Introduction: The attitudes of doctors and nurses toward patient safety is a significant factor in hospital safety climates and medical error rates. Yet, there are very few studies of patient safety attitudes in Saudi hospitals and none conducted in hospital emergency departments. Aims: The current study aims to investigate the discrepancy between the patient safety attitudes of doctors and nurses in a Saudi hospital emergency department. Materials and Method: The study employed a qualitative research designvia semi-structured interviews with Saudi and non-Saudi doctors and nurses working in a Saudi hospital emergency department to determine their attitudes and experiences about the patient safety climate. Results: The findings showed doctors and nurse held some similar safety attitudes, however, nurses reported issues with doctors with respect to their teamwork, communication, and patient safety attitudes. Moreover, several barriers to the patient safety climate were identified such as limits to resources, teamwork, communication, and incident reporting. Conclusion: The findings provide one of the few research contributions to knowledge on the differential patient safety attitudes of Saudi and non-Saudi doctors and nurses and suggest the application of such knowledge would enhance positive patient outcomes in emergency departments.

The design of highly efficient sensitizers is one of the most significant areas in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) research. We have studied a series of benzothiadiazole-based D-π-π-A organic dyes, putting emphasis on the influence of the donor moiety on the DSSC’s efficiency. Using linear response time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with the CAM-B3LYP functional different donor groups were characterized in terms of electronic absorption spectra and key photovoltaic parameters. As a reference a dye has been considered which has a benzothiadiazole fragment linked via thiophene rings to a diphenylamine donor and a cyanoacrylic acid acceptor. The different systems are first studied in terms of individual performance parameters, which are eventually aggregated into the power conversion efficiency. Here only the amino-substituted species shows a modest increase, whereas the dimethylamino case even shows a decrease.

Researches are moving to iron and ammonia elimination from ground water. Here, we are using poly acrylic–poly acrylamide hydrogel which grafted with 3-chloroaniline. This copolymer was synthesized by addition polymerization. Effect of agitation time, dosage and adsorbents temperature on the removal process sensitivity has been investigated. The copolymer was described experientially and theoretically. Isothermal, kinetic adsorption models and were discussed. This hydrogel could be regenerated efficiently (98.3%removal of iron and 100% removal of ammonia). Density functional theory DFT method using B3LYP/6-311G(d,p),LANL2DZ level of the theory were managed to investigate stationary states of grafted co-polymer and the complexation energy of the hydrogel with the studied cations. NBO analysis is using DFT to investigate the negative centers on the hydrogel. The complexation energy showed selectively of hydrogel to studied cations.

Diabetes mellitus is a global health issue that necessitates the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Today numerous experimental methods have been used and set up to evaluate novel drugs with antidiabetic effects. In addition, several research studies have been done to induce diabetes under in vitro and in vivo conditions, but only a small number of these efforts are currently in a usable stage. This review aims to provide useful guidance for researchers who seek to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of drugs, agents, or new medications using the standard methods published by authorities and academics worldwide organizations and research centers. In this review, we collected 132 relevant articles from prominent databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and others to summarize in vitro and in vivo experimental validation of antidiabetic treatment from 1943 to present.

In the present study, fish were exposed to sub-lethal doses of CuONPs (68.92 ± 3.49 nm) (10, 20, and 50 mg/L) for a long exposure period (25 days). Compared to the control group (0.0 mg/L CuONPs), a significant dose-dependent elevation in blood urea and creatinine values, serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities were evident in CuONPs-exposed groups (P < 0.05). Fish exposure to 50 mg/L CuONPs significantly upregulated the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin 12, and interleukin 8), heat shock protein 70, apoptosis-related gene (caspase 3), and oxidative stress-related (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) genes in liver and gills of the exposed fish in comparison with those in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, varying histopathological injuries were noticed in the hepatopancreatic tissues, posterior kidneys, and gills of fish groups correlated to the examined exposure dose of CuONPs. In summary, our results provide new insights and helpful information for better understanding the mechanisms of CuONPs toxicity in Nile tilapia at hematological, molecular levels, and tissue levels.

Endometriosis is a common finding among women with infertility and women who are diag-nosed with endometriosis are almost twice as likely to experience infertility. Mechanisms by which endometriosis causes infertility remain poorly understood. In this review we evaluate the current literature on the impact of endometriosis on oocyte and embryo quality. The presence of endometriosis evidently reduces ovarian reserve, oocyte quality and embryo quality, however this does not appear to translate to a clear clinical impact. Analysis of data from large assisted reproduction technology registries has shown that women with endometriosis have a lower oo-cyte yield but no reduction in reproductive outcomes. There is a need for future studies in the form of well-designed randomised controlled trials to further evaluate the role of surgical and medi-cal treatment options in women with endometriosis undergoing assisted conception.

Low-lying coastal communities are often threatened by compound flooding (CF), which can be determined through the joint occurrence of storm surges, rainfall and river discharge either successively or in close succession. The trivariate distribution can demonstrate the risk of the compound phenomenon more realistically rather than considering each contributing factor independently or in a pairwise dependency. Recently vine copula has been recognized as the highly flexible approach to constructing a higher dimensional joint density framework. In such construction, parametric class copula with parametric univariate marginal distributions is often involved. Such incorporation can lack flexibility due to parametric functions with prior distribution assumptions about their univariate marginal and/or copula joint density. This study introduces the vine copula approach in a nonparametric setting by introducing Bernstein and Beta kernel copula density in establishing trivariate flood dependence. The proposed model is applied to 46 years of flood characteristics collected on the west coast of Canada. The univariate flood marginal distribution is modelled using nonparametric kernel density estimation (KDE). The 2-D Bernstein estimator and Beta kernel copulas estimator are tested independently in capturing pairwise dependencies to establish D-vine structure in a stage-wise nesting approach in three alternative ways, each by permutating the location of the conditioning variable. The best-fitted vine structure is selected using goodness-of-fit (GOF) test statistics. The performance of the nonparametric vine approach is also compared with the vine constructed in the parametric and semiparametric fitting procedure. Investigation reveals that the D-vine constructed using Bernstein copula with normal KDE marginals nonparametrically performed well in capturing dependence of the compound events. Finally, the derived nonparametric model is used in the estimation of trivariate OR- and AND-joint return periods, further employed in estimating failure probability (FP) statistics. The trivariate return periods for the AND-joint case are higher than for the OR-joint case for the same flood combination. Also, the trivariate flood hazard results in a high-value FP than bivariate and univariate events. Ignoring the trivariate dependence could result in the underestimation of FP

Kinesio tape is considered one of the most common techniques which using recently, where it is used as a therapeutic technique for pain relief, correction of joint position, prevention of oedema and injuries, improve range of motion and muscular activity for the individual. This study is a descriptive research design and aims to identify the effect of using Kinesio tape on the neuromuscular activity of quadriceps muscle after the rehabilitation program of the knee joint. The study sample consists of (10) players from different sports (football, basketball …etc.) and suffering from knee joint injuries. This sample was taken from Kafr-El sheikh and Kaleen club. Results showed that Kinesio tape doesn’t have any explicit effect on the neuromuscular activity of muscle but acts as a catalyst for muscle and promote a person’s feeling of psychological wellbeing and reassurance.When comparing results of using Kinesio tape during performing leg squatting and balance test with not using tape, founded that when performing leg squatting and balance test with using Kinesio tape, there were significant effects on muscle activity compared to not using it.

A comparative efficacy of apathogenic genotype I (V4) and lentogenic genotype II (LaSota) strains of live Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccines was done following vaccination with pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) H9N2 avian influenza vaccine and challenge with velogenic NDV genotype VII.1.1 (vNDV-VII.1.1). Eight groups (Gs) of day-old chicks were used (n=25). Groups 1-4 received a single dose of PAMP-H9N2 subcutaneously, while Gs (1, 5) and (2, 6) received eye drops of V4 and LaSota respectively as twice doses. All Gs except 4 and 8 were intramuscularly challenged with vNDV-VII.1.1 at 28th days of age. No signs were detected in Gs 1, 5, 4, and 8. The mortality rates were 0% in Gs 1, 4, 5, and 8; 40% in G2; 46.66% in G6; and 100% in Gs 3 and 7. Lesions were recorded as minimal in Gs 1 and 5, but mild to moderate in Gs 2 and 6. The lowest significant viral shedding was detected in Gs 1, 2, and 5. In conclusion, two successive vaccinations of broilers with a live V4 NDV vaccine provided a higher protection against vNDV-VII.1.1 challenge than LaSota. Besides, PAMP-H9N2 with live NDV vaccines induced more protection than live vaccine alone.

The interaction between oceanographic, meteorological, and hydrological factors can result in an extreme flooding scenario in the low-lying coastal area, called compound flooding (CF) events. For instance, rainfall and storm surge (or high river discharge) can be driven by the same meteorological, tropical or extra-tropical cyclones, resulting in a CF phenomenon. The trivariate distributional framework can significantly explain compound events' statistical behaviour reducing the associated high-impact flood risk. Resolving heterogenous dependency of the multidimensional CF events by incorporating traditional 3-D symmetric or fully nested Archimedean copula is quite complex. The main challenge is to preserve all lower-level dependencies. An approach based on decomposing the full multivariate density into simple local building blocks via conditional independence called vine or pair-copulas is a much more comprehensive way of approximating the trivariate flood dependence structure. In this study, a parametric vine copula of a drawable (D-vine) structure is introduced in the trivariate modelling of flooding events with 46 years of observations of the west Coast of Canada. This trivariate framework searches dependency by combining the joint impact of annual maximum 24-hr rainfall and the highest storm surge and river discharge observed within the time ±1 day of the highest rainfall event. The D-vine structures are constructed in three alternative ways by permutation of the conditioning variables. The most appropriate D-vine structure is selected using the fitness test statistics and estimating trivariate joint and conditional joint return periods. The investigation confirms that the D-vine copula can effectively define the compound phenomenon's dependency. The failure probability (FP) method is also adopted in assessing the trivariate hydrologic risk. It is observed that hydrologic events defined in the trivariate case produce higher FP than in the bivariate (or univariate) case. It is also concluded that hydrologic risk increases (i) with an increase in the service design life of the hydraulic facilities and (ii) with a decrease in return periods.

In the present paper, the effect of the non-linear thermal radiation on the neutral gas mixture in the unsteady state is investigated for the first time. The unsteady BGK technique of the Boltzmann kinetic equations for a neutral non-homogenous gas is solved. The solution of the unsteady case makes the problem more general significance than the stationary one. For this purpose, the moments' method, together with the traveling wave method, is applied. The temperature and concentration are calculated for each gas component and mixture for the first time.Furthermore, the study is held for aboard range of temperatures ratio parameter and a wide range of the molar fraction. The distribution functions are calculated for each gas component and the gas mixture. The significant non-equilibrium irreversible thermodynamic characteristics the entire system is acquired analytically. That technic allows us to investigate the consistency of Boltzmann's H-theorem, Le Chatelier principle, and thermodynamics laws. Moreover, the ratios among the different participation of the internal energy alteration are evaluated via the Gibbs formula of total energy. The final results are utilized to the argon-helium non-homogenous gas at different magnitudes of radiation force strength and molar fraction parameters. 3D-graphics are presented to predict the behavior of the calculated variables, and the obtained results are theoretically discussed.

The analysis of drugs is a priority in public health, particularly antibiotics which develop resistance due, among other things, to bad dosages or poor quality of the active substance. In this study, we evaluated eight antibiotics available in health centers in Djibouti through qualitative and quantitative analysis. The tests were based on high-purity reference products. In qualitative analysis by HPLC, only amoxicillin presented two impurity peaks. This observation is found in the dosage of this active ingredient with a value of 83 ±0.6 mg instead of the 500 mg indicated on the label. It will be necessary to diversify the sample’s provenance to seek the origin of this degradation.

The purpose of the current study was directed to investigate the effectiveness of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a chemopreventive agent on experimentally induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis; Material and methods: 40 Syrian male hamsters, five weeks old, were divided into 4 groups of 10 animals in each as follows, GI: Topical application of liquid paraffin alone (thrice a week for 14 weeks), GII: Topical application of 7, 12 dimethyl benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) alone (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks), GIII: Topical application of DMBA (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks) + Oral administration of DHA (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks on alternative days of DMBA application), GIV : Oral administration of DHA alone (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks); Results: Gross observations and histopathological findings revealed a-GI: normal stratified squamous epithelium b- GII: well and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) c-: GIII: showed variable results ranges from hyperkeratosis, hyperkeratosis and focal hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, and well differentiated SCC with superficial invasion of tumor cells not extended to deeper areas d: GIV: normal similar to GI. Immunohistochemical results revealed that oral DHA treatment to DMBA treated hamsters restored the normal expression of bcl-2; Conclusion: DHA has the potential to be a dietary chemopreventive agent due to its capacity to improve carcinogen detoxification and to block/suppress the initiation and promotion stages of experimentally produced HBP carcinogenesis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chitosan (CS) and Alginate (Alg) polymers concentrations and CaCl2 concentration on metronidazole (MET) drug loading (LE), size particles and zeta potential. Nanocomposites were prepared by ionotropic pregelation method. A (21 *31 *21) *3= 36 full factorial design (FFD) was used to predict statistical equation and responses. The MET-CS-AlgNPs nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope and in vitro drug release studies. All data indicated the presence of drug into MET-CS-AlgNPs nanocomposites. The release profile of MET-CS-AlgNPs nanocomposites was found to be sustained

City zones have become increasingly overcrowded as a result of the extensive population widening ratio and the swift relocation of people from villages. The traffic monitoring process is a major issue in these areas due to the massive traffic flow on the roads. This research proposed a cluster-based improved authentication and communication scheme for an Intelligent Transportation System in Vehicular AdHoc Networks (VANETs). Our primary objective is to optimize resource sharing in vehicular communication. We enhanced the reliability, scalability, and stability of fast-moving VANETs by introducing cluster-based routing schemes for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communications. We used a third-party certification authority for vehicle authentication to address security and privacy concerns. Our proposed schemes support minimizing the end-to-end (E2E) delay and route request, in addition to reducing link failure. Our schemes’ leading yield includes throughput enhancement, TCP Socket Initialization time minimization, TCP handshake response speedup, and DNS lookup improvement. The schemes are centred on short-range peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless communication in a 400-meter radius cluster. This includes innovative P2P wireless communications on VANET using minimized resources. The proposed schemes deliver a secure authentication mechanism with a securely generated vehicle authentication key provided by a certification authority. Furthermore, we have developed RESTful APIs in vehicular communication for implementation purposes, and also offered and implemented algorithms for resource sharing regarding V2V and V2I communication. Ultimately, we evaluated the performance of our experiments.

A ducted photovoltaic façade (DPV) unit Studied using experimental Prototype and simulated in a full scale Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD Model. The Study comes in two parts; This is Part I with the title detailed above and Part II titled ‘A Ducted Photovoltaic Façade Unit with Buoyancy Cooling: Part II CFD Simulation’.. The process adopted in the experimental study is replicated in the simulation Part. The aim was to optimize the duct width behind the solar cells to allow for maximum buoyancy-driven cooling for the cells during operation. Duct widths from 5 to 50 cm were tested in a Proto-type. A duct width of 45 cm had the maximum calculated heat removed from the duct; however, the lowest cell-operating temperature was reported for duct width of 50 cm. It was found that the DT between ducts' inlets and outlets range from 5.47 °C to 12.32 °C for duct widths of 5–50 cm, respectively. The ducted system enhanced module efficiency by 12.69% by reducing PV temperature by 27 °C from 100°C to 73 °C. The maximum calculated heat recovered from the ducted PV system is 422 W. This is 47.98% from the incident radiation in the test. Total summation of heat recovered and power enhanced by the ducted system is 61.67%.

Solar radiation prediction is an important process in ensuring optimal exploitation of solar energy power. Numerous models have been applied to this problem, such as numerical weather prediction models and artificial intelligence models. However, well-designed hybridization approaches that combine numerical models with artificial intelligence models to yield a more powerful model can provide a significant improvement in prediction accuracy. In this paper, we propose novel hybrid machine learning approaches that exploit auxiliary numerical data. The proposed hybrid methods invoke different machine learning paradigms, including feature selection, classification, and regression. Additionally, numerical weather prediction (NWP) models are used in the proposed hybrid models. Feature selection is used for feature space dimension reduction to reduce the large number of recorded parameters that affect estimation and prediction processes. The rough set theory is applied for attribute reduction and the dependency degree is used as a fitness function. We investigate the effect of the attribute reduction process with thirty different classification and prediction models in addition to the proposed hybrid model. Then, different machine learning models are constructed based on classification and regression techniques to predict solar radiation. Moreover, other hybrid prediction models are formulated to use the output of the numerical model of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) as learning elements in order to improve the prediction accuracy. The proposed methodologies are evaluated using a data set that is collected from different regions in Saudi Arabia.

The physicochemical treatment/recovery techniques, including precipitation, membrane technology, solvent extraction, foam fractionation, adsorption, and aqueous two-phase systems, will be reviewed. The bio-treatment processes, based on microorganisms and/or enzymes consuming nutrients available in food-processing wastewater as low-cost substrates to produce valuable products, will be discussed in detail, including the production of microalga biomass in wastewater treatment systems. Finally, future research direction will be proposed to integrate the circular economy and develop integrated food processing wastewater management systems.

This work probes the combined effects of magnetic field and viscous dissipation on heat field and examine the second law analysis (entropy generation) in an electrically conducting fluid under the effect of wall mass transfer over continuous stretched non-isothermal surface with variable viscosity. The viscosity of the fluid is assumed to be an inverse linear function of temperature. The governing equation for the problem are changed to dimensionless ordinary differential equations by using similarity transformation and solved numerically by using Rung Kutta and Shooting technique. Velocity, concentration and temperature distribution are obtained and used to compute the entropy generation and the Bejan number in the flow field. The effect of variable viscosity, Schmidt number, Hartman and Reynolds number on the velocity, concentration, temperature, entropy generation and Bejan number are studied and discussed.

Molecular analysis is an easier means to identify and isolate a specific gene which has imperative function for growth, body composition , fat deposition, metabolic and skeletal traits as well as the molecular genetics selection on individual genes is a very efficient method to genetically improve economically important traits in chickens. Insulin- like growth factor 1 ( IGF-1)is a member of a heterogeneous group of peptides with important growth.Transforming growth factorβ ( TGF-β) belongs to a large family of growth and differentiation factors that play a pivotal role in a great variety of biological activities including morphogenesis, development and differentiation. DNA was extracted from 48 chickens sampled from three strains Lohman (17) , Sinai (24) and Gimmizah (7) IGF-1 gene and TGFβ2 gene were amplified using PCR protocol. Electrophoresis was carried out on the products of PCR , bands viewed on transilluminator. The size of IGF-1 gene was 675 bp while the size of TGFβ2 gene was 188bp. Sharp bands were purified and sequenced and used the dendrogram to show the relationships between other vertebrate species

In this work, meshless methods are applied for the solution of two-dimensional steady-state heat conduction problems with nonlocal multi-point boundary conditions (NMBC). These meshless procedures are based on multiquadric radial basis function (MQ RBF) and its modified version (i.e. integrated MQ RBF). The proposed meshless methods which were recently published in \cite{Reutskiy2016} is compared with standard collocation method (i.e. Kansa's method). Three different sorts of solution domain are considered in which Dirichlet boundary condition is specified on some part of the boundary and is related to the unknown function values at a discrete set of interior points. The influence of NMBC on the accuracy and condition number of the system matrix associated to the proposed methods is investigated. The sensitivity of the shape parameter is also analyzed in the proposed methods. Performance of the proposed approaches in terms of accuracy and efficiency is confirmed on the benchmark problems.

Abstract: Ovulation failure was associated with a reduction in pre-mating concentrations of oestradiol-17β and prolactin (PRL). The present study aimed to evaluate whether pre-mating PRL levels have a role on the reproductive efficiency of doe rabbits. A total of 78 multiparous California does (2nd parity) were divided, according to plasma pre-mating PRL, into five categories, >20-25, >25-30, >30-35, >35-40, and >40-45 ng/ml. Does in all categories were naturally mated and kindled, then their reproductive measurements and progesterone (P4) levels were determined. Results show that pre-mating PRL averaged 23.60±0.78, 28.00±0.83, 33.46±0.43, 38.17±0.49 and 41.98±0.68 ng/ml in five categories (p < 0.05), respectively, representing the highest distribution (38.5%) in the 3rd-category. Live body weight of doe rabbits, at mating, pregnancy, and parturition increased (p < 0.05) with increasing pre-mating PRL level. The number of services, litter size, and pregnancy rate increased (p < 0.05) by increasing PRL levels. Reproductive traits and P4 level at mid-pregnancy of does, and average weight of kits at birth increased (p < 0.05) by increasing PRL levels. The pre-mating PRL profile is important for the identification of reproductive performance in doe rabbits.

ChatGPT, a groundbreaking natural language processing technology released just three months ago, has attracted significant attention due to its remarkable capabilities. This AI milestone has urged researchers, industry, decision-makers, and governments to examine this technology, including its implications, threats, and benefits. Despite the short period since its release, several researchers have examined ChatGPT from different perspectives. This paper presents a comprehensive review of ChatGPT, highlighting its technical novelties compared to previous models and analyzing existing research from various perspectives. We followed a rigorous methodology to conduct a critical review of existing research on ChatGPT and developed a taxonomy for the different areas of study. Additionally, we identify future challenges and research trends associated with ChatGPT. Our paper is the first critical review of ChatGPT literature, providing valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers. This paper serves as a reference for researchers seeking to advance research on ChatGPT, including its applications and development.

Abstract: This article explores the intricate relationship between environmental degradation, specifically air pollution, and economic growth in the Sultanate of Oman spanning the period from 1990 to 2022. We employ cointegration and vector error correction models to uncover both short- and long-term dynamics in the association between air pollution and economic growth. Fur-thermore, Granger causality analysis is utilized to investigate the causal links between these crucial variables. This data encompasses factors related to environmental quality and various control variables. The empirical results unveil a sustained long-term cointegration connection between the variables. Additionally, our findings highlight a statistically significant positive impact of economic growth and energy consumption on CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the short-term analysis reveals an annual adjustment of approximately 14.1% in N2O emissions dis-equilibrium. The Granger causality study indicates unidirectional causal relationships involving N2O emissions, economic growth, and CO2 emissions. The implications of these findings for Oman's policy landscape are substantial. To effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is imperative for Oman to establish robust climate change policies. Additionally, the government can play a pivotal role in encouraging and endorsing the use of renewable energy sources, such as green hydrogen, as a promising alternative to traditional oil and gas resources.

In this paper, we implement a new method binary Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for solving the kidney exchange problem, which will improve the future decisions of kidney exchange programs. Because using a kidney exchange, we can help incompatible patient-donor couples to swap donors to receive a compatible kidney. Kidney paired donation programs provide an innovative approach for increasing the number of available kidneys. Further, we implementing binary particle swarm optimization in parallel with MATLAB with one, two, three and four threads and from the computations point of view, the authors compare the performance to reduce the running time for kidney exchange to match patients as fast as possible to help clinicians. Moreover, implementing binary particle swarm optimization in solving the kidney exchange problem is an effective method. The obtained results indicate that binary PSO outperforms other stochastic-based methods such as genetic algorithm, ant lion optimization, and efficient the number of resulting exchanges.

(1) Background: The present study was carried out to provide new information about the relation between angiogenesis, tumor stage Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); (2) Materials and methods: Thirty formalin-fixed paraffin embedded blocks were used, 10 of them were previously diagnosed as well differentiated OSCC, 10 moderate differentiated OSCC and 10 poorly differentiated OSCC. To determine the expression of CD31 and D2-40 proteins, streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining technique was used. The areas with the most vascular density (hot spots) were determined. The stained vessels were counted independently in intratumoral and peritumoral stroma in five areas of hot spot at ×400 magnification; (3) Results: Immunohistochemical staining using CD 31 protein showed that CD31-positive vessels in the peritumoral and intratumoral stroma subjacent to the malignant invading nests which was recorded highest values in poor differentiated OSSC followed by moderate differentiated OSSC then well differentiated OSSC. D2-40 expression was positive in lymphatic vessel in the peritumoral and intratumoral stroma subjacent to the malignant invading nests. Poorly differentiated OSSC tissue sections recorded the highest vessels count followed by moderate differentiated OSSC then well differentiated OSSC. There was statistically significant difference found between the three studied groups regarding CD31 and D2-40 levels. Also there was statistically significant positive correlation found between CD31 level and D2-40 level and vice versa; (4) Conclusion: CD31 and D2-40 are related to stage of OSCC and are consistent with angiogenesis in tumor progression.

Listwaenite rocks are widely spread in Fenja area of the Semail ophiolite of Oman and in Islam Abad area of the Neyriz ophiolite of Iran. There are three types of listwaenites found in these regions: silica-, carbonate-, and carbonate-silica (which includes dolomite, calcite, and magnesite. The alteration of host harzburgites started with hydrothermal alteration to serpentinite, followed by carbonation and silicification of serpentinite. Calcite- and magnesite-dolomite- listwaenites are more abundant in the Fenja area of Oman, while dolomite-listwaenites are more abundant in Islam Abad area in Iran. The mineralogy of listwaenites varies in both Iran and Oman; common minerals include quartz, calcite, goethite, magnesite, dolomite, serpentine, hematite, magnetite, Cr-mica, and Cr-spinel The major element chemistry of the different types of listwaenites in both Fenja and Islam Abad area generally comparable, and is largely similar to that of hydrothermally carbonated harzburgites, serpentinite, and listwaenites worldwide, despite spanning extraordinary and highly variable contents in major oxides, such as CaO, SiO2, MgO and LOI. Relict texture and common occurrence of Cr-spinel as well as the high concentrations of Cr, Ni and Co suggest that the protolith of the listwaenites in both regions was serpentinized harzburgites and serpentines. In comparison to the primary mantle and chondrite in spider diagrams, the Neyriz listwaenites have higher trace and REE element abundances than comparable listwaenites in the Fenja region. Harzburgite-normalized patterns of trace elements and REE in serpentinite and listwaenites overlap the average composition of harzburgite. PM-normalized trace element and REE patterns for serpentinized harzburgite and serpentinite show enrichment in Cs, U, Pb and Sr, with no Eu anomaly, comparable to mantle wedge serpentinites. The variable and high abundances of Ca, Mg, Ba, Zr, Sr, Pb, Zn, Mo and W in the carbonate- and silica-carbonate listwaenites, with unique Si enrichment and Mg, Na2O, Zr, Y, Ba, Sr, Rb, Cu, Pb, Sc, Cs, Nb, Mo and W. depletion in silica listwaenites are indicative of large fluctuations in major and trace element mobility. Cr, Ni and Co were immobile during alteration Enrichment in Ca and Si could occur by internal or late outside supply. Ca, Mg and Si are conceivably the foremost mobile major components amid harzburgite and serpentinite carbonation with mobilization confirmed by formation of quartz and Mg-carbonate in silica-carbonate listwaenites and quartz in silica listwaenites. The listwaenites in Islam Abad and Fenja area were formed due to hydrothermal alteration of serpentinite along thrust faults and shear zones which acted as pathway for Ca and/or Si rich fluids. The intensity of deformation in Islamabad listwaenites has been higher than Fenja listwaenites as indicated by higher abundance of trace elements.

Competition between cotton, winter, and summer crops is the greatest obstacle for plant breeders in Egypt. Breeders are thus seeking early maturing, high-yielding cultivars that are suited for planting following winter crops. This study was conducted during the 2016 and 2018 growing seasons at the Sakha agriculture research station, Egypt's agricultural research facility. This research used breeding material from the F2, F3, and F4 generations that resulted from crossing Giza 94 and Uzbekistan. During the 2016 growing season, the F2 population was cultivated, and the top 5% of the F2 population (75 plants) were chosen based on the selection criteria. In the summer of 2017, the F3 families were cultivated, and 5% of the superior F3 families were chosen to become the F4 fam-ilies, which were planted in the summer of 2018 at the single plant and bulk studies in a randomised full block design with three replications. The average performance of the characteristics boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage, and lint index increased as generations passed from F2 to F4. In the meanwhile, the characteristic value of the first flower to open decreased, showing the accu-mulation of advantageous alleles. For all examined characteristics, the phenotypic coefficient of variance was greater than the genotypic coefficient of variation. In addition, the data demonstrated that heritability in a broad sense was greater in F4 populations than in F3 and F2 populations. With a few exceptions, the phenotypic and genotypic associations for all investigated characteristics were positive and very significant. According to the data, initial opening flowering and boll weight had a substantial impact on seed cotton output per feddan. In general, five superior families No. 9, 13, 18, 19, and 20 were chosen from the F4 population, which were more significant for yield and yield component than the commercial variety, and these genotypes may be promising for the breeding programme to develop new genotypes with superior yield.

Despite the successful reconciliation of special relativity and quantum mechanics (QM), a good century ago, general relativity (GR) in its current classical formulation still does not compile with QM. While GR gives precise sensical predictions at large scales, QM is obviously dominated at small scales! We think that the everlasting battle for exploring and understanding the Universe and for privileging a consistent perception of reality is therefore awaiting a consolidator rather than a conqueror. This should be capable of either unifying the two different benchmarks or at least bringing one closer to the other! The latter describes the consolidating approach, which is based on extending QM to relativistic energies and gravitational fields and generalizing Riemann to discretized Finsler geometry. Some properties of the additional geometric structures and curvatures which are disclosed by the proposed quantization and apparently overlooked in Einstein's GR, are analytically and numerically characterized. The analytical analyses introduce dynamics with possible nonlinear connections. We conclude that i) additional geometric structures and curvatures are intrinsic essential and ii) the spacetime at the quantum scale is no longer smooth or continuous. A maximal proper force is predicted, which maximally gravitationally accelerates a test particle and importantly manifests the quantum geometric nature of the generalized spacetime curvature.

In this paper, we study singularities of the spherical indicatrix and evolute of spacelike ruled surface with spacelike ruling. Finally, we give an example to illustrate our results.

In this study, we mainly focus on the behavior of an electron gas produced by argon plasma that is bounded by a moving rigid flat plate. The effects of an external magnetic field on the electrons collected with each other, with positive ions, and with neutral atoms in the plasma fluid are investigated. We used the BGK model of the Boltzmann kinetic equation, which is fundamental in the study of the gas dynamics from the continuum flow to the free-molecular regimes with Maxwellian velocity distribution functions of the various species. An exact analytical solution of the model equations for the unsteady flow is given using the moment and the traveling wave methods. The behavior of the mean velocity of electrons is illustrated, which compatible with the variation of the shear stress, viscosity coefficient, and the initial and boundary conditions. Besides, the thermodynamic prediction is investigated by applying the principles of irreversible thermodynamics and Gibbs formula. It is found that the thermodynamic variables verify the Boltzmann’s H–theorem, the principle of Le Chatelier, and the Thermodynamics Second Law for the non-equilibrium processes of the system. Qualitative agreements with previous related papers are introducing. 3-Dimensional graphics for the calculating variables are offering, and their behavior is deeply discussed.

Digital transformation systems generate a substantial volume of data, creating opportunities for potential innovation, particularly those driven by artificial intelligence. This study focuses on the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence and innovation as foundational elements in the digital transformation framework for sustained growth and operational excellence. This study provides a holistic perspective on the cultivation and pillars of AI-powered innovation, highlighting their pivotal role in revolutionizing industries, including healthcare, education, finance, manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture. The work emphasizes the key pillars essential for fostering AI-powered innovation, including monitoring performance measurement to use the power of the present, continuous learning and innovation, data analytics and insights, predictive analytics, and innovative product development. This study investigates how these pillars serve as the foundation for groundbreaking advancements, driving efficiency, enhancing decision-making processes, and fostering creativity within organizations. This study explores the significance of continuous learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and industry partnerships in nurturing a thriving AI-powered innovation ecosystem. By understanding and harnessing these fundamental elements, businesses can navigate the complexities of the digital age, fostering innovation that not only optimizes processes but also enhances the overall human experience, ushering in a new era of technological excellence and societal progress.

The proliferation of mobile and IoT devices, coupled with the advances in the wireless communication capabilities of these devices, have urged the need for novel communication paradigms for such heterogeneous hybrid networks. Researchers have proposed opportunistic routing as a means to leverage the potentials offered by such heterogeneous networks. While several proposals for multiple opportunistic routing protocols exist, only a few have explored fuzzy logic to evaluate wireless links status in the network to construct stable and faster paths towards the destinations. We propose FQ-AGO, a novel Fuzzy Logic Q-learning Based Asymmetric Link Aware and Geographic Opportunistic Routing scheme that leverages the presence of long-range transmission links to assign forwarding candidates towards a given destination. The proposed routing scheme utilizes fuzzy logic to evaluate whether a wireless link is useful or not by capturing multiple network metrics, the available bandwidth, link quality, node transmission power, and distance progress. Based on the fuzzy logic evaluation, the proposed routing scheme employs a Q-learning algorithm to select the best candidate set toward the destination. We implement FQ-AGO on the NS-3 simulator and compare the performance of the proposed routing scheme with three other relevant protocols: AODV, DSDV, and GOR. For precise analysis, we consider various network metrics to compare the performance of the routing protocols. Our simulation result validates our analysis and demonstrates remarkable performance improvements in terms of total network throughput, packet delivery ration, and end-to-end delay.

This study evaluates the feasibility of stabilizing clay bricks with marble cutting waste (MCW). This waste currently discarded in huge quantities as a sludge resulted from sawing the marble blocks to slabs, grinding and polishing of marble processes to the landfills located around the marble processing factories located in the Shaq El-Thoban industrial zone, Cairo governorate, Egypt causing negative impacts on the environment, health and sustainable development. Experimental investigations were carried out to explore the effect of addition of the MCW in different clay-base mixes at different percentages up to 25% at the expense of the hydrated lime. Cement, hydrated lime and MCW are the three types of solidification agents used, clay and sand were also added in the formulations of the unfired clay brick specimens. Laboratory cylindrical stabilized and compressed specimens were made, and then they were cured in a humidity chamber for 2 and 4 weeks, then after were air dried, tested and evaluated according to the Egyptian code for the building by the stabilized and compressed earth soil (ECBS, 2016). To enhance the durability of the cured specimens, transparent silicon – based paint was used for this purpose. The laboratory results demonstrate high potential usage of MCW based additives up to 15% incorporating HL. In addition, the used paint could be an effective treatment way for the use of stabilized bricks in a wet environment. The use of eco-friendly building materials will be a great contribution for the environmental advantages and suggest a remarkable economical alternative to the fired building units.

A lightweight image encryption algorithm based on chaos induction via a 5-dimensional hyperjerk oscillator (5DHO) is presented. First, the dynamics of our 5DHO network is investigated and shown to exhibit up to five coexisting hidden attractors in the state space that depend exclusively on the system’s initial values. Further, a simple implementation of the circuit was used to validate its ability to exhibit chaotic dynamical properties. Second, an Arduino UNO platform is used to confirm the usability of our oscillator in digital implementation of the system. Finally, an efficient image encryption application is executed using the proposed chaotic networks based on the use of permutation-substitution sequences. The superior qualities of the proposed strategy are traced to the dynamic set of keys used in the substitution process which heralds the generation of the final ciphered image. Based on the results obtained from the entropy analysis (7.9976), NPCR values (99.62), UACI tests (33.69) and encryption execution time for 512x512 images (0.1179 sec), the proposed algorithm is adjudged to be fast and robust to differential and statistical attacks relative to similar approaches.

Abstract: (1) Background: Minimally-invasive sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion is the preferred surgical intervention to treat chronically severe pain associated with SIJ degeneration and dysfunction. (2) Methods: This paper details the ten-step surgical procedure associated with the postero-inferior approach using the PsiF™DNA Sacroiliac Joint Fusion System. (3) Results: The posterior surgical approach with an inferior operative trajectory (postero-inferior) utilizes easily identifiable landmarks to provide the safest, most direct access to the articular joint space for transfixing device placement. Implanting the device through the subchondral bone, provides maximum fixation and stabilization of the joint by utilizing an optimal amount of cortical bone-implant interface. Approaching the joint from the inferior trajectory also places the implant perpendicular to the S1 endplate at a “pivot point” near the sacral axis of rotation, which addresses the most significant motion of the joint. (4) Conclusions: Further observational data from real-world clinical use are encouraged to further validate this procedure as the surgical preference for minimally-invasive SIJ fusion.

In the context of an increasingly globalized economy and rapid technological advancements, the agri-food sector faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Digital traceability systems have emerged as pivotal in enhancing operational efficiencies, ensuring food safety, and fostering supply chain transparency. This study conducts a comparative analysis of the adoption and impact of digital traceability technologies across member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Utilizing a multidimensional analytical framework, this research investigates the spectrum of national regulations, legal frameworks, and specific food commodities most influenced by digital traceability implementations. It systematically evaluates the efficacy of these systems in addressing consumer transparency demands, regulatory compliance, and the overarching goal of sustainable agri-food supply chains. Through a meticulous examination of case studies and empirical data, the paper elucidates the dynamic interplay between technological innovation and regulatory environments, offering insights into best practices and potential barriers to digital traceability integration. This comprehensive inquiry aims to contribute to the scholarly discourse on digital traceability, providing actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academia to navigate the complexities of modern agri-food systems.

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are currently available for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. SGLT2i act by inhibiting renal SGLT2, thereby increasing glucosuria and lowering serum glucose. Recent trials are emerging supporting a role for SGLT2i irrespective of the diabetic status pointing towards that SGLT2i have other mechanisms of actions beyond blood sugar control. In this review, we will shed light on the role of this group of medications that act as SGLT2i in non-diabetics focusing on pre-clinical and clinical data highlighting the mechanism of renoprotection and effects of SGLT2i in the non-diabetic kidneys.

In patients with atrial fibrillation, the left atrial appendage may serve as the site of thrombus formation due to stasis that occurs within the appendage because of its shape and trabeculations. Although thrombus formation can be reduced with anticoagulants, this may be contraindicated in some patients. The need for a better alternative treatment prompted study of left atrial appendage occlusion for thromboembolism prophylaxis. Due to this, procedures that excise or occlude the left atrial appendage have gained attention because of its ability to prevent thromboembolic events. This article provides a comprehensive review of the left atrial appendage and its associated procedures' clinical utility.

The current study was formulated with the aim of assessing the impact of the Extent of Drug addiction on the Family environment and interventions for drug-addicted youth in rural areas of Dir Lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study comprised a dependent variable (Extent of Drug addiction) and an independent variable (Family Environment). A sample size of 266 was randomly selected for primary data collection through structured interviews. The collected information was evaluated through descriptive analysis (frequency and percentage distribution) and inferential analysis, specifically utilizing the Chi-square Statistical Test. The study concluded that drug addiction among youth has an adverse impact on the family environment, leading to instability and violent behavior. Further, families of drug-addicted youth experience a high level of dissatisfaction in relationships, often culminating in divorce. Similarly, the families of drug-addicted are characterized by low cohesion, role conflict, and tolerance. Thus, the government should formulate polices and strategies for the prevention of drug addiction, with speedy implementation across all institutional dynamics, including family. Moreover, It is also crucial to rehabilitate the lifeblood of a nation (youth) in terms of socio-economic, emotional and psychological growth. These recommendations were put forward in the light of the current study.

When the minimal length approach emerging from noncommutative Heisenberg algebra, generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), and thereby integrating gravitational fields to this fundamental theory of quantum mechanics (QM) is thoughtfully extended to Einstein field equations, the possible deformation of the metric tensor could be suggested. This is a complementary term combining the effects of QM and general relativity (GR) and comprising noncommutative algebra together with maximal spacelike four–acceleration. This deformation compiles with GR as curvature in relativistic eight–dimensional spacetime tangent bundle, generalization of Riemannian spacetime, is the recipe applied to derive the deformed metric tensor. This dictates how the affine connection on Riemannian manifold is straightforwardly deformed. We have discussed the symmetric property of deformed metric tensor and affine connection. Also, we have evaluated the dependence of a parallel transported tangent vector on the spacelike four–acceleration given in units of L, where L = rℏcG3 is a universal constant, c is speed of light, and ℏ is Planck constant, and G is Newton’s gravitational constant.

In the upper charged layers of the atmosphere, the plasma is very rarefied. The collisions between its molecules are almost non-existent, and the driving forces behind them are the Lorentz forces resulting from the electric and magnetic fields. For this reason, we are interested in studying the behavior of non-collision plasmas because of its essential applications, such as the movement of satellites in the charged atmosphere. In this paper, the flow problem of collisionless gaseous plasma is examined. For that propose, we solve the unsteady Vlasov-Maxwell system of non-linear partial differential equations analytically. Methods of moments and traveling wave parameters are used to acquire an exact solution. Specific macroscopic properties of collisionless gaseous plasma are calculated along with electrical and magnetic fields. Further, thermodynamic estimation, such as entropy and entropy production, is presented. Those calculations allow us to measure the consistency with the laws of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Relations between internal energy modification participations are predicted using Gibbs' equation for collisionless plasma. The modification effect of internal energies due to electro-magnetic fields is found to be small compared with the internal energy change due to the effect of entropy. That is because these fields are self-induced by plasma particles due to the sudden movement of the rigid plane plate. The results are accomplished according to the typical argon gaseous plasma model. Three-dimensional diagrams showing the measured variables are drawn to investigate and discuss their behavior. The problem has many commercial applications for the movement of objects in the charged atmosphere.

Generalized Bayes is a Bayesian approach based on the learning rate parameter η. In this study, we examine the effect of parameter η on the estimation results considering joint type-I and type-II hybrid censored samples from k exponential populations. In addition to the learning rate parameter, we consider two loss functions, the Linex and general entropy loss functions in the Bayesian approach. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to compare the performances of the estimation results under losses and different values of η. An illustrative example is performed to study the effect of the learning rate parameter and the different losses with different parameters.

Sensors became integrated through the control condition arrangement, either for visual, mechanical, biological, or chemical applications. New stuff is designed for detection, as Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors (DMS), and are considered attractive candidates that consist of a traditional 111- V, II-VI, or group IV semiconductor. Manganese Mn-doped GaN (Mn.Gac.N) epitaxial velum has a unique magnetic, visual and chemical properties in order to control system intelligent for detector design. The subject area of the magnetic properties of MnxGal-xN is on a large scale available, there are only a few studies on the visual properties and electrochemical properties of MnxGal-xN epitaxial velums. Where MnGaN velums were used in spintronic and opto-electronic applications according to their magnetic characterization and constructed MnGaN electrode are drop fabric potential for potentiometric sensor applications since they have good performance as ion-selective electrodes. The electrical and magnetic properties that allow the control of electron spin as well as complaint period, makes the materials ideal for spintronic applications. Designing such spintronic and optoelectronic devices based on MnxGal-xN requires a broader agreement of physical, visual, electrical and chemical properties epitaxial velums that are still seldom in the literature. This bailiwick displays the potential use of MnGaN semiconductor as an all solid-state potentiometric sensor for measuring anions in solutions in the control engineering field.

Keywords: Innovation ecosystems, Economic sustainability, Hydrocarbon-based economies, Economic diversification, Qualitative approach

Tea and coffee are the most commonly used beverages throughout the world. Both decoctions are rich in small organic molecules such as phenolics/polyphenolics, purine alkaloids, many methylxanthines, substituted benzoic and cinnamic acids. Many of these molecules are physiologically chemopreventive and chemoprotective agents against many severe conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer, Parkinsonism, inflammation, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disorders, bradycardia, fatigue, muscular relaxation, and oxidative stress. Caffeine, a purine alkaloid, is a common metabolite of both tea and coffee aqueous decoctions and its concentration in tea/coffee depends on the fermentation process, preparation of the water extract and quality of tea leaves/coffee beans. A 250 ml of a coffee cup contains 100-150 mg caffeine while the same volume of strong tea contains 25-40 mg caffeine. The present paper presents the potential of caffeine as a potent chemopreventive agent that can be used for numerous physiological disorders.

Keywords: AI Readiness Assessment; Business Processes; and Data Infrastructure.

In this paper, the problem of predicting future failure times based on a jointly type-II censored sample from k exponential populations is considered. The Bayesian prediction intervals and point predictors were then obtained. Generalized Bayes is a Bayesian study based on a learning-rate parameter. This study investigated the effects of the learning rate parameters on the prediction results. The loss functions of squared error, Linex, and general entropy were used as point predictors. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to show the effectiveness of the learning rate parameter in improving the results of prediction intervals and point predictors.

CO₂ emissions have been identified as the main driver for climate change, with devastating consequences for the global natural environment. The steel industry is responsible for ca. 8%-11% of global CO₂ emissions, due to high fossil-fuel and energy consumption. The onus is therefore on industry to remedy the environmental damage caused and to decarbonise production. This desk research report follows a two-tiered route: 1) exploring the Bio Steel Cycle; 2) proposing a seven-step strategy to overcome the challenges within the iron and steel industry. The true levels of CO₂ emissions in the steelmaking process, during the blast-furnace/basic-oxygen-furnace operation, will be detailed first, at 4.61t of CO₂ emissions/t of steel produced. The manuscript proposes a solution for reduced carbon emissions steelmaking with the Bio Steel Cycle components and detail on how to reach net-zero carbon emissions steel production. The 7-step-implementation-strategy as a potential solution to achieve net and true zero carbon emissions steel production in the short to medium-term. The findings of this are pointing towards the conclusion that CO₂ emissions seem to have been under-reported and under-estimated in the past, but the emission can be addressed if the correct scenarios for net-zero steel manufacturing are implemented by 2050.

The sound field properties for non-cavitating marine propellers are studied using FW-H (Ffowcs William-Hawkings) acoustic analogy and BEM (Boundary Element Method) approach. For the first time, the FW-H formula to calculate acoustic pressure generated by the propeller wake sheet is proposed. The corresponding sound signal can be dominant up to several kilometres. Secondly, non-physical fictitious volume flux is observed when the permeable FW-H approach is used together with BEM. The reason is explained and a virtual source correction method is proposed to solve this problem. Furthermore, analytical analyse show that the second thickness term and the first two loading terms in Farassat 1A formula are important, and the others are negligible. The numerical studies show that the permeable FW-H approach produces underestimation when compared to the direct FW-H method, and the underestimation is severer for larger permeable surface and higher frequency. It is also found that the first loading term in Farassat 1A formula is the dominant source term in the direct FW-H method, while the first thickness term is dominant when the permeable FW-H approach is used.

Traditional silicon binary circuits continue to face challenges such as high leakage power dissipation and large area of interconnections. Multiple-Valued Logic (MVL) and nano-devices are two feasible solutions to overcome these problems. In this paper, we present a novel method to design ternary logic circuits based on Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors (CNFETs). The proposed designs use the unique properties of CNFETs, e.g., adjusting the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) diameters to have the desired threshold voltage and have the same mobility of P-FET and N-FET transistors. Each of our designed logic circuits implements a logic function and its complementary via a control signal. Also, these circuits have a high impedance state which saves power while the circuits are not in use. We show a more detailed application of our approach by designing a two-digit adder-subtractor circuit. We simulate the proposed ternary circuits using HSPICE via standard 32nm CNFET technology. The simulation results indicate the correct operation of the designs under different process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variations. Moreover, we designed a two-digit adder/subtractor and a power efficient ternary logic ALU based on the proposed gates. Simulation results show that the two-digit adder/subtractor using our proposed gates has 12X and 5X lower power consumption and PDP (power delay product) respectively, compared to previous designs.

People localization is a key building block in many applications. In this paper, we propose a deep learning based approach that significantly improves the localization accuracy and reduces the runtime of Wi-Fi based localization systems. Three variants of the deep learning approach are proposed, a sub-task architecture, an end-to-end architecture, and an architecture that incorporates prior knowledge. The performance of the three architectures under different conditions is evaluated and the significant improvement of the three architectures over existing approaches is demonstrated.

The formation of a rigid tough interface based on a nacre-like structure in carbon fiber (CF) composites is a promising way to eliminate low delamination resistance. An effective method of coating CFs is electrophoretic deposition (EPD), which, in the case of dissimilar components like graphene oxide (GO) and polymeric glue, usually requires their chemical bonding/ strong interactions. In this work, we focus on chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs), leading to an excellent mechanical performance of artificial nacre, where favorable interactions and bonding with GO were controlled by degrees of deacetylation (5, 15 and 30 %). We have prepared coatings based on GO/ChNCs adducts with 95/5, 90/10,50/50 and 25/75 ratios using optimized EPD conditions (pH, concentration, voltage and time). The prepared materials were characterized using FTIR, TEM, XPS, SEM, DLS, and XRD. SEM evaluation indicates the formation of a homogeneous interlayer, which possesses a fair ability of chemical bonding with the epoxy matrix. Short beam testing of epoxy matrix composites indicates that coating does not decrease stiffness and its relatively low dependence on composition. Therefore, all coatings are promising for a detailed study of delamination resistance using laminate samples. Moreover, facile EPD from water solution/ suspension has a fair potential for industrial applications.

This study concentrates on assessing the insecticidal attributes of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles derived from remnants of Mentha pulegium, which include essential oil, ethanolic extract, and plant waste. The synthesis of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was executed via a direct sol-gel procedure, affirming the crystal structure through extensive physicochemical analyses such as UV-VIS, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The evaluation of insecticidal activity in vitro was conducted against Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a pest that infests carob wood, utilizing strains from diverse forests in the Khenifra region, situated in the Moroccan Middle Atlas. The lethal doses 50 ranged from 40 mg/g to 68 mg/g, indicating moderate effectiveness compared to the commercial insecticide Permethrin. The optimization of the conditions for the efficiency of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was determined by experimental plans, revealing that time, humidity, and temperature were influential factors in the lethal dose 50 of these nanomaterials. Moreover, this study encompasses the establishment of correlations through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Classification (AHC) among various geographic, biological, and physical data, amalgamating geographic altitude, γ-Al2O3 nanoparticle insecticide parameters, as well as the attributes of mechanical tests conducted on carob wood affected by insects. The correlation highlights a close connection between the effectiveness of the insecticide, mountain altitude, and the mechanical parameters that were examined. Ultimately, these nanoparticles demonstrate promising potential as alternative insecticides, thus opening encouraging prospects for safeguarding against carob wood pests.

The paper's objectives are to identify the main benefits, limitations, and challenges facing using Blockchain technology in the Supply Chain Management (SCM). To explore the factors that affect the adoption and application of Blockchain technology in SCM. The study uses a systematic literature review methodology to analyze and compare selected related articles published between 2016 and 2022 on the usage of Blockchain technology in the SCM. Several studies showed that there are many benefits to using Blockchain technology in SCM such as enhanced security, confidentiality, traceability, transparency, data accuracy, privacy, efficiency, accountability, and trust. At the same time, there are many limitations and challenges like scalability, interoperability, legal (regulatory) issues, high implementation and maintenance costs, standardization and information, lack of trust in technology, high energy consumption, limited awareness, integration with current systems, and privacy. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, but there are still several issues that need to be addressed to fully realize its potential. Understanding the benefits and difficulties of applying Blockchain technology in different industries, including the SCM, is essential in determining its effectiveness and the different strategies needed to assess its application and implementation.

Energy market price volatility and an upward trajectory of prices per unit of electricity have sent all industrial sectors and many economies to the brink of recession. Alongside the urgent need for decarbonisation of all industries, achieving a higher level of energy independence across all sectors seems imperative. A multi-disciplinary approach with a proposed system of CO₂ emissions reduction and capture technologies has the potential for short-term emissions reduction to near-zero in absolute terms. The findings of this research showed CO₂ emissions reduction of ~30% from 977t of CO_2e to 684t in one single blast furnace production cycle, by switching the energy provider generating energy exclusively from renewable sources. Replacing coal with biomass (BECCS), resulted in an additional reduction of ~30%, to CO_2e to 479t CO_2e. Installing solar PV panels for energy generation on site resulted in a further ~30% reduction, to 335 tonnes CO_2e. Finally, the installation of CO₂ filters reduced the CO₂ emissions to near-zero. Simultaneously, energy-saving and process improvement measures implementation (up to 60% efficiency increase), excess heat recovery (&lt;30% of energy savings), and retrofitting renewable energy technology resulted in an energy independence of 88%. Short-term engineering solutions, partly subsidised in the UK, are readily available.

Background: In spinal cord injury, radical treatment is still a persistent hope for patients and clinicians. Our study aimed to determine the different histological changes in central, cranial and caudal sites of compressed spinal cord as a result of neuroectodermal stem cells (NESCs) transplantation in rats. Material and methods: For extraction of NESCs, future brains were extracted from mice embryos (10-days old) and cultured. Eighty, male rats were divided randomly into control, sham (20 rats each); while 40 rats were subjected to compressed spinal cord injury (CSCI). Seven days after spinal cord injury, rats were subdivided into 2 groups (20 rats each); an untreated and treated with NESCs injected cranial and caudal to the site of the spinal cord injury. Rats were sacrificed 4 weeks after transplantations of NESCs and specimens from the spinal cord at the central, cranial and caudal to site of spinal cord injury were proceeded to be stained with haematoxylin & eosin, osmic acid and Immunohistochemistry of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Results: Sections of CSCI revealed areas of hemorrhages, necrosis and cavitation limited by reactive astrocytosis, with upregulation of GFAP expression. Evidence of remyelination and mitigation of histopathological features, reactive astrocytosis in CSCI sections were more pronounced in cranial than in caudal region. Conclusions: NESCs transplantation ameliorated the pathological changes, promoted remyelination.

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSN) enables various oceanic applications which require effective packet transmission. In this case, sparse node distribution, dynamic network topology and inappropriate selection of relay nodes cause void holes. Addressing this problem, we present a Relay based Void Hole Prevention and Repair protocol (ReVOHPR) by multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) for UWSN. ReVOHPR efficiently identifies and avoids void holes and trap relay nodes to avoid it. ReVOHPR adopts the following operations as Ocean Depth (levels) based Equal Cluster Formation, Dynamic Sleep Scheduling, Virtual Graph based Routing, and Relay Assisted Void Hole Repair. For energy efficient cluster forming, Entropy based Eligibility Ranking (E2R) is presented which elects stable cluster heads (CHs). Then, dynamic sleep scheduling is implemented Dynamic Kernel Kalman Filter (DK2F) algorithm in which Sleep and Active modes based on the nodes current status. Inter Cluster Routing is performed by maximum matching nodes which selects by Dual criteria and also data transmitted to AUV. Finally, void holes are detected and repair by Bi-Criteria Mayfly Optimization (BiCMO) algorithm. The BiCMO focuses on reducing the number of holes, data packet loss and maximizes Quality of Service (QoS) and energy efficiency of the networks. This protocol is timely deal with node failures in packet transmission via multi-hop routing. Simulation is implemented by NS3 (AquaSim module) simulator that evaluates the performance in network simulation for following metrics as average energy consumption, delay, packet delivery rate and throughput.

This study aims to explore the E-marketing orientations and relationship management constructs in Jordanian startup enterprises to examine their influence on brand visibility and loyalty in the context of the digital market . The sample consists of 161 managers in startup companies, and structural equation modeling is used to study the relationships between the constructs of e-marketing orientation, capabilities, E-relationship management, brand visibility, and loyalty. The results illustrate that the realization of e-marketing orientation is directly achieved by capabilities and visibility, thereby stressing the importance of a formulated digital market approach and that the realization of effective e-relationship management directly expression by e-marketing capabilities, demonstrating the significance of the digital market concept’s approach. The results further demonstrate that e-marketing capabilities and visibility serve as mediators between the realization of e-marketing orientations and loyalty, Two explanations may be drawn, one from the R resource-Based View theory, and another derived from R elationship M arketing T heory Thus, the study has theoretical implications in terms of R esource-Based V iew and R elationship M arketing T heory. The study offers essential managerial insights for practitioners into the entrepreneurship domain concerned with the necessity of e-marketing capabilities and E-RM attitudes at a customer-centered approach and the strategic application of digital channels to enhance visibility in the intense competition context. Therefore, the empirical results have contributions as essential insights for both stakeholders and account for practical, theoretical, and managerial perspectives in the entrepreneurship domain.

This study investigated the influence of nutrient inputs and their timing on saffron yield and quality. The study was conducted from 2016 to 2020 and involved the application of eight different fertilization treatments at various stages of saffron growth. These treatments included single doses in Autumn (A), Winter (W), and Spring (S); double doses in Winter-Spring (AW), Autumn-Spring (AS), and Winter-Spring (WS); and a triple dose in Autumn-Winter-Spring (AWS). A control group (C) received no fertilizer. A compound fertilizer with a 15-15-15 composition was applied across all treatments, with nitrogen (N) rates of 67.5 kg/ha for single doses (A, W, S), 135 kg/ha for double doses (AWF, ASF, WSF), and 202.5 kg/ha for the triple dose (AWSF). Similar rates were applied for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The findings demonstrated that fertilization generally enhanced saffron attributes. The triple dose treatment yielded the most effective results. The timing of fertilization also played a crucial role, as split applications during different growth stages led to higher production especially winter fertilization. However, spring fertilization had limited impact due to decreased plant activity and reduced nutrient absorption during that period. Although the yield increased, the qualitative aspects of saffron, including color (crocin), taste (picrocrocin), and aroma (safranal), were not significantly influenced by the fertilization treatments. Nevertheless, these attributes remained within the natural limits defined by ISO-3632, indicating that fertilization practices did not compromise saffron quality. Our study highlights the significance of nutrient inputs and their timing in optimizing saffron yield. It provides valuable insights for developing efficient fertilization programs to enhance saffron production while preserving its quality characteristics.

Today, satellite imagery has made a major contribution to the reconstruction and spatial prediction of sensitive or complex areas such as Pendjari and W Transboundary Reserves which constitute biodiversity reservoirs and habitats for wildlife conservation. Despite the protection to which they are subject, they remain dependent on climatic hazards that can influence their stability. This study has applied remote sensing techniques, combined with climate records from the last thirty years, to analyze the past dynamics of land use and climate changes, to predict the future states of the vegetation cover of the two national parks in Benin, as well as their periphery. The methodology used remote sensing and GIS techniques that allowed the supervised classification of Landsat images of 1985, 2000 and 2015. Climatic data were combined in R software to identify the break periods for climatic parameters. Finally, the predictive vegetation cover for the year 2030 was made by combining vegetation and climate in the "Land Change Modeler" extension. Ten land use and land cover classes were obtained. These are the agglomerations, mosaics of fields and fallows, water bodies, dense forests, gallery forests, clear forests and wooded savannahs, swamp forests and shrubby wooded savannahs, saxicolous savannahs and bare ground. The natural vegetation decreased from 90.85% in 1985 to 83.54% in 2000 then to 79.56% in 2015, a decline of 11.39% over a 30-year period. The analysis of the climatic curves revealed the presence of break, meaning drought frequency. The predictive modeling revealed that land use units projected to 2030 are consistent with past trends, but with the continued expansion of fields and fallows (2%) at the expense of vegetation cover. This study will motivate many others in the field.

Keywords: Knowledge; Attitudes; Practices; Salt intake.

This study investigates the applications of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) in heterogeneous downlink networks (HetNet). Due to the network densification, the small cell base station (SBS) interferes with the macrocell users (MUE). In this paper, we utilize RIS to mitigate cross-tier interference in an HetNet via directional beamforming by adjusting the phase shift of the RIS. We consider an RIS-assisted HetNet consisting of multiple SBS nodes and MUEs that utilize both direct paths and reflected paths. Therefore, the aim of this study is to maximize the sum rate of all MUEs by jointly optimizing the transmit beamforming of the macrocell base station (MBS) and the phase shift of the RIS. An efficient RIS reflecting coefficients-based optimization (RCO) is proposed based on a successive convex approximation approach. Simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in terms of its sum rate in comparison with the scheme HetNet without RIS and the scheme HetNet with RIS but with random phase shifts.

A significant number of persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience persistent, recurrent, or new symptoms several months after the acute stage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) infection. This phenomenon, termed Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) or Long COVID, is associated with high viral titers during acute infection, a persistently hyperactivated immune system, tissue injury by NETosis-induced micro-thrombofibrosis (NETinjury), microbial translocation, complement deposition, fibrotic macrophages, the presence of auto-antibodies, and lymphopenic immune environments. Here, we review the current literature on the immunological imbalances that occur during PASC. Specifically, we focus on data supporting common immunopathogenesis and tissue injury mechanisms shared across this highly heterogenous disorder including NETosis, coagulopathy, and fibrosis. Mechanisms include changes in leukocyte subsets/functions, fibroblast activation, cytokine imbalances, lower cortisol, autoantibodies, co-pathogen reactivation, and residual immune activation driven by persistent viral antigens and/or microbial translocation. Taken together, we develop the premise that SARS-CoV-2 infection results in PASC as a consequence of acute and/or persistent single or multiple organ injury mediated by PASC determinants to include degree of host response (inflammation, NETinjury), residual viral antigen (persistent antigen) and exogenous factors (microbial translocation). Determinants of PASC may be amplified by co-morbidities, age, and sex. Keywords: long COVID, PASC, long haulers, NETosis, T cell, NK cell, DC, neutrophil,

The variability of ozone over Egypt has been studied in this work. Higher values of coefficient of variation (COV) at eight stations occur at winter while lowest values occur at summer. The COV is function of latitude in annual, winter and spring where it decreases gradually from the north to south of Egypt. The trend analysis of ozone over the eight stations indicates negative trends over northern stations for both annual and seasonal time series with the greatest one at winter. The horizontal distribution of ozone trend values is negative over all Egypt in winter while it positive over middle and south Egypt in the other seasons. The long-term variability of the behavior of the annual ozone shows positive trend values in ozone are the dominant features during the period 1979- 1989 at the most stations. Negative trend values in ozone are the dominant features during the period 1990- 2014 at all stations. The Mann–Kendall test confirms that there is an abrupt change towards decreasing of ozone occurs in 1981, 1984, 2012, 1999, 2000, 1998 and 2010, while a change towards increasing of ozone appears in 2006, 2014, 1993 and 1989.

A simple fabrication method in the surface modification of electroosmotic silicon microchannel using thermal dry oxidation is presented. The surface modification is done by coating the silicon surface with a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) layer using thermal oxidation process. The process is aimed not only to improve the surface quality of the channel to be suitable for electroosmotic fluid transport but also to reduce the channel width using a simple technique. Initially, the parallel microchannel array with dimensions of 0.5 mm length and width ranging from 1.8 µm to 2 µm are created using plasma etching on the 2x2 cm <100> silicon substrate. The oxidation of silicon channel in a thermal chamber is then conducted to create the SiO₂ layer. The layer properties and the quality of the surface are analyzed using SEM and surface profiler, respectively. The results show that the maximum oxidation growth rate occurs in the first 4 hours of oxidation time and the rate decreases by time as the oxide layer becomes thicker. It is also found that the surface roughness is reduced with the increase of process temperature and oxide thickness. The scallop effect on the vertical wall due to plasma etching process also improved with the presence of the oxide layer. After the oxidation, the channel width is reduced by ~40%. The demonstrated method is suggested for the fabrication of a uniform channel cross section with high aspect ratio in sub-micro and nanometer scale that will be useful for the electroosmotic flow (EOF) manipulation of the biomedical fluid sample.

This study aimed to introduce a novel machine learning (ML) model designed to predict the need of interventions during endoscopy in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). The risk stratification tools in current use, such as the Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS) and pre-endoscopic Rockall score, have limitations in accurately predicting the need for endoscopic interventions. All patients diagnosed with UGIB from January 2013 to October 2023 who underwent endoscopy were included in the study. Variables extracted included demographics, social history ,clinical history, clinical presentation and symptoms, drug history, management prior to endoscopy, findings during endoscopy, laboratory variables and vitals, and post-endoscopic results. Three machine learning models including Random Forest Classifier (RFC), Gradient Boosting Classifier (GBC), and AdaBoost Classifier were used to evaluate the need for intervention during endoscopy in our study. A total of 1372 patients were included from three major hospitals in Jordan, of whom 242 underwent endoscopic intervention. The GBC outperformed all other models and pre-endoscopic scores in predicting the need for endoscopic intervention with an area under the curve of 0.861. Findings during endoscopy, platelet count, pulse rate and systolic blood pressure during admission were the most contributing features in predicting the need for the need of endoscopic intervention. This study highlights the potential of machine learning models in enhancing decision making for UGIB management.

Innovation is rapidly growing and affecting various industries, including hydrocarbon processing. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive and organized review of the literature on innovation ecosystems and their performance. It will examine existing definitions of innovation ecosystems and related concepts and identify metrics and indicators for measuring innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The term "innovation ecosystem" has gained considerable attention from scholars and practitioners over the past fifteen years. Despite the proliferation of research in this area, there are concerns about its fragmented knowledge base. While previous reviews have highlighted the theoretical connections between innovation ecosystems and related concepts, there is still a need for a more comprehensive understanding of the current state of innovation ecosystem research. The study used a systematic literature review approach that combines bibliographic coupling and content analysis methods, drawing on over 100 studies to identify five streams of current innovation ecosystem research: technology innovation, platform innovation ecosystems, regional development, innovation ecosystem conceptualization and theorization, and entrepreneurship and innovation. The study's contribution lies in decoding the intellectual structure of current innovation ecosystem research and providing targeted recommendations for future research.

Prevalence of asthma in Australian children is amongst the highest in the world. Although breastfeeding positively influences infants’ immunity, early introduction of Milk Other than Breast Milk (MOTBM) may also play an important role in the development of Asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the introduction of MOTBM in the first six months after birth and the development of reported persistent asthma in children 3-years old. As sample of 1,121 children were extracted from the Environments for Healthy Living longitudinal birth cohort study. Introduction of MOTBM during the first six months after birth increased the risk of development of persistent asthma by almost two-folds (Adjusted Relative Risk (ARR): 1.71, 95%CI: 1.03-2.83, p= 0.038). This study indicates that the introduction of MOTBM in the first six months of life is a risk factor for asthma incidence among children 3 years old or younger. This result is important in explaining the benefits of breastfeeding as part of public health interventions to encourage mothers to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration and avoid introduction of MOTBM in the first six months after childbirth.

Organization resilience indicates the capacity of an organization or system to return to its steady condition or exceed it after going through a disruptive event that disrupts its steady condition. Qatar's oil and gas sector has shown remarkable Resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its preparedness and readiness to deal with such a disruption. As a lesson learned from the recent COVID-19 pandemic, local governmental institutions need to support national preparedness and Resilience to handle emergencies and unpredictable crises by learning from the success model of Qatar's oil and gas sector. This study presents the key Resilience Engineering Indicators (REIs) that make this sector resilient and validates the six Resilience Engineering indexes or dimensions adopted from [1], [2]&amp; [3], which include top management commitment, speaking up culture, learning, awareness, being prepared, and flexibility. The study evaluated the performance of these REIs using a 5-point Likert Scale survey questionnaire based on the relevance to resilience dimensions. The results show 10 REIs contributing to the organization's resilience and the top four most important Resilient Dimensions (RDs). Moreover, this is the first study to evaluate and assess the organizational resilience level in Qatar's oil and gas sector. This study's results can be integrated into different organizations' strategies to improve the efforts to enhance national response to disturbances in governance.

Two experiments were conducted to develop a Nano green manganese and assess its effect on grapevines. The first experiment was microbiological, where several incorporation strategies were utilized to enrich the yeast with manganese, as follows: (1) adding manganese to the liquid medium (growth phase), (2) adding after 24 h of incubation (non-growth phase). As the results, growth phase reduced the possibility of medium contamination. Manganese concentration in the yeast cells was increased as that of manganese sulphate in the medium. Manganese incorporation in yeast cells was 99.93% higher than that of the medium at 0.0195 g/l of manganese. Although the concentration of manganese in the medium raised the OD of yeast cell biomass, manganese sulphate had no passive influence on it. The second experiment was horticultural, done on Flame Seedless grapevines, since both active fresh and frozen yeast enriched with manganese resulted from the first experiment were sprayed twice a year at 10 or 20 cm3/l comparing with manganese sulphate, and manganese chelate. The results demonstrated that yeast extracts in both forms increased the yield and improved fruit properties. The most effective treatment on vegetative growth, yield and fruit properties was the frozen yeast enriched with manganese at 20 cm3/l.

This research aims to explore the complex interplay between supply chain resilience (SCR), digital supply chain (DSC), and sustainability, focusing on the moderating influence of supply chain dynamism. The goal is to understand how these elements interact within the framework of contemporary supply chain management and how they collectively contribute to enhancing sustainability outcomes. The sample size is 300 CEOs and managers. The study approach integrates quantitative research methods. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is utilized to quantitatively analyze the direct and indirect effects of SCR and DSC on sustainability. The numerous surveys we conduct among supply chain ecosystem stakeholders provide a rich picture of practical implications and contextual nuances. In sum, our early findings generally support a positive relationship between SCR and sustainability in and of itself decrying the need for more resilient supply networks for sustainability. We further find the beneficial impact of digital technologies in promoting sustainability via enhancing environmental control and controlling for efficiency in supply chains. We also offer evidence to show that supply chain dynamism compounds the positive logic between SCR and DSC and sustainability. As a final word, it must be noted that our work speaks to the burgeoning Supply Chain Dynamism as moderator literature by examining the direct and contingent effects of SCR and DSC on not only performance but sustainability. By shedding light on the moderating role of dynamism, the study provides fresh insights into the multifaceted nature of supply chain management and sustainability practices. The study's findings enhance theoretical understanding by elucidating the synergistic effects of SCR, DSC, and sustainability in dynamic supply chain settings. It augments existing theoretical frameworks by integrating concepts of resilience, digitalization, and sustainability into a comprehensive model. Practical and economical, the research offers actionable guidance for organizations aiming to improve sustainability performance through resilient and digitally advanced supply chains. By acknowledging the role of supply chain dynamism, managers can tailor strategies to manage disruptions effectively and leverage digital innovations. Economically, adopting sustainable practices can result in cost savings and competitive advantages. The research emphasizes the importance of aligning supply chain strategies with sustainability goals to drive long-term value and societal impact.

A relevant improvement of the cultivar conditions of Rosmarinus officinalis L. in desert areas was achieved by a specific combination between irrigation system and soil conditioner. A drastic reduction of water employment was obtained without affect the quality of the plants, determined by monitoring growth parameters and essential oil characteristics. In particular, the effect of surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems and different soil conditioners on growth parameters, yield, and essential oil constituents of rosemary plant was assessed. Field experiments at the Agricultural Research Station (Al-Adlya farm), SEKEM group Company, El-Sharkiya Governorate, Egypt, conducted over the two seasons revealed the effectiveness of the subsurface irrigation system in obtaining better performances, especially in terms of water saving. The combination of subsurface irrigation and the conditioner Hundz soil with bentonite showed the maximum mean values of growth characters compared with other soil amendments during both seasons. The possibility to employ a water-saving irrigation system as the subsurface one without any drawback in the resulting plants was also explored in terms of molecular composition. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil extracted from plants growth under different irrigation conditions revealed a comparable composition in both cases. The goodness of the most performing system was also confirmed by the comparable yield of the essential oil.

The Bcl-2 family plays a crucial role in regulating cell apoptosis, making it an attractive target for cancer therapy. In this study, a series of indole-based compounds, U1-6, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anticancer activity against BCL-2-expressing cancer cell lines. The binding affinity, safety profile, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis effects of the compounds were tested. The designed compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activity at sub-micromolar IC50 concentrations against MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and A549 cell lines. Notably, U2 and U3 demonstrated the highest activity, particularly against MCF-7 cells. Respectively, both U2 and U3 showed potential Bcl-2 inhibition activity with IC50 values of 1.2 ± 0.02 and 11.10 ± 0.07 µM using an ELISA binding assay compared to 0.62 ± 0.01 µM for gossypol, employed as positive control. Molecular docking analysis suggested stable interactions of compound U2 at the Bcl-2 binding site through hydrogen bonding, pi-pi stacking, and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, U2 demonstrated significant induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase. Importantly, U2 displayed a favorable safety profile on HDF human dermal normal fibroblast cells at 10-fold greater IC50 compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of compound U2 as a Bcl-2 inhibitor and provide insights into its molecular mechanisms of action.

When generalized noncommutative Heisenberg algebra accommodating impacts of finite gravitational fields as specified by loop quantum gravity, doubly–special relativity, and string theory, for instance, is thoughtfully applied to the eight-dimensional manifold (M8), the generalization of the Riemannian manifold becomes imminent. By constructing the deformed affine connections on a four-dimensional Riemannian manifold, we have determined the minimal length deformation of Riemann curvature tensor and its contractions, the Ricci curvature tensor, and Ricci scalar. Consequently, we have been able to construct the deformed Einstein tensor. As in Einstein’s classical theory of general relativity, we have proved that the covariant derivative of the deformed Einstein tensor vanishes, as well. We conclude that the minimal length correction suggests a correction to the spacetime curvature which is manifest in the additional curvature terms of the corrected Riemann tensor and its contractions. Accordingly, the spacetime curvature endows additional curvature and geometrical structure.

In this paper, a recent meta-heuristic optimization algorithm called the discrete-continuous hyper-spherical search algorithm is used to solve the mixed-integer nonlinear problem of soft open points (SOPs) and renewable distributed generators allocation along with new network reconfiguration methodology under different loading conditions to minimize the total power loss in balanced distribution systems. Multi-scenario studies, which aim to improve the investigation of the overall performance of the strategies, are conducted on IEEE 33-node and 83-node balanced distribution systems. The contributions of SOP losses to the total active losses, as well as the effect of increasing the number of SOPs connected to the system, are investigated to determine the real benefits gained from their allocation. The results obtained validate, with proper justifications, the effectiveness of allocating both SOPs and renewable distributed generators with the proposed network reconfiguration methodology to provide the best operation of distribution networks with minimum losses and enhanced power quality performance. It was also shown that SOPs successfully assist the growing integration plans of the renewable distributed generators units and can address issues related to voltage violations and network losses efficiently.

Soil salinity is seen as a major restriction for crop production, and with water scarcity this problem becomes more complicated. Mulching is crucial to salinity dynamics management by decreasing evaporation with improving the soil’s characteristics. Using chitosan as an eco-friendly biostimulant can enhance plant defense genes during different abiotic stresses. Recently, agricultural research has recognized nanoparticles as a pioneer material due to their distinctive physicochemical features. Therefore, a lysimeter experiment was conducted to investigate the interactive effects of mulching (UNM: un-mulched, WPM: white plastic, RSM: rice straw and SDM: sawdust) and chitosan foliar application (Ch0: control, Ch1: 250 mg chitosan L-1, Ch2: 125 mg nano chitosan L-1, and Ch3: 62.5 mg nano chitosan L-1) on the biochemical soil characteristics and common beans productivity under salt affected soil conditions. Organic mulching (RSM and SDM) treatments significantly improved the soil's organic carbon, available nutrient content, and total count of bacteria. WPM treatment lowered soil EC to 6.63 dS m-1 and increased soil water content to 34.13%. The application of Ch3 caused considerable increases in the plant height, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, grain yield, and nutrient content in the seed. The total fungi count in the soil and Na% in the seed was significantly decreased due to chitosan foliar applications. Moreover, the interactive effect of different mulch materials plus foliar by chitosan applications gave a statistically similar seed yield in both seasons. Overall, this study revealed the potential of the mulching treatments and foliar application of nano chitosan in improved biochemical soil characteristics and common bean productivity under saline soil conditions.

Background: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) were introduced in healthcare as a public health priority to promote appropriate prescribing of antimicrobials, reduce antimicrobials adverse events as well as control challenges of antimicrobial resistance. To deliver aimed outcome objectives, ASPs involve multiple implementation measures. A review of systematic review was conducted to evaluate ASPs process and outcome measures. Guided by PRISMA frames, published systematic reviews (SR) focusing on ASPs restricted to secondary healthcare were evaluated over the past 10 years by examining major and primary databases involving all age groups. Out of 265 identified SR studies, 63 met inclusion criteria, the majority were conducted in European and North American regions. All age groups were examined in the studies but mainly conducted in adults when compared to children and infants . Both ASPs process and outcomes measures were examined equally and simultaneously through 25 different concepts, dominated by efficacy , antimicrobial resistance , and economic impact while information technology as well as role of pharmacy and behavioural factors were equally examined . The main broad conclusions from the review , that across the globe, ASPs demonstrated effectiveness, proved efficacy, and confirmed efficiency while focused evaluation advocate that developed countries should target medium and small sized hospitals while developing countries should continue rolling ASPs in their healthcare facilities . Additionally , the future of ASPs should focus on embracing evolving information technology to bridge gaps in knowledge, alter attitude and enhance decision making .

Climate change is affecting the planet, compromising survival and altering forest ecosystems. Investigating climatic variations in all regions is important. The aim of this research was to assess such variations in the W and Pendjari Biosphere Reserves in Benin from 1985 to 2015 and predict climate up to 2045. Drought frequency was assessed by using the Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and correlation was performed between climatic variables. Then a predictive analysis was computed. From 1985 to 2015, there was change in the climate with few severe dry and wet years while no extreme climatic condition was noticed. Most of the years showed nearly normal climatic conditions. The predicted climate indicates an absence of extreme conditions up to 2045 but an increase in the annual humidity is expected. A low decrease in annual mean temperature with high confidence is expected. Decision-makers can better organize adaptation programs and sensitize people in the reserves on their role in environmental conservation and mitigation of climate change using these outputs.

As part of valorisation of agricultural waste into bioactive compounds, a series of structurally novel oleanolic acid ((3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, OA-1)-phtalimidines (isoindolinones) conjugates 18a-v bearing 1,2,3-triazole moieties were designed and synthesized by treating a previously azide 4 prepared from OA-1 isolated from olive pomace (Olea europaea L.) with a wide range of propargylated phtalimidines using the Cu(I)-catalyzed click chemistry approach. OA-1 and its newly prepared analogues 18a-v were screened in vitro for their antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes; and two Gram-negative bacteria, Salmonella thyphimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Attractive results were obtained notably against L. monocytogenes. Compounds 18d, 18g and 18h exhibited the highest antibacterial activity when compared with OA-1 and other compounds in the series against tested pathogenic bacterial strains. Molecular docking study was performed to explore the binding mode of the most active derivatives against the target protein from L. monocytogenes. Results showed the importance of both hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions with the target protein and are in favor to the experimental data.

Currently, algae arouse a growing interest in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic area due to the fact that they have a great diversity of bioactive compounds with the potential for pharmacological, cosmetic, and nutraceutical applications. Many of these bioactive compounds are secondary metabolites whose amounts in the algae vary with varying environmental conditions. Free radicals and other active oxygen derivatives are recognized as a natural by-product of aerobic metabolism. However, reactive oxygen species directly participate in mechanisms related to various pathological states such as cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, among others. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease resulting from changes in glucose metabolism and/or deficient production/action of insulin. This review has as its main objective to reveal the potential antioxidant and antidiabetic capacity of algae extracts.

The reaction of 2-bromo-1-(5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ethan-1-one (1) with 4-amino-5-((2,4-dichlorophenoxy)methyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (2) in absolute ethanol in the presence of triethyl amine as catalyst gave 2-((4-amino-5-((2,4-dichlorophenoxy)methyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)-1-(5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ethan-1-one (3) in 73% yield. The structure of the title heterocycle (3) was confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction and spectral analyses (NMR and IR).

Background. Green spaces contribute to a significant life quality and maintain the sustainability of cities. In Benin, despite the political greening willingness, municipalities are experiencing technical issues in finding suitable spaces to achieve this goal. This study should serve many other towns. It aims at identifying suitable areas for green spaces to integrate landscaping into urban planning in Abomey-Calavi district. Methods. The multi-criteria analysis combining GIS and the hierarchical classification approach were performed. Six factors (land use, altitude, slope, distance from main roads, proximity to urban centres and distance from flood zones, water bodies) were combined using the ArcGIS "Spatial Analysis" extension to generate a map of green space suitability. Results. large areas of land, of which 23.27% are very suitable and 26.06% are suitable for landscaping in this municipality. The ranking of the factors revealed altitude, proximity to road networks, large conurbations and distance from wetlands accounting for 18%, compared with 14% for the other factors regarding the study environment. However, the use of these results must take into account the existing inhabited areas for a good site selection. Conclusion. These outputs guidance to decision-makers in choosing suitable sites for green spaces there and integrating them into sustainable development.

This study presents the solution of the second type of a two-dimensional nonlinear integral equation in Banach space. Also, the existence and uniqueness of this equation’s solution are discussed. We utilize a numerical approach involving hybrid and block-pulse functions to obtain the approximate solution of a two-dimensional nonlinear integral equation. Nonlinear integral equation in two dimensions is reduced numerically to a system of nonlinear algebraic equations that can be solved using numerical methods. This study focuses on showing the convergence analysis for the numerical approach and obtaining an error estimate. Some numerical examples have been provided to demonstrate the approach’s viability and efficacy

This research presents alternative solutions for an Energy Efficiency Management System (EEMS) serving as a framework for optimizing the energy consumption algorithm and lowering energy consumption. First, a monitoring Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) is used for sensing, measuring, gathering data, and modeling all the dynamic disturbance parameters of the rooms in the building. Second, integrated software for metering and controlling the processes of digital data flow is used. Third, an alternative solution is proposed to reduce energy consumption. The primary benefits of this system are real-time monitoring; rapid, alternative solutions; and the ability to make a prudent decision on how to lower energy consumption. The system shows instant and accumulated solutions for short and long-term time planning. The solutions identified can be implemented in the same buildings under the same circumstances. The universities of Majmaah and Philadelphia have buildings with similar infrastructure. The system was applied to the buildings at Philadelphia University. The results were generalized to both universities. After implementation, the energy consumption of the EEMS using WSAN (based on the monitoring was reduced up to 23% when compared to that of the initial state.

Abstract: Given the increasing resistance of some bacterial strains to many common antibiotics used in the local market, the current study aimed to produce nanoscale particles capable of combating pathogenic bacteria that have developed resistance to current antibiotics. In this research, an ex-perimental study was conducted to produce nanoscale particles using the single-celled blue-green algae Synechococcus sp., which was isolated from a local environment in the Arab Republic of Egypt, specifically from a soil sample in Beni-Suef City. The aim of the study was to generate silver NPs employing different biological approaches, encompassing the direct strain powder technique, ethanol extract pellet technique, and ethanol extract technique. These synthesized nanoparticles displayed different shapes, including cubic, spherical, pellet-like, and rod-shaped particles. They were characterized by bio-functional groups containing Ag+ ions, which were detected using FT-IR, Zeta sizer, and Zeta potential measurements. High-resolution SEM imaging unveiled the mor-phological features of Silver NPs with biologically formed protective layers, spanning sizes from 20 to 430 nm for individual particles. The study evaluated the antibacterial efficiency against both G+ve and G-ve bacteria. The ethanolic extract technique exhibited the largest inhibition zone (24 mm) against G+ve bacteria, particularly Staphy. aureus. Furthermore, it was observed that the larger particles produced using the powder and pellet techniques were less effective antibacterial agents. In conclusion, this investigation emphasizes the potential of cyanobacteria-based synthesis of silver nanoparticles as a promising approach for producing innovative antimicrobial agents.

This study describes the characteristics of women who contacted an active program performing uterus transplantation (UTx) in the US expressing interest in becoming a uterus transplant recipient or a living donor. Basic demographic and self-reported clinical information was collected from women who contacted any of the three US UTx programs from 2015 to July 2022. The three centers received 5194 inquiries about becoming a UTx recipient during the study timeframe. Among those reporting a cause of infertility, almost all (4066/4331, 94%) were absence of a uterus, either congenitally (794/4066, 20%) or secondary to hysterectomy (3272/4066, 80%). The mean age was 34 years, and 49% (2545/5194) had at least one child at the time of application. The two centers using living donors received 2217 inquiries about becoming living donors. The mean age was 34 years, and 60% (1330/2217) had given birth to ≥1 child. While most of the UTx clinical trial evidence has focused on young women with congenital absence of the uterus, these results show interest from a much broader patient population in terms of age, cause of infertility, and parity. These results raise questions about whether and to what extent the indications and eligibility criteria for UTx should be expanded as the procedure transitions from the experimental phase to being offered as a clinical treatment.

Since its inception in 2019, COVID-19 has been associated with significant changes in lifestyle-related behavior, including physical activity, diet, and sleep, which are vital to maintaining our well-being. This study measures lifestyle-related behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown using a 21-item questionnaire. The responses were collected from March 2021 to September 2021. Four hundred sixty-seven participants were engaged in assessing the changes caused by the pandemic and their effect on BMI. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were tested for 71 participants. Cronbach's alpha values for the questionnaire all exceeded 0.7, demonstrating good validity and internal consistency for it. The effect of each question regarding physical activity and dietary habits over the BMI difference was studied using ANOVA. The study shows that more than half of the participants reported snacking more between meals and increased their sitting and screen time, while 74% felt more stressed and anxious. These indications were the cause of the increase in the BMI rate for individuals in the lockdown. In contrast, 62% of the participants showed more awareness about their health by increasing the intake of immunity-boosting foods, and 56% of the participants showed an increase in the consumption of nutrition supplements. Females and married individuals tended to be healthier, so their BMI showed stability compared to others based on their gender and marital status.

In this paper, a polyacrylic elastomer latex with butyl acrylate (BA) as the core and methyl methacrylate (MMA) copolymerized with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as the shell, named poly(BA-MMA-GMA) (PBMG), was synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization. Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was dispersed in the polyacrylic latex to prepare PBMG/CNC dispersions with different CNC contents. The dried product was mixed with polylactic acid (PLA) to fabricate PLA/PBMG/CNC blends. The addition of PBMG and PBMG/CNC improved the mechanical properties of the PLA matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics. The Avrami equation modified by Jeziorny, and the Ozawa, and Mo’s equations were used to analyze the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of PLA and its blends. Analysis of crystallization halftime of nonisothermal conditions indicated that the overall rate of crystallization increased significantly at 1 wt% content of CNC. This seemed to result from the increase of nucleation density and the acceleration of segment movement in the presence of CNC component. This phenomenon was verified by polarizing microscope observation.

Mycotoxins are produced by more than one hundred fungi and produce secondary metabolites that contaminate various agricultural commodities, especially rice and corn. Their presence in the food chain is considered a serious problem worldwide. In recent years, a link between exposure to mycotoxins and impaired fertility has been suggested. Consequently, it has become vital to investigate the interactive effects of these mycotoxins on ovarian function. In this study, we investigated the intergenerational effects of mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) on ovarian structure and function. Virgin Wistar albino female rats were separated into control and FB1 treatment groups and examined from day 6 of pregnancy until delivery (20 and 50 mg/kg/day). The obtained females of the first (F1) and second generations (F2) were euthanized at 4 weeks of age, and ovary samples were collected. We found that the ovary weight index increased with the high dose of treatment (50 mg/kg/day) among both F1 and F2, similar to that observed in polycystic ovary syndrome. As expected, FB1 at a high dose (50 mg/kg) reduced the number of primordial follicles in F1 and F2, leading to an accelerated age-related decline in reproductive capacity. Moreover, it reduced the fertility rate among F1 females by affecting follicle growth and development, as the number of secondary and tertiary follicles was decreased. Histopathological changes were evidenced by the altered structures of most of the growing follicle oocytes, as revealed by a thinning irregular zona pellucida and pyknosis in granulosa cells. These findings are concomitant with steroidogenesis- and folliculogenesis-related gene expression, as evidenced by the decrease in CYP19 activity and estrogen receptor beta (ESR2) gene expression. Additionally, GDF-9 mRNA levels significantly decreased, and IGF-1 mRNA levels significantly increased. However, the results from the ovaries of the F2 treatment groups were different and unexpected. While there was no significant variation in CYP19 compared to the control, ESR2 significantly increased, leading to stereological and histopathological changes similar to those of the control, except for some altered follicles. The hallmark histological feature was the appearance of vacuolar structures within the oocyte and between granulosa cell layers. Interestingly, the autophagic marker LC3 significantly increased in F2 offspring, whereas this protein significantly decreased in F1 offspring. Therefore, we suggest that the promotion of autophagy among the ovaries of F2 offspring may be considered a recovery mechanism from the effect of prenatal FB1 exposure. Thus, autophagy corrected the effect of FB1 during the early life of F1 females, leading to F2 offspring with ovarian structure and function similar to those of the control. However, the offspring treated females may have early ovarian aging because their ovarian pool was affected.

This paper addresses the conceptual exploration of various issues that form an integral part of the ethical dimensions surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of marketing. We critically review some of the main ethical challenges AI poses to humanity: privacy, data security, bias, transparency, and accountability. Therefore, we will discuss the delicate balance between exploiting the transformation potential of AI for personally designed marketing strategies and ethical imperatives to safeguard the rights of consumers to retain trust. Then, the present regulatory landscape responding to these ethical challenges will be assessed by building on effective regulation, like the GDPR, existing proposed legislative frameworks, and industry guidelines. To underscore the role of an ongoing dialogue between marketers, technologists, ethicists, and regulators for developing a responsible AI ecosystem in marketing. Further, strategic recommendations for implementing company-based ethical AI marketing practices. The further strong guidelines provide enhancement transparency to consumers and investment in research to remove biases from algorithms. It also underscores principal scopes of further research and development, focusing on the need for new-age solutions to guide the ethical quagmires that AI-led marketing throws up. We suggest that integration should be done proactively and collaboratively. Thus, if attention is paid more to ethics and multidisciplinary dialogue, only such hyperbolic promises can be realized by AI-driven marketing. There are such promises through which AI-driven marketing will meet business goals and be huge at societies' values.

Our prior studies have shown that B type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) decreases absorption from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Since non-muscle myosin-type II (NMM-II) is known to have a role in epithelial tight junction regulation, we aimed to test whether BNP has an effect on the localization and expression of NMM-II in the intestinal villi. We treated wild type mice with a 10 ng/g intravenous bolus of BNP followed by infusion of BNP at 1ng/g/minute vs. vehicle control. The mice were then euthanized and intestinal tissue isolated and sectioned. The tissue was immune-stained for NMM-II and examined using fluorescence microscopy. The tissue section not treated with antibody to NMM-II was used as a methodological control to evaluate the non-specific binding. Scanning electron micrographic images were taken to compare structural differences between the two groups. Western blotting was performed to compare the regional protein expression of NMM-II and associated proteins including smooth muscle actin, kinesin, and E cadherin in small intestinal tissue between BNP vs. vehicle infused mice. Fluorescence microscopy revealed markedly increased localization of NMM-II at the crypts and core of intestinal villi of the jejunum, ileum and colon of BNP treated mice compared to vehicle. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the microvilli of BNP treated mice assumed the distinctive appearance of ‘relaxed’ microvilli compared to vehicle. Such decrease in contractility was previously shown to decrease para-cellular permeability of epithelia. Our observation indicates that BNP alters the localization of NMM-II in intestinal villi and makes the intestinal villi structures assume a state of decreased permeability of the apical junctional complex. Further characterization of this process and understanding the specific mediators involved could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets for various disease states such as heart failure and malabsorption.

In recent decades, power consumption has become an essential factor in attracting the attention of integrated circuit (IC) designers. Multiple-valued logic (MVL) and approximate computing are some techniques that could be applied to integrated circuits to make power-efficient systems. By utilizing MVL-based circuits instead of binary logic, the information conveyed by digital signals increases, and this reduces the required interconnections and power consumption. On the other hand, approximate computing is a class of arithmetic computing used in systems where the accuracy of the computation can be traded-off for lower energy consumption. In this paper, we propose novel designs for exact and inexact ternary multipliers based on carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs). The unique characteristics of CNFETs make them a desirable alternative to MOSFETs. The simulations are conducted using Synopsys HSPICE. The proposed design is compared against existing ternary multipliers. The results show that the proposed exact multiplier reduces energy consumption by up to 6X. At the same time, the best inexact design improves energy efficiency by up to 35X compared to the latest state-of-the-art methods. Using the imprecise multipliers for image processing provides evidence that these proposed designs are a low-power system with an acceptable error.

With increasing interest in understanding contribution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to particulate air pollution in urban areas, an exploratory study was carried out to determine levels of carbonaceous aerosols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. PM2.5 samples were collected using a high-volume sampler for 24 h in several areas in Kuala Lumpur during the north-easterly monsoon from January to March 2019. Samples were analysed for water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and secondary organic carbon (SOC) in PM2.5 was estimated. Particle-bound PAHs were analysed using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Average concentrations of WSOC, OC and EC were 2.7 ± 2.2 (range of 0.63-9.1) µg/m3, 6.9 ± 4.9 (3.1-24.1) µg/m3 and 3.7 ± 1.6 (1.3-6.8) µg/m3, respectively, with estimated average SOC of 2.3 µg/m3, contributing 34% to total OC. The average of total PAHs was 1.8 ± 2.7 ng/m3. Source identification methods revealed natural gas and biomass burning, and urban traffic combustion as dominant sources of PAHs in Kuala Lumpur. To understand human health risk posed by PAHs, a deterministic screening health risk assessment was also conducted for several age groups including infant, toddler, children, adolescent and adult. The total concentration of BaPeq is 3.8 ng/m3, with the average of 0.29 (range of 0.001-1.6) ng/m3. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of PAH species were well below the acceptable levels recommended by the USEPA. Future work is needed using long-term monitoring data to understand the origin of PAH contributing to SOA formation and to apply source-risk apportionment to know better the potential risk factors posed by the various sources in urban areas in Kuala Lumpur.

At secondary healthcare, Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CREs) such as observed in Klebsiella pneumoniae are a global public health priority with significant clinical outcomes. In this study, we describe clinical, phenotypic, and genotypic characteristics of three pan-drug resistant (PDR) isolates that demonstrated extended resistance to conventional and novel antimicrobials. All patients had risk factors for acquisition of multidrug resistant organisms while microbiological susceptibility testing showed resistance to all conventional antimicrobials. Advanced susceptibility testing demonstrated resistance to broad agents such as ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, and meropenem-vaborbactam. Nevertheless, all isolates were susceptible to cefiderocol, one of the novel antimicrobials that demonstrated potent in vitro activity against resistant Gram-negative bacteria including CREs pointing towards potential therapeutic role for PDR pathogens. Expanded genomic studies revealed multiple antimicrobial resistant genes (ARGs), including blaNMD-5 and blaOXA derivative types as well as a mutated outer membrane porin protein (OmpK37).

A new green-validated and highly sensitive electrochemical method for the determination of molnupiavir (MOV) has been developed using cyclic voltammetry. The proposed analytical platform involves the use of disposable screen-printed reduced graphene oxide 2.5% electrode (SPrGOE 2.5%) for the first time to measure MOV with high specificity. The surface morphology of the sensor was investigated by using a scanning electron microscope armed with an energy-dispersive X-ray probe. The fabricated sensor attains improved sensitivity when sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant was added to the supporting electrolyte solution. Thus, various factors were investigated in order to select the best supporting electrolyte for voltammetric determination of MOV, and the optimum conditions were achieved by employing 0.04 M Britton-Robinson at pH 2, 10-4 M SDS, and SPrGOE 2.5%. Well-defined MOV oxidation peaks were obtained with no reduction peaks in cyclic voltammetry using diffusion-controlled pathways. The method was validated using differential pulse voltammetry according to ICH guidelines, providing it to be precise, accurate, specific, and robust with linearity over a concentration range of 50-6017 ng/mL. The incorporation of the reduced graphene nanoparticles supported the in situ interaction between electrode surface and MOV, improved the selectivity, and reduced the detection limit to the concentration level of 15.98 ng/mL. The stability investigation demonstrated that SPrGOE 2.5% can provide high-stability behavior throughout a three-month period under refrigeration. The fabricated SPrGOE 2.5% was successfully employed for the measurement of MOV in pharmaceutical capsules and human bio-fluids without the interference of endogenous matrix components as well as the commonly used excipient.

Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb.) Bunge (Tamaricaceae), an indigenous plant to the Middle East region, is well-known as a medicinal plant for treating many human ailments. The current study aimed at exploring the polyphenols profile of T.nilotica alcohol soluble fraction of aqueous extract, assessing its in-vivo antifibrotic activity and the possible underlying mechanism, to unravel the impact of quantitative difference of sulphated polyphenols content on the antifibrotic activity of T.nilotca grown in two different habitats. Polyphenols profiling of T. nilotica extracts was performed using HPLC-HRESI-QTOF-MS-MS. The major polyphenol components included sulphated flavonoids, phenolic acids and free aglycones. The antifibrotic activity was evaluated through carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis in rats. Biochemical evaluations revealed that both fractions ameliorated the increased levels of hepatic aminotransferases, lipid peroxidation, hydroxyproline, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Moreover, both fractions reduced catalase activity (CAT) and enhanced hepatic glutathione (GSH) content. Histopathological imaging undoubtedly confirmed such results. In conclusion, T. nilotica polyphenols rich fraction exhibited potential antifibrotic activity in rats. Significant alterations in GSH levels were recorded based on sulphated polyphenol metabolites content.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand image in the apparel industry in Jordan, using the moderating variable of customer consciousness. The current research uses a quantitative, descriptive, cause-effect, and cross-sectional approach, and also it uses a convenience sampling method. Data was collected from 440 respondents. Results indicate that Jordanian Apparel organizations have medium to highly implementing of all items and constructs of CSR, brand image items, and consciousness items. Moreover, there is a strong relationship between CSR dimensions, a medium relationship be-tween each CSR dimension and brand image, a medium relationship between each CSR dimension and consciousness, a medium relationship between total CSR and brand image, a medium relationship between total CSR and consciousness, and the medium relationship between brand image and consciousness. Results of the first model show that total CSR affects the brand image. Where social responsibility has the highest positive effect, followed by ethical responsibility, then economic responsibility, however, environmental responsibility negatively affects the brand image. The second model shows consciousness moderates the effect of CSR on the brand image. The study recommends longitudinal research on the Jordanian Apparel industry, especially to test the effect of environmental responsibility on the brand image. Moreover, the re-search uses customers’ consciousness as a moderating variable, which improves the effect of CSR on brand image. The Apparel industry organizations in Jordan should revise their daily practices particularly environmental responsibility and/or increase their customers’ awareness of their practices. Finally, the current research contributes to existing studies by using consciousness as a moderating variable.

We report the isolation of two novel degrading bacterial strains active against the potential environmental pollutant acetamino-phen/paracetamol. Streptomyces Chrestomyceticus (RS2) and Streptomyces Flavofuscus (M33) collected from El-Natrun Valley, Egypt, water, sediment, and sand samples were taxonomically characterized via conidiophores morphologic characterization under Trans-mission Electron Microscope (TEM). Genotypic identification, done based on their 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis followed by BLAST alignment and deposited on the NCBI as 2 novel strains. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using an appropriate software. Acetaminophen degradation-products chemical structure was identified by GC/LC MS. The biological antimicrobial activity of some selected acetaminophen degradation-products extracts and derived compounds was examined against panel of test micro-organisms and found to be have high anti-microbial effect. In addition, in silico cheminformatics Swiss ADMET evaluation of these selected deg-radation extract for gastric absorption, distribution, hepatic metabolism, renal excretion as well as distribution to CNS and finally not mutagenic/teratogenic or genotoxic virtually. In vitro cytotoxic activity of these selected bio-degradation products was performed against HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cell lines, revealing that M33 and RS2 extract effect on acetaminophen/paracetamol bio-degradation products are potentially safe with higher IC50 on HepG2 and MCF7, in comparison to acetaminophen/paracetamol with IC50 of 108.5 μg/ml. Moreover, the in vivo acute oral single dose toxicity experiment was conducted, being compared with acetamino-phen/paracetamol to confirm that the bio-degradation products have lower toxicity than acetaminophen in vivo and in silico.

Two-dimensional silicon allotrodes– also called Sinicene– have recently experienced intensive scientific research interest due to their unique electrical, mechanical, and sensing characteristics. A novel silicene based nano-material has been enticed great amenities, partially because of its uniformity with graphene. Silicene is a highly sensitive for numerous sensors based on molecular sensing as pH sensor, gas sensor, ion sensor and biosensing are Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nucleobase sensor, photonic sensor, cell-based biosensor, glucose sensor, and bioelectric nose sensor. Nowadays genetic research based on DNA hybridization, which is a vital tools for sensing material and it has various detection methods. Among of them, the detection method is frequency readout used to a label-free detection of DNA hybridization. In this paper we have compared the graphene and silicene quantum capacitance that has been proposed for a DNA hybridization detection method on wireless readout. These method shows, the strands of mismatched and complementary DNA have in different range of frequency to identify output efficiency. With respect to DNA concentration the output of silicene is almost sharply linear than graphene. In addition of field effect transistor, silicene opens a new opportunities due to its band gap whereas graphene indicates zero band gap. It can be stated that silicene is much more reliable as well as much stronger than multi-layered graphene.