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Upper limb robotic (myoelectric) prostheses are technologically advanced, but challenging to use. In response, substantial research is being done to develop person-specific prosthesis controllers that can predict a user's intended movements. Most studies that test and compare new controllers rely on simple assessment measures such as task scores (e.g., number of objects moved across a barrier) or duration-based measures (e.g., overall task completion time). These assessment measures, however, fail to capture valuable details about: the quality of device arm movements; whether these movements match users' intentions; the timing of specific wrist and hand control functions; and users' opinions regarding overall device reliability and controller training requirements. In this work, we present a comprehensive and novel suite of myoelectric prosthesis control evaluation metrics that better facilitates analysis of device movement details—spanning measures of task performance, control characteristics, and user experience. As a case example of their use and research viability, we applied these metrics in real-time control experimentation. Here, eight participants without upper limb impairment compared device control offered by a deep learning-based controller (recurrent convolutional neural network-based classification with transfer learning, or RCNN-TL) to that of a commonly used controller (linear discriminant analysis, or LDA). The participants wore a simulated prosthesis and performed complex functional tasks across multiple limb positions. Analysis resulting from our suite of metrics identified 16 instances of a user-facing problem known as the "limb position effect". We determined that RCNN-TL performed the same as or significantly better than LDA in four such problem instances. We also confirmed that transfer learning can minimize user training burden. Overall, this study contributes a multifaceted new suite of control evaluation metrics, along with a guide to their application, for use in research and testing of myoelectric controllers today, and potentially for use in broader rehabilitation technologies of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common house fly, Musca domestica L., is a mechanical vector of numerous diseases that may be spread from one living thing to another by sponging their mouthparts on their body and leg hairs after they have vomited. House flies (Musca domestica) have been known as a mechanical vector in spreading infectious diseases such as cholera, shigellosis, salmonellosis and skin infections. The present study aims to investigate the abundance of M. domestica adults in an urban region of Cairo Governorate, Egypt, throughout one year and bacterial diversity on its body surface. Adults of M. domestica were collected monthly by hunting. Collected adults were subjected to molecular identification. Bacteria were isolated from the surface of flies' body pieces and identified by automated identification systems (VITEK). Obtained data revealed that the highest abundance (201.67±15.57) was recorded in May 2022, while the lowest abundance (17.33±0.57) was recorded in April 2023. Also, M. domestica abundance positively correlated significantly (P≤0.001) with temperature (r= 0.895) and relative humidity (r= 0.827). Musca domestica species were molecularly identified, and the sequences were then banked on NCBI under the accession numbers OQ784762-OQ784764. The highest bacterial pathogen presence were Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Bacillus spp. (77.0 %). Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonias had the lowest presence (total of 23.0 %). On the other hand, the results of antibiotic sensitivity revealed that Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonia are more resistant to several antibiotics than Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichia coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equaliser is an indispensable block inside the receiver in Serial Link systems. It is used to moderate the high-frequency loss of the signal in the channel. A new technique is described to improve the performance of the Continuous-Time Linear Equaliser (CTLE). This technique utilises split-length device (SLD) in order to boost the output impedance of the SLD. The proposed CTLE is designed and simulated in 65 nm CMOS technology. Post-layout simulation results demonstrate that the proposed technique has more peaking than conventional CTLE by an order of 1.5 dB at Nyquist frequency. The Proposed design has a vertical eye-opening of 220 mV and a horizontal eye-opening of 0.35 UI. It consumes 1.56 mW from a 1.2 V supply. A FoM of 13.1 fJ/bit/dB is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes aegypti is a major vector of Dengue fever, whose slight reappearance was recorded in the Red Sea Governorate in 2017. The present study was carried out to determine the DNA barcoding of Ae. aegypti and investigate the sensitivity of its aquatic immature stages to different insecticides, with reference to non-target organisms, zebrafish, Danio rerio, and Daphnia magna. Genetic identification of Ae. aegypti was confirmed through PCR amplification and subsequent sequencing. The obtained DNA sequences were deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) sequence database with the accession number OR76138. Methomyl, a-cypermethrin, and chlorpyrifos were tested against immature stages of Ae. aegypti. Additionally, the effect of tested insecticides on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were assessed. Results showed that the activity of the tested insecticides varied according to the concentration of the insecticides, exposure time and the immature stage tested. Complete larval mortality (100%) of the first instar was attained at 0.007, 0.0009, and 0.005ppm of methomyl, a-cypermethrin, and chlorpyrifos after 48h of exposure, respectively. Generally, a-cypermethrin was the most effective insecticide, followed by chlorpyrifos and methomyl. In addition, methomyl caused the least inhibition of AChE activity (5.53 and 5.90U/L) in larvae I after 24 and 48h of exposure, compared to 5.74 and 6.13U/L for the control group. In addition, the GST activity was significantly increased (P< 0.05) by all tested insecticides. The highest GST values (1.73 and 1.59U/g tissue) were recorded for pupae after 24 and 48h of exposure to a-cypermethrin. On the other hand, methomyl recorded LC50 of 0.862, 0.011, and 0.575, 0.009 ppm against zebrafish and Daphnia after 24 and 48h, respectively. Generally, methomyl, a-cypermethrin, and chlorpyrifos are effective agents against Ae. aegypti, however, their environmental footprint cannot be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arab early career researchers (ECRs) are strongly encouraged to actively participate in scholarly communication activities, as it not only enhances their academic standing but also facilitates career advancement and garnering recognition from both the scientific community and the broader public. Nevertheless, the constantly evolving landscape of scholarly communication has imposed significant challenges on researchers. This paper is dedicated to an examination of the scholarly communication practices of early career researchers in Egypt, with the overarching objective of providing insights into the transformations occurring within the scholarly communication framework, particularly within the context of developing nations. In our paper, we employed a quantitative research design to scrutinize the scholarly communication system in Egypt. This endeavor encompassed the distribution of questionnaires to early career researchers hailing from prominent Egyptian universities, resulting in a total of 441 respondents representing various academic institutions across the country. Our analysis revealed that junior scholars predominantly adhere to conventional scholarly methodologies in their research pursuits. This conformity is, in part, attributed to the promotion system in Egypt, which places considerable emphasis on established practices, such as single-author publication, while discouraging the utilization of informal channels for garnering recognition and accolades. The findings of this study furnish us with a more profound comprehension of the prevailing scholarly system in Egypt, which in turn can serve as a foundation for potential system enhancement. It is imperative to acknowledge, however, that this study is not without limitations. The response rate could not be precisely quantified due to the online dissemination of the questionnaires, and the distribution of respondents across diverse scholarly disciplines exhibited significant disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the information-seeking behavior of Egyptian physicians serving in COVID-19 isolation hospitals. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 91 physicians serving in Egyptian isolation hospitals answered the study questionnaire. Findings: Demographically, more than half of respondents were males. Over one-third of them are holding Doctor of Medicine (M.D), followed by one-third holding Master of Medicine (MMed). Respondents' age ranged from 30 to 60 years. Internal medicine is the most common specialty, accounting for nearly half of all physicians, followed by chest medicine and intensive care medicine. The information-seeking behavior of these three groups in their regular work is believed to be different, but since all of the participants are working in COVID-19 isolation hospitals, they should have the same information resources, Internet access and the same needs relevant to COVID-19 in order to make accurate clinical decisions. The physicians used traditional and electronic information sources to fulfill their information needs, the most important of which were to make a specific research, find an answer to a specific case, and deliver a medical lecture. Colleagues, coworkers, nurses and pharmacists were the most important channels pursued by Egyptian physicians to obtain information. Originality/value: This study is the first study that focuses on investigating the information-seeking behavior of Egyptian physicians serving in isolation hospitals. Any findings resulted from this study may serve as a noteworthy reference that may be useful to the Egyptian health sector, experts, researchers, as well as policymakers in establishing strategic decisions for making the understating much better. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-08-2020-0350 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of chemical fertilizers is responsible for numerous environmental problems including low food quality, soil degradation, and toxicity to beneficial living organisms in the soil. Nano-fertilizers (NFs) application may be a promising solution for combat these challenges. The current study focused on the efficiency of applying small amounts of NFs incorporated with conventional nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers to reduce the quantities of conventional fertilizers (CFs) in lettuce cultivated in sandy soil. This study evaluated the effect of these incorporations on plant growth, yield, phytochemical accumulation, leaf nutrient, and leaf nitrate. A pot experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 using the following treatments: CF100: 100% CFs, CF75NF25: 75% CFs + 25% NFs, CF50NF50: 50% CFs + 50% NFs, CF25NF75: 25% CFs + 75% NFs, and NF100: 100% NFs (=10% of CFs). Our findings displayed that the CF75NF25 and CF50NF50 treatments recorded the highest plant growth parameter values (plant length, root length, number of leaves, and fresh and dry biomass). The maximum of chlorophyll fluorescence measurements (photosystem II efficiency) were obtained in plants fertilized with CF75NF25, followed by CF50NF50 and CF100. The improvement ratios of photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll (Chl) a, b, and total) for CF75NF25 were 23.77, 50, and 23.72% in the first season and 10.10, 51.0, and 24.90% in the second season for Chl a, b, and total, respectively, as compared with the CF100 treatment. A similar tendency was observed for the CF50NF50 treatment. Generally, CF75NF25 significantly raised the content of total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity (AOA) in lettuce plants by 36.09, 47.82, and 40.16% in the first season and by 30.39, 37.53, and 32.43% in the second season, respectively, compared with CF100. In addition, the levels of leaf nutrient content and uptake of N, P, and K were significantly higher in plants fertilized with CF75NF25 compared to the other treatments, whereas CF25NF75 had the lowest values among the different treatments across both seasons for most of the tested traits. The nitrate content in lettuce leaves (NO3−) for both seasons was lower than the acceptable level for human consumption. These results indicate that incorporating a low concentration of NFs into CFs could be a promising strategy to reduce the amount of CFs to 75% or 50% of lettuce NPK requirements without significant adverse effects on the growth and productivity of lettuce plants cultivated in sandy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the entrepreneurial culture in Omani university libraries and analyzed the benefits and difficulties that come with it. The main aims was to examine the resources and guidance offered by these libraries for creating an entrepreneurial culture as well as the perceived challenges faced by library staff and students. The study also tried to identify effective programs and top practices from other academic libraries that might be applied to the Omani context. A combination of semi-structured interviews with staff members from five libraries and surveys given to students in 10 libraries were used to accomplish these goals. The results of this study showed that the Sultanate of Oman's academic libraries actively support entrepreneurial culture and are aware of their potential as centres for its diffusion. They do, however, face challenges, such as a dearth of competent workers in the field of business and a lack of pertinent collections to support the entrepreneurial culture. The study also emphasized the need for Omani academic libraries to improve the services they offer in the area of entrepreneurship and spread knowledge of its significance, particularly in light of the nation's sustainable development aspirations. By contributing to understanding entrepreneurial culture within the context of Omani academic libraries, this research provides valuable insights for library professionals, educators, and researchers. It identifies current challenges and opportunities and shares successful initiatives from other academic libraries, emphasizing the significance of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in academic libraries to promote innovation and contribute to the overall advancement of the library industry and information institutions in the Arab world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace violence (WPV) is a serious endemic phenomenon in healthcare settings, and it has been escalating during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, healthcare workers (HCWs) (105 physicians and 104 nurses) working at two public hospitals accepting patients with COVID-19 in Egypt were included. Using a self-administered questionnaire distributed in January 2021, data about HCWs' sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and their exposure to psychological and physical WPV during the past six months were collected. The results showed that the prevalence of psychological and physical WPV was 42.6% and 9.6%, respectively. Relatives of patients were the perpetrators in most WPV incidents. HCWs did not report 57.3% of psychological and 10.0% of physical WPV incidents. Female sex, having physical contact with patients, and working rotational shifts were associated with the increased exposure to psychological and physical WPV. In conclusion, this study showed a high prevalence of WPV against HCWs in Egyptian public hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study of library anxiety among a group of Arab students in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The paper also investigated the factors that affect the students' level of anxiety while using academic libraries. The study tried to compare the difference in the level of anxiety in the two countries using a scale (LLPB) developed by the researchers which fit the culture in the Arab region. The study adopted a mixed methods approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with several students in Saudi Arabia and Egypt to determine the main factors that lead to having a level of anxiety in the libraries. In the second stage, a questionnaire was sent to students to measure what factors have a greater impact on the level of anxiety. The data showed that Egyptian students are more anxious about using the libraries than the Saudi students. The results also indicated that there is a need to train students on how to use the libraries and also change students' perception regarding the library to reduce the level of anxiety. This study was conducted in Egypt and Saudi Arabia the level of library anxiety and the factors that may affect the students may vary in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing medication adherence through the determination of antihypertensive drugs in biological matrices holds significant importance. Amlodipine (AP), a potent antihypertensive medication extensively prescribed for hypertensive patients, is particularly noteworthy in this context. This article aims to introduce a rapid, simple, improved sensitivity, and reproducibility in detecting AP in its pure form, tablet formulation, and spiked human plasma than the other reported methods. The proposed method utilizes a fluorescence approach, relying on the inhibition of the intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET) effect of the lone pair of the N-atom in the primary amino moiety of AP. This inhibition is achieved by acidifying the surrounding medium using 0.2 M acetic acid. By blocking PET, the target AP drug is sensitively detected, at \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$${}_{em} \text{o}\text{f}$$\end{document} 423 nm over a concentration range 25–500 ng mL− 1 showcasing an exceptionally low quantitation limit of 1.41 ng mL− 1. Notably, this innovative technique was successfully applied to detect AP in its solid dosage form and spiked human plasma. Remarkably, matrix interference was found to be insignificant, underscoring the robustness and applicability of the established approach. The combination of speed, sensitivity, and reproducibility makes this method particularly suitable for assessing medication adherence in patients prescribed AP for hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Persons with normal arm function can perform complex wrist and hand movements over a wide range of limb positions. However, for those with transradial amputation who use myoelectric prostheses, control across multiple limb positions can be challenging, frustrating, and can increase the likelihood of device abandonment. In response, the goal of this research was to investigate convolutional neural network (RCNN)-based position-aware myoelectric prosthesis control strategies. Methods: Surface electromyographic (EMG) and inertial measurement unit (IMU) signals, obtained from 16 non-disabled participants wearing two Myo armbands, served as inputs to RCNN classification and regression models. Such models predicted movements (wrist flexion/extension and forearm pronation/supination), based on a multi-limb-position training routine. RCNN classifiers and RCNN regressors were compared to linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifiers and support vector regression (SVR) regressors, respectively. Outcomes were examined to determine whether RCNN-based control strategies could yield accurate movement predictions, while using the fewest number of available Myo armband data streams. Results: An RCNN classifier (trained with forearm EMG data, and forearm and upper arm IMU data) predicted movements with 99.00% accuracy (versus the LDA's 97.67%). An RCNN regressor (trained with forearm EMG and IMU data) predicted movements with R2 values of 84.93% for wrist flexion/extension and 84.97% for forearm pronation/supination (versus the SVR's 77.26% and 60.73%, respectively). The control strategies that employed these models required fewer than all available data streams. Conclusion: RCNN-based control strategies offer novel means of mitigating limb position challenges. Significance: This research furthers the development of improved position-aware myoelectric prosthesis control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to report the findings of Saudi researchers' academic performance on the topic of COVID-19. In addition, the paper explored the contribution of Saudi Arabia in the area and how Saudi Arabia is doing compared to other Arab countries The study adopted bibliometrix R to map the literature on the topic published by Saudi scholars. A total number of 3242 documents were retrieved from the Web of Science database and examined Using the software to mine information about journals, articles, authors, citations, keywords and countries. The analysis revealed that Saudi scholars had published a fair amount of COVID-19 studies in a small timespan. Scholars from Saudi Arabia have initiated a strong collaboration with other researchers worldwide. The data revealed that Saudi scholars have collaborated with scholars All over the world. Overall, Saudi Arabia had its share of global contribution on the subject (19th place). Contribution from Saudi Arabia was found to be affiliated to other countries, especially the USA and Egypt The study focused only on Saudi scholars' productivity in the field of COVID-19. More research needs to be done in order to find how Arab scholars are progressing with COVID-19 research. Additionally, the study only used the Web of science to retrieve the data. Using Scopus might give us more understanding of the scholars' productivity in the field. Despite several studies on the field, this is the first study covering scholars' productivity in covid-19 in the Middle east. The results of the study are hoped to help in understanding the research progress in this area and how scholars collaborate in COVID-19 research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commonly cited reason for the high abandonment rate of myoelectric prostheses is a lack of grip force sensory feedback. Researchers have attempted to restore grip force sensory feedback by stimulating the residual limb's skin surface in response to the prosthetic hand's measured grip force. Recent work has focused on restoring natural feedback to the missing digits directly through invasive surgical procedures. However, the functional benefit of utilizing somatotopically matching feedback has not been evaluated. In this paper, we propose an experimental protocol centered on a fragile object grasp and lift task using a sensorized myoelectric prosthesis to evaluate sensory feedback techniques. We formalized a suite of outcome measures related to task success, timing, and strategy. A pilot study (n = 3) evaluating the effect of utilizing a somatotopically accurate feedback stimulation location in able-bodied participants was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the standardized platform, and to inform future studies on the role of feedback stimulation location in prosthesis use. Large between-participant effect sizes were observed in all outcome measures, indicating that the feedback location likely plays a role in myoelectric prosthesis performance. The success rate decreased, and task timing and task focus metrics increased, when using somatotopically-matched feedback compared to non-somatotopically-matched feedback. These results were used to conduct a power analysis, revealing that a sample size of n = 8 would be sufficient to achieve significance in all outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of protection motivation theory (PMT) constructs on Arab women's feelings while seeking information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The study has adopted a mixed-method approach using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire to explore PMT constructs' impact on women's feelings while seeking information on COVID-19. Several tests, such as standard deviation, mean, skewness, kurtosis and persons, were used to check the reliability of data and inter-relationships between constructs. Findings: The study results show a significant positive correlation between PMT constructs (perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, response efficacy, self-efficacy and response cost) with the feelings of Arab women during information seeking on COVID-19. However, the relationship between threat appraisal and feelings during information seeking was more substantial than coping appraisal and feelings during information seeking. The researchers hope that this study creates a baseline of cross-cultural studies on PMT constructs' effect on women's feelings while seeking health information. Research limitations/implications: The current study was conducted on female participants only. While the study intended to examine Arab women's feelings during information seeking with PMT's application, the results may be affected by other factors that were not considered in the current study. Furthermore, the questionnaire was distributed in three Arab countries, which means that the results cannot be generalized in other geographical contexts. Therefore, similar studies need to be conducted in larger geographical areas as cultural factors may produce different results. Originality/value: This study explores women's feelings while seeking COVID-19 information using the PMT constructs. As far as we know, this study is the first study to investigate Arab women's feelings while seeking health information during pandemics. PMT utilization is considered a new approach to discover and measure informational needs and feelings associated with it during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge to wind turbine design is enlarging their blades to harness more power. However, aerodynamic loads can cause blades to deflect, flutter and possibly fail. Humpback Whales do not have this problem, despite their large size, due to the presence of tubercles on their flippers. This study investigates the design of bio-inspired tubercles on the leading edge of wind turbine blades to minimize deflection and maximize power capture. CFD and fluid-solid interaction models were developed and validated for the WindPACT 1.5-MW baseline blade to simulate the wind flow and deflection before and after adding the tubercles. A first and second law analysis was conducted to investigate the optimum tubercle design. The results showed a stress concentration and maximum tip deflection affecting the baseline blade of 74.57 MPa and 1.51 m, respectively. The applied tubercles of 2.5% height and 50% length of the chord length achieved better characteristics by reducing the blade's deflection by 16.4%. By implementing the tubercles, the blades' length can be increased by 25% to achieve a 65% improvement in captured torque at an equal deflection to the smaller baseline blade. This confirmed the improved blade performance using the bio-inspired tubercle leading edges. • Bio-inspired tubercles are investigated to reduce wind turbine blades deflection. • An energy and exergy analyses are performed to investigate the tubercle design. • The optimum tubercle design reduces the blade's deflection by 16.4%. • Torque capture improves by 65% at the original deflection for a 25% longer blade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed at investigating the insecticidal activity of Pyrus communis L. against the malarial vector, Anopheles pharoensis Theobald, 1901 and its phytochemical constituents. Leaves were collected and the crude extracts were prepared using hexane (PCH) and methanol (PCM). Tested PCH and PCM possess larvicidal activity against A. pharoensis with LC50 and LC90 values of 179.9, 41.2 and 314.1, 68.9 ppm, respectively. A significant reduction in the number of eggs laid by females A. pharoensis that developed from larvae treated with PCH and PCM was noticed. Also, PCH treatment showed highest repellent activity compared with PCM. GC/MS analysis of the PCH revealed the presence of 55 identified compounds subdivided into 2 major classes viz. phenyl alkanes (38.65 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenoids (36.41 %). LC/MS of PCM had led to the identification of 37 compounds, mainly flavonoids, chalcones, phenolic acids and tannins. The results demonstrate the insecticidal potential of leaves methanol and hexane extracts from P. communis as green insecticidal agents for the control of malarial vector, A. pharoensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms have become an essential source of information for many users. The purpose of the current study is to explore Egyptian social media users' perceptions and behavior in the context of COVID-19 misinformation. The study was conducted in two stages; the first included identifying and categorizing misinformation shared in the Arabic language on Egyptian social media pages, and the second stage involved distributing a questionnaire to capture the users' perceptions and behavior. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach to achieve the research objectives. In all, 1304 questionnaires were retrieved. The findings of the study showed that there are four main types of misinformation shared on social media. The first type is false claims about the virus or treatment of the virus; the second is false information about the government; the third is false content in general or manipulated content, and the last type is conspiracy theories. The findings also revealed that gender and education affect how people deal with and accept misinformation. Additionally, it was found that the spread of COVID-19 misinformation has caused negative feelings among the participants. The study was conducted on a sample of Egyptian participants and Egyptian social media pages on Facebook, hence, the types of misinformation and the results may differ in other countries, depending on the social media platform and other factors that may play a role in the spread of misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent days, the smart industry concept is becoming more prominent in industrial autonomous vehicle navigation systems. The need for service reliability and industrial management has led to various developing ideas in the industrial environment. Autonomous vehicles are commonly used for logistics and demand-aware migration of goods within the industry. In this article, the self-controlled touring and movement (SCTM) method is proposed to design, plan, and execute autonomous vehicle movements. The goal of this method is to improve the output of vehicle movements under controlled operating errors. For this purpose, the user requirement and outputs are identified and estimated beforehand for providing effective vehicle navigation plans. This error, balancing with the demands and outputs, is performed using classification learning wherein the changes of the vehicle's movements are frequently updated. Further changes are performed within the completion of the tour plan for retaining operational efficiency of the autonomous vehicle. This method is verified using the following metrics: percent of changes, operating error, delay, balancing factor, and response. The proposed SCTM reduces error by 9.73% and delay by 17.1%, whereas it increases the balancing factor by 8.3% for different tour instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a person makes a movement, a motor error is typically observed that then drives motor planning corrections on subsequent movements. This error correction, quantified as a trial-by-trial adaptation rate, provides insight into how the nervous system is operating, particularly regarding how much confidence a person places in different sources of information such as sensory feedback or motor command reproducibility. Traditional analysis has required carefully controlled laboratory conditions such as the application of perturbations or error clamping, limiting the usefulness of motor analysis in clinical and everyday environments. Here we focus on error adaptation during unperturbed and naturalistic movements. With increasing motor noise, we show that the conventional estimation of trial-by-trial adaptation increases, a counterintuitive finding that is the consequence of systematic bias in the estimate due to noise masking the learner's intention. We present an analytic solution relying on stochastic signal processing to reduce this effect of noise, producing an estimate of motor adaptation with reduced bias. The result is an improved estimate of trial-by-trial adaptation in a human learner compared to conventional methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method in analyzing simulated and empirical movement data under different noise conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) devices based on heuristic algorithms in power systems. The work proposes the Autonomous Groups Particle Swarm Optimization (AGPSO) approach for the optimal placement and sizing of the Static Var Compensator (SVC) to minimize the total active power losses in transmission lines. A comparative study is conducted with other heuristic optimization algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Timevarying Acceleration Coefficients PSO (TACPSO), Improved PSO (IPSO), Modified PSO (MPSO), and Moth-Flam Optimization (MFO) algorithms to confirm the efficacy of the proposed algorithm. Computer simulations have been carried out on MATLAB with the MATPOWER additional package to evaluate the performance of the AGPSO algorithm on the IEEE 14 and 30 bus systems. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm offers the best performance among all algorithms with the lowest active power losses and the highest convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study aims to correlate the clinical signs of keratoconus (KC) which include superficial apical scarring, Fleischer rings, and Vogt striae with best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and corneal tomography findings. Patients and methods. A retrospective observational study. 72 consecutive KC patients seen by the senior author over the course of one year were included in this case series. Eyes with pellucid marginal degeneration, postrefractive ectasia, history of a corneal graft, prior corneal collagen cross-linking, intracorneal ring segments or hydrops were excluded from analysis. Subsequently, the final analysis included only treatment-naïve KC eyes with varying degrees of disease severity. Results. BSCVA with manifest refraction was 0.5 logMAR higher in eyes with apical scarring (p < 0.001). Eyes with apical scarring had worse vision than eyes with Fleischer rings alone (0.43 logMAR higher in the former, p < 0.009). Eyes with apical scarring had higher keratometry readings (K2 = 64.56 ± 12.89 D versus 49.07 ± 6.61 D, p < 0.001); this was also true for eyes with Fleischer rings compared with ring-free eyes (K2 = 56.23 ± 11.52 D versus 48.91 ± 7.79 D, p < 0.001) and eyes with Vogt striae (K2 = 56.19 ± 10.27 D versus 50.68 ± 9.21 D, p = 0.01). Atopic disease was a risk factor for scarring: odds ratio (OR) = 2.87 (p = 0.03). The OR of observing Fleischer rings in KC eyes was 12% per year (p = 0.001). Additionally, each mm of corneal apex displacement from the pupillary center led to a 0.76 logMAR increase in visual acuity (p = 0.001). Conclusion. The presence of apical scarring and Fleischer rings on biomicroscopy can aid the clinician in making the distinction between severe or long-standing disease (respectively). Apical scarring is a sign of advanced disease and is associated with worse BSCVA and tomography findings. Fleischer rings are markers of intermediate disease and their presence correlates with disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study of scholarly communication behaviour among Arab scholars. The main objective of this study is to determine how Egyptian and Saudi Arabian social sciences and humanities scholars engage in scholarly communication practices. The study used a mixed‐methods approach. A questionnaire was answered by a sample of 104 participants, followed by interviews with 36 participants to gain insight into the scholarly communication behaviour of the Arab scholars. The analysis demonstrated that participants use different styles of scholarly communication approaches. Most of the participants do use informal (social media) channels to communicate their research findings (particularly ResearchGate and Facebook), although priority is given to formal over informal publication in peer reviewed journals. Responses showed that the promotional systems of both countries dictate publication choices of scholars, reducing the amount of collaboration by ranking co‐publications lower than sole publications and favouring printed journals over online‐only journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This study aims to measure burst pressures in 3 mm clear corneal incisions sealed with ReSure, a biodegradable hydrogel sealant, and to compare it to traditional 10-0 nylon sutures and unsealed controls. Design. An ex vivo animal study. Methods. 3 mm clear corneal incisions were performed in rabbit eyes (ex vivo). The burst pressure was determined, and then, the incisions were sealed with either ReSure glue or a single 10-0 nylon suture. Burst pressure measurements were repeated. Results. Fourteen eyes were included. The median burst pressure in the suture-control group (7 eyes) prior to suture application was 7 mmHg (range: 0–45); the median burst pressure in the 7 glue-controls was 36 mmHg (range: 5–61, p = 0.08 for the comparison of the two control groups). The median burst pressure in the glue group was 93 mmHg (range: 39–129, p = 0.043 when compared to glue-control). The median burst pressure in the suture group was 158 mmHg (range: 70–180, p = 0.018 when compared to suture-control). There was no statistically significant difference in burst pressure values between the glue and suture groups (p = 0.08). Conclusion. In this study, ReSure glue applied to 3 mm clear corneal incisions provided sufficient resistance to elevated intraocular pressure when compared to controls. The results of this study suggest that ReSure glue may be comparable to a single 10-0 nylon suture in resisting fluid egress during the early postoperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects offer a source of novel natural compounds that may have therapeutic utility in cancer and other diseases. Antioxidant activity of these extracts was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical), and total antioxidant capacity assays. The antioxidant and anticancer effects of the crude extract of maggots namely; Musca domestica, Lucilia sericata and Chrysomya albiceps against the human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2), were investigated. The antioxidant activity of tested extracts revealed that the highest DPPH scavenging activity levels were exhibited by methanolic extract of C. albiceps, followed by those of L. sericata and M. domestica. Also, the highest effect was recorded against human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2) with L. sericata maggots methanolic extract, followed by those of C. albiceps and M. domestica at the highest concentration used (25 mg/ml). The IC50 values of tested extracts ranged from 0.27 to 1.91 mg/ml. In conclusion, data suggest that tested extracts possess antioxidant and anticancer properties that may further explored as a potential source for treatment of cancer and other diseases involving oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on human motor adaptation has often focused on how people adapt to self-generated or externally-influenced errors. Trial-by-trial adaptation is a person’s response to self-generated errors. Externally-influenced errors applied as catch-trial perturbations are used to calculate a person’s perturbation adaptation rate. Although these adaptation rates are sometimes compared to one another, we show through simulation and empirical data that the two metrics are distinct. We demonstrate that the trial-by-trial adaptation rate, often calculated as a coefficient in a linear regression, is biased under typical conditions. We tested 12 able-bodied subjects moving a cursor on a screen using a computer mouse. Statistically different adaptation rates arise when sub-sets of trials from different phases of learning are analyzed from within a sequence of movement results. We propose a new approach to identify when a person’s learning has stabilized in order to identify steady-state movement trials from which to calculate a more reliable trial-by-trial adaptation rate. Using a Bayesian model of human movement, we show that this analysis approach is more consistent and provides a more confident estimate than alternative approaches. Constraining analyses to steady-state conditions will allow researchers to better decouple the multiple concurrent learning processes that occur while a person makes goal-directed movements. Streamlining this analysis may help broaden the impact of motor adaptation studies, perhaps even enhancing their clinical usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study of publishing behaviour among a group of Arab scholars in social science and humanities disciplines. The paper also investigated the number of Arab scholars who are publishing in predatory journals and the reasons that drive them to select these journals to share their scholarly findings. The study adopted a mixed methods approach. Eighteen journals that were categorized as predatory journals were scanned to find the number of Arab scholars who published in them. Then, a questionnaire was sent to Egyptian and Saudi scholars as they were found to be the top Arab contributors in these journals. The questionnaire was followed by semi‐structured interviews to gain an in‐depth understanding of the publishing behaviour. The data showed that many Arab scholars prefer publishing in predatory journals as these journals are easier and faster. The results also indicate that there is a need to raise the awareness of the harm that predatory journals can cause to the scholars and how they can avoid these journals. This study was conducted with social science and humanities scholars in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The publishing behaviour may differ in other scholarly disciplines and other Arabic countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wells turbine is the simplest type of an axial flow self-rectifying air turbine that can be used in conjunction with Oscillating Water Column (OWC) system in the extraction of ocean wave energy. It has been noticed that this turbine is subjected to early stall. As a consequence, several attempts for improving the energy extraction performance of Wells turbine within the stall regime have been investigated. One of these attempts was using an inclined slot as a passive flow control to obtain a delayed stall. In the following study, the impact of varying the angle for the slot on the performance of Wells turbine in the stall regime was investigated. Furthermore, the first law of thermodynamics and the entropy analysis has been used to examine the effect of the slot angle on the entropy generation features around the turbine blade. Moreover, Investigation of slot angle effect on the aerodynamics noise emission from Wells turbine airfoil during the normal operation and the stall regime is covered in this study. The blade of turbine with optimum angle of slot was investigated using the OWC based on actual data from the Egyptian Northern Coast. It was found that the optimum slot angle is 10° clockwise which results in 3% improvement in the torque coefficient before the stall and 15% after the stall as compared to the 0° slot. Otherwise, it gives a lower global entropy generation rate than the 0° slot by 4% before the stall and 3% after the stall. Furthermore, using airfoil of blade turbine with a slot resulted in a reduction of aeroacoustic noise by −21.2% at the stall regime under oscillating flow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With great interest, the authors have read the comments made by Ghisu et al. on our recent paper [1] published in Renewable Energy. The comments severely criticizes our methodology and results, which actually provide us with fortunate opportunity to discuss our work in more details to complement our work, thankfully to this available space of scientific discourse provided by Renewable Energy editors. In this reply, we show clearly that all the comments proposed by Ghisu et al. lacks sufficient understanding of Wells turbine modeling approaches, literature, and state of the art research practices. We also show that Ghisu et al. could not distinguish between fully developed turbulent flow and transitional flow around Wells turbine airfoils. It is also evidently shown that their concerns about the entropy generation calculation method are meaningless in the light of well-established practices of CFD models of entropy generation minimization principles. Our reply is structured in a point-by-point style to address the comments raised in the discussion article and help the readers understand our work in better details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

11-Keto-β-Boswellic acid (KBA) has been shown to prevent infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets and appearance of peri-insular apoptotic cells in an animal model of autoimmune diabetes caused by injection of Multiple Low Doses of Streptozotocin (MLD-STZ), which is a chemical compound belonging to the class of nitrososureas. The aim of this work was to study whether or not KBA can also prevent/attenuate infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets and appearance of peri-insular apoptotic cells in an animal model of autoimmune diabetes caused by genetic dysfunction resembling human type 1 diabetes in several important features. Four weeks old female NOD mice received daily i.p. injections of 7.5 mg/ kg of KBA over a period of 3 weeks. Compared to 4 weeks old animals there was significant infiltration of lymphocytes (CD3) into pancreatic islets and appearance of peri-insular apoptotic cells in the period between 4 and 7 weeks. During this time plasma glucose dropped significantly and body weight did not increase. As far as pro-inflammatory cytokines are concerned, except a small increase of IFN-γ, there was no change in the blood. In mice that had been treated with KBA between 4 and 7 weeks after birth no significant infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets and appearance of peri-insular apoptotic cells was observed, when compared to 4 weeks old mice. Moreover, there was no drop of blood glucose and the animals gained body weight. It is concluded that - similar to the model of MLD-STZ-diabetes - also in the NOD mouse model KBA is able to attenuate or even prevent development of insulitis, suggesting that KBA protects islets from autoimmune reaction regardless whether the signal is provided by a chemical compound or by genetic dysfunction. Whether this also holds for human type 1 diabetes remains to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study to investigate the changes in scholarly communication practices among a group of scholars in the UK and build upon the results that were published in a previous paper.Design/methodology/approach The study deployed a naturalistic inquiry approach using semi-structured interviews as a qualitative research tool. A sample of 40 participants from four UK universities was interviewed to explore the changes in informal scholarly communication behaviour.Findings The analysis of the interviews revealed that there are three ideal types of behaviour: the “orthodox” uses formal and traditional scholarly communication approaches; the “moderate” prioritises formal communication approaches, but at the same time is trying to get benefits from informal channels; and, the “Heterodox” uses all channels available in the scholarly communication.Originality/value The value of the current study lies in using a naturalistic inquiry approach to investigate the changes in scholarly communication practices, and to explore the different scholarly communication styles. In the context of this study, the use of a naturalistic approach and grounded theory principles in connection with coding provided a stance that allows for the gathering of rich information to enable understanding and explanation of scholarly communication activities in addition to uncovering themes that related to scholarly behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the passive flow control method was applied to improve the performance of symmetrical airfoil section in the stall regime. In addition to the commonly used first law analysis, the present study utilized an entropy generation minimization method to examine the impact of the flow control method on the entropy generation characteristics around the turbine blade. This work is performed using a time-dependent CFD model of isolated NACA airfoil, which refers to the turbine blade, under sinusoidal flow boundary conditions, which emulates the actual operating conditions. Wells turbine is one of the most proper applications that can be applied by passive flow control method because it is subjected to early stall. Additionally, it consists of a number of blades that have a symmetrical airfoil section subject to the wave condition. It is deduced that with the use of passive flow control, torque coefficient of blade increases by more than 40% within stall regime and by more than 17% before the stall happens. A significantly delayed stall is also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave energy has a great potential to solve the unrelenting energy deficiency in Egypt. The present work recommends Wells turbine as a suitable choice for the Egyptian coasts due to its simple and efficient operation under low input air flow. In addition, the possibility of extracting the wave energy from the Egyptian coasts was investigated using the oscillating water system based on real data from the site. To achieve this purpose, two-dimensional numerical models for Wells turbine airfoils, functioning under sinusoidal wave flow conditions, were built. Moreover, the running and starting characteristics under sinusoidal-flow conditions were investigated using a mathematical code. The results were discussed using the first law analysis, in addition to the second law analysis by using the entropy generation minimization method. It was found that the NACA0015 airfoil always gives a global entropy generation rate that is less than other airfoils by approximately −14%, −10.3% and −14.7% for the sinusoidal wave with time periods equal to 4, 6 and 8 s respectively. Moreover, the effects of blade profile, time period and solidity on the output power (kW) value were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]