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ABSTRACTObjectives: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disease of major public health concern. It impacts peripheral tissues and the central nervous system, leading to systemic dysmetabolism and neurocognitive impairments, including memory deficits, anxiety, and depression. The metabolic determinants of these neurocognitive impairments remain unidentified. Here, we sought to address this question by developing a proprietary (P-) high-fat diet (HFD), in which glucose intolerance precedes weight gain and insulin resistance. Methods: The P-HFD model was nutritionally characterized, and tested in vivoin mice that underwent behavioral and metabolic testing. The diet was benchmarked against reference models. . Results: P-HFD has 42% kcal from fat, high monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio, and 10% (w/v) sucrose in drinking water. When administered, from the early stages of glucose intolerance alone, animals exhibit anxiety-like behavior, without depression nor recognition memory deficits. Long-term P-HFD feeding leads to weight gain, brain glucose hypometabolism as well as impaired recognition memory. Using an established genetic model of T2D (db/db) and of diet-induced obesity (60% kcal from fat) we show that additional insulin resistance and obesity are associated with depressive-like behaviors and recognition memory deficits. Discussion: Our findings demonstrate that glucose intolerance alone can elicit anxiety-like behavior. Through this study, we also provide a novel nutritional model (P-HFD) to characterize the discrete effects of glucose intolerance on cognition, behavior, and the physiology of metabolic disease.

The accelerated cyberattacks presents a severe challenge to the companies, as they seem unprepared to confront the threat of cyberattacks, they will suffer enormous losses and have their performance suffer as a result. To better serve its population and communities, Kuwait will have improved and updated its national infrastructure by 2035. This study examines how the governmental top management support, cyber security readiness, and technology readiness affect employee's organizational security adoption intentions in Kuwait governmental organizations and realization of its benefits. The quantitative method was employed in this work. The study found that top management support influencing organizational security performance mediating by cyber security readiness and technology, which affects the tangible and intangible benefits. This study can help policy makers in governmental organizations to improve cyber security adoption. The findings of this study may be utilized for enhancing the sustainability of cyber security in governmental organizations in Kuwait.

Recently, consumers have demanded safe, nutritious, and healthy food. Due to rapid heat transfer, microwave treatment (MT) preserves nutritional quality and provides safe food. In this investigation, the effect of Microwave heating (MH) treatment was analysed on the bioactive components and quality characteristics of buransh (Rhododendron arboretum) flower squash. The fresh squash (TSS 19.6°Brix) was prepared by adjusting TSS to 3, 4, and 5°Brix by using RO water, and microwave treatment (MT) was given to the prepared squash as per the Box Behnken design (BBD). Process optimization was done using Design Expert 13 software. Microwave Power (MP), time, and total soluble solids (TSS) as process parameters showed significant (p < 0.05) effects on responses, namely pH, TSS, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). The optimized values at optimum process parameters (300 W, 30 s and 3°Brix) were found to be 3.79 for pH, 2.395°Brix for TSS, 44.28 mg GAE/100 mL for TPC and 132.159 mg QE/100 mL for TFC. The experimental values were found to be in accordance with the predicted values, having error (%) 0.5249, 3.96, 2.75, and 1.55 for pH, TSS, TPC, and TFC respectively. It was concluded that microwave heating can be used for the treatment of buransh (Rhododendron arboretum) flower squash with superior retention of nutritional quality.

A 29-year-old parous woman with a history of a T-shaped copper intrauterine device (IUD) insertion presented 8 months later with a complaint of the contraceptive device being missing. Computed tomography with contrast turned out to be superior to the combined abdominal and pelvic X-ray and transvaginal ultrasound in providing the detailed extrauterine location of the device between the urinary bladder and uterus. A laparoscopy was successful in the atraumatic freeing of the IUD from omental and bladder adhesions, and in its final removal.

AbstractRecently, the announcement by the Kuwaiti military that it would begin accepting women into its ranks has been denounced by religious and cultural conservatives who have used their positions and authority to intimidate citizens and have attempted to stifle public support for this new policy. This study utilizes the Spiral of Silence (SOS) Theory to examine the influence of varying fear sources on individuals’ willingness to express opinions in congruent and incongruent offline and online opinion climates. The examined fear sources are fear of the law or retribution from government authority, fear of being ineffective in one’s political communication because opinion expression has no impact on the political system, fear of being persecuted for violating religious strictures, fear of social isolation, fear of being negatively labeled during a conversation, fear of being ridiculed for expressing an opinion during conversation, and communication apprehension. In all, 503 individuals responded to the survey. Results indicate that a greater number of fear sources influence individuals in offline contexts more than in online contexts. Fear of the law was a suppressor of opinion expression in all online contexts. The study discusses the influence of offline and online cultures on freedom of expression in Kuwait.

Kuwait is an oil rich state on the northeastern corner of Arabian Peninsula and has faced the unprecedented man made environmental disaster in early 1991 of igniting over 600 oil wells those continually burnt for a period of over six months. The use of crude and heavy fuel oil in the power generating facilities has aggravated the pollution due to particulate matters that carry trace metals. The climatic conditions in this part of the world result into very frequent dust storm transporting particulate matters short and long distance. Mercury in atmosphere is mainly due to burning of fossil fuel, incinerators, crematoriums, extraction of precious metals and salt-chlorine industries. This study has been initiated for mercury measurements from an old salt-chlorine industrial site that has been closed since 1984. To compare the mercury levels elsewhere, a comprehensive measurement program was devised and conducted to obtain mercury levels in most of the urban areas in Kuwait. Domestic dust samples from selected residences were collected for a period of a week. These samples were analyzed using KISR/T0-345 method especially developed for precise measurements of trace metals in particulate matter. It is required to identify the sources of mercury that resulted into such mercury levels in indoor air in the urban areas. For those areas where mercury levels are substantially high mitigation methods have been proposed to reduce the impact on to the residents. Key words: Trace metal; indoor; particulate matter; mercury concentration; mercury species, INTRODUCTION There is general consensus among internationally recognized scientists that annual mercury emissions have been increasing dramatically over last few decades. The major source is old aging coal fired power [...]

Purpose--The purpose of this research is to examine the linkages between oil prices and stock market in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Prior work argues that oil prices and the GCC stock markets are not related. This conclusion could be due to the fact that only linear linkages have been examined. Design/methodology/approach--This study employs newly developed techniques of rank tests of nonlinear cointegration analysis proposed by Breitung and Gourieroux and Breitung. The Breitung's method is selected in this study due its potential superiority at detecting cointegration when the error-correction mechanism is nonlinear. Findings--The empirical analysis of the paper supports that oil price impact the stock price indices in GCC countries in a nonlinear fashion. Thus, the statistical analysis in this paper obviously supports a nonlinear modeling of the relationship between oil and the economy. Research limitations/implications--The paper contains the normal limitations associated with the econometric method including statistical bias. Practical implications--The implication of this paper findings is that policy makers at GCC countries should keep an eye on the effects of changes in oil price levels on their own economies and stock markets. For individual and institutional investors, the nonlinear relationship between oil and stock markets imply predictability in the GCC stock markets. Originality/value The paper presents new findings on the relationships between oil prices and the stock market in GCC countries. These findings should be of interest to researchers, regulators, and market participants. Keywords Oil industry, Stock markets, Persian Gulf States

Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles has emerged as an important field in synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) as fewer chemicals are being used, method is cost-effective and also fulfils principles of green chemistry. Due to the rapid growth of industries in recent times, there has been an increase in concentration of dyes in water, which causes problems and affects human and animal’s health. Moreover, nanoparticles has emerged as an effective solution for dye degradation due to their effective catalytic activity. In the current work, we carried out a comparative study on Tinospora Cordifolia, derived oxide nanoparticles for degrading Indigo Carmine. The characterization of formed particles have been done by techniques like XRD, SEM, FTIR and EDX. The effectiveness of the synthesized nanoparticles as photo catalyst in removing indigo carmine was assessed by emphasizing on important aspects such as amount of catalyst, concentration of dye, and the pH. The results showed SnO2nanoparticles exhibited superior degrading activity compared to CuO. The optimal dose for SnO2NPs was 0.25 g/L, while for CuO, it was 0.50 g/L. When pH was altered, it was observed that acidic environment exhibited superior breakdown ability. The optimal degradation capability was observed at dye concentration of 40 parts per million (ppm).

This study integrates the Spiral of Silence and Uses and Gratifications theories to examine the willingness of university students to express on Twitter their opinions about a controversial issue, women serving as judges in Kuwait and Egypt. The analysis of a survey of 640 respondents showed that they used Twitter for information seeking, opinion formation, opinion reinforcement, and social utility in discussions, and for its democratizing capability. Democratization was the only motive to predict the expression of opinion online. When the Kuwaiti and Egyptian samples were analyzed separately, the democratization motive predicted opinion expression for the Kuwaiti students but not for the Egyptian students. Interaction effects between motivations and size of the respondent's social network on Twitter were found to predict the online expression of opinion. For example, the variable assessing the size of a respondent's social network interacted with information seeking motivation and also with opinion reinforcement to predict opinion expression online.

ABSTRACTThe establishment of persistent infections and the reactivation of persistent bacteria to active bacilli are the two hurdles in effective tuberculosis treatment. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an etiologic tuberculosis agent, adapts to numerous antibiotics and resists the host immune system causing a disease of public health concern. Extensive research has been employed to combat this disease due to its sheer ability to persist in the host system, undetected, waiting for the opportunity to declare itself. Persisters are a bacterial subpopulation that possesses transient tolerance to high doses of antibiotics. There are certain inherent mechanisms that facilitate the persister cell formation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, some of those had been characterized in the past namely, stringent response, transcriptional regulators, energy production pathways, lipid metabolism, cell wall remodeling enzymes, phosphate metabolism, and proteasome protein degradation. This article reviews the recent advancements made in various in vitropersistence models that assist to unravel the mechanisms involved in the persister cell formation and to hunt for the possible preventive or treatment measures. To tackle the persister population the immunodominant proteins that express specifically at the latent phase of infection can be used for diagnosis to distinguish between the active and latent tuberculosis, as well as to select potential drug or vaccine candidates. In addition, we discuss the genes engaged in the persistence to get more insights into resuscitation and persister cell formation. The in-depth understanding of persistent cells of mycobacteria can certainly unravel novel ways to target the pathogen and tackle its persistence.

Byline: Seemant. Raizada, Jamal. Al Kandari, Fahad. Al Diab, Khalid. Al Sabah, Niranjan. Kumar, Sebastian. Mathew Sir, We thank the reader for showing interest in our article titled: “Pars Plana [...]

Byline: Seemant. Raizada, Jamal. Al Kandari, Fahad. Al Diab, Khalid. Al Sabah, Niranjan. Kumar, Sebastian. Mathew Dear Sir, We thank the reader for showing interest in our article, 'Pars plana [...]

Byline: Seemant. Raizada, Jamal. Al Kandari, Fahad. Al Diab, Khalid. Al Sabah, Niranjan. Kumar, Sebastian. Mathew Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of pars plana [...]

AbstractThis study adopted the Spiral of Silence theory to examine cross-sectional data on the impact of sources of fear on opinion expression in congruent and incongruent offline and online contexts. The study’s questionnaire asked respondents about their willingness to express opinions about the issue of Kuwaiti women serving in the military. The examined predictor variables were three different sources of fear: institutional, social, and personal. The study also explored the influence of three predictors: respondents’ perceptions of the dominant opinion climates in Kuwaiti society, in the media, and on Twitter. For criterion variables, respondents estimated their likelihood of expressing an opinion about the issue in congruent and incongruent offline and online situations. Multivariate analyses of 503 Kuwaiti University student respondents indicated that men more than women tended to be willing to express their opinions in all situations. Women indicated that they would be more likely to stifle their opinions due to sources of fear while men indicated they were less likely to stifle their opinions due to their perceptions about the issue. In online situations, fear of the law was the predominant factor causing opinion stifling for both genders. The results suggested that online technology could benefit women in opinion expression by overcoming restrictions found in offline situations.

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting females. In RA, the treat to target strategy necessitates an early and intensive approach to achieve disease control. (1, 2) However, the therapeutic options can adversely affect reproductive health and pregnancy. Hence, the age of female patients at presentation might be a factor in decision making; although, there is a scarcity of evidence to support this hypothesis. We analyzed prescribing trends in Kuwait to examine the effect of female age on initial treatment decision.MethodsRetrospective analysis of patients enrolled in the Kuwait RA Registry from 2012 to 2024. Baseline characteristics and medication prescribed at the initial visit were analyzed based on age group.Results1101 female patients were included and stratified into two age groups ≤49 years and >49 years. 30.8% were ≤49 years and had a higher proportion of rheumatoid factor (RF) n Anti-CCP positivity (82.4% vs 75.5%, p=0.087). There was no significant difference in the mean DAS-28 at baseline (3.2 vs 3.1, p=0.32).A numerically higher proportion of patients started methotrexate (MTX) in the >49 years group (59.4% vs 54%, p=0.090). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in sulfasalazine (SSZ), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), or leflunomide (Lef) use. Rituximab was the most prescribed biologic with no statistical difference between the groups in prescription rate (p=0.822); TNF inhibitors (TNFi) were prescribed more often in the >49 years group (16.5% vs 11%, p=0.022); adalimumab, highest TNFi, prescription was not statistically different between the groups; Etanercept was prescribed more often the >49 years group (7.7% vs 4.7% and 5% vs 1.2%) respectively. There was no statistical difference between the groups in monotherapy vs. combination therapy treatment strategy.Discussion & ConclusionThis study showed that age at presentation does not significantly influence the initial choice of Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs in female RA patients in Kuwait. Other factors, such as completion of family and patient preferences, likely play a more critical role in treatment decisions. Further research is needed to explore these influences and optimize management strategies for RA in women, particularly concerning reproductive health.

IntroductionRheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation and potential disability. (1). The relationship between comorbidities and RA is well-known and is associated with poor outcomes. (3,4, 5) Furthermore, patients with RA are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). (6) This study investigates the epidemiology of RA in Kuwait, focusing on the prevalence of comorbidities such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity using the Kuwait Rheumatoid Arthritis registry.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzes data from 2239 RA patients in Kuwait, enrolled from February 2012 to May 2024ResultsAs shown in Table 1, (71.0%) are females with a mean age of 55.6 years and a mean disease duration of 11.1 years. The average body mass index (BMI) is 29.2, with 39.2%% having a BMIˆ3 of 30 and 11.3% are active smokers.Analysis of comorbidities in RA patients shows that hypertension (23%) and diabetes Type 2 (20%) are the most prevalent conditions, followed by thyroid disease and hyperlipidemia (13%), as demonstrated in Figure 1.ConclusionThis study reveals a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity, all of which are modifiable risk factors for CVD. This finding emphasizes the importance of pre-emptive screening for these comorbid conditions, establishing a comprehensive care plan, and optimizing treatment protocol to improve patient outcome.

Background and Aims: Positive rheotaxis extended drop (PRED) has been described by Martin et al, 2017 showing sperm with <1% DFI index. Our results on 25 embryonic failure patients presented in WebRepro 2021 PRED showed improved outcomes. (18% vs 45% Utilized blastocyst rate) vs Conventional-ICSI (C-ICSI)To evaluate effects in poor egg reserve we designed a prospective comparative pilot study of patients with low AMH or poor responder status evaluating PRED-ICSI vs C-ICSIMethod: PRED-ICSI vs C-ICSI alternated every cycle of poor responder or poor egg quality for a period of 3 months from Jan 23rd, 2023, to March 23rd, 2023.Results: Age of male partner and female partner were higher in PRED-ICSI. The egg reserve and attempt number were similar. Semen parameters trended higher in conventional ICSI vs PRED ICSI group.PRED-ICSI had higher fertilization than C-ICSI (74% C-ICSI vs 80% PRED ICSI). Results trend higher in utilized blastocyst rate (47% C-ICSI vs 64% PRED ICSI).In the C-ICSI group 4 patients who had D3 frozen or with Embryo transfer had only grade b or lower embryos available vs No patients with grade b or lower embryos in the PRED-ICSI group. 3 patients had cycle cancellation due to no embryos in C-ICSI group vs 1 patients in PRED-ICSI group.Patients with grade AA/AB blastocysts were 7 out of 12 in Conventional ICSI group (50%) vs 8 out of 12 in PRED-ICSI (66.67%).Conclusion: This data furthers proof that PRED-ICSI can replace C-ICSI in patients with poor egg reserve or poor responder status. PRED-ICSI can effectively replace C-ICSI as a superior zero additional cost technique for selection of spermatozoa with an improved sperm chromatin pool vs Conventional ICSI which is a crude method of sperm selection.

Cryoballoon ablation is a commonly used approach to treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Report on the safety and efficacy of cryoballoon ablation for the treatment of AF in the largest global cohort of cryoablated patients prospectively studied within a single registry. The Cryo AF Global Registryis a prospective, multi‐center registry. Patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF) or persistent AF (PsAF) were treated with the cryoballoon catheter according to routine practices at 93 sites across 36 countries. Primary efficacy endpoints included freedom from AF and freedom from AF/atrial flutter (AFL)/atrial tachycardia (AT) ≥30 seconds. The primary safety endpoint was serious device‐ or procedure‐related adverse events over 12 month follow‐up. During this evaluation window, 2922 subjects completed an index cryoballoon procedure, and 1440 completed 12 month follow‐up. The cohort was 61 ± 12 years of age, 36.3% female, and 78.7% PAF. Serious device‐ and procedure‐related adverse event rates were 1.5% and 3.4%, respectively. Freedom from AF/AFL/AT after the 90 day blanking period was 86.4% (95% CI: 84.3%‐88.3%) in patients with PAF and 70.9% (95% CI: 64.6%‐76.4%) in patients with PsAF. Freedom from AF/AFL/AT in first‐line PAF and PsAF was 90.0% (95% CI: 86.4%‐92.7%) and 72.9% (95% CI: 58.6%‐83.0%) at 12 months, respectively. The Cryo Global AF Registryis the largest evaluation to demonstrate cryoablation is an efficient, safe, and effective treatment for patients with AF worldwide. Cryoablation was commonly used to treat patients prior to an AAD failure and may facilitate earlier therapy for patients on the AF disease continuum. Cryoballoon ablation was an efficient, safe, and effective treatment for 2,922 patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation treated according to standard‐of‐care techniques at 93 unique sites in 36 countries around the world.

The recent breakthrough of technological innovation has contributed to a tangible advance in endoscopic imaging. Optical diagnosis is an indispensable diagnostic and therapeutic tool for gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Endocytoscopy opens the realm of real-time microscopic evaluation of GI tract, providing information about cellular and subcellular changes during ongoing endoscopy, therapy potentially accelerating clinical diagnosis and specific therapy. Different generations of the endocytoscopes have evolved through the years and finally the development of computer-aided diagnosis and artificial intelligence-based system has gained momentum to tackle the challenges associated with the concept of optical biopsies to facilitate the decision in management of GI diseases. The current available scientific literature of endocytoscopy in the luminal gastrointestinal tract is discussed in this systematic review.

ABSTRACTIntroductionVaccines and therapeutic antibodies are the most crucial components of anthrax prophylaxis (pre- and post-exposure) and treatment. The improvement in the availability and safety profile of vaccines and the therapeutic antibodies has helped immensely in reducing the worldwide burden of anthrax.Areas coveredCurrent recommendations for anthrax prophylaxis and control, vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, the recent endeavors, particularly, made after 2010 toward making them safer and more efficacious along with our opinion on its future course. Primarily, PubMed and Europe PMC were searched to cover the recent developments in the above-indicated areas.Expert opinionSome key existing lacunae in our understanding of the working of biologicals-based anthrax-control measures, i.e., vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, should be addressed to improve their overall stability, safety profile, and efficacy. The identification of novel inhibitors targeting different key-molecules and vital-steps contributing to the overall anthrax pathophysiology could make a difference in anthrax control.

Asphaltene precipitation is considered a precursor of the plugging of oil wells and subsurface equipment and is a topic of continuous interest among companies and academic institutions. Numerous models to predict asphaltene precipitation at reservoir conditions have emerged over the years, and some have been dropped for several reasons. One particular case is the utilization of cubic equations of state such as Peng–Robinson (PR) and Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK), which although are relatively simple to code and utilize, have not been as effective in predicting asphaltene precipitation as compared to other models such as the perturbed chain version of the statistical associating fluid theory equation of state (PC-SAFT EOS). However, we have found that after improving the crude oil characterization procedure to obtain a proper set of simulation parameters from the available experimental data, the cubic equation of state can show excellent predictive capabilities in modeling asphaltene onset pressure under gas injection. In this work, we develop a characterization methodology based on the contents of Saturates–Aromatics–Resins–Asphaltenes (SARA) that can be used with PR EOS. Several case studies with published data from six crude oils are conducted to assess the predictive capability of the new approach in modeling asphaltene onset pressure under gas injection. Comparisons are made with PC-SAFT EOS to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each model. Also, the modeling approach is tested against high-pressure and high-temperature data from four wells from the Middle East that have not been previously published in the literature. The results indicate that PR EOS yields results that are at least as good as those obtained from PC-SAFT in predicting the onset of asphaltene precipitation in crude oil under various amounts and types of gas injection.

In this paper, we first provide a survey of some basic properties of the left-and right-hand sided Erdélyi-Kober fractional integrals and derivatives and introduce their compositions in form of the composed Erdélyi-Kober operators. Then we derive a convolutional representation for the composed Erdélyi-Kober fractional integral in terms of its convolution in the Dimovski sense. For this convolution, we also determine the divisors of zero. These both results are then used for construction of an operational method for solving an initial value problem for a fractional differential equation with the left-and right-hand sided Erdélyi-Kober fractional derivatives defined on the positive semi-axis. Its solution is obtained in terms of the four-parameters Wright function of the second kind. The same operational method can be employed for other fractional differential equation with the left-and right-hand sided Erdélyi-Kober fractional derivatives.

Retrospective observational. To compare objective (neurological examination) and subjective (patients perception) recovery in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who chose to undergo cell transplantation therapies (CTT) outside of clinical trials abroad. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Kuwait. Nine patients with SCI who had undergone CTT outside Kuwait were identified and their neurological pre-transplantation evaluation according the International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) was collected from hospital records. Post transplantation ISNCSCI examination was conducted during follow-up visits and scores were completed between pre and post CTT. In addition to the ISNCSCI evaluation, change in disability status, and patient’s perception of improvement after stem cell transplantation were examined. Overall, 8 males and 1 female with chronic SCI underwent CTT (42 ± 38.2 months post SCI) in various centers (China, Egypt, Germany, India, and Iran). On follow-up post CTT assessment (89.2 ± 36 months post SCI), 55.5% of individuals reported perceived improvement as follows: increased deep tissue sensation below the injury (100%) or increase in bladder sensation (11.1%). Objective examination after CTT revealed that none of the examined individuals demonstrated improvement in their motor scores or neurological level of SCI. We were not able to objectively document clinically useful improvements in sensorimotor, autonomic, or functional status in individuals after CTT.

68Ga-PSMA is an excellent radiotracer for both staging and detection of recurrence in prostate cancer, but it can also be useful in other solid tumors due to tumor-associated angiogenic factors and endothelial cell sprouting. We report a case of an 82-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma who presented with rising tumor marker but stable CT findings 6 months after transarterial chemoembolization. 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT showed high PSMA-expressing hyperneovascular hepatic lesions (primary tumor), additional multifocal hepatic lesions, and with unexpected multiple bone metastases. 68Ga-PSMA expression in hepatocellular carcinoma can influence patient management and potentially guide radionuclide legend therapy.

The prolonged use of antibiotics has led to the development of resistant bacteria and also led to accumulation of antibiotic residue in the poultry feed, this ultimately led to the prohibition of antibiotics as growth enhancers in animal production. Thus, there was a dire need for alternate sources to help in poultry production. Recently, probiotics and prebiotics claimed to be effective alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of different probiotics and prebiotics on the performance of broilers. The study involved 2 broiler cycles, 1 during winter and 1 during summer with a total of 425 1-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks for each cycle. They were allotted to 5 experimental treatments. The probiotics were Bacillus coagulans(1 g/kg dried culture) and Lactobacillus(1 g/kg dried culture of 12 commercial strains). The prebiotics included fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) (5 g/kg) and mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae(5 g/kg). The results showed that there was no effect of the different probiotics and prebiotics on the production performance of broilers. There was increased weight of the thymus in the control group. In cycle 1, the panelists indicated that the smell, color, taste, and texture of the cooked meat were acceptable, and that there were no significant differences between the different groups. There was no significant effect of the different diets on the biochemical parameters of the blood among the experimental groups at 3- and 5-wk of age. Phytohaemaglutinin test showed that dietary FOS and MOS induced higher cellular response than the other treatments (P= 0.04) in the first cycle. In the second cycle, the results revealed that dietary FOS induced higher cellular response than the other treatments (P= 0.019). The used experimental treatments have a positive effect on microbial count in 5-week-old broilers. There was no Salmonella sp.recorded using the experimental treatments in the first cycle, and the growth of E. coliwas reduced significantly. In the second cycle, all treatments in 3-week-old broilers did not affect the count of both lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and E. coli.At 5-week-old of the same cycle, the bacterial count of E. coliincreased even with control, whereas Salmonellagrowth was inhibited. The pH value was driven toward acidity in all of the treatments. Probiotics and prebiotics can be used in chicken feed safely and without any adverse effects on the productive parameters and immune status of the flock.

The precise fabrication of efficient catalysts for CO oxidation is of particular interest in a wide range of industrial and environmental applications. Herein, a scalable method is presented for the controlled synthesis of graphitic-like porous carbon nitride nanotubes (gC3N4NTs) codoped with Au and Pd (Au/Pd/gC3N4NTs) as efficient catalysts for carbon monoxide (CO) conversion. This includes the activation of melamine with nitric acid in the presence of ethylene glycol and metal precursors followed by consecutive polymerization and carbonization. This drives the formation of porous one-dimensional gC3N4NT with an outstanding surface area of (320.6 m2g–1) and an atomic-level distribution of Au and Pd. Intriguingly, the CO conversion efficiency of Au/Pd/gC3N4NTs was substantially greater than that for gC3N4NTs. The approach thus presented may provide new avenues for the utilization of gC3N4doped with multiple metal-based catalysts for CO conversion reactions which had been rarely reported before.

Falx cerebri ossification is an incidental finding. Mostly it is easy to diagnose, but can be challenging in few cases, and should be distinguished from calcified meningioma, hematoma, and meningeal infiltration. We report a case of a 46-year-old woman with breast cancer complaining of back pain. 18F-NaF PET/CT images show focal increase uptake at facet joints of L5/S1 vertebrae and both knees joints, suggesting degenerative disease. There is normal variant 18F-NaF uptake noted in the ossification at the falx cerebri. Recognition of normal and abnormal extraosseous 18F-NaF uptake is important for correct interpretation to avoid unnecessary further investigations.

Os sustentaculi is a rare accessory bone of the foot located along the posterior end of sustentaculum tali. It is a component type of extra-articular talocalcaneal coalition. We report the case of a 17-year-old boy with symptomatic os sustentaculum with talocalcaneal coalition diagnosed on 99mTc-HDP SPECT/CT. We wish to emphasize on the use of SPECT/CT in not only characterizing the ossicle morphologically, but also for evaluation of this anatomical variant as an active source of pain in the absence of a more common cause of pain in young physically active patients.

68Ga-PSMA is a promising tracer for both primary staging and detection of biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer. PSMA is also expressed in the neovascular endothelium of various solid malignancies possibly due to tumor-associated angiogenic factors and endothelial cell sprouting. We report a case of a 73-year-old man of prostate cancer with rising prostate-specific antigen levels. 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was performed, which showed a focal lung lesion, with subsequent histological confirmation of adenocarcinoma of the lung. Incidental lung lesions on 68Ga-PSMA in prostate cancer patients should elicit a differential of primary lung malignancy, especially if clinical and morphological suspicion is high.

Medicinal plant-based healthcare system practiced by the traditional herbal healers (Vaidyas) plays a significant role in curing ailments. Phenology of many medicinal plants is altered due to changes in climatic variability. Studies towards possible effects of climate change on medicinal plants are particularly significant in the traditional healthcare system. The present study emphasizes that persistence of climatic variability will change the habitat and population of medicinal plants in the Himalayan region. There are indications that climate change is causing noticeable effects on life cycle and distribution of valuable medicinal plant resources. The perception of Vaidyasabout medicinal plants has been documented to understand the impact of climate change on phenophases of medicinal plants and their effect on the traditional healthcare. The study reported 15 high-value medicinal plants which are used by the local people for curing various ailments. These medicinal plants are collected by Vaidyasfrom wild in appropriate time for their effective results following traditional, religious, and spiritual values. However, due to changes in the phenophases of these species, Vaidyashave also slightly changed the collection period which is against their tradition. The traditional healers have identified some other plant species as substitute of those plants which were used earlier for curing the same ailments so as to cope with the changes of phenophases of medicinal plants on health care systems. The present study is an attempt to generate unique information on the impacts of climate change on phenophases of medicinal plants and their effect on existing traditional healthcare system.

This study explores motives for taking and posting selfies on social media and whether those motives and other social psychological dispositions predict the selfie-related activities of “taking,” “posting,” and “editing” selfies. A sample of 404 university students in Kuwait indicated they took and posted selfies for motives of appraisal-seeking self-presentation(ASSP), entertainment, status-updating self-presentation(SUSP) and documentation. Females were more likely to be involved in selfie-related activities and to use selfies for ASSP. Documentation was the prime predictor of the activity of “taking” selfies, SUSP was for “posting” selfies, and ASSP was for “editing” selfies. Self-perceived attractiveness predicted the activities of “posting” and “taking” selfies. Results are discussed in light of the influence of culture in Kuwait and some conceptual considerations about selfies are made.

Study was done on biomass and antibacterial activity of five bulbous medicinal plants using vermicompost leachate (VCL), from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Vermicompost Leachate is a liquid generated by earthworms and microorganisms during the conversion of the organic matter into Vermicompost. One year- old seeds of (Bulbine natalensis, Merwilla plumbea, Tulbaghia violacea, Drimia robusta, and Bowiea volubilis) were subjected to VCL at different concentrations. Three concentrations of VCL, prepared by diluting with water in ratios of 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20 v/v on growth and biomass in green house were applied and harvested after 120 days. Bulbine natalensisseedlings treated with VCL at 1:10 concentration showed a significantly higher result compared to other treatments. Merwilla plumbeatreated at higher concentrations of VCL (1:10 and 1:120) showed significantly high growth rate compared to the control. Tulbaghia violaceatreated with VCL concentration of 1:20 showed significance compared to the control. However, seedling treated with VCL concentration of 1:20, all other treatments showed significance compared to control. Drimia robustaand Bowiea volubilistreated with different concentration of VCL showed significant increase in shoot length, number of leaves; shoot fresh weight and leaf area as compared to the control. From this study it was concluded that, vermicompost leachate has potential alternatives for improving the growth biomass of medicinal plants in terms of cost and environmental implications. Antibacterial activities were also evaluated using the micro-dilution assay against two Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) and one Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). High activity was observed in the EtOH extracts in all the plants. Water extracts of B. natalensisexhibited higher activity against all the three bacterial strains. The dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of B. natalensisshowed the lowest activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.098 mg/ml against S. aureusin VCL dilutions of 1:10 and 1:20 and 0.39 mg/ml against E. coliin all dilutions. Merwilla plumbearhizome exhibited low activity with a MIC value of 0.78 mg/ml against E. colicompared to the Gram-positive bacterial strains. VCL dilutions of 1:10 and 1:20 could successfully be used to enhance the antibacterial properties of these bulbs.

This study employs the uses and gratificationsperspective to examine the motives that led a sample of 466 university students in Egypt to view television news and political programs and whether those motives and the frequency of exposure to media predict political efficacy, support for democracy, and political cynicism. The outcomes revealed that motives for viewing were Support in Discussions, Watchdog on Government, Reinforcement, Opinion Formation, Information, and the Free Marketplace of Information. Although Support in Discussions predicted political efficacy and the Free Marketplace of Information negatively predicted it, levels of prediction were not powerful. Support for democracy was weakly predicted by Information, Support in Discussions, the Free Marketplace of Information, and Watchdog on Government. Political cynicism was not predicted by any media variables. The motives for media use are discussed in relation to the political psyche of Egyptians and the political conditions affecting Egypt after the revolution.

University students are especially vulnerable to poor sleep quality. The aim of this study was to assess students' sleep hygiene awareness and sleep hygiene practices, and evaluate their sleep quality. The association of sleep quality with sleep hygiene awareness and practice was also explored. The median sleep quality score was 7; scores more than 5 indicate poor sleep quality. Hence, a large proportion of Kuwait University students experience a suboptimal level of overall sleep quality according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index criteria. Sleep hygiene knowledge among university students was relatively inadequate. Most respondents (60.9%) failed to recognize that taking a nap during daytime might be disruptive to sleep. Sleep quality was strongly correlated with sleep hygiene practice (Spearman rank correlation, rs=0.267, P<.001) but not with sleep hygiene knowledge. Medical students showed poorer sleep hygiene awareness and poor sleep quality compared with students from other universities. Logistic regression analysis showed that female sex (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.8, P<.001), college (OR=2.2, P<.001), grade point average (OR=2.8, P=.023), and sleep hygiene practice score were independently associated with sleep quality after adjusting for confounders. In conclusion, a large proportion of Kuwait University students experience poor sleep quality. Therefore, the development of sleep hygiene education programs as an intervention and prevention strategy is recommended. This will improve students' knowledge on the importance of adopting healthy sleep hygiene practices for better sleep quality and enhanced academic performance.

Catalytically active sites formed after the partial reduction of tungsten trioxide using hydrogen gas at different reduction temperatures were studied by measuring the catalytic activity of the system in reactions with isopropanol and 1-hexene. These reactions were activated by either metal, acid, or acid-metal (bifunctional) functionalities. The identification of the chemical composition of the specific catalytic active sites was achieved by in situ characterization of the system using the XPS-UPS surface technique carried out at the same time as the experimental catalytic measurements. Tungsten trioxide species possess acidic character before applying the reduction treatment. However, when WO3is reduced to WO2a metallic character is obtained, imparting the delocalization of π electrons over the tungsten atoms located along the C-axis of the deformed rutile structure of WO2. Changes in the spin–orbit coupling of W(4f) and the structure of the density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level confirmed the development of metallic properties. The bonding of active H, obtained from the dissociation of molecular hydrogen during the reduction procedure, to the oxygen surface sites results in a build-up of Brønsted W-OH acid functionalities. Therefore, a metal–acid bifunctional catalyst is obtained on the surface of the sample in the form of WO2−x(OH)y/TiO2. Titanium dioxide is utilized as a support to mechanically strengthen the catalyst and enhance the surface area.

In central Himalaya, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are important component of traditional health care systems and supplementary source of income of the marginal farmers. Unfortunately, many of these plants have become threatened due to various environmental, socio-economic and institutional hindrances. Attempts have been made at different levels to address this issue through various means. In-situ practical training of the farmers is one of the measures taken to strengthen knowledge and skill of the farmers and other stakeholders associated with non-government organizations (NGOs) and government departments for conservation and management of MAPs. Plant scientists and experts involved in this field discussed the methods regarding cultivation, conservation, processing, and marketing with diverse stakeholders. The documentation and analyses of action research approach (quantitative and qualitative) and data generated through the series of training programs have created scope for sharing of experiences and knowledge. Studies conducted during 2005–2014 have identified the need for further research and government involvement to strengthen the infrastructure and extension inputs for the development of medicinal plant sector.

We report on a 62-year-old man with metastatic prostate cancer (cT3b N1) diagnosed in 2011, treated with total androgen blockage with flutamide and goserelin acetate (Zoladex). He presented with left suprascapular swelling and low-back pain after being asymptomatic for 5 years. His prostate-specific antigen was 0.049 ng/mL. 18F-NaF PET-CT and 68Ga-PSMA scan were negative, whereas 68Ga-DOTA NOC scan done after 10 days showed multiple somatostatin-avid hepatic and lymph node metastasis.

Propagation through seeds is considered useful for maintaining of genetic diversity. Seed germination behavior of a threatened species, Hedychium spicatumin relation to different plant growth regulators (PGRs) was studied under mist chamber conditions. Duration of pre-sowing of seeds in different concentrations of different PGRs was observed to have important role in improving seed germination and help in reducing mean germination time. Among various treatments, incubation of seeds in indole-acetic acid (100 µg ml−1) for 24 h showed highest germination of 95.83 ± 3.6 % with mean germination time of 84.00 ± 7.0 days. On the contrary non-treated seeds exhibited only 37.50–60.42 % germination. Imbibition by the seeds was fast in first 2 h and then it increased gradually up to 24 h thus confirming that 24 h is sufficient to imbibe the PGRs. PGRs are also found useful in reducing time for initiation of germination, time for maximum germination, mean germination time and germination rate. The result recommends indole-acetic acid (concentration of 100 µg ml−1) with 24 h of pre-sowing incubation for better germination.

During the past few decades, pharmaceutical industries have registered a quantum jump contributing to high economic growth, but simultaneously it has also given rise to severe environmental pollution. Untreated or allegedly treated pharmaceutical industrial wastewater (PIWW) creates a need for time to time assessment and characterization of discharged wastewater as per the standards provided by the regulatory authorities. To control environmental pollution, pharmaceutical industries use different treatment plans to treat and reuse wastewater. The characterization of PIWW using advanced and coupled techniques has progressed to a much advanced level, but in view of new developments in drug manufacture for emerging diseases and the complexities associated with them, better sophisticated instrumentation and methods of treatment are warranted. The bioremediation process to treat PIWW has undergone more intense investigation in recent decade. This results in the complete mineralization of pharmaceutical industries’ wastewater and no waste product is obtained. Moreover, high efficiency and low operation cost prove it to be an effective tool for the treatment of PIWW. The present review focuses on the characterization as well as bioremediation aspects of PIWW.

Power management in a standalone microgrid having large scale renewable generation is generally based upon droop control strategies. However, the renewable sources such as photovoltaics (PV), which are interfaced with microgrid through power electronic converters have low inertia. Because of low inertia, the transient power variation during switching events like change in load may be very large and may result into variation in voltage and frequency beyond permissible limits. In this paper an adaptive scheme for power management of a standalone microgrid is proposed, which is based on available state of charge (SoC) of the batteries to mitigate these issues. The proposed battery SoC based adaptive droop control for power management allows smooth transition of distributed energy resources (DERs) from maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode to adaptive droop mode and vice versa. The transient behaviour is handled with the help of batteries and supercapacitor (SC), which is further improved with the help of fuzzy logic based proportional integral controller (FLC-PI). A significant drop in SC power during switching events is obtained with FLC-PI. The test microgrid is composed of multiple PV generation at different locations as primary source of generation, multiple batteries energy storage system (ESS) at different locations, fuel cell (FC), supercapacitor (SC) and a dynamic load.

225Ac-based PSMA-targeted therapy has emerged as promising agent for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Posttherapy image is used for tracer localization and dosimetry. Prior 2 photopeaks of 440 and 218 KeV were reported for posttherapy imaging. Our study of gamma ray spectrum, phantom, and clinical images show that imaging with 3 major photopeaks of 78, 218, and 440 KeV gives better quality images, high count statistics, and higher number of lesion delineations. It is therefore suggested that posttherapy imaging may be carried out using 3 major abundant photopeaks.