Search Results (36)

Proximate analysis, including ash, volatile matter, moisture, fixed carbon, and calorific value, is a fundamental aspect of fuel testing and serves as the primary method for evaluating coal quality, which is critical for the processing and utilization of coal. The traditional analytical methods involve time-consuming and costly combustion processes, particularly when applied to large volumes of coal that need to be sampled in massive batches. Hyperspectral imaging is promising for the rapid and nondestructive determination of coal quality indices. In this study, a fast and nondestructive coal proximate analysis method with combined spectral-spatial features was developed using a hyperspectral imaging system in the 450–2500 nm range. The processed spectra were evaluated using PLSR, with the most effective MSC spectra selected. To reduce the spectral redundancy and improve the accuracy, the SPA, Boruta, iVISSA, and CARS algorithms were adopted to extract the characteristic wavelengths, and 16 prediction models were constructed and optimized based on the PLSR, RF, BPNN, and LSSVR algorithms within the Optuna framework for each quality indicator. For spatial information, the histogram statistics, gray-level covariance matrix, and Gabor filters were employed to extract the texture features within the characteristic wavelengths. The texture feature-based and combined spectral-texture feature-based prediction models were constructed by applying the spectral modeling strategy, respectively. Compared with the models based on spectral or texture features only, the LSSVR models with combined spectral-texture features achieved the highest prediction accuracy in all quality metrics, with $R_p^2$ values of 0.993, 0.989, 0.979, 0.948, and 0.994 for Ash, VM, MC, FC, and CV, respectively. This study provides a technical reference for hyperspectral imaging technology as a new method for the rapid, nondestructive proximate analysis and quality assessment of coal. Full article

Acquiring resistance against antiviral drugs is a significant problem in antimicrobial therapy. In order to identify novel antiviral compounds, the antiviral activity of eight plants indigenous to the southern region of Hungary against herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) was investigated. The plant extracts and the plant compound carnosic acid were tested for their effectiveness on both the extracellular and intracellular forms of HSV-2 on Vero and HeLa cells. HSV-2 replication was measured by a direct quantitative PCR (qPCR). Among the tested plant extracts, Salvia rosmarinus (S. rosmarinus) exhibited a 90.46% reduction in HSV-2 replication at the 0.47 μg/mL concentration. Carnosic acid, a major antimicrobial compound found in rosemary, also demonstrated a significant dose-dependent inhibition of both extracellular and intracellular forms of HSV-2. The 90% inhibitory concentration (IC₉₀) of carnosic acid was between 25 and 6.25 μg/mL. Proteomics and high-resolution respirometry showed that carnosic acid suppressed key ATP synthesis pathways such as glycolysis, citrate cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation also suppressed HSV-2 replication up to 39.94-fold. These results indicate that the antiviral action of carnosic acid includes the inhibition of ATP generation by suppressing key energy production pathways. Carnosic acid holds promise as a potential novel antiviral agent against HSV-2. Full article

The pulsed- and steady-pedestal paradigms were designed to track increment thresholds (ΔC) as a function of pedestal contrast (C) for the parvocellular (P) and magnocellular (M) systems, respectively. These paradigms produce contrasting results: linear relationships between ΔC and C are observed in the pulsed-pedestal paradigm, indicative of the P system’s processing, while the steady-pedestal paradigm reveals nonlinear functions, characteristic of the M system’s response. However, we recently found the P model fits better than the M model for both paradigms, using Gabor stimuli biased towards the M or P systems based on their sensitivity to color and spatial frequency. Here, we used two-square pedestals under green vs. red light in the lower-left vs. upper-right visual fields to bias processing towards the M vs. P system, respectively. Based on our previous findings, we predicted the following: (1) steeper ΔC vs. C functions with the pulsed than the steady pedestal due to different task demands; (2) lower ΔCs in the upper-right vs. lower-left quadrant due to its bias towards P-system processing there; (3) no effect of color, since both paradigms track the P-system; and, most importantly (4) contrast gain should not be higher for the steady than for the pulsed pedestal. In general, our predictions were confirmed, replicating our previous findings and providing further evidence questioning the general validity of using the pulsed- and steady-pedestal paradigms to differentiate the P and M systems. Full article

The focus of our research is the examination of Hermitian curves over finite fields, specifically concentrating on places of degree three and their role in constructing Hermitian codes. We begin by studying the structure of the Riemann–Roch space associated with these degree-three places, aiming to determine essential characteristics such as the basis. The investigation then turns to Hermitian codes, where we analyze both functional and differential codes of degree-three places, focusing on their parameters and automorphisms. In addition, we explore the study of subfield subcodes and trace codes, determining their structure by giving lower bounds for their dimensions. This presents a complex problem in coding theory. Based on numerical experiments, we formulate a conjecture for the dimension of some subfield subcodes of Hermitian codes. Our comprehensive exploration seeks to deepen the understanding of Hermitian codes and their associated subfield subcodes related to degree-three places, thus contributing to the advancement of algebraic coding theory and code-based cryptography. Full article

Background and Objectives: Several polymorphisms have been described in various DNA repair genes. Nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER) detects defects of DNA molecules and corrects them to restore genome integrity. We hypothesized that the XPC, XPD, XPF, and XPG gene polymorphisms influence the appearance of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Materials and Methods: We investigated the XPC 1496C>T (rs2228000, XPC Ala499Val), XPC 2920A>C (rs228001, XPC Lys939Gln), XPD 2251A>C (rs13181, XPD Lys751Gln), XPF-673C>T (rs3136038), XPF 11985A>G (rs254942), and XPG 3507G>C (rs17655, XPG Asp1104His) polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 393 MPN patients [153 with polycythemia vera (PV), 201 with essential thrombocythemia (ET), and 39 with primary myelofibrosis (PMF)] and 323 healthy controls. Results: Overall, we found that variant genotypes of XPD 2251A>C were associated with an increased risk of MPN (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.15–2.08, p = 0.004), while XPF-673C>T and XPF 11985A>G were associated with a decreased risk of developing MPN (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.42–0.76, p < 0.001; and OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.19–0.37, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: In light of our findings, XPD 2251A>C polymorphism was associated with the risk of developing MPN and XPF-673C>T and XPF 11985A>G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may have a protective role for MPN, while XPC 1496C>T, XPC 2920A>C, and XPG 3507G>C polymorphisms do not represent risk factors in MPN development. Full article

Optimal allocation of ward beds is crucial given the respiratory nature of COVID-19, which necessitates urgent hospitalization for certain patients. Several governments have leveraged technology to mitigate the pandemic’s adverse impacts. Based on clinical and demographic variables assessed upon admission, this study predicts the length of stay (LOS) for COVID-19 patients in hospitals. The Kolmogorov–Gabor polynomial (a.k.a., Volterra functional series) was trained using regularized least squares and validated on a dataset of 1600 COVID-19 patients admitted to Khorshid Hospital in the central province of Iran, and the five-fold internal cross-validated results were presented. The Volterra method provides flexibility, interactions among variables, and robustness. The most important features of the LOS prediction system were inflammatory markers, bicarbonate (HCO₃), and fever—the adj. R² and Concordance Correlation Coefficients were 0.81 [95% CI: 0.79–0.84] and 0.94 [0.93–0.95], respectively. The estimation bias was not statistically significant (p-value = 0.777; paired-sample t-test). The system was further analyzed to predict “normal” LOS ≤ 7 days versus “prolonged” LOS > 7 days groups. It showed excellent balanced diagnostic accuracy and agreement rate. However, temporal and spatial validation must be considered to generalize the model. This contribution is hoped to pave the way for hospitals and healthcare providers to manage their resources better. Full article

Binocular rivalry is the perceptual dominance of one visual stimulus over another. Conventionally, binocular rivalry is induced using a mirror-stereoscope—a setup involving mirrors oriented at an angle to a display. The respective mirror planes fuse competing visual stimuli in the observer’s visual field by projecting the stimuli through the stereoscope to the observed visual field. Since virtual-reality head-mounted displays fuse dichoptic vision in a similar way, and since virtual-reality head-mounted displays are more versatile and more readily available than mirror stereoscopes, this study investigated the efficacy of using a virtual-reality headset (Oculus Rift-S) as an alternative to using a mirror stereoscope to study binocular rivalry. To evaluate the validity of using virtual-reality headsets to induce visual dominance/suppression, two identical experimental sequences—one using a conventional mirror stereoscope and one using a virtual-reality headset—were compared and evaluated. The study used Gabor patches at different orientations to induce binocular rivalry and to evaluate the efficacy of the two experiments. Participants were asked to record all instances of perceptual dominance (complete suppression) and non-dominance (incomplete suppression). Independent sample t-tests confirmed that binocular rivalry with stable vergence was successfully induced for the mirror-stereoscope experiment (t = −4.86; p ≤ 0.0001) and the virtual-reality experiment (t = −9.41; p ≤ 0.0001). Using ANOVA to compare Gabor patch pairs of gratings at +45°/−45° orientations presented in both visual fields, gratings at 0°/90° orientations presented in both visual fields, and mixed gratings (i.e., unconventional grating pairs) presented in both visual fields, the performance of the two experiments was evaluated by comparing observation duration in seconds (F = 0.12; p = 0.91) and the alternation rate per trial (F = 8.1; p = 0.0005). The differences between the stimulus groups were not statistically significant for the observation duration but were significantly different based on the alternation rates per trial. Moreover, ANOVA also showed that the dominance durations (F = 114.1; p < 0.0001) and the alternation rates (F = 91.6; p < 0.0001) per trial were significantly different between the mirror-stereoscope and the virtual-reality experiments, with the virtual-reality experiment showing an increase in alternation rate and a decrease in observation duration. The study was able to show that a virtual-reality head-mounted display can be used as an effective and novel alternative to induce binocular rivalry, but there were some differences in visual bi-stability between the two methods. This paper discusses the experimental measures taken to minimise piecemeal rivalry and to evaluate perceptual dominance between the two experimental designs. Full article

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is particularly vulnerable to somatic mutagenesis. Potential mechanisms include DNA polymerase γ (POLG) errors and the effects of mutagens, such as reactive oxygen species. Here, we studied the effects of transient hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂ pulse) on mtDNA integrity in cultured HEK 293 cells, applying Southern blotting, ultra-deep short-read and long-read sequencing. In wild-type cells, 30 min after the H₂O₂ pulse, linear mtDNA fragments appear, representing double-strand breaks (DSB) with ends characterized by short GC stretches. Intact supercoiled mtDNA species reappear within 2–6 h after treatment and are almost completely recovered after 24 h. BrdU incorporation is lower in H₂O₂-treated cells compared to non-treated cells, suggesting that fast recovery is not associated with mtDNA replication, but is driven by rapid repair of single-strand breaks (SSBs) and degradation of DSB-generated linear fragments. Genetic inactivation of mtDNA degradation in exonuclease deficient POLG p.D274A mutant cells results in the persistence of linear mtDNA fragments with no impact on the repair of SSBs. In conclusion, our data highlight the interplay between the rapid processes of SSB repair and DSB degradation and the much slower mtDNA re-synthesis after oxidative damage, which has important implications for mtDNA quality control and the potential generation of somatic mtDNA deletions. Full article

Active substances detected in surface water in Hungary today include pain and anti-inflammatory agents and antiepileptics, as wastewater treatment mechanisms cannot remove these micropollutants. The aim of our research is to detect residues of four pain-killer drugs—naproxen, nimesulide, diclofenac, and ibuprofen—and an anti-epileptic drug—carbamazepine—in water samples we collected (n = 8) from the Danube. Our samples were concentrated using solid-phase extraction and then detected with HPLC. During the evaluation, we looked for a significant difference in the concentration of the active substances. Naproxen was detectable in the largest amount in one sampling point, with an average concentration of 12,029.337 ± 1772.957 ng/L, while ibuprofen was present in the second highest concentration in another sampling site, which reached an average concentration of 4048.112 ± 2086.789 ng/L. We examined water samples taken from the same sampling sites but at different distances from the riverbank, and we found a significant difference regarding the active substance naproxen at the sampling site in Budapest District XX. The analytes were detected in varying amounts in all the water samples, so the contamination in the examined section is significant. Examining the turnover data on medicines and our results, we concluded that pharmaceutical consumption significantly contributes to the pollution of the Danube. In order to protect water quality, further research would be advisable in the field of mechanisms for wastewater treatment in order to achieve the complete removal of drug residues from wastewater. Full article

The aim of this research was to evaluate the mechanical impact of utilizing different fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) systems to reinforce inlay-retained bridges in dissected lower molars with different levels of periodontal support. A total of 24 lower first molars and 24 lower second premolars were included in this study. The distal canal of all molars received endodontic treatment. After root canal treatment, the teeth were dissected, and only the distal halves were kept. Standardized class II occluso-distal (OD) (premolars) and mesio-occlusal (MO) (dissected molars) cavities were prepared in all teeth, and premolar–molar units were created. The units were randomly distributed among four groups (n = six/group). With the aid of a transparent silicone index, direct inlay-retained composite bridges were fabricated. In Groups 1 and 2, both discontinuous (everX Flow) and continuous (everStick C&B) fibers were used for reinforcement, while in Groups 3 and 4, only discontinuous fibers (everX Flow) were used. The restored units were embedded in methacrylate resin, simulating either physiological periodontal conditions or furcation involvement. Subsequently, all units underwent fatigue survival testing in a cyclic loading machine until fracture, or a total of 40,000 cycles. Kaplan–Meyer survival analyses were conducted, followed by pairwise log-rank post hoc comparisons. Fracture patterns were evaluated visually and with scanning electron microscopy. In terms of survival, Group 2 performed significantly better than Groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the other groups. In the case of impaired periodontal support, a combination of both continuous and discontinuous short FRC systems increased the fatigue resistance of direct inlay-retained composite bridges compared to bridges that only contained short fibers. Such a difference was not found in the case of sound periodontal support between the two different bridges. Full article

Biomass-derived molecules can provide a basis for sustainable drug discovery. However, their full exploration is hampered by the dominance of millions of old-fashioned screening compounds in classical high-throughput screening (HTS) libraries frequently utilized. We propose a fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) approach as an efficient method to navigate biomass-derived drug space. Here, we perform a proof-of-concept study with dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene^TM), a pyrolysis product of cellulose. Diverse synthetic routes afforded a 100-membered fragment library with a diversity in functional groups appended. The library overall performs well in terms of novelty, physicochemical properties, aqueous solubility, stability, and three-dimensionality. Our study suggests that Cyrene-based fragments are a valuable green addition to the drug discovery toolbox. Our findings can help in paving the way for new hit drug candidates that are based on renewable resources. Full article

Among humanized monoclonal antibodies, bevacizumab specifically binds to vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). VEGF-A is an overexpressed biomarker in cervix carcinoma and is involved in the development and maintenance of tumor-associated neo-angiogenesis. The non-invasive positron emission tomography using radiolabeled target-specific antibodies (immuno-PET) provides the longitudinal and quantitative assessment of tumor target expression. Due to antibodies having a long-circulating time, radioactive metal ions (e.g., ⁵²Mn) with longer half-lives are the best candidates for isotope conjugation. The aim of our preclinical study was to assess the biodistribution and tumor-targeting potential of ⁵²Mn-labeled DOTAGA-bevacizumab. The VEGF-A targeting potential of the new immuno-PET ligand was assessed by using the VEGF-A expressing KB-3-1 (human cervix carcinoma) tumor-bearing CB17 SCID mouse model and in vivo PET/MRI imaging. Due to the high and specific accumulation found in the subcutaneously located experimental cervix carcinoma tumors, [⁵²Mn]Mn-DOTAGA-bevacizumab is a promising PET probe for the detection of VEGF-A positive gynecological tumors, for patient selection, and monitoring the efficacy of therapies targeting angiogenesis. Full article

Chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CE) is a common cause of persistent gastrointestinal signs and intestinal inflammation in dogs. Since evidence links dysbiosis to mucosal inflammation, probiotics, prebiotics, or their combination (synbiotics) may reduce intestinal inflammation and ameliorate dysbiosis in affected dogs. This study’s aim was to investigate the effects of the synbiotic-IgY supplement on clinical signs, inflammatory indices, and mucosal microbiota in dogs with CE. Dogs with CE were enrolled in a randomized prospective trial. Twenty-four client-owned dogs were fed a hydrolyzed diet and administered supplement or placebo (diet) for 6 weeks. Dogs were evaluated at diagnosis and 2- and 6-week post-treatment. Outcome measures included clinical activity, endoscopic and histologic scores, inflammatory markers (fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein), and composition of the mucosal microbiota via FISH. Eleven supplement- and nine placebo-treated dogs completed the trial. After 6 weeks of therapy, clinical activity and endoscopic scores decreased in both groups. Compared to placebo-treated dogs, dogs administered supplement showed decreased calprotectin at 2-week post-treatment, decreased CRP at 2- and 6-week post-treatment increased mucosal Clostridia and Bacteroides and decreased Enterobacteriaceae in colonic biopsies at trial completion. Results suggest a beneficial effect of diet and supplements on host responses and mucosal microbiota in dogs with CE. Full article

Surgical aortic valve replacement in the elderly is now being supplanted by transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Scoring systems to predict survival after catheter-based procedures are understudied. Both diabetes (DM) and underlying inflammatory conditions are common in patients undergoing TAVI, but their impact remains understudied in this patient group. We examined 560 consecutive TAVI procedures and identified eight pre-procedural factors: age, body mass index (BMI), DM, fasting blood glucose (BG), left-ventricular ejection fraction (EF), aortic valve (AV) mean gradient, C-reactive protein levels, and serum creatinine levels and studied their impact on survival. The overall mortality rate at 30 days, 1 year and 2 years were 5.2%, 16.6%, and 34.3%, respectively. All-cause mortality was higher in patients with DM (at 30 days: 8.9% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.008; at 1 year: 19.7% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.323; at 2 years: 37.9% vs. 32.2%, p = 0.304). The presence of DM was independently associated with increased 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 5.38, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–23.25, p = 0.024). BG levels within 7–11, 1 mmol/L portended an increased risk for 30-day and 2-year mortality compared to normal BG (p = 0.001 and p = 0.027). For each 1 mmol/L increase in BG 30-day mortality increased (HR 1.21, 95% CI, 1.04–1.41, p = 0.015). Reduced EF and elevated CRP were each associated with increased 2-year mortality (p = 0.042 and p = 0.003). DM, elevated BG, reduced EF, and elevated baseline CRP levels each are independent predictors of short- and long-term mortality following TAVI. These easily accessible screening parameters should be integrated into risk-assessment tools for catheter-based aortic valve replacement candidates. Full article

In this work, the effects of femtosecond laser irradiation and doping with plasmonic gold nanorods on the degree of conversion (DC) of a urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA)–triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) nanocomposite were investigated. The UDMA-TEGDMA photopolymer was prepared in a 3:1 weight ratio and doped with dodecanethiol- (DDT) capped gold nanorods of 25 × 75 or 25 × 85 nm nominal diameter and length. It was found that the presence of the gold nanorods alone (without direct plasmonic excitation) can increase the DC of the photopolymer by 6–15%. This increase was found to be similar to what could be achieved with a control heat treatment of 30 min at 180 °C. It was also shown that femtosecond laser impulses (795 nm, 5 mJ pulse energy, 50 fs pulse length, 2.83 Jcm⁻² fluence), applied after the photopolymerization under a standard dental curing lamp, can cause a 2–7% increase in the DC of undoped samples, even after thermal pre-treatment. The best DC values (12–15% increase) were obtained with combined nanorod doping and subsequent laser irradiation close to the plasmon resonance peak of the nanorods (760–800 nm), which proves that the excited plasmon field can directly facilitate double bond breakage (without thermoplasmonic effects due to the short pulse length) and increase the crosslink density independently from the initial photopolymerization process. Full article