Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute disease of small ruminants caused by a morbillivirus. Clinical observation of the disease in the field revealed that several species of small ruminants are affected to varying degrees. This difference in disease-related effects could depend either on the host or on the virulence of the virus strain. A previous study highlighted the difference in virulence between two strains of PPRV used to infect Saanen goats. For this breed, PPRV Morocco 2008 strain (MA08) was highly virulent while PPRV Côte d’Ivoire 1989 (IC89) strain induced mild disease. Experimental studies generally based on healthy and young animals do not permit exploration of the natural variability of the host susceptibility to PPRV. Therefore, building on the previous study on Saanen goats, the current study focussed on this breed of goat and used commercially available animals with an unknown history of infection with other pathogens. Results confirmed the previous disease pattern for PPRV IC89 and MA08 strains. Viral RNA detection, macroscopic and histological lesions were stronger for the highly virulent MA08 strain. We show here for the first time that viral RNA can be detected in the tissues of vaccinated animals. Viral RNA was also detected for the first time in serum samples, which is in agreement with the role of circulating immune cells in transporting the virus into host target organs. Thus, this study provides insight into the pathogenesis of strains of different virulence of PPRV and will help to better understand the onset of the disease.

In recent years, it has been shown that gastrointestinal microflora has a substantial impact on the development of a large number of chronic diseases. The imbalance in the number or type of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to diseases and conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and small bowel cancers. This can occur as a result of genetics, alcohol, tobacco, chemotherapeutics, cytostatics, as well as antibiotic overuse. Due to this, essential taxa can be lost, and the host’s metabolism can be severely affected. A less known condition called small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can be seen in patients who suffer from hypochlorhydria and small intestine cancers. It is characterized as a state in which the bacterial population in the small intestine exceeds 105–106 organisms/mL. The latest examination methods such as double-balloon enteroscopy and wireless capsule endoscopy have the potential to increase the accuracy and precision of diagnosis and provide better patient care. This review paper aims to summarize the effect of the gastrointestinal environment on chronic disease severity and the development of cancers.

BACKGROUND: Stenosis of the carotid arteries, as a consequence of atherosclerosis is the most common cause of cerebrovascular insult (CVI). Severe (>70%) contralateral stenosis or occlusion (SCSO) of the carotid artery may represent an additional pre-operative risk factor  for neurologic incidents.             AIM: The aim of this study was to confirm and compare early perioperative results (0-30 days) of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with and without SCSO.                 PATIENT AND METHODS: In our retrospective-prospective study, we analysed the results of 273 CEA, divided into two groups based on the presence of significant contralateral stenosis or occlusion (non-SCSO and SCSO groups)             RESULTS: 273 CEA’s were performed, divided into two groups: SCSO groups 40 (14.7%) and non-SCSO group 233 (85.3%). Between the two groups, a statistically significant difference between patients was found (54.1% compared to 87.5%; p<0.0005), CEA with patch angioplasty (25.3% compared to 52.5%; p=0.001),  and CEA with the use of a shunt (3.9% compared to 35%; p<0.0005) in favour of the SCSO group. There was no statistically significant difference (SCSO was not identified as a risk factor) for any type of stroke or mortality. Logistically regression confirmed SCSO to be an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (OR 21.58; 95% CI  1.27-36.3; p= 0.033) and any type of stroke or mortality (OR 9.27; 95% CI  1.61-53.22; p= 0.012). SCSO was not a predictor of any type of stroke within 30 days. Predictors of any type of stroke was dyslipidemia (OR 0.12, 95% CI  0.02-0.76; p= 0.024).             CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of early (30 day) perioperative complications between the analysed groups. The percentage of perioperative complications remains within the accepted parameters, and thus, SCSO should not be qualified as a significant risk factor for CEA. We are of the opinion that CEA remains a safe and acceptable options for patients with SCSO, and SCSO should not be a reason for preferential use of carotid stenting.

This paper explores the possibilities of applying physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) in topology optimization (TO) by introducing a fully self-supervised TO framework based on PINNs. This framework solves the forward elasticity problem by the deep energy method (DEM). Instead of training a separate neural network to update the density distribution, we leverage the fact that the compliance minimization problem is self-adjoint to express the element sensitivity directly in terms of the displacement field from the DEM model. Thus, no additional neural network is needed for the inverse problem. The method of moving asymptotes is used as the optimizer for updating density distribution. The implementation of Neumann, Dirichlet, and periodic boundary conditions is described in the context of the DEM model. Three numerical examples are presented to demonstrate framework capabilities: (i) compliance minimization in 2D under different geometries and loading, (ii) compliance minimization in 3D, and (iii) maximization of homogenized shear modulus to design 2D metamaterial unit cells. The results show that the optimized designs from the DEM-based framework are very comparable to those generated by the finite element method and shed light on a new way of integrating PINN-based simulation methods into classical computational mechanics problems.

A graph is locally irregular if the degrees of the end-vertices of every edge are distinct. An edge coloring of a graph G is locally irregular if every color induces a locally irregular subgraph of G. A colorable graph G is any graph which admits a locally irregular edge coloring. The locally irregular chromatic index X'irr(G) of a colorable graph G is the smallest number of colors required by a locally irregular edge coloring of G. The Local Irregularity Conjecture claims that all colorable graphs require at most 3 colors for a locally irregular edge coloring. Recently, it has been observed that the conjecture does not hold for the bow-tie graph B, since B is colorable and requires at least 4 colors for a locally irregular edge coloring. Since B is a cactus graph and all non-colorable graphs are also cacti, this seems to be a relevant class of graphs for the Local Irregularity Conjecture. In this paper we establish that X'irr(G)<= 4 for all colorable cactus graphs.

With a modified version of the Wells-Riley model, we simulated the size distribution and dynamics of five airborne viruses (measles, influenza, SARS-CoV-2, human rhinovirus, and adenovirus) emitted from a speaking person in a typical residential setting over a relative humidity (RH) range of 20–80% and air temperature of 20–25 °C. Besides the size transformation of virus-containing droplets due to evaporation, respiratory absorption, and then removal by gravitational settling, the modified model also considered the removal mechanism by ventilation. The trend and magnitude of RH impact depended on the respiratory virus. For rhinovirus and adenovirus humidifying the indoor air from 20/30 to 50% will be increasing the relative infection risk, however, this relative infection risk increase will be negligible for rhinovirus and weak for adenovirus. Humidification will have a potential benefit in decreasing the infection risk only for influenza when there is a large infection risk decrease for humidifying from 20 to 50%. Regardless of the dry solution composition, humidification will overall increase the infection risk via long-range airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Compared to humidification at a constant ventilation rate, increasing the ventilation rate to moderate levels 0.5 → 2.0 h−1 will have a more beneficial infection risk decrease for all viruses except for influenza. Increasing the ventilation rate from low values of 0.5 h−1 to higher levels of 6 h−1 will have a dominating effect on reducing the infection risk regardless of virus type.

Climate variables including temperature, rainfall intensity, rainfall acidity, and lithological properties are among the most important factors affecting rock weathering. However, the relative contribution of these four factors on rock weathering, especially on chemical weathering, is still unclear. In this study, we carried out a series of weathering-leaching rainfall simulations on four types of badland sediments under controlled conditions of two levels of temperature, rainfall intensity, and rainfall acidity based on the real field data from representative weather scenarios. The main objectives are 1) to explore the progressive change of sample surface and leachate characteristics and 2) to reveal the independent effects of temperature, rainfall intensity, rainfall acidity, and lithology and their relative contribution as well, on both mechanical and chemical weathering. Qualitative analysis on crack development and fragmentation of sample surface and quantitative analysis on the leachate volume, pH, electrical conductivity, and total cation and anion releases of sample leachate together demonstrated that for the investigated sediments, under the conditions of temperature, intensity, and acidity of rain that can be achieved in nature, high drying temperature obviously increases mechanical disintegration by promoting the rate and magnitude of moisture variations (wetting–drying alterations), while high rainfall intensity and acid rain have no obvious effect. Impact and importance of the drying process caused by high temperature between wetting events need more attention, rather than high rainfall intensity. Low temperature, high rainfall intensity, and acid rain contributing more hydrogen ions required for cation exchanges, rock type with more soluble minerals, all promote chemical weathering, and the influence of climatic and lithological factors on chemical weathering decreases in the following order: mineral composition> rainfall intensity > temperature > rainfall acidity. Climatic variations on temperature can modify weathering processes and in that way conditioned hydro-geomorphological processes in badland areas. Such changes should be considered for direct and indirect implications on badland dynamics.

Thiopurines remain recommended as maintenance therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite their widespread use, long‐term effectiveness data are sparse and safety is an increasingly debated topic which thwarts proper delineation in the current IBD treatment algorithm.

Aim of study: Practically and simply assessing biodiversity by using inventory variables in four types of forest plantation stands (mixed and pure) including species such are chestnut, blue gum and maritime pine. Area of study: Northwest Portugal in Vale do Sousa (14,840 ha), which is 97% covered with plantation forests. Material and methods: Simulated data, from 90-year stand-level forest management planning, were considered using three indicators: tree species (number of different species and species origin—native or exotic), mean diameter at breast height (DBH), and shrub biomass. Two shrub regeneration types (fully regeneration by seed and fully regeneration by resprouting), and three site quality conditions were also considered. Main results: Mean biodiversity scores varied between very low (10.13) in pure blue gum stands on lowest-quality sites with shrub regeneration by seed, and low (29.85) in mixed stands with a dominance of pine, on best-quality sites with shrub regeneration by resprouting. Site quality and shrub regeneration type significantly affected all biodiversity scores in mixed stands dominated by pine and pure chestnut stands, while less affected pure blue gum stands and mixed stands dominated by blue gum. Research highlights: The considered biodiversity indicators cover the major biodiversity aspects and allow biodiversity assessment over time. The findings are relevant for biodiversity conservation and fire protection management.

South East European countries are pursuing their way towards EU accession which involves the adoption of EU laws, standards, and policy approaches. This process of policy alignment faces a local institutional environment marked by existing institutional asymmetries between formal and informal institutions, often based on institutional voids. In this article, we examine the conditions for introducing the EU’s smart specialization approach to a context marked by institutional voids and asymmetries. We understand the institutional environment of South East European countries as low-coordination economies marked by low degrees of cooperation and trust. In such an environment, a participatory policymaking approach such as smart specialization can serve to mitigate institutional asymmetries but is likely to face major challenges, leading to an institutional smart specialization paradox that is exacerbated by the absence of an ex-ante conditionality. To explore these challenges, we examine institutional voids and asymmetries relevant for innovation policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on a series of interviews with firms and intermediary organizations and an inductive research design inspired by grounded theory. Drawing on the results, we offer conclusions and policy recommendations for the upcoming introduction of smart specialization to Bosnia and Herzegovina and other EU enlargement countries.

In this study we present a resistance switching device that exhibits analogue potentiation and depression of conductance in the same polarity. This is in contrast to devices studied previously which exhibit potentiation and depression in opposite polarities. This has the potential to reduce complexity of the surrounding circuitry in neuromorphic computing by only requiring voltage pulses of a single polarity. In this paper, we detail how to induce this unique behaviour in devices as well as how to tune its properties to a desired response.

Adaptive and personalized systems have become pervasive technologies, gradually playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. Indeed, we are now used to interacting with algorithms that help us in several scenarios, ranging from services that suggest us music or movies to personal assistants able to proactively support us in complex decision-making tasks. As the importance of such technologies in our everyday lives grows, it is fundamental that the internal mechanisms that guide these algorithms are as clear as possible. The workshop aims to provide a forum for discussing problems, challenges, and innovative research approaches in this area by investigating the role of transparency and explainability in the recent methodologies for building user models or developing personalized and adaptive systems.

Group modeling adaptation and personalization is an area explored in parallel by two different research communities. On the one hand, the user modeling community focuses on the preferences aggregation problem: how to combine preferences of individuals in a group so as to personalize, adapt, and explain content for this group to consume or experience? On the other hand, the computer-supported collaboration community focuses on the group formation problem: how to construct a group that will work together efficiently to solve a particular task? This area becomes increasingly significant as work becomes more flexible, online, and distributed. The connecting tissue between both communities is the urgent need to design algorithms, whether for recommending group content or group formations, that steer away from top-down algorithmic decision-making, which has proven to stifle user agency and create power inequalities between users and algorithms. The aim of the workshop is, for the first time, to bring together the two communities working on the two sides of Group Recommendations, with an overall goal to rethink group recommendation and shift paradigms from the current algorithm-centric to a user- and group-centric focus.

A new freshwater fossil diatom taxon Rimocostatus bugojnicus gen. et sp. nov, from Miocene sediments at the Gračanica site, Bugojno palaeolake in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is described. The main morphological feature of the genus is the presence of marginal rimoportulae with simple, round external openings positioned on interfascicles on the valve mantle and stalked, large, wide internal slits, positioned on every costa. Marginal and valve face fultoportulae are absent. With these characteristics, the species shows similarities to both marine and freshwater species, known from recent, and primarily from fossil, diatom deposits. Thus, Rimocostatus bugojnicus gen. et sp. nov. is an important find for understanding the evolution of centric diatom species.

Abstract The subject of transgenerational legacies of war and forced migration has been increasingly gaining traction in the academic sphere. However, most of these studies yielded clinical implications, neglecting the role of culture in responding to the crisis engendered through the wholesale destruction of communities. The present paper examines how compounding of these phenomena impacted the formation of the social identities among the second-generation Bosniak1 migrants, whose parents survived the genocide in Srebrenica three decades ago and were forced to resettle in Australia. I focus on their family and homemaking practices in the diaspora by drawing upon findings from my ethnographic fieldwork in Melbourne. I found that the shared experience of place-based trauma of genocide serves as a connective tissue that binds the children survivors in “trans-local endogamous” marital unions through which they seek to preserve, perform and reproduce their unique (trans)local, cultural, as well as relational identities.