Search

Abstract A fractional model for the kinetics of hepatitis B transmission was developed. The hepatitis B virus significantly affects the world’s economic and health systems. Acute and chronic carrier phases play a crucial part in the spread of the HBV infection. The Hepatitis B infection can be spread by chronic carriers even though they show no symptoms. In this article, we looked into the Hepatitis B virus’s various stages of infection-related transmission and built a nonlinear epidemic. Then, a fractional hepatitis B virus model using a Caputo derivative and vaccine effects is created. First, we determined the proposed model’s essential reproductive value and equilibria. With the aid of Fixed Point Theory, a qualitative analysis of the problem’s approximative root has been produced. The Adams-Bashforth predictor-corrector scheme is used to aid in the iterative approximate technique’s evaluation of the fractional system under consideration that has the Caputo derivative. In the final section, a graphical representation compares various noninteger orders and displays the discovered scheme findings. In this study, we’ve utilized Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques to partition the dataset into three categories: training, testing, and validation. Our analysis delves deep into each category, comprehensively examining the dataset’s characteristics and behaviors within these divisions. The study comprehensively analyzes the fractional HBV transmission model, incorporating both mathematical and computational approaches. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of HBV infection and can inform the development of effective public health interventions.

Biodiesel is a promising alternative to conventional diesel. However, it may cause reduced mass flow, higher injector deposits and poor atomization. This study presents the numerical investigation of the effect of in-nozzle flow on fuel spray behavior for castor methyl ester (CME20) and waste cooking oil methyl ester (WCME20) using two different nozzle hole sizes. Two step simulation methodology was adopted where flow inside the nozzle was simulated first, mass flow rate and velocities at nozzle outlet were used as an input for analyzing the fuel spray in a closed vessel. These simulated results of fuel spray were also validated with experimental results from the captured spray images from control volume spray vessel (CVSV). Experimental spray results were also investigated based on light intensity level and macroscopic spray properties. Results revealed higher cavitation intensity for diesel than biodiesel fuels. Smaller nozzle hole (N2) is more likely to cavitate as compared to larger nozzle diameter (N1). In terms of spray behavior, N1 nozzle on average showed longer penetration length (+1.95 %), wider spray cone angle (+6.2 %) and larger drop diameter (+3.1 %) in comparison to N2. CME20, due to its increased viscosity and density showed longer penetration length (+5.9 %), narrower spray cone angle (−21 %) and reduced spray projected area (−19 %) with respect to diesel. WCME20 revealed smaller sauter mean diameter (−4.8 %) as compared to CME20 owing to its lower viscosity.

Enhancing the suitability of biodiesel for IC engines with inclusion of fuel additives has emerged as a promising avenue of research in recent years. Nanoparticles (NPs) as fuel additives have witnessed significant advancements as they offer several advantages like higher surface area, improved heat transfer capabilities, and strong catalytic properties. These attributes boost combustion processes and reduce exhaust emissions. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to comprehensively understand the influence of NPs when incorporated into biodiesel and its blends. Recent reviews have revealed the effect of nano additives on performance, combustion, and emissions, however, the effect of NPs on fuel spray characteristics has not been clearly understood due to scarce literature available. This review includes the combined effect of fuel spray characteristics, thermal performance, and exhaust emissions, incorporating the fuel preparation methodologies, analysis of fuel stability, and properties for diesel–biodiesel with nano additives from the last 10 years of research. The findings indicate that NPs yield favorable outcomes in enhancing atomization quality, optimizing engine performance, and mitigating exhaust emissions. For instance, the addition of 50 ppm of CeO2 to diesel-ethanol reduced penetration length and increased spray cone angle by −2.16 % and +4.3 % in contrast to 25 ppm of CeO2. BTE improved by 1.58 %, 1.62 %, and 2.34 % with the inclusion of 40, 80, and 120 ppm of Fe2O3 NPs in Mauha biodiesel. CO emissions decreased by 9.78 % for TiO2 blends, 21.84 % for Al2O3 blends, 17.10 % for CuO blends and 6.38 % for CeO2 with respect to B10. Nonetheless, there remain several unresolved challenges, with the cost of production and long-term fuel stability standing out as a critical factor that must be addressed to establish nano fuels as a financially viable alternative fuel source.

In this paper, we suggest the Rishi transform, which may be used to find the analytic (exact) solution to multi-high-order linear fractional differential equations, where the Riemann-Liouville and Caputo fractional derivatives are used. We first developed the Rishi transform of foundational mathematical functions for this purpose and then described the important characteristics of the Rishi transform, which may be applied to solve ordinary differential equations and fractional differential equations. Following that, we found an exact solution to a particular example of fractional differential equations. We looked at four numerical problems and solved them all step by step to demonstrate the value of the Rishi transform. The results show that the suggested novel transform, "Rishi Transform, " yields exact solutions to multi-higher-order fractional differential equations without doing complicated calculation work.

The detection of iodide ions (I−), despite challenges due to low concentrations and potential masking, is crucial for studying physiological processes and diagnosing diseases. A colorimetric sensor was developed to improve I− ion monitoring and facilitate on-site detection based on filter paper, which is a cost-effective platform. The sensor observed color changes in response to the exposure of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), from colorless to yellowish brown. The sensor demonstrated a detection limit of 0.125 × 10−6 M for I− ions in a relatively wide range of 0.01 to 15 × 10−6 M under optimized conditions including gel concentration, temperature, incubation time, TMB and H2O2 concentration, and pH. Furthermore, the proposed sensor was successfully employed in a variety of applications, such as biological (urine and blood serum), food (egg yolk and snacks), and environmental samples (tap water). The study established effective recoveries in complex media for visual on-site I− ion monitoring, indicating the developed assay as a potent, affordable, and practical platform.

Internet of Things (IoT) applications and resources are highly vulnerable to flood attacks, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks overwhelm the targeted device with numerous network packets, making its resources inaccessible to authorized users. Such attacks may comprise attack references, attack types, sub-categories, host information, malicious scripts, etc. These details assist security professionals in identifying weaknesses, tailoring defense measures, and responding rapidly to possible threats, thereby improving the overall security posture of IoT devices. Developing an intelligent Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is highly complex due to its numerous network features. This study presents an improved IDS for IoT security that employs multimodal big data representation and transfer learning. First, the Packet Capture (PCAP) files are crawled to retrieve the necessary attacks and bytes. Second, Spark-based big data optimization algorithms handle huge volumes of data. Second, a transfer learning approach such as word2vec retrieves semantically-based observed features. Third, an algorithm is developed to convert network bytes into images, and texture features are extracted by configuring an attention-based Residual Network (ResNet). Finally, the trained text and texture features are combined and used as multimodal features to classify various attacks. The proposed method is thoroughly evaluated on three widely used IoT-based datasets: CIC-IoT 2022, CIC-IoT 2023, and Edge-IIoT. The proposed method achieves excellent classification performance, with an accuracy of 98.2%. In addition, we present a game theory-based process to validate the proposed approach formally.

Mineral oil resources are depleting rapidly, and the slower conventional oil biodegradation process results in environmental pollution. To resolve this issue, cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (1% wt) were introduced into a base oil to improve the lubricating capability of castor oil. In addition, 1% wt. sodium dodecyl sulfate was also blended with the base oil in order to attain the maximum dispersion stability of CuO nanoparticles in the castor oil. Afterward, thermophysical property, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR) testing of the lubricant oil sample were performed before and after 100 h of engine operations at 75% throttle and 2200 rpm for each lubricant sample in order to check the capability of the novel oil with mineral oil. Compared with the natural mineral oil, the behavior of the CuO-based lubricant has essentially the same physical features, as measured according to ASTM standard methods. The physicochemical properties like (KV)40 °C, (KV)100 °C, FP, ash, and TBN decrease more in the case of the synthetic oil by 1.15, 1.11, 0.46, 1.1, and 1.2% than in the conventional oil, respectively. FTIR testing shows that the maximum peaks lie in the region of 500 to 1750 cm−1, which shows the presence of C=O, C-N, and C-Br to a maximum extent in the lubricant oil sample. AAS testing shows that the synthetic oil has 21.64, 3.23, 21.44, and 1.23% higher chromium, iron, aluminum, and zinc content. However, the copper and calcium content in the synthetic oil is 14.72 and 17.68%, respectively. It can be concluded that novel bio-lubricants can be utilized as an alternative to those applications that are powered by naturally produced mineral oil after adding suitable additives that further enhance their performance.

Abstract A branch of mathematical science known as chemical graph theory investigates the implications of connectedness in chemical networks. A few researchers have looked at the solutions of fractional differential equations using the concept of star graphs. Their decision to use star graphs was based on the assumption that their method requires a common point linked to other nodes but not to each other. Our goal is to broaden the scope of the method by defining the idea of a cyclohexane graph, which is a cycloalkane with the molecular formula C 6 H 12 $C_{6}H_{12}$ and CAS number 110-82-7. It consists of a ring of six carbon atoms, each bonded with two hydrogen atoms above and below the plane with multiple junction nodes. This article examines the existence of fractional boundary value problem’ solutions on such graphs in the sense of the Caputo fractional derivative by using the well-known fixed point theorems. In addition, an example is given to support our key findings.

The model of decision practice reflects the evolution of moral judgment in mathematical psychology, which is concerned with determining the significance of different options and choosing one of them to utilize. Most studies on animals behavior, especially in a two-choice situation, divide such circumstances into two events. Their approach to dividing these behaviors into two events is mainly based on the movement of the animals towards a specific choice. However, such situations can generally be divided into four events depending on the chosen side and placement of the food. This article aims to fill such gaps by proposing a generic stochastic functional equation that can be used to describe several psychological and learning theory experiments. The existence, uniqueness, and stability analysis of the suggested stochastic equation are examined by utilizing the notable fixed point theory tools. Finally, we offer two examples to substantiate our key findings.

Chemical graph theory is a branch of mathematics that combines graph theory and chemistry and discusses the effect of research on “serious” or “pure” mathematics. A range of new graph ideas can be identified in the current development of mathematical chemistry and chemical graph theory. These advances include chemical kinetics as well as biomacromolecules. On star graphs, a few researchers have studied fractional differential equations. They used star graphs because their approach requires a common point that has edges with other nodes, whereas there are no edges between them. Our aim is to broaden the approach by using the idea of an ethane graph, which is an organic chemical compound with the chemical formula C2H6 and having more than one junction nodes. In this work, we analyze the existence of solutions on such graphs for the fractional boundary value problem in the sense of Caputo fractional derivative. Inspired by a graph describing ethane’s chemical compound, we assume a graph with labeled vertices of 0 or 1 and describe fractional differential equations on each edge of this graph. We use the notable fixed point theorems to find the existence and uniqueness of a solution to the proposed fractional differential equation. An example is also presented to support our main results.

The analysis of iterative differential equations is often related to the various applications of calculus, which support all mathematical sciences. These equations are critical when it comes to interpreting the infection models. Furthermore, the inclusion of self-mapping raises the complexity of determining the existence of solutions for the iterative differential equations. This paper considers a particular type of second-order iterative differential equations and uses the Banach fixed point theorem to find the existence and uniqueness of the proposed differential equation’s solution. We discuss the Hyers-Ulam and Hyers-Ulam-Rassias type stability of a solution to the proposed iterative boundary-value problem and present three illustrative examples to support our main results.

Abstract Chemical graph theory is a field of mathematics that studies ramifications of chemical network interactions. Using the concept of star graphs, several investigators have looked into the solutions to certain boundary value problems. Their choice to utilize star graphs was based on including a common point connected to other nodes. Our aim is to expand the range of the method by incorporating the graph of hexasilinane compound, which has a chemical formula H 12 Si 6 $\mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{Si}_{6}$ . In this paper, we examine the existence of solutions to fractional boundary value problems on such graphs, where the fractional derivative is in the Caputo sense. Finally, we include an example to support our significant findings.

Paper-based microfluidics provides a versatile platform for numerous applications, including diagnostics at the point of care, environmental detection, and food quality control. Utilizing paper as a substrate offers numerous benefits, including flexibility, biodegradability, low cost, and capillary-driven flow. Despite significant advancements in paper-based microfluidic devices, regulating fluid flow effectively within the paper channel remains a persistent challenge. In order to resolve this problem, our research proposes a method for manipulating fluid flow in the paper channel by altering the surface contact between the storage medium and the paper channel. According to the results, increasing the contact area between the reservoir and the paper surface decreases the flow velocity and increases the fluidic time delay. This is due to the increased diffusion area between the storage medium and the paper channel, which creates resistance to liquid flow. Therefore, the liquid takes longer to travel through the paper channel, resulting in a decrease in velocity relative to contact areas of 50% or 70%. We are confident that this method of flow control can enable lateral flow sensing devices with enhanced flow variation options for use in medical, environmental, or food quality applications.

In digital microfluidics, discrete liquid droplets move on a dielectric surface with the help of AC or DC voltage. Digital microfluidics system has extended the scope of microfluidics by providing automated, precise flow control for point-of-care devices capable of medical diagnostics, environmental, and chemical sensing platforms. In this paper, we introduce a digital microfluidics platform based on electrowetting on a dielectric using PCB substrate designed on Easy EDA software. The platform’s performance was analyzed at various DC voltages between 200 V and 400 V for droplet actuation. PCB fabrication, the utilization of easily accessible and cheap materials such as cooking oil and grafting tape as a dielectric layer, allowed the fabrication to be affordable and simple. The results indicate that droplet actuation takes place at 220 V. The droplet velocity obtained was 2.6 mm/s and 1.51 mm/s using silicon oil and cooking oil, respectively, at 400 V. Our proposed digital microfluidics platform will play a vital role in droplet actuation and can be used for diagnostic applications such as DNA analysis and cell culture due to its simple fabrication and cost-effective technique.

Digital microfluidics allows for controlled droplet movement by applying AC or DC voltages. In this research, we investigated the dynamic contact angle variation of droplets at different voltages and droplet volumes in a digital microfluidics platform. Volumes of 10 µL, 14 µL, and 18 µL were investigated with voltages ranging from 250 V to 400 V. The goal was to investigate how variations in voltage and droplet volume affected the contact angle, specifically by tracking variations in the advancing and receding contact angles. The findings showed that as voltage rises, the contact angle decreases more noticeably in terms of both advancing and receding angles. This shows that higher voltages boost the electrowetting effect and lead to better droplet dispersal and substrate wetting. Furthermore, it was found that across the studied voltage range, the effect of volume on the contact angle was largely consistent. The relation between voltage, volume, and contact angle in electrowetting is better understood from our analysis.

Abstract Background The restrictions associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to young children’s daily routines and habits. The impact on their participation in movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary screen time and sleep) is unknown. This international longitudinal study compared young children’s movement behaviours before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Parents of children aged 3–5 years, from 14 countries (8 low- and middle-income countries, LMICs) completed surveys to assess changes in movement behaviours and how these changes were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys were completed in the 12 months up to March 2020 and again between May and June 2020 (at the height of restrictions). Physical activity (PA), sedentary screen time (SST) and sleep were assessed via parent survey. At Time 2, COVID-19 factors including level of restriction, environmental conditions, and parental stress were measured. Compliance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) Global guidelines for PA (180 min/day [≥60 min moderate- vigorous PA]), SST (≤1 h/day) and sleep (10-13 h/day) for children under 5 years of age, was determined. Results Nine hundred- forty-eight parents completed the survey at both time points. Children from LMICs were more likely to meet the PA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR] = 2.0, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0,3.8) and SST (AdjOR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.2,3.9) guidelines than their high-income country (HIC) counterparts. Children who could go outside during COVID-19 were more likely to meet all WHO Global guidelines (AdjOR = 3.3, 95%CI 1.1,9.8) than those who were not. Children of parents with higher compared to lower stress were less likely to meet all three guidelines (AdjOR = 0.5, 95%CI 0.3,0.9). Conclusion PA and SST levels of children from LMICs have been less impacted by COVID-19 than in HICs. Ensuring children can access an outdoor space, and supporting parents’ mental health are important prerequisites for enabling pre-schoolers to practice healthy movement behaviours and meet the Global guidelines.

Biofuels are environmental friendly renewable fuels, that can be directly used in a diesel engine. However, a few shortcomings like a higher density, viscosity, a lower calorific value and increase in NOx emissions, has caused researchers to look for fuel additives to improve the physiochemical properties of these fuels and to enhance their performance and reduce harmful emissions. It is for this reason that modern research is focused on blending oxygenated additives such as alcohols and ethers with different generations of biodiesel. Since most studies have covered the effect of alcohol on biodiesel, there are few studies which have investigated the effect of oxygenated additives such as alcohols and ethers, especially related to second-generation biodiesel. Moreover, the details of their composition and molecular structure are still lacking. Hence, this study focuses on the performance and emission characteristics of biodiesel with the inclusion of oxygenated additives (alcohols and ethers) of non-edible-oil-based second-generation blends. The reviewed results showed that Neem biodiesel with methanol or diethyl ether reduced brake-specific fuel consumption by 10%, increased brake thermal efficiency by 25% and reduced CO and HC emissions due to a higher oxygen content. Diethyl ether reduced NOx emissions as well by producing a cooling effect, i.e., a reduced in-cylinder temperature. The addition of heptane, butanol and di ethyl ether to Jatropha biodiesel showed an improved brake thermal efficiency and an increment in brake-specific fuel consumption (5–20%), with reduced HC and CO2 (3–12%) emissions. Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel also showed impressive results in terms of improving efficiency and reducing emissions with addition of butanol, pentanol, decanol and hexanol. Other factors that influenced emissions are the cetane number, viscosity, density and the latent heat of evaporation of tested biodiesel blends. This review would help the research community and the relevant industries to consider an efficient biodiesel blend for future study or its implementation as an alternate fuel in diesel engines.

A theory of chemical graphs is a part of mathematical chemistry concerned with the effects of connectedness in chemical graphs. Several researchers have studied the solutions of fractional differential equations using the concept of star graphs. They employed star graphs because their technique requires a central node with links to adjacent vertices but no edges between nodes. The purpose of this paper is to extend the method's range by introducing the concept of an octane graph, which is an essential organic compound having the formula C8H18. In this manner, we analyze a graph with vertices annotated by 0 or 1, which is influenced by the structure of the chemical substance octane, and formulate a fractional boundary value problem on each of the graph's edges. We use the Schaefer and Krasnoselskii fixed point theorems to investigate the existence of solutions to the presented boundary value problems in the framework of the Caputo fractional derivative. Finally, two examples are provided to highlight the importance of our results in this area of study.

In the form of a T, a T-maze is an experimental design in which each trial consists of decisions between two or more options. It contains choices with particular kinds of symmetries that have gained considerable attention in psychology and learning theories. One of the simplest mazes utilized by rats is the T-maze since it requires just a single point of preference. At a T-maze base, the mouse chooses to turn right or left to get food. This paper aims at analyzing the rat’s behavior in such circumstances and proposing a suitable mathematical model for it. The existence and uniqueness of a solution to the proposed T-maze model are investigated by using the appropriate fixed point method.

The term “learning” is often used to refer to a generally stable behavioral change resulting from practice. However, it is a fundamental biological capacity far more developed in humans than in other living beings. In an animal or human being, the learning phase may often be viewed as a series of choices between multiple possible reactions. Here, we analyze a specific type of human learning process related to gambling in which a subject inserts a poker chip to operate a two-armed bandit device and then presses one of the two keys. Through the use of an electromagnet, one or more poker chips are given to the individual in a container located in the apparatus’s center. If a chip is provided, it is declared a winner; otherwise, it is considered a loser. The goal of this paper is to look at the subject’s actions in such situations and provide a mathematical model that is appropriate for it. The existence of a unique solution to the suggested human learning model is examined using relevant fixed point results.

Chemical graph theory (CGT) is a field of mathematical science that applies classical graph theory to chemical structures and processes. Chemical graphs are the principal data format used in cheminformatics to illustrate chemical interactions. Several researchers have addressed boundary-value problems using star graphs. Star graphs were used since their method requires a central point linked to other vertices but not to itself. Our objective is to expand the mechanism by introducing the idea of an isobutane graph that has the chemical formula C4H10 and CAS number 75-28-5. By using the appropriate fixed point theory findings, this paper investigates the existence of solutions to fractional boundary value problems of Caputo type on such graphs. Additionally, two examples are provided to strengthen our important conclusions.

The study of the interconnections between chemical systems is known as chemical graph theory. Through the use of star graphs, a limited group of researchers has examined the space of possible solutions for boundary-value problems. They recognized that for their strategy to function, they needed a core node related to other nodes but not to itself; as a result, they opted to use star graphs. In this sense, the graphs of neopentane will be helpful in extending the scope of our technique. It has the CAS number 463-82-1 and the chemical formula C5H12, and it is a component of a petrochemical precursor. In order to determine whether or not the suggested boundary-value problems on these graphs have any known solutions, we use the theorems developed by Schaefer and Krasnoselskii on fixed points. In addition, we illustrate our preliminary results with the help of an example that we present.

Introduction 24-hour movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep) during the early years are associated with health and developmental outcomes, prompting the WHO to develop Global guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. Prevalence data on 24-hour movement behaviours is lacking, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper describes the development of the SUNRISE International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years protocol, designed to address this gap.Methods and analysis SUNRISE is the first international cross-sectional study that aims to determine the proportion of 3- and 4-year-old children who meet the WHO Global guidelines. The study will assess if proportions differ by gender, urban/rural location and/or socioeconomic status. Executive function, motor skills and adiposity will be assessed and potential correlates of 24-hour movement behaviours examined. Pilot research from 24 countries (14 LMICs) informed the study design and protocol. Data are collected locally by research staff from partnering institutions who are trained throughout the research process. Piloting of all measures to determine protocol acceptability and feasibility was interrupted by COVID-19 but is nearing completion. At the time of publication 41 countries are participating in the SUNRISE study.Ethics and dissemination The SUNRISE protocol has received ethics approved from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and in each country by the applicable ethics committees. Approval is also sought from any relevant government departments or organisations. The results will inform global efforts to prevent childhood obesity and ensure young children reach their health and developmental potential. Findings on the correlates of movement behaviours can guide future interventions to improve the movement behaviours in culturally specific ways. Study findings will be disseminated via publications, conference presentations and may contribute to the development of local guidelines and public health interventions.

The spray characteristics play a crucial role in determining the performance and emissions of compression ignition (CI) engines at the pre-combustion stage. With the advent of many types of alternative fuels and their blends with diesel, it is necessary to investigate the effect of fuel properties and various injection conditions to determine the penetration length, spray cone angle and spray area for a viable fuel with similar or better dispersion characteristics to diesel. Hence, this study reviews and summarizes the spray visualization techniques, along with in depth analysis of macroscopic spray properties of various fuel blends with diesel. It was found that higher injection pressures typically led to higher penetration lengths, better atomization with reduced Sauter mean diameter. Liquid properties such as viscosity, surface tension, and evaporation as well as structural properties play a crucial role in spray formation in fuel blends with various types of alcohols, ethers, biodiesel, aliphatic, aromatic, as well as nanoparticle additives. This review compares these fuel additives and their types to present a comparative study with diesel to determine the ideal conditions with minimal changes to the engine for replacing diesel with a sustainable fuel consisting of better combustion efficiency due to its enhanced spray characteristics.

(1) Background: Antimicrobial resistance causes significant disease burden in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this paper is to describe antibiotic dispensing/prescribing practices and underlying factors associated with these practices among community-based healthcare workers. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from private and public health facilities in 14 union councils, Lahore Pakistan. Respondents included physicians, nurses, lady health workers/volunteers, midwives, pharmacy and medicine shop employees, and medical technicians. Descriptive and bivariate analysis are used to present the data; (3) Results: 177 respondents completed the survey. In terms of weekly dispensing of antibiotics, the most common were Amoxicillin/Augmentin (2.3 [SD 1.5]), Cefixine (2.4 [SD 1.6]), and Azithromycin (2.5 [SD 2.1]). For children, antibiotics were more likely to be prescribed/dispensed for sore throat (54.3%/95) and diarrhea (48.9%/86). For adults, antibiotics were more likely to be prescribed/dispensed for sore throat (67.0%/118), diarrhea (59.7%/105) and burning sensation when urinating (55.7%/176). In total, 55.4% of respondents stated that they have sold partial antibiotic courses to patients/customers. A total of 44.6% of respondents incorrectly answered that antibiotics could be used for viral infections; (4) Conclusions: Data from this study and similar research emphasize the urgent need to implement community-based stewardship programs for all healthcare workers.

Fuel spray characteristics influence combustion, which in turn has a direct impact on engine performance and emissions. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in novel castor oil biodiesel. However, few investigations have been performed that combine both numerical and experimental biodiesel spray analyses. Hence, in this paper, we aim to explore the spray behavior of castor and jatropha biodiesel by employing numerical and experimental methods under non-evaporating, varying injection, and ambient conditions. The experimental study was carried out in a control volume vessel (CVV) at high injection and ambient pressures. The fuel atomization was modelled in ANSYS Fluent using a Lagrangian/Eulerian multiphase formulation. The results revealed that the Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor (KHRT) model coupled with the Taylor Analogy Breakup (TAB) model provide a better estimation of the penetration length (PL) and spray cone angle (SCA) compared to the KH and TAB models. On average, Jatropha biodiesel (JB-20) and castor biodiesel (CB-20) showed a 10% to 22% longer PL, 8% to 10.6% narrower spray cone angles, and 3% to 6% less spray area, respectively, compared to diesel. The numerical predictions showed that JB-20 and CB-20 had an around 24.7–48.3% larger Sauter mean diameter (SMD) and a 38.6–73.3% average mean diameter (AMD).

The behavior of animals can be studied in two ways: experimentally, in labs or in the field, or theoretically, via modeling. Extensive research on animal behavior in probabilistic learning circumstances has produced findings that are consistent with so-called occurrence studies. However, such cases can be classified into four different events, depending on the location of the food and the side chosen by the animals. This article sought to overcome these limitations by offering a generic stochastic model under these conditions that can be utilized to analyze the broad range of models that have been reported in the literature. We explored the existence, uniqueness, and stability results of the proposed model using well-known fixed-point methods. Additionally, we present some examples to highlight the significance of our results.

Culture-independent diagnostics have revealed a larger burden of Shigella among children in low-resource settings than previously recognized. We further characterized the epidemiology of Shigella in the first two years of life in a multisite birth cohort. We tested 41,405 diarrheal and monthly non-diarrheal stools from 1,715 children for Shigella by quantitative PCR. To assess risk factors, clinical factors related to age and culture positivity, and associations with inflammatory biomarkers, we used log-binomial regression with generalized estimating equations. The prevalence of Shigella varied from 4.9%-17.8% in non-diarrheal stools across sites, and the incidence of Shigella-attributable diarrhea was 31.8 cases (95% CI: 29.6, 34.2) per 100 child-years. The sensitivity of culture compared to qPCR was 6.6% and increased to 27.8% in Shigella-attributable dysentery. Shigella diarrhea episodes were more likely to be severe and less likely to be culture positive in younger children. Older age (RR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.70, 1.81 per 6-month increase in age), unimproved sanitation (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.29), low maternal education (

Simple birth–death phenomena are frequently examined in mathematical modeling and probability theory courses since they serve as an excellent foundation for stochastic modeling. Such mechanisms are inherent stochastic extensions of the deterministic population paradigm for population expansion of a particular species in a habitat with constant resource availability and many other organisms. Most animal behavior research differentiates such circumstances into two different events when it comes to two-choice scenarios. On the other hand, in this kind of research, the reward serves a significant role, because, depending on the chosen side and food placement, such situations may be divided into four groups. This article presents a novel stochastic equation that may be used to describe the vast majority of models discussed in the current studies. It is noteworthy that they are connected to the symmetry of the progression of a solution of stochastic equations. The techniques of fixed point theory are employed to explore the existence, uniqueness, and stability of solutions to the proposed functional equation. Additionally, some examples are offered to emphasize the significance of our findings.

We show how to apply the well-known fixed-point approach in the study of the existence, uniqueness, and stability of solutions to some particular types of functional equations. Moreover, we also obtain the Ulam stability result for them. The functional equations that we consider can be used to explain various experiments in mathematical psychology and arise in a natural way in the stochastic approach to the processes of perception, learning, reasoning, and cognition.

Abstract Background Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices during the first two years of life are important for the growth and development of a child. The aim of this study was to assess IYCF practices and its associated factors in two rural districts of Pakistan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in two rural districts of Sindh province, Pakistan as part of a stunting prevention project between May and August 2014. A standard questionnaire on IYCF practices recommended by World Health Organization was used to collect information from 2013 mothers who had a child aged between 0 and 23 months. Results Only 49% of mothers initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth. Thirty-seven percent of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants for six months. Seventy-percent mothers introduced complementary feeding at 6–8 months of age. Eighty-two percent of mothers continued breastfeeding for at least one year and 75% for at least two years of age. IYCF practices were not significantly different for boys and girls in the study area. Being an employed mother (AOR 2.14; 95% CI 1.02, 4.51) was positively associated with the early initiation of breastfeeding. Children who were born at a health facility (AOR 0.65; 95% CI 0.50, 0.84) and were aged six to eleven months (AOR 0.70; 95% CI 0.54, 0.90) were less likely to be have an early initiation of breastfeeding. Mothers aged 25 to 29 years (AOR 1.83; 95% CI 1.05, 3.18), being literate (AOR 1.79; 95% CI 1.15, 2.78), and higher income (AOR 10.6; 95% CI 4.40, 25.30) were more likely to have an improved dietary diversity. Being an employed mother (AOR 2.18; 95% CI 1.77, 4.03) and higher income were more likely to have minimum acceptable diet (AOR 9.7; 95% CI 4.33, 21.71). Conclusion IYCF practices were below the acceptable level and associated with maternal age, maternal illiteracy, unemployment, and poor household wealth status. Emphasis should be given to improve maternal literacy and reduction in poverty to improve IYCF practices.

Background: Environmental enteropathy (EE), the adverse impact of frequent and numerous enteric infections on the gut resulting in a state of persistent immune activation and altered permeability, has been proposed as a key determinant of growth failure in children in low- and middle-income populations. A theory-driven systems model to critically evaluate pathways through which enteropathogens, gut permeability, and intestinal and systemic inflammation affect child growth was conducted within the framework of the Etiology, Risk Factors and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) birth cohort study that included children from eight countries. Methods: Non-diarrheal stool samples (N = 22,846) from 1253 children from multiple sites were evaluated for a panel of 40 enteropathogens and fecal concentrations of myeloperoxidase, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and neopterin. Among these same children, urinary lactulose:mannitol (L:M) (N = 6363) and plasma alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) (N = 2797) were also measured. The temporal sampling design was used to create a directed acyclic graph of proposed mechanistic pathways between enteropathogen detection in non-diarrheal stools, biomarkers of intestinal permeability and inflammation, systemic inflammation and change in length- and weight- for age in children 0–2 years of age. Findings: Children in these populations had frequent enteric infections and high levels of both intestinal and systemic inflammation. Higher burdens of enteropathogens, especially those categorized as being enteroinvasive or causing mucosal disruption, were associated with elevated biomarker concentrations of gut and systemic inflammation and, via these associations, indirectly associated with both reduced linear and ponderal growth. Evidence for the association with reduced linear growth was stronger for systemic inflammation than for gut inflammation; the opposite was true of reduced ponderal growth. Although Giardia was associated with reduced growth, the association was not mediated by any of the biomarkers evaluated. Interpretation: The large quantity of empirical evidence contributing to this analysis supports the conceptual model of EE. The effects of EE on growth faltering in young children were small, but multiple mechanistic pathways underlying the attribution of growth failure to asymptomatic enteric infections had statistical support in the analysis. The strongest evidence for EE was the association between enteropathogens and linear growth mediated through systemic inflammation. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Introduction In 2016, 2.6 million children died during their first month of life. We assessed the effectiveness of an integrated neonatal care kit (iNCK) on neonatal survival and other health outcomes in rural Pakistan.Methods We conducted a community-based, cluster randomised, pragmatic, open-label, controlled intervention trial in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. Clusters, 150 villages and their lady health workers (LHWs), were randomly assigned to deliver the iNCK (intervention) or standard of care (control). In intervention clusters, LHWs delivered the iNCK and education on its use to pregnant women. The iNCK contained a clean birth kit, chlorhexidine, sunflower oil, a continuous temperature monitor (ThermoSpot), a heat reflective blanket and reusable heat pack. LHWs were also given a hand-held scale. The iNCK was implemented primarily by caregivers. The primary outcome was all-cause neonatal mortality. Outcomes are reported at the individual level, adjusted for cluster allocation. Enrolment took place between April 2014 and July 2015 and participant follow-up concluded in August 2015.Results 5451 pregnant women (2663 and 2788 in intervention and control arms, respectively) and their 5286 liveborn newborns (2585 and 2701 in intervention and control arms, respectively) were enrolled. 147 newborn deaths were reported, 65 in the intervention arm (25.4 per 1000 live births) compared with 82 in the control arm (30.6 per 1000 live births). Neonatal mortality was not significantly different between treatment groups (risk ratio 0.83, 95% CI 0.58 – 1.18; p = 0.30).Conclusion Providing co-packaged interventions directly to women did not significantly reduce neonatal mortality. Further research is needed to improve compliance with intended iNCK use.

Summary: Background: Climate change threatens to undermine recent progress in reducing global deaths from diarrhoeal disease in children. However, the scarcity of evidence about how individual environmental factors affect transmission of specific pathogens makes prediction of trends under different climate scenarios challenging. We aimed to model associations between daily estimates of a suite of hydrometeorological variables and rotavirus infection status ascertained through community-based surveillance. Methods: For this analysis of multisite cohort data, rotavirus infection status was ascertained through community-based surveillance of infants in the eight-site MAL-ED cohort study, and matched by date with earth observation estimates of nine hydrometeorological variables from the Global Land Data Assimilation System: daily total precipitation volume (mm), daily total surface runoff (mm), surface pressure (mbar), wind speed (m/s), relative humidity (%), soil moisture (%), solar radiation (W/m2), specific humidity (kg/kg), and average daily temperatures (°C). Lag relationships, independent effects, and interactions were characterised by use of modified Poisson models and compared with and without adjustment for seasonality and between-site variation. Final models were created with stepwise selection of main effects and interactions and their validity assessed by excluding each site in turn and calculating Tjur's Coefficients of Determination. Findings: All nine hydrometeorological variables were significantly associated with rotavirus infection after adjusting for seasonality and between-site variation over multiple consecutive or non-consecutive lags, showing complex, often non-linear associations that differed by symptom status and showed considerable mutual interaction. The final models explained 5·9% to 6·2% of the variability in rotavirus infection in the pooled data and their predictions explained between 0·0% and 14·1% of the variability at individual study sites. Interpretation: These results suggest that the effect of climate on rotavirus transmission was mediated by four independent mechanisms: waterborne dispersal, airborne dispersal, virus survival on soil and surfaces, and host factors. Earth observation data products available at a global scale and at subdaily resolution can be combined with longitudinal surveillance data to test hypotheses about routes and drivers of transmission but showed little potential for making predictions in this setting. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center; Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; and NASA's Group on Earth Observations Work Programme.

Probabilistic functional equations have been used to analyze various models in computational biology and learning theory. It is worth noting that they are linked to the symmetry of a system of functional equations’ transformation. Our objective is to propose a generic probabilistic functional equation that can cover most of the mathematical models addressed in the existing literature. The notable fixed-point tools are utilized to examine the existence, uniqueness, and stability of the suggested equation’s solution. Two examples are also given to emphasize the significance of our findings.

Abstract Background Maternal and child malnutrition is widely prevalent in low and middle income countries. In Pakistan, widespread food insecurity and malnutrition are the main contributors to poor health, low survival rates and the loss of human capital development. The nutritional status trends among children exhibit a continuous deteriorating with rates of malnutrition exceeding the WHO critical threshold. With the high prevalence of maternal and child malnutrition, it is important to identify effective preventative approaches, especially for reducing stunting in children under-five years of age. The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of food-based interventions to prevent stunting in children under-five years. Methods A mixed methods study design will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of food-based interventions to prevent stunting among children under-five years in districts Thatta and Sujawal, Sindh Province, Pakistan. The study will include cross sectional surveys, a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial and a process evaluation. The study participants will be pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under-five years. The cross-sectional surveys will be conducted with 7360 study participants at baseline and endline. For the randomized control trial, 5000 participants will be recruited and followed monthly for compliance of food-based supplements, dietary diversity, pregnancy outcomes, and maternal and child morbidity and mortality. Anthropometric measurements and hemoglobin levels will be measured at baseline, quarterly and at endline. The interventions will consist of locally produced lipid-based nutrient supplement (Wawamum) for children 6–23 months, micronutrient powders for children 24–59 months, and wheat soya blends for pregnant and lactating mothers. Government lady health workers will deliver interventions to participants. The effectiveness of the project will be measured in terms of the impact of the proposed interventions on stunting, nutritional status, micronutrient deficiencies, and other key indicators of the participants. The process evaluation will assess the acceptability, feasibility and potential barriers of project implementation through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and household surveys. Data analysis will be conducted using STATA version 12. Discussion There is considerable evidence on the effectiveness of food-based interventions in managing stunting in developing countries. However, these studies do not account for the local environmental factors and widespread nutrient deficiencies in Pakistan. These studies are often conducted in controlled environments, where the results cannot be generalized to programs operating under field conditions. The findings of this study will provide sufficient evidence to develop policies and programs aimed to prevent stunting in children 6–59 months and to improve maternal and child health and growth outcomes in poor resource settings. Trial registration NCT02422953 . Registered on April 15, 2015.

Summary: Background: Optimum management of childhood diarrhoea in low-resource settings has been hampered by insufficient data on aetiology, burden, and associated clinical characteristics. We used quantitative diagnostic methods to reassess and refine estimates of diarrhoea aetiology from the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) cohort study. Methods: We re-analysed stool specimens from the multisite MAL-ED cohort study of children aged 0–2 years done at eight locations (Dhaka, Bangladesh; Vellore, India; Bhaktapur, Nepal; Naushero Feroze, Pakistan; Venda, South Africa; Haydom, Tanzania; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Loreto, Peru), which included active surveillance for diarrhoea and routine non-diarrhoeal stool collection. We used quantitative PCR to test for 29 enteropathogens, calculated population-level pathogen-specific attributable burdens, derived stringent quantitative cutoffs to identify aetiology for individual episodes, and created aetiology prediction scores using clinical characteristics. Findings: We analysed 6625 diarrhoeal and 30 968 non-diarrhoeal surveillance stools from 1715 children. Overall, 64·9% of diarrhoea episodes (95% CI 62·6–71·2) could be attributed to an aetiology by quantitative PCR compared with 32·8% (30·8–38·7) using the original study microbiology. Viral diarrhoea (36·4% of overall incidence, 95% CI 33·6–39·5) was more common than bacterial (25·0%, 23·4–28·4) and parasitic diarrhoea (3·5%, 3·0–5·2). Ten pathogens accounted for 95·7% of attributable diarrhoea: Shigella (26·1 attributable episodes per 100 child-years, 95% CI 23·8–29·9), sapovirus (22·8, 18·9–27·5), rotavirus (20·7, 18·8–23·0), adenovirus 40/41 (19·0, 16·8–23·0), enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (18·8, 16·5–23·8), norovirus (15·4, 13·5–20·1), astrovirus (15·0, 12·0–19·5), Campylobacter jejuni or C coli (12·1, 8·5–17·2), Cryptosporidium (5·8, 4·3–8·3), and typical enteropathogenic E coli (5·4, 2·8–9·3). 86·2% of the attributable incidence for Shigella was non-dysenteric. A prediction score for shigellosis was more accurate (sensitivity 50·4% [95% CI 46·7–54·1], specificity 84·0% [83·0–84·9]) than current guidelines, which recommend treatment only of bloody diarrhoea to cover Shigella (sensitivity 14·5% [95% CI 12·1–17·3], specificity 96·5% [96·0–97·0]). Interpretation: Quantitative molecular diagnostics improved estimates of pathogen-specific burdens of childhood diarrhoea in the community setting. Viral causes predominated, including a substantial burden of sapovirus; however, Shigella had the highest overall burden with a high incidence in the second year of life. These data could improve the management of diarrhoea in these low-resource settings. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Summary: Background: Enteropathogen infections in early childhood not only cause diarrhoea but contribute to poor growth. We used molecular diagnostics to assess whether particular enteropathogens were associated with linear growth across seven low-resource settings. Methods: We used quantitative PCR to detect 29 enteropathogens in diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal stools collected from children in the first 2 years of life obtained during the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) multisite cohort study. Length was measured monthly. We estimated associations between aetiology-specific diarrhoea and subclinical enteropathogen infection and quantity and attained length in 3 month intervals, at age 2 and 5 years, and used a longitudinal model to account for temporality and time-dependent confounding. Findings: Among 1469 children who completed 2 year follow-up, 35 622 stool samples were tested and yielded valid results. Diarrhoeal episodes attributed to bacteria and parasites, but not viruses, were associated with small decreases in length after 3 months and at age 2 years. Substantial decrements in length at 2 years were associated with subclinical, non-diarrhoeal, infection with Shigella (length-for-age Z score [LAZ] reduction −0·14, 95% CI −0·27 to −0·01), enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (−0·21, −0·37 to −0·05), Campylobacter (−0·17, −0·32 to −0·01), and Giardia (−0·17, −0·30 to −0·05). Norovirus, Cryptosporidium, typical enteropathogenic E coli, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were also associated with small decrements in LAZ. Shigella and E bieneusi were associated with the largest decreases in LAZ per log increase in quantity per g of stool (−0·13 LAZ, 95% CI −0·22 to −0·03 for Shigella; −0·14, −0·26 to −0·02 for E bieneusi). Based on these models, interventions that successfully decrease exposure to Shigella, enteroaggregative E coli, Campylobacter, and Giardia could increase mean length of children by 0·12–0·37 LAZ (0·4–1·2 cm) at the MAL-ED sites. Interpretation: Subclinical infection and quantity of pathogens, particularly Shigella, enteroaggregative E coli, Campylobacter, and Giardia, had a substantial negative association with linear growth, which was sustained during the first 2 years of life, and in some cases, to 5 years. Successfully reducing exposure to certain pathogens might reduce global stunting. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Background: Although the effectiveness of community mobilisation and promotive care delivered by community health workers in reducing perinatal and neonatal mortality is well established, evidence in support of home-based neonatal resuscitation and infection management is mixed. We assessed the effectiveness of adding training in neonatal bag and mask resuscitation and oral antibiotic therapy for suspected neonatal infections to a basic preventive and promotive interventions package delivered by public sector community-based lady health workers (LHWs) in rural Pakistan. Methods: We did a cluster-randomised controlled trial in two subdistricts of Naushahro Feroze in rural Sindh, Pakistan, between April 15, 2009, and Dec 10, 2012. LHWs, trained in basic newborn resuscitation and in recognition and treatment (with oral amoxicillin) of suspected neonatal respiratory infections, were linked with traditional birth attendants and encouraged to attend home births. Control clusters received routine care through the existing national programme. The primary outcome was all-cause neonatal mortality. Independent data collection teams recorded data for all pregnancies and their outcomes, morbidity, mortality, and household practices related to maternal and newborn care. Findings: Of the 27 randomised clusters with functional LHW programmes, 13 were allocated to the intervention group (n=242 749) and 14 to the control group (n=256 985). In the intervention group, LHWs did 80% of the planned community mobilisation sessions, but were able to attend only 1184 (14%) of 8425 deliveries and 4318 (25%) of 17 288 neonatal visits within 72 h of birth (p

Paper-based microfluidic devices have advanced significantly in recent years as they are affordable, automated with capillary action, portable, and biodegradable diagnostic platforms for a variety of health, environmental, and food quality applications. In terms of commercialization, however, paper-based microfluidics still have to overcome significant challenges to become an authentic point-of-care testing format with the advanced capabilities of analyte purification, multiplex analysis, quantification, and detection with high sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, fluid flow manipulation for multistep integration, which involves valving and flow velocity control, is also a critical parameter to achieve high-performance devices. Considering these limitations, the aim of this review is to (i) comprehensively analyze the fabrication techniques of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices, (ii) provide a theoretical background and various methods for fluid flow manipulation, and (iii) highlight the recent detection techniques developed for various applications, including their advantages and disadvantages.

OBJECTIVE:To assess performance of the WHO revised verbal autopsy tool for ascertaining the causes of still birth in comparison with reference standard cause of death ascertained by standardized clinical and supportive data. METHODS:All stillbirths at a tertiary hospital in Karachi, Pakistan were prospectively recruited into study from August 2006- February 2008. The reference standard cause of death was established by two senior obstetricians within 48 hours using the ICD coding system. Verbal autopsy interviews using modified WHO tool were conducted by trained health workers within 2- 6 weeks of still birth and the cause of death was assigned by second panel of obstetricians. The performance was assessed in terms of sensitivity, specificity and Kappa. RESULTS:There were 204 still births. Of these, 80.8% of antepartum and 50.5% of intrapartum deaths were correctly diagnosed by verbal autopsy. Sensitivity of verbal autopsy was highest 68.4%, (95%CI: 46-84.6) for congenital malformation followed by obstetric complication 57.6%, (95%CI: 25-84.2). The specificity for all major causes was greater than 90%. The level of agreement was high (kappa=0.72) for anomalies and moderate (k=0.4) for all major causes of still birth, except asphyxia. CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that verbal autopsy has reasonable validity in identifying and discriminating between causes of stillbirth in Pakistan. On the basis of these findings, we feel it has a place in resource constrained areas to inform strategic planning and mobilization of resources to attain Millennium Development Goals.