Previous research has been limited in examining the causal relationship between green transformational leadership (GTL) and green supply chain management (GSCM), with the intermediary influence of green human resource management (GHRM), within the pharmaceutical sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This gap persisted despite the recognition in Saudi Vision 2030 of logistics, specifically, supply chain management (SCM), as fundamental to the national development agenda, given that contemporary competitiveness lies in the efficacy of supply chains (SCs) rather than individual companies. Moreover, the achievement of economic progress hinges significantly on how well these accomplishments align with sustainability demands and obstacles. This paper aims to investigate the extent to which GTL fosters GRHM practices to enhance the maturity of GSCM performance in the pharmaceutical industry in the KSA. In other words, the research goal is to explain the variance of GSCM due to GHRM and GTL. Drawing upon the Resource-Based View (RBV) and the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity theory (AMO), GTL can enhance many aspects of GHRM, such as employee performance measurement, training content design, recruitment criteria, and green-based rewards policies, which positively influence GSCM practices. The methodology employed is deductive and translated into a questionnaire derived from a comprehensive review of the existing literature. This questionnaire was subsequently tested through the collection of 111 responses from pharmaceutical companies operating in the KSA. The results show the critical effects of GTL and GHRM on GSCM in this sector. The research provides fresh theoretical perspectives and actionable recommendations based on the outcomes. As for originality, this research explores the contribution of transformational leadership and green human resource management in enhancing SC sustainability. The research provides directions for future research to investigate the mediating or moderating impacts of other significant factors, such as green thinking or eco-friendly behaviour, on SCM sustainability. As for practical implications, this research came up with an in-depth understanding of SC managers and professionals regarding their practices related to sustainability. Full article

Despite their relatively low incidence globally, central nervous system (CNS) tumors remain amongst the most lethal cancers, with only a few other malignancies surpassing them in 5-year mortality rates. Treatment decisions for brain tumors heavily rely on histopathological analysis, particularly intraoperatively, to guide surgical interventions and optimize patient outcomes. Frozen sectioning has emerged as a vital intraoperative technique, allowing for highly accurate, rapid analysis of tissue samples, although it poses challenges regarding interpretive errors and tissue distortion. Raman histology, based on Raman spectroscopy, has shown great promise in providing label-free, molecular information for accurate intraoperative diagnosis, aiding in tumor resection and the identification of neurodegenerative disease. Techniques including Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS), Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS), Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), and Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering (TERS) have profoundly enhanced the speed and resolution of Raman imaging. Similarly, Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (CLE) allows for real-time imaging and the rapid intraoperative histologic evaluation of specimens. While CLE is primarily utilized in gastrointestinal procedures, its application in neurosurgery is promising, particularly in the context of gliomas and meningiomas. This review focuses on discussing the immense progress in intraoperative histology within neurosurgery and provides insight into the impact of these advancements on enhancing patient outcomes. Full article

Many rocks, minerals, and soil types reflect short-wave infrared (SWIR) imagery (900–2500 nm) in distinct ways, and geologists have long relied on this property to aid in the mapping of differing surface lithologies. Although surface archaeological features including artifacts, anthrosols, or structural remains also likely reflect SWIR wavelengths of light in unique ways, archaeological applications of SWIR imagery are rare, largely due to the low spatial resolution and high acquisition costs of these data. Fortunately, a new generation of compact, drone-deployable sensors now enables the collection of ultra-high-resolution (<10 cm), hyperspectral (>100 bands) SWIR imagery using a consumer-grade drone, while the analysis of these complex datasets is now facilitated by powerful imagery-processing software packages. This paper presents an experimental effort to develop a methodology that would allow archaeologists to collect SWIR imagery using a drone, locate surface artifacts in the resultant data, and identify different artifact types in the imagery based on their reflectance values across the 900–1700 nm spectrum. Our results illustrate both the potential of this novel approach to exploring the archaeological record, as we successfully locate and characterize many surface artifacts in our experimental study, while also highlighting challenges in successful data collection and analysis, largely related to current limitations in sensor and drone technology. These findings show that as underlying hardware sees continued improvements in the coming years, drone-acquired SWIR imagery can become a powerful tool for the discovery, documentation, and analysis of archaeological landscapes. Full article

During the biochemical pretreatment process of leachate in urban landfill sites, if the foam in the A/O pool is not promptly addressed, it can lead to overflow, posing hazards to the surrounding environment and personnel. Therefore, a real-time foam line detection algorithm based on YOLOv5x was proposed, which enhances feature information and improves anchor box regression prediction to accurately detect the position of foam lines. Firstly, in the preprocessing stage, employing a rectangular box to simultaneously label the foam line and the edge of the A/O pool within the same region, enhances the feature information of the foam line. Then, the C3NAM module was proposed, which applies weight sparse penalties to attention modules in the feature extraction section, to enhance the capability of extracting foam line features. Subsequently, a B-SPPCSPC module was proposed to enhance the fusion of shallow and deep feature information, addressing the issue of susceptibility to background interference during foam line detection. Next, the Focal_EIOU was introduced to ameliorate the issue of class imbalance in detection, providing more accurate bounding box predictions. Lastly, optimizing the detection layer scale improves the detection performance for smaller targets. The experimental results demonstrate that the accuracy of this algorithm reaches 98.9%, and the recall reaches 88.1%, with a detection frame rate of 26.2 frames per second, which can meet the actual detection requirements of real-world application scenarios. Full article

Caspase-8, a member of the caspase family, is an initiating caspase and plays a crucial role in apoptosis. In this study, the full-length cDNA of caspase8-like (CASP8-like) was isolated from Crassostrea hongkongensis (C. hongkongensis) by RACE-PCR. ChCASP8-like contained a 1599-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 533 amino acids with two conserved death effector domains (DEDs) and a cysteine aspartase cysteine structural domain (CASc). Amino acid sequence comparison showed that ChCASP8-like shared the highest identity (85.4%) with CASP8-like of C. angulata. The tissue expression profile showed that ChCASP8-like was constitutively expressed in gills, hepatopancreas, mantle, adductor muscle, hemocytes and gonads, and was significantly upregulated in hemocytes, hepatopancreas and gills under hyper-salinity stress. The apoptosis-related genes, including ATR, CHK1, BCL-XL, CASP8-like, CASP9 and CASP3, were significantly activated by hyper-salinity stress, but were remarkably inhibited by ChCASP8-like silencing. The caspase 8 activity was increased by 1.7-fold after hyper-salinity stress, and was inhibited by 9.4% by ChCASP8-like silencing. Moreover, ChCASP8-like silencing clearly alleviated the apoptosis resulting from hyper-salinity stress. These results collectively demonstrated that ChCASP8-like played a crucial role in inducing apoptosis against hyper-salinity stress. Full article

To accurately evaluate the role of storage temperature in improving the quality of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, the effects of two storage temperatures (5 °C and 15 °C) on the phenylpropanoid pathway and sucrose metabolism in fresh-cut melon (cv. Yugu) cubes were determined. A higher temperature (15 °C) expedited sucrose decomposition in the melon cubes at the early stage of storage, resulting in higher levels of glucose and fructose. This effect was corroborated by increased activities of acid invertase (AI), neutral invertase (NI), and sucrose synthase cleavage (SS-c), along with higher expressions of CmAI1/2, CmNI1/2, and CmSS1/2 in the melon cubes at 15 °C. Additionally, the higher activity and gene expression of hexokinase in melon cubes at 15 °C led to an increase in the utilization rate of sugars toward downstream metabolic pathways. Moreover, the melon cube storage at 15 °C elevated the activities and gene expressions of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and 4-coumaric acid: CoA ligase (4CL), thereby increasing the synthesis of phenolics. Sucrose showed a significant negative correlation with PAL, C4H, and 4CL, as well as with CmPAL5/7 and CmC4H1/3. However, hexokinase displayed a significant positive correlation with PAL, C4H, and 4CL, as well as with CmPAL1, CmPAL3-9, CmC4Hs, and Cm4CLs. These findings demonstrate that a higher-temperature storage of melon cubes can accelerate the phenylpropanoid pathway and sucrose metabolism by regulating the activity and gene expression of related enzymes, thereby inducing phenolic accumulation. These results also indicate that lower-temperature storage is not conducive to the conversion of sugars into phenolics in fresh-cut melon. Therefore, the temperature can be appropriately and briefly raised in the production and preservation process of fresh-cut melon to obtain higher levels of phenolics. Full article

Lipedema is a chronic, idiopathic, and painful disease characterized by an excess of adipose tissue in the extremities. The goal of this study is to characterize the gene expression of estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), and ER-metabolizing enzymes: hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase (HSD17B1, 7, B12), cytochrome P450 (CYP19A1), hormone-sensitive lipase (LIPE), enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS), and estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1), which are markers in Body Mass Index (BMI) and age-matched non-lipedema (healthy) and lipedema ASCs and spheroids. Flow cytometry and cellular proliferation assays, RT-PCR, and Western Blot techniques were used to determine the expression of ERs and estrogen-metabolizing enzymes. In 2D monolayer culture, estrogen increased the proliferation and the expression of the mesenchymal marker, CD73, in hormone-depleted (HD) healthy ASCs compared to lipedema ASCs. The expression of ERβ was significantly increased in HD lipedema ASCs and spheroids compared to corresponding healthy cells. In contrast, ERα and GPER gene expression was significantly decreased in estrogen-treated lipedema spheroids. CYP19A1 and LIPE gene expressions were significantly increased in estrogen-treated healthy ASCs and spheroids, respectively, while estrogen upregulated the expression of PPAR-ϒ2 and ERα in estrogen-treated lipedema-differentiated adipocytes and spheroids. These results indicate that estrogen may play a role in adipose tissue dysregulation in lipedema. Full article

This study investigates the impact of various instrumentation techniques on material removal and surface changes in titanium (Ti)- and zirconia (Zr) implant discs. Ti- and Zr discs were subjected to standardized experiments using various instruments including airflow, ultrasound, carbide, and diamond burs. Instrumentation was performed for 60 s with continuous automatic motion. Abrasion and changes in surface roughness were assessed using profilometry, while scanning electron microscopy was used to examine morphological changes and particle size. Carbide burs predominantly caused abrasion on Ti discs, while diamond burs caused more abrasion on Zr discs. The Ti discs were more susceptible to surface changes. However, among the materials tested, machined Zr discs treated with diamond burs produced the largest particle. In certain cases, a statistical significance (p < 0.05) was observed between the groups, while in others, there was no considerable difference among the means (p > 0.05). These results highlighted the statistical significance of our findings. These results found diverse alterations in surface characteristics of Ti- and Zr discs due to different instruments, with carbide and diamond burs causing notable effects. The findings highlight the need for a careful balance between promoting healing and minimizing harm during implantoplasty. Full article

TiO₂ and TiO₂ films modified with Ag (Ag/TiO₂) were prepared via the DC magnetron sputtering method and the degree of modification was controlled via the sputtering power and time of Ag. The microstructures and properties of these films were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the prepared films have an anatase structure. Compared with pure TiO₂, Ag deposition can improve the utilization of light. The three-dimensional images of Ag/TiO₂ clearly show that with the increase in Ag sputtering power and sputtering time, Ag particles on the surface of the film gradually increase, and the structure of the film is relatively dense. The photocatalytic effect of Ag/TiO₂ films is the best when the Ag sputtering power is 5 W and the sputtering time is 50 s. Under high-pressure mercury lamp irradiation, the photocatalytic degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) in pure MO solution with Ag/TiO₂-5 W-50 s can reach 100% within 55 min, whereas that in MO-Na₂SO₄ mixed solution can reach 99.55% within 65 min. The results suggest that the presence of Na₂SO₄ in MO solution can inhibit the degradation of MO using Ag/TiO₂, the result of XPS suggests that Na₂SO₄ accelerates the oxidation of Ag, which may lead to an increase in the recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and a decrease in the degradation rate. During the process of recycling photocatalysts, the degradation rate of MO was apparently reduced. A possible reason is that the Ag particles have been oxidized and products of photocatalytic degradation are on the surface of the photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism was studied. Full article

The Michelangelo effect is a phenomenon that shows a reduction in perceived effort and an improvement in performance among both healthy subjects and patients when completing a motor task related to artistic stimuli, compared to performing the same task with non-artistic stimuli. It could contribute to the efficacy of art therapy in neurorehabilitation. In this study, the possible occurrence of this effect was tested in a cognitive task by asking 15 healthy subjects and 17 patients with a history of stroke to solve a digital version of the classical memory card game. Three different types of images were used in a randomized order: French cards, artistic portraits, and photos of famous people (to compensate for the possible effects of face recognition). Healthy subjects were involved to test the usability and the load demand of the developed system, reporting no statistically significant differences among the three sessions (p > 0.05). Conversely, patients had a better performance in terms of time (p = 0.014) and the number of attempts (p = 0.007) needed to complete the task in the presence of artistic stimuli, accompanied by a reduction in the perceived effort (p = 0.033). Furthermore, artistic stimuli, with respect to the other two types of images, seemed more associated with visuospatial control than linguistic functions. Full article

The Chinese economy is transitioning from high-speed development to high-quality development, and water environmental governance is a key factor promoting economic transformation. Due to low returns and high investment in China’s water environmental governance, the PPP (public–private-partnership) model is often adopted. However, the PPP model has historically faced challenges adapting to local conditions in China, leading to social risks in the PPP projects of water environmental governance. To reduce these risks, this paper takes a vulnerability perspective, employing the system dynamics simulation method to explore the dynamic evolution process of social risks in the PPP projects of water environmental governance. The main results show the following: (1) the external manifestations of social risks during the construction and operation periods vary significantly, exhibiting notable fluctuations; (2) during the construction period, there is a surge in social risks followed by a returns to lower than normal levels, then a gradual upward trend; during the operation period, social risks initially decrease to a lower level before gradually increasing; and (3) city class, relevant legal systems, and resource reserves emerge as critical factors influencing vulnerability and social risks. The higher the city class, the lower the project vulnerability; the soundness of the legal system for PPP projects can effectively reduce vulnerability and social risks; sufficient resource reserves can reduce social risks. Based on the above findings, this paper proposes several suggestions aiming to reduce the vulnerability and social risks in PPP projects, optimize the process of water environmental governance, and further promote the sustainable development of water environmental governance and the high-quality economy of China. Full article

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks targeted therapies, leaving cytotoxic chemotherapy as the current standard treatment. However, chemotherapy resistance remains a major clinical challenge. Increased insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling can potently blunt chemotherapy response, and lysosomal processes including the nutrient scavenging pathway autophagy can enable cancer cells to evade chemotherapy-mediated cell death. Thus, we tested whether inhibition of insulin receptor/insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor with the drug BMS-754807 and/or lysosomal disruption with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) could sensitize TNBC cells to the chemotherapy drug carboplatin. Using in vitro studies in multiple TNBC cell lines, in concert with in vivo studies employing a murine syngeneic orthotopic transplant model of TNBC, we show that BMS-754807 and HCQ each sensitized TNBC cells and tumors to carboplatin and reveal that exogenous metabolic modulators may work synergistically with carboplatin as indicated by Bliss analysis. Additionally, we demonstrate the lack of overt in vivo toxicity with our combination regimens and, therefore, propose that metabolic targeting of TNBC may be a safe and effective strategy to increase sensitivity to chemotherapy. Thus, we conclude that the use of exogenous metabolic modulators, such as BMS-754807 or HCQ, in combination with chemotherapy warrants additional study as a strategy to improve therapeutic responses in women with TNBC. Full article

The air-cooled system is one of the most widely used battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) for the safety of electric vehicles. In this study, an efficient design of air-cooled BTMSs is proposed for improving cooling performance and reducing pressure drop. Combining with a numerical calculation method, a strategy with a varied step length of adjustments (∆d) is developed to optimize the spacing distribution among battery cells for temperature uniformity improvement. The optimization results indicate that the developed strategy reduces the optimization time by about 50% compared with a strategy using identical ∆d values while maintaining good performance of the optimized system. Furthermore, the system’s pressure drop does not increase after the spacing optimization. Based on this characteristic, a structural design strategy is proposed to improve the cooling performance and reduce the pressure drop simultaneously. First, the appropriate flow pattern is arranged and the secondary outlet is added to reduce the pressure drop of the system. The results show that the BTMS with U-type flow combined with a secondary outlet against the original outlet can effectively reduce the pressure drop of the system. Subsequently, this BTMS is further improved using the developed cell spacing optimization strategy with varied ∆d values while the pressure drop is fixed. It is found that the final optimized BTMS achieves a battery temperature difference below 1 K for different inlet airflow rates, with the pressure drop being reduced by at least 45% compared with the BTMS before the optimization. Full article

This clinical trial investigated the efficacy of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) as an adjunct to conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) in non-surgical periodontal therapy. In a split-mouth randomized controlled trial with 13 patients and 26 periodontal pocket sites, PRF was inserted in test group pockets alongside SRP, while control group pockets received SRP alone. Measurements at baseline and six weeks included probing pocket depths (PPDs), clinical attachment loss (CAL), gingival recession (GR), the plaque index, and the gingivitis index. The wound healing index was assessed at six weeks. The results show statistically significant improvements in the SRP+PRF group compared to SRP alone, demonstrating a better CAL gain (SRP+PRF group: 2.69 ± 0.63; SRP alone group: 4.15 ± 0.69—p-value: 0.001), PPD reduction (SRP+PRF group: 2.62 ± 0.65; SRP alone group: 3.85 ± 0.80—p-value: 0.001), and GR minimization (SRP+PRF group: 0.46 ± 0.62; SRP alone group: 0.81 ± 0.72—p-value: 0.21). The adjunctive use of PRF enhanced healing, reduced pocket depths, decreased tissue morbidity, and minimized gingival recession. This study concludes that PRF placement is effective in 5–6 mm pockets, potentially reducing the number of periodontal treatment sessions needed for pocket closure. Full article

This study delves into the dynamics of price linkages and transaction costs in agricultural markets, emphasizing the sustainability of food supply chains. By exploring vertical and horizontal price linkages in agro-farming value chains of a developing country, it addresses the efficiency of market information transmission and the capacity for arbitrage among chain participants. The methodological core of the research involves analyzing price linkages in Chilean horticultural wholesale markets, focusing on key vegetables such as, onions, lettuce, maize, and tomatoes. This analysis is underpinned by a novel approach that models and estimates time-dependent, conditional threshold bands, extending the traditional cointegration models. This method allows a more nuanced understanding of how agricultural market linkages evolve over time, enhancing our comprehension of price transmission behavior and market integration. The results reveal significant non-linear relationships between fuel prices and vegetable prices, particularly in central Chilean regions. This finding challenges the traditional linear perspective, suggesting that factors such as storage capacity and arbitrage behavior can influence price signal transmission. Such insights are crucial for stakeholders in the agribusiness value chain, offering a deeper understanding of market dynamics and aiding in the development of more sustainable and efficient market strategies. This research contributes significantly to the field of agricultural economics by providing a more robust framework for analyzing market behaviors and transaction costs in the context of sustainability and value chains. Its findings have profound implications for both theory and practice, informing policy-making and strategic decision-making in the agribusiness sector. Full article

Conventional methods for solving Navier–Stokes (NS) equations to analyze flow fields and aerodynamic forces of airfoils with trailing edge flaps (TEFs) are known for their significant time cost. This study presents a Multi-Task Swin Transformer (MT-Swin-T) deep learning framework tailored for swift prediction of velocity fields and aerodynamic coefficients of TEF-equipped airfoils. The proposed model combines a Swin Transformer (Swin-T) for flow field prediction with a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) dedicated to lift coefficient prediction. Both networks undergo gradient updates through the shared encoder component of the Swin Transformer. Such a trained network model for computational fluid dynamics simulations is both effective and robust, significantly improving the efficiency of complex aerodynamic shape design optimization and flow control. The study further investigates the impact of integrating multi-task learning loss functions, skip connections, and the network’s structural design on prediction accuracy. Additionally, the effectiveness of deep learning in improving the aerodynamic simulation efficiency of airfoils with TEF is examined. Results demonstrate that the multi-task deep learning approach provides accurate predictions for TEF airfoil flow fields and lift coefficients. The strategic combination of these tasks during network training, along with the optimal selection of loss functions, significantly enhances prediction accuracy compared with the single-task network. In a specific case study, the MT-Swin-T model demonstrated a prediction time that was 1/7214 of the time necessitated by CFD simulation. Full article

Melatonin (MLT), a natural compound found in the animal and vegetable kingdom, participates in several physiological processes. MLT exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, among others, but information about its action on lipid metabolism is still scarce. For this reason, mice deficient in apolipoprotein E (ApoE^−/−) fed a Western diet (WD) were intragastrically treated with different concentrations of MLT (2 and 9 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. The lipid parameters were quantified, and, since links between cardiovascular risk and immune function and oxidative stress have been established, we also analyzed the population of leukocytes and the oxidative stress status. Although there was no change in the weight of the mice, a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was observed in mice treated with the higher concentration of MLT tested in this study. Additionally, an improvement in cardiovascular risk indexes was observed. A reduction in the hepatic total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-C levels was also observed in the treated mice. Finally, a decrease in leukocytes and lymphocytes in particular, as well as an increase in the antioxidant status, were shown in MLT-treated mice. In conclusion, MLT is a promising candidate that could be considered as a possible functional ingredient capable of preventing cardiovascular risk. Full article

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown great potential in the treatment of several inflammatory diseases due to their immunomodulatory ability, which is mediated by exosomes secreted by MSCs (MSC-Exs). The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing globally, but there is currently no long-term effective treatment. As an emerging therapy, MSC-Exs have proven to be effective in alleviating IBD experimentally, and the specific mechanism continues to be explored. The gut microbiota plays an important role in the occurrence and development of IBD, and MSCs and MSC-Exs can effectively regulate gut microbiota in animal models of IBD, but the mechanism involved and whether the outcome can relieve the characteristic dysbiosis necessary to alleviate IBD still needs to be studied. This review provides current evidence on the effective modulation of the gut microbiota by MSC-Exs, offering a basis for further research on the pathogenic mechanism of IBD and MSC-Ex treatments through the improvement of gut microbiota. Full article

The recent rise in ocean temperatures, accompanied by other environmental changes, has notably increased the occurrence and spread of diseases in Octocorallia, many species of which are integral to shallow tropical and subtropical coral reef ecosystems. This study focuses on the understanding of these diseases, which has been largely limited to symptomatic descriptions, with clear etiological factors identified in only a fraction of cases. A key example is the multifocal purple spots syndrome (MFPS) affecting the common Caribbean octocoral sea fan Gorgonia ventalina, linked to the gall-forming copepods of the genus Sphaerippe, a member of the widespread family, Lamippidae. The specialized nature of these copepods as endoparasites in octocorals suggests the potential for the discovery of similar diseases across this host spectrum. Our investigation employed four molecular markers to study disease hotspots in Saint Eustatius, Curaçao, northwest and southwest Cuba, and Bonaire. This led to the discovery of a group of copepod species in these varied Caribbean locations. Importantly, these species are morphologically indistinguishable through traditional methods, challenging established taxonomic approaches. The observed diversity of symbionts, despite the host species’ genetic uniformity, is likely due to variations in larval dispersal mechanisms. Our phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the Lamippidae copepods belong to the order, Poecilostomatoida (Copepoda), and revealed their sister group relationship with the Anchimolgidae, Rhynchomolgidae, and Xarifiidae clades, known for their symbiotic relationships with scleractinian corals. These results add to our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological interactions of copepods and their hosts, and the diseases that they cause, and are important data in a changing climate. Full article

The modified release of active substances such as chlorzoxazone from matrix tablets, based on Kollidon^®SR and chitosan, depends both on the drug solubility in the dissolution medium and on the matrix composition. The aim of this study is to obtain some new oral matrix tablet formulations, based on Kollidon^®SR and chitosan, in order to optimize the low-dose oral bioavailability of chlorzoxazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of class II Biopharmaceutical Classification System. Nine types of chlorzoxazone matrix tablets were obtained using the direct compression method by varying the components ratio as 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 chlorzoxazone/excipients, 20–40 w/w % Kollidon^®SR, 3–7 w/w % chitosan while the auxiliary substances: Aerosil^® 1 w/w %, magnesium stearate 0.5 w/w % and Avicel^® up to 100 w/w % were kept in constant concentrations. Pharmaco-technical characterization of the tablets included the analysis of flowability and compressibility properties (flow time, friction coefficient, angle of repose, Hausner ratio, and Carr index), and pharmaco-chemical characteristics (such as mass and dose uniformity, thickness, diameter, mechanical strength, friability, softening degree, and in vitro release profiles). Based on the obtained results, only three matrix tablet formulations (F1b, F2b, and F3b, containing 30 w/w % KOL and 5 w/w % CHT, were selected and further tested. These formulations were studied in detail by Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry. The three formulations were comparatively studied regarding the release kinetics of active substances using in vitro release testing. The results were analyzed by fitting into four representative mathematical models for the modified-release oral formulations. In vitro kinetic study revealed a complex mechanism of release occurring in two steps of drug release, the first step (0–2 h) and the second (2–36 h). Two factors were calculated to assess the release profile of chlorzoxazone: f1—the similarity factor, and f2—the factor difference. The results have shown that both Kollidon^®SR and chitosan may be used as matrix-forming agents when combined with chlorzoxazone. The three formulations showed optima pharmaco-technical properties and in vitro kinetic behavior; therefore, they have tremendous potential to be used in oral pharmaceutical products for the controlled delivery of chlorzoxazone. In vitro dissolution tests revealed a faster drug release for the F2b sample. Full article

The search for DNA polymorphisms useful for the genetic improvement of dairy farm animals has spanned more than 40 years, yielding relevant findings in cattle for milk traits, where the best combination of alleles for dairy processing has been found in casein genes and in DGAT1. Nowadays, similar results have not yet been reached in river buffaloes, despite the availability of advanced genomic technologies and accurate phenotype records. The aim of the present study was to investigate and validate the effect of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CSN1S1, CSN3, SCD and LPL genes on seven milk traits in a larger buffalo population. These SNPs have previously been reported to be associated with, or affect, dairy traits in smaller populations often belonging to one farm. A total of 800 buffaloes were genotyped. The following traits were individually recorded, monthly, throughout each whole lactation period from 2010 to 2021: daily milk yield (dMY, kg), protein yield (dPY, kg) and fat yield (dFY, kg), fat and protein contents (dFP, % and dPP, %), somatic cell count (SCC, 10³ cell/mL) and urea (mg/dL). A total of 15,742 individual milk test day records (2496 lactations) were available for 680 buffalo cows, with 3.6 ± 1.7 parities (from 1 to 13) and an average of 6.1 ± 1.2 test day records per lactation. Three out four SNPs in the CSN1S1, CSN3 and LPL genes were associated with at least one of analyzed traits. In particular, the CSN1S1 (AJ005430:c.578C>T) gave favorable associations with all yield traits (dMY, p = 0.022; dPY, p = 0.014; dFY, p = 0.029) and somatic cell score (SCS, p = 0.032). The CSN3 (HQ677596: c.536C>T) was positively associated with SCS (p = 0.005) and milk urea (p = 0.04). Favorable effects on daily milk yield (dMY, p = 0.028), fat (dFP, p = 0.027) and protein (dPP, p = 0.050) percentages were observed for the LPL. Conversely, the SCD did not show any association with milk traits. This is the first example of a confirmation study carried out in the Mediterranean river buffalo for genes of economic interest in the dairy field, and it represents a very important indication for the preselection of young bulls destined for breeding programs aimed at more sustainable dairy production. Full article

The degradation properties of Indium phosphide hetero-junction bipolar transistors (InP HBTs) under proton irradiation are studied and modelled using a compact model for pre-irradiation, post-irradiation, and post-annealing. The variation rates of the model parameters, such as the base–emitter saturation current (I_SE) and ideality factor in the ideal region (N_E) in the forward Gummel characteristics, the zero-biased capacitance (C_je) and the grading factor (M_jer) in the BE junction capacitance, and the transit time parameter in the base region (T_fb), are analysed to delve into the degradation mechanism induced by proton irradiation. The displacement damage, induced by proton irradiation in the space charge region of the base–emitter junction and in the quasi-neutral bulk base region, is found to be responsible for the decrease in current gain and cut-off frequency. After annealing, the variation rates of the parameters decrease significantly compared to post-irradiation. This suggests that the recombination of unstable defects leads to a slight recovery in the degradation characteristics of InP HBTs after a period of annealing. Full article