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Abstract Compared to the other English medium instruction (EMI) issues, assessment has received very scant research attention. A complex issue in EMI assessment relates to the role of English in measuring learning outcomes, and whether or not language should be assessed along with technical content. Combining questionnaire and semi-structured interviewed data, this study explored the English-related assessment practices and beliefs of native-Arabic and non-native-Arabic faculty members teaching EMI scientific majors at eight Saudi universities. Two hundred and forty-nine faculty members completed the questionnaire, whereas 20 faculty members were interviewed. The results showed that the content teachers do not give much weight to language quality when evaluating students’ written or oral performance. Compared to native-Arabic peers, the non-native-Arabic teachers, who intuitively have little or no translanguaging in their instruction, were found to pay slightly more attention to evaluating students’ English and to considering it in assessing students’ academic performance. Meanwhile, the interviews revealed that the teachers’ negative language-related assessment attitude has been shaped by the view that they are non-responsible for correcting students’ English, and by the too many language errors noted in students’ performance. Finally, the teachers’ highly-rated language assessment self-efficacy beliefs did not match their actual assessment practices.

Nanocrystalline Fe2O3-NiO composite catalysts were prepared using a sonication-assisted green preparation method. The prepared catalysts were characterized using different techniques, including thermal analyses (TGA/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, surface area measurements (SBET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface basicity of the prepared catalysts was measured using the temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (CO2-TPD) as a highly acidic probe molecule. The catalytic activity of all the prepared catalysts was tested at a temperature range of 250–325 °C towards the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol to methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK), which is considered a promising fossil fuel alternative and has several industrial applications. The composite catalysts showed better catalytic activity compared to the pure oxides (i.e., Fe2O3 and NiO) due to the strong synergetic effect between the two oxides. Fe2O3 prevented the coke formation over the surface of NiO by the oxygen-scavenging effect of Fe, which promotes the oxidation of the carbonaceous species and increases the catalyst's resistance to deactivation. The effect of weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) on the catalytic activity was tested over a selected catalyst. In addition, the stability and durability of the catalyst were tested across four successive reaction cycles, demonstrating remarkable performance throughout all the reaction cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is one of the most common autoimmune inflammatory disorders affecting the orbit that characterized by swelling of extra ocular muscles (EOMs) and expansion of the orbital fat. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could assess the microstructural integrity of tissue. We aimed at this study to assess the role of DTI in the evaluation of EOMs and orbital fat in GO and identify the relationship with disease activity. Results: Case–control study included 40 patients diagnosed as Graves' disease (20 active and 20 inactive) and 10 health control subjects underwent DTI. Low fraction anisotropy (FA) and high mean diffusivity (MD) of inferior rectus (IR), medial rectus (MR) and orbital fat in GO versus healthy control (HC), while high FA and high MD in active group versus inactive group. In order to differentiate between GO and HC; FA cutoff point of IR, MR& orbital fat were 0.46, 0.45 and 0.26 with sensitivity 98.8%,98.8% and 93.8% and specificity 95.0%, 95.0% and 85%, respectively. MD cutoff point for IR, MR and orbital fat 1.24, 1.27 and 1.275 with sensitivity 97.5%, 98.8% and 98.8% and specificity 95.0%, 95% and 95%, respectively. To differentiate between active and inactive GO; FA cutoff point of IR, MR and orbital fat were 0.35, 0.36 and 0.22 respectively with sensitivity 80.0%, 82.5% and 72.5% and specificity 95.0%, 85.0% and 65.0%, respectively. MD cutoff point for IR, MR and orbital fat were 1.58, 1.63 and 1.54 respectively with sensitivity 90.0%, 97.5% and 85.0%, and specificity 90.0%, 80.0% and 62.5%, respectively. Conclusions: DTI parameters (FA and MD) of EOMs and orbital fat are considered as crucial radiological biomarkers for diagnosis of GO and could quantitatively differentiate active form inactive disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is a technique involved in photovoltaic (PV) systems for optimizing the output power of solar panels. Traditional solutions like perturb and observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IC) are commonly utilized to follow the MPP under various environmental circumstances. However, these algorithms suffer from slow tracking speed and low dynamics under fast-changing environment conditions. To cope with these demerits, a data-driven artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm for MPPT is proposed in this paper. By leveraging the learning capabilities of the ANN, the PV operating point can be adapted to dynamic changes in solar irradiation and temperature. Consequently, it offers promising solutions for MPPT in fast-changing environments as well as overcoming the limitations of traditional MPPT techniques. In this paper, simulations verification and experimental validation of a proposed data-driven ANN-MPPT technique are presented. Additionally, the proposed technique is analyzed and compared to traditional MPPT methods. The numerical and experimental findings indicate that, of the examined MPPT methods, the proposed ANN-MPPT approach achieves the highest MPPT efficiency at 98.16% and the shortest tracking time of 1.3 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental management accounting (EMA) has emerged as a potentially valuable tool for companies seeking to monitor and manage their ecological impacts. However, the connection between EMA and environmental performance (EP) remains unclear, with prior studies yielding mixed results. Moreover, little is known about the mechanisms through which EMA may influence EP. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the link between EMA and EP, with a particular focus on the mediating influence of green innovation (GI) within the context of SMEs situated in least-developed countries, such as Yemen. To this end, data was gathered from 299 manufacturing SMEs in Yemen and analyzed using PLS-SEM technique via SmartPLS software. The results of the statistical analysis revealed a positive and important effect of EMA on EP. Importantly, GI serves as a partial mediator in the EMA-EP relationship. Therefore, the results of this study add significantly to the current body of literature on sustainability and provide important new perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the other English medium instruction (EMI) issues, assessment has received very scant research attention. A complex issue in EMI assessment relates to the role of English in measuring learning outcomes, and whether or not language should be assessed along with technical content. Combining questionnaire and semi-structured interviewed data, this study explored the English-related assessment practices and beliefs of native-Arabic and non-native-Arabic faculty members teaching EMI scientific majors at eight Saudi universities. Two hundred and forty-nine faculty members completed the questionnaire, whereas 20 faculty members were interviewed. The results showed that the content teachers do not give much weight to language quality when evaluating students' written or oral performance. Compared to native-Arabic peers, the non-native-Arabic teachers, who intuitively have little or no translanguaging in their instruction, were found to pay slightly more attention to evaluating students' English and to considering it in assessing students' academic performance. Meanwhile, the interviews revealed that the teachers' negative language-related assessment attitude has been shaped by the view that they are non-responsible for correcting students' English, and by the too many language errors noted in students' performance. Finally, the teachers' highly-rated language assessment self-efficacy beliefs did not match their actual assessment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work aims to explore the effect of the transition metal doping on the structural, magnetic, and shielding properties of nano Er2O3. Nano Er1.95TM0.05O3 (TM = Mn, Co, Ni) samples were synthesized using the sol-gel technique. An analysis of the crystal structure and microstructure of all specimens was carried out utilizing Rietveld full pattern fitting of XRD measurements. Upon doping, all TM cations were found to be integrated into the Er2O3 lattice substitutionally for Er ions, preferring the 8b crystallographic sites of the cubic bixbyite structure. Also, the lattice parameter expands, the average crystallite size reduced, and the microstrain highly enlarged by TM doping. The application of the Curie–Weiss law aided in establishing the influence of different dopants on the magnetic behavior of the Er1.95TM0.05O3 samples at low temperatures under a magnetic field of 200 Oe. The inclusion of Co or Ni ions in the Er2O3 matrix enhances the super exchange interaction, resulting in stronger antiferromagnetic coupling between the Er ions. The Phy-X/PSD software was used to calculate the radiation shielding parameters for the samples under investigation, covering a broad energy range from 15 KeV to 15 MeV. The effect of transition metal doping of Er2O3 on the different radiation parameters were explored. Er1.95Mn0.05O3 sample has excellent neutron shielding capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work aims to explore the effect of the transition metal doping on the structural, magnetic, and shielding properties of nano Er2O3. Nano Er1.95TM0.05O3 (TM = Mn, Co, Ni) samples were synthesized using the sol-gel technique. An analysis of the crystal structure and microstructure of all specimens was carried out utilizing Rietveld full pattern fitting of XRD measurements. Upon doping, all TM cations were found to be integrated into the Er2O3 lattice substitutionally for Er ions, preferring the 8b crystallographic sites of the cubic bixbyite structure. Also, the lattice parameter expands, the average crystallite size reduced, and the microstrain highly enlarged by TM doping. The application of the Curie–Weiss law aided in establishing the influence of different dopants on the magnetic behavior of the Er1.95TM0.05O3 samples at low temperatures under a magnetic field of 200 Oe. The inclusion of Co or Ni ions in the Er2O3 matrix enhances the super exchange interaction, resulting in stronger antiferromagnetic coupling between the Er ions. The Phy-X/PSD software was used to calculate the radiation shielding parameters for the samples under investigation, covering a broad energy range from 15 KeV to 15 MeV. The effect of transition metal doping of Er2O3 on the different radiation parameters were explored. Er1.95Mn0.05O3 sample has excellent neutron shielding capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used the solution casting process to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer nanocomposites incorporated with ZnMn2O4/CuCo2O4 (ZMCC) and different tetramethylammonium iodide (TMAI) quantities. The PVC/ZMCC/x wt% TMAI polymers were characterized with several analytical techniques; x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, UV–vis diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence (PL), and dielectric measurements. The results obtained from these techniques demonstrated an excellent interaction between the different fillers and the PVC matrix. The reflectance (R), transmittance (T), extinction coefficient (k), refractive index (n), optical dielectric constants, optical conductivity, energy loss functions and nonlinear optical parameters were analyzed. Upon composing with the fillers, T is reduced while A is enhanced for all composition ratios with minimum T and maximum A for the blend with 6 wt% TMAI. The optical energy gap declined from (4.29, 5.17) eV and (4.02, 4.79) eV to (3.04, 3.93, 5.01) eV and (2.43, 3.57, 4.22) eV for direct and indirect transition as the content of TMAI became 6 wt% in loaded polymer. Under varying excitation wavelengths, a blue-violet emission was observed in all the polymers. The effect of fillers on the dielectric constants, dielectric moduli, energy density, and AC conductivity were examined. The polymer with 6 wt% TMAI produced the highest AC conductivity, while the polymer with ZMCC has the highest capacitance. The Cole–Cole plot, obtained using a non-Debye technique, exhibited a semicircular shape. Hence, the improved optical and dielectric properties of the PVC/ZMCC/x wt% TMAI polymers nanocomposites suggest that these materials are suitable for smart electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically, hydrogels are described as three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymers that are able to capture a certain mass of water within their structure. Recently, hydrogels have been widely used as drawing agents in forward osmosis (FO) desalination processes. The major aim of this study is to prepare a novel semi-interpenetrating hydrogel by crosslinking sodium alginate (SA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by using the epichlorohydrin (ECH) crosslinker and polyethylene glycol (PEG) interpenetrated within the hydrogel's network as a linear polymer. Based on the optimum composition of SA/PVA composite hydrogel obtained from our earlier research, the effect of various percentages of PEG on the response of the hydrogel was investigated. The optimal composition of SA/PVA/PEG hydrogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), compression strength testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphological and mechanical properties of the SA/PVA/PEG semi-interpenetrating hydrogel were also compared to those of the SA/PVA composite hydrogel. Moreover, the performance of the optimal SA/PVA/PEG hydrogel in a FO batch unit as a drawing agent was investigated based on the optimal operation conditions from our previous experiments. The results showed that the optimal PEG/polymer blend mass ratio was 0.25, which increased the swelling ratio (SR) (%) of the hydrogel from 645.42 (of the neat SA/PVA hydrogel) to 2683. The SA/PVA/PEG semi-interpenetrating hydrogel was superior to the SA/PVA copolymer hydrogel in pore structure and mechanical properties. Additionally, in terms of FO desalination, the achieved water flux by SA/PVA/PEG hydrogel is higher than that accomplished by SA/PVA hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct conversion of carbon monoxide into fuel through Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is economically and environmentally beneficial as an alternative clean energy source. However, the activity and product selectivity need further investigation. In this work, a Co-MOF-71 (Co(1,4-BDC) (DMF)) was prepared solvothermally and pyrolyzed under nitrogen flow at low pyrolysis temperature to obtain a highly mesoporous Co@C-500 catalyst. The obtained catalyst exhibits high cobalt loading (53 wt%), high reducibility, optimum nanoparticle size (10.49 nm), and well-dispersed active sites. The catalytic activity of the catalyst was tested under different reaction conditions using a stainless steel fixed-bed reactor. The optimal performance showed a high CO conversion (82.7%), high C5+ selectivity (82.77%) with C5–C12 gasoline range hydrocarbons (71.9%), low C2–C4 selectivity (13%), and low methane selectivity (3.7%). Furthermore, the catalyst has a high C5+ yield of 68%, with the gasoline fraction (C5–C12) being the main product (59.1% yield). The catalyst shows superior FTS performance compared with other reported Co-containing catalysts, especially after being tested for more than 120 h without deactivation. Therefore, this work could contribute to the design of high-efficiency MOF-derived Co-FTS catalysts that could be used in the production of green and sustainable transportation fuel (gasoline). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx (x = 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5) quantum dots were produced via thermolysis method. The structure and microstructures behaviors of Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx were examined using Rietveld refinement for the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. A portion of the integrated O binds with Zn to create a segregated ZnO phase beside ZnS phase. The threshold sulfur deficiency with some O content incorporation into the Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx lattice without generating a new phase (ZnO) is x = 0.6. Zinc sulfide is the predominant phase, while the percentage of ZnO rises with increasing S deficiency (x). Zn0.75Cd0.25S0.8 has homogeneous spherical particle morphology with a very small size 2–4 nm, consistent with the XRD value. Zn0.75Cd0.25S0.8 has a homogeneous spherical particle morphology with very small size of 2–4 nm. The disorder's characteristics and defects were examined through Urbach energy analysis. The optical dielectric constant, optical conductivity and nonlinear optical parameters were calculated for all samples. The optical band gap lowers as the sulfur content increases up to x = 0.6, eventually reaching 2.71 eV. With a reduction in sulfur content to x = 0.5, two optical band gaps (2.8, 3.16) eV were obtained. The refractive index (n) values obtained using different models for all samples. As the molar ratio (x) of Zn/Cd to S increased, the PL emission peak of Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx nanoparticles exhibited a Stokes shift caused by S vacancies. The emitted colors from each samples were obtained by using Gaussian fitting for PL spectra. The fluorescence intensity greatly increased by increasing the S deficiency reaching its maximum value at x = 0.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superhydrophobic surface is an ideal choice to enhance the corrosion resistance of aluminum (Al) and Al-based alloys which are widely used in various industrial fields. However, there are limitations in the complex fabrication process, high cost, and easy damage of micro-nano structures for processing superhydrophobic Al surface. To address the aforementioned limitations, we presented an efficient and facile method via acid wet blasting method to fabricate micro-nano composite structures on the Al substrate and subsequently low surface energy modification to obtain superhydrophobic Al surface (SHP-AWBM-Al), which had a water contact angle of 162° and rolling angle of 3°. The fabricated SHP-AWBM-Al had excellent self-cleaning performance, anti-fouling ability, and good fog collection ability. Tape peeling test, sandpaper friction test, acidic solution corrosion test, alkaline solution corrosion test, and natural environment corrosion test showed that the SHP-AWBM-Al had good mechanical stability and chemical stability compared with the superhydrophobic Al surface (SHP-H-Al) obtained by chemical etching. In addition, the electrochemical corrosion test showed that the SHP-AWBM-Al was more corrosion-resistant than the SHP-H-Al. This finding could enhance the technology for fabricating superhydrophobic Al surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the association between erectile dysfunction and subjective well-being among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 340 men with type 2 diabetes treated in primary health care settings in the Ismailia governorate between April 2021 and April 2022. A multistage random cluster sampling technique was used. Sociodemographic data, disease characteristics, lifestyle, surgical and sexual history, and the Arabic translations of the abridged 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire, and the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were gathered. Results: Erectile dysfunction was identified in 72.94% of diabetic patients, with 55% mild or mild-to-moderate (ED I), and 17.9% moderate or severe (ED II). Twenty percent had Poor subjective well-being, with a mean WHO-5 index of 63.4 (± 15.4). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that education, diabetes duration, insufficient income, dyslipidemia, benign prostate hyperplasia, and IIEF-5 score were significantly associated with poor subjective well-being. Increasing IIEF-5 score was significantly associated with a 22% decrease in the odds of poor subjective well-being (OR: 0.78; 95% CI 0.66–0.93). Multinomial regression analysis showed that increasing score of the WHO-5 well-being index was associated with a 11% and 14% reduction in the odds of ED I and II, respectively (OR: 0.89 (95% CI 0.86–0.93), and 0.86 (95% CI 0.81–0.92), respectively). Conclusion: Erectile dysfunction and subjective well-being were interrelated. Early detection of erectile dysfunction is essential for improving the positive mental health of men with type 2 diabetes in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that can arise at any age and is often present as a co-occurring illness in different illnesses. There is a high comorbidity rate between major depressive disorder and personality disorders (PDs). The current study aimed to investigate the significant impact of personality disorders on depression severity, functional impairment, and suicidal tendencies in individuals with depression. Methods: The researchers conducted a cross-sectional observational study involving 120 patients, with an age range from 18 to 56 years of both genders, recruited from Okasha's Institute of Psychiatry in Cairo, Egypt. Their major depressive disorder diagnosis was verified through the use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Participants underwent evaluations using the SCID-II to evaluate personality disorders, the Hamilton Depression-Rating Scale (HAM-D) to assess the severity of depression, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to investigate suicidal ideation, and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) to determine functional level. Results: Borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder were the predominant personality disorders in the sample, with prevalence rates of 55.8% and 40.8%, respectively. Sixty-six percent of the participants reported experiencing suicidal thoughts at some point in their lifetime, whereas only 17.5% had actually attempted suicide. Borderline personality disorder showed a strong correlation with more severe depression (P value 0.043), a decline in functioning (P value 0.001), the existence of suicidal thoughts (P value 0.001), and a past of suicide attempts (P value 0.038). Conclusions: Personality disorders are highly prevalent in patients with depression, borderline PD, and narcissistic PD were the most common PDs. Borderline PD showed a significant effect on depression severity. PDs, mainly borderline, avoidant, depressive, and narcissistic PDs contribute to more impairment of functioning of the MDD patients. There is a significant effect of the presence of co-morbid personality disorder on suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts, mainly depressive and borderline PDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effect of oral administration of Caesalpinia coriaria Jacq (Cascalote) wild fruit extract to lambs on ruminal methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide production and in vitro fermentation profile. Rumen liquor (RL) was collected from lambs administered with 0- (RL0), 30- (RL30), and 60- (RL60) mL of aqueous extract of the C. coriaria fruit for 60 days per lamb, as well as during incubation, 0-, 0.6-, 1.2-, and 1.8- mL of C. coriaria fruit extract was added to each RL type. There was a dose-dependent increase in gas production with increasing levels of C. coriaria extract. The RL30 lambs had the lowest (P = 0.013) methane output (g CH4/kg DM) at 24 h, and RL30 with 1.8 mL/g DM had the lowest (P = 0.031) CH4 (g CH4/kg DM) at 48 h. Furthermore, diets fermented with RL0 produced the highest (P = 0.001) short-chain fatty acid (SCFA, mmol/g DM) and metabolizable energy (ME, MJ/kg DM 24 h), while diets incubated with RL30 produced the lowest. Without plant extract addition, 30 mL oral supplementation of C. coriaria fruit extract/day/lamb was optimal for digestion, ME, and SCFA. Therefore, 60 mL/d/lamb containing 1.2–1.8 mL fruit extract/g DM seemed to be a feasible means of decreasing emissions of gas production, ME, SCFA, CO, H2S, and CH4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The staging and management of patients with breast cancer are significantly influenced by the pathological state of the axillary lymph nodes (ALN). Thus, it is very desirable to have a differential diagnosis of metastatic ALN. Purpose: The aim of this research is to assess the effectiveness of non-invasive ALN staging using PEM versus traditional breast mammography and ultrasound in patients presenting with early-stage breast cancer. This study focuses on determining if PEM can reliably stage ALNs and potentially eliminate the need for more invasive methods. Methods: In a study involving 94 breast cancer patients, PEM was used to assess ALNs. The nodes were visually evaluated for positive or negative uptake, and further categorized as non-specific, indeterminate, or malignant based on their maximum uptake values. This classification was then compared with histopathological results. Results: There were a total of 94 breast cancer patients; the results from PEM demonstrated an ALN detection sensitivity of 83.3%. The specificity of PEM in this context was found to be 98.08%, and the overall accuracy rate was 91.49%. Additionally, the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) was calculated to be 97.2%, and the Negative Predictive Value (NPV) was 87.9%. Conclusions: The initial study has shown encouraging outcomes in terms of accurate lymph node assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special wettability of superhydrophobic aluminum alloys has a broad applied foreground in important industrial fields, such as aviation, automobiles, and ships. However, the microstructures of superhydrophobic surfaces are easily destroyed, causing them to lose superhydrophobicity, which seriously restricts the application of superhydrophobic surfaces. To solve this problem, we developed a simple and low-cost fabrication method by the blasting and chemical deposition of Ni and P to process robust micro/nano-composite structures on an aluminum alloy material and then obtained a superhydrophobic nickel–phosphorus–aluminum surface (SHP-NiP-Al) with a water contact angle of 163° and a water rolling angle of 3° through low surface energy modification. The prepared SHP-NiP-Al had an excellent self-cleaning performance and antifouling property. In addition, it showed great mechanical robustness and chemical stability performance in the sand impact, blade scratch, and acid/base solution tests. It also demonstrated good corrosion resistance performance. Electrochemical corrosion tests indicated that the corrosion resistance of SHP-NiP-Al was better than that of the original aluminum. Moreover, SHP-NiP-Al could collect the water from the fog environment. This method is helpful for the practical use of superhydrophobic aluminum alloy surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel model proposed by Wazwaz et al. in 2023, in the nonlinear optics literature. This contributes to advancing optical devices and technologies, particularly in telecommunications and laser systems. The characteristics of bright, dark, and periodic soliton solutions for the (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation with fourth-order nonlinearity and dispersion are explored in this paper. The relevance of these solutions lies in the study of nonlinear waves propagating in an inhomogeneous optical fiber. The soliton solutions are obtained through the implementation of three analytical methods: the Kudryashov method, the Bernoulli Sub-ODE method, and the Extended Direct Algebraic method. The bright, dark, and periodic soliton solutions are constructed by utilizing bilinear forms. Furthermore, the impact of variable coefficients on the structures of these solitons is analyzed. Graphical illustrations depict the propagation of bright, dark, and periodic solitons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a globally prevalent form of dementia that impacts diverse populations and is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and impairments in executive memory. Although the exact mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis remain unclear, it is commonly accepted that the aggregation of misfolded proteins, such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles, plays a critical role. Additionally, AD is a multifactorial condition influenced by various genetic factors and can manifest as either early-onset AD (EOAD) or late-onset AD (LOAD), each associated with specific gene variants. One gene of particular interest in both EOAD and LOAD is RIN3, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor. This gene plays a multifaceted role in AD pathogenesis. Firstly, upregulation of RIN3 can result in endosomal enlargement and dysfunction, thereby facilitating the accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) peptides in the brain. Secondly, RIN3 has been shown to impact the PICLAM pathway, affecting transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier. Lastly, RIN3 has implications for immune-mediated responses, notably through its influence on the PTK2B gene. This review aims to provide a concise overview of AD and delve into the role of the RIN3 gene in its pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric electrostatic capacitors1, because of their ultrafast charge–discharge, are desirable for high-power energy storage applications. Along with ultrafast operation, on-chip integration can enable miniaturized energy storage devices for emerging autonomous microelectronics and microsystems2–5. Moreover, state-of-the-art miniaturized electrochemical energy storage systems—microsupercapacitors and microbatteries—currently face safety, packaging, materials and microfabrication challenges preventing on-chip technological readiness2,3,6, leaving an opportunity for electrostatic microcapacitors. Here we report record-high electrostatic energy storage density (ESD) and power density, to our knowledge, in HfO2–ZrO2-based thin film microcapacitors integrated into silicon, through a three-pronged approach. First, to increase intrinsic energy storage, atomic-layer-deposited antiferroelectric HfO2–ZrO2 films are engineered near a field-driven ferroelectric phase transition to exhibit amplified charge storage by the negative capacitance effect7–12, which enhances volumetric ESD beyond the best-known back-end-of-the-line-compatible dielectrics (115 J cm−3) (ref. 13). Second, to increase total energy storage, antiferroelectric superlattice engineering14 scales the energy storage performance beyond the conventional thickness limitations of HfO2–ZrO2-based (anti)ferroelectricity15 (100-nm regime). Third, to increase the storage per footprint, the superlattices are conformally integrated into three-dimensional capacitors, which boosts the areal ESD nine times and the areal power density 170 times that of the best-known electrostatic capacitors: 80 mJ cm−2 and 300 kW cm−2, respectively. This simultaneous demonstration of ultrahigh energy density and power density overcomes the traditional capacity–speed trade-off across the electrostatic–electrochemical energy storage hierarchy1,16. Furthermore, the integration of ultrahigh-density and ultrafast-charging thin films within a back-end-of-the-line-compatible process enables monolithic integration of on-chip microcapacitors5, which can unlock substantial energy storage and power delivery performance for electronic microsystems17–19.Using a three-pronged approach — spanning field-driven negative capacitance stabilization to increase intrinsic energy storage, antiferroelectric superlattice engineering to increase total energy storage, and conformal three-dimensional deposition to increase areal energy storage density — very high electrostatic energy storage density and power density are reported in HfO2–ZrO2-based thin film microcapacitors integrated into silicon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel and low-cost blended polymers were created based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as host polymer matrix doped with nano ZnCo2-xAlxO4 samples with and without multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via sol–gel and casting procedures. The structure and morphology of the studied samples were explored. Compared to an undoped PVA/PVP/PEG blend, a doped blend is better at absorbing visible light. Doped blend with 10% Al in the absence of MWCNTs showed the maximum absorbance, but the blend doped with MWCNTs and 20% Al nanofiller had the highest absorbance. The blend's reflectivity changed depending on the quantity of Al in ZnCo2-xAlxO4 (with and without MWCNTs). The lowest direct and indirect optical bandgap energies (5.16 and 4.65) eV were obtained as the blend loaded with filler contained 20% Al and MWCNTs. Blend ed polymer with 20% Al and MWCNTs exhibited the highest refractive index value. The optical dielectric constant, optical conductivity, nonlinear optical parameters and fluorescence spectra were affected by the amount of Al and the existence of MWCNTs in the blends. The blend displayed a significant raise in ac conductivity when loaded with nanofiller included 20% Al and MWCNTs. The maximum energy density value can be obtained as the blend doped with filler contained only 20% Al. Every blend had one relaxation time, with the exception of the blend doped with ZnCo1.8Al0.2O4 (containing MWCNTs), displayed two relaxation times. The dopant affects the capacitance of the different blends. PVA/PVP/PEG/ZnCo2-xAlxO4 blends (with and without MWCNTs) have been considered promising nanocomposites for flexible optoelectronic and energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The most common cause of shoulder pain originating from the acromioclavicular (AC) joint is osteoarthritis, causing pain and disability. Operative Management of AC arthritis includes arthroscopic distal clavicle resection (DCR) and open clavicle resection. This study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of isolated rotator cuff repair with conservative treatment of ACJ arthritis versus the combined resection of the distal clavicle with the repair of a rotator cuff tear, in cases with acromioclavicular arthritis. Methods: A total of 46 patients with unilateral or bilateral combined rotator cuff tear and acromioclavicular arthritis were included, they were classified into 2 independent groups: Conservative group (23 patients), and DCR group (23 patients). All patients were subjected to full history taking, examination, pre and post-operative University of California at Los Angeles shoulder scoring scale (UCLA), Antero-Posterior and Zanca X-rays views, early and late complications. Results: Mean age was (51 ± 9) years, males were predominant (56.5%). The average post-operative UCLA score was (31.1 ± 4.9), and the average time to return to work was (214 ± 22). (2.2%) of patients had early complications, (19.6%) had late complications, (32.6%) had > 24 h till 1st post-operative analgesia, and (87%) needed MgSO4 Injection. We found a highly significant increase in UCLA score measurements in the Conservative group, and a highly significant increase in UCLA score measurements in the DCR group (p < 0.01). But there was no difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Conventional conservative approach with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and subacromial decompression has proven to be as effective as arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and subacromial decompression with DCR, in terms of efficacy and safety profiles in short term, but with more risks of potential hazards and cost with the DCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been found that 25% of posterior circulation stroke patients experience vertigo. Sudden hearing loss due to a vascular source is typically caused by infarction in the anterior inferior cerebellar artery territory. However, it is uncommon in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery territory infarction. Aim of the work: The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate the function of the auditory and vestibular system in patients with posterior circulation cerebrovascular stroke. Methods: Fifty patients with posterior circulation stroke, diagnosed by MRI at least 3 months after onset, were included. The controls consisted of fifty healthy people. The average age in cases was 58.68 ± 8.60 years, while in controls, it was 55.44 ± 11.72. The Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to conduct clinical assessments. All study groups were investigated using pure tone audiometry, auditory brain stem-evoked potential (ABR), videonystagmography (VNG), and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP). Results: MRI findings revealed that pontine infarction was the most frequent lesion in 36 (72%) patients. The latencies of ABR waves I, III, V, 1–III, I–V, and III–V were all considerably longer in cases than controls. Cervical VEMP P1 latency was considerably delayed in cases compared to controls, as the amplitude was lower. VNG data found abnormalities in all test parameters, indicating central disease. Conclusion: Posterior circulation stroke causes acute sensorineural hearing loss with varying degrees. Videonystagmography is an accurate assessment of oculomotor function that can be combined with vestibular-evoked myogenic potential to objectively assess posterior circulation stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of microgrids arises from the growing integration of Renewable Energy Resources (RES) and Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) into Distribution Networks (DNs). Effective integration, coordination, and control of Multiple Microgrids (MMGs) whereas navigating the complexities of energy transition within this context poses a significant challenge. The dynamic operation of MMGs is a challenge faced by the traditional distributed hierarchical control techniques. The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques is a promising way to improve the control and dynamic operation of MMGs in future smart DNs. In this paper, an innovative hybrid optimization technique that originates from Cheetah Optimization (CHO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) techniques is proposed, known as HYCHOPSO. Extensive benchmark testing validates HYCHOPSO's superiority over CHO and PSO in terms of convergence performance. The objective for this hybridization stems from the complementary strengths of CHO and PSO. CHO demonstrates rapid convergence in local search spaces, while PSO excels in global exploration. By combining these techniques, the aim is to leverage their respective advantages and enhance the algorithm's overall performance in addressing complex optimization problems. The contribution of this paper offering a unique approach to addressing optimization challenges in microgrid systems. Through a comprehensive comparative study, HYCHOPSO is evaluated against various metaheuristic optimization approaches, demonstrating superior performance, particularly in optimizing the design parameters of Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers for hierarchical control systems within microgrids. This contribution expands the repertoire of available optimization methodologies and offers practical solutions to critical challenges in microgrid optimization, enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of microgrid operations. HYCHOPSO achieves its optimal score within fewer than 50 iterations, unlike CHO, GWO, PSO, Hybrid-GWO-PSO, and SSIA-PSO, which stabilize after around 200 iterations. Across various benchmark functions, HYCHOPSO consistently demonstrates the lowest mean values, attains scores closer to the optimal values of the benchmark functions, underscoring its robust convergence capabilities.the proposed HYCHOPSO algorithm, paired with a PI controller for distributed hierarchical control, minimizes errors and enhances system reliability during dynamic MMG operations. Using HYCHOPSO framework, an accurate power sharing, voltage/frequency stability, seamless grid-to-island transition, and smooth resynchronization are achieved. This enhances the real application's reliability, flexibility, scalability and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel biochar (BC), derived from spinach leaves, was utilized as an activator for persulfate (PS) in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light conditions. Thorough analyses were conducted to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the biochar. The (BC + light)/PS system exhibited superior MB degradation efficiency at 83.36%, surpassing the performance of (BC + light)/hydrogen peroxide and (BC + light)/peroxymonosulfate systems. The optimal conditions were ascertained through the implementation of response surface methodology. Moreover, the (BC + light)/PS system demonstrated notable degradation ratios of 90.82%, 81.88%, and 84.82% for bromothymol blue dye, paracetamol, and chlorpyrifos, respectively, under optimal conditions. The predominant reactive species responsible for MB degradation were identified as sulfate radicals. Notably, the proposed system consistently achieved high removal efficiencies of 99.02%, 96.97%, 94.94%, 92%, and 90.35% for MB in five consecutive runs. The applicability of the suggested system was further validated through its effectiveness in treating real textile wastewater, exhibiting a substantial MB removal efficiency of 98.31% and dissolved organic carbon mineralization of 87.49%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel state estimation (CSE) is essential for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless systems to deal with multipath channel fading. To attain a high data rate with the use of OFDM technology, an efficient CSE and accurate signal detection are required. The use of machine learning (ML) to improve channel estimates has attracted a lot of attention lately. This is because ML techniques are more adaptable than traditional model-based estimation techniques. The present study proposes a receiver for low-spectrum usage in OFDM wireless systems on Rayleigh fading channels using deep learning (DL) long short-term memory (LSTM). Before online deployment and data retrieval, the proposed DL LSTM estimator gathers channel state information from transmit/receive pairs using offline training. Based on the simulation results of a comparative study, the proposed estimator outperforms conventional channel estimation approaches like minimum mean square error and least squares in noisy and interfering wireless channels. Furthermore, the proposed estimator outperforms the DL bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM)-based CSE model. In particular, the proposed CSE performs better than other examined estimators with a reduced number of pilots, no cycle prefixes, and no prior knowledge of channel statistics. Because the proposed estimator relies on a DL neural network approach, it holds promise for OFDM wireless communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many engineering applications, such as waste heat recovery, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, include heat exchangers. In this work, the performance of a double-tube heat exchanger with a rotating tube, perforated ring inserts and nanofluids as working fluids has been studied. After developing a 3D numerical model, verifying its discretization and validating it with experimental results, an optimal design for maximizing heat transfer while keeping a relatively low pressure drop was found (11 eight-holed rings with a 2.2 pitch ratio). Increasing the cold fluid Reynolds number to 4946 and the inner tube rotational speed to 500 rpm increased the heat transfer coefficient from around 7500 to 9500 W (m2 K)−1. Considering the nanofluids studied, the best performance was found with Cu nanoparticles, followed by Al2O3–Cu and Al2O3. With Cu nanoparticles at 3%, heat transfer coefficients above 12,100 W (m2 K)−1 were obtained, increasing heat exchanger effectiveness from 27 to 51%. Pressure drop levels increased up to 235 Pa, resulting in increasing pumping requirements by around 0.1 kJ kg−1. Hence, only very high flowrates would represent a problem when using the exchanger. Explanations for the underlying physical phenomena that cause the enhancement of heat transfer due to the rotational speed, the perforated rings and the nanofluids were provided. Turbulent kinetic energy contours, flow streamlines, and temperature contours were used to gain insight into the thermal and flow fields, identifying the mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of the heat exchanger effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The major changes in the timing of meals during Ramadan may be challenging for hypothyroid patients on levothyroxine. We aimed to study the effect of Ramadan fasting on thyroid functions in hypothyroid patients taking levothyroxine. Methods: We did a comprehensive search of 8 databases for Randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and observational studies investigating the effect of Ramadan fasting on thyroid functions in hypothyroid individuals taking levothyroxine. Relevant data was extracted and analyzed. Mean difference (MD) and standard deviation (SD) were used to evaluate the continuous data. Risk ratios (RR) with a 95% confidence interval were used for outcomes constituting dichotomous data. National Institutes of Health (NIH) tools were used to assess the risk of bias. Results: Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria, 3 RCTs, and 11 observational studies, all designed as pre-post studies. Ramadan fasting was associated with a statistically significant increase in TSH in patients who were euthyroid before Ramadan (MD = -0.76 [95% CI; -1.27, -0.25]). However, free thyroxine (FT4) was found to be stable (MD = 0.01, [95% CI; -0.03, 0.06]). All timing points were associated with a significant increase in TSH levels after Ramadan, pre-iftar (MD = -0.69 [95% CI; -1.03, -0.36]), post-iftar (MD = -0.76 [95% CI; -1.12, -0.39]), and pre-suhoor (MD = -1.19 [95% CI; -2.18, -0.19]). Conclusion: TSH increases significantly after Ramadan. No timing point has superiority in maintaining thyroid control. However, choosing the timing should be individualized according to the patient's preference to guarantee the most possible compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the geochemical constraints on genesis of dispersed mineralized quartz-fluorite veins (QFV) at south west Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. These veins range from colorless to pale to deep violet in color and extend continuously and/or discontinuously in NE-SW, E-W, N-S, and NW-SE trends. They exhibit varying thicknesses ranging from a few centimeters to approximately 0.3 m. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis has revealed the existence of secondary uranium minerals, notably kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4.(H2O), in association with other minerals such as galena (PbS), atacamite (Cu2Cl(OH)3), and fluorite (CaF2) within the quartz-fluorite veins (QFV). Furthermore, the SEM analysis indicates a significant presence of fluorine incorporated into the biotite lattice of the host granitic rocks. Geochemically, there is a reasonable difference between the host granitic rocks and QFV, especially, silica and alumina contents. Also, some trace elements experienced enrichment in QFV such as Cu, U, Pb and Ag. The chondrite normalized pattern of QFV rare earth elements (REE) shows conspicuous negative Tb anomalies while the host rocks showed negative Eu anomalies. It is noticeable that there is a closed relation between uranium and fluorine in QFV. The Th/U ratios are < 1 in QFV samples indicating that the QFV had not been derived from magmatic origin. Furthermore, the REE and the mineral assemblages of QFV imply to hydrothermal origin (meteoric water) at shallow depth and low temperature < 200 °C under oxidation condition (epithermal genesis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in infants with varying degrees of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and its associated outcomes, including mortality and length of stay (LOS). Methods: The study used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset from 2010 to 2018. Regression analysis was used to control confounding variables. Results: Of 31,220,784 infants included in the study, 30,130 (0.1%) had HIE. The prevalence of AKI was significantly higher in infants with HIE (9.0%) compared to those without (0.04%), with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 77.6 (CI:70.1–85.7, p < 0.001), with the highest prevalence of AKI in infants with severe HIE (19.7%), aOR:130 (CI: 107–159), p < 0.001). Infants with AKI had a higher mortality rate compared to those without AKI in those diagnosed with any degree of HIE (28.9% vs. 8.8%), aOR 3.5 (CI: 3.2–3.9, p < 0.001), particularly among those with severe HIE, aOR:1.4 (1.2–1.6, p < 0.001). Conclusions: HIE is associated with an increased prevalence of AKI. Infants with severe HIE had the highest prevalence of AKI and associated mortality. The study highlights the need for close monitoring and early detection of AKI in infants with HIE, particularly those with severe HIE, to ameliorate the associated adverse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For women worldwide, breast cancer is considered a significant public health concern. The development of enormous changes caused by surgery and irradiation makes diagnosing the postoperative breast a complicated procedure. The current study aimed to detect the additive role of contrast-enhanced spectral mammogram (CESM) to digital mammogram and US in the surveillance of postoperative breast cancer patients. Methods: This research was conducted on 74 female patients with a prior history of surgery for the treatment of previous breast cancer. All patients had undergone sonomammography and CESM. Benign lesions were followed up, while suspicious lesions were biopsied. Results: The current study revealed that CESM can enhance the sensitivity, specificity our overall accuracy of sonomammography in the surveillance of breast cancer patients after surgery. Conclusion: Adding CESM to properly selected patients in the surveillance of breast cancer patients after surgical treatment can enhance the diagnostic performance of conventional imaging modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic proxy approaches proved to be efficient for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pollution assessment when targeting forests or areas with a homogenous background where anthropogenic magnetic signals could be easily distinguished. Here, we present a multidisciplinary approach for magnetic susceptibility (x ) and HM assessment in a complex area in the Nile Delta, where geogenic input, land use, and various industries with different fly ash and surface water emissions interfere. Statistical analysis discriminates between the effects of lithologic elements and the concentrations of toxic anthropogenic elements. The studied elements are classified into lithogenic and anthropogenic-related (HMs, Au industry, and fertilizers industry) groups with maximum contamination levels of eight anthropogenic-related and highly toxic PTEs (Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sb, Pb, Hg, and As) in the Akrasha industrial area (pollution load index = 15.84). Considering the whole data set, the numerical correlation of x with most PTE concentrations and the pollution load index (PLI) is weak, while it is moderate to strong with lithogenic elements. However, a comparison of lithogenic elements and PTE concentrations along with x-values in two separate clusters supports the correspondence of lithology with elevated x-values in silt and clay-rich soil samples as well as HM concentration in industrial sandy soils. Correspondence between magnetic maps and chemistry data with land use reflects the potential of magnetic proxy methods for qualitative PTE pollution pre-delineation of the polluted spots, provided that lithological conditions are carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, low-cost iron oxide catalysts have been prepared by a simple precipitation method using tin food can waste as a source of iron and sodium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide solution as a precipitating agent. The prepared catalysts were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDAX quantitative elemental analysis, and BET surface area measurements. Surface basicity of iron oxide catalysts was measured by adsorption of carbon dioxide as an acidic probe molecule, followed by desorption measurements using the TGA technique. The prepared iron oxide catalysts were tested by dehydrogenation of 2-butanol to methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) at a temperature range of 275–375 °C. Commercial iron oxide was tested under identical reaction conditions for comparison with the prepared catalysts. The results indicated the superiority of the prepared catalysts over the commercial one and the superiority of the catalyst prepared using NaOH over that prepared using NH4OH as precipitating agents. The use of different precipitating agents affects the surface morphology and, consequently, the catalytic activity of the produced iron oxide catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a flexible Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/ polyaniline (PANi) blend nanocomposite consisting of zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles was developed utilizing a casting solution and co-precipitation techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique showed that all PMMA/PANi/ x wt % ZnFe2O4 polymers have a typical amorphous structure. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and XRD techniques revealed that the average crystallite size of ZnFe2O4 is 19 nm. UV diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry technique was applied to study PMMA/PANi optical characteristics variations up on doping with different amounts of ZnFe2O4. The direct and indirect Eg values for PMMA polymer are 4.94 and 4.79 eV, respectively. As PMMA loaded with PANi, the Eg values decreased to 4.89 and 4.68 eV, respectively. The direct and indirect Eg values attained their lowest values of 4.28 and 3.64 eV as the amount of ZnFe2O4 became 2.5 wt % in the PMMA/PANi matrix. Enrichments in the whole linear/nonlinear optical parameters are accomplished by PANi/ZnFe2O4 doping. The fluorescence (FL) data of PMMA/PANi/x wt% ZnFe2O4 were studied in detail. As the percentage of ZnFe2O4 in the polymer matrix increased to 0.5 wt% in the polymer matrix, the maximum energy density value was achieved. The ac conductivity reached its highest value (3.25 × 1010 s−1 at 5.41 eV) as the amount of ZnFe2O4 became 2.5 wt % in the polymer matrix. Taking into account the findings of this study, the proposed: PMMA/PANi/x wt % ZnFe2O4 are considered great prospects for numerous applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, it was proposed to introduce non-stoichiometric nano cadmium sulfide (CdS1-x) nanoparticles into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer using simple, environmentally friendly and low-cost techniques. Undoped and doped PVC polymers with non-stoichiometric CdS1-x were formed using casting and thermolysis procedures. Rietveld refinement was applied to identify the phases formed and microstructure parameters in non-stoichiometric CdS1-x. Different techniques were used to investigate the structure, morphology, optical properties and dielectric of polymer films. The direct and indirect optical band gap (Eg) values of the undoped PVC film are 5.63 eV and (5.22, 4.49, 3.51) eV. As the sulfur concentration in the nanofiller increased to 97%, the direct and indirect Eg values of the CdS1-x doped polymers decreased to (5.21, 4.07, 2.44) eV and (4.18, 2.3, 2.03) eV, respectively. The optical dielectric constant and optical conductivity reached their maximum values as the amount of sulfur reached 97% in CdS1-x. Doped polymers are effective materials against UVA, UVB, and UVC spectra and work very well as solar cell absorber materials. The CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram revealed that PVC shifted from blue color to green-yellow and yellow-orange regions under excitation wavelengths of 317 and 380 nm, respectively. The electrical dielectric constant reached its maximum value when the sulfur content of the nanofiller reached 95%. AC conductivity has its maximum value when PVC is loaded with CdS0.9. The manageable optical and electrical features show that PVC/CdS1-x polymers could be potential optical materials in the development of futuristic flexible-type optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, fresh water resources have been limited globally. Thus, desalination has been the most recommended solution to overcome this issue. Forward osmosis (FO) is an affordable and developing desalination technique. In this current study, a cutting-edge green hydrogel was prepared from a polymer blend of flaxseed gum (FG) and sodium alginate using epichlorohydrin (ECH) as a crosslinker and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a semi-interpenetrating network polymer. The impact of PEG incorporation on the hydrogel's response was investigated, and the influence of different mass contents of FG and ECH on the swelling measurements of the hydrogel was studied to optimize the composition of the hydrogel. The optimum hydrogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction and the compressive strength test. Furthermore, the behavior of the present hydrogel was examined as a draw agent in a batch FO unit. The water flux and the reverse solute flux were measured at various values of average hydrogel particle size and feed solution (FS) temperature and concentration. The optimal hydrogel of 0.3 PEG/polymer blend mass ratio, 12% FG, and 0.95 ECH/polymer blend mass ratio exhibits a swelling ratio (%) of 1800 after an hour and an equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) (%) of 5300. The results of the FO experiments revealed that raising FS temperature and reducing FS concentration and average hydrogel particle size enhance water flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blended polymer films based on poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and polyethylene oxide (PEO), vanadium doped nano titanium dioxide (TiO2/V) and different amounts of tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) were formed by the sol–gel and solution casting methods. Rietveld refinement for synchrotron x-ray diffraction was used to investigate the structure and microstructure of TiO2/V sample filler. The surface morphology, the incorporation of the fillers, and miscibility of the PMMA/PEO were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In general, the UV absorbance of PMMA/PEO was greatly enhanced upon doping, nominating the doped blend as UV blocking for greenhouse applications. The effect of TiO2/V and TBAI doping on linear/nonlinear optical parameters, dielectric constant, electric modulus, energy stored, and ac conductivity of the PMMA/PEO blend was studied using diffused reflectance and LCR meter techniques. The blended polymer's direct and indirect band gaps (5.03, 4.96) eV shrank to (4.99, 4.64) eV as it loaded with TiO2/V and reduced further to (4.33, 4.02) eV as it loaded with TBAI. Upon loading, the refractive index decreased in the range 200–400 nm, while increasing for λ > 400 nm. At 500 nm, the refractive (n) value of undoped blend is 1.76 which increased upon doping to 2.16 for the blend with TiO2/V/2.5 wt% TBAI but decreased a little to 2.06 upon increasing TBAI to 7.5 or 10 wt%. The influence of doping on the emitted colors from each blend was explored using the fluorescence technique and CIE diagram. The controllable optical and electrical features reveal that PMMA/PEO with TiO2/V and TBAI blends could be potential optical materials in the advancement of futuristic flexible-type optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing an organic polymer photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution with visible and near-infrared (NIR) light activity is still a major challenge. Unlike the common behavior of gradually increasing the charge recombination while shrinking the bandgap, we present here a series of polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) based on ITIC and BTIC units with different π-linkers between the acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) repeated moieties of the polymer. These polymers act as an efficient single polymer photocatalyst for H2 evolution under both visible and NIR light, without combining or hybridizing with other materials. Importantly, the difluorothiophene (ThF) π-linker facilitates the charge transfer between acceptors of different repeated moieties (A-D-A-(π-Linker)-A-D-A), leading to the enhancement of charge separation between D and A. As a result, the PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit superior hydrogen evolution rates of 279 µmol/h and 20.5 µmol/h with visible (>420 nm) and NIR (>780 nm) light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit a promising apparent quantum yield (AQY) at 700 nm (4.76%). Designing an organic polymer photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution in the near-infrared (NIR) light region is still a major challenge. The authors present here a series of polymer nanoparticles for a efficient hydrogen evolution under visible and NIR light irradiation, without combining or hybridizing with other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells were prepared using (MAPbBr3)x ((MACl)0.28FA0.98Cs0.02PbI3)1−x, (x = 0, 0.05, and 0.07) perovskite layers. The effect of the MAPbBr3 amount on the formed phases and lattice parameters of the formed perovskite films was explored using the X-ray diffraction technique. The addition of MAPbBr3 to the formed films resulted in an increase in the grain size from 52 to 68 nm. A method that accounts for the interference phenomenon was applied for retrieving the optical constants from the interference fringes of the reflectance spectra of the different samples. The direct optical band gap was decreased from 1.45 eV to a minimum value of 1.34 eV as MAPbBr3 was added to the perovskite film. In the visible range, the refractive index value of the film with 5% MAPbBr3 is slightly larger than that of the film with 7% MAPbBr3. The effect of adding MAPbBr3 on the reflectance, extinction coefficient, refractive index, dielectric constant, loss energy functions, nonlinear optical parameters, and emitted photoluminescence spectra of the different films was investigated using the UV − Vis’ spectroscopy technique. The cell without MAPbBr3 exhibited an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.826 V, a short current density (Jsc) of 22.40 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 64.5%, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.79% while the cell with 5% MAPbBr3 exhibited the highest PCE of 17.24% with a VOC of 1.010 V, a JSC of 23.59 mA/cm2, and a FF of 72.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brain is the most vital component of the neurological system. Therefore, brain tumor classification is a very challenging task in the field of medical image analysis. There has been a qualitative leap in the field of artificial intelligence, deep learning, and their medical imaging applications in the last decade. The importance of this remarkable development has emerged in the field of biomedical engineering due to the sensitivity and seriousness of the issues related to it. The use of deep learning in the field of detecting and classifying tumors in general and brain tumors in particular using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a crucial factor in the accuracy and speed of diagnosis. This is due to its great ability to deal with huge amounts of data and avoid errors resulting from human intervention. The aim of this research is to develop an efficient automated approach for classifying brain tumors to assist radiologists instead of consuming time looking at several images for a precise diagnosis. The proposed approach is based on 3064 T1-weighted contrast-enhanced brain MR images (T1W-CE MRI) from 233 patients. In this study, the proposed system is based on the results of five different models to use the combined potential of multiple models, trying to achieve promising results. The proposed system has led to a significant improvement in the results, with an overall accuracy of 99.31%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing evidence suggesting that individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may experience symptoms that persist beyond the initial acute phase commonly referred to as "Long COVID." Cognitive deficits were among the frequently reported long-lasting symptoms post-COVID-19. Consequently, the study was designed to evaluate cognitive-communicative abilities in post COVID-19 patients focusing on auditory memory and auditory attention and to study the effect of different variables on these abilities in post COVID-19 patients. Methods: Eighty adult subjects were divided equally according to the presence or absence of a history of COVID-19 infection into the study and control group, respectively. All subjects were submitted to thorough history taking, basic audiological evaluation, auditory cognitive psychophysical tests including Auditory Continuous Performance test, Speech Intelligibility in Noise, Recognition memory, Memory for content and for sequence tests, digit span forward and backward tests, and electrophysiological auditory event-related potential (P300). Results: Post COVID-19 group showed significantly lower scores compared to the control group in all psychophysical auditory cognitive tests for attention and memory and significantly prolonged P300 wave latency and smaller amplitude. None of the variables measured (including duration passed from infection, severity, and number of infection) showed significant relations to test results except a significant negative correlation between the number of infections and memory for sequence results. Conclusion: Single infection with COVID-19 can have a prolonged impact on auditory cognitive abilities which were not related to the degree of severity of COVID-19. Thus, patients recovered from COVID-19 should receive auditory cognitive evaluations to detect even mild cognitive deficits that can affect quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a well-known bacteria that is recognized as the most prevalent infection in humans and is present in the majority of people in the world. Aim: To investigate the presence of an extragastric reservoir of Helicobacter pylori in tonsillectomy specimens to ascertain whether it is an etiologic factor in the development of chronic tonsillitis. Subjects and methods: The study included 100 patients of both sexes with chronic tonsillitis who visited the ENT (ear, nose, and throat) outpatient department and tested positive for H. pylori antigen in stool and tonsillectomy materials. Giemsa stain was used. The population was patients with chronic tonsillitis who had been diagnosed based on physical examination and history-taking at the (Oto-Rhino-Laryngology) outpatient clinic. Results: It is shown that patients with positive H. pylori had considerably more acute tonsillitis attacks per year than those with negative H. pylori. Examining the patients with Giemsa modification staining revealed 40% of them to be positive. Conclusion: H. pylori was found in the tonsil tissue of 40% of the patients with chronic tonsillitis using the Giemsa modification staining method, suggesting that H. pylori may be contributing etiologic factors in the development of chronic tonsillitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the state of migrants' cultural adaptation in Malaysia, and how such an adaptation can help build our understanding of migrants' life and employment experiences in the country. In doing so, this study has adopted a quantitative approach, with a completed survey towards 410 migrant respondents, living and working temporarily in Selangor, Malaysia. A multiple regression analysis finds that the three most significant predictors contributing to the respondents' cultural adaptation are "positive experiences" (β =.677, p =.000), "closeness" (β = −.107, p =.008), and "social relationships" (β =.095, p =.032). While "positive experiences" and "social relationships" influence the migrant workers' adaptation positively, the "closeness" predictor on the contrary (negative). Another predictor, "disconnection", is found to be not statistically significant. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) reveals significant differences in the respondents' cultural adaptation based on such demographic characteristics as age, gender, level of education, nationality, length of employment, and sector of employment. For instance, female migrants are strongly associated with a higher level of "positive experiences" [F(1, 408) = 6.321, p =.013] and "social relationships" [F(1, 408) = 5.634, p =.018], while male migrants tend to rely on cultural proximity (i.e., "closeness") [F(1, 408) = 6.828, p =.009]. The discussion section highlights attributes such as the gender factor in cultural adaptation, preservation of cultural identities, and creation of migrants' symbolic places to understand how cultural adaptation intersects with the migrant workers' daily lives and experiences. This study concludes that as Malaysia's economy continues to rely on migrant workers, it needs to better understand the workers' cultural adaptation and their far-reaching impact on their life experiences and employment conditions in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano Sn1−xFexS (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1) samples were prepared using thermal evaporation under flow of nitrogen gas. Rietveld analysis was applied to determine the structural and microstructural parameters of different phases formed in the Sn1−xFexS system. The particle morphology and size distribution of the different samples were explored using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed Sn2+ oxidation state and confirmed the incorporation of iron as Fe2+. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity greatly enhanced with Fe content with broad spectrum enclosing violet and blue as main emitted colors beside green and weak yellow. The optical band gap Eg, obtained applying the Kubelka–Munk relation, changed nonmonotonically with the Fe doping amount attaining highest (1.17 eV) and lowest (1.1 eV) values for x = 2.5% and 7.5%, respectively. Nonlinear and linear optical parameters were studied in relation to iron doping ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl chloride 'PVC'/(1-x)ZnMn2O4/xPbS (with and without multiwalled carbon nanotubes, MWCNTs) polymers were formed using solid state reactions and co-precipitation procedures. Rietveld analysis was applied to investigate the structure and microstructure properties of (1-x)ZnMn2O4/xPbS fillers. TEM image of the filler displayed a homogenous particle morphology with particle size 10–50 nm. The influence of nanofiller on the optical absorbance, transmittance, reflectance, refractive index, extinction coefficient, dielectric constant, and energy loss functions data of PVC polymer, with and without addition of MWCNTs, was explored. In general, the absorbance of doped PVC enhanced, and transmittance dropped. The direct/indirect optical bandgap energies Eg of PVC (4.3 and 4.09 eV) reduced attaining the lowest values (3.6 and 2.32 eV) upon loading with x = 0.1 nanofiller/MWCNTs. Also, the emitted fluorescence spectra (FL) greatly reduced; pristine PVC emitted a blue color while doped PVC emitted a blue-orange color. The effect of frequency and fillers on the dielectric constant, electric moduli, ac conductivity and energy density of all polymers was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many years ago, it was proposed that prone positioning and infant massage would benefit preterm and babies with low birth weight. Aim of the work: Evaluating the effectiveness of massage therapy and the neonatal prone position on the heart rate (HR) and blood oxygen saturation level (SPO2) of premature neonates in neonatal intensive care units. Subject and methods: Our study was conducted as a single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial at the NICUs of Menoufia University Hospital. After enrollment, the (240) cases were divided into group A: (80) infants with prone position, group B: (80) infants with massage therapy (as intervention groups), group C: (80) infants as a control group (without intervention). Results: Regarding group A, there was a significant difference between the first and last days of intervention regarding HR and SPO2 at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. Regarding group B, there was a significant difference between the first and last days of intervention regarding HR and SPO2 at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. Regarding group C, there was no significant difference between the First and last days of intervention regarding HR at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. Conclusion: Prone position and infant's massage equally reduce Heart Rate and increase preterm babies' blood oxygen saturation level neonates admitted in NICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undoped and doped polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with non-stoichiometric nano ZnS1−xMnx nanoparticles were fabricated. Using the X-ray diffraction method, the various phases formed in ZnS1−xMnx as the amount of Mn increased were identified. Rietveld refinement analysis was used to investigate how low sulfur and high manganese (Mn) content affected the nanofillers' crystallite size and lattice parameters. Using XRD and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) methods, the presence of the nanofiller over the PVC matrix was examined. Measured diffused reflectance data were used to investigate how the presence of Mn in the nanofiller affected the linear and nonlinear optical parameters of PVC. When the nanofiller contained 10%Mn filled the polymer, the direct (Edir) and indirect (Eind) optical band gap energies were reduced from 5.59 and (5.3, 4.5) to minimum values of (5.17, 3.54) and (4.33, 3) eV, respectively. The fluorescence emissions for PVC/ZnS1-xMnx composites measured under different excitation wavelengths were inspected. The frequency-dependent changes in dielectric constant, AC electrical conductivity (σac) and electrical modulus for undoped and doped PVC polymers with ZnS1-xMnx at room temperature was also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]