Introduction: Hypertension is a real public health issue and its control is very difficult. We aim to determine the frequency of uncontrolled hypertension in hypertensive patients followed up as an outpatient at the c...Introduction: Hypertension is a real public health issue and its control is very difficult. We aim to determine the frequency of uncontrolled hypertension in hypertensive patients followed up as an outpatient at the campus university hospital of Lome (Togo) and to search for the associated factors. Methodology: The study was cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical, carried out from February (2022) to August 2022 in 260 hypertensive patients aged 22 years old, followed up (on an) as an outpatient for at least 3 months at the Lome University Hospital campus. A univariate then multivariate analysis were conducted in order to highlight the most common factors significantly linked to uncontrolled. Results: The mean age of hypertensives was 56.4 ± 12.7 years, the sex ratio (M/F) was 0.59. Prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure was 42%. Associated Factors to poor blood pressure control in our study were age > 60 years (OR = 1.6 CI [1.17 - 2.50]), low socio-economic level (OR = 2.2 CI [1.96 - 4.33]), high cardiovascular risk level (OR = 3.1 CI [2.18 - 4.52]), non-adherence to regular blood pressure monitoring (OR = 3.3 CI [2.21 - 5.55]), low compliance to treatment (OR = 4.1 CI [2.33 - 6.76]) and a chronic renal failure (OR = 2.1 CI [1.21 - 3.10]). Conclusion: Nearly half of the hypertensives in our study had poorly controlled blood pressure by antihypertensive treatment medication. The factors of this poor control were age > 60 years, low socio-economic level, high or very high level of cardiovascular risk, low compliance to treatment, and renal failure.展开更多
As the sole obligate symbiotic birds in Africa,oxpeckers offer a unique model for studying symbiotic relationships.Due to the multitrophic level they occupy and the context dependent foraging behavior they exhibit,the...As the sole obligate symbiotic birds in Africa,oxpeckers offer a unique model for studying symbiotic relationships.Due to the multitrophic level they occupy and the context dependent foraging behavior they exhibit,the type of symbiotic relationship can be variable.In addition to providing a cleaning service to the host by removing ticks,oxpeckers frequently feed on blood,mucus,and saliva,inflicting potential damage on the host.Here,we used DNA metabarcoding on faecal samples to analyze the taxonomic composition of the trophic interactions of the Yellow-billed Oxpecker(Buphagus africanus)and Red-billed Oxpecker(B.erythrorhynchus)in northeastern Namibia.In contrast to conventional methods,DNA metabarcoding allows for a detailed identification of dietary resources encompassing both mammal hosts and consumed arthropods within the same samples.With this information,we examined differences in the diet composition between oxpecker species and localities,as well as the co-occurrence between host and arthropod species.Our findings revealed that oxpeckers predominantly source their diet from mammals,ticks,and flies;however,ticks and flies rarely co-occur in the diet of an individual.We observed variability among individuals in their feeding ecology,which is strongly correlated with locality and,to a lesser extent,with the mammal host.We noted a high degree of mobility between hosts within relatively short periods,with 32%of the samples showing traces of at least two mammal hosts.This study illustrates the dynamic foraging behavior of these specialized symbiotic birds,shedding light on their potential role in pest control services and disease transmission.展开更多
Despite decades of dedicated resea rch,Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related and progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which the mechanisms of onset are sti unc ear.AD is cha racterized by featured histo...Despite decades of dedicated resea rch,Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related and progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which the mechanisms of onset are sti unc ear.AD is cha racterized by featured histological alterations including amyloid-beta (AB) plaque deposition,accumulation of neurofibrillary to ngles of hyperphosphorylated-tau,and neuronal loss,accompanied by progressive cognitive decline and behavioral changes.展开更多
Ovalbumin(OVA)is the major allergenic protein that can induce T helper 2(Th2)-allergic reactions,for which current treatment options are inadequate.In this study,we developed a polymerized hypoallergenic OVA product v...Ovalbumin(OVA)is the major allergenic protein that can induce T helper 2(Th2)-allergic reactions,for which current treatment options are inadequate.In this study,we developed a polymerized hypoallergenic OVA product via laccase/caffeic acid(Lac/CA)-catalyzed crosslinking in conjunction with galactomannan(Man).The formation of high molecular weight crosslinked polymers and the Ig G-binding were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and Western blotting.The study indicated that Lac/CA-catalyzed crosslinking plus Man conjugation substantially altered secondary and tertiary structures of OVA along with the variation in surface hydrophobicity.Gastrointestinal digestion stability assay indicated that crosslinked OVA exhibited less resistance in simulated gastric fluid(SGF)and simulated intestinal fluid(SIF).Mouse model study indicated that Lac-Man/OVA ameliorated eosinophilic airway inflammatory response and efficiently downregulated the expression of Th2-related cytokines(interleukin(IL)-4,IL-5,and IL-13),and upregulated IFN-γand IL-10 expression.Stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with Lac-Man/OVA suppressed the expression of phenotypic maturation markers(CD80 and CD86)and MHC class II molecules,and suppressed the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines.The knowledge obtained in the present study offers an effective way to acquire a hypoallergenic OVA product that can have a therapeutic effect in alleviating OVA-induced allergic asthma.展开更多
I.SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE 1:THEORETICAL MATERIALS.The quantum speed limit(QSL)is essential for quantum computing and quantum communication,referring to the minimum time required for a quantum system to evolve from one stat...I.SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE 1:THEORETICAL MATERIALS.The quantum speed limit(QSL)is essential for quantum computing and quantum communication,referring to the minimum time required for a quantum system to evolve from one state to another.Two well-known forms of the QSL are the Mandelstam-Tamm(MT)relation TqsL≥πh/2△E[S1]and the Margolus-Levitin(ML)relation TqsL≥πh/2(E)[S2]where Tqst is denoted as the QSL time,h is the reduced Planck's constant,△E is the energy uncertainty(standard deviation)of the system,and(E)is the average energy of the system above its ground state.Both of relations provide a lower bound on the evolution time.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the effects of coenzyme Q10(CoQ10)supplementation on post-vitrification embryo development and gross morphology.Methods:Balb/c mouse embryos were cultured in potassium simplex optimised medium...Objective:To investigate the effects of coenzyme Q10(CoQ10)supplementation on post-vitrification embryo development and gross morphology.Methods:Balb/c mouse embryos were cultured in potassium simplex optimised medium(KSOM)with varying CoQ10 concentrations[0(control),20,40,and 60μM].The most effective CoQ10 concentration(40μM)was selected for subsequent post-vitrification morphology study.Embryos were randomly divided into four groups:Group A(non-vitrified without CoQ10),Group B(non-vitrified with CoQ10),Group C(vitrified without CoQ10),and Group D(vitrified with CoQ10),followed by vitrification at the 8-cell stage.Survival rates and development until the blastocyst stage were evaluated through morphological examinations using ASEBIR's system,distinguishing normal and abnormal embryos.Results:Supplementation of 40μM CoQ10 significantly increased blastocyst formation(95%)compared to the control group(92%),20μM(62%),and 60μM(56%)(P<0.001).Following vitrification,Group D exhibited a significant increase in blastocyst formation(92%)compared to Group C(82%)(P<0.05).Morphological assessments indicated superior embryo quality in Group B over Group D during the cleavage stage,morula,and blastocyst(P<0.05).Conclusions:CoQ10 supplementation exhibits promising potential to enhance preimplantation embryo development,increase blastocyst formation rates,and improve embryo quality post-vitrification.This offers a promising approach to mitigate oxidative stress on embryos,potentially improving overall assisted reproductive technology outcomes.展开更多
A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method c...A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method consisted of a gradient HPLC analysis at three different wavelengths. The four compounds could be analyzed with good precision and accuracy.展开更多
This study deals with base pressure management in a duct for various values of the Mach number(M),namely,Mach number corresponding to sonic and four supersonic conditions.In addition to the Mach number,the nozzle pres...This study deals with base pressure management in a duct for various values of the Mach number(M),namely,Mach number corresponding to sonic and four supersonic conditions.In addition to the Mach number,the nozzle pressure ratio(NPR),the area ratio,the rib dimension,and the duct length are influential parameters.The following specific values are examined at M=1,1.36,1.64,and 2,and NPRs between 1.5 and 10.The base pressure is determined by positioning ribs of varying heights at predetermined intervals throughout the length of the square duct.When the level of expansion is varied,it is seen that the base pressure initially drops for overexpanded flows and increases for under-expanded flows.When ribs are present,the flow field in the duct and pressure inside the duct fluctuate as the base pressure rises.Under-expanded flows can achieve a base pressure value that is suitably high without experiencing excessive changes in the duct flow in terms of static pressure if a rib height around 10%of the duct height close to the nozzle exit is considered.Rectangular rib passive control does not negatively affect the duct’s flow field.展开更多
Augmentation of abnormal cells in the brain causes brain tumor(BT),and early screening and treatmentwill reduce its harshness in patients.BT’s clinical level screening is usually performed with Magnetic Resonance Ima...Augmentation of abnormal cells in the brain causes brain tumor(BT),and early screening and treatmentwill reduce its harshness in patients.BT’s clinical level screening is usually performed with Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)due to its multi-modality nature.The overall aims of the study is to introduce,test and verify an advanced image processing technique with algorithms to automatically extract tumour sections from brain MRI scans,facilitating improved accuracy.The research intends to devise a reliable framework for detecting the BT region in the twodimensional(2D)MRI slice,and identifying its class with improved accuracy.The methodology for the devised framework comprises the phases of:(i)Collection and resizing of images,(ii)Implementation and Segmentation of Convolutional Neural Network(CNN),(iii)Deep feature extraction,(iv)Handcrafted feature extraction,(v)Moth-Flame-Algorithm(MFA)supported feature reduction,and(vi)Performance evaluation.This study utilized clinical-grade brain MRI of BRATS and TCIA datasets for the investigation.This framework segments detected the glioma(low/high grade)and glioblastoma class BT.This work helped to get a segmentation accuracy of over 98%with VGG-UNet and a classification accuracy of over 98%with the VGG16 scheme.This study has confirmed that the implemented framework is very efficient in detecting the BT in MRI slices with/without the skull section.展开更多
Background:The ergogenic effects of caffeine intake on exercise performance are well-established,even if differences exist among individuals in response to caffeine intake.The genetic variation of a specific gene,huma...Background:The ergogenic effects of caffeine intake on exercise performance are well-established,even if differences exist among individuals in response to caffeine intake.The genetic variation of a specific gene,human cytochrome P450 enzyme 1A2(CYP1A2)(rs762551),may be one reason for this difference.This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the influence of CYP1A2 gene types on athletes’exercise performance after caffeine intake.Methods:A literature search through 4 databases(Web of Science,PubMed,Scopus,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure)was conducted until March 2023.The effect size was expressed as the weighted mean difference(WMD)by calculating fixed effects meta-analysis if heterogeneity was not significant(I^(2)≤50%and p≥0.1).Subgroup analyses were performed based on AA and AC/CC genotype of CYP1A2.Results:The final number of studies meeting the inclusion criteria was 12(n=666 participants).The overall analysis showed that the cycling time trial significantly improved after caffeine intake(WMD=-0.48,95%confidence interval(95%CI):-0.83 to-0.13,p=0.007).In subgroup analyses,acute caffeine intake improved cycling time trial only in individuals with the A allele(WMD=-0.90,95%CI:-1.48 to-0.33,p=0.002),but not the C allele(WMD=-0.08,95%CI:-0.32 to 0.17,p=0.53).Caffeine supplementation did not influence the Wingate(WMD=8.07,95%CI:-22.04 to 38.18,p=0.60)or countermovement jump test(CMJ)performance(WMD=1.17,95%CI:-0.02 to 2.36,p=0.05),and these outcomes were not influenced by CYP1A2 genotype.Conclusion:Participants with the CYP1A2 genotype with A allele improved their cycling time trials after caffeine supplementation.However,compared to placebo,acute caffeine supplementation failed to increase the Wingate or CMJ performance,regardless of CYP1A2 genotype.展开更多
The safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries under mechanical constraints depend significantly on electrochemical,thermal,and mechanical fields in applications.Characterizing and quantifying the multi-field coup...The safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries under mechanical constraints depend significantly on electrochemical,thermal,and mechanical fields in applications.Characterizing and quantifying the multi-field coupling behaviors requires interdisciplinary efforts.Here,we design experiments under mechanical constraints and introduce an in-situ analytical framework to clarify the complex interaction mechanisms and coupling degrees among multi-physics fields.The proposed analytical framework integrates the parameterization of equivalent models,in-situ mechanical analysis,and quantitative assessment of coupling behavior.The results indicate that the significant impact of pressure on impedance at low temperatures results from the diffusion-controlled step,enhancing kinetics when external pressure,like 180 to 240 k Pa at 10℃,is applied.The diversity in control steps for the electrochemical reaction accounts for the varying impact of pressure on battery performance across different temperatures.The thermal expansion rate suggests that the swelling force varies by less than 1.60%per unit of elevated temperature during the lithiation process.By introducing a composite metric,we quantify the coupling correlation and intensity between characteristic parameters and physical fields,uncovering the highest coupling degree in electrochemical-thermal fields.These results underscore the potential of analytical approaches in revealing the mechanisms of interaction among multi-fields,with the goal of enhancing battery performance and advancing battery management.展开更多
Urea synthesis through the simultaneous electrocatalytic reduction of N_(2)and CO_(2)molecules under ambient conditions holds great promises as a sustainable alternative to its industrial production,in which the devel...Urea synthesis through the simultaneous electrocatalytic reduction of N_(2)and CO_(2)molecules under ambient conditions holds great promises as a sustainable alternative to its industrial production,in which the development of stable,highly efficient,and highly selective catalysts to boost the chemisorption,activation,and coupling of inert N_(2)and CO_(2)molecules remains rather challenging.Herein,by means of density functional theory computations,we proposed a new class of two-dimensional nanomaterials,namely,transition-metal phosphide monolayers(TM_(2)P,TM=Ti,Fe,Zr,Mo,and W),as the potential electrocatalysts for urea production.Our results showed that these TM_(2)P materials exhibit outstanding stability and excellent metallic properties.Interestingly,the Mo_(2)P monolayer was screened out as the best catalyst for urea synthesis due to its small kinetic energy barrier(0.35 eV)for C-N coupling,low limiting potential(-0.39 V),and significant suppressing effects on the competing side reactions.The outstanding catalytic activity of the Mo_(2)P monolayer can be ascribed to its optimal adsorption strength with the key^(*)NCON species due to its moderate positive charges on the Mo active sites.Our findings not only propose a novel catalyst with high-efficiency and high-selectivity for urea production but also further widen the potential applications of metal phosphides in electrocatalysis.展开更多
Understanding interactions between viruses and their hosts is conducive to enabling better application of viruses as biocontrol agents.Certain viruses carried by parasitic wasps enhance the parasitic efficiency of was...Understanding interactions between viruses and their hosts is conducive to enabling better application of viruses as biocontrol agents.Certain viruses carried by parasitic wasps enhance the parasitic efficiency of wasp-larvae by protecting them against the immune system of their Lepidopteran host.However,the relationship between prey pests and viruses found in predatory natural enemies remains unclear.Herein,we report the interaction between Arma chinensis virus-1(AcV-1),originally isolated from a predatory natural enemy,Arma chinensis(Hemiptera:Pentatomidae),and one of its prey species,Spodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera:Noctuidae).The results showed that the AcV-1 virus appeared harmful to the novel host S.frugiperda by inhibiting larval diet consumption and increasing pupal mortality.Meanwhile,sequencing data indicated that the virus altered the gene expression profiles of S.frugiperda.KEGG analysis showed that the proteasome and phagosome pathways related to protein degradation and immune response were significantly enriched.Although the expression levels of digestive enzyme genes did not change significantly,the total protease activity of AcV-1 virus-positive individuals was significantly decreased,suggesting that the virus inhibited diet consumption of S.frugiperda via the down-regulation of digestive enzyme activities.These results indicate that a virus initially isolated in a predatory natural enemy can decrease the fitness of its prey species.The virus was found to impact the host proteasome and phagosome pathways related to protein degradation and immunity,providing a potential mechanism to enhance controlling efficiency.展开更多
Deep Underground Science and Engineering(DUSE)publishes this special issue on geothermal energy.The guest editors of this special issue are Prof.Ranjith Pathegama Gamage(Monash University,Australia),Prof.Zhongwei Huan...Deep Underground Science and Engineering(DUSE)publishes this special issue on geothermal energy.The guest editors of this special issue are Prof.Ranjith Pathegama Gamage(Monash University,Australia),Prof.Zhongwei Huang(China University of Petroleum,Beijing,China),and Prof.Bing Bai(Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,China).Geothermal energy is one sustainable and renewable energy and currently a hot research topic in research and development.Geothermal energy supply is one of the long-term efforts for carbon footprint reductions to tackle climate change issues.The development of geothermal energy includes exploration and extraction processes.This special issue is to highlight the challenges on the exploration and extraction of geothermal energy such as initial high cost and difficulties in heat extraction from deep underground.This special issue focuses on new geothermal extraction system,new theory,new technology,new application of latest techniques such as artificial intelligence,and potential environmental effects.展开更多
Algorithms for steganography are methods of hiding data transfers in media files.Several machine learning architectures have been presented recently to improve stego image identification performance by using spatial i...Algorithms for steganography are methods of hiding data transfers in media files.Several machine learning architectures have been presented recently to improve stego image identification performance by using spatial information,and these methods have made it feasible to handle a wide range of problems associated with image analysis.Images with little information or low payload are used by information embedding methods,but the goal of all contemporary research is to employ high-payload images for classification.To address the need for both low-and high-payload images,this work provides a machine-learning approach to steganography image classification that uses Curvelet transformation to efficiently extract characteristics from both type of images.Support Vector Machine(SVM),a commonplace classification technique,has been employed to determine whether the image is a stego or cover.The Wavelet Obtained Weights(WOW),Spatial Universal Wavelet Relative Distortion(S-UNIWARD),Highly Undetectable Steganography(HUGO),and Minimizing the Power of Optimal Detector(MiPOD)steganography techniques are used in a variety of experimental scenarios to evaluate the performance of the proposedmethod.Using WOW at several payloads,the proposed approach proves its classification accuracy of 98.60%.It exhibits its superiority over SOTA methods.展开更多
Green supplier selection is an important debate in green supply chain management(GSCM),attracting global attention from scholars,especially companies and policymakers.Companies frequently search for new ideas and stra...Green supplier selection is an important debate in green supply chain management(GSCM),attracting global attention from scholars,especially companies and policymakers.Companies frequently search for new ideas and strategies to assist them in realizing sustainable development.Because of the speculative character of human opinions,supplier selection frequently includes unreliable data,and the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft set(IVPFSS)provides an exceptional capacity to cope with excessive fuzziness,inconsistency,and inexactness through the decision-making procedure.The main goal of this study is to come up with new operational laws for interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft numbers(IVPFSNs)and create two interaction operators-the intervalvalued Pythagorean fuzzy soft interaction weighted average(IVPFSIWA)and the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft interaction weighted geometric(IVPFSIWG)operators,and analyze their properties.These operators are highly advantageous in addressing uncertain problems by considering membership and non-membership values within intervals,providing a superior solution to other methods.Moreover,specialist judgments were calculated by the MCGDM technique,supporting the use of interaction AOs to regulate the interdependence and fundamental partiality of green supplier assessment aspects.Lastly,a statistical clarification of the planned method for green supplier selection is presented.展开更多
Pupil dynamics are the important characteristics of face spoofing detection.The face recognition system is one of the most used biometrics for authenticating individual identity.The main threats to the facial recognit...Pupil dynamics are the important characteristics of face spoofing detection.The face recognition system is one of the most used biometrics for authenticating individual identity.The main threats to the facial recognition system are different types of presentation attacks like print attacks,3D mask attacks,replay attacks,etc.The proposed model uses pupil characteristics for liveness detection during the authentication process.The pupillary light reflex is an involuntary reaction controlling the pupil’s diameter at different light intensities.The proposed framework consists of two-phase methodologies.In the first phase,the pupil’s diameter is calculated by applying stimulus(light)in one eye of the subject and calculating the constriction of the pupil size on both eyes in different video frames.The above measurement is converted into feature space using Kohn and Clynes model-defined parameters.The Support Vector Machine is used to classify legitimate subjects when the diameter change is normal(or when the eye is alive)or illegitimate subjects when there is no change or abnormal oscillations of pupil behavior due to the presence of printed photograph,video,or 3D mask of the subject in front of the camera.In the second phase,we perform the facial recognition process.Scale-invariant feature transform(SIFT)is used to find the features from the facial images,with each feature having a size of a 128-dimensional vector.These features are scale,rotation,and orientation invariant and are used for recognizing facial images.The brute force matching algorithm is used for matching features of two different images.The threshold value we considered is 0.08 for good matches.To analyze the performance of the framework,we tested our model in two Face antispoofing datasets named Replay attack datasets and CASIA-SURF datasets,which were used because they contain the videos of the subjects in each sample having three modalities(RGB,IR,Depth).The CASIA-SURF datasets showed an 89.9%Equal Error Rate,while the Replay Attack datasets showed a 92.1%Equal Error Rate.展开更多
The Paraconsistent Many-Valued Similarity (PMVS) method for multi-attribute decision making will be incomplete as a decision model if it is not extended to the realm of group decision-making. Therefore, in this articl...The Paraconsistent Many-Valued Similarity (PMVS) method for multi-attribute decision making will be incomplete as a decision model if it is not extended to the realm of group decision-making. Therefore, in this article, our primary objective is to show how the paraconsistent many-valued similarity method can be used to solve group decision-making problems involving choice making or ranking of a finite set of decision alternatives. Moreover, since weights are very important parameters in multi-attribute decision-making, we have introduced the Borda rule to calculate the weights of experts and that of every criterion under consideration. To demonstrate how the proposed method works, a numerical example on energy sources of an economy from the points of view of a group of experts is investigated. Further, we compare the results of this new approach with that of fuzzy TOPSIS group decision-making method to illustrate the robustness and effectiveness of the former.展开更多
Background The development of a sustainable business model with social acceptance,makes necessary to develop new strategies to guarantee the growth,health,and well-being of farmed animals.Debaryomyces hansenii is a ye...Background The development of a sustainable business model with social acceptance,makes necessary to develop new strategies to guarantee the growth,health,and well-being of farmed animals.Debaryomyces hansenii is a yeast species that can be used as a probiotic in aquaculture due to its capacity to i)promote cell proliferation and differen-tiation,ii)have immunostimulatory effects,iii)modulate gut microbiota,and/or iv)enhance the digestive function.To provide inside into the effects of D.hansenii on juveniles of gilthead seabream(Sparus aurata)condition,we inte-grated the evaluation of the main key performance indicators coupled with the integrative analysis of the intestine condition,through histological and microbiota state,and its transcriptomic profiling.Results After 70 days of a nutritional trial in which a diet with low levels of fishmeal(7%)was supplemented with 1.1%of D.hansenii(17.2×10^(5) CFU),an increase of ca.12%in somatic growth was observed together with an improve-ment in feed conversion in fish fed a yeast-supplemented diet.In terms of intestinal condition,this probiotic modu-lated gut microbiota without affecting the intestine cell organization,whereas an increase in the staining intensity of mucins rich in carboxylated and weakly sulphated glycoconjugates coupled with changes in the affinity for certain lectins were noted in goblet cells.Changes in microbiota were characterized by the reduction in abundance of several groups of Proteobacteria,especially those characterized as opportunistic groups.The microarrays-based transcrip-tomic analysis found 232 differential expressed genes in the anterior-mid intestine of S.aurata,that were mostly related to metabolic,antioxidant,immune,and symbiotic processes.Conclusions Dietary administration of D.hansenii enhanced somatic growth and improved feed efficiency param-eters,results that were coupled to an improvement of intestinal condition as histochemical and transcriptomic tools indicated.This probiotic yeast stimulated host-microbiota interactions without altering the intestinal cell organization nor generating dysbiosis,which demonstrated its safety as a feed additive.At the transcriptomic level,D.hansenii pro-moted metabolic pathways,mainly protein-related,sphingolipid,and thymidylate pathways,in addition to enhance antioxidant-related intestinal mechanisms,and to regulate sentinel immune processes,potentiating the defensive capacity meanwhile maintaining the homeostatic status of the intestine.展开更多
Plaques of amyloid-β(Aβ)and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,some older adult people with AD pathological hallmarks can retain cognitive function....Plaques of amyloid-β(Aβ)and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,some older adult people with AD pathological hallmarks can retain cognitive function.Unraveling the factors that lead to this cognitive resilience to AD offers promising prospects for identifying new therapeutic targets.Our hypothesis focuses on the contribution of resilience to changes in excitatory synapses at the structural and molecular levels,which may underlie healthy cognitive performance in aged AD animals.Utilizing the Morris Water Maze test,we selected resilient(asymptomatic)and cognitively impaired aged Tg2576 mice.While the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed similar levels of Aβ42 in both experimental groups,western blot analysis revealed differences in tau pathology in the pre-synaptic supernatant fraction.To further investigate the density of synapses in the hippocampus of 16-18 month-old Tg2576 mice,we employed stereological and electron microscopic methods.Our findings indicated a decrease in the density of excitatory synapses in the stratum radiatum of the hippocampal CA1 in cognitively impaired Tg2576 mice compared with age-matched resilient Tg2576 and non-transgenic controls.Intriguingly,through quantitative immunoelectron microscopy in the hippocampus of impaired and resilient Tg2576 transgenic AD mice,we uncovered differences in the subcellular localization of glutamate receptors.Specifically,the density of GluA1,GluA2/3,and mGlu5 in spines and dendritic shafts of CA1 pyramidal cells in impaired Tg2576 mice was significantly reduced compared with age-matched resilient Tg2576 and non-transgenic controls.Notably,the density of GluA2/3 in resilient Tg2576 mice was significantly increased in spines but not in dendritic shafts compared with impaired Tg2576 and non-transgenic mice.These subcellular findings strongly support the hypothesis that dendritic spine plasticity and synaptic machinery in the hippocampus play crucial roles in the mechanisms of cognitive resilience in Tg2576 mice.展开更多
文摘Introduction: Hypertension is a real public health issue and its control is very difficult. We aim to determine the frequency of uncontrolled hypertension in hypertensive patients followed up as an outpatient at the campus university hospital of Lome (Togo) and to search for the associated factors. Methodology: The study was cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical, carried out from February (2022) to August 2022 in 260 hypertensive patients aged 22 years old, followed up (on an) as an outpatient for at least 3 months at the Lome University Hospital campus. A univariate then multivariate analysis were conducted in order to highlight the most common factors significantly linked to uncontrolled. Results: The mean age of hypertensives was 56.4 ± 12.7 years, the sex ratio (M/F) was 0.59. Prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure was 42%. Associated Factors to poor blood pressure control in our study were age > 60 years (OR = 1.6 CI [1.17 - 2.50]), low socio-economic level (OR = 2.2 CI [1.96 - 4.33]), high cardiovascular risk level (OR = 3.1 CI [2.18 - 4.52]), non-adherence to regular blood pressure monitoring (OR = 3.3 CI [2.21 - 5.55]), low compliance to treatment (OR = 4.1 CI [2.33 - 6.76]) and a chronic renal failure (OR = 2.1 CI [1.21 - 3.10]). Conclusion: Nearly half of the hypertensives in our study had poorly controlled blood pressure by antihypertensive treatment medication. The factors of this poor control were age > 60 years, low socio-economic level, high or very high level of cardiovascular risk, low compliance to treatment, and renal failure.
基金partially supported by the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund(NSFAF)Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau(KfW)-University of Namibia(UNAM,BMZ Ref.2015.67.015)+2 种基金funded by the project TROPIBIO NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000046supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme(NORTE2020)developed in the framework of the“Twin Lab CIBIO/UNAM”(UNESCO Chair Life on Land)。
文摘As the sole obligate symbiotic birds in Africa,oxpeckers offer a unique model for studying symbiotic relationships.Due to the multitrophic level they occupy and the context dependent foraging behavior they exhibit,the type of symbiotic relationship can be variable.In addition to providing a cleaning service to the host by removing ticks,oxpeckers frequently feed on blood,mucus,and saliva,inflicting potential damage on the host.Here,we used DNA metabarcoding on faecal samples to analyze the taxonomic composition of the trophic interactions of the Yellow-billed Oxpecker(Buphagus africanus)and Red-billed Oxpecker(B.erythrorhynchus)in northeastern Namibia.In contrast to conventional methods,DNA metabarcoding allows for a detailed identification of dietary resources encompassing both mammal hosts and consumed arthropods within the same samples.With this information,we examined differences in the diet composition between oxpecker species and localities,as well as the co-occurrence between host and arthropod species.Our findings revealed that oxpeckers predominantly source their diet from mammals,ticks,and flies;however,ticks and flies rarely co-occur in the diet of an individual.We observed variability among individuals in their feeding ecology,which is strongly correlated with locality and,to a lesser extent,with the mammal host.We noted a high degree of mobility between hosts within relatively short periods,with 32%of the samples showing traces of at least two mammal hosts.This study illustrates the dynamic foraging behavior of these specialized symbiotic birds,shedding light on their potential role in pest control services and disease transmission.
基金supported by an under-40 grant from the Italian Association for Alzheimer’s Research [AIRALZH AGYR2021]the Strategic University Projects–Young Researcher Independence grant [YRG2021] from the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (Rome, Italy)(to LLB)+1 种基金Italian Ministry of Health [Research Grant:GR-2019-12370446]the American Alzheimer’s Association [AARG-22-922961](to PK)。
文摘Despite decades of dedicated resea rch,Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related and progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which the mechanisms of onset are sti unc ear.AD is cha racterized by featured histological alterations including amyloid-beta (AB) plaque deposition,accumulation of neurofibrillary to ngles of hyperphosphorylated-tau,and neuronal loss,accompanied by progressive cognitive decline and behavioral changes.
基金supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2021B15151300042021B1515140021)+2 种基金the Scientific Research Start-up Funding of Guangdong Medical University(1026/4SG21229G)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M702781)Guangdong Medical University Post-doctoral Research Funding(2BH19006P)。
文摘Ovalbumin(OVA)is the major allergenic protein that can induce T helper 2(Th2)-allergic reactions,for which current treatment options are inadequate.In this study,we developed a polymerized hypoallergenic OVA product via laccase/caffeic acid(Lac/CA)-catalyzed crosslinking in conjunction with galactomannan(Man).The formation of high molecular weight crosslinked polymers and the Ig G-binding were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and Western blotting.The study indicated that Lac/CA-catalyzed crosslinking plus Man conjugation substantially altered secondary and tertiary structures of OVA along with the variation in surface hydrophobicity.Gastrointestinal digestion stability assay indicated that crosslinked OVA exhibited less resistance in simulated gastric fluid(SGF)and simulated intestinal fluid(SIF).Mouse model study indicated that Lac-Man/OVA ameliorated eosinophilic airway inflammatory response and efficiently downregulated the expression of Th2-related cytokines(interleukin(IL)-4,IL-5,and IL-13),and upregulated IFN-γand IL-10 expression.Stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with Lac-Man/OVA suppressed the expression of phenotypic maturation markers(CD80 and CD86)and MHC class II molecules,and suppressed the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines.The knowledge obtained in the present study offers an effective way to acquire a hypoallergenic OVA product that can have a therapeutic effect in alleviating OVA-induced allergic asthma.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.92165206 and 11974330)the Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(Grant No.2021ZD0301603)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities。
文摘I.SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE 1:THEORETICAL MATERIALS.The quantum speed limit(QSL)is essential for quantum computing and quantum communication,referring to the minimum time required for a quantum system to evolve from one state to another.Two well-known forms of the QSL are the Mandelstam-Tamm(MT)relation TqsL≥πh/2△E[S1]and the Margolus-Levitin(ML)relation TqsL≥πh/2(E)[S2]where Tqst is denoted as the QSL time,h is the reduced Planck's constant,△E is the energy uncertainty(standard deviation)of the system,and(E)is the average energy of the system above its ground state.Both of relations provide a lower bound on the evolution time.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS)[FRGS/1/2020/SKK06/UNIKL/02/1],from the Ministry of Higher Education,Malaysia.
文摘Objective:To investigate the effects of coenzyme Q10(CoQ10)supplementation on post-vitrification embryo development and gross morphology.Methods:Balb/c mouse embryos were cultured in potassium simplex optimised medium(KSOM)with varying CoQ10 concentrations[0(control),20,40,and 60μM].The most effective CoQ10 concentration(40μM)was selected for subsequent post-vitrification morphology study.Embryos were randomly divided into four groups:Group A(non-vitrified without CoQ10),Group B(non-vitrified with CoQ10),Group C(vitrified without CoQ10),and Group D(vitrified with CoQ10),followed by vitrification at the 8-cell stage.Survival rates and development until the blastocyst stage were evaluated through morphological examinations using ASEBIR's system,distinguishing normal and abnormal embryos.Results:Supplementation of 40μM CoQ10 significantly increased blastocyst formation(95%)compared to the control group(92%),20μM(62%),and 60μM(56%)(P<0.001).Following vitrification,Group D exhibited a significant increase in blastocyst formation(92%)compared to Group C(82%)(P<0.05).Morphological assessments indicated superior embryo quality in Group B over Group D during the cleavage stage,morula,and blastocyst(P<0.05).Conclusions:CoQ10 supplementation exhibits promising potential to enhance preimplantation embryo development,increase blastocyst formation rates,and improve embryo quality post-vitrification.This offers a promising approach to mitigate oxidative stress on embryos,potentially improving overall assisted reproductive technology outcomes.
文摘A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method consisted of a gradient HPLC analysis at three different wavelengths. The four compounds could be analyzed with good precision and accuracy.
文摘This study deals with base pressure management in a duct for various values of the Mach number(M),namely,Mach number corresponding to sonic and four supersonic conditions.In addition to the Mach number,the nozzle pressure ratio(NPR),the area ratio,the rib dimension,and the duct length are influential parameters.The following specific values are examined at M=1,1.36,1.64,and 2,and NPRs between 1.5 and 10.The base pressure is determined by positioning ribs of varying heights at predetermined intervals throughout the length of the square duct.When the level of expansion is varied,it is seen that the base pressure initially drops for overexpanded flows and increases for under-expanded flows.When ribs are present,the flow field in the duct and pressure inside the duct fluctuate as the base pressure rises.Under-expanded flows can achieve a base pressure value that is suitably high without experiencing excessive changes in the duct flow in terms of static pressure if a rib height around 10%of the duct height close to the nozzle exit is considered.Rectangular rib passive control does not negatively affect the duct’s flow field.
文摘Augmentation of abnormal cells in the brain causes brain tumor(BT),and early screening and treatmentwill reduce its harshness in patients.BT’s clinical level screening is usually performed with Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)due to its multi-modality nature.The overall aims of the study is to introduce,test and verify an advanced image processing technique with algorithms to automatically extract tumour sections from brain MRI scans,facilitating improved accuracy.The research intends to devise a reliable framework for detecting the BT region in the twodimensional(2D)MRI slice,and identifying its class with improved accuracy.The methodology for the devised framework comprises the phases of:(i)Collection and resizing of images,(ii)Implementation and Segmentation of Convolutional Neural Network(CNN),(iii)Deep feature extraction,(iv)Handcrafted feature extraction,(v)Moth-Flame-Algorithm(MFA)supported feature reduction,and(vi)Performance evaluation.This study utilized clinical-grade brain MRI of BRATS and TCIA datasets for the investigation.This framework segments detected the glioma(low/high grade)and glioblastoma class BT.This work helped to get a segmentation accuracy of over 98%with VGG-UNet and a classification accuracy of over 98%with the VGG16 scheme.This study has confirmed that the implemented framework is very efficient in detecting the BT in MRI slices with/without the skull section.
文摘Background:The ergogenic effects of caffeine intake on exercise performance are well-established,even if differences exist among individuals in response to caffeine intake.The genetic variation of a specific gene,human cytochrome P450 enzyme 1A2(CYP1A2)(rs762551),may be one reason for this difference.This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the influence of CYP1A2 gene types on athletes’exercise performance after caffeine intake.Methods:A literature search through 4 databases(Web of Science,PubMed,Scopus,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure)was conducted until March 2023.The effect size was expressed as the weighted mean difference(WMD)by calculating fixed effects meta-analysis if heterogeneity was not significant(I^(2)≤50%and p≥0.1).Subgroup analyses were performed based on AA and AC/CC genotype of CYP1A2.Results:The final number of studies meeting the inclusion criteria was 12(n=666 participants).The overall analysis showed that the cycling time trial significantly improved after caffeine intake(WMD=-0.48,95%confidence interval(95%CI):-0.83 to-0.13,p=0.007).In subgroup analyses,acute caffeine intake improved cycling time trial only in individuals with the A allele(WMD=-0.90,95%CI:-1.48 to-0.33,p=0.002),but not the C allele(WMD=-0.08,95%CI:-0.32 to 0.17,p=0.53).Caffeine supplementation did not influence the Wingate(WMD=8.07,95%CI:-22.04 to 38.18,p=0.60)or countermovement jump test(CMJ)performance(WMD=1.17,95%CI:-0.02 to 2.36,p=0.05),and these outcomes were not influenced by CYP1A2 genotype.Conclusion:Participants with the CYP1A2 genotype with A allele improved their cycling time trials after caffeine supplementation.However,compared to placebo,acute caffeine supplementation failed to increase the Wingate or CMJ performance,regardless of CYP1A2 genotype.
基金supported by the National Science Fund for Excellent Youth Scholars of China(52222708)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51977007)。
文摘The safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries under mechanical constraints depend significantly on electrochemical,thermal,and mechanical fields in applications.Characterizing and quantifying the multi-field coupling behaviors requires interdisciplinary efforts.Here,we design experiments under mechanical constraints and introduce an in-situ analytical framework to clarify the complex interaction mechanisms and coupling degrees among multi-physics fields.The proposed analytical framework integrates the parameterization of equivalent models,in-situ mechanical analysis,and quantitative assessment of coupling behavior.The results indicate that the significant impact of pressure on impedance at low temperatures results from the diffusion-controlled step,enhancing kinetics when external pressure,like 180 to 240 k Pa at 10℃,is applied.The diversity in control steps for the electrochemical reaction accounts for the varying impact of pressure on battery performance across different temperatures.The thermal expansion rate suggests that the swelling force varies by less than 1.60%per unit of elevated temperature during the lithiation process.By introducing a composite metric,we quantify the coupling correlation and intensity between characteristic parameters and physical fields,uncovering the highest coupling degree in electrochemical-thermal fields.These results underscore the potential of analytical approaches in revealing the mechanisms of interaction among multi-fields,with the goal of enhancing battery performance and advancing battery management.
基金financially supported in China by Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholars of Heilongjiang Province(No.JC2018004)Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province of China(No.TD2020B001)in the USA by NSF-CREST Center for Innovation,Research,and Education in Environmental Nanotechnology(CIRE2N)(No.HRD-1736093)
文摘Urea synthesis through the simultaneous electrocatalytic reduction of N_(2)and CO_(2)molecules under ambient conditions holds great promises as a sustainable alternative to its industrial production,in which the development of stable,highly efficient,and highly selective catalysts to boost the chemisorption,activation,and coupling of inert N_(2)and CO_(2)molecules remains rather challenging.Herein,by means of density functional theory computations,we proposed a new class of two-dimensional nanomaterials,namely,transition-metal phosphide monolayers(TM_(2)P,TM=Ti,Fe,Zr,Mo,and W),as the potential electrocatalysts for urea production.Our results showed that these TM_(2)P materials exhibit outstanding stability and excellent metallic properties.Interestingly,the Mo_(2)P monolayer was screened out as the best catalyst for urea synthesis due to its small kinetic energy barrier(0.35 eV)for C-N coupling,low limiting potential(-0.39 V),and significant suppressing effects on the competing side reactions.The outstanding catalytic activity of the Mo_(2)P monolayer can be ascribed to its optimal adsorption strength with the key^(*)NCON species due to its moderate positive charges on the Mo active sites.Our findings not only propose a novel catalyst with high-efficiency and high-selectivity for urea production but also further widen the potential applications of metal phosphides in electrocatalysis.
基金supported by the Major Special Projects for Green Pest Control,China(110202101028(LS-03),201938,110202201017(LS-01)and 110202001035(LS04))the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31901893)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-TRIC04)。
文摘Understanding interactions between viruses and their hosts is conducive to enabling better application of viruses as biocontrol agents.Certain viruses carried by parasitic wasps enhance the parasitic efficiency of wasp-larvae by protecting them against the immune system of their Lepidopteran host.However,the relationship between prey pests and viruses found in predatory natural enemies remains unclear.Herein,we report the interaction between Arma chinensis virus-1(AcV-1),originally isolated from a predatory natural enemy,Arma chinensis(Hemiptera:Pentatomidae),and one of its prey species,Spodoptera frugiperda(Lepidoptera:Noctuidae).The results showed that the AcV-1 virus appeared harmful to the novel host S.frugiperda by inhibiting larval diet consumption and increasing pupal mortality.Meanwhile,sequencing data indicated that the virus altered the gene expression profiles of S.frugiperda.KEGG analysis showed that the proteasome and phagosome pathways related to protein degradation and immune response were significantly enriched.Although the expression levels of digestive enzyme genes did not change significantly,the total protease activity of AcV-1 virus-positive individuals was significantly decreased,suggesting that the virus inhibited diet consumption of S.frugiperda via the down-regulation of digestive enzyme activities.These results indicate that a virus initially isolated in a predatory natural enemy can decrease the fitness of its prey species.The virus was found to impact the host proteasome and phagosome pathways related to protein degradation and immunity,providing a potential mechanism to enhance controlling efficiency.
文摘Deep Underground Science and Engineering(DUSE)publishes this special issue on geothermal energy.The guest editors of this special issue are Prof.Ranjith Pathegama Gamage(Monash University,Australia),Prof.Zhongwei Huang(China University of Petroleum,Beijing,China),and Prof.Bing Bai(Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,China).Geothermal energy is one sustainable and renewable energy and currently a hot research topic in research and development.Geothermal energy supply is one of the long-term efforts for carbon footprint reductions to tackle climate change issues.The development of geothermal energy includes exploration and extraction processes.This special issue is to highlight the challenges on the exploration and extraction of geothermal energy such as initial high cost and difficulties in heat extraction from deep underground.This special issue focuses on new geothermal extraction system,new theory,new technology,new application of latest techniques such as artificial intelligence,and potential environmental effects.
基金financially supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University under Research Grant Number(R.G.P.2/549/44).
文摘Algorithms for steganography are methods of hiding data transfers in media files.Several machine learning architectures have been presented recently to improve stego image identification performance by using spatial information,and these methods have made it feasible to handle a wide range of problems associated with image analysis.Images with little information or low payload are used by information embedding methods,but the goal of all contemporary research is to employ high-payload images for classification.To address the need for both low-and high-payload images,this work provides a machine-learning approach to steganography image classification that uses Curvelet transformation to efficiently extract characteristics from both type of images.Support Vector Machine(SVM),a commonplace classification technique,has been employed to determine whether the image is a stego or cover.The Wavelet Obtained Weights(WOW),Spatial Universal Wavelet Relative Distortion(S-UNIWARD),Highly Undetectable Steganography(HUGO),and Minimizing the Power of Optimal Detector(MiPOD)steganography techniques are used in a variety of experimental scenarios to evaluate the performance of the proposedmethod.Using WOW at several payloads,the proposed approach proves its classification accuracy of 98.60%.It exhibits its superiority over SOTA methods.
基金funded by King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Green supplier selection is an important debate in green supply chain management(GSCM),attracting global attention from scholars,especially companies and policymakers.Companies frequently search for new ideas and strategies to assist them in realizing sustainable development.Because of the speculative character of human opinions,supplier selection frequently includes unreliable data,and the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft set(IVPFSS)provides an exceptional capacity to cope with excessive fuzziness,inconsistency,and inexactness through the decision-making procedure.The main goal of this study is to come up with new operational laws for interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft numbers(IVPFSNs)and create two interaction operators-the intervalvalued Pythagorean fuzzy soft interaction weighted average(IVPFSIWA)and the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy soft interaction weighted geometric(IVPFSIWG)operators,and analyze their properties.These operators are highly advantageous in addressing uncertain problems by considering membership and non-membership values within intervals,providing a superior solution to other methods.Moreover,specialist judgments were calculated by the MCGDM technique,supporting the use of interaction AOs to regulate the interdependence and fundamental partiality of green supplier assessment aspects.Lastly,a statistical clarification of the planned method for green supplier selection is presented.
基金funded by Researchers Supporting Program at King Saud University (RSPD2023R809).
文摘Pupil dynamics are the important characteristics of face spoofing detection.The face recognition system is one of the most used biometrics for authenticating individual identity.The main threats to the facial recognition system are different types of presentation attacks like print attacks,3D mask attacks,replay attacks,etc.The proposed model uses pupil characteristics for liveness detection during the authentication process.The pupillary light reflex is an involuntary reaction controlling the pupil’s diameter at different light intensities.The proposed framework consists of two-phase methodologies.In the first phase,the pupil’s diameter is calculated by applying stimulus(light)in one eye of the subject and calculating the constriction of the pupil size on both eyes in different video frames.The above measurement is converted into feature space using Kohn and Clynes model-defined parameters.The Support Vector Machine is used to classify legitimate subjects when the diameter change is normal(or when the eye is alive)or illegitimate subjects when there is no change or abnormal oscillations of pupil behavior due to the presence of printed photograph,video,or 3D mask of the subject in front of the camera.In the second phase,we perform the facial recognition process.Scale-invariant feature transform(SIFT)is used to find the features from the facial images,with each feature having a size of a 128-dimensional vector.These features are scale,rotation,and orientation invariant and are used for recognizing facial images.The brute force matching algorithm is used for matching features of two different images.The threshold value we considered is 0.08 for good matches.To analyze the performance of the framework,we tested our model in two Face antispoofing datasets named Replay attack datasets and CASIA-SURF datasets,which were used because they contain the videos of the subjects in each sample having three modalities(RGB,IR,Depth).The CASIA-SURF datasets showed an 89.9%Equal Error Rate,while the Replay Attack datasets showed a 92.1%Equal Error Rate.
文摘The Paraconsistent Many-Valued Similarity (PMVS) method for multi-attribute decision making will be incomplete as a decision model if it is not extended to the realm of group decision-making. Therefore, in this article, our primary objective is to show how the paraconsistent many-valued similarity method can be used to solve group decision-making problems involving choice making or ranking of a finite set of decision alternatives. Moreover, since weights are very important parameters in multi-attribute decision-making, we have introduced the Borda rule to calculate the weights of experts and that of every criterion under consideration. To demonstrate how the proposed method works, a numerical example on energy sources of an economy from the points of view of a group of experts is investigated. Further, we compare the results of this new approach with that of fuzzy TOPSIS group decision-making method to illustrate the robustness and effectiveness of the former.
基金financed through the DIETAplus project of JACUMAR(Junta de Cultivos Marinos,MAPAMASpanish government),which is cofunded with FEMP funds(EU)+3 种基金funded by means of grants from the Spanish Government:PID2019-106878RB-I00 and IS was granted with a Postdoctoral fellowship(FJC2020-043933-I)support of Fondecyt iniciación(project number 11221308)Fondecyt regular(project number 11221308)grants(Agencia Nacional de Investigacióny Desarrollo de Chile,Government of Chile),respectivelythe framework of the network LARVAplus“Strategies for the development and im-provement of fish larvae production in Ibero-America”(117RT0521)funded by the Ibero-American Program of Science and Technology for Development(CYTED,Spain)。
文摘Background The development of a sustainable business model with social acceptance,makes necessary to develop new strategies to guarantee the growth,health,and well-being of farmed animals.Debaryomyces hansenii is a yeast species that can be used as a probiotic in aquaculture due to its capacity to i)promote cell proliferation and differen-tiation,ii)have immunostimulatory effects,iii)modulate gut microbiota,and/or iv)enhance the digestive function.To provide inside into the effects of D.hansenii on juveniles of gilthead seabream(Sparus aurata)condition,we inte-grated the evaluation of the main key performance indicators coupled with the integrative analysis of the intestine condition,through histological and microbiota state,and its transcriptomic profiling.Results After 70 days of a nutritional trial in which a diet with low levels of fishmeal(7%)was supplemented with 1.1%of D.hansenii(17.2×10^(5) CFU),an increase of ca.12%in somatic growth was observed together with an improve-ment in feed conversion in fish fed a yeast-supplemented diet.In terms of intestinal condition,this probiotic modu-lated gut microbiota without affecting the intestine cell organization,whereas an increase in the staining intensity of mucins rich in carboxylated and weakly sulphated glycoconjugates coupled with changes in the affinity for certain lectins were noted in goblet cells.Changes in microbiota were characterized by the reduction in abundance of several groups of Proteobacteria,especially those characterized as opportunistic groups.The microarrays-based transcrip-tomic analysis found 232 differential expressed genes in the anterior-mid intestine of S.aurata,that were mostly related to metabolic,antioxidant,immune,and symbiotic processes.Conclusions Dietary administration of D.hansenii enhanced somatic growth and improved feed efficiency param-eters,results that were coupled to an improvement of intestinal condition as histochemical and transcriptomic tools indicated.This probiotic yeast stimulated host-microbiota interactions without altering the intestinal cell organization nor generating dysbiosis,which demonstrated its safety as a feed additive.At the transcriptomic level,D.hansenii pro-moted metabolic pathways,mainly protein-related,sphingolipid,and thymidylate pathways,in addition to enhance antioxidant-related intestinal mechanisms,and to regulate sentinel immune processes,potentiating the defensive capacity meanwhile maintaining the homeostatic status of the intestine.
基金supported by grant PID2021-125875OB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by"ERDF A way of making Europe"(to RL)supported by a grant from Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (SBPLY/21/180501/000064)+3 种基金Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (2023-GRIN-34187)(to RL).Grant PID201 9-104921RB-I00/MCI/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (to AGO)the Foundation for Applied Medical Research,the University of Navarra (Pamplona,Spain)for financial supporthe Asociación de Amigos of the University of Navarra for the grant (to SB)Margarita Salas fellowship from Ministerio de Universidades and Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (to AMB)
文摘Plaques of amyloid-β(Aβ)and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,some older adult people with AD pathological hallmarks can retain cognitive function.Unraveling the factors that lead to this cognitive resilience to AD offers promising prospects for identifying new therapeutic targets.Our hypothesis focuses on the contribution of resilience to changes in excitatory synapses at the structural and molecular levels,which may underlie healthy cognitive performance in aged AD animals.Utilizing the Morris Water Maze test,we selected resilient(asymptomatic)and cognitively impaired aged Tg2576 mice.While the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed similar levels of Aβ42 in both experimental groups,western blot analysis revealed differences in tau pathology in the pre-synaptic supernatant fraction.To further investigate the density of synapses in the hippocampus of 16-18 month-old Tg2576 mice,we employed stereological and electron microscopic methods.Our findings indicated a decrease in the density of excitatory synapses in the stratum radiatum of the hippocampal CA1 in cognitively impaired Tg2576 mice compared with age-matched resilient Tg2576 and non-transgenic controls.Intriguingly,through quantitative immunoelectron microscopy in the hippocampus of impaired and resilient Tg2576 transgenic AD mice,we uncovered differences in the subcellular localization of glutamate receptors.Specifically,the density of GluA1,GluA2/3,and mGlu5 in spines and dendritic shafts of CA1 pyramidal cells in impaired Tg2576 mice was significantly reduced compared with age-matched resilient Tg2576 and non-transgenic controls.Notably,the density of GluA2/3 in resilient Tg2576 mice was significantly increased in spines but not in dendritic shafts compared with impaired Tg2576 and non-transgenic mice.These subcellular findings strongly support the hypothesis that dendritic spine plasticity and synaptic machinery in the hippocampus play crucial roles in the mechanisms of cognitive resilience in Tg2576 mice.