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The urgent need to find mitigating pathways for limiting world CO2 emissions to net zero by 2050 has led to intense research on CO2 sequestration in deep saline reservoirs. This paper reviews key advancements in lab- and simulation-scale research on petrophysical, geochemical, and mineralogical changes during CO2–brine–rock interactions performed in the last 25 years. It delves into CO2 MPD (mineralization, precipitation, and dissolution) and explores alterations in petrophysical properties during core flooding and in static batch reactors. These properties include changes in wettability, CO2 and brine interfacial tension, diffusion, dispersion, CO2 storage capacity, and CO2 leakage in caprock and sedimentary rocks under reservoir conditions. The injection of supercritical CO2 into deep saline aquifers can lead to unforeseen geochemical and mineralogical changes, possibly jeopardizing the CCS (carbon capture and storage) process. There is a general lack of understanding of the reservoir's interaction with the CO2 phase at the pore/grain scale. This research addresses the gap in predicting the long-term changes of the CO2–brine–rock interaction using various geochemical reactive transport simulators. Péclet and Damköhler numbers can contribute to a better understanding of geochemical interactions and reactive transport processes. Additionally, the dielectric constant requires further investigation, particularly for pre- and post-CO2–brine–rock interactions. For comprehensive modeling of CO2 storage over various timescales, the geochemical modeling software called the Geochemist's Workbench was found to outperform others. Wettability alteration is another crucial aspect affecting CO2–brine–rock interactions under varying temperature, pressure, and salinity conditions, which is essential for ensuring long-term CO2 storage security and monitoring. Moreover, dual-energy CT scanning can provide deeper insights into geochemical interactions and their complexities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose, the basic biopolymer of plants, has unique optical characteristics due to its inherent birefringence. In this review, we summarize reported birefringence values for cellulose from the literature and describe its measurement techniques, including ellipsometry, interferometry, spectrophotometry and photothermometry. We also discuss the main dispersion models that have been proposed to explain the wavelength dependence of cellulose birefringence. Furthermore, we outline the diverse applications of cellulose birefringence, with a particular focus on biomedicine. Finally, we discuss the future prospects for cellulose birefringence. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the basic research and practical application of cellulose birefringence and will stimulate new research and innovation in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the impact of job satisfaction and its different dimensions on the quality of health services provided in Al-Thawra General Hospital in Taiz, from the viewpoints of hospital employees with their various occupations, and patients frequented the hospital. The study population consisted of (431) male and female employees, and the number of patients attending the hospital in 2021, A stratified random sample of (310) individuals was selected, (130) individuals were employees in Al_Thawra General Hospital in Taiz in various jobs, and (180) individuals were patients who frequented the hospital. Two questionnaires were distributed, the first one was on job satisfaction directed to hospitals' employees in their various jobs, and the second one was on the quality of health services directed to patients who frequented the Al_Thawra. After verifying the validity and reliability of the two questionnaires, the analytical descriptive approach was used. To achieve the objectives of the study and to test the hypotheses, the (IBM SPSS V.24) program was used, as well as from the modern programs (IBM Amos V.24). The study concluded that there is an impact of job satisfaction in all its dimensions on the quality of health services provided to patients from the perspectives of the hospitals' employees in their various jobs and patients who frequented the hospital. It was also found that the level of employees' evaluation of job satisfaction was medium, and similarly, the level of patients' evaluation of the quality of health services was also medium. In the light of this result, the study recommended the following, improving the living situations of workers, developing an incentives and rewards system, implementing training courses, sending the workers to study abroad, distributing internal grants fairly, reinforcing their awareness about the concept, objectives, and dimensions of the quality of health services, consolidate the strengths of the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Skin lesions in cattle associated with feeding by Haematobia fly species are a significant health issue in northern Australian cattle. These lesions have most commonly been attributed to the effects of Stephanofilaria nematodes vectored by the Haematobia spp. flies. However, the exact etiology of these lesions and reasons for the variation between the cattle in the severity of lesions was unclear. This study investigated the cutaneous responses to fly and nematode antigens in lesion-resistant and susceptible cattle, which indicated that differences in the hypersensitivity response to buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) antigens is a key factor underlying the variation amongst the cattle in susceptibility-to-lesion development. There was no association found between the intensity of fly infestation and lesion susceptibility. The findings from this study suggest that further characterization of the skin response could lead to the identification of the biomarkers for selecting cattle with an increased resistance to buffalo fly lesion development. This study investigated the role of cattle immune responses in the pathogenesis of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) (BF) lesions. Brangus steers phenotyped for lesion development were divided into three groups: high lesion susceptibility (HL), low lesion susceptibility (LL) and no lesions (NL), based on lesion severity scores. Each steer was injected intradermally with different concentrations of BF, Onchocerca gibsoni (Og), and Musca domestica (Md) antigens. At 1 h post-injection, wheal areas at BF injection sites were found to be significantly larger in HL than NL cattle, but there were no significant differences (p < 0.05) found between either the HL or NL cattle and LL cattle. At 24, 48, and 72 h post-injection, the skinfold thickness response to both BF and Md antigens was significantly greater in the HL group than the NL group. However, skin thickness was significantly greater for the BF antigens than the Md antigens (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences found between the LL and NL animals in response to the BF antigens at any time, and no significant differences were determined between any of the lesion groups in response to the Og antigens. Histological examination of skin sections taken from the BF antigen injection sites in HL cattle at 72 h post-injection revealed necrosis of the epidermis and superficial dermis, along with severe eosinophilic inflammation. This study suggests that differences in the hypersensitivity to BF antigens underlie differences amongst the cattle in their susceptibility to the development of BF lesions, and breeding for immune-related biomarkers may assist in selecting more BF lesion-resistant cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a finite-time active fault-tolerant control scheme is designed for a flexible spacecraft's attitude control experiencing inertial parametric variations, external disturbances, multiple actuator faults, and estimation errors while suppressing the flexible appendages' vibrations without using smart vibration suppression actuators. First, relative attitude dynamics of a flexible spacecraft with multiple actuator faults are outlined, and a sliding mode observer is designed to estimate flexible appendages-related vibrations. The proposed fault detection and identification (FDI) strategy can efficiently detect actuator faults, avoiding the false alarms caused by uncertainties and disturbances, and accurately estimate the cumulative fault effects on the spacecraft via Chebyshev neural network (CNN) based estimator. Based on a novel fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode surface, a finite-time, unwinding-free, and adaptive fault-tolerant attitude controller is designed to acclimatize the detected faults and uncertainties effectively, also heeding the errors in the estimation of flexible modes and faults. The spacecraft can carry out the coveted control objective in a definable time, and the stability of the proposed controller is corroborated via Lyapunov techniques. Finally, a comparative simulation analysis with the existing results elucidated the proposed scheme's efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment "Effect of Moringa leaf extract and its solution application forms on growth and yield of okra" was carried out at Agriculture Research Institute North Mingora, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan in the year 2019. Current study was consisted of two factors and was carried out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Factor 'A' was solution application forms i.e. fresh Moringa leaf extract solution and dry Moringa leaf powder solution, while Factor B was Moringa leaf extract levels (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8%). Different forms of Moringa leaf extract solution and levels positively affected growth and yield of okra. The maximum plant height (226.1cm), flowers plant-1 (34.5), number of fruit pickings (28.3), pod length (9.5 cm), pod diameter (14.6 mm), individual pod weight (11.3 g), pods plant-1 (34.5), yield ha-1 (14.6 tons) were noted with dry Moringa powder extract solution. Among different levels of Moringa leaf extract solution, the maximum flowers plant-1 (36.3), pods plant-1 (36.3), pod length (11.0 cm), pod diameter (15.8 mm), individual pod weight (12.0 g) and yield ha-1 (16.4 tons) were recorded with 6% of Moringa leaf extract solution, while increased plant height (242.0 cm), number of pods pickings (29.8), and days to first pod picking (50.0) were recorded with 8% of Moringa leaf extract solution. It is recommended that dry Moringa leaf powder solution at 6% may be used to improve the growth and yield of okra crop under Swat climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For toxicity research, a total of 100 fertilized nonincubated eggs were used for this study. There were two trials in this experiment which were further divided into 2 phases based on a different days of sewage water treatment and observation days. In each trial, 50 eggs were used and divided into 5 groups. Group A, B, and C were treated with three different concentrations of pure and diluted sewage water (100%, 70%, and 30%), respectively. Control group D was given 0.3 ml saline solution (0.9% NaCl) and group E was uninjected. Different parameters such as the embryo's body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter were determined. In trial 1, eggs were treated with sewage water on 7th day of incubation and opened on 8th day (phase I) and 9th day (phase II). When the trial 1 (phase I) findings were compared to the control groups, it was observed that body weight, body length, forelimb length, and hindlimb length were highly statistically significant differences (p < 0.01), but the head diameter was not significant (p > 0.05). Phase II result showed embryo's head diameter was a highly statistically significant difference (p < 0.01), whereas forelimb length was significant (p < 0.05), and body weight, body length, and hindlimb length were nonsignificant (p > 0.05). In trial 2, eggs were treated with sewage water on 14th day of incubation and opened on 15th day (phase I) and 16th day (phase II). Results of 15th day showed a highly statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference in hindlimb length, while body weight, body length, forelimb length, and head diameter were nonsignificant (p > 0.05). Phase II of trial 2 showed that on 16th day, body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter showed a nonsignificant (p > 0.05) difference between experimental and control groups. Embryos were observed to be deforming on the 9th day (after 48 hours of exposure to sewage water). Other phases showed no signs of deformation. Except on 8th day of incubation, dose-related mortalities were present in experimental groups, while the control group showed no mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For toxicity research, a total of 100 fertilized nonincubated eggs were used for this study. There were two trials in this experiment which were further divided into 2 phases based on a different days of sewage water treatment and observation days. In each trial, 50 eggs were used and divided into 5 groups. Group A, B, and C were treated with three different concentrations of pure and diluted sewage water (100%, 70%, and 30%), respectively. Control group D was given 0.3 ml saline solution (0.9% NaCl) and group E was uninjected. Different parameters such as the embryo's body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter were determined. In trial 1, eggs were treated with sewage water on 7th day of incubation and opened on 8th day (phase I) and 9th day (phase II). When the trial 1 (phase I) findings were compared to the control groups, it was observed that body weight, body length, forelimb length, and hindlimb length were highly statistically significant differences (p < 0.01), but the head diameter was not significant (p > 0.05). Phase II result showed embryo's head diameter was a highly statistically significant difference (p < 0.01), whereas forelimb length was significant (p < 0.05), and body weight, body length, and hindlimb length were nonsignificant (p > 0.05). In trial 2, eggs were treated with sewage water on 14th day of incubation and opened on 15th day (phase I) and 16th day (phase II). Results of 15th day showed a highly statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference in hindlimb length, while body weight, body length, forelimb length, and head diameter were nonsignificant (p > 0.05). Phase II of trial 2 showed that on 16th day, body weight, body length, forelimb length, hindlimb length, and head diameter showed a nonsignificant (p > 0.05) difference between experimental and control groups. Embryos were observed to be deforming on the 9th day (after 48 hours of exposure to sewage water). Other phases showed no signs of deformation. Except on 8th day of incubation, dose-related mortalities were present in experimental groups, while the control group showed no mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sinkhole attacks for Internet of Things (IoT) situations can overcome the network and interrupt communication. Sinkhole attacker nodes can advertise the best possible shortest path towards the destination, and once the normal node starts transferring the packets by the given path, the attacker node starts troublemaking the flow of the network. In this environment, the destination is unable to receive proper information or may not receive complete information. Sinkhole attacked network keeps the problems like the enhanced end‐to‐end delay, less throughput, and reduced packet delivery. Furthermore, it can affect other network constraints. So, it has become important to design an effective model to prevent the IoT environment from sinkhole attacks. In this article, an intrusion detection model is proposed to protect the IoT environment from sinkhole attacks. A model proposed by using rich resourced edge nodes to detect various kinds of sinkhole attacker nodes by exchanging messages. A well‐known NS2 simulator is used for the practical implementation of the model. The proposed model attains more than 95% detection rate with a near about 1.4% false‐positive rate, which seems better than previously given schemes. Finally, the proposed scheme is the appropriate match for a sensitive platform like a monitoring and security system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the bacterial colonies involved in the recurrent deterioration of symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODOLOGY: This is an observational cross-sectional study. This study was carried out at the outpatient department (OPD) and from inpatients who were admitted as an inpatient in Medical & Pulmonology wards due to severity of illness in Lyari General Hospital from March to September in 2018. Ethical approval was taken from SMBB Medical College Karachi. 120 diagnosed COPD patients with regular follow-up in OPD with written consent, and aged between 40 to 65 years from both sexes were included by non-probability consecutive sampling technique, and Subjects with age less than 40 years, Known case of allergy, asthma, on prophylactic antibiotic therapy were excluded. All information was collected on the preformed proforma. Sputum samples were collected to Dow laboratory for culture and DNA extraction. All samples were analyzed microscopically and via Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 22.0. RESULTS: 60 stable state samples and 60 aggravated condition samples were collected from subjects on treatment for COPD. Stable state samples were negative for Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Streptococcus, and Haemophilus DNA, however, samples showed the presence of Moraxella (n=15), Nocardia (n=3), Lactobacilli (n=5), and Legionella (n=1) DNA. In aggravated state samples Haemophilus influenza (n =11), staphylococcus aureus (n=8), staphylococcus pneumonia (n=9), E.coli (n=8), lactobacillus (n=7), Bifidobacteria (n=7), Nocardia (n=10). CONCLUSION: There is a highly unique relationship between atypical bacteria and recurrence of the severity of symptomatology in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the successful methods in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is the chemical EOR. The surfactant-based chemical techniques are highly recommended. However, some drawbacks remained unsolved such as surfactant selection and application in the reservoirs. Surfactants are particularly applied in sandstone reservoirs, so paving the path to expand the implementation to limestone reservoirs is required. Recently, alkaline surfactant polymer (ASP) was suggested for limestone reservoirs in Malaysia. However, limited studies discussed the effect of surfactant screening on the process. Thus, this study investigates the influence of sulfosuccinate and extended sulfated sodium surfactants in improving ASP performance. The evaluation considered the interfacial tension, wettability and recovery factor. The approach used was two-stage experiments of surfactant analysis and ASP core flooding. The first step used the drop Kruss spinning drop tensiometer, and data physics equipment drop shape analyzer to analyze the IFT and the contact angle. The second stage included the limestone sandpack preparation and characterization, followed by ASP flooding. The results showed that single surfactant has low IFT between 0.005 and 0.05 mN/m, while significantly, the synergy of surfactant mixtures has ultra-low IFT of 0.0006–0.001 mN/m. The contact angle results showed a drastic alteration of 65–81% reduction. The cationic surfactants achieved complete water-wet on limestone. The sandpack preparation confirmed acceptable uniformity by the histogram identification. The oil recovery proved additional recovery between 22 and 40%. The results of this research are a step forward to attain the technical feasibility of ASP in limestone reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional harmonic compensation techniques have several drawbacks, such as: 1) additional hardware needs; 2) complex control structure; 3) difficulties in parameter tuning; 4) issues in applicability with the reference frame of the fundamental current controller. In addition, most of them are not good enough in terms of compensating harmonics under the light load condition, which can be mainly attributed to the inaccurate detection of harmonics. In order to cope with the abovementioned problems, a novel digital lock-in amplifier (DLA)-based harmonic compensation method is proposed in this article. Since the proposed method can detect harmonics very accurately without additional hardware, it is simple, robust, and easy to implement. The detected amplitude and phase information of a certain harmonic are used to reconstruct the harmonic and it is used to compensate that harmonic through a negative feedback loop. The theoretical background of the DLA, mathematical analysis, simulation, and experimental results are presented to corroborate the validity and feasibility of the proposed harmonic compensation method. A 5-kW single-phase grid connected inverter is built to verify the performance of the proposed harmonic compensation method by a comparison with those of conventional harmonic compensation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 7% of the world's population live with a hemoglobin variant. Hemoglobins S, C, and E are the most common and significant hemoglobin variants worldwide. Sickle cell disease, caused by hemoglobin S, is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and in tribal populations of Central India. Hemoglobin C is common in West Africa, and hemoglobin E is common in Southeast Asia. Screening for significant hemoglobin disorders is not currently feasible in many low-income countries with the high disease burden. Lack of early diagnosis leads to preventable high morbidity and mortality in children born with hemoglobin variants in low-resource settings. Here, we describe HemeChip, the first miniaturized, paper-based, microchip electrophoresis platform for identifying the most common hemoglobin variants easily and affordably at the point-of-care in low-resource settings. HemeChip test works with a drop of blood. HemeChip system guides the user step-by-step through the test procedure with animated on-screen instructions. Hemoglobin identification and quantification is automatically performed, and hemoglobin types and percentages are displayed in an easily understandable, objective way. We show the feasibility and high accuracy of HemeChip via testing 768 subjects by clinical sites in the United States, Central India, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Validation studies include hemoglobin E testing in Bangkok, Thailand, and hemoglobin S testing in Chhattisgarh, India, and in Kano, Nigeria, where the sickle cell disease burden is the highest in the world. Tests were performed by local users, including healthcare workers and clinical laboratory personnel. Study design, methods, and results are presented according to the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD). HemeChip correctly identified all subjects with hemoglobin S, C, and E variants with 100% sensitivity, and displayed an overall diagnostic accuracy of 98.4% in comparison to reference standard methods. HemeChip is a versatile, mass-producible microchip electrophoresis platform that addresses a major unmet need of decentralized hemoglobin analysis in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was designed to investigate pathological effects of fowl adenovirus in broilers exposed to aflatoxin B 1 . Fowl Adenovirus-4 (FAdV-4) infection is remerging in all types of poultry birds in Pakistan. Poultry feed contamination with mycotoxin (aflatoxin) is another important global issue. A total of 125-day old broiler birds were divided into six equal groups. Group A served as control. B and C groups were administered with aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) 100 and 200 μg/kg feed. Group D was infected with FAdV-4, while groups E and F administered with both AFB 1 (100 & 200 μg/kg) along with FAdV-4. These birds were monitored for clinical signs and mortality. Feed intake, body weight (BW), relative organ weights and gross & histopathological lesions were recorded. The highest mortality was observed in group F (FAdV-4 + AFB 1 200 μg/kg feed) and the lowest mortality was observed in group B (AFB 1 100 μg/kg feed). Body weights of all the groups were significantly ( p  < 0.05) lower as compared with control group. Relative weight of liver and kidneys in groups E and F were significantly higher as compared with control. Grossly, liver was swollen, anemic with round margins in groups D, E and F. Kidneys were also swollen with whitish areas indicating dead tissue. Microscopically intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in group D-F. The hepatic parenchyma was also indicating necrotic changes along with vacuolar degeneration. In renal parenchyma, acute tubular necrosis was observed in groups C, E and F. It was concluded that AFB 1 intoxication lead to dose dependent changes in liver and kidneys. Severity of the changes was increased in interactive groups of AFB 1 with FAdV-4. Therefore, feed should be regularly monitored for AFB 1 levels and day old chicks for vertically transmitted FAdV-4 to prevent losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins contamination of poultry feeds is a global issue faced by the poultry industry due to increase demand and provision of poor quality cereal grains. The current experimental study was designed to investigate concurrent administration of aflatoxins and fowl adenovirus in commercial broilers. Fowl adenovirus-4 is reemerging in Pakistan including its horizontal and vertical transmission. A total of 120 one day old birds were divided into six equal groups (A-F). Groups A was kept as control, B and C were fed AFB1 100 and 200 ppb respectively, whereas group D, E and F were administered FAdV-4, AFB1 100 +FAdV-4, AFB1 200 + FAdV-4, respectively. Hemoglobin concentration, erythrocytic count and leukocytic count of all the groups significantly decreased as compared to control group. Hematocrit (%) of group C, E and F was significantly lower as compared to group A. Serum concentration of creatinine, urea, ALT, AST and GGT significantly increased in all groups as compared to control group in a dose dependent manner. It might be concluded that AFB1 intoxication in FAdV-4 infected birds potentiated the hepatic and renal damage as indicated by increased values of urinary and hepatic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to perform an investigation of continuously dispensed material (or filament) deformation during dispensing. Depending on the material properties, and the process parameters the deformation behavior of the filament changes, so as the formation of the filament front (the front face of the filament, i.e., dispensing material). The focus of this investigation is the study of the evolution of the filament shape for Newtonian fluid experimentally and computationally. The experimental analysis has been performed with commercially available monomers with the help of a screw driven micro dispensing system installed on a high precision xy: translation stage. The imaging system consists of a high resolution CMOS camera. The developed computational model utilizes an adaptive quadtree spatial discretization with piecewise-linear geometrical volume-of-fluid (VOF) method for calculating the volume fraction for this multiphase problem. The model employs the continuum-surface-force model for formulating the surface tension, whereas the height function (HF) to estimate the curvature for tracking the evolution of the filament shape during the deformation. The computational model has been developed using an open source solver, Gerris Flow Solver. The considered governing and process parameters for this investigation are Fronde number (Fr), Reynolds number (Re), gap ratio (GR), and velocity ratio (VR). The VR is the ratio of travel velocity to dispensing velocity. The GR is the ratio of filament height to filament diameter. Results have been presented as the interface contour for the filament from. The investigation shows that the results found from the developed model have a good agreement with experimental results, and the deformation phenomena is greatly influenced by the variation of the governing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most energy worldwide is supplied through conventional energy sources, such as thermal, hydro, and nuclear. There have been serious energy crises in the last couple of years and so it is essential to consider renewable energy sources. This paper proposes a cost-effective solution for integrating a wind{solar system with an existing diesel power plant of a grid-connected site at Taxila, Pakistan. In the case of nonavailability of power from the grid, this diesel power plant acts as a standby system. Three cases were considered in this paper: 1) using the diesel power plant during load-shedding hours; 2) assisting the system using renewables when it is connected to the grid (on-grid); 3) completely relying on hybrid energy system to meet the daily load demand if excess energy is available (off-grid). The system was implemented in the software package Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Different environmental factors were examined, including wind speeds, solar insolation, and their maximum and minimum differences from the average parameters. In the end, the most optimal solution for each case was proposed to meet the desired load demand while making the system operation economical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic platforms offer revolutionary and practical solutions to challenging problems in biology and medicine. Even though traditional micro/nanofabrication technologies expedited the emergence of the microfluidics field, recent advances in advanced additive manufacturing hold significant potential for single-step, stand-alone microfluidic device fabrication. One such technology, which holds a significant promise for next generation microsystem fabrication is three-dimensional (3D) printing. Presently, building 3D printed stand-alone microfluidic devices with fully embedded microchannels for applications in biology and medicine has the following challenges: (i) limitations in achievable design complexity, (ii) need for a wider variety of transparent materials, (iii) limited z-resolution, (iv) absence of extremely smooth surface finish, and (v) limitations in precision fabrication of hollow and void sections with extremely high surface area to volume ratio. We developed a new way to fabricate stand-alone microfluidic devices with integrated manifolds and embedded microchannels by utilizing a 3D printing and laser micromachined lamination based hybrid manufacturing approach. In this new fabrication method, we exploit the minimized fabrication steps enabled by 3D printing, and reduced assembly complexities facilitated by laser micromachined lamination method. The new hybrid fabrication method enables key features for advanced microfluidic system architecture: (i) increased design complexity in 3D, (ii) improved control over microflow behavior in all three directions and in multiple layers, (iii) transverse multilayer flow and precisely integrated flow distribution, and (iv) enhanced transparency for high resolution imaging and analysis. Hybrid manufacturing approaches hold great potential in advancing microfluidic device fabrication in terms of standardization, fast production, and user-independent manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) numerical investigations of droplet impacts on a solid surface and the consequent deformation have been performed. The application lies in the direct-print technology where droplets are used to create lines and instantly cured to maintain line dimension. The investigation focuses on the evolution of droplet shape at the initial stage after the impact for Newtonian fluids. More specifically, the investigation emphasized the time for an impacted droplet to start increasing its diameter after the initial compression due to impact. A computational model has been developed by utilizing an adaptive quadtree spatial discretization with piecewise-linear geometrical volume-of-fluid (VOF) for this multiphase problem. The continuum-surface-force method and the height-function (HF) were employed for estimating the surface tension and the interface curvature, respectively. The Gerris Flow Solver, an open-source finite-volume package, was used for developing the computational model. The investigation was performed for the governing parameters of the Froude number (Fr), Reynolds number (Re), andWeber number (We). The results are presented as the interface contour, spreading factor (ξ ), and deformation ratio (Rδ ). The investigation shows that the results from the developed model have excellent agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Numerical study has been performed in this study to investigate the turbulent convection heat transfer on a rectangular plate mounted over a flat surface. Thermal and fluid dynamic performances of extended surfaces having various types of lateral perforations with square, circular, triangular and hexagonal cross sections are investigated. RANS (Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes) based modified k–ω turbulence model is used to calculate the fluid flow and heat transfer parameters. Numerical results are compared with the results of previously published experimental data and obtained results are in reasonable agreement. Flow and heat transfer parameters are presented for Reynolds numbers from 2000 to 5000 based on the fin thickness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aims to investigate blockchain technology for agricultural supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. Benefits and solutions are identified for the smooth conduction of agricultural supply chains during COVID-19 using blockchain. This study uses interviews with agricultural companies operating in Pakistan. The findings discover the seven most commonly shared benefits of applying blockchain technology, four major challenges, and promising solutions. About 100% of the respondents mentioned blockchain as a solution for tracking the shipment during COVID-19, data retrieval and data management, product and transaction frauds, and an Inflexible international supply chain. Roughly 75% of the respondents mentioned the challenge of lack of data retrieval and data management and the Inflexible international supply chain in COVID-19 besides their solutions. This study can expand existing knowledge related to agricultural supply chains. The experiences shared in this study can serve as lessons for practitioners to adopt the blockchain technology for performing agricultural supply chain during pandemic situations such as COVID-19. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buffalo flies (Haematobia irritans exigua) are ectoparasites of major animal health and production concern in north Australian beef herds. Skin lesions associated with buffalo fly infestation, cause hide damage and welfare issues and are manifested as dermatitis or ulcerated areas found most commonly near the medial canthus of the eye, along the lateral and ventral neck and on the abdomen. Buffalo flies can transmit a nematode, Stephanofilaria sp., which has been considered the main aetiological agent for buffalo fly lesions, but the role of nematodes in the development of the lesions has not been defined. To investigate the geographical distribution of Stephanofilaria , swabs were taken from the surface of lesions and buffalo flies were netted from the backs of beef cattle from 20 properties located in northern, central and southern Queensland. Swabs and buffalo flies were then tested for the presence of Stephanofilaria by qPCR. In northern and central Queensland, all properties except one, tested positive for the presence of Stephanofilaria in either buffalo flies or swabs, or in both. The infection rate varied amongst sites ranging from 0% to 100% in lesions and 0–34% in female buffalo flies. No nematodes were found in male buffalo flies. In contrast, none of the 66 lesion swabs or 1220 buffalo flies collected from southern Queensland tested positive for Stephanofilaria infection despite the frequent occurrence of lesions in the herds from which samples were collected. These findings suggest that infection with Stephanofilaria , although frequently detected, is not essential for the development of buffalo fly lesions and other factors may contribute to the initiation of lesions. This study also confirmed the potential for using surface swabs as a quicker and less invasive means of sampling lesions than dermal biopsies when testing for the presence of Stephanofilaria by qPCR, but further studies will be required to estimate the sensitivity of this technique. Understanding the pathogenesis of buffalo fly lesions will aid the development of optimal treatment and control strategies. • Haematobia flies vector Stephanofilaria nematodes found in cattle skin lesions. • Lesion swabbing and qPCR detected Stephanofilaria in lesions and flies. • In some areas Stephanofilaria was not found despite frequent occurrence of lesions. • Stephanofilaria is not always the cause of Haematobia -associated skin lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the few unsuccessful space missions in the past few decades, designing a fault-tolerant spacecraft's attitude control has piqued the scientific and academic community's attention. In recent years, fault-tolerant control (FTC) emerged as a prominent control strategy to ensure the reliability and safety of modern systems. This paper critically assesses various theoretical and practical design approaches to achieve the desired level of fault-tolerance for the spacecraft's attitude control. First, a run-through on the conventional FTC methodology for spacecraft's attitude control is briefly presented, highlighting the shortcomings. Then, the need for an autonomous FTC for present and future space missions is established. More critically, a detailed review of the latest developments in spacecraft's fault-tolerant attitude control is discussed from two perspectives: controller-basis design techniques and various controller performance characteristics. Finally, several key challenges and open research areas in designing a practical and reliable spacecraft's fault-tolerant attitude control and the window for future research prospects are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical investigation on mixed convection of a two-dimensional incompressible laminar flow over a horizontal flat plate with streamwise sinusoidal distribution of surface temperature has been performed for different values of Ray leigh number, Reynolds number and frequency of periodic temperature for constant Prandtl number and amplitude of periodic temperature. Finite element method adapted to rectangular nonuniform mesh elements by a nonlinear parametric solution algorithm basis numerical scheme has been employed. The investigating parameters are the Rayleigh number, the Reynolds number and frequency of periodic temperature. The effect of variation of individual investigating parameters on mixed convection flow characteristics has been studied to observe the hydrodynamic and thermal behavior for while keeping the other parameters constant. The fluid considered in this study is air with Prandtl number 0.72. The results are obtained for the Rayleigh number range of 10² to 104, Reynolds number ranging from 1 to 100 and the frequency of periodic temperature from 1 to 5. Isotherms, streamlines, average and local Nusselt numbers are presented to show the effect of the different values of aforementioned investigating parameters on fluid flow and heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Numerically investigation of natural convection within a differentially heated modified square enclosure with sinusoidally corrugated side walls has been performed for different values of Rayleigh number. The fluid inside the enclosure considered is air and is quiescent, initially. The top and bottom surfaces are flat and considered as adiabatic. Results reveal three main stages: an initial stage, a transitory or oscillatory stage and a steady stage for the development of natural convection flow inside the corrugated cavity. The numerical scheme is based on the finite element method adapted to triangular non-uniform mesh element by a non-linear parametric solution algorithm. Investigation has been performed for the Rayleigh number, Ra ranging from 105 to 108 with variation of corrugation amplitude and frequency. Constant physical properties for the fluid medium have been assumed except for the density where Boussinesq’s approximation has been considered. Results have been presented in terms of the isotherms, streamlines, temperature plots, average Nusselt numbers, traveling waves and thermal boundary layer thickness plots, temperature and velocity profiles. The effects of sudden differential heating and its consequent transient behavior on fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics have been observed for the range of governing parameters. The present results show that the transient phenomena are greatly influenced by the variation of the Rayleigh number with corrugation amplitude and frequency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An efficient and cost-effective finite-time fault-tolerant attitude controller for a class of flexible spacecraft is designed in this paper to cater to flexible appendages' vibrations, along with the simultaneous consideration of erratic inertial uncertainties, environmental disturbances, and actuator-related faults. First, a novel and in-depth modeling of the actuator's performance under output degradation, bias and orientation alignment faults is enacted, which redefines the actuator's performance matrix. Then adaptive estimators are conceived to estimate the lumped uncertainties and actuator-related faults. Based on a modified fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode control (MFNTSM), an adaptive fault-tolerant attitude controller is propounded to realize highly precise attitude tracking and error trajectories' finite-time convergence. The proposed controller's prominent feature is that the unknown uncertainties, actuator-related faults, and flexible vibrations are simultaneously tackled without the aid of intelligent actuators and sensors, which are generally applied for vibration suppression. The spacecraft can accomplish the coveted control objective in bounded time, and the stability of the propound controller is established via Lyapunov techniques. Finally, the simulation outcomes exhibit the profound performance of the propound controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An increase in the pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is essential for the onset of puberty. However, the mechanisms controlling pubertal increases in GnRH release are still unclear. In primates the GnRH neurosecretory system is active during the neonatal period but subsequently enters a dormant state in the juvenile period. The present study examined developmental changes in the gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) neuronal system, an inhibitory neuropeptidergic system upstream of GnRH neurons, and the relationship among changes that were observed in GnRH and kisspeptin (Kiss1) gene expression during puberty. A significant inverse age-related relationship between GnRH, Kiss1, and GnIH was observed, suggesting GnIH's potential role in reproductive suppression prior to puberty, with this theoretical 'brake' during the pubertal transition. These findings underscore the need for further research on the role that is played by GnIH in reproductive transition to aid in the development of potential GnIH-based drugs to treat pubertal disorders and adult fertility. Modulation of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion across postnatal development in higher primates is not fully understood. While gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is reported to suppress reproductive axis activity in birds and rodents, little is known about the developmental trajectory of GnIH expression in rhesus monkeys throughout the pubertal transition. This study was aimed at examining the variation in GnIH immunoreactivity (-ir) and associated changes among GnIH, GnRH, and Kiss1 mRNA expression in the hypothalamus of infant, juvenile, prepubertal, and adult male rhesus monkeys. The brains from rhesus macaques were collected from infancy until adulthood and were examined using immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR. The mean GnIH-ir was found to be significantly higher in prepubertal animals (p < 0.01) compared to infants, and significantly reduced in adults (p < 0.001). Significantly higher (p < 0.001) GnRH and Kiss1 mRNA expression was noted in adults while GnIH mRNA expression was the highest at the prepubertal stage (p < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were seen between GnIH-GnRH (p < 0.01) and GnIH-Kiss1 (p < 0.001) expression. Our findings suggest a role for GnIH in the prepubertal suppression of the reproductive axis, with disinhibition of the adult reproductive axis occurring through decreases in GnIH. This pattern of expression suggests that GnIH may be a viable target for the development of novel therapeutics and contraceptives for humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nutritional composition of edible crab species from coasts of Pakistan analyzed. • Vitamins, minerals and amino acids were quantified in these crabs. • Protein contents were higher in S. serrata than other crab species. • These crab species are rich in nutrients (amino acids, vitamins and minerals). The commercially important edible crab species from Pakistani waters are Portunus pelagicus, Portunus sanguinolentus, Scylla serrata and Charybdis feriatus. The present study has been designed to investigate the nutritional composition of edible crab species including proximate composition, vitamins, minerals and amino acids content. Among all the species, fat content were found at low levels (0.25 %–1.86 %), however, the protein content was higher in hard shell crab (S. serrata), i.e. 23.3 %, than those in soft shell crabs (P. pelagicus, P. sanguinolentus and C. feriatus), 16.4 %, 14.2 % and 15.1 %, respectively. Energy value was high in S. serrata (107 kcals/100 g) whereas C. feriatus recorded the lowest value (65.5 kcals/100 g). In terms of amino acid profiling a total of eighteen amino acids were detected from which arginine (19.0 mg/100 g in S. serrata and 9.98 mg/100 g in P. sanguinolentus) and lysine (0.15–6.53 mg/100 g) have shown the highest values with variations in all crab samples. Of the seven minerals examined, calcium was the highest ranging between 292 ppm and 513 ppm followed by zinc (15.7 ppm–47.4 ppm) in all four crab species. Among the vitamins, niacin (Vit B3) recorded the highest value ranging between 16.9 mg/100 g and 49.2 mg/100 g followed by thiamine (Vit B1) and ascorbic acid (Vit C) in all crab samples. The results showed that the crabs contained appreciable amounts of nutrients. The present study findings revealed that the mud crab S. serrata has higher values of nutrients in terms of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals than other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lifespan, power density, and transient response make supercapacitors a component of choice for the electric vehicle and renewable energy industry. Supercapacitors' long lifecycle often makes it difficult for designers to assess the system's reliability over the complete product cycle. In the existing literature, the remaining useful life (RUL) estimations utilize up to 50% state of health (SOH) degradation data to successfully predict the RUL of the supercapacitors with reasonable accuracy, making them impractical in terms of time and resources required to collect the data. The time to acquire data imposes restrictions on developing a data-driven RUL prediction model for the supercapacitors. The objective of this study is to reliably predict the SOH degradation curve of the supercapacitors with the availability of less than 10% degradation data to avoid time and cost-consuming lifecycle testing. This study presents a novel combination of deep learning algorithm-Deep Belief Network (DBN) with Bayesian Optimization and HyperBand (BOHB) to predict the RUL of the supercapacitors in the early phases of degradation. The proposed method successfully predicts the degradation curve using the data of the initial 15 thousand cycles (less than 6% data for training in most of the cases), which is very promising since the supercapacitor has yet to show much degradation at this stage, thus reducing up to 54% time for the development of the RUL prediction model. The proposed model shows good accuracy with percent error and root mean squared error (RMSE) ranging from 0.05% to 2.2% and 0.8851 to 1.6326, respectively. The robustness of the model is also tested by injecting noise in the training data during training. • BOHB-Deep Belief Network for supercapacitors' remaining useful life (RUL) estimation. • Accurate and robust estimation of degradation curve using 6% data for training. • Universal supercapacitors' RUL estimation model with proven adaptability to new data. • Saves up to 54% time in developing the data-driven model for RUL estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power quality of grid-connected inverters (GCIs) is attracting a lot of attention as the number of distributed generation systems with renewable energy sources are increased. It is well known that the harmonics present in the grid have a lot of detrimental effects on the equipment and devices connected to a power system network such as heating and derating. These effects lead to problems in terms of safety and lifespan. Therefore, harmonic standards such as IEEE 519 and P1547 suggest that GCIs should achieve total harmonic distortion (THD) of the output current that is less than 5%. However, it is not easy to achieve the current THD of GCIs that is less than 5% with only an output filter under distorted grid conditions. In this paper, a harmonic compensation method using a lock-in amplifier (LIA) is proposed. Due to the outstanding performance of the LIA, accurate information of the harmonics can be obtained. This information is used to eliminate the harmonics by the simple PI controller. To demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method, it is applied to a 5 kW single phase GCI connected to the real grid. The results obtained are compared with those of the conventional harmonic compensation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data-independent acquisition (DIA) based strategies have been explored in recent years for improving quantitative analysis of metabolites. However, the data analysis is challenging for DIA methods as the resulting spectra are highly multiplexed. Thus, the DIA mode requires advanced software analysis to facilitate the data deconvolution process. We proposed a pipeline for quantitative profiling of pharmaceutical drugs and serum metabolites in DIA mode after comparing the results obtained from full-scan, Data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and DIA modes. using open-access software. Pharmaceutical drugs (10) were pooled in healthy human serum and analysed by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS. MS1 full-scan and Data-dependent (MS2) results were used for identification using MS-DIAL software while deconvolution of MS1/MS2 spectra in DIA mode was achieved by using Skyline software. The results of acquisition methods for quantitative analysis validated the remarkable analytical performance of the constructed workflow, proving it to be a sensitive and reproducible pipeline for biological complex fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Development of metabolite profiles for two economically important plant species: Ziziphus jujuba and Ziziphus nummularia. • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant raw material and its herbal formulations using LC-QTOF-MS/MS and LC-IT-MS/MS. • Developed methods are useful for drug discovery, herbal drug standardization and authentication of plant raw material. Ziziphus jujuba and Ziziphus nummularia are two important species of the genus Ziziphus. Both plants offer great commercial value and are consumed as food around the world and used for their medicinal values such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities. Comprehensive chemical profiling of Z. jujuba and Z. nummularia was done through identification of major metabolites using HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and quantification of eight analytes using HPLC-IonTrap-MS/MS analysis. A total of 53 compounds were identified from their high-resolution mass spectra in both positive and negative ionization modes. Among these, 52 compounds were found to be present in Z. jujuba , and 45 in Z. nummularia. Chemometric analysis was also performed to assess the distribution of identified compounds and to determine how the obtained data can be used to discriminate between the two species. Moreover, a method for the quantification of eight analytes including, 6″'-feruloylspinosin (1), apigenin (2), apigenin-7- O -glucoside (3), catechin (4), jujuboside A (5), jujuboside B (6), luteolin (7) and quercetin (8) was developed. The method expressed excellent accuracy with less than 3% error and good reproducibility with less than 4% RSD. The limit-of-detection (LOD) was also found to be very low ranging between 0.06 ng/mL to 4.10 ng/mL while limit-of-quantitation (LOQ) values were in the range of 0.17 ng/mL to 12.42 ng/mL. The analyte concentrations were found to be varying from 1.32 mg/kg to 645.76 mg/kg in both species. The developed method was used to identify and quantify marker compounds in fruit and whole plant samples of both species and in their herbal products as well. The present work is unprecedented, as there is no such extensive study targeting fruits, leaves and herbal formulations together using high-resolution techniques. The study will provide great utility in drug discovery, in taxonomical identification of these plants and to develop quality control protocols for their herbal formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capturing high-quality photos in an underwater atmosphere is complicated, as light attenuation, color distortion, and reduced contrast pose significant challenges. However, one fact usually ignored is the non-uniform texture degradation in distorted images. The loss of comprehensive textures in underwater images poses obstacles in object detection and recognition. To address this problem, we have introduced an image enhancement model called scene adaptive color compensation and multi-weight fusion for extracting fine textural details under diverse environments and enhancing the overall quality of the underwater imagery. Our method blends three input images derived from the adaptive color-compensating and color-corrected version of the degraded image. The first two input images are used to adjust the low contrast and dehazing of the image respectively. Similarly, the third input image is used to extract the fine texture details based on different scales and orientations of the image. Finally, the input images with their associated weight maps are normalized and fused through multi-weight fusion. The proposed model is tested on a distinct set of underwater imagery with varying levels of degradation and frequently outperformed state-of-the-art methods, producing significant improvements in texture visibility, reducing color distortion, and enhancing the overall quality of the submerged images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the High-Risk Factors Causing Mortality in Pediatric Burn Patients, Admitted In Burns Centre of Karachi. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study performed in the Pediatric Burns unit at Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, retrospectively from January 2019 till August 2019 by convenient non-probability sampling technique. ERB was taken from SMBBMCL & SGLGH Karachi, with approval from Burn Center Karachi. Clinical records of 227 pediatric patients after getting written informed consent were analyzed. Statistical analyses were carried out by using version 20.00. Results: Mean age 4.8 ± 3.3 years, total body surface area (11-50%) were involved mostly 202 (89%) in our population in burn injuries. The reason for burn injury due to scald (61.23%) and Flame/Fire (33.92%) was mostly affected with the multiple region burns (involving more than three regions) were the most common category constituting 156 (68.7%) of the pediatric burn patients, so considered as a major cause of mortality was due to multiple burns with > 50% involvement of total body surface area (TBSA). The nutritional status of the patients was also a major predictor of the pediatric patient’s mortality rate. It was related to the IV access to the pediatric patient. Conclusion: It was observed in this retrospective study that scald or hot liquids were mostly affected with the multiple region burns and considered the most common category constituting the pediatric burn patients, so considered as a major cause of mortality with > 50% involvement of TBSA of burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing ratio of diabetes is found risky across the planet. Therefore, the diagnosis is important in population with extreme risk of diabetes. In this study, a decision-making classifier (J48) is applied over a data-mining platform (Weka) to measure accuracy and linear regression on classification results to forecast cost/benefit ratio in diabetes mellitus patients along with prevalence. In total 108 invasive and non-invasive medical features are considered from 251 patients for assessment, and the real-time data are gathered from Pakistan over a time span of June 2017 to April 2018. The results indicate that J48 classifiers achieved the best accuracy of (99.28%), whereas, error rate (0.08%), Kappa stats, PRC, and MCC are (0.98%), precision, recall, and F-matrix are (0.99%). In addition, true positive rate is (0.99%) and false positive is (0.08%). The regression forecast decision indicates blood pressure and glucose level are key features for diabetes. The cost/benefit matrix indicates two predictions for positive test with accuracy (66.68%) and (30.60%), and key attributes with total Gain (118.13%). The study confirmed the proposed prediction is practical for screening of diabetes mellitus patients at the initial stage without invasive medical tests and found effectual in the early diagnosis of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: TKR followed by patellar resurfacing has been shown of great advantage in literature. This study is done To review post-operative complications among patients, after being treated with patellar resurfacing in total knee repair Method: Prospective continuous study at Orthopaedic Surgery PAEC General Hospital, Islamabad for 6 months Selected sample size is n=58 by simple random sampling( non-probability) Inclusion criteria: Patients under the age group of 18-70 years old of both genders undergone TKR followed by patellar resurfacing, arthritis undergone TKR followed by patellar resurfacing & patellar resurfacing after trauma. Exclusion criteria: Patients undergone TKR with comorbid; diabetes, congestive heart disease, hypertension, neuropathological diseases & renal disorders.& unwilling to participate. Results: The mean age of participants was 44.32 (S.D=3.5) Mean BMI was 29.4 (S.D=3.2). males were 16 while 42 females went under surgery. There was no association seen between BMI and post-op complications Average follow-up was 98 days (58-144). Co-relation between TKR and patellar resurfacing, there was no variation. Among fifty-eight patients patellar fracture, patellar matlracking, aseptic loosening,. Patellar osteonecrosis, polythene wear, Dislocation following total knee arthroplasty, and other hardware mal-function, Overstuffing of the PFJ in postoperative TKA was seen among three people 5.2% of individuals Conclusion: To reduce the danger of additional difficulties, patellar resurfacing must be performed with a high level of accuracy and precision since it is just as crucial as tibiofemoral replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints and can lead to significant disability. RA may affect other parts of the body, leading to various issues including damage to the joints, deformity, disability, and reduced mobility. The pathogenesis of RA involves a complex interplay between genetic, environmental and immunological factors. The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis typically reduces inflammation, manages pain, stiffness and prevents joint damage. However, these medications have several side effects no single therapeutic remedy directly targets the disease. Researchers in the field are focused on developing new treatments that are more effective and have fewer side effects as well as understanding the underlying mechanisms of the disease. Some areas of current research include the use of nanotechnology such as cell membrane-coated nanoparticles for the treatment of RA as well as the development of new biologic drugs that target specific molecules involved in inflammation. The use of cell membrane-coated nanoparticles for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has several potential benefits including targeted drug delivery, reduced inflammation, improved safety and biocompatibility, and reduced frequency of administration. However, more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and limitations of this approach to develop effective cell membrane coated nanoparticle-based therapies for RA. In this review cell membrane-coated nanoparticles may become valuable for numerous biomedical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The emergence of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial community resulted in a ban on drugs as the growth promoter in poultry feed. This situation demands to explore alternatives as food supplements with health benefit to poultry. Therefore, probiotic microorganisms, which are considered as safe and possess various health benefits can be a choice. Present study was designed to explore the probiotic potential of the isolated lactobacillus species in chickens. Methodology: Out of 220 samples, 100 Lactobacillus species were isolated from various regions of chicken intestine. They were further characterized on the basis of morphology, staining and catalase test. Species-level identification was made by amplifying Lactobacillus specific 16S rRNA gene. Out of 100 isolates, 21 were selected for sequencing on the basis of band intensity. Results: Among 21 sequences, 16 were identified as L. paracasei (n = 6), L. salivarius (n = 3), L. johnsonii (n = 3), and L. agilis, L. fermentum, L. sakei, and L. curvatus (n = 1 each). These strains were found to be significantly acid-tolerant with 81.68 - 85.01% survival rate at pH 2)and bile-tolerant with 81.96 -84.65% survival rate at 0.3% bile. Except three; all strains showed salt tolerance to 2% and 4% NaCl. Among 21 Lactobacillus strains, 6 showed good antimicrobial activities against S. aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli. Conclusion: Lactobacillus species with probiotic property can be used in poultry feed formulation for their health benefit to combat gastrointestinal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) has emerged as an indispensable tool in the field of biomedicine, offering the ability to obtain quantitative maps of phase changes due to optical path length delays without the need for contrast agents. These maps provide valuable information about cellular morphology and dynamics, unperturbed by the introduction of exogenous substances. In this review, a summary of recent studies that have focused on elucidating the growth dynamics of individual cells using QPI is presented. Specifically, investigations into cellular changes occurring during mitosis, the differentiation of cellular organelles, the assessment of distinct cell death processes (i.e., apoptosis, necrosis, and oncosis) and the precise measurement of live cell temperature are explored. Furthermore, the captivating applications of QPI in theragnostics, where its potential for transformative impact is prominently showcased, are highlighted. Finally, the challenges that need to be overcome for its wider adoption and successful integration into biomedical research are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin is a first line chemotherapy in lung cancer, but decreased susceptibility may limit its application. In solid tumors, hypoxia alters the microenvironment and is associated with proliferation, metastasis, and drug sensitivity. The hypoxia-induced desensitization of cisplatin is not clearly elucidated. 20 (R)-Ginsenoside (Rg3), the traditional Chinese medicine, is extracted from ginseng and has antitumor activities. In this study, we evaluated if Rg3 is effective in improving cisplatin sensitivity by blocking hypoxia. We found that the inhibition of proliferation potential by cisplatin was reduced in cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-induced hypoxia in lung cancer cells. Hypoxia caused alterations in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which were detected by cellular morphology and EMT protein markers, and in stemness analyzed by spheroid formation and marker molecules. Hypoxia also activated EMT, which was mediated by the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway, and stemness, and Rg3 inhibited the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, Rg3 could increase the sensitivity to cisplatin by inhibiting EMT and stemness in hypoxic lung cancer cells, and this effect was confirmed in vivo. In conclusion, Rg3 may improve the sensitivity of cisplatin in lung cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium an effective mood stabilizer, primary used in the treatment of bipolar disorders, has been reported as a protective agent in various neurological disorders. In this study, we examined the neuroprotective role of lithium chloride (LiCl) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the cortex and hippocampus of the adult rat brain. We determined that LiCl -attenuated LPS-induced activated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling and significantly reduced the nuclear factor- k B (NF- K B) translation factor and various other inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). We also analyzed that LiCl significantly abrogated activated gliosis via attenuation of specific markers for activated microglia, ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule (Iba-1) and astrocytes, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in both the cortex and hippocampus of the adult rat brain. Furthermore, we also observed that LiCl treatment significantly ameliorated the increase expression level of apoptotic neurodegeneration protein markers Bax/Bcl2, activated caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in the cortex and hippocampus regions of the LPS-treated adult rat brain. In addition, the morphological results of the fluoro-jade B (FJB) and Nissl staining showed that LiCl attenuated the neuronal degeneration in the cortex and hippocampus regions of the LPS-treated adult rat brain. Taken together, our Western blot and morphological results indicated that LiCl significantly prevents the LPS-induced neurotoxicity via attenuation of neuroinflammation and apoptotic neurodegeneration in the cortex and hippocampus of the adult rat brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), as an endogenous inflammatory molecule, can promote inflammatory cytokines secretion by acting on TLR2/4 resulting in tissue damage. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report a novel role of HMGB1 in controlling the maintenance and function of intestine-resident group-3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) that are important innate effector cells implicated in mucosal homeostasis and IBD pathogenesis. We showed that mice treated with anti-HMGB1 Ab, or genetically deficient for TLR2–/– or TLR4–/– mice, displayed reduced intestinal inflammation. In these mice, the numbers of colonic ILC3s were significantly reduced, and the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 that can be secreted by ILC3s were also decreased in the colon tissues. Furthermore, HMGB1 promoted DCs via TLR2/4 signaling to produce IL-23, activating ILC3s to produce IL-17 and IL-22. Our data thus indicated that the HMGB1-TLR2/4-DCs-IL-23 cascade pathway enhances the functions of ILC3s to produce IL-17 and IL-22, and this signal way might play a vital role in the development of IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotavirus A (RVA) is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children worldwide, and vaccination has become a pivotal strategy to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. This study presents a molecular characterization of RVA genotypes circulating among vaccinated children in Pakistan during the year 2019. A total of 510 stool samples were collected from children of up to five years of age presenting with acute gastroenteritis symptoms in Rawalpindi, Islamabad regions of Pakistan. The RVA antigen was detected using ELISA on these samples. RVA G/P genotyping was performed on ELISA positive samples using Multiplex semi-nested reverse transcriptase PCR. RVA was found in 130 fecal samples, with an overall prevalence of 25.4 %. G9P[8] (20 %) is the most prevalent genotype, followed by G12P[6] (17 %), G3P[8] (14 %), G1P[8] (12 %), G2P[4] (10 %), G12P[8] (7 %), G9P[6] (7 %), G3P[6] (6 %), G3P[4] (4 %) and G1P[6] (3 %) respectively. There is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) found in the group age (in months) of RVA gastroenteritis cases as detected by RT-PCR. The highest number of positive cases was found in the age range from 0 to 6 months, followed by 7–12 months, 13–24 months, and 25–60 months, respectively. Dehydration is statistically significantly associated (p˂ 0.05) in RVA gastroenteritis cases compared to those who tested negative. This study emphasizes the significance of maintaining a continuous surveillance system and conducting genomic analysis of RVA genotypes in children upto the age of 5 years. This is essential for tracking the circulation of RVA genotypes. The results from this research enhance our comprehension of how RVA genotypes are changing over time in Pakistan, underscoring the ongoing necessity for improving vaccine coverage and effectiveness. This, in turn, can help reduce the impact of RVA-related illnesses in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive peptides are naturally found in various foods and were shown to have various distinct physiological as well as medicinal benefits. In this study shrimp peptide hydrolysate (SPH) was prepared to investigate its immunomodulatory effect against cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced immunosuppressed mice. The SPH effect was also analyzed on murine macrophage (RAW264.7 cells). The findings show that SPH stimulates macrophages to form multiple pseudopodia, has no cytotoxic effect, and increases phagocytic activity in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, the immunosuppressed in‐vivo model illustrates the improvement in various aspects, that is body weight, escalation in immune organ index, and ameliorates histopathological transformation of thymus along with the spleen. SPH enhances cell‐mediated immunity by facilitating splenocyte proliferation and inhibit excessive apoptosis. Moreover, the significant outcome had been observed with the upregulation of cytokines interferon‐gamma (IFN‐ϒ), interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) level and simultaneously downregulate certain genes include interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10). Additionally, SPH expedites cellular immunity by enhancing the regulation of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM). However, these findings support the hypothesis that SPH is an effective immunomodulatory agent capable of preventing immune system hypofunction. It is necessary to investigate the detailed mechanism to rule out any unforeseen effects of SPH in future research. Practical applications: Chemotherapy medications, despite their dominating detrimental effects of damaging immunological organs such as the spleen and thymus, extend the treatment process as well as the destruction of the self‐immune system. This study found that SPH is an effective immunomodulatory agent capable of avoiding immune organ hypofunction and improving cell mediate immunity by enhancing macrophage activation, phagocytosis, spleenocyte proliferation, suppressing apoptosis, and elevating cytokines and antibodies. As a result, SPH can be utilized as a nutritional and functional dietary supplement to boost immunological modulation in combination with chemotherapy medications in order to lessen their adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disease emergence and production loss caused by cattle tick infestations have focused attention on genetic selection strategies to breed beef cattle with increased tick resistance. However, the mechanisms behind host responses to tick infestation have not been fully characterised. Hence, this study examined gene expression profiles of peripheral blood leukocytes from tick-naive Brangus steers (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) at 0, 3, and 12 weeks following artificial tick challenge experiments with Rhipicephalus australis larvae. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of tick infestation on host leukocyte response to explore genes associated with the expression of high and low host resistance to ticks. Results: Animals with high (HR, n = 5) and low (LR, n = 5) host resistance were identified after repeated tick challenge. A total of 3644 unique differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) were identified in the comparison of tick-exposed (both HR and LR) and tick-naive steers for the 3-week and 12-week infestation period. Enrichment analyses showed genes were involved in leukocyte chemotaxis, coagulation, and inflammatory response. The IL-17 signalling, and cytokine-cytokine interactions pathways appeared to be relevant in protection and immunopathology to tick challenge. Comparison of HR and LR phenotypes at timepoints of weeks 0, 3, and 12 showed there were 69, 8, and 4 differentially expressed genes, respectively. Most of these genes were related to immune, tissue remodelling, and angiogenesis functions, suggesting this is relevant in the development of resistance or susceptibility to tick challenge. Conclusions: This study showed the effect of tick infestation on Brangus cattle with variable phenotypes of host resistance to R. australis ticks. Steers responded to infestation by expressing leukocyte genes related to chemotaxis, cytokine secretion, and inflammatory response. The altered expression of genes from the bovine MHC complex in highly resistant animals at pre- and post- infestation stages also supports the relevance of this genomic region for disease resilience. Overall, this study offers a resource of leukocyte gene expression data on matched tick-naive and tick-infested steers relevant for the improvement of tick resistance in composite cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike 2-dimensional (2D) images, direct 3-dimensional (3D) point cloud processing using deep neural network architectures is challenging, mainly due to the lack of explicit neighbor relationships. Many researchers attempt to remedy this by performing an additional voxelization preprocessing step. However, this adds additional computational overhead and introduces quantization error issues, limiting an accurate estimate of the underlying structure of objects that appear in the scene. To this end, in this article, we propose a deep network that can directly consume raw unstructured point clouds to perform object classification and part segmentation. In particular, a Deep Feature Transformation Network (DFT-Net) has been proposed, consisting of a cascading combination of edge convolutions and a feature transformation layer that captures the local geometric features by preserving neighborhood relationships among the points. The proposed network builds a graph in which the edges are dynamically and independently calculated on each layer. To achieve object classification and part segmentation, we ensure point order invariance while conducting network training simultaneously—the evaluation of the proposed network has been carried out on two standard benchmark datasets for object classification and part segmentation. The results were comparable to or better than existing state-of-the-art methodologies. The overall score obtained using the proposed DFT-Net is significantly improved compared to the state-of-the-art methods with the ModelNet40 dataset for object categorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota is important in regulating host metabolism, maintaining physiology, and protecting immune homeostasis. Gut microbiota dysbiosis affects the development of the gut microenvironment, as well as the onset of various external systemic diseases and metabolic syndromes. Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug that suppresses the host immune system, intestinal mucosa inflammation, and dysbiosis of the intestinal flora. Immunomodulators are necessary to enhance the immune system and prevent homeostasis disbalance and cytotoxicity caused by CTX. In this study, shrimp peptide hydrolysate (SPH) was evaluated for immunomodulation, intestinal integration, and microbiota in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. It was observed that SPH would significantly restore goblet cells and intestinal mucosa integrity, modulate the immune system, and increase relative expression of mRNA and tight-junction associated proteins (Occludin, Zo-1, Claudin-1, and Mucin-2). It also improved gut flora and restored the intestinal microbiota ecological balance by removing harmful microbes of various taxonomic groups. This would also increase the immune organs index, serum levels of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL1β, TNF-α, IL-6), and immunoglobin levels (IgA, IgM). The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes proportion was decreased in CTX-induced mice. Finally, SPH would be recommended as a functional food source with a modulatory effect not only on intestinal microbiota, but also as a potential health-promoting immune function regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]