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Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) actuators have garnered significant scientific attention in robotics and artificial muscles for their ability to operate at low voltage, high strain capacity, and lightweight construction. The lack of uniform bending in IPMC actuators undermines their control precision and restricts their range of potential applications. This study utilized the unique properties of nanoscale materials and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to develop a membrane for soft robotic bending actuation. Subsequently, a platinum coating was applied to the membrane to mitigate the limitations of IPMCs in soft robotics applications. Herein, mechanized agitation was employed during the solution-casting process to enhance platinum metal (Pt-metal) coating on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures within a PVA- sulphonated graphene oxide nanocomposite, achieving enhanced soft robotics bending actuation capabilities. The resultant membrane composed of sulphonated-graphene oxide and polyvinyl-zinc oxide coated with pt (PsGZ-Pt) was examined by exploring advanced analytical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). Furthermore, the ionic exchange capacity (IEC), proton conductivity (PC), water uptake and water loss characteristics were evaluated to be 2.1 meq. g−1, 1.95 × 10−3 Scm−1, 59.62% at 45 °C and water loss at 9 min immersion found 38%, respectively. Electromechanical studies of the PsGZ-Pt membrane (size 30 mm length, 10 mm width, 0.07 mm thickness) showed an actuation force of 0.3253 mN and a displacement of roughly 22.8 mm at ± 3 VDC. These findings highlighted the PsGZ-Pt membrane's potential as a low-cost alternative to expensive commercial IPMC actuators based on polymers. These results presented a straightforward, low-cost approach for synthesizing PsGZ-Pt utilizing conventional technologies. The PsGZ-Pt membrane shows promise for generating low-cost, high-performance actuation materials with a wide range of industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While previous studies have suggested close association of psychological variables of students withtheir higher-order cognitive abilities, such studies have largely been lacking for third world countries like India, with their unique socio-economic-cultural set of challenges. We aimed to investigate the relationship between psychological variables (depression, anxiety and stress) and cognitive functions among Indian students, and to predict cognitive performance as a function of these variables.Patients and Methods: Four hundred and thirteen university students were systematically selected using purposive sampling. Widely used and validated offline questionnaires were used to assess their psychological and cognitive statuses. Correlational analyses were conducted to examine the associations between these variables. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was applied to predict cognitive levels based on the scores of psychological variables.Results: Correlational analyses revealed negative correlations between emotional distress and cognitive functioning. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced the dimensionality of the input data, effectively capturing the variance with fewer features. The feature weight analysis indicated a balanced contribution of each mental health symptom, with particular emphasis on one of the symptoms. The ANN model demonstrated moderate predictive performance, explaining a portion of the variance in cognitive levels based on the psychological variables.Conclusion: The study confirms significant associations between emotional statuses of university students with their cognitive abilities. Specifically, we provide evidence for the first time that in Indian students, self-reported higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression are linked to lower performance in cognitive tests. The application of PCA and feature weight analysis provided deeper insights into the structure of the predictive model. Notably, use of the ANN model provided insights into predicting these cognitive domains as a function of the emotional attributes. Our results emphasize the importance of addressing mental health concerns and implementing interventions for the enhancement of cognitive functions in university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of plastic packaging in protecting food is quite appreciable, but its non-biodegradable characteristic raises concerns about environmental impacts. This has drawn attention to the development of alternative materials for food packaging from bio-based polymers. Chitosan, a polysaccharide with biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic properties, is widely used in the formulation of food films. The objective of this work was to create a biodegradable and sustainable chitosan-based film whose active and intelligent action is obtained from red cabbage anthocyanins and the addition of propolis. The edible film's thickness and total polyphenol content were 61.0 ±0.1µm and 20.08 ±0.5 mgAG g-1, respectively. The content of phenolic compounds and the biodegradation showed significant results (p <0.05), besides the good thermal stability to 200 °C and transparency. The proposed formulation developed an edible, biodegradable, and active (antioxidant) film with interesting heat-sealing resistance, moisture barrier and gas transfer, which contributes to increasing food shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel application of PVA/sGO/Z/PPy nanocomposite for antibacterial and antifungal purposes. • Solution casting method employed to create the inorganic–organic blend material. • FTIR, UV-visible, XRD, and SEM analysis reveal functional groups, amorphous nature, surface morphology. • High ion exchange capacity (IEC) contributing to excellent water retention and extended shelf life. • Fluorescence spectroscopy and Stern-Volmer plot analysis show interactions with HSL, indicating further research areas. The present study focuses on the application of a ternary PVA/sGO/ZnO-NP/PP nanocomposite as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. The process involved utilizing a solution casting technique to fabricate the inorganic–organic blend material, where 4-sulfophthalic acid (SPTA) was used in the sulfonation of graphitic oxide (GO) sheets. The amalgamation of polyvinyl alcohol polymer (PVA) and sulphonated GO (sGO) was achieved through a chemical oxidation polymerization process carried out in a water-based environment. This process developed a PVA/sGO film, in which zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) and pyrrole monomers were introduced. The PVA/sGO film served as the initial stage for the in-situ deposition and formation of polypyrrole (PP), leading to the fabrication of PVA/sGO/ZnO-NP/PP membrane. The structure was stabilized by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between the components, while SPTA acted as a cross-linker and a sulphonating agent. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the quad-component composite unraveled the presence of distinctive functional groups, including PVA, sGO, PP, and Zn-O bands. The UV–visible spectra of PVA/sGO/ZnO-NP/PP nanocomposite membrane revealed a peak in the UV-B region, while in-depth X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses provided strong evidence of its amorphous nature. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image showed that the top surface of the organic film was adorned with PP polymeric chains. The membrane exhibited great water retention capabilities due to its high ion exchange capacity (IEC) value. Additionally, the minimal water loss observed underscores its extended shelf life. Due to their inherent hydrophilic properties, the ternary nanocomposite membranes exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity, porosity, zeta potential, and water uptake. The BET and BJH analyses revealed that PVA/sGO/ZnO-NP/PP nanocomposites had a substantial surface area. Remarkably, the nanocomposite membrane exhibited significantly improved antimicrobial efficacy against bacteria and fungi. The type of interactions between Human serum lysozyme (HSL) and nanocomposite at the molecular level was studied through fluorescence spectroscopy. Stern-Volmer plot revealed the occurrence of both static and dynamic quenching. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the antimicrobial and protein binding (HSL) studies of PVA/sGO/ZnO-NP/PP-based nanocomposites require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) as part of an integrated control program, both in highly endemic settings and during cholera epidemics. The available and internationally recommended WHO-prequalified OCVs (Dukoral, Shanchol, Euvichol) contain multiple heat and formalin-killed V. cholerae strains of Inaba and Ogawa serotypes. MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. in technical collaboration with University of Gothenburg, Sweden has developed a new single strain OCV, Hillchol. This vaccine consists of formaldehyde-inactivated whole cell El Tor V. cholerae O1 bacteria engineered into the Hikojima serotype for stable expression of both the Ogawa (AB) and Inaba (AC) LPS antigens on the bacterial surface. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of this novel and potentially much less expensive OCV in comparison with Shanchol. We conducted a randomized, non-inferiority, age-descending clinical trial of OCV (Hillchol vs. Shanchol) in the Mirpur area of Dhaka city from July 2016 to May 2017. This study was carried out in three different age cohorts (1–<5, 5–17 and ≥18 years old). Two doses of vaccine were given at 14 days intervals to 560 healthy participants. No serious adverse events were reported. There were no significant differences in the rates of adverse events between the test vaccine (Hillchol) and the comparator (Shanchol) group. Serum vibriocidal antibody responses in all age groups combined were comparable for all the O1 Ogawa (59% vs. 67%; 90% CI of difference: −14.55, −0.84) and Inaba (70% vs. 71%; 90% CI of difference: −7.24, 5.77) serotypes, showing that the Hillchol vaccine was non-inferior to Shanchol. This new vaccine was also non-inferior to Shanchol in the different age strata. The safety and immunogenicity profile of the new OCV Hillchol is comparable to Shanchol in persons residing in a cholera-endemic setting. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02823899. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human society or civilization is constantly faced with various tests. One such test is the COVID-19 pandemic, which is associated with the spread of a special type of coronavirus. Therefore, humanity is forced to find adequate measures to protect against the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose it is needed to know the reliable statistics. Additionally, it is important to know the features of the spread of COVID-19, to be able to make effective forecasts. This can be possible only by using various models. Different models take into account with specific features for the future prediction of the spread of the pandemic. These basic aspects are discussed in this work, which helps people for making better decisions for future strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years, a digital waveguide model is being used for sound propagation in the modeling of the vocal tract with the structured and uniform mesh of scattering junctions connected by same delay lines. There are many varieties in the formation and layouts of the mesh grid called topologies. Current novel work has been dedicated to the mesh of two-dimensional digital waveguide models of sound propagation in the vocal tract with the structured and non-uniform rectilinear grid in orientation. In this work, there are two types of delay lines: one is called a smaller-delay line and other is called a larger-delay line. The larger-delay lines are the double of the smaller delay lines. The scheme of using the combination of both smaller- and larger-delay lines generates the non-uniform rectilinear two-dimensional waveguide mesh. The advantage of this approach is the ability to get a transfer function without fractional delay. This eliminates the need to get interpolation for the approximation of fractional delay and give efficient simulation for sound wave propagation in the two-dimensional waveguide modeling of the vocal tract. The simulation has been performed by considering the vowels /O/, /a/, /i/ and /u/ in this work. By keeping the same sampling frequency, the standard two-dimensional waveguide model with uniform mesh is considered as our benchmark model. The results and efficiency of the proposed model have compared with our benchmark model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of Salmonella enterica serovar typhi (S. typhi), the agent of typhoid fever, continues to be a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. The major transmission route of S. typhi is fecal-oral, through contaminated food and water; thus, the ultimate measures for typhoid fever prevention and control include the provision of safe water, improved sanitation, and hygiene. Considering the increasing evidence of the global burden of typhoid, particularly among young children, and the long-term horizon for sustained, effective water and sanitation improvements in low-income settings, a growing consensus is to emphasize preventive vaccination. This review provides an overview of the licensed typhoid vaccines and vaccine candidates under development, and the challenges ahead for introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an attempt has been made review on phenolics antioxidant activity, and characteristics, as well as the constituents of the different phenolics present in various consumable food items, which reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. Some polyphenolic compounds are present in selected species, which are beneficial to public health, and it should be comprised as component of food habits for a proper nutrition’s plan. Polyphenols are basically a natural compound and their micronutrients are found in different fruits, beverages, and vegetables. There is no specific deficiency disease caused due to the low dietary intake of phenolics; while the proper intake possibly gives health benefits. Polyphenols are antioxidants, and evidence for their role with improved heart health, neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s disease) diseases, better blood sugar control, diabetes, reduced inflammation, and a reduced risk of cancer development was studied. A comprehensive understanding of the biological availability of the nutritional polyphenols will helpful to recognize those that are beneficial and protective for human health. Based on latest reports, polyphenolic compounds occupy a unique place in environmental science as an important and common class of bioactive natural products globally. It is building a bridge between different interdisciplinary academic fields of science. This work is based on the reports examined the health effect of polyphenols until today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, an efficient approach has been implemented to model the fractional delay in the elongated cylindrical segments of the vocal tract in waveguide modeling. The vocal tract has been divided into uniform cylindrical segments of the variable lengths. In this case, the time taken by the sound wave to propagate through a cylindrical segment in an axial direction may not be an integer multiple of each other. This means that the delay in an axial direction is necessarily a fractional delay for each fractional elongated segment. In the previous work, to accommodate the fractional delay for each elongated cylindrical segment, two extra cylindrical segments of same lengths were added to maintain the even number of segments. In the proposed work, we add only a single extra segment for each fractional elongated segment which reduces memory and computational cost as well. To keep the even number of segments, we assume that the extra and original segments constitute a single long segment. Lagrange interpolation is used for the approximation of the fractional delay. The proposed model has been devised for the elongation of any arbitrary cylindrical segment by a suitable scaling factor. These results are validated with an accurate benchmark model. This model has a single algorithm and there is no need to make sections of the segments for the elongation of the intermediate segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the correlation between level of serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) grading of esophageal varices (EV), in patients having chronic liver disease. Study Design: Prospective, observational and a cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Medical Unit III, Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta, form Oct 2015 to Apr 2016. Material and Methods: Patients with diagnosis of cirrhosis were enrolled. Detailed history, physical examination and biochemical measurements were recorded. Patients underwent upper GI endoscopy for grading of esophageal varices. Results: Eighty patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in this study. There were 56 (70%) males and 24 (30%) females. The mean ± standard deviation age of study population was 44.86 ± 12.319 years. On analysis of age group it was observed that 40 (50%) patients were less than 40 years of age, 73 (91.25%) patients had SAAG value above 1.1 mg/dl. On analysis of correlation of SAAG with the grade of varices, a strong association was observed (r=0.631). Conclusion: An association, in the patients having ascites, between the level of SAAG and the development of esophageal varices is present. Patients having a high SAAG were found with more commonly present Esophageal varices thus establishing a high probability of finding EV in patients with higher values SAAG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A DG-FEM based numerical investigation has been performed to explore the influence of the various geometric configurations on the thermal performance of the conjugate heat transfer analysis in the triangular finned double pipe heat exchanger. The computed results dictate that Nusselt number in general rises with values of the conductivity ratio of solid and fluid, for the specific configuration parameters considered here. However, the performance of these parameters shows strong influence on the conductivity ratio. Consequently, these parameters must be selected in consideration of the thermal resistance, for better design of heat exchanger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimum configurations of a finned annulus with longitudinal fins of triangular cross-section have been investigated numerically for the enhancement of overall (hydraulic and thermal) performance so that optimum use of energy and saving of cost may be achieved. A steady, laminar and incompressible flow is considered in the fully-developed region of the finned annulus subjected to the thermal boundary condition of constant heat transfer rate per unit axial length. Optimization has been carried out by using genetic algorithm. Finite element method is employed to perform the numerical simulation of the flow and provide function values to the optimizer. Using surface flow area goodness factor as the objective function, various optimum configurations have been proposed depending on practical and industrial requirements. A comparison of the present optimum configurations has been carried out with those based on the Nusselt number as an objective function. The results indicate that the present objective function gives, in many cases, cost- and weight-efficient optimum configurations with considerable reduction in pressure loss and provides optimum use of energy along with saving of the cost. Relative performance measures recommend the use of at least 18 fins to have trade off between the gain in heat transfer coefficient and loss in the pressure gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the collapse of the Sokoto Caliphate at the hands of the British imperial power, zakāh and waqf in Nigeria have remained underdeveloped. In 1999, when the Zamfara State government declared the implementation of Shariah, these institutions were reestablished. Since then, laws have been enacted for these institutions; particularly between 2000 and 2003. However, annual reports presented since 2000 till date have not been impressive. Owing to this low performance, it is certain what is missing is a high level of corporate governance that protects the interest of all stakeholders, which can help facilitate a institutions' success. Therefore, zakāh and waqf cannot be neglected. It is against this background that this research examines the corporate governance of Nigerian zakāh and waqf institutions within the context of their existing laws, primary and secondary sources of Islamic law, and contemporary studies on the subject. The methodology applied in this study was a qualitative research method using library materials and the internet. This paper concludes that the zakāh and waqf sectors will perform better and actualize their inherent objectives if high levels of corporate governance are entrenched in these institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic disease of gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon condition characterized by non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms in association with peripheral eosinophilia. Depending upon the predominantly involved layer, three types (mucosal, muscular and sub serosal) are described. The later being the most uncommon variant characterized by eosinophilic ascites and peripheral eosinophilia. Endoscopic biopsy is usually non-diagnostic due to uninvolved GI mucosa, thus peripheral hyper-eosinophilia and ascitic fluid rich in eosinophils are the mainstay for the diagnosis. We report a 40 years old female who presented with abdominal distention for 3 weeks. Ascitic fluid analysis showed an exudative picture with raised protein and moderate cellularity with 65% eosinophils. Endoscopic biopsy showed nonspecific chronic inflammatory changes with no evidence of eosinophilic infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies are sensitive to changes in environmental factors such as temperature, pH, humidity, etc. This limits the current cost-effective and portable electrochemical immunosensors in harsh environments. Using Ricin Chain-A, a naturally occurring toxin, as a model analyte we report fabrication of a thermally stable electrochemical immunosensor. Single-domain antibodies (sdAb) or nanobodies have been employed as recognition elements for direct detection of Ricin at temperatures great than 4 °C. Immunosensor fabricated using the conventional Ricin monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies have also been demonstrated for comparison. In the case of sdAb immunosensor, Ricin was detected in a linear range of 1 log(fg/mL)−1 log(μg/mL) with a sensitivity of 0.07 μA/log(g/mL)/cm 2 using cyclic voltammetry. The fabricated miniaturized sensors have demonstrated higher shelf life and stability at temperatures up to 40 °C. Therefore these electrochemical sensors can be integrated as a part of a portable device for point-of-care immunosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental deterioration caused by consumers' non-sustainable consumption pattern is putting a strain on the environment and is hindering sustainable development. In order to impede this effect and promote a more sustainable economy, one solution is to reduce or shift consumption from conventional products to green products. The unfortunate reality indicates that inadequate information on how to promote consumers' green behavioral intention is slowing the growth of green markets; such inadequacy appears as a prevailing obstacle facing firms while developing segments and communicating strategies for effectively promoting green products. The mentioned impact is more prevailing and most experienced in countries like Malaysia. Hence, consumers' behavioral intentions must be better understood in order to strengthen knowledge about fostering green purchases. This study aims to determine the motivational factors that influence green purchasing intention and simultaneously assess the moderator roles of the premium price and demographic characteristics – given that consumers' degree of greenness varies. A survey was administered and a total of 405 usable questionnaires were obtained. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the hypotheses. Results indicate that environmental attitude, eco-label and cultural value (man–nature orientation) significantly influence the green purchase intention. The result also indicates that the premium price has no moderating effect, denying its role as one of the main barriers for consumers to walk their talk as it has previously been reported by studies and opinion polls. In addition, the findings revealed that education level and gender have a significant positive moderation effect. This suggests that green purchase intentions' motivational factors are greater among highly educated individuals especially with female consumers in particular. This study contributes to the understanding of the main factors that motivate consumers' intention to purchase green products in Malaysia. It also offers insights and discusses implementations for manufacturers, marketers and policy makers concerned with the drivers that motivate consumers' green purchasing intentions which require different marketing plan and strategy than conventional products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this numerical study, a trapezoidal finned elliptic-circular heat exchanger is investigated for thermal performance based on the various geometrical parameters. The inner core of this exchanger is circular and augmented with trapezoidal fins longitudinally, whereas the outer core is elliptic. For the first time, the trapezoidal fins are used in this specific duct configuration. The configuration of the proposed heat exchanger depends on the number of fins, fin height and ratio of the radius of the inner circle to the semi-minor axis of the ellipse ( r * ) . The material of the inner circular core and trapezoidal fins is assumed to have infinite thermal conductivity. The constant heat flux condition is imposed on the inner pipe and trapezoidal fins, whereas the adiabatic condition is considered for the outer elliptical core of the heat exchanger. The simulation is performed using the finite volume method based on the software ANSYS Fluent. The friction factor (fRe) and Nusselt number (Nu) have been computed and plotted for various fin configurations. The results suggest that the performance of the heat exchanger can be effectively influenced by the number of fins, fin height and radius of the inner circular pipe. For practical interest, a larger number of trapezoidal fins with a higher height and r * are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vocal tract model based on a digital waveguide is presented in which the vocal tract has been decomposed into a number of convergent and divergent ducts. The divergent duct is modeled by a 2D-featured 1D digital waveguide and the convergent duct by a one dimensional waveguide. The modeling of the divergent duct is based on splitting the volume velocity into axial and radial components. The combination of separate modeling of the divergent and convergent ducts forms the foundation of the current approach. The advantage of this approach is the ability to get a transfer function in zero-pole form that eliminates the need to perform numerical calculations on a discrete 2D mesh. In this way the present model named as a 2D-featured 1D digital waveguide model has been found to be more efficient than the standard 2D waveguide model and in very good comparison with it in the formant frequency patterns of the vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/ and /u/. The model has two control parameters, the wall and glottal reflection coefficients that can be effectively employed for bandwidth tuning. The model also shows its ability to generate smooth dynamic changes in the vocal tract during the transition of vowels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palladium-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-deoxy- C-aryl glycosides was investigated. The strategy is based on the Pd-catalyzed desulfitative Heck coupling of arylsulfonyl chlorides and glycals with good leaving groups. An attempt was made to establish the reaction mechanism, which may involve PdII/Pd0 interconversion under basic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diastereoselective, metal-free, one-pot domino synthetic strategy was developed for the transformation of glycals into new chiral scaffolds. Optimization of the reaction conditions to exclude normal Ferrier products, characterization of the new entities, and a plausible mechanism were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of supine versus lateral position on clinical signs of fat embolism during orthopedic trauma surgery. Dogs served as the current study model, which could be extended and/or serve as a basis for future in vivo studies on humans. It was hypothesized that there would be an effect of position on clinical signs of fat embolism syndrome in a dog model. Materials and Methods: 12 dogs were assigned to supine (n = 6) and lateral (n = 6) position groups. Airway pressures, heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, arterial and venous blood gases, white blood count, platelet count and neutrophil count were obtained. Dogs were then subjected to pulmonary contusion in three areas of one lung. Fat embolism was generated by reaming one femur and tibia, followed by pressurization of the canal. Results: No difference was found in any parameters measured between supine and lateral positions at any time (0.126 < P < 0.856). Conclusions: The position of trauma patients undergoing reamed intramedullary nailing did not alter the presentation of the features of the lung secondary to fat embolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] First report of benzylidine acetals’ reductive opening towards 6-OH using cyanuric chloride/NaBH4 reagent system. [•] Inexpensive reagent, mild reaction condition, high yield with broad functional group tolerance. [•] High regioselectivity of reagent system. [•] Application to both carbohydrate and non-carbohydrate systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] This is the first report for the kinetically controlled growth of few monolayers of gallium metal on high index stepped Si (553) surface. Room temperature and higher substrate temperature growth kinetics of gallium metal atoms on stepped Si (553) surface have been analyzed by Auger electrons spectroscopy. Low energy electron diffraction and thermal stability behavior have been investigated. During adsorption at room temperature and high substrate temperature gallium follows different growth modes and various novel superstructural phases have been developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work presents numerical simulation of laminar forced convection in the fully developed flow through the finned annulus of a double-pipe with triangular fins of different heights. The flow is subjected to the boundary condition of constant heat transfer rate per unit axial length with uniform peripheral temperature distribution. The aim is to investigate the effects of employing fins in two groups of unequal heights for different values of other parameters determining the configuration of the finned annulus, on the thermal performance of the finned duct. The governing partial differential equations of the convection problem are numerically solved by employing the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method (DG-FEM). The hydraulic and thermal characteristics like the friction factor, the Nusselt number and the j-factor are studied against various geometric design parameters. It has been observed that using the fins in two groups of different heights, the velocity and temperature distributions can be significantly altered to have more favourable flow and thermal characteristics. The maximum values of the coefficients of friction and heat transfer, and the j-factor do not necessarily lie on equal heights of the two fin groups. An arrangement of one group of fins being at its maximum height and the other one at its minimum height, has shown very fascinating performance in comparison with all the fins being at their maximum equal height. Upto 63 times more gain in the Nusselt number and 61 times more gain in the j-factor than the corresponding increase in the friction factor has been achieved by such an arrangement. The present study recommends the use of the fins with unequal heights for reducing the cost, weight and pressure loss with their thermal performance being better or at least comparable with that of the equal fins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Palladium catalyzed intramolecular Sonogashira and Heck coupling reactions have been applied for diversity-oriented synthesis of sulfur containing carbohydrate based medium sized ring macrocycles. The process involves design and synthesis of building blocks with predisposed functional units prerequisite for C–C coupling. Both cis- and trans-fused benzannulated medium sized macrocyles with different ring sizes (8–13-membered) fused at different positions of furannose and pyranose moiety have been achieved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first demonstrated example of a regulatory function for a bacterial hemerythrin (Bhr) domain is reported. Bhrs have a characteristic sequence motif providing ligand residues for a type of non-heme diiron site that is known to bind O2 and undergo autoxidation. The amino acid sequence encoded by the VC1216 gene from Vibrio cholerae O1 biovar El Tor str. N16961 contains an N-terminal Bhr domain connected to a C-terminal domain characteristic of bacterial diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) that catalyze formation of cyclic di-(3',5')-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) from GTP. This protein, Vc Bhr-DGC, was found to contain two tightly bound non-heme iron atoms per protein monomer. The as-isolated protein showed the spectroscopic signatures of oxo/dicarboxylato-bridged non-heme diferric sites of previously characterized Bhr domains. The diiron site was capable of cycling between diferric and diferrous forms, the latter of which was stable only under anaerobic conditions, undergoing rapid autoxidation upon being exposed to air. Vc Bhr-DGC showed approximately 10 times higher DGC activity in the diferrous than in the diferric form. The level of intracellular c-di-GMP is known to regulate biofilm formation in V. cholerae. The higher DGC activity of the diferrous Vc Bhr-DGC is consistent with induction of biofilm formation in low-dioxygen environments. The non-heme diiron cofactor in the Bhr domain thus represents an alternative to heme or flavin for redox and/or diatomic gas sensing and regulation of DGC activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the experimental investigations on addition of aluminium metal powder to dielectric fluid in electric discharge machining (EDM). As more emphasis is given nowadays to the green manufacturing concept, the present investigation uses distilled water mixed with aluminium powder as dielectric fluid instead of conventional hydrocarbon-based oils. The workpiece and electrode materials chosen for the investigation are W300 die-steel and electrolytic copper, respectively. Taguchi design of experiments is used to conduct experiments by varying the parameters peak current, pulse on-time, concentration of the powder, and polarity. The process performance is measured in terms of material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear ratio (EWR), average surface roughness (Ra), and white layer thickness (WLT). The experimental results indicate that the polarity significantly affects the machining performance. Signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) are employed to find the optimal levels for the process parameters to achieve maximum MRR, low EWR, Ra, and WLT values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A base-free, intramolecular Sonogashira reaction-based general approach has been established for the diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) of fused bi- and tricyclic systems containing benzannulated, 10- to 13-membered chiral macrocycles embedded in carbohydrate templates. Macrocycles with different ring sizes have been prepared by pre-designing the chiral building blocks. Base-sensitive groups like acetyl and TBDPS survived the reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Regio-/stereoselective Michael addition to ring A of withaferin-A was performed using an optimized reaction procedure to synthesise a library of 2,3-dihydro,3-β-substituted withaferin-A derivatives. The analogues thus obtained were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against various human cancer cell lines. 3-Azido analogue exhibited 35-fold increase (IC50 =0.02–1.9μM) in cytotoxicity against almost the entire cell lines tested when compared to the parent molecule. However, further modifications of 3-azido analogue with various alkynes under Husigen''s cycloaddition conditions generated a variety of triazole derivatives with reduced cytotoxicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The use of manganese(III) acetate allows the direct synthesis of diverse arrays of [4.3.0] bicyclic carbohydrate-based γ-lactone building blocks from glycals. A mechanism to explain the high regio- and stereoselectivity is proposed. The new reaction has the potential to generate libraries for biological screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu–Mn spinel oxide catalyst has been investigated for the ligand-free Huisgen [3+2] cycloaddition. The copper(i) species required in the cycloaddition reaction has been stabilized in the tetrahedral site of the spinel without the need of a stabilizing agent. The new catalyst is robust and can be reused several times under MW conditions with negligible loss in catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel one-pot threeand four-component transformations of n-glucal to furan-based hydroxy triazole glycoconjugates have been achieved by sequential addition of reagents in the presence of Cu(OTf)2-Cu powder as catalysts. In general the carbohydrate-derived products were formed with high diastereomeric purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio cholerae colonizes the human intestine and causes the acute diarrheal disease cholera. Flagellar-mediated chemotaxis contributes to intestinal colonization as well as infectivity. The virulence-regulatory protein ToxT activates transcription of the genes encoding the major virulence factors cholera toxin and toxin coregulated pilus. ToxT additionally activates transcription of two genes, tcpI and acfB, located within the Vibrio Pathogenicity Island predicted to encode methyl-accepting chemoreceptors. We show that disruption of either tcpI or acfB individually does not noticeably affect V. cholerae intestinal colonization within the infant mouse, but disruption of both tcpI and acfB leads to a decrease in intestinal colonization. These results suggest that TcpI and AcfB may have overlapping or redundant chemotactic functions that contribute to V. cholerae intestinal colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lewis acid mediated one-pot transformation of d-glucal in the presence of nucleophiles leads to the formation of racemic α-substituted α-hydroxymethyl furfuryl derivatives, versatile synthons for biologically active molecules. Transformations using O-, S-, C-, and N-nucleophiles could be achieved readily under mild and scalable conditions. Indium triflate proved to be the catalyst of choice in terms of conversion and regioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel, highly stereoselective method for O-glycosylation of glycals and glycosylbromides is developed using orthoformates as acceptors in the presence of InCl3 to afford the corresponding O-glycopyranosides in 66–94% yield. Both perbenzyl and peracetyl glycals afford the corresponding 2,3-unsaturated-O-glycosides with high α-selectivity. Stoichiometric amounts of orthoformates are sufficient to bring about this transformation instead of large excesses of alcohols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper deals with a delay-dependent treatment of linear multistep methods for neutral delay differential equations y'(t) = ay(t) + by(t - τ) + cy' (t - τ), t > 0, y(t) = g(t), - τ ≤ t ≤ 0, a, b andc ∈ R. The necessary condition for linear multistep methods to be Nτ(0)-stable is given. It is shown that the trapezoidal rule is Nτ(0)-compatible. Figures of stability region for some linear multistep methods are depicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares the inhibitory effect of oxathiin carboxanilide (UC84) and second generation thiocarboxanilide derivative (UC38) on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity. Antiviral activity of UC 84; Kinetics of inhibition of RT by UC84 and UC38 in the presence of variable primer and template concentrations.

The article offers information on a professional meeting organized by the periodical and Bazm-e-Akram on the occasion of visiting of librarians Khurshid Alam, Syed Abad Ali Abad, and Niaz Ahmad Khan in Karachi on February 2. 2019. It mentions information of their visits during the program including Niaz Ahmad Khan arranged a visit to Hamdard Libraries; and also mentions their advises to devote spare time in research and scholastic activities.

Introduction: The novel COVID-19 which spread's primarily through oral and nasal passage poses a major threat of spread during dental treatments. It is important for dental practitioners to use minimal aerosol techniques. The aim of this study is to compare the time taken, efficiency and aerosol generated between modified and conventional technique (CT) of bracket bonding. Methods: This study includes 40 patients who required complete orthodontic treatment. In all 40 patients, one of the arches was bonded with modified technique (MT) and the opposing with CT. The time taken to prepare tooth in both the techniques were accessed. The efficiency of bond was seen over a period of 6 months. The amount of aerosol particulate matter generated during CT and MT was observed using a laser air quality monitor Conclusion: There is no significant difference in the bond failure and time taken between both the techniques. The aerosol generated in MT was minimal or almost negligible when compared to the use of CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of nutrigenomics studies the interaction between nutrition and genetics, and how certain dietary patterns can impact gene expression and overall health. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), characterized by a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, has been linked to better cardiovascular health (CVH) outcomes. This review summarizes the current state of research on the effects of nutrigenomics and MedDiet on cardiovascular health. Results suggest that MedDiet, through its impact on gene expression, can positively influence CVH markers such as blood pressure, lipid profile, and inflammation. However, more research is needed to fully understand the complex interactions between genetics, nutrition, and CVH, and to determine the optimal dietary patterns for individualized care. The aim of this scientific review is to evaluate the current evidence on the effects of nutrigenomics and MedDiet on cardiovascular health. The review summarizes the available studies that have investigated the relationship between nutrition, genetics, and cardiovascular health, and explores the mechanisms by which certain dietary patterns can impact CVH outcomes. The review focuses on the effects of MedDiet, a dietary pattern that is rich in whole foods and healthy fats, and its potential to positively influence CVH through its impact on gene expression. The review highlights the limitations of current research and the need for further studies to fully understand the complex interplay between nutrition, genetics, and cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the impact of diabetes on physical and mental health status, as well as patient satisfaction, one-year following knee and hip total joint arthroplasty (TJA) for osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Participants were 626 hip and 754 knee TJA patients. Pre-surgery data were collected on socio-demographics and health status. The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) was collected pre- and one year post-surgery, and physical (PCS) and mental component (MCS) summary scores computed. One-year patient satisfaction was also recorded. Four regression models tested the effect of diabetes on: 1) PCS change score; 2) MCS change score; 3) achieving minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) on PCS; and 4) patient satisfaction ('Somewhat or Very Satisfied' vs. 'Somewhat or Very Dissatisfied'). An interaction between surgical joint and diabetes was tested in each model. Results: Self-reported diabetes prevalence was 13.0% (95% CI: 11.2%-14.7%) and was more common in knee 16.1% (95% CI: 13.4%-18.7%) than hip 9.3% (95% CI: 7.0%-11.5%) patients. In adjusted analyses, change scores were 2.3 units less on the PCS for those with diabetes compared to those without (p = 0.005). Patients with diabetes were about half as likely to achieve MCII as patients without diabetes (p = 0.004). Diabetes was not significantly associated with satisfaction or changes in MCS scores. Diabetes effects did not differ by surgical joint. Conclusions: Findings support that diabetes has a negative impact on improvements in physical health after TJA. Considering the growing prevalence of OA and diabetes in the population, our findings support the importance of perioperative screening and management of diabetes in patients undergoing TJA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulocyte transfusions have been used to treat infections in neutropenic patients, despite persistent controversy over their effectiveness. This poster illustrates a case study of a 14-year-old boy who was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) complicated with neutropenic fever which did not improve despite optimal antimicrobial treatment. Subsequently, the medical team decided to administer granulocyte transfusions. From this case report, it was observed that granulocyte transfusion did not yield improvements due to a few factors which are the patient's advanced condition and the granulocyte content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incremental hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) associated with adverse events (AEs) has not been well characterized for planned and unplanned inpatient spine, hip, and knee surgeries. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of hip, knee, and spine surgeries at an academic hospital in 2011–2012. Adverse events were prospectively collected for 3,063 inpatient cases using the Orthopaedic Surgical AdVerse Event Severity (OrthoSAVES) reporting tool. Case costs were retrospectively obtained and inflated to equivalent 2021 CAD values. Propensity score methodology was used to assess the cost and LOS attributable to AEs, controlling for a variety of patient and procedure factors. Results: The sample was 55% female and average age was 64; 79% of admissions were planned. 30% of cases had one or more AEs (82% had low-severity AEs at worst). The incremental cost and LOS attributable to AEs were $8,500 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5100–11,800) and 4.7 days (95% CI: 3.4–5.9) per admission. This corresponded to a cumulative $7.8 M (14% of total cohort cost) and 4,290 bed-days (19% of cohort bed-days) attributable to AEs. Incremental estimates varied substantially by (1) admission type (planned: $4,700/2.4 days; unplanned: $20,700/11.5 days), (2) AE severity (low: $4,000/3.1 days; high: $29,500/11.9 days), and (3) anatomical region (spine: $19,800/9 days; hip: $4,900/3.8 days; knee: $1,900/1.5 days). Despite only 21% of admissions being unplanned, adverse events in these admissions cumulatively accounted for 59% of costs and 62% of bed-days attributable to AEs. Conclusions: This study comprehensively demonstrates the considerable cost and LOS attributable to AEs in orthopaedic and spine admissions. In particular, the incremental cost and LOS attributable to AEs per admission were almost five times as high among unplanned admissions compared to planned admissions. Mitigation strategies focused on unplanned surgeries may result in significant quality improvement and cost savings in the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stereochemistry of this arylation reaction is controlled by the configuration at C3 of the glycal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a diagram which shows the molecular structure of the transformation of glycals into conjugated chirons under metal-free conditions.

The article reports that Professor Dr. Kanwal Ameen, chairperson of Library and Information Science Department at University of Punjab, appreciated the publication of the book "Darakhshan Sitarey," by Dr. Nasreen Shagufta. Shagufta presented a copy of the book to Ameen during the reception held in her honor on March 31, 2014. Information on the book is offered.