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To improve nonparametric estimates of lifetime distributions, we propose using the increasing odds rate (IOR) model as an alternative to other popular, but more restrictive, 'adverse ageing' models, such as the increasing hazard rate one. This extends the scope of applicability of some methods for statistical inference under order restrictions, since the IOR model is compatible with heavy-tailed and bathtub distributions. We study a strongly uniformly consistent estimator of the cumulative distribution function of interest under the IOR constraint. Numerical evidence shows that this estimator often outperforms the classic empirical distribution function when the underlying model does belong to the IOR family. We also study two different tests to detect deviations from the IOR property and establish their consistency. The performance of these tests is also evaluated through simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH) is a life-threatening condition with limited treatment options. Corticosteroids are currently recommended as the first-line therapy, but their effectiveness is controversial. Liver transplantation is an option for non-responders, but it is not widely available. A recent study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse suggests that the use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in combination with pentoxifylline or corticosteroids may be associated with lower mortality rates in sAH. However, conflicting evidence and the need for larger trials indicate that further research is necessary to determine the potential benefits and risks of G-CSF in sAH treatment. In the meantime, supportive therapies, prevention of complications, and alcohol abstinence remain crucial in managing sAH. Public health policies to reduce alcohol use and detect alcohol-related health issues early could also help prevent sAH mortality. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractThe Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is a cognitive assessment suitable for diverse populations. However, the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Arabic version of RUDAS were not examined. This study aimed to examine these aspects. The Arabic RUDAS was administered twice to a sample of 37 older adults. The intraclass correlation coefficients and the Kappa coefficient examined the test-retest reliability. The internal consistency of the Arabic RUDAS was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The RUDAS showed high internal consistency (α = 0.866) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.971), with substantial agreement between tests (Kappa = 0.78). The Arabic RUDAS is highly reliable with Palestinian older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, an immuno-modulatory effect of vitamin D supplementation have emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for some inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. As previously reported, vitamin D deficiency was strongly linked to several diseases as Behçet's disease (BD). BD is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder with autoimmunity, genetic and environmental factors involvement. The aim of our current study is to set up a new therapeutic strategy in BD, combining conventional therapy and vitamin D supplementation. Blood samples were collected from active and inactive BD patients and healthy controls (HC) to evaluate 25(OH) vitamin D levels using an electrochemiluminescence method. All deficient and insufficient vitamin D BD patients' were supplemented with vitamin D3 (CHOLECALCIFEROL, 200 000 UI/1 ml). In this context, NO, IL-17A and IL-10 levels were evaluated in patients and HC in vivo and ex vivo using Griess and ELISA methods respectively. Before supplementation, we noted with interest that BD patients had vitamin D deficiency, associated with elevated in vivo and ex vivo NO and IL-17A levels compared to HC. Conversely, low IL-10 levels were observed in the same BD patients in comparison to HC. Interestingly, restored vitamin D status in supplemented BD patients was related to the decreased NO levels. In the same way, the IL-10/IL-17A ratio was improved. Collectively, our data suggest that vitamin D supplementation in combination with conventional treatments has a beneficial effect and could constitute a good therapeutic candidate for alleviating inflammatory responses during Behçet disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We regard high degree stop-loss transforms as iterated equilibrium distributions to establish comparison criteria with respect to star-shape and convex transform orders. As an application, we derive monotonicity properties for exceedance probabilities, providing information on how likely these distributions are to be far from the extreme values of their support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion state of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) film at variant sonication time in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) has been studied in this work. The sonication was extended up to 120 min, and the CNF-CNTs-SDS suspension's viscosity was measured at different times. Overall, viscosity of CNF-CNTs-SDS suspension decreased continuously as sonication continued except for the period of 60–75 min, where an increase in the viscosity was observed. Based on morphological investigations, the partial dispersion of particles at the early stage of sonication (i.e. up to 60 min) was followed by coagulation or reagglomeration of the particles during 60–75 min and increasing sonication time by 120 min led to improved dispersion of CNTs in CNFs. Likewise, the electrical conductivity and tensile strength obeyed the same trend due to improved CNTs-CNFs film's network (30–60 and 75–120 min) and the corresponding reduction (60–75 min) caused by the partial agglomeration of CNT and CNF moieties. These findings highlight that sonication time is not a straightforward parameter and should be elaborated to reach the desired dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its notable advantages, Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is considered to be employed for medium-voltage motor drives. In this paper, a high-performance sensorless vector control scheme inspired from the Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS) approach is developed for an MMC-fed induction motor. Besides the well-known vector control scheme advantage, i.e. independent control of motor flux and torque, eliminating the speed sensor will notably improve the reliability of the proposed method. The motor flux components in the αβ frame are determined and used for estimating the speed value. As the errors of flux components calculated by the motor voltage and current models are continuously compensated by a MRAS-based loop, the estimation would be accurate for a wide range of speeds. Moreover, several modifications are considered to add the capability of voltage balancing for submodule capacitors, and also circulating current control to the proposed scheme. The two aforementioned features are necessary for efficient operation of MMC. Moreover, the circulating current control capability is mandatory for injection of different circulating current profiles, which is required for reducing the flying capacitors' voltage ripples at low speeds. Finally, different performance aspects of the proposed method are experimentally assessed and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an extended-horizon predictive torque control (PTC) method is proposed with computationally efficient implementation. Predictive control with extended horizon brings important advantages compared to single-horizon methods, such as better steady-state performance, reduced current THD, and lower ripples in torque and stator flux. However, the computational burden is a serious obstacle because the required calculations rise exponentially with the extension of the prediction horizon. This is due to a high number of candidate voltage vectors and also predicting the values of several machine variables for these vectors. Different approaches are employed in this work to make the control method computationally tractable. A voltage vector reduction technique is utilised that significantly decreases the total number of enumerated vectors. Moreover, the stator current prediction is eliminated in the proposed method, based on the inherent features of the PMSM. The proposed method is experimentally implemented and its good performance and advantages are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of trapped non-thermal polarization force on low-frequency solitary waves (dust acoustic solitons) is addressed in a collisionless complex plasma. For this purpose, we have firstly redefined the three-dimensional Cairns–Gurevich distribution that describes, simultaneously, the evolution of the energetic ions and those trapped in the plasma potential well, and derived the associated both density and polarization force expressions. The polarization force effects are remarkably modified due to the presence of the trapped non-thermal ions. In particular, we have found that the polarization force magnitude decreases with the increase of ion non-thermality character. Next, the modifications arising in dust-acoustic (DA) solitons and its energy due to the presence of these trapped non-thermal density and polarization force are analyzed. In particular, we have found that the presence of the polarization force leads to an increase in the amplitude and width of DA solitary wave can be propagated in different complex plasma media. Finally, a complementary study on the polarization force effects on the DA energy, associated with both space and experimental dusty plasmas, is also carried out. Our numerical results have shown that more is strong the polarization force more is higher the energy transported by DA solitons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to explore the association between adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and migraine headache features including frequency, duration, and severity, as well as patients' migraine-related disabilities among the Iranian population diagnosed with migraine. In the present cross-sectional study on 262 migraine patients aged 20-50 years old, a validated 168-item, food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the dietary intakes of participants. The Mediterranean diet score was calculated for each subject using nine pre-defined dietary components and ranged from 0-9. The headache severity, duration, frequency, migraine headache index score (MHIS), and headache impact test-6 (HIT-6) were measured using related questionnaires. After controlling for potential confounders, Mediterranean diet tended to be associated with lower headache frequency (β = −1.74, 95% CI: −3.53,0.03) and duration (β = −0.28, 95% CI: −0.59, −0.02) and was significantly associated with lower MHIS (β = −29.32, 95% CI: −51.22, −7.42), and HIT-6 score (β = −2.86, 95% CI: −5.40, −0.32) for those in the highest category of Mediterranean diet scores compared to the lowest category. A subgroup analysis of women also revealed a negative association between Mediterranean diet and headaches frequency (β = −2.30, 95% CI: −4.27, −0.32), duration (β = −0.42, 95% CI: −0.78, −0.07), scores of MHIS (β = −47.44, 95% CI: −71.90, −22.99), and HIT-6 (β = −3.45, 95% CI: −6.29, −0.61), after controlling for potential confounders. The present study suggests that adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower headache frequency, duration, MHIS, and HIT-6 score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is defined within the context of the critical posthuman project of decentring humanist subjectivity. We argue that because agential realism, and the agency and performativity that go with it, do not enable non-human matter to be accountable, only human matter, in its intra-active becoming with non-human matter, can support an ethical project. Secondly, we map our understanding of Barad's agential realism, explaining the importance of agential cuts in phenomena-in-their-becoming that are the world worlding itself, and evaluate ethics, agency, and performativity in this material-discursive framework. Thirdly, understanding the material-discursive to underpin storied matter, we engage it via some clarification of narrative, and narrative agency. We conclude that much organic or inorganic nature as non-human matter is directional and responsive, so alive and generative and, in this sense, capable of worlding itself. However, it does not tell its own stories in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the introduction and application of pesticides in human life, they have always been along with health concerns both in acute poisoning and chronic toxicities. Neurotoxicity of pesticides in chronic exposures has been known as one of the most important human health problems, as most of these chemicals act through interacting with some elements of nervous system. Pesticide-induced neurotoxicity can be defined in different categories of neurological disorders including neurodegenerative (Alzheimer, Parkinson, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis), neurodevelopmental (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delay, and intellectual disability), neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric (depression/suicide attempt, anxiety/insomnia, and cognitive impairment) disorders some of which are among the most debilitating human health problems. In this review, neurotoxicity of pesticides in the mentioned categories and sub-categories of neurological diseases have been systematically presented in relation to different route of exposures including general, occupational, environmental, prenatal, postnatal, and paternal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and oxidative stress (OS) in patients diagnosed with migraine is unknown and remains to be examined. Hence, we conducted a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to investigate this issue. Of the 102 women who met all the inclusion criteria, 51 individuals were randomized to the DASH diet group and 51 to the usual dietary advice group to receive allocated intervention for three months. In order to assess the compliance of participants to the DASH diet, dietary records, and serum vitamin C levels were examined. Parameters of OS status (e.g. nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidative status (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and oxidative stress index (OSI)) and clinical indices of migraine (e.g. migraine index (MI), headache dairy result (HDR), and migraine headache index score (MHIS)) were assessed at the beginning and the end of the study. There was a significant reduction in NO (–5.75 vs. + 4.18, P = 0.025) and TOS (–1.55 vs. + 0.71, P = 0.034), and a marginally significant reduction in OSI (-0.10 vs. + 0.14, P = 0.060) in the DASH group compared with the control. Compliance with the DASH diet resulted in a significant decrease in the score of MI (–31.33 vs. – 15.09), HDR (–5.04 vs. –2.51), and MHIS (–44.21 vs. –26.74). Moreover, no significant change was observed in TAC, MDA, and total thiol content. This type of dietary approach can be considered as a complementary treatment for migraine patients, also further investigations are needed to replicate our findings. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20121216011763N38. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authors aimed to investigate the clinical role of miR-21 and miR-181 among glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. Expression for both miRs were detected in blood samples from newly diagnosed twenty GBM patients before and after treatment along with 20 healthy individuals using QPCR technology. MiR-21 reported increase expression while miR-181 reported decreased expression in GBM patients. Expression of miR-21 was up-regulated in GBM patients older than 60 years and frontal mass with tumor size > 5 cm while miR-181 expression was down-regulated among them. Worse PFS and OS reported increase in miR-21 expression and decrease in miR-181 expression. Detection of miR-21 and miR-181 expression levels may be a potential diagnostic and predictors for GBM prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High order stop-loss transforms provide a risk measure that enables some flexibility on the weight given to high or low values of the risk. We interpret stop-loss transforms as iterated distributions and prove a recursive representation for risks expressed as convolutions. We apply this to the case of gamma distributions with integer shape parameter, the Erlang distributions, proving that high order stop-loss transforms are equivalent to the tails of the exponential distribution. The latter result is also extended to general gamma distributions. Furthermore, we prove that this equivalence to exponential tails does not hold in general, by proving that the stop-loss transform for a Weilbull distribution degenerates, unless, of course, in the exponential case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting irisin as a myokine/adipokine is a new therapeutic approach in the improvement of insulin-resistance (IR) during type 2 diabetes (T2D). In present study we evaluated the effects of palmitate and chicoric acid (CA) on irisin production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with T2D. This study performed on 20 newly diagnosed patients with T2D and 20 healthy subjects. PBMCs treated with palmitate and CA. PPARGC1A and FNDC5 genes expression assessed using qRT-PCR. Irisin levels in cell culture medium measured by ELISA. Palmitate decreased PPARGC1A and FNDC5 genes expression, as well as irisin levels in PBMCs from T2D and healthy volunteers. CA significantly restored palmitate-induced decrease in PPARGC1A gene expression in PBMCs of healthy subjects. Although, FNDC5 gene expression and irisin levels were not induced significantly by CA. In conclusion, palmitate decreases irisin production through down-regulation of PPARGC1A and FNDC5 expressions. However, CA does not effect on irisin pathway. Palmitate reduced PPARGC1A and FNDC5 genes expression, as well as irisin secretion in PBMCs. Palmitate-induced decrease in PPARGC1A gene expression significantly has been reversed by CA in PBMCs of healthy subjects. CA did not return palmitate-decreased in FNDC5 gene expression and irisin levels in PBMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous demands to develop advanced radio-frequency transmission at higher frequencies have initiated glass-based materials as a substrate in radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) applications. Due to its superior electrical insulation characteristics, glass has lower substrate losses than silicon when an electrical signal is transmitted at higher frequencies. The optical transparent nature of glass substrate makes it an attractive choice for microfluidics and Bio-MEMS applications. Despite having superior properties, glass usage has remained limited mainly due to the lack of suitable micromachining processes. Due to its hard and brittle nature, creating microfeatures by conventional methods has been a challenge. To date, laser ablation and plasma etching have been employed to create micro-size through-holes in glass substrate; however, both have severe process limitations. Electrochemical discharge drilling (ECDD) is an emerging method that possesses similar capabilities as existing technologies at a low cost. Therefore, this manuscript is presented to describe the ECDD process's potential and their hybrid methods in the direction of fabricating micro-holes for MEMS applications. This manuscript includes the fundamental aspects of the ECDD process and a detailed description of components used to develop its various configurations. ECDD-based hybrid methods have also been presented along with their mechanisms and capabilities. The existing challenges and the possible research potentials have been derived based on previously reported capabilities to establish the correlation between the ECDD process and MEMS devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of two different exercise training protocols on myocardial fibrosis and the expression of some growth factors in aged rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group, continuous exercise training (CET) group, and the control group. After 6 weeks of experiment, mRNA levels of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), adropin proteins, and myocardial fibrosis were assessed. HIIT and CET induced a significant increase in the FGF-2 and adropin and a decrease in the myocardial fibrosis in compared with the control group. HIIT induced a significant increase in the VEGF if compared with the control group. There was no significant difference between CET and control group. Six weeks of HIIT and CET attenuated age-related myocardial fibrosis thereby an increase in angiogenesis-related molecules in cardiac and endothelial tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an investigation study has been carried out to evaluate the photovoltaic module degradation, in a desert area of Algeria. In this view, a set of PV modules have been put into tests and assessment for more than 11 years. These modules were assembled into three PV generators composed of monocrystalline (mc-Si) and polycrystalline (pc-Si) PV modules. The I–V curve tracer, calibrated reference m-Si solar cell and Pt1000 temperature sensor tools were used to collect the data. Three degradation modes were examined namely: (i) the visual inspection characterized mainly by a discoloration of PV modules, (ii) I–V degradation characterized by an increase in the series resistance which corresponds to electrical losses in conductors and (iii) the degradation rate (DR) assessment. The main parameters affecting on PV system performance are the high temperatures and sandstorms that characterize desert regions. The results indicated that for monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules, the power degradation rates were 1.53% and 0.37% per year, respectively. This degradation rate was found to be 2.36% per year for modules with broken back-sheet and corroded junction box. The production situation of examined PV systems shown a decrease of about 9%, 13%, and 6.8% for PVG1, PVG2, and PVG3, respectively, throughout the operation period. In addition, cell discoloration was observed as the predominant mode of degradation mechanism in desert climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, we deal with a class of stochastic time-fractional integral equations in Hilbert space by studying their well-posedness and regularity. Precisely, we use the celebrity fixed point theorem to prove the well-posedness of the problem by imposing the global Lipschitz and the linear growth conditions. Further, we prove the spatial and temporal regularity by imposing only a regularity condition on the initial value. An important example is considered in order to confirm and support the validity of our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale-8 (ASES-8) is one of the most commonly used scales to measure patient-reported arthritis-specific self-efficacy. However, evidence about the validity and reliability of ASES-8 in an Arabic-speaking arthritis population is lacking. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and assess aspects of validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the ASES-8. The ASES-8 was translated into the Arabic language using the back-translation method, and administered to 67 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Construct validation methods used exploratory factor analysis and correlating the ASES-8 scores with disease-related variables expected to be related to the arthritis self-efficacy construct. An internal consistency test was conducted. Floor and ceiling effects were considered present if more than 15% of patients achieved high (=10) and low (=1) scores on the Arabic ASES-8 for both the scale and item scores. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a one-factor solution (factor loadings: 0.54–0.81). ASES-8 scores were correlated with all measures assessed (r = −0.24 to −0.57 and r = 0.06–0.66), demonstrating construct validity. Internal consistency was acceptable for measures of Cronbach's alpha (0.86–0.88). The scale did not exhibit ceiling or floor effects. The Arabic version of ASES-8 is valid and reliable for evaluating self-efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES-8) questionnaire was translated and adapted for use in Arabic language. This questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating self-efficacy among Arabic individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. This will support greater use of this tool worldwide in clinical and research practices that include Arabic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this paper is to study and to model the dielectric behavior of two ternary composites prepared from a mixture of barium titanate (BaTiO3) and one of the two materials (iron oxide (Fe304) or ferrite) in epoxy resin matrix which the volume fraction is fixed at 70%. The time domain spectroscopy (TDS) method is used to characterize the samples under test in the range from direct current (DC) to 12.5 GHz. The conductivity behavior study is performed at a low frequency of 250 MHz, throughout this work. The study has therefore been focused on the effect of adding iron oxide and ferrite to titanate included in an epoxy matrix. In this work, we present a new approach to model the permittivity behavior of a ternary composite by the introduction of the shape factor for different mixture laws in order to best fit the model to experimental data. Subsequently, a comparison is made with these modified laws to determine the most suitable one. To predict the dielectric permittivities of the ternary composites and their shape factor coefficients in a quantitative manner, we use a numerical optimization method for identification the parameters of the theoretical model. These composite materials find their interest in the miniaturization of electronic components used in microelectronic circuits and in the telecommunication applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dynamic study of the rotating composite shaft vibratory behavior and the effects of different mechanical coupling. In fact, Modified ESLT is generalized from ESLT to consider not only the effects of fiber orientation, stacking sequences and shear-normal coupling but also the influences of different mechanical coupling on rotating composite shafts. The close agreement in the achieved results proves the efficiency of the developed finite element based on Modified ESLT. Furthermore, obtained results revealed that different mechanical coupling, fiber orientations and stacking sequences have an important influence on the rotating composite shaft dynamic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) was introduced as an epidemic in 2019 and had millions of deaths worldwide. Given the importance of this disease, the recommendation and design of new active compounds are crucial. 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3 CLpro) inhibitors have been identified as potent compounds for treating SARS-CoV-2 disease. So, the design of new 3 CLpro inhibitors was proposed using a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study. In this context, a powerful adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (ALASSO) penalized variable selection method with inherent advantages coupled with a nonlinear artificial neural network (ANN) modelling method were used to provide a QSAR model with high interpretability and predictability. After evaluating the accuracy and validity of the developed ALASSO-ANN model, new compounds were proposed using effective descriptors, and the biological activity of the new compounds was predicted. Ligand-receptor (LR) interactions were also performed to confirm the interaction strength of the compounds using molecular docking (MD) study. The pharmacokinetics properties and calculated Lipinski's rule of five were applied to all proposed compounds. Due to the ease of synthesis of these suggested new compounds, it is expected that they have acceptable pharmacological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two hundred and eighty samples of wild and farmed Mytilus galloprovincialis, harvested along the Algerian Mediterranean coast, were processed for the occurrence of Vibrio spp. The mussels were sampled monthly in 2018, in conjunction with the Algerian cholera outbreak that occurred in August. Overall, 33 strains of V. cholerae and 18 strains of V. fluvialis were isolated from 34 wild mussels sampled between July and September. A strain of V. cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa was found in a wild sample of mussels collected after the cholera outbreak. The results confirm the role of mussels as vector for V. cholerae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the problem of comparing ageing patterns of lifetimes of k-out-of-n systems with i.i.d. components. Mathematically, this reduces to being able to decide about a stochastic ordering relationship between different order statistics. We discuss such relationships with respect to second-order stochastic dominance, obtaining characterizations through the verification of relative convexity with respect to a suitably chosen reference distribution function. We introduce a hierarchy of such reference functions leading to classes, each expressing different and increasing knowledge precision about the distribution of the components lifetimes. Such classes are wide enough to include popular families of distributions, such as, for example, the increasing failure rate distributions. We derive sufficient dominance conditions depending on the identification of the class which includes the component lifetimes. We discuss the applicability of this method and characterize a test for the relative convexity, as this notion plays a central role in the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 6-acetyl-2,4-diaryl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,2,4-triazines (2a–2f) was synthesized by double Mannich reaction of the hydrazone 1a or 1b with formaldehyde and the appropriate amine. A similar reaction of 1a with the appropriate diamine afforded the bis(tetrahydro-triazines) 3a–b, and 4a–b. Whereas, the 6-cinnamoyl derivatives 5a-c were obtained by the reaction of 2a with the appropriate aldehyde. The hydrazone 7, derived from 2a, was treated with the appropriate aldehyde or ketone to afford the mixed azines 8–12 and 13–16. The biological activity, antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidants of the most newly synthesized compounds of these derivatives were screened. Compounds 2b, 3a and 7 revealed the best results against all screened biological activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four articles that make up this symposium on Tariq Modood's recent collection, Essays on Secularism and Multiculturalism (2019), are based on a public conversation and research colloquium held at Utrecht University on 18 February 2020. In the first article, Modood introduces the conversation with a statement of his thinking over two decades on the subjects of secularism and multiculturalism. This is followed by responses by Pooyan Tamimi Arab and Ernst van den Hemel and, in the fourth and final article, Modood has the last word. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A national collaborative has been launched in Canada to spread and scale up the Paramedics Providing Palliative Care model. This builds on the knowledge that paramedics in the 9-1-1 (emergency/unscheduled) and scheduled models of care are both historically and currently asked by the public to provide urgent symptom relief within the context of a palliative approach, and that approximately 40% of dying people visit the emergency department in the last two weeks of life despite 70% wishing to die at home. A model of care including a palliative care clinical practice guideline or protocol, specific training, and a mechanism for sharing of goals of care, has been proven to improve the palliative and end of life experience for patients with palliative care needs and their families. It increases the comfort and confidence of paramedics and has benefits to the broader health system. Meaningful and very broad stakeholder engagement and inter-sectoral collaboration is absolutely essential to the success of this innovative approach to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Best proximity results for cyclic and noncyclic F G -contractive operators in (strictly convex) Banach spaces are obtained via the measure of noncompactness. The work extends some of recent investigations in this direction. The obtained results are applied to investigation of optimum solutions for a system of second order differential equations with two initial conditions followed by an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in Iran. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO by the end of 2017. The prevalence was calculated based on the percentage or the amount reported in the studies. Heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 statistic, and the data were combined using random effects model. The results were reported as the pooled estimates and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017070744). Results: A total of 16 studies involving 6,461 participants aged 60 years and over were included. The pooled prevalence for overall elder abuse was 45.7% (95% CI: 27.3-64.1, p < .001). Discussion: The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect is substantial in the Iranian population aged 60 years and over. More research is needed to investigate the actual prevalence of elder abuse at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptic ulcer disease causes abdominal discomfort and pain. Helicobacter pylori bacteria, infection and long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs are the most common causes of peptic ulcers. Untreated ulcers can lead to other more serious health complications. Gastric cancer is the second commonest cause of death from malignant disease. Speed performance is always quietly essential in detecting and treating peptic ulcer. Combining artificial intelligence with medical knowledge provides a faster and more accurate diagnosis. The main purpose of this study is to design a novel, inexpensive, reliable and quick Fuzzy Expert System for diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease. A data set of 101 Male adult Wistar rats with a weight range of 200–250 g were obtained from the Pasteur institute. Peptic ulcer induced by Indomethacin (50 mg/kg, 2 ml). A computational approach based on a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) is suggested in this study for the evaluation of peptic ulcer. The Fuzzy Inference System was produced with Fuzzy C-Means and tuned using the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System model (ANFIS). In order to compare the two methods, the performance of the FIS was evaluated with a ROC curve that prepares the FCM accuracy of 90% and ANFIS accuracy of 85%. In conclusion, the Fuzzy Expert System can potentially increase the accuracy and efficiency of medical practices for peptic ulcer diseases to move towards more precision medicine and treatment. This applicable Fuzzy system may impact hospitals and health systems in improving efficiency and productivity, while reducing the cost of care. It can also be considered in medicine to reduce manual tasks and human error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers a multi-period and product inventory-routing problem. This model involves two levels, namely, a distributor and several retailers. This problem is modeled with the aim of minimizing bi-objectives, namely, the total cost of the system (including start-up, distribution, and maintenance costs) and risk-based transportation. Products are delivered to retailers by some heterogeneous vehicles with specific capacities through a direct delivery strategy, and inventory shortage is assumed to be impermissible. To validate this new bi-objective model, the ε-constraint method is used to solve problems. Because problems without distribution planning are very complex to solve optimally, the problem considered in this paper is also Non-deterministic Polynomial (NP-hard). Therefore, a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and a multi-objective imperialist competitive algorithm (MOICA) are used and developed to solve a number of test problems. Furthermore, the computational results are compared and the performance of the foregoing algorithms is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of food on physical and mental co-complications of ulcerative colitis (UC) has not been clearly defined. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of a dietary modification program (DMP) on fatigue, mental health, quality of life, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profile of UC patients during the remission phase. To conduct this parallel, randomized controlled trial study, 80 UC patients were recruited and allocated randomly to an intervention or a control group. Participants were provided dietary guidelines in the form of an educational booklet and a dedicated diet that was recommended for use for 12 weeks. The DMP consisted of recommendations that participants eat often and little (4-6 times per day), consume foods at a balanced temperature, decrease consumption of spicy foods, decrease excess intake of fat, decrease simple carbohydrates and drink adequate fluids. Moreover, increase goodquality protein and eliminate dairy products in the presence of lactose intolerance. Furthermore, it included avoidance of margarine, limiting alcohol, caffeine, and commercially prepared foods such as fast foods, ready meals, and canned foods. Baseline and post-intervention measurements of primary and secondary outcomes were recorded for final analysis. Overall, 76 patients completed the study. The participants in the DMP group consumed higher amounts of protein, zinc, vitamin C, and D and lower amounts of dietary energy, carbohydrate, saturated fat, sodium, and lactose compared to the control group (all P values <.05). Recommendations to follow the DMP resulted in a significant improvement of fatigue and mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress) in the intervention group compared with usual recommendations and a significant increase in some aspects of quality of life, including bodily pain and general health (all P values <.05). No significant changes were found in fasting blood glucose and lipid profile (all P values >.05). The study suggests that there is likely to be a link between the provided dietary advice with physical and mental improvements. The effect of diet does not arise through the elimination or the addition of specific nutrients; rather, each food syndicate many nutrients that let for a synergistic or an antagonistic action when present in a certain composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the cubic and the associative equations of state are applied to model the VLE data of ternary systems containing ionic liquids. In the first section, the simultaneous solubility of CO2 and H2S in the ionic liquids [omim][Tf2N], [omim][PF6] and [bmim][PF6] is modeled and the selective absorption of CO2/H2S is investigated at the temperatures T/K = (303.15 and 343.15) and the pressures P/MPa = (0.1 and 1). According to the obtained results, the percent deviations in pressure were varying between 6.0 and 10.8 for the SRK EoS, 6.0 and 10.6 for the PR EoS, 2.6 and 9.6 for the CPA EoS and 3.4 and 6.1 for the PC-SAFT EoS. Also, percent deviations in vapor phase composition were varying between 3.1 and 4.9 for the SRK EoS, 3.3 and 4.9 for the PR EoS, 3.1 and 7.0 for the CPA EoS and 3.8 and 4.9 for the PC-SAFT EoS. In the selectivity calculations, at high ionic liquid concentrations, the cubic models predict the selectivity drop; while the associative models present increasing trend. In the second section, the CO2 solubility in ethanol and [emim][Tf2N] as well as the mixture of ethanol and [emim][Tf2N] is modeled and the experimental points were tested for thermodynamic consistency. According to the obtained results, the percent deviation in pressure of the ternary systems was 3.9 for the SRK EoS, 3.9 for the PR EoS, 3.8 and 4.0 for the CPA EoS and 3.1 and 3.2 for the PC-SAFT EoS. In the same temperature and pressure, the CO2 solubility decrease when the concentration of ethanol increases, and the proposed models can describe this phase behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of administration of resveratrol (RES) and beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) separately and together on the liver fibrosis progression via regulation of the gene expression and protein level of lysyl oxidase (LOX). Materials and methods: The six-week old Wistar rats received carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intraperitoneally and RES and BAPN were administrated orally for eight weeks. The hepatoprotective effects of RES, BAPN, and combination treatment were evaluated. Then the hepatic protein and gene expression levels of LOX were measured. Results: Both RES and BAPN showed the antifibrotic effect through the reduction of collagen fiber bundles, hepatic hydroxyproline content, and protein level of LOX. The antifibrotic effect increased when RES and BAPN up-taken together. Conclusion: The co-administration of RES and BAPN can be considered as a promising therapeutic approach via targeting LOX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to establish a fixed point theorem using different class of control functions, which is a generalization of Darbo's fixed point theorem (DFPT) and its various versions obtained by several authors. Using this result we obtain existence of at least one positive solution for a quadratic integral equation of Fredholm type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the long-term clinical effect of dry needling with two-week and three-month follow up, on individuals with myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. Methods: A sample of convenience (33 individuals) with a trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle, participated in this study. The individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: trigger point compression (N = 17) or dry needling (N = 16). Pain intensity, neck disability, and disability of the arm, hand, and shoulder (DASH) were assessed before treatment, after treatment sessions, and at two-week and three-month follow ups. Results: The result of repeated measures ANOVA showed significant group-measurement interaction effect for VAS (p =.02). No significant interaction was found for NPQ and DASH (p >.05). The main effect of measurements for VAS, NPQ, and DASH were statistically significant (p <.0001). The results showed a significant change in pain intensity, neck disability, and DASH after treatment sessions, after two weeks and three months when compared with before treatment scores in both groups. There was no significant difference in the tested variables after two-week or three-month as compared to after treatment sessions between the two groups. However, pain intensity after treatment sessions was significantly different between the two groups (p =.02). Discussion: Dry needling and trigger point compression in individuals with myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle can lead to three-month improvement in pain intensity and disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are commonly used to evaluate hand function in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A decision will always need to be made about which appropriate PROMs to use. The present review therefore aims to describe the available hand function PROMs for use in people with RA by appraising their methodological quality and psychometric properties using a contemporaneous method. Methods/design: The proposed systematic review will include published studies written in English, which report evidence for psychometric properties and/or practical properties of hand function PROMs in RA. Four major databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) will be searched from inception to May 2019. A three-staged search strategy will be applied: (1) electronic bibliographic databases for published studies, (2) 'named measures' searching approach, and (3) reference lists of studies with included PROMs. The proposed systematic review will be conducted in compliance with the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) guideline for systematic review of PROMs. Accordingly, the methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed against the updated COSMIN risk of bias checklist, and each study's results will be assessed for their psychometric quality. Conclusion: The proposed systematic review seeks to provide rigour, and transparent evaluation of PROMs used to evaluate hand function in the RA population. The findings will provide clarity for healthcare professionals and researchers on the appropriate PROMs for hand function assessment. It will also provide a summary of hand function PROM recommendations for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a laboratory study of the influence of clay content and grading characteristics on the liquefaction resistance of sand–clay mixtures. The study is performed using a triaxial apparatus on reconstituted sand–clay mixtures containing a low clay content ranging from 0 to 20%. The tests were performed on samples at a relative density of 73% under an initial confining pressure of 100 kPa. The results of this study indicate that the undrained shear strength (liquefaction resistance) of sand–clay mixtures is controlled by the percentage of clay fraction and grading characteristics of sand–clay mixtures. However, the results show that the increase in the clay content up to 15% reduces the resistance to liquefaction of the sand–clay mixtures. Also, the test results indicate that the undrained shear strength at the peak and the undrained residual strength and the maximal shear strength decrease with the increase in clay content. Indeed, they decrease with an increase in the uniformity coefficient and the coefficient of gradation, also it was found that they decrease with a decrease in the effective diameter and the mean particle diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study investigated group differences between the thickness changes of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles, during performance of the isometric supine chest raise and the supine double leg-straight leg raise tests in women with and without low back pain (LBP). Method: Twenty women with LBP and 20 women without LBP participated in this case-control study. The thickness of the right TrA, IO, and EO muscles was measured using B-mode ultrasound (US) at rest, immediately at the beginning of performing the tests and when participants in both groups self-reported fatigue. The percentage of change in thickness of the abdominal muscles from rest to the initiation and fatigue stages of both tests was measured. Results: The results indicate a statistically significant difference in the pattern of changes in deep (TrA) and superficial (EO) abdominal muscles thickness at the fatigue stage of the supine double straight-leg raise (SDSLR) test between groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups for the abdominal muscles thicknesses change at rest or during stages of the clinical isometric endurance tests (P > 0.05). Conclusions: An altered activation pattern in the deep (TrA) and superficial (EO) muscles of LBP participants during fatigue stage of the SDSLR test as compared to controls indicates motor control dysfunction in the LBP group. Comparison of the activity of TrA and EO muscles during fatigue stage of SDSLR test can be used to assess alterations in motor control of abdominal muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the first attempt to describe aerobic bacilli communities in Debagh hot spring, from which 41 aerobic, thermophile, and halotolerant bacilli were isolated and selected based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that the recovered isolates belonged to four bacterial genera dominated by the genus Bacillus represented with species B. mojavensis (16), B. licheniformis (11), B. subtilis (2), B. atrophaeus (1), B.amyloliquifaciens (1), and B.pimulus (1). The genus Aeribacillus represented by the species A. pallidus (3), the genus Geobacillus represented by the species G. toebii (2), and the genus Hydrogenophilus represented by the species H. hirschii (4). While, MALDI-TOF analysis determined that isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus that contained B. licheniformis (12), B. mojavensis (6), B. subtilis (2), B. atrophaeus (1), and B. pumilus (1). Furthermore, the isolates exhibited high hydrolytic activity to casein, lecithin, tween 80, olive oil, and starch with 53.65%, 83.33%, 70.73%, 92.68%, and 56.09%, respectively. Among these isolates, 26.82% were able to hydrolyze all the substrates tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Syrian conflict has resulted in major humanitarian crises. The risk is particularly high amongst female children who face additional gendered risks, such as harassment and sexual violence, including a rise in prevalence of child marriage. Despite the importance of this topic, current literature remains relatively scarce. Objectives: This study aims to explore the social and healthcare repercussions of Syrian refugee child marriages in Jordan and Lebanon. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out to gather evidence, from a total of eight articles. Data analysis was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme check tool to systematically assess the trustworthiness, relevance and results of the included papers. Results: The findings of this research identify tradition, honour, economics, fear, and protection-related factors as drivers of child marriage of refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. These motives overlap with findings regarding access to reproductive health and reproductive rights. The lack of autonomy of the child to give informed consent is augmented in the context of protracted violence and displacement. Conclusion: There is a need for a holistic approach to provide safe spaces, education, and protection to young girls and their families to reduce their acceptance of child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maclura pomifera, a dioecious tree species, is recognized by its orange-like fruits and has a fascinating history and varied economic uses. The morphology and anatomy of female inflorescence, flower, embryo, fruit and seed development were surveyed by cyto-histological methods. The flowers and fruits were collected at different developmental stages, fixed in FAA fixative, embedded in the paraffin, sectioned using microtome, stained by hematoxylin and eosin and were photographed using light microscopy. There are 60–70 female flowers in each hairy inflorescence. Each young flower has pinkish and tetrameric perianth which surrounds the unicarpellate pistil composing of a unilocular ovary and long style. The perianth becomes fleshy and green during development and surrounds the ovary forming a drupe-like fruit with a permanent long style. The fleshy perianths and the drupes inside them produce a false multiple (accessory fruit or pseudocarp) and pomaceous fruit in which a few filled seeds are formed. Ovule primordium appears in an apical placentation and its growth direction changes during development. The ovule is ana-campylotropous, suspended, bitegmic and tenuinucellate. The embryo passes globular, heart-shaped and cotyledonary steps. Finally, the curved embryo is formed whose cotyledons constitute massive volume of ovule (seed) and endosperm is eventually degenerated. Suspensor is short and multi-celled. Ovule integument makes the membranous seed coat. The middle part of perianth contains secretory cells that is detached during development forming a soft spongy tissue. This study shows the characteristics of inflorescence and fruit architecture during development that can also clarify phylogenetic relationships among genera and in the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the solubility of two single gases, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, in the sixteen ionic liquids ([emim][eFAP], [emim][EtSO4], [emim][OTf], [emim][Tf2N], [bmim][BF4], [bmim][OTf], [bmim][PF6], [bmim][Tf2N], [hmim][PF6], [hmim][Tf2N], [omim][PF6], [omim][Tf2N], [HOemim][BF4], [HOemim][OTf], [HOemim][PF6] and [HOemim][Tf2N]) are modeled using the Peng-Robinson and the PC-SAFT equations of state. For the ionic liquids, the pure component parameters of the PC-SAFT EoS have been obtained by the predictions of the model to both of experimental H2S and CO2 solubility data in ionic liquids as well as experimental liquid density data. Also, the critical properties and acentric factor of the ionic liquids were estimated using the modified Lydersen-Joback-Reid method. In the next step, the temperature-independent interaction parameters between the ionic liquids and the gases for both equations of state were calculated by fitting to the experimental VLE data and the obtained results were analyzed. In most of the studied binary systems, the percent average absolute deviation was lower than 10% that shows good agreement between the experimental and predicted values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iranian society, divorce, as an instability index of family, has been on the increase over the last decade. In particular, this separation is fraught with considerable difficulties for wives with children. The overall aim of this study is to investigate the nature of the process of deciding to separate by the divorced women despite having children. Resting on the grounded theory method, this study was conducted among 20 divorced women with children in the city of Tehran. The findings show that having a child is not a determining factor for the women to remain married; rather, what determines the separation of women with children is experiencing a status loss within their marital life, an experience that originates from losing her status after a woman has gotten married. Of course, women’s agency within the domain of family disintegration happens when they have the ability to overcome social fears and also have economic support. Through this course of events, although children are of enormous importance for the mothers, they are temporarily neglected while the mothers, for a short period, think primarily of saving themselves. Making their final decision to get separated leads to reactivating the role of their children; then, the mothers proceed to make the optimal decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the exhibition "Longing for Mecca" on the Islamic pilgrimage, the Hajj, held in Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam from February 2019 – January 2020.

The article explores the significant contributions of Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza to the field of material religion approach and new materialisms. Topics include the author's argument about the indirect acknowledgement of Spinoza's influence in the works by anthropologists, religious studies scholars and political theorists, the deep interest shown by scholars in Spinoza's cosmology than his material religion approach, and the significance of the concept of human in Spinoza's philosophy.