Search

Soil moisture memory (SMM), which refers to how long a perturbation in soil moisture (SM) can last, is critical for understanding climatic, hydrological, and ecosystem interactions. Most land surface models (LSMs) tend to overestimate surface soil moisture and its persistency (or SMM), sustaining spuriously large soil surface evaporation during dry-down periods. We attempt to answer a question: do LSMs miss or misrepresent key hydrological processes controlling SMM? We use a version of Noah-MP with advanced hydrology that explicitly represents preferential flow and surface ponding and provides optional schemes of soil hydraulics. We test the effects of these processes, which are generally missed by most LSMs in SMM. We compare SMMs computed from various Noah-MP configurations against that derived from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) L3 soil moisture and in situ measurements from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) from the years 2015 to 2019 over the contiguous United States (CONUS). The results suggest that (1) soil hydraulics plays a dominant role and the Van Genuchten hydraulic scheme reduces the overestimation of the long-term surface SMM produced by the Brooks–Corey scheme, which is commonly used in LSMs; (2) explicitly representing surface ponding enhances SMM for both the surface layer and the root zone; and (3) representing preferential flow improves the overall representation of soil moisture dynamics. The combination of these missing schemes can significantly improve the long-term memory overestimation and short-term memory underestimation issues in LSMs. We suggest that LSMs for use in seasonal-to-subseasonal climate prediction should, at least, adopt the Van Genuchten hydraulic scheme.

Summary: The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is intricately influenced by the complex interplay of environmental factors, alterations in gut flora, genetic predisposition, and modifications in the immune system. The global incidence of IBD has surged significantly in recent decades, with reports of nutritional deficiencies among affected individuals. Nutritional factors can exacerbate intestinal inflammation by disrupting immune responses, modifying gut barrier integrity, impacting the mucosal layer and fostering microbial imbalances. As a result, modifications to dietary intake and nutritional supplementation are regarded as additional components of common IBD treatment strategies. This review delves into the properties, cellular pathways and the research outcomes examining the efficacy of dietary nutritional supplements like curcumin, resveratrol, selenium, quercetin, and vitamin D as supportive therapy for IBD patients.

In the Penatih Dangin Puri Village area, the Integrated Health Service (posyandu) activities data recording by cadres is still carried out manually using forms which are then recorded again in the SIP book. This data recording system still has many shortcomings, so this community service aims to provide an integrated recording system and provide training to facilitate posyandu data recording and reporting activities. Carried out in the form of training and implementation related to data entry and making reports for toddler posyandu based on the posyandu Information System (SIPOS). SIPOS training activities with Human Development Cadre partners in Penatih Dangin Puri Village began on September 27 2023. Attended by 65 cadres from 13 Banjars. Latter evaluation has been carried out and shows that the average accuracy of using SIPOS after training is 80 percent and increased to 94 percent after implementation. With the level of accuracy in filling out the data entry and report extract features, most of them have a percentage of 80 percent, but there is an accuracy level of 80 percent, namely in the date of birth entry feature (55 percent) and entering the date of visit (51 percent). Community service activities succeeded in improving cadres' skills in recording and reporting information system-based posyandu data.

Cancer and its diverse variations pose one of the most significant threats to human health and well-being. One of the most aggressive forms is blood cancer, originating from bone marrow cells and disrupting the production of normal blood cells. The incidence of blood cancer is steadily increasing, driven by both genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, early detection is crucial as it enhances treatment outcomes and improves success rates. However, accurate diagnosis is challenging due to the inherent similarities between normal and cancerous cells. Although various techniques are available for blood cancer identification, high-frequency imaging techniques have recently shown promise, particularly for real-time monitoring. Notably, terahertz (THz) frequencies offer unique advantages for biomedical applications. This research proposes an innovative terahertz metamaterial-based biosensor for high-efficacy blood cancer detection. The proposed structure is ultra-compact and operates across five bands within the range of 0.6 to 1.2 THz. It is constructed using a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) dielectric layer and two aluminum (Al) layers, with the top layer serving as a base for the THz-range resonator. Careful design, architectural arrangement, and optimization of the geometry parameters allow for achieving nearly perfect absorption rates (>95%) across all operating bands. The properties of the proposed sensor are extensively evaluated through full-wave electromagnetic (EM) analysis, which includes assessing the refractive index and the distribution of the electric field at individual working frequencies. The suitability for blood cancer diagnosis has been validated by integrating the sensor into a microwave imaging (MWI) system and conducting comprehensive simulation studies. These studies underscore the device's capability to detect abnormalities, particularly in distinguishing between healthy and cancerous cells. Benchmarking against state-of-the-art biosensors in recent literature indicates that the proposed sensor is highly competitive in terms of major performance indicators while maintaining a compact size.

Graphene‐based absorbers have various modern applications across industries due to their exceptional properties. Some common applications include: thermal management and energy storage. Herein, the design and simulation of a broadband tunable absorber based on graphene with perfect absorption spectra in the near‐infrared region are reported. The proposed structure consists of an MgF2 layer and golden disc surrounded by L‐shaped golden arms placed on single layer of graphene. The structure guarantees polarization‐insensitive (PI) performance under normal incident due to the symmetrical design. The investigation of the PI of the structure reveals almost similar absorption for oblique incident angles up to 55° for TM and up to 60° for TE polarization. The desirable resonance wavelength is achievable by tuning the geometrical parameters. By changing the chemical potential of graphene, the absorption and bandwidth of absorber are controllable. A full width at half maximum of 330 nm is another superiority of this absorber. These considerable aspects of the proposed structure make it practical for varieties of applications such as cloaking, sensing, switching, and so on.

Background Athletes require proper nutrition to enhance training and performance. Studies indicate that alternative sources of caffeine, such as caffeinated chewing gum, mouth rinses, energy gels, and coffee can improve performance. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of consuming caffeinated gum (CG) and repeated coffee mouth rinsing (CMR) on professional male table tennis players’ aerobic capacity and explosive power.Method A randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, and double-blinded study was conducted with eighteen male table tennis players (Age: 21.86 ± 2.40 yr, Height: 173.80 ± 6.88 cm, Weight: 61.81 ± 10.32 kg). In each test session, the participants were randomly placed in one of the three conditions including i) Chewing caffeinated gum (CG, n = 6), ii) Coffee mouth rinsing (CMR, n = 6), iii) Starch capsule as a placebo (PLA, n = 6). All participants consumed caffeine with an average dose of ∼3 to 4.5 mg·kg−1. Also, a one-week interval was considered a washout period for each condition. First, the participants were given the required supplement and performed functional tests such as throwing medicine balls and Sargent’s jump tests. Then, the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), time to exhaustion (TTE), oxygen consumption equivalent at primary ventilatory threshold (VO2 at VT1), and oxygen consumption equivalent at respiratory compensation point (VO2 at RCP) were measured during the Bruce test. All data were analyzed using SPSS Windows software, repeated measure analysis ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc tests at p

Abstract Our prospective study investigates the 3‐year trajectory of disease‐specific quality of life (QoL) using the PEmb‐QoL questionnaire, functional performance via 6‐min walk tests, and the 5‐year survival following acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and explores their association with patient demographics and clinical characteristics. We highlight that PE‐specific QoL improves over time despite no significant changes in cardiopulmonary performance.

Extended Abstract Background: As one of the medicinal plants from the Orchidaceae family, Orchis simia tubers are traded all over the world. The unmarketable parts are usually discarded (e.g., inflorescence, leaves, and stems) and produce a large amount of unused biomass. Medicinal effects of plants usually result from the composition of their secondary metabolites. Identification and quantification of secondary metabolites will play an important role in exploiting the medicinal potential of the plant. Orchids grow in different environments and habitats, mainly due to the presence of a unique set of secondary metabolites that help these plants tolerate stressful conditions. Therefore, following traditional approaches, these plants have been proposed as an important source for biological exploration. A number of compounds obtained from different parts of the orchid indicate biological activity. Alkaloids, flavonoids, phenanthrenes, terpenoids, bibenzyl derivatives, and other biologically active compounds have been reported in orchids. The present study identifies the phytochemical substances in Orchis simia orchid. Methods: To investigate the phytochemistry of the inflorescence, leaf, and stem of Simia orchid separately, the samples were collected from nature, washed with water, and dried in the shade. Each of the organs was then powdered separately, and methanolic extract was extracted by ultrasonic and centrifugation methods. Total phenol was evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteau method. Antioxidant capacity was determined by the FRAP method. The main compounds were estimated quantitatively and qualitatively by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods. Results: HPLC and LC-MS analyses of O. simia samples led to the isolation of 28 secondary metabolites (four compounds of bibenzyl derivatives, eight phenolic and flavonoid compounds, and 16 alkaloid compounds). Phenolic and flavonoid compounds identified in Simia orchid included benzoic acid, caffeic acid, m-coumaric acid, rutin, luteolin, kaempferol, quercitrin, and quercetin. In parallel, the total phenol content and total antioxidant capacity of the extracts were also measured in the extract. The results of variance analysis of the obtained data showed that the leaf, stem, and inflorescence samples were significantly different from each other at the 1% level in terms of total phenol content and total antioxidant capacity. Among the studied organs, inflorescence extract was superior to the other studied tissues in terms of 28 secondary metabolites as well as total phenol and antioxidant capacity. The average comparison results showed that the total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in different organs of the O.s simia plant were not the same, and they were placed in three different groups. The highest total phenol content (138.65 mg GAE/g dry weight) was observed in orchid inflorescences. The highest and lowest levels of antioxidant activity were obtained from inflorescence (77.58 μmol/g) and stem (53.24 μmol/g) samples, respectively. Conclusion: A proper knowledge of the chemical composition of a plant leads to a better understanding of its potential medicinal value. In this research, therefore, the changes in biochemical compounds and antioxidant capacity of the extracts were studied in leaf, stem, and inflorescence organs. According to the results of this research, the inflorescence of O. simia is a potential source of antioxidant capacity, phenol, and alkaloids, which will have an important medicinal role. The secondary metabolites obtained from this plant are reported for the first time and will be useful for new medicinal developments and applications in the future. Moreover, this study will help reduce the waste of this orchid in industrial production because its aerial organs can be exploited for medicinal purposes.

Conversion from intermittent to continuous water supply is a recommended approach for improving water supply service to communities. The conversion process is complex and requires huge financial and human resources investments. Because such resources are always limited and cannot be adequately provided at once, phased conversion is encouraged. However, there are challenges with this approach in terms of which areas should be prioritized during the conversion process so that the water supply situation for the unconverted areas is not aggravated. This article uses a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to identify the criteria for prioritising areas to be converted during phased conversion to continuous water supply from a water utility perspective. The Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company is used as a case study. Results show that the financial sustainability of the utility company is the major criterion for selecting an area to be prioritized. In countries like Zambia where tariff structures are such that industries subsidise domestic water consumption and the affluent subsidise water consumed by the poor, prioritising financial sustainability entails giving priority to areas where high revenues are expected. This is synonymous with giving priority to the affluent or the middle-class areas with high densities of water consumers. HIGHLIGHTS The importance of converting intermittent water supply systems to continuous water supply systems is highlighted.; Converting intermittent water supply systems requires huge financial investments, this article suggests a phased conversion approach.; This article gives factors to consider when choosing an area to be prioritised in the phased conversion from intermittent water supply to continuous water supply.;

Intermittent water supply systems (IWSSs) are unable to meet customer demands due to water scarcity from the sources or due to economic or/and technical scarcity. Conversion to continuous water supply as a means of tackling IWSSs’ inherent problems of inequitable water distribution, limited water supply hours, high non-revenue water, system operation and maintenance costs, and poor water quality is essential for sustainable water supply. Modelling and optimisation techniques have been used to aid the conversion process, optimisation of the operation of these systems, and guiding leakage reduction actions. However, modelling IWSSs have several challenges. These include the lack of accepted existing modelling techniques that include leakage modelling and the lack of comprehensive methodology for calibrating IWSS hydraulic models under limited calibration data. This study proposes a methodology for calibrating IWSS hydraulic models that include leakage modelling. The proposed methodology involves distinct steps to mitigate the problem of data scarcity, it eliminates the trial-and-error procedure of determining the leakage emitters' coefficients by using optimisation and it presents an approach for estimating the lower and upper bounds of the emitters' coefficients. The methodology was applied to a case study in Zambia. The calibration procedure gave accurate results given the limitation of data. HIGHLIGHTS Development of a comprehensive calibration methodology for intermittent water supply system models that include leakage modelling.; A model calibration approach that selects leakage emitter exponent and coefficients automatically through optimisation.; An approach for setting the lower and upper bounds of the leakage emitter coefficients.;

As widely generated by-products with significant bioactive compound content, sugarcane molasses exhibits high potential for valorization. For the purpose of bioactive compound extraction from sugarcane molasses, ultrasound-assisted extraction with various hydroethanolic solvents (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% ethanol) at different pH values (4.11, 5.11, 6.11, and 7.11) was examined. In the obtained sugarcane molasses extracts, the content of total phenolics, monomeric anthocyanins, total flavonoids, total tannins, and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) was estimated alongside the determination of molasses’ major components through GC-MS analysis Based on the GC-MS analysis of molasses, sugars and nitrogenous compounds emerged as the most abundant compounds classes. Hydroethanolic solvent of 2.5% at pH 6.11 exhibited the most prominent extraction power regarding total phenolics (22074.98 µg GAE mL−1) and total flavonoids (245.42 µg QE mL−1). Furthermore, extraction with 2.5% hydroethanolic solvent at pH 5.11 displayed the highest total tannins (1177.85 µg CE mL−1). The behavior of monomeric anthocyanins in ultrasound-assisted extraction with hydroethanolic solvent was slightly different, where 2.5% hydroethanolic solvent extracted the highest amount at pH 4.11 (11.1 µg CGE mL−1) and 7.11 (10.68 µg CGE mL−1). The results of the DPPH assay indicated that extracts obtained using 2.5% hydroethanolic solvent at pH 4.11 (68.35%) and pH 5.11 (68.10%) evinced the highest neutralization power against DPPH free radicals. In conclusion, 2.5% ultrasound-assisted hydroethanolic solvent and pH 4.11-6.11 were the most suitable for extracting bioactive compounds from sugarcane molasses.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate multiple pathways and cellular mechanisms. Recent research has emphasized their involvement in the pathogenesis of complex diseases, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) which is characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestines. The two most common types of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. CRNDE lncRNA was initially detected in colorectal cancer (CRC) and found to be involved in the tumorigenesis pathways. Further studies revealed the role of CRNDE in activating inflammation and promoting the release of inflammatory cytokines. This study utilizes the RNA-seq data analysis and bioinformatics tools to clarify the role of CRNDE in the IBD pathogenesis and confirms its expression in inflamed HT-29 and Caco-2 cell lines and also colonic and blood samples of UC patients and controls ex vivo. Based on our results, CRNDE was significantly upregulated in IBD samples compared to controls in RNA-seq data analysis and Real-time PCR of inflamed HT-29 cell line and colonic biopsies from UC patients. Additionally, predicted that its expression is positively correlated with the pro-inflammatory cytokines production. CRNDE interactions was investigated with several inflammation-related miRNAs and regulatory proteins computationally. Thus, CRNDE upregulation in the colon of IBD patients could be involved in IBD pathogenesis by promoting inflammatory pathways and targeting anti-inflammatory miRNAs.

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is among the most prevalent forms of cancer originating in the top layer of the skin, with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being its primary categories. While both types are highly treatable, the success of treatment hinges on early diagnosis. Early-stage NMSC detection can be achieved through clinical examination, typically involving visual inspection. An alternative, albeit invasive, method is a skin biopsy. Microwave imaging has gained prominence for non-invasive early detection of various cancers, leveraging distinct dielectric properties of healthy and malignant tissues to discriminate tumors and categorize them as benign or malignant. Recent studies demonstrate the potential of terahertz (THz) spectroscopy for detecting biomarkers by aligning electromagnetic wave frequencies in the low THz range (0.1 to 10 THz) with resonant frequencies of biomolecules, such as proteins. This study proposes an innovative microscale biosensor designed to operate in the THz range for the high-sensitivity and efficient diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer. By incorporating meticulously designed metamaterial layers, the sensor's absorption properties can be controlled, a critical aspect for discriminating between normal and NMSC-affected skin. In particular, the interaction between skin and THz waves, influenced by dielectric properties and unique vibrational resonances of molecules within tissue, is crucial for wave propagation and scattering. Extensive numerical studies showcased the suitability of the proposed biosensor for NMSC diagnosis, illustrated through specific case studies. These findings hold the potential to pave the way for further development of non-invasive microwave-imaging-based techniques for detecting NMSC and other types of skin cancer.