Background Bangladesh has been attracting international students on various subjects in recent times. Every year students from different parts of the world come to study undergraduate and postgraduate courses, mostly at private universities in Bangladesh. This study evaluates the depression status among international students who are studying dentistry in Bangladesh. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted among International undergraduate dental students who enrolled in the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program in nine public and private dental colleges in Bangladesh. A total of 206 students completed the survey, and CES-D 10 items Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha for CES-D 10 scale items for this population is 0.812. Results The majority of the students (79.5%) are below 24 years of age, and students who cannot communicate well in Bengali (Bangla), about 60% of them have experienced depression. About 77.3% (p< 0.00) of the international students having financial difficulties exhibited depression. The international students who went through financial problems were two times more likely to suffer from depression (OR=2.38; p-value <0.01). Conclusion This study tried to highlight the struggles faced by international students in Bangladesh studying dentistry. It is evident from the findings that several factors influence students' mental well-being during demanding dental education years.

Quinine and its less toxic derivatives have served humanity for decades as potent antimalarial drugs. Emergence of drug resistance has narrowed the usage of these drugs in malaria prevention and treatment. Fortunately, these drugs have roles in the treatment of other diseases as well including rheumatic disorders and viral infections. Quinine derivatives have proven antiviral effects, especially against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Zika virus (ZiKV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), Ebola virus and dengue virus (DENV). The prophylactic and therapeutic role of Chloroquine/hydroxychroquine has become a topic of interest after the recent outbreak of novel Corona virus-19 (nCoV-19). This virus is also named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and WHO has officially named this disease as Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This lethal virus has affected almost 186 countries of the world till to date just in a period of four months of its outbreak. No approved antiviral drug is existed for the treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, this review is focused on potential prophylactic and therapeutic role of chloroquine/hydroxychlroquine for COVID-19.

Stabilized un-doped Zinc Telluride (ZnTe) thin films were grown on glass substrates under vacuum using closed space sublimation (CSS) technique. A dilute copper nitrate solution (0.1/100 ml) was prepared for copper doping known as ion exchange process in the matrix of ZnTe thin film. The reproducible polycrystalline cubic structure of undoped and Cu doped ZnTe thin films with preferred orientation (111) was confirmed by X-rays diffraction (XRD) technique. Lattice parameter analyses verified the expansion of unit cell volume after incorporation of Cu species into ZnTe thin films samples. The micrographs of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to measure the variation in crystal sizes of samples. The energy dispersive X-rays was used to validate the elemental composition of undoped and Cu-doped ZnTe thin films. The bandgap energy 2.24 eV of ZnTe thin film decreased after doping Cu to 2.20 eV may be due to the introduction of acceptors states near to valance band. Optical studies showed that refractive index was measured from 2.18 to 3.24 whereas thicknesses varied between 220 nm to 320 nm for un-doped and Cu doped ZnTe thin film respectively using Swanepoel model. The oxidation states of Zn⁺², Te⁺² and Cu⁺¹ through high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses was observed. The resistivity of thin films changed from ~10⁷ Ω-cm for undoped ZnTe to ~1 Ω-cm for Cu-doped ZnTe thin film, whereas p-type carrier concentration increased from to respectively. These results predicted that Cu-doped ZnTe thin film can be used as an ideal, efficient and stable intermediate layer between metallic and absorber back contact for the heterojunction thin film solar cell technology.

This study compares the effects of lecture-based instruction and process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL)-based instruction on the self-efficacy performance of Grade 12 students. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design was adopted to investigate and assess the impact of POGIL-based instruction versus lecture-based instruction on students’ performance as measured by three types of cognitive outcomes; Knowing, Applying and Reasoning (KAR). Two government high schools in Alain were selected as research sites, one for the boys and one for the girls. The total number of participants was approximately 110 students (N=110); 54 were assigned to treatment groups (25 girls and 29 boys), and 56 were assigned to control groups (27 girls and 29 boys). The treatment group was taught a circular motion unit in physics using POGIL-based instruction, while the control group was taught the unit using lecture-based instruction. The study's findings showed statistically significant differences between students of the control group and the treatment group in favour of the latter regarding their science performance, self-efficacy and science-related attitudes. Moreover, positive correlations were found between participants’ performance at the KAR test, self-efficacy and scientific attitudes towards scientific inquiry after the intervention. In conclusion, it is recommended to shift teaching towards POGIL-based instruction due to its positive impact on students’ performance and self-efficacy. It is also suggested to replicate the study to include government and private schools, elementary and high schools, teachers and advisors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL)-based instruction versus lecture-based instruction on Grade 12 students’ performance in circular motion unit. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design, the impact of POGIL-based instruction versus lecture-based instruction on students’ performance as measured by three types of cognitive outcomes: Knowing, Applying and Reasoning (KAR). The total number of participants was approximately 110 students (N=110); 54 were assigned to treatment groups (25 girls and 29 boys) and 56 were assigned to control groups (27 girls and 29 boys). The treatment group was taught a unit of circular motion in physics using POGIL-based instruction while the control group was taught the unit using lecture-based instruction. The findings of the study showed statistically significant differences between students of the control group and the treatment group in favor of the later regarding their circular motion performance, suggesting the superiority of the POGIL in enhancing student understanding of the circular motion.

This study intends to study a distinct typology of vernacular architecture built by the Manipuri communities of Bangladesh. The Manipuris are one of the ethnic diasporic communities in Bangladesh commonly known for their diverse cultural practice, including their dance form. This research aims to reveal the cultural entity of Manipuri that has been transformed into their living environment and household architecture. Architectural elements adapted by the Manipuris are assessed here as a part of cultural symbols to have a rigorous view of the philosophy of living. This study is a documentation of Manipuri habitat culture through the intervention of their living environment, which will attract any future working on this issue. This research shows that despite a rapid socio-economic change of context, the Manipuri housing practice is deeply connected to their socio-cultural and religious values. As the authors used an observational and ethnographical approach to studying vernacular architecture for this research.

In this article, our main purpose is to establish a new extension of Mittag-Leffler function by using the known extended beta function $\mathbf{B}_{\omega}(a,b;p)$ introduced in [1]. It led to a novel extension of the applicability of Mittag-Leffler function that introduced them as distributions defined for a specific set of functions. We also, investigate some of its important properties, namely recursion relation, Mellin transform and differential formulas.

SIRT6 is a NAD+ dependent enzyme and stress response protein that has sparked the curiosity of a plethora of researchers in different branches of the biomedical sciences. A unique member of the known Sirtuin family, SIRT6 has several different functions in several different molecular pathways related to DNA repair, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, tumorigenesis, neurodegeneration, cardiac hypertrophic responses and so on. Only in recent times however did the potential usefulness of SIRT6 come to light as we learned more about its biochemical activity, regulation, biological roles and structure [1]. Even until very recently, SIRT6 was known more for chromatin signaling but being a nascent topic of study, more information has been ascertained and its potential involvement in major human diseases namely, diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and heart disease has been demonstrated. It is pivotal to explore the mechanistic workings of SIRT6 since future research may hold the key to engendering strategies, involving SIRT6, that may have significant implications for human health and expand upon possible treatment options. In this review, we are primarily concerned with exploring the latest understanding of SIRT6 and how it can alter the course of several life-threatening diseases that cripple today’s society such as processes related to aging, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease and diabetes. In addition, SIRT6 has shown to be involved in liver disease, inflammation and bone related issues but more emphasis is given to the former. Lastly, any recent promising pharmacological investigations and study of potential therapeutic targets are also delineated in this review.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is one of the most frequent maternally inherited mitochondrial disorders.MELAS syndrome is a multi-organ disease that presents with a wide range of symptoms, such as dementia, epilepsy, lactic acidemia, myopathy, hearing loss, stroke-like episodes, diabetes, short stature, and myopathy. MELAS primarily affects tissue with high energy demands such as the brain, muscles, and heart. With 65–76% of affected people presenting at or before the age of 20, childhood is the typical age of onset. Genetic testing, imaging tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and other techniques, tests of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid in addition to muscle biopsy (if necessary) may be used to diagnose MELAS syndrome. Management of MELAS remains largely supportive, focusing on symptom alleviation and metabolic stabilization. The long-term prognosis of MELAS is variable, influenced by factors such as age of onset, severity of symptoms, and presence of comorbidities. While some patients experience a relatively stable course with intermittent exacerbations, others may exhibit progressive neurological deterioration and multiorgan involvement. Early recognition, prompt intervention, and close monitoring are essential for optimizing outcomes and mitigating complications.Presenting here a case report of an occurrence of MELAS in a 31-year old male patient with chief complaints of perspiration, uneasiness and weight loss with increase in appetite and past history of bilateral hearing loss and vision loss in left eye.

Iron (Fe) deficiency specifically is the most common nutritional disorder due to insufficient absorbable Fe. Biofortification is a process of enriching the nutrient content of staple crops and is considered as a sustainable and cost-effective strategy to address micronutrient deficiency problems especially in the less developed countries. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a staple food in many developing countries worldwide and is an excellent source of micronutrients. Biofortification of chickpea is a possible solution to address Fe deficiency problem. Chickpea biofortification experiment was conducted under field conditions to evaluate the effects of different doses of Fe fertilizer (0 kg ha-1,10 kg ha-1 and 30 kg ha-1 of Fe-EDDHA) on Fe content in seeds of 18 chickpea cultivars. The experiment was designed as a factorial combination of 18 chickpea cultivars and 3 different doses in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications at two locations in Saskatchewan in 2015 and 2016. Fe concentration in seeds across 18 different chickpea cultivars increased with Fe fertilization. Fe concentration in X05TH20-2 and CDC Frontier cultivars increased from 57 ppm to 59 ppm and 56 ppm to 58 ppm, respectively, after adding Fe fertilizer in both location in 2015 and 2016.

The significance of arts incorporated with culture inclusion makes the arts a matter of pressing interest. The arts are vital elements of a healthy society that benefits the nations even in difficult social and economic times. Based on the previous studies this research was conducted for the first time in Pakistan to explore the historical background of public art correlated with cultural and religious ethics. Though, Pakistan has a rich cultural history yet the role of modern public art is new and often used unintentionally. Our findings of different surveys conducted in Pakistan including oldest cities such as Lahore, Peshawar and newly developed, the capital city, Islamabad concluded that Public art has a rich cultural and historical background and the local community are enthusiastically connected to it. Different community groups prefer different types of public art in their surroundings depends on the city’s profile, cultural background, and religious mindset of the local community. Overall, the sculptures and depiction of animated beings are not considering right and debatable among the Pakistani societies. On the other hand, the cultural and historical monuments are highly appreciated and welcomed by the local community of Pakistan. This study may create scope for future estimation and development of public art in Pakistan in association with Islamic laws and cultural norms of the local society.

The outbreak of Corona Virus effected negatively on the world’s economy which has already touched the maximum sectors. Readymade garments sector has the large contribution in Bangladesh’s economy. For increasing the locked down period, it is hitting badly by stopping production and cancellation of orders with some issues. This paper will represent the brief scenario and impacts of garments sector in recent days and the economy status of Bangladesh for the pandemic. The study is based on secondary data, collected from different authentic journals and web portals etc. Bangladesh’s garments earnings mostly depended on export but on these days, the buyers are cancelling their orders and the factories are being failed to give payments to the worker, some are being shut down also. As the duration of locked down is increasing, there is a huge chance to get unemployed and Bangladesh can be faced an undisciplined condition in near future. BGMEA and BKMEA are taking necessary steps to support the worker. Ensuring health security, the authorities are trying to reopen the factories limitedly to meet up the immediate needs. The government has taken the situation on most priority and introduce some improvement packages to run the economy smoothly and reduce the losses of the country for the pandemic.

Even though Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is of significant interest to the scientific community, its pathogenesis is very complicated and not well-understood. A great deal of progress has been made in AD research recently and with the advent of these new insights more therapeutic benefits may be identified that could help patients around the world. Much of the research in AD thus far has been very neuron-oriented; however, recent studies suggest that glial cells, i.e., microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (NG2 glia), are linked to the pathogenesis of AD and may offer several potential therapeutic targets against AD. In addition to a number of other functions, glial cells are responsible for maintaining homeostasis (i.e., concentration of ions, neurotransmitters, etc.) within the central nervous system (CNS) and are crucial to the structural integrity of neurons. This review explores the: (i) role of glial cells in AD pathogenesis; (ii) complex functionalities of the components involved; and (iii) potential therapeutic targets that could eventually lead to a better quality of life for AD patients

Water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a significant challenge to crop production, with drought being a prevalent factor limiting grain production globally. Enhancing agricultural water use efficiency is crucial for managing water resources effectively in these areas. Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing, and optimizing the use of water resources. Water use efficiency management is also essential for crop growth in arid regions. Various agronomic and irrigation strategies can improve crop water use efficiency and drought tolerance. The primary goal of these strategies is to maximize irrigation efficiencies by applying the precise amount of water needed to restore soil moisture to the desired level. These sustainable practices not only reduce the cost of water and labor for farmers through reduced irrigation but also optimize the use of soil moisture storage. This review paper explores practical techniques to improve water use efficiency, highlighting the role of nutrients in enhancing water use efficiency in crop plants.

This article explores the transformative role of neural networks in the realm of biology, particularly within microscopy image processing and illustrations. Neural networks have revolutionized cell segmentation and analysis, enabling precise delineation of cell boundaries and tracking of cellular behaviours. They excel in detecting subcellular structures, unravelling intricate organelle interactions. In 3D image reconstruction, neural networks navigate volumetric datasets, enhancing our understanding of spatial cellular architecture. These networks enhance disease diagnosis by identifying anomalies and irregularities, potentially revolutionizing early detection and classification. Moreover, neural networks restore and enhance microscopy images, unveiling hidden details. Lastly, they bridge art and science, fostering captivating biological art and enriching science communication. As neural networks evolve, they promise a future of limitless possibilities, weaving together technology, science, and art to illuminate the microscopic realm in unprecedented ways.

The Pashmina and Barbari are two famous goat breeds found in the wide areas of the Indo-Pak region. Pashmina is famous for its long hair-fiber (Cashmere) production while Barbari is not-selected for this trait. So, the mRNA expression profiling in the skin samples of both breeds would be an attractive and judicious approach for detecting putative genes involved in this valued trait. Here, we performed differential gene expression analysis on publicly available RNA-Seq data from both breeds. Out of 44,617,994 filtered reads of Pashmina and 55,995,999 of Barbari which are 76.48% and 73.69% mapped to the ARS1 reference transcriptome assembly respectively. A pairwise comparison of both breeds resulted in 47,159 normalized expressed transcripts while 8,414 transcripts are differentially expressed above the significant threshold. Among these, 4,788 are upregulated in Pashmina while 3,626 transcripts are upregulated in Barbari. Fifty-nine transcripts harbor 57 genes including 32 LOC genes and 24 are annotated genes which were selected on the basis of TMM counts > 500. Genes with ectopic expressions other than uncharacterized and LOC symbol genes are Keratins (KRT) and Keratin Associated Proteins (KRTAPs), CystatinA&6, TCHH, SPRR4, PPIA, SLC25A4, S100A11, DMKN, LOR, ANXA2, PRR9 and SFN. All of these genes are likely to be involved in keratinocyte differentiation, sulfur matrix proteins, dermal papilla cells, hair follicles proliferation, hair curvature, wool fiber diameter, hair transition, hair shaft differentiation and its keratinization. These differentially expressed reported genes are critically valuable for enhancing the quality and quantity of the pashmina fiber and overall breed improvement. This study will also provide important information on hair follicle differentiation for further enrichment analyses and introducing this valued trait to other goat breeds as well.

This research paper aims to examine the various aspects of cryptocurrencies, from their inception to their current status in the financial market, using a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates mathematical and psychological methods to explore the factors that contribute to the success of celebrity endorsements and the potential risks associated with them. The first section (1.1) of this research paper will provide an overview of cryptocurrencies, exploring their history, functionality, and impact on the global financial market. This will involve examining the technical details behind cryptocurrencies, such as blockchain technology, and the differences between various types of virtual assets. The research will also discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of investing in cryptocurrencies, as well as the regulatory challenges they face. The second section (2.1) of the research paper will focus on the psychological aspect of cryptocurrency investing, analyzing the connection between personality traits and the likelihood of purchasing a cryptocurrency based on a celebrity endorsement. This will involve investigating Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences to understand the qualities that make people more susceptible to investing in a cryptocurrency without prior knowledge (Gardner, 1983). The third section (3.1) of the research paper will delve into the mathematical side of cryptocurrency investing, examining the factors that contribute to the success of celebrity endorsements and the artificial growth of cryptocurrencies. This will involve developing software to calculate the artificial growth of a cryptocurrency over a 24-hour period and analyzing the data to understand the underlying factors driving its value. By taking a multidisciplinary approach, this research will shed light on the complexities of investing in virtual assets and help inform investors of the potential risks and benefits of investing in cryptocurrencies through qualitative and quantitative analyses and through the use of a Multi-Level Latent Class Analysis (LCA).

Neurology is a quickly evolving specialty that requires clinicians to make precise and prompt diagnoses and clinical decisions based on the latest evidence-based medicine practices. In all Neurology subspecialties, Stroke and Epilepsy in particular, clinical decisions affecting patient outcomes depend on neurologists accurately assessing patient disability. Artificial intelligence (AI) can predict the expected neurological impairment from an AIS (Acute Ischemic Stroke), the possibility of ICH (IntraCranial Hemorrhage) expansion, and the clinical outcomes of comatose patients. This review article informs readers of artificial intelligence principles and methods. The article introduces the basic terminology of artificial intelligence before reviewing current and developing AI applications in neurology practice. AI holds promise as a tool to ease a neurologist’s daily workflow and supply unique diagnostic insights by analyzing data simultaneously from several sources, including neurological history and examination, blood and CSF laboratory testing, CNS electrophysiologic evaluations, and CNS imaging studies. AI-based methods are poised to complement the other tools neurologists use to make prompt and precise decisions that lead to favorable patient outcomes.

In recent times, BERT based transformer models have become an inseparable part of the 'tech stack' of text processing models. Similar progress is being observed in the speech domain with a multitude of models observing state-of-the-art results by using audio transformer models to encode speech. This begs the question of what are these audio transformer models learning. Moreover, although the standard methodology is to choose the last layer embedding for any downstream task, but is it the optimal choice? We try to answer these questions for the two recent audio transformer models, Mockingjay and wave2vec2.0. We compare them on a comprehensive set of language delivery and structure features including audio, fluency and pronunciation features. Additionally, we probe the audio models' understanding of textual surface, syntax, and semantic features and compare them to BERT. We do this over exhaustive settings for native, non-native, synthetic, read and spontaneous speech datasets

Background: Flow-through dot-blot assay (FT-DBA) for SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG detection will provide a reliable and affordable immunoassay for the rapid serosurveillance against COVID-19. Method: SARS-CoV-2 antigens were immobilized on nitrocellulose membrane to capture IgG immunoglobulins, which were then detected with AuNP anti-human IgG. A total of 181 samples were characterized with in-house and commercial immunoassay. The positive panel consisted of RT-PCR positive samples from patients with both <14 days and >14 days from the onset of symptoms, while the negative panel contained samples collected either from the pre-pandemic era dengue patients from healthy donors during the pandemic period. Results: In-house ELISA selected a total of 79 true seropositive and 100 seronegative samples. The sensitivity of samples with <14 days using FT-DBA was 94.7% which increased to 100% for samples >14 days. The overall detection sensitivity and specificity were 98.8% and 98%, respectively, whereas the overall PPV and NPV were 97.6% and 99%. Moreover, comparative analysis between ELISA and FT-DBA revealed clinical agreement of Cohen’s Kappa value of 0.944. Conclusion: The assay can confirm past SARS-CoV-2 infection with high accuracy within 2 minutes compared to ELISA. It can help track SARS-CoV-2 disease progression, population screening, and vaccination response.

One of the most commonly known chronic neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), manifests the common type of dementia in 60–80% of cases. From a clinical standpoint, a patent cognitive decline and a severe change in personality, as caused by a loss of neurons, is~usually evident in AD with about 50 million people affected in 2016. The disease progression in patients is distinguished by a gradual plummet in cognitive functions, eliciting symptoms such as memory loss, and eventually requiring full-time medical care. From a histopathological standpoint, the~defining characteristics are intracellular aggregations of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein, known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and depositions of amyloid β-peptides (Aβ) in the brain. The~abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein is attributed to a wide gamut of neurological disorders known as tauopathies. In addition to the hyperphosphorylated tau lesions, neuroinflammatory processes could occur in a sustained manner through astro-glial activation, resulting in the disease progression. Recent findings have suggested a strong interplay between the mechanism of Tau phosphorylation, disruption of microtubules, and synaptic loss and pathology of AD. The mechanisms underlying these interactions along with their respective consequences in Tau pathology are still ill-defined. Thus, in this review: (1) we highlight the interplays existing between Tau pathology and AD; and (2) take a closer look into its role while identifying some promising therapeutic advances including state of the art imaging~techniques.

Systemic amyloidosis is a multisystem illness characterized by fibrillary protein deposition, which causes dysfunction in the afflicted organ systems. Its diagnosis is frequently delayed since the disease's symptoms are unpredictable and non-specific. Its two main variants are light chain (AL) amyloidosis and transthyretin-related ATTR amyloidosis, which has both a sporadic (wildtype, ATTRwt) and hereditary (mutated, ATTRv) subtype. We discuss a case of Amyloidosis emerging in the kidneys and heart as a result of chronic inflammation caused by failure to treat TB, as well as its typical radiological characteristics, clinical presentation, imaging and instrumental evaluations, and therapeutic plan. This case report serves as a good reminder to medical personnel to ensure thorough patient follow-up in order to avoid extremely unusual and late complications resulting from treatment default.

Lyme disease, the leading vector-borne ailment in the U.S., annually affects an estimated 476,000 individuals, predominantly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Despite its increasing incidence, the evaluation of risk within U.S. cities, including natural public lands, remains inadequate. This study focuses on blacklegged tick occurrences and Borrelia burgdorferi infection prevalence in 24 Staten Island parks, aiming to assess Lyme disease exposure risk. Monthly acarological risk index (ARI) calculations from 2019 to 2022 revealed elevated values (0.16-0.53) in specific parks, notably Wolfe’s Pond Park, High Rock Park, Clay Pit Pond Park, Clove Lake Park, and Fair View Park. June (0.36) and November (0.21) consistently exhibited heightened ARIs, aligning with peak tick collection months. Despite stable yearly infection rates at 28.97%, tick densities varied significantly between parks and years. Identifying a high transmission risk in specific parks in Staten Island, a highly urbanized part of New York City, emphasizes the continuous necessity for Lyme disease risk management, even within the greenspaces of large cities.

In Bangladesh, climate change is a major concern because of its geophysical location and climate dependent agriculture. As sessile organisms, crops plants have to face difficulties often in this environmentally vulnerable country. Therefore, this study examines the seasonal trend of two climatic parameters viz. temperature (maximum and minimum) and rainfall over a period of 1983 to 2013. Besides, this study provides insight into the relationship between climatic parameters and crop yield of two major crops viz. rice and wheat during 1997-2013. To assess the relationship of climatic parameters with time and yield using Pearson correlation analysis, time series data used at an aggregate level. SPSS software utilized for this analysis. The cropping seasons such as rice growing seasons Aus (summer rice), Aman (autumn rice) and Boro (winter rice) exhibited a significant increase in maximum and minimum temperature. Rainfall found to have a decreasing trend for all the seasons. This study also revealed that the climatic parameters had significant effects on rice yield, but these results varied among three rice crops. Maximum temperature had positive effects on all rice yields, especially on Aus and Aman. Minimum temperature had a negative effect on Aman rice yield but a positive effect on Aus rice yield. Wheat yield negatively associated with temperature. Rainfall exhibited negative relation with both rice and wheat yield.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ ([Ca2+]M) uptake through Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) is central to many cell functions such as bioenergetics, spatiotemporal organization of Ca2+ signals, and apoptosis. MCU activity is regulated by several intrinsic proteins including MICU1, MICU2, and EMRE. While significant details about the role of MICU1, MICU2, and EMRE in MCU function have emerged recently, a key challenge for the future experiments is to investigate how these regulatory proteins modulate mitochondrial Ca2+ influx through MCU in intact cells under pathophysiological conditions. This is further complicated by the fact that several variables affecting MCU function change dynamically as cell functions. To overcome this void, we develop a data-driven model that closely replicates the behavior of MCU under a wide range of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]C), [Ca2+]M, and mitochondrial membrane potential values in WT, MICU1 knockout (KO), and MICU2 KO cells at the single mitochondrion and whole-cell levels. The model is extended to investigate how MICU1 or MICU2 KO affect mitochondrial function. Moreover, we show how Ca2+ buffering proteins, the separation between mitochondrion and Ca2+-releasing stores, and the duration of Ca2+-releasing channels affect mitochondrial function under different conditions. Finally, we demonstrate an easy extension of the model to single channel function of MCU.

The emerging concept of planetary health needs to be discussed in a more organized and sustainable way within the global public health and healthcare disciplines. Therefore, planetary health should be considered a cardinal component of the global academic framework for healthcare professionals. The availability of related curricula and courses is crucial to equip health professionals in this relatively new discipline of planetary health. In this review article, we aimed to explore published articles and online databases of courses to summarize the available planetary health education opportunities and discussions for health professionals, to identify the gaps in resource allocation and to suggest future recommendations. We observed a visible re-source inequity in global south with the lack of a universal planetary health module for healthcare professionals. Additionally, there is minimal inclusion of allied health disciplines in this learning process. We, therefore, recommend a dedicated network of motivated healthcare professionals and regional hubs with an agenda to ensure a comprehensive, uniform, and inclusive planetary health education curriculum and practice.

Transposable elements (TEs) ubiquitously exist in the human genome, and some have the ability to copy and paste themselves to other locations, resulting in new insertions. Organisms have evolved with mechanisms and machineries to repress such activity. TEs are also co-opted for beneficial functions by the host and are thus maintained in the genome. During the lifetime of humans, aberrant TE activity might cause or contribute towards diseases including neurological conditions such as Alzheimers Disease (AD) and cancer. While inflammatory pathways linked to TEs may be a part of the disease pathology, on the other hand altered TE activity involving inflammatory pathways could be recognised by disease suppression mechanisms. For this reason, TEs could be targeted for therapeutic applications aiming to prevent TE activity or reduce initial inflammatory pathways as well as to activate disease suppression mechanisms. In this review, we describe the contributory and potential preventative roles of TEs in neurological conditions and cancer from a molecular and evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary paradigms both at the unicellular and organismal level aid understanding the role of TEs in disease. These observations could pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting TEs.

As the world endures the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, conditions of 35 million vulnerable individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) worldwide have not received sufficient attention for their special health and medical needs. Many of these individuals are complicated by underlying health conditions, such as cardiovascular and lung diseases and undermined immune systems. During the pandemic, access to the healthcare systems and support groups is greatly diminished. Current research on COVID-19 has not addressed the unique challenges facing individuals with SUDs, including the heightened vulnerability and susceptibility to the disease. In this systematic review, we will discuss the pathogenesis and pathology of COVID-19, and highlight potential risk factors and complications to these individuals. We will also provide insights and considerations for COVID-19 treatment and prevention in patients with SUDs.

The software industry has adopted component-based software development (CBSD) to rapidly build and deploy large and complex software systems with significant savings at minimal engineering effort, cost, and time. However, CBSD encounters issues on security trust, mainly with respect to dependability attributes. A system is considered dependable when it can produce the outputs for which it was designed with no adverse effect on its intended environment. Dependability consists of several attributes that imply availability, confidentiality, integrity, reliability, safety, and maintainability. Dependability attributes must be embedded in a CBSD model to develop dependable component software. Motivated by the importance of these attributes, this paper pursues two objectives: to design a model for developing a dependable system that mitigates the vulnerabilities of software components, and to evaluate the proposed model. The model proposed in this study is labelled as developing dependable component-based software (2DCBS). To develop this model, the CBSD architectural phases and processes must be framed and the six dependability attributes embedded according to the best practice method. The expert opinion approach was applied to evaluate 2DCBS framing. In addition, the 2DCBS model was applied to the development of an information communication technology (ICT) portal through an empirical study method. Vulnerability assessment tools (VATs) were employed to verify the dependability attributes of the developed ICT portal. Results show that the 2DCBS model can be adopted to develop web application systems and to mitigate the vulnerabilities of the developed systems. This study contributes to CBSD and facilitates the specification and evaluation of dependability attributes throughout model development. Furthermore, the reliability of the dependable model can increase confidence in the use of CBSD for industries.

The use of Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM) is widely used in production of sustainable concrete. Blended cements, incorporating SCM such as Pulverized Fly Ash (PFA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) have been widely used to reduce the cement contents and avoid adverse environmental impacts of CO2 produced during cement manufacturing. The analysis of various structural properties of concrete such as compressive strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity is important for its structural application. In this research, flexural strength of 100mmx100mmx500mm beams made from blended cement were tested under three curing conditions i.e. winter, summer and under water and the flexural strength was calculated using EN-12390-5 at the ages of 28 days and 56 days. For modulus of elasticity, concrete cylinders 150mmx300mm were tested as per procedure described in BS 1881-121(1983) at the age of 28 days. The compressive strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity for blended cement incorporating PFA and GGBFS has been increased under summer curing environment. The experimental values of Modulus of Elasticity are compared with the provision of BS 1881.

Crosstalk between the BMP and TGF-β signaling pathways regulates many complex developmental processes from the earliest stages of embryogenesis throughout adult life. In many situations, the two signaling pathways act reciprocally. For example, TGF-β signaling is generally pro-fibrotic whereas BMP signaling is anti-fibrotic and pro-calcific. Sex-specific differences occur in many diseases including cardiovascular pathologies. Differing ratios of fibrosis and calcification in stenotic valves suggests that BMP/TGF-β signaling may vary in men and women. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of the interplay between sex and BMP/TGF-β signaling and pose several unanswered questions.

The placenta is a vital organ of pregnancy, regulating adaptation to pregnancy, gestational-parent/fetal exchange and ultimately fetal development and growth. Not surprisingly, in cases of placental dysfunction - where aspects of placental development or function become compromised - adverse pregnancy outcomes can result. One common placenta-mediated disorder of pregnancy is preeclampsia (PE), a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy with a highly heterogeneous clinical presentation. The wide array of clinical characteristics observed in pregnant individuals and neonates of a PE pregnancy are likely the result of distinct forms of placental pathology underlying the PE diagnosis, explaining why no one common intervention has proven effective in the prevention or treatment of PE. The historical paradigm of placental pathology in PE highlights an important role for utero-placental malperfusion, placental hypoxia and oxidative stress, and a critical role for placental mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. In the current review, the evidence of placental mitochondrial dysfunction in the context of PE will be summarized, highlighting how altered mitochondrial function may be a common feature across distinct PE subtypes. Further, advances in this field of study and therapeutic targeting of mitochondria as a promising intervention for PE will be discussed.

Background: Thyroid nodules are common, affecting nearly 65% of the general population. While they are widespread, it's crucial to recognize that the majority of these nodules are not cancerous and can be effectively managed through careful monitoring. Thyroid ultrasound is commonly used to evaluate thyroid nodules owing to its low cost, wide availability and technical ease of application. In sonography, it's crucial to assess characteristics and vascular flow. Yet, conventional color and power Doppler ultrasound may not always effectively capture small vessels and low velocities due to their limitations. Superior Microvascular Imaging can display the blood flow of small vessels and low-velocity blood flow, which is difficult to visualize with conventional Doppler ultrasound. Meanwhile other thyroid scans, that utilize either [99mTc] pertechnetate or (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose, can categorize nodules as hyperactive ('hot'), exhibiting normal activity ('warm'), or having reduced/no activity ('cold'). Thus, the main goal of screening and tracking thyroid nodules is to improve the management of potentially worrisome thyroid malignancies. Methodology: The study was conducted within the structural framework of a network meta-analysis, with the index tests being - SMI, Radionuclide Scanning and Color Doppler, and the general link between them being the reference gold standard. The data collection involved searching for all pertinent literature using PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library databases. The essential data was extracted following the application of specific inclusion and exclusion criteria.This meta-analysis included 7 RCTs with 1,152 patients for Radionuclide Scanning, 10 RCTs with 1,847 patients for SMI and 8 RCTs with 4,480 patients for Color Doppler. They were analyzed using the QualSyst tool and the risk of bias was evaluated by using QUADAS-2 analysis.The statistical software packages MetaDiSc 1.4, RevMan (Review Manager, version 5.3), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20) and Excel in Stata 14 were used to perform the statistical analyses. Result: According to the findings, the sensitivity for Radionuclide Scanning is calculated as 0.79 (range: 0.76 to 0.81) and specificity as 0.55 (range: 0.50 to 0.60) with a 95% confidence interval. The overall diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for Radionuclide Scanning Is 10.54.Additionally, with a 95% confidence interval, SMI exhibits a sensitivity of 0.82 (with a range of 0.79 to 0.84) and a specificity of 0.86 (with a range of 0.84 to 0.88), while the overall DOR is approximately 25.73. Color Doppler demonstrates a calculated sensitivity of 0.71 (ranging from 0.69 to 0.74) and specificity of 0.81 (ranging from 0.79 to 0.83) with a 95% confidence interval, while its DOR is 13.48.Conclusion: As evidenced by this meta-analysis, blood flow dependent imaging techniques are superior in their abilities to be used as diagnostic tests, especially in conjunction with their use in detecting thyroid nodules. This study offers a starting point for delving deeper into the utilization of Radionuclide Imaging, Superior Microvascular Imaging and Color Doppler in diagnosing thyroid nodules in a clinical setting. Key Words: - Thyroid Nodule, Radionuclide Scanning, Superior Microvascular Imaging, Color Doppler Diagnosis, Sensitivity, Specificity, Diagnostic imaging

Aggregative multicellularity occurs when dispersed cells join together to form a highly cooperative unit, in contrast to clonal multicellular organisms formed by cells that remain in contact after descent from a single cell. Because aggregative groups may include non-relatives, aggregative multicellular organisms should be particularly vulnerable to the rise of cheater cells that take advantage of social goods without paying the costs, reducing cooperation, and even threatening extinction. We review the key mechanisms by which aggregative multicellular organisms control cheaters with a focus on the best studied aggregative organisms, Myxococcus xanthus and Dictyostelium discoideum. These include various passive and active mechanisms to maintain high relatedness within aggregates, to enforce cooperation on aggregate members, and the costs of cheating on other key functions. Ultimately, aggregative multicellular organisms are not that different from clonal organisms descended from a single cell.

Background: Gastrointestinal parasitic infections are one of the global health concerns in developing countries like Bangladesh. Among them, Cryptosporidium spp. plays an essential role in causing diarrhea, malnutrition, and poor cognitive function, especially in children. The study was conducted to identify the frequency of cryptosporidium cases and other parasitic agents. Methods: A Cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 219 hospitalized children with diarrhea. The conventional microscopic technique was applied for parasitic detection. A particular staining procedure was performed to identify oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. And PCR was conducted to determine the SSU rRNA and gp60 gene of Cryptosporidium. Results: Cyst of Giardia, ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (AL), Trichuris trichiura (TT), AL, and TT were identified in 2.3%, 1.4%, 0.5%, and 0.9% samples by wet mount preparation. The distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. was 1.4% and 4.1%, which was detected by the staining method and nested PCR. Factors independently associated with Cryptosporidium infection are unsafe water, lack of regular hand washing, and insufficiency of exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: This is the first report to detect the frequency of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasites and associated factors in Chattogram city of Bangladesh.

Alphaviruses are arboviruses that cause arthritis and encephalitis in humans. Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) is a mosquito transmitted alphavirus that is implicated in severe encephalitis in humans with high mortality. However, limited insights are available into its fundamental biology of EEEV and residue-level details of its interactions with host proteins. In recent years, outbreaks of EEEV have been reported mainly in the United States, raising concerns about public safety. This review article summarizes recent advances in the structural biology of EEEV based mainly on recent single particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) structures. Together with functional analyses of EEEV and related alphaviruses, these structural investigations provide clues to how EEEV interacts with host proteins, which may open avenues for the development of therapeutics.

The paper portrays predictive models for dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in an urban lake using common water quality parameters like Temperature, pH, Conductivity and ORP at a time. Data were sampled using three real-time, industry-standard sensors, OPTOD, CTZN, and PHEHT, and then interpolated using the ArcGIS kriging technique. Correlation studies were analyzed through the ML algorithm, the correlation study signified a highly positive correlation between DO and other water parameters and the model was corroborated by R-score in order to create the linear regression model. In addition, an artificial neural network- a machine learning method using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was developed to build a model to predict the do as well. Then, the performance of the models was validated and also the R² accuracy was checked of the predicted data against the actual data. Thus, the appropriateness of the ANN model for the forecasting of investigated attributes is indicated by the fact that the discrepancy between the forecasted and real ANN model is significantly lesser than that of the regression model. However, the model can be used to reveal DO data from unknown urban lake water.

Hydrothermal /super critical processes are important process to synthesize materials which are otherwise difficult to form under normal conditions. A mathematical model is developed using standard transport equations to calculate the time for heating of hydrothermal reactor and computer simulation of the model was carried out in SOLIDWORKS® to validate it. The materials used to form reactor vessel were stainless steel (outer body) and TEFLON (PFA) (inner vessel). It was shown that composite wall, its geometry, construction & properties greatly affect the time and pattern of heat transfer. The time calculated and pattern generated were found to be in good agreement with experimental values.

This report elucidates a case of papillary carcinoma of the Thyroglossal Duct Cyst in a 19-year-old female. The swelling at presentation was suprahyoid, fixed and non-mobile with deglutition or tongue protrusion. Papillary carcinoma was diagnosed post-op through histopathological examination and a follow-up total thyroidectomy was planned. As the origin of TGDC papillary carcinoma is highly debated, no evidence-based guidelines yet exist as to the best line of treatment, however, Sistrunk’s procedure followed by total/near total thyroidectomy is widely considered the standard management practice in such cases.

Nowadays, people like to travel to alleviate the stress and depression in their busy lives, and if they can do so at a low cost, it will be even more beneficial to them. The usual way for a traveler to book a ticket or to contact a travel agency is to book a ticket. It becomes more expensive for travelers. Due to the lack of vehicle management, travel agencies don’t get their appropriate profit. In this journal, we have provided proficient solutions for vehicle optimization to minimize travel costs. However, when travelers want to travel, they don’t find a proper tour guide, and it is sometimes expensive to arrange a proper tour guide. Moreover, travelers often don’t find a suitable package, and occasionally they do not know the place where they may want to visit. In this paper, we have discussed how we used effective methods to reduce vehicle costs for tour purposes. Further, we have developed a solution where bus seats are optimally occupied, and the package system and tour guide are included in it. We have also added a blog portal to our web-based software to introduce all tourist places and their information. In this journal, the proposed optimal vehicle usage system has been developed using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), the Tailwind Framework, React, and Node.js.

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), used in civilian applications such as emergency medical deliveries, precision agriculture, wireless communication provisioning, etc., face the challenge of limited flight time due to their reliance on the on-board battery. Therefore, developing efficient mechanisms for in-situ power transfer to recharge UAV batteries hold potential in extending their mission time. In this paper, we study the use of far-field wireless power transfer (WPT) technique from specialized, transmitter UAVs (tUAVs) carrying Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antennas for transferring wireless power to receiver UAVs (rUAVs) in a mission. The tUAVs can fly and adjust their distance to the rUAVs to maximize energy transfer. The use of MIMO antennas further boost the energy reception by narrowing the energy beam toward the rUAVs. The complexity of their dynamic operating environment increases with the growing number of tUAVs, and rUAVs with varying levels of energy consumption and residual power. We propose an intelligent trajectory selection algorithm for the tUAVs based on a deep reinforcement learning model called Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) to optimize the energy transfer gain. Simulation results demonstrate that with the use of PPO, the system achieves a tenfold flight time extension compared to no wireless recharging. Further, PPO outperforms the benchmark movement strategies of ’Traveling Salesman Problem’ and ’Low Battery First’ when used by the tUAVs.

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

Throughout the ages and times, the need to use everything that reflects women's beauty and helps them maintain their vision and health, and if the need to use the precious materials has been put in place, it is important that they produce the desired results without attention to the harmful chemicals and heavy metals that they contain. Over time, the toxicity of these heavy metals increases in our environment because of their long-term exposure to these pollutants, whether low or high-level in toxicity, animal-prednmost, environment, including air we breathe, water, food, etc. Cosmetics are one of these sources through which humans are exposed to heavy toxic metals. Heavy metals have been estimated in a number of previous studies, and in our study here, we aim to estimate the amount of cadmium metal and study it in various cosmetics such as Lipstick, Eye shadow, Face whitening cream. Two samples were taken from each of the locomoys and cadmium was estimated using the photometer of atomic absorption, one of the samples being expensive and the other low-cost, and purchased from the wholesale markets of Taiz City. Cadmium has been found prominently in these products and the highest rate found in the lowest cost-effective, Eye shadow, that the use of these cosmetic products exposes users to low- conc. heavy metals, which may pose a danger to their health. They are known to be clustered in their biological systems over time, resulting in an imbalance of body and environment. The results found that the low-priced color samples contained a higher concentration of cadmium than the high-price samples in low-priced samples, cadmium concentration was in order of eye shadow > lipstick = face whitening cream. The similar pattern are shown also for higher price product, which are lipstick > face whitening cream > eye shadow.

This study investigates the pivotal areas where Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in healthcare warrants further exploration, leveraging insights from Boston Specialists, a forefront healthcare provider in AI adoption. Employing a qualitative case study approach, enriched by in-depth interviews and comprehensive literature reviews, we identify three main domains for potential AI expansion: scheduling efficiency, clinical documentation, and AI-driven medical research. Our results underscore the substantial enhancements AI brings to operational workflows and patient care, notably through improved scheduling systems, accuracy in medical documentation, and the facilitation of data-driven research methodologies. These findings suggest a critical need for healthcare institutions to further invest in AI technologies, focusing on these key areas to harness AI's full potential in personalizing care, optimizing efficiency, and advancing medical knowledge. The study concludes with a call for continued investigation into AI's integration within healthcare settings, emphasizing the importance of a supportive organizational infrastructure, ethical considerations, and data security in realizing AI's transformative impact on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

The laser differential equations are used to transform them into identical coupled maps. Valuable results are deduced during analytical and numerical studies on cavity loss. Phase and spatiotemporal synchronized attractors are observed via quasi-chaos under a certain range of controlling parameters, and symmetry breaking of chaotic attractors due to collision with their basin boundaries, and transpire differently from the previous attractors. During the numerical simulation, it is found that the sequence of repeated strange attractors if the coupling strength further increases, which are orthogonal mirror images (the dynamics of the system is the same at different values of controlling parameters). Moreover, it can help us to predict future problems and their solutions based on current issues, if we develop this model in more general.

An in-silico WES approach using the Galaxy platform was adopted in the current study to predict the genetic basis of Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), where three affected patients in a Saudi Arabian family of seven, found associated with X-linked recessive mutations. The current analysis discovered 518,054 variants using FreeBayes variant caller that had 1,461,864 effects on variable sites in the genome revealed by SnpEff software. The causal genetic mutations were filtered and annotated with the ClinVar database using the GEMINI tool. This tool retained 369 pathogenic mutations harboring 130 genes. Among the total, 268 variants positioned on 69 genes are shared with three affected individuals, 61 variants on 23 genes are shared by any two of the affected individuals, and 40 of the variants on 38 genes are present in any one of the affected sample. Two mutations in one of the already POF-associated, POF1B gene were also observed e.g. (i) g.84563135T>A; p.M349L and (ii) g.84563194C>T; p.R329Q in the two affected individuals i.e. IV-I-C & IV-6 in the current data. This gene consists of 17 exons that span the region of >100 kb. The putative function of this gene in regulating the actin cytoskeleton due to homology with myosin tail and maintains a number of oocytes during fetal ovary development. In a nutshell, this Galaxy pipeline facilitates all-in-one to pinpoint not only the known pathogenic gene mutations for this disorder but few other novel genetic variants as well, whose gene-disease association may be validated by further experimental studies.

Mitochondrial Encephalohepatopathy (MEH) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder usually accompanied by microcephaly, white matter changes, cardiac and hepatic failure. Here, we applied the whole-exome sequencing (WES) framework on a trio family data with unaffected non-consanguineous parents and proband (neonate girl) with this inherited disorder. A total of 2,928,402 variants were observed with 2,613,746 SNPs, 112,336 multiple nucleotide polymorphisms (MNPs), 72,610 insertions, 113,207 deletions and 16,503 mixed variants. These variations are responsible for 82,813,631 effects on various genomic regions. Our pipeline uncovered candidate gene mutations from these variants and retained a handful of 5,277 variants harboring 3,598 genes, out of which, 8 genes codes for non-coding RNA while 178 genes are those with high impact severity. Among these 178 variants, 125 are de-novo variants that are not previously reported in the ClinVar database. Consistent to previous studies, the leftover high impact severity genes are involved in encephalopathy, Leigh syndrome, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, global developmental disorder, seizures, spastic paraplegia, premature ovarian failure, mitochondrial myopathy-cerebellar, ataxia-pigmentary, retinopathy syndrome, ocular and retinal degeneration, deafness, intellectual disability, cardiofacioneurodevelopmental syndrome etc. All these clinical features were also observed in the patient studied. The current analysis highlights and expands the genetic architecture of the MEH phenotype. Furthermore, this pipeline on trio family data significantly broadens the concept of its usefulness as a first-tier diagnostic method in the detection of complex multisystem phenotypic disorders.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is one of the worldwide health threats, kidneys may be affected by internal pathologies and environmental factors as well as a number of genes are also involved in the kidney dysfunctioning, so UMOD is one of these genes which has significant effect in regulating urea and creatinine level in blood and decreased excretion of uric acid which causes interstitial damages in kidney and may result CKD. Hence, the present study is envisaged to observe the association of this gene locus (r.1264T>C) with CKD in Pakistani population using ARMS-PCR genotyping, for the purpose, a total of 75 samples were investigated, out of which 45 were found homozygous wild-type, 21 heterozygous and 09 homozygous mutants. PLINK data analysis toolset showed that our sampled population does not obeys Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium by χ² (2, N = 75) = 18.87, p = and Chi-square statistics with p = 1.40×10^-005 showing a significant genotypic association with the subject phenotype with an alternative allele frequency of 0.15 and 0.48 within cases & controls respectively. Furthermore, an odds-ratio of 0.2 predicts that the risk of wild-type allele (A) is 0.8 times higher in patient as compared to controls and mutant allele is 0.2 times preventive in patients. Additionally, a few bioinformatics tools e.g., ProtParam, PsiPred, TMHMM-2.0, Motif Scan, ScanProsite, NetPhos3.1, GPS PAIL2.0, NetOGlyc4.0, PRmePRed, PDB-RCSB and STRING were applied to predict different characteristics of Uromodulin protein including physicochemical properties, secondary/transmembrane structures, protein conserved domains and posttranslational modifications respectively. This pilot scale study provided a comprehensive insight of the association of aforementioned genetic variant with CKD to identify and evaluate the genetic risk factors along with functional effects of the subject variant which may be used as CKD prevention by adopting DNA screening and genetic counselling recommendations.

Recently, spam emails have become a significant problem with the expanding usage of the Internet. It is to some extend obvious to filter emails. A spam filter is a system that detects undesired and malicious emails and blocks them from getting into the users' inboxes. Spam filters check emails for something "suspicious" in terms of text, email address, header, attachments, and language. However, we have used different features such as word2vec, word n-grams, character n-grams, and a combination of variable length n-grams for comparative analysis in our proposed approach. Different machine learning models such as support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), logistic regression (LR), and multinomial naïve bayes (MNB) are applied to train the extracted features. We use different evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, f1-score, and accuracy to evaluate the experimental results. Among them, SVM provides 97.6 \% of accuracy, 98.8\% of precision, and 94.9\% of f1-score using a combination of n-gram features.

This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of nicotinic acid against Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm. The experimental results indicate that S. pneumoniae forms biofilms, particularly at the liquid-air interface, as evidenced by the pellicle assay. Nicotinic acid demonstrated significant inhibition of S. pneumoniae biofilm formation at 6 h and 18 h, with higher concentrations leading to lower biofilm biomass, suggesting a concentration-dependent response. However, minimal biofilm inhibition was observed at 12 h. Treatment with nicotinic acid induced FTIR spectral changes in protein biomolecules of S. pneumoniae biofilm at 6 h and 18 h, evidenced by alterations in spectral peaks at 750 cm-1, 906 cm-1, 1540 cm-1, 1548 cm-1, and 1644 cm-1. Notably, no FTIR spectral changes were detected in 12 h S. pneumoniae biofilm following exposure to nicotinic acid. These findings suggest that nicotinic acid inhibits biofilm formation in a time and concentration-dependent manner, possibly by altering the structure of protein biomolecules within the biofilm.

Majority of published articles have talked about the challenges faced by students in learning online however, little has been talked about what the teachers have gone through especially during these times of the pandemic. This paper discusses the factors university teachers face when teaching online. These factors include accessibility to the internet, level of interaction between teachers and students, costs incurred, availability of training and academic policies kept in place to enhance effectiveness of teaching online. These are further divided into personal, social and economic factors where the teachers’ age, gender, remuneration, availability of resources, location and the economic status of the country is discussed in relation to the effectiveness of online learning. Upon carrying out a literature review on articles written on the effectiveness of online learning with the main focus being teachers, it was noted that the main factors affecting the effectiveness of online learning was the availability of internet connection and training provided to teachers. In Kenya, majority of the rural areas lack access to the internet and devices to learn online which makes it difficult for a teacher to teach effectively given the pandemic constraints. This study sheds light on the need for institutions and governments to take input from their teachers and train them on how to make online learning more effective. It also shows the status of universities in Kenya which had to shift to learning online due to the pandemic. Majority of them took time to adapt to this new change due to the discussed factors. Therefore it is recommended that the Government should train teachers and address the issue of lack of internet and electricity in Kenya.

The occurrence and ability of Salmonella typhimurium to withstand the effects of various antibiotics has been extensively recorded. This highlights the necessity for alternative methods to combat Salmonella infections. The current investigation aimed to ascertain the impact of benzoic acid on the extent of surface coverage and biomass of S. typhimurium biofilm after 48 and 72 hours. The findings indicated that all the different doses of benzoic acid (ranging from 3.125% to 50%) resulted in a decrease in the extent of biofilm surface coverage. Benzoic acid exhibited a substantial inhibitory effect on the biofilm biomass at all concentrations. Higher concentrations of benzoic acid led to a decrease in biofilm biomass, suggesting a concentration-dependent response. This finding implies that benzoic acid is effective in managing Salmonella infections.

Background: Appendicitis is a common cause of emergency department visits and appendectomies in the US, with 250,000 appendectomies performed annually. Current diagnostic methods, such as clinical findings, lead to inaccuracies and missed diagnoses, increasing morbidity and mortality. The only solution is surgery, but current hematological tests are not reliable and may lead to unnecessary surgery if the underlying etiology is self-limiting or requires medical treatment. This study explores the role of MRI as a diagnostic modality that can replace US/CT and supplement traditional clinical diagnostic signs while avoiding ionizing radiation and intravenous contrast medium. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to determine the accuracy of MRI as a diagnostic modality in diagnosing appendicitis, addressing concerns about diagnostic modalities and their adverse effects, and addressing the necessity and success of relevant interventions. Methods: Medical literature was comprehensively searched and reviewed without restrictions to particular study designs, or publication dates using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases for all relevant literature formulated in English. The extraction of necessary data proceeded after specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Meta Analysis was performed for 5206 patients, with 35 RCTs being selected. Analysis was done using the QualSyst tool, wherein two writers independently assessed the caliber of each study as well as the use of the Cochrane tool for bias risk apprehension. The statistical software packages RevMan (Review Manager, version 5.3), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20), and Excel in Stata 14 were used to perform the statistical analyses along with other analytical software. Results: MRI had an overall sensitivity of over 95%, an overall specificity of 94.2% with a PPV of 0.875 in comparison to CT scan in the diagnosis and intervention regarding appendicitis. Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that MRI is a reasonable alternative to CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis in hospitals with appropriate access to this technology for reasons about accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility as well as addressing safety concerns.

The study investigates the evolution of soil pore structure and shear strength deterioration in compacted clayey soil under controlled wetting and drying (wd) cycles, which are expected to become more frequent due to climate change. Thirty soil samples were compacted at optimal moisture content and 90% of maximum dry density. These samples were then subjected to 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 controlled wd cycles from saturation to the wilting point, and volumetric changes were recorded during each cycle. After the wd treatment, the soil samples were scanned using X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) at 50 μm resolution and then sheared under unconsolidated-undrained and consolidated-undrained conditions in a triaxial test. Significant shrinkage and swelling of soil samples were observed during wd cycles, with average volumetric strain fluctuating between +12% at saturation and -5% at the wilting point. X-ray CT visualisation and analysis revealed higher porosity, more prominent pores and increased pore length in soil samples with increasing wd cycles. Both undrained and effective soil shear strength markedly decreased with increasing wd cycles. CT-derived macroporosity and pore length were significant predictors of the soil's undrained and effective shear strength when exposed to wd cycles. The findings emphasise the considerable impact of climate change, specifically wd cycles, on clayey soil, highlighting the need for consideration in the design of earth-based infrastructure.

BMAP-18, derived from the N-terminal region of bovine myeloid antimicrobial peptide BMAP-27, demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity without cytotoxicity. This study aimed to compare the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammatory properties of BMAP-18, rich in aromatic phenylalanine residues, with its aliphatic analogue, BMAP-18-FL. Both aromatic BMAP-18 and aliphatic BMAP-18-FL exhibited equally potent antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA). Mechanistic investigations employing SYTOX green uptake, DNA binding, and FACScan analysis revealed that both peptides acted by inducing membrane permeabilization and subsequent intracellular targeting. Moreover, both BMAP-18 and BMAP-18-FL effectively prevented biofilm formation and eradicated existing biofilms of MRSA and MDRPA. Notably, BMAP-18-FL displayed superior anti-inflammatory activity compared to BMAP-18, significantly reducing the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. This study emphasizes the similarities and differences in the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammatory properties between aromatic BMAP-18 and aliphatic BMAP-18-FL, providing valuable insights for the development of multifunctional antimicrobial peptides against drug-resistant bacteria.

In this study, we introduce the dynamics of a Hepatitis B virus (HBV) model with the class of asymptomatic carriers and conduct a comprehensive analysis to explore its theoretical aspects and examine the crossover effect within the HBV model. To investigate the crossover behavior of the operators, we divide the study interval into two subintervals. In the first interval, the classical derivative is employed to study the qualitative properties of the proposed system, while in the second interval, we utilize the ABC fractional differential operator. Consequently, the study is initiated using the piecewise Atangana-Baleanu derivative framework for the systems. The HBV model is then analyzed to determine the existence, Hyers-Ulam (HU) stability, and disease-free equilibrium point of the model. Moreover, we showcase the application of an Adams-type predictor-corrector (PC) technique for Atangana-Baleanu derivatives and an extended Adams-Bashforth-Moulton (ABM) method for Caputo derivatives through numerical results. Subsequently, we employ computational methods to numerically solve the models and visually present the obtained outcomes using different fractional-order values. This network is designed to provide more precise information for disease modeling, considering that communities often interact with one another, and the rate of disease spread is influenced by this factor.

Rice grassy stunt virus (RGSV) a member of Tenuivirus family, is very potent and destructive which effects rice crop in many countries, particularly China. Non coding RNAs have important functions in development and epigenetic regulation of gene expression in numerous organsisms. There is three type of small non coding RNAs have been found in eukaryotes, which are small interferring RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and piwi interacting RNAs (piRNAs). Small RNAs (sRNAs) origination is from the infecting virus which is known as virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs), has responsibility for RNA silencing in plants. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is mainly dependent on RNA silencing (RNAi). Interestingly, RNA silencing happens in plants during viral infections. RNAi technique showed significant results in Nephotettix cincticeps. RNAi technique demonstrated the gene silencing of planthopper Nilaparvata lugens. The proteins P5, pcf4, Dnj, psn5, and pn6 act as potential movement proteins and serve as silencing suppressors for RGSV. VsiRNAs originate from dsRNA molecules which require Dicer-like (DCL) proteins, RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) proteins, and Argonaute (AGO) proteins. RdRP uses ssRNA for perfect RNA amplification process and can also be used for DCL dependent secondary vsiRNA formation. VSRs interfere with the movement of signals during silencing mechanism. Moreover, intercellular movement of viruses is facilitated by virus-encoded movement protein. RNAi is found in many eukaryotes which are related to transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulation by gene suppression. Transcription is bidirectional in ssDNA viruses which are originated from dsRNA molecules. In this review, we highlighted the biology of Rice grassy stunt virus and its insect vector and its silencing suppressors. This work will be helpful for plant virologists to understand the whole biogenesis mechanism for rice viruses especially RGSV.

Introduction: Biliary Atresia (BA) is a common cause of neonatal cholestatic jaundice which, if recognized and treated early, can be life-saving for the infant. If the liver biopsy suggests the presence of BA, exploratory laparotomy is then carried out to confirm the diagnosis, along with the Kasai procedure to provide drainage to the bile secreted by the liver. The purpose of this study is to get a deep dive into all the various imaging modalities that can diagnose BA more effectively and with absolute certitude, thus helping prevent several children from a grave prognosis.Methodology: For the collection of the data, a search was done by two individuals using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases for all relevant literature. Each qualifying paper was evaluated independently by two reviewers. Each article was analyzed for the number of patients, their age, procedure modality, complexity of ethology, and incidence of the pre-decided complications. The statistical software packages RevMan (Review Manager, version 5.3), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20), Google Sheets, and Excel in Stata 14 were used to perform the statistical analyses. The data was obtained and entered into analytic software.Results: A total of 39 studies with 3,679 subjects were selected for the study, out of which 7 studies showed sensitivity above or equal to 95%, and an astounding 14 studies showed specificity above 95%. The value of True Positive (TP) was 1280, that of True Negative (TN) was 1817, that of False Positive (FP) was 239, and that of False Negative (FN) was 343. With a confidence interval of 95%, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were calculated. The sensitivity of Ultrasonography for Biliary Atresia is 0.79, with a CI of 95% in a range of 0.77 to 0.81. The specificity of Ultrasonography for Biliary Atresia is 0.88, with a CI of 95% in a range of 0.87 to 0.90. Conclusion: Even though several radiological techniques at present help to detect BA, USG of the abdomen proves to be an effective diagnostic and a modest screening test for the detection of BA.

Carrageenan (car-), used in the pharmaceutical as well as food industry, is marine sulfated polysaccharides. The carrageenan blends (CB) of kappa (κ-), iota (ι-), and lambda (λ-) of 50/50 weight by weight are multipurpose and biocompatible hydrophilic polymers. They were subjected to adsorption of copper (Cu2+) ions. The aim of the study was to conduct extensive rheological and mechanical studies rendering them suitable for biological purposes. The rheology was conducted at various temperatures using a frequency curve, frequency sweep, loss modulus, and storage modulus analysis. Models of rheology like Ostwald, Bingham, and Modified Bingham models were utilized. The rheological results demonstrated non-Newtonian/pseudo-plastic behavior at various temperatures. The models of rheology demonstrated good flow properties and rheological performance of these materials. These materials could be exploited for their application in pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. Thus, our study reflects that these CB can be safely exploited in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and food industry. However, further studies should be conducted to evaluate their effectiveness in clinical studies.

An increase in the use of smartphones has laid to the use of the internet and social media platforms. The most commonly used social media platforms are Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. People are sharing their personal experiences, reviews, feedbacks on the web. The information which is available on the web is unstructured and enormous. Hence, there is a huge scope of research on understanding the sentiment of the data available on the web. Sentiment Analysis (SA) can be carried out on the reviews, feedbacks, discussions available on the web. There has been extensive research carried out on SA in the English language, but data on the web also contains different other languages which should be analyzed. This paper aims to analyze, review and discuss the approaches, algorithms, challenges faced by the researchers while carrying out the SA on Indigenous languages.

The aim of this work is to analyze and investigate the shape preserving properties of ternary 4-point non-stationary interpolating subdivision schemes constructed by Beccari et al. [1] with a tension parameter !k+1 which can reproducing exponential. Moreover, the conditions on the initial control points are developed that allow user to generate shape preserving limit curves after a nite number of subdivision steps and generalize these results in limiting case. Signicance of derived conditions are illustrated through graphs and the whole discussion is followed by examples.

ntroduction: Respiratory tract Infections are the greatest cause of death worldwide. Since its outbreak in 2019, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been a challenge to humans in terms of treatment and prevention of this respiratory viral infection. The re-emergence of respiratory viral infections like influenza, pose a serious hazard to global public health because they occur seasonally. Creating broad-spectrum antiviral compounds for rapid action in the case of an outbreak crisis, as well as bioweapon defences, is critical. Human galectin-3 is found in high concentrations in activated T lymphocytes, epithelial and endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. ProLectin -I and ProLectin -M are both galectin antagonists. Blocking viral entry with a complex polysaccharide component "ProLectin-M" has downstream effects on viral reproduction enabling it to be used as a therapeutic tool and a safe alternative to conventional anti-viral medicines. Methods: In total, 3 cell based assays have been conducted to evaluate antiviral efficacy of ProLectin–I and ProLectin-M against SARS-CoV-2 virus, Influenza-A (H1N1), and human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) strain A2. ProLectin-M and ProLectin-I were evaluated for their anti-viral potency using SARS-CoV2 virus strain by viral RNA Extraction and qRT-PCR assays. The plaque assays were carried out to determine the antiviral activity of the test products (ProLectin-I and ProLectin-M) against ‘Influenza-A (H1N1)-A/PR/8/34 (TC adapted)’ and ‘Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) strain A2’ in a cell based in vitro setting. As eference standard, "Oseltamivir Phosphate" and "Remdesivir" were used to determine antiviral activity of test products against H1N1 and hRSV strains respectively.Results: The IC_{50 of} ProLectin-M and ProLectin-I against SARS-CoV-2 virus was found to be 6248 ng/ml (6.2µg/ml) and 4207 ng/ml (4.2μg/ml) respectively. The CC₅₀ value was similar in both the test products i.e. >100 µg/ml. Against Influenza A (H1N1) strain, ProLectin-M exhibited 95 % reduction in the viral load at the test concentration of 21.8 µg/mL with an IC₅₀ value of 5.4 µg/mL whereas, ProLectin-I did not show any cytotoxicity till 250 µg/mL concentration. Against 'human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) strain A2, ProLectin-M exhibited 65 % reduction in the viral load at the test concentration of 43.75 µg/mL with an IC₅₀ value of 27.41 µg/mL whereas, ProLectin- I did not show any cytotoxicity till 250 µg/mL concentration. Conclusion: Both ProLectin-I and ProLectin-M have been reported to exhibit broad-spectrum antiviral activity in ‘in-vitro’ setting. ProLectin-M reducing influenza-A virus by 95% and hRSC strain A2 by 65%. To better understand broad spectrum antiviral activity of ProLectin-I and ProLectin-M, further pre-clinical research is warranted.

According to published descriptions, one of the most incapacitating forms of orofacial pain is trigeminal neuralgia (TN). At its core, trigeminal neuropathic pain (TN) is still a clinical diagnostic that has to be differentiated from other forms of TN and face pain linked to other neuralgias or headache disorders. Imaging can only help with the cause of the pain, whether it’s a vascular origin or not. It is becoming more and more evident that there is no one-size-fits-all medication or surgical procedure that can effectively treat every patient with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). This is probably because TN is a diverse collection of conditions that all present with face discomfort. Medical therapy using anticonvulsants like carbamazepine is still the first-line treatment for TN. If this doesn't work for the patient, surgical treatments are available. Microvascular decompression is often a safe, efficient operation with results that are both rapid and long-lasting. Patients who may benefit from percutaneous techniques such as radiofrequency ablation, glycerol ablation, balloon compression, or a combination, include those who cannot undergo general anesthesia or whose medical conditions prohibit a suboccipital craniectomy. Radiosurgery may be a great option for patients with bleeding diathesis brought on by blood-thinning medications who are not eligible for invasive procedures or who do not want to undergo open surgical procedures, as long as the patient is aware that achieving maximum pain relief may take several months. In conclusion, peripheral neurectomies persist in offering a low-cost and resource-saving substitute for pain management to those residing in areas with restricted financial and healthcare resources. In the end, developing a better understanding of the molecular processes behind trigeminal neuralgia will lead to new, less intrusive, and more effective treatments.

In modern automobiles, Infotainment High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems play a vital role in enhancing the capabilities of drivers and passengers by providing advanced features consisting of music, navigation, communication, entertainment, etc. However, as the use of information technology in vehicles increases, it results in cybersecurity threats such as data breaches and the loss of sensitive information. To improve the security of the infotainment system in automotive vehicles, the research conducted threat modeling at the component level using Microsoft’s STRIDE tool and performed risk assessment by using SAHARA (Safety-Aware Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment) and DREAD methodologies to evaluate associated risks. It provides a systematic representation of threats, associated risks, and generic mitigation strategies to counter cybersecurity attacks. Through the threat modeling process, 34 potential security threats were identified. The study also provided a comparative analysis to calculate the risk values of the threats to prioritize for treatment. These identified threats and associated risks need to be considered to avoid potential cyberattacks, before deploying the infotainment HPC system in real-world automotive vehicles.

The natural and man-made landscape settings in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Northern Pakistan have significantly changed in the last decade due to increasing demands of urbanized populace, migration, two major natural disasters, and climate change. The aim of this study is to analyze land possession, income and land-use diversification of KPK administered Charsadda district. Field data is collected through a sample survey. Furthermore, freely available Landsat 7 satellite images are used to classify land-use classes (e.g. vegetation, built-up) for two different years (e.g. 2005 and 2017) for cross-verification and comparison. The highest 45% of 80% land-owners occupy land-area between 1-10 hectares. Annually, the highest 57.5% of the total farmers / employed in-habitants of surveyed regions earn more than Rs. 100,000 or ~ $ 970 from agriculture activities. About 41.9% land-area covered by agricultural-land is transformed into built-up area since 2007, which is attributed to the increasing demand for buildings and commercial markets. The highest diversification is reported in Naguman area of Charsadda district followed by Rajjar and Niami. Population growth and huge migration of displaced persons from neighboring tribal areas are likely to be few factors which contributed to such a drastic change in land-use pattern since 2007 to 2017. Urgent attention of the policy makers, agricultural experts and society is required to minimize land degradation and to thwart further agricultural-land loss.

3D reconstruction from a single 2D input is a classic problem in the field of computer vision. With the advancements in deep learning, the performance of 3D reconstruction has also significantly improved. The reconstruction task is more difficult for objects with no textures or complex deformations. This paper serves as a review of recent literature on 3D reconstruction from a single view, with a focus on deep learning methods from 2018 to 2021. Due to lack of standard datasets or 3D shape representation methods, it is hard make direct comparisons between all reviewed methods. However, this paper reviews different approaches for reconstructing 3d shape as depth maps, surface normals, point clouds and meshes; along with various loss functions and evaluation metrics used to train and evaluate these methods.

Artery of Percheron Infarct (AOP) is a rare congenital anatomical vascular variant supplying the paramedian thalamus and the rostral midbrain. It arises from either proximal segment of the posterior cerebral artery (P1). The symptoms of an AOP infarction might vary, although they typically manifest as memory loss, altered mental status, and supranuclear vertical gaze palsy. Most of the time, the initial CT scan fails to diagnose the AOP infarct. Most of these diagnoses are made when ischemic stroke patients are not eligible for thrombolytic therapy. We report a case of a 40-year-old female with a history of well-managed hypertension, who presented in the ER with chief complaints of altered behavior, altered gaze palsy, and drowsiness. Initially, the CT scan did not show pathological changes. The diagnosis was made the next hospital day by MRI. Our case presents an unusual presentation and the lack of evidence of AOP infarction on a CT scan does not exclude its diagnosis. An infarcted Percheron artery requires a thorough clinical and radiological examination.

Background. Nanotechnology is promising field for generating new applications. A green synthesis of nanoparticles through biological methods using plant extract have a reliable and ecofriendly approach to improve our global environment. Methods. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using aqueous extract of Anagalis arvensis L and silver nitrate and were physicochemically characterized. Results. The stability of AgNPs toward acidity, alkalinity, salinity and temperature showed that they remained stable at room temperature for more than two months. The SEM and TEM analysis of the AgNPs showed that they have a uniform spherical shape with an average size in the range of 40–78 nm. Further 1-Dibhenyl-2-Picrylhydrazl radical in Anagalis arvensis L.mediated AgNPs showed a maximum activity of 98% at concentration of 200μg/mL. Hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay in Anagalis arvensis L. mediated AgNPs showed a maximum activity of 85% at concentration of 200μg/mL. Reducing power of Anagalis arvensis L.Ag NPs exhibited a higher activity of 330 μg/mL at concentration of 200 μg/mL. These NPs have cytotoxic effects against brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii with a value of 53% LD 178.04μg/mL. Conclusion. The AgNPs synthesized using Anagalis arvensis L. extract demonstrate a broad range of applications.

Water pollution is the main problem in the current scenario which is being faced by mankind due to the industrial and commercial effects. Industrial effluents contain heavy metals and inorganic ions like nitrates and phosphate ions. These ions are being included in waterways through industrial runoff. When the concentration of these hazardous pollutants increases in aquatic flora and fauna causes severe health problems. So remediation of these toxicants from water reserves is of chief importance. Conventional processes along with modern processes are being used for the treatment of industrial wastes. Photo-degradation is a modern method used for the degradation of inorganic ions due to its environmentally friendly nature and cost-effectiveness. In a recent study Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized via a green approach at different pH by using Cymbopogan citratus (lemongrass) plant extract and these nanoparticles were used for the removal of inorganic ions from wastewater. The nanoparticles of different pH showed different % degradation of the inorganic ions in acidic medium removal of inorganic waste was less, in basic media % degradation was more as compared to acidic media but maximum % degradation was observed in neutral media like that average % degradation 91% and 81% was observed for nitrate and phosphate ions. The maximum absorbance occurred at 212nm and Al2O3 nanoparticles showed absorbance from 210nm-217nm. The R2 values of pseudo1st, 2nd, and BMG models were 0.956, 0.837, 0.7007 0.95, 0.896, and 0.756 for the nitrate and phosphate ions. Characterizations of synthesized particles were investigated by using UV-visible spectroscopy and other analytical methods like X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The statistical analyses were done using Simple Linear regression (SLR).

The natural and man-made landscape settings in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Northern Pakistan have significantly changed in the last decade due to increasing demands of urbanized populace, migration, two major natural disasters, and climate change. The aim of this study is to analyze land possession, income and land-use diversification of KPK administered Charsadda district. Field data is collected through a sample survey. Furthermore, freely available Landsat 7 satellite images are used to classify land-use classes (e.g., vegetation, built-up) for two different years (e.g., 2005 and 2017) for cross-verification and comparison. The highest 45% of 80% land-owners occupy land-area between 1–10 hectares. Annually, the highest 57.5% of the total farmers / employed in-habitants of surveyed regions earn more than Rs. 100,000 or ~$970 from agriculture activities. About 41.9% land-area covered by agricultural-land is transformed into built-up area since 2007, which is attributed to the increasing demand for buildings and commercial markets. The highest diversification is reported in Naguman area of Charsadda district followed by Rajjar and Niami. Population growth and huge migration of displaced persons from neighboring tribal areas are likely to be few factors which contributed to such a drastic change in land-use pattern since 2007 to 2017. Urgent attention of the policy makers, agricultural experts and society is required to minimize land degradation and to thwart further agricultural-land loss.

This comparative research paper examines the difference between sugarcane harvesting practices in Thailand and India. The objective of research was to investigate and compare current pattern of sugar harvesting and its impact of these approaches on labor health conditions in the sugarcane industry of both the countries as India and Thailand. Data were collected from target population groups (40 each) from study areas, namely Kanchanaburi and Saraburi provinces in Thailand and Beed District of Maharashtra state from India. The data showed that comparatively in Thailand, adoption of mechanized harvesting was seen more. However in India, mechanized harvesting was seen increasing but still people were largely involved in sugarcane harvesting and it had ill effects on the overall health of female workers specially. The result clearly indicated that there was drastic difference in harvesting system and labor health conditions in Thailand and India. The findings underscore the multifaceted impact of their occupation on various aspects of health including general well-being of female sugarcane cutters. The strenuous nature of sugarcane cutting, coupled with inadequate protective measures and limited access to healthcare has contributed to a range of health care challenges among female sugarcane cutters in India.

Presenting a case report on the occurrence of IgA nephropathy with hepatitis B infection in a 32-year-old male patient with main complaints of generalized weakness, easy fatigue, and bilateral swelling of the lower extremities. IgA nephropathy (IgAN), or Berger’s disease, is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. It is characterized by the formation of IgA1-containing circulating immune complexes and their deposition in the glomerular mesangium. Its etiology remains multifactorial and often idiopathic. IgA nephropathy alone does not have an infectious etiology; instead, it usually develops in conjunction with an infectious condition that triggers a dysregulated immune response. There is no proof that any particular infectious agent is the secondary cause of IgA nephropathy. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an infectious agent associated with renal complications, including IgA nephropathy. Symptoms include gross haematuria and mild proteinuria indicative of renal involvement. Laboratory investigations and serological tests are followed by imaging studies such as ultrasound and renal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. The challenges encountered during the diagnostic process included overlapping symptoms and limitations of available diagnostic tests, highlighting the need for comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and multidisciplinary management approaches in similar cases. This case underscores the importance of recognizing and managing both conditions simultaneously to prevent long-term complications such as end-stage renal disease.

The rationale of this study is to explore underlying sustainability assessment constructs in the context of WCSM implementation as a key focus by manufacturing industries in the journey of achieving world-class status in their manufacturing operations. This study primarily intends to collect primary data from 143 plant managers and supervisors through the structured questionnaires at select manufacturing companies in south India on the basis of area-cum-purposive sampling technique. The survey questionnaire is designed exclusively to reflect the sustainability assessment dimensions in terms of social, economic and environmental issues to examine the impetus of WCSM implementation on the competitive advantage of manufacturing companies. The empirical findings of this study clearly revealed that sustainable manufacturing practices, sustainability programs, creation of sustainable products, safety for employee, community and product, operational efficiency and integration of sustainability goals in day-to-day manufacturing activities were considered to be the key indicators by the manufacturing firms in their never-ending journey towards becoming the world class. Moreover, the WCSM practices & techniques adopted by sample manufacturers have a substantial positive influence on the achievement of competitive advantage in their manufacturing and business operations.

Businesses use technological and social media marketing to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to understand better the factors that impact the spread of new technologies, the effectiveness of social media advertising, and the longevity of businesses. The study used a quantitative strategy based on partial least squares structural equation modeling to learn about the phenomenon of interest as much as possible. Dhaka, Bangladesh, small and medium-sized businesses participated in the survey. According to the findings, the popularity of internet and e-business technologies may be attributed to their apparent usefulness and ease of use. It is connecting internet/e-business technology, social media marketing, and the long-term success of small and medium-sized enterprises. Still, the expense factor was insufficient to prove that SMEs engage in social media advertising. Mediating effects between components may be better understood via internet/e-business technology and social media marketing, as shown by this study. This study is the first of its kind in Bangladesh and sheds light on the resilience of SMEs in the face of the Covivirus-19 pandemic, notwithstanding its focus on the capital city of Dhaka.

The most important plastic resins used for wire coating are Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Nylon, Polysulfone and Low-high density polyethylene (LDPE / HDPE). In this article,the coating process is performed using elastic-viscous fluid as a coating material for wire coating in a pressure type coating die. The elastic-viscous fluid is electrically conducted in the presence of an applied magnetic field. The governing non-linear equations are modeled and then solved analytically by utilizing an Adomian decomposition method (ADM). The convergence of the series solution is established. The results are also verified by Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method (OHAM). The effect of different emerging parameters such as non-Newtonian parameters α and β, magnetic parameter M and the Brinkman number Br on solutions (velocity and temperature profiles) are discussed through several graphs. Additionally, the current result also compares with the published work already available in the literature.

Increasing demand for electricity and modernization of power systems within competitive markets induce power systems to operate close to their stability limits. Therefore, a power system continuous monitoring and control by using voltage stability indices are known exigence. This is the first-ever effort, examined more than 40 voltage stability indices thorough an exhaustive study based in on their formulation, application, performance, and assessment measures. Which is conducted based on a logical and chronological order considering the most recent worldwide applied voltage stability indices. However, the generalizability of such an immense diversity of these indices in term of multivariable objectives subjects to a certain limitation to summate into a deciphered outcome. Despite all these obstacles, this study systematically reviews available indices in the literature within the past three decades to set out an integrated knowledge with an insight up-to-date exposition. That followed with a comparative analysis in term of their similarity, functionality, applicability, formulation, merit, demerit, and overall performances. Also, a broad categorization of voltage stability indices is addressed. This study with an immediate implication in practice as an exhaustive roadmap can be counted a planning and operation reference in the context of voltage stability for students, researchers, scholars, and practitioners.

Introduction: Various studies have widely documented how weight (being overweight, underweight or obese) plays a significant role in increasing health problems and adversely affects the quality of life. Out of all the weight-related issues, obesity is the number one contributing factor for causing health problems. To overcome this factor, a trial was conducted where a drug 'Lite plus’ (Garcinia Cambogia and Green Coffee bean) was given to a select number of people for a period of three months. Materials and Methods: 'Lite Plus' is a drug which contains Garcinia cambogia 500 mg + Green Coffee Bean Extract 400 mg, with a recommended dosage of 2 tablets/day with or before meals for 3 months. Most of the patients included in our study were females suffering from obesity-related problems such as PCOs and Infertility. During the trial, all patients were given the recommended dosage of 'Lite plus', while those with diabetes had the dose amended accordingly. Results: As a result of this trial, it was found that the use of 'Lite Plus' was very effective in decreasing weight/BMI with continuous use. After 6 weeks, out of the 250 respondents participating in the trial, 232 got a reduction in their BMI, and after 12 weeks (end of the trial), 29 respondents (11.6%) reached the desired level of BMI. Conclusion: Garcinia cambogia and Green Coffee bean are effective and safe in weight reduction.

In the present study, the potential of ethylene as ethephon (an ethylene source) was investigated individually or with a combination of the split dosage of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) soil treatments for the removal of damaging effects of salt stress (100 mM NaCl) in mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Plants were grown with 50 mg N plus 50 mg S kg−1 soil at sowing time and an equivalent dosage at 20 days after sowing ([N50 + S50]0d + [N50 + S50]20d). Ethephon at 200 μL L‒1 was applied to combined split dosage of N and S with or without NaCl. Plants subjected to NaCl showed a deceased in growth and photosynthetic characteristics as well as N and S assimilation, though, proline metabolism and antioxidants increased. The application of ethephon to plants grown with split N and S dosages significantly enhanced the photosynthetic efficiency by increasing the assimilation of N and S, improving the content of proline and induction of the antioxidant system with or without NaCl. The regulation of ethylene and/or split form N and S application may be the potential tools for overcoming salt stress effects in this species and in related Brassicaceae.

Whole genome pooled sequence data of 12 Pakistani Teddy goats is analyzed for positive selection signatures as their breed defining characteristics. Selection imprints left in the Teddy genome are unveiled by genomic differentiation after the successful paired-end alignment of 635,357,043 reads with (ARS1) reference genome assembly. Pooled-heterozygosity ( ) and Tajima’s D (TD) are applied for validation and getting better hits of selection signals, while pairwise F_ST statistics is conducted on Teddy vs. Bezoar (wild goat ancestor) for genomic differentiation. Annotation of regions under positive selection reveals 59 genes underlying production and adaptive traits. score ≥ 5 detected six windows having highest scores on Chr. 29, 9, 25, 15 and 14 that harbor HRASLS5, LACE1 and AXIN1 genes which are candidate for embryonic development, lactation and body height. Secondly, TD value of ≤ -2.2 showed 4 windows with very strong hits on Chr.5 & 9 harbor STIM1 and ADM genes related to body mass and weight. Lastly, F_ST analysis generated three strong signals with threshold ≤ 0.42 on Chr.12 & 5 harbor ITGB1 gene associated with milk production & lactation traits. Other significant selection signatures encompass genes associated with wool production, prolificacy, immunity and coat colors. In brief, this study identified the genes under selection in this Pakistani goat breed that will be helpful to refining future breeding policies and converging required productive traits within and across other goat breeds and to explore full genetic potential of this valued livestock species.

An increasing number of studies have proposed that corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance depends on how companies apply their resources and capabilities to implement CSR. A firm’s ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external competencies to respond to environmental changes is its dynamic capability. Implementation of CSR at the strategic level will contribute to a firm’s sustainability. However, the research on strategic CSR is incipient. This study explores possible mechanisms to investigate how dynamic capability influences the performance of strategic CSR in China. By analyzing 134 Chinese listed companies in the period 2017–2019, in this study, we found that firms with a high level of dynamic capability were less likely to adopt strategic CSR practices, and had a low strategic CSR adoption performance. The results confirmed the loss aversion channel, indicating that firms with a high dynamic capability level were loss averse and that managers had a decreasing sensibility in decision-making and allocated fewer company resources in CSR projects. These results can help companies to better understand the dynamic capability and how dynamic capability contributes to the adoption of strategic CSR and performance over time. The policy implications of the study are also discussed.

Fertility preservation technologies have existed for decades, and the field is rapidly advancing; limited data exist regarding the use of these technologies by transgender patients. Many options are available for transgender patients who wish to preserve fertility before transitioning. These options include the cryopreservation of gametes, ovarian tissue, or embryos. Currently, ejaculated, or testicular sperm, immature oocytes, and ovarian tissue can be preserved for later use, but no such use option exists for immature testicular tissue. Many financial, sociological, and legal barriers and a lack of awareness among physicians and patients also hindered the utilization of these fertility preservation services. While options are abundant, usage rates are relatively low. The initial data regarding the successful use of preserved tissues appears promising, with birth rates not dissimilar to non-transgender patients. Further investigations into this area are needed. In addition, counseling regarding fertility preservation options should become a significant part of the provider-patient conversation before transitioning therapies.; fertility; transgender; reproductive technology.

The aim of the study was to examine the biogas and methane yield of maize silage, a wastes in agricultural point of view and compare it to the biogas productivity of commonly used mixture of maize silage and mixed fodder with water. The experimental study was carried out into 2 parts. Firstly, the batch experiment was conducted in Mesophilic conditions (35°C), at five different hydraulic retention times (HRT): 6 DAT, 11 DAT 20 DAT 29 DAT and 41 DAT. The results revealed that maize silage was generated the highest biogas yield of 537 mL /241 mL at the HRT of 6days /41 days. Mixed fodder produced the highest biogas yield of 421 mL at the HRT of 6th days and the lowest one was 252 mL at the HRT of 20th days. Finally, the methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide of biogas produced from maize silage and mixed fodder were analyzed using a gas chromatography. The results shown that biogas from maize silage precedes the gas less than the mixed fodder. In the field level experiment proved that from mixed fodder produced gas which would be enough for 7 member’s family used 3 months for the purpose of their cooking.

Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent genetic disorders worldwide which has been previously found to have an association with several physiological and organ complications. Several studies found both its positive and inverse correlation with glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Therefore, in this meta-analysis, we tried to assess the accurate correlation of thalassemia with GFR. We searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, and from the initial 96 articles we finally could include 15 studies. The quality and publication bias assessment confirmed that all the studies were of high to moderate quality with no publication bias. The main outcome of the mean difference (MD) was -6.45, 95%CI: -18.50, 5.60 (P<0.00001), which indicated a negative correlation of GFR with thalassemia. The sensitivity analyses found one study as a slight outlier and reanalyzing the data excluding that study MD was achieved as -13.90, 95%CI: -24.22, -3.59 (P<0.00001) which even strongly supports our main outcome. Our result determined that the GFR is generally higher in healthy people as compared to thalassemia patients.

Citrus Greening, which is mainly caused by bacteria, is one of the severe citrus diseases affecting all citrus cultivars and causing the deliberate abolition of trees worldwide. This infectious disease cannot be spread by wind, rain, or contact by contaminated personnel. The primary vector that spreads this disease through feeding citrus leaves is the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), a minuscule insect. The management of citrus greening is also very costly as there is no fruitful technique is developed to cure this disease except removing all infected plants from good ones to eliminate the dissemination of the pathogen. Citrus greening identification is also the most difficult job, as the symptoms are similar to other citrus diseases and nutrient deficiency. Asymmetrical blotchy mottling patterns on leaves are the main symptoms to detect this disease. Here we have discussed some visual signs of citrus greening, which will ultimately help root level farmers to identify and prevent this disease before it drastically impacts citrus plants. Whether it is affected by citrus greening or lack of nutrients, we have also discussed the pen test method of determining the symptoms as symmetrical or asymmetrical across the mid-vein.

Currently, with a large number of fatality rates, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a potential threat to human health worldwide. It has been well-known that severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for COVID-19 and World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the contagious disease as a global pandemic. Researchers from different parts of the world amalgamate together inquest of remedies for this deadly virus. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the spike glycoprotein (SGP) of SARS-CoV-2 is the mediator behind the entrance into the host cells. Our group has comprehensibly analyzed the SGP of SARS-CoV-2 through multiple sequence analysis along with the phylogenetic analysis. Further, this research work predicted the most immunogenic epitopes for both B-cell and T-cell. Notably, we focused mainly on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I potential peptides and predicted two epitopes; WTAGAAAYY and GAAAYYVGY, that bind with the MHC class I alleles which are further validated by molecular docking analysis. Furthermore, this study also proposed that the selected epitopes were shown availability in a greater range of the population. Hence, our study comes up with a strong base for the implementation of designing novel vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2, however adequate laboratory works will need to be conducted for the appropriate application.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dementia is the seventh leading reason of death among all illnesses and one of the leading causes of disability among the world’s elderly people. Day by day the number of Alzheimer’s patients is raising. Considering the increasing rate and the dangers, Alzheimer’s disease should be diagnosed carefully. Machine learning is a potential technique for Alzheimer’s diagnosis but general users do not trust machine learning models due to the black-box nature. Even, some of those models do not provide the best performance because of using only neuroimaging data. To solve these issues, this paper proposes a novel explainable Alzheimer’s disease prediction model using a multimodal dataset. This approach performs a data-level fusion using clinical data, Freesurfer MRI segmentation data, and psychological data. For Alzheimer’s disease vs cognitively normal prediction, the random forest classifier provides 100% accuracy. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease and non-Alzheimer’s dementia should be classified properly because their symptoms are similar. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to present a three-class classification on Alzheimer’s disease vs cognitively normal vs non-Alzheimer’s dementia and achieved 99.86% accuracy using an ensemble model. Besides, a novel Alzheimer’s patient management architecture is also proposed in this work..

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is being increasingly associated with dysfunction of cognition. Dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, is being recognized as comorbidities of this metabolic disorder. The progressive hallmarks of this cognitive dysfunction include mild impairment of cognition and cognitive decline. Dementia and mild impairment of cognition appear in older patients primarily. Studies on risk factors, neuropathology, and brain imaging have provided important suggestions for mechanisms that lie behind the development of dementia. It is a significant challenge to understand the disease processes related to diabetes which affect the brain and lead to dementia development. The connection between Diabetes Mellitus and dysfunction of cognition has been observed in many human and animal studies that have noted mechanisms related to Diabetes Mellitus are possibly responsible for aggravating cognitive dysfunction. This article attempts to narrate the possible association between type 2 diabetes and Dementia, reviewing studies that have noted this association in vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and helping to explain the potential mechanisms behind the disease process. The Google search for ‘Diabetes Mellitus and Dementia’ was carried out. Also, the search was done using ‘Diabetes Mellitus,’ ‘Vascular Dementia,’ ‘Alzheimer’s Disease.’ The literature search was done from Google Scholar, Pubmed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE. Keeping in mind the increasing rate of Diabetes Mellitus, it is important to establish the type 2 diabetes effect on the brain and diseases of neurodegeneration. This narrative review aims to build awareness regarding different types of dementia and their relationship with diabetes.

Models of subsurface structures are important for successful deposit exploration but are challenged by the need to integrate data from different geophysical methods. In the present study, we evaluated a method of joint inversion in which audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) and dual frequency induced polarization (DFIP) data sets are inverted simultaneously to produce a consistent 2D resistivity model to show a clear image of subsurface structures. To achieve the objectives, we conducted AMT and DFIP surveys first on the same survey line within the Dongjun lead-zinc deposit in inner Mongolia by developing 31 AMT survey sites with an interstation separation of 40 m on a 1440 m survey track and operated in fifty-three frequencies in the range 1–10,400 Hz to record the resistivity distribution of subsurface to depths exceeding 800 m. The same survey setup up was applied to the DFIP method by utilizing the SQ-3C model with a pole-dipole array configuration and conducted measurements at frequencies of 4 Hz and 4/13 Hz. We first separately inverted AMT and DFIP measurements. The two-dimensional (2D) model obtained from AMT data revealed distinct low resistivity anomalies in the middle of the 2D inversion model. In contrast, the DFIP inversion model showed a high resistive body in the same region. In response to the discrepancies observed in the separate 2D inversion models, we implemented a joint inversion for both the AMT and DFIP datasets. The joint inversion resistivity model shows surficial conducting bodies and a high conductive body along the profile with relatively high Percent Frequency Effect (PEF) indicating high chargeability. The final joint inversion resistivity model clearly images the large silica alteration zone and the Pb-Zn mineralization. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a joint inversion methodology and highlights the value of integrating geophysical methods through joint inversion for enhanced characterization and exploration of lead-zinc ores.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). HTLV-1 carriers have a life-long asymptomatic balance between infected cells and host antiviral immunity, but 5–10% of carriers lose this balance and develop ATL. Coinfection with Strongyloides also promotes ATL development, suggesting that the immunological status of infected individuals is a determinant of viral pathogenicity. As CD4+ T cells play a central role in host immunity, deregulation of their function and differentiation by HTLV-1 promotes the immune evasion of infected T cells. During ATL development, the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations in key host immunity-related genes further disturbs immunological conditions. Various therapeutic approaches have been developed to treat these abnormalities. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is currently the only treatment with the potential to cure ATL; however, the patient's immune state may also contribute to its outcome. Additionally, the activity of the anti-CC chemokine receptor 4 antibody, mogamulizumab, also depends on immune functions, such as antibody-dependent cytotoxicity. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the immunological pathogenesis of HTLV-1 infection in ATL and integrate clinical findings to determine the factors to be considered for developing treatment strategies for ATL.

Crystallization behavior of hexadecane (C₁₆H₃₄), octadecane (C₁₈H₃₈), eicosane (C₂₀H₄₂), and docosane (C₂₂H₄₆) dispersions of similar mean droplet diameter (x_50.2 ≈ 15 µm) was investigated in quiescent systems and compared to crystallization under mechanical stress. In quiescent systems, the required supercooling decreased with increasing chain length of the alkanes to initiate crystallization. Crystallization of alkane dispersions under mechanical stress resulted in similar onset crystallization supercooling, as during quiescent crystallization. Increase of mechanical stress did not affect the onset crystallization supercooling within alkane dispersions.

Abstract: Objective: To assess both individual and interactive effects of prenatal medical conditions depression and Diabetes, and health behaviors including smoking during pregnancy on infant birth defects. Methods: The data for this research study were collected by the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) in 2018. Birth certificate records were used in each participating jurisdiction to select a sample representative of all women who delivered a live-born infant. Complex sampling weights were used to analyze the data with a weighted sample size of 4,536,867. Descriptive statistics were performed to explore frequencies of the independent and dependent variables. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to examine associations among the independent and dependent variables. Results: The results indicate and significant interaction between the variables smoking and Depression and Depression and Diabetes (OR= 3.17; p-value <0.001 and OR= 3.13; p-value <0.001 respectively). Depression during pregnancy was found to be strongly associated with delivering an infant with a birth defect (OR= 1.31, P-value < 0.001). Conclusion: Depression during pregnancy and its interaction with smoking and Diabetes are vital in determining birth defects in infants. The results indicate that birth defects in the United States can be lowering Depression in pregnant women.

The field of program classification, a critical aspect of software engineering, facilitates understanding and categorization of code across various applications, including anomaly detection, and code quality assessment. The advancement of cross-language program classification opens up avenues for efficient code translation among different programming languages, significantly aiding developers in rapid coding and reducing development cycles. Existing research primarily focuses on semantic code analysis, with limited emphasis on cross-linguistic challenges. To address this, we introduce an innovative neural network model, CodeSemanticsNN, which leverages a refined Syntax Structure (SS) approach. This model consists of two integral mechanisms: first, it adopts a novel SS representation that combines sequential and graph-based SS structures, enhancing semantic feature capture. Second, it employs a 'unified vocabulary' strategy to bridge the gap between diverse programming languages, facilitating efficient cross-language classification. Additionally, we have compiled a comprehensive dataset of 20,000 files spanning five programming languages, serving as a benchmark for cross-language classification. Our experiments on this dataset demonstrate that CodeSemanticsNN surpasses existing models in four key metrics: Precision, Recall, F1-score, and Accuracy.

Building electric energy is characterized by a significant increase of its uses (e.g. vehicle charging), a rapidly declining cost of all related data collection and a proliferation of smart grid concepts, including diverse and flexible electricity pricing schemes. Not surprisingly, an increased number of approaches have been proposed for its modeling and forecasting. In this work, we place our emphasis on three forecasting related issues. First, on the forecasting explainability, i.e. the ability to understand and explain to the user what shapes the forecast. To this extent we rely on concepts and approaches that are inherently explainable, such as the evolutionary approach of genetic programming (GP) and its associated symbolic expressions, as well as the so-called SHAP (SHapley Additive eXplanations) values, which is a well established model agnostic approach for explainability, especially in terms of feature importance. Second, we investigate the impact of the training timeframe on the forecasting accuracy; this is driven by the realization that a fast training would allow for faster deployment of forecasting in real life solutions. And third, we explore the concept of counterfactual analysis on actionable features, i.e. features that the user can really act upon and which therefore present an inherent advantage when it comes to decision support. We have found that SHAP values can provide important insights into the model explainability. As for GP models, we have found comparable and in some cases superior accuracy when compared to its neural-network and time-series counterparts but a rather questionable potential to produce crisp and insightful symbolic expressions, allowing a better insight into the model performance. We have also found, and report here on an important potential especially for practical, decision support, solutions of counterfactuals built on actionable features and short training timeframes.

With the rise of powerful computational technologies, healthcare systems are going through a paradigm shift to the era of healthcare 5.0, also known as" smart healthcare". This new-age healthcare system not only enhances the life of patients but also aims to reduce healthcare costs significantly. People's health data collected through various means, including various Internet of Things (IoT) devices, is too sensitive to be regulated by particular organisations owing to increasing privacy and security threats. The sheer size of data makes it difficult for centralised bodies to regulate, due to which third-party involvement is introduced, which again poses threats to the privacy of the data holder. Motivated by the abovementioned gaps, we propose a decentralised approach using Ethereum blockchain technology and Oasis protocol. The patient-driven solution approach effectively solves the privacy problem by providing complete control of data to the owner. Along with this, byproducts such as fine-grained access control and on-chain data processing capabilities are also obtained.

Irrigation water management components evaluation is mandatory for sustainable irrigated agriculture production in the era of water scarcity. In this research spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water components were evaluated at canal command area in Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) using remote sensing based geo-informatics approach. Satellite derived MODIS product-based Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was used for the estimation of the Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa). Satellite derived SEBAL based ETa was calibrated and validated using the ground data-based advection aridity method (AA). Statistical analysis of the SEBAL based ETa and AA shows the mean 87.1 mm and 47.9 mm and, 100 mm and 77 mm, Standard deviation of 27.7 mm and 15.9 mm and, 34.9 mm and 16.1 mm, R of 0.93 and 0.94, NSE of 0.72 and 0.85, PBIASE -12.9 and -4.4, RMSE 34.9 and 5.76 for the Kharif and Rabi season, respectively. Rainfall data was acquired from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). TRMM based rainfall was calibrated with the point observatory data of the Pakistan Metrological Department Stations. Canal water data was collected from the Punjab Irrigation department for the assessment of canal water availability. Water The water balance approach was applied in the unsaturated zone for the quantification of the gross and net Groundwater irrigation. Mmonthly variation of ETa with the minimum average value of 63.3 mm in January and the maximum average value of 110.6 mm in August was found. While, the average annual of four cropping years (2011-12 to 2014-15) ETa was found 899 mm. Average of the sum of Net Canal Water Use (NCWU) and Rainfall during the study period of four years was only 548 mm (36% of ETa) and this resulted the 739.6 mm of groundwater extraction. While the annual based variation in groundwater extraction of 632 mm and 780 mm was found. Seasonal analysis revealed 39% and 61% of groundwater extraction proportion during Rabi and Kharif season, respectively. The variation in four cropping year’s monthly groundwater extraction was found 28.7 mm to 120.3 mm. This variation was high in the 2011-12 to 2012-13 cropping year (0 mm to 148.7 mm), dependent upon the occurrence of rainfall and crop phenology. Net groundwater irrigation, estimated after incorporating the efficiencies was 503 mm year-1 on average for the four cropping years.

The study examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the corporate life cycle (CLC) of the Chinese pharmaceutical listed companies for the duration of 2010 to 2018. The firm cash flow pattern is used as a proxy for the CLC. The study results indicate that the relationship between CSR and CLC is positive and linear in all the phases of the CLC including, the introduction, growth and maturity stage. Although the relationship is smaller and more significant at the maturity phase. The research further shows that investors incorporating social responsibilities values play a key role in the firm cash flow performance (CFP) across all the firm stages. Whilst, employees espousing social responsibility tenets can only improve CFP in the decline or shakeout stages. Likewise, embedding CSR into the customers group only improves CFP at the maturity stage. Applying the lag effects lead to the same study results. The finding for the bi-directional causality indicates that although CSR can positively influence CFP, CFP is ultimately more associated with the firm unobservable characteristics rather than performance attributed to CSR. On the whole, our study results point to positive causality between CSR and CFP across all the firm life stages and the CSR has a mediating effect on each life cycle.

This paper proposed a damping method for enhancing oscillatory stability performance of power systems with high penetration of renewable energy by a resilient wide-area multi-mode controller. The resilient wide-area multi-mode controller is used as an additional controller in a renewable energy system with a battery energy storage to enhance the damping of the critically weak modes. The weak modes are likely to be triggered in the event of line outages or any other disturbances, and the system may become unstable in the absence of proper corrective and preventive control. A firefly algorithm has been employed to design such a controller. Eigenvalue analysis and time-domain simulation are used to analyze the performance of the proposed controller in a realistic representative power system. From the simulation results, it is evident that the oscillatory stability performance of the renewable rich power system can be enhanced with the proposed control to keep the damping on critical modes to the industrial standards. Furthermore, renewable energy penetration can be increased significantly in the realistic representative system by introducing the proposed controller without disturbing the oscillatory stability margin.

This study comprehensively evaluates the DNA/RNA Defend Pro (DRDP) sample collection buffer designed to inactivate and stabilize patient samples. The primary objectives encompassed assessing DRDP's efficacy in ensuring sample stability, facilitating extraction-free polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ensuring compatibility with rapid antigen testing.Ninety-five diagnostic nasopharyngeal swab samples tested for influenza A/B, RSV A/B, and/or SARS-CoV-2 were diluted 1/10 with DRDP and anonymized. Stability testing involved incubating 31 positive samples at 4 °C, 20 °C, and 37 °C for 7 days, with regular extraction-free nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT).Results demonstrated that DRDP guaranteed viral RNA stability at all temperatures for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV showing stability up to 7 days at 4 °C. DRDP-diluted samples exhibited robust compatibility with direct PCR, as 72 out of 88 samples positive for cobas Liat also tested positive for direct PCR. Non-concordant results could be explained by the 200-fold lower input in the extraction-free NAAT.Compared to NAAT, rapid antigen testing demonstrated lower sensitivity, as expected, while maintaining perfect specificity. Clear cutoffs between positive and negative rapid antigen testing results were observed in both cobas Liat and direct PCR analyses, validating DRDP's compatibility with these techniques. In conclusion, DRDP is an effective stabilizing medium compatible with direct PCR and rapid antigen testing and shows great potential for optimizing diagnostic processes, particularly in resource-limited or time-sensitive scenarios.

This study assesses the impact of militarization, industrialization, technological innovation, and energy consumption on CO2 emissions in NATO countries, divided into "traditional" (Group 1) and "new member" states (Group 2), using data from 1985 to 2019. It identifies heterogeneity in effects and dependencies between the groups. Employing Pedroni and Kao panel cointegration tests, a long-term equilibrium relationship among the variables is confirmed. The analysis, using panel ARDL and GMM methods, reveals distinct outcomes for each group. In Group 1, military spending and energy consumption significantly increase CO2 emissions, while industrialization and technological innovation reduce them. Conversely, in Group 2, technological innovation and energy consumption raise emissions, whereas military spending and industrialization decrease them. The findings suggest Group 1 should strategize military expenditure and energy consumption to cut emissions, whereas Group 2 should focus on eco-friendly technology and efficient energy use to achieve environmental sustainability.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an irreversible and progressive inflammation of the pancreas that can involve both pancreatic parenchyma and pancreatic duct. CP results in morphological change in the gland in the form of fibrosis and calcification along with functional impairment in the form of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. Studies on the natural history of CP reveal the irreversibility of the condition and the resultant plethora of complications of which pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most dreaded one. (1,2) In Japanese population-based studies by Otsuki and Fuzino et al, CP was clearly shown to reduce lifespan among males and females by 10.5 years and 16 years, respectively. (3) Most of these patients had occult pancreatic malignancies which were diagnosed late and were detected to be the commonest cause of mortality among these patients with a standardized mortality rate of 7.33. (3) This dismal prognosis is superadded with significant morbidity due to pain and poor quality of life rendering a significant burden on health and health-related infrastructure. These factors have led researchers to conceptualize early CP which theoretically is a reversible stage in the disease spectrum characterized by ongoing pancreatic injury with the presence of clinical symptoms and absence of classical imaging features of CP. Subsequently, the disease is thought to go through a compensated stage, a transitional stage, and culminating into decompensated stage with florid evidence of functional impairment of the gland. (4) In this focused review, we will discuss the definition and concept of early CP, risk factors and natural history of the development of CP, and the role of various modalities of EUS in the timely diagnosis of early CP.