Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are increasingly linked through shared pathophysiological mechanisms, giving rise to the concept of Type 3 Diabetes Mellitus (T3DM). Brain insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation are central to both conditions, contributing to cognitive decline and AD progression. Aim: This review aims to explore this emerging relationship and its implications for prevention and management. Methods: Using an integrative review, 21 studies were systematically analyzed. The review focused on identifying demographic, genetic, and lifestyle factors contributing to T2DM and AD and examined shared molecular pathways such as insulin dysregulation and amyloid-beta accumulation. Results: The findings reveal that T3DM shares key features with T2DM and AD, including insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise, alongside routine cognitive and metabolic screenings, are critical in mitigating progression. Conclusions: Further research into diagnostic biomarkers and targeted therapies is essential to manage T3DM and its impact on AD. The role of nursing professionals in early detection, education, and holistic management is emphasized as vital in addressing this dual disease burden. This review offers actionable insights into integrated strategies for addressing these interconnected conditions.

Background: Nursing students are exposed to significant stress due to academic and clinical demands, which can adversely affect their mental health, academic performance, and future clinical competence. Despite the global acknowledgment of this issue, limited research has been conducted to explore the prevalence and determinants of stress among nursing students in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to February 2024 among 372 nursing students enrolled in selected nursing colleges in Bangladesh. A purposive sampling technique was used, and data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, academic challenges, and psychological symptoms, with mental health stress measured using a Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the data, with a 95% confidence interval applied to all analyses. Results: The findings revealed that 31.7% of nursing students experienced severe stress, 23.9% reported moderate stress, and 16.7% had mild stress. Age, academic semester, and course load difficulties were significantly associated with stress levels (p < 0.05). Psychological symptoms such as anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and loss of interest in activities were also significantly linked to higher stress levels. Notably, students in their first semester and those reporting harder course loads were more likely to experience stress. However, gender was not significantly associated with stress levels. Conclusions: This study underscores the high prevalence of stress among nursing students in Bangladesh, driven by academic and clinical challenges and psychological symptoms. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as stress management training, enhanced mental health support, and policies to alleviate academic pressures. Future research should explore longitudinal trends in stress and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to support a resilient nursing workforce.

Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) are bio-inspired computational frameworks that emulate the adaptive mechanisms of the human immune system, such as self/non-self discrimination, clonal selection, and immune memory. These systems have demonstrated significant potential in addressing complex challenges across optimization, anomaly detection, and adaptive system control. This paper provides a comprehensive exploration of AIS applications in domains such as cybersecurity, resource allocation, and autonomous systems, highlighting the growing importance of hybrid AIS models. Recent advancements, including integrations with machine learning, quantum computing, and bioinformatics, are discussed as solutions to scalability, high-dimensional data processing, and efficiency challenges. Core algorithms, such as the Negative Selection Algorithm (NSA) and Clonal Selection Algorithm (CSA), are examined, along with limitations in interpretability and compatibility with emerging AI paradigms. The paper concludes by proposing future research directions, emphasizing scalable hybrid frameworks, quantum-inspired approaches, and real-time adaptive systems, underscoring AIS's transformative potential across diverse computational fields.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant psychological challenges to frontline healthcare workers (HCWs), including anxiety, stress, and emotional strain. Aim: This study investigates the psychological impact on HCWs during the pandemic and explores coping strategies employed to manage distress. Methods: An integrative review was conducted using 24 studies published between January and December 2020. These studies were analyzed to identify common psychological outcomes and coping mechanisms among HCWs. Results: Healthcare workers experienced significant psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, including anxiety, stress, insomnia, and depression. Anxiety was the most commonly reported issue, particularly among women, younger healthcare workers, and frontline staff. Stress levels were heightened by high workloads, exposure to COVID-19 patients, and inadequate protective measures. Coping strategies and self-care behaviors, such as seeking social support and utilizing institutional resources, varied in effectiveness across populations. Conclusion: The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health support and resilience programs for HCWs, ensuring they are better equipped to face future health crises.

Considering the current climate conjuncture, it is a consensus that green spaces in large contemporary urban areas should be increasingly more numerous and simultaneously more sustainable, being adapted to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the site, and with reduced maintenance costs. In the case of Algarve, where this research is focused, the current and future water availability, assumes a preponderant role in the design of green spaces, where the demands mentioned above can only be achieved if we deviate from conventional landscape practices and develop holistic strategies of management and design of green spaces that integrate different areas of knowledge and not merely aesthetic issues. In this context, this work aims to develop more adapted and resilient landscaping practices to the current and future climatic conditions of the Algarve, thus reinventing the concept of landscaping in the south of Portugal. Thus, it will be of paramount importance to develop more sustainable, resilient and tolerant projects to worsening ecological conditions, particularly limitations associated with water availability. The xeromorphic succulents are a group of plants with mechanisms of tolerance to water stress and with very specific characteristics, being succulence one of the most relevant. Studies on these mechanisms are increasingly frequent, which may prove to be very advantageous in our adaptation to future climatic challenges. In addition, their ornamental potential is enormous, since their bold forms and colours are a veritable sensory explosion, which, combined with their morphological and physiological characteristics, make them the species of choice in the reconversion or creation of xerophytic gardens.

Neurodegeneration and aging are pressing issues with significant personal, economic, ethical, and social consequences. However, the underlying biological mechanisms of these conditions remain largely unknown, making the development of effective treatments challenging. The difficulty in early detection and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases further compounds the issue. Recent advancements in genetics, genomics, and brain imaging technology hold great promise for improving our understanding of neurodegeneration and aging, as well as the development of personalized medicine and new drugs and therapies. Addressing these challenges will require a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach from researchers in various fields. This Special Issue offers valuable insights and perspectives on this critical area of research, which can help advance our understanding and improve the health and well-being of our aging population.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) of subtypes said "neuronal" are expressed in epithelial and immune system cells and participate in acetylcholine signaling by neural or non-neural pathways. It has been shown in macrophages that activation of type α7 nAChRs inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but the ion channel function has not been recorded in these cells. The objective of this work was to clarify what are the molecular mechanisms of transduction of α7 nAChRs in macrophages. To this end, RAW 264.7 cells, mouse peritoneal macrophages and rat hippocampal neurons were used. Cells were submitted to electrophysiological studies and stimulated with brief applications of the agonists acetylcholine, choline and nicotine, associated or not with the allosteric modulator PNU-120596. Responses to ATP were recorded as a reference. Furthermore, macrophages were submitted to cytokine quantitation. The electrophysiological results showed that macrophages responded to ATP but did not show whole-cell current by stimulation with nicotinic agonists. However, hippocampal neurons stimulated in the same pharmacological conditions of the macrophages showed ionic currents typical of the α7 nicotinic receptors. No effect of nicotine was observed in the lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α release. These results suggest that the α7 nAChR in macrophages do not work as ion channels similar to those expressed in neurons.

Background: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are at elevated risk for adverse mental health and substance use outcomes. Stressors such as family conflict, discrimination, and trauma have been suggested as possible mediators of these disparities. Aims: This study examined whether family conflict, discrimination, and trauma mediate the associations between SGM identity and adverse outcomes, including suicide attempt, major depressive disorder (MDD), nicotine use, and marijuana use. Methods: Participants were children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. SGM identity was reported at baseline, while outcomes included past MDD and suicide attempts as well as future nicotine and marijuana use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test both direct and indirect pathways linking SGM identity to mental health and behavioral outcomes. Results: No significant mediation was found through family conflict, discrimination, or trauma. Instead, effects of SGM identity were primarily direct: SGM youth had higher odds of past suicide attempts and MDD, as well as future marijuana use, but not future nicotine use. Stressor variables, however, were independently associated with outcomes. Discrimination predicted all outcomes; trauma was positively associated with suicide, nicotine, and marijuana use but not MDD; and family conflict predicted all outcomes except MDD. Conclusion: Family conflict, discrimination, and trauma did not mediate SGM disparities in mental health and substance use, but each emerged as an independent predictor of risk. These findings highlight the complexity of mechanisms underlying SGM-related disparities and suggest the need for future research to explore additional pathways and contextual influences.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) faces significant challenges in early diagnosis and prognostic assessment, necessitating novel molecular biomarkers. The role of GCN1 in tumorigenesis remains unclear, warranting systematic investigation of its clinical value. Methods: Utilizing multi-omics data from 164 HCC patients in the TCGA database, we comprehensively evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic value of GCN1 through differential expression analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results: GCN1 expression was significantly upregulated in tumor tissues (P<0.001), with ROC analysis demonstrating an AUC of 0.921 (95% CI: 0.893-0.950) for discriminating tumor from normal tissue. Clinical correlation analysis revealed that high GCN1 expression significantly associated with advanced T stage (OR=1.941, P=0.002) and AFP levels >400 ng/ml (OR=3.697, P<0.001). Multivariate survival analysis confirmed its independent prognostic value (HR=1.454, P=0.038). Functional analysis indicated GCN1 promotes tumor progression by regulating cell cycle (NES=2.385) and axon guidance (NES=2.307) pathways. Conclusion: This study first elucidates the dual clinical value of GCN1 in HCC, providing a theoretical foundation for developing novel diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic evaluation systems. Future research should validate its molecular mechanisms and explore potential targeted therapies.

This study investigated the pedagogical implications of out-of-field teaching in Social Studies. The Out-of-field Social Studies teachers could encounter several challenges in their preparation and the implementation of the integrated Social Studies curriculum. This study sought the lived experiences of the out-of-field teachers concerning the causes of out-of-field teaching in social studies, problems encountered by the out-of-field teachers and the mechanisms they employ to cope with the teaching of Social Studies. The study chose the qualitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected from all the 17 out-of-field Social Studies teachers through in-depth structured interview. Data were transcribed and analysed, through the inductive thematic analysis approach, unveiling of themes and concepts from the narratives of the research participants. The study revealed that out-of-field teaching in Social Studies occurs as a result of teacher shortage in integrated social studies programme. It is also caused by the perception that any teacher could teach Social Studies irrespective of the teachers’ qualification. Out-of-field teacher encounter problems such as inadequate content and pedagogical knowledge, lack of classroom managerial techniques and inability to deliver lessons through the integrated approach. Engaging in professional development courses, peer coaching, in-service training and workshops were some of the mechanisms employed by out-of-field teachers to cope with the teaching of Social Studies. The pedagogical implications of this phenomenon are that when teaching the Social Studies, the out-of-field teachers place more emphasis on aspects of the Social Studies curriculum where they have much knowledge and skip or put less emphasis on other aspects they lack in-depth knowledge, thus, the integrated approach to teaching Social Studies is not adopted effectively by out-of-field teachers. This waters down the content of Social Studies at the Senior High School level. Addressing the problem of out-of-field teaching in Social Studies requires training and recruiting more teachers who have background training and experience in the integrated approach to the teaching of Social Studies.

Background: Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory posits that the health benefits of socioeconomic resources, such as education, are smaller for marginalized and minoritized populations, including immigrants. While MDRs have been extensively documented for racial and ethnic minorities, less is known about whether these diminished returns extend to immigrant populations. This study tested MDRs of education on various health and cognitive outcomes, including self-rated health (SRH), cognitive function, numeracy, number of chronic medical conditions, and limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) among immigrants compared to non-immigrants in the United States. Objective. To examine whether educational attainment confers weaker protective effects on SRH, cognitive function, numeracy, chronic medical conditions, and ADLs in immigrants compared to non-immigrants, confirming the presence of MDRs across these domains. Methods: We used data from the Understanding America Study (UAS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults. We tested the association between educational attainment and five outcomes—SRH, cognitive function, numeracy, number of chronic medical conditions, and limitations in ADLs—across immigrant and non-immigrant groups. Multivariate regression models were employed, adjusting for key sociodemographic covariates. Results: The protective effects of education on a range of health outcomes were significantly weaker for immigrants compared to non-immigrants. Education level showed weaker associations with SRH, cognitive function, numeracy, number of chronic conditions, and ADLs among immigrants. These findings suggest that even at higher levels of educational attainment, immigrants experience poorer health and cognitive functioning than their U.S.-born counterparts. Conclusion: This study offers strong evidence for the MDRs of education on multiple health outcomes among U.S. immigrants. One possible explanation is that, despite achieving higher levels of education, immigrants often face structural barriers—such as discrimination, limited access to resources, and economic inequities—that constrain the health-related benefits typically associated with educational attainment. Additionally, a portion of immigrant education may be acquired outside the United States, where credentials may not be fully recognized or rewarded within the U.S. labor market. These findings highlight the importance of policies aimed at addressing systemic inequities and improving access to healthcare, employment opportunities, and social support for immigrant communities. Future research should further explore the mechanisms underlying these diminished returns and identify policy solutions to reduce their impact. Keywords: Educational Attainment, Immigrants, Nativity, Self-Rated Health, Chronic Disease, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Cognitive Function

“To Be Twice as Good to Get Half” is a common mindset among high aspiration and ambition Black individuals in the U.S., capturing the lived reality of Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs). This paper explains that MDRs reflect how, even with high levels of ambition, self-efficacy, education, and income, Black individuals and other marginalized groups do not experience the same protective benefits for health and well-being as White populations. Systemic obstacles embedded within U.S. society weaken the expected returns on socioeconomic achievements for racialized individuals, creating a reality where “being twice as good” still results in lesser outcomes. High-SES Black individuals, for instance, continue to face significant risks for adverse outcomes, such as depression and chronic disease, due to structural inequities across domains like labor market discrimination, segregation, and accumulated disadvantage from childhood. Our analysis identifies key mechanisms—including interpersonal discrimination, lower-quality education, and structural racism in sectors like banking, policing, and real estate—that erode the protective effects of SES across racial lines. Mediating factors, such as chronic stress, allostatic load, and epigenetic changes over the life course, further compound these diminished returns, weakening the expected physical and mental health benefits. Drawing on extensive evidence from U.S. national and local datasets and corroborated by international studies, this paper underscores the necessity of policies that dismantle structural barriers rather than relying solely on SES improvements. Recommendations include implementing multi-sectoral policies, recognizing the unique challenges of middle-class non-White populations, and approaching policy with humility, acknowledging that achieving equity is a long-term endeavor. By challenging the “bootstraps” narrative, this paper advocates for structural interventions aimed at genuine health and economic equity for all racial and socioeconomic groups. While we provide an in-depth analysis of MDRs’ phenomena, mechanisms, mediators, and policy implications, the experience is often distilled as, “I have to be twice as good to get half.”

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by advancements in Information Technology (IT), with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems playing a pivotal role in reshaping operations. These systems offer integrated solutions that streamline key business processes, such as production, inventory management, supply chain optimization, regulatory compliance, and data integration, contributing significantly to operational efficiency and organizational agility. This paper explores the evolution and impact of ERP systems within the pharmaceutical sector, highlighting their contributions to overcoming the industry’s inherent challenges, including complex regulatory requirements, the need for accurate and real-time data, and the demand for supply chain resilience. The integration of cloud-based ERP solutions, the incorporation of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT), and enhanced data analytics capabilities have revolutionized pharmaceutical IT. These advancements not only reduce operational costs, improve forecasting accuracy, and enhance collaboration but also ensure compliance with stringent global regulations, such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and FDA guidelines. Moreover, ERP systems have been instrumental in managing the pharmaceutical supply chain, ensuring product traceability, and improving inventory control and order fulfillment processes. This manuscript examines how ERP systems enable pharmaceutical companies to maintain high standards of product quality, improve decision-making, and ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs through robust tracking and auditing mechanisms. A case study of a pharmaceutical company that implemented an ERP system demonstrates the tangible benefits, including increased operational efficiency, improved compliance rates, and enhanced customer satisfaction. However, despite the clear advantages, challenges such as customization complexities, data integration issues, and resistance to change remain. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve, ERP systems will remain a cornerstone of digital transformation, facilitating smarter decision-making, better resource management, and enhanced collaboration across global operations. This paper also identifies future trends, including the potential of AI and blockchain technologies in further strengthening ERP systems and transforming the pharmaceutical landscape.

Background: Women have consistently shown lower quit rates in tobacco cessation programs compared to men. This gender disparity persists despite comprehensive interventions and access to cessation resources. While prior studies suggest that factors such as social support, chronic disease burden, and socioeconomic status may contribute to these differences, there is limited empirical evidence to confirm these mechanisms. Aims: This study aimed to investigate potential mechanisms underlying gender differences in quit rates in a tobacco cessation program, testing whether demographic, socioeconomic, health, or behavioral factors explain the observed disparities. Methods: Participants were assigned to one of three smoking cessation interventions: an in-person program (CEASE), a self-help approach, or an online/hybrid program. The main outcome measured was smoking abstinence, evaluated three months after the intervention. Secondary analyses explored whether demographic, socioeconomic, health, or tobacco use-related factors mediated the association between gender and quit rates. Results: Women had significantly lower quit rates than men (p < 0.01). This association remained significant after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, health, and addiction-related factors. While women reported higher social support and a higher prevalence of chronic cardiometabolic conditions, these factors did not explain the gender disparity in quit rates. Conclusions: Gender differences in quit rates persist despite controlling for known factors that could influence cessation success. Although women had higher social support, they had lower quit rate. Future research should explore unmeasured variables, such as psychological, biological, and structural influences, to develop more effective cessation strategies tailored for women.

Background: The hippocampus plays a critical role in memory and decision-making processes, with its resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) linked to various behavioral outcomes. This study investigates whether baseline brain-wide rsFC of the hippocampus mediates the relationship between impulsivity and subsequent substance use, specifically tobacco and marijuana use, in adolescents. Methods: Data were drawn from the baseline wave of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Resting-state fMRI data were used to evaluate the functional connectivity of the hippocampus with key brain networks, including the cingulo-parietal network, visual network, sensory-motor network, and default mode network (DMN). Impulsivity was assessed using validated self-report measures, and substance use (tobacco and marijuana) was evaluated at follow-up. Mediation models were conducted to examine the extent to which hippocampal rsFC explains the association between impulsivity and substance use. Results: Baseline hippocampal rsFC with the cingulo-parietal network, visual network, sensory-motor network, and DMN showed marginal associations with future tobacco and marijuana use. Additionally, hippocampal rsFC was significantly associated with impulsivity, which, in turn, predicted higher substance use at follow-up. These findings suggest that hippocampal rsFC partially mediates the relationship between impulsivity and substance use behaviors. Conclusions: Hippocampal functional connectivity with brain networks may influence the pathway from impulsivity to future substance use in adolescence. These findings emphasize the importance of hippocampal connectivity in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying risk behaviors and may inform the development of targeted interventions to reduce substance use in this vulnerable population.

Background: Tobacco control policies are implemented globally to reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Emerging evidence suggests that individual tobacco use may influence the level of support for these policies. However, the extent to which personal use affects policy endorsement remains underexplored, particularly among young adults in academic settings. Aims: This study aimed to examine whether college students who use tobacco exhibit lower support for tobacco control policies compared to their non-user counterparts. Methods: We conducted a multi-center, cross-sectional study involving 2403 college students from various provinces in Iran. Tobacco use was ascertained based on self-reported consumption of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and hookah. Attitudes toward tobacco control policies were evaluated using a structured survey instrument, and comparative analyses were performed to assess differences in policy support between tobacco users and non-users. Results: The analysis revealed that tobacco users demonstrated significantly lower support for tobacco control policies compared to non-users. This association was consistently observed across users of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and hookah, suggesting a systematic pattern irrespective of the type of tobacco product used. Conclusion: These findings indicated a clear association between tobacco use and reduced endorsement of tobacco control policies among Iranian college students. These results have potential implications for public health policy, emphasizing the importance of addressing individual tobacco use behaviors in the development and implementation of tobacco control strategies. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this relationship.

Background: Menthol-flavored tobacco products are disproportionately used in low-income African American communities, a result of decades of targeted marketing and systemic inequities. Menthol use has been associated with lower quit rates, often compounded by factors such as lower trust in healthcare systems, reduced access to cessation programs, and other structural barriers. Despite this, few studies have systematically examined the explanatory mechanisms that might clarify why menthol-flavored tobacco is linked to poorer cessation outcomes among participants in tobacco cessation programs. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms by which menthol tobacco use is associated with lower quit rates across three types of smoking cessation interventions. Methods: Participants were randomized into one of three smoking cessation interventions: in-person (CEASE), self-help, or online/hybrid programs. Smoking abstinence was assessed three months post-intervention as the primary outcome. Secondary analyses explored whether demographic, socioeconomic, or behavioral factors mediated the association between menthol use and quit rates across the intervention arms. Results: Menthol tobacco use was significantly associated with lower quit rates (p < 0.01). This association was not explained by demographic, socioeconomic, health, or addiction-related factors. While menthol use was associated with lower education and employment levels, demographic characteristics, physical or mental health, or addiction did not explain the effect of menthol on tobacco cessation. These findings suggest that the lower quit rates observed among menthol users cannot be attributed to any third factors assessed in this study. Conclusions: Menthol tobacco use independently predicts lower quit rates, and the mechanisms behind this disparity remain unclear. The consistent findings across different intervention types highlight the need for further research to uncover the underlying pathways and to design targeted strategies to improve cessation outcomes for menthol users.

Background: As a central component of the brain's reward system, nucleus accumbens (NAcc) plays a crucial role in reward salience and substance use behaviors. Changes in the NAcc are also relevant to higher rates of substance use of youth and adults from low-income backgrounds. Although resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the NAcc provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying reward processing and the propensity for self-reported reward salience and substance use, research exploring the association between NAcc rsFC and brain networks beyond the default mode network (DMN) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) is limited. Objective: To investigate the role of the resting-state functional connectivity of the NAcc with the cingulo-opercular network, sensorimotor mouth network, and sensorimotor hand network in the association between socioeconomic status, self-reported reward salience, and future substance use. Methods: Data were obtained from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. NAcc rsFC with the cingulo-opercular network, sensorimotor mouth network, and sensorimotor hand network was assessed at baseline. Socioeconomic status was measured using family income. Self-reported reward salience was assessed using validated psychometric scales. Substance use outcomes were tracked longitudinally over the study period. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to examine the covariances between family income, NAcc rsFC, reward salience, and subsequent substance use. Results: Higher baseline family income was positively associated with baseline NAcc rsFC (B = 0.092, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with baseline reward salience (B = -0.040, p = 0.036) and future substance use (B = -0.081, p < 0.001). Baseline NAcc rsFC was strongly and positively associated with reward salience (B = 0.734, p < 0.001) and future substance use up to age 13 (B = 0.124, p < 0.001). Additionally, baseline reward salience was positively associated with future substance use (Covariance = 0.176, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggest that NAcc rsFC with brain networks beyond the DMN or PFC may contribute to the links between low parental socioeconomic status, reward salience, and substance use risk. Expanding the understanding of NAcc rsFC provides new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying these associations. These results have important implications for developing targeted interventions aimed at preventing substance use, particularly among low-income youth with heightened reward salience. Further research is needed to explore causal pathways and moderating factors influencing these relationships.

Background: The Cingulo-Opercular Network (CON) is a crucial executive control network involved in regulating actions and facilitating higher-order cognitive processes. Resting-state functional connectivity between the CON and the Default Mode Network (DMN) plays a vital role in cognitive regulation, enabling the transition between internally focused and externally directed tasks. This study investigates whether resting-state functional connectivity between the CON and DMN mediates the effects of social determinants, such as educational opportunities and family structure, on cognitive outcomes in youth. Aims: This study aims to explore how CON-DMN connectivity influences the relationship between social gradients and cognition in youth. Specifically, it examines whether resting-state functional connectivity between these networks mediates the effects of educational opportunities and family structure on cognitive outcomes and seeks to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying these social gradients. Methods: Data were derived from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a large longitudinal dataset of over 11,000 children aged 9–10 years. Cognitive outcomes were assessed using standardized NIH toolbox measures: Total Composite, Fluid Reasoning, Picture Vocabulary, Pattern Recognition, and Card Sorting. Social determinants were operationalized using indicators such as parental education, family composition, and neighborhood educational opportunities (COI). Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the CON and DMN was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test whether CON-DMN rsFC mediated the relationship between social determinants and cognitive outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results: Stable family structure and greater educational opportunities were significantly associated with improved cognitive performance. These relationships were mediated by reduced functional connectivity between the CON and DMN. Conclusion: Reduced functional connectivity between the CON and DMN serves as a neural mechanism linking social gradients, such as educational opportunities and family structure, to better cognitive outcomes in youth.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is a well-established determinant of health, often associated with lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). However, the extent to which SES influences CMD may vary by gender due to differences in social roles, health behaviors, and biological susceptibilities. This study examined the relationship between SES, measured by the poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), and CMD indicators—including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)—among men and women using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized NHANES data (1999-2018), adjusting for race/ethnicity and age. SES was operationalized using PIR, with CMD outcomes (obesity, diabetes, and CVD) as dependent variables. Generalized linear models (GLM) were employed to evaluate the main effects of SES on CMD, with gender included as a moderator. Results: Higher SES was associated with lower overall CMD risk. However, the protective effects of SES were more pronounced in women than in men for all outcomes. These findings suggest that gender-specific pathways may mediate the relationship between SES and CMD. Women may derive greater health benefits from higher SES due to factors such as reduced stress exposure, healthier behaviors, and increased healthcare utilization. Conversely, the weaker association observed in men may reflect differences in social hierarchy sensitivity, responses to unemployment, or other contextual factors. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of gender-specific considerations when addressing SES-related disparities in CMD outcomes. Policies and interventions aimed at reducing CMD burden should account for these gender differences to promote equitable improvements in cardiometabolic health. Further research is needed to unravel the mechanisms driving these differences and to inform targeted strategies.

Background: Although some neural mechanisms underlying socioeconomic status (SES) disparities are known, the role of brain-wide resting-state functional connectivity in these effects remains less understood. Aim: This study aims to identify brain-wide resting-state functional connectivity signatures that may mediate the effects of SES on body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure in children, using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Methods: Data were drawn from the ABCD study, a large, diverse cohort of children aged 9-10. Pre-processed resting-state functional MRI data were used, and factor analysis was conducted to extract a whole-brain connectivity factor. The first factor, capturing the greatest variance in brain-wide resting-state connectivity, was selected for further analysis in a structural equation model (SEM). This connectivity factor was tested as a potential mediator of the relationship between SES (measured by parental education, family income, and neighborhood characteristics) and two indicators of cardiometabolic health: BMI and systolic blood pressure. Results: Factor analysis revealed a robust first factor that accounted for a significant proportion of variance in brain-wide resting-state functional connectivity. This factor was significantly associated with SES, indicating that children from lower SES backgrounds exhibited distinct connectivity patterns. Additionally, the factor was linked to both BMI and systolic blood pressure, suggesting its relevance to cardiometabolic health. Mediation analysis showed that this connectivity factor partially mediated the relationship between SES and both BMI and systolic blood pressure. Conclusions: Brain-wide functional connectivity may be a mediator of SES effects on BMI and blood pressure in children. The first connectivity factor provides a promising neural signature linking SES with cardiometabolic risk. Comprehensive brain-wide approaches to functional connectivity may offer valuable insights into how social determinants of health shape neural and physical development in childhood.

Background. Although youth from high socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are generally protected against tobacco use, this protection is weaker for racialized and marginalized families, particularly Black youth. While Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) of household income on tobacco use have been documented for Black youth, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. Objective. This study investigates whether school poverty and associated peer deviance and delinquent behaviors explain the disproportionately higher tobacco use among Black youth from high-income backgrounds, using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Methods. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of Black youth from high-income families within the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. A total of 8,777 youth was included in our analysis. We examined the associations between household income and tobacco use, with school poverty and associated peer deviance and delinquent behaviors as mediators. Race was considered as a moderator. Results. Compared to their high-income White counterparts, Black youth from high-income backgrounds were more likely to live in areas with higher school poverty, which exposed them to increased levels of peer deviance and delinquent behaviors compared to their White counterparts. These exposures, in turn, were associated with higher rates of tobacco use among Black youth. Thus, higher school poverty, along with the related peer deviance and delinquent behaviors, contributed to the elevated tobacco use observed among Black adolescents from high-income backgrounds. Conclusion. The study suggests that residing in areas with school poverty, peer deviance, and youth delinquency may explain Minorities' Diminished Returns, which are defined as the weaker protective effects of socioeconomic status on tobacco use among Black youth. Interventions aiming to prevent tobacco use need to include structural components addressing these broader social determinants of health.

Background: The initiation of substance use during adolescence is a significant public health concern with long-term implications. Structural and environmental factors, such as community-level crime statistics related to drug offenses, are often assumed to influence the likelihood of substance use among youth. However, the relationship between these environmental crime indicators and early substance use initiation in adolescents is not well understood. Objective: This study aims to examine the association between environmental drug-related crime statistics—derived from Uniform Crime Reports, including drug abuse violations, drug sales, marijuana sales, drug possession, and driving under the influence (DUI)—and the use of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol among adolescents aged 9-16 in the United States. Methods: Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which follows a cohort of adolescents from ages 9-10 to 16, were analyzed. 11,878 participants entered our analysis. The primary environmental measures included total drug abuse violations, drug sale offenses, marijuana sale offenses, drug possession offenses, and DUI reports. Substance use outcomes of interest were the frequency and prevalence of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use across the observed age range. Results: Contrary to expectations, higher levels of drug-related crime in a community were not associated with increased use of tobacco, marijuana, or alcohol among adolescents. In fact, the study found a significant inverse relationship between the total number of drug-related crimes and tobacco use, suggesting lower tobacco use in areas with higher reported drug abuse violations, drug sales, marijuana sales, drug possession, and DUI incidents. No significant associations were observed between these crime indicators and the use of marijuana or alcohol. Conclusions: These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that higher environmental drug-related crime statistics necessarily predict greater substance use among adolescents. The observed inverse relationship between drug-related crime and tobacco use warrants further investigation to understand the underlying mechanisms and to inform targeted intervention strategies. Future research should explore the complex interplay between structural environmental factors and youth substance use to better inform public health policies.

Background: High parental education promotes various aspects of offspring well-being including reducing their risk of depression/anxiety, criminal justice involvement, and welfare reliance. However, according to minorities’ diminished returns, these benefits are not equal across racial groups, with Black families experiencing diminished returns of parental education compared to White families. This study explores the role of household income and offspring educational attainment as potential serial pathways that operate as mechanisms underlying diminished returns of parental education on offspring outcomes in Black families. Gender differences in these effects were also explored. Methods: Utilizing data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) over a 22-year follow-up period (seven waves), we examined the serial mediation by household income and offspring educational attainment in explaining the relationship between parental education and offspring outcomes namely depression, anxiety, criminal justice involvement, and welfare reliance [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)]. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) with household income as the first mediator and young adult education as the second mediator. Multi-group models were used to explore gender differences in these paths. Results: The study confirmed the role of our proposed serial mediators for Blacks’ weaker effects of parental education on offspring outcomes. We observed weaker effects of first affects household income, with this effect being for Black families compared to White families, which then impacted educational attainment of the offspring. The findings indicate that household income plays a crucial mediating role, but its effect is weaker in Black families. Additionally, the educational attainment of offspring from highly educated Black parents is less effective in improving outcomes compared to their White peers, further contributing to diminished returns. Some gender differences were observed for the effects of educational attainment on economic and health outcomes of young adults. Conclusions: The study underscores the need to reconsider traditional assumptions about the comparability of family conditions and outcomes across racial groups with similar levels of parental education. The findings highlight the importance of targeted policies and interventions aimed at enhancing the economic stability and educational outcomes of Black families to address these disparities. Policies should focus on promoting the economic well-being of highly educated Black parents and improving the educational outcomes of their children.

Epigenetic studies, which can reflect biological aging, have shown that measuring DNA methylation (DNAm) levels provides new insights into the biological effects of social environment and socioeconomic position (SEP). This study explores how race, family structure, and SEP (income to poverty ratio) at birth influence youth epigenetic aging at age 15. Data were obtained from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) cohort, with GrimAge used as a measure of DNAm levels and epigenetic aging. Our analysis included 854 racially and ethnically diverse participants followed from birth to age 15. Structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the relationships among race, SEP at birth, and epigenetic aging at age 15, controlling for sex, ethnicity, and family structure at birth. Findings indicate that race was associated with lower SEP at birth and faster epigenetic aging. Specifically, income to poverty ratio at birth partially mediated the effects of race on accelerated aging by age 15. The effect of income to poverty ratio at birth on DNAm was observed in male but not female youth at age 15. Thus, SEP partially mediated the effect of race on epigenetic aging in male but not female youth. These results suggest that income to poverty ratio at birth partially mediates the effects of race on biological aging into adolescence. These findings highlight the long-term biological impact of early-life poverty in explaining racial disparities in epigenetic aging and underscore the importance of addressing economic inequalities to mitigate these disparities. Policymakers should focus on poverty prevention in Black communities to prevent accelerated biological aging and associated health risks later in life. Interventions aimed at eliminating poverty and addressing racial inequities could have significant long-term benefits for public health. Future research should explore additional factors contributing to epigenetic aging and investigate potential interventions to slow down the aging process. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations and to identify effective strategies for mitigating the impact of SEP and racial disparities on biological aging.

Background: COVID-19-related pneumonia was initially rare, though influenza-related pneumonia is well known as a severe complication of influenza. However, COVID-19-related pneumonia may be increasing since the omicron variant of COVID-19 appeared. Methods: The clinical differences between COVID-19-related and influenza-related pneumonia patients were retrospectively investigated in patients hospitalized from January 2022 to December 2023. Results: COVID-19-related and influenza-related pneumonias were found in 46 of 285 (15.8%) and 6 of 12 (50.0%) patients, respectively (p<0.001). Their mean ages were 75.5 (45-93) years and 53.8 (19-73) years in COVID-19-related and influenza-related pneumonia cases, respectively (p=0.002). Aspiration pneumonia was more common in COVID-19-related pneumonia (28/46=60.9%) than in influenza-related pneumonia patients, and it was treated by sulbactam/ampicillin (31/46=67.4%). The influenza-related pneumonia patients were more often infected in the work place (2/6=33.3%) and not vaccinated (4/6=66.7%), compared with COVID-19-related patients. Death occurred in 7 of 46 (15.2%) COVID-19 patients, but none of 6 influenza-infected patients died. Conclusions: These data suggest that COVID-19-related pneumonia presented as aspiration pneumonia in older patients, although influenza-related pneumonia was more common in younger and non-vaccinated patients and might be associated with immune mechanisms during the omicron variant surge era.

One of the current issues facing humanity is ensuring sustained global food security in the face of devastating effects of climate change; this challenge is particularly pressing on the African continent. Here, I present an opinion piece identifying local animal genetic resources as "African leverage point" that provide the highest chances to cushion rural fork to climate change, enhance environmental sustainability and food security in Africa. When it comes to boosting food production, coping with climate change, or bolstering the delivery of a wide range of ecosystem services, I believe that African animal genetic resources are essential alternatives for the sustainable growth of the livestock industry and its contribution to food security. Africa needs to address the support and development of indigenous animal genetic resources in order to meet the basic food needs of more than 1 billion people, address numerous environmental issues with continental implications, and focus on more effective and resilient food systems with the greatest impact on food security. The indigenous animal resources diversity and support actions to this unique group could provide a boost in protein that is lacking to constitute healthy diets in Africa. The priorities of nonprofit organizations, foundations, governments, citizens' groups, and companies can be influenced by this leverage point in the African food system. Due to continuous food insecurity, which appears to be becoming worse with climate change and makes it even harder to accomplish the SDGs on the continent, Africa has paid a hefty price for being misled about the worth of its own animal genetic resources. To the contrary, it is highly improbable that a strategy to improve food security and rural livelihoods that undermines the utilization of indigenous animal genetic resources will be viable in long-term. If Africa makes an effort, is committed, and fully commits resources to putting indigenous animal genetic resources at the forefront of combating food insecurity and accelerating the achievement of SDGs, it can achieve more under the adverse prevailing climate change induce environmental conditions. Our personal opinion is that we would not have had the ongoing food problems, even in the face of climate change, if Africa had over the years implemented the necessary mechanisms to develop and promote local animal genetic resources. What lies ahead in terms of climate change effect on food security in Africa is anyone's guess – but whatever it is, promoting continental adapted indigenous animal genetic resources portfolio is ready to handle it. Development and promotion of African animal genetic resources should be part of a continental strategy to transform smallholder animal production by 2050, in line with the goals of achieving the SGDs, to improve rural household food security, and bringing rural economy prosperity, resilience, sustainability, and all other desired animal related food outcomes for rural healthy diets. African animal genetic resources are the most important but underutilized resource to address the issue of ongoing food insecurity. The responsible use of local animal genetic resources through climate smart animal husbandry practices also contributes to food security, rural development and increased employment opportunities. African genetic improvement programs involving indigenous animal genetic resources must be considered as regards to local agriculture and livestock development aspirations, appropriateness to local reality and livelihood security, as well as environmental friendliness. Animal agriculture will fill in the enormous gaps in the continent's food supply if this animal group receives adequate attention and is used integrated properly in crop and livestock systems which characterize smallholder farming sector in Africa. Because they have evolved over time to accommodate the various climatic conditions and environmental pressures on the continent, Africa's native animal genetic resources are particularly resilient. Indirectly, the impact of climate change offers a chance to use native animal genetics from Africa. The use of local animal genetic diversity has the potential to substantially improve Africa's food security landscape hence should be given special consideration for sociocultural, environmental, and economic aspects, and with regard for smallholder farmer-specific factors of interest. African animal genetic resources have contributed significantly to the food and nutrition security aspects of the millions of people in their communities of origin and custody in Africa. The purpose of the perception piece is to educate the reader about the fundamental mechanisms that control the use of continental animal genetic resources and how the outlook for these mechanisms can be manipulated in the future for the benefit of improving food security in Africa. The discussion provides in-depth insight into the pertinent literature in understanding the significance of local animal genetic resources in terms of their contribution to food security in Africa.

Objective: The study investigated the biological effects and molecular mechanisms of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on periodontal bone regeneration. Methods: Electronic and manual searches were searched up to 1 October 2022 in the following databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Embase. [Platelet rich plasma or platelet or growth factors] and [periodontal] or [bone regeneration or bone defect or bone reconstruction] were used for searching. This study reviewed and analyzed published papers associated with PRP and periodontal bone defect restoration or bone regeneration or bone reconstruction. Results: Different growth factors exhibited varied biological characteristics and function. In-vitro studies, animal experiments and clinical studies confirmed that PRP displayed assorted role in periodontal bone defects repair. The growth factors secreted from PRP can promote new bone formation, soft tissue regeneration and wound healing. The fiber three-dimensional structure in PRP is conducive to the growth and migration of cells and provides strong support for the regeneration of periodontal soft and hard tissues. The anti-inflammatory characteristics of PRP are also closely related to the repair of periodontal bone defects. Conclusion: PRP played an important biological effect on periodontal bone regeneration. The mechanism is closely related to PRP promoting the growth, proliferation, differentiation and migration of periodontal ligament cells and osteoblasts, and the fiber stereo configuration of PRP and the anti-inflammatory effect of leukocytes.

The therapeutic effect of Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is thus attributed to phosphoramide mustard and acrolein leads to the formation of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which results in decreased antioxidant activity. Excessive production of ROS could also culminate in oxidative stress. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of sub-lethal dose of the cyclophosphamide, 5-FU, combination of 5-FU, and CPA on testicular antioxidant status, and oxidative stress in male albino rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male adult rats were grouped randomly into four groups (n=5 each group). Group I (control): Rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally and at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg b.w. for 14 days. Group II cyclophosphamide (CPA): Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group III Fluorouracil (5-FU): 5-Fluorouracil at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day in saline was given through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group IV (CPA+5-FU): Rats were given CPA followed by 5-FU at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day (day by day) through i.p. to rats for 14 days. At the end of the experimental period, rats were anesthetized using light ether. Blood and testes tissue samples were taken and prepared for biochemical measurements. Biochemical parameters in rat serum and tissues were evaluated. Results: Individual injection of CPA and 5-FU to rats were reduced testes TAC, GSH concentration, GR, and CAT activities compared to control. However, the combination treatment of rats with 5-FU and CPA increased the levels of these non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant compared with those treated with CPA alone. Also, results showed significantly increased TBARS and NO concentration in the testes of CPA treated rats when compared to normal ones, while 5-FU increased NO only compared with the control. Conclusion: It can be concluded that treatment of rats with CPA is associated with the production of free radicals that leads to hazardous alterations in certain non-enzymatic, and enzymatic functions. The increase in lipid peroxidation probably leads to the intracellular accumulation of ROS with the subsequent development of testes tissue injury. However, 5-FU and CPA combination could produce a significant amelioration in most cases for these changes, and it may be considered as a potentially useful candidate in the combination chemotherapy with CPA to combat oxidative stress mediated non target organs injury even if it was not a complete protection. Future work should consider combined chemotherapy regimens, as two or more mechanisms of action of chemotherapeutic drugs could be more powerful than one mechanism.

Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics modify various aspects of local and systemic immune function in multiple experimental models. However, their impact and mechanisms of action are not known across all products or noticed in every population studied, and impacts on in vitro, ex vivo, or other measures of immune function do not necessarily result in an impact on infection and illness in vivo. Studies have discussed that intestinal microbiota has an essential role in enhancing the immune system against viruses. The regulatory impact of the intestinal microbiota on viral infection is connected with local and systemic immune responses and plays a part in congenital and adaptive immune responses. The microbiota composition critically modulates the production of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells and antibody responses following influenza virus infection. The intestinal microbiota has an important role in the stabilizing of immune homeostasis by augmenting the integrity of the barrier functions of the gut mucosa, which is a crucial aspect of systemic immunity. In conclusion, the intestinal microbiota can influence organismal immunity locally and systemically, proximally, and distally. Studying the possible mechanism by which the intestinal microbiota maintains host immunity can provide a clearer understanding of the occurrence and development of diseases.

Background: Cyclophosphamide (CPA) induces acute inflammation of the urinary bladder, renal damage, and liver damage, thereby limiting its therapeutic use. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the hepatorenal toxicity induced by cyclophosphamide and amelioration by 5-fluorouracil in male albino rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male adult rats were grouped randomly into four groups (n=5 for each group). Group I (control): Rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally and at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg b.w. for 14 days. Group II cyclophosphamide (CPA): Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group III Fluorouracil (5-FU): 5-Fluorouracil at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day in saline was given through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group IV (CPA+5-FU): Rats were given CPA followed by 5-FU at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day (day by day) through i.p. to rats for 14 days. At the end of the experimental period, rats were anesthetized using light ether. Blood samples were taken and prepared for biochemical measurements. Results: Serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentration significantly reduced in animal groups that received cyclophosphamide. 5-FU and CPA combination reduced the changes in total protein, albumin, and globulin compared to CPA treated group. A significant increase in LDH serum concentration was found in CPA, 5-FU, and their combination-treated animals. The mean values of the combination of chemotherapy were above that in CPA followed by 5-FU treatment. Administration of CPA, 5-FU resulted in a significant increase in serum AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin compared to the control. Co-treatment 5-FU with CPA significantly attenuated the increase in serum AST, ALT, ALP, and bilirubin when compared to CPA – treated rats. Compared to controls, urea and creatinine levels were increased in CPA-treated rats, while uric acid was reduced in CPA, 5-FU, and their combination. The changes in urea and creatinine produced by the chemotherapy were restored when rats received CPA in combination with 5-FU. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the treatment of mammals with chemotherapy is associated with the production of free radicals that lead to hazardous alterations in biochemical parameters. However, 5-FU and CPA combination could produce a significant amelioration in most cases for these changes, and it may be considered as a potentially useful candidate in the combination chemotherapy with CPA to combat oxidative stress-mediated non-target organ injury even if it was not complete protection. Future work should consider combined chemotherapy regimens, as two or more mechanisms of action of chemotherapeutic drugs could be more powerful than one mechanism. Toxicological studies must be performed before using drugs as a combination before application. Further research is required on the toxicological impacts of drugs and pollutants mixtures.

Background: Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is a drug with a wide spectrum of clinical uses. Its effectiveness in the treatment of cancer (acute and chronic leukemias, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma) and non-malignant diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis has been well established. Objectives: The present investigation aimed to study the effect of a sub-lethal dose of the cyclophosphamide, 5-FU combination of 5-FU, and CPA on haematological parameters in the albino rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male adults were grouped randomly into four groups (n=5 in each group). Group I (control): Rats were injected with saline intraperitoneally at a dose of 1.0 ml/kg b.w. for 14 days. Group II cyclophosphamide (CPA): Cyclophosphamide at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group III Fluorouracil (5-FU): 5-Fluorouracil at a dose of 10 mg/kg day by day in saline was given through i.p. to rats for 14 days. Group IV (CPA+5-FU): Rats were given CPA followed by 5-FU at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day (day by day) through i.p. to rats for 14 days. At the end of the experimental period, rats were anesthetized using light ether. Blood samples were taken for hematological evaluation. Results: White blood cells, hemoglobin content and red blood cell counts were significantly decline in rats treated with individual treatment with CPA and 5-FU in comparison to the control group, while the Combination antagonize the changes produced by CPA in hemoglobin and red blood cell counts. Intraperitoneal individual treatment with CPA and 5-FU in rats caused a significant reduction in the hematocrit and platelet. The reductions in these measured hematological parameters were also significantly and slightly ameliorated when the animals were given a combination of CPA and 5-FU. Cyclophosphamide and 5-FU individually reduced lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes; while the combination of CPA and 5-FU antagonized these changes compared to CPA treated group. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the treatment of mammals with chemotherapy is associated with the production of free radicals that lead to hazardous alterations in hematological parameters. However, 5-FU and CPA combination could produce a significant amelioration in most cases for these changes. Future work should consider combined chemotherapy regimens, as two or more mechanisms of action of chemotherapeutic drugs could be more powerful than one mechanism. Using cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil in combination may reduce cyclophosphamide’s side effects when given individually.

Psoriasis is a multi-systemic chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder affecting 125 million people worldwide. The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis affecting up to 90% of the patients and is characterized by well-demarcated, symmetric, and erythematous plaques with overlying silvery scales that may be painful or itchy. Psoriasis may also affect the joints; increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, uveitis, certain cancers and an increase in the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Both the skin and the gut microbiome can modulate the development and progression of psoriasis. A connection between the microbiome and immunological mechanisms are antimicrobial peptides, which regulate the microbiome at interfaces and, as antigens, can trigger psoriasis. Few studies were conducted to demonstrate the effect of probiotics on different diseases, as they are living microorganisms that confer a health benefit when administrated in adequate amounts. The effects of administering probiotics include the stabilization of the gut bacterial community and the restoration of “signature” of bacterial microbiota, which is a result of lowering the pH, producing bacteriocins, altering microRNA (miRNAs), competing with pathogens for certain nutrients and improving the gut barrier function. Probiotics counter weight aggressive commensals in the body and reinforce the barrier function of the epithelium while also contributing to the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses of the host under healthy or pathogenic conditions. Several clinical trials were conducted based on those findings to examine the role of probiotics in psoriasis, but till now there is no evidence of their efficacy.

We reviewed the influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the central nervous system reported in the literature since its prevalence. Common neurological symptoms of COVID-19 include altered or impaired consciousness, headache, dizziness, cerebrovascular accidents, and seizures, etc. Encephalopathy caused by or related to COVID-19 includes stroke, acute encephalitis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Concomitant COVID-19 in patients with vascular risk factors increased the risk of stroke; the hypercoagulable state and vascular dysfunction caused by COVID-19 also led to stroke. Acute encephalitis was usually accompanied by a history of headache, fever, and altered mental status, and shown hemorrhagic lesions or high signal on MRI. In Guillain-Barre syndrome, there was a time lag between infection with the primary pathogen and the onset of neurological symptoms, which generally manifest as limb paralysis and various sensory abnormalities. The review illustrated that COVID-19 lead to serious consequences of brain and brought difficulties to the treatment. Exploring the neural mechanisms of COVID-19 to better understand the activity of the virus in the brain and to prevent further viral damage to the brain is an urgent issue.

Many attempts have been made to improve heat transfer for thermally integrated microchannel reforming reactors. However, the mechanisms for the effects of design factors on heat transfer characteristics are still not fully understood. This study relates to a thermochemical process for producing hydrogen by the catalytic endothermic reaction of methanol with steam in a thermally integrated microchannel reforming reactor. Computational fluid dynamics simulations are conducted to better understand the consumption, generation, and exchange of thermal energy between endothermic and exothermic processes in the reactor. The effects of wall heat conduction properties and channel dimensions on heat transfer characteristics and reactor performance are investigated. Thermodynamic analysis is performed based on specific enthalpy to better understand the evolution of thermal energy in the reactor. The results indicate that the thermal conductivity of the channel walls is fundamentally important. Materials with high thermal conductivity are preferred for the channel walls. Thermally conductive ceramics and metals are well-suited. Wall materials with poor heat conduction properties degrade the reactor performance. Reaction heat flux profiles are considerably affected by channel dimensions. The peak reaction heat flux increases with the channel dimensions while maintaining the flow rates. The change in specific enthalpy is positive for the exothermic reaction and negative for the endothermic reaction. The change in specific sensible enthalpy is always positive. Design recommendations are made to improve thermal performance for the reactor.

Air pollution is currently considered a global problem in both developing and developed countries. Substances that invade our spaces are components of air pollution that cause a strong negative impact on health for those who are exposed, not only in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems but are being related to the etiology of pathologies throughout the body, with a decrease in life expectancy and even an increase in mortality and alterations of the genetic material. This literature review aims to collect employing a search the implications that the components of air pollution have on the health of those exposed, from a clinical and molecular point of view. For the search, the DeCS descriptors created by BIREME were used: air pollution, cardiovascular system, respiratory diseases. The following databases were consulted: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The search criteria considered the year of publication and whether the original language was English or Spanish. It was concluded that the study of the different particles and the consequences that exposure to them entails is of vital importance for the development of control, prevention, and treatment mechanisms; since they can generate pathologies that range from something as tangible as lung diseases and occlusive heart disease to epigenetic changes that affect health.

Progress in the development and adoption of technological innovations is instrumental in enhancing the efficiency of production systems across the globe. Through the introduction of cost-efficient and high-performing technologies, countries can both reduce the resource use intensity of their economies and boost the global supply of essential products. The focus of this study is to analyze the application of advanced machinery and mechanisms within the agricultural sector, a primary industry that acts as a major contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP) of many nations. Specifically, this paper provides an in-depth review of the latest impact assessments based on analytical and modeling tools conducted on agricultural machinery and production technologies. Our findings highlight the positive role played by scientific progress and innovation in driving the competitiveness, growth and improved sustainability of the agricultural sector. Over the years, advanced technologies have accelerated the development and modernization of machinery, equipment, and processes in farming. Typically, modern machinery and equipment have enabled large-scale production on farms, enhancing the cost-efficient use of both land and labor, as well as the capacity and timeliness in performing essential agricultural operations. The rapid diffusion of technical advancements has further contributed to resource savings, productivity growth, and the overall transformation of agricultural value chains. Accordingly, the implementation of appropriate enabling conditions is of vital importance in encouraging the widespread integration of technologies in agriculture, not only boosting productivity along the agri-food chain but also yielding widespread social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Innovations in computing and communication technologies are reshaping finance. The seismic changes are casting uncertainty about the future of financial services. On one hand, fintech evangelists project a rosy future, asserting that the fast-moving algorithms can deliver low-cost financial services intuitively, customized to meet robust consumer expectations. On the other hand, many finance veterans fret that the traditional banking model could disintermediate, bleeding banks via a ‘death by a thousand cuts’, reducing them to passive portfolio holders with no direct customer relationship, eclipsed by digital giants which use their enormous treasure troves of customer data to offer banking as an added service with nearly free cost. Amidst the upbeat technological promises and apocalyptic forebodings, there are two constant, mostly agreed-upon, truths. The first is the vital importance of data. Advances in the internet, cloud computing, and record-keeping technologies are producing an ‘exponential growth in the volume and detail of data’. Some of this big data are personal information. Smartphones are deployed in almost all developed and emerging economies, serving as little spies; tracking, recording location histories, social networks, and app usage of their unsuspecting owners; often with a great degree of precision. ‘People are walking data-factories’ in this ‘mobile digital society’. Data are the fermentation of these global exchanges, electronic commerce and communication, and financial transactions. To just take Facebook as an example, it shares 30 million people a day through updates and posts, hosting personal information on 2.23 billion users. To the alarm of the uninformed public, much of this information is available for commercial harvest. The second constant is the rise of intelligent solutions. Consumers today—be it disclosed or not—are fed tailored clothes, music, film, holiday packages—almost anything you like, notably dynamic pricing, varying in accordance with individual profiles, or personalized search results. The availability of powerful computers has enabled comparable applications that are intended to make the system more responsive to their customer profiles and desires, or to capitalize competitive business possibilities. Such changes will transform the financial industry and occupy a prominent position among the mechanisms of policy competition, reshaping the way in which financial services are bestowed and led on the demand side.

Data warehousing is a technique for collecting, managing, and presenting data to help people analyze and use that data effectively. It involves a large database designed to support management-level staff by providing all the relevant historical data for analysis. This chapter begins with a definition of data warehousing, followed by an overview of large-scale policy management to highlight the need for data warehousing. Next, an overview of an ETL framework is presented, along with a discussion of advanced ETL techniques. The chapter concludes with an outline of performance optimization techniques for data warehousing. Data warehousing is considered a key enabler for efficient reporting and analysis, with implementation choices ranging from cost-effective desktop systems to large-scale, mission-critical data marts and warehouses containing petabytes of data. Extract, transform, and load (ETL) systems remain one of the largest cost and effort areas within data warehouse development projects, requiring significant planning and resources to build, manage, and monitor the flow of data from source systems into the data warehouse. The technology and techniques used for ETL can greatly influence the success or failure of a data warehouse. Complex business requirements for data cleansing, loading, transformation, and integration have intensified, while operational plans for real-time and near-real-time reporting add additional challenges. Parallel loading mechanisms, incremental data loading, and runtime update and insert strategies not only improve ETL performance but also optimize data warehousing performance, particularly for large-scale policy management.