under extreme working conditions. Full article

The mainstream approach of regional integration impact assessments is mainly limited to assessing cross-border development projects/programmes. There is still a lack of critical assessment of how stakeholders at different institutional levels conceptualise the border. Local (municipal) strategic plans provide a reflection of the spatial imaginaries of stakeholders, perception planners, institutional power structures, and, to some extent meaning of the border to the local people. Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) in South Africa were adopted as an important development planning strategy in the post-apartheid era. IDPs of 49 borderland municipalities were systematically reviewed using the Key-Word-in-Context (KWIC) content analysis technique of the keyword ‘border’ to determine the importance of state borders in light of regional integration. Border security and management is one of the most common themes associated with the border. This suggested that borders were mainly perceived as threats and barely considered as a potential resource for cross-border cooperation or integration. Full article

Fresh-cut leafy vegetables are produced in Southern Italy in very intensive crop systems under tunnel greenhouses in which continuous cropping has triggered soil organic carbon (SOC) depletion and the risk of degradation of soil fertility. A two-year trial of soil organic amendment was carried out on a private farm producing baby-leaf crops on a very poor OC soil (<1%). Biowaste compost, two types of olive pomace composts and buffalo manure were compared to evaluate their ability to recover a positive SOC balance and sustain crop growth and yield. The effects on soil health and crop system were studied by measuring different aspects such as SOC stock change and SOC sequestration rate, soil microbial biomass and nine enzyme activities, yields of rocket and concentration of nitrates in leaves. Soil amendments were distributed once a year at doses of 15 and 30 Mg ha⁻¹ as fresh matter without integration of mineral fertilizers. In our study, the SOC stock improved in the amended soils in a range of 4–6 Mg ha⁻¹, except for dose 30 of buffalo manure, with the highest values where biowaste compost was applied. Our data showed an increase in biological parameters in all the amended soils with respect to Control. In soil amended with olive pomace, however, compost mineralization rates likely did not match crops’ nutrient needs so the yields of rocket were lower than with the biowaste compost and buffalo manure. Biowaste compost showed the best results as it balanced the best C conversion efficiency, the higher increment of SOC and yields of rocket. Full article

Horticultural plant material offers several advantages for isolating exosomes and other natural plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs) due to the accessibility and affordability of plant material for widespread applications. This study aims to explore the impacts of the tomato genotype (‘Admiro’, ‘Roma’, ‘Brooklyn’, ‘Marmande’ and ‘Betalux’) and the main cultivation parameters in controlled environment agriculture on the yield and properties of their PDENs for pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications. The PDEN yield, size distribution, and antioxidative properties of young tomato seedlings were evaluated. The ‘Betalux’ tomato was distinguished by a remarkably higher nanoparticle concentration and a uniform size distribution and was selected for further experiments. The impact of cultivation temperature (18, 22, and 26 °C), nitrogen nutrition (0, 250, and 500 mg L⁻¹), and the lighting photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; 150, 250, and 450 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹) on nanoparticle properties was investigated. Optimal conditions consisting of a temperature of 22 °C, 250 mg L⁻¹ nitrogen nutrition, and 250 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ lighting PPFD were used as a reference. Optimal temperature, nitrogen nutrition, and lighting intensity resulted in the highest nanoparticle yield, the most uniform particle distribution, and the highest impact of PDEN preparations on keratinocyte metabolic activity. Deviation from optimal cultivation conditions reduced the tomato biomass and the PDEN protein and yield. Full article

Mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances host plant resistance to various unfavorable environmental stresses, but whether and how it also enhances waterlogging tolerance in cucumber plants is not known. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of Paraglomus occultum inoculation on biomass production, osmolyte levels, and the expression of 12 heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) genes and 14 plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) genes in the roots of cucumber plants under a short-term waterlogging stress (WS) (5 days) condition. Although the short-term WS treatment significantly inhibited the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization of roots, the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) significantly increased leaf, stem, and root biomass under WS. AMF inoculation also significantly increased root glucose, sucrose, betaine, and proline contents, along with decreased fructose levels, compared with the uninoculated control. More CsHsp70 and CsPIP genes were up-regulated in AMF-inoculated plants than in AMF-uninoculated plants in response to WS. AMF inoculation showed no significant effect on the expression of any of the examined CsHsp70 genes under no-waterlogging stress, but it did raise the expression of 11 of 12 CsHsp70 genes under WS. AMF colonization also down-regulated or had no effect on CsPIP expression under no-waterlogging stress, whereas it up-regulated the expression of 12 of the 14 CsPIP genes under WS. It is concluded that AMF inoculation enhances waterlogging tolerance in cucumber plants by increasing osmolyte levels and stress-responsive gene (CsPIP and CsHsp70) expression. Full article

With the recent advent of research focusing on the body’s significance in music, the integration of physiological sensors in the context of empirical methodologies for music has also gained momentum. Given the recognition of covert muscular activity as a strong indicator of musical intentionality and the previously ascertained link between physical effort and various musical aspects, electromyography (EMG)—signals representing muscle activity—has also experienced a noticeable surge. While EMG technologies appear to hold good promise for sensing, capturing, and interpreting the dynamic properties of movement in music, which are considered innately linked to artistic expressive power, they also come with certain challenges, misconceptions, and predispositions. The paper engages in a critical examination regarding the utilisation of muscle force values from EMG sensors as indicators of physical effort and musical activity, particularly focusing on (the intuitively expected link to) sound levels. For this, it resides upon empirical work, namely practical insights drawn from a case study of music performance (Persian instrumental music) in the context of a music class. The findings indicate that muscle force can be explained by a small set of (six) statistically significant acoustic and movement features, the latter captured by a state-of-the-art (full-body inertial) motion capture system. However, no straightforward link to sound levels is evident. Full article

Aqueous two-phase extraction (APTE) stands out as an environmentally friendly technique for the separation of metal ions. The separation of Re (VII) and Mo (VI) in an aqueous solution was investigated using a novel aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) consisting of isodecanol polyoxyethylene ether (E-1006), ammonium sulfate, and water. A phase diagram of this system was developed, and the effects of pH, temperature, extraction time, the concentrations of E-1006 and (NH₄)₂SO₄, and metal ions on the separation of Re (VII) and Mo (VI) were examined. The results show that at pH 7.0, Mo (VI) had almost transformed into the (NH₄)₂SO₄-rich phase, while Re (VI) was extracted into the E-1006-rich phase. The increase in temperature induces a transition of Mo (VI) to the salt-rich phase, which is unfavorable for the extraction of Re (VII). The increase in the concentrations of E-1006 and (NH₄)₂SO₄ has a positive effect on the separation of rhenium and molybdenum. Overall, the ATPS consisting of 200 g/L of E-1006, 200 g/L of (NH₄)₂SO₄, and water yields an extraction efficiency of 97.2% for Re and a high separation factor of 2700 for Re (VII) and Mo (VI) from a mixture of 0.1 g/L of Re (VII) and 5 g/L of Mo (VI) at pH 7.0 and 323.15 K. Separation studies of the simulated leaching solution show that the extraction efficiency for Re (VI) is 99.1% and the separation factor of Re (VII) and Mo (VI) is 5100. Full article

Cyclodextrin–based porous materials have been widely applied in removing various organic pollutants from water environments, due to their unique physical and chemical properties, like the size–matching effect and hydrophobic interaction. Large numbers of hydroxyl groups in its external structure give cyclodextrin a high solubility in water, but the existence of these hydroxyl groups also endows cyclodextrin with the ability to be chemically modified with various functional groups to reduce its solubility in water and, meanwhile, to develop some novel functionalized cyclodextrin–based porous materials for selective removal of the target organic pollutants. This review focuses on the recent development in the synthesis of cyclodextrin–based porous materials (crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers and immobilized cyclodextrins), as well as highlighting their applications and mechanisms in the removal of dyes, endocrine disruptors, and mixed pollutants from water. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives in related research fields are discussed. Full article

Levofloxacin (LFX), which is difficult to degrade effectively due to its molecular stability, has become an problem that needs to be solved urgently. The advanced oxidation technology of persulfate has received increasing attention from researchers. In this study, a Ce-MOF derivative (Ce-MOF-T) was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and calcination, which synergistically responded to electroactivation to generate sulfate radicals for the efficient degradation of LFX. It has been proven that electrical activation and the Ce-MOF derivatives work together to generate sulfate radicals and effectively degrade LFX. Ce-MOF-550-modified carbon cloth was used as the cathode and a platinum electrode as the anode, the concentration of LFX was 20 mg·L⁻¹, the loading of Ce-MOF-550 was 15 mg, pH = 5, the concentration of sodium persulfate (PMS) was 0.3 g·L⁻¹, the current density was 100 A·m⁻², and the degradation rate was 82.05% after 1 h of reaction and 95% after 3 h of reaction. After five cycle tests, the degradation rate was still higher than 75.00%, indicating that the material had good stability. In addition, the degradation of LFX was consistent with a quasi-primary kinetic reaction with apparent rate constants of 2.26 × 10⁻² min⁻¹. Full article

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is responsible for the persistent infectious illness known as bovine paratuberculosis, which is one of the most easily overlooked diseases in China amid a lack of epidemiological data. In this study, we evaluated the agreement of milk and blood antibody tests for paratuberculosis and showed an overall agreement of 92.0%, with a 95.0% negative coincidence rate and a 78.6% positive coincidence rate. The milk test was then used to examine the prevalence and incidence of dairy cows in Hubei Province, China. We found that, at the individual level, the highest lacto-prevalence reached up to 22.9%; the farm-level prevalence was as high as 92.3% (12/13) and 84.6% (11/13) in January and April 2018, respectively. The total incidence risk of all farms was 6% per three months. We also found that large-scale farms had a significantly lower prevalence and incidence than small-scale farms. Finally, the correlation between paratuberculosis and milk quality was evaluated, and we confirmed that MAP can significantly alter milk quality and raise somatic cell counts in the milk. This study provides valuable information for assessing the prevalence and incidence risk of paratuberculosis in China. It further provides an essential basis for calling for the prevention and control of paratuberculosis in China. Full article

Several trichomonad species have already been identified in pigs, and their pathogenic potential may not be ruled out. To date, however, no information is available regarding the prevalence of trichomonads in pigs in Shanxi Province, North China. In the present study, a total of 362 fecal samples collected from pigs in three representative counties (Qi, Jishan, and Shanyin) in this province were examined for Tetratrichomonas buttreyi, Tritrichomonas foetus, and Pentatrichomonas hominis using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers targeting the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall prevalence of T. buttreyi was 49.72%, and region and age were found to be significantly associated with T. buttreyi infection, respectively. Only one pig fecal sample from Qi County was found to be positive for T. foetus, and all samples were negative for P. hominis. Molecular evolutionary analysis revealed that some T. buttreyi isolates showed complete genetic identity with those reported previously, and some T. buttreyi isolates and one T. foetus isolate showed minor allelic variations compared with those reported previously. This is the report of the molecular epidemiology of T. foetus and T. buttreyi in pigs in Shanxi Province, North China. These findings not only enrich the knowledge on the distribution of these trichomonad species in pigs in China but also provide baseline information for planning future research and control strategies. Full article

Growing butter markets, domestically and globally, provide opportunities for value-added variants of butter. Adding probiotics to butter could boosts its bioactivity; however, maintaining probiotic viability during storage is a major challenge. Mathematical analysis of probiotic population changes could help improve our understanding of how probiotics interact with butter and storage conditions. Two strains of probiotics in a 1:1 ratio as free cells or Whey Protein Hydrolysate–Maltodextrin (WPH-MD)-encapsulated cells, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 (LA5) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis ATCC 27536 (BB12), were separately mixed into butter at 1% levels. Using analysis of covariance, a mathematical evaluation for probiotic population changes was performed by periodically determining viable counts, resulting in an adjusted R² value of 0.98 and demonstrating a strong relationship between the dependent variable (log₁₀ counts of probiotics) and independent variables (cell type, temperature of storage, and time of storage). After 21 days of storage, the number of free cells in butter dropped from 7.45 log₁₀ CFU/g to 0.56 log₁₀ CFU/g. On the other hand, it took 63 days for encapsulated cells to achieve 0.80 log₁₀ CFU/g at the same temperature. The same trend persisted at −18 °C, indicating that the WPH-MD encapsulant had a protective effect. Full article

Cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death and disability worldwide. Despite the tremendous improvement in pharmacological, minimally invasive and rehabilitative strategies, global deaths due to cardiovascular diseases are still increasing. Additional risk factors have been recently proposed, and thanks to scientific progress, novel drugs for the control of the main risk factors focusing on the cardiometabolic pathways have been identified. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists represent an innovative step in the management of patients affected by type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition to their significant efficacy on glycemic homeostasis, some members of this class of drugs have indications in the treatment of obesity. Furthermore, accumulated evidence in the literature has finally suggested a protective role in cardiovascular health. The possible role of GLP-1R agonist drugs (GLP-1RAs) on the mechanisms underlying chronic inflammation and the almost ubiquitous distribution of GLP-1 receptors could explain the enormous versatility of these drugs. Semaglutide is a GLP-1RA recently proven to be effective in cardiovascular outcomes. In the present article, we will review the available data on semaglutide in light of the most recent publications to better characterize the target population achieving cardiovascular benefits. Full article

Camellia seed oil (CSO), as a nutrient-rich edible oil, is widely used in foods, cosmetics, and other fields. In this work, the extraction, deacidification, decolorization, and deodorization processes of CSO were respectively optimized for meeting injectable oil standards. The results showed that the CSO extraction rate reached the highest level of 94% at optimized conditions (ultrasonic time, 31.2 min; reaction pH, 9.2; and reaction time, 3.5 h). The physicochemical indexes of CSO and 10 other vegetable oils were evaluated by the principal component analysis method, and the overall scores of vegetable oils were ranked as camellia seed oil > olive oil > rice oil > peanut oil > sesame oil > corn oil > soybean oil > sunflower oil > rapeseed oil > walnut oil > flaxseed oil. The physicochemical indicators of CSO were the most ideal among the 11 vegetable oils, which means that CSO is suitable as an injectable oil. Through the optimized processes of the deacidification, decolorization, and deodorization, the CSO acid value was reduced to 0.0515 mg KOH/g, the decolorization rate reached a maximum of 93.86%, and the OD₄₃₀ was 0.015, meeting the requirement (≤0.045 of OD₄₃₀) of injectable oil. After the deodorization process, these parameters of the refractive index, acid value, saponification value, iodine value, absorbance, unsaponifiable, moisture and volatiles, fatty acid composition, and heavy metal limits all met the pharmacopoeia standards of injectable oil in many countries and regions. The possibility of CSO as an injectable oil was first verified through refining-process optimization and nutritional index analysis, providing an important technical reference for the high-value utilization of vegetable oil. Full article