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Abstract Ionized Mg (iMg) may offer a more reliable indicator of Mg status during acute illness than total Mg (tMg) concentrations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dysmagnesemia and their relationship using iMg and tMg. The clinical and biochemical characteristics as well as health outcomes and their association with iMg and tMg were also assessed. A prospective study including all eligible adult patients (≥18 years) who were hospitalized in the General Internal Medicine unit at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) for 3.5 months in 2023. The iMg and tMg concentrations were collected on all at the admission. In total 500 patients were included (females 49.2%) with a median age of 64.5 years (IQR: 48-77). The prevalence of hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia by iMg concentrations was 3.4% and 26.6%, respectively, while by tMg concentrations 13.2% and 11.0%, respectively. The agreement between both measurements was strong (r=0.665, p

Abstract Background Recently, efforts like crossbreeding, strain crossing, and inbred hybridization have been performed to improve productive performance in native chickens. This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of crossbreeding on the improvement of the productivity of a native chicken. The White Leghorn exotic chicken (WL) as dam line and the Marandi indigenous chicken (MA) as sire line were used to generate the crossbreds (MA × WL). Body weight and egg production traits were measured in the three groups. Results There are significant performance differences between WL and MA, with WL exhibiting superior body weight and egg production compared to MA (P

Abstract Among various natural hazards, those induced by hydrological and meteorological factors have emerged as the most frequent and damaging. India is at the second from the top, after Bangladesh, of flood hazard-affected countries of the world, causing immense damage to life and property every year. The Middle Ganga Plain in the country is one of the most severely affected regions due to the convergence of Himalayan rivers in the Ganga (Ganges) plain. This study focuses on optimizing novel ensemble models to enhance the mapping of flood hazard susceptibility in specific topoclimatic setting, characterized by a low-altitude-range, sub-tropical monsoonal climate, and a riverine floodplain environment of the tectonically active Middle Ganga Plain. This region forms part of the Ganga Foreland Basin prone to frequent floods. We employ a comprehensive flood inventory and twelve selected flood conditioning factors and is the first study that has developed these ensemble models in low relief riverine floodplain environmental setting with high resolution geomorphology as one of the conditioning factors. Four artificial intelligence ensemble models were employed in this work: Logistic Regression-Evidential Belief Function (LR-EBF), Logistic Regression-Frequency Ratio (LR-FR), Multi-Layer Perceptron-Evidential Belief Function (MLP-EBF), and Multi-Layer Perceptron-Frequency Ratio (MLP-FR). Results showed that LR-based ensembles outperformed MLP-based ensembles in the studied topoclimatic setting, with LR-EBF model achieving 87.2% and 84.7% success and prediction rates respectively. Our results reveal consistent performance differences between LR-based ensembles with FR and EBF models across different environmental settings. MLP-based ensembles, particularly with Frequency Ratio, displayed more significant performance variations. The findings underscore the importance of considering specific topoclimatic and altitudinal range environments when applying flood hazard susceptibility models. Our study also provides valuable insights for planning and policymaking in flood management practices in similar topoclimatic settings worldwide.

Abstract Unpredictable fatal outcome of COVID-19 is attributed to dysregulated inflammation. Impaired early adaptive immune response leads to late-stage inflammatory outcome. The purpose of this study was to develop biomarkers for early detection of host immune impairment at first diagnosis from leftover RNA samples, which may in turn identify high risk patients. Leftover RNA samples of COVID-19 patients at first diagnosis were stored. Following prospective follow-up, the samples were shorted and categorized into outcome groups. Impaired adaptive T cell response (severity score) and Impaired IL-10 response (undetectable IL-10 in the presence of high expression of a representative interferon response gene) were determined by RT-PCR based assay. We demonstrate that a T cell response based ‘severity score’ comprising rational combination of Ct values of a target genes’ signature can predict high risk noncomorbid potentially critical COVID-19 patients with a sensitivity of 91% (95% CI 58.7–99.8) and specificity of 92.6% (95% CI 75.7–99) (AUC:0.88). Although inclusion of comorbid patients reduced sensitivity to 77% (95% CI 54.6–92.2), the specificity was still 94% (95% CI 79.8–99.3) (AUC:0.82). The same for ‘impaired IL-10 response’ were little lower to predict high risk noncomorbid patients 64.2% (95% CI 35.1–87.2) and 82% (95% CI 65.5–93.2) respectively. Inclusion of comorbid patients drastically reduce sensitivity and specificity51.6% (95% CI 33.1–69.8) and 80.5% (95% CI 64.0–91.8) respectively. As best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a metric-based approach showing the ‘severity score’ as an indicator of early adoptive immune response, could be used as predictor of severe COVID-19 outcome at the time of first diagnosis using the same leftover swab RNA. The work flow could reduce expenditure and reporting time of the prognostic test for an earliest clinical decision ensuring possibility of early rational management.

Abstract Climate variability significantly affects rainfall, air temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation. In subtropical regions like India, intense monsoon rainfall primarily causes floods. This study aims to analyze the climatic factors contributing to flood occurrence in the Middle Ganga Plain (MGP) by examining meteorological parameters through various analyses, including monthly and yearly trends, spatial variability, exceedance probability, historical highest intensity rainfall, and wind trajectory analysis. By establishing a strong link between climatic variables and flood events, this research provides valuable insights into the impact of climate variability on flood patterns in the MGP. Results indicate that monsoon rainfall peaks from July to October, correlating with major flood events. During these months, high relative humidity increases the likelihood of rainfall. Spatial analysis shows higher rainfall in the northern Middle Ganga Plain (MGP), which aligns with observed flood patterns. Trend detection tests reveal increasing annual rainfall and rising average temperatures. Geostatistical analysis identifies the western and eastern MGP as areas prone to extreme rainfall. Exceedance probability analysis confirms the occurrence of substantial monsoon rainfall events. Wind trajectory analysis uncovers seasonal shifts that lead to low-pressure systems and heavy monsoon rainfall. The study establishes a strong link between climatic variables and flood events in the MGP region.

In recent years, the modeling of time-to-events has emerged as a highly promising and dynamic research area. This field has witnessed a surge of research studies dedicated to developing novel statistical methodologies aimed at effectively handling time-to-event phenomena. These studies are motivated by the increasing recognition of the importance of time-related factors in various fields such as medicine, epidemiology, finance, and engineering. Researchers have been actively engaged in proposing innovative approaches to address the complexities associated with time-to-event data. The overarching goal is to enhance our understanding of event occurrence and duration, enabling more accurate predictions and informed decision-making. This research encompasses a wide range of topics, including survival analysis, reliability modeling, and event prediction. The motivation behind these research efforts stems from the need to overcome traditional limitations in time-to-event analysis and to explore new avenues for modeling and interpretation. By introducing advanced statistical techniques, researchers seek to capture the intricate dynamics of event processes, considering factors such as censoring, competing risks, and time-varying covariates. The proliferation of research studies in this domain reflects a collective effort to push the boundaries of statistical modeling and analysis, paving the way for more comprehensive and robust methodologies. As researchers continue to delve deeper into the intricacies of time-to-event data, the impact of these advancements extends to diverse applications, ultimately fostering innovation and progress across interdisciplinary fields. This paper adopts and implements a new statistical approach to propose a family of flexible distributions, namely, a new generalized-O family of distributions. For the newly obtained family, certain mathematical properties such as identifiability, quantile function, rth non-central moment, Lorenz curve, incomplete moments, and the expression of the Bonferroni curve are obtained. Furthermore, an extension of the Weibull model is introduced using the newly developed approach, namely, a new generalized Weibull model. The parameters of the new generalized version of the Weibull model are estimated by adopting a well-known estimation approach. Finally, a data set consists of sixty (60) observations representing the times of the survival of some patients infected by the COVID-19 epidemic is analyzed to illustrate the new generalized Weibull model.

The escalation of environmental pathogenic microorganisms and disregard of public hygiene practices have resulted in the emergence of various skin infections within communities. Recent investigations have proposed that diverse snail mucus compositions may possess antimicrobial properties. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further research to elucidate specific antibacterial characteristics inherent in the mucus of White Garden snail (Theba pisana). This study aimed to evaluate antibacterial activity of Theba pisana mucus extract against selected ATCC bacterial strains being Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and MRSA. The assessment involved comparing antimicrobial activity of the mucus extract to various broad-spectrum antibiotics. The susceptibility of bacterial isolates to snail mucus secretions was assessed using agar well diffusion method on Muller Hilton Agar plates. After incubation at 37°C for 24 hours, various concentrations of snail slime including 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% were applied. The findings reported that E. faecalis exhibited highest activity, with zone of inhibition measuring 24 mm, followed by K. pneumonia and S. aureus (16 mm), MRSA (14 mm), and E. coli (12 mm). However, at concentration of 25%, mucus extract exhibited effect only against E. faecalis. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of several tested antibiotics demonstrated similarity to that of the mucus extract. Therefore, it revealed that secretions of T. pisana mucus may possess the potential to act as a source of antibacterial agents. This may become as an alternative agent to costly synthetic antibacterial compounds. However, further studies are required to exploit the mucus secretion in addressing the issue of antibiotic resistance.

The present chapter developed a preservation-based inventory model under the condition of carbon emissions and the effect of learning on perishable goods. Carbon emissions exit from many sources and affect the greening level of the environment. It is considered that carbon emissions exit due to electricity and also for many more reasons. Finally, total inventory cost will be minimized concerning the cycle length. For the validation of this model, a numerical example has been given and briefly justified with the help of sensitivity analysis. The effect of inventory parameters has shown separately in the sensitivity section.

Several studies have reported that different factors play an important role in the production of IgG after VOVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed at studying COVID-19 infection rates and severity in renal transplant recipients and vaccine responsiveness. comorbidity hemodialysis requirements, and immune suppression treatment regimens. In this cross-sectional study, IgG levels was measured in renal transplant recipients using automated benchtop immunoanalyzer Vidas at the Duhok Center for Kidney Disease and Transplantation. In this study group, only 30 individuals experienced the SARS-COVID-2 infection, with only three cases being severe. The most frequently reported symptoms of SARS-COVID-2 virus infection were fatigue (18/30) 60%, high temperature (17/30) 56%, headache (12/30) 40%, and poor endurance (11/30) 36.6%. The IgG titers were significantly different between the vaccinated 33.067 ± 2.5 versus unvaccinated individuals 23.916 ± 3.31with p value = 0.025. On the other hand, demographic characteristics of the cohort including: comorbidities, hemodialysis, different age groups, gender, infection/no-infection differences had no statistically significant impact on the IgG titers. Vaccination significantly increased the levels of protective IgG level in kidney transplant recipients. It is crucial to focus on increasing the acceptance of vaccination among kidney transplant recipients to prevent infections from other COVID-19 variants or pathogen outbreaks.

Aim and Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of emotional schema therapy on emotion regulation and reduction of high-risk behaviors in female adolescents. Methods and Materials: This was a semi-experimental with pretest-posttest design and control group .in which 30 people, as a sample, were randomly selected from 14- to 18-year-old junior high school girls in Mashhad who had high-risk behaviors and problems in Emotion regulation and have been referred to the Education Counseling Center of Khorasan Razavi Province, and were randomly divided into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. In this study, the clinical interview form of children and adolescents, the Grass Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Iranian Adolescents Risk Scale (IARS) were used. Findings: The results of multivariate analysis of covariance showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in all components of high-risk behaviors except tendency to violence, so that the mean post-test scores of the experimental group were significantly less than that of the control group. In addition, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in emotion regulation strategies, so that in the reappraisal strategy, the mean scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than that of the control group, and in the suppression strategy, the mean scores of the experimental group were significantly less than that of the control group. Conclusions: In conclusion, emotional schema therapy was effective in regulating emotions and reducing high-risk behaviors in female adolescents.

Objectives: Keeping in view the economic and veterinary public health importance of brucellosis, this research was conducted to determine its seroprevalence and associated risk determinants in small ruminants in district Khanewal, Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Two-stage cluster sampling technique was used for sampling, and the sample size was calculated using C-survey 2.0. Accordingly, sera samples (n = 392) were collected from small ruminants in the study area from October 2022 to July 2023. All the samples were tested for the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies by Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), followed by confirmation of all the samples using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (ID.vet®, France; sensitivity and specificity=100%, each). Results: The seropositivity rate of brucellosis was 7.14% [n = 28/392; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.87%–10.12%] by RBPT, whereas the results of ELISA showed an overall seroprevalence rate of 7.40% (n = 29/392; 95% CI = 5.11%–10.37%) in the study population. Univariate analysis of risk factors revealed that abortion history (AH), retained fetal membranes (RFMs), repeat breeding, flock size (FS), educational status of farmers (ESFs), awareness about brucellosis (AB), and farm hygiene had a significant association with the seroprevalence of brucellosis (p < 0.05). The multivariate analysis using a binary logistic regression model revealed that variables including tehsil, FS, AH, RFM, ESF, AB, and farming system were significant factors (p < 0.05) associated with brucellosis in the target population. Conclusion: Brucellosis is prevalent in small ruminants in Khanewal, Pakistan. The disease burden can be reduced by improving the reproductive health of animals, farm hygiene, and farmers' awareness about the diseases. Further studies are needed on a larger scale to devise stringent disease control strategies to avoid losses associated with brucellosis at regional, national, and global levels. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2024; 11(1.000): 9-18]

Abstract Building energy management systems (BEMS) are integrated computerized systems that track and manage the energy use of many pieces of building-related machinery and equipment, including lighting, power systems, and HVAC systems. Modern buildings must have BEMSs in order to reduce energy usage while maintaining comfort. Not only for energy-saving purposes, BEMS is essential in enhancing the quality of the energy supply, which helps to gain a better understanding of how energy is used and the building's energy usage. When the dynamics of a building's energy usage are known, it is possible to determine which changes are most likely to reduce consumption. Numerous connected devices, operating modes, energy usage, and environmental factors can all be monitored and controlled in real-time using BEMS. Changing operating times and setting points to maximize comfort and efficiency is made simple by this. In this paper, we have primarily addressed the two significant issues of model optimization and electricity consumption forecasts. Future forecasting has been done using the LSTM based time series approach. We generated data on the amount of electricity consumed by a hospital facility and tested our suggested methodologies on actual data. The findings gained demonstrated that the strategies were successful with both types of data. On actual data, the trend in electricity consumption can be accurately predicted. Several model optimizers enhanced the suggested methods' performance as well. Our objective function gain accuracy result of 95%.

Exploration of macrofungi in the Jammu and Kashmir regions, India, led to the discovery of two novel species, described herein as Lactarius indohirtipes sp. nov. and L. sharmai sp. nov. This paper presents detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations, as well as a phylogenetic analysis based on nrITS sequences. A comparative analysis with related species is also included.

Background: Team-based learning is a relatively new or most recent teaching strategy that has been adopted in medical schools. This study evaluated students’ perception of critical thinking, and problem-solving skills using Team-Based Learning (TBL) as a strategic tool. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study using convenient sampling among 300 first, second, and third-year MBBS students was conducted. A total of 6 TBLs were held for each MBBS class and 18 TBLs were held in all three years from February to October 2023 at Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College (FRPMC), Karachi. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to evaluate the students' perception and problem-solving abilities. Data was collected and analyzed using SPSS ver.25. A pilot study was done on 55 participants and Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. Results: A total of 269 out of 300(89.6%) students responded that the pre-reading material given was appropriate for the TBL session. Similarly, 268(89%) students agreed that the TBL's learning objectives were in line with the lectures. Students' engagement 237(79%) was higher when compared with problem-solving skills 216(72%) as attained through TBL. Students' overall opinions were rated above 75% for the category of agree and strongly agree on the rating scale with a mean score of 3.96 out of 5 for all claims. The Cronbach Alpha for the pilot study was 0.909. Conclusion: There was an overall positive perception of medical students for all attributes of TBL indicating that student engagement was more successfully identified than problem-solving abilities. Keywords: Educational Techniques, Learning, Problem-Based Learning.

The twin rotor aerodynamic system (TRAS) reflects the dynamics of vertical take-off rotor systems. TRAS considers the coupling effect and gyroscopic disturbance torque as unwanted signals. For safe and reliable TRAS operation, proper control input is vital, along with fast fault indication. This paper addresses the output sensor fault detection problem in the linear model of TRAS subjected to l2-norm bounded disturbance. A robust design of an observer is formulated as H-/H∞ optimization problem to maximize the sensitivity/robustness criterion. The approach minimizes the disturbance effect on the residual signal, which leads to successful fault detection. Furthermore, a linear quadratic regulator-based state feedback controller is proposed to meet the system's desired transient response requirement. The incorporation of an observer-based residual generator for fault detection along with the state-feedback controller differs the current work from the existing work. Successful fault detection in the output sensor of TRAS depicts the good performance of the proposed observer.

Abstract Background Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a bacterial pathogen belonging to the genus Brucella. It is one of the most frequent bacterial zoonoses globally but unfortunately, it is still considered as a neglected disease in the developing world. Keeping in view, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk determinants of brucellosis in large ruminants of peri-urban and rural areas of district Multan-Pakistan. For this purpose, blood samples (n = 490) were collected from the cattle (n = 245) and buffalo (n = 245) population of the study area and subjected to preliminary screening of brucellosis using local and imported RBPT reagents. All the samples were further analyzed using commercially available multi-specie indirect ELISA kit followed by their confirmation by PCR using genus and species-specific primers. Data obtained from lab analysis and questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis for Pearson Chi-square, Odds Ratio and Confidence intervals (95%). Results The results showed that the maximum seropositivity was recorded with local RBPT reagent (VRI, Pakistan; 12.45%; 95%CI = 9.72–15.65%) followed by RBPT-IDEXX (12.24%; 95%CI = 9.52–15.45%) and RBPT-ID.vet (11.84%; 95%CI = 9.18–14.95%) however statistical difference was non-significant (P = 0.956). The ELISA results showed an overall seroprevalence rate of 11.22% (95%CI = 8.59–14.33%) with comparatively higher rate in cattle (12.65%; 95%CI = 8.82–17.44%) as compared to buffaloes (9.80%; 95%CI = 6.49–14.15%). The PCR analysis confirmed the presence of genus Brucella in all seropositive samples whereas frequency of B. abortus and B. melitensis in seropositive samples was 80% and 20%, respectively. The co-existence of both species was also observed in 5.45% samples. The statistical analysis showed a significant association of bovine brucellosis with herd size, breed, reproductive disorders, mode of insemination, educational status and farmers’ awareness about brucellosis (P 0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, brucellosis is prevalent in large ruminants of district Multan, Pakistan. It is suggested to devise and implement stringent policies for the effective control and prevention of brucellosis in the region. Further, the current situation also warrants the need to strengthen interdisciplinary coordination among veterinarians and physicians in one health perspective to ensure and strengthen the human and animal health care systems in the region.

This article encounters the use of two wavelet methods, namely the collocation method based on Haar wavelets (CMHW) and the higher-order collocation method based on Haar wavelets (HCMHW), to solve linear and nonlinear fourth-order differential equations with different forms of given data such as two-point boundary conditions and two-point integral boundary conditions. Managing these types of boundary conditions can be challenging in numerical methods. However, in this study, these types of equations are handled in a simple manner using the Haar wavelet expressions, as provided in the given information. In the case of nonlinear problems, the quasi-linearization technique is introduced to linearize the equation. Nonlinear fourth-order differential equations are transformed into a simple linear system of algebraic equations using the quasi-linearization technique and Haar wavelets. These equations are then solved very easily to find the solution of the differential equations. The convergence rate and stability of both the methods are studied in details. The convergence rate of the proposed HCMHW is faster than the CMHW (2+2s>2,s=1,2…). Some of the examples are given to indicate the better performance and accuracy of the proposed HCMHW.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic poses a danger to public health across the world. Specific and sensitive testing is vital to tracking and containing the infected individuals. This study examines the characteristics of 705 patients based on gender and age groups, with a focus on their CT (Cycle Threshold) values associated with E- and RdRp gene amplification. Among the patient cohort, 58.87% were male, while 41.13% were female. Notably, all males and females tested positive for the E gene, achieving a 100% detection rate, whereas the RdRp gene exhibited a slightly lower positive rate of 93.4% in males and 89.6% in females. Statistical analysis through the chi-square test revealed no significant disparities between target genes and gender. Additionally, a one-way ANOVA test demonstrated no significant distinctions between target genes and age groups. This study's findings suggest that gender and age do not significantly influence CT values for E and RdRp gene amplification, and there is no preferred gene for detection, providing valuable insights into the molecular characteristics of the studied cohort.

For cancers and other pathologies, early diagnosis remains the most promising path to survival. Profiling of longitudinal cohorts facilitates insights into trajectories of biomarkers. We measured microRNA expression in 240 serum samples from patients with colon, lung, and breast cancer and from cancer-free controls. Each patient provided at least two serum samples, one prior to diagnosis and one following diagnosis. The median time interval between the samples was 11.6 years. Using computational models, we evaluated the circulating profiles of 21 microRNAs. The analysis yielded two sets of biomarkers, static ones that show an absolute difference between certain cancer types and controls and dynamic ones where the level over time provided higher diagnostic information content. In the first group, miR-99a-5p stands out for all three cancer types. In the second group, miR-155-5p allows to predict lung cancers and colon cancers. Classification in samples from cancer and non-cancer patients using gradient boosted trees reached an average accuracy of 79.9%. The results suggest that individual change over time or an absolute value at one time point may predict a disease with high specificity and sensitivity.

This study evaluates the preparation of novel ternary functional adsorbents based on polyaniline, zinc oxide nanoparticles, and moringa oleifera gum to produce zinc oxide/Moringa oleifera gum-grafted L-methionine-functionalized polyaniline bionanocomposites (ZM-g-Pani) and employed to sequestrate divalent metal ions (Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+) from wastewater samples. The morphological and structural properties of ZM-g-Pani were exploited using FT-IR, FE-SEM/EDS, TEM, and XRD. FT-IR and FE-SEM studies show that the as prepared nanocomposite has an abundant number of reactive groups and a porous structure, thus demonstrating outstanding divalent metal cation removal. FT-IR study confirms that the attachment of L-methionine to polyaniline is facilitated by the C-S linkage. Both TEM and FE-SEM techniques confirmed the clustered granules of ZnO over the surface of polyaniline, which ultimately provided more surface area to adsorb metal ions. The study demonstrated that Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions could undergo physical sorption and chemisorption simultaneously during the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity was 840.33, 497.51, and 497.51 mg/g for Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+, respectively. The impact of co-existing ions, including NO3−, PO43−, SO42−, Cl−, Na+, Cu2+, and Al3+, showed that there were no notable alterations in the adsorption of the selected metal ions with ZM-g-Pani. ZM-g-Pani showed eight successive regeneration cycles for Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+ with more than 85% removal efficiency.

Background: Medical students are confronted with substantial academic and psychological stressors during their education. Studies report that examination stress can have a noteworthy effect on the leukocyte count of students. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological effects of examination stress on the total and differential leucocyte cell count in medical students at Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Nawabshah. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted from April to October 2019, with 110 MBBS students, divided into two groups of 55 students using a non-probability randomized sampling technique with first-year and second-year female students, whereas hypertensive, diabetic, and with any psychiatric disease were excluded. Blood samples were taken before and during the examination. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 23. All the continuous variables were analyzed by the t-test for Mean±S.D while all the numerical variables were analyzed by Student’s t-test. Results: Pre-exam complete blood count (CBC) test reports of first-year students showed Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Eosinophil, and Monocytes cell counts of 69.2182, 28.5455, 1.61, 1.2545 cell /microliter whereas complete blood count during exams showed 69.909, 27.9636, 1.41and 1.2000 cells/ microliter. In the second-year student, complete blood count before and during the exam showed Neutrophils 66.5273 to 64.0182, Lymphocytes 31.236 to 30.036, Eosinophil 1.92 to 1.76, and Monocytes 1.473 to 1.364 cells/microliter, the decreased values showing that there is an influence of exam stress on white blood cells. Conclusion: Exams in medical schools can be stressful enough to induce a substantial decrease in blood cell parameters among medical students.

Background: Clinical skills laboratory offers great potential for undergraduate medical education by introducing the students to innovative teaching and learning strategies that efficiently fill the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice. Our study aimed to assess the initial perceptions and experiences of medical students for the newly established clinical skills laboratory at FRPMC. Method: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at FRPMC, with 100 medical students of the first-year M.B.B.S. participating in this study. During the academic year, study participants attended six modules from Feb to Dec 2020. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was given to each student at the end of the module. Data has been reported as Mean ± SD and an internal consistency evaluation form for each variable was calculated. Results: A total of 100 students participated in the study, 90% of the study participants agreed that their overall skill lab experience of training in the skills lab was satisfactory. 68% of respondents felt that instructors play an important role in organizing and structuring the course material, and 58 to 61% said that the clinical skills training simulates a hospital setting where practicing on real patients would take place. The pre-reading materials and instructions should be provided in advance, according to 64% of students. Conclusion: Students' perceptions and experiences of teaching clinical skills were generally positive. Students showed overall satisfaction over the motivational conducive environment, content taught, gaining confidence, learning procedural skills, and adequacy of the educational equipment for learners.

Melatonin is a highly conserved molecule produced in the human pineal gland as a hormone. It is known for its essential biological effects, such as antioxidant activity, circadian rhythm regulator, and immunomodulatory effects. The gut is one of the primary known sources of melatonin. The gut microbiota helps produce melatonin from tryptophan, and melatonin has been shown to have a beneficial effect on gut barrier function and microbial population. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota is associated with bacterial imbalance and decreased beneficial microbial metabolites, including melatonin. In this way, low melatonin levels may be related to several human diseases. Melatonin has shown both preventive and therapeutic effects against various conditions, including neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. This review was aimed to discuss the role of melatonin in the body, and to describe the possible relationship between gut microbiota and melatonin production, as well as the potential therapeutic effects of melatonin on neurological diseases.

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that impact their health outcomes. These determinants are shaped by various social, economic, political, environmental, and cultural factors. Pakistan Vision 2025 aims for a society where every Pakistani can have a quality life. The UNDP Human Development Report 2013 ranked Pakistan 146th out of 187 countries on the HDI ranking, which measures health, education and standard of living.1 Pakistan is currently facing serious challenges on various fronts. Social indicators reflect serious deficiencies in education, health and population, gender equity a

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is globally endemic and a gross violation of human rights, in addition to abuse of intimacy by some men against their female intimate partners. Based on literature review, attitudinal, socio-demographic, and experiential attributes of 15 to 49 year old ever partnered women in the heterosexual relationships were identified. This study used the anonymized 2020-21Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) data to compute the IPV prevalence and its correlates, in addition to computing the changes in IPV prevalence at the urban, rural, and at the national levels using data from the 2014 CDHS. Identified attitudinal, socio-demographic, and experiential attributes were used in the bivariate and multivariable analysis. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used for computing the bivariate and multivariate associations with IPV; additionally, trend analysis was done to compute changes in IPV prevalence between the 2 surveys. Lifetime prevalence of IPV was 20.70%, while the most common subtype was emotional IPV at 18.70%. Ten out of 12 correlates studied were found to be statistically significantly associated with IPV in the bivariate analysis. These were added in the multivariable model and 7 were found to be statistically significantly associated with IPV. Which included educational attainment of women and their intimate partners, number of living children, women’s IPV acceptance, male partner’s alcohol use, knowledge of physical beating of mother by one’s father, and controlling behavior exercised by partner. During the intervening period between the 2 CDHSs, IPV and its subtypes were decreased in both urban and rural areas, as well as nationally. IPV decrease between the 2 DHSs and lower IPV rates in 2021-22 augur well for the health and human rights of Cambodian women. However, the ultimate target of eliminating IPV against women, will require measures that ensure economic and gender empowerment, and gender equality.

Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant growth regulator known to take part in defense responses against different types of stresses, including salt stress. In this study, the role of foliar applied SA in improving the growth of berseem variety ‘Anmol’ under salt stress was examined. Plants were sown in plastic pots in the sand. Plants were treated with different concentrations of salinity (0, 60 mM and 120 mM NaCl) and salicylic acid (0, 100 mg L-1 and 150 mg L-1) was applied as a foliar spray. Salinity stress significantly reduced root and shoot fresh and dry weight, root and shoot length, photosynthetic pigments including Chl. a, b, a/b, total soluble proteins, total amino acids and uptake of K+ and Ca2+ ions in root and shoot tissues. Exogenous application of salicylic acid improved growth traits including shoot length, shoot fresh weight, root length, root fresh and weight, shoot dry weight, pigments contents (Chl. a, a/b and carotenoids). Total soluble protein and amino acid contents, activities of antioxidants peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were also enhanced by the foliar spray of SA under saline and non-saline conditions. SA played a crucial role in lowering Na+ and Cl− ions content in shoot and root tissues while enhancing the uptake of K+ and Ca2+ ions. The study revealed that 100 mg L-1 SA treatment significantly influenced several plant parameters, including shoot length (8 cm), root length 6.7 cm, chlorophyll (1.2 mg/g FW), total soluble proteins (0.8 mg/g FW) and total amino acids (2.5 mg/g FW), SOD (1.22 U/mg protein), CAT (1.75 U/mg FW), potassium ions (29 mg/g DW), and calcium ions (43 mg/g DW) during salinity stress. Therefore, field use of SA (100 mg L-1) is recommended to enhance the growth of berseem and other fodder crops in saline soils.

Abstract The Scuttle fly, Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) is a key pest of wheat and barley. The pest is univoltine and migrates from wheat fields following harvest to high elevations; then, the following spring it moves back to the fields. Natural enemies may have an important role in decreasing the population’s level in overwintering sites. In the present study, adults of E. integriceps were collected from overwintering sites in Isfahan province, Iran, in October 2022 and transferred to the laboratory. One week after sampling, dead adults were isolated and divided into three groups: one group was dissected under a stereomicroscope, and parasitoid larvae were extracted from the cadavers; the second one was incubated in Petri dishes sealed with parafilm, individually for four weeks, and emerged pupae were collected; and the third group was incubated in the closed boxes, and emerged flies were collected for fixing and identification. Assessment of dissected adult E. integriceps under a stereomicroscope revealed that the insect was parasitized with Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae) larvae. Per adult, up to 13 larvae were found inside E. integriceps. The last instar larvae were pupated outside the E. integriceps body. This study is a new record of M. scalaris as a parasitoid of E. intergriceps in Iran.

Abstract The frequency, severity, and spatial extent of destructive wildfires have increased in several regions globally over the past decades. While direct impacts from wildfires are devastating, the hazardous legacy of wildfires affects nearby communities long after the flames have been extinguished. Post‐wildfire soil conditions control the persistence, severity, and timing of cascading geohazards in burned landscapes. The interplay and feedback between geohazards and wildfire‐induced changes to soil properties, land cover conditions, and near‐surface and surface processes are still poorly understood. Here, we synthesize wildfire‐induced processes that can affect the critical attributes of burned soils and their conditioning of subsequent geohazards. More specifically, we discuss the state of knowledge pertaining to changes in mineralogical, hydraulic, mechanical, and thermal properties of soil due to wildfire with a focus on advances in the past decade. We identify how these changes in soil properties alter evapotranspiration, interception, sediment transport, infiltration, and runoff. We then link these alterations to the evolution of different geohazards, including dry raveling, erosion, rockfalls, landslides, debris flows, and land subsidence. Finally, we identify research gaps and future directions to advance knowledge on how wildfires control the evolution of various earth surface processes and geohazards over time.

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health problem. The objectives of this study were to analyze the prevalence and correlates of IPV perpetrated by men against women from the recent nationally representative Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18, and to analyze levels and trends of IPV perpetrated by current/former husbands from PDHS conducted in 2012-13, in the four provinces and the capital city.MethodsAssociation of having ever experienced IPV, defined as either emotional, physical and/or sexual violence, by ever married women aged 15-49, with 12 explanatory socio-demographic, attitudinal, and experiences were analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression models.ResultsThe prevalence of having ever experienced IPV was 33.48% (95% CI: 30.76-36.32). In the final multivariable model, number of living children, having knowledge of parental physical IPV, husband's use of alcohol, and marital control were statistically significantly associated with IPV. Proportions and trend analysis of emotional and physical IPV between the PDHS 2017-18 and PDHS 2012-13, showed that in general, rural areas of provinces reported higher prevalence of emotional and physical IPV, compared with urban areas, and in general, emotional, and physical IPV prevalence declined from PDHS2012-13 to PDHS2017-18.ConclusionsThe prevalence of having experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence in Pakistan was lower than the prevalence for the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region. However, IPV burden at the provincial urban-rural residency status underscore the need for location specific strategies to effectively address IPV in Pakistan.

This study investigates the relationship between democracy and innovation across 61 developing countries from 2013 to 2020, utilizing data from Global Innovation Index. Employing the Freedom House Index and Polity2 indicators as proxies for democracy, research employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Fixed Effects and SystemGMM techniques to analyze their impact on innovation. The findings of the study reveal no statistically significant relationships between democracy and innovation in developing nations within specified timeframe. Through empirical analysis, including various econometric approaches, it is observed that the level of democracy as measured by these indicators, does not appear to exert a discernable impact on the innovation landscape of these countries. These results carry important implications for public policy. While the promotion of democracy remains a crucial goal, especially for societal development and political stability, this study suggests that solely focusing on enhancing democratic institutions might not necessarily yield immediate direct improvements in the innovation capacities of developing nations. Policymakers and stakeholders involved in fostering innovation ecosystems in these regions may need to consider a more nuanced approach, encompassing factors beyond the scope of democratic governance to effectively spur innovation. Understanding the nuanced relationship between democracy and innovation in developing countries has significant implications for designing targeted policies aimed at enhancing innovation capacities, economic growth and overall societal development in these regions.

Pakistan has among the highest rates of maternal, perinatal, and neonatal mortality globally. Many of these deaths are potentially preventable with low-cost, scalable interventions delivered through community-based health worker programs to the most remote communities. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 10,264 households during the baseline phase of a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan from June-August 2021. The survey was conducted through a stratified, two-stage sampling design with the objective of estimating the neonatal mortality rate (NMR) within the study catchment area, and informing implementation of the cRCT. Study outcomes were self-reported and included neonatal death, stillbirth, health facility delivery, maternal death, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), and Lady Health Worker (LHW) coverage. Summary statistics (proportions and rates) were weighted according to the sampling design, and mixed-effects Poisson regression was conducted to explore the relationship between LHW coverage and maternal/newborn outcomes. We identified 7,600 women who gave birth in the past five years, among whom 13% reported experiencing PPH. The maternal mortality ratio was 225 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (95% confidence interval [CI] 137-369). Among 12,376 total births, the stillbirth rate was 41.4 per 1,000 births (95% CI 36.8-46.7) and the perinatal mortality rate was 53.0 per 1,000 births (95% CI 47.6-59.0). Among 11,863 live births, NMR was 16.2 per 1,000 live births (95% CI 13.6-19.3) and 65% were delivered at a health facility. LHW home visits were associated with declines in PPH (risk ratio [RR] 0.89 per each additional visit, 95% CI 0.83-0.96) and late neonatal mortality (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.97). Intracluster correlation coefficients were also estimated to inform the planning of future trials. The high rates of maternal, perinatal, and neonatal death in Gilgit-Baltistan continue to fall behind targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease of veterinary and public health importance with considerably higher prevalence in developing/underdeveloped countries. This study reports the prevalence and risk determinants of brucellosis in small ruminants of peri-urban and rural areas of district Multan, Southern Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, sera samples (n = 392) of small ruminants were collected and subjected to preliminary screening using commercially available RBPT reagents followed by serodetection of brucellosis using multispecies i-ELISA kit (ID.vet, France). All the ELISA positive samples were confirmed by PCR using genus-specific primers, and frequencies of Brucella species in positive samples were enumerated using species-specific primers. Results indicated seropositivity rates of 9.69, 9.95, and 10.20% in study population using RBPT reagents of IDEXX-USA, ID.Vet-France, and VRI-Pakistan, respectively, with a statistically nonsignificant difference p>0.05. Results of ELISA showed an overall seroprevalence rate of 7.14% in target population with a slightly higher rate in sheep (7.65%) as compared to goat (6.63%) population (p=0.695; OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.53, 2.57). Results revealed that out of total positive samples, B. abortus was detected in 60.71% of seropositive samples and B. melitensis was detected in 14.28% of positive samples. It was revealed that risk factors including body condition scores, hygienic conditions of the housing facility, farming system, reproductive disorders, educational status of farmers, and awareness of farmers about brucellosis had significant association with brucellosis in small ruminants of study area p0.05 with brucellosis. In conclusion, brucellosis is prevalent in small ruminants of Multan, Pakistan. It is recommended to devise and implement effective control strategies with a major focus on raising awareness about brucellosis in farmers for the containment of infection in the region.

Workplace events play a significant role in shaping the performance of employees and organizations. Negative events, in particular, require careful attention due to their severe impact on employee wellbeing and performance. Workplace bullying and incivility are two negative events that can cause significant harm to employees and contribute to poor performance. This study examines the effects of workplace bullying and incivility on employee performance in the presence of perceived psychological wellbeing (PWB), with the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS) considered for both independent variables and employee performance (EP). The study focuses on female nurses working in the healthcare sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The results of the study indicate that workplace bullying and incivility have adverse effects on employee performance and that PWB mediates these relationships. Moreover, perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between both predictors and the employee performance criterion. In conclusion, the findings of this study highlight the importance of creating a positive and supportive work environment to mitigate the negative effects of workplace bullying and incivility on employee performance.

In this study a coupled-eulerian–lagrangian (CEL) approach has been applied to assess the internal blast loading conditions, for the tunnel built in three layers of sandstone rock. The three weathered stages of sandstone have been considered in this study i.e., slightly, medium and also highly weathered sandstone in three different layers. The sandstone rock weathering increases as we move towards the ground surface from deep subsurface. The elastoplastic finite element model with varied overburden depth with dimensions of 60 m (L × B × H) each to incorporate different parametric cases. An explosive is assumed at the center of the tunnel, with the capacity of hundred kg of trinitrotoluene (TNT), the explosive is assumed to be hanging in the air inside the tunnel opening with equal distance from all sides. The TNT sphere and air that is inside the rock tunnel has been modelled through CEL technique to simulate actual in-situ condition. Through Mohr-Coulomb, Concrete Damage Plasticity, and Johnson-Cook constructive material model the elastoplastic behaviour of different materials like rock, steel bars and concrete has been simulated respectively. The cage of steel bars has been embedded through interaction constraint in concrete liner to produce reinforced concrete liner. In the initial stages of simulation with 5 m of overburden depth the tunnel has been placed in the upper layer of sandstone. For further analysis, the position of the tunnel has been changed for overburden depth of fifteen, twenty-five and thirty-five meter. In accordance with the result of the simulation, for rock in terms of acceleration, velocity, and dis-placement, the depth of the overburden and the displacement of the crown are inversely related. No damage in terms of compression is seen in this simulation, but in all instances, a small damage owing to tensile failure has been noted.

Using the investor-herding index (IHRB) and manager-herding index (MHRB), the emergence of investors’ and managers’ herding behavior at the corporate-level and its potential impact on firm financial performance (FFP) is analyzed in the entire study. The study utilizes the micro-level data of 296 listed firms of Pakistan stock exchange (PSX) from 2013 to 2017. Empirical findings show that the investors’ and managers’ herding significantly affect FFP. The results are robust under alternative measurements of FFP. This study has a unique contribution to the literature on behavioral finance by addressing the astonishingly overlooked phenomena of firm-level biases and their potential impact on FFP. For prospective investor’s decision, the findings are significant in such way that the market index is irrelevant than the firm-level financial evidence. Explicitly, the study concludes that positive herding behavior is elucidated by the bullish trend and inverse herding behavior of investors with respective to firm value leads toward bearish trend of stock market index. The likelihood of market crash may become more stringent in circumstances once managers and investors interactively exhibit negative herding behavior. Thus, the study offers useful policy and strategy implications for the associated stakeholders to the device the policies accordingly. JEL Code: D9, D21, D91, G11.

This study investigates and describes a novel method for using biogas to run a cogeneration system that generates electricity/cooling and cools with recovered heat from liquefied natural gas (LNG). The investigated setup comprises an open-loop Brayton cycle fed by biogas, a close-loop Brayton cycle (CLBC), an LNG open power generation cycle, and a dual-stage combined cooling and power (CCP) unit composed of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) integrated with an ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC). The performance of the system is scrutinized from many perspectives, such as the ones of energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, CO2 emmision rate, payback, and multi-objective optimization. It is deduced that TGT1 is the most influential decision variable from exergy and cost outlooks, while energy efficiency undergoes considerable changes with variation in Teva. Based on optimization, the developed unit generated 424.1 kW of cooling and 1,864 kW of net electricity, corresponding to 80.4% energy efficiency, 41.24% exergy efficiency, and 10.07 $/GJ for the unit’s overall product cost. In base and optimum design modes, the combustion chamber (1058 kW) and condenser (1023 kW) are responsible for the high levels of total exergy destruction. At a selling price of 0.27 $/kWh for cooling and 0.06 $/kWh for electricity, payback period equals 12.13 years. Furthermore, it is also expected that over the course of 20 years, the system can earn 3.5 million dollars in profits. Based on environmental aspect, the cogeneration system emits 6091 kg/ MWh of CO2, which decreased to 3913 kg/MWh after optimization.

The solution of a nonlinear hyperbolic Schrödinger equation (NHSE) is proposed in this paper using the Haar wavelet collocation technique (HWCM). The central difference technique is applied to handle the temporal derivative in the NHSE and the finite Haar functions are introduced to approximate the space derivatives. After linearizing the NHSE, it is transformed into full algebraic form with the help of finite difference and Haar wavelets approximation. Solving this well-conditional system of the algebraic equation, we obtained the required solution. Theoretical convergence and stability analysis of HWCM is also performed for two-dimensional NHSE which is supported by the experimental rate of convergence. The numerical findings for the moving soliton wave in the form of $ |\varphi | $ are explored in depth using Haar wavelets. The propagation of soliton waves is captured accordingly and the time blow-up phenomenon has also been handled by the proposed HWCM because of the well-conditional behaviour of the transformed algebraic equations. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed method and the results are found correct and efficient. In the last example, we have considered a practical case that has no exact solution.

Background: Globally Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is considered to cause one of the major infection burdening public health. Presently HCV is categorized into seven genotypes and 67 subtypes, transmitted through various routes and vary in their pathogenesis. Aims and Objectives: Present work aimed to detect the prevalent HCV genotypes among individuals attending tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out. Patient blood samples received for screening of HCV antibodies were included in this study. Serum was subjected to Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) or Chemiluminescent Immunoassay (CLIA) and samples found to be positive for HCV antibodies were subjected to viral RNA extraction and genotyping. Results: Forty-two samples were found to be positive for HCV antibodies out of 19526 samples screened and were further subjected to genotyping. The genotypes identified were genotype-1, genotype-3, and genotype-4. Conclusion: Genotype-1 and genotype-3 predominate in this region. However, genotype-4 detection was novel to this region and has never been reported earlier. This study highlights the importance of screening HCV-positive patients for genotyping.

Abstract Background Adaptive cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies toward eating play a very important role in obesity and according to schema therapy, patients with obesity learn that don't respond to their emotional stimuli by eating. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an online video-based group schema therapy in improvement of the CER strategies and body mass index (BMI) in women who had undergone bariatric surgery. Methods Forty women who had undergone sleeve gastrectomy were selected and randomly divided into two groups of control and experimental. The experimental group received 10 weekly 90-min sessions of group schema therapy, the control group did not receive any intervention at all. Both groups completed the CER strategies questionnaire during pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages, and the data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) through SPSS software (version 20). Results Our results indicated that the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher adaptive CER strategies (P = 0.0001, F = 31.15) and significantly lower maladaptive CER strategies (P = 0.001, F = 9.42), significantly lower BMI (P = 0.001, F = 23.48), as compared to the control condition, following the group schema therapy after the follow-up stage. Conclusion The findings demonstrated that group schema therapy could lead to an increases in adaptive CER strategies and a decrease in maladaptive CER strategies and BMI in women who had undergone bariatric surgery. Trial registration IRCT, IRCT20180523039802N2. Registered 5 August 2020, http://www.irct.com/IRCT20180523039802N2 .

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes confer low resistance to Fluoroquinolones (FQs). This study aims to detect five PMQR genes among FQs-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from various clinical specimens. Out of 120 K. pneumoniae isolates, 68 FQs-resistance K. pneumoniae were included in a molecular study. Standard microbiological tests were used for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility. For the detection of PMQR genes, conventional polymerase chain reaction was used. A molecular study revealed that (73.5%) of samples harbored PMQR genes, and among them, 58% were co-carriages of PMQR gene variants. Aac (6’)-Ib-cr gene was predominant (47.1%) among samples, and qepA had the lowest percentage (11.8%), qnr genes were (32.4%) (29.4%) (20.6%) qnrS, qnrB, and qnrA respectively. Overall, high percentages of PMQR genes were detected, and almost all of samples were phenotypically resistant to ciprofloxacin. As well, there was a significant statistical relationship between phenotypically ESBL-producers and qnrB and qepA genes.

Abstract Seminal plasma contains a variety of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that deliver RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) molecules. However, the roles of these EVs along with their delivered RNAs and their interactions with male infertility are not clear. Sperm-associated antigen 7 (SPAG 7) is expressed in male germ cells and plays a crucial role in several biological functions associated with sperm production and maturation. In this study, we aimed to identify the post-transcriptional regulation of SPAG7 in seminal plasma (SF-Native) and seminal plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (SF-EVs) collected from 87 men undergoing infertility treatment. Among the multiple binding sites for miRNAs within its 3’UTR of SPAG7, we identified the binding of four miRNAs (miR-15b-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-424-5p, and miR-497-5p) to the 3’UTR of SPAG7 by the dual luciferase assays. Analyzing sperm, we found reduced mRNA expression levels of SPAG7 in SF-EVs and SF-Native samples from oligoasthenozoospermic men. By contrast, two miRNAs (miR-424-5p and miR-497-5p) form the SF-Native samples, and four miRNAs (miR-195-5p, miR-424-5p, miR-497-5p, and miR-6838-5p) from the SF-EVs samples showed significantly higher expression levels in oligoasthenozoospermic men. The expression levels of miRNAs and SPAG7 were significantly correlated with basic semen parameters. These findings contribute significantly to our understanding of regulatory pathways in male fertility by showing a direct link between upregulated miRNA, notably miR-424, and downregulated SPAG7 both in seminal plasma and in plasma-derived EVs likely contributing to oligoasthenozoospermia.

Corporate cash holdings have received increased attention from researchers and practitioners as cash management is a crucial task for executives. Holding too much cash can result in low returns and mismanagement by managers. Conversely, holding low cash reserves can lead to missed investment opportunities. The present study examines the relationship between board governance, financial constraints, and corporate cash holdings. The robust fixed-effects method is used in this study to analyze 860 A-listed firms in China from 2005 to 2020. An index is designed to measure board effectiveness, while financial constraints are measured using Z-score, the Kaplan and Zingales index, and the SA index. The major findings document that the financially less constrained firms hold more cash when there is an effective board governance. Furthermore, financially less constrained firms have more robust board governance to minimize the agency concerns of managers and shareholders. This research provides an inference for stockholders’ activism connected to the cash holdings of the financially constrained and less constrained companies. The findings offer useful policy implications for stakeholders to reform contemporary cash holding policies. Specifically, understanding the role of an effective governance system for financially less constrained firms would help minimize the potential agency conflict. JEL Classification: G34, O16, G32, F34

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a globally pervasive public health and medical problem in addition to being a serious violation of women’s rights. The two-fold objectives of this study were to compute the lifetime prevalence and correlates of IPV perpetrated by current/former husbands/partners of ever-married women aged 15–49 years using the nationally representative Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2019; ethnicity-based levels and trends of IPV were also computed using the data from the DHS conducted in 2013 along with the 2019 DHS.MethodsTwelve IPV correlates pertaining to socio-demographic, attitudinal, and experiential attributes were analyzed using logistic regression models for bivariate and multivariable analysis. IPV was computed as a composite variable comprising of physical, emotional, and/or sexual IPV.ResultsLifetime prevalence of experiencing any kind of IPV was a staggering 60.81%, whereas emotional, physical, and sexual IPV prevalence were reported by 45.90%, 49.81%, and 8.14% of the respondents, respectively. No ethnicity reported a statistically significant decrease in any type of IPV during the intervening period between the two surveys. Five out of nine ethnicities reported a statistically significant increase in emotional IPV, while few ethnicities reported a statistically significant increase in one or more types of IPV.ConclusionThe high lifetime prevalence of IPV is alarming and points to the need for targeted health promotion campaigns to reverse the tide of IPV in Sierra Leone, including focusing on changes in cultural and ethnicity-based norms and mores to ensure women’s human rights are respected and upheld.

Summary: Background: The causes for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are diverse and the incidence trends of IMIDs from specific causes are rarely studied. The study aims to investigate the pattern and trend of IMIDs from 1990 to 2019. Methods: We collected detailed information on six major causes of IMIDs, including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, between 1990 and 2019, derived from the Global Burden of Disease study in 2019. The average annual percent change (AAPC) in number of incidents and age standardized incidence rate (ASR) on IMIDs, by sex, age, region, and causes, were calculated to quantify the temporal trends. Findings: In 2019, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease accounted 1.59%, 36.17%, 54.71%, 0.09%, 6.84%, 0.60% of overall new IMIDs cases, respectively. The ASR of IMIDs showed substantial regional and global variation with the highest in High SDI region, High-income North America, and United States of America. Throughout human lifespan, the age distribution of incident cases from six IMIDs was quite different. Globally, incident cases of IMIDs increased with an AAPC of 0.68 and the ASR decreased with an AAPC of −0.34 from 1990 to 2019. The incident cases increased across six IMIDs, the ASR of rheumatoid arthritis increased (0.21, 95% CI 0.18, 0.25), while the ASR of asthma (AAPC = −0.41), inflammatory bowel disease (AAPC = −0.72), multiple sclerosis (AAPC = −0.26), psoriasis (AAPC = −0.77), and atopic dermatitis (AAPC = −0.15) decreased. The ASR of overall and six individual IMID increased with SDI at regional and global level. Countries with higher ASR in 1990 experienced a more rapid decrease in ASR. Interpretation: The incidence patterns of IMIDs varied considerably across the world. Innovative prevention and integrative management strategy are urgently needed to mitigate the increasing ASR of rheumatoid arthritis and upsurging new cases of other five IMIDs, respectively. Funding: The Global Burden of Disease Study is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project funded by Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital (2022QN38).

Background and objective: In this present research paper, a mathematical model has been developed to study myocyte contraction in the human cardiac muscle, using the Land model. Different parts of the human heart with a focus on the composition of the myocyte cells have been explored numerically to enabling us to determine the interaction of various parameters in the heart muscle. The main objective of the work is to direct the study of the Land model, which has been exploited to simulate the contraction of real human myocytes. Methods: Mathematical models has been developed based on the Hill model and Huxley model. Myocyte contraction for different scenarios, such as in isometric tension and isotonic tension have been studied. Results: It is found that increase in stretch, the peak active tension increases, in line with well-established length-dependent tension generation. Five parameters are selected: [Ca2+]T50, Tref, TRPN50, β0, and β1, which have been varied in between the range of −50%–100%, to examine the isometric effects of each parameter on the behavior of the tension developed in the intact myocyte cells, with the most sensitive parameter being [Ca2+]T50. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is found that the Land model provides a good platform for the analysis of the active contraction of the human cardiac myocyte.

Disabilities are globally endemic and will increase with population ageing and ubiquitous prevalence of noncommunicable diseases. The Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement survey conducted in 2019-20 is the only district-level representative survey that provides proportion of disabled individuals. The survey used a standardized and validated six-questions from the ‘Washington Group Questions’ that identify functional disabilities pertaining to difficulty in the domains of sight, hearing, walking/climbing steps, remembering/ concentrating, self-care (washing/dressing), and communicating/being understood. Disabilities were more common in men in both urban and rural areas of districts. Continue...

This numerical study aims to determine the exergy analysis for a modified solar heat collector (SHC) having wavy delta winglets as turbulent promoters. These winglets disrupt the viscous layer to improve the heat transfer rate from the heat-absorbing surface to the fluid medium in the rectangular channel. The analysis considers following parameters: the relative longitudinal pitch (P/H), number of waves (φ), and flow angle of attack (α0) and flow Reynolds number range of 4000–18000. The maximum exergy efficiency of 29.18% is achieved with a longitudinal pitch of 5, an angle of attack of 60°, and a relative number of waves of 5. To evaluate the system's feasibility and sustainability, the study uses a Sustainability Index (SI), which reflects the system's Waste Energy Ratio (WER) and Improvement Potential (IP). This assessment helps identify opportunities for improvement in the thermal system.

This research paper presents an experimental analysis on a heat exchanger tube using a newly designed perforated conical ring combined with twisted tape as inserts. The investigation analyzes various geometric and flow parameters in the experimental setup, including a wide range of Reynolds numbers, varying from 6000 to 30000, nanoparticle volume concentration (φnp) of 0.25-1.0%, the ratio of inlet flow dia to inner print dia of the ring (DIR/DBR) of 1.33-2.33, ring pitch ratio (RP/ DED) of 1.41-2.51, twist ratio (TL/ WT) of 3.33-4.38, with fixed values for other parameters: relative ring height ((DED/ WR) of 2.33 and nanoparticle diameter (dnp) of 30 nm. The optimal result of the thermal-hydraulic performance parameter (ηTT) is 1.45 at DIR/DBR = 1.83, TL/ WT = 3.50 and RP/ DED = 1.76. For the CuO/H2O nanofluids flow heat exchanger tube with perforated conical rings, empirical correlations were developed for the Nusselt number and the friction factor. These correlations were established with a range of 9.0% and 8.0%, respectively.