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Background and purpose: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is highly prevalent among patients with diabetes mellitus. It affects approximately 20% of diabetic patients, who are believed to be more than 400 million individuals. The objectives of the present work were to assess patterns of albuminuria and determine microalbuminuria predictors among patients living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who attended the family medicine department of Jazan Armed Forces Hospital. Methods: A case–control design was used and included two groups (n, 202/group), one with microalbuminuria and the other with a normal urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). Data regarding patient history, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, renal function tests, ACR, ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) risk, etc., were collected. Results: The prevalence rates of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were 26.4% and 3.9%, respectively. HbA1c was significantly higher in patients with microalbuminuria (9.3 ± 2.2; P˂0.001) and macroalbuminuria (10.5 ± 2.3; P˂0.001) than in those with normal ACR (8.3 ± 1.9%). The predictors of microalbuminuria were poor glycemic control with HbA1c ≥ 7% {OR, 2.5 (95% C. I, 1.5–4.2)}; hypertension {(OR, 1.8 (95% C. I, 1.2–2.8)}; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of ˂90 mL/min/1.73 m2 {OR, 2.2 (95% C. I, 1.4–3.6}; smoking {OR, 1.3 (95% C. I, 0.7–2.6}; and body mass index {OR, 1.05 (95% C. I, 1.01–1.09}. Conclusion: Microalbuminuria is highly prevalent among patients with type 2 diabetes and is associated with poor glycemic control and hypertension, necessitating aggressive and timely screening and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the two different hybrid nanofluid flows between two parallel plates placed at two different heights, y 0   and y h , respectively. Water-based hybrid nanofluids are obtained by using A l 2 O 3 , T i O 2 and C u as nanoparticles, respectively. The upper-level plate is fixed, while the lower-level plate is stretchable. The fluid rotates along the y-axis. The governing equations of momentum, energy and concentration are transformed into partial differential equations by using similarity transformations. These transformed equations are grasped numerically at MATLAB by using the boundary value problem technique. The influence of different parameters are presented through graphs. The numerical outcomes for rotation, Nusselt, Prandtl, and Schmidt numbers are obtained in the form of tables. The heat transfer rate increases by augmentation in the thermophoresis parameter, while it decays by increasing the Reynolds number. Oxide nanoparticles hybrid nanofluid proved more efficient as compared to mixed nanoparticles hybrid nanofluid. This research suggests using oxide nanoparticles for good heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-obstructive dysphagia (NOD) is defined as symptomatic dysphagia in patients with negative endoscopic and radiographic workup. The management of NOD remains controversial as there is a discrepancy between different guidelines and clinical practice. Despite the lack of high-quality studies, empiric dilation for NOD is a common clinical practice among endoscopists and the approach varies between different clinical centers. In this review, we summarize the published literature on empiric dilation for NOD and propose a management algorithm for offering empiric dilation to patients presenting with dysphagia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of massage therapy (MT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as three physical therapies on pain perception and negative emotional state (NES) in males with chronic joint pain (CJP). This double-blind randomized experimental study was done with three pretest, posttest, and follow-up stages within three experimental groups and the control group. Participants recruited by a random sampling method in each group that they were 160 patients with CJP. A demographic questionnaire, the Short-Form-McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale- 21 (DASS-SF-21) were used in this study. Findings showed significant differences in the effectiveness of MT, HIIT, and NMES on pain symptoms and NES in experimental and control groups during post-test and follow-up stages. The MT, HIIT, and NMES were effective in decreasing the sensory experience of pain, the affective experience of pain, the present pain intensity (PPI), and depression, anxiety, and stress among outpatients with CJP in the experimental groups during post-test and follow-up stages. NMES, HIIT, and MT may be considered by health professionals as effective interventions to reduce pain perception and NES in patients with CJP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is an uncommon inflammatory, intramedullary, disorder of the spinal cord. Spastic paraplegia, impaired sphincter functions, and sensory loss, with sensory level, are the clinical manifestations of this devastating disorder. The utilization of magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) contributes to the surge in the diagnosis of more ATM cases. Although the causes of ATM are numerous, both Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Schistosoma mansoni are uncommon causes and their co-existence in the same patient has not been reported before in Saudi Arabia. Case Summary: We report a 25-year-old ATM male patient presented with a history of sudden onset severe low back pain. Within four hours from the onset of the back pain, he became completely paraplegic with impaired functions of the bowel and urinary bladder sphincter. Furthermore, he lost all modalities of sensory functions in the lower limbs. His examination revealed spastic complete paraplegia with sensory level at T6. Clinical neurological examination revealed normal upper limbs and brain functions. The MRI of the cervico-dorsal spine showed extensive longitudinal hyperintense lesion extending from the upper cervical segments to the lower dorsal segments (extensive longitudinal transverse myelitis). A post-infectious immune-mediated predisposition was highly suspected due to the very high titers of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM and IgG that were detected. The immunosuppressant therapy did not improve his paraplegia. A spinal cord biopsy revealed the presence of several Schistosoma mansoni ova surrounded by chronic inflammatory reactions and reactive gliosis. Conclusions: Both Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Schistosoma mansoni should be investigated in cases with extensive longitudinal ATM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the quantitative and qualitative efficacy of finger-prick autologous blood (FAB) eye drops versus conventional medical therapy for the treatment of severe dry eye disease (DED). Methods: Two centre, single masked, randomised controlled trial. Sixty patients in total were recruited with thirty patients (sixty eyes) treated with FAB eye drops four times per day in addition to their conventional DED treatment, and thirty patients (fifty-eight eyes) served as control subjects on conventional treatment alone. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI), Schirmer's test, fluorescein ocular staining grade (OCSG) Oxford schema and fluorescein tear film break-up time (TBUT), were performed at baseline, at 4 and 8 weeks. Results: OSDI scores significantly decreased in the FAB arm by greater than − 17.68 (− 37.67 to − 2.96, p=0.02) compared to the control arm. There were greater improvements in OCSG and TBUT in the FAB arm but these were non-significant (p> 0.05). Conclusion: This feasibility study demonstrates adding FAB eye drops to conventional medical therapy for DED improves mean OSDI symptom score compared to conventional medical therapy alone. It may have particular use in settings where serum is unobtainable. An adequately powered and well-designed randomised trial is needed to further evaluate the long-term clinical benefit of FAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the bibliographic data on fiber-reinforced geopolymers (FRGPs) using scientometrics to determine their important features. Manual review articles are inadequate in their capability to connect various segments of literature in an ordered and systematic manner. Scientific mapping, co-citation, and co-occurrence are the difficult aspects of current research. The Scopus database was utilized to find and obtain the data needed to achieve the study's aims. The VOSviewer application was employed to assess the literature records from 751 publications, including citation, bibliographic, keyword, and abstract details. Significant publishing outlets, keywords, prolific researchers in terms of citations and articles published, top-cited documents, and locations actively participating in FRGP investigations were identified during the data review. The possible uses of FRGP were also highlighted. The scientometric analysis revealed that the most frequently used keywords in FRGP research are inorganic polymers, geopolymers, reinforcement, geopolymer, and compressive strength. Additionally, 27 authors have published more than 10 articles on FRGP, and 29 articles have received more than 100 citations up to June 2022. Due to the graphical illustration and quantitative contribution of scholars and countries, this study can support scholars in building joint ventures and communicating innovative ideas and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed to explore the magneto-hydrodynamic Carreau fluid flow over a stretching/shrinking surface with a convectively heated boundary. Temperature-dependent variable thermophysical properties are utilized to formulate the problem. The flow governing equations are obtained with boundary layer approximation and constitutive relation of the Carreau fluid. The shooting method is utilized to obtain graphical and numeric outcomes. Additionally, initial guesses are generated with the help of Newton's method. The effect of Weissenberg number, Magnetization, stretching ratio, Prandtl number, suction/blowing parameter, and Lewis number is obtained on velocity, temperature and species continuity profile and analyzed. Shear stress rates and Nusselt number outcomes under body forces influences are present in tabulated data and discussed. It is observed that in absence of magnetization force, B = 0 and strong mass suction 5 ≤ S ≤ 7.5 effect high rates of Nusselt number is obtained. It is concluded that under the influence of power law index and non-linearity parameter maximum heat transfer and reduced shear stress rates are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Toxoplasmosis is a major parasitic zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution. It has a wide range of reservoirs and can result in abortion and permanent congenital anomalies in fetuses. Several studies have reported an alarming increase in parasite resistance to available drugs, making treatment of infection a major challenge, especially in the chronic stage of the disease. The present study investigated the antiparasitic effect of wheat germ oil and propolis on the chronic stage of Toxoplasma gondii in experimentally infected mice. The parasitological load in the liver and lungs of treated animals was quantified and compared with positive control animals by parasitological methods and molecular techniques. Histopathological changes as a result of infection were also investigated. The results demonstrate promising ameliorative effects of the combination of wheat germ oil and propolis against parasite burden and restoration of histopathological lesions in the liver and lungs during chronic toxoplasmosis infection. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. Its effects can be critical in immunocompromised patients. However, there is a limited availability of effective, low-toxicity drugs against this disease, particularly in its chronic form. The present study evaluated the effect of propolis and wheat germ oil (WGO) as safe, natural products to reduce Toxoplasma cysts in experimentally infected mice. For the experiment, five groups (10 mice per group) were examined: Group 1: negative control (noninfected, nontreated); Group 2: positive control (infected, nontreated); Group 3: infected and treated with WGO at a dose of 0.2 mg/1.5 mL per kg body weight/day; Group 4: infected and treated with 0.1 mL propolis extract/day; and Group 5: infected and treated with a combination of WGO and propolis at the same doses as Group 3 and 4. After the mice were sacrificed, liver and lung specimens underwent histopathological examination, and the parasite burden was investigated by parasitological methods and quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Notably, the results showed a substantial decrease in parasitic burden in Group 5 compared to the control group. These results were further confirmed by molecular analysis and quantification of the DNA concentration of the Toxoplasma P29 gene after treatment in all tested samples. Furthermore, the combination of propolis and WGO restored all histopathological changes in the liver and lungs. Taken together, these findings provide remarkably promising evidence of the effects of the combination of WGO and propolis against chronic toxoplasmosis in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research employed machine learning (ML) and SHapley Additive ExPlanations (SHAP) methods to assess the strength and impact of raw ingredients of cement mortar (CM) incorporated with waste glass powder (WGP). The data required for this study were generated using an experimental approach. Two ML methods were employed, i.e., gradient boosting and random forest, for compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength (FS) estimation. The performance of ML approaches was evaluated by comparing the coefficient of determination (R2), statistical checks, k-fold assessment, and analyzing the variation between experimental and estimated strength. The results of the ML-based modeling approaches revealed that the gradient boosting model had a good degree of precision, but the random forest model predicted the strength of the WGP-based CM with a greater degree of precision for CS and FS prediction. The SHAP analysis revealed that fine aggregate was a critical raw material, with a stronger negative link to the strength of the material, whereas WGP and cement had a greater positive effect on the strength of CM. Utilizing such approaches will benefit the building sector by supporting the progress of rapid and inexpensive approaches for identifying material attributes and the impact of raw ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A green, simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method was proposed for the determination of isoxsuprine hydrochloride (ISX), based on the preconcentration with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) modified magnetic iron oxide nanoparticales (MNPs). ISX was coupled with diazotized metoclopramide drug via diazotization-coupling reaction in alkaline medium to form yellow-orange color product which was extracted and measured spectrophotometrically at λmax444 nm. Various parameters affecting the azo-dye removal by adsorption on modified magnetic nanoparticales (Fe3O4@CTAB) such as pH of solution, volume of diazotized reagent, volume of surfactant, amount of adsorbent and type of desorbing solvent were studied. The linear calibration graph were obtained in the concentration range of 0.3-7.0 μg/mL of ISX, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification calculated to be 0.29and 0.99μg/mL, respectively. Accuracy and precision described by relative standard deviation and relative recovery percentages. The results obtained show that the CTAB-coated MNPs could be employed in the extraction of the drug in the azo dye form from different samples. The ISX was extracted successfully in pharmaceutical forms and spiked samples of river water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A supply chain is a set of resources, facilities, customers, products, and methods of inventory control, purchasing, and distribution. Every manufacturer or distributor has a subset of the supply chain that they have to manage and implement beneficially and efficiently for their survival and growth. Therefore, the production and delivery of products in the proper amounts and at the right time is as important as minimizing costs as well as customer satisfaction. Considering these reasons, supply chain network optimization includes decisions from many different aspects. In this study, a single-product three-level supply chain with manufacturer-customer loops is considered that customer demand, percentage of returned products from customers, and delivery time from manufacturers to customers are considered as fuzzy variables with uncertainty. Simultaneously considering the issues of selecting suppliers and distributors and determining the effective customers in the system is under uncertainty. This project aims to provide a model that, in addition to integrating the conflicting goals of the loops, also increases the number of uncertain parameters of the model. Therefore, the objectives of the proposed model are to maximize product quality; minimize total cost; minimize delivery time from distributors to customers; and maximize revenue from selling products to customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was conducted on men suffering from type 2 diabetes in Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq. The study aimed to assess the levels of some biomarkers in type 2 diabetic patients and their relationship to diabetic nephropathy, including interleukin18 and transforming growth factor beta1, and included in the study (88) blood samples from men only. They were distributed as follows: 60 serum samples from men with T2DM and 28 serum samples from healthy men. The study samples were collected in cooperation with Shatra Hospital, as samples were classified into patients according to the disease severity and the duration of. The results of the current study showed a significant increase in the concentration of IL-18 and TGFb-1 in the samples of patients suffering from T2DM compared with the healthy ones. This study concluded that there was a significant increase in the concentration of IL-18 in patients in the second category compared to the first category with respect to the disease severity, as well as a significant increase in the duration of disease in the first category compared with the second category, and this study concluded the possibility of adopting these indicators as early risk predictors of diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social behaviors and immunity can help termites defend against pathogenic infections, which require the consumption of plenty of energy. Phosphofructokinase (PFK) is a key rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis (a carbohydrate metabolic pathway) that generates energy. However, how PFK-mediated energy metabolism influences social behaviors and immunity against pathogens in termites is unknown. Here, we investigated the impacts of the pfk gene and entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) on social behaviors (locomotion and allogrooming) and immunity in the termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder. Our results showed that pfk gene silencing and fungal infection decreased the production of energy (ATP and NADH), impaired locomotion, weakened immunity (decreased immune gene expression and reduced antifungal activity) and reduced survival at the individual level in termites. Silencing of the pfk gene in nestmates caused lower allogrooming frequencies toward fungus-exposed termites. Downregulation of pfk significantly disrupted locomotion and decreased the survival of fungus-exposed termites placed with pfk-silenced nestmates compared to fungus-treated termites placed with gfp-silenced nestmates. Our findings illustrated that pfk-mediated dysfunctional energy metabolism disturbed social behaviors and immunity to defend against fungal infections in termites, which provides new insights into understanding the mechanisms of social behaviors and immunity in social insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The findings of the present study indicated that the cerebral vascular accident patients were ischemic stroke more than hemorrhagic who O+ blood group and ischemic attack in morning as a time and other risk factors. Objective: this study was to identify the demographic and Clinical data of the patient with cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Materials of the study: The study a survey descriptive study, the sampling it is non-Probability "purposive" sample was a conducted on 138 patients that include outpatients who were diagnosed with CVA by CT scan and MRI brain attending the Neurological clinic in AL-Najaf AL-Ashraf city to receive a medication in privet neurology clinic in AL-Najaf city for period from January 2019 to December 2020. Results: (44.2%) of the study sample are within (50-59) years old, (60.9%) are male, (97.8%) are married, according to level of education was (64.5%) are illiterate, also (67.4%) no smoking and (38.4%) was worker according to occupational level, according to clinical data was (89.9%) patient with ischemic stroke according to stroke type, (44.9%) right paralysis regarding to side paralysis and (60.1%) at morning in time attack of stroke, patient (50.75) with DM, (68.8%) patient with hypertension and (65.2%) from patients with blood group O+ . Conclusion: a cerebral vascular accident is an alarming problem between elderly people in Iraq, and there are many associated risk factors contributing to developing it such (low educational level, blood group O+, diabetes mellitus and hypertension), therefore, its necessary to understand and evaluate the evolving trends to reduce the health risks among people in the middle east. Recommendation: Physical exercise on a regular basis is advised. It is recommended to have a diet rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables, low in salt and saturated fat. A healthy lifestyle that includes not smoking, having a low BMI, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced food has been associated with a decreased risk of stroke. Keywords: ABO Blood Group System, Stroke, Time of attack, Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, DM, HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an attempt to explore the heat transfer features of the steady three-dimensional rotating flow of magneto-hydrodynamic hybrid nanofluids under the effect of nonlinear radiation over the bi-directional stretching surface. For this purpose, two different nano-particles, namely silver (Ag) and molybdenum di-sulfide (MoS2), were selected. Three different conventional base fluids were utilized to form desired hybrid nanofluids such as water (H2O), engine oil (EO), and ethylene glycol (EG). We obtained steady three-dimensional highly nonlinear partial differential equations. These highly nonlinear partial differential equations cannot be solved analytically, so these equations were handled in MATLAB with the BVP-4C technique with convergence tolerance at 10−6. The graph depicts the effect of the magnetization effect, thermal radiation, and stretching ratio on rotating hybrid nanofluids. Additionally, the impact of thermal radiation on the heat coefficient of three different hybrid nanofluids is being investigated. The augmentation in magnetization decreases the primary velocity, whereas the increment in radiation enhances the primary velocity. The stretching ratio and the presence of higher magnetic forces increase the temperature profile. The concentration profile was enhanced with an increment in the magnetic field, stretching, and rotation ratio. The maximum Nusselt number was achieved for the Ag-MoS2/EO hybrid nanofluid. It was concluded that augmentation in nonlinear radiation enhances the heat transfer coefficient for the examined cases (I) and (II) of the hybrid nanofluids. The Nusselt number doubled for both the examined cases under nonlinear radiation. Moreover, it was discovered that Ag-MoS2/water produced the best heat transfer results under nonlinear radiation. Therefore, the study recommends more frequent exploration of hybrid nanofluids (Ag-MoS2/water) when employing nonlinear radiation to analyze the heat transfer coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Management of sepsis is a time critical procedure; the consequences of improperly managed sepsis and septic shock can cause multiple organ dysfunction and death. The aim of this study was to evaluate of the role of hydrocortisone either alone or with fludrocortisone on the outcome septic shock in adults. This study was conducted on 66 patients who were assigned randomly to 3 groups each containing 22 patients. Control group had received standard therapy for sepsis, and H group had received standard therapy for sepsis plus hydrocortisone. HF group had received standard therapy for sepsis plus hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone. Results: It showed that the use of corticosteroids (the hydrocortisone or the hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone) in septic patients was associated with significant reduction in the time to wean from vasopressors and length of intensive care unit stay. Meanwhile, there were no significant effect of the mortality rate, Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score reduction, gastrointestinal bleeding, and superinfection as corticosteroids adverse effects between the three groups. Conclusions: The corticosteroids in septic shock have significant positive impacts on some aspects in treatment of septic shock but it does not affect the mortality rate of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the effects of Norepinephrine and Phenylephrine on blood pressure and heart rate during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anaesthesia Combined Military Hospital, Multan Pakistan, from May to Nov 2019. Methodology: Women (age: 18 to 45 years) with singleton pregnancy planned for caesarean section in spinal anaesthesia were included. Women with pregnancy-induced hypertension, placenta previa, placenta accreta, diabetes mellitus, and any other cardiovascular disease were excluded. After distribution into groups, Group-A was given a 20pg Norepinephrine bolus, and Group-B was given a 50pg bolus of Phenylephrine just after spinal anaesthesia. At five time points, systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures and heart rate were measured: baseline, block of the highest sensory level, oxytocin injection, delivery, and operation completion. If hypotension developed, the same rescue drug was repeated. Bradycardia was countered by 0.5 mg of Atropine. Results: The frequency of hypotension in the Norepinephrine group was 5 (16.67%), and in the Phenylephrine Group, it was 19 (63.33%) (p=0.0001). The frequency of bradycardia in the Norepinephrine Group was 6 (20%), and in the Phenylephrine Group, it was 17 (56.67%) (p=0.003). Conclusion: The frequency of hypotension and bradycardia is less after prophylactic 20 pg of Norepinephrine during spinal anaesthesia for a caesarean section than 50 pg of Phenylephrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed spacers are incorporated in membrane modules to enhance fluid mixing, thereby enhancing membrane flux. Previous experimental work showed that triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS)-based spacers induce significant improvements in membrane distillation (MD) performance, which was attributed to the suppression of membrane boundary layer, reducing heat and mass transfer resistance. To corroborate those findings, in this study, we assess the performance of TPMS spacers in direct contact MD (DCMD) modules using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Results showed that the Fischer-Koch S TPMS spacer topology achieved twice the flux of the empty channel case and exhibited a 13 % increment in flux compared to the net-type spacer, but this improvement was accompanied by a higher pressure drop in the feed channel. Therefore, a normalized power ratio (NPR) was used to evaluate the overall performance of spacers. For Reynold number (Re) ranging between 200 and 1200, Fischer-Koch S spacer had a 12 % improvement in NPR compared to the net-type spacer and resulted in higher shear stress near the membrane surface, indicating a promising mean for mitigating fouling in membrane distillation. This research highlights the importance of utilizing novel spacers in membrane distillation and showcases the power of CFD tools in optimizing the process. • CFD proves valuable in optimizing DCMD performance. • TPMS spacer enhances DCMD flux by improving fluid mixing. • Shear stress enhancement with Fischer-Koch S spacer can reduce membrane fouling. • Fischer-Koch S excels-2× flux vs. empty channel, 13 % increment over net-type. • Fischer-Koch S spacer shows 12 % NPR improvement over net-type at Re 200–1200. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study aimed to construct an epitope-based vaccine candidate using immunoinformatic techniques. • A. xylosoxidans was isolated from an auto workshop in Lahore, and its identification was confirmed through 16S rRNA amplification and bioinformatic analysis. • Two protein targets with GenBank accession numbers AKP90890.1 and AKP90355.1 were selected for the vaccine construct. • The vaccine construct demonstrated structural stability, thermostability, solubility, and hydrophilicity. • This epitope-based vaccine could serve as the first preventive immunotherapy against A. xylosoxidans infections, addressing this bacterium's health and financial burdens. • The findings demonstrate the value of employing immunoinformatic tools in vaccine development, paving the way for more precise and tailored approaches to combating microbial threats. Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an aerobic, catalase-positive, non-pigment-forming, Gram-negative, and motile bacterium. It potentially causes a wide range of human infections in cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis patients. However, developing a safe preventive or therapeutic solution against A. xylosoxidans remains challenging. This study aimed to construct an epitope-based vaccine candidate using immunoinformatic techniques. A. xylosoxidans was isolated from an auto workshop in Lahore, and its identification was confirmed through 16S rRNA amplification and bioinformatic analysis. Two protein targets with GenBank accession numbers AKP90890.1 and AKP90355.1 were selected for the vaccine construct. Both proteins exhibited antigenicity, with scores of 0.757 and 0.580, respectively and the epitopes were selected based on the IC50 value using the ANN 4.0 and NN-align 2.3 epitope prediction method for MHC I and MHC II epitopes respectively and predicted epitopes were analyzed for antigenicity, allergenicity and pathogenicity. The vaccine construct demonstrated structural stability, thermostability, solubility, and hydrophilicity. The vaccine produced 250 B-memory cells per mm3 and approximately 16,000 IgM + IgG counts, indicating an effective immune response against A. xylosoxidans. Moreover, the vaccine candidate interacted stably with toll-like receptor 5, a pattern recognition receptor, with a confidence score of 0.98. These results highlight the potency of the designed vaccine candidate, suggesting its potential to withstand rigorous in vitro and in vivo clinical trials. This epitope-based vaccine could serve as the first preventive immunotherapy against A. xylosoxidans infections, addressing this bacterium's health and financial burdens. The findings demonstrate the value of employing immunoinformatic tools in vaccine development, paving the way for more precise and tailored approaches to combating microbial threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combining ability and heterosis analysis are the important biological phenomenon that has been used to select the top performing parents and hybrids in different crop plants. In cotton, heterosis of morphological and yield related traits using line × tester design is very important to identify best performing parents in future cotton breeding program. Therefore, in this study five lines (MNH-1020, MNH-1035, FH-152, CIM-632 and BS-20) were crossed with three testers (CEMB-100, RH-662 and NIAB-5) using line × tester crossing design, which resulted 15 F1 hybrids. The analysis of variance found significant variation between the parents and hybrids, demonstrating the presence of genetic diversity. For several traits including plant height, number of nodes per plant, number of bolls, boll weight, yield per plant, percentage of ginning outturn (GOT%), fiber length, micronaire value and fiber strength, the ratio of general combining ability (GCA) variance to specific combining ability (SCA) variance (2 GCA/2 SCA) indicated the prevalence of non-additive gene action. In addition, lines FH-152, CIM-632 and BS-20 showed a strong GCA impact for majority of the studied traits. Significant GCA effects were seen among the testers for most of the qualities in NIAB-5. Further, the hybrids FH-152 × NIAB-5 and CIM-632 × NIAB-5 displayed strong SCA effects, positive heterosis, and heterobeltosis for different important traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Engineering strategies of vacancies in nanomaterials and types of vacancies for enhancing photothermal activity are summarized. • Fingerprints of defected-based materials are discussed and reviewed. • Challenges and perspectives for synthesis and investigation of defected-based materials for photothermal activity are discussed in the frame of nanomedecine. Upon photo-stimulation, some materials such as semiconductors can result in the generation of heat through the photothermal effect. The heat generated can be used in nanomedicine for example in cancer therapy. The response to photostimulation and the resulting photothermia can be modulated through the addition of defects in the case of semiconductors, at the heart of this review. Based on the observation that the generated nanoheat is used in photothermal catalysis and biomedical photothermia, we present here a summary of recent works in both disciplines on semiconductors that explore nanoengineering of local atomic defects, the most reported ones, to modulate the photothermal activity. We highlight the different synthesis methods and processes for creating such defects from photothermal catalysis and nanomedicine disciplines, their physicochemical and physical fingerprints elucidating their presence, and the impact of such defects on the properties and photothermal activity of such nanomaterials. In general, local defects appear to act like traps for photogenerated electrons after photo-stimulation, increasing the recombination time, and leading to non-radiative recombination and more efficient catalysis and photothermia. We also show an unpredictable optimal concertation of defects for obtaining high heating performances. Moreover, taking into account the great achievements in the field of photothermal catalysis, we translated them to the field of photothermia in nanomedicine and highlighted future perspectives in this field, at different scales for a better understanding of the relationship between the deficient structure-properties-function in heating. We believe this review, independently from the discipline, can help to elucidate aspects of photothermal activity, inspire the engineering of new defect-based materials as well as new detection methods, and bring new connections between the communities of thermal catalysis and nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This numerical study investigates the effect of CaCO 3 deposition on the performance of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). It is the first numerical study to directly evaluate the deposition and film thickness of CaCO 3 on the membrane surface. Therefore, a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, which combines momentum, heat, species transport reaction, and the Eulerian wall film model, is used to analyze the CaCO 3 mass deposition rate and scaling deposition thickness on the membrane surface. HSC Chemical Software is used to evaluate the ion compositions and reaction kinetics, including the activation energy (E a) and pre-exponential factor (A r). The CFD model is validated with experimental results. The results reveal that the CaCO 3 deposition rate increases significantly at a high temperature, velocity, and salinity of the solution. The CaCO 3 mass deposition increased by 15 times and scaling deposition thickness increased from 0.05 nm to 1 nm when the temperature was raised from 318.15 K to 348.15 K, whereas an increase of approximately 25 % in deposition was observed with an increase in velocity from 0.17 to 1.38 m/s at a concentration of calcium (Ca+2) ions, 0.03 % and bicarbonate (HCO 3 −) ions 0.004 %. The results also indicate that CaCO 3 deposition decreases the flux and efficiency of the DCMD by 2 % with a low concentration of Ca+2 ions, 0.03 %, and HCO 3 − ions, 0.004 %. The findings indicate that the high feed salinity (75.23 g/l) increases CaCO 3 mass deposition and scaling deposition thickness on the membrane surface due to the high concentration of Ca+2 ions, 0.07 %, and HCO 3 − ions, 0.01 %, significantly reducing the permeate flux by 14 %. The study's model development and implementation can be adjusted to offer guidance for studying the MD process in treating high saline water with fouling issues. • CFD model is developed to evaluate CaCO 3 deposition on the membrane surface • A species transport reaction and Eulerian film models were utilized to evaluate the CaCO 3 deposition on DCMD. • HSC Chemical software evaluates the composition of ions and the Arrhenius constants (E a , and A r). • High feed salinity (75.23 g/l) gives high CaCO 3 deposition and reduces the flux by 14 %. • High temperature strongly affects the CaCO 3 deposition on the membrane surface compared to the high velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretically and experimentally evaluated optoelectronic properties of GZO (Ga-doped zinc oxide) were correlated in the present article. Density functional theory and Hubbard U (DFT + Ud + Up) first-principle calculations were used for the theoretical study. The pulsed laser deposition technique was used to fabricate GZO thin films on p-GaN, Al2O3, and p-Si substrates. X-ray diffraction graphs show single crystal growth of GZO thin films with (002) preferred crystallographic orientation. The chemical composition was studied via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and no other unwanted impurity-related peaks were found, which indicated the impurity-free thin film growth of GZO. Field emission scanning electron microscopic micrographs revealed noodle-, seed-, and granular-like structures of GZO/GaN, GZO/Al2O3, and GZO/Si, respectively. Uniform growth of GZO/GaN was found due to fewer mismatches between ZnO and GaN (0.09%). Hall effect measurements in the van der Pauw configuration were used to check electrical properties. The highest mobility (53 cm2/Vs) with a high carrier concentration was found with low laser shots (1800). A 5-fold photoluminescence enhancement in the noodle-like structure of GZO/GaN compared with GZO/Al2O3 and GZO/Si was detected. This points toward shape-driven optical properties because the noodle-like structure is more favorable for optical enhancements in GZO thin films. Theoretical (3.539 eV) and experimental (3.54 eV) values of the band-gap were also found to be comparable. Moreover, the lowest resistivity (3.5 × 10−4 Ωcm) with 80% transmittance is evidence that GZO is a successful alternate of ITO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature-, excitation wavelength-, and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been utilized to investigate the orientation-modulated near band edge emission (NBE) and deep level emission (DLE) of ZnO single crystals (SCs). The near-band-edge emission of ZnO SC with <0001> orientation exhibits strong and sharp emission intensity with suppressed deep level defects (mostly caused by oxygen vacancies Vo). Furthermore, Raman analysis reveals that <0001> orientation has dominant E2 (high) and E2 (low) modes, indicating that this direction has better crystallinity. At low temperature, the neutral donor-to-bound exciton (DoX) transition dominates, regardless of the orientation, according to the temperature-dependent PL spectra. Moreover, free-exciton (FX) transition emerges at higher temperatures in all orientations. The PL intensity dependence on the excitation power has been described in terms of power-law (I~Lα). Our results demonstrate that the α for <0001>, <1120>, and <1010> is (1.148), (1.180), and (1.184) respectively. In short, the comprehensive PL analysis suggests that DoX transitions are dominant in the NBE region, whereas oxygen vacancies (Vo) are the dominant deep levels in ZnO. In addition, the <0001> orientation contains fewer Vo-related defects with intense excitonic emission in the near band edge region than other counterparts, even at high temperature (~543 K). These results indicate that <0001> growth direction is favorable for fabricating ZnO-based highly efficient optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, regarding the technology development and communication means, supply chain management has gained special significance among different industries. The impact of bullwhip is one of the factors that could lessn the supply chain efficiency and increase the cost and delivery time of products and services. In this study, we explored the demand forecasting in supply chain, a four-level chain of retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and suppliers. Each level of the chain forecasted demand by moving average method, exponential smoothing, multilayer perceptron artificial neural network, and regression. Also, we provide a hybrid model based on statistics and mathematics to reduce the effect of bullwhip. For this purpose, at first, the supply chain simulation was performed. The results were then evaluated applying analysis of variance and the best combined model to reduce the amount of bullwhip effect was introduced. The model of this research could be useful for other studies. Finally, forecast for retail demand using the regression model; wholesale demand using the exponential smoothing model; manufacture demand using the neural network; and supplier demand using the moving average method have been done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analytically investigate a theoretical scheme to enhance the bi-partite entanglement of directly and indirectly coupled modes in a magnomechanical system which is composed of two microwaves (MW) cavity mode photons, magnons and phonons. The magnon mode not only simultaneously couples with two MV cavity modes, via the magnetic dipole interaction, but also with mechanical mode via magnetostrictive interaction. The two MW fields can be entangled if they are, respectively, resonant with two sidebands of the mechanical mode. Interestingly, the numerical simulation results show that the magnon interaction with two MV cavity modes leads to an enhanced entanglement spectrum of directly (magnon–phonon) and indirectly (cavity–phonon) coupled modes. We also show that the entanglement of directly and indirectly coupled modes persists for temperature up to 250 mK which is higher than the previously observed value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the impact of two stimulation protocols using highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (HPhMG) on the endocrine profile, follicular fluid soluble Fas levels, and outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Methods: This prospective clinical trial included 100 normal-responder women undergoing ovarian stimulation for ICSI; 55 patients received concomitant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plus HP-hMG from the start of stimulation, while 45 patients received FSH followed by HPhMG during mid/late follicular stimulation. The primary outcome was the number of top-quality embryos. The secondary outcomes were the number and percentage of metaphase II (MII) oocytes and the clinical pregnancy rate. Results: The number of MII oocytes was significantly higher in the concomitant protocol (median, 13.0; interquartile range [IQR], 8.5–18.0 vs. 9.0 [8.0–13.0] in the consecutive protocol; p=0.009); however, the percentage of MII oocytes and the fertilization rate were significantly higher in the consecutive protocol (median, 90.91; IQR, 80.0–100.0 vs. 83.33 [75.0–93.8]; p=0.034 and median, 86.67; IQR, 76.9–100.0 vs. 77.78 [66.7–89.9]; p=0.028, respectively). No significant between-group differences were found in top-quality embryos (p=0.693) or the clinical pregnancy rate (65.9% vs. 61.8% in the consecutive vs. concomitant protocol, respectively). The median follicular fluid soluble Fas antigen level was significantly higher in the concomitant protocol (9,731.0 pg/mL; IQR, 6,004.5–10,807.6 vs. 6,350.2 pg/mL; IQR, 4,382.4–9,418.4; p=0.021). Conclusion: Personalized controlled ovarian stimulation using HP-hMG during the late follicular phase led to a significantly lower response, but did not affect the quality of ICSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive and selective modified electrode was successfully developed for the monitoring of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in the presence of folic acid. In this regard, a carbon paste electrode (CPE) was functionalized by the nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots/tin oxide (N-CQDs/SnO2) nanocomposite and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4DMIM][PF6]) ionic liquid (IL). The structure and surface morphology of the nanocomposite were characterized by various methods, including field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The modified electrode displayed powerful and long-lasting electron mediating activity, with well-separated NADH and folic acid oxidation peaks. The sensing response of the developed [C4DMIM][PF6]/N-CQDs/SnO2/CPE platform was evaluated by determining NADH via the voltammetric technique under the optimized operating conditions. The current peaks of the square wave voltammograms of NADH and folic acid increased linearly with enhancing its concentrations within the ranges of 0.003â€"275 ÎĽ M NADH and 0.4â€"380 ÎĽ M folic acid. The detection limits for NADH and folic acid were obtained at 0.8 nM and 0.1 ÎĽ M, respectively. Interference species such as glucose, urea, tryptophan, glycine, methionine, and vitamin B12 had no influence on the ability of the fabricated modified electrode to detect the target species. The low detection limit, high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, superior stability, and cost-effectiveness made it suitable for the quantification of NADH in the real biological samples with the recovery percent values in the range of 97.5%â€"103%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with an entrance aimed at giving an overview of wind energy and provides a brief description of the types and designs of wind-turbine horizontal axis. Then this article shows the theoretical study of the flicker of the voltage and harmonics of the electrical current at the wind turbine connection point with the electrical network, according to 21-61400 IEC. In addition, the article presents a report on the tests of the power quality characteristics measurements of a wind turbine with a double-fed induction generator programmatically using the MATLAB program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to determine the appropriate supplementation level of lactic acid bacteria (LAB; Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus clausii), yeast (Saccharomyces cariocanus and Wickerhamomyces anomalus) for degrading free gossypol and glucosinolate in the fermented total mixed ration (TMR) containing cottonseed meal (CSM) or rapeseed meal (RSM), to improve the utilization efficiency of these protein sources. Methods: For LAB, L. plantarum or B. clausii was inoculated at 1.0×108, 1.0×109, 1.0×1010, and 1.0×1011 colony-forming unit (CFU)/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. For yeast, S. cariocanus or W. anomalus was inoculated at 5×106, 5×107, 5×108, and 5×109 CFU/kg DM, respectively. The TMR had 50% moisture and was incubated at 30°C for 48 h. After fermentation, the chemical compositions, and the contents of free gossypol and glucosinolate were determined. Results: The results showed that the concentration of free gossypol content was reduced (p<0.05), while that of the crude protein content was increased (p<0.05) in the TMR containing CSM inoculated by B. clausii (1×109 CFU/kg DM) or S. cariocanus (5×109 CFU/kg DM). Similarly, the content of glucosinolate was lowered (p<0.05) and the crude protein content was increased (p<0.05) in TMR containing RSM inoculated with B. clausii (1×1010 CFU/kg DM) or S. cariocanus (5×109 CFU/g DM). Conclusion: This study confirmed that inclusion of B. clausii with 1.0×109 or 1.0×1010 CFU/kg DM, or S. cariocanus (5×109 CFU/kg DM) to TMR containing CSM/RSM improved the nutritional value and decreased the contents of anti-nutritional factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the electrochemical sensing of isuprel in biological fluids and pharmaceutical samples using a modified paste electrode (MPE). PE was amplified and used as a new analytical tool for Isuprel monitoring using a MgO/CNTs nanocomposite and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMHFP). In an aqueous solution, the MgO/CNTs/BMHFP/MPE system increased the oxidation signal of Isuprel by approximately 4.15 times. Under optimal analytical conditions (pH = 7.0), the oxidation signal of Isuprel was reduced by approximately 145 mV at the surface of MgO/CNTs/BMHFP/MPE in comparison to MPE, confirming the mediators' catalytic activity at the surface sensor. The MgO/CNTs/BMHFP/MPE monitored Isuprel in the concentration range 0.6 nM−420 µM with a detection limit of 0.1 nM, respectively. The ability of MgO/CNTs/BMHFP/MPE to monitor Isuprel in injection and dextrose saline samples was demonstrated using standard addition data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal heat generation and enhancement have been examined extensively over the past two decades, and nanofluid technology has been explored to address this issue. In the present study, we discuss the thermal heat coefficient under the influence of a rotating magneto-hydrodynamic hybrid nanofluid over an axially spinning cone for a prescribed wall temperature (PWT) case. The governing equations of the formulated problem are derived by utilizing the Rivlin–Ericksen tensor and boundary layer approximation (BLA). We introduce our suppositions to transform the highly non-linear partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations. The numerical outcomes of the problem are drafted in MATLAB with the of help the boundary value problem algorithm. The influences of several study parameters are obtained to demonstrate and analyze the magneto-hydrodynamic flow characteristics. The heat and mass transfer coefficients increase and high Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are obtained with reduced skin coefficients for the analyzed composite nanoparticles. The analyzed hybrid nanofluid (SWCNT-Ag–kerosene oil) produces reduced drag and lift coefficients and high thermal heat rates when compared with a recent study for SWCNT-MWCNT–kerosene oil hybrid nanofluid. Maximum Nusselt (Nu) and Sherwood (Sh) numbers are observed under a high rotational flow ratio and pressure gradient. Based on the results of this study, we recommend more frequent use of the examined hybrid nanofluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-cost analytical solutions built around microcomputers like the Raspberry Pi help to facilitate laboratory investigations in resource limited venues. Here, three camera modules (V1.3 with and without filter, as well as NoIR) that work with this microcomputer were assessed for their suitability in imaging fluorescent DNA following agarose gel electrophoresis. Evaluation of their utility was based on signal-to-noise (SNR) and noise variance metrics that were developed. Experiments conducted with samples were subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and the amplified products were separated using gel electrophoresis and stained with Midori green. Image analysis revealed the NoIR camera performed the best with SNR and noise variance values of 21.7 and 0.222 respectively. In experiments conducted using UV LED lighting to simulate ethidium bromide (EtBr) excitation, the NoIR and V1.3 with filter removed cameras showed comparable SNR values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that by modulating various immune functions, host infection may alter the course of concomitant inflammatory diseases, of both infectious and autoimmune etiologies. Beyond the major impact of commensal microbiota on the immune status, host exposure to viral, bacterial, and/or parasitic microorganisms also dramatically influences inflammatory diseases in the host, in a beneficial or harmful manner. Moreover, by modifying pathogen control and host tolerance to tissue damage, a coinfection can profoundly affect the development of a concomitant infectious disease. Here, we review the diverse mechanisms that underlie the impact of (co)infections on inflammatory disorders. We discuss epidemiological studies in the context of the hygiene hypothesis and shed light on the sometimes dual impact of germ exposure on human susceptibility to inflammatory disease. We then summarize the immunomodulatory mechanisms at play, which can involve pleiotropic effects of immune players and discuss the possibility to harness pathogen-derived compounds to the host benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The municipal waste is polluting the environment by releasing harmful substances. There is a demand for eco-friendly food packaging with higher shelf life. In this study, a biodegradable nonwoven for food packaging was developed using cotton waste and alginate/chitosan hydrogel. Firstly, needle-punched nonwovens were prepared from two different kinds of cotton waste (comber noil and card-fly) and wool fibers. The prepared nonwovens were immersed in a solution of alginate/chitosan followed by cross-linking with sodium chloride which resulted in formation of layers of hydrogel on/into nonwovens. The developed nonwovens for food packaging were characterized by using FTIR, DSC, SEM, air permeability and water absorbency tests. Moreover, mechanical strength and antibacterial evaluation of prepared nonwovens was also done. The properties of developed packaging materials are dependent on fiber type and concentration of hydrogel. The water absorption rate is highest (1 sec to 25 sec) in the case of wool fiber-based hydrogel nonwoven with tensile strength ranging from 65 N to 90 N. Moreover, all the developed samples of nonwoven alginate/chitosan hydrogel showed good antibacterials and air barrier (360 mm/sec to 620 mm/sec properties). The results indicate that the nonwoven alginate/chitosan hydrogel holds significant promise as an environmentally friendly substitute for food packaging materials. [Display omitted] • Development of alginate/chitosan-based packaging material using cotton and wool. • The material's ability to regulate air and moisture transport is enhanced. • This packaging material is biodegradable, cost-effective, and antibacterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a precise model for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is vital to simulate, manage, control, and estimate the optimal parameters accurately. However, the process has some challenges due to the nonlinear nature of fuel cells (FCs) and the missing parameters in datasheet. Also, the reported approaches have some restrictions in their behaviors. This paper proposes a new methodology incorporated exponential distribution optimizer (EDO) to construct PEMFC's equivalent circuit through estimating their parameters with the aid of experimental data. The algorithm is characterized by exploration/exploitation balance that avoids falling in local solutions. Sum square error (SSE) between the measured and estimated terminal voltages is selected as the target to be mitigated. The analysis is performed on four different FCs which are Ballard Mark V 5 kW, BCS-500 W, SR-12 500 W, and NedStack PS6. The proposed EDO is compared to reported approaches of mayfly optimization algorithm (MOA), chaotic mayfly optimization algorithm (CMOA), modified Harris hawks optimizer (MHHO), fractional order modified HHO (FMHHO), hybrid vortex search algorithm and differential evolution (VSDE), and other programmed approaches of sine cosine algorithm (SCA), seagull optimization algorithm (SOA), tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA), and gold rush optimizer (GRO). The best scores are 0.852056, 1.16978E-02, 1.056628, and 2.079166 obtained through the proposed EDO for Ballard Mark V 5 kW, BCS-500 W, SR-12 500 W, and NedStack PS6 cells, respectively. The absolute error ratios of CMOA, MOA, FMHHO, MHHO, VSDE, SOA, SCA, GRO, and TSA attributed to the error obtained by the proposed EDO in case of BSC-500W are 0.17%, 3.49%, 0.62%, 15.50%, 3.78%, 29.12%, 86.30%, 0.90%, and 10.33%, respectively. Despite the nine approaches considered in comparative analysis having some issues with convergence speed, they converged the best solution. Moreover, the dynamic model of PEMFC is established in Simulink and its performance is assessed through applying step load disturbance. The fetched results demonstrated the superiority of the proposed EDO in establishing reliable models of various PEMFCs. • EDO is proposed to estimate the optimal parameters of different PEMFCs. • Comparison to MOA, CMOA, MHHO, FOHHO, VSDE, SCA, SOA, TSA, and GRO is conducted. • The dynamic behavior of the established model is assessed at different demands. • The obtained results demonstrated the efficacy and reliability of the proposed EDO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis is brewing up worldwide and there is an urgent need to develop and adopt products with low carbon footprint. Although the drivers of pollution are numerous, the lack of solid waste management is a key contributor. To tackle this menace of increasing solid waste in the environment three R's of waste management are proposed which includes reduce, recycle, and reuse. In this research, an attempt has been made to reuse solid waste from different sources to fabricate a brick that conforms to the standards laid by international and local building codes. Plastic waste comprising of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) were utilized along with waste foundry sand from steel industry. Waste plastic brick with different dosages of PET, HDPE, and LDPE as well as waste foundry sand were manufactured. Its properties were later investigated and compared with control clay fired brick samples. Test results revealed that waste plastic brick formulation 50:50 i.e. (waste plastic: foundry sand) exhibited the optimal mechanical performance. Its compressive strength was 8.23 MPa which was comparable to second class clay fired brick. Its splitting tensile strength was 1.35 times and flexural strength was twice compared to second class clay fired brick. From durability perspective, waste plastic brick does not show any sign of efflorescence and has water absorption ten times less than conventional clay fired bricks. Waste plastic brick is a better thermal and electrical insulator than second class clay fired brick and also possesses adequate bond strength with mortar. From the test results it is evident that waste plastic brick formulation 50:50 has adequate structural performance and can serve as replacement of conventional clay fired bricks in masonry structures. Utilizing waste plastic brick in masonry structures would be a giant leap forward towards a sustainable construction sector while addressing environmental concerns simultaneously. [Display omitted] • Waste plastic brick is fabricated from waste plastic and foundry sand. • Waste plastic brick formulation 50:50 has optimal physico-mechanical properties. • Flexural Strength of waste plastic brick is twice the conventional clay fired brick. • Waste plastic brick has better insulation properties than clay fired brick. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seed coating developed with the synthetic consortium of beneficial microbes. • Effectively suppressed Fusarium wilt disease of pea plants. • Improved the seedling growth and performance of pea plants under Fusarium wilt disease. • Increased production of defense-related biochemicals and enzymes. • Improved plant growth attributes. Fusarium wilt disease of the pea crop caused by the infection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi (FOP) is a serious soilborne disease. In this study, we developed a seed coating containing a synthetic consortium of beneficial Bacillus microbes to manage the fusarium wilt disease. Three bacterial strains IS1, IS6, and IS7 isolated from the rhizosphere of different healthy-looking crop plants, were selected for the seed coating based on antagonism against the FOP shown during in-vitro studies, and suppression of fusarium wilt disease when applied as seed priming in preliminary pot trials. The strains were identified as B. subtilis (IS1), B. amyloliquificiens (IS6), and B. fortis (IS7) by 16 s rRNA gene sequencing. The seed coating with the consortium of all three bacterial strains showed a significant positive effect on seed germination, seedling height, and biomass accumulation of pea seedlings. Upon exposure to FOP, a > 50 % reduction in disease index was seen in pea plants raised from coated seeds than the pathogen control along with the ameliorative effect on plant growth attributes. Besides, the coating of consortium induced significant up-regulation of total phenolic compounds and enzymes of phenylpropanoid pathways. Additionally, the non-targeted metabolomic analysis indicated a large number of perturbations in amino acids, sugars, carbohydrates, and phenylpropanoids in pea plants raised from consortium-coated seeds and subsequently challenged with FOP. Based on the findings, consortium coating of Bacillus spp. on pea seeds may have the potential to develop a bio-based remedy for the management of wilt diseases in pea plants and improvement in growth attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Syngas-Diesel dual-fuel engine's combustion characteristics are investigated using H 2 -CO-rich flue gases. • Waste gases from the steel industry are used with an ignition source, diesel for IC engines for power plants. • Diesel_14 chemical kinetic set and the Gri-mech 3.0 sets are merged and reduced to capture the combustion process. • Diesel is injected with the same quantity for all types of fuels to investigate the performance of the engine. • BOFG offers short CD, higher IMEP, and output power, lower UHC and CO emissions with high NOx emission than the BFG and OBFG. This study aims to utilize H 2 -CO-rich waste gases as an alternative energy source for power generation in a dual-fuel engine setup, where diesel is used as an ignition source. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is developed and validated against experimental data using synthesis gas compositions containing H 2 , CO, CO 2 , and N 2. A chemical kinetics model is integrated to enhance combustion accuracy, combining the diesel_14 and Gri-mech 3.0 sets to compute reactions involving diesel and synthesis gas/flue gases. Following validation, the study analyzes the dual-fuel engine's performance using H 2 -CO-rich waste gases: Blast Furnace Gas (BFG), Blast Oxygen Furnace Gas (BOFG), and Oxygen Blast Furnace Gas (OBFG) under various inlet temperatures. BOFG with diesel combustion results in higher peak pressure and heat release due to its significant combustible content (75.4 %). When considering BFG with diesel, the SOC occurs at 1⁰ bTDC, whereas for the BOFG and OBFG, ignition commences at 0 TDC. Also, the BOFG's short combustion duration led to an IMEP of 0.88 MPa, enhancing engine capacity than the OBFG and BFG. The exit amount of CO and UHC is higher in the case of BFG compared to the other fuels. Also, BFG exhibits lower MPRR from 0.33 to 0.5 MPa/deg, attributed to its prolonged combustion duration. Higher combustion temperatures increase NOx emissions, notably for BOFG, due to elevated in-cylinder temperatures. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of H 2 -CO-rich waste gases in dual-fuel engines for power generation, highlighting BOFG's performance advantages while addressing emissions concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is an important extrahepatic cardiovascular complication of Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Aim: To determine the prevalence of NAFLD in young (=45 years) Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) patients, and to assess the association between severity of NAFLD and severity of CAD. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2017-April 2018, with a total of 85 patients. CAD severity was determined by coronary angiogram while its complexity by SYNTAX score. Fatty liver was diagnosed and graded by liver ultrasound examination. Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was 100%. Thirty-three (38.9%) had ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), 32 (37.6%) had Non STEMI (NSTEMI) and 20 (23.5%) had unstable angina. There was no significant correlation between NAFLD steatosis grades and ACS subtypes (p=0.721), severity of CAD (p=0.822) and SYNTAX score (p=0.982). No association between NAFLD fibrosis score and ACS subtypes (p=0.232), severity of CAD (p=0.445) or SYNTAX score (p=0.839) were observed. Conclusion: The NAFLD was extremely prevalent in young ACS patients. However, no significant association between severity of NAFLD and severity of CAD was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health, perceived social support, and death anxiety, and the predictive roles of mental health and perceived social support in the explanation of death anxiety in a sample of adults with chronic kidney disease. Methods: A demographic questionnaire, the Symptom Check List-25, the Social Support Survey Scale, and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) were used in the present study. The sample consisted of 58 adult patients with chronic kidney failure. Results: Findings showed that mental health had significantly positive relationships to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of death, the fear of pain and disease, and the death thoughts subscales of the DAS. Social support had a significant negative relationship to the total score of the death anxiety and the fear of pain and disease, the death thoughts, and the transient time and the short life subscales of the DAS. Mental health and combined mental health and social support explained 14% and 21% of death anxiety variation in patients with chronic kidney failure, respectively. Conclusion: Mental health and social support constructs can relatively predict the variations of death anxiety in patients with chronic kidney failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common life-threatening medical emergency that needs prompt diagnosis and management. Providing urgent care is a key determinant of quality in the emergency department (ED) and time-based targets have been implemented to reduce length of stay and overcrowding. The study aimed to determine factors that are associated with having a time-to-disposition of less than 4 h in patients with suspected PE who underwent computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CT-PA) to confirm the diagnosis.Methods: After obtaining approval from the ethics committee, we conducted a retrospective observational study by examining CT-PA scans that was performed to rule out PE in all adult patients presenting at the ED between January 2018 and December 2019. Demographic information and clinical information, as well as arrival and disposition times were collected from electronic health records. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify the independent factors associated with meeting the 4-h target in the ED.Results: In total, the study involved 232 patients (76 men and 156 women). The median length of stay in the ED was 5.2 h and the 4-h target was achieved in 37% of patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a positive CT-PA scan for PE was independently associated with meeting the four-hour target in the ED (odds ratio [OR]: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.8). Furthermore, Hemoptysis was the only clinical symptom that served as an independent factor associated with meeting the 4-h target in the ED (OR: 10.4; 95% CI: 1.2-90.8).Conclusion: Despite the lower number of staff and higher volume of patients on weekends, patients who presented on weekends had shorter stays and were more likely to meet the 4-h target. Careful clinical assessment, prior to requesting a CT-PA scan, is crucial, since negative CT-PA scans may be associated with failure to meet the 4-h target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the primary focus is to investigate the heat transfer effects with viscous compressible laminar flow in the permeable elliptic cylinder. The Reynolds number is kept 100 for flow to be laminar. The physics of heat transfer is selected to be coupled with the laminar flow. The results for particular step-size time for Velocity distribution, pressure profile, temperature profile, isothermal temperature contours, and drag coefficient have been analyzed. Mesh has been generated through COMSOL, mesh entities have been elaborated statistically. The maximum and minimum velocity profile is observed at the elliptical cylinder's walls and upper, lower boundary respectively. The maximum velocity observed is 2.22 m/s. Pressure profile around elliptic corners is found maximum, distinct patterns are observed even under the influence of applied heat. Temperature is observed maximum at walls but it gradually increases as moving from the upper boundary towards the lower boundary. The isothermal contour patterns are observed maximum near the walls, drag coefficient of gradual decrease is observed. COMSOL multi-physics is utilized for mathematical modeling of problems and the Backward-Differentiation-Formula has been exploited to handle problems numerically. The results will help greatly to understand the characterizations of viscous fluids and in industries like air furnaces and automobile cooling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rare disease. Background: Cerebral palsy may be accompanied by gastrointestinal disorders. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is an increasingly performed procedure in these patients. While PEG tube feeding can result in weight gain and a decrease in aspiration episodes, this insertion of a PEG tube is not without complications. Specifically, intestinal volvulus following PEG tube insertion is an exceedingly rare complication. Case Report: A 34-year-old man with cerebral palsy was brought to the emergency department with a history of recurrent vomiting. He had a history of PEG tube insertion 2 months prior to his presentation. The physical examination was non-contributory. Abdominal computed tomography was suggestive of an intestinal volvulus around the PEG tube. Subsequently, the patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which confirmed the diagnosis and enabled successful management. Unexpectedly, the patient suffered cardiac arrest 5 days following the operation. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed with pharmacological intervention and defibrillation in accordance with the advanced cardiac life support guidelines. He recovered successfully and was discharged after a 4-day observation. Conclusions: Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for small bowel volvulus in patients who had a PEG tube inserted, along with intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, caregivers should be educated to recognize the early signs of intestinal obstruction and seek medical attention, since a delay can result in fatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is intervening in the media industry and revolutionizing the concept of news anchoring and reporting through AI characters. Discover Pakistan, a Pakistani mainstream TV channel, launched the first AI talk show, as claimed by the CEO of the channel, Mr. Qaisar. It showcased one AI clone of Mr. Qaisar himself with three other AI characters of different nationalities. This research intends to discourse on the semiotics of representation of nationality, religious connotations, gender implications, and political evaluation of AI characters portrayed in the program. The study incorporated representation theory to highlight the value and the meaning of reality through the optics of AI and its implications in the future of the media industry. Results denoted that there are generalized judgments about religious association, political disinformation, virtual nationalism, and the prevalent idea of surrendering before AI. This study further highlights the importance of AI in promoting culture through tourism and emphasizes the need to utilize AI for more beneficiary purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous heat transfer applications, such as heat exchangers, solar trough collectors, and fields including food processing, material research, and aerospace engineering, utilize hybrid nanofluids. Compared to conventional fluids, hybrid nanofluids exhibit significantly enhanced thermal conductivity. The aim of this work is to explore flow and heat transmission features under of magneto-hydrodynamic bioconvective flow of carbon nanotubes over the stretched surface with Dufour and Soret effects. Additionally, comparative dynamics of the carbon nanotubes (SWCMT − MWCNT/C2H6O2 with SWCMT − MWCNT/C2H6O2 − H2O) flow using the Prandtl fluid model in the presence of thermal radiation and motile microorganisms has been investigated. Novel feature Additionally, the focus is also to examine the presence of microorganisms in mixture base hybrid nanofluid. To examine heat transfer features of Prandtl hybrid nanofluid over the stretched surface convective heating is taken into consideration while modeling the boundary conditions. Suitable similarity transform has been employed to convert dimensional flow governing equations into dimensionless equations and solution of the problem has been obtained using effective, accurate and time saving bvp-4c technique in MATLAB. Velocity, temperature, concentration and microorganisms profiles have been demonstrated graphically under varying impact of various dimensionless parameters such as inclined magnetization, mixed convection, Dufour effect, Soret effect, thermal radiation effect, and bioconvection lewis number. It has been observed that raising values of magnetization (0.5 ≤ M ≤ 4), mixed convection (0.01 ≤ λ ≤ 0.05) and inclination angle (0° ≤ α ≤ 180°) enhance fluid motion rapidly in Ethylene glycol based Prandtl hybrid nanofluid (SWCMT − MWCNT/C2H6O2) when compared with mixture base working fluid of carbon nanotubes SWCMT − MWCNT/C2H6O2 − H2O). Raising thermal radiation (0.1 ≤ Rd ≤ 1.7) and Dufour number (0.1 ≤ Du ≤ 0.19) values improves temperature profile. Moreover, a good agreement has been found between the current outcome and existing literature for skin friction outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]