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The increasing prevalence of non-invasive, portable Electroencephalography (EEG) sensors for neuro-physiological measurements has propelled EEG-based assessments of cognitive load (CL) into the spotlight. In this study, we harnessed the capabilities of a four-channel, wearable EEG device that captured brain activity data during two distinct CL states: Baseline (representing a non-CL, resting state) and the Stroop Test (a CL-inducing state). The primary objective of this study is to estimate the CL index through an innovative approach that employs a hybrid, cluster-based, unsupervised learning technique seamlessly integrated with a 1D Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture tailored for automated feature extraction, rather than conventional supervised algorithms, which facilitated in the acquisition of latent complex patterns without the need for manual categorization. The approach was rigorously evaluated using stratified cross-validation, with several assessment criteria assessing both its quality and predictive capability to estimate the CL index. The results obtained (e.g., homogeneity score of 0.7, adjusted rand index of 0.78, silhouette coefficient of 0.5, and an accuracy rate of 93.2%) demonstrate that our module exhibits superiority over supervised approaches. These results are indicative that the adoption of multi-channel wearable EEG devices may facilitate real-time CL estimation, minimizing the need for extensive human intervention, and reducing potential bias, paving the way for more objective and efficient CL assessments.

The role of anatomical variability in safe clinical practice is underappreciated. A lack of familiarity of anatomical variations is at the center of a multitude of medical and surgical errors. The recent rise in litigation due to such errors suggests that patient care may be compromised. This makes the knowledge of anatomical variation essential to medical education. Empirical studies were identified by searching several databases and repositories, and the Medical Education Research Quality Instrument (MERSQI) was used to assess study quality. Eight studies were eligible for this systematic review; three of which were conference abstracts. Thematic summary of these studies yielded six themes namely: (1) "importance of anatomical variation in medical education"; (2) "the ideal time to introduce anatomical variation in medical education"; (3) "important anatomical variations to include in medical education"; (4) "approaches to teaching anatomical variation"; (5) "assessing knowledge on anatomical variation"; (6) "barriers to including anatomical variation in medical education." Including anatomical variations in medical education would improve clinical reasoning and surgical outcomes. Following the completion of this review, three recommendations were made: (1) increasing the emphasis of anatomical variation in medical education; (2) developing more resources for anatomical variation education; (3) investigating the implications of lack of knowledge of anatomical variation in medical education through further research.

Abstract Background In spite of the huge advances in recent medicine, there is no effective drug that completely protects the liver from toxic materials. This study was conducted to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of arctigenin from burdock (Arctium lappa) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. Results Arctigenin pre-administration reduced hepatotoxicity markers significantly as compared to CCl4 group. In addition, both silymarin and arctigenin declined matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in the serum (1177 ± 176), (978 ± 135) significantly as compared to CCl4 group (1734 ± 294). The hepatic antioxidant parameters (total glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase) were significantly decreased after CCl4 injection, an effect that has been prevented by pre-administration of both silymarin and arctigenin. Histological examinations illustrated that arctigenin reduced CCl4 damage, where it decreased inflammation, congestion, and ballooning. Conclusions Arctigenin exerted a hepatoprotective effect against CCl4-induced liver damage in terms of suppressing MMP-2 and oxidative stress comparative to that of silymarin.

Chitosan, derived from chitin, a major constituent (in quantity) of crustaceans, is a unique aminopolysaccharide with emerging commercial potential in agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals due to its nontoxic, biodegradable and biocompatable properties. Chitosan coating on fruits and vegetables has been found to be effective for the reduction of a variety of harmful micro-organims and extend the shelf-life of these products. In this review, our focus is on the antimicrobial properties of chitosan and its application as a natural preservative for fresh products. We detailed the key properties that are related to food preservation, the molecular mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of chitosan on fungi, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, coating methods for using chitosan and its formulation for preserving fruits and vegetables, as well as the radiation method of producing chitosan from chitin. Understanding the economic and scientific factors of chitosan’s production and efficiency as a preservative will open its practical application for fruits and vegetable preservation.

Spillage of furnace oil is a more frequent event in recent times. In this study, environmental samples from furnace oil spillage sites of the Shela River, the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, were collected after three weeks of spillage. Serial dilution was applied and total seven bacterial isolates were separated as pure cultures. The oil-degrading potentiality of all seven isolates was further assessed, confirmed and compared with the growth pattern in furnace oil supplemented media, 2, 6-dichlorophenolindophenol test, and gravimetric analysis. After 7 days of incubation, isolates SS3, RW2, and SB degraded 56%, 43%, and 52% of supplemented furnace oil, respectively. The top three hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial isolates were selected as potential and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (SS3), Bacillus sp. (RW2), and Serratia sp. (SB). All three isolates showed significant oil-degrading capacity compared to negative control, when incubated in sterile pond water supplemented with 2% furnace oil, suggesting them as potential bioremediation agents.

Climate change‐induced concurrent drought and salinity stresses significantly threaten global crop yields, yet the physio‐biochemical responses to combined stress in quinoa remain elusive. This study evaluated quinoa responses under four growth conditions: well‐watered, drought stress, salt stress, and drought + salt stress with (15 mM) or without (0 mM) exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) application. All examined stresses (alone or in combination) reduce quinoa growth and net photosynthesis, although salt stress was found to be less destructive than drought and combined stress. Strikingly, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), stomatal conductance (gs), photosynthetic rate (PN), K+ uptake, shoot height, shoot fresh, and dry weight were increased by 46.1%, 22.2%, 101.6%, 12.9%, 12.1%, 22.4%, 7.1%, 14%, and 16.4%, respectively, under combined stress compared to drought alone. In addition, exogenous H2O2 effectively improved gaseous exchange, osmolytes' accumulation, and antioxidant activity, resulting in reduced lipid peroxidation, which eventually led to higher plant growth under all coercive conditions. The principle component analysis (PCA) indicated a strong positive correlation between antioxidant enzymes and inorganic ions, which contributed efficiently to osmotic adjustment, particularly under conditions of salinity followed by combined stress. In short, in combination, salt stress has the potential to mitigate drought‐induced injuries by promoting the absorption of inorganic solutes for osmoregulation in quinoa plants. Furthermore, exogenous application of H2O2 could be opted to enhance quinoa performance to increase its tolerance mechanism against drought and salinity, even under combined stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for rayon and cellulosic products has resulted in the conversion of a number of kraft pulp mills into dissolving pulp mills in recent years. In fact, kraft-based dissolving pulp production fits well into the concept of an integrated forest biorefinery, in particular, the utilization of dissolved organics in the pre-hydrolysis liquor (PHL) for bio-materials and bio-energy purposes. In this study, the recovery of acetic acid, the second major component in the PHL of the kraft-based hardwood dissolving pulp production process, was investigated using amine-based resin adsorption. Activated carbon (AC) adsorption was adopted as the first step to remove the lignin, and six AC samples were evaluated for this purpose. Among them, CR325 W-Ultra Powder AC showed the best result and removed about 90% of lignin with a minimal loss of hemicellulosic sugars and acetic acid from PHL at a ratio of 1:20 (AC:PHL). Subsequently, the adsorption of acetic acid from AC-treated PHL (TPHL) was studied on tertiary and quaternary amine-based resins. The tertiary amine resin demonstrated better adsorption efficiency. Desorption of the adsorbed acetic acid from the amine resin using sodium hydroxide solution was also studied, and the results showed that 66 to 84% acetic acid desorption occurred using a 4% NaOH solution.

Background Tranexamic acid has emerged as a promising treatment for melasma; however, few controlled studies exist. Oral tranexamic acid has been reported to be effective for treating melasma however, the effect of topical tranxemic acid remains controversial. The purposed mechanism is that it reduces the synthesis of melanin by its inhibitory effect on plasminogen-keratinocyte interaction which in turn decreases tyrosinase levels. Objective To determine the efficacy of oral tranexamic acid for management of patients presenting with melasma. Methods A total of 80 patients of moderate to severe melasma, 15 to 50 years of age were included. Patients were given 250 mg tranexamic acid twice daily alongwith sunscreen creams for the duration of 3 months. The patients were followed up every month. Efficacy was assessed by decrease in mMASI score from the baseline. Results Eighty patients with age range from 15 to 50 years were included in the study. Mean age was 31.94±6.29 years. There were 23 (28.75%) males and 57 (71.25%) females with male to female ratio 1:2.5. Mean duration of disease was 10.19 ± 2.09 months. Mean baseline modified melasma area severity index (mMASI) score was 23.04±5.14. Efficacy of oral tranexamic acid in patients with melasma was found in 32 (40.0%) patients. Conclusion Oral tranexamic acid is efficacious, safe and well tolerated treatment option for patients with moderate to severe melasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil and Gas (O&G) is one of the largest industrial sectors around the world and threatens both humans and environment. Both the companies and regulatory authorities consistently commit resources to improve their integrity management programs (IMPs) and safety culture maturity (SCM). Internal and external audits, public surveys, and benchmarking techniques are being used for discretely assessing both the IMPs and SCM. A novel risk-based benchmarking framework establishes logical relationships between IMP components and their contributions toward SCM attributes using failure mode effects analysis (FMEA). The framework evaluates 88 small, medium, and large-sized O&G companies operating in British Columbia (Canada) using the data from compliance audits for the period between 2011 and 2016. The results revealed that effective communication, updated protocols, and strict follow ups by the regulator with the operating companies improve both the IMP and SCM. The framework identifies the underperforming components for effective improvements and is a paradigm shift from the conventional twofold auditing process to a more efficient and time-saving practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]