Chenodeoxycholic acid (CA) is a naturally occurring bile acid that is produced in the liver from cholesterol. Three CA complexes using Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ca(II) ions were synthesized to examine the chelation tendencies of CA towards these metal ions. The complexation reaction of CA with the metal ions under investigation was conducted with a 1:1 molar ratio (CA to metal) at 60-70°C in natural media (pH 7-8), which consisted of a binary solvent of MeOH and H2O (1:1). The resulting CA complexes were characterized using analytical data (metal, H, C, and Cl, analysis) and spectral data (UV-visible, FT-IR, and 1H NMR) to elucidate the complexes’ structures. The results suggested that CA in anion form utilized oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group (-COO−) to capture Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ca(II) ions. This produced complexes with the general compositions of [Zn(CA)(H2O)Cl], [Mg(CA)(H2O)Cl]H2O, and [Ca(CA)(H2O)Cl]2H2O, respectively. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay was then used to explore the bioactivity of the CA complexes toward three fungal species, three Gram-positive bacteria, and two Gram-negative bacteria. The Ca(II) and Mg(II) complexes exhibited marked inhibitory effects on the cell growth of the fungal species Aspergillus niger with potency equal to 127% and 116% of the activity of the positive control, respectively. The Zn(II) and Ca(II) complexes strongly inhibited the growth of Penicillium sp., while the Zn(II) and Mg(II) complexes showed strong growth inhibition towards the Gram-negative species Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Lomefloxacin (F1) and pefloxacin (F2) have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we investigated the complexation mode, morphological and biological properties of four metal-based complexes of F1 and F2 molecules with Mg(II), Ca(II), Zn(II), and Fe(III) metal ions. These complexes were prepared at ~60–70°C in a neutral medium using a 5% NH3 solution at pH ~7-8 with a 1:1 ratio. Multiple physicochemical methods were employed to characterize the binding mode between F1 and F2 with the metal ions under investigation. The results of these methods suggested that the gross formula of the complexes obtained with the metal ions were [MgF1(H2O)Cl]2H2O, [CaF1(H2O)Cl]3H2O, [ZnF1(H2O)Cl], [FeF1(H2O)2Cl2]Cl2H2O, [MgF2(H2O)Cl]2H2O, [CaF2(H2O)Cl]3H2O, [ZnF2(H2O)Cl], and [FeF2(H2O)2Cl2]Cl2H2O. The microscopic characterizations indicated that the Ca(II)-F1 complex had an interesting surface topography. Its particles had a homogenous, short, rod-like shaped structure that clustered together to form a tree shape. Using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion protocol, the synthesized metal-based complexes were screened in vitro against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial and fungal species. The antimicrobial profile of the Fe(III)-F1 complex indicated that it had remarkable inhibitory activity against all the tested bacterial and fungal species with potency equal to that of the standard drugs (streptomycin and ketoconazole).

The chemical reaction between the quinolone antibiotic oxolinic acid (OA) and Fe(III), Zn(II), Ca(II), and Mg(II) ions results in the formation of metal-based complexes with the following formulas: [Fe(OA)(H2O)2Cl2]2H2O, [Zn(OA)(H2O)Cl]2H2O, [Ca(OA)(H2O)Cl], and [Mg(OA)(H2O)Cl]. We used analytical (C, N, H, Cl, metal analysis) and spectral (FT-IR, 1H NMR, UV-visible) data to structurally characterize the synthesized metal-based complexes of the OA molecule. We found that the OA molecule utilizes the two oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group and the pyridone C=O group to bind the investigated metal ions. The morphological properties of the synthesized OA complexes were assessed using X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biological properties, specifically antibacterial and antifungal activity, of the synthesized complexes were evaluated in vitro using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion protocol with five bacterial and three fungal strains. The complex containing Ca(II) ions exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antifungal activity against all tested microbial strains, surpassing or equaling the potency of the standard drugs (streptomycin for antibacterial assays and ketoconazole for antifungal assays).

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.

Osteopetrosis incidence is less than 1:200,000 birth in most populations (Worth, 1963) . It's more common in consanguineous people as it's unusual in two members of the same family. The defined treatment for Osteopetrosis is Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). With a 73% five years disease-free survival in donors. The incidence of Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is 1 in 300–900 newborns. Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is due to hypertrophy of the smooth muscle of the pyloric sphincter. The classic age of occurrence is the first few months of life, and the classic presentation is non-bilious projectile vomiting after feeding. We reported a four family members with Osteopetrosis and Pyloric stenosis and their three cousins with Osteopetrosis, which is a very rare presentation and association.

Phylogenetic analysis of blood parasite infections including Babesia (B.) bovis, Babesia microti and Trypanosoma (T.) spp. in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) (n= 142) breeds in Halayeb and Shalateen, in Upper Egypt were performed in the current study. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the Rhoptry Associated Protein-1 (RAP-1), Babesia microti small subunit rRNA (ss-rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) genes were used to detect the prevalence of B. bovis, B. microti and Trypanosoma spp. in camels, respectively. Nested PCR assays were used for the detection of Babesia spp. (B. bovis and B. microti). While, KIN-multi species PCR reaction was employed to detect and identify trypanosome DNA in camels. B. microti was detected in (17/142) with infection rate (11.97 %). Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. microti detected in camel was closely related to the German strain in rats and voles in France. B. bovis was also detected in (4/142) with infection rate (2.81%). The sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolated B. bovis was closely related to strains isolated from Argentine, USA and Brazil. Moreover, T. evansi was detected in (8/142) with infection rate (5.63%). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed that isolated T. evansi was closely related to T. theileri that was detected from cattle in Brazil. This study provides the first evidence of B. microti in camel in Egypt and highlights the possible role of one-humped camels in maintaining the enzootic cycle of Babesia transmission in Egypt.

Colistin [polymyxin E] is a veterinary exclusive antimicrobial and one of the oldest antibiotics that is currently recognised as one of the highest priority critically important antimicrobials for humans. It is extensively used for multiple medical and non-medical purposes particularly for growth promotion, prophylaxis/metaphylaxis and therapeutic in food animals. As a result, colistin resistance was widespread along the food-chain linking to multidrug resistant bacterial infections in humans reflected by greater use of colistin in healthcare settings resulted in different types of bans/restrictions in food-producing animals, around the world. This report debates the testimonies of 23 countries representing the bulk of global food producing animal production, providing robust evidence on the essential need for colistin in animal production.

This study assesses the secondary metabolites, minerals, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of Micromeria fruticosa plant different botanical parts (leaf, stem, root, flower) extracted with various solvents. The plant samples were sequentially obtained using different solvents (n-hexane, ethanol and water) through steeping. Then, each of the extracts was further analyzed by using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Moreover, the extracts were bio-assayed to test their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-cancer activities. Quali-quantitative analysis of M. fruticosa crude extracts revealed the occurrence of 27 secondary metabolites were identified including mainly monoterpenes, sesquterpenes, and fatty acids, with varying quantities. Some of the major bioactive compounds included, Menthone (5.42-30.05%), Oleamide (3.40-32.20%), Pulegone (10.66-64.1%), and Menthol (3.61-100.0%), which were detected mostly in all plant parts with significant quantities. Several antioxidant minerals, mainly, Fe, Zn, and Mn, were detected with the highest amounts in the Micromeria water extracts. Results from antimicrobial assays showed that the water extract of leaves exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging activity (89.73%) followed by the water extract of flowers (80.07%) at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. The water extract of stems showed greater antimicrobial activity against all the tested gram negative and positive bacteria (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Shigella sonnie). The leaves ethanolic and stem aqueous extracts had a strong antimicrobial activity against E. coli. and C. albicans. Flower aqueous extract demonstrated the highest cytostatic effect on the colon cell line by reducing viability up to 30.4%, followed by the leaf ethanol extract with 38.6% cell viability reduction at 1000 µg/mL. In conclusion, extraction solvents influenced the recovery of phytocompounds and the highest pharmacological activities of the different extracts could be correlated to the presence of additional bioactive compounds. Our results suggest that M. fruticosa plant is a promising source of natural products with antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties for potential nutraceutical, therapeutic, and functional food applications. , , , , , ,

Water pollution with dyes is a critical environmental issue because off the huge amount of dyes disbarred annually which cause severe damage for the ecosystem and human life. On the other hand, the core-shell based magnetic materials have showed amazing character for controlling the material synthesis with targeted structure to enhance the adsorptive-removal of pollutants. Herein, Fe3O4 core-TiO2/mesoSiO2 and Fe3O4 core-mesoSiO2/TiO2 double shell nanoparticles were prepared by first (R1) and second (R2) routes. The preparation procedure is controlled to prepare the magnetic core with further coating layers from silica and titania for the uptake of methylene blue from aqueous solutions. The reported adsorption capacities for R1-0.2, R1-0.4 and R2 samples were 46, 38 and 50 mg/g respectively at pH 6 after 80 min contact time form 50 ppm methylene blue solution. The adsorption process of methylene blue onto Fe3O4core-meso SiO2/TiO2 double shell was well fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlish isotherm which suggested the quick and multilayer adsorption mechanism. In addition, results of thermodynamic investigation indicated that the surfaces of Fe3O4 core-mesoSiO2/TiO2 and Fe3O4 core-TiO2/mesoSiO2 double shell exhibit spontaneous tendency to adsorb methylene blue from the aqueous solutions. These results will encourage the further application of Fe3O4 core-meso SiO2/TiO2 and Fe3O4 core-TiO2/meso SiO2 double shell for removal of other dyes and pollutants from wastewater.

Over the past decade, Deep Learning (DL) had been applied in a large number of optical sensors’ applications. DL algorithms can improve the accuracy and reduce the noise level in optical sensors. Optical sensors are considered as promise technology for the modern intelligent sensing platforms. These sensors are widely used to process monitoring, quality prediction, pollution, defense, security and many other applications. However, they suffer major challenges such as the large generated data and low processing speed for that data and moreover the much cost of these sensor. These challenges can be mitigated by integrating deep learning system with the optical sensor technologies. This paper presents recent studies that integrate DL algorithms with optical sensors applications. This paper also highlights several of DL algorithms directions that promise a considerable impact on use for optical sensor applications. Moreover, this study provides new directions for the future related research development.

In this paper we introduce the concept of Nano Beta Closure, Nano Beta Interior and study the relationship between them also study some of their properties. Based on these notions we introduced the topological Approach to Decision Making and Its Application in the Medical Field" which describes the use of topological methods in decision-making, specifically through the utilization of nano beta closure and nano beta interior. These mathematical tools are applied in the medical field to improve diagnostic accuracy and aid in treatment planning. The authors demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through a case study on the diagnosis of Chronic Kidney. The results show that the topological approach using nano beta closure and nano beta interior provides a reliable and accurate method for medical decision-making. Finally, we introduce a medical application for disease groups patients of with chronic kidney. To identify the main causative agent of kidney disease. where using this approach, the medical team can identify the specific areas of the kidney that are affected by the infection, as well as the extent of damage and any potential complications. This information is used to create an individualized treatment strategy that is customized to meet the specific requirements of the patient. and medical history. We write an algorithm that can be a helpful tool for doctors to utilize in diagnosing infection disease Chronic Kidney infections. By utilizing this approach, clinicians can provide accurate diagnoses, develop effective treatment plans, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. finally, we show that fractals hold significant importance in future nano topological generation of the human factor. Their unique properties and self-similar patterns offer insights into the complex organization of biological systems and provide a foundation for designing advanced Nanosystems.

The steep rise in reinforcement learning (RL) in various applications in energy as well as the penetration of home automation in recent years are the motivation for this article. It surveys the use of RL in various home energy management system (HEMS) applications. There is a focus on deep neural network (DNN) models in RL. The article provides an overview of reinforcement learning. This is followed with discussions on state-of-the-art methods for value, policy, and actor–critic methods in deep reinforcement learning (DRL). In order to make the published literature in reinforcement learning more accessible to the HEMS community, verbal descriptions are accompanied with explanatory figures as well as mathematical expressions using standard machine learning terminology. Next, a detailed survey of how reinforcement learning is used in different HEMS domains is described. The survey also considers what kind of reinforcement learning algorithms are used in each HEMS application. It suggests that research in this direction is still in its infancy. Lastly, the article proposes four performance metrics to evaluate RL methods.

Abstract Plant uptake and assimilation of essential nitrogen compounds from the soil are mainly in the form of nitrate and ammonium ions. Plant nitrate transporters (NRTs) play a crucial role in nitrate uptake from the soil into the roots. NRT structural analysis reveals the mechanisms by which these transporters function. Similarly, plant ammonium transporters (AMTs) mediate the uptake of ammonium ions, and their structural analysis has provided valuable information on their mechanisms. After nitrogen uptake by plant roots, the nitrogen metabolism pathway involves the incorporation of nitrogen into organic compounds. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GoGAT) are the master players in this pathway. They work together to convert ammonium ions into glutamine and glutamate, respectively. Different isoforms of GS and GoGAT exist, enabling plants to fine-tune nitrogen metabolism based on environmental cues. Under severe abiotic stress conditions, nitric oxide (NO) has been found to enhance plant survival under drought. Furthermore, the interaction between salinity stress and nitrogen availability in plants has been studied, with NO identified as a potential mediator of responses to salt stress. On the other hand, excessive use of nitrate fertilizers can lead to health and environmental issues. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as establishing nitrogen fixation in plants through diazotrophic microbiota, have been explored to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Ultimately, genomics can identify new genes related to nitrogen fixation, which could be harnessed to improve plant productivity. By deciphering the genetic basis of nitrogen-fixing traits, researchers aim to develop crops that efficiently utilize nitrogen from the environment.

Interest in developing novel crop protectants has gained attention in the recent decade due to the hazardous effects of synthetic pesticides on humans and the environment. The citrus industry worldwide is threatened by the D. citri, the primary vector of phlo-em-limited bacterium (HLB) or citrus greening. However, there is no cure for citrus greening available. Diaphorina citri management largely depends on synthetic insecticides, but their massive application leads to resistance in pest populations. Therefore, alternative pest management strategies are needed. Our results indicated fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with ABEO than on control 48 h after re-lease. The psyllid fed on citrus leaves treated with ABEO significantly secreted less honeydew than the control. The essential oil showed potent ovicidal activity against the D. citri eggs with LC50 5.88 mg/mL. Furthermore, we also explore the fitness of D. citri on ABEO-treated and untreated Citrus × sinensis by using two-sex life table tools. The results indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was higher on untreated seedlings (0.10 d−1) than those treated with a sub-lethal dose of ABEO (0.07 d−1). Similarly, the net re-productive rate (R0) was higher for untreated seedlings (14.21 offspring) than those treated (6.405 offspring). Notably, the ABEO were safer against Aphis melifera, with LC50 ranging from 31.05 to 55.86 mg/mL, which is relatively higher than the LC50 24.40 mg/mL values against D. citri. Our results indicate that ABEO exhibits toxic and behavioral effects on D. citri that could be useful for managing this pest.

(1) Background: Most patients with atrial fibrillation, on warfarin therapy, are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality. However, data targeting patients with atrial fibrillation, who take warfarin therapy, are limited in Jordan. This study aimed to provide in-depth analysis of a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation on warfarin regarding patients’ characteristics, atrial fibrillation related symptoms, interventions, comorbidities, and 12-months outcomes. (2) Methods: The study enrolled 645 patients with atrial fibrillation, on warfarin, from 28 health settings across Jordan. Standardized clinical data form was utilized to collect data upon enrollment, at one, six, and 12 months post initial assessment. Descriptive statistics were used for the description of variables. (3) Results: The most commonly reported symptoms were palpitation (41.4%) shortness of breath (39.1%) and fatigue (26.2%). The prevalent comorbidities associated with atrial fibrillation were congestive heart failure (22.5%), valvular heart diseases (16.6%), and cerebral vascular accident (16.3%). The embolic (32.4%) and thrombotic cerebral vascular accident (16.2%) were the most common type. Major bleeding associated with hospitalization was the most frequent type of bleeding (10 out of 24). (4) Conclusions: Jordanians, using anticoagulation, need to be constantly monitored in terms of their characteristics, symptoms, and any potential complications, to ensure its optimal therapeutic dose and prevent any potential health complications.

The considerable biological and medicinal activities of pyridazines has stimulated considerable research on efficient syntheses of these derivatives. In the last decade, microwave irradiation has generally been used for the energy source. As demonstrated in recent studies, pressure reactor “Q-tubes” may be used to accelerate several of these reactions in a more optimal and safer manner (compared to microwaves). In these studies there has been postulated a pathway for the formation of pyridazino[5,4,3-de][1,6]naphthyridine derivatives . In this paper we consider this pathway, and an alternate pathway, for several reactions. Contrary to the suggestion in these studies the pathway in which initial dimerization of malononitrile was postulated could be excluded based on chemical evidence. The reactions performed were the reaction of arylhydrazonals 1a,b with benzylidinemalononitrile which afforded in Q-tube the 3-acyl-4-aryl-1-phenyl-6-amino-1,4-dihydropyridazines, and the reaction of arylhydrazonals 1a,b, malononitrile 9 and aromatic aldehydes 10a-g in Q-tubes which afforded the tricyclic systems 12a-n whose structure could be established by X-ray crystal structure determination. In conclusion, we have added to the work of the recent studies by excluding a reaction pathway for one of their reaction products.

Although carbon (C) efflux from soils treated with organic wastes was widely covered in temperate and cold regions, still such data is not sufficient from arid and semi-arid regions. Saudi Arabia produces more than 335,000 tons/year of cow manure (CM), this CM either left as raw manure or being composted. The application of high C/N amendments is expected to increase soil organic carbon and reduce CO₂ fluxes. A 90-day incubation experiment was conducted to study CO₂ efflux, organic C microbial biomass C, available NH₄+and NO₃-when added to agricultural soil. Six manure types were added: cow manure, cow manure compost, cow manure biochar, cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 12 with a temperature of 95oC, cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 9 with a temperature of 95oC and control. The application of CM resulted in a considerable increase in soil available nitrogen, CO₂ efflux compared to other treatments. Cow manure biochar showed the lowest CO₂ efflux. Cumulative CO₂ effluxes of cow manure effluents were lower than CM this possibly due to the relatively high C:N ratio of manure effluent. The content of, P, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn were decreased as incubation time increased. microbial biomass C of cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 12 with a temperature of 95oC were increased at 7 and 60 days illustrating to temperature effect on the decomposing of manure materials.

: Plant-derived terpenes have aroused considerable interest as chemotherapeutic agents for a variety of diseases. This study aimed at the isolation and purification of the scarce terpenes psiadin, plectranthone and saudinolide from their respective plants, followed by the determination of antiproliferative activity, against hepatic cancer cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B), and the potential molecular mechanisms. Time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity, evaluated using MTT and colony-forming assays, were exhibited by psiadin and plectranthone against the cancer cells. Flow cytometry showed that these two terpenes blocked cell cycle progression and induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, particularly through increased cytochrome c and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, they initiated the generation of reactive oxygen species as well as inhibiting NF-B. Psiadin lowered several essential cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases and reduced RB activation. It was concluded that psiadin, in particular, has a significant therapeutic potential with the biggest advantage of differentiating between cancer and normal cells which is acutely lacking in current cytotoxic drugs. Its precise mode of action needs further investigation but appears predominantly to cause cell cycle arrest by interfering with cyclin production. It will be important to determine, in future studies, whether these terpenes will similarly inhibit other cancer cell lines and retain its activity against tumors in vivo.

The precise determination of the State-of-Health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is critical in the domain of battery management systems. The proposed model in this research paper emulates any deep learning or machine learning model by utilizing a Look Up Table (LUT) memory to store all activation inputs and their corresponding outputs. The operation that follows the completion of training is referred to as the LUT memory preparation procedure. The lookup operation performed on this method simply substitutes for the inference process. This is achieved by discretizing the input data and features before binarizing them. The term for the aforementioned operation is the LUT inference method. The procedure was evaluated in this study using two distinct neural network architectures: a bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) architecture and a standard fully connected neural network (FCNN). It is anticipated that considerably greater efficiency and velocity will be achieved during the inference procedure when the pre-trained deep neural network architecture is inferred directly. The principal aim of this research is to construct a lookup table that effectively establishes correlations between the SOH of lithium-ion batteries and ensures a degree of imprecision that is tolerable. According to the results obtained from the NASA PCoE lithium-ion battery dataset, the proposed methodology exhibits performance that is largely comparable to that of the initial machine learning models. Utilising the error assessment metrics RMSE, MAE, and (MAPE), the accuracy of SOH prediction has been quantitatively evaluated. The indicators mentioned above demonstrate a significant degree of accuracy when predicting SOH.

In the present work, three different atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) alumina coatings were fabricated using three fused and crushed alumina powders of different particle size fine, medium and coarse. The influence of the particle size on thermal properties and micro-structural features of the produced coating were investigated by thermal insulation test and detailed image analysis technique, respectively. The analyzed micro-structural features include the total porosity, pore size (fine, medium, and large) and cracks. All types of cracks were considered in calculations as voids and were evaluated according to their sizes as pores. All spray parameters except the particle size were fixed throughout the spraying process. The results revealed that the fine starting powder has produced the densest coating with the lowest total porosity and that the total porosity increases with an increasing particle size. This was expected as powders of smaller particle size will reach a higher in-flight temperature and velocity than powders of bigger particle sizes as long as the same spray parameters are applied. However, a detailed image analysis investigation on the three produced coatings showed that the fraction of fine pores and cracks versus the total porosity is substantially higher in coatings produced by using fine starting powders than those produced using medium and coarse powders. In this work, a connection between the thermal insulation and the porosity fraction, which includes fine pores and cracks, was revealed.

In this project, four of fibers Bragg gratings were fabricated by injecting different volumes of liquids (star line Glass Mechanix optical adhesive material, olive oil diluted with ethanol) into the hollow core fiber. The amplitude splitting interferometric technique with a high resolution specially designed translation stage was used for the fabrication process. The fabrication was done using ultraviolet laser operated at wavelength 405nm. The fabricated Bragg length of the four fibers is equal to 3.8 cm. The results presented fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with successful fabrication at 653.3 nm Bragg reflected wavelength.

The work reports a facile synthesis of high thermally-stable nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) doped with different atomic concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0%) of Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions by a template-free and one-step solvothermal process, using titanium(IV) butoxide as titanium precursor and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent. The structure and morphology of the Gd3+, Nd3+, and 0.5%Gd3+-0.5%Nd3+/doped TiO2 NPs have been characterized by using various analytical techniques. The Gd3+/ and Nd3+/TiO2 molar ratios were found to have a pronounced impact on the crystalline structure, size, and morphology of TiO2 NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies revealed the proper substitution of Ti4+ by Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions in the TiO2 host lattice. The as-prepared Gdx/TiO2, Ndx/TiO2, and Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs, x = 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6%, have been investigated as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 1.0 M KOH solution using a variety of electrochemical techniques. At any doping percentage, the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs showed higher HER catalytic performance than their corresponding counterparts i.e. Gdx/TiO2 and Ndx/TiO2. Upon increasing the Nd content from 0.5 to 6.0%, the HER catalytic performance of the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs was generally enhanced. Among the studied materials, the bimetallic Gd1.0/Nd6.0/TiO2 NPs emerged as the most promising catalyst with an onset potential of -22 mV vs. RHE, a Tafel slope of 109 mV dec-1, and an exchange current density of 0.72 mA cm-2. Such HER electrochemical kinetic parameters are close to those recorded by the commercial Pt/C (onset potential: -15 mV, Tafel slope: 106 mV dec-1, and exchange current density: 0.80 mA cm-2), and also comparable with those measured by the most active electrocatalysts reported in the literature. The synergistic interaction of Gd and Nd is thought to be the major cause of the bimetallic catalyst's activity.

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.

This study finds that in northern Jordan, breeder indicators present challenges to the sustainability and growth of sheep and goat farming, while economic indicators suggest a combination of financial stability alongside hurdles related to profitability and resource ownership. Breeder age plays a role in the management of livestock herds, due to factors such as experience, resources, or adherence to traditional practices. Experience significantly affects breeders' decisions on male insemination replacements, likely due to skill. Crop cultivation influences breeders' returns by reducing feeding costs, while strategic lamb sales management boosts individual animal profitability. Winter raises animal mortality due to cold stress. Other animals in herds increase kid mortality by spreading diseases. Breeder experience significantly affects lamb survival, stressing its role in care. Increasing sheep proportion enhances lamb production and reduces lamb mortality while managing rams and selling lambs positively affects herd health and productivity. A larger goat herd proportion positively correlates with kids sold but inversely with breeding males and overall kids, implying trade-offs affecting herd productivity and mortality rates. Sheep herds (92.5%) show slightly better reproductive success than goats (90.6%), implying superior long-term viability. Flock excels in birth, survival, and sales, but low sheep and lamb%. Improvement is needed for sustainability, and the potential is high. Goat breeding shines in birth, sales, and overall success, but needs attention to kid survival and other sustainability issues. In conclusion, despite challenges, there are promising opportunities to enhance sheep and goat farming in Jordan. Effective management, informed by breeders' experience and economics, is crucial. Empowering small-scale herders and implementing targeted interventions like winter mortality solutions and selective breeding is vital for sustainable growth.

Artificial intelligence is dramatically transforming medical imaging. We assessed the levels of artificial intelligence use among radiology trainees and explored their perceived impact of artifi-cial intelligence on the radiology workflow and radiology profession, in correlation with the perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use artificial intelligence. This cross-sectional study enrolled radiology trainees from Saudi Arabia, and an online 5-part-structured question-naire was disseminated via online networks to trainee in July 2021. We included 98 participants (51 male; age 27.59±2.02 years). Level of use was low; few used it in routine practice (7%). The impact of artificial intelligence on the radiology workflow was positively perceived in all radi-ology workflow steps (3.64–3.97 out of 5). A positive impact on the radiology profession was more frequently perceived for technical and performance aspects (81%–85%) compared with prestige and legal aspects (64%–71%). Perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use arti-ficial intelligence was associated with the current professional activity, level of use artificial in-telligence use, and perceived impact on the profession as well as on radiology workflow (p<0.05). Levels of artificial intelligence use in radiology are very low. The perceived positive impact of ar-tificial intelligence on radiology workflow and profession is correlated with an increase in be-havioral intention to use artificial intelligence. Thus, increasing awareness about the favorable impact can improve the behavioral use.

Over the past decade, significant developments have occurred in treatment strategies for ovarian cancer, yet targeted therapy with few side effects is still a major issue. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme family plays a vital role in the tumorigenesis process and metabolism of drugs, with a negative impact on therapy outcomes. Gaining more insight into CYP expression is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of ovarian cancer since many isoforms are essential for the metabolism of xenobiotics and steroid hormones, which drive the disease's development. The purpose of this review is to provide a clear understanding of differential CYP expression in ovarian cancer and its implications for the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients, together with their polymorphisms' effect on chemotherapy metabolism. Finally, we provide our thoughts on opportunities to exploit metabolic CYP expression for novel therapeutic development to treat ovarian cancer.

Aptamers are synthetic single stranded oligonucleotides that exhibit selective binding properties to specific targets, thereby providing as powerful basis for the development of selective and sensitive (bio)chemical assays, such as biosensors. Electrochemical biosensors, utilizing aptamers as biological recognition elements, namely aptasensors, are at the forefront of current research. They exploit the combination of the unique properties of aptamers with the advantages of electrochemical detection with the view to fabricate inexpensive and portable analytical platforms for rapid detection in point-of-care (POC) applications or on-site monitoring. The immobilization of aptamers on suitable substrates is of paramount importance with the aim to retain their functionality and optimize the sensors’ sensitivity. This work describes different immobilization strategies for aptamers on the surface of semiconductor-based working electrodes, including metal oxides, conductive polymers and carbon allotropes. These are presented as platforms with tunable band gaps and different surface morphologies for the preparation of low cost, highly versatile aptasensor devices in analytical chemistry. A survey of the current literature is provided, discussing each analytical method. Future trends envisage for aptamer-based biosensing using semiconductors are also outlined.

This study delves into the dynamics of 'Variations' and 'Claims' within construction projects, specifically under the FIDIC-Red Book 1999 framework. The study aims to identify, categorize, and devise mitigation strategies for key types of variations and claims aligning with the FIDIC conditions of contract. The research is drawing on inputs from construction industry professionals including contract administrators and project managers, focusing on the MENA region. This choice is driven by the region's extensive adoption of FIDIC standards and its rapidly growing construction sector. Data collection encompassed a questionnaire distributed to 80 industry experts predominantly through interviews that focused on countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Egypt. These locations were chosen to reflect diverse construction practices and the involvement of international firms. Utilizing SPSS-V.25 for statistical analysis, the study uncovers the most prevalent and impactful causes of variations and claims, highlighting the critical need for managerial intervention. A key feature is the integration of scientometric analysis for a quantitative finding. A significant addition to the methodology is the implementation of a k-means clustering analysis. The survey had high internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.97, and respondents reported frequent and significant claims like delayed drawings, ambiguous documents, and client changes. The results showed that effective claims management requires clear communication and balanced contracts, while poor design and contract documentation cause variations and claims. Spearman's correlation showed strong positive relationships between certain claim types and causes, emphasizing the importance of dealing with these factors to reduce claims. Most respondents said the survey could predict and reduce claims.

Nonlocal theories are gaining prominence because they can solve problems which lead to unphysical conclusions in standard models. This study presents a novel fractional boundary element method (BEM) solution for nonlinear nonlocal thermoelastic problems of anisotropic fibrous polymer nanomaterials. This broad BEM solution combines two solutions: anisotropic fibrous polymer nanomaterials problem solution and nonlinear nonlocal thermoelasticity problem solution. The nonlinear nonlocal thermoelasticity problem solution divides the displacement field into complementary component and particular component. The overall displacement is generated using the boundary element technique, which is the solution to a Navier type problem, while the particular displacement is derived using local radial point. The New Modified Shift-Splitting (NMSS) approach, which reduces memory and processing time requirements, was used to solve linear systems created by BEM. Figures demonstrate the numerical findings, which show the effects of fractional and graded parameters on the thermal stresses of nonlinear nonlocal thermoelastic problems of anisotropic fibrous polymer nanomaterials. The numerical results indicate the consistency and efficiency of the proposed methodology.

The transition to sustainability requires major behavioural changes. This requires a complete rethinking of ecosystems and their interconnections, reassessing environmental issues, and a behavior change manifesting. Thus, understanding how sustainability Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) change is essential to sustainability as they shape human behaviour. The main aim of this study was to investigate the constructs of sustainability KAP among university and non-university populations. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire of items measured on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The questionnaire was distributed to diverse participants, ensuring a broad representation of views on sustainability. There are ten sociodemographic variables, 344 respondents in UAE where the female (28.5%) and male (13.7%), (58.1%) participants did not belong to the UAE university and their age fall into the 18-24 years old. The mean scores indicate a positive orientation towards sustainability, with Knowledge (M = 4.2272), Attitudes (M = 4.2650), and Practices (M = 3.8198) all above the midpoint and the UAE university students showed more knowledge, attitude and practices scores ‎than others population. Associations between KAP were significant at a significant level of p &lt; 0.05. This indicates that the next generation will have more environmentally KAP.

The information on the land use and soil conservation practice based on year 2006, 2010 and 2014, hence offering an opportunity to model the impacts of land use change on erosion, deposition and surface water runoff. Limitation in the use of hydrological models had been their inability to handle the large amount of input data that describe the heterogeneity of the natural system. In this study, a procedure that takes into account soil conservation practice based on the land use change, the response of soil erosion and sediment export from the George Town Conurbation catchment area, and average annual sediment yields were estimated for each grid cell of the watershed to identify the critical erosion areas of rural and urban planning proposes. Average annual sediment yield and data on a grid basis estimated using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and an emerging technology represented by Geographic Information System (GIS) used as a tool to produce a map for erosion rate. The changing of the land use from forest to agriculture and then to an urban area is a challenging task to research on land use demand for population, and environmental impact assessment is important for the planning of natural resources management, allowing research the modification of land use properly and implement more sustainable for long term management strategies. The challenge is to formulate strategies that would promote an integrated approach to the land use planning at an appropriate level as to address the issues that arose. Modelling for creating urban growth boundary for the George Town Conurbation must have to be controlled surface runoff and soil loss and sediment export from land use of the George Town Conurbation catchment.

(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.

As global concerns about climate change intensify, the need for effective strategies to reduce carbon emissions has never been more urgent. This paper explores the crucial role of data automation (DA) and decision support systems (DSS) in enhancing decarbonation efforts within the realms of solid waste management (SWM), wastewater treatment (WWT), and contaminated soil remediation (CSR). Specifically, the paper provides: (i) an overview of the carbon footprint (CFP) in relation to environmental management (EM) and the role of DA and DSS in decarbonization; (ii) DA case studies in areas of SWM, WWT, and CSR; (iii) 3. life cycle assessment (LCA) based DSS case studies in areas of SWM, WWT, and CSR; (iv) multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) based DSS case studies in areas of SWM, WWT, and CSR; and (v) optimal contractual delivery methods based DSS case studies in EM practices. The analysis disclosed that adoption of DA and DSS in SWM, WWT, and CSR holds significant potential for decarbonizing these EM processes. By optimizing operations, enhancing resource efficiency, and integrating renewable energy sources, these technologies contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions and promote sustainable environmental practices. As the demand for more effective and eco-friendly solutions grows, the role of DA and DSS will become increasingly pivotal in achieving global decarbonization goals.

Objectives: The present study was performed to compare between two different fixation techniques and evaluate the histopathological changes which occur in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of the dogs after surgically induced unilateral subcondylar fracture. Methods: Twenty- One healthy beagle male dogs with a mean age of 30 months were used in the present study. One of these animals was sacrificed to study the normal histology of the dog TMJ. The rest of the animals (20 animals) were operated on to induce a displaced unilateral subcondylar fracture then, the animals were randomly equally divided into 2 groups. After surgery, 5 dogs of each group were sacrificed at 2 months after surgery (Short-Term), while the remaining 5 were sacrificed at 4 months after surgery (Long-Term). The heads were separated and fixed, oscillating saw was used to articulate the entire TMJ. Specimens were decalcified, then the specimens were washed, grossed and sectioned in a sagittal plane. Tissue sections of 4 um thick were cut and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin to be studied microscopically. Results: In group I animals, at 2 months after surgery, there was a marked hypertrophy of the articular fibrous covering of the condylar head, while at 4 months after surgery, the articular fibrous covering appeared thinner than normal, with marked decrease in thickness of the articular cartilage layer. In group II, at 2 months after plate insertion, the articular fibrous covering became hypertrophic, and the articular cartilage was markedly reduced but it was of a uniform thickness, while at 4 months after subcondylar fracture and plate fixation, no significant changes could be detected either in thickness or structure of the articular fibrous covering. Conclusion: Based on this study, it is obvious that the plate fixation group gave the most favorable results, when compared with maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) group.

A series of supported CuO-based nanoparticle catalysts were prepared by impregnation method and used for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol and CO2 in the presence of 2-cyanopyridine as a dehydrant and DMF as a solvent. The effects of supports (activated alumina, silicon dioxide, graphene oxide, graphene, and activated carbon), CuO loading amount, calcination temperature, and reaction parameters on the catalytic activity of catalyst were investigated in detail. XRD, FTIR, SEM, BET, and CO2-TPD were used for the characterization of the prepared catalysts. It is found that CuO/Al2O3 shows a higher catalytic activity, which depends on the CuO loading amount and calcination temperature. The surface area and amount of basic sites of the catalyst exhibit crucial effect on the catalytic activity of CuO/Al2O3. Furthermore, there is a synergistic effect between the catalyst and 2-cyanopyridine that the former has higher activation ability for glycerol and the latter acts not only as a dehydrant, but also as a promoter for CO2 activation. Recycling experiments reveal that this catalyst can be reused at least five cycles without any inactivation. Based on the experiment results and FTIR characterization, a possible reaction mechanism for the carbonylation of glycerol and CO2 is proposed.

Gliomas, which arise from glial cells in the brain, remain a significant challenge due to their location and resistance to traditional treatments. Despite research efforts and advancements in healthcare, the incidence of gliomas has risen dramatically over the past two decades. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has prompted the creation of therapeutic agents that specially target them. However, it has been reported that they are involved in complex signaling pathways that contribute to the loss of expression of tumor suppressor genes and the upregulating of the expression of oncogenes. In addition, numerous miRNAs promote the development, progression, and recurrence of gliomas by targeting crucial proteins and enzymes involved in metabolic pathways such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. However, the complex interplay among these pathways and other obstacles hinder the ability to apply miRNA targeting in clinical practice. This underscores the importance of pinpointing miRNAs to be targeted for therapy and having a complete understanding of the diverse pathways they are involved in. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview on the role of miRNAs in the progression and prognosis of gliomas, emphasizing the different pathways involved and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

This case study is the first to be developed in the Middle East region to describe the timeline of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic events in Qatar along with the features of the implemented Emergency Risk Communication (ERC) activities. It sought to describe how the performed ERC strategy particularly during the first days (then over the course of the following phases) of the outbreak might have contributed to the authorities’ credibility, public trust, and outbreak control measures despite the overwhelming uncertainty. All of the relevant news stories during the period 24 Sep 2012 to 17 Mar 2014 were retrieved from a local daily, then were analyzed and interpreted before they were compiled and matched with the issued press releases, records of response activities and the public reactions along the course of the epidemic timeline. Despite the prevailing uncertainty, the health authorities’ early preparedness to the epidemic and its commitment to a proactive and open ERC strategy since the first days of the outbreak favored the authorities’ credibility and allowed for the quick initiation of the national response efforts during the course of the outbreak. However, there was some pitfalls as the print media reported some conflicting messages and paternalist approach during the early phases of the epidemic. Reliance solely on the print media is an acknowledged limitation to this study. Yet, it might be useful for emergency planners regarding what communication challenges to expect during the first days of a novel virus or similar threats.

This study delves into the dynamics of 'Variations' and 'Claims' within construction projects, specifically under the FIDIC-Red Book 1999 (FIDIC 1999) framework. It aims to identify, categorize, and devise mitigation strategies for key types of Variations and Claims, aligning with the FIDIC Conditions of Contract. The research, drawing on inputs from construction industry professionals including Contract Administrators and Project Managers, focuses on the MENA re-gion. This choice is driven by the region's extensive adoption of FIDIC standards and its rapidly growing construction sector. Data collection encompassed a questionnaire distributed to 80 industry experts, predominantly through interviews, focusing on countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Egypt. These locations were chosen to reflect diverse construction practices and the involvement of international firms. Utilizing SPSS-V.25 for statistical analysis, the study uncovers the most prevalent and impactful causes of Variations and Claims, highlighting the critical need for managerial intervention. A key feature of this study is the integration of Scientometric Analysis for a quantitative review of current literature, providing a comprehensive academic context. A significant addition to the methodology is the implementation of a k-means clustering analysis. This advanced statistical technique further classifies the data into distinct clusters, each representing unique combinations of 'Frequency' and 'Impact' of Variations and Claims. The k-means analysis elucidates intricate patterns and potential solutions, offering profound insights into effectively managing these issues. These analytical advancements are crucial in identifying significant and manageable responses to reduce the frequency and impact of Variations and Claims in construction projects.

In this work, we extend the fundamental results of Schu to the class of monotone asymptotically nonexpansive mappings in modular function spaces. In particular, we study the behavior of the Fibonacci-Mann iteration process defined by $$x_{n+1} = t_n T^{\phi(n)}(x_n) + (1-t_n)x_n,$$ for $n \in \mathbb{N}$, when $T$ is a monotone asymptotically nonexpansive self-mapping.

Malicious apps specifically aimed at the Android platform have increased in tandem with the proliferation of mobile devices. Malware is now so carefully written that it is difficult to detect. Due to the exponential growth in malware, manual methods of malware are increasingly ineffec-tive. Although prior writers have proposed numerous high-quality approaches, static and dy-namic assessments inherently necessitate intricate procedures. The obfuscation methods used by modern malware are incredibly complex and clever. As a result, it cannot be detected using only static malware analysis. As a result, this work presents a hybrid analysis approach, partially tai-lored for multiple-feature data, for identifying Android malware and classifying malware families to improve Android malware detection and classification. This paper offers a hybrid method that combines static and dynamic malware analysis to give a full view of the threat. Three distinct phases make up the framework proposed in this research. Normalization and feature extraction procedures are used in the first phase of pre-processing. Both static and dynamic features undergo feature selection in the second phase. Two feature selection strategies are proposed to choose the best subset of features to use for both static and dynamic features. The third phase involves ap-plying a newly proposed detection model to classify android apps; this model uses a neural net-work optimized with an improved version of HHO. Application of binary and multi-class classi-fication is used, with binary classification for benign and malware apps and multi-class classifica-tion for detecting malware categories and families. By utilizing the features gleaned from static and dynamic malware analysis, several machine-learning methods are used for malware classifi-cation. According to the results of the experiments, the hybrid approach improves the accuracy of detection and classification of Android malware compared to the scenario when considering static and dynamic information separately.

Our study essentially concerns the dynamic behavior of an SIRS epidemic model in discrete time. Two equilibrium points are obtained; one is disease-free while the other is endemic. We are interested in the endemic fixed point as well as its asymptotic stability. Depending on the parameters which are estimated using the data from US Department of health and SIRS modelling with optimization, two Flip and Transcritical bifurcations appear. We illustrate their diagrams, as well as their bifurcation curves using the method of Carcasses \cite{carcasses1993determination,carcasses1995singularities} for the Flip bifurcation and by an implicit function deduced from such an equation for the Transcritical bifurcation. We use the scanning of the parametric plane to have a global view of the behavior of the model and to highlight the zones of stability of the existing singularities. A superposition of the bifurcation curves with the parametric plane can show the overlap of the curves with the boundaries of the stability domains, which confirms the smooth running of the simulation and its correspondence with the theory, we finish this article with constrained optimal control applied to infection rate and recruitment rate for an SIRS discrete epidemic model. Pontryagin's maximum principle is used to determine these optimal controls. Finally using COVID-19 data in the USA, we obtain results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

Demand for environmentally friendly types of energy is growing all over the world, which naturally increases the intensity of work on the production of hydrogen-containing fuel mixtures. Steam reforming of methanol is one of the most effective areas of research, as it is a process with low energy consumption. The results of steam reforming of methanol on the catalysts prepared by solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and impregnation by moisture capacity are presented. Investigation of the activity of Cu-Ce-Al catalysts of different composition was carried out for production of hydrogen and comparison of SCS with traditional impregnation method. Methanol conversion reaches 99%, while the selectivity of H2 was 88%, at 500 °C. It was found that CuAl2O4 spinel formation is due to substitution of Al3+ with Cu2+ Ce3+ cations. A consequence CuAl2O4 and CeAlO3 lattice parameters increase because of difference in ionic radius of Al3+ (0.53 Å) and Cu2+ (0.73 Å), Ce3+ (1.07 Å). Advantages of SCS catalysts in steam reforming of methanol were shown. The aim of this research is to develop a new catalyst for conversion of methanol into hydrogen containing fuel mixtures, which will further promote the organization of a new era of environmentally friendly energy-saving production methods.

A new class of nano-cube core-shell heterostructures containing Ag coating on the top of WO₃ was fabricated. Physical vapor deposition was used to produce WO₃ based nano-heterostructures. All kind of wet toxic chemical process was avoided to make the process simple and contaminant free. Sputtering of WO₃ and a subsequent thermal annealing process was done to create nano-cubes of WO₃. After that, sputtering of Ag was performed to form the Ag-WO₃ core-shell nano-heterostructures (CSNH). The CSNHs were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The morphologies, elemental analysis, interfaces, crystallinity, phases, and chemical compositions were analyzed. The bottom-up growth of WO₃ nanocubes was studied using different time periods at 900°C. Ag coating was also studied before and after annealing. Finally, an optical property (band gap) was also analyzed using Tauc plot derive from absorption spectra. The tailoring the band gap of WO₃ from ~2.9eV to ~ 2.45 eV was observed while Ag-WO₃ CSNH formed.

This case study explores communication challenges faced by Spotify users, focusing on messaging consistency, personalization, and user feedback mechanisms. Conducted with students at Umm Al Quwain University, the study reveals a disconnect between Spotify's communication and user expectations, impacting engagement and satisfaction. Key findings highlight the need for personalized messaging, improved communication channels, and active user feedback incorporation. By implementing these recommendations, Spotify can bridge the communication gap, enhance user experience, and solidify its position as a leader in user-centricity.

κ Draconis is a binary system with a classical Be star as the primary component. Its emission-line spectrum consists of hydrogen lines, notably the Hα line with a peak intensity ratio (V/R) variations phase-locked with the orbital period P = 61.55 days. Among binaries demonstrating the Be phenomenon, κ Dra stands out as one of a few systems with a discernible mass of its secondary component. Based on more than 200 spectra obtained in 2014 − 2023, we verified the physical parameters and constructed the mass function. We used part of these data obtained in 2014 − 2021 to investigate regions in the circumstellar disk of the primary component that emit the Hα line using the Doppler tomography method. The results show that the disk has a non-uniform density distribution with a prominent enhancement at Vy≈ 99 km s−1 and Vx≈−6 km s−1 that corresponds to a cloud-like source of the double-peaked Hα line profile. We argue that this enhancement’s motion is responsible for the periodic variations of the Hα V/R ratio, which is synchronised in orbital phase with the radial velocity (RV) of absorption lines from the atmosphere of the primary component.

The Republic of Djibouti is a small country in the Horn of Africa and, as in most developing countries, rain gauges are sparse and data are scarce. This study aims to report on the reliability of gridded precipitation datasets (P datasets) across the Republic of Djibouti through direct comparisons with rain gauge measurements from the annual to the daily time scales. Our specific objective is to be able to use such products in the context of hydrological modeling at a daily time step. Given the scarcity of available data in the Republic of Djibouti, our study was carried out on two time windows (1980-1990 and 2008-2013) and two gauge networks with different spatial resolutions: the southeast of the Republic of Djibouti (5000 km2) and the Ambouli catchment (794 km2), which drains the city of Djibouti. The reliability of these products is analyzed with quantitative metrics and categorical metrics, exclusively at a daily time step for the latter. The performance of the P datasets degrades from the annual time scale to the daily time scale. Even though the same products exhibit the best performance at the various time scales, the performance of most of the products differs from one spatial scale to another. Our results demonstrate the importance of the temporal and spatial windows, as the same products can perform differently according to the scale. For all the spatiotemporal scales, the most reliable product is MSWEP v.2.2. This P dataset is derived from a combination of satellite products (multiple sensors such as infrared and passive microwave), reanalysis products, and rain gauge observations. A strong discrepancy between rain gauge observations and P datasets is revealed according to the categorical metric at a daily time step. The analysis of rainfall events triggering runoff, using a 10 mm rainfall threshold showed that the most efficient products were unable to accurately detect such events at a daily time step, with a significant underestimation of rainfall events higher than 10 mm. None of these products, even the most reliable, can be used for a calibration/validation of a hydrological model at a daily time step.

Due to their wide range of uses in modern technology, nanomaterial’s of silver metallic (Ag-NPs) have engaged considerable concern, driving significant research with development efforts. This study focuses on investigating the antimicrobial properties of Ag-NPs, encompassing their production, characterization, and biological aspects. The eco-friendly extracellular biosynthetic method employed in this work utilized extracts from the marine fungus Aspergillus flavus MK4 as reducing agents for nanoparticle synthesis. Analyzing the colloidal Ag-NPs using UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a peak in absorbance at 460 nm, indicating the presence of plasmonic properties. The electrons imaging of internal structure (TEM) elucidated spherical shape of the Ag-NPs by 15 nm size. Testing against bacterial diversities (Gr-ve & Gr+ve) revealed potent antibacterial and antifungal efficacy. Cytotoxicity versus HepG-2 cell line was assessed using the MTT assay, and antioxidant properties were examined through the radical scavenging (DPPH) assay. In wise of their conceivable applications in the fields of antibacterial, anticancer, and wound-healing, the Ag-NPs that were synthesized exhibit promising features. With its powerful ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP), Aspergillus flavus MK4 Aspergillus flavus MK4 can generate nanoparticles extensively characterized, demonstrating their antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, and wound-healing properties.

This study describes an eco-friendly synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using aqueous oat extract. The advanced electrochemical and optical features of green synthesized ZnONPs displayed excellent antibacterial activity, and exhibited an important role in pharmaceutical determinations. The formation of nanoscale ZnO was confirmed using various spectroscopic and microscopic investigations. The formed nanoparticles were found to be around 100 nm. The as-prepared ZnONPs were monitored for their antibacterial potential against different bacterial strains. The inhibition zones for ZnONPs were found as E. coli (16 mm), P. aeruginosa (17 mm), S. aureus (12 mm) and B. subtilis (11 mm) using 30 µg mL-1 sample concentration. Also, ZnONPs exhibited significant antioxidant effects 58 to 67 % with an average IC50 value of 0.88 ± 0.03 scavenging activity and 53 to 71 % (IC50 value 0.73 ± 0.05) against the DPPH and ABTS scavenging free radicals, respectively. The photocatalytic potential of ZnONPs for Rhodamine B dye degradation dye under UV irradiation was performed. The photodegradation process was carried out as a function of time-dependent and the complete degradation (nearly 98 %) with color removal after 120 min. Conclusively, the synthesized ZnONPs using oat biomass might provide a great promise in the future for biomedical applications.

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

The prevalence of internet gaming disorders (IGD) is considerably high among youth, especially with social isolation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. IGD adversely affects mental health, quality of life, and academic performance. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF) is designed to detect IGD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. However, inconsistent results are reported on its capacity to diagnose IGD evenly across different cultures. To ensure the suitability of the IGDS9-SF as a global measure of IGD, this study examined the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in a sample of Sri Lankan university students (N = 322, mean age =17.2 ± 0.6, range = 16-18 years, 56.5% males) and evaluated its measurement invariance across samples from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA. Among Sri Lankan students, a unidimensional structure expressed good fit, invariance across different groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and income), adequate criterion validity (strong correlation with motives of internet gaming, daily gaming duration, and sleep quality), and good reliability (alpha = 0.81). Males and online multiplayers expressed higher IGD levels, greater time spent gaming, and more endorsement of gaming motives (e.g., Social and Coping) than females and offline players. Across countries, the IGDS9-SF was invariant at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, albeit strict invariance was not maintained. The lowest and highest IGD levels were reported among Turkish and American respondents, respectively. In conclusion, the IGDS9-SF can be reliably used to measure IGD among Sri Lankan youth. Because the scale holds scalar invariance across countries, its scores can be used to compare IGD levels in the studied countries.

Background: Although the link between environmental lead exposure and several patterns of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported, its association with silent myocardial infarc-tion (SMI) has not been explored. We aimed to assess the association between blood lead levels (BLL) and risk of SMI. Methods: This analysis included 7283 (mean age 56.1±2.52 years, 52.5% women) participants from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who were free of clinical CVD. Ascertainment of BLL done using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. SMI defined as ECG evidence of MI without history of MI. Multivariable lo-gistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between SMI and BLL. Results: SMI was detected in 120 participants corresponding to an unweighted prevalence of 1.65%. Par-ticipants with higher levels of BLL had higher prevalence of SMI (0.4%, 0.9%, and 2.4% across BLL tertiles; p-value

Although vaccinating the world is adopted by the WHO to limit COVID-19 transmission, people’s worries about vaccines may suppress their desire for vaccination despite vaccine availability. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of stress and anxiety among 250 Jordanians who received their first vaccine dose at a local community health center. The respondents completed the stress and anxiety subscales of the Depression Anxiety and Stress scale 21 (DASS-21) pre- and post-vaccination. The respondents expressed more moderate-severe levels of stress pre than post vaccination (20.8% and 13.2%, respectively). Meanwhile, 37.2% and 45.2% of the respondents expressed moderate-severe anxiety pre and post vaccination, respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed that the drop in the level of stress from pre (median (IQR) = 5 (1-8)) to post vaccination (median (IQR) = 3 (1-7)) was statistically significant (z = -3.81, p = 0.001, r = 0.17) while the increase in anxiety was not. Anxiety median significantly dropped among individuals experiencing mild to severe anxiety pre vaccination. Similarly, stress and anxiety significantly increased among individuals expressing normal anxiety pre vaccination (z = -3.57 and -8.24, p values = 0.001, r = 0.16 and 0.37, respectively). Age positively correlated with post vaccination anxiety among respondents with mild pre vaccination anxiety, and it negatively correlated with pre vaccination level of stress in the normal anxiety group. Gender, marital status, respondents’ level of education, and history of COVID-19 infection had no significant correlation with anxiety or stress at either point of measurement. Overcoming their hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccine, individuals with normal levels of anxiety experienced a rise in their distress symptoms following immunization. On the contrary, vaccination seemed to desensitize anxious individuals. Policymakers need to formulate a population-specific plan to increase vaccine preparedness and promote psychological well-being over all during the pandemic.

Fermented milk product "Laban" in Libya is one of the most a traditional fermented milk product consumed a refreshing drink, particularly in the warm season The average values of the physicochemical including titratable acidity, pH, total solids, and fat were 0.73%, 4.16, 8.12%, and 1.54% respectively. Coliform, yeast and mold counts were 21×10⁴, 39×10⁴, and 41 ×10³ cfu/ ml., respectively. Most strains of coliform bacteria were Serratia odorifera, Escherichia coli 1, E. coli 2. and Klebsiella oxytoca. The average Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Mesophilic Lactobacillus / Leuconostoc and Thermophilic Lactobacillus counts were 99 ×10⁷, 96 ×10⁷, 93 ×10⁷ and 15 ×10⁷ cfu / ml. respectively. A total of 142 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were identified to the genus level as Lactobacillus (48.59%), Lactococcus (43.66%), Streptococcus (4.93%) and Leuconostoc (2.82%). Sugar fermentation tests revealed the most frequent Lactobacillus species found to be Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis (62.32%), followed by Lactobacillus plantarum (31.88%). Furthermore, other selected LAB isolates were identified by API 50 CH test as Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactics, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus brevis, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris. Thus, our research documented the lactic acid bacteria strains and will provides fundamental basic and useful information for further studies of strain selection starter culture, with regard to the industrial production of fermented dairy milk products.

Background: Despite their generally favorable prognosis, hepatic fibrosis remains a possible complication for hepatitis B virus (HBV) inactive carriers. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of significant fibrosis and associated risk factors among Omani HBV inactive carriers. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of 200 Omani HBV inactive carriers visiting a tertiary hospital in Muscat, Oman, between January 2017 and December 2018. Significant fibrosis (stage F2 or higher) was identified using two-dimensional shear-wave elastography. Baseline clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were analyzed to determine associations. Results: Of the total sample, 106 patients (53%) were male, and the mean age was 44.6 ± 9.3 years. The prevalence of significant fibrosis was 20% (n = 40). Male gender (p = 0.007), age ≥60 years (p = 0.024), and fatty changes in liver ultrasound (p = 0.044) were found to be independent factors for significant fibrosis. Conclusion: the prevalence of significant fibrosis was relatively high among a sample of Omani HBV inactive carriers, with several sociodemographic and clinical risk factors identified. Periodic assessment of liver function is needed for patients with these risk factors; moreover, routine biochemical parameters could be useful predictors of disease prognosis. Further research is recommended to substantiate these findings.

The detection of SARS-Cov-2 in the sewage and water resources has increased the awareness among the people about the possibility survival of SARS-Cov-2 in the environment and the potential to transmit into the human through food chain or water resources. Moreover, the surface contaminated by the virus need to be disinfected frequently by using an effective disinfectant, the current chapter discussed the efficiency of the most traditional treatment process of the sewage and wastewater, and their role in the elimination of the virus as well as the sterility assurance level concept. Moreover, the chemical disinfectant used currently and their temporary efficiency has been reviewed.

This study provides the bibliographical analysis of the articles produced by various authors from the year 1965 to 2017. Bibliometric approach is used to analyze data that is provided through standard statistical calculations. Findings indicated that, the highest rate of researches were produced during 1980s, with the average publication of 28.6 articles each year. Findings further indicated that the ratio of male population was high in producing articles, where most of the articles were based on single authorship. The analysis of the trend in terms of article type indicated researchers high level interest in producing biographies during 90s, which was then shifted to the production of articles related to library management after the beginning of 2000. Following the findings of this study, it is suggested to encourage researchers to explore diverse topics that lacked the interest of different authors.

Two important types of metal oxide nanoparticle catalysts Copper (II) oxide (CuO) and Cerium oxide (CeO₂) are prepared by a suitable method which was traditional precipitation (PT) method at calcination temperature of 400^oC for 5h and used for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate GC (C₄H₆O₄) from the direct reaction by the carbonylation of Glycerol GL (C₃H₈O₃) with Carbone Dioxide. The precipitation (PT) was an important route for the preparation of nanoparticles catalyst. The effects of performance of (CuO and CeO₂) nanoparticle catalysts on the conversion of glycerol GL, yield of glycerol carbonate GC, selectivity of glycerol carbonate are researched. XRD, XPS, BET, FT-IR, CO₂-TPD, H₂-TPR are used for the characterization of the prepared catalysts. Comparing the optimal performance between them under reaction conditions were 150 ^oC, 4MPa (40 bar.), 5h, and both CuO and CeO₂ catalyst amount 37.6 % (based on ratio of glycerol weight) by using 2-pyridinecarbonitrate (C₆H₄N₂) as dehydrating agent and dimethylformamide (DMF), (C₃H₇NO) as solvent. The glycerol conversion (X_GL), glycerol carbonate yield (Y_GC) and glycerol carbonate selectivity (S_GC) over 0.7g CuO are 57.151%, 47.524%, and 83.156%, respectively, and glycerol carbonate yield over 0.7 CeO₂ is 36.2185% or 35.076%, and the yield of GC could reach as high as 78.234% over 1.73g CeO₂, the both catalysts could be easily regenerated by washing with methanol and water after a reaction and then dried at 60 ^oC overnight after that calcination at 400 ^oC for 5h without loss of activity after five recycling times, In addition to, the (ICP- MS) results confirmed that the leaching of CuO and CeO₂ was below the detection limit.

The design of torsional springs for Series Elastic Actuators (SEAs) is challenging, especially when it comes to balancing good stiffness characteristics and efficient torque robustness. This study focuses on the design of a lightweight, low-cost, and compact torsional spring for use in rotary series elastic actuator (ES-RSEA) of lumbar support exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is used as an assistive device to prevent lower back injuries. The torsion spring was designed following design for manufacturability (DFM) principles, focusing on minimal space and weight. The design process consisted of determining the potential topology and optimizing the selected topology parameters through finite element method (FEM) to reduce equivalent stress. The prototype was made using a waterjet cutting process with low-cost material (AISI-4140-alloy) and tested using a custom-made test rig. The results showed that the torsion spring had a linear torque-displacement relationship with 99% linearity, and the deviation between FEM simulation and experimental measurements was less than 2%. The torsion spring has a maximum torque capacity of 45.7 Nm and a stiffness of 440 Nm/rad. The proposed torsion spring is a promising option for lumbar support exoskeletons and similar applications requiring high stiffness, low weight-to-torque ratio, and cost-effectiveness.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) co-polymers show relatively higher in vivo degradation rate compared to other PHAs thus they received a great deal of attention for a wide range of medical applications. Nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with poorly water soluble anticancer drug docetaxel (DCX) were produced using poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate, P(3HB-co-4HB), co-polymers biosynthesised from Cupriavidus sp. USMAA1020 isolated from Malaysian environment. Three co-polymers with different molar proportions of 4-hydroxybutirate (4HB) were used: 16% (PHB16), 30% (PHB30) and 70% (PHB70) 4HB-containing P(3HB-co-4HB). Blank and DCX loaded nanoparticles were then characterized for their size and size distribution, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency and drug release. Pre-formulation studies showed that an optimised formulation could be achieved through the emulsification/solvent evaporation method using PHB70 with the addition of 1.0% PVA, as stabilizer and 0.03% VitE-TPGS, as surfactant. DCX-loaded PHB70 nanoparticles (DCX-PHB70) gave the desired particle size distribution in term of average particles sizes around 150 nm and narrow particle size distribution (PDI below 0.100). The encapsulation efficiencies result showed that at 30% w/w drug-to-polymer ratio: DCX- PHB16 NPs were able to encapsulate up to 42% of DCX; DCX-PHB30 NPs encapsulated up to 46% of DCX and DCX-PHB70 NPs encapsulated up to 50% of DCX within the nanoparticles system. Approximately 60% of DCX was released from the DCX-PHB70 NPs within 7 days for 5%, 10% and 20% of drug to polymer ratio while for the 30% and 40% drug to polymer ratios, an almost complete drug release (98%) after 7 days of incubation was observed.

The musculoskeletal system consisting of bones and muscles have been recognized as endocrine organs secreting hormones that are involved in regulating metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with several musculoskeletal system complications. We hypothesized that an interaction exists between adipomyokines namely, irisin and METRNL, and various bone markers in individuals with obesity and T2D. A total of 228 individuals were enrolled in this study, including 124 non-diabetic and 104 T2D. A Multiplex assay was used to assess the level of various bone markers namely Osteoactivin, Syndecan, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and osteonectin/SPARC. Our data shows elevated levels of Osteoactivin, Syndecan, OPG and SPARC in T2D as compared to non-T2D individuals (p ≤ 0.05). Using Spearman’s correlation, irisin was positively correlated only with Osteoactivin and OPG (p &lt; 0.05). Similarly, a positive association was observed between METRNL and Osteoactivin (p &lt; 0.05). The strong positive association shown in our study between irisin, METRNL and various bone markers emphasises the strong interaction between these organs. This suggests that a dysregulation in the functional interaction between these molecules could play a possible role in the development of bone and muscle related complications that are associated with obesity and T2D.

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of diffusion and thermal loading due to pulsed laser heating on a thermoelastic solid with voids in the context of the model of three-phase-lag. The non-dimensional governing equations are formulated and then the exact expressions for the temperature field, the displacement components, the stress components, the concentration field and the change in the volume fraction field are obtained using the normal mode technique. The material is an isotropic, homogeneous elastic half-space and heated by a non-Gaussian laser beam with pulse duration of ps. The magnesium crystal element is used as an application to compare the predictions induced by diffusion and laser pulse on poro-thermoelastic medium of the model of three-phase-lag with those for the theory of Green–Naghdi of type III. The results obtained for thermal changes are verified by comparison with two theories of thermoelasticity, namely the model of three-phase lag (3PHL) and the Green and Nagdi type III theory. Plot the expressions to examine the effect of the laser pulse at two different values of time and the effect void parameter. This study also yields some interesting special cases.

We review past and present results on the non-local form-factors of the effective action of semiclassical gravity in two and four dimensions computed by means of a covariant expansion of the heat kernel up to the second order in the curvatures. We discuss the importance of these form-factors in the construction of mass-dependent beta functions for the Newton's constant and the other gravitational couplings.

Forty-five of intact three sheep breeds (Awassi, Harri, and Najdi) were used in this study (15 animals of each breed), with weight ranged from 23.40 to 25.87 kg. Five animals from each group at the end of growth trial were used for digestibility and nitrogen balance trials. The three groups of sheep had effect (p > 0.05) in the final live weight (FLW). Average daily feed intake (ADI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly (p < 0.05) different among the three groups. For digestibility coefficients, the three breeds of sheep had no effect (p > 0.05) in dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). In the similar approach, no significant differences were founds among three breeds of sheep in digestible organic matter, digestible of crude protein, total digestible nutrients and nitrogen retention. The current study concluded that the sheep breeds affected average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Awassi breed showed the best of average daily gain and feed conversion ratio followed by Najdi then Harri breeds. The breed of sheep had no effect on digestibility coefficients and nitrogen retention.

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.

Microbial composition across substrates in mangroves, particularly in the Middle East, remains unclear. This study characterized bacterial communities in sediment, water, Terebralia palustris snail guts, and plastic associated with Avicennia marina mangrove forests in two coastal lagoons in the Sea of Oman using 16S rDNA gene MiSeq sequencing. The genus Vibrio dominated all substrates except water, which featured unique genera Sunxiuqinia and Pseudomonas. There were significant differences in bacterial communities on different substrata, in particular plastic. Snail guts harbored the highest number of unique Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in both lagoons. Plastic in the polluted Sawadi lagoon with low salinity harbored distinct genera like Vibrio, Aestuariibacter, Zunongwangia, and Jeotgalibacillus absent in Qurum lagoon with higher salinity and low pollution. Sawadi lagoon exhibited higher species diversity in sediment and plastic substrates, Qurum lagoon demonstrated lower overall species diversity. The PCA indicates that environmental factors like salinity, pH, and nutrient levels significantly influence bacterial community composition across substrates. Variations in organic matter and potential anthropogenic influences, particularly from plastics, further shape bacterial communities. This study highlights the complex microbial communities in mangrove ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple substrates in mangrove microbial ecology studies.

Cycle times at workstations in offsite construction factories fluctuate widely due to various influencing factors. Consequently, relying on average rates, such as length per unit of time, for estimating cycle times proves to be inaccurate, often leading to significant deviations between production schedules and actual operations. To address this issue, this study proposes an estimation system that leverages machine-learning-based prediction, statistical methods, 3D simulation, and computer vision to predict cycle times at the workstation level. Testing of the system on a semi-automated wood-wall framing workstation in a panelized construction factory shows that it reduces the mean absolute error and sum of errors by approximately 36% and 68%, respectively, compared to the fixed rate method. The results also highlight the efficacy of using computer vision data for training machine-learning models for cycle time estimation, the importance of identifying and understanding the factors influencing cycle times, and the impact of random delays on the accuracy of cycle time estimation systems.

Dementia patients express a set of problematic and deteriorating symptoms, along self-care dependency. Overtime, the mental health of family caregivers of persons with dementia may suffer, putting them at a high risk for psychopathology, which may be associated with endangered wellbeing of demented people. This cross-sectional study examined the psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-items (DASS-8), DASS-12, DASS-21 in a convenient sample of 571 caregivers from northern Italy and southern Switzerland (Mean age = 53, SD = 12, range = 24–89 years). A bifactor structure of the three measures had the best fit; some items of the DASS-12/DASS-21 failed to load on their domain-specific factors. The three-factor structure was invariant across various groups (e.g., gender, education, etc.), expressed adequate reliability and convergent validity, and had strong positive correlation with the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLALS3). Dementia type had no effect on distress scores, which were higher among females, adult children caregivers, those caring for dependent patients, and those who received help with care. For 54.9 and 38.8% of the latter, care was provided by relatives and health professionals, respectively. Since the DASS-8 expresses adequate psychometrics comparable with the DASS-21, it may be used as a brief measure of distress in this population.

Inclusive education recognizes the diverse needs of students and ensures that each student is pro-vided with equal opportunities to learn and succeed. The Dubai government has implemented an inclusive education policy aimed at promoting equity and inclusivity in schools. This study aimed to investigate school leaders' understanding, implementation, and perspectives on the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework (DIEPF). To gather data, a qualitative research study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with ten school leaders from private schools located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The findings show that school leaders have a strong understanding of the policy and deem it to be significant. The study also found evidence of effective strategies implemented by school leaders to promote inclusive education. However, there are challenges in the UAE that resonate with those worldwide such as inadequate funding, high student-teacher ratios, shortage of specialized staff, and limited training opportunities for teachers. These findings emphasize the significance of ongoing professional development and training of educators who are involved in inclusive education. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are provided.

The incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in the Arab world, particularly, oil and gas rich Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries has more than doubled in the last twenty years. Therefore, there is a dire need for careful systematic familial cohort studies, especially in high-risk populations. Several immunogenetic factors affect the pathogenesis of the disease. Genes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) account for the major genetic susceptibility to the disease. The triggering agents initiate disease onset by destruction of pancreatic β-cells. The autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), insulinoma antigen-2 (IA-2A), insulin (IAA), and zinc transporter-8 (ZnT-8A) comprise the most reliable biomarkers for T1D in both children and adults. Although three of the GCC countries, namely Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are among the top 10 countries with high incidence rate of T1D, no proper diagnostic and prediction tools were applied in the region. Understanding the disease sequelae in a homogenous gene pool with high consanguinity in the GCC could help solve the challenges in understanding pathogenesis, as well as hasten the prevention of T1D. Arab states must incorporate T1D predictive and intervention policies on a war-footing basis to minimize the burden of this serious disease.

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are critical modulators of the metabolism. In adults, IGFBPs are associated with obesity and insulin resistance but the association of IGFBPs with metabolic homeostasis in children and adolescents is not fully characterized. In this study we investigated the association of plasma IGFBPs (IGFBP-1, 3 and 7) with weight status, central adiposity and cardiovascular disease markers Hs-CRP and Ox-LDL. A total of 420 adolescents (age 11-14 years) were randomly recruited from public middle schools in Kuwait. IGFBPs were measured using bead-based multiplexing while Hs-CRP and Ox-LDL were measured using ELISA. IGFBP-1 levels were significantly lower in obese and overweight participants compared to normal weight children. Only IGFBP-1 was negatively associated with waist circumference to height (WC/Ht) ratio. IGFBP-1 was negatively correlated with Hs-CRP while IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-7 were negatively correlated with Ox-LDL. These data demonstrate a robust negative association of IGFBP-1, but not IGFBP-3 or -7, with overweight and obesity, and the inflammation marker Hs-CRP. Central adiposity (WC/Ht ratio) was a stronger predictor of IGFBP-1 than BMI-for-age z-score. IGFBP-1 could thus be used as a sensitive predictive diagnostic tool for obesity and its subsequent effects in screening and monitoring of obesity-related metabolic complications in adolescents.

In the present article, the application of an artificial neural network (ANN) model is studied, whose function is the development of plastic instability maps of a medium carbon microalloyed steel during the hot forging process. And, secondly, we proceed to create another neural network capable of providing the recrystallized grain size in the steady state phase resulting from the deformation by hot forging, thus creating a methodology that can be applied to different types of processes and materials. In order to achieve this objective, we start from the experimental data of a medium carbon microalloy steel, obtained by hot compression tests, for strain rates that vary between 10-4 and 3 s-1 and in a range of temperatures between 900 oC and 1150 oC. These experimental data will be used to train the neural network that is intended to be created in this work. Once trained, it will be verified if the results of the test correspond to the experimental data and the fluency curves will be obtained. Finally, the processing maps will be developed applying the Dynamic Materials Model (DMM), according to which the safe domains to forge the material and the plastic instability domains are delineated, to be avoided during the forging process. The maps obtained by means of RNA will be compared with the experimental ones and it will be possible to verify that the optimal regions of forging in the maps obtained by RNA coincide with those obtained by means of experimental data. In addition, a study of the influence of the microstructure on the behavior of steel during hot forming will be carried out, since the experimental tests are carried out at austenitizing temperature, so the microstructure is different in each test.

A chairside polishing kit is an alternative to a laboratory polishing technique. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different polishing techniques on the surface roughness of three-dimensional (3D)-printed acrylic denture bases (ADB). One hundred twenty disc-shaped specimens were fabricated from one conventional heat-polymerized (HP) ADB resin and two 3D-printed (Asiga (AS) and NextDent (ND)) ADB resins (n=40 per ADB resin). Each group was furtherly divided based on the polishing protocol (n=10) as follows: convectional polishing protocol (C), Microdont chairside polishing kit (M), Shofu chairside polishing kit (S), and unpolished group (U). The surface roughness (surface roughness average (Ra) and average maximum profile height (Rz)) of the printed specimens were measured using an optical profilometer, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to capture the surface at ×1000. Two-way ANOVA and post hoc tests were used for data analysis (α = 0.05) at significant levels. In unpolished groups, there was a statically significant difference between HP vs 3D-printed ADBs (p &lt; 0.0001). For Ra values, the lowest values were presented in HP-C, AS-S, and ND-C. While the highest values were shown in all unpolished groups. Within the material, there were statistically significant differences between the three polishing protocols (C, M, and S) vs unpolished (p &lt; 0.0001), while there was no significant between C, M, and S groups (p = 0.05). The Rz values had the same pattern as the Ra values. The two chairside polishing kits were comparable to conventional polishing technique, and it could be recommended for the clinical application.

There are currently around 78 Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) in the world based on Boiling Water Reactors (BWR). The current parameter to assess BWR instability issues is the linear Decay Ratio (DR). However, it is well known that BWRs are complex non-linear dynamical systems that may even exhibit chaotic dynamics that normally preclude the use of the DR when the BWR is working at a specific operating point during instability. In this work a novel methodology based on an adaptive Shannon Entropy estimator and on Noise Assisted Empirical Mode Decomposition variants is presented. This methodology was developed for real-time implementation of a stability monitor. This methodology was applied to a set of signals stemming from several NPPs reactors (Ringhals-Sweden, Forsmark-Sweden and Laguna Verde-Mexico) under commercial operating conditions, that experienced instabilities events, each one of a different nature

Enterobacteriaceae can contaminate meat during various stages of processing, including slaughter, evisceration, and butchering, causing foodborne illnesses. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae associated with carcasses obtained from slaughterhouses and raw cut meat collected from butcher shops. A total of 120 samples of camels and cattle were identified using biochemistry and PCR testing. Total viable count (TVC) was range from 4.91 to 5.37 Log10 CFU/g in slaughterhouses and butcher shops. E. coli was predominating with 84 (70%) among all samples, where the camels had the highest with 100% and sheep the lowest with 30%. Salmonella spp. was confirmed in 40% of camel samples, 47.5% of cattle samples, and 32.5% in sheep samples. Twenty-five Enterobacteriaceae genera were confirmed using PCR. Where sheep’s samples had the highest occurrence of Enterobacteriaceae with 15 different genera followed by camels and cattle samples with 14 different genera. The prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae among camel, cattle, and sheep carcasses raises significant concerns regarding food safety. Adherence to good hygiene practices throughout animal slaughtering is crucial to minimize the risk of infection and transmission and ensure food safety.

Nuclear export of viral mRNAs, is an essential step in the HIV replication cycle. This role is played by a small regulatory protein of HIV-1 called Rev.The N-terminal region of Rev contains an arginine-rich sequence. The arginine-rich motif (ARM) is located between amino acids 38-50 and forms an alpha-helical secondary structure. Expression of the structural proteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 requires the direct interaction of multiple copies of the viral Rev protein with its highly structured RNA target sequence, the Rev Response element (RRE). The major viral proteins are not produced if this transport of RNA is stopped. Therefore, knowledge of Rev structure is essential for understanding of its cooperative binding to the RRE, for understanding the mechanism of HIV infection and for the development of antiviral drugs that interfere with Rev’s essential functions and for acknowledgment of good candidate drugs for treatment of AIDS. To understand how REV interact with RRE element of HIV-RNA and its formation of oligomeric complex it is better to characterize the domain wise structure of REV with regard in function of each domain. Due to lack of structural data on Rev no single compound is reported as inhibitor of REV expect antiviral drugs. Identification of a high-affinity RNA-binding site for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev Protein is much more important. The ARM is a highly specific sequence which allows for the multimerization of Rev and also binding of REV with RNA. Here we are first time exploring the structural characteristics of REV protein both in free form and in complex with RNA at domain function level especially explore the role of ARM motif in REV HIV-1 protein as RNA binding sites by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and homology modeling studies. Results indicate that the arginine-rich motif (ARM) is crucial in stability of this complex. The residues ARG38, 39, 41, 43, 44, 48, 50, and ASN40 are most interacting with nucleobases of RRE in Crystal structure of Rev and Rev-response-element RNA complex. Our study plays a major role in elaboration of binding of RNA with REV and pave the way for further investigation for therapeutically agent for HIV.

The global environmental impact of plastic waste is significant, with only 9% being recycled, causing pollution and harming the environment and humans. Due to increased traffic, limited funding, and dwindling natural resources, Jordan's road network is deteriorating rapidly. Pavement performance can be improved through high-quality materials and sustainable construction practices. The research investigates using Polyethylene Terephthalate as a polymer additive in asphalt mixtures to enhance their properties. Basalt and limestone mixtures were applied to asphalt mixtures. The optimal binder content for the control mixture was 4.8% for basalt and 4.93% for limestone. When modified with 10% PET, the basalt mixture showed slightly better stability than the control mix, while higher PET proportions led to reduced strength. PET-modified mixtures consistently displayed higher flows and bulk densities, with a more pronounced impact on the basalt mixture. PET increased the air-void ratio in basalt but had minimal effect on VMA. PET offers economic and environmental advantages, saving 8.4% of the original bitumen cost. As a result, limestone mixture properties, which are inferior to basalt mixture properties, improved significantly compared to basalt mixture properties. PET has the potential to create sustainable and high-performing asphalt mixtures, providing valuable insights for road construction and environmental management.

Background: Papillomaviruses (PVs) are double-stranded DNA viruses and are more common in skin of ruminants in Iraq. A P53 (tumor suppressor protein) reveals an essential role in cell cycle control. This study aimed to describe the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical aspects of naturally occurring cutaneous ruminant’s papillomatosis. Methods: Samples were collected from totally, 10 animals (3 cattle, 3 goats and 4 sheep) with multiple papillomatosis lesions. Results: Clinically, exophytic multiple, cauliflower-like growths (warts) of varying sizes (0.5-11 cm) were found in different areas of the animal’s bodies. Histopathological features were various degrees of koilocytosis, ortho and parakeratotic, hyperkeratosis, hypergranulosis in granular layer and acanthosis. Immunohistochemical (IHC) investigations revealed some nuclei in the granular and basal layers of the epidermis with intense positivity for papillomavirus antigen. All tumor samples were positive for p53 expression that appeared as a strong cytoplasmic and perinuclear staining mainly in the basal and parabasal layers. Conclusion: this study described the papillomavirus lesions in bovine, ovine and caprine, that located in different anatomical areas with minor variations in histopathological features. The tumor samples showed positive results for PV antigen and P53 expression that considered as the useful markers in the diagnosis of cutaneous papilloma.

As abiotic stress, drought limits plant growth and minimizes productivity. The increased request for valuable essential oil extracted from geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L.) is mainly associated with plant growth, which is adversely affected by drought. Melatonin (MT) has been used to enhance plant growth under abiotic stress, however, its impact to overcome drought stress of aromatic plants including geranium is poorly investigated. In the current investigation, MT application at 100 µM was applied under 100 % (well-watered) or 50 % (drought stress) of FC to verify this role. Drought stress markedly reduced growth parameters, herb yield, and total chlorophyll; however, MT alleviated these effects. In contrast, drought enhanced the essential oil percentage in geranium leaves. Despite the reduction in oil yield caused by drought, MT application mitigated this reduction and improved both oil yield and oil components. Besides, MT treatment enhanced the accumulation of total phenols, glutathione, and proline and improved the activity of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase with possible alleviation of drought-induced oxidative damage. Therefore, it reduced both H2O2 and malondialdehyde accumulation, and finally maintained membrane integrity. Overall, this is the first report that reveals that MT application can improve geranium resistance to drought by enhancing the antioxidant potential and protecting the cell membrane from oxidative damage.

Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) is a communication technology that supports various safety, mobility, and environmental applications given its higher reliability properties compared to other communication technologies. The performance of these C-V2X-enabled Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications is affected by the performance of the C-V2X communication technology (mainly packet loss). Similarly, the performance of the C-V2X communication is dependent on the vehicular traffic density which is affected by the traffic mobility patterns, and vehicle routing strategies. Consequently, it is critical to develop a tool that can simulate, analyze, and evaluate the mutual interactions of the transportation and communication systems at the application level and to the evaluate the benefits of the C-V2X enabled ITS applications. In this paper, we demonstrate the benefits gained when using C-V2X Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication technology in an energy-efficient dynamic routing application. Specifically, we develop a Connected Energy-Efficient Dynamic Routing (C-EEDR) application using C-V2X as a communication medium in an integrated vehicular traffic and communication simulator (INTEGRATION). The results demonstrate that the C-EEDR application achieves fuel savings of up to 16.6% and 14.7% in the IDEAL and C-V2X communication cases, respectively for a peak hour demand on the downtown Los Angeles network considering a 50% level of market penetration of connected vehicles. The results demonstrate that the fuel savings increase with increasing levels of market penetration at lower traffic demand levels (25% and 50% the peak demand). At higher traffic demand levels (75% and 100%) the fuel savings increase with increasing levels of market penetration with maximum benefits at a 50% market penetration rate. Although the communication system is affected by the high density of vehicles at the high traffic demand levels (75% and 100% the peak demand), the C-EEDR application manages to perform reliably producing system-wide fuel consumption savings.The C-EEDR application achieves fuel savings of 15.2% and 11.7% for the IDEAL communication and 14% and 9% for the C-V2X communication at the 75% and 100% market penetration rates, respectively. Finally, the paper demonstrates that the C-V2X communication constraints only affect the performance of the C-EEDR application at the full demand level when the market penetration of connected vehicles exceeds 25%. This degradation, however is minimal (less than a 2.5% reduction in fuel savings).

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.

Introduction. Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In Jordan, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are not included in the national vaccination program. Due to the current availability of several PCVs including PCV-10, PCV-13 and PCV-15, along with PCV-20, currently undergoing pediatric approvals globally, the decision to introduce PCVs and their selection should be based on valid local data on the common serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the frequency of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children aged below 5 years hospitalized with invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) including pneumonia, septicemia and meningitis during the study’s duration in representative areas of Jordan. Serotyping for culture-positive cases was based on the capsular reaction test, known as the Quellung reaction. qPCR was conducted on blood samples of patients with lobar pneumonia identified via X-ray or on cerebrospinal fluid for those with a positive latex agglutination test for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Results. This study was based on the analysis of the serotypes of 1015 Streptococcus pneumoniae cases among children younger than the age of 5; 1006 cases with pneumonia, 6 cases with meningitis, and 3 cases with septicemia. Only 23 culture-positive cases were identified, in comparison to 992 lobar pneumonia cases which were PCR-positive but culture-negative, with a PCR positivity rate of 92%. Serotypes 6B, 6A, 14 and 19F were the most common serotypes identified in the study, with prevalence rates of 16.45%, 13.60%, 12.12% and 8.18%, respectively. PCV-10, PCV-13, PCV-15 and PCV-20 coverage rates were 45.32%, 61.87%, 64.14% and 68.47%, respectively. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is largest prospective study from the Middle East and one of the largest studies worldwide showing the serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae. It reveals the urgency for the introduction of PCV vaccination in Jordan, utilizing recently developed vaccines with broader serotype coverage.

The study aims to examine the effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on the consistency and analysis of financial statements in hotels in ASEZA, Jordan. This research is an exploratory, empirical study, which uses the methodology of data collection and interpretation to draw conclusions. The researchers used the arithmetic mean, standard deviation, T-test and ANOVA test to calculate the degree of significance of the study questions. The findings of a basic linear regression study of the impact of AI implemented in Jordanian hotels on the integration of accounting information systems and the association between AI and the integration of accounting information systems (R = 59.6%) also indicate that the fixed limit value amounted to (2.060) and the value of (Beta) for T-test

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) exhibits a significant variation in presentation of symptoms ranging from mild to severe life-threatening symptoms, including death. COVID-19 infection susceptibility has been linked with various covariates, but studies in Qatar are limited. Data from Qatar Biobank (QBB) (n = 10,000; 18- to 79-year-old adults) were analyzed for associations between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and susceptibility to COVID-19. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between COVID-19 and age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, education level, dietary patterns, supplement use, physical activity, history of bariatric surgery, diabetes, and hypertension. In total, 10.5% (n = 1045) of the participants had COVID-19. Compared to non-smokers, current and ex-smokers had lower odds of having COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR]= 0.55; 95% CI: 0.44-0.68 and OR= 0.70; 95% CI: 0.57-0.86, respectively). Vitamin D supplement use was associated with an 18% reduction of the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69-0.97). Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), history of bariatric surgery and higher adherence to the modern dietary pattern– characterized by consumption of foods high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates– were positively associated with COVID-19. Our findings indicate that adopting a healthy lifestyle may be helpful in the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

Abstract: Educating healthcare workers (HCWs) to take action against monkeypox (mpox) is an important part of public health prevention efforts. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to vaccinate against mpox among HCWs in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This study utilized an online cross-sectional survey that was disseminated via Google Forms between November, 1, 2022 and January, 15, 2023, employing a convenience sampling method. The researchers utilized logistic regression to ascertain the factors associated with knowledge, attitude and willingness to vaccinate. A total of 637 HCWs were included in the analysis (ages ranged between 21 and 51 years old). The mean overall score and standard deviation of the knowledge, attitude, and willingness assessment on mpox were 8.18±3.37 out of (0–16), 3.40±1.37 out of (0–5), 2.41±1.25 out of (0–5), respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that HCWs who heard about mpox before 2022 had a higher level of knowledge (AOR: 4.85; 95% CI: 2.81-8.36; p < 0.001). In addition, those who had less than 1 year of practice had a positive attitude about mpox (AOR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.20-0.59; p < 0.01). Finally, none of the variable groups had the capacity to predict willingness to be vaccinated against mpox. The research revealed that HCWs exhibit a relatively low level of knowledge and attitude towards mpox, as well as a low level of willingness to receive mpox vaccinations. Further, there is an urgent need to increase their knowledge and attitude, as the success of efforts to control the global epidemic depends on them.

Currently, the design of the concrete mix is an important part of the environmental problem. In front of this question, engineers face a major challenge that is addressed in two ways. On one hand, how do they use its component materials to improve its mechanical properties, on the other hand how do they use less polluting materials? Hence, in an environmental and economical view, laboratory tests were carried out on samples of concrete reinforced with smooth steel fiber extracted from the waste tires, in order to assess its impact and to prove its mechanical feasibility for these purposes. Consequently, laboratory results have shown satisfactory improvement in the behavior of concrete under compression loads in the elastic stage and an increase in ductility and toughness of the matrix in the plastic stage. Besides, taking into account the discontinuity and the structural disturbances observed during the loading of samples in the post-elastic state, a method has been proposed to calculate "the effective toughness and toughness Index of fiber concrete; on the other hand, this method has helped to better optimize length and slenderness of fibers for better use of this recycled material

Annually, more than 1.5 million preventable new hepatitis B (HBV) infections continue to occur, with an estimated global burden of 296 million individuals living with chronic hepatitis B infection. This substantial health challenge results in over 820,000 annual deaths attributed to complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV vaccination remains the cornerstone of public health policy to prevent chronic hepatitis B and its related complications. It serves as a crucial element in the global effort to eliminate HBV, as established by the World Health Organization (WHO), with an ambitious 90% vaccination target by 2030. However, reports on global birth dose coverage reveal substantial variability, with an overall coverage rate of only 46%. This comprehensive review thoroughly examines global trends in HBV vaccination coverage, investigating the profound impact of vaccination on HBV prevalence and its consequences across diverse populations, including both high-risk and general demographics. Additionally, the review addresses the formidable challenges and facilitating factors essential for achieving WHO's HBV vaccination coverage objectives and elimination strategies in the coming decade and beyond.

: Alluvial soils naturally possess abundant soil nutrients. Nevertheless, excessive nitrogen addition and inappropriate use of nitrogen fertilizers lead to conditions where soil nutrients become immo-bilized, ultimately reducing productivity. This study investigates the potential of natural nano-material zeolite which is important land resources to improve nutrient utilization efficiency and mitigate the harmful effects of excessive fertilizer application. Specifically, the research ex-plores the incorporation of clinoptilolite zeolite and processed sewage sludge blends, alongside reduced recommended nitrogen fertilizer doses, to evaluate their impact on soil quality and plant growth. A greenhouse experiment was conducted (three-year study), comprising eight treatments with varying proportions of zeolite and sewage sludge. The efficacy of these treatments in en-hancing soil carbon pools, nutrient indices, and plant growth responses was assessed. Results in-dicate that a combination of 50% recommended fertilizer dose, 4-6% zeolite, and 5-10% sewage sludge significantly improved multiple aspects of plant growth, including leaves, tillers, culms, and panicles, leading to increased straw and grain yields. The addition of 6% zeolite in conjunc-tion with sewage sludge positively influenced plant tillering capacity. Certain treatment combina-tions exhibited a greater impact on plant height at different growth stages. For example, the treatment with 75% recommended fertilizer dose, 4% zeolite, and 5% sewage sludge significantly affected plant height at 40 and 55 days after treatment. Additionally, the combination of 50% recommended fertilizer dose, 6% zeolite, and 10% sewage sludge promoted plant height, carbon levels, and various yield parameters in later stages. Principal component analysis effectively dis-tinguished treatments incorporating zeolite and sewage sludge based on plant responses. The combination of 6% zeolite and 10% sewage sludge, along with a 50% recommended fertilizer dose, positively influenced soil carbon fractions, nutrient levels, and the growth response of rice plants.

This research aimed to determine the most viable locations for establishing solar energy facilities in Yemen through the utilization of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Best-Worst Method (BWM), and Geographic Information System (GIS). A total of twelve key criteria were meticulously selected and evaluated based on their impact on the appropriateness of sites for solar power plants. These criteria were amalgamated using a weighted overlay tool, resulting in a map that classified regions as either optimal, highly suitable, or suitable. The findings of the study indicated that the eastern, southern, and northern parts of Yemen are prime candidates for solar energy installations due to their moderate climate and flat topography. On the other hand, the western regions were deemed less favorable. The breakdown of site classifications revealed that 38% of areas were optimal, 61% were highly suitable, and only 1% were considered suitable, based on the assigned weights from the AHP and BWM methodologies. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of adjusting the weights of Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) and slope on site classifications. A minor increase in the weights of GHI (from 30% to 31%) and slope (from 10% to 11%) resulted in a significant alteration in the suitability categories, highlighting the importance of weight adjustments in multi-criteria decision-making processes. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the effectiveness of AHP, BWM, and GIS in assessing site suitability for solar energy facilities, as well as the significance of sensitivity analyses. These approaches provide valuable insights for decision-makers, aiding in strategic planning and fostering sustainable energy development in Yemen.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ɷ-3 PUFAs) offer diverse health benefits, such as supporting cardiovascular health, improving cognitive function, promoting joint and musculoskeletal health, and contributing to healthy aging. Despite their advantages, challenges like oxidation susceptibility, low bioavailability, and potential adverse effects at high doses persist. Nanoparticle encapsulation emerges as a promising avenue to address these limitations while preserving stability, enhanced bioavailability, and controlled release. This comprehensive review explores the therapeutic roles of omega-3 fatty acids, critically appraising their shortcomings and delving into modern encapsulation strategies. Furthermore, it explores the potential advantages of Metal-organic framework nanoparticles (MOF NPs) compared to other commonly utilized nanoparticles in improving the therapeutic effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids within drug delivery systems (DDS). Additionally, it outlines future research directions to fully exploit the therapeutic benefits of these encapsulated omega-3 formulations for cardiovascular disease treatment.

The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) is the most popular measure of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has been recently validated in Arabic. This instrumental study aimed to determine optimal cutoff scores of the IES-R and its subscales in Arab samples of psychiatric patients (N = 168, 70.8% females) and healthy adults (N = 992, 62.7% females) from Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic as an ongoing collective traumatic event. Based on a cutoff score of 14 of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-items (DASS-8), receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis revealed two optimal points of 39.5 and 30.5 for the IES-R in the samples (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.86 &amp; 0.91, p values = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.80-0.92 &amp; 0.87 to 0.94, sensitivity = 0.85 &amp; 0.87, specificity = 0.73 &amp; 0.83, Youden index = 0.58 &amp; 0.70, respectively). Different cutoffs were detected for the six subscales of the IES-R, with numbing and avoidance expressing the lowest predictivity for distress. Meanwhile, hyperarousal followed by the irritability expressed stronger predictive capacity for distress than all subscales in both samples. In path analysis, pandemic-related irritability resulted from direct and indirect effects of key PTSD symptoms (intrusion, hyperarousal, and numbing). Irritability contributed to traumatic symptoms of sleep disturbance in both samples while the opposite was not true. The findings suggest usefulness of the IES-R at a score of 30.5 for detecting adults prone to trauma related distress, with higher scores needed for screening in psychiatric patients. Various PTSD symptoms may induce dysphoric mood, which represents a considerable burden that may induce circadian misalignment and more noxious psychiatric problems/ co-morbidities (sleep disturbance) in both healthy and diseased groups.

The numerical simulation of entropy generation at mixed natural free and forced convection flow in a square lid-driven cavity filled with an eletrically conducting binary fluids saturated porous media in the presence of a magnetic field is performed in this investigation. Both the top and bottom horizontal walls of the cavity are kept at constant and different temperatures while the left and right vertical walls are adiabatic and insulated. The magnetic field is applied in normal direction to the cavity. The Darcy model, including Brinkman term relative to viscous effects and Forchheimer term due to inertial forces, is used for the momentum equations, and the SIMPLER algorithm, based on the control volume finite-element method approach is used to solve the pressure –velocity coupling. The flow pattern and the heat transfer characteristics inside the cavity are presented in the form of isotherms, streamlines and isentropic lines and average Nusselt number trend. The entropy generation rate is determined for various values of Darcy number (10^-3 ≤ Da ≤ 1) and for a range of Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 10²). This study is limited to Pr = 7 which corresponds to water. It is observed that entropy generation is very affected by the variations of dimensionless control parameters considered.

Dietary polyphenols exist in two forms; extractable polyphenols (EPP) or compounds solubilised by aqueous/organic solvents, and non-extractable polyphenols (NEPP) or compounds remain in the corresponding residues after the extraction. At present, most researchers focus on EEP fractions, while NEPP is neglected. Thus, this study aimed to release NEPP from the remaining powder residue of Barhi date palm kernels (BDPK) with acid hydrolysis. The related extraction conditions were determined and optimised using response surface methodology (RSM) for maximisation of NEPP with highest cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. The face-centred central composite design (FCCCD) was used to establish treatments based on three independent variables, namely; extraction temperature, time, and solvent/sample ratio. Under the optimal conditions, the experimental values for DPPH radical-scavenging capacity of NEPP (IC50=57.52µg/mL), and cytotoxicity of NEPP against A549 and HT29 cells were IC50=17.4 µg/mL and 31.4µg/mL, respectively. The experimental values were in agreement with those predicted by RSM models, confirming the suitability of the model employed and the success of RSM for optimisation of the extraction conditions for NEPP from BDPK. These results indicate that NEPP from industrial date fruit waste could be a promising candidate as natural antioxidants with significant antiproliferation effect against A549 and HT29 cancer cells in-vitro.

The solar water heater must be integrated into future residential buildings as the main energy source, which will subsequently reduce the energy cost of water heating. An original configuration for efficient Domestic Hot Water "DHW" storage tank is developed and experimentally evaluated under Saharan climate. This novel DHW configuration includes a hybrid (solar and electric) energy system with a flat plate solar collector coupled with an electric heater. Additionally, phase change material "PCM" mixture that is composed of paraffin wax and animal fat with a melting temperature between 35.58°C and 62.58°C and latent heat between 180 and 210 kJ/kg is integrated into this novel tank configuration. The experimental results indicated that hot water production by using latent heat storage could be economically attractive. In this proposed configuration, one liter of hot water may cost around 0.1362 DZD/liter (i.e., 0.00096 US$/liter) compared to 0.4431 DZD/liter for the conventional water heater, an average energy cost savings of 69.26%. On a yearly basis, the average energy cost savings may reach up to 80.25% if optimal tilt for the solar collector is adopted on a monthly basis. The flat plate collector may be vulnerable to convective heat transfer, and therefore, other solar collectors such as vacuum tube collectors may provide enhanced energy performance.

In the Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), the investigations showed a wide range of active molecules their biological properties. However, most of these studies were conducted on the wid varieties, while cultivated plan addressed. This study aimed to characterize the biomolecules and biological activities of Lemongrass growing us African conditions sons in in Marocco. Marocco. Phenolic compound profiles of aqueous (AE) E) ethanol ethanol (EE), (EE), and methanol (ME) extract: fractions were obtained with steric exclusion chromatography on Sephadex 050 gel and identified by LC-MS/MS polyphenols (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and antioxidant activities (FRAP: scavenging value and TAC: Total Antioxidant C the fraction were evaluated as well as the antimicrobial activity Obtained results showed that the ME contained e compounds (ie. Apigenine-7-0-rutinoside and myricitine-3-0-rutinoside). The AE showed the presence of five mole kaemiferol-3-0-glucuronide), while EE showed the presence of three molecules (Le. Quercetine-3-0-rutinoside). Reg chemical characterization, the rization, e highest value of Total phenolic content (TPC) was obtained in conten btained in AE ΑΕ (25) (4.60-0.29 mg highest value of Total flavonoids content (TFC) was obtained Ined in ME (29) (0.7±0.08 mg/g). Concerning the antioxide the highest FRAP was obtained in ME (29) (97.89%) and the highest total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was obtained (89.89%) Correlation between FRAP, TPC, and TFC was noted poly in fractions of AE and ME. All tested extracts of and their fractions showed a significant antimicrobial effect. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) wa for ME against E. col. Extracts biological activities and their fractions were governed by their active molecules. Ther new and clarify a novel aspect of bioactive molecules in the extracts of cultivated C. citratus Equaly, throughout this we clarified the relationship between identified molecules and their biological properties including antioxidant and comparative studies new activities, which is new for the study area. This study is suggested to be a reference. assays of other biological activities for the study plant

Globalization and digitalization have been associated with a number of challenges and opportunities. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the impact of globalization and digitization on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide recommendations for achieving sustainable development. The study used a multidisciplinary approach that combined diverse research methods. This included a literature review, case studies, and empirical research findings. The findings suggest that while globalization has had both positive and negative impacts on the SDGs, it also poses challenges to social and environmental sustainability. Globalization's impact on sustainable development goals is complex and multifaceted, requiring policymakers to implement diverse measures to mitigate negative effects and promote sustainable development, particularly in less developed regions and marginalized communities. In conclusion, this chapter highlights the need for a coordinated and holistic approach to sustainable development that prioritizes the Sustainable Design Goals in policy and decision-making.

The objective of this research was to explore the impact of a gradual replacement of Ca2+ with Mn1+ on the crystal structure of CaHPO4·2H2O, which could be beneficial for producing Ca1−xMnxHPO4·nH2O compounds. In order to prepare the starting solutions required for this study, Ca(NO3) 2·4H2O, (NH4)·2HPO4, and MnNO3·4H2O were used at various molar concentrations. The findings reveal that Mn substitutes Ca partly at low Mn/Ca molar ratios, and Mn doping reduces the unit cell of CaHPO4·2H2O. The produced biphasic compound was composed of monoclinic CaHPO4·2H2O and triclinic/monoclinic nanostructured Mn3PO4O11 after a continuous increase in the Mn/Ca molar ratio to 1. When the Ca/Mn molar ratio is 1.5, a triphasic compound of monoclinic CaHPO4·2H2O, triclinic Mn3P4O11, and Orthorhombic MnHPO4·(H2O)3 phases is formed. The formation of the monophasic MnHPO4·(H2O)3 compound was achieved by increasing the Mn/Ca molar ratio above 4. By adjusting the Mn/Ca molar ratio in the initial solutions, it is possible to produce biomaterials with specific and bespoke characteristics in the future. The Mn/Ca ratio of the starting solution can be modified to produce Ca1-xMnxHPO4-nH2O phases with weight percent compositions, as established. For the first time, Ca1−xMnxHPO4·nH2O compounds were synthesized using novel methods in this manuscript.

Despite the effectiveness of insulin injections in managing hyperglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes, they fall short in addressing autoimmunity and regenerating damaged islets. This review aims to explore the potential of various treatment modalities for T1DM, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), MSC-derived exosomes, gene therapy, islet allotransplantation, and pancreatic islet cell transplantation. Results: MSCs demonstrate efficacy in T1DM treatment through immunomodulation and tissue regeneration, although further research is warranted to optimize their therapeutic potential. Gene therapy presents a promising approach despite challenges such as donor shortage and immune rejection. Pancreatic islet cell transplantation emerges as a viable option, albeit with associated risks including graft rejection and the need for immunosuppression. Teplizumab, an FDA-approved humanized monoclonal antibody, revolutionizes the treatment landscape of Type 1 Diabetes by significantly delaying its onset, offering a paradigm shift since the discovery of insulin Conclusion: Ongoing studies and technological advancements in T1DM management offer a promising outlook for improved treatments and possibly even eradication on a global scale. MSCs, MSC-derived exosomes, gene therapy, and pancreatic islet transplantation hold considerable potential.

The inhibition impacts of 1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-diamine (PTDA) on mild steel in 1 M HCl solution were investigated through weight loss method. The inhibition efficiencies of PTDA increase with increase in PTDA concentration at the temperature 303. Weight loss method indicate that PTDA is an excellent inhibitor the inhibition efficiency of 81.5% at the maximum PTDA concentration of 0.5 g/L at the temperature 303K.

Current global commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases encourage national targets for renewable generation. Due to its small land mass, offshore wind could help Bahrain to fulfill its obligations. However, no scoping study has yet been carried out. The methodology presented here addresses this research need. It employs Analytical Hierarchy Process and pairwise comparison methods in a Geographical Information Systems environment. Publicly available land use, infrastructure and transport data are used to exclude areas unsuitable for development due to physical and safety constraints. Meteorological and oceanic opportunities are ranked, then competing uses are analyzed to deliver optimal sites for wind farms. The potential annual wind energy yield is calculated by dividing the sum of optimal areas by a suitable turbine footprint, to deliver maximum turbine number. Ten favourable wind farm areas were identified in Bahrain’s territorial waters, representing about 4% of the total maritime area, and capable of supplying 2.68 TWh/yr of wind energy or almost 10% of the Kingdom’s annual electricity consumption. Detailed maps of potential sites for offshore wind construction are provided in the paper, giving an initial plan for installation in these locations.

The substrate N1, N3, N5 -tris(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (Sensor A) was prepared in the reaction of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (trimesic acid) and o-aminophenol in ethanol. The prepared organic sensor fulfills the chemiluminescent requirements including luminophore, spacer, and suitable binding receptor that distress the probe's luminescent features, providing selective and sensitive detection of mercury and iron ions in aqueous solutions. The sensor selectively detects mercury and iron ions in a water matrix containing various metal ions including sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and nickel. Strong and immediate binding was observed between mercury ions and the substrate at pH 7.0 with a binding affinity toward Hg (II) enhanced by nine folds higher than that observed for iron sensor binding affinity, which makes the substrate a distinctive luminescence sensor for mercury detection at ambient conditions. The sensor shows a linear response toward Hg (II) in the concentration range from 4.2 x 10-5 to 2.0 x 10-8 M with a limit of detection of 1.0 x 10-8 M. Further, Sensor A provides linear detection for iron ions in the range from 1.5 x 10-3 to 1.5 x 10-8 M. The measured adsorption capacity of Sensor A toward mercury ions ranged from 1.25 to 1.97 mg/g and the removal efficiency from water samples reached 98.8% at pH 7.0. The data demonstrate that Sensor A is an excellent probe for detecting and removing mercury ions from water bodies.