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Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) plays a critical role in ensuring the stability and security of the future clean energy supply. However, the efficiency and reliability of UHS technology depend heavily on the careful and criteria-driven selection of suitable storage sites. This study presents a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making framework integrating the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Preference Ranking Organisation Method for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) to identify and select the best hydrogen storage sites among depleted gas reservoirs in the UK. To achieve this, a new set of site selection criteria is proposed in light of the technical and economic aspects of UHS, including location, reservoir rock quality and tectonic characteristics, maximum achievable hydrogen well deliverability rate, working gas capacity, cushion gas volume requirement, distance to future potential hydrogen clusters, and access to intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs). The framework is implemented to rank 71 reservoirs based on their potential and suitability for UHS. Firstly, the reservoirs are thoroughly evaluated for each proposed criterion and then the AHP-PROMETHEE technique is employed to prioritise the criteria and rank the storage sites. The study reveals that the total calculated working gas capacity based on single-well plateau withdrawal rates is around 881 TWh across all evaluated reservoirs. The maximum well deliverability rates for hydrogen withdrawal are found to vary considerably among the sites; however, 22 % are estimated to have deliverability rates exceeding 100 sm3/d, and 63 % are located within a distance of 100 km from a major hydrogen cluster. Moreover, 70 % have access to nearby RESs developments, with an estimated cumulative RESs capacity of approximately 181 GW. The results highlight the efficacy of the proposed multi-criteria site selection framework. The top five highest-ranked sites for UHS based on the evaluated criteria are the Cygnus, Hamilton, Saltfleetby, Corvette, and Hatfield Moors gas fields. The insights provided by this study can contribute to informed decision-making, sustainable development, and the overall progress of future UHS projects within the UK and globally. [Display omitted] • A novel multi-criteria site selection framework is proposed for UHS in gas fields. • Eight selection criteria are proposed to capture the most essential UHS technical and economic aspects. • The model integrates the AHP and PROMETHEE methods for decision-making. • 71 gas reservoirs in the UK are ranked based on their suitability for conversion to UHS assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasterboard, a commonly utilized construction material, comprises a gypsum core nestled between two paper layers. Gypsum after demolition of plasterboards is a recyclable waste that has been reused into new plasterboard or other purposes such as agricultural products. However, there is a lack of understanding on the potential for recycling the paper layers. This study investigates the use of wastepaper fibers, obtained from the paper layers, as a reinforcing material and metakaolin as a partial cement replacement material in concrete. This study demonstrates the ability of the paper from waste plasterboard for reinforcing concrete. Wastepaper fibers were used at different concentrations ranging from 0 to 2.5% by weight of binder. Bending test was conducted for assessing fracture behavior of concretes, including load bearing capacity, modulus of rupture, crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) at the load bearing capacity, fracture toughness, and fracture energy. Slump, axial compression, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also conducted on the concretes. It is found that incorporating wastepaper fiber by up to an optimum content of 1.5% results in an increase in the compressive strength (57%), flexural load bearing capacity and modulus of rupture (31%), CMOD displacement at load capacity (14%), fracture toughness (37%), and fracture energy (73%) of the metakaolin‐based concrete. However, further increase in the wastepaper fiber content results in decreased mechanical properties of the concrete, which is due to the fiber agglomeration and non‐uniform distribution within the concrete matrix. Based on the results, the concrete with 20% metakaolin and 1.5% wastepaper fiber experiences similar mechanical properties to the conventional concrete. The results of this study underscore the substantial potential of leveraging waste materials such as wastepaper and by‐products like metakaolin to diminish reliance on conventional cement. This approach not only enhances the mechanical properties of concrete but also fosters sustainable building practices by promoting the recycling of waste materials, reducing carbon footprint, and mitigating the environmental impacts inherent in traditional concrete production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with disabilities (PWD) have different health service needs and different factors affect the utilization of these services. Therefore, the aim of this present study was to identify determinants of inpatient healthcare utilization among PWDs in Iran. Methods: This research was a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study. The present study used data gathered for 766 PWDs (aged 18 years and older) within the Iranian Society with Disabilities (ISD) between September and December 2020. Multiple logistic regression models calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals in order to identify determinants of inpatient healthcare utilization among PWDs. Results: Data for 766 people with disabilities were analyzed. A large number of participants were over 28 years of age (70.94%), male (64.36%), and single (54.02%). In the present study, more than 71% of participants had no history of hospitalization during the last year. In this study, males [aOR 2.11(1.14–3.91), participants with Civil Servants health insurance coverage [aOR 3.44 (1.16 − 10.17)] and individuals in the 3th quartile of disability severity [aOR 2.13 (1.01 − 4.51)] had greater odds of inpatient healthcare utilization compared to the other groups. The value of the concentration index (C) for inpatient healthcare utilization was − 0.084 (P.value = 0.046). The decomposition analysis indicated that gender was the greatest contributor (21.92%) to the observed inequality in inpatient healthcare utilization among participants. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the likelihood of hospitalization among the study participants could be significantly influenced by factors such as gender, the health insurance scheme, and the degree of disability severity. These results underscore the imperative for enhanced access to outpatient services, affordable insurance coverage, and reduced healthcare expenditures for this vulnerable population. Addressing these issues has the potential to mitigate the burden of hospitalization and promote better health outcomes for disadvantaged individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by the Leishmania protozoan affecting millions of people worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. The immune response involves the activation of various cells to eliminate the infection. Understanding the complex interplay between Leishmania and the host immune system is crucial for developing effective treatments against this disease. Methods: This study collected extensive transcriptomic data from macrophages, dendritic, and NK cells exposed to Leishmania spp. Our objective was to determine the Leishmania-responsive genes in immune system cells by applying meta-analysis and feature selection algorithms, followed by co-expression analysis. Results: As a result of meta-analysis, we discovered 703 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), primarily associated with the immune system and cellular metabolic processes. In addition, we have substantiated the significance of transcription factor families, such as bZIP and C2H2 ZF, in response to Leishmania infection. Furthermore, the feature selection techniques revealed the potential of two genes, namely G0S2 and CXCL8, as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for Leishmania infection. Lastly, our co-expression analysis has unveiled seven hub genes, including PFKFB3, DIAPH1, BSG, BIRC3, GOT2, EIF3H, and ATF3, chiefly related to signaling pathways. Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of immune system cells to Leishmania infection and offer novel potential targets for the therapeutic goals. Author summary: Leishmaniasis is a group of diseases caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. The infection involves various cells, and effective diagnosis and treatment require a clear understanding of its multiple aspects. We conducted a study using meta-analysis and feature selection algorithms combined with co-expression analysis to shed light on the key responsive genes and mechanisms involved in Leishmania infection. Our findings revealed transcriptional signatures associated with essential cellular metabolic functions and immune system response. We also confirmed the critical role of transcription factor families, including bZIP and C2H2 ZF, in response to Leishmania infection. The applied feature selection techniques identified two genes that show potential as Leishmania infection biomarkers and treatment targets. Moreover, our co-expression analysis identified seven crucial hub genes in signaling pathways. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune system cells' response to Leishmania infection and present novel potential targets for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of alloy elements, oxide phases, and created intermetallic compounds of aluminum alloy foams with different percentages of silicon, zinc, and combinations of both these elements were investigated on the compressive properties and fracture behavior of these foams. The results showed that the addition of alloying elements formed intermetallic compounds in the structure of the foam, and the number of intermetallic compounds increased with increasing the percentage of these elements which causes inconsistency between these compounds and base materials. All these factors changed the failure mechanism of these foams so that the failure behavior of pure aluminum foam and zinc-containing foams was a ductile failure, whereas the failure behaviors of silicon-containing foam samples were brittle. The Al–4%Si–4%Zn sample had the highest compressive strength among all of the fabricated samples due to the uniformly distributed intermetallic compounds in the cell wall of these samples, whereas the Al–8%Si, Al–8%Si–4%Zn, and Al–8%Si–8%Zn foam samples were more brittle than the other fabricated foam samples due to the more formation of brittle compounds such as CaAl2Si2 and their accumulation in a certain area which reduced the compressive strength of these foams. Also, it was observed that the energy absorption capacity and yield strength of pure aluminum foam generally increased with the addition of alloy elements due to the increase in the amount of created intermetallic compounds in the structure of these foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical wastewater is a significant contributor to environmental pollution, posing severe risks to both human health and the environment. To resolve this challenge, the removal of anti-cancer drugs from medical wastewater has been considered. This study investigated the removal of doxorubicin, an effective anti-cancer drug, from an aqueous solution using three types of adsorbents: activated carbon, multi-walled carbon nanotube, and montmorillonite. Our findings revealed that carbon nanotubes exhibited superior performance in doxorubicin removal from water compared to the other two adsorbents. Specifically, the maximum adsorption capacity of doxorubicin with an initial concentration of 50 mg L-1 on the carbon nanotube reached 500 mg g-1. In addition, surface modification of the adsorbents with acid resulted in a 15 % and 41 % increase in adsorption capacity, and an 85 % and 67 % reduction in equilibrium time for carbon nanotube and montmorillonite, respectively. The increasing pH proved to enhance the adsorption efficiency of carbon nanotubes and activated carbon, with the best performance achieved at solution pH of 10 and 8 for MWCNTs and AC, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patients with leukemia suffer from significant psychological, spiritual, and social symptoms. Therefore, the current research aimed to study the impact of spiritual end-of-life support on the quality of life for leukemia patients. Method: To this end, the present quasi-experimental research with a pre-test and post-test design was performed. The sample included 60 cancer patients randomly assigned to intervention and control groups through the method of permutation block. The experimental group received spiritual support intervention for eight sessions of 60 minutes, while the control group received no intervention. Patients filled out the questionnaire of World Health Organization Quality of Life. The World Health Organization conducts a three-phase assessment to measure the quality of life. These phases include a pre-test, which is conducted before any intervention takes place. Then comes the post-test, which occurs after the intervention. Finally, there is a follow-up assessment conducted two months after the post-test. The obtained results were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis and independent samples t-test using SPSS software. Results: The findings from the repeated measures analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant interaction between time and group (P = 0.01). In other words, being compared to the control group, the spiritual support significantly increased the life quality of the patients in the experimental group. The experimental group witnessed a sustained enhancement in the quality of life for a period of two months following the intervention (follow-up, P = 0.01). Conclusion: Ultimately, the provision of spiritual support has the potential to enhance the overall well-being of individuals approaching the end of their lives, offering solace and aiding them in comprehending the true essence and purpose of their existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an emerging form of cognitive-behavioral treatment that is based on functional context. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of ACT in individual and social adaptation in adolescents with disabled parents. Methods: The research design was a quasi-experimental, pre-test and post-test, with the control and experimental groups. The study population included all female adolescents with disabled parents in Mobarakeh, Isfahan, Iran, in 2017. The sample included 30 female adolescents with disabled parents selected using the purposive sampling method. The participants were randomly assigned to both experimental and control groups. The experimental group received ACT tests in 8 sessions, and each session lasted 90 minutes. The participants were assigned to each group before the intervention and at the end of the intervention using the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). Statistical analysis for this study was performed using SPSS-22 software for statistical calculations, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: According to the results, the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the individual adaptation and social adaptation variables in the experimental and control groups during the post-test period (130.58 ± 7.88 and 128.50 ± 7.79, respectively), compared to the pre-test (44.8 ± 0.7128 and 45.5 ± 0.5128, respectively), did not increase significantly. Moreover, the results indicated that there was no significant difference in the post-test period between individual adaptation scores (F = 1.191; P = 0.288; η2 = 0.054) and social adaptation scores (F = 0.727; P = 0.403; η2 = 0.033) of the experimental group and the control group. Conclusions: The results showed that there was no significant difference between individual and social adaptation scores in the post-test stage. This study suggests that treatment attempts were not very effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim in the present study was to explore the cultural and social factors for child marriage in Sanandaj, Iran. In this qualitative study, semi-structured individual interviews were employed to collect data from the women married under the age of 18, their parents, and key informants. Thematic analysis was used to generate new insights and concepts from the data, collected from 40 participants. The socio-cultural factors perpetuating child marriage, reported by participants, were; "neutralization of girls," "child marriage-inducing customs and beliefs," "determinant power of males," "technology and facilitators of child marriage." Families' efforts to marry their children, the acceptance of child marriage by law and norms, encouragement of social networks, neighborhoods, relatives, and peers all have a mutual and reinforcing interdependence, which facilitates child marriage in the community. So, the interaction of all these features should be taken into account while delving into child marriage phenomenon. Socio-cultural elements should be emphasized in all interventional efforts and micro- and macro-level health promotion policy-makings aiming at reducing the rate of child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the (Covid-19) pandemic outbreak, questioning regarding climate and incident of Covid-19 infection rates has been debated, while there is no clear research evidence until now in Iran. This study has focused on investigating the association between Covid-19 cases and demographic –meteorological factors in arid and semi-arid zones of Iran (from March 1, 2020, to January 31, 2022) by analyzing with Via Poisson and negative binomial regression. As a result, the incidence rate of both Covid-19 hospitalization and mortality cases reached peaks in the summer followed by the autumn. Interestingly, Covid-19 hospitalization cases are associated with humidity, temperature, and wind factors seasonally and monthly, but mortality cases are just associated with wind. In conclusion, the result demonstrated that demographicand meteorological factorsare positively and negatively associated with Covid-19 cases. Therefore, identifying the environmental factors contributing to the excess Covid-19 can help to prevent future pandemic waves in Iranian arid and semi-arid zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to study the feasibility of using machine learning in hot corrosion prediction of Inconel 617 alloy. Design/methodology/approach: By examination of the experimental studies on hot corrosion of Inconel 617, a data set was built for machine learning models. Apart from the alloy composition, this paper included the condition of hot corrosion like time and temperature, and the composition of the saline medium as independent features, while the specific mass change is set as the target feature. In this paper, linear regression, random forest and XGBoost are used to predict the specific mass gain of Inconel 617. Findings: XGBoost yields the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.98, which was highest among models. Also, this model recorded the lowest value of mean absolute error (0.20). XGBoost had the best performance in predicting specific mass gain of the alloy in different times at temperature of 900°C. In sum, XGBoost shows highest accuracy in predicting specific mass gain for Inconel 617. Originality/value: Using machine learning to predict hot corrosion in Inconel 617 marks a substantial progress in this domain and holds promise for simplifying the development and evaluation of novel materials featuring enhanced hot corrosion resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofertilizers has potential to improve crop productivity in a sustainable manner yet their impact on forage crops yields and forage quality indices have not been extensively explored. In this study, the impact of different cropping patterns and fertilizer sources on the forage yield and quality of ajowan (Carum copticum L.), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) was investigated. The findings shed light on the importance of biofertilizer application as a sustainable solution for enhancing forage production and quality in agricultural systems. The experimental treatments involved six cropping patterns [ajowan monoculture, fenugreek monoculture, pea monoculture, intercropping of one row ajowan + one row fenugreek + one row pea (1:1:1), two rows ajowan + two rows fenugreek + two rows pea (2:2:2), and three rows ajowan + three rows fenugreek + three rows pea (3:3:3)] and five fertilizer sources [no fertilizer (control), 100% chemical fertilizer (CF), chemical fertilizer + humic acid (CF + HU), chemical fertilizer + biofertilizer (CF + BF), and humic acid + biofertilizer (HU + BF)]. The results revealed that the 2:2:2 intercrop fertilized with CF + BF had the highest N, P, and K concentrations for the three species. The monoculture systems with CF + BF produced the highest forage yields for ajowan (5492 kg/ha), fenugreek (3811 kg/ha), and pea (12,695 kg/ha). In addition, 2:2:2 intercrop fertilized with CF + BF produced the highest forage quality for all three species, decreasing the crude fiber, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber contents and increasing forage ASH, dry matter intake, water‐soluble carbohydrates, and relative feed value. The 2:2:2 intercrop ratio combined with CF + BF application could be recommended to farmers as an eco‐friendly strategy (decreasing chemical fertilizer use) for improving forage productivity and quality in sustainable agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we determined the interaction of piperine and calf thymus DNA (ct DNA) in Tris-HCl buffer solution at pH = 6.8 and also evaluated the binding mechanism through the data of multi-spectroscopic techniques along with thermal melting and viscosity measurements. The outcomes of fluorescence quenching confirmed the occurrence of interactions between piperine and ctDNA and pointed out the role of piperine as the quencher. In addition, the KSV values were measured at three different temperatures of 298, 303, and 308 K to be 4.5 × 107 M−1, 5.65 × 107 M−1, and 9.36 × 107 M−1, respectively, which suggested the dominance of dynamic mechanism as the fluorescence quenching of piperine-ctDNA. The thermodynamic parameters revealed the predominance of hydrophobic forces in the interaction of ctDNA with piperine. According to the resonance light scattering data, the formation of a complex between piperine and ctDNA led to the creation of a larger particle. Ethidium bromide (EB) and acridine orange (AO) displacement studies, along with the ionic effects of NaCl and KI assessments, confirmed the interaction of piperine-ctDNA through a groove binding mode. The melting temperature assay of ctDNA upon the addition of piperine concentration indicated the probable groove binding of piperine to ctDNA, which was affirmed by relative viscosity measurement as well. The lack of detecting any alterations in the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of CD investigation verified as a characteristic sign of groove binding mechanism and also confirmed all the experimental results with regard to the binding of piperine-ctDNA complex. Next to observing a concentration and time-dependent cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 cells, the impact of piperine on increasing lipid peroxidation and decreasing the activity of superoxide dismutase was also noticed. Apparently, piperine is capable of inducing caspase-3 activity as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, a microwave resonance sensor (MRS) was presented composed of interdigital structure, meander structure, chandelier‐form, and T‐shaped structure. The combination of four structures results in a good electromagnetic field strength at the sensing location. It caused increased sensitivity. Due to the high use of methanol in industry, samples have been selected from this material. The samples used are methanol and water solution and place on location sensing. For measurement was used samples with 80% methanol with a permittivity of 59%–10% methanol with a permittivity of 77. Also, tissue samples including sheep, chicken and fish have been used to measure the proposed sensor. The resonance frequency of the samples changes in the range of 2.14‐1.46 GHz. The sensitivity of the presented MRS is 2.6% and the Q‐factor is 1252. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, most activities of the statistical offices need to be adapted to the modernization policies of the national statistical system. Therefore, the application of machine learning techniques is mandatory for the main activities of statistical centers. These include important issues such as coding business activities, address matching, prediction of response propensities, and many others. One of the common applications of machine learning methods in official statistics is to match a statistical address to a postal address, in order to establish a link between register-based census and traditional censuses with the aim of providing time series census information. Since there is no unique identifier to directly map the records from different databases, text-based approaches can be applied. In this paper, a novel application of machine learning will be investigated to integrate data sources of governmental records and census, employing text-based learning. Additionally, three new methods of machine learning classification algorithms are proposed. A simulation study has been performed to evaluate the robustness of methods in terms of the degree of duplication and purity of the texts. Due to the limitation of the R programming environment on big data sets, all programming has been successfully implemented on SAS (Statistical analysis system) software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edward Bond's The War Plays align with Theodor Adorno's characterization of utopia as the recognition of reality's dialectically gleaned potential for change. Formal and dramaturgical contradictions within The War Plays serve to stimulate social and political possibilities. Within this context, art functions as a form of "determinate negation," acting as a tool of resistance against ideological manipulations. As such, this study unveils how Bond's early confidence in the capacity of art to drive positive societal change evolves into a more nuanced position that recognizes both the enduring impact of cultural norms, and their tendency to recur throughout history. Any optimistic utopianism within Bond's The War Plays is therefore accompanied by the inescapable shadow of past conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is essential because the challenges that ASD children and their parents face will be managed better by developmental and behavioral intervention at earlier ages. Objectives: This study aims to diagnose ASD based on electroencephalography (EEG) with the help of an artificial neural network (ANN). Materials & Methods: The statistical population includes all girls and boys aged 3 to 7 years referred to child psychiatry and neurodevelopmental centers in Mashhad City, Iran. A total of 34 children with ASD (5 girls and 29 boys) and 11 children without any neurodevelopmental disorders (8 girls and 3 boys) participated in this study. EEG signals were recorded through C3 and C4 channels based on the standard 10-20 system. With the help of programming codes, the absolute power of the frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, mu rhythm, beta, and gamma) was extracted from the brain signals of the samples. Results: This study showed a significant difference in mu rhythm between the two groups. The classification result based on discriminant function analysis in two groups gave a sensitivity of 67.6% in the third stage of EEG recording. Seven band frequencies were used as features for ANN inputs. The results indicated that the radial basis function network with 402 neurons in the hidden layer accurately diagnosed and classified the EEG signals of ASD children from nonneurodevelopmental children (mean square error=1.22325e-5). Conclusion: It can be concluded that band frequencies are notable features in diagnosing ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of supplemental monensin administration on the metabolic responses of dairy cows, a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis were conducted. Initially, 604 studies were identified through comprehensive database searches, including Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed, using key words related to dairy cows, monensin, and metabolic outcomes. After a 2-stage screening process, 51 articles with a total of 60 experiments were selected for meta-analysis based on criteria such as study implementation date between 2001 and 2022, presence of a control group that did not receive monensin supplementation, reporting of at least 1 outcome variable, and presentation of means and corresponding errors. The meta-analysis used the 1-stage random-effects method, and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the results. The results showed that the administration of monensin at a dosage of 19 to 26 mg/kg was inversely related to methane emissions and that the administration of monensin at a dosage of 18 to 50 mg/kg resulted in a significant decrease in dry matter intake. Administration of monensin at doses of 13 to 28 and 15 to 24 mg/kg also resulted in a significant decrease in ruminal acetate proportion and an increase in propionate proportion, respectively, with no effects on ruminal butyrate, NH 3 , or pH levels. We found no effects on blood parameters or nitrogen retention, but a significant negative correlation was observed between monensin supplementation and fecal nitrogen excretion. Based on the analysis of all variables evaluated, the optimal dose range of monensin was estimated to be 19 to 24 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of catalysts with adequate stability for the n -hexane hydroisomerization reaction is always a challenge in refineries. Therefore, in this work, the metal-organic framework UiO-66, heteropoly phosphomolybdic acid (HPMo), and bifunctional (Pd + Pt)/HPMo/UiO-66 samples were synthesized, characterized by experimental techniques, and tested in the n-hexane hydroisomerization reaction. As a result, the microporous (0.2%Pd+0.3%Pt)/30%HPMo/UiO-66 bifunctional catalyst exhibited an iso-hexane selectivity of 86% and n -hexane conversion of 72.1% after 36 h of reaction time. In addition, the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was used to examine the kinetics of this reaction due to the inhibitory effect of hydrogen. The results provided an acceptable fit to the experimental data and allowed the determination of the kinetic parameters. Accordingly, the apparent activation energy of this bifunctional catalyst and the adsorption heats of hydrogen and n -hexane were calculated at 26.27, −16.12, and −7.82 kJ mol−1, respectively. [Display omitted] • Hydroisomerization of n-hexane was performed over (Pd + Pt)/HPMo/UiO-66 sample. • Bifunctional catalyst (0.2%Pd+0.3%Pt)/30%HPMo/UiO-66 exhibited 75% nC 6 conversion. • The highest iC 6 selectivity was achieved at 90.1%. • Kinetic study was carried out using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. • The apparent activation energy was obtained at 26.27 kJ mol−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections, usually caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). However, antibiotics are a usual treatment for UTIs; because of increasing antibiotic-resistant strains, vaccination can be beneficial in controlling UTIs. Using immunoinformatics techniques is an effective and rapid way for vaccine development. Methods: Three conserved protective antigens (FdeC, Hma, and UpaB) were selected to develop a novel multiepitope vaccine consisting of subunit B of cholera toxin (CTB) as a mucosal build-in adjuvant to enhance the immune responses. Epitopes-predicted B and T cells and suitable linkers were used to separate them and effectively increase the vaccine's immunogenicity. The vaccine protein's primary, secondary, and tertiary structures were evaluated, and the best 3D model was selected. Since CTB is the TLR2 ligand, molecular docking was made between the vaccine protein and TLR2. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation was employed to evaluate the stability of the vaccine proteinTLR2 complex. The vaccine construct was subjected to in silico cloning. Results: The designed vaccine protein has multiple properties in the analysis. The HADDOCK outcomes show an excellent interaction between vaccine protein and TLR2. The MD results confirm the stability of the vaccine protein- TLR2 complex during the simulation. In silico cloning verified the expression efficiency of our vaccine protein. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that our designed vaccine protein could be a promising vaccine candidate against UTI, but further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water storage plays a profound role in the lives of people across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as it is the most water-stressed region worldwide. The lands around the Caspian and Mediterranean seas are simulated to be very sensitive to future climate warming. Available water capacity depends on hydroclimate variables such as temperature and precipitation that will depend on socioeconomic pathways and changes in climate. This work explores changes in both the mean and extreme terrestrial water storage (TWS) under an unmitigated greenhouse gas (GHG) scenario (SSP5-8.5) and stratospheric aerosol intervention (SAI) designed to offset GHG-induced warming above 1.5 ∘ C and compares both with historical period simulations. Both mean TWS and extreme TWS are projected to significantly decrease under SSP5-8.5 over the domain, except for the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in the wetter lands around the Caspian and Mediterranean seas. Relative to global warming, SAI partially ameliorates the decreased mean TWS in the wet regions, while it has no significant effect on the increased TWS in drier lands. In the entire domain studied, the mean TWS is larger under SAI than pure GHG forcing, mainly due to the significant cooling and, in turn, a substantial decrease in evapotranspiration under SAI relative to SSP5-8.5. Changes in extreme water storage excursions under global warming are reduced by SAI. Extreme TWS under both future climate scenarios is larger than throughout the historical period across Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula, but the response of the more continental eastern North Africa hyper-arid climate is different from the neighboring dry lands. In the latter case, we note a reduction in the mean TWS trend under both GHG and SAI scenarios, with extreme TWS values also showing a decline compared to historical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study proposes various designs of partial-ring geometry totalbody positron emission tomography (PET) scanners which maintain an extended axial field of view (AFOV) while remaining cost-effective, without sacrificing image quality. Methods: The total-body uEXPLORER PET scanner was simulated using the GATE Monte Carlo code. Partial-ring PET configurations were simulated, reducing the number of detectors by 25% in both the transaxial and axial directions. The sensitivity, noise equivalent count rate (NECR), and image quality of the partialring configurations were compared to those of the full-ring configuration. Results: The system sensitivity of partial-ring designs was 0.61 and 0.77 times that of the full-ring detector PET for detector reduction in the axial and transaxial directions, respectively. Notably, despite the higher sensitivity, the 10 mm sphere could not be detected in the transaxial reduction mode. When considering all spheres except the 10 mm one, the mean relative error of contrast recovery (CR) for the same time duration was 2% for detector reduction in the axial direction, whereas it increased to 9% for reduction in the transaxial direction. Conclusion: The results show that reducing the number of detectors in total-body PET scanners can significantly lower manufacturing costs associated with long AFOV PET systems. Although the reduced detector configuration resulted in lower sensitivity, the image quality of the NEMA phantom was found to be superior in the axial reduction mode compared to the transaxial reduction mode. Additionally, the image quality exhibited only a slight difference from that of the full-ring scanner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest challenges facing the world today is global warming. Long‐term analysis of spatiotemporal variations in widespread heat days (WHDs) is one approach to monitoring this phenomenon, rather than focusing on the temperature trend. The objective of this study was to reconstruct the temporal and spatial variation of WHDs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) using the long‐term NOAA/CIRES/DOE 20th Century Reanalysis (V2) (20CRv2) reanalysis data between 1871 and 2012. Based on a 90% probability of occurrence, the temperature threshold for detecting WHDs was defined to be different for each grid point. Then, most WHDs of each month (142 samples) were identified based on the connected component labelling method. The results showed that most WHDs for each month occurred mainly after 2000. In general, the western parts of Iran, Syria, southern Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and northern Sudan had the highest density of WHDs. In the second period (1941–2012), the extent of WHDs increased compared to the first period (1871–1941). The spatial relationship between WHDs density in the first and second periods showed no statistical relationship, indicating that WHDs were completely different in the two periods. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the effects of global warming by using the relatively longest data sets. The comparison between the two periods shows that the WHDs in MENA have changed in extent (instead of variability). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the noncommutative space–time to revive the idea that gamma-ray excess in the galactic center may stem from the annihilation of particle dark matter. In the noncommutative theory, the photon spectrum is produced by direct emission during this annihilation wherein a photon can be embed in the final state together with other direct products in new vertices. In the various configurations of dark matter phenomenology, we pursue the most prevalent model known as singlet scalar. Calculating the relevant aspects of the model and determining the parameters phase space, we derive the photon flux in the galactic center. This region, known for its high density and occasional existence of robust magnetic fields, serves as an ideal location for investigating theories that encompass the concept of Lorentz symmetry breaking. Upon comparing our numerical achievements with experimental data, it becomes evident that noncommutative space–time can be a reliable framework to explain the gamma-ray excess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Stroke is one of the causes of long-term morbidity. Despite rehabilitation strategies, most survivors live with motor deficits in the upper limbs. Objectives. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of contralateral cross education (CE) and high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) on the function of upper extremity in subacute phase of stroke. Methods. Forty patients were randomly assigned into 4 groups. Group "A" received physical therapy (PT) for 10 sessions, 3 times per week. Group "B" received PT and HF-rTMS as follows: stimulation of 20 Hz for 5 s, intertrain interval for 50 s, 20 trains, 2000 pulses at 90% resting motor threshold, and conventional PT. Group "C" was treated with CE and PT. In group "D," HF-rTMS, CE, and PT were administered. Results. Significant differences were found in the Fugl-Meyer scale between "A" and "C" (P = 0.01), "A" and "D" (P = 0.02), and "B" and "C" groups (P = 0.01). In the box-block test, there were significant differences between "A" and "B" (P = 0.01), "A" and "C" (P < 0.001), "B" and "D" (P = 0.001), and "B" and "C" groups (P = 0.01). Statistical differences were observed in grip strength between "A" and "B" (P = 0.01) and "A" and "C" groups (P = 0.02). Conclusions. It is suggested that clinicians select the therapeutic methods in line with their expected goal. When the goal is to improve upper extremity function, CE+PT could be more effective than HF-rTMS+PT. Also, CE+PT and HF-rTMS+PT were more effective than CE+HF-rTMS+PT at improving grip strength. Therefore, combining several methods would not always lead to better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was performed to assess the concentration and health risk of eight trace elements (manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As)) in animal product samples (n = 120) in Markazi province of Iran by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Some trace elements such as Mn, Hg, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Zn were detected in samples while Cd and As non-detected. Fe had the highest mean level of trace elements in meat samples (1551.28 ± 83.25 μg/kg). The levels of Pb and Hg in some samples were upper than the limit of the European Commission (EC) and the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI), International/National Standards for Heavy Metals, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Deterministic and probabilistic health risk assessment approaches to evaluate of the target hazard quotients (THQ) and carcinogenic risks (CR) index were applied. The Monte Carlo probability distributions revealed that the rank order of total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) was milk > meat > egg. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic index of toxic elements indicated that exposed population in Markazi province was safe (1> THQ, 10−4> CR), except Hg exposure for children in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducted the CO 2 methanation reaction over the nickel-based catalysts supported on CaO.Al 2 O 3 with different CaO/Al 2 O 3 molar ratios. The catalyst support was synthesized with the mechanochemical method, and the influence of nickel loading was investigated on the selected catalyst support with an appropriate CaO/Al 2 O 3 molar ratio. According to the results, incorporating Al 2 O 3 into the CaO increased the BET area from 5 to 196 m2 g−1. Also, the S BET of the calcined catalysts decreased with the augmentation of nickel oxide percentage from 5 to 15 wt% due to the pore blocking of the support after metal addition. Moreover, the activity of catalysts enhanced with the increment of CaO/Al 2 O 3 molar ratio and NiO percentage, ascribed to the improvement in the reducibility of the catalysts. However, the excessive addition of CaO and nickel oxide reduced the CO 2 conversion because of a significant decrease in surface area. Therefore, 10 wt% NiO/CaO.2Al 2 O 3 catalyst possessed superior CO 2 conversion (79.1%) and CH 4 selectivity (98.1%) in CO 2 methanation reaction at 450 °C, H 2 /CO 2 = 4 and GHSV = 18,000 ml h−1.g−1 cat. The selected sample illustrated great stability for 11 h without any remarkable change in its initial catalytic activity. The impact of GHSV on the catalytic performance of the selected catalyst was evaluated, and the outcomes exhibited that decrement in GHSV value enhanced CO 2 conversion. With the increment of feed ratio (H 2 /CO 2) from 2 to 5, CO 2 conversion reached 93.3%, ascribed to the existence of adequate hydrogen to react with CO 2. [Display omitted] • The CaO–Al 2 O 3 supports were synthesized by the mechanochemical method. • Effect of CaO:Al 2 O 3 with different molar ratios was evaluated in the CO 2 methanation process. • Various nickel loadings were investigated over the selected CaO–Al 2 O 3 powder. • 10 wt% NiO/CaO.2Al 2 O 3 showed the highest CO 2 conversion and CH 4 selectivity in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, removal of P-Nitrophenol (PNP) as a nitro-aromatic contaminant from the aqueous medium have been investigated using the photochemical oxidation process by UV-activated periodate. The experiments were performed in a photochemical reactor with a volume of one litre. The central composite design (CCD) as a response surface method was applied for the experimental design and optimisation of the process parameters by design expert software. The aim of this study was to distinguish the optimum level of independent variables intended for the dependent variable. The selected independent variables were the initial concentration of PNP, initial pH, and the amount of initial concentration of KIO4 that could affect the degradation efficiency (DE) as response (dependent variable). The CCD demonstrated an excellent relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The mathematical equations and response surface plots were utilised to determine the interactions and explain the results. The optimum conditions were found to be at pH = 5.8, [KIO4] = 83.3 ppm, [PNP] = 10 ppm, and after 30 min of the process, 88% degradation efficiency was obtained. To verify the adequacy and prediction power of the model, the predicted optimum conditions were validated by the actual experiments. Furthermore, p-nitrophenol mineralisation was also examined under optimal conditions and displayed the ability of the process to mineralise 35% of p-nitrophenol after 30 min. Also electrical energy consumption of the process was obtained about 102.74 kWh/m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, considerable attention has been given to using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for capturing oil from oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, despite MNPs' inherent instability and agglomeration. Their stabilization through changing surface chemistry is required to increase dispersivity. In this research, we use cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant to increase the positive surface charge of the particles, resulting in a better stability in the aqueous solution because of increased repulsive forces. The functionalized MNPs are characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and contact angle (CA) measurements. The aim of this study is to investigate the oil separation efficiency (SE) and equilibrium oil adsorption capacity of the synthesized particles, which are determined using gas chromatography analysis. We also study the adsorption behavior using isotherm and kinetic models. The SE values indicate the superior performance of MNP@CTAB for oil adsorption from dodecane-in-water nanoemulsion (SE = 99.80%) compared to the bare MNPs with SE of approximately 57.46%. These findings are attributed to the stronger electrostatic attraction between the MNP@CTAB having high positive charge and negatively charged oil droplets. The adsorption isotherm results using both linear and non-linear regression methods show that the Freundlich isotherm is the best fit to the experimental equilibrium data (with calculated R2 > 0.97), verifying a multilayer heterogeneous adsorption. Moreover, the pseudo-first-order kinetic model describes the experimental equilibrium data in a greater congruence (R2 = 0.99), suggesting physical adsorption of oil onto MNPs through van der Waals and physical bonding, which is also confirmed through zeta potential measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental destruction, water crisis, and clean energy are among the very important challenges worldwide based on sustainable development goals. Photocatalytic fuel cell, a potential candidate for converting chemical energy into electrical energy through a pollution-free method, holds promise in addressing these challenges. In this regard, we investigated the response of a photoanode covered with UiO66-NH2-TiO2/NiF on a porous nickel foam as an attractive electrochemical response to remove antibiotics from aqueous solution and simultaneously produce electricity using a one-step hydrothermal synthesis. Nickel foam with its fine structure provides a suitable space for the interaction of light, catalyst, and efficient mass transfer of reactive molecules. It appears that it can be used as a competitive electrode in fuel cells. In order to investigate the properties of the photocatalyst, structural analyses including XRD, FESEM, FTIR, and UV–vis DRS were utilized. Additionally, polarization and electrochemical tests such as chronoamperometry and EIS were measured to further examine the electrochemical features of the PFC photoanode system. The obtained results under optimal conditions (SMZ concentration = 20 ppm, pH = 6, irradiation time = 120 min) were as follows: removal efficiency of 91.7%, Pmax = 16.98 μW/cm2, Jsc = 96.75 μA/cm2, Voc = 644 mV. The light-induced current flow in UiO66-NH2-TiO2/NiF exhibited prominent and reproducible photocurrent responses, indicating efficient and stable charge separation in TiO2/NiF composite materials, which is a promising strategy for pollutant removal and simultaneous electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: If somatization is an independent personality trait, it is not clear whether it is specific to the temperament or maladaptive spectrum of personality. We aimed at the head-to-head comparison of temperament and maladaptive systems and spectra of personality to predict both somatization and somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD). Methods: The samples included 257 cases with SSRD (70.8% female) and 1007 non-SSRD (64.3% female) from Western Iran. The Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5), Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4 (PDQ-4), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A), Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS), and Positive Affect and Negative Affect Model (PANAS) was used to data collection. A somatization factor plus temperament and maladaptive spectra of personality were extracted using exploratory factor analysis. Several hierarchical linear and logistic regressions were used to test the predictive systems and spectra. Results: All personality systems jointly predict both somatization and SSRD with a slightly higher contribution for temperament systems. When the temperament and maladaptive spectra were compared, both spectra above each other significantly predicted both somatization (R2 =.407 versus.263) and SSRD (R2 =.280 versus.211). The temperament spectrum explained more variance beyond the maladaptive spectrum when predicting both the somatization factor (change in R2 =.156 versus.012) and SSRD (change in R2 =.079 versus.010). Conclusion: All temperament and maladaptive frameworks of personality are complementary to predicting both somatization and SSRD. However, the somatization is more related to the temperament than the maladaptive spectrum of personality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new bounded force feedback control law to improve transparency in nonlinear bilateral teleoperation systems in the presence of three problems in practical applications of teleoperation systems such as input saturation, asymmetric time varying communication delays with no restriction on their rates of variation and parametric uncertainties, simultaneously. The proposed controller is a nonlinear-proportional plus nonlinear damping (nP + nD) controller with the addition of a nonlinear adaptive term and nonlinear function of the environment force on the slave side and nonlinear function of the human force and force error on the master side. Using a novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, the asymptotic stability and position and force tracking performance of the teleoperation system are established under specific conditions on the controller parameters, actuator saturation characteristics and maximum allowable time delay. The validity of the theoretical results is corroborated by the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we apply the Cădariu–Radu method derived from the Diaz–Margolis theorem to investigate existence, uniqueness approximation of Ξ-Hilfer fractional differential equations, and Hypergeometric stability for both finite and infinite domains. An example is given to illustrate the main result for a fractional system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim in this paper is to study the fuzzy stability of a fractional Lorenz system in the sense of the Caputo-Fabrizio derivative and a fractional financial crisis in the sense of ♄−Hilfer derivative. Defining a new type of fuzzy control function that has a dynamic situation helps us to investigate new stability results for these mathematical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow separation control on an adverse-pressure-gradient ramp model is studied using various flow control strategies. Using a steady turbulent flow, the effects of utilizing an active hybrid control (suction and blowing) on the separation bubble behind a ramp are investigated numerically. A parametric analysis is conducted in which the actuators' pitch angle, diameter, and streamwise position are varied. The results are compared to determine the most effective method for compensating adverse pressure gradients and managing the separated flows on a ramp model. The best results for the blowing scenario correspond to a blowing actuator with a dimensionless distance of L x / L 1 = − 1 / 70 from the top of the ramp, a dimensionless diameter of d / L 1 = 1 / 70 , and a dimensionless angle of θ / θ 0 = 2 / 6 . The actuator is found to be able to wipe out the separation zone entirely at a velocity ratio of 3. The best results for the suction approach belong to a suction actuator with L x / L 1 = 1 + 1 / 70 from the top of the ramp, d / L 1 = 3 / 70 , and θ / θ 0 = − 4 / 6 . The modeling shows that the actuator removes the separation zone at a lower velocity ratio, namely, at 1.5. Nonetheless, a recirculation zone forms behind the suction point. Using a combined system, with a velocity ratio of 0.5 for a diameter of 3 and 2 for a diameter of 1, eliminates the separation zones on the ramp and after the suction actuator while lowering energy consumption. The blowing actuator consumed 3.2 times as much power as the combined actuator, whereas the suction actuator consumed 1.2 times as much power. Therefore, analyzing the present results as a prerequisite makes it possible to reduce flow separation and its adverse effects in more practical environments such as airfoils with an optimal cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study seeks to clarify various ways in which metonymy can affect the meaning of Persian noun-noun nominal compounds. An analysis of 280 endo- and exocentric Persian noun-noun nominal compounds reveals that as far as the role of metonymy in the construction of meaning is concerned, this cognitive mechanism can affect the meaning of Persian nominal compounds in four ways as follows: a) metonymical modifier, b) metonymical head, c) metonymical head and modifier, and d) metonymic nominal compounds as a whole. While the pattern of metonymical modifier only affects the meaning of endocentric compounds, the other three patterns function in the meaning of exocentric compounds. This study substantiates Brdar and Brdar-Szabo's (2013) and Brdar's (2017) assertion that metonymy may either act upon the constituents of the compound, i.e., before compounding (the first, second, and third pattern), or the compound as a whole, i.e., after the combination of constituents (the fourth pattern). It is also argued that the metonymical relationship between head and modifier cannot be regarded as a pattern. If such an argument was plausible, non-figurative endocentric compounds would also be metonymical and compounding would basically require the functioning of metonymy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has identified key factors affecting in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection success, yet the lack of a standardized approach for various treatments remains a challenge. Objective: The objective of this study is to utilize a machine learning approach to identify the principal predictors of success in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatments. Materials and Methods: We collected data from 734 individuals at 2 infertility centers in Mashhad, Iran between November 2016 and March 2017. We employed feature selection methods to reduce dimensionality in a random forest model, guided by hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs). A hybrid approach enhanced predictor identification and accuracy (ACC), as assessed using machine learning metrics such as Matthew’s correlation coefficient, runtime, ACC, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, precision or positive predictive value, recall, and F-Score, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining feature selection methods. Results: Our hybrid feature selection method excelled with the highest ACC (0.795), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.72), and F-Score (0.8), while selecting only 7 features. These included follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH), 16Cells, FAge, oocytes, quality of transferred embryos (GIII), compact, and unsuccessful. Conclusion: We introduced HFSs in our novel method to select influential features for predicting infertility success rates. Using a multi-center dataset, HFSs improved feature selection by reducing the number of features based on standard deviation among criteria. Results showed significant differences between pregnant and non-pregnant groups for selected features, including FSH, FAge, 16Cells, oocytes, GIII, and compact. We also found a significant correlation between FAge and fetal heart rate and clinical pregnancy rate, with the highest FSH level (31.87%) observed for doses ranging from 10-13 (mIU/ml). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma is a common respiratory disease in children. Family factors play a role in its incidence and severity. This study investigated the effect of parental psychological flexibility, parental psychological adjustment to the child's illness, and parental psychological distress on the severity of asthma symptoms of children through mediating child anxiety. Methods: A total of 216 parents of children with asthma were asked to complete the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, the Parent Experience of Child Illness, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items, and the parent-report Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Severity of asthma symptoms was assessed by spirometry. Results: The highest path coefficient was between parental psychological flexibility and the severity of paediatric asthma symptoms (β = 0.34). Parental psychological distress was found to affect the severity of asthma symptoms of children (β = -0.21) and also mediate child anxiety and then affect the severity of asthma symptoms of children (β = -0.25). Conclusion: Parental psychological flexibility, parental psychological adjustment to the child's illness, and parental psychological distress had significant effects on the severity of asthma symptoms of children through mediating child anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain functional abnormalities have been commonly reported in anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobias. The role of functional abnormalities in the discrimination of these disorders can be tested with machine learning (ML) techniques. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of ML studies exploring the potential discriminating role of functional brain alterations identified by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in anxiety disorders. We conducted a search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus of ML investigations using fMRI as features in patients with anxiety disorders. A total of 12 studies (resting-state fMRI n = 5, task-based fMRI n = 6, resting-state and task-based fMRI n=1) met our inclusion criteria. Overall, the studies showed that, regardless of the classifiers, alterations in functional connectivity and aberrant neural activation involving the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, temporal pole, cerebellum, default mode network, dorsal attention network, sensory network, and affective network were able to discriminate patients with anxiety from controls, with accuracies spanning from 36 % to 94 %. The small sample size, different ML approaches and heterogeneity in the selection of regions included in the multivariate pattern analyses limit the conclusions of the present review. ML methods using fMRI as features can distinguish patients with anxiety disorders from healthy controls, indicating that these techniques could be used as a helpful tool for the diagnosis and the development of more targeted treatments for these disorders. • fMRI has the potential to predict anxiety disorder subtypes. • The review summarizes ML studies exploring this potential in patients and HC. • Insula and DMN create the most discriminative patterns in fMRI. • ML applied to fMRI is able to distinguish subtypes of anxiety disorders. • Results need to be replicated in bigger and more homogeneous samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each anti-cancer drug has special effects on the target cells. One of the most important reasons to recommend an anti-cancer drug is related to the influences of it on the mechanical properties of the target cells. In this study, the effects of cetuximab and cisplatin anti-cancer drugs on the mechanical properties of A-549 and Calu-6 cells as the cancerous lung cells have been investigated. For both of the cells and anti-cancer drugs, MTT assessment has been used to define the convenient dosages for 24 and 48 h incubations based on IC50 concentration for the cell line viability. The mechanical specifications of the cells before and after treatment were obtained using nanoindentation by the JPK Instruments' NanoWizard3 atomic force microscope. The results show that cetuximab increases the stiffness of A-549 cell from 1225 to 3403 and 12 690 Pa for 24 and 48 h incubations. The influence of cetuximab on the Calu-6 shows that the elastic modulus after 24 and 48 h culture times increases about cisplatin anti-cancer drug, for A-549 cell indicates that the elastic modulus rises from 1225 to 1506 and 2375 Pa for 24 and 48 h, respectively. For Calu-6 cell, cisplatin has an important role to increase the stiffness of the cell. Applying cisplatin increases the elastic modulus from 33 to 682.8 Pa for 24 h and 1105 Pa after 48 h incubations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoledronic acid (ZLD) is a bisphosphonate drug widely administered against pathological conditions such as hypercalcemia of malignancy, osteoporosis, bone metastases from solid tumors, and multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, renal injury is a serious and dose-limiting adverse effect of ZLD. There is no specific mechanism for ZLD-induced renal damage. The current study aimed to assess the effects of ZLD (10 and 15 mg/kg, i.p., single dose) on the rat kidney. In this regard, several parameters, including oxidative stress biomarkers, serum level of BUN and creatinine, inflammatory cytokines, kidney histopathology, and indices of mitochondrial function were assessed. A significant increase in serum Cr and BUN revealed renal injury. Moreover, kidney histopathological changes, including interstitial inflammation, tissue necrosis, and tubular atrophy, were detected in ZLD-treated rats. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, including a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), depletion of kidney glutathione (GSH) stores, increased lipid peroxidation, and suppression of the total antioxidant capacity, were detected in ZLD-treated animals. ZLD also significantly increased renal levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. ZLD exposure was also associated with significantly decreased mitochondrial dehydrogenases activity, mitochondrial depolarization, mitochondrial permeabilization, and ATP depletion. These data highlight mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress as potential mechanisms in ZLD-induced kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study explores the potential of a deep learning-based approach for predicting the current efficiency of aluminium sacrificial anodes in marine environments. The model takes into account various input variables, including the chemical composition of the sacrificial anode, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, pressure, cathode electrode, current density, and the ratio of the surface area of the cathode to anode, with the anode current efficiency serving as the output variable. Utilising artificial neural networks in this study shows a mean absolute percentage error of 6.4% and 7.8% for the training and validation for predicting the current efficiency. The proposed model shows promising potential to predict the current efficiency of aluminium sacrificial anodes and improve the design of cathodic protection systems based on aluminium sacrificial anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ptosis causes an extra folding of tissues lateral to the eyebrows. Different techniques aimed to correct this with varying outcomes and limitations. We analyzed the long-term results of an office-based technique for deep-plane subgaleal lift under local anesthesia and assessed patient satisfaction. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the long-term outcome of a modified temporal brow lift technique in patients with lateral eyebrow ptosis. The incision lines were marked 3–5 mm behind the temporal lines, and then at the deep temporal fascia layer was dissected. The three key steps in the procedure included (1) detecting the sentinel vein by transillumination; (2) cutting the lateral orbital ligament; and (3) releasing the superior temporal septum by blunt and sharp dissections. Finally, the tissues were fixed to the deep temporal fascia. After 1 and 12–15 months, the distance between the lateral brow and lateral canthus was measured. Results: We operated on 44 Iranian women (ranging from 28 to 51 years) between 2019 and 2021. The mean post-surgical brow elevation was 11.5 mm (95% CI 10.8–12.2; 133.4% improvement) after 1 month and 7.2 mm (6.4–8.1; 88.2% improvement) after 12–15 months. Minor complication (i.e., the stitch abscess) was observed in 6.8% of patients (three patients). Major complications included a complete relapse (two patients; 4.5%) and alopecia (one patient; 2.3%). Overall, 88.6% of patients (39 patients) were satisfied with the outcome. Conclusions: Lateral brow ptosis could be corrected with a modified temporal lift technique using transillumination for the detection of the sentinel vein and preservation of the temporal branch of the facial nerve. The durability of this procedure could be enhanced with a complete release of septal adhesions and proper fixations. Level of evidence: level IV, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization recommends assessing screening for helicobacter pylori infection to lower gastric cancer (GC) rates. Therefore, we carried out a study to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of different H. pylori screening approaches in Iran. Materials and Methods: We used a Markov model with a 50‐year time horizon and health system perspective to compare four H. pylori screening strategies (endoscopy, serology, urea breath test [UBT], stool antigen test [SAT]) to no screening in the population aged 20 years and older in Iran. Model parameters were extracted from primary data and published studies. Cost data also came from medical records of 120 patients at different stages of GC. We calculated costs, quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for each strategy. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) using Monte Carlo simulation tested the model's robustness. All analyses were done in TreeAge Pro 2020. Results: All screening strategies provided more QALYs compared to no screening. Base‐case analysis found the UBT strategy was the most cost‐effective, with an ICER of 101,106,261.5 Iranian rial (IRR) per QALY gained, despite being more costly. No screening and endoscopy were dominated strategies, meaning they had higher costs but provided fewer effectiveness compared to other options. PSA showed at a willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) threshold of 316,112,349 IRR (Iran's GDP per capita) per QALY, UBT was the optimal strategy in 57.1% of iterations. Conclusion: This cost‐effectiveness analysis found that screening for H. pylori may be cost‐effective in Iran. Among the 4 screening strategies examined, UBT was the most cost‐effective approach. Further studies should do cost‐effectiveness analyses for specific age groups to optimize the benefits achieved with limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a silicon-graphene-based absorber in the terahertz (THz) spectrum is provided for the synchronic surveilling of blood components such as water, glucose, cells, and so on. Our presented absorber has three resonant absorption frequencies at 0.865, 1.43, and 2 THz with a max Q-factor of 15.82. Although it has the advantages of miniaturized, low sample consumption, and cost-effectiveness it is simpler and faster than other conventional methods. Triple resonant absorption peak provides a highly sensitive sensor, reduces the quantification errors, and achieves higher precision to the change of samples dielectric constant in comparison with single or double band biosensors. So by attaching a test medium (analyte) and applying the various refractive index, it has been shown that the suggested biosensor sensitivity is approximated by the absorbency properties with average absorbance of 99.58% for the suggested biomedical sensor that is distinguished among the reported biomedical sensors structures. The impact of dielectric properties, operating frequency, and sample thickness on the operation of the graphene-based absorber is analyzed by the full wave FEM method. The proposed absorber with a narrow absorption spectrum and good sensitivity potentially can be used for biochemical sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of photo/electrocatalysts is an idea to simultaneously enhance power generation and pollutant degradation in a microbial fuel cell (MFC), which may improve its efficiency. Herein, a unique approach was taken to enhance the degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) by using a photo-assisted MFC technology with an Ag-2-methyl imidazole (mIm)/g-C 3 N 4 photocathode. Various physicochemical analyses were implemented to confirm the successful synthesis of the prepared samples. From the electrochemical analysis, the high current density (0.1 mA cm2) and the low charge transfer resistance were recorded for Ag-mIm/0.01 g-C 3 N 4 under light irradiation, which is more favorable for pollutants removal. Further investigation of the photo-assisted MFC with Ag-mIm/0.01 g-C 3 N 4 modified cathode revealed the maximum power density of 45.37 mW m2 under the light irradiation, which was 1.8 times higher compared with the dark state. The study demonstrated that the degradation efficiency of MB under light can achieve up to 69%, with an initial concentration of 30 mg L−1, after 72 h. This research suggested a promising process for further usage of MFCs in wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural product processing generates substantial quantities of agricultural waste and their disposal has become a critical concern, threatening human health and the environment. The pyrolysis process is an upgrading technology for producing valuable products from waste feedstocks. Hence, the potential of ecofriendly biochar derived from cotton waste was comprehensively investigated for methylene blue removal. The cotton-based biochar contained various pore sizes and functional groups on the surface verified by SEM and FTIR analyses. The impacts of adsorbent dose, methylene blue concentration, temperature, pH, and contact time on the adsorption of methylene blue were assessed to highlight the efficiency of the cotton-based biochar. The results revealed >90% removal under 10 mg/l methylene blue concentration, 0.7 g adsorbent dose, pH of 6, and contact time of 60 min at a temperature of 20 °C. The adsorption isotherm was well-fitted with the Freundlich model, indicating the multilayer methylene blue adsorption. The adsorption process was chemisorption and endothermic based on kinetic and thermodynamic modeling. Summing up, it can be suggested that the cotton-based biochar can be easily and efficiently applied for methylene blue removal from aqueous solutions, and further investigations are required to modify its specific surface area by a green synthesis approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive and therapy-resistant form of breast cancer with a significant economic burden on patients and healthcare systems. Therefore, we completed a systematic review to classify and synthesize the literature on the direct and indirect costs of TNBC. Methods: Databases including ISI Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched for all related articles assessing the economic burden of TNBC from 2010 until December 2022. The quality and eligibility assessments were done accordingly. We adjusted all costs to January 2023 $US. Results: From 881 records, 15 studies were eligible. We found that studies are widely disparate in the timetable, study design, patient populations, and cost components assessed. The annual per-patient direct costs of metastatic TNBC (mTNBC) were about $24,288 to $316,800. For early TNCB patients (eTNBC) this was about $21,120 to $105,600. Cancer management anticancer therapy costs account for the majority of direct costs. Along with an increase in cancer stage and line of therapy, healthcare costs were increased. Moreover, the indirect costs of patients with mTNBC and eTNBC were about $1060.875 and about $186,535 for each patient respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the direct and indirect costs of TNBC, mainly those of mTNBC, were substantial, suggesting attention to medical progress in cancer prognosis and therapy approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]