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Purpose: To assess anatomical and functional success of pars plana vitrectomy with retinectomy in cases of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR grade C). Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Place and Duration of Study: AL-Ferdous Private Eye Hospital, Baghdad, from July, 2019- June, 2023. Methods: Thirty eyes of thirty patients with PVR grade C were included in the study. One group (n=15) underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) without retinectomy, while the other group (n=15) underwent PPV with retinectomy. Complications, anatomic success, and visual acuity were documented and evaluated. The relationship between retinectomy duration and postoperative visual acuity was examined using a chi-square test, with a p-value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Mean age of the patients was 46.13±13.95 years. Retinectomy group had 8 (53.3%) males and 7 (46.7%) females. The other group had 10 (66.7%) males and 5 (33.33%) females. In group 1 there were 5 phakic and 10 pseudophakic eyes while in group 2, there were 4 phakic and11 pseudophakic eyes. Postoperative complete retinal re-attachment was achieved in 100% eyes in retinectomy group. After six months, the first group had 5 eyes (33.3%) with improved visual acuity, stable visual acuity in 7 eyes (46.6%) and worsening of vision in 3 eyes (20%). For the second group, 8 eyes (53.3%) showed improvement, stability in 4 eyes (26.7%), and worsening vision in 3 eyes (20%) with p-value > 0.05. Conclusion: Retinectomy is beneficial in treating severe PVR and improves, ultimate retinal reattachment rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike wh-question questions in Standard Arabic (SA), which received much attention in the past decades in different approaches within generative grammar, question particles (yes-no questions) in SA have not yet been studied thoroughly in minimalist syntax, and less attention has been paid to them. There is a need to analyze SA question articles and explore their syntactic behavior within minimalism. The reason why this topic has been selected for study is that SA question particles have not been investigated in detail yet in Chomsky's Phase Theory; it has not been analyzed how question particles are derived and represented morpho-syntactically in a clause structure. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the morpho-syntax of SA question particles and provide satisfactory answers to the following questions: (i) Do question particles in SA undergo any syntactic movement to [Spec-CP] in the derivation of yes-no questions? If not, why?, (ii) Are question particles based-generated in [Spec-CP]?, and (iii) How can question particles be accounted for neatly in Chomsky's Phase-based Theory? The paper adopts Chomsky's Phase Theory to examine the interaction between the assumptions of this theory and the SA data on question particles. The study findings reveal that, unlike English, question particles in SA do not undergo any syntactic movement while deriving yes-no questions and are assumed to be base-generated in [Spec-CP]. Such question particles are not part of the verb morphology and are merely morphological affixes used as devices to mark interrogativity in the syntax; they do not carry any agreement and tense features that trigger syntactic movement to the clause-initial position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face recognition has become indispensable in our daily lives as a quick and painless technique of confirming our identities since in the era of wearing face masks the traditional face recognition system may not effectively recognize the concerned person as an important part of the face (mouth, nose, and chin) which makes a substantial contribution to the face recognition process are occluded and partially hidden. The objective of our research is to tackle the challenges of the partially occluded face with a mask by training our custom dataset using those powerful pretrained deep learning models like YOLO and Mask R-CNN which have not been used before for this purpose and to compare which one is outperforming the better results. To this end, models like (YOLOv5, YOLOv7, YOLOv8, and Mask R-CNN) have been employed and trained on the created dataset to check the accuracy and robustness of the occluded face recognition process. In addition, an online dataset such as (mfr2) which contains celebrities, and politicians masked and unmasked faces after expansion with more images has been used. The experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed algorithms give an accurate result, we achieve an accuracy of 97.5% using YOLOv8s, an accuracy of 89.7% using YOLOv7, and an accuracy of 89% using YOLOv5x, while an accuracy of 94.5% using Mask R-CNN. The study concludes that YOLOv8s outperforms the other models in masked face recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast tumor diagnosis has seen widespread use of computer-aided techniques. Machine learning techniques can benefit doctors in making diagnosis decisions. One of the most important treatments for breast cancer is neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The reason is that NAC before surgery can downstage breast cancer and reduce local surgery. The problem of MRI, in brief, is how to distinguish between the types of pre-NAC and post-NAC, especially between the kinds of post-NAC. This study presents creating a system that goes through five stages: the input dataset, comparing normal and abnormal using EfficientNetV2L, determining the difference between malignant (pre- or post-NAC) and benign by utilizing a mask region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN), comparing the types of post-NAC by using Detectron2, and finally the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Thus, it is decided if the breast needs a mastectomy or wide local excision (WLE) using Detectron2 with Faster R-CNN. The results showed that EfficientNetV2L achieved high accuracy, about 98%. The models successfully compared the types of post-NAC by using Detectron2 with Mask R-CNN. The study concludes that Detectron2 with Mask and Faster R-CNN is a reasonable model for detecting the type of MRI image and classifying whether the image is normal or abnormal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrids have received a lot of attention in the past few decades and researchers are evaluating the integration of renewable resources especially fuel cells to overcome the energy crisis. This review article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of fuel cells, including the technical complexities and challenges encountered in integration with microgrid systems. Additionally, it explores combined heat and power systems that leverage waste heat recovery. The findings indicated that the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have extensive applicability in various microgrid systems, including grid-connected, backup, and stand-alone setups. These systems can achieve an efficiency of 95% when combined with the heat and power technique. Electricity generation capacity can be attained up to 100 MW using SOFC-based microgrid systems and generates an average of 33.6 kWh utilizing 1-kg hydrogen. In conclusion, this article provides valuable insights for researchers related to the challenges and future directions in fuel cell integrated microgrids. [Display omitted] • A literature study of the most effective fuel cell types for hybrid microgrids. • Technicalities and complexities of fuel cells in hybrid microgrids are reviewed. • Combined heat and power system for highly efficient performance. • Fuel cells comparison with energy resources in economic and environmental aspects. • Fuel cell-based microgrids are best alternative for long-term energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Late-onset SLE is usually milder and associated with lower frequency of LN and neuropsychiatric manifestations. The diagnosis of NPSLE is especially challenging in older patients because of increased incidence of neurological comorbidities. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the differences in NPSLE manifestations in early-onset (<50-year-old) vs late-onset (≥50-year-old) SLE patients. Methods A literature search was performed using the PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases. Studies available in English (1959–2022) including a late-onset SLE comparison group and evaluating the frequency of NPSLE were eligible. A forest plot was used to compare odds ratios (95% CI) of incidence and manifestations of NPSLE by age groups. Study heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 statistics. Results A total of 44 studies, including 17 865 early-onset and 2970 late-onset SLE patients, fulfilled our eligibility criteria. CNS involvement was reported in 3326 patients. Cumulative NPSLE frequency was higher in the early-onset group than in the late-onset group (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.59, P  < 0.0001). In early-onset SLE patients, seizures (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.27, 2.22) and psychosis (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.41) were more common than in late-onset SLE patients (P values, 0.0003 and 0.0014, respectively). Peripheral neuropathy was more commonly reported in the late-onset SLE group than in the early-onset SLE group (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.86, P  = 0.004). Conclusion Our meta-analysis revealed that the frequencies of overall NPSLE, seizures, and psychosis were less common in late-onset SLE patients than in early-onset SLE patients. In contrast, peripheral neuropathy was more common in the late-onset SLE group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attitude of Saudis and expatriate managers toward work has taken on added value in recent years. This has come about as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has embarked on profound and ambitious economic and social changes outlined in Vision 2030. Managers are instrumental in successfully executing these strategic moves. However, managers face intense and immediate challenges when publicly voicing their concerns. This study was undertaken to shed light on the nature of work ethics and work involvement in the Kingdom. The research subjects were men and women managers and encompassed both citizens and expatriates. We found differences in the attitudes of men and women and between citizens and expatriates. The results were viewed in the sociopolitical context, and issues related to work ethics and to the role of women and expatriates were delineated. Business and social implications for policymakers and multinational corporations were provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is one of the danger diseases in our life, especially lung cancer is one of the most effected organs by cancer and causes death. The early detection of the tumor is very important issue for staging the cancer phases, usually the shape and size of the tumor are considered for classify the cancer type, calculation size of the tumor area and detecting it in accurate way will help to save patient life, this paper uses Mask-RCNN to analyze and detect malignant and benign tumor with real dataset of CT scan lung cancer images in (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) KRI, also develop calculating area size of tumor in cm2. After training and testing the system accuracy 96.59%, sensitivity 95%, specificity 95% and F_1 score 99.65% have been achieved. The study concludes that Mask-RCNN is a very good model for diagnoses cancer tumors and can help radiologists to detect and stage the cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic analysis is one of the crucial tasks of intelligent transport system that utilizes deep learning for range of purposes. Many tasks, such as vehicle recognition, vehicle counting, traffic violation monitoring, vehicle speed monitoring, vehicle density and so on, can be accomplished by using cameras installed in strategic locations along roads. In this paper powerful deep learning techniques such as (Yolov5, Mask RCNN, SSD) and state-of-the-art object tracking algorithm known as DeepSORT was used to perform real time vehicle detection and counting in a video. A new highway vehicle detection dataset with overall of 32,265, instances of four vehicle classes named: bus, car, motorbike, truck was created in this paper and utilized for training vehicle detection and counting system. Result shows that average counting accuracy by using Yolov5 combined DeepSORT reaches to 95% while reaches to 91% by using Mask R-CNN combined DeepSORT and 84% by using SSD combined DeepSORT in hard environment. From the experimental work, counting accuracy by using Yolov5 outperforms other two deep learning techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils from five Baccharis species were screened for their toxicity and biting deterrence/repellency against yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.), and imported fire ants, including Solenopsis invicta Buren (RIFA), Solenopsis richteri Forel (BIFA) and their hybrids (HIFA). Baccharis microdonta DC. and B. punctulata DC. at 10 µg/cm2 showed biting deterrence similar to DEET, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide at 25 nmol/cm2, whereas the repellency of B. pauciflosculosa DC., B. sphenophylla Dusén ex Malme and B. reticularioides Deble & A.S. Oliveira essential oils was significantly lower than DEET against mosquitoes. Two major compounds from the active essential oils, kongol and spathulenol, also exhibited biting deterrence similar to DEET against mosquitoes. The highest toxicity exhibited against mosquitoes was by Baccharis punctulata essential oil (LC50 = 20.4 ppm), followed by B. pauciflosculosa (LC50 = 31.9 ppm), B. sphenophylla (LC50 = 30.8 ppm), B. microdonta (LC50 = 28.6 ppm), kongol (LC50 = 32.3 ppm), spathulenol (LC50 = 48.7 ppm) and B. reticularioides essential oil (LC50 = 84.4 ppm). Baccharis microdonta essential oil showed repellency against RIFA, BIFA and HIFA at 4.9, 4.9 and 39 µg/g, respectively. Baccharis microdonta essential oil also showed toxicity with LC50 of 78.9, 97.5 and 136.5 µg/g against RIFA, BIFA and HIFA, respectively, at 24 h post treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of Levetiracetam (LEV) versus Phenytoin (PHY) in the prevention of post-traumatic seizures in a low-middle-income country. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from 25th December 2021 to 24th June 2022 at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 140 patients presented with traumatic brain injury, both male and female, aged between 15 to 60 years were included. Patients with a history of epilepsy, acromegaly or hypogonadism, history of brain tumour or abscess were excluded. LEV was given to group A patients as a 1000 mg intravenous (IV) loading dose, followed by a dose of 500-1000 mg (orally) twice daily. PHY was given to group B patients as an IV loading dose of 15-20 mg/kg, followed by an oral dose of 4-8 mg/kg divided into three doses per day. All the patients were followed and the efficacy of the drugs was noted. Results: The mean age of patients in groups A and B was 43.69 ± 9.05 SD years and 43.07 ± 9.46 SD years, respectively. The majority of the patients i.e., 108 (77.1%) were between the ages of 41 to 60 years. Out of the total 140 patients, 87 (62.1%) were males and 53 (37.9%) were females with male to female ratio of 1.6:1. LEV had an efficacy of 63 (90%) and PHY had an efficacy of 46 (65.7%) in this study, both having a p-value of 0.0005. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, LEV is superior to PHY at preventing post-traumatic seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research describes the use of e-mail reply suggestions from a socio-cultural perspective of some language-related variables. It also correlates how users perceive the use of e-mail reply suggestions to some variables: job, specialization, age, and gender. In this descriptive-inferential survey design, a self-developed questionnaire was distributed online to collect the data from a convenient sample of e-mail users. The analysis shows the study sample perceived medially the use of e-mail reply suggestions. There are statistically significant differences in the respondents' means about using e-mail reply suggestions according to the variable of job for education, specialization for humanities, and gender for females. Also, ages of less than 30 and above 50 years are of significance in using e-mail reply suggestions. The study reveals a weak inverse correlation, however, statistical between using e-mail reply suggestions and the language of those suggestions. In addition, a statistically significant positive direct correlation is found between usability and culture and society of e-mail reply suggestions. In light of the findings, the study recommends the better implementation of artificial intelligence-mediated communication in e-mail reply suggestions in association with some sociolinguistic factors. Also, future related studies are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Multiple efficacy studies have shown that treatment provided via video consultation (VC) can be equivalent to in-person (IP) consultation for people with psychiatric diagnoses. However, despite the great promise of VC, it has not been widely implemented in psychiatric outpatient services. This study investigated the feasibility aspects of VC in clinical practice and examined a range of factors associated with the implementation of this modality of treatment within psychiatric outpatient services. Methods. This study had a pragmatic design, where 40 consecutive referrals for people with anxiety, personality, or depressive disorders were given the choice to receive eight weekly treatment sessions via VC or IP modality within an outpatient psychiatric setting. Information on demand, acceptance, engagement, implementation, and potential negative effects for treatment conducted via VC were collected to help identify factors that may impact on the uptake of VC within the psychiatric outpatient service. Results. There was a high demand and acceptance for VC, with 44% (n = 15) of the patients choosing to receive eight weekly treatment sessions via VC, and acceptance was rated highly. Engagement with VC modality was good, with only a very small percentage (13%, n = 2) not completing treatment. A good level of working alliance was established and largely maintained throughout treatment for patients and case managers. There were differences in the utilization of VC compared to the IP modality, with the VC modality having a greater focus on supportive counseling and IP modality having a greater focus on psychotherapy. Overall, the duration of treatment conducted via VC was also slightly shorter than that of IP consultations. There were no negative effects registered for consultations via video. Conclusions. Findings suggest a high patient demand and acceptance for VC within psychiatric services, with good levels of engagement and alliance reported. Differences in focus and duration in VC compared to IP may reflect clinicians' different attitudes and/or approaches to providing treatment, depending on whether it is VC or IP consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research project bridges the gap between Saudi Vision 2030 and labor market needs by strengthening English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students' critical thinking skills. The increasing unemployment rates may not be due to insufficient vacancies in the labor market, but graduates' lack of the general abilities deemed vital to meet the labor market needs. With employability in mind, this study reiterates that graduates should ideally be advanced specialists, critical researchers, creative initiators, and active communicators to be more competitive and contribute to the prosperity of their nation. Therefore, this research employs a quasi-experimental design (time series design) to investigate how effectively students' critical thinking skills are enriched using a video-mediated self-study program through Telegram. Studies in this respect, regarding the Saudi EFL context, are limited. Therefore, this research employed a video-mediated self-study program through Telegram on learning critical thinking skills for EFL students majoring in English or Translation. The data collection included a pre-and post-test on critical thinking skills and a semi-structured interview. The findings showed that students improved their critical thinking skills due to the training program compared to their performance before the treatment at a low level. Besides, the participants evaluated learning critical thinking skills from thinking ways, feelings, benefits, motivation, challenges and problems, and suggestions. In light of the findings, recommendations were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies and reports indicate that some graduates struggle to find jobs, in part because they lack the key presentation skills and competencies the labor market needs. Thus, this research investigated the effectiveness of a Blackboard-mediated intervention program in strengthening English as a foreign language (EFL) students' presentation skills. The research followed a quasi-experimental (time series) design, delivering workshops on presentation skills and collecting data from the students (N = 30) using a set of instruments: a pre-and post-assessment checklist and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the students' presentation skills improved significantly post intervention. Also, the participants reported positive attitudes concerning the intervention. Drawing on these findings, recommendations and suggestions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the essential oils (EOs) of flowers from German chamomile (GCEOs 1-5) Matricaria chamomilla L., Roman chamomile (RCEOs 1-2) Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All, and Chinese chamomile (CCEO-1) or "Juhua" Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat were characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. EOs were tested for biting deterrence/repellency against Aedes aegypti and hybrid imported fire ants and for toxicity against Anastrepha suspensa. GCEOs 1-5 were characterized by the higher contents of α-bisabolol oxide A (43%-66%) and α-bisabolol oxide B (10%-16%) whereas isobutyl angelate (16%-17%), 2-butenyl angelate (12%-13%), isoamyl tiglate (11%-12%), 3-methyl pentylangelate (8%-11%), and trans-pinocarveol (6%-7%) were major compounds of RCEOs 1 and 2. The CCEO-1 was rich in borneol (31%), ar-curcumene (12%), bornyl acetate (7%) and intermedeol (5%). Biting deterrence of GCEO-2 and -3, and CCEO-1 was similar to N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) whereas the activity of the other EOs was lower than DEET against Ae. aegypti. The activity of pure compounds α- bisabolol and 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]non-3-en-2-one from German chamomiles was also similar to DEET against Ae. aegypti. Repellency of German chamomile EO, GCEO-F against hybrid imported fire ants was higher whereas the activity of Roman chamomile EO, RCEO-PT was lower than DEET. All EOs, GCEO-4, RCEO-2, and CCEO-1 were toxic against female A. suspensa. Further research using intensive in vivo bioassays will be conducted to explore the potential of these natural products in insect pest management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in Saudi Arabia to compare expatriates to Saudis in terms of their beliefs and work involvement. Furthermore, the study aims to contrast four measures related to work involvement and investigate expatriates' and citizens' commitment to work. A total of 990 surveys were distributed. The final sample included 481 responses, a response rate of 48.6%. It was found that Saudi managers scored higher than expatriates on individualism, while expatriates showed higher commitment than Saudis toward IWE and Belief About Work measures. Likewise, the results show that there were strong correlations among Islamic Work Ethic (IWE), Individualism, and Belief About Work and Consumer Ethics scales. Theoretical and cultural underpinnings are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy is considered to be sustainable solution to the energy crisis and climate change. The transition to renewable energy needs to be considered on a sectoral basis and one such sector that can potentially decarbonized with renewable energy is the telecommunication sector. Several base transceiver stations (BTS) in remote regions have unstable electric supply systems. Diesel generators (DG) are a common solution to energy problems on such telecommunication sites. However, they have high fuel costs on the global market and contribute to high carbon emissions. Hybrid renewable energy systems may provide a stable power output by integrating multiple energy sources, essential for supplying a dependable and uninterrupted power supply in the context of the telecom sector, notably base transceiver stations (BTS). Deploying such a system might also help BTS, which relies mainly on diesel generators with battery storage backup, reduce operational costs and environmental problems. This study presents the framework for large-scale photovoltaic system penetration based on techno-economic analysis (based on actual on ground data with least assumptions) in base transceiver stations (BTS) encapsulating telecom sector spread across various geographical regions. The proposed framework includes a mathematical model complemented with system design in HOMER software tool. The techno-economic aspects of the study were spread across 2, 12 and 263 sites, along with comparison analysis of photovoltaic system installation with and without energy storage devices, respectively. The sites included both on-grid and off-grid sites, which were exposed to high levels of power outages and subjected to reliance on costly and environmentally hazardous diesel generators. Optimization results showed that the photovoltaic system with a diesel generator and battery storage system provide a promising solution to the energy problem, with an average decrease in LCOE of 29%, DG hour's reduction by 82% with 92% reduction in carbon emission and a reduction in NPC of 34% due to the high availability of solar. The techno-economic analysis indicated that optimized photovoltaic system and storage results in both on–off grid BTS sites with better options, amid low cost of energy and free accessibility of solar. Moreover, the results spread across geographical regions aiming at a reliable and environmentally friendly option that reduces load on utility grid across on-grid BTS sites and substantial overall reduction in diesel usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing facial expressions and emotions is a basic skill that is learned at an early age and it is important for human social interaction. Facial expressions are one of the most powerful natural and immediate means that humans use to express their feelings and intentions. Therefore, automatic emotion recognition based on facial expressions become an interesting area in research, which had been introduced and applied in many areas such as security, safety health, and human machine interface (HMI). Facial expression recognition transition from controlled environmental conditions and their improvement and succession of recent deep learning approaches from different areas made facial expression representation mostly based on using a deep neural network that is generally divided into two critical issues. These are a variation of expression and overfitting. Expression variations such as identity bias, head pose, illumination, and overfitting formed as a result of a lack of training data. This paper firstly discussed the general background and terminology utilized in facial expression recognition in field of computer vision and image processing. Secondly, we discussed general pipeline of deep learning. After that, for facial expression recognition to classify emotion there should be datasets in order to compare the image with the datasets for classifying the emotion. Besides that we summarized, discussed, and compared illustrated various recent approaches of researchers that have used deep techniques as a base for facial expression recognition, then we briefly presented and highlighted the classification of the deep feature. Finally, we summarized the most critical challenges and issues that are widely present for overcoming, improving, and designing an efficient deep facial expression recognition system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmful alcohol consumption has been considered a major public health issue globally, with the amounts of alcohol drunk being highest in the WHO European Region including Hungary. Alcohol consumption behaviors are complex human traits influenced by environmental factors and numerous genes. Beyond alcohol metabolization and neurotransmitter gene polymorphisms, taste preference-related genetic variants may also mediate alcohol consumption behaviors. Applying the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) we aimed to elucidate the underlying genetic determinants of alcohol consumption patterns considering taste preference gene polymorphisms (TAS1R3 rs307355, TAS2R38 rs713598, TAS2R19 rs10772420 and CA6 rs2274333) in the Hungarian general (HG) and Roma (HR) populations. Alcohol consumption assessment was available for 410 HG and 387 HR individuals with 405 HG and 364 HR DNA samples being obtained for genotyping. No significant associations were found between TAS1R3 rs307355, TAS2R19 rs10772420, and CA6 rs2274333 polymorphisms and alcohol consumption phenotypes. Significant associations were identified between TAS2R38 rs713598 and the number of standard drinks consumed in the HG sample (genotype GG negatively correlated with the number of standard drinks; coef: −0.136, p = 0.028) and the prevalence of having six or more drinks among Roma (a negative correlation was identified in the recessive model; genotype GG, coef: −0.170, p = 0.049), although, none of these findings passed the Bonferroni-corrected probability criterion (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, our findings may suggest that alcohol consumption is partially driven by genetically determined taste preferences in our study populations. Further studies are required to strengthen the findings and to understand the drivers of alcohol consumption behavior in more depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is known that ruminal acidosis can induce harmal population shifts in some ruminal bacteria profiles. However, there is little information related to alterations in faecal and ruminal bacterial communities and relevant serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in sheep with subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). Objectives: This study aimed to investigate alterations in the defined faecal and ruminal bacteria profiles and serum LPS and blood lactate concentrations in lambs with empirically induced SARA. Methods: Fifteen lambs were served and undergone to induce SARA during a 7‐day period. Faecal and ruminal samples were taken to measure the pH and to perform the bacteriological works at 0 (just before induction), 8, 9, and 10 days of the challenge. Blood samples were collected to determine the serum LPS and lactate levels. The rumen and faecal samples were cultured to specify colony‐forming units (CFU) for Escherichia coli, Streptococcus Group D (SGD), and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Results: Serum LPS value had no significant increase in the affected lambs with SARA. Significant increasing trends were observed in faecal E. coli and LAB populations (p < 0.01). Rumen bacteriology revealed a rising trend for LAB and a falling trend for SGD populations (p < 0.01). Conclusion: : Unlike cattle, LPS appears to be of minor importance in the pathogenesis of SARA in sheep. The increased ruminal and faecal LAB (4.00 × 107 CFU/ml or g) are proposed as valuable biomarkers for improving nutritional strategy and screening SARA in lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During embryonic development, the forebrain roof plate undergoes invagination, leading to separation of the cerebral hemispheres. Any defects in this process, in humans, lead to middle interhemispheric holoprosencephaly (MIH-HPE). In this study, we have identified a previously unreported downstream mediator of retinoic acid (RA) signaling, CNKSR2, which is expressed in the forebrain roof plate in the chick embryo. Knockdown of CNKSR2 affects invagination, cell proliferation and patterning of the roof plate, similar to the phenotypes observed upon inhibition of RA signaling. We further demonstrate that CNKSR2 functions by modulating the Ras/Raf/MEK signaling. This appears to be crucial for patterning of the forebrain roof plate and its subsequent invagination, leading to the formation of the cerebral hemispheres. Thus, a set of novel molecular players have been identified that regulate the morphogenesis of the avian forebrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasal polyps are a common condition. Their etiology remains unclear. Surgical treatment has been refined significantly over the past 20 years with the advent of endoscopic sinus surgery. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in an adult patient with sinonasal polyposis, by measuring the improvement in symptoms during 6 months of follow-up. Furthermore, record complications and recurrence of nasal polyps. Patients and Methods: A prospective study was conducted between November 2018 to January 2021, which included (39) patients whom attended the Outpatient Otorhinolaryngological Department of AL-Karkh General Hospital and AL-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and suffered from sinonasal polyposis. This study included patients above 18 years (of either sex) with bilateral nasal polyposis and whom medical treatment failed. Those patients were evaluated by history taking, clinical examination, and computer tomography scan of the nose and paranasal sinuses. All patients had functional endoscopic sinus surgery and visual analog scale assessments was done (both pre- and postoperatively), which followed up for up to 24 weeks. Results: About 79.5% of the patient get improvement in nasal blockage and (66.7%) for hyposmia, (90.5%) for nasal discharge, and (80%) for both headache and postnasal drip associated with significant improvement of symptoms score 24 weeks postoperative to preoperative score for nasal block, hyposmia, nasal discharge, and facial pain, except postnasal drip showed no significant difference. The most frequent complication was a recurrence of polyps, followed by synechiae and minor epistaxis. No major complication was recorded. Conclusion: Endoscopic sinus surgery for sinonasal polyposis is an efficient surgical procedure for nasal polyposis, because it provides an approximate field of vision and illumination, good access, and is associated mostly with minor complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unhealthy alcohol consumption is recognized as a leading contributory factor to mortality and disability. In addition to other factors, taste sensation also mediates alcohol intake. The orosensation provoked by alcoholic drinks may vary across individuals and may be responsible for differences in preference for alcoholic beverages. Thus, individual genetic variability of taste preference may have an impact on alcohol consumption practices. The present review aimed to explore the associations between different taste preference polymorphisms and alcohol consumption behavior. Based on the PRISMA statement, the three databases PubMed, Web of Science and ProQuest Central were searched to identify articles and the Q-Genie tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Among the 17 studies included in this review, 5 and 12 were of good and moderate quality, respectively. Most of the studies analyzed TAS2R38 (taste 2 receptor member 38) rs713598, rs1726866, rs10246939 polymorphisms. Due to the inconclusive findings on these variants and the very limited number of studies on other polymorphisms, additional extensive research is recommended to replicate the existing findings, to generate new knowledge to enhance our understanding of the complexity of alcohol consumption behavior and to aid the development of personalized recommendations on unhealthy alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are three main parts of an electric power system—power generation, transmission, and distribution. For electric companies, it is a tough challenge to reduce losses of the power system and deliver lossless and reliable power from the generating station to the consumer end. Nowadays, modern power systems are more complex due to gradually increasing loads. In the electrical power system, especially in transmission and distribution networks, there are power losses due to many reasons such as overloading of the line, long distribution lines, low power factors, corona losses, and unsuitable conductor size. The main performance factor of the power system is reliability. Reliability means continuity of the power supply without any interruptions from the generating station to the demand side. Thus, due to these power losses, there are voltage stability problems and economic losses in the electrical system. The voltage stability of the power system can be increased by improving the voltage profile. In this paper, different techniques are analyzed that include the integration of wind power, the integration of photovoltaic power, and reactive power injection by integrating FACTS devices. These techniques are applied to the IEEE 57 bus system with standard data using simulation models developed in MATLAB. Thus, the results of the analysis of these techniques have been compared with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical theory of rough set was established by Pawlak, which mainly focusses on the approximation of sets characterized by a single equivalence relation over the universe. However, most of the current single granulation structure models cannot meet the user demand or the target of solving problems. Multigranulation rough sets approach can better deal with the problems, where data might be spread over various locations. In this article, we present the idea of soft preference and soft dominance relation for the development of soft dominance rough set in an incomplete information system. Subsequently, several important structural properties and results of the proposed model are carefully analyzed. After employing soft dominance based rough set approach to it for any times, we can only get six different sets at most in an incomplete information system. That is to say, every rough set in a universe can be approximated by only six sets, where the lower and upper approximations of each set in the six sets are still lying among these six sets. The relationships among these six sets are established. Based on soft dominance relation, we introduce logical disjunction/conjunction soft dominance optimistic/pessimistic multigranulation decision theoretic rough approximations in an incomplete information. Meanwhile, to measure the uncertainty of soft dominance optimistic/pessimistic multigranulation decision theoretic rough approximation and some of their interesting properties are examined. Thereafter, a novel multi attribute with multi decision making problem approach based on logical disjunction/conjunction soft dominance optimistic/pessimistic multigranulation decision theoretic rough sets approach are developed to solve the selection of medicine to treat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The basic principle and the detailed steps of the decision making model (algorithms) are presented in detail. To demonstrate the applicability and potentiality of the proposed model, we present a practical example of a medical diagnosis is given to validate the practicality of the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our natural product screening program, we screened natural products for their repellency and toxicity against insect vectors. Methanolic extract of aerial parts of Stenaria nigricans (Lam.), with no published chemistry, was tested for repellency against mosquitoes and imported hybrid fire ants. Methanolic extracts showed biting deterrence similar to DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) against Aedes aegypti L. Based on this activity, the crude extract was fractionated into chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol subfractions. The active methanolic subfraction was further fractionated into 13 subfractions. These fractions were tested for their biting deterrence against Ae. Aegypti. Active subfractions were further characterized to identify the compounds responsible for this activity. Four undescribed iridoid glucosides (1–4) and three previously reported compounds (5–7) were isolated from active subfractions and tested for their biting deterrent activity. Based on BDI values, compounds 2, 3, 6, and 7, with biting deterrence similar to DEET, showed the potential to be used as repellents against mosquitoes. In an in vitro digging bioassay, none of these compounds showed any repellency against hybrid imported fire ants at a dose of 125 µg/g. This is the first report of biting deterrence and repellency of S. nigricans extract and its pure compounds, iridoid glucosides against mosquitoes and imported fire ants. Further studies will be conducted to explore the repellent potential of these compounds in different formulations under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful output of language learning process should ensure effective inputs by the key figures (teacher, student, stakeholder, and curricula) of education. This study aimed to examine preuniversity students' perceptions on the attributes of an effective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher in Saudi Arabia. Mixed-methods research design was applied to a sample of 231 students (135 males & 96 females) enrolled in the preparatory year program at a Saudi public university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using two instruments: 5-point Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. The students' responses on the closed questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive analysis and independent t test, whereas the data from the open-ended questions were analyzed by chi-square (cross tabulation) and MS Excel using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that 88% of Saudi preuniversity students agree on the high importance of the attributes of personality, methodology, and language knowledge that make an effective EFL teacher. Cultural awareness is of significance to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. However, gender was reported as an insignificant variable to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. In addition, fame, age, and country of EFL teachers did not reveal any connection to the teaching effectiveness of EFL teachers. Recommendations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to investigate the accuracy of salivary matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-8 and -9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in diagnosing periodontitis and in distinguishing periodontitis stages (S)1 to S3. Methods: This study was a case–control study that included patients with periodontitis S1 to S3 and subjects with healthy periodontia (controls). Saliva was collected, and then, clinical parameters were recorded, including plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level. Diagnosis was confirmed by assessing the alveolar bone level using radiography. Salivary biomarkers were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A total of 45 patients (15 for each stage) and 18 healthy subjects as controls were included. The levels of all salivary biomarkers and clinical parameters were significantly higher in periodontitis subjects than in the controls. The ROC curve showed that MMP-8, MMP-9, TIMP-1, MMP-8/TIMP-1, and MMP-9/TIMP-1 had statistically significant diagnostic accuracy, with areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.892, 0.844, 0.920, 0.986, and 1.000, respectively, when distinguishing periodontitis from the controls. Similarly, these biomarkers showed significant diagnostic accuracy in the differentiation of S1 periodontitis from the controls (AUC range from 0.902 to 1.000). Conclusions: This study suggested that salivary biomarkers exhibited high diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing periodontal health from periodontitis in general as well as S1 periodontitis. Furthermore, TIMP-1 could differentiate S1 from S3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia is a condition that causes persistently high blood pressure during pregnancy or the postpartum period. It's frequently linked to excessive protein levels in the urine, new-onset blood platelet depletion, or indicators of brain difficulty including seizures and/or visual difficulties. It's detected by an increase in the expecting mother's blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy, and it's only seen in humans. Preeclampsia raises the risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and death, whether it is isolated or combined with preexisting hypertension. Preventing maternal and fetal morbidity/mortality requires early detection of high-risk variables and biomarkers for preeclampsia. Preeclampsia causes pathophysiological changes both locally (defective placentation and decreased placental perfusion) and systemically (hypertension) (angiogenic imbalance and altered vascular endothelium function). Preeclampsia is characterized by an angiogenic imbalance, and angiogenic indicators might be useful tools for detecting and diagnosing afflicted pregnancies early on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To estimate the prevalence and explore the predictors of vaccine uptake among older adults in India. Methods We used data from the national Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, a national household survey conducted during 2017--2018. Based on interviewees' self-reports, we calculated population-weighted estimates of the uptake of influenza, pneumococcal, typhoid and hepatitis B vaccines among 64 714 Indian adults aged 45 years or older. We performed multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to examine the sociodemographic and health-related predictors of uptake of the vaccinations. Findings The coverage of each of the studied vaccinations was less than 2%. The estimated percentages of respondents reporting ever being vaccinated were 1.5% (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.4--1.6) for influenza, 0.6% (95% CI: 0.6--0.7) for pneumococcal disease, 1.9% (95% CI: 1.8--2.0) for typhoid and 1.9% (95% CI: 1.8--2.0) for hepatitis B. Vaccine uptake was higher among respondents with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or lung disease than those without any of these conditions. Uptake of influenza vaccine was higher among those with lung disease, while hepatitis B vaccine uptake was higher among those with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Male sex, urban residence, wealthier household, more years of schooling, existing medical conditions and sedentary behaviours were significant predictors of vaccine uptake. Conclusion Targeted policies and programmes are needed for improving the low vaccination coverage among older adults in India, especially among those with chronic diseases. Further research could examine vaccine access, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine-related information and communication channels to older adults and their health-care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Energy transition proposed by comparison of standalone and grid-connected systems. • Framework enables planning and policy optimization for energy access and insecurity. • Evaluation of techno-economic, environmental, and social indices is performed. • Grid-connection outperforms standalone for Net Present Cost and Levelized Cost of Energy, but it lacks reliability. • Sensitivity analyses as well as validation of results and comparisons are performed. Sustainable energy transition involves the execution of recent technologies as a means of ensuring energy access and security. However, the increasing adoption of such technologies, particularly in the presence of diverse constraints, poses significant challenges from a planning perspective. In this context, the multi-objective analysis offers valuable insights for decision-making that balances mutual benefits, as relying solely on a single objective may increase the risk level for stakeholders engaged in coordinated decisions. Based on the real dataset, this study presents a comparative multi-criteria techno-economic, environmental, and social evaluation of site-specific unified standalone and grid-connected hybrid microgrids. The study employs a modified Last Cluster Mean Carried Forward approach for data processing, incorporating the Proprietary Derivative-free Algorithm and Original Grid-Search Algorithm to ensure a standardized comparison. Results reveal the substantial advantages of grid-connected systems over standalone counterparts, with reductions of 12.54 % to 63.73 % and 68.93 % to 89.13 % in terms of Net Present Cost and Levelized Cost of Energy, respectively. Grid-connected systems exhibit superior adaptability, recovering 52.3 % to 98.1 % surplus energy with a Renewable Fraction averaging 77.1 % to 87.9 %. However, these systems were hindered by frequent interruptions and required a minimum capacity shortage of 2.5 % to 3.5 %. Furthermore, grid-connected systems have proved feasible when carbon emissions, forests required to absorb the emissions, and the Social Cost of Carbon Emissions are considered in the range of 4.65–67.13 kiloton (metric), 423.32–6108.53 ha, and $0.24-$3.42 million, respectively. Social analysis and sensitivity analyses are performed to justify the robustness and adaptability. Lastly, the findings are followed by policy recommendations and results validation by comparing prevailing government tariffs and other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in predicting one-month mortality in patients requiring critical care. Study Design: Cross-sectional validation study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan Apr to Oct 2020. Methodology: This study was conducted on 173 patients requiring intensive care. All patients aged between 20 and 70 years diagnosed with disorders secondary to traumatic causes or otherwise who were admitted for critical care were included. Patients were assessed at the time of admission to the intensive care unit, and their Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were calculated. A cut-off level of ≥7 was considered to be a high risk for mortality within thirty days of admission. All patients were followed up for thirty days for the mortality. Results: Mean age of our patients was 43.04±11.26 years, of whom 109(60.6%) patients were male. A SOFA score of ≥7 in pre-dicting the mortality within thirty days of admission for critical care carried a sensitivity of 31.40%, a specificity of 25.53%, a positive predictive value of 27.84%, a negative predictive value of 28.92% and a diagnostic accuracy of 28.33%. Conclusion: The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score lacks the diagnostic accuracy to precisely predict the mortality in critically ill patients within thirty days of developing the requirement for critical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double emulsions (DEs) have attracted researchers' attention to be utilized as a promising platform in biomedical and chemical applications. Several actuation mechanisms have been proposed for the generation of DEs. The conventional DE formation approaches (e.g. two-stage emulsification) suffer from low monodispersity. The electric actuation (i.e. coaxial electrospray technology) has been demonstrated as a controllable method for the DE formation, while the capability of magnetic actuation has not been studied yet. In the present study, the generation of ferrofluid double emulsions (FDEs), made from water-based ferrofluid as a core and oil as a shell, under the magnetic actuation of a permanent magnet with a steady magnetic field and an electromagnet with DC and pulse width modulation (PWM) magnetic fields was investigated with a simple controllable setup fabricated using 3D printing. The effect of various parameters affecting the FDE formation, such as the fluid flow rates, the magnetic field type, the magnetic flux density, and the PWM frequency and duty cycle, on the FDE formation characteristics, including the inner and outer equivalent diameters, and the formation frequency was studied. Under the steady magnetic field, two regimes of the FDE formation were identified: inertia-dominated and magnet-dominated. Wireless power-free magnetic actuation provides better control over the FDE formation, enhancing this process by increasing the FDE formation frequency with high monodispersity. The PWM magnetic field offers excellent controllability over the FDE formation with low-volume or no, in some cases, satellite droplets by tuning the PWM frequency and the duty cycle. [Display omitted] • Several magnetic actuation mechanisms have been proposed for the ferrofluid double emulsion (FDE) formation using a simple 3D-printed setup. • The effect of various parameters affecting the FDE formation have been investigated. • Two regimes of the FDE formation were identified: inertia-dominated and magnet-dominated. • The PWM magnetic field offers excellent controllability over the FDE formation with low-volume satellite droplets by tuning the PWM frequency and the duty cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the geochemical characterization of sandstone rocks contributes to understand the nature of the source rocks, their tectonic setting and the effects of paleoclimate and paleo-weathering. Accordingly, twenty sandstone samples from the red sandstone units of the Gercus Formation were collected from the northeastern limb of Safin Anticline at Shaqlawa Area – Northern Iraq. The studied sandstone samples show depletion in major, trace elements contents, except for CaO, MgO and Ni, Co and Cr respectively, and general depletion in the rare earth elements (REE) contents. Major element geochemistry indicates that the red bed sandstones of the Gercus Formation are of an oceanic island arc (OIA) tectonic setting. On the other hand, the results revealed that the paleo-weathering of the source area of the Gercus Formation experienced intensive chemical weathering under humid and/or warm climate conditions. The maturity and paleoclimate conclusions of the studied samples suggest a low feldspar content and low values of K2O / Al2O3 ratio, which in turn resulted from the dominance of low grade metamorphic and sedimentary rock types in the source area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe a previously unreported anatomical variant of the hepatic arterial supply: a conjoined right hepatic artery, formed by branches of the common hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery. Method: A 54-year-old female with oligometastatic colorectal cancer with metastases to the liver presented for planning stage arteriography in preparation for Y90 radioembolization. Results: Arteriography of the common hepatic artery demonstrated bifurcation into a right hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery. The gastroduodenal artery gave rise to a proximal branch, from which the left hepatic artery originated and then continued to anastomose in the hilum of the liver to the right hepatic artery originating from the common hepatic artery. It was initially identified on visceral artery arteriography and then retrospectively recognized on pre-procedural CT scan. Conclusion: Anatomical variants of the hepatic arterial supply are important to recognize during planning stage arteriography in preparation for Y90 radioembolization. Knowledge of these variants is also important for pre-operative planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting association rules from huge amounts of data is an essential method in data mining that can provide valuable knowledge from datasets for various applications. In addition to a variety of traditional and parallel association rule mining (ARM) methods, some studies have also been represented in the literature to extract association rules from datasets using multi-core processors combining GPU-CPU (graphics processing unit-central processing unit) and FPGA-CPU (field programmable gate array-central processing unit). These parallel methods have been utilized to speed up the process of ARM, including its major phase, frequent itemset mining (FIM). The use of multiple GPUs for ARM and FIM has been usually in the cluster form, and the simultaneous use of multiple GPUs on a single system has not been extensively used to extract the set of association rules. Due to the huge volume of big data, finding more efficient and faster ARM and FIM methods is still of interest to researchers. In this paper, the butterfly optimization algorithm (BOA), which has an acceptable accuracy and speed in solving optimization problems, is used for ARM. In this study, an efficient platform including a single CPU and three parallel GPUs are employed to parallelize ARM using BOA. The main feature of the proposed method is the use of parallel GPUs on a single computer, to speed up the process, and the use of the CPU as a synchronizer. Since the GPUs reduce the runtime by executing similar duplicate structures, the proposed model speeds up the mining process and prevents computing overload on the CPU. All three phases of the algorithm are implemented on the parallel graphics cards to increase the performance. The evaluation of the proposed method and its comparison with the BSO- and GBSO-Miner methods show its better performance in terms of accuracy and execution time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of DC microgrid needs investigation from a smart grid perspective, since their spread has expected to prevail in comparison with AC counterparts. Furthermore, there is a need to address the limitations (majorly to cater the intermittency of distributed energy resources (DERs) as well as the time dependency of systematic parameters etc.) in previous model and propose a new mathematical model to evaluate system efficiency for given parameters and scenarios. The core focus of current study aims at formulation of an improved (composite) mathematical model, that is capable of bridging issues and serve as a tool to address requirements of future DC systems including microgrids (MGs) and multi‐microgrids (MMGs). This research work offers such a mathematical model that consists of 3D matrices based on newly derived set of discrete time dependent equations, which evaluates the system efficiency of residential DC‐MMGs. Each DC‐MG is embedded with intermittent DERs, storage, components (with efficiency variations), and multi‐class load (with discrete time dependency), for evaluation across worst, normal, and best scenarios. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis across various cases and respective scenarios are also presented to evaluate overall system performance. Also, the impacts of system parameters on various system variables, states, and overall system efficiency have presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let K be an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero and let K C 〚 x 1 , ⋯ , x e 〛 be the ring of formal power series in several variables with exponents in a line free cone C. We consider irreducible polynomials f = y n + a 1 (x _) y n − 1 + ⋯ + a n (x _) in K C 〚 x 1 , ⋯ , x e 〛 [ y ] whose roots are in K C 〚 x 1 1 n , ⋯ , x e 1 n 〛. We generalize to these polynomials the theory of Abhyankar-Moh. In particular we associate with any such polynomial its set of characteristic exponents and its semigroup of values. We also prove that the set of values can be obtained using the set of approximate roots. We finally prove that polynomials of K 〚 x 1 , ⋯ , x e 〛 [ y ] fit in the above set for a specific line free cone (see Section 4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]