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Background: MMP-13, a zinc dependent protease which catalyses the cleavage of type II collagen, is expressed in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but not in normal adult tissues. Therefore, the protease has been intensively studied as a target for the inhibition of progression of OA and RA. Recent reports suggest that selective inhibition of MMP-13 may be achieved by targeting the hemopexin (Hpx) domain of the protease, which is critical for substrate specificity. In this study, we applied a cheminformatics-based drug design approach for the identification and characterization of inhibitors targeting the amino acid residues characteristic to Hpx domain of MMP-13; these inhibitors may potentially be employed in the treatment of OA and RA. Methodology/Principal Findings: Sequence-based mutual information analysis revealed five characteristic (completely conserved and unique), putative functional residues of the Hpx domain of MMP-13 (these residues hereafter are referred to as HCR-13pf). Binding of a ligand to as many of the HCR-13pf is postulated to result in an increased selective inhibition of the Hpx domain of MMP-13. Through the in silico structure-based high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) method of Glide, against a large public library of 16908 molecules from Maybridge, PubChem and Binding, we identified 25 ligands that interact with at least one of the HCR-13pf. Assessment of cross-reactivity of the 25 ligands with MMP-1 and MMP-8, members of the collagenase family as MMP-13, returned seven lead molecules that did not bind to any one of the putative functional residues of Hpx domain of MMP-1 and any of the catalytic active site residues of MMP-1 and -8, suggesting that the ligands are not likely to interact with the functional or catalytic residues of other MMPs. Further, in silico analysis of physicochemical and pharmacokinetic parameters based on Lipinski's rule of five and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) respectively, suggested potential utility of the compounds as drug leads. Conclusions/Significance: We have identified seven distinct drug-like molecules binding to the HCR-13pf of MMP-13 with no observable cross-reactivity to MMP-1 and MMP-8. These molecules are potential selective inhibitors of MMP-13 that can be experimentally validated and their backbone structural scaffold could serve as building blocks in designing drug-like molecules for OA, RA and other inflammatory disorders. The systematic cheminformatics-based drug design approach applied herein can be used for rational search of other public/commercial combinatorial libraries for more potent molecules, capable of selectively inhibiting the collagenolytic activity of MMP-13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypyrrole has emerged as one of the highly pursued conducting polymers owing to its high electrical conductivity and good environmental stability. In spite of its excellent electrical properties, the chemical and thermal stability and processability are not very satisfactory. The incorporation of a polymer material into an inorganic ion-exchanger provides a high class of hybrid ion-exchangers with enhanced ion-exchange properties, high reproducibility, high stability, and good selectivity for heavy metals. A novel organic–inorganic composite-polypyrrole zirconium titanium phosphate has been synthesized using zirconium titanium phosphate, which is an advanced inorganic ion-exchange material with the qualities listed above. The physicochemical properties of this composite material are characterized by X-ray, TGA–DTA, AAS, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. The ion-exchange capacity, pH titrations, elution, and chemical stability were determined to study ion-exchange properties of the material. Distribution studies for various metal ions revealed that the nano-composite is highly selective for Th(IV). An ion-selective membrane electrode was fabricated using this material for the determination of Th(IV) ions in solutions. The analytical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in electrometric titrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at market trends and presents an analysis of U.S. Department of Defense offsets. The author's opinion on offset policies is considered. The U.S. defense and aerospace industry's reaction to offsets as a necessity of competitive business environments is discussed. Offset policies of several European countries are compared, including Great Britain and Germany.

Abstract: Conductive fibers based on polyaniline (PANI) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were obtained by stirring with magnetic bar. This research was conducted to investigate conducting fibers of polyaniline:polyacrylonitrile (PANI:PAN) composite with different weight ratios of aniline in PAN matrix. The fibers were prepared by stirring process. The best conductivity behavior of the fibers was obtained with 5mL of aniline. The fibers obtained were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The variation of electrical conductivity with different type doping agents (HCl, H2SO4 and HClO4) and the stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention was studied in an oxidative environment by isothermal characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: In developed countries, patients' factors and esthetic concerns have predominantly influenced prosthodontic treatments. The objective of this investigation was to see if such factors in local partially dentate patients influenced the clinicians' decision regarding the prostheses planned. Material & Methods: This was a descriptive study carried out in Khyber College of Dentistry, Peshawar from March to October 2007. Using a structured data collection-sheet, patient's data including gender, age, socio-economic status, educational level, oral-hygiene status, main concern of patients for consultation and the number, location and type of saddles in the jaws were all recorded. The type of prosthodontic service planned for each patient was also recorded. One investigator collected the required data from each of the 206 partially dentate patients by the method of direct interviewing. Results: Acrylic removable dental prostheses (RDPs) were more frequently provided than fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). No precision-retained or implant-supported prosthesis were planned. Irrespective of the type of prosthesis, the restoration of chewing function was the major concern of patients for consultation. Age, socioeconomic status, educational level and type of saddle in the maxilla influenced patients' treatment with RDPs. In comparison, better socioeconomic status and educational level were the reasons in case of planned FDPs. The reason for the planned FDPs in the maxilla was esthetics as compared to improvement in chewing function in case of the mandible. Conclusion: Acrylic RDPs were the most frequently planned prostheses. Patients; socioeconomic status and educational level and the type and location of saddle influenced the type of prosthesis planned for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the effects of the variation of ferroelectric material properties (thickness, polarization, and coercivity) on the performance of negative capacitance FETs (NCFETs). Based on this, we propose the concept of conservative design of NCFETs, where any unintentional yet reasonable and simultaneous variation ( $\sim \pm 3$ %) in ferroelectric parameters does not result in the emergence of hysteresis and causes only a reasonable variation in the ON-current (≤5%) and, within these constraints, the enhancement of ON-current due to the addition of the ferroelectric gate oxide, which is is maximized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A polymeric-inorganic composite cation-exchanger, i.e. Nylon-6,6 Sn(IV) phosphate was synthesized via mixing of polymer Nylon-6,6 into the matrices of inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) phosphate to form composite cation-exchanger. Ion-exchange capacity (IEC), ion-exchange properties, thermal stability and distribution behavior, etc. were also carried out to understand the cation-exchange behavior of the material. The physico-chemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, FTIR, TGA-DTA, XRD, and SEM studies. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Hg(II), a highly toxic environmental pollutant. Using this electroactive composite material, a new heterogeneous precipitate based selective membrane electrode was fabricated for the determination of Hg(II) ions in solutions. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated within a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients for different cations determined by mixed solution method were found to be less than unity. The electrode was also found to be satisfactory in potentiometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

West Nile virus (WNV) has emerged globally as an increasingly important pathogen for humans and domestic animals. Studies of the evolutionary diversity of the virus over its known history will help to elucidate conserved sites, and characterize their correspondence to other pathogens and their relevance to the immune system. We describe a large-scale analysis of the entire WNV proteome, aimed at identifying and characterizing evolutionarily conserved amino acid sequences. This study, which used 2,746 WNV protein sequences collected from the NCBI GenPept database, focused on analysis of peptides of length 9 amino acids or more, which are immunologically relevant as potential T-cell epitopes. Entropy-based analysis of the diversity of WNV sequences, revealed the presence of numerous evolutionarily stable nonamer positions across the proteome (entropy value of ⩽1). The representation (frequency) of nonamers variant to the predominant peptide at these stable positions was, generally, low (⩽10% of the WNV sequences analyzed). Eighty-eight fragments of length 9-29 amino acids, representing <34% of the WNV polyprotein length, were identified to be identical and evolutionarily stable in all analyzed WNV sequences. Of the 88 completely conserved sequences, 67 are also present in other flaviviruses, and several have been associated with the functional and structural properties of viral proteins. Immunoinformatic analysis revealed that the majority (78/88) of conserved sequences are potentially immunogenic, while 44 contained experimentally confirmed human T-cell epitopes. This study identified a comprehensive catalogue of completely conserved WNV sequences, many of which are shared by other flaviviruses, and majority are potential epitopes. The complete conservation of these immunologically relevant sequences through the entire recorded WNV history suggests they will be valuable as components of peptide-specific vaccines or other therapeutic applications, for sequence-specific diagnosis of a wide-range of Flavivivirus infections, and for studies of homologous sequences among other flaviviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A comparison of wave function penetration effects on ballistic drain current (I D ) in nanoscale double gate (DG) MOSFETs fabricated on (100) and (110) silicon surfaces is presented. MOS electrostatics is determined from the self consistent solution of 2D Schrödinger and Poisson equations and I D is calculated assuming that the ballistic transport through each subband is independent. Numerical results show that I D is much more sensitive to wave function penetration in (110) DG MOSFETs than in (100) DG MOSFETs. This difference is due to the much heavier quantization effective mass in the longitudinal valley of (100) silicon relative to that in the fourfold valley (Δ4) of (110) silicon. It is also observed that in (100) devices, penetration effect is not sensitive to device scaling, whereas in (110) devices, penetration effect increases significantly with device scaling. The wave function penetration effect on I D may be represented in terms of a reduction of the threshold voltage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A nano-composite inomeric poly-o-anisidine Sn(IV) phosphate [POASn(IV)P] was prepared via sol–gel mixing of an electrically conducting organic polymer, poly-o-anisidine with the matrices of inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) phosphate. The physico-chemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, UV–vis spectrophotometry, FTIR, TGA–DTA, TEM, XRD and SEM studies. Electrical conductivity studies were carried out by four in-line probe DC electrical conductivity measuring instrument. The conductivity was found within the range of semiconductor region (10−3 to 10−2 S/cm). Isothermal and cyclic techniques were also used to understand the stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The rapid advancement of computer and information technology in recent years has resulted in the rise of e-learning technologies to enhance and complement traditional classroom teaching in many fields, including bioinformatics. This paper records the experience of implementing e-learning technology to support problem-based learning (PBL) in the teaching of two undergraduate bioinformatics classes in the National University of Singapore. Results: Survey results further established the efficiency and suitability of e-learning tools to supplement problem-based learning (PBL) in bioinformatics education. 63.16% of year three bioinformatics students showed a positive response regarding the usefulness of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) e-learning tool in guiding the learning and discussion process involved in problem-based learning and in enhancing the learning experience by breaking down PBL activities into a sequential workflow. On the other hand, 89.81% of year two bioinformatics students indicated that their revision process was positively impacted with the usage of LAMS for guiding the learning process, while 60.19% agreed that the breakdown of activities into a sequential step-by-step workflow by LAMS enhances the learning experience. Conclusion: We show that e-learning tools are useful for supplementing PBL in bioinformatics education. The results suggest that it is feasible to develop and adopt e-learning tools to supplement a variety of instructional strategies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-o-anisidine Sn(IV) arsenophosphate is a newly synthesized nanocomposite material and has been characterized on the basis of its chemical composition, ion exchange capacity, TGA-DTA, FTIR, X-RAY, SEM, and TEM studies. On the basis of distribution studies, the exchanger was found to be highly selective for lead that is an environmental pollutant. For the detection of lead in water a heterogeneous precipitate based ion-selective membrane electrode was developed by means of this composite cation exchanger as electroactive material. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated over a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients were determined by mixed solution method and revealed that the electrode is sensitive for Pb(II) in presence of interfering cations. The practical utility of this membrane electrode has been established by employing it as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Pb(II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expert systems, a form of artificial intelligence (AI), are typically designed to solve many real-world problems by reasoning through knowledge, which is primarily represented as IF–THEN rules, with the information acquired from humans or domain experts. However, to assume such rules for personalized decision-making in an intelligent, context-aware mobile application is a challenging issue. The reason is that different mobile users may behave differently in various day-to-day situations, i.e., not identical, and thus the rules for personalized services must be reflected according to their symmetrical or asymmetrical behavioral activities. Therefore, our key focus is to solve this issue through adding personalized decision-making intelligence to develop powerful mobile applications to assist the end-users. To achieve our goal, in this paper, we explore on "Mobile Expert System", where we take into account machine-learning rules as knowledge-base rather than traditional handcrafted static rules. Thus, the concept of a mobile expert system enables the computing and decision-making processes more actionable and intelligent than traditional ones in the domain of mobile analytics and applications. Our experiment section shows that the context-aware machine learning rules discovered from users' mobile phone data can contribute in building a mobile expert system to solve a particular problem, through making personalized decisions in various context-aware test cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the unprecedented growth in recent voltage source converter-based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) integrated offshore wind power plants, frequency regulation of onshore systems and their stability has been crucial. Offshore wind farms cannot directly provide frequency support to the onshore AC grid as back-to-back converters in variable speed wind turbines and HVDC grid decouple the two ending terminals. It prevents the kinetic and electrostatic energy from mitigating the frequency transients in the onshore AC grid. Low inertia contributes to an increase in the rate of change of frequency with a further decrease in frequency nadir that undermines the onshore AC system's reliability. However, variable speed wind turbines and voltage source converter stations with appropriate control strategies can efficiently participate in the onshore AC grid's frequency regulation. This paper provides an in-depth review of the frequency support strategies for offshore wind power plants and the voltage source converter stations in a multi-terminal HVDC system, including a comparison of the related approaches and the potential gaps present in the existing literature. This paper also provides guidelines and serves as a reference for researchers focused on the frequency support strategies for such an integrated system. • A comprehensive review on power system frequency regulation through VSWTs and VSC stations is presented. • SFD occurs during rotor speed recovery if no other power is available to compensate for power shortage at that moment. • Use of ESS could be a viable alternative to compensate for the energy shortage during rotor speed recovery. • AFC-based coordinated control in VSC-HVDC is the preferred practicing technology due to its simplicity and robustness. • New protocols need to be defined to cyber secure the offshore wind power plant-based power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As failures in rotating machines can have serious implications, the timely detection and diagnosis of faults in these machines is imperative for their smooth and safe operation. Although deep learning offers the advantage of autonomously learning the fault characteristics from the data, the data scarcity from different health states often limits its applicability to only binary classification (healthy or faulty). This work proposes synthetic data augmentation through virtual sensors for the deep learning-based fault diagnosis of a rotating machine with 42 different classes. The original and augmented data were processed in a transfer learning framework and through a deep learning model from scratch. The two-dimensional visualization of the feature space from the original and augmented data showed that the latter's data clusters are more distinct than the former's. The proposed data augmentation showed a 6–15% improvement in training accuracy, a 44–49% improvement in validation accuracy, an 86–98% decline in training loss, and a 91–98% decline in validation loss. The improved generalization through data augmentation was verified by a 39–58% improvement in the test accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has helped achieve breakthroughs in a variety of applications; however, the lack of data from faulty states hinders the development of effective and robust diagnostic strategies using deep learning models. This work introduces a transfer learning framework for the autonomous detection, isolation, and quantification of delamination in laminated composites based on scarce low-frequency structural vibration data. Limited response data from an electromechanically coupled simulation model and from experimental testing of laminated composite coupons were encoded into high-resolution time-frequency images using SynchroExtracting Transforms (SETs). The simulated and experimental data were processed through different layers of pretrained deep learning models based on AlexNet, GoogleNet, SqueezeNet, ResNet-18, and VGG-16 to extract low- and high-level autonomous features. The support vector machine (SVM) machine learning algorithm was employed to assess how the identified autonomous features were able to assist in the detection, isolation, and quantification of delamination in laminated composites. The results obtained using these autonomous features were also compared with those obtained using handcrafted statistical features. The obtained results are encouraging and provide a new direction that will allow us to progress in the autonomous damage assessment of laminated composites despite being limited to using raw scarce structural vibration data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An organic–inorganic nanocomposite cation-exchanger, i.e. poly-o-toluidine Zr(IV) phosphate was synthesized via sol–gel mixing of an electrical conducting polymer poly-o-toluidine into the matrices of inorganic precipitate of Zr(IV) phosphate. The ion-exchange capacity, chemical stability, effect of eluant concentration, elution behavior, pH titration and thermal studies were also carried out to understand the ion-exchange capabilities. The physico-chemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, FTIR, TGA–DTA, XRD, TEM and SEM studies. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Hg(II). Its selectivity was examined by achieving some important binary separations like Hg(II)–Pb(II), Hg(II)–Cu(II), Hg(II)–Co(II), Hg(II)–Fe(III), Hg(II)–Sr(II), etc. on its column. This material possessed d.c. electrical conductivity in the semi-conducting range, i.e. 10−3 to 10−2 Scm−1; measured by four-in-line probe d.c. electrical conductivity-measuring technique. The d.c. electrical conductivity of the composite material was found stable upto 110°C for the composites under ambient conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Light-emitting diodes with emission wavelengths less than 400 nm have been developed using the AlInGaN material system. For devices operating at shorter wavelengths, alloy compositions with a greater aluminium content are required. The material properties of these materials lie on the border between conventional semiconductors and insulators, which adds a degree of complexity to the development of efficient light-emitting devices. A number of technical developments have enabled the fabrication of LEDs based on group three nitrides (III-nitrides) that emit in the UV part of the spectrum, providing useful tools for a wealth of applications in optoelectronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: T-cell epitopes that promiscuously bind to multiple alleles of a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) supertype are prime targets for development of vaccines and immunotherapies because they are relevant to a large proportion of the human population. The presence of clusters of promiscuous T-cell epitopes, immunological hotspots, has been observed in several antigens. These clusters may be exploited to facilitate the development of epitope-based vaccines by selecting a small number of hotspots that can elicit all of the required T-cell activation functions. Given the large size of pathogen proteomes, including of variant strains, computational tools are necessary for automated screening and selection of immunological hotspots. Results: Hotspot Hunter is a web-based computational system for large-scale screening and selection of candidate immunological hotspots in pathogen proteomes through analysis of antigenic diversity. It allows screening and selection of hotspots specific to four common HLA supertypes, namely HLA class I A2, A3, B7 and class II DR. The system uses Artificial Neural Network and Support Vector Machine methods as predictive engines. Soft computing principles were employed to integrate the prediction results produced by both methods for robust prediction performance. Experimental validation of the predictions showed that Hotspot Hunter can successfully identify majority of the real hotspots. Users can predict hotspots from a single protein sequence, or from a set of aligned protein sequences representing pathogen proteome. The latter feature provides a global view of the localizations of the hotspots in the proteome set, enabling analysis of antigenic diversity and shift of hotspots across protein variants. The system also allows the integration of prediction results of the four supertypes for identification of hotspots common across multiple supertypes. The target selection feature of the system shortlists candidate peptide hotspots for the formulation of an epitope-based vaccine that could be effective against multiple variants of the pathogen and applicable to a large proportion of the human population. Conclusion: Hotspot Hunter is publicly accessible at http://antigen.i2r.a-star.edu.sg/hh/. It is a new generation computational tool aiding in epitope-based vaccine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An advanced organic–inorganic cation exchange material poly-o-toluidine Th(IV) phosphate nano-composite was synthesized by a modified sol–gel technique by incorporating Th(IV) phosphate precipitate with the matrix of poly-o-toluidine. The material showed good ion-exchange behavior and used successfully in separation of metal ions. The conductivity of the composite was found within the range of 10−2 to 10−3 S/cm; measured by 4-in-line-probe dc electrical conductivity measuring technique. The conductivity is at the border of metallic and semiconductor region. Ion-exchange kinetics for few divalent metal ions was evaluated by particle diffusion-controlled ion-exchange phenomenon at four different temperatures. The particle diffusion mechanism is confirmed by the linear τ (dimensionless time parameter) versus t (time) plots. The exchange processes thus controlled by the diffusion within the exchanger particle for the systems studies herein. Some physical parameters like self-diffusion coefficient (D 0), energy of activation (E a) and entropy of activation (ΔS 0) have been evaluated under conditions favoring a particle diffusion-controlled mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An organic–inorganic hybrid poly-o-toluidine Th(IV) phosphate was chemically synthesized by mixing ortho-tolidine into the gel of Th(IV) phosphate in different mixing volume ratios, concentration of inorganic reactant with a fixed mixing volume ratios of organic polymer. The physico-chemical characterization was carried out by elemental analysis, TEM, SEM, XRD, FTIR and simultaneous TGA–DTA studies. The ion-exchange capacity, chemical stability, effect of eluant concentration, elution behavior and pH titration studies were also carried out to understand the ion-exchange capabilities. The distribution studies revealed that the cation-exchange material is highly selective for Hg2+, which is an important environmental pollutant. Due to selective nature of the cation-exchanger ion-selective membrane electrode was fabricated for the determination of Hg(II) ions in solutions. The analytical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, post consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste bottles were used, to produce unsaturated polyester resin by depolymerization through glycolysis reaction with diethylene glycol. The glycolysis was optimized by varying temperature, amount of catalyst, and the glycolysis time. The glycolysis product bis-2-hydroxy ethylene terephthalate (BHET) monomers were converted into unsaturated polyesters, which were diluted with styrene to produce the unsaturated polyester resin. These resins were used to produce polymer mortar and cured using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator and N,N-diethyl aniline as promoter. These polymer mortar composites were analyzed for physiochemical properties using carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen (CHN) elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis–differential thermal analysis (TGA–DTA). The polymer mortar so produced has a compressive strength of about 10MPa and may be used in applications such as pavements, median barriers, sewer pipes, etc. Its tensile strength at 45 days of age is 18–23% of its compressive strength at the same age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this narrative medicine essay, an anesthesia resident describes his feelings of loss and unease when a coresident is admitted as a patient and dies of an overdose of fentanyl; this article emphasizes the importance of prioritizing physician wellness programs to help avoid burnout and substance use disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyaniline Sn(IV) phosphate an ‘organic–inorganic’ composite material, was prepared via sol–gel mixing of organic polymer polyaniline into the matrices of the inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) phosphate. The ion-exchange capacity and distribution coefficients with respect to various metal ions were determined on the column of polyaniline Sn(IV) phosphate. The distribution studies showed the selectivity of Hg(II) ions by this material. However, the sensitivity level of Hg(II) ions on the composite material was determined quantitatively. Hg(II) ions were separated and determined from the binary aqueous mixtures of Hg(II)–Cu(II), Hg(II)–Ni(II), Hg(II)–Cd(II), Hg(II)–Co(II), Hg(II)–Al(III), etc. For the determination of Hg(II) ions in aqueous solutions, a Hg(II) ion sensitive membrane electrode was prepared by means of this composite cation-exchanger as the electroactive material. The membrane electrode was mechanically stable with quick response time and could be operated over a wide pH range with a slope of 30mV per decade change in a linear concentration range of 1×10−1 to 1×10−6 M. The selectivity coefficients were determined by the mixed solution method and revealed that the electrode was selective for Hg(II) in the presence of interfering cations. The practical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Hg(II). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Epitope-based vaccines provide a new strategy for prophylactic and therapeutic application of pathogen-specific immunity. A critical requirement of this strategy is the identification and selection of T-cell epitopes that act as vaccine targets. This study describes current methodologies for the selection process, with dengue virus as a model system. A combination of publicly available bioinformatics algorithms and computational tools are used to screen and select antigen sequences as potential T-cell epitopes of supertype human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. The selected sequences are tested for biological function by their activation of T-cells of HLA transgenic mice and of pathogen infected subjects. This approach provides an experimental basis for the design of pathogen specific, T-cell epitope-based vaccines that are targeted to majority of the genetic variants of the pathogen, and are effective for a broad range of differences in human leukocyte antigens among the global human population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Polyaniline Sn(IV) phosphate, an ‘organic–inorganic’ composite material, was synthesized via sol–gel mixing of an electrically conducting organic polymer polyaniline into the matrices of inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) phosphate. This material was used as a cation-exchanger. The physico-chemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, ICP-MS, UV–VIS spectrophotometry, FTIR, TGA–DTA, XRD, and SEM studies. Ion-exchange capacity, chemical stability, thermal stability and distribution behavior were also carried out to understand the cation-exchange behavior of the material. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Pb(II). Its selectivity was examined by achieving some important binary separations like Pb(II)–Mg(II), Pb(II)–Sr(II), Pb(II)–Zn(II), and Pb(II)–Fe(III) on its column. This material possessed DC electrical conductivity in the semi-conducting range, i.e. 10−5–10−3 Scm−1. The stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention was also studied in an oxidative environment by two slightly different techniques viz. isothermal and cyclic techniques. The DC electrical conductivity of composite material was found stable upto 110°C under ambient conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Antigenic diversity in dengue virus strains has been studied, but large-scale and detailed systematic analyses have not been reported. In this study, we report a bioinformatics method for analyzing viral antigenic diversity in the context of T-cell mediated immune responses. We applied this method to study the relationship between short-peptide antigenic diversity and protein sequence diversity of dengue virus. We also studied the effects of sequence determinants on viral antigenic diversity. Short peptides, principally 9-mers were studied because they represent the predominant length of binding cores of T-cell epitopes, which are important for formulation of vaccines. Results: Our analysis showed that the number of unique protein sequences required to represent complete antigenic diversity of short peptides in dengue virus is significantly smaller than that required to represent complete protein sequence diversity. Short-peptide antigenic diversity shows an asymptotic relationship to the number of unique protein sequences, indicating that for large sequence sets (~200) the addition of new protein sequences has marginal effect to increasing antigenic diversity. A near-linear relationship was observed between the extent of antigenic diversity and the length of protein sequences, suggesting that, for the practical purpose of vaccine development, antigenic diversity of short peptides from dengue virus can be represented by short regions of sequences (~<100 aa) within viral antigens that are specific targets of immune responses (such as T-cell epitopes specific to particular human leukocyte antigen alleles). Conclusion: This study provides evidence that there are limited numbers of antigenic combinations in protein sequence variants of a viral species and that short regions of the viral protein are sufficient to capture antigenic diversity of T-cell epitopes. The approach described herein has direct application to the analysis of other viruses, in particular those that show high diversity and/or rapid evolution, such as influenza A virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We applied artificial neural networks (ANN) for the prediction of targets of immune responses that are useful for study of vaccine formulations against viral infections. Using a novel data representation, we developed a system termed MULTIPRED that can predict peptide binding to multiple related human leukocyte antigens (HLA). This implementation showed high accuracy in the prediction of the promiscuous peptides that bind to five HLA-A2 allelic variants. MULTIPRED is useful for the identification of peptides that bind multiple HLA-A2 variants as a group. By implementing ANN as a classification engine, we enabled both the prediction of peptides binding to multiple individual HLA-A2 molecules and the prediction of promiscuous binders using a single model. The ANN MULTIPRED predicts peptide binding to HLA-A*0205 with excellent accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve — AROC > 0.90), and to HLA-A*0201, HLA-A*0204 and HLA-A*0206 with high accuracy (AROC > 0.85). Antigenic regions with high density of binders ("antigenic hot-spots") represent best targets for vaccine design. MULTIPRED not only predicts individual 9-mer binders but also predicts antigenic hot spots. Two HLA-A2 hot-spots in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS–CoV) membrane protein were predicted by using MULTIPRED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The separation of Pb2+ from aqueous solutions was studied using a fibrous type polypyrrole thorium(IV) phosphate cation-exchanger column. This type of organic–inorganic composite material was prepared by incorporating polypyrrole into inorganic precipitate of Th(IV) phosphate, providing a new class of hybrid cation-exchangers with good ion-exchange capacity, higher stability, reproducibility and selectivity for heavy metals. The physico-chemical properties of this material were determined using some instrumental analyses. Ion-exchange capacity, pH-titrations, elution and distribution behavior etc. were also carried out to understand the ion-exchange behavior of the material. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Pb(II) and its selectivity was examined by achieving some important binary separations like Pb(II)–Zn(II), Pb(II)–Al(III), Pb(II)–Mg(II), Zn(II)–Hg(II) etc. on its column that indicate its utility in environmental pollution control in one-way or other. For the determination of Pb(II) ions in solutions, a new heterogeneous precipitate based selective ion-sensitive membrane electrode was developed by means of this composite cation-exchanger as electroactive material. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated over a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients were determined by mixed solution method and revealed that the electrode is selective for Pb(II) in presence of interfering cations. The practical utility of this membrane electrode has been established by employing it as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Pb(II). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: ‘Polymeric–inorganic’ composite type of cation-exchanger ‘polypyrrole Th(IV) phosphate’ was prepared by mixing polypyrrole into fibrous inorganic precipitate of Th(IV) phosphate. This type of composite possesses a new class of hybrid ion-exchangers with good ion-exchange capacity (I.E.C.), higher stability, reproducibility and selectivity for heavy metals. The physicochemical properties of the material were determined using AAS, CHN elemental analysis, ICP-MS, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, FTIR, thermogravimetric analyses-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), XRD and SEM studies. Ion-exchange capacity, pH-titrations, elution and distribution behavior etc. were also carried out to characterize the material. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Pb(II), a heavy metal pollutant in the environment. Its selectivity was examined by achieving some important binary separations like Pb(II)–Zn(II), Pb(II)–Ni(II), Pb(II)–Cu(II) and Pb(II)–Cd(II) on its column that indicate its utility in environmental pollution control in one-way or other. This electroactive material also showed the DC electrical conductivity in the range of 10−6 to 10−4 Scm−1. A new heterogeneous precipitate based selective ion-sensitive membrane electrode was developed by using this composite cation-exchanger for the determination of Pb(II) ions in solutions. The analytical utility of this electrode was established by employing it as an indicator electrode in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An electrically conducting `organic–inorganic'' crystalline type composite cation-exchange material, the polypyrrole/polyantimonic acid system was prepared by incorporating polypyrrole into an inorganic precipitate of polyantimonic acid. The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of this composite system was measured on compressed pellets by using a 4-in-line-probe dc electrical conductivity-measuring instrument. The conductivity values lie in the semiconductor region, i.e., they are of the order of 10-5–10-4 S cm-1 and follow the Arrhenius equation. The energy of activation of electrical conduction was also calculated. This system also possessed an improved ion-exchange capacity, high chemical and thermal stabilities, reproducibility and selectivity for some specific metal ions. Kinetic studies of exchange for some divalent metal ions of alkaline earths and transition metals were carried out under conditions favoring a particle diffusion-controlled ion-exchange phenomenon and some physical parameters such as the self diffusion coefficient D0, the energy of activation Ea and the entropy of activation ΔS* were determined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

KCC activity in normal human red cells (containing haemoglobin A, HbA, and termed HbA cells) is O2-dependent, being active in oxygenated cells but inactive in deoxygenated ones. The mechanism for O2 dependence is unknown but a role for Hb has been suggested. In this paper, we address two main questions. First, do membrane ghosts prepared from HbA cells retain an O2-sensitive KCC activity? Second, how is the response of KCC to changes in O2 tension altered in sickle cell patients heterozygous for HbS and HbC? We found that substantial Cl−-dependent K+ influx, indicative of KCC activity, was present in both pink (5–10% normal Hb complement) and white (no measurable Hb) ghosts when equilibrated with air. KCC responded to deoxygenation in pink ghosts only (86±10% inhibition, mean±S.E.M., n=3), whilst KCC activity in white ghosts remained high (23±8% inhibition). Results indicate that pink ghosts retain an O2-dependent KCC activity but that this is lost in white ghosts. Second, HbSC-containing red cells showed sickling (88±3%) when deoxygenated, together with activation of the deoxygenation-induced cation pathway (Psickle) and the Gardos channel. KCC activity, however, was elevated in oxygenated HbSC cells, but inhibited by deoxygenation. Thus Hb polymerisation and sickling could be dissociated from the abnormal response of KCC to deoxygenation observed in HbS-containing red cells. These preparations provide a useful system with which to study the components involved in O2-sensitive membrane transport and why it is perturbed in certain pathological conditions (such as sickle cell disease and oxidant toxicity). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new phase of ‘organic–inorganic’ composite system, polypyrrole polyantimonic acid, prepared by mixing the inorganic precipitate of hydrated antimony oxide with organic conducting polymer i.e., polypyrrole, providing a novel granular form hybrid cation-exchanger suitable for column operation with better chemical and thermal stability, good ion-exchange capacity, reproducibility and selectivity for heavy metals. The physicochemical properties of this material were studied using elemental analyses, AAS, SEM, XRD, FTIR and simultaneous TGA-DTA studies. Ion-exchange capacity, pH-titrations, elution and distribution behavior were also carried out to characterize the material. Distribution studies revealed the cation-exchange material to be highly selective for Hg(II) and its selectivity was performed by achieving some important binary separations like Hg2+–Zn2+, Hg2+–Ni2+, Hg2+–Cu2+, Hg2+–Fe3+, Hg2+–Cd2+, Hg2+–Mg2+ etc. on its column. Using this electroactive composite material, a new heterogeneous precipitate based selective ion-sensitive membrane electrode was fabricated for the determination of Hg(II) ions in solutions. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated within a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients for different cations determined by mixed solution method were found to be less than unity The electrode was also found to be satisfactory in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new and novel electrically conducting ‘polymeric–inorganic’ composite cation-exchange material; polyaniline Sn(IV) tungstoarsenate was prepared by incorporating polyaniline into inorganic ion-exchanger material. It possessed improved ion-exchange capacity, high chemical and thermal stabilities, reproducibility and selectivity for some specific metal ions. Kinetic study of exchange for some divalent metal ions of alkaline earths and transition metals was carried out under the conditions favoring a particle diffusion-controlled ion-exchange phenomenon and some physical parameters such as self diffusion coefficient D0, energy of activation Ea and entropy of activation ΔS* were determined. The temperature dependence of electrical conductivity of this composite material with increasing temperatures was measured by using 4-in-line-probe DC electrical conductivity measuring-technique. The conductivity values lie in the semiconductor region, i.e. in the range of 10−3 S cm−1 that follow the Arrhenius equation. The energy of activation of electrical conduction for the composite was also calculated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Composite materials formed by the combination of inorganic ion exchangers of multivalent metal acid salts and organic conducting polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, etc.), providing a new class of ‘organic–inorganic’ hybrid ion exchangers with better mechanical and granulometric properties, good ion-exchange capacity, higher stability, reproducibility and selectivity for heavy metals. Such a type of ion exchanger ‘polyaniline Sn(IV) tungstoarsenate’ was developed by mixing polyaniline into inorganic precipitate of Sn(IV) tungstoarsenate. This material was characterized using atomic absorption spectrometry, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, simultaneous thermogravimetry–differential thermogravimetry, X-ray and scanning electron microscopy studies. Ion-exchange capacity, pH-titrations, elution and distribution behavior were also carried out to characterize the material. On the basis of distribution studies, the material was found to be highly selective for Cd(II) and its selectivity was tested by achieving some important binary separations like Cd(II)–Zn(II), Cd(II)–Pb(II), Cd(II)–Hg(II), Cd(II)–Cu(II), etc., on its column. Using this composite cation exchanger as electroactive material, a new heterogeneous precipitate based selective ion-sensitive membrane electrode was developed for the determination of Cd(II) ions in solutions. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated within a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients for different cations determined by mixed solution method were found to be less than unity. The electrode was also found to be satisfactory in electrometric titrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Root growth response of 10-days-old seedlings of 100 maize accessions at, 0 mM, 60 mM, 80 mM and 150 mM NaCl concentration was assessed in solution culture. The non-linear least square method was used to quantify the salt tolerance of maize accessions. The estimated salinity threshold, Ct, the NaCl concentration at which root growth starts to decrease, C0, and C50, the concentrations at which roots stop growing and 50% of its control value revealed considerable differences between the accessions. No general consistency for tolerance was, however, found between the estimates of Ct and C50. Different genetic systems appeared to be involved in controlling the inheritance of Ct and C50. Both Ct and C50 appeared to quantify accession tolerance, and the expression of root growth as a function of NaCl concentrations provides a useful guideline for salt tolerance. Estimates of broad sense heritability for relative root length were moderate in size (0.62 to 0.82), suggesting the scope for enhancing salt tolerance in maize through selection and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venomous animals produce a myriad of important pharmacological components. The individual components, or venoms (toxins), are used in ion channel and receptor studies, drug discovery, and formulation of insecticides. The toxin data are scattered across public databases which provide sequence and structural descriptions, but very limited functional annotation. The exponential growth of newly identified toxin data has created a need for better data management. Venominformatics is a systematic bioinformatics approach in which classified, consolidated and cleaned venom data are stored into repositories and integrated with advanced bioinformatics tools for the analysis of structure and function of toxins. Venominformatics complements experimental studies and helps reduce the number of essential experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our new Strain and Energy Band Engineering approach allows us to control, modulate or eliminate the strain thereby significantly enhancing the performance of electronic and optoelectronic devices on SiC and sapphire substrates using a new-pulsed atomic layer epitaxy procedure. New types of high power high temperature transistors with improved performance were fabricated. XRD, PL and AFM spectra are used to establish a high structural and optical quality of the quaternary multiple quantum wells. We have also demonstrated the use of PALE deposited quaternary AllnGaN multiple quantum wells in the active region ofa UV LED with emission ranging from 305 nm to 304 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, binomial convolution in the frame of quantum calculus is studied for the set A q of q-Appell sequences. It has been shown that the set A q of q-Appell sequences forms an Abelian group under the operation of binomial convolution. Several properties for this Abelian group structure A q have been studied. A new definition of the q-Appell polynomials associated with a random variable is proposed. Scale transformation as well as transformation based on expectation with respect to a random variable is used to present the determinantal form of q-Appell sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-year experiment was carried out at Shenyang Agricultural University's research field area in China to evaluate the impact of the combined application of straw mulch (0 and 8 t ha−1) and biochar (0, 4, 12, and 36 t ha−1) on the morphological traits and grain development of rainfed maize during 2018 and 2019. The results showed that straw mulch and different biochar application rates significantly impacted the maize growth index. Compared to non-biochar-treated soils, the introduction of straw mulch improved plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index (LAI), leaves, stem, root, and crop growth rate (CGR), and dry weight of rainfed maize crop. The highest plant height, stem diameter, LAI, leaves, stem, root growth rate, CGR, and dry weight of rainfed maize crop were reported when soil was treated with a higher rate of biochar (36 t ha−1). Biochar increased grain filling rate while decreasing grain filling duration in rainfed maize crops. Our results indicate that straw mulch and biochar-based soil management strategies can improve the rainfed maize growth with the environmental benefits of global warming mitigation. However, due to the wide range of biochar properties, the interactions between straw mulch and biochar should be given special consideration in the maize cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As performance and energy-efficiency improvements from technology scaling are slowing down, new technologies are being researched in hopes of disrupting results. Domain wall memory (DWM) is an emerging non-volatile technology that promises extreme data density, fast access times and low power consumption. However, DWM access time depends on the memory location distance from access ports, requiring expensive shifting. This causes overheads on performance and energy consumption. In this article, we implement our previously proposed shift-reducing instruction memory placement (SHRIMP) on a RISC-V core in RTL, provide the first thorough evaluation of the control logic required for DWM and SHRIMP and evaluate the effects on system energy and energy-efficiency. SHRIMP reduces the number of shifts by 36% on average compared to a linear placement in CHStone and Coremark benchmark suites when evaluated on the RISC-V processor system. The reduced shift amount leads to an average reduction of 14% in cycle counts compared to the linear placement. When compared to an SRAM-based system, although increasing memory usage by 26%, DWM with SHRIMP allows a 73% reduction in memory energy and 42% relative energy delay product. We estimate overall energy reductions of 14%, 15% and 19% in three example embedded systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by certain generalizations, in this paper we consider a new analogue of modified Szá sz-Mirakyan-Durrmeyer operators whose construction depends on a continuously differentiable, increasing and unbounded function τ τ with extra parameters μ μ and λ λ. Depending on the selection of μ μ and λ λ , these operators are more flexible than the modified Szá sz-Mirakyan-Durrmeyer operators while retaining their approximation properties. For these operators we give weighted approximation, Voronovskaya type theorem and quantitative estimates for the local approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Artificial Intelligence Predicts Sensitivity of EGFR Novel Mutations to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors," explores the use of molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning techniques to predict the response of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in cancer patients. The study focuses on EGFR mutations and their interactions with TKIs. The researchers developed an artificial intelligence model with high accuracy for predicting EGFR TKI sensitivity. The findings suggest that this model could be a valuable tool for determining drug sensitivity in patients. [Extracted from the article]

The COVID-19 outbreak created immense disruptions in our daily lives. Travel is one of the major areas severely impacted by the pandemic. Bangladesh experienced two waves of COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2021. Although several studies focused on significant changes in the travel behavior of urban road users before and during the pandemic, hardly any research examined the differences between the two waves. Hence, it was important to study the differences in travel behavior between the two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand how the effects of travel restrictions, health concerns, and the severity of the pandemic on people's travel decisions change over time. This study intends to investigate the changes in travel behavior between the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Dhaka and the factors that influence these changes. Data were collected through online questionnaire surveys using the Google form. Voluntary response and convenience sampling techniques were used to collect responses from 447 people in Dhaka. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were conducted to analyze the data. In addition, two multinomial logistic models were developed to identify the factors behind the changes in travel behavior. This study reveals that work and shopping trips increased, whereas work-from-home and online shopping somewhat decreased during the second pandemic wave compared to the first pandemic wave. Most non-car owners who reduced their use of public transportation during the first pandemic increased their use during the second wave. There was no significant increase in the use of active transport modes for work and shopping trips in Dhaka. The perceived risk of COVID-19 infection was relatively lower during the second wave, influencing the respondents to travel more frequently for work and shopping purposes. Ensuring more adaptive public transportation, flexibility to work from home, and creating supportive infrastructures for active transport modes might help to provide a safe, affordable, and efficient transportation system for all during the future waves of the pandemic and other unprecedented events. • Both work and shopping trip frequencies increased from the first to the second wave of the pandemic. • People perceived COVID-19 infection as less risky compared to the first wave, which influenced them to travel more frequently during the second wave. • Non-car owners reverted to public transportation during the second wave. • No significant increase in the use of active transport modes for work and shopping trips in the second wave compared to the first. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The management of blepharitis continues to challenge clinicians due to the poorly understood aetiology of the condition. We recently identified the family of intracellular plakin proteins as essential driving forces underlying anterior blepharitis. A large‐scale protein analysis was used to study if a topical dexamethasone/tobramycin solution could be used to reverse the expression of plakin proteins. Methods: Tear film samples from treatment naïve patients with anterior blepharitis (n = 15) were collected with Schirmer filtration paper. A subgroup of the patients (n = 10) received treatment with a dexamethasone/tobramycin 1 + 3 mg/mL ophthalmic suspension (Tobradex®) for 3 weeks and collection of tear film samples was repeated. The samples were analysed with label‐free quantification nano liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry requiring quantification in at least 70% of the samples in each group. Proteins were considered differentially expressed if p < 0.05. Results: Following Tobradex® intervention, 27 proteins were upregulated while 61 proteins were downregulated. Regulated proteins after Tobradex® treatment were involved in intermediate filament cytoskeleton organization including downregulation of the plakin proteins envoplakin, epiplakin and periplakin. Plectin, a protein of the plakin family, remained unchanged after Tobradex® therapy. Tobradex® treatment resulted in the regulation of proteins involved in translation including a cluster of downregulated ribosomal proteins. Tobradex® intervention was associated with the regulation of proteins involved in fructose metabolism and glycolytic processes including fructose‐1.6‐bisphosphatase 1, fructose‐bisphosphate aldolases A and B, pyruvate kinase PKM and transketolase. Ig lambda chain V‐I region, prominin‐1, and protein Niban were upregulated after Tobradex® treatment. Conclusions: Tobradex treatment reversed the expression of plakin proteins in anterior blepharitis. Topical solutions which inhibit the expression of plakin proteins may have the potential to restore the ocular surface integrity in anterior blepharitis and should be explored further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible mushrooms are an important food source with high nutritional and medicinal value. They are a useful source for studying phylogenetic evolution and species divergence. The exploration of the evolutionary relationships among these species conventionally involves analyzing sequence variations within their complete mitochondrial genomes, which range from 31,854 bp (Cordyceps militaris) to 197,486 bp (Grifolia frondosa). The study of the complete mitochondrial genomes of edible mushrooms has emerged as a critical field of research, providing important insights into fungal genetic makeup, evolution, and phylogenetic relationships. This review explores the mitochondrial genome structures of various edible mushroom species, highlighting their unique features and evolutionary adaptations. By analyzing these genomes, robust phylogenetic frameworks are constructed to elucidate mushrooms lineage relationships. Furthermore, the exploration of different variations of mitochondrial DNA presents novel opportunities for enhancing mushroom cultivation biotechnology and medicinal applications. The mitochondrial genomic features are essential for improving agricultural practices and ensuring food security through improved crop productivity, disease resistance, and nutritional qualities. The current knowledge about the mitochondrial genomes of edible mushrooms is summarized in this review, emphasising their significance in both scientific research and practical applications in bioinformatics and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is a national priority; however, these efforts commonly focus on the provider. Access to buprenorphine through retail pharmacies and stigma associated with filling prescriptions for MOUD pose additional barriers for patients when embarking on their road to recovery.Methods: This study performed a pre-post retrospective chart review to evaluate the potential positive impact on patient retention when providing buprenorphine at office visits instead of at pharmacies. Study staff reviewed electronic medical records to document patient retention in treatment at 6 months as the primary outcome. The study evaluated as secondary outcomes missed office visits, medication adherence, illicit drug use (that drug testing results identified), and drug-related emergency department (ED) utilization. Study staff documented outcomes for patients given their buprenorphine medication at their office visit (n = 154) compared with randomly selected patients prescribed buprenorphine from the same office-based opioid treatment clinic who had to go to retail pharmacies to fill their prescriptions (n = 154).Results: Patients receiving buprenorphine at their office visit demonstrated a 52.2% higher retention rate after 6 months compared to the control group (p = .005). Patients were more likely to attend scheduled office visits (p = .046), less likely to test positive for nonprescribed/illicit drugs (p < .001), and less likely to utilize the ED for drug-related reasons (p = .018) when the program alleviated the need to fill buprenorphine prescriptions at retail pharmacies and began to offer the pharmacy services at office visits.Conclusions: Provision of buprenorphine to patients at their treatment visit was associated with higher patient retention rates and better health outcomes compared with patients who filled their buprenorphine at pharmacies prior to the program's integration of medication provision at patient office visits. Understanding how alleviating barriers to medication access impacts retention in care has meaningful implications for opioid use disorder patients and treatment providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calculus in the absence of limits is known as quantum calculus. With a difference operator, it substitutes the classical derivative, which permits dealing with sets of functions that are non-differentiations. The theory of integral inequality in quantum calculus is a field of mathematics that has been gaining considerable attention recently. Despite the fact of its application in discrete calculus, it can be applied in fractional calculus as well. In this paper, some new Anderson type q-integral and h-integral inequalities are given using a Feng Qi integral inequality in quantum calculus. These findings are highly beneficial for basic frontier theories, and the techniques offered by technology are extremely useful for those who can stimulate research interest in exploring mathematical applications. Due to the interesting properties in the field of mathematics, integral inequalities have a tied correlation with symmetric convex and convex functions. There exist strong correlations and expansive properties between the different fields of convexity and symmetric function, including probability theory, convex functions, and the geometry of convex functions on convex sets. The main advantage of these essential inequalities is that they can be converted into time-scale calculus. This kind of inevitable inequality can be very helpful in various fields where coordination plays an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]