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• Distractions caused by fellow drivers (DFDs) have received little attention. • Associations between DFDs and other latent factors were evaluated using SEM. • DFDs are positively associated with stress among recipient drivers. • Stress is positively associated with anxiety-based performance deficits. • DFDs and stress are positively associated with crash propensity. Introduction: Aggressive behavior of drivers is a source of crashes and high injury severity. Aggressive drivers are part of the driving environment, however, excessive aggressive driving by fellow drivers may take the attention of the recipient drivers away from the road resulting in distracted driving. Such external distractions caused by the aggressive and discourteous behavior of other road users have received limited attention. These distractions caused by fellow drivers (DFDs) may agitate recipient drivers and ultimately increase crash propensity. Aggressive driving behaviors are quite common in South Asia and, thus, it is necessary to determine their contribution to distractions and crash propensity. Method: Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of DFDs using primary data collected through a survey conducted in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 801 complete responses were obtained. Various hypotheses were defined to explore the associations between the latent factors such as DFDs, anxiety/stress (AS), anxiety-based performance deficits (APD), hostile behavior (HB), acceptability of vehicle-related distractions (AVRD), and crash propensity (CP). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed as a multivariate statistical technique to test these hypotheses. Results: The results supported the hypothesis that DFDs lead to AS among recipient drivers. DFDs and AS were further found to have positive associations with APDs. Whereas, there was a significant negative association between DFD, AS, and AVRD. As hypothesized, DFD and AS had positive associations with CP, indicating that distractions caused by aggressive behaviors leads to stress and consequently enhances crash propensity. Practical applications: The results of this study provide a statistically sound foundation for further exploration of the distractions caused by the aggressive behaviors of fellow drivers. Further, the results of this study can be utilized by the relevant authorities to alter aggressive driving behaviors and reduce DFDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline (PANI) stands out as a highly promising conducting polymer with potential for advanced utilization in high-performance pseudocapacitors. Therefore, there exists a pressing need to bolster the structural durability of PANI, achievable by developing composite materials that can enhance its viability for supercapacitor applications. In this particular study, a pioneering approach was undertaken to produce a novel NiMn2O4/PANI supercapacitor electrode material. A comprehensive array of analytical techniques was employed to ascertain the structural configuration, morphology, oxidation states of elements, composition, and surface characteristics of the electrode material. The electrochemical evaluation of the NiMn2O4/PANI composite shows a specific capacitance (Cs) of 1530 ± 2 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Significantly, the composite material displays an outstanding 93.61% retention of its capacity after an extensive 10 000 cycles, signifying remarkable cycling stability, while the 2-electrode configuration reveals a Cs value of 764 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1 and 826 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with a smaller charge transfer resistance (Rct) value of 0.67 Ω. Chronoamperometric tests showed excellent stability of the fabricated material up to 50 h. This significant advancement bears immense promise for its potential implementation in high-efficiency energy storage systems and heralds a new phase in the development of supercapacitor technology with improved stability and performance metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective skills and training for physicians are essential for communicating difficult or distressing information, also known as breaking bad news (BBN). This study aimed to assess both the capacity and the practices of clinicians in Pakistan regarding BBN. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 151 clinicians. Quantitative component used a structured questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 13 medical educationists. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: While most clinicians acknowledged their responsibility of delivering difficult news, only a small percentage had received formal training in BBN. Areas for improvement include time and interruption management, rapport building, and understanding the patients' point of view. Prognosis and treatment options were not consistently discussed. Limited importance is given to BBN in medical education. Discussion: Training in BBN will lead to improved patient and attendants' satisfaction, and empathetic support during difficult times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean environment is the basic need for all the living things. Due to increase in population and industrialization, the environmental pollution has been increasing because most of the industries causing pollution attributed to discarding their waste in the environment i.e., in water. By this act of these industries the aquatic as well the human life possesses serious threat. It is necessary to remove these life-threatening chemicals from the environment. In the present study, we fabricated CoNi 2 O 4 , ZnSe and their composite (CoNi 2 O 4 /ZnSe) via facile hydrothermal route and are characterized by various spectroscopy and microscopy analysis to confirm the structure, morphology, surface area along with optical properties of fabricated substance. These materials are then applied for removal of methylene blue under the exposure of visible light. Our finding shows that the CoNi 2 O 4 /ZnSe show better efficiency and it can also be applied for other energy related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer management, necessitates a nuanced understanding of complications that may impede treatment progression. This study scrutinize the impact of Haemoblock hemostatic solution, evaluation it's potential in reducing seroma complication by controlling lymph flow and obliterating axillary dead space. Method: A prospective, randomized, double‐blinded controlled trial was conducted with 58 patients undergoing breast conserving surgery (BCS) and ALND, stratified into two groups: Group A (ALND + Haemoblock, n = 29) and Group B (ALND + placebo, n = 29). Postoperative drainage charts were monitored, with the primary endpoint being the time to drain removal, Additionally, patients were observed for surgical site infection (SSI). Results: Group A exhibited a marginally higher mean total drain output (398 +/− 205 vs. 326 +/− 198) compared to Group B, this difference did not attain statistical significance (p = 0.176). Equally, the mean time to drain removal demonstrated no discernible distinction between the two groups (6 +/− 3.0 vs. 6 +/− 3.0, Group A vs. Group B, p = 0.526). During follow up, nine patients in Group A required seroma aspiration (mean aspiration 31 +/− 73) as compared to Group B, 6 patients required aspiration (mean aspiration 12 +/− 36), p = 0.222). No notable disparity in SSI rates between the groups was identified. Conclusion: In conclusion, the administration of Haemoblock did not manifest a discernible effect in mitigating seroma production, hastening drain removal, or influencing SSI rates following ALND. The study underscores the intricate and multifactorial nature of seroma formation, suggesting avenues for future research to explore combined interventions and protracted follow‐up periods for a more comprehensive understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the solvability of the generalized Hilfer fractional inclusion associated with the solution set of a controlled system of minty type–fuzzy mixed quasi-hemivariational inequality (FMQHI). We explore the assumed inclusion via the infinite delay and the semi-group arguments in the area of solid continuity that sculpts the compactness area. The conformable Hilfer fractional time derivative, the theory of fuzzy sets, and the infinite delay arguments support the solution set's controllability. We explain the existence due to the convergence properties of Mittage–Leffler functions ( E α , β ), that is, hatching the existing arguments according to FMQHI and the continuity of infinite delay, which has not been presented before. To prove the main results, we apply the Leray–Schauder nonlinear alternative thereom in the interpolation of Banach spaces. This problem seems to draw new extents on the controllability field of stochastic dynamic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of fossil fuels and resulting environmental concerns have elevated the global issues, leading to a focus on developing alternative sustainable energy sources. However, supercapacitors (SCs) have been considered as possible solutions to address major global energy challenges. These devices are designed to generate and store energy efficiently. In this study, Mn-doped MnO2 material was fabricated utilizing the simple hydrothermal route to increase the electrochemical efficiency of MnO2 by doping strategy. However, the properties of the Mn-doped MnO2 material were analyzed with different analytical tools. The electrochemical result of Mn-doped MnO2 was determined, which revealed higher specific capacitance of 920.86 F g−1 than MnO2 (512.90 F g−1) at 1 A g−1 with low charge transfer resistance of Rct = 0.9 Ω. Furthermore, Mn-doped MnO2 exhibited exceptional stability of 50 h with capacitive retention of 97.14% after the 5000th cycle and contains a larger surface area with diverse morphology, which was responsible for the enhanced capacitive performance for use in various fields of energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthamoeba castellanii are opportunistic pathogens known to cause infection of the central nervous system termed: granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, that mostly effects immunocompromised individuals, and a sight threatening keratitis, known as Acanthamoeba keratitis, which mostly affects contact lens wearers. The current treatment available is problematic, and is toxic. Herein, an amphiphilic star polymer with AB2 miktoarms [A = hydrophobic poly(ℇ-Caprolacton) and B = hydrophilic poly (ethylene glycol)] was synthesized by ring opening polymerization and CuI catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Characterization by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, size-exclusion chromatography and fluorescence spectroscopy was accomplished. The hydrophobic drug itraconazole (ITZ) was incorporated in self-assembled micellar structure of AB2 miktoarms through co-solvent evaporation. The properties of ITZ loaded (ITZ-PCL-PEG2) and blank micelles (PCL-PEG2) were investigated through zeta sizer, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Itraconazole alone (ITZ), polymer (DPB-PCL), empty polymeric micelles (PCL-PEG2) alone, and itraconazole loaded in polymeric micelles (ITZ-PCL-PEG2) were tested for anti-amoebic potential against Acanthamoeba, and the cytotoxicity on human cells were determined. The polymer was able to self-assemble in aqueous conditions and exhibited low value for critical micelle concentration (CMC) 0.05–0.06 µg/mL. The maximum entrapment efficiency of ITZ was 68%. Of note, ITZ, DPB, PCL-PEG2 and ITZ-PCL-PEG2 inhibited amoebae trophozoites by 37.34%, 36.30%, 35.77%, and 68.24%, respectively, as compared to controls. Moreover, ITZ-PCL-PEG2 revealed limited cytotoxicity against human keratinocyte cells. These results are indicative that ITZ-PCL-PEG2 micelle show significantly better anti-amoebic effects as compared to ITZ alone and thus should be investigated further in vivo to determine its clinical potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Various factors, such as obstructive azoospermia, cause infertility in men. Biochemical examination of ejaculate, especially measurement of fructose, can be an additional investigation that can be used for this diagnosis in reproductive health. Examination of fructose is carried out after routine ejaculate analysis, resulting in prolonging the examination time so that it will affect the measurement of fructose level in the ejaculate and the accuracy of the diagnosis. This study aims to determine the best timing and procedure for measurement of fructose using a semiautomatic method. Methods: This research is an analytic observational study conducted at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya. A total of 13 ejaculate samples from infertile male patients who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Each ejaculate was divided into eight aliquots that were examined for fructose using a semiautomated method after different intervals of time and centrifugation modalities. Results: This study showed a significant difference in fructose levels when aliquots were centrifuged and examined immediately or after different interval of time (p = 0.036). In addition, aliquots left standing for more than 60 minutes (p = 0.012) and 120 minutes (p < 0.001) before centrifugation, showed significantly lower levels compared to aliquots that were centrifuged and then immediately examined. Conclusions: We suggest that measuring fructose immediately after centrifugation is more reliable than measuring fructose left standing before or after centrifugation. Leaving the ejaculate standing will reduce the fructose level so that it does not resemble its real level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laughter therapy, known for its health benefits, has become a popular treatment for psychological conditions such as depression over the last ten years. The effectiveness of laughter therapy may differ with the cause of depression and the age of patients. No systematic reviews or meta-analyses have focused on the impact of laughter therapy on middle-aged women's depression. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of laughter therapy on depression in middle-aged women. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies on laughter therapy were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis which compared to the control group. The systematic review included English and non-English articles that were searched in CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE electronic databases. Search terms included laugh, qigong, laughter therapy, humor, yoga, intervention, depression, middle age, menopause, and women. The article screening process was conducted by four authors independently and finally agreed upon by all. This systematic review and meta-analysis were reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. JBI critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of inclusion studies. The risk of bias was assessed using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) assessment tool. Results: A total of 3102 studies were examined, and two publications (two quasi-experimental studies) were included. Studies were included and evaluated by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results indicated a significant decrease in depression among middle-aged women. Conclusion: Laughter therapy demonstrated cost-effectiveness and exhibited no adverse effects in middleaged women, making it a viable option for promoting health and reducing depression among middle-aged women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan faces significant public health challenges, including high rates of stillbirths, infant and under 5 child mortality, women dying during childbirth, low contraceptive prevalence rate, the upsurge of infectious diseases, and a significant burden of non-communicable diseases. Are we preparing skilled enough public health workforce? The healthcare system is fragmented and unregulated, lacking uniform care and a severe shortage of skilled human resources. Health system strengthening has one of six building blocks on the health workforce which is crucial for any public health intervention. The existing undergraduate MBBS curriculum in Pakistan uses "community medicine" interchangeably with "public health," despite the broader scope of the latter. Community medicine constitutes 8% of the teaching time, covering topics such as basic health concepts, health promotion, entomology, and reproductive health. To address emerging global health challenges, the MBBS curriculum should be updated. It should include scientific domains like epidemiology, health economics, medical statistics, sociology, psychology, and health management sciences. Research skills, evidence generation, and the use of information for decision-making should be emphasized. New methods of student assessment, program evaluation, and practical experiences are vital. Collaboration among public health practitioners, academicians, and medical educationists is needed to develop a holistic and technically sound curriculum. Pakistan requires an updated MBBS curriculum to meet the public health challenges of this century. It should incorporate interdisciplinary subjects, and innovative assessment methods, and prepare medical graduates for dealing with the public health emergencies of our times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Amidst inconsistent prescribing patterns and potentially harmful medication errors in the field of medical practice, this study endeavored to explore the prescription practices of physicians in Rawalpindi metropolitan city in Pakistan. Methods: A mixed method study was conducted based on the analysis of 1232 prescriptions gathered from 16 pharmacies, along with in-depth interviews with 13 practicing physicians. The prescriptions were assessed for legibility, polypharmacy, patient details, history, diagnosis, and other relevant information. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the prevalence of various aspects of prescription accuracy was calculated. Thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. Results: Almost half of the prescriptions were from the private general practitioners, and the rest were from hospital-based doctors and consultants. Only a small percentage of prescriptions were fully legible, and many had incomplete or missing patient information, medical history, and diagnosis. Polypharmacy was also found to be prevalent, with significant differences in prescription accuracy across different medical specialties. The absence of continuing medical education, influence of pharmaceutical industry, and overcrowded practice settings drive the doctors to prescription practices. On the user side, perception of polypharmacy, patient–physician communication, and availability and cost of medicines emerged as major themes. Conclusion: There is an obvious need to improve prescription accuracy regarding patient safety on the whole. Increased investment in health-care infrastructure, greater access to continuing medical education, and a commitment to promote evidence-based medicine could make a difference. Prescription practices must be safe, effective, and aligned with the latest advances in medical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fog computing contains resource-constrained devices closer to user proximity, which are insufficient for compute-intensive and large workloads. Cloud computing can help to address this limitation by transparently integrating fog and cloud data centers. However, the existing state-of-the-art does not integrate cloud and fog resources for maintaining application performance by dynamically offloading the tasks to the cloud while minimizing the cost. This paper introduces a new workload/job placement method that performs two-way offloading between cloud and fog to efficiently utilize the fog resources while minimizing the cost of using cloud resources to serve the workload. Our proposed solution is evaluated on various setups, including small-scale and large-scale data centers having homogeneous and heterogeneous physical machines (PMs) with different job batches, and compared with the existing state-of-the-art baseline method. Overall, the proposed solution outperforms the baseline method by utilizing 40.87 % more fog resources while reducing × 1.68 times cloud cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative technology that presents effective and attractive solutions to revolutionize various domains. Numerous solutions based on the IoT have been designed to automate industries, manufacturing units, and production houses to mitigate human involvement in hazardous operations. Owing to the large number of publications in the IoT paradigm, in particular those focusing on industrial IoT (IIoT), a comprehensive survey is significantly important to provide insights into recent developments. This survey presents the workings of the IoT-based smart industry and its major components and proposes the state-of-the-art network infrastructure, including structured layers of IIoT architecture, IIoT network topologies, protocols, and devices. Furthermore, the relationship between IoT-based industries and key technologies is analyzed, including big data storage, cloud computing, and data analytics. A detailed discussion of IIoT-based application domains, smartphone application solutions, and sensor- and device-based IIoT applications developed for the management of the smart industry is also presented. Consequently, IIoT-based security attacks and their relevant countermeasures are highlighted. By analyzing the essential components, their security risks, and available solutions, future research directions regarding the implementation of IIoT are outlined. Finally, a comprehensive discussion of open research challenges and issues related to the smart industry is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the debate over the into-A and into-B interpreting has never stopped, the focal point was mostly set on simultaneous interpreting and sign language interpreting. Directionality in consecutive interpreting (CI) has not been studied fully so far. The present systematic literature review was designed to examine the relationship between directionality and performance in CI across a wide range of settings and empirical methods based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and search for articles in English in Scopus and Web of Science. Three problems were investigated in the current research: (i) How does directionality impact performance among professional and student interpreters in CI? (ii) What factors contribute to the effect of directionality on performance? (iii) Does directionality preference impact the interpreter's performance? The findings include: (i) directionality proves to influence the performance of interpreters whose A- and B-languages are not equally proficient, whereas balanced bilinguals are not affected by directionality; (ii) both internal and external factors contribute to the interpreters' performance; (iii) only descriptive studies about interpreters' directionality preference were identified in the prior literature, and a further study with more focus on the interactive power of directionality preference on interpreters' performance is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This triangulation mixed methods study employed the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate the factors affecting continuance intention toward Coursera MOOCs blended learning (CMBL) with undergraduate students at a Vietnamese private higher education institution (HEI). IBM AMOS version 24 was employed, with which Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to examine the reliability and validity of the data collected from 637 students. Manual coding and thematic analysis of qualitative data collected from 30 interviewees, namely administrators, lecturers, curriculum developers, and students, were also conducted to identify the emerged themes and sub-themes. Content feature, social influence, and perceived usefulness were critical factors influencing the HEI students' continuance intention to use CMBL. This study makes two significant contributions. First, we contribute to the literature from a theoretical standpoint by comparing factors influencing students' acceptance of CMBL from critical stakeholders in a higher education institution. Second, our findings have practical implications on increasing undergraduate students' acceptance of blended learning using MOOCs for the long term, which could provide beneficial pointers for HEIs planning to integrate MOOCs for teaching and learning within the higher education context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portal hypertension, often stemming from liver cirrhosis or vascular anomalies, can result in cavernous transformation of the portal vein, a rare condition associated with biliary obstruction, variceal hemorrhage, and splenomegaly. This case report details a unique occurrence of portal hypertension, splenomegaly, and cavernous transformation of the portal vein successfully managed through splenectomy and spleno-renal shunt. A 30-year-old female with a history of portal hypertension, portal gastropathy, and splenomegaly presented with left upper quadrant abdominal pain. She had previously undergone esophageal variceal ligation and required intermittent blood transfusions. Additional complications included easy bruising, heavy menstrual bleeding, and a prior episode of hematemesis. Clinical assessment confirmed splenomegaly, while a CT scan confirmed the diagnosis. A tailored surgical approach was chosen, leading to splenectomy and spleno-renal shunt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Sox gene family is a set of specific transcriptional factor (TF) proteins, with a very similar sequence compared to the sex-determining region Y (SRY), related high-mobility group (HMG) box genes found in mammals. The Sox gene family is involved in many important developmental processes, including sex determination. In the current study, an in silico analysis was performed to provide insights into the evolutionary importance, mutations and gene duplication events of the buffalo Sox gene family. Based on our analysis, we found that the HMG domain was highly conserved throughout the Sox gene family. Mutational analysis revealed twenty non-synonymous mutations with potential detrimental effects on physiological functions in buffalo. The current study concluded that the buffalo Sox gene family was highly conserved throughout evolution, and the non-synonymous mutations identified could potentially be valuable for the selective breeding of buffalo. The Sox gene family constitutes transcription factors with a conserved high mobility group box (HMG) that regulate a variety of developmental processes, including sex differentiation, neural, cartilage, and early embryonic development. In this study, we systematically analyzed and characterized the 20 Sox genes from the whole buffalo genome, using comparative genomic and evolutionary analyses. All the buffalo Sox genes were divided into nine sub-groups, and each gene had a specific number of exons and introns, which contributed to different gene structures. Molecular phylogeny revealed more sequence similarity of buffalo Sox genes with those of cattle. Furthermore, evolutionary analysis revealed that the HMG domain remained conserved in the all members of the Sox gene family. Similarly, all the genes are under strong purifying selection pressure; seven segmental duplications occurred from 9.65 to 21.41 million years ago (MYA), and four potential recombination breakpoints were also predicted. Mutational analysis revealed twenty non-synonymous mutations with potential effects on physiological functions, including embryonic development and cell differentiation in the buffalo. The present study provides insights into the genetic architecture of the Sox gene family in buffalo, highlights the significance of mutations, and provides their potential utility for marker-assisted selection for targeted genetic improvement in buffalo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of individual poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or cellulose acetate (CA) electrospun fibers as bone tissue replacement was restricted by the weak mechanical properties of CA and the poor cell-affinity of PLA. In this study, core-shell fibers with PLA as the core component and CA as the shell layer were fabricated via coaxial electrospinning with significant improvements in the tensile strength and biocompatibility in comparison to individual PLA and CA fibers and blend PLA/CA fibers. The employment of a core-to-shell flow rate ratio of 0.25:0.5 mL/hr:mL/hr resulted in the formation of defect-free and uniformly distributed PLA-CA core-shell fibers (cs-PLA1-CA2) with the highest ultimate tensile strength (19.53 ± 1.68 MPa) and Young's modulus (0.62 ± 0.09 GPa) among all core-shell fibers produced in this study. These tensile values match the tensile properties of native cancellous bone and represent around a 130% and 160% improvement in strength and stiffness compared to monolithic CA fibers, respectively. Higher weight fraction and improved crystallinity of PLA-core were revealed to contribute to this mechanical enhancement of cs-PLA1-CA2. An in vitro biocompatibility study was conducted using human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB). The results indicate improved cell distribution, better cell-scaffold attachment, and higher cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of cs-PLA1-CA2 compared to monolithic PLA and blend PLA/CA fibers, while matching the growth performance of hFOB seeded on tissue culture polystyrene (TCP). The PLA-CA core-shell fibers produced in this study hold great promise for use as bone tissue scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital to develop an effective energy storage system for storing energy sources, particularly renewable energy sources, which have grown substantially in the preceding decade. The development of effective electrode materials can aid in the resolution of such problem. Metal chalcogenides have shown promise in a various sector, consisting of energy conversion and storage. Herein, a novel hierarchical Ag 2 Se/SnTe nanocomposite is fabricated by in situ one step hydrothermal approach for supercapacitor applications. The various analytical techniques were employed for the structural, morphological, and textural properties of fabricated electrocatalyst material. The result of electrochemical studies suggests that the Ag 2 Se/SnTe exhibited the specific capacitance (C s) of 1560.32 F g−1, energy density (E d) of 99.76 Wh kg−1, power density (P d) 1356.8 W kg−1 @ 4 A g−1 and retention capacitance of 95% over 5000 cycle under 2.0 M KOH. This research not only demonstrates the enormous potential of the readily available Ag 2 Se/SnSe composite, but also a revolutionary approach for producing, high-performance and low-cost composite materials for many other energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technostress is a type of modern adaptive disease caused by the inability of an individual to meet the needs of the latest communication technology in a healthy and proper manner. The symptom can be experienced by those who are exposed to the technology over a period of time. This study aimed to identify the triggering factors to the occurrence of technostress and the level of technostress among educators at the Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Raja Melewar during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questionnaires were distributed to a group of respondents in 2021 (N = 148) through online survey. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The results showed that the majority of the educators was at a high level of technostress. The techno-uncertainty is seen as the main creator that led to the occurrence of technostress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The other technostress creator is techno-invasions, technooverload, techno-complexity and techno-insecurity. The results show that there are four creators was at a high mean score level and the techno-insecurity was at a moderate mean score level of all the technostress creators involved. Independent sample t-test results show that there is no significant difference in technostress for educators according to marital status and place of communication technology used at a significant level of .05. One-way ANOVA test found that there were significant differences in technostress according to age factor among educators. Technostress can be detected through individuals who are increasingly showing a strong dependence on this cutting -edge technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated measurements designs (RMDs) are most important and useful designs in research of various fields due to their economical property but residual or carry over effects are integral parts of these designs. To cope with these problems, balanced or strongly balanced RMDs should be used. In this manuscript Generators are developed to obtain balanced, strongly balanced and weakly balanced not circular repeated measurements designs (BRMDs, SBRMDs and WBRMDs) for k periods. This is an extension of Abdullah et al. (2019) where BRMDs and SBRMDs are constructed for one, two and three periods of different sizes. Efficiencies of these designs for direct and residual effects are also computed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of smartphones among the general public and health care practitioners, in particular, is ubiquitous. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness among health care students and workers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study used an online questionnaire to collect data on smartphone addiction, sleep quality, psychological distress, and loneliness as well as demographic information. Results: A total of 773 health care students and workers participated in the study, with an average age of 25.95 ± 8.35, and 59.6% female participants. The study found a positive significant association between smartphone addiction and psychological distress (F(1,771) = 140.8, P < 0.001) and emotional loneliness (F(1,771) = 26.70, P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant negative association between smartphone addiction and sleep quality was found (F(1,771) = 4.208, P = 0.041). However, there was no significant relationship between smartphone addiction and social loneliness (F (1,771) = 0.544, P < 0.461). Conclusion: These findings suggest that smartphone addiction has a negative impact on psychological distress, sleep quality, and emotional loneliness among health care students and workers. It is important to promote strategies to reduce smartphone dependency in order to avoid the harmful consequences of smartphone addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austenitic steel has been the backbone of the nuclear reactor industry for power generations for many decades. 304 Steel alloy with the minimal amount of nitrogen and carbon was designed based on the different alloying composition systems for traditional high strength–toughness combinations and longevity for high-temperature applications. At elevated temperatures, the combination of strength–toughness deteriorated by metallic phases and coarsening of carbides. Chromium increases oxidation and corrosion resistance; however, brittle intermetallic compounds can develop in the resultant alloys when the Cr level rises, resulting in low ductility. First, Calphad strategical optimization was used for alloying composition and processing parameters for high temperature and pressure applications using Thermocalc and Jmat-Pro software packages. Second, to increase strength–toughness combination, isothermal deformation for different stain rates (0.001–1 s−1) with different deformation temperatures (900–1200 °C) was applied. It was also proven that different dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanisms caused different grain size evolutions, and the dividing point was estimated to be 0.1 s−1 strain rate at high deformation temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants sense and respond to fluctuating temperature and light conditions during the circadian cycle; however, the molecular mechanism underlying plant adaptability during daytime warm conditions remains poorly understood. In this study, we reveal that the ectopic regulation of a HEAT RESPONSIVE PROTEIN (GhHRP) controls the adaptation and survival of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) plants in response to warm conditions via modulating phytohormone signaling. Increased ambient temperature promptly enhanced the binding of the phytochrome interacting factor 4 (GhPIF4)/ethylene-insensitive 3 (GhEIN3) complex to the GhHRP promoter to increase its mRNA level. The ectopic expression of GhHRP promoted the temperature-dependent accumulation of GhPIF4 transcripts and hypocotyl elongation by triggering thermoresponsive growth-related genes. Notably, the upregulation of the GhHRP/GhPIF4 complex improved plant growth via modulating the abundance of Arabidopsis thaliana auxin biosynthetic gene YUCCA8 (AtYUC8)/1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase 8 (AtACS8) for fine-tuning the auxin/ethylene interplay, ultimately resulting in decreased ethylene biosynthesis. GhHRP thus protects chloroplasts from photo-oxidative bursts via repressing AtACS8 and AtACS7 and upregulating AtYUC8 and the heat shock transcription factors (HSFA2), heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP20). Strikingly, the Î"hrp disruption mutant exhibited compromised production of HSP/YUC8 that resulted in an opposite phenotype with the loss of the ability to respond to warm conditions. Our results show that GhHRP is a heat-responsive signaling component that assists plants in confronting the dark phase and modulates auxin signaling to rescue growth under temperature fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Parents play a crucial role in children's educational attainment. Their perception influences their action in giving better formal education to their children. However, the scenario is different for the Indigenous community in Malaysia where formal education is deemed least important and there is a huge gap for Indigenous education attainment compared to the stream population. This paper aims to elucidate the parent perception of formal education effectiveness among the Indigenous community or Orang Asli (in the Malay language) in Terengganu, Malaysia. Methodology: The research using qualitative methods involved three Indigenous villages in the state of Terengganu. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and observation. The informants consisted of Indigenous parents, teachers and the officers of the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA). Findings: Results showed that parents' perceptions are generally stereotyped and unable to stimulate students' interest. The common problem in teaching and learning is related to parents' educational background, socioeconomic background, expectations, marital age, surrounding condition and awareness. Contributions: This study has given the real picture of Indigenous parents' perceptions toward formal education. The implications of Indigenous parents' education problems are significantly associated with degrading interest among students in education, issues of attendance and students' academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of cardiac Computed Tomography (CT) and echocardiography for the diagnosis of congenital heart diseases (CHD) at Rehman Medical Institute (RMI), Peshawar. Methodology: We conducted a cross sectional study at Rehman Medical Institute between January 2020 to July 2022. Patients of different ages referred for suspicion of congenital heart diseases were enrolled. The data was collected prospectively which included demographics, Echocardiography findings, CT scan results and procedure notes. Data was analyzed on SPSS the results of descriptive variables expressed as median and percentile. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: We included 129 patients, with 73 male and 56 females having age from few days to 18 years. The malformations were divided into intra and extra cardiac groups. 665 malformations were confirmed and analyzed keeping surgical and conventional angiography findings as gold standard. Among these 283 were intra and 99 extra cardiac findings. The echo and CT scan missed 2 and 4 intracardiac anomalies respectively. In case of extracardiac anomalies echo missed 14 anomalies however CT correctly diagnosed all. Both intra and extracardiac results are significant with a p value <0.05. Conclusion: We conclude that Echocardiography is preferred modality for intracardiac anomalies evident by 99.3% diagnostic accuracy while CTA provides better demonstration of extra cardiac abnormalities having diagnostic accuracy of 99.9%. Echocardiography and CTA are both complementary for assessment and evaluation of congenital heart diseases acting as guide to surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) is the recommended diagnostic method for individuals suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE). The objective of this study was to determine the degree of concordance and discordance of CTPA interpretations for diagnosis of PE between the resident and consultant radiologist at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar. Materials & Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted between 1st January 2022 and 30th June 2022 at radiology department of the Rehman Medical Institute in Peshawar. A consultant radiologist's report was contrasted to the first interpretation of the on-call radiology resident. For pulmonary embolism, studies were categorized as positive, negative, or equivocal. Inter-rater agreement was examined using an unweighted Kappa coefficient with a 95% confidence range. SPSS version 26 was used for data analysis. Results: Fifty successive CTPA tests were examined. The results showed that consultant interprets 43 (86%) of the studies as negative for PE. Residents, on the other hand, interpret 40 (80%) of them negatives. The concordance rate was 88%, with moderate statistical agreement, kappa = 0.597: 95% CI, 0.187-0.765. The discordance rate was 12%. Regarding cardiac chambers, the consultant reported 10 (20%) with cardiomegaly. However, residents interpreted only 2 (4%) of them cardiomegaly. Overall concordance rate was 82%, with weak kappa = 0.350: 95% CI, 0.00-0.688. In 18% of the cases, there was discordance. Conclusion: Resident radiologist can provide high level of interpretation of CTPA for PE, achieving moderate concordance with consultant radiologist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiation is one of big hazards in diagnostic imaging. Every imaging scan needs to be justified. For this reason, complete clinical information should be provided to radiology department in form of request form. The objective of our study was to assess the completion of radiology request form (RRF) referred to Radiology Department. Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Radiology department of Rehman Medical Institute (RMI), Peshawar over a period of 6 months (from June 2021 to Dec 2021). We checked a data of 300 radiology request forms based on random consecutive nonprobability sampling. Each category of the blank to be filled was given one score. Several fields in the form were evaluated for completeness, if filled, given 1 mark and if not then given 0 marks. The categories to be analyzed included patient's name, age, date, contact number, hospital registration number, address, clinical question, examination requested, treating doctor's name and previous imaging / labs. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 22. Results: A total of 300 forms were evaluated. Name, age, gender of patient was mentioned in 298 (99%) forms, 56 (18%) forms did not mention contact number of patients, relevant clinical history was missing in 104 (34%) forms, 252 (84%) forms had not mentioned clinical question for the examination and 22 (7.3%) forms did not have examination requested. 156 (52%) did not have doctor's name, 160 (53%) did not mention relevant labs and 127 (42%) did not provide any info on previous imaging. The most common missing was of clinical question. Conclusion: Based on our results we concluded that there was overall a good score of 98% in filling the radiology request form data in demographics, however unsatisfactory performance of 16% by our referrers was seen in mentioning the clinical question to be answered. Comparison made with similar studies has shown that this problem is worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maqāṣid al-Sharī'ah is a framework of divine values and beliefs that govern the life of a Muslim. It contains clear guidelines on how to live the good life the way the religion sees it and on what constitutes quality of life, happiness, and wellbeing for the Muslim. In more precise terms, the maqāṣid al-sharī'ah guides Muslim in regard to how they can achieve a sejahtera life. Although sejahtera living is a fundamental and a highly important concept, it is not widely researched or addressed in the current body of empirical literature. One can see that there is a paucity of empirical data on sejahtera living. To address this research gap, this study first developed a scale to measure sejahtera living and subsequently examined its validity. It also estimated the index scores of sejahtera living among students and employees of a public university in Malaysia. This article reports on the fi ndings of this validation exercise which involved a sample 1,057 lecturers, non-academic staff, and postgraduate and undergraduate students. Data were collected using a content validated 34-item questionnaire created based on the dimensions of the maqāṣid al-sharī'ah. The results of the Rasch measurement analysis provided evidence for the validity of the sejahtera living construct in terms of the good fit of the items, reliability and separation indexes, response category functioning, dimensionality, and construct validity. The extracted logit interval scores were used to construct linear measures of the baseline sejahtera living index. The findings support the need for instructional interventions and training to sustain and improve the quality of sejahtera living among Muslims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of caffeine and Vitamin D3 on the body weight of pregnant BALB/c mice. Design of Study: An RCT (Randomized control trial) in the Lab. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at Anatomy Department, Army Medical College (AMC), Rawalpindi, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, from Oct 2018 to Oct 2019. Material and Methods: Six-week-old pregnant BALB/c mice, thirty (30) in number, weighing 26-28g, were taken and divided into three groups with 10 pregnant mice in each group. The control group G1 was given a standard diet with water ad libitum for 21 days. The animals in experimental group G2, in addition to the standard diet, were given 10mg of caffeine per 100g body weight once a day on alternate days by oral gavage for 21 days. Similarly, mice in group G3, in addition to the diet of group G2, were given 0.1µg of vitamin D3 per day by oral gavage for 21 days. The body weights on 1st day, 7thday, 14th day, and 21st day of gestation in all the groups were measured to determine the influence of caffeine and vitamin D3. Results: Mean bodyweights of mice in control group G1 were noted as 26.8 ± 0.789g, 30.7 ± 0.949g, 36 ± 0.667g and 42 ± 1.054g on the 1st, 7th, 14th, and 21st day of gestation, respectively. The mean bodyweights of experimental group G2 were recorded to be 26.7 ± 0.675g, 29.9 ± 0.738g, 34.3 ± 0.823g, and 39.5 ± 0.972g on 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st day of gestation, respectively. The mean bodyweights of experimental group G3 were determined as 26.8 ± 0.632g, 30.4 ± 0.699g, 34.6 ± 0.516g, and 40.5 ± 0.850g on 1st, 7th, 14th, and 21st day of gestation, respectively. In comparison to the control group G1, the bodyweights of animals in experimental group G2 showed more decrease in the accrual of body weight than noted in experimental group G3. Conclusion: Caffeine intake has a decreasing influence on the growth of body weight in pregnant mice while intake of vitamin D3 somewhat nullifies the harmful effect of caffeine on body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work presents the development of hybrid glass fiber reinforced polyester resin (GFRPs) composite. The composite integrates functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) with glass fiber (GF) using polyester resin as a media. Hand lay-up method was adopted to prepare GFRPs samples in the form of rectangular sheets. Morphological characteristics of the GFRPs were investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to analyze the f-MWCNTs distribution and agglomeration of the developed composite's surface due to varying concentrations from 0.0 to 0.5 wt.%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed to confirm the presence of f-MWCNTs in the developed GFRPs. Sample with 0.4 wt. % f-MWCNTs showed the highest tensile strength and impact energy of 79 MPa, indicating a 31.66% improvement and 1.6 Nm with 77% improvement, respectively as compared to the control sample (0.wt.% f-MWCNT). The same sample also showed the thermal stability till 390 °C as measured through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Deposition of extra 10 layers initially increased the composite strength from 40 MPa to 128 MPa, however further increase in layers to 15 resulted decrease in strength to 100 MPa due to the poor interaction between the polyester resin and GF. The addition of f-MWCNTs in the composite effectively strengthens the interfacial bonding, which significantly improved the tensile and impact strength of the composite, making it tougher and thermally stable. However, further increase in the concentration of f-MWCNTs degraded the mechanical properties of developed composite such as compressive strength because of agglomeration of these nanoparticles and void formation in the composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bearing elements under rolling contact fatigue (RCF) exhibit microstructural features, known as white etching bands (WEBs) and dark etching regions (DERs). The formation mechanism of these microstructural features has been questionable and therefore warranted this study to gain further understanding. Current research describes mechanistic investigations of standard AISI 52100 bearing steel balls subjected to RCF testing under tempering conditions. Subsurface analyses of RCF-tested samples at tempering conditions have indicated that the microstructural alterations are progressed with subsurface yielding and primarily dominated by thermal tempering. Furthermore, bearing balls are subjected to static load tests in order to evaluate the effect of lattice deformation. It is suggested from the comparative analyses that a complete rolling sequence with non-proportional stress history is essential for the initiation and progression of WEBs, supported by the combination of carbon flux, assisted by dislocation and thermally activated carbon diffusion. These novel findings will lead to developing a contemporary and new-fangled prognostic model applied to microstructural alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triple-band Electrically Coupled Loop Antenna (ECLA) is designed to operate in the three standard bands for biomedical implantation purposes: Medical Implant Communications Services (MICS) (402–405 MHz), Wireless Medical Telecommunication Services (WMTS) (1395–1405 MHz) and Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) (2400–2480 MHz). An equivalent circuit is derived for the multiband ECLA based on simple equations relate the dimensions with the circuit parameters to get a good understanding of antenna operation as well as saving time in simulations. The proposed antenna size is 15 × 13.8 × 13 mm3 and simulated in a muscle phantom with size 100 × 100 × 100 mm3. The calculated peak realized gain values are − 18, − 30 and − 33.3 dBi and the peak 10 g averaged Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) values are 11.59, 43.07 and 49.75 W/Kg for the three bands, respectively. A detuning study is carried out to ensure that the proposed antenna is robust against electrical properties variation thus it can be implanted in different tissues of different people in various health circumstances. Two antenna prototypes have been fabricated and tested in a solution that mimics human tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report facile and reversible electron storage in colloidal SrTiO3 nanocrystals using photochemical and redox titration methods. A very high electron storage capacity (∼180 e− per 7 nm nanocrystal) is achieved which we attribute to the localized nature of added electrons at sub-bandgap trap sites in these colloidal SrTiO3 nanocrystals. The rate of electron accumulation is also found to be much faster with ethylene glycol as the sacrificial reductant compared to ethanol. This work provides key insight and establishes a kinetic bottleneck in the charge trapping processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During service, bearing components experience rolling cyclic fatigue (RCF), resulting in subsurface plasticity and decay of the parent microstructure. The accumulation of micro strains spans billions of rolling cycles, resulting in the continuous evolution of the bearing steel microstructure. The bearing steel composition, non-metallic inclusions, continuously evolving residual stresses, and substantial work hardening, followed by subsurface softening, create further complications in modelling bearing steel at different length scales. The current study presents a multiscale overview of modelling RCF in terms of plastic deformation and the corresponding microstructural alterations. This article investigates previous models to predict microstructural alterations and material hardening approaches widely adopted to mimic the cyclic hardening response of the evolved bearing steel microstructure. This review presents state-of-the-art, relevant reviews in terms of this subject and provides a robust academic critique to enhance the understanding of the elastoplastic response of bearing steel under non-proportional loadings, damage evolution, and the formation mechanics of microstructural alterations, leading to the increased fatigue life of bearing components. It is suggested that a multidisciplinary approach at various length scales is required to fully understand the micromechanical and metallurgical response of bearing steels widely used in industry. This review will make significant contributions to novel design methodologies and improved product design specifications to deliver the durability and reliability of bearing elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential capabilities of stannous sulphide (SS) in the domain of the hydrogen evolution process (HER) have attracted significant interest. By employing a straightforward single-step hydrothermal method, we successfully boosted the HER performance of SnS 2. This was achieved by fabricating a nanocomposite consisting of nickel sulphide (NS) and tin sulphide (SS) nanostructure. The resulting NS@SS nanocomposite shows the superior electrocatalytic behavior for the HER compared to pristine NS and SS material. The composite exhibited a morphology with two distinct phases, such as nanoparticles and nanorod structures that are responsible for good electrochemical properties. The NS@SS nanocomposite has several advantages for enhancing HER electroactivity, including a greater active surface area, increased edge-terminated structures, and better conductivity. The catalyst has high stability in alkaline solutions and demonstrates a low overpotential (ɳ) of 155 mV@ 10 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 34 mV dec−1. The current results show that the NS@SS nanocomposites are a potential candidate for the energy production materials and energy conversion system. [Display omitted] • The hydrothermally synthesized NiS 2 @SnS 2 nanohybrid was employed toward HER activity. • The physically and chemical characterization was employed to investigate the physiochemical feature of synthesized materials. • The obtained results show the nanohybrid exhibited the low Tafel slope (34 mV dec−1) and low overpotential (155 mV). • The synergistic effect of NiS 2 and SnS 2 responsible for the enhancement of HER activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface between discourse and ideology has been recognized by the social scientists. Both form, reform or influence each other in the society of active and vibrant human beings. The present study was meant to understand the relation between ideology and constitutional discourse. For this purpose, critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the preamble of 1973 constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan was carried out in the perspective of Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach. After detailed analysis of the preamble it was found that ideologies are constituted or legitimized through constitutional discourse in the religious and historical perspective for their preservation from distortion, and promotion of unity and harmony in the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human subconscious is silent but active contributor in the process of communication. Long term memories influence the thought processing in the contemporary cognitive as well as psychological orientation for transmission or reception of ideas. Same is reflected in the literature produced by creative human minds. The sole objective of this research is to examine the art of writing back to the empire in non-native English postcolonial literary writings. In this regard, novel, Another Gulmohar Tree has been targeted and analyzed through Bhabha’s (1994) notions of ambivalence and unhomeliness. The theory presented by Bhabha (1994) in his book The Location of Culture provides the model on which this research is framed. In particular, Bhabha’s concept of hybridity has been taken as an analytical framework for this study. This bidirectional concept of ambivalence and unhomeliness facilitates in understanding the experiences of two major characters, Usman and Lydia in Another Gulmohar Tree. The study concludes that the novel is a true example of writing back to the empire and it is explicitly reflected in the major characters through two dominant themes of ambivalence and homeliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug addiction is associated with disruption of a multitude of biomarkers in various brain regions, particularly in the reward centre. The most pronounced are dopaminergic and glutamatergic biomarkers, which are affected at various levels. Neuropathological changes in biomarkers alter the homeostasis of the glutamatergic and dopaminergic nervous systems and promote addiction-associated characteristics such as repeated intake, maintenance, withdrawal, reinstatement, and relapse. Exercise has been shown to have a buffering effect on such biomarkers and reverse the effects of addictive substances. A review of the literature searched in PubMed, examining drug addiction and physical exercise in relation to dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems at any of the three biomarker levels (i.e. neurotransmitter, receptor, or transporter). We review the collective impact of addictive substances on the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems and the beneficial effect of exercise in terms of reversing the damage to these systems. We propose future directions, including implications of exercise as an add-on therapy, substance use disorder (SUD) prognosis and diagnosis and designing of optimised exercise and pharmaceutical regimens based on the aforementioned biomarkers. Exercise is beneficial for all types of drug addiction at all stages, by reversing molecular damages caused to dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classic PFC design is simple and intuitive and yet this paper shows that, counter to expectations, the long standing use of the target information is flawed. Some simple illustrations will demonstrate that what appears sensible can in fact lead to inconsistent decision-making with many common process dynamics. Having explored the source of this inconsistency, the paper shows how it can be ameliorated in a systematic fashion and also investigates the impact of the change on loop sensitivity to disturbances. Several numerical examples demonstrate the efficacy of the proposal in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent public health issue requiring consistent global effort for its eradication and control. Research on the subject plays a vital role in combatting the disease, giving future directions, and meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study aimed to evaluate the global TB research trends and performance from 2011 to 2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the data for TB-related research publications from 2011 to 2020 were extracted from the Web of Science database and a comprehensive analysis was performed on the R-bibliometrix package. RESULTS: An increasing number of publications with an annual growth rate of 6.32% and a plateau in production from 2015 to 2018 was observed. Of 145 countries, the United States of America (USA), China, India, the United Kingdom, and South Africa led and made up half of the global contribution. Out of 91,862 authors, Zhang Y was the most productive with 205 articles and Barry CE had the highest H-index of 45. Only seven of the top 20 authors were from high-burden countries. The University of Cape Town was the leading institutional affiliation, followed by Stellenbosch University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The most frequent international collaboration was between the USA and South Africa, occurring on 1203 instances. Only five of the top 30 high-burden countries were present in the top 30 collaborations. PLOS ONE, disseminating 2271 articles, was the most productive out of 3500 sources. CONCLUSION: The past decade has seen a steady increase in global TB research. Prominent authors, affiliations, and countries showed collaborative trends, but publications were found to be mostly from developed, low-burden countries except China, India, and South Africa. To meet the goals set by the SDGs and the WHO End TB Strategy, high-burden countries need to explore feasible opportunities and global support to enhance their expected TB-related research contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]