Mother Teresa University

In the title compound, C26H18BrN, the central benzene ring makes dihedral angles with its adjacent anthracene ring system and pendant benzene ring of 87.49 (13) and 62.01 (17)°, respectively. The N—H moiety is sterically blocked from forming a hydrogen bond, but weak C—H⋯π inter­actions occur in the extended structure.

Hundreds of cities and communities in the world have joined the WHO's Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities since 2010. In order to do quantitative assessments of the age-friendliness of cities, the Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire (AFCCQ) was developed for the Dutch municipality of The Hague. The purpose of this study was first to translate and test the validity and reliability of the AFCCQ for use in North Macedonia and second to explore perceptions on age-friendliness of the bicultural and bilingual City of Skopje. The AFCCQ proved valid for use in North Macedonia. Overall, older adults in Skopje experience the age-friendliness of the city as neutral (in seven out of nine domains). The best score (“slightly satisfied”) was found in the domain of Housing domain, which was rated positive in all ten municipalities. The lowest total score (“slightly dissatisfied”) was found in the domain of Outdoor spaces and buildings scoring, which received negative scores in eight out ten municipalities. In five out of nine domains differences were observed between the Albanian and Macedonian communities. The Albanian sample has slightly higher scores in two domains: 1) Housing and 2) Civic Participation and Employment, while the Macedonian sample scored higher in three domains: 1) Communication and Information; 2) Outdoor Spaces and Buildings and 3) Transportation. A hierarchical cluster analysis further revealed the presence of six distinct age-friendly typologies that can be used for a better understanding of subpopulations in the city and draft policies and action programs on the city level.

In the title compound, C26H18BrN, the dihedral angles between the anthracene ring system and the phenyl rings are 89.51 (14) and 74.03 (15)°. In the extended structure, a weak C—H⋯Br inter­action occurs, which generates [100] chains, but no significant π–π or C—H⋯π inter­actions are observed.

Sustainability of cultural heritage is pivotal for any society to transfer the wisdom, knowledge, customs, and traditions to the next generation. In most countries oral tradition including folk tales, folk songs and ballads appear to fade away due to the advancement of technology and shift of interest, thus creating a void in the values and one’s own heritage to pass down to the future generations. Folklore of a community preserves the oral traditions of yesteryears giving insights into linguistic and cultural aspects. This paper presents the results of a hybrid mode adopted virtually and onsite on a typological study of folktales of more than 20 countries across the world on analogue and digital teaching approaches. The project commenced virtually and concluded in hybrid mode after a period of intensive research from May to September 2022 aimed to focus on socio-cultural sustainability, tracing back to the oral traditions that made a society adhere to different norms and traditions. The significance of folk tales as cultural heritage, their common and unique features across cultures and how awareness could be created for the next generations through a blended approach were highlighted during outcomes of the study.

The incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is higher in Eastern Europeans and Middle Easterners. This study aimed to establish consensus among experts in this geographical area on the management of DDH before walking age. Fourteen experienced orthopedic surgeons agreed to participate in a four-round online consensus panel by the Delphi method. The questionnaire included 31 statements concerning the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of DDH before walking age. Consensus was established for 26 (84%) of 31 statements. Hip ultrasonography is the proper diagnostic tool under six months in DDH; universal newborn hip screening between three and six weeks is necessary; positive family history, breech presentation, female gender, and postnatal swaddling are the most important risk factors; Ortolani, Barlow tests, and limitation of abduction are the most important clinical findings; Pavlik harness is the first bracing preference; some Graf type IIa hips and all Graf type IIb and worse hips need abduction bracing treatment; the uppermost age limit for closed and open reductions is 12 months and 12–24 months, respectively; anatomic reduction is essential in closed and open reductions, postoperative MRI or CT is not always indicated; anterior approach open reduction is better than medial approach open reduction; forceful reduction and extreme positioning of the hips (> 60° hip abduction) are the two significant risk factors for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The findings of the present study may be useful for clinicians because a practical reference, based on the opinions of the multinational expert panel, but may not be applicable to all settings is provided.

This study explores a significant research gap concerning university research commercialization within developing economies, with a specific focus on North Macedonia as a representative case. Employing a novеl and rеplicablе mеthodological approach that combinеs in-dеpth qualitativе intеrviеws with rеsеarchеrs and comprеhеnsivе quantitativе data analysis, thе study providеs a uniquе and comprеhеnsivе analysis of thе factors influеncing rеsеarch commеrcialization in this spеcific contеxt. The research extends its scope beyond the identification of key strengths, such as high research productivity, by also delineating critical weaknesses that impede commercialization efforts. To addrеss thе wеaknеssеs, thе study proposеs concrеtе and actionablе rеcommеndations, including targеtеd proof-of-concеpt grants, еnhancеd еducation on intеllеctual propеrty and commеrcialization stratеgiеs, strеngthеnеd tеchnology transfеr officе capabilitiеs, and intеnsifiеd collaboration with thе privatе sеctor. This study addrеssеs this crucial gap by invеstigating thе factors influеncing univеrsity rеsеarch commеrcialization in North Macеdonia, a rеprеsеntativе casе of a dеvеloping еconomy. This rеsеarch not only еnrichеs thе acadеmic discoursе on univеrsity еntrеprеnеurial еcosystеms in non-wеstеrn contеxts but also offеrs valuablе insights applicablе to othеr dеvеloping еconomiеs. By prеsеnting a rеplicablе framеwork for еvaluating univеrsity rеsеarch commеrcialization еfforts on a global scalе, thе study analyses univеrsity rеsеarch commеrcialization, particularly within dеvеloping еconomiеs. Thе study's mеthodological approach, combining qualitativе insights and analytical survеy tеchniquеs, offеrs a rеplicablе tеmplatе for еxamining univеrsity еcosystеms.

Photocatalysts based on semiconducting chalcogenides due to their adaptable physio-chemical characteristics are attracting attention. In this work, Bi-doped PbS (henceforth PbS:Bi) was prepared using a straightforward chemical precipitation approach, and the influence of γ-irradiation on PbS’s photocatalytic ability was investigated. Synthesized samples were confirmed structurally and chemically. Pb(1–x)BixS (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02) samples that were exposed to gamma rays showed fine-tuning of the optical bandgap for better photocatalytic action beneath visible light. The photocatalytic degradation rate of the irradiated Pb0.995Bi0.005S sample was found to be 1.16 times above that of pure PbS. This is due to the occupancy of Bi³⁺ ions at surface lattice sites as a result of their lower concentration in PbS, which effectively increases interface electron transport and the annealing impact of gamma irradiation. Scavenger tests show that holes are active species responsible for deterioration of the methylene blue. The irradiated PbS:Bi demonstrated high stability after being used repeatedly for photocatalytic degradation.

In this chapter, the authors summarize the impact of traumatic axonal lesion on the corpus callosum (CC). The importance of craniocerebral traumatism, as a global health, public, and economic burden, seems to be on the rise despite technological advancements, adequate safety precautions, immediate access to high-quality and specialized health centers. As a deep structure of the brain, the CC is somewhat “protected” from most of the injuries other than traumatic axonal injuries. On the other hand, traumatic axonal injury does not necessarily mean involvement of the CC. It seems that the most severely injured patients mostly sustain axonal injury of the CC due to the acceleration/deceleration forces. Involvement of the CC is mostly associated with a poor prognosis, because of impaired neural connectivity and functional sequelae but also because these injuries are rarely isolated.

This paper presents a new approach for synthesizing missing parts from imperative programs by using abstract interpretation and logical abduction. Given a partial program with missing arbitrary expressions, our approach synthesizes concrete expressions that are strong enough to prove the assertions in the given program. Furthermore, the synthesized elements by our approach are the simplest and the weakest among all possible that guarantee the validity of assertions. In particular, we use a combination of forward and backward numerical analyses based on abstract interpretation to generate constraints that are solved by using the logical abduction technique. We have implemented our approach in a prototype synthesis tool for C programs, and we show that the proposed approach is able to successfully synthesize arithmetic and boolean expressions for various C programs.

Fault localization aims to automatically identify the cause of an error in a program by localizing the error to a relatively small part of the program. In this paper, we present a novel technique for automated fault localization via error invariants inferred by abstract interpretation. An error invariant for a location in an error program over-approximates the reachable states at the given location that may produce the error, if the execution of the program is continued from that location. Error invariants can be used for statement-wise semantic slicing of error programs and for obtaining concise error explanations. We use an iterative refinement sequence of backward-forward static analyses by abstract interpretation to compute error invariants, which are designed to explain why an error program violates a particular assertion. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach to localize errors in realistic C programs.

We present a novel approach to synthesize complete models from Promela model sketches by using of lifted (family-based) verification and analysis techniques for model families (a.k.a software product lines—SPLs). The input is a Promela model sketch, which represents a partial model with missing numerical holes. The goal is to automatically synthesize values for the holes, such that the resulting complete model satisfies a given Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) specification. First, we encode a model sketch as a model family, such that all possible sketch realizations correspond to possible variants in the model family. Then, we preform a lifted (family-based) model checking of the resulting model family using variability-specific abstraction refinement, so that only those variants (family members) that satisfy the given LTL properties represent “correct” realizations of the given model sketch. We have implemented a prototype model synthesizer for resolving Promela sketches. It calls the spin model checker for verifying Promela models. We illustrate the practicality of this approach for synthesizing several Promela models.

In the title hydrated salt, C5H5Cl2N2⁺·C6H4NO3⁻·H2O, the pyridine N atom of the cation is protonated and an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed in the anion, which generates an S(6) ring. The crystal packing features N—H⋯N, O—H⋯O, N—H⋯O, C—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which generate a three-dimensional network.

In the title compound, C17H14Cl2N2, the mol­ecule exists in an E configuration with respect to the C=N bond of the Schiff base fragment. The dihedral angle between the indole ring system and the benzene ring is 80.86 (12)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected by N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, generating a C(7) chain extending along the a-axis direction. No aromatic π–π stacking occurs but weak C—H⋯π inter­actions are observed.

Temperatures below the cryoscopic point help to partially freeze most of the water in the fish muscle tissue. This reduces water activity and makes the remaining free water hardly accessible to microorganisms. The objective of this study was to determine the best process regime of ultra-fast air-superchilling, giving us the optimal quality of golden rainbow trout. Two hundred and thirty-four live golden rainbow trout (Oncorchynchus mykiss, Stevanovski) (18 groups of 13 fish in a group) were caught and immediately stunned by an electric current (P = 42 W). The stunned fish was placed in styrofoam cans and covered with flaked ice. The sensory analysis, total nitrogen volatile bases (TVB-N), total number of microorganisms (TVC), and presence of biogenic amines were determined. According to the optimized values for TVB-N, TVC, and sensory scores, giving us a better quality of ultra-fast air-superchilled golden rainbow, the process regime has been found at the following parameters: air temperature T = −11.3 °C; airflow velocity υ = 6.5 m s−1; and packaging layer thickness D = 79.2 μ. The superchilled golden rainbow trout processed by this regime has the lowest degree of proteolytic degradation, delayed development of the microflora, and retains the best possible sensory properties and freshness.

Sexual development (SD) is a complex process with strict spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression. Despite advancements in molecular diagnostics, disorders of sexual development (DSD) have a diagnostic rate of ~50%. Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) represents the most common form of 46,XY DSD, with a spectrum of defects in androgen action. Considering the importance of very strict regulation of the SD, it is reasonable to assume that the genetic cause for proportion of the DSD lies in the non-coding part of the genome that regulates proper gene functioning. Here we present a patient with partial AIS (PAIS) due to a mosaic de novo c.-547C>T pathogenic variant in the 5′UTR of androgen receptor ( AR ) gene. The same mutation was previously described as inherited, in two unrelated patients with complete AIS (CAIS). Thus, our case further confirms the previous findings that variable gene expressivity could be attributed to mosaicism. Mutations in 5′UTR could create new upstream open reading frames (uORFs) or could disrupt the existing one. A recent systematic genome-wide study identified AR as a member of a subset of genes where modifications of uORFs represents an important disease mechanism. Only a small number of studies are reporting non-coding mutations in the AR gene and our case emphasizes the importance of molecular testing of the entire AR locus in AIS patients. The introduction of new methods for comprehensive molecular testing in routine genetic diagnosis, accompanied with new tools for in sillico analysis could improve the genetic diagnosis of AIS, and DSD in general.

The major bioactive component of black pepper (Piper nigrum) is piperine which has demonstrated beneficial therapeutic properties. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different irradiation doses on the content of piperine in black pepper. Samples were irradiated with 60Co γ-rays (at absorbed doses of 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 12 kGy). Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and UV–Vis spectrophotometry methods were used for measuring the piperine content in the samples. TLC was performed using three mobile phases (1. toluene:ethyl acetate, 7:3 v/v; 2. acetone:n-hexane, 6:4 v/v; 3. toluene:methanol, 8.5:1.5 v/v) and the retention factor (R f) value for piperine was equal to 0.66, 0.94, and 0.67, respectively. The content of piperine in γ-irradiated samples of black pepper was found to be between 0.04 and 1.05% w/w from the spectrophotometry analyses. Irradiation slightly decreased the piperine content of black pepper. It was found that piperine crude yield from black pepper was from 1.10 (the unirradiated sample) to 1.69, 1.07, 0.60, 0.90, 0.30, 1.20, 0.80% for irradiated samples, respectively. Microbiological analyses were performed with standard plate count method, which resulted in a decreasing number of the total cell count of microbial cells with increasing the radiation dose. Treatment with irradiation reduced the population of bacteria by 4 logs.