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Abstract Background Forensic investigations often rely on DNA analysis from biological samples such as saliva, which provides a non-invasive and accessible source of DNA. However, efficient isolation of high-quality DNA from saliva remains challenging due to the presence of inhibitors and mucins. In this study, a DNA isolation method was evaluated for isolating DNA from saliva samples using polyethyleneimine-functionalized iron-oxide nanoparticles, utilizing their high DNA binding capacity and the magnetic properties. Saliva samples (200 µL) were obtained from 20 healthy individuals, and DNA was isolated using PEI-IONPs followed by elution in 200 µL of elution buffer. DNA yield, purity, and integrity were assessed using UV–vis spectrophotometry and agarose gel electrophoresis. Results DNA isolated using PEI-IONP-based method showed an average yield of 5.8 µg per 200 µL of saliva, with an average concentration of 29.0 ng/µL. The purity ratio (OD260/OD280) of 1.82 indicated minimal contamination from proteins or RNA, and agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed the high molecular weight and integrity of the DNA. Conclusions This study establishes PEI-IONP as a reliable, safe, and efficient approach for DNA isolation from saliva samples, with potential applications in forensic science. The method also minimizes the use of hazardous chemicals, providing an environment friendly alternative to traditional isolation techniques. However, future research should evaluate the compatibility of the isolated DNA with PCR-based applications, such as STR profiling and mitochondrial DNA typing, comparing its recovery efficiency with established methods and validate its effectiveness with actual forensic casework samples, e.g., dried samples.

Abstract The study on altermagnet is receiving extensive research efforts due to its directional-dependent spin-polarized band structure. Here, we investigate the multifunctional properties of the Janus Cr2SeO monolayer system. The Cr2SeO monolayer exhibits an in-plane magnetic anisotropy energy of -0.28 meV/cell and a Neel temperature of around 280 K, which is further enhanced to 315 K under 1% uniaxial compressive strain. The Janus Cr2SeO exhibits spin band inversion with a large spin splitting of 0.38 eV at the Y and X high-symmetry points. Nonetheless, the valleys are degenerated due to the diagonal mirror symmetry. The uniaxial strain effectively breaks the diagonal mirror symmetry in the Janus Cr2SeO monolayer, and the strain-induced valley polarization of up to 90 meV is achieved. Furthermore, the uniaxial strain tunes the band gap between 0.30 eV to 0.76 eV. Moreover, Cr2SeO demonstrates ferroelectricity, with a total electric polarization of 5.34 pC/m, which increases to 5.52 pC/m under small uniaxial strain. Besides, we found a large vertical piezoelectric coefficient d31 of 1.18 pm/V. Our study suggests that the Janus Cr2SeO is a promising platform for Valleytronics and ferroelectric memory applications at room temperature.

Abstract Introduction Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) need ongoing dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant to survive. Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for patients with ESKD. Advances in surgical, immunosuppressive, and monitoring protocols have led to a significant improvement in short-term kidney allograft survival. However, in order to avoid rejection, kidney transplant patients have to be on immunosuppression which increases the risk of infections, malignancies, cardiovascular diseases, and many other complications. So a balance has to be struck to prevent under or over-immunosuppression. In this study, we present our experience and follow-up data of kidney transplantations done at our center with special emphasis on the incidence of complications and outcomes in recipients at 1 year. Aims and objectives 1. To estimate the incidence of post-transplant complications in live kidney transplant recipients at 1 year. 2. To assess the patient and graft survival at 1 year in live kidney transplant recipients. Materials and methods This observational study was done in the Department of Nephrology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, J&K. Patients who underwent transplant at our center from April 2022 to April 2023 were included and each patient was followed up for 1 year in this study. All the consenting kidney transplant recipients undergoing kidney transplantation at our center during the study period were included. Results A total of 45 kidney transplants were included in the study. The mean age of our study population was 31.2 years (SD 10.5). 77.5% of our recipient population comprised of men and 22.5% were women. The mean dialysis vintage was 15.1 months (SD 9.4). The incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection was 15% while 1 year patient and graft survival were 100% and 95%, respectively. The incidence of BK virus-associated nephropathy was 10%. The overall incidence of other infections was 37.5%. The incidence of hypertension and post-transplant diabetes was 65% and 15%, respectively. The incidence of anemia and erythrocytosis was 12.5% and 22.5%, respectively. Conclusion Kidney transplant is the treatment of choice for ESKD. However, these patients are at risk of infectious, malignant, cardiometabolic, and other complications. Heightened awareness and surveillance is of utmost importance in these patients.

The workers at construction and agricultural sites face many problems regarding load carrying (body pains), which results in less work efficiency. Therefore, the idea of designing a toolkit is put forward, with the help of which the workers could do their work easily and efficiently. This study aims to design and fabricate a low-cost toolkit that is lighter and easily accessible to all workers. The toolkit is designed to be used in different positions or modes. The most important step in this project is material selection, as it will define the toolkit's final weight, cost, and strength. Various materials, such as wood, bamboo, aluminum, steel, etc., were compared based on their physical properties, such as their strength, weight, and behavior in changing weather. The material selected is steel due to its high strength, weldability, and low cost. A design was finalized by incorporating safety and worker comfort. An ANSYS analysis was then performed on the proposed design to check it for loading capacity and deformation in various modes of operation. After performing the ANSYS analysis, the toolkit was fabricated and tested at various modes of operation. It was found that the tool performed exceptionally well at loads less than 20 Kg, whereas there were some minute deflection errors (max. error of 1.7 mm) at loads greater than 35 Kg.

Abstract The road network in the Himalayan terrain is vital for India's socio-economic development and national security, yet the complexities of topography, geological structures, diverse lithology, and neotectonics make planning and maintaining these routes a challenging task. Population growth and expanding road construction have caused slope destabilization, mass wasting, and movement across the Himalayan terrain. Field-based slope stability assessments are essential for slope mass characterization and slope stabilization, helping planners predict and select suitable construction strategies for roads and other infrastructure. This study presents a comprehensive slope stability and displacement analysis of the Kuther landslide, situated along the Jawali to Kuther road in the Dehar Watershed, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh. An integrated approach was used, combining surface displacement monitoring with the COSI-Corr technique and slope stability assessments through methods such as rock mass rating, kinematic analysis, slope mass rating, and continuous slope mass rating. Findings indicate that the slope is highly susceptible to planar failure, with some instances of wedge failure. The rock mass ranges from class III to IV, indicating conditions from partially stable to stable, while displacement analysis reveals the slope is creeping at an average rate of 4 mm/year. This study highlights the critical need for comprehensive slope stability and displacement analyses to ensure the safety of vulnerable areas and their communities.

Abstract Food-derived protein hydrolysates or peptides with health benefits may help to treat chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. These components can be converted into bioactive ingredients suitable for use in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals, thereby creating significant value opportunities in food production. Bran, the hard-outer layer of cereal grain, is a by-product of the milling process to produce refined grains. Pigmented rice bran provides 12–16% protein and is an excellent source to produce protein hydrolysates using commercial proteases. In this investigation, the major rice bran proteins, including prolamin, albumin, globulin, and glutelin, were extracted sequentially using the modified Osborne method after raw rice bran (BRRI-Dhan-84) had been defatted. Proteins extracted from rice bran were lyophilized into powder form, and rice bran protein molecular weights were assessed using SDS-PAGE. The rice bran proteins were hydrolyzed under optimal conditions for the three commercial proteases: trypsin, alcalase, and neutrase. Trypsin hydrolyzed glutelin had the highest DPPH (76.445 ± 0.435%) and ABTS+ (99.114 ± 0.491%) radical scavenging activities. Neutrase-digested globulin and albumin exerted the highest α-amylase (77.450 ± 0.550%) and α-glucosidase (65.344 ± 0.736%) inhibitory activities, respectively. Albumin digested by trypsin exhibited the highest ACE (96.227 ± 0.355%) inhibitory activities. Our study suggests that bioactive peptides in the protein hydrolysates, produced through enzymatic hydrolysis, may be responsible for these inhibitory activities. Antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive properties of rice bran protein hydrolysates have explored a new window for using them as nutraceuticals, however, further in vivo investigation is needed before human consumption.

Purpose – Using an integrated theoretical model, this study aims to examine the moderating role of gamification in influencing intentions to use mobile payment applications in Bahrain. Design/methodology/approach – The current examination happens to be the first approximation in the context of Bahrain wherein an extended TPB-based model integrating variables from TAM and UTAUT2 is used along with gamification and situational influence to examine the intentions to use m-payment applications. Findings – The findings revealed that among the variates of the TPB, AT and PB significantly affect the intentions (IN) to use m-payment applications in Bahrain, but SN fails to affect intentions, similarly SI also fails to affect intentions thereby proving that the pandemic fails to drive the intention of the population under study toward using m-payment applications. However, when the application offers gamification (GM) features, SI significantly affects intentions through GM, thus experience along with situation drives intentions and this becomes the major theoretical contribution of the study. Practical implications – This examination offers useful practical implications in the form of the findings revealing that GM affects intentions to use m-payment applications and that GM moderates the relationship between perceived risk (PR) and IN, as well as SI and IN, which can be used by the service providers to improve the user experience and achieve better acceptance of their application. Originality/value – The novelty of the study lies in testing the integrated theoretical model in the context of a GCC nation, Bahrain.

The Fused Filament Fabrication is an economic 3D printing process to produce lightweight polymers-based structures. Therefore, it is drawing a consistently increasing interest from industry and researchers. Flexural and impact properties are two of the critical performance measures for gauging the integrity of the printed structures. Since 2014, numerous studies have been carried out on this topic, however, their holistic overview with a focus on the flexural and impact properties has been barely presented in the literature. The current article reviews the relationship between the process parameters, both operating and geometrical, and these properties in detail. The cause-effect relationship is thoroughly examined considering material effect. This allows the identification of the complex interactive effects and conducive ranges of the important parameters to effectively control the process for achieving the desired mechanical properties. The review establishes that the crystallinity of post-printed polymers is a crucial factor in controlling the mechanical properties, and filled polymers generally offer better properties than unfilled ones if the right filler given the desired properties is chosen. Topology optimization, recyclability of polymers through FFF, and retention of polymer properties after printing are also discussed as innovative trends. Finally, limitations and research gaps are identified, and the latest ideas are proposed as a way forward for further development of the FFF technology.

Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs), particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and chronic kidney disease (CKD), emerged as primary contributors to global morbidity and mortality. In addition to traditional factors, recent studies demonstrated that blood microbiomes may also promote the development or progression of these CMDs. Traditionally, blood was considered sterile; however, the notion of blood as a sterile environment has been challenged by findings demonstrating the presence of a microbiome in both healthy and disease states. Although there has been a tremendous expansion in human microbiome research, with hundreds of projects underway globally the blood microbiome has not received the same level of attention as its gut and oral counterparts. The circulating microbiome is an emerging trend that has drawn a high level of interest in the biomedical field, given its potential to generate predictive biomarkers and the means to screen for potential pathogens. This comprehensive review explores the latest advancements in blood microbiome research, emphasizing biomarker identification, diagnostic tools, treatment modalities, and prevention in CMDs. We also delve into existing challenges and present a future-oriented treatment strategy using advanced methods. Deciphering the blood microbiome’s role in disease could lead to the classification of patient subgroups, enabling precision microbiota-based therapies.

ABSTRACT We present a case report of a 45‐year‐old female with acute onset right‐sided facial weakness, worsening vision, and diplopia. Upon evaluation, the patient exhibited total right‐side facial palsy (House‐Brackmann grade IV) with III, IV, and VI Cranial Nerve Ophthalmoplegia. There was no perception of light associated with optic atrophy on ocular examination. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a sizeable sphenoid sinus mass compressing the right optic nerve, consistent with neoplasia or invasive fungal infection. Eventually, we removed the mass endoscopically through a transnasal approach and diagnosed it as invasive Aspergillosis on histopathological examination, even though no previous record of immunodeficiency existed. The patient received intravenous followed by oral voriconazole. Postoperatively, there was partial recovery of her facial nerve function. This case highlights the importance of considering invasive fungal infections, even in immunocompetent patients, when managing space‐occupying lesions with neuro‐ophthalmic involvement.

ABSTRACT Extra‐nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a rare entity, with only a few cases reported to date. It usually presents with symptoms resembling those of typical nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, but it arises from a site other than the site of origin of typical nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. A 20‐year‐old male presented with complaints of left‐sided nasal obstruction and epistaxis for 10 days. On examination, a mass was seen attached to the anterior nasal septum. Throat and ear examinations were unremarkable. Blood investigations also came out to be as expected. A deviated nasal septum was seen, which was caused by a nasal trauma to this patient 3 years ago. This mass was removed, and the specimen was sent for histologic examination. Histologic examination of the specimen proved the mass to be extra‐nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. The selection of appropriate surgical techniques and subsequent histologic examinations is extremely important to determine the exact diagnosis in such cases. The case addressed in this case report is extremely important for uncovering another rare case of extra‐nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. This case might also suggest a possible linkage between extra‐nasopharyngeal angiofibroma and a deviated nasal septum.

BackgroundMastitis is a widespread disease on a global scale, significantly impacting the dairy industry. Mastitis in dairy cattle is caused by over 150 different bacteria, with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) playing a significant role in financial losses, problems with animal welfare, and challenges with food safety. Phage treatment is thus being investigated as an effective replacement for reducing contaminants and illnesses caused by bacteria. In this study, we identified a phage UHP46, that effectively targets mastitis-causing S. aureus.MethodsS. aureus S46 was used to screen for the wastewater lytic phages. The isolated lytic phage UHP46, which formed clear plaques and spots, was further characterized.ResultsPhage UHP46, belonging to the Herelleviridae family, forms clear, circular plaques in bacterial lawn. UHP46 showed stability under various range of temperature and pH levels, with maximum activity observed at pH 7 and temperature 37°C. Genomic analysis revealed that phage UHP46 is a dsDNA virus with an approximate genome size of 139,731 bp, and it encodes 72 proteins with known functions and 136 hypothetical proteins. One-step growth curve analysis indicated latent period of approximately 20 mins and burst size of about 27 progeny/cell. In organic stability test, UHP46 showed stability in DMSO and acetone. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited S. aureus growth for up to 16 h, suggesting its suitability for therapeutic applications against S. aureus infections.ConclusionThese findings suggest that phage UHP46 could serve as a promising alternative to antibiotics for managing S. aureus- induced mastitis, contributing to dairy production and improved animal health.

ABSTRACT Rising global temperatures underscore the urgent need to understand the complex interplay between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change. This study investigates the relationships between GHG emissions and key environmental factors in China from 1990 to 2019, focusing on the role of forest ecosystems and soil management practices. Utilizing FAOSTAT and World Development Indicators data, we analyze the connections between total GHG emissions and factors such as biomass burning (BM), net stock change (NSC), fertilizer application (FERT), and manure application (MA) in soils. Employing impulse response analysis and Robust Least Squares Estimation with transformed logarithmic independent parameters, we find strong positive correlations between GHG emissions and both BM (coefficient 0.82) and FERT (coefficient 0.95). Robust Least Squares Estimation further confirms the significant influence of BM (coefficient 0.85) and FERT (coefficient 1.01) on GHG emissions. Notably, the interaction between precipitation (PPT) and NSC significantly impacts GHG emissions, with a negative coefficient (−0.58) for “PPT * NSC”. In contrast, the interaction between PPT and FERT significantly impacts GHG emissions, with a positive coefficient (0.29) for “PPT * FERT.” Furthermore, a unidirectional causality is observed from GHGs to BM (coefficient 6.31). These findings highlight the critical roles of BM, fertilizer use, and PPT patterns in driving GHG dynamics and underscore the potential of forest management strategies, particularly those focused on NSC, to mitigate climate change. This research provides valuable insights for promoting a sustainable balance between human activities and the vital role of forests in maintaining a healthy environment.

Abstract Background Non-specific low back pain is a common and costly global issue. Many people with low back pain live for years with ongoing symptom recurrence and disability, making it crucial to find effective prevention strategies. Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based patient-centred counselling style that helps motivate individuals to change their behaviours. In combination, MI and cognitive-behavioural therapy (MI-CBT) has the potential to yield long term improvements in pain and disability and reduce incidence of recurrence. Method This is a two-arm superiority randomised controlled trial comparing MI-CBT and Education (n = 83) with Education only (n = 83). Participants that have recovered from a recent episode of non-specific low back pain (7th consecutive day with pain ≤ 2 on a 0–10 numeric pain rating scale) will be eligible for inclusion into the study. Both groups will receive five 30-min sessions over a 10-week period as well as the Navigating Pain booklet, homework book and a standardised exercise programme. In the intervention group, MI-CBT techniques will be used to provide individualised support, identify beliefs, and increase engagement with the resources provided. Outcomes measures include pain (current and in the last 7 days) as rated on the numeric pain rating scale. This will be used to determine recurrence (number of participants who report back pain ≥ 3 out of 10 on the numeric pain rating scale). Furthermore, self-reported (1) pain intensity; (2) pain catastrophizing; (3) fear-avoidance beliefs; (4) pain self-efficacy; (5) depression and anxiety; (6) disability will be measured. All outcomes will be measured at baseline, and again at 3-, 6-, and 12-months post allocation. Discussion The effective delivery of self-management strategies to prevent recurrence of low back pain is an important aspect that requires urgent attention. This study will provide new information on the effectiveness of using an MI-CBT approach to facilitate self-management through education and exercise to improve low back pain outcomes. Evidence emerging from this trial has the potential to inform clinical practice and healthcare management of non-specific low back pain. Trial registration Prospectively registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12623000746639 (10/07/2023).

Abstract Food production and pharmaceutical synthesis are posited as essential biotechnologies for facilitating human exploration beyond Earth. These technologies not only offer critical green space and food agency to astronauts but also promise to minimize mass and volume requirements through scalable, modular agriculture within closed-loop systems, offering an advantage over traditional bring-along strategies. Despite these benefits, the prevalent model for evaluating such systems exhibits significant limitations. It lacks comprehensive inventory and mass balance analyses for crop cultivation and life support, and fails to consider the complexities introduced by cultivating multiple crop varieties, which is crucial for enhancing food diversity and nutritional value. Here we expand space agriculture modeling to account for nitrogen dependence across an array of crops and demonstrate our model with experimental fitting of parameters. By adding nitrogen limitations, an extended model can account for potential interruptions in feedstock supply. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was used to distill key consequential parameters that may be the focus of future experimental efforts.

We present a 20 years old male with no known comorbid in emergency complaining of pain localized to the right upper quadrant for two days, followed by fever (101F) with 15-16 episodes of vomiting, which were non-bilious and containing food particles. The patient was vitally stable on examination and had a mild jaundiced look; the abdomen was soft and tender over the right hypochondrium. Ultrasound of the abdomen showed a hypoechoic liver and thick-walled acalculous gall bladder along with pericholecystic fluid, suggesting acute cholecystitis. On further evaluation, the diagnosis of gangrenous cholecystitis was made, and an emergency exploratory laparotomy along with a cholecystectomy was performed.

Dynamic nitrification and denitrification processes are affected by changes in soil redox conditions, and they play a vital role in regulating soil N2O emissions in rice-based cultivation. It is imperative to understand the influences of different upland crop planting systems on soil N2O emissions. In this study, we focused on two representative rotation systems in Central China: rapeseed–rice (RR) and wheat–rice (WR). We examined the biotic and abiotic processes underlying the impacts of these upland plantings on soil N2O emissions. The results revealed that during the rapeseed-cultivated seasons in the RR rotation system, the average N2O emissions were 1.24±0.20 and 0.81±0.11 kg N ha−1 for the first and second seasons, respectively. These values were comparable to the N2O emissions observed during the first and second wheat-cultivated seasons in the WR rotation system (0.98±0.25 and 0.70±0.04 kg N ha−1, respectively). This suggests that upland cultivation has minimal impacts on soil N2O emissions in the two rotation systems. Strong positive correlations were found between N2O fluxes and soil ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3−), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and the ratio of soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to NO3− in both RR and WR rotation systems. Moreover, the presence of the AOA-amoA and nirK genes were positively associated with soil N2O fluxes in the RR and WR systems, respectively. This implies that these genes may have different potential roles in facilitating microbial N2O production in various upland plantation models. By using a structural equation model, we found that soil moisture, mineral N, MBN, and the AOA-amoA gene accounted for over 50% of the effects on N2O emissions in the RR rotation system. In the WR rotation system, soil moisture, mineral N, MBN, and the AOA-amoA and nirK genes had a combined impact of over 70% on N2O emissions. These findings demonstrate the interactive effects of functional genes and soil factors, including soil physical characteristics, available carbon and nitrogen, and their ratio, on soil N2O emissions during upland cultivation seasons under rice-upland rotations.

Abstract Background While melanomas commonly harbor losses of 9p21, on which CDKN2A resides, the presence of additional tumor suppressor elements at this locus is incompletely characterized. Here we assess the expression levels and functional role of microRNA-876-3p (miR-876), whose gene also maps to 9p21. Methods Expression of miR-876 was assessed in human tissues and cell lines using quantitative miRNA reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). MIR876 copy number was determined in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) melanoma cohort. The consequences of regulation of miR-876 expression were assessed on melanoma cell colony formation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and drug sensitivity in culture, and on in vivo tumor growth in a xenograft model. Genome-wide transcriptomic changes induced by miR-876 overexpression were determined using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Results miR-876 expression was significantly decreased in primary melanoma samples when compared with nevi, and in human melanoma cell lines when compared with human melanocytes. Analysis of the TCGA cohort revealed deletions in MIR876 in > 50% of melanomas. miR-876 overexpression resulted in decreased melanoma cell colony formation, migration, and invasion, which was accompanied by cell cycle arrest and increased apoptosis. Intra-tumoral injections of miR-876 significantly suppressed melanoma growth in vivo. RNA-Seq analysis of miR-876-treated tumors revealed downregulation of several growth-promoting genes, along with upregulation of tumor suppressor genes, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. Computational analyses identified MAPK1 (or ERK2) as a possible target of miR-876 action. Overexpression of miR-876 significantly suppressed luciferase expression driven by the MAPK1/ERK2 3’ UTR, and resulted in decreased ERK protein expression in melanoma cells. MAPK1/ERK2 cDNA overexpression rescued the effects of miR-876 on melanoma colony formation. miR-876 overexpression sensitized melanoma cells to treatment with the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib. Conclusions These studies identify miR-876 as a distinct tumor suppressor on 9p21 that is inactivated in melanoma and suggest miR-876 loss as an additional mechanism to activate ERK and the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in melanoma. In addition, they suggest the therapeutic potential of combining miR-876 overexpression with BRAF inhibition as a rational therapeutic strategy for melanoma.

Here in, we study the structural, electronic, mechanical, optical and thermoelectric properties of As based Ba3AsX3 (X = F, Cl) using the density functional theory. The result show that both materials crystallize into cubic structure. The tolerance factor and octahedral factor indicates that both materials have stable perovskite structure. The obtained optimize lattice constant are 6.12 Å and 6.50 Å for Ba3AsF3 and Ba3AsCl3 respectively. The phonon dispersion curves show that both materials are dynamically stable. The electronic study reveals that both materials have semiconductor having band gap of 2.27eV and 1.73eV for Ba3AsF3 and Ba3AsCl3 respectively. Elastic constants are computed and found that both materials are mechanical stable. Furthermore, elastic study presents that both materials are ductile and have anisotropic nature. The optical results show that both materials have excellent optical absorption. It is observed that relaxation time for Ba3AsF3 is longer than that of Ba3AsCl3. Thermoelectric properties such as Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity electronic thermal conductivity, power factor and figure of merit are calculated for both materials. It is observed that for both materials Seebeck have almost same maximum value of 1.55 × 10−3 V/K at 300K. The electrical conductivity is found to be greater for Ba3AsF3 than Ba3AsCl3. The figure of merit ZT value is found 1.53 for Ba3AsF3 while 1.23 for Ba3AsCl3 at 700K. From obtained results it is concluded that these materials can be an excellent candidate for thermoelectric and optoelectronic applications.

Understanding natural processes often involves intricate nonlinear dynamics. Nonlinear evolution equations are crucial for examining the behavior and possible solutions of specific nonlinear systems. The Vakhnenko equation is a typical example, considering that this equation demonstrates kink and lump soliton solutions. These solitons are possible waves with several intriguing features and have been characterized in other naturalistic nonlinear systems. The solution of nonlinear equations demands advanced analytical techniques. This work ultimately sought to find and study the kink and lump soliton solutions using the Riccati–Bernoulli sub-ode method for the Vakhnenko equation (VE). The results obtained in this work are lump and kink soliton solutions presented in hyperbolic trigonometric and rational functions. This work reveals the effectiveness and future of our method for solving complex solitary wave problems.

Introduction: Vascular malignancies are categorized into benign hemangiomas, malignant angiosarcomas, and tumors of intermediate malignancy. Retiform hemangioendothelioma (RH) is one of the rare diagnoses belonging to the class of intermediate malignancies that was initially diagnosed. Case Presentation: In this case report, we have reported a rare case of RH, a locally aggressive, vascular tumor of malignant potential presenting at an unusual site. The most observed locations of this soft tissue tumor are skin and subcutaneous tissues of extremities; however, this case of RH was observed in an unusual site called pleura, which is a rare occurrence related to this tumor. The presence of cell surface markers like CD31 and ERG of vascular and endothelial origin and the presence of hobnail appearance of endothelial channels on the biopsy profile supported the vascular origin of the tumor; the clinical features and imaging studies further confirmed the diagnosis of RH. Conclusion: In this case report, a rare case of RH with an unusual site of origin was highlighted. RH is a vascular neoplasm; commonly observed sites of this vascular tumor were skin and subcutaneous tissue of the extremities; however, in this case, the site was unusually different, which was the pleura of the left lung.

Objective: To estimate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) with regarding to bio-medical waste management among the healthcare workers in hospitals of Bikaner district. Place and duration of study: The study was carried out at the affiliated hospitals of S. P. Medical College, Bikaner and at the hospitals under C.M.H.O., Bikaner from October 2022 to December 2022. Method: The study employed a quantitative research methodology, specifically utilizing a descriptive research design and simple random sampling technique to evaluate the levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP). A self-designed questionnaire and checklist were created to gather data before and after the trial. A preliminary study was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice level of 120 healthcare professionals working in hospitals in the Bikaner district regarding the management of biomedical waste. Subsequently, they were educated on this topic using a self-instructional module. A follow-up study was then conducted to measure the improvement in their knowledge, attitude and practice level regarding biomedical waste management. Result: After providing healthcare personnel at Bikaner district hospitals with a Self-Instructional Module, it was noted that their knowledge and level of practice regarding biomedical waste management improved. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that strict compliance with regulations and the implementation of an enhanced environmental management system are necessary for the proper handling, sorting, transportation, storage, and disposal of biomedical waste. Additionally, training is essential for garbage handlers, scavengers, sweepers, as well as higher authorities and nursing staff.

Through-wall imaging (TWI) is a critical application in various domains, including security, surveillance, search and rescue, and structural assessment. This paper investigates signal processing techniques to achieve object imaging through walls using an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Antipodal Vivaldi antenna (AVA). The design and simulation of the UWB AVA antenna optimized for TWI are presented. The antenna exhibits wide bandwidth, low sidelobes, and directional radiation patterns, making them suitable for capturing weak signals reflected from hidden objects. Signal processing plays a crucial role in extracting valuable information from TWI. In this investigation, the focus lies on analyzing time domain signals for TWI, studying the factors influencing the process, and successfully retrieving two-dimensional details of the scanned scene. The proposed approach leverages the unique characteristics of UWB signals, such as their ability to penetrate obstacles and provide fine spatial resolution.

Abstract In this study nutritionally enriched apple and date jam was developed by replacing sugar with natural and artificial sweeteners stevia and sorbitol. Three different types of samples were prepared. Sample T1 was prepared by using stevia as a sweetener agent. Sample T2 was prepared by using sorbitol as a sweetener agent. Sample T3 was prepared by using a mixture of stevia and sorbitol as sweetener agents. Standard apple jam was used as a control sample labeled as T4 and was used for comparison analysis. The developed product was analyzed by physiochemical analysis and sensory evaluation. Microbial analysis was done to study the shelf life study of the developed product. The study showed that stevia and sorbitol could be used for jam preparation. Sample T3 also showed intermediate values of acidity and pH as 4.14 and 1.90, respectively, moreover, total soluble solids (TSS) was observed as 65.16 °Brix, T3 also showed an intermediate level of energy values. Sample T3 having sorbitol and stevia sweetener agents had the highest rate of overall acceptability. Storage studies of all samples show that with the passage of time all sensory characteristics of all treatments decreased.

The research examines the effects of financial development, good governance, and technological innovation on environmental sustainability for eighteen low-income countries between 1996 and 2022. Results are estimated using FMOLS and DOLS regressions. In this study, two models were employed: the first model assessed the ecological footprint, and the second model evaluated healthcare expenditure. The results from model I indicate that control over corruption (COC), financial development (FD), renewable energy (RE), information and communication technologies (ICT) imports, and political stability (PS) significantly reduce the ecological footprint (EF). Conversely, economic growth (GDPPC) and population growth (PG) are associated with an increase in the ecological footprint. Additionally, model II reveals that renewable energy and education lower health care costs. Conversely, increased healthcare costs are attributed to environmental impacts, inadequate sanitary facilities, and a shortage clean water (CW). The study recommends that these nations should promote sustainable practices in information technology, focusing on energy efficiency, responsible waste management, and the development of eco-friendly infrastructure.

ABSTRACTAltered microbiota and impaired host immune function have been linked to the pathogenesis of pouchitis. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and RNA sequencing data from a previous randomized clinical trial (RCT) on fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) therapy in 26 chronic pouchitis patients with one-year follow-up. We analyzed changes in both luminal and mucosal microbiota composition, as well as in host mucosal gene expression to gain insights into the host–microbiota interactions possibly underlying clinical outcomes of the patients. Antibiotic type and pattern of use were significant drivers of the luminal microbiota at baseline. Differential gene expression analysis indicated transition from ileal to colonic gene expression in the pouch, and upregulation in inflammation- and immune system-related pathways in the pouch. At 4 weeks, the non-relapsed FMT patients had a lower microbiota dissimilarity to the donor than the non-relapsed placebo patients (p = .02). While two FMT-treated patients showed a shift toward the donor’s microbiota during the one-year follow-up, the overall FMT microbiota modulation effect was low. Patient’s luminal and mucosal microbiota profiles were unstable in both FMT and placebo groups. Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 was downregulated at 52 weeks compared to the baseline in the non-relapsed patients in both FMT and placebo groups. Microbiota modulation by FMT seems to be low in this patient group. The microbiota composition or alterations did not explain the relapse status of the patients. Some evidence for remission-related host gene expression pattern was found; specifically, CXCR4 expression may have a role in sustained remission.

As a low-income country, Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to various natural and human-induced disasters, which have significant consequences for both the environment and human life. A substantial share of the provincial budget is allocated to disaster response and recovery efforts. Prioritizing investment in disaster risk reduction (DRR) is essential to protect lives and assets. Although there is a complex relationship between investments made before and after disasters and their effectiveness in DRR, this dynamic remains insufficiently understood in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The current study was designed to analyze the developmental budgeting for DRR in the financial years 2000–2022 in KP province. The Sen’s Slope Estimator and modified Mann-Kendall tests were used to determine the significance trend, while the correlation coefficient test was used to find the correlation between investment in DRR and disaster-induced damages such as deaths, injuries and houses damaged. The study findings reveal that the occurrence of disasters influences post-disaster spending in the KP province, with a significant negative correlation between expenditure and disaster-related damages, implying that increased DRR investment has significantly reduced the consequences of disasters. To minimize vulnerability to future disasters, the province should integrate risk-sensitive planning across all sectoral departments at local, district, and provincial levels, guided by a risk-informed development approach. This proactive strategy would embed disaster resilience within developmental activities, ensuring that each sector aligns with principles of risk reduction and sustainable growth.

Buckwheat grains contain bioactive components with known effects on cardio-metabolic biomarkers. Previous research on oxidative stress markers made exclusively from wheat flour or two-hour postprandial levels of antioxidant status, plasma total polyphenols, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were considerably higher than fasting values after consuming buckwheat-incorporated bread (BWB), including clinical, animal, and epidemiological studies, suggesting the potential of buckwheat intake to influence parameters such as polyphenol intake, antioxidant status, insulin levels, and oxidative stress markers. However, the specific impact of buckwheat-containing bread on these biomarkers in individuals with type-II diabetes remains a significant gap in our understanding. Our current work aims to address this gap by exploring the effects of buckwheat-containing bread on insulin levels, polyphenol intake, antioxidant status, and markers of oxidative stress. In a randomized crossover study, 16 individuals with type-II diabetes were assigned to consume control bread made exclusively from wheat flour or bread incorporating 50% buckwheat flour. The research followed a crossover design, with a period of one to two washout interventions. Test breads were given at breakfast following a 12 h fast the previous night. After 2 h of bread intake, blood samples were collected at baseline (fasting). The two-hour postprandial levels of antioxidant status, plasma total polyphenols, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were significantly higher than fasting values after consuming buckwheat-incorporated bread (BWB). This suggests that the buckwheat-containing bread improved plasma total polyphenol levels and total antioxidant status. Our research concludes that the intake of bread containing buckwheat positively influences polyphenols in plasma and the status of antioxidants. This suggests that incorporating buckwheat into bread may have favorable effects on biomarkers associated with cardio-metabolic health in individuals with type-II diabetes. By addressing these knowledge gaps, our research aims to inform and engage the scientific community in further exploration of the potential health benefits of buckwheat-containing bread.

Background This case-control study investigated the relationship between sleep duration and quality with the occurrence of breast cancer among women, both pre- and post-menopausal, in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) region of Pakistan. Method This case-control research was carried in multiple tertiary care facilities. Newly diagnosed primary breast cancer patients were recruited as cases (n = 408), and 5+ years age-matched controls (n = 408) were randomly selected from the general population. Participants completed a Pittsburg sleeping quality index (PSQI) questionnaire that included questions on sleep characteristics. Statistical analysis included independent t-tests to compare mean sleep durations and quality scores between groups, and logistic regression to adjust for potential confounders. Results Sleep onset latency between cases and controls was not significantly associated with health outcomes, with a P -value of .142. However, sleep duration showed a significant association ( P = .049). For sleep duration, the adjusted odds ratio for ≤6 h was 1.02 (95% CI: .5-2.1), while for 7-8 h the adjusted odds ratio was 1.0 (95% CI: .6-1.6). Self-reported sleep quality did not demonstrate significant associations, with the P -value for “very good” sleep quality being .561. Sleep duration of less than 6 h among women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was found to be strongly associated with a more aggressive type of breast cancer, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.02-2.3, P < .05). Conclusion This study does not provide evidence to support an association between sleep duration or quality and the risk of breast cancer. However, it reports a significant association, with shorter sleep durations linked to an increased risk particularly in the context of aggressive breast cancer types such as TNBC.

Background: The burden of chronic viral hepatitis among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) and its association with liver disease in Nigeria has been seldom explored. Our objective was to compare characteristics in PLWH with and without significant liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, examining its association with viral hepatitis and other risk factors. Methods: Cross-sectional study among PLWH with and without significant fibrosis/cirrhosis (transient elastography ≥ 9.3 kPa) between July 2018 and August 2022. Data were compared between participant groups and logistic regression used to determine association between chronic viral hepatitis and significant fibrosis/cirrhosis. Results: Five hundred and thirty-seven participants (34.3% male), median age 46 years, 22.2% with significant fibrosis/cirrhosis were analyzed. Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was 11.2% and hepatitis C virus (HCV) 5.7%. Male sex, diabetes, HBV, and HCV were associated with significant fibrosis/cirrhosis, while ART for >5 years was associated with reduced risk. Conclusion: The chronic hepatitis viruses are associated with significant liver fibrosis/cirrhosis in PLWH in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of viral hepatitis awareness, screening, and treatment in HIV programs to reduce the risk of liver disease. Plain Language Summary Hepatitis B and C infection and liver disease in people with HIV infection in Nigeria People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who have hepatitis B or C infection have a higher chance of developing advanced liver disease than those who do not have either of the hepatitis infections. This finding highlights the importance of awareness, screening, and treatment of the hepatitis viruses in HIV programs in order to reduce the risk of liver disease in this population.

Abstract The transverse momentum (p T) spectra of protons (p), deuterons (d), and tritons (t) in 200 GeV gold–gold (Au + Au) collisions at RHIC are examined across a range of centrality bins using the Levy Tsallis (TS) statistical model. The model's predictions closely match the experimental results from PHENIX (p) and STAR (d and t) Collaborations. Kinetic freeze-out temperatures of hadrons are obtained from particle spectra. The results showed that the kinetic freeze-out temperature decreases as collisions move from center to the periphery. This work found mass-dependent kinetic freeze-out temperatures, heavier particles arrive to the freeze-out phase before lighter ones. Comparison with same data fitted by blast wave function with Tsallis statistics (BWTS) showed that T 0 values are increasing from central to peripheral collisions, while in case of TS function (current analysis) it decreases. This behavior puts a question mark on the reliability of using such functions for temperature extraction.

The present study investigates the fractional Dullin-Gottwald-Holm equation by using the Riccati-Bernoulli sub-optimal differential equation method with the Bäcklund transformation. By employing a well-established criterion, the present study reveals novel cusp soliton solutions that resemble peakons and offers valuable insights into their dynamic behaviors and mysterious phenomena. The solution family encompasses various analytical solutions, such as peakons, periodic, and kink-wave solutions. Furthermore, the impact of both the time- and space-fractional parameters on all derived solutions' profiles is examined. This investigation's significance lies in its contribution to understanding intricate dynamics inside physical systems, offering valuable insights into various domains like fluid mechanics and nonlinear phenomena across different physical models. The computational technique's straightforward, effective, and concise nature is demonstrated through introduction of some graphical representations in two- and three-dimensional plots generated by adjusting the related parameters. The findings underscore the versatility of this methodology and demonstrate its applicability as a tool to solve more complicated nonlinear problems as well as its ability to explain many mysterious phenomena.

Abstract Background Two million people in the UK are living with or beyond cancer and a third of them report poor quality of life (QoL) due to problems such as fatigue, fear of cancer recurrence, and concerns about returning to work. We aimed to develop and evaluate an intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), suited to address the concerns of cancer survivors and in improving their QoL. We also recognise the importance of exercise and vocational activity on QoL and therefore will integrate options for physical activity and return to work/vocational support, thus ACT Plus (+). Methods We will conduct a multi-centre, pragmatic, theory driven, randomised controlled trial. We will assess whether ACT+ including usual aftercare (intervention) is more effective and cost-effective than usual aftercare alone (control). The primary outcome is QoL of participants living with or beyond cancer measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: General scale (FACT-G) at 52 weeks. We will recruit 344 participants identified from secondary care sites who have completed hospital-based treatment for cancer with curative intent, with low QoL (determined by the FACT-G) and randomise with an allocation ratio of 1:1 to the intervention or control. The intervention (ACT+) will be delivered by NHS Talking Therapies, specialist services, and cancer charities. The intervention consists of up to eight sessions at weekly or fortnightly intervals using different modalities of delivery to suit individual needs, i.e. face-to-face sessions, over the phone or skype. Discussion To date, there have been no robust trials reporting both clinical and cost-effectiveness of an ACT based intervention for people with low QoL after curative cancer treatment in the UK. We will provide high quality evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adding ACT+ to usual aftercare provided by the NHS. If shown to be effective and cost-effective then commissioners, providers and cancer charities will know how to improve QoL in cancer survivors and their families. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN67900293 . Registered on 09 December 2019. All items from the World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set for this protocol can be found in Additional file 2 Table S1.

Salinity stress poses a severe risk to food security and crop productivity. Stress reduction techniques are not necessarily sustainable or environmentally friendly. With the increasing adverse impact of salinity and area, it is necessary to restore and ameliorate salinity stress using environmentally friendly approaches. In this context, beneficial rhizospheric microbes may offer a sustainable approach to managing salinity stress. We used Bacillus subtilis strain Z-12 and B. aryabhattai strain Z-48 to improve the growth of turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) plants under salinity stress conditions and elucidated the beneficial impact of these bacterial strains on different physiological and biochemical aspects of plants. The application of both strains had a significant (p < 0.05) positive influence on analyzed parameters under salt stress. Here, B. aryabhattai strain Z-48 superiorly increased shoot length (33.2-, 25.8%), root length (38.6-, 31.5%), fresh biomass (23.9-, 17.8%), and dry biomass (38.60-, 48.6%) in normal and saline stress (200 mM NaCl) conditions, respectively. Physiological studies showed that antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly increased by B. subtilis Z-12 and B. aryabhattai Z-48 under salinity stress, with a few exceptions. Moreover, the inoculation of both strains effectively increased total chlorophyll, soluble sugar, phenolic, flavonoid, and glucosinolate contents under simulated salinity stress and normal conditions. Hence, these findings support the framework that inoculating turnip plants with these strains can enhance their tolerance against salinity stress.

Objective: To assess the diagnosing utility of the leukocyte esterase dipstick test by determining the association of a positive leukocyte esterase dipstick test with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients suffering from liver cirrhosis. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi from January 2023 to December 2023. This study included a total of 65 patients with liver cirrhosis with ascites that fulfilled the exclusion and inclusion criteria. 50 mL of ascitic fluid was drawn from every patient. Afterwards, a dipstick test strip (URS-10A strip) was carefully introduced into each sample. The colour that appeared on the dipstick after 2 minutes was observed and that colour was compared with the colour significance chart mentioned on the dipstick box. Meanwhile, 100ml of the same sample of ascitic fluid was sent to a laboratory for routine evaluation of leucocyte count for the confirmation of diagnosis for SBP. The test results of the two investigations were compared using a Chi-square test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: A total of 65 individuals participated in our study. Out of the total, 39 (60.0%) were male with the mean age of 57.03±9.063, and 26 (40.0%) were females with the mean age of 55.54±8.453. A Chi-square was performed to assess the association between the dipstick test & ascitic fluid routine evaluation results. The Dipstick test was found to have 85.18% sensitivity and 92.11% specificity (p

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most detrimental impacts of diabetes mellitus associated with osteomyelitis and gangrene, accounting for at least two-thirds of non-traumatic amputations with a 5-year survival rate. In this perspective, antimicrobial resistance has been a cause for grave concern for the last 50 years and is among the World Health Organization most pressing “calls to action” for the 21st century. The current study aimed to identify bacterial pathogens present in DFU, their antibiotic resistance profiles, and genetic diversity. A total of 180 samples were collected from DFU patients hospitalized at healthcare institutions in Pakistan. All samples were cultured on three distinct types of media − nutritional agar, McConkey agar, and mannitol salt agar to identify both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Biochemical, morphological, and molecular (16 s rRNA) investigations were employed to characterize the bacterial species. Out of the 180 samples collected, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was isolated from 98 (54 %) samples, Escherichia coli (E. coli) from 75 (41.6 %) samples, S. epidermidis from 20 (11.1 %) samples, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) from 18 (10 %) samples. Furthermore, PCR amplification confirmed the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in the resistant E. coli and S. aureus isolates. In S. aureus, the most commonly found antibiotic resistance genes were erm(B) and aac(6′) aph (2′) whereas in E. coli the prevalent genes were ampC (tetA) and erm (B). The distributions of many genes associated with drug resistance differed from those documented worldwide. These findings will aid in guiding the empirical use of antibiotics for treating diabetic foot infections, thereby reducing the risk of inappropriate antibiotic use and the development of antibiotic resistance.

Background The pandemic exacerbated burnout experienced by healthcare personnel, whose mental health had long been a public health concern before COVID-19. This study used the Copenhagen burnout inventory (CBI) tool to assess burnout and identify predictors among Indian healthcare workers managing COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2022, after the third pandemic wave. A web-based, fillable Google form was used to recruit COVID-19 management professionals from multiple Jaipur district hospitals. Healthcare professionals provided socio-demographic, work-related, and CBI scores. Multiple linear regression was used to control for model covariant independent variables. Results We evaluated the responses of a total of 578 participants with a mean age of 36.59 ± 9.1 years. Based on the CBI cut-off score of 50, 68.1% reported burnout. A total of 67.5%, 56.4%, and 48.6% of healthcare workers reported work-related, personal, and patient-related burnout, respectively. High burnout scores were significantly associated with the nursing profession (β = 7.89, 95% CI; 3.66, 12.11, p

IntroductionThis paper proposes a novel all-dielectric design of lens antenna and its performance is optimized using genetic algorithm (GA). The optimization objective are 1-dB and steady gain that are directly optimized. The GA also optimizes the topological design of the lens. MethodsThe method consists of two main components: the design of the objective function and the initial population selection. The first lens structure fed into the algorithm and the initial population match. The lens has a diameter of 150 mm and a thickness of 30 mm at its thickest point with working frequency of 6–18 GHz. The 3D printing technology is used for the antenna fabrication that reduces the implantation cost. ResultsThe experimental results show that the gain and peak aperture efficiency of the proposed antenna are 23.8 dBi and 51.9%, respectively, better than those of the existing designs. DiscussionIt advantages are low-cost, easy to fabricate, simple design, high gain, narrow beams, low side lobes. It can be used in future ultra-wideband (UWB) applications.

OBJECTIVES To determine the lipid abnormalities in subclinical hypothyroidism. METHODOLOGY A case-control study was conducted on euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroid patients presenting to OPD and medical wards of Hayatabad Medical Complex from January to December 2023. The euthyroid control arm had no history of thyroid disease in the past. These hundred control patients were compared to a hundred cases who had subclinical hypothyroidism. All the patients underwent laboratory tests for thyroid hormones and lipid levels. Overt hypothyroidism was excluded. All the results were compared using SPSS statistical analysis version 23. RESULTS We found that in subclinical hypothyroidism, high triglycerides (TG) were the only abnormal findings, while total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were not affected. The risk of hyper triglyceridemia with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels ≥10mIU/L was 2-fold higher compared to that in the average population (P

Mercury is a highly toxic trace metal that can accumulate in aquatic ecosystems and when resent at high concentrations can pose risks to both aquatic life and humans consuming contaminated fish. This research explores the use of the metalloregulatory protein MerR, known for its high affinity and selectivity toward mercury, in a novel application. Through a cell surface engineering approach, MerR was displayed on cells of green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A hydroxyproline-rich GP1 protein was used as an anchor to construct the engineered strains GP1-MerR that expresses the fluorescent protein mVenus. The surface engineered GP1-MerR strain led up to five folds higher Hg2+ accumulation compared to the WT strain at concentration range from 10-9 to 10-7 M Hg2+. The binding of Hg2+ via MerR was specific and did not get significantly affected by major freshwater water quality variables such as Ca2+ and dissolved organic matter. The presence of other trace metals (Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Cd2+) in a same concentration range even resulted in 30–40 % increase in the accumulated Hg. Further, the engineered cells also demonstrated the ability to accumulate Hg2+ from the water extracts of the Hg-contaminated sediment samples. These results demonstrate a novel approach utilizing the cell surface display system in C. reinhardtii for its potential application in bioremediation.

The traditional base station in C-RAN is divided into three parts: a pool of centralized baseband units (BBUs), a fronthaul network that links the BBUs and remote radio units (RRUs), and RRUs. This paper proposes a novel cooperative algorithm for resource optimization in a time-wavelength division multiplexed (TWDM) passive optical network (PON) incorporating a cloud radio access network (C-RAN). First, a joint collaborative strategy is deployed to optimize cooperative caching and transmission in the wireless and optical domains. Then, the quality of experience (QoE) is improved by bandwidth configuration and caching. Simulation results show that the average throughput of the proposed QoE-aware video cooperative caching and transmission mechanism (QACCTM) algorithm is approximately 30% higher than that of other algorithms. Compared with the relative average residual clutter power (RARCP) and quality-aware wireless edge caching (QAWEC) algorithms, the proposed QACCTM algorithm reduces the access delay by approximately 27.1% and 15.9%, respectively.

Introduction: The emergence of electromagnetic wave pollution as a new form of pollution in human society is attributed to the advancements in communication technology and the electronic information business. In addition to harming priceless electronic equipment, these electromagnetic radiation and interference issues brought on by electrical and electronic devices have a major negative influence on human productivity and wellbeing. The secret to getting rid of electromagnetic radiation interference (EMI) and improving performance is electromagnetic shielding technology. Metamaterial absorber is a type of metamaterial that absorb EMI radiation. The benefits of metamaterial absorbers include their lightweight, simple construction, and excellent absorptivity.Methods: This paper proposes a novel metamaterial absorber for EMI radiation absorption. It consists of dielectric layers, metamaterial shielding layer and transmission line. The reflection of radiation is reduced by miniaturization of metamaterials.Results and Discussion: Simulation results show that the proposed design has better performance as compared to existing methods. The operating frequency range is from 23.1 to 28.3 GHz. The values of S21 with and without shielding are −5 dB and −0.05 dB, and the shielding effectiveness is 10.10 dB and a maximum of 12.63 dB.

The password is the most prevalent method of authentication and is essential for keeping data safe. Due to instances of the release of massive volumes of data records caused by database breaches, a sizable number of passwords have already been broken offline using the disclosed data in recent years. The rainbow table attack, the most practical offline password attack method, is systematically discussed in this study. The two improved rainbow table attack schemes ‒ a novel time-memory tradeoff method using rainbow table sort proposed by Thing and Ying (TY attack) and an upgraded approach combining TY attack with differentiated points proposed by Li (Li attack) ‒ are the main approaches of this article. Additionally, this article addresses the limitations of the current countermeasures for defending against offline password attacks from the perspectives of file encryption, password vaults, and hardware.

With the emergence of FinTech and evolution in the design and delivery of financial services, the Accounting Information System (AIS) needs to evaluate its underlying accounting methods to establish a reliable bookkeeping environment and stay up to date with technological standards and bookkeeping requirements. Many academic studies and practitioner articles have discussed Triple-Entry Accounting (TEA) and AIS researchers are not new to the idea of TEA, but its practical impact remains limited. Blockchain has emerged in financial applications, and it carries the same concept of distributed ledgers as shared ledgers in TEA. Unlike the traditional Double-Entry Accounting (DEA) system, where two parties record and maintain their books of accounts independently, the TEA model incorporates a third entry to further ensure trust and security. However, the lack of underlying accounting methods for recording the third entry, along with compliance issues and other challenges, has raised concerns with TEA, leading to limited practical implementation. This study bridges the gaps in the existing literature by proposing an alternative to TEA: a blockchain, RDBMS, and DEA-based hybrid Tripartite Accounting Framework (TAF). This integration not only adheres to DEA principles but also introduces a third transaction that meets bookkeeping requirements and addresses the limitations in the existing bookkeeping methods for recording B2B (Business-to-Business) transactions. The proposed framework provides a cost-effective and viable solution and ensures trust and security in the B2B trading environment.

Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that a high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrust directed at a dysfunctional vertebral segment in people with subclinical spinal pain alters various neurophysiological measures, including somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). We hypothesized that an HVLA thrust applied to a clinician chosen vertebral segment based on clinical indicators of vertebral dysfunction, in short, segment considered as “relevant” would significantly reduce the N30 amplitude compared to an HVLA thrust applied to a predetermined vertebral segment not based on clinical indicators of vertebral dysfunction or segment considered as “non-relevant”. In this double-blinded, active-controlled, parallel-design study, 96 adults with recurrent mild neck pain, ache, or stiffness were randomly allocated to receiving a single thrust directed at either a segment considered as “relevant” or a segment considered as “non-relevant" in their upper cervical spine. SEPs of median nerve stimulation were recorded before and immediately after a single HVLA application delivered using an adjusting instrument (Activator). A linear mixed model was used to assess changes in the N30 amplitude. A significant interaction between the site of thrust delivery and session was found (F1,840 = 9.89, p

Abstract Background High HIV prevalence, and lack of organized screening for the indigent population receiving care and treatment within HIV clinics in low-resource settings increases cervical cancer incidence. We sought to determine predictors of cervical precancer in women living with HIV and receiving cervical cancer screening in Jos, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study of women living with HIV and receiving care and treatment in adult HIV/AIDS clinics in Jos-Metropolis, Nigeria between June 2020 and April 2023. Ethical approvals were obtained from the ethics committee in Jos, Nigeria and Northwestern University IRB, USA. Informed consent was obtained from eligible participants, and data on socio-demographics, cancer risk factors, and cytology reports were collected. The outcome variables were cervical precancer lesions. The independent variables were prior Pap smear status, socio-demographics, income, educational, and other reproductive health factors. Descriptive statistics was done to obtain means ± sd, frequencies, and percentages for the variables. Univariate and bivariate analyses were done to determine predictors of cervical dysplasia. Analyses were performed using R software. Results Of 957 women screened, 570 were living with HIV and 566 women had cytology report and were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 45.08 ± 8.89 years and 81.6% had no prior evidence of Pap test (under-screened). Prevalence of cervical dysplasia was 24% (mild and severe dysplasia were 12.9% and 11.1%, respectively). Age above 45 years (aOR = 3.48, p = 0.009), postmenopausal status (aOR = 7.69, p = 0.000), and women with no history of prior IUCD use (aOR = 5.94, p = 0.0001), were predictors for severe dysplasia. Women who had history of STI (aOR = 0.17, p = 0.000), prior use of IUCD (aOR = 0.32, p = 0.004), prior use of condom (aOR = 2.50, p = 0.003) and had co-morbidities (aOR = 0.46, p = 0.009) were more likely to have had a Pap test in the past. Conclusions The majority of indigent women receiving care at HIV clinics had their first Pap test screening, and lack of organized screening among older and post-menopausal women with HIV, puts women at a higher risk of developing severe cervical precancer lesions.