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In the production of transition metal nitride hard coatings under specific deposition conditions, the resulting residual stresses play a critical role in determining the mechanical properties, adhesion, and overall performance of the coatings. In this work, an artificial neural network (ANN) that utilizes feed-forward architecture is used to predict the average residual stress in titanium nitride (TiN) coatings with different coating thickness. These coatings are manufactured under varying bias voltages and temperature on substrate. The impact of variations in coating thickness, bias voltage, and temperature on development of internal residual stresses and changes in microstructure within sputtered coatings have been gathered from existing literature. The data collected is within the context of fibrous (zone I) and mix columnar and fibrous structure (combined zone) as defined by an existing structure zone model. The model is trained with experimental data from literature. The model is trained with experimental data from literature. The validation of the ANN model is carried out by comparing the predictions with experimental results. X-ray diffraction is used to analyze the residual stresses, preferred orientation, and the structure (zone I and combined zone) of produced coatings under different sputtering parameters. The regression and performance curves are used to assess the efficacy of ANN model. The coefficient of determination of trained model and mean square error are 0.9918 and 0.35, respectively. The predicted results show good agreement with experimental and subsequently AFM grain morphology analysis captures the growth mechanisms involved in the residual stresses evolution.

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore whether and how urban road transport (URT) development affects haze pollution. One of the innovations of this paper is that URT development is measured by road accessibility with novel digital elevation model datasets, which have been used by few scholars. The endogenous problem caused by revere causality issue in the relationship between URT development and haze pollution is also considered. Based on the panel data of prefecture-level cities of Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China from 2011 to 2018, this paper uses long-lagged values of URT development as the instrumental variable, employing the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method. The study shows that URT development leads to an increase of haze pollution. Moreover, mechanism tests based on moderating and mediating models support the finding that decreasing haze pollution resulted from better connection effects, while rising agglomeration effects tend to bring about increasing haze pollution, and the latter effect is larger in magnitude than the former. Current URT development may have long-term negative consequences for livability of YRD cities, and urban decision makers should reconsider the effectiveness of the current road transport investment and construction.

Background: Adolescence marks a critical stage of development characterized by profound physical, emotional, and social changes. This study explores the prevalence of anxiety and depression among orphan and non-orphan adolescents in a rural residential school setting, aiming to identify associated factors. Method: A community-based cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 100 adolescents (50 orphans and 50 non-orphans) aged 10-19 years in Warudi, Jalna from August 10 to October 10, 2022. Institutional ethical approval and written informed consent were obtained. Data collection included DSM-5 criteria for anxiety and depression assessment, using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Additional parameters assessed were sleep disturbances, academic performance, social interactions, duration of stay in the residential school, and type of orphanhood. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21, with qualitative parameters presented as percentages and the chi-square test used for comparisons (p

Abstract With the area of perovskite films and devices increases, the performance tends to deteriorate, which can be attributed to the accumulation of defects at the bottom surface without proper passivation. Here, we introduce the 1-(4-Fluorophenyl)−2-pyrrolidone molecule (FPP) as additive in large-area blade-coating perovskite films. During the top-down crystallization process, the FPP molecule form an intermediate phase with the perovskite components and subsequently self-deposit at the bottom surface. Consequently, the crystallization kinetics of the large-area thin films are regulated, and the bottom surface is effectively and uniformly passivated in one single-step processing. By employing this self-deposited passivation method (SDP), the efficiency decrease caused by the expansion of the device area has been significantly suppressed and the devices yield power conversion efficiency of 23.41% (0.09 cm2), 22.43% (1 cm2), and 20.75% (24 cm2). The method is compatible for commercial manufacturing with scaling up solar cell area and holding high efficiency.

Background: The prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) varies worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, data about this condition is limited to a few cities. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence, severity and associated aetiological factors of MIH in children seeking dental care in Armed Forces Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: Participants were recruited by convenience sampling according to eligibility criteria. Diagnostic criteria used were according to the molar incisor hypomineralisation severity scoring system (MIH-SSS). Demographic data and past medical history were recorded using a carefully organised questionnaire, and MIH causal factors were evaluated. Results: A total of 1405 children participated in the study. Among the permanent first molars, mandibular teeth were more frequently affected by MIH than maxillary teeth. In the permanent central incisors group, maxillary teeth were more frequently involved than mandibular teeth, whereas lateral incisor was the least affected among the tooth types in all four quadrants. MIH had more frequently involved all four molars (66.1%), and two associated central incisors were found (31.3%). MIH in the incisors had mild to moderate severity, whereas molars presented with severe defects. Among prenatal factors, maternal anaemia and vitamin D deficiency, out-of-perinatal factors, caesarean delivery, low birth weight and perinatal jaundice, and early childhood tonsillitis and early childhood anaemia were the significant associated factors for MIH development. Conclusion: The prevalence of MIH was 8%, and maxillary incisors and mandibular first molars were frequently affected. Children with MIH showed prenatal, perinatal and postnatal aetiological factors involved in the development of MIH.

This article examines the place of ijtihad in the British Religious Education curriculum. It argues that the concept should be taught to high school students earlier than A-Level. Knowledge of ijtihad enables students to understand diversity of thought and legal interpretation in Islam, and why different conclusions can be reached from the same or similar corpus of Islamic sources. Ijtihad has always played an important role in the consolidation and evolution of Islamic legal thinking. Yet despite increased research about the value of a hermeneutical approach in the RE classroom in recent years, ijtihad is rarely taught in UK schools. The article presents real life classroom experience and tweaks to the established RE syllabi which have been implemented in schools where the majority of students identify as Muslims. Its principal author (Zameer Hussain) is a religious studies teacher who brings his own expertise in teaching to this debate in order to evidence how a hermeneutical approach to the study of Islam at all levels will benefit students' understanding of Islam and help them to understand the importance of legal pluralism within and between Islamic traditions.

The adaptive versions of charting tools are well-established statistical monitoring techniques for detecting unknown changes in the process over a range of shifts. A re-weighted adaptive CUSUM mean (RACUSUM) charting scheme has been proposed in this study for monitoring the range of shifts. The proposed RACUSUM statistic estimates the unknown changes in the ongoing process using an EWMA statistic by plugging in an unbiased shift estimator and choosing a suitable smoothing constant according to the estimated shift to update the slack value of the CUSUM statistic. By employing Monte Carlo simulation using the zero- and steady-state processes, the proposal’s run-length (RL) profiles have been calculated. The proposed RACUSUM chart shows more sensitive behavior under the shift delay process than in the case of zero-state. A comparative analysis between the proposal and competitors has been presented using average RL, extra quadratic loss (EQL), and the relative mean index (RMI) as metrics for 1-sided and 2-sided charting schemes. The robustness of the proposed 2-sided RACUSUM chart against non-normality has also been reported. The proposal’s applicability has been demonstrated using two cases, one from the artificial and the other from a dataset of piston ring manufacturing industrial process.

Background: Tunnelled catheters improve venous access in haematological diseases and malignancies, but are associated with complications. We prospectively analysed the episodes of CABSI and its associated risk factors. Aims: To study the incidence and risk factors for CABSI in children with tunnelled central venous catheters (both Hickmans and Chemoports). Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study done at our institute. Children under the age of 18 who underwent insertion of a Hickman or Chemoport from March 2018 to Dec 2022 were enrolled. Episodes of CABSI were noted and its risk factors were analysed. Results: In total, 258 catheters were inserted in 250 children. Age ranged from 1 month to 18 years (median 67 months) with 60% being boys. A total of 152 Hickmans, 106 chemoports were inserted. Indications for insertions were for requirement of BMT and chemotherapy in majority of cases. CABSI were seen in 28.6% of catheters. Younger children (< 4years), Neutropenia (counts < 1000) and use of TPN were significantly associated with CABSI(p value0.05). Almost 30% of catheters with CABSI required removal because of florid sepsis. Others could be salvaged with aggressive antibiotics. Conclusions: CABSI is a serious complications related to tunnelled catheter. Smaller children (

Introduction: Despite advances in medical therapy, liver replacement continues to be the only definitive mode of therapy for children with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). However, its acceptance in India has been discouraging more due to financial and logistic reasons than the availability of expertise. This report outlines our journey and highlights issues pertinent to circumstances in an emerging economy like India. Aim: The aim is to review a single center’s 100 case experience with liver transplantation (LT). Materials and Methods: A prospective analysis of all children who underwent LT since 2005 at our institute was done. The data were collated from a maintained structured database. Results: Hundred children underwent LT. Sixty-four were boys. Age ranged from 5 to 144 months, with a median of 17 months. The mean weight of the cohort was 7.5 kg (ranging from 3.7 to 31.5 kg), with 60% of our children weighing between 5 and 10 kg. Biliary atresia is the most common indication (57%); others include metabolic disorders, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, and hepatoblastoma. Two patients were for acute liver failure. Ninety-one children underwent live donor LT (mothers being the majority of the donors). None of the donors had any major postoperative complications. Major intraoperative complications include sepsis (39%), vascular complications (17%), biliary leak (11%), and intestinal complications (11%). Early postoperative deaths occurred in 18% of patients with sepsis being most common cause. The mean follow-up was 8.5 years and the overall survival is 70%. The mean survival is time (months) = 176.1. All surviving patients were followed up and had achieved good catch up growth by 3rd and 5th years posttransplant. The long-term sequalae include recurrent intercurrent infections, graft rejection (9%), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (5%), and portal vein stenosis (5%). Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates the feasibility of LT in children with ESLD in India. With longer-living grafts, patients often struggle with other issues such as compliance with follow-up, financial issues, recurrent infections, and neurological problems. Close monitoring with regular follow-up of patients helps in early recognition and treatment of late-onset complications, thus helping the overall long-term outcomes.

The benefits of large-scale genetic studies for healthcare of the populations studied are well documented, but these genetic studies have traditionally ignored people from some parts of the world, such as South Asia. Here we describe whole genome sequence (WGS) data from 4806 individuals recruited from the healthcare delivery systems of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, combined with WGS from 927 individuals from isolated South Asian populations. We characterize population structure in South Asia and describe a genotyping array (SARGAM) and imputation reference panel that are optimized for South Asian genomes. We find evidence for high rates of reproductive isolation, endogamy and consanguinity that vary across the subcontinent and that lead to levels of rare homozygotes that reach 100 times that seen in outbred populations. Founder effects increase the power to associate functional variants with disease processes and make South Asia a uniquely powerful place for population-scale genetic studies.

This study explored the impact of three packaging materials (wooden boxes, corrugated fiber boxes, shrink-wrapped boxes) combined with two ethylene scrubbers (1-MCP, KMnO4) on the shelf life of Golden Delicious apples. While previous research has extensively studied the effects of packaging and ethylene inhibitors independently, the novelty of this work lies in its combined evaluation of these factors under ambient storage conditions over an extended period of 160 days. The study specifically addresses a research gap by directly comparing the efficacy of 1-MCP and KMnO4 within different packaging environments, offering insights into their combined influence on key quality parameters such as firmness, juice yield, rot incidence, physiological loss in weight (PLW), acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). Findings revealed that 1-MCP-treated apples, particularly when shrink-wrapped, experienced minimal reductions in firmness and juice yield, with significantly lower rot incidence and physiological loss in weight (PLW) compared to KMnO4-treated and control apples. Additionally, while acidity and juice content naturally declined over time, and TSS initially increased before decreasing, 1-MCP-treated apples exhibited more stable quality attributes. The study also noted a slower decline in organoleptic quality with 1-MCP and shrink-wrap packaging. The research concludes that the combination of 1-MCP treatment and shrink-wrap packaging most effectively extends the shelf life of Golden Delicious apples, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches to post-harvest management. This study provides a novel framework for improving storage techniques, particularly for ambient conditions where shelf life extension is most challenging.

ABSTRACT Aim This study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the pectoral nerves (PECS) II block in facilitating cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) insertion in a sample of 120 patients, with a focus on the percentage of cases completed without additional intraoperative local anesthesia. Methods PECS II blocks were performed on the left side using ultrasound guidance in all 120 patients. Feasibility was assessed by the proportion of cases completed without the need for extra intraoperative local anesthetic. Secondary outcomes included the amount of additional local anesthetic used, intraoperative opioid requirements, postoperative pain scores, time to first postoperative analgesia, analgesic consumption, patient satisfaction, and block‐related complications. Results Of the 120 patients, 78 (65%) required additional intraoperative local anesthetic, with a median volume of 8.2 mL (range 3–13 mL). Fifteen patients (12.5%) needed intraoperative opioid supplementation. Nine patients (7.5%) required postoperative tramadol for pain relief. In total, 98 patients (81.7%) reported high satisfaction levels with the procedure. Conclusions The PECS II block, when combined with supplementary local anesthetic, provided effective postoperative analgesia for at least 24 h in 120 patients undergoing CIED insertion. While it did not completely replace surgical anesthesia in most cases, the PECS II block significantly contributed to a smoother intraoperative experience for patients.

Introduction: The largest paired vein is the internal jugular vein (IJV), which rests laterally adjacent to the main the common carotid artery (CCA) within the carotid triangle at the extremities of the neck. It is the main source of blood flow down from the sigmoid sinus of dural venous sinuses. The obstruction of blood flow or distension of the internal jugular vein can lead to increasing intracranial pressure in the brain and face. The increased the right atrial pressure can be a sign of heart failure, cardiovascular problems, and pulmonary embolism. The aims are to study and note down variations in the course and relations of the internal jugular vein and variations of tributaries of right IJV and left IJV diameter and effects on cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: An observational based cadaveric study was conducted on twenty-four unclaimed embalmed cadavers were dissected from March 2021 to August 2023 in Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bidar, Karnataka, India. Dissection procedure was followed by Cunningham's manual of practical anatomy volume-3 book. Variations and pattern of bilateral internal jugular veins were observed. Results: External jugular vein access is a highly advantageous location for a heart catheterization. The tributaries of the internal jugular vein form the trunk and overlap on the common carotid artery bifurcation, which leads to adverse effects on baroreceptors and chemoreceptors at the level of divisions of internal and external carotid arteries. The pattern of the right and left internal jugular is quite significant. Conclusion: The study will generate information that would be useful for surgeons, and other clinical physicians and give necessary morphometric data on the internal jugular vein in the South Indian population.

Peritonitis is an infection with a substantial source of morbidity and death. The mortality rate is 10% to 60%. Its etiology may be infection of bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The objective of the current systematic review is to identify the causes of peritonitis and discuss available treatment options. A systematic review was conducted from the literature from January 2012 to December 2022. More than 60 articles were downloaded; after abstracting relevant information from the studies and assessing quality, data was synthesized and presented by PRISMA flow diagram. The most common cause was bacterial infection; followed by fungal and viral infections. Reported organisms were E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Streptococcus spp., M. tuberculosis, C. trachomatis, Pseudomonas spss., C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, Cryptococcus spp., and Aspergillus spp., and Feline-infectious-corona-virus. Empiric antibiotics therapy covers broad-spectrum antibacterials; antifungal and surgical interventions are treatment options. The acutely ill patient requires combined medical and surgical methods; culture sensitivity is highly advisable to reduce the chances of failure.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) air leak (PEAL) syndrome is a rare complication that includes pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumoperitoneum, air embolism, and subcutaneous emphysema. A 71-year-old female diagnosed with mild acute biliary pancreatitis, who underwent ERCP for stone retrieval developed neck, chest, and abdominal pain, as well as swelling of the neck, along with crepitus all along the neck and face. CT scan showed pneumoperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient was diagnosed as a case of PEAL syndrome, and was managed conservatively. She ultimately underwent an uneventful cholecystectomy with peroperative stone retrieval. PEAL syndrome, albeit rare, can be a potentially life-threatening complication following ERCP, which requires continuous monitoring. It may be managed conservatively, endoscopically, or surgically.

Abstract Background Marine cyanobacteria have been known to contain several unique bioactive compounds which have different therapeutic potentials. The current research focuses to identify the efficacy of Nostoc calcicola to counteract the harmful effects of free radicals and testing its anticancer activity against colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29). Results Methanol is used as a solvent for the extraction of bioactive metabolites from Nostoc calcicola followed by phytochemical screening representing the presence of flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, and steroids to find out bioactive metabolites. Furthermore, evaluation of the extract efficacy revealed the profound ability of Nostoc calcicola to scavenge free radicals by neutralizing different reactive oxygen species. At 100 µg/mL concentration, it inhibited DPPH radicals (73.4%), enhanced phosphomolybdenum reduction (53.5%), displayed ferric-reducing power (55.1%), and finally the extract revealed remarkable hydroxyl radicals scavenging capacity (94.8%), compared to the standards. These compelling results emphasize the robust antioxidant potential of the Nostoc calcicola extract. In vitro, studies demonstrated the selective cytotoxic effects of methanol extracts of Nostoc calcicola on the HT-29 human colorectal cancer cell line, as indicated by IC50 values of 25 µg/mL for the extracts. Treatment with me Nostoc calcicola decreased the cell viability of HT-29 cells followed by consistent morphological changes leading to cytotoxicity. Nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation were observed using AO/EtBr and DAPI staining. Flow cytometry analysis further confirmed the incidence of apoptosis during the S phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, western blotting analysis confirmed the activation of caspase 9, a pivotal enzyme in the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, suggesting the ability of Nostoc calcicola to induce apoptosis in HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. Conclusion These findings underscore the potential of Nostoc calcicola as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anticancer properties, warranting further investigation for their potential therapeutic applications in colorectal cancer. Graphical Abstract

E-tongue, machine vision and NIR systems were used to standardize the quality measurements in twenty rice genotypes grown in Highland Himalayan regions of Kashmir, in order to overcome the constraints of manual measurements. IRCTN-312 showed highest amylose content of 20.74 % and 20.70 % using iodometric method and NIR tester, which was validated by the highest norm value of 34.158 by E-tongue. From these results, genotypes such as GSR-43, GS-103, GSR-23B, GSR-60, SR-4, GSR-46, Koshihikari, GSR-64, GSR-32, GSR-49, GSR-4, GSR-42, GS-459, SKUA-494 and SKUA-540 were classified as low amylose and C-3, K-332, M4–22 and IRCTN-312 were classified as intermediate amylose in the present study. Lowest percentage of damaged grains and chalk ratio was found in GSR-23B. SKUA-494 recorded highest L/W ratio using both the systems. Highest head rice yield and elongation ratio was found in GSR-23B and SKUA-494 genotypes respectively. Highest lightness (L*) value was recorded for Koshihikari genotype.

A metal-free, effective, and sustainable protocol has been developed to carry out C–N and C–C bond-forming reactions leading to the formation of 5-amino-pyrazole-4-carbonitriles and 1H-pyrazolo [1,2-b] phthalazine-5, 10-dione derivatives via a tandem multicomponent reaction using mesoporous MPC@TMG as a basic heterogeneous organocatalyst. The reactions were performed in aqueous medium at room temperature. The synthesized organocatalyst MPC@TMG was characterized by numerous spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), elemental mapping, and Thermal Gravimetric (TG) analyses. MPC@TMG displayed excellent catalytic potential, high thermochemical stability, and reusability for up to eight catalytic runs and offered the title compounds in excellent yields (>90 %) in a short reaction time (6–15 min). The synthesized compounds were characterized through FTIR, 1H, and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The use of water as a green solvent, the generality of the method, easy catalyst recovery, a simple work-up procedure, and zero involvement of any metal are the key features of the present protocol making it green and sustainable for the synthesis of the desired heterocycles and is supported by the calculations for green metrics parameters.