Recent evidence shows that COVID-19 patients with existing metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, are exposed to a high risk of morbidity and mortality. At the same time, in order to manage the pandemic, the health authorities around the world are advising people to stay at home. This results in decreased physical activity and an increased consumption of an unhealthy diet, which often leads to an increase in body weight, risk for diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome, and thus, paradoxically, to a high risk of morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 complications. Here we summarize the evidence demonstrating that the promotion of a healthy life style, including physical activity and a dietary intake of natural polyphenols present in coffee and tea, has the potential to improve the prevention and management of insulin resistance and diabetes in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, it would be pertinent to evaluate further the potential positive effects of coffee beverages, rich in natural polyphenols, as an adjuvant therapy for COVID-19, which appear not to be studied sufficiently.

In this paper we apply the h-generated fuzzy implications to prove a number of results which are of fundamental importance to the theory of fuzzy and vague functional and multivalued dependencies defined on given scheme. Our research is motivated by the fact that some analogous results already hold true for the families of f- and g-generated fuzzy implications, and the fact that these three collections of implications share many similar mutual properties. While some of the aforementioned implications are introduced in order to be applied in approximate reasoning, the results derived in this paper represent the main tool in the process of automation and are also used to complement the resolution principle. More precisely, the main result of this research states that the fact that some fuzzy (vague) relation instance r, |r| = 2, satisfies some fuzzy (vague) functional or fuzzy (vague) multivalued dependency c /∈ C (under assumption that r satisfies some set C of fuzzy (vague) functional and fuzzy (vague) multivalued dependencies), yields that the fuzzy formula attached to c is valid whenever all of the fuzzy formulas attached to the elements of C are valid. What is more important is that the opposite claim is also proven. Its importance stems from the fact that the verification by hand, which means purely theoretical verification, that C implies c is not required anymore. Now, in order to prove that some C yields some c, it is enough to make the use of the resolution principle, and automatically verify whether or not the set of the attached fuzzy formulas yields the fuzzy formula attached to c. In the case of affirmative answer, the desired dependency follows. The research conducted in this paper represent a natural generalization of our previous research since it includes and considers both, fuzzy and vague theories.

The levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the industrial zone, near the center of Banja Luka and river Vrbas, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the presented research, the total concentration of the PAHs in research area ranged from 0.356 to 11.49 mg/kg, with mean values of 1.99 mg/kg indicated that soil was heavily contaminated (max limit 1 mg/kg) and polluted with pollutant of class III ranging from 1 to 5 mg/kg. The possible sources of PAHs in the soils were estimated by using diagnostic ratios (LMW/HMW (low/high molecular weights), Fluo/(Fluo+Pyr) (fluoranthene/(fluoranthene+pyrene)), BaA/(BaA+Chr) (benzo[a]anthracene/(benzo[a] anthracene+chrysene)) and IcdP/(IcdP+BghiP) (indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene/(indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene + benzo[g,h,i]perylene))) and factor analysis (principal component analysis). The ratios showed that the PAHs in soil have both pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. Pyrogenic source is predominant. Petrogenic sources also have a significant contribution in the study area. Principal component analysis has shown that both industrial and human activities are the cause of pollution. The first factor is in relation to burning (pyrogenic origin). This factor explained 76.72% of total variance. The second factor is petrogenic, with 7.81% of total variance. PAHs in research area is a result of in general anthropogenic factors.

Automated vehicles are expected to become a part of the road traffic in the near future. This upcoming change raises concerns on how human road users, e.g., cyclists or pedestrians, would interact with them to ensure safe communication on the road. Previous work focused primarily on the scenario in which a young adult without impairments crosses a street in front of an automated vehicle. Several road user groups, such as children, seniors, or people with special needs, in roles of pedestrians and cyclists, are not considered in this scenario. On top of this, cultural differences are rarely considered. To ensure that future traffic is safe and accessible for all citizens, we aim to address inclusive communication between automated vehicles and vulnerable road users. In this workshop, we will discuss and exchange methods, tools, and scenarios applicable for inclusive communication, identify the most relevant research gaps, and connect people for future collaborations.

Pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV infection is an important intervention for control of the HIV epidemic. The incidence of HIV infection is increasing in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Therefore, we investigated the change in PrEP use in CEE over time.

Este trabalho teve o objetivo de estudar a influencia que a informacao light exerce no consumidor em termos sensorial e de atitudes. Os dados foram obtidos por meio da aplicacao de um instrumento de coleta padronizado, teste de aceitacao sensorial e determinacao do teor de gordura de diferentes marcas de requeijao light por meio do Metodo de Gerber. A analise estatistica foi realizada por meio da estatistica descritiva, como frequencia, alem do teste t para amostra pareada e correlacao de Pearson, adotando nivel de significância de 5%. Os resultados obtidos a partir da analise dos questionarios mostraram que existe elevada demanda em relacao aos produtos light , estando essa procura relacionada especialmente a saude. Alem disso, foi possivel detectar que apesar dos entrevistados terem alegado entender o termo light , muitos entrevistados apresentaram um conceito erroneo do termo. No teste de influencia da informacao light na aceitacao sensorial de requeijao, observou-se que 38% dos provadores nao tiveram sua aceitacao influenciada pela informacao light , 34% foram influenciados negativamente e 28% foram influenciados positivamente. Alem disso, por meio da determinacao do teor de gordura de requeijao light , observou-se que todas as marcas possuem reducao superior a 25%, atendendo aos aspectos legais para usar o termo light em seus rotulos. Assim, conclui-se que os alimentos light ainda precisam avancar em estudos para diminuir a influencia negativa da expressao light , bem como devem apresentar aos consumidores mais esclarecimentos sobre o termo e, tambem, em caracterizacao da composicao centesimal e padronizacao de produtos.

We obtain precise estimates for the number of singularities of Selberg’s and Ruelle’s zeta functions for compact, higher-dimensional, locally symmetric Riemannian manifolds of strictly negative sectional curvature. The methods applied in this research represent a generalization of the methods described in the case of a compact Riemann surface. In particular, this includes an application of the Phragmen-Lindelof theorem, the variation of the argument of certain zeta functions, as well as the use of some classical analytic number theory techniques.

The study aims to critically analyze the EU's political identity and how the migrant crisis embodies the most challenging political issue facing the E.U., implicating growing xenophobia and questioning European multiculturalism. Moreover, the author provides insight into the migrant crisis's socio-political and security challenges, followed by ethnographic research of the migrant's religious identity within the Balkan route. Migrations are a central issue for Europe's future, security, and identity. The EU's cultural integrity remains unclear, and the migrant crisis opens up a multiculturalism discourse. The nationstate model has undergone significant globalized world changes, becoming less sustainable and less critical for cultural, political, and economic processes. Due to the growing economic insecurity and the fear of losing national identities in an environment of globalized culture, some have perceived multiculturalism as a threat. The humanitarian and security discourse reflects the micro-level of the situation on the ground and the mass media's macro levels and political action. Acceptance of ethnoreligious or political diversity does not relieve immigrants of the duty to recognize all the rules necessary to conduct productive coexistence. Migrants' participation in socio-economic and political systems means realizing the preconditions for the beginning of cultural integration. The crisis triggered an avalanche 1 BSc Psychology, Economics, MSc Security Studies,Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement, Diploma,(MBTA),Mindfulness Based Transactional Analysis Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n.10, e4809108685, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i10.8685 2 of anti-Islam sentiments that became a reference matrix for radical populism. The sense of identification with the housing society-Bosniaks, where Islamic regulations on the matrix are legitimized by recognizing a universal theological pattern, is a symbolic moment and a participative approach to understanding both religion and integration. Constructing immigrants as a group, whether they are migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers, tends to encourage the perception that "their "interests, values, and traditions are competing with "ours, "stimulating negative emotions in the form of prejudice.

Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy has significantly improved overall survival for metastatic melanoma, and is now approved for use in the adjuvant setting. Modulating the immune system is recognized to cause cutaneous immune‐related adverse events (irAEs). We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of adult patients with melanoma at our tertiary referral centre, who received CPI therapy from 2006 to March 2018. This is the single largest study of cutaneous irAEs occurring on CPI therapy in patients with melanoma to date and encompasses 12 years. The results showed that cutaneous toxicity occurs in 24% of patients but is generally manageable, with < 5% patients discontinuing treatment.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules with antimicrobial activity and could be a promising alternative to classical antibiotics, whose clinical efficiency is undermined by emergence of resistance. Our group is studying one such antibiotic alternative – the antimicrobial peptide TAT-RasGAP317-326. We recently reported the antimicrobial activity of this peptide against a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this article, we show that the presence of divalent cations and low pH levels have an impact on TAT-RasGAP317-326 activity, whereas serum proteins only partially reduce the antibacterial activity of TAT-RasGAP317-326. In addition, we show that iron supplementation reduces TAT-RasGAP317-326 binding to bacteria. Using a transcriptomics approach and screening of bacterial mutant libraries, we map the transcriptional response of bacteria when exposed to TAT-RasGAP317-326 and identify cellular pathways that may play a role in bacterial resistance to TAT-RasGAP317-326. We test combinations of TAT-RasGAP317-326 with other AMPs and detect no evidence for an additive effect between any of the peptide combinations. Finally, we perform a resistance selection screen that reveals differences between bacterial strains with respect to their rate of resistance emergence against the TAT-RasGAP317-326 peptide. Taken together, our findings bring a better understanding of how extracellular factors might impact the antimicrobial activity of TAT-RasGAP317-326 peptide and thus contribute basic biology insight into the mechanisms behind TAT-RasGAP317-326 activity, potentially aiding future strategies to improve the efficiency of this peptide in vivo.

Summary Antibiotic resistance is an increasing threat for public health, underscoring the need for new antibacterial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an alternative to classical antibiotics. TAT-RasGAP317-326 is a recently described AMP effective against a broad range of bacteria, but little is known about the conditions that may influence its activity. Using RNA-sequencing and screening of mutant libraries, we show that Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respond to TAT-RasGAP317-326 by regulating metabolic and stress response pathways, possibly implicating two-component systems. Our results also indicate that bacterial surface properties, in particular integrity of the lipopolysaccharide layer, influence peptide binding and entry. Finally, we found differences between bacterial species with respect to their rate of resistance emergence against this peptide. Our findings provide the basis for future investigation on the mode of action of TAT-RasGAP317-326, which may help developing antimicrobial treatments based on this peptide.