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High tilt angle (45 °) ferroelectric liquid crystal (F L C) in surface stabilized geometry, having no chiral smectic A (S m A ∗) phase, has been studied for the reorientation of the smectic layers near the transition temperature (T c). The electro-optical studies have shown the stripe domain formation in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned along the rubbing direction, but the smectic layers are tilted away from the rubbing direction at room temperature. In such high tilt angle F L C s , the molecular alignment and smectic layer formation start from bottom and top rubbed grooves at T c. The domain formation of the FLC takes place in the middle of the top and bottom surfaces due to the frustration of the dipolar interaction. The smectic layer switching is observed by optical microscopy and confirmed by the dielectric spectroscopy method near T c of S m C ∗ and chiral nematic phases. Domain switching has shown a larger switching angle than the molecular tilt angle within the smectic layer. These studies are expected to be significant for understanding the smectic layer structure and the domain switching process, which may pave the way for large optical switching devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Charge Plasma Nanowire Tunnel Field Effect Transistor based sensor is proposed for the recognition of Oxygen (O2) gas molecules by means of a Silicon Germanium (Si1-xGex) sourced device abbreviated as SiGe-CP-NW-TFET. The electrical performances of SiGe-CP-NW-TFET have been compared with the conventional Charge Plasma Nanowire Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (CP-NW-TFET). The parameters measured for comparison are ION, IOFF, ION/IOFF, Subthreshold slope (SS), and threshold voltage (Vt). The proposed SiGe-CP-NW-TFET has better electrical performance as compared to Si-CP-NW-TFET. Further, the device characteristics such as electric potential, electric field, charge carriers, and energy band diagram of both the devices have also been compared. The fundamental physics of the proposed sensor is also explored from a comprehensive electrostatic study of the tunnelling junction in the context of gas molecule adsorption. The influence of device constraints of the proposed SiGe-CP-NW-TFET on the electrical performance indicators has also been studied. The device parameters e.g. oxide thickness, extended gate length, silicon film thickness, and molar concentration of SiGe at the source side are considered. The impact of oxide thickness, extended gate length, the radius of NW, and the concentration of SiGe (molar) at the source side have been analysed on the sensitivity of the O2 gas sensor. The presented Oxygen gas sensor has an ION/IOFF ratio of 3.65 × 107 and a subthreshold slope of 58.23 mV/decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the sensitivity of Underlap Gate Cavity-based Reconfigurable Silicon Nanowire Schottky Barrier Transistor (UCG-RSiNW SBT) with an underlap gate-drain region for biosensing application. The featured unique reconfigurable capability enables the device to operate as either p-type or n-type, dependent on the applied bias polarity. The proposed biosensor incorporates a cavity beneath the control gate on the source side, facilitating the placement of both neutral and charged biomolecules with varying dielectric constant (K) values. Upon injection of biomolecules into the cavity, the device changes electrostatic characteristics, including modulation in threshold voltage, potential, electric field, and sub-threshold swing, I ON , I ON / I OFF ratio. The threshold voltage ( V TH ) Sensitivity of n-mode is enhanced by 97.91 % , while that of p-mode is raised by 16 % compared to conventional RFET biosensors. The drain current sensitivity and the linearity of proposed biosensor is enhanced upto the values of 2792 and 0.997 respectively in n-mode configuration whereas in p-mode configuration, the drain current sensitivity and the linearity comes out to be 968 and 0.995 respectively. These high sensitivity and linearity values make this biosensor superior to the existing state-of-the-art biosensors. The findings from this study provide valuable insights into the development of highly sensitive biosensors for applications in diverse fields, including healthcare and biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagation of Rayleigh-type waves is investigated in a half-space composed of nonlocal micropolar thermoelastic material containing void pores. Dispersion relation is derived for a mechanically stress-free and thermally insulated boundary surface of the half-space. The particle motion during the propagation of the waves is found to follow elliptical path. Numerical computations for a specific material are performed to analyze the characteristics of propagating Rayleigh-type waves in detail. Comparison between the phase speed and corresponding attenuation coefficient in some particular cases is also carried out. The effect of various parameters on the characteristics of waves in question is also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants enhance a space's aesthetics and benefit numerous human health and well-being. Indoor plants improve air quality around residential areas by reducing pollutants, increasing humidity levels, and regulating temperature. These plants also reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and boost work productivity. Hydroponics, a soilless technique for indoor gardening, can further enhance the transpiration and photosynthesis rates, improving air temperature and humidity. These plants serve as organic air filters that efficiently remove contaminants, including those that can spread viruses like SARS-CoV-2. The presence of indoor plants in indoor environments is linked to improved mental and physical health, making it cost-effective for improving indoor environmental quality. The present review discusses the benefits of incorporating indoor and gardening plants in available indoor or residential spaces, which have been discussed for human well-being and environmental sustainability using previous supporting studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay presents an autoethnography of a gay man's experiences in an open relationship. While one's relationship with their partner is the primary way in which one experiences and lives one's sexuality, in an open relationship one can also form connections with others. This essay examines the ways in which the author—being a gay man in an open relationship—navigates their desire within and beyond their relationship that involves interactions with other gay men. While relationships may be founded on a commitment, they remain subject to the changes in lived reality. As such, this essay traces the trajectory of the author's relationship in a period in which it underwent some major changes—from live-in to long distance, from a closed relationship to an open one, leading finally to counseling sessions with a therapist. The status of one's relationship has a direct bearing on the interactions—romantic, non-romantic, social, or fleeting, that one has with other people. In the heteronormative scheme of things, the constant shifts in one's relationship and their interactions with other people would be construed as a lack of stability and certainty. However, the author argues that these very shifts characterize the inherent queerness of their relationship, which is driven as much by their commitment to their partner as by the desire to have sexual interactions with others and indulge in experiences that are capable of jeopardizing the relationship altogether. The author posits that the "instability" in their relationship(s) be read as the conflict between the affective nature of queerness and the constraints posed by the heteronormative world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background. Coccinia grandis L. is traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Since the scientific evidence and mechanism of action have not yet been extensively investigated, this study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects together with the optimisation and development of a scale-up process design for higher yields of bioactive phytocompounds from C. grandis. Experimental approach. The in silico study was conducted to predict the binding affinity of phytocompounds of C. grandis for α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes with pharmacokinetic assessment. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimum total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total tannin content (TTC) and antioxidant activities (DPPH and FRAP) in 17 different experimental runs in which the parameters of microwave-assisted extraction such as temperature (50–70 °C), power (400–1000 W) and time (15–45 min) were varied. The phytocompounds were purified and identified using column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The in vitro antidiabetic activity was determined by α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymatic inhibitory assays, while cytotoxic investigations were done by measuring haemolytic activity, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. Results and conclusions. The reported major bioactive compounds have shown an excellent binding affinity for α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes in the range of −14.28 to –36.12 kJ/mol with good pharmacokinetic properties and toxicities ranging from low to medium. The bioactive constituents such as total phenols, total flavonoids, total tannins and antioxidant activities such as DPPH and FRAP were found to be high and dependent on the optimised microwave-assisted extraction parameters such as temperature, time and power: 55 °C, 45 min and 763 W, respectively. Sixteen compounds were identified by FTIR and LC-MS spectra in the plant sample after preliminary identification, purification and TLC. The percentage of enzyme inhibition depended on the concentration of the extract (7.8–125.0 μg/mL) and was higher than that of acarbose. The haemolytic activity was in accordance with ISO standards and low toxicity was observed in the MTT and CAM assays in the range of 7.8−125.0 μg/mL, suggesting its potential use as an antidiabetic drug and for functional food development. Novelty and scientific contribution. The results of the study open up new opportunities for researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs in the food and pharmaceutical sectors to develop antidiabetic foods and medicines that help diabetics to better control their condition and maintain overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of peripheral nerve injuries is an important concern due to the their incidence of nerve lesions and inappropriate regeneration that follows severe injuries, which ultimately reduces the lives of patients with this condition. Different strategies have been investigated to repair severe nerve injuries with the improvement of motor and sensory regeneration. Although autograft remains the gold standard technique, an emerging number of research articles concerning nerve conduit use have been reported in the last few years. Nerve conduits aim to overcome autograft disadvantages, but they satisfy some requirements to be suitable for nerve repair. A universal ideal conduit does not exist since conduit properties have to be evaluated case by case; nevertheless, because of their high biocompatibility and biodegradability, natural‐based biomaterials have great potential to be used to produce nerve guides. Although they have many characteristics with synthetic biomaterials, natural‐based biomaterials are preferable because of their extraction sources; indeed, these biomaterials are obtained from different renewable sources or food waste, thus reducing environmental impact and enhancing sustainability in comparison to synthetic ones. This review highlights the recent progress in the development of natural‐based biomaterials and their derivatives for the management of peripheral nerve injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study conducted at a rural tertiary care hospital to examine the prescribing pattern of antibacterials in different disease conditions. The study involved 800 patients selected through random sampling. The results showed that the majority of antibacterials were prescribed in tablet form, followed by drops and syrup. The study also identified the distribution of antibacterials according to routes of drug administration, with the oral route being the most common. The study found that respiratory infections were the most common condition, followed by ear, nose, and throat infections. Genitourinary infections and injuries were also reported, while in 2.1% of prescriptions, the diagnosis was not mentioned. The study also noted that females outnumbered males in the study population, and a significant number of patients had no formal education. The findings of this study can be used to develop rational prescribing guidelines based on disease patterns in the region. [Extracted from the article]

Multiple tensor-times-matrix (Multi-TTM) is a key computation in algorithms for computing and operating with the Tucker tensor decomposition, which is frequently used in multidimensional data analysis. We establish communication lower bounds that determine how much data movement is required (under mild conditions) to perform the Multi-TTM computation in parallel. The crux of the proof relies on analytically solving a constrained, nonlinear optimization problem. We also present a parallel algorithm to perform this computation that organizes the processors into a logical grid with twice as many modes as the input tensor. We show that, with correct choices of grid dimensions, the communication cost of the algorithm attains the lower bounds and is therefore communication optimal. Finally, we show that our algorithm can significantly reduce communication compared to the straightforward approach of expressing the computation as a sequence of tensor-times-matrix operations when the input and output tensors vary greatly in size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study conducted at a rural tertiary care hospital to examine the prescribing pattern of antibacterials in different disease conditions. The study involved 800 patients selected through random sampling and analyzed the utilization of antibacterials according to different dosage forms. The results showed that tablets were the most commonly prescribed form of antibacterials, followed by drops and syrup. The study also identified the distribution of patients based on gender and education level. The findings of this study can be used to improve rational prescribing guidelines based on dosage forms and disease frequency patterns in the region. Additionally, the article includes a table that provides information on the frequency of diseases in the study population that were prescribed antibacterials. The most common conditions were respiratory infections, followed by ear, nose, and throat infections. Genitourinary infections and injuries were also reported, while a small percentage of prescriptions did not mention a specific diagnosis. The study also found that females outnumbered males in the study population, and a significant number of patients had no formal education. Overall, this information can be valuable for developing rational prescribing guidelines based on disease patterns in a specific region. [Extracted from the article]

Ice cream is a frozen mixture comprising milk, cream, sugar, milk solids-not-fat, stabilizers, and emulsifiers. This study explores the production of ice cream using a Scraped Surface Freezer (SSF) combined with a liquid nitrogen (LN2) freezing technique. The innovative approach involves utilizing liquid nitrogen as a refrigerant and employing gaseous nitrogen released during heat transfer to control the overrun in the final ice cream product. The experimental investigation of SSF involved examining the draw temperature of ice cream and determining its overall heat transfer coefficient. The drawing temperature of -6 °C and overall heat transfer coefficient close to 300 W/(m²°C) was obtained after the process optimization. To better understand what occurs inside SSF, numerical simulation using ANSYS Fluent was used to acquire the flow parameters such as temperature, pressure, and velocity. The flow profile was obtained under the reference operating conditions: feed flow rate = 240 lit/hr, LN2 temperature = -95 °C, and scraper speed =125 rpm. The computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) results reveal confined flow between blades and the inner heat transfer tube surface, causing a directional velocity change. Due to this recirculation, a faster decrease in temperature was observed in this area. The results of the experimental investigation of the SSF were rigorously compared with the CFD results. Based on numerical simulations, the initial freezing point in SSF occurred at an axial distance of 0.2 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Altered levels of consciousness resulting from a vascular insult to the brain can vary from confusion to coma. A disruption in the function of the brain stem reticular activating system in the brain stem or both cerebral hemispheres and thalami causes coma. This study is aimed at finding the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor recovery in altered conscious patients after traumatic brain injury and cerebrovascular accident. Materials and Methods A total of 100 patients admitted to the neurology and neurosurgery unit of the university hospital were screened and 40 subjects who satisfied inclusion criteria were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, group A (experimental; n = 20) and group B (control; n = 20), by computerized randomization. Written informed consent was taken from all the caregivers before recruitment. After taking the preliminary assessment, anodal tDCS is given to the motor area (C3/C4 ipsilesional), sensory area (P3/P4 ipsilesional), and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) according to the 10/20 electroencephalogram montage for two sessions of 20 min/day for 7 consecutive days. Routine physiotherapy was also given the same as group B. Results At baseline, there were no significant group differences in the baseline characteristics. The groups passed the normality test. The results were tested for statistical significance between the groups by Mann–Whitney U -test and by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey Honest Significant Difference for post-hoc comparison; the results were statistically different with p -value less than 0.05 with a large effect size. Conclusion We conclude, based on the results of this study, that tDCS can be effective in motor recovery in altered consciousness patients. It is noninvasive, cost-effective with minimal contraindications, and does not interfere with other modalities in the intensive care unit. Hence, it can be administered safely under the supervision of a qualified therapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tribal women entrepreneurship has gained significant attention in recent years as a means to empower women from indigenous communities and foster sustainable development within their societies. However, with the recognition of their unique skills, knowledge, and cultural heritage, tribal women are increasingly embracing entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic self-sufficiency and empowerment. Our research analysed bibliometric data from 2002 to 2023 to see how the field of study on tribal women entrepreneurs has evolved. This study looked at a wide range of factors, including publication details, authorship details, country of origin, and author-related keywords. The R studio Bibliometrix programme was used to make the visuals. The annual output of publications increased by 9.82% after the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was a notable increase in the number of publications on tribal women entrepreneurship. Possible causes include supportive technological development, a thriving environment for new businesses, and government initiatives. India and the United States have produced the most comprehensive studies of entrepreneurship followed by the United Kingdom, but researchers from all over the world have worked together on similar projects. This study has shown that there has been a significant increase in entrepreneurial research activity, as well as demonstrating the breadth and interdisciplinary character of this research. However, more work needs to be carried out to bring together scholars from different fields to examine how different organisations have impacted the study of tribal women entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work aims to optimize and develop a scale-up process design for higher yields of phenolic compounds, as well as propose and validate their antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects when extracted from Cajanus cajan leaves. The optimization procedure included 17 experimental runs using microwave-assisted extraction parameters such as temperature (50–70 °C), power (400–1000 W), and time (15–45 min), and was optimized using response surface methodology for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total tannin content (TTC), and antioxidant activities like 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was found to be 52.15 mg GAE/g dw, 25.12 mg QE/g dw, 43.02 mg TAE/g dw, 35.16%, and 43.25 mg TE/g dw, respectively. The optimized values of response variables were achieved at 700 W of power, 60 °C of temperature, and 40 min of processing time. Purification, thin-layer chromatography, fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) spectral analysis of the plant extract revealed the existence of 18 bioactive phenolic compounds. The in silico investigation found that fifteen out of eighteen bioactive phenolic compounds had strong binding affinities in the range of −4.0 to −8.8 kcal/mol, along with enhanced pharmacokinetic characteristics and a low to moderate level of toxicity. The IC50 values of in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity were 46.49 ± 2.2 and 59.51 ± 3.57 µg/mL, respectively, indicating a high level of enzymatic inhibition activity. In addition, the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) tests revealed that cytotoxicity was minimal up to a concentration of 62.5 µg/mL of the extract. The results of this study will open new doors for researchers, scientists, and industrialists in the food and pharmaceutical industries who intend to develop antidiabetic food formulations and antidiabetic drugs as a way for diabetic people to manage their disease and improve their overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The anaesthetic agents can affect the quality of motor-evoked potential intraoperatively as they inhibit synaptic transmission. Intravenous anaesthetics suppress motor-evoked potential lesser than inhalational agents, so total intravenous anaesthesia or a combination of intravenous with minimal inhalational anaesthetic supplementation is used when motor-evoked potential is monitored. Motor-evoked potential can get depressed at high doses of propofol required to maintain surgical depth, hence, adjuvant agents like dexmedetomidine that maintain anaesthetic depth without affecting the motor-evoked potential are often required. This study was a prospective non-randomized and comparative study (quasi-experimental) assigned into two groups of 64 each, labelled as the propofol group (group P) and Propofol + dexmedetomidine group (group PD). The primary objective of our study was to compare the total dose reduction of propofol with the addition of dexmedetomidine and their interference with motor-evoked potential readings. The secondary objective was to assess the hemodynamic changes, changes in amplitude and latency of motor-evoked potential, and complications if any. Results: The mean total dose of propofol consumed in our study was 502.81 ± 71.01 mg in group propofol(P) and 392.18 ± 59.00 mg in group propofol + dexmedetomidine (PD). Moreover, the mean total dose of propofol (mg) was significantly less used in group PD. Intraoperative hemodynamic stability, no difference in amplitude and latency for motor-evoked potential, and only significant bradycardia in group propofol + dexmedetomidine (PD). Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine can be successfully used in propofol-based total intravenous anaesthesia for motor-evoked potential monitoring in spine surgeries, but it is better to maintain stable hemodynamics with a significant reduction of the mean dose of propofol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Permian floral diversity and palaeodepositional environment of the Lower Permian Rajhara sequence of Damodar Basin have been studied based on mega-, microfossil and geochemical proxies. Even though Gondwana sediments are generally considered as fluvio-lacustrine deposits, recent studies indicate marine inundations with patchy records. Here in the present study, an attempt has been made to address the changeover from fluviatile to shallow marine conditions and also to address the palaeodepositional aspects. Luxuriant vegetation during deposition of the Lower Barakar Formation generated thick coal seams. The macroplant fossil assemblage shows Glossopteridales, Cordaitales and Equisetales comprising one palynoassemblage with the dominance of bisaccate pollen grains having glossopterid affinities. However, Lycopsids are absent in the megafloral record and are represented in megaspore assemblage. The present floral assemblage led to envisage the presence of dense forest with swampy conditions and prevalence of warm and humid climate during the deposition of Barakar sediments. Correlation with the coeval Indian assemblages and those from other Gondwanan continents also supports an Artinskian age and reveals a stronger affinity with flora of Africa than that of South America. Biomarker analysis reveals low pristane/phytane values (0.30–0.84), noticeable absence of hopanoid triterpenoids and long-chain n-alkanes that is attributed to the obliteration of organic compounds and subsequent alteration of composition due to thermal effect. The high chemical index of alteration, A–CN–K plot and PIA also suggest severe denudation under a warm/humid climate. The V/Al2O3 and P2O5/Al2O3 indicated freshwater–near-shore conditions. However, signature of possible marine influence is identified from Th/U and Sr/Ba ratios resulted from the eustatic fluctuations during Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constitutive relations and governing equations have been developed for an elastic–plastic material with voids having single slip-plane and direction. The plasticity of the material is considered through the dislocation of slip-plane. The propagation of unidirectional plane waves has been explored in an infinite elastic–plastic material with voids, and it has been found that there exist four basic waves consisting of three coupled elastic–plastic waves and a lone transverse wave. The speeds of propagation of all the coupled elastic–plastic waves are found to be affected by the plasticity and void parameters, in general, while the transverse wave is not affected by the plasticity and void parameters at all and travels with the speed of classical transverse waves. Out of the three coupled elastic–plastic waves, two waves are the counterpart of the waves existing in elastic materials with voids, while the third wave is new and has appeared due to the presence of plasticity in the material. One of the coupled elastic–plastic waves that is least affected by the plasticity faces a critical frequency, below which the wave is a nonpropagating wave. This critical frequency arises due to the presence of voids in the medium. The speed of various waves is computed for a specific model and the results that are obtained are presented graphically. At large frequencies, all the coupled elastic–plastic waves propagate with constant speeds, but at low frequencies, they propagate with speeds less than that of the longitudinal wave of classical elasticity. Several earlier known results have been recovered as special cases from the present formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports a novel "divide and conquer" approach to estimate the principal thermal conductivities of an orthotropic material, specifically engineered with a view to demonstrate the potency of the inverse heat transfer method with unsteady temperature data. The sample is placed in a vacuum chamber maintained at a pressure of 8.6 × 10 − 7 mbar. The heat capacity of the engineered orthotropic material was determined via estimating the heat capacity of a solid SS304 in a sequential fashion. First steady-state experiments followed by a Bayesian estimation with the Metropolis Hastings-Markov Chain Monte Carlo method were done to obtain the thermal conductivity of a solid SS304 block. Using this as a prior, the heat capacity of solid SS304 was obtained through unsteady experiments followed by Bayesian estimation. The heat capacity of SS304 thus obtained is multiplied by the solidity of the engineered orthotropic material, and using this information, the three components of the orthotropic conductivity are estimated again using the Bayesian route. To expedite the estimation, a surrogate for the forward model was developed using artificial neural network. Finally, the retrieved parameters are used to determine the simulated temperatures through the forward model for the orthotropic material. These, when compared with the measured temperatures, gave excellent agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To ascertain presence of physiological uptake and derive standardized uptake values (SUV) of 68Ga-DOTANOC in normal myocardium and establish reference values. Methods and results: Dedicated cardiac 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT studies of patients referred for evaluation of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) or myocarditis and found to be normal on visual assessment and on cardiac MRI were analyzed semiquantitatively. The studies were acquired 45-60 minutes after intravenous injection of 111-185 MBq of 68Ga-DOTANOC. Myocardial SUVmax normalized to lean body mass (SUVmax_lbm) values for septum, anterior wall, proximal lateral wall, distal lateral wall, inferior wall, and apical region were 1.12 ±.39, 1.09 ±.42, 1.26 ±.49, 1.16 ±.40, 1.23 ±.39, and 1.05 ±.40, respectively. Myocardial SUVmax_lbm-to-blood pool SUVmean_lbm ratios were calculated for each region and 95th percentile values of these ratios were considered the upper limit of normal. 95th percentile values of myocardial SUVmax_lbm-to-blood pool SUVmean_lbm ratio for the corresponding regions were 1.70, 1.70, 2.00 1.95, 2.05, and 1.70, respectively. Conclusion: There can be physiological uptake of 68Ga-DOTANOC in normal myocardium and the reference values of semiquantitative parameters established in this study may be employed as a corroborative tool for visual assessment in patients undergoing 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT for suspected CS or myocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the photocatalytic degradation of the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos in aqueous suspensions using Schima wallichii activated carbon/ZrO2-ZnO (SWAC/ZrO2-ZnO) nanocomposite in UV light. Analytical techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, TEM-SEAD, XPS, PL, and BET analyzer were used to characterize the SWAC/ZrO2-ZnO nanocomposite. The BET surface area of the photocatalyst was found to be 223.387 m2g−1, having a total pore volume of 0.1845 cm3g−1. The photocatalytic degradation of chlorpyrifos followed pseudo-first-order rate kinetics with a half-life period (t1/2) of 7.088 mins and Kap (apparent rate constant) of 0.09778 min−1. The mechanism of composite formation was explained using DFT investigations, which demonstrated a favorable immobilization of ZrO2-ZnO on SWAC. Chemical descriptors gained from DFT investigations, such as HOMO-LUMO energy, ionization energy, dipole moment, chemical softness, and chemical hardness, supported an understanding of the relative efficiency and reactivity of ZrO2-ZnO and SWAC/ZrO2-ZnO towards chlorpyrifos degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an inverse methodology to estimate the parameters of the non-uniform heat generation (function estimation) within a flat plate assembly using steady-state conjugate heat transfer experiments on the flat plate assembly. Steady-state laminar conjugate forced convection experiments on a flat plate assembly are conducted on a horizontal wind tunnel to estimate the parameters of the non-uniform heat generation within flat plate assembly using the inverse methodology. Bayesian inference based Metropolis Hastings–Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MH–MCMC) algorithm and experimental temperatures are employed in the inverse methodology. The experimental temperatures are measured at convenient locations of the flat plate assembly using liquid crystal thermography. In order to accomplish the retrieval, first, steady-state experiments on only the cork material are conducted to estimate the thermal conductivity of the cork material accurately for use in the estimation of the heat generation rate so that the additional error due to uncertainty in the thermal conductivity of the cork material does not affect our final goal of estimating heat generation rate. Following this, steady-state experiments on the cork setup (consisting of a non-uniform heat generation heater and two symmetric cork plates) are conducted to ascertain the nature of heat generation of the heater using measured temperatures and fundamental rate laws. The priors are generated using coupled artificial neural network (ANN) and Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm for Bayesian inference. Using the Bayesian inference with priors, the parameters of non-uniform heat generation are then estimated in terms of the mean, maximum a posteriori with standard deviation. Finally, the simulated heat powers and temperatures are estimated with retrieved parameters of the non-uniform heat generation. These compared very well with the measured heat powers and temperatures. Finally, a recipe for solving a practical problem, in which only measured temperatures are available, is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a general framework for quantum interference between processes that can involve different fundamental particles or quasi‐particles. This framework shows that shaping input wavefunctions is a versatile and powerful tool for producing and controlling quantum interference between distinguishable pathways, beyond previously explored quantum interference between indistinguishable pathways. Two examples of quantum interference enabled by shaping in interactions between free electrons, bound electrons, and photons are presented: i) the vanishing of the zero‐loss peak by destructive quantum interference when a shaped electron wavepacket couples to light, under conditions where the electron's zero‐loss peak otherwise dominates; ii) quantum interference between free electron and atomic (bound electron) spontaneous emission processes, which can be significant even when the free electron and atom are far apart, breaking the common notion that a free electron and an atom must be close by to significantly affect each other's processes. Conclusions show that emerging quantum wave‐shaping techniques unlock the door to greater versatility in light‐matter interactions and other quantum processes in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: An objective understanding of pain guides the effectiveness of various postoperative pain management strategies. The measurement of pain by the visual analogue scale (VAS) is dependent on the individual's cognitive and emotional ability. Pupillary dilatation has been successfully used to measure pain in quantitative terms. The present study was conducted to study the correlation between VAS and pupillary diameter in the evaluation of postoperative pain. Methods: This observational study was carried out on 85 patients 18-65 years of age, scheduled for lower abdominal surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. Postoperative pain assessment was done using the VAS at 6 h, 12 h, 18 h and 24 h. In addition, the pupillary diameter of both eyes was measured simultaneously. Paired t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare the data, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the bivariate correlation between VAS score and pupillary diameter. Results: Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of VAS scores at baseline, 6 h, 12 h, 18 h and 24 h postoperatively were 0, 4.88 ± 0.88, 3.39 ± 0.86, 2.19 ± 0.66 and 1.40 ± 0.49, respectively. Mean change was significant at all time intervals (P < 0.001). The mean ± SD change in average pupillary diameter was 0.59 ± 0.64, 0.44 ± 0.54, 0.22 ± 0.34 and 0.07 ± 0.22 mm, respectively, showing a significant change from baseline (P < 0.05). On overall evaluation, mean pupillary diameter showed a significant incremental trend with an increasing VAS score (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Change in pupillary diameter correlated well with the pain scores (VAS) and thus pupillary diameter can be chosen as an objective measurement of postoperative pain severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: An objective understanding of pain guides the effectiveness of various postoperative pain management strategies. The measurement of pain by the visual analogue scale (VAS) is dependent on the individual's cognitive and emotional ability. Pupillary dilatation has been successfully used to measure pain in quantitative terms. The present study was conducted to study the correlation between VAS and pupillary diameter in the evaluation of postoperative pain. Methods: This observational study was carried out on 85 patients 18–65 years of age, scheduled for lower abdominal surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. Postoperative pain assessment was done using the VAS at 6 h, 12 h, 18 h and 24 h. In addition, the pupillary diameter of both eyes was measured simultaneously. Paired t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare the data, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the bivariate correlation between VAS score and pupillary diameter. Results: Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of VAS scores at baseline, 6 h, 12 h, 18 h and 24 h postoperatively were 0, 4.88 ± 0.88, 3.39 ± 0.86, 2.19 ± 0.66 and 1.40 ± 0.49, respectively. Mean change was significant at all time intervals (P < 0.001). The mean ± SD change in average pupillary diameter was 0.59 ± 0.64, 0.44 ± 0.54, 0.22 ± 0.34 and 0.07 ± 0.22 mm, respectively, showing a significant change from baseline (P < 0.05). On overall evaluation, mean pupillary diameter showed a significant incremental trend with an increasing VAS score (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Change in pupillary diameter correlated well with the pain scores (VAS) and thus pupillary diameter can be chosen as an objective measurement of postoperative pain severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Preoperative identification of women at greater risk of post-cesarean pain might allow more intensive analgesic interventions. This study aimed to assess the effect of age of a parturient on post-cesarean section (CS) pain. Methods: 100 pregnant females were enrolled and divided into 4 groups: group A (age 18–24 years), group B (25–30 years), group C (31–35 years), and group D (≥36 years). Patient-controlled epidural analgesia was started postoperatively in all patients. Pain on a 0- to 10-point visual analog scale (VAS), a number of attempts tried for patient-activated dose delivery of ropivacaine, and successful delivery of patient-activated dose of ropivacaine were recorded for 72 hours. Breastfeeding was initiated as early as possible. The effect of breastfeeding on post-CS pain was observed for 72 hours in terms of increase, decrease, or no change in VAS scores with breastfeeding. Results: The peak VAS scores over 72 hours were 4.10 ± 0.60, 4.00 ± 0.67, 3.75 ± 0.45, and 3.42 ± 0.67, respectively, in groups A, B, C, and D, showing a significant declining trend (P = 0.007). The mean VAS scores decreased from 4.08 to 1.69 (group A, P < 0.0001), from 4.00 to 1.64 (group B, P < 0.0001), from 3.67 to 1.25 (group C, P < 0.0001), and from 3.33 to 1.50 (group D, P < 0.0001) over 72 hours. A statistically significant decline in patient-activated rescue drug delivery attempts, the number of times the rescue analgesic was delivered, and 24-h cumulative ropivacaine dose requirement was seen. Conclusions: In this study, it was found that post-cesarean pain decreases significantly with increasing age, as evidenced by reduced pain scores, reduced attempts at rescue drug delivery, and reduced rescue analgesic requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Osteoarthritis patients often suffer from anxiety which can affect the disease prognosis. This study is aimed at assessing the various psychological dimensions in different joint arthritic subjects of the rural population and finding the most common joint arthritis that can lead to anxiety in the rural population. Materials & methods: A total of 252 subjects satisfied the inclusion criteria and were recruited for the study after written informed consent and were asked to fill in the GPS online through Google forms. The "feelings" subscale assesses the patient's psychological stress due to pain and disease. The psychological dimensions of sub-section feelings of GPS were analyzed by one-way ANOVA to assess whether there is a difference on average in the scores among the three groups at a p < 0.05 significant level. Tukey HSD was used for post hoc pairwise comparisons. Results: One-way ANOVA results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the groups for fear, level of anxiety, depression, stress, and fatigue. Tukey HSD post hoc comparison revealed that the results were statistically significant for fear (Q = 3.35, p = 0.04) and fatigue levels (Q = 3.69, p = 0.02). The Tukey HSD post hoc comparison for levels of anxiety, depression, and stress was not statistically significant. Conclusion: From this study, we conclude that anxiety, fatigue, and fear are highly prevalent in hip osteoarthritis. Anxiety is associated with all joint osteoarthritis and can result in poor quality of living. We recommend physicians to emphasize psychological dimensions and address them at an early stage in order to achieve a better prognosis in degenerative joint diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pial collaterals provide protection from ischemic damage and improve the prognosis of stroke patients. The origin or precise sequence of events underlying pial collateral development is unclear and has prevented clinicians from adapting new vascularization and regeneration therapies. We use genetic lineage tracing and intravital imaging of mouse brains at cellular resolution to show that during embryogenesis, pial collateral arteries develop from extension and anastomoses of pre-existing artery tips in a VegfR2-dependent manner. This process of artery tip extension occurs on pre-determined microvascular tracks. Our data demonstrate that an arterial receptor, Cxcr4, earlier shown to drive artery cell migration and coronary collateral development, is dispensable for the formation and maintenance of pial collateral arteries. Our study shows that collateral arteries of the brain are built by a mechanism distinct from that of the heart. [Display omitted] • Pial collaterals originate from VegfR2-dependent cerebral artery tip extensions • Pial artery tip extension is preceded by microvascular guidance • Cellular distribution of adult pial collaterals does not change, even without arterial VegfR2 • Arterial Cxcr4 is dispensable for pial collateral formation and its maintenance Pial collaterals in mice form by VegfR2-dependent artery tip extensions along pre-determined microvascular tracks. This mechanism is independent of arterial Cxcr4, a vascular receptor key to coronary collateral development in mice. Kumar et al. provide support for two distinct organ-specific mechanisms that build collateral arteries in the heart and brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maraging steel 300 is widely used in aircraft, tools, and automotive industries, which requires a polished surface for better performance. In conventional methods of polishing, the abrasives directly contact the workpiece surface and deteriorate its property. Thus, a nonconventional method like electropolishing (EP), is utilized to finish maraging steel with acetic acid and perchloric acid mixed in the volume of 3:1. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) is performed to determine the passive region that gives the best electropolishing performance. Different parameters, namely temperature, agitation, and polishing time and their effect on surface roughness and surface reflectance, are observed during EP. The optimized process parameters, which give the best EP performance, are the temperature at 60 ∘ C , rotation of magnetic stirrer at 400 rpm, and polishing time of 6 min. An improvement of 56.25% in surface roughness and 60.3% in surface reflectance from its initial value of 21% is observed. EP makes the surface hydrophilic as the contact angle changes from 111.2 to 68.6°. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis suggests that after EP, thick passive layer forms on the surface, which helps in increasing corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagation of Lamb waves has been studied in an infinite plate of finite thickness and composed of elastic–plastic material containing void pores. The plastic deformation in the plate material is considered through a single-plane and direction. Assuming a linear relation between the elastic and plastic parts of the change in void volume fraction and using the stress-free boundary surfaces of the plate, the dispersion relations corresponding to the symmetric and antisymmetric vibrations with respect to the mid-plane of the plate are derived. The corresponding dispersion relations of Lamb modes in the elastic–plastic plate have been reduced by neglecting the presence of voids. Some earlier known results are recovered from the present formulation under particular cases. The behaviour of symmetric and antisymmetric family of Lamb modes are depicted pictorially against the frequency, slip-angle, thickness of the plate and void parameters in a specific plate material. It is found that the plasticity and the presence of the voids in the plate material affect the propagation of Lamb modes. In particular, at the slip-angle |$45^o$|⁠ , the |$S_0$| - and |$A_0$| - modes exhibit symmetry, but |$S_0$| is bell shaped and |$A_0$| is parabolic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Renusagar thermal power plant is one of the most important power plants supplying electricity to the entire Hindalco Industry in Northern India. This plant causes soil and groundwater contamination due to the disposal of its fly ash in the Bicchari ash pond. An attempt has been made to characterize the ash pond and to study soil and groundwater contamination adjacent to the fly ash pond. In total, 11 groundwater samples and four samples each for the ash pond and soil were collected and analyzed to evaluate the impact of the pond on nearby soil and groundwater. Results show that the pond ash is a heterogeneous mixture of magnetic and nonmagnetic (such as mullite and quartz) compounds. Scanning electron microscopy of the pond ash reveals that most of the minerals present are spheroidal in shape, and a smaller size indicates the presence of silica. X‐ray fluorescence analysis of the soils reveals that in most of the samples zircoline has a relatively higher concentration, whereas silica is the major part of SiO2. Most groundwater samples are acidic, with an average pH of 6.73, which decreases the leaching of heavy metals. The concentration of Ca, Mn, and Fe is relatively high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion equation is derived for the propagation of one-dimensional plane waves in a general linear anisotropic isothermal elastic–plastic material with voids. The plasticity of the considered material is defined through the dislocation of a single slip plane and direction. The derived dispersion equation is then reduced for the relevant wave propagation in particular media, namely, monoclinic, orthotropic, transversely isotropic, and isotropic elastic–plastic material with voids. In general, it is found that there exist four basic waves traveling with distinct speeds in these specific anisotropic elastic–plastic materials with voids. A new wave is found to appear because of the presence of plasticity in the material. Out of the four basic waves traveling in an orthotropic/transversely isotropic material with voids, a wave travels independent of plasticity and void parameters, whereas the remaining three waves depend on plasticity as well as on the presence of voids. The one which is traveling independent of plasticity and voids is nondispersive and nonattenuating, whereas the other waves are dispersive in nature. The speeds of all the existing waves are computed numerically for a specific model, displayed graphically, and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflection behavior of a set of coupled longitudinal/transverse waves incident obliquely at the flat boundary surface of a nonlocal micropolar thermoelastic half-space containing voids is investigated. Appropriate boundary conditions are setup for mechanically stress-free and thermally insulated boundary surface of the half-space. The equations yielding the reflection coefficients and the expressions of corresponding energy ratios of various reflected waves are presented. The nature of dependence of the reflection coefficients and their corresponding energy ratios against the angle of incidence is studied numerically for a specific model. Effect of several parameters on the reflection coefficients as well as on the corresponding energy ratios is noticed and depicted graphically. It is found that the sum of the energy ratios is approximately equal to unity at each angle of incidence. Some earlier known results are also recovered as special cases of the present formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Women perform worse after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) than men. The reason for these differences is unclear. The aim was to ascertain gender differences in the culprit plaque characteristics in ACS. Methods:Patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for the culprit vessel underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Culprit plaque was identified as lipid rich, fibrous, and calcific plaque. Mechanisms underlying ACS are classified as plaque rupture, erosion, or calcified nodule. A lipid rich plaque along with thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was a vulnerable plaque. Plaque microstructures including cholesterol crystals, macrophages, and microvessels were noted. Results:A total of 52 patients were enrolled (men = 29 and women = 23). Baseline demographic features were similar in both the groups except men largely were current smokers (P < 0.001). Plaque morphology, men vs. women: lipid rich 88.0% vs. 90.5%; fibrous 4% vs 0%; calcific 8.0% vs. 9.5% (P = 0.64). Of the ACS mechanisms in males versus females; plaque rupture (76.9 % vs. 50 %), plaque erosion (15.4 % vs. 40 %) and calcified nodule (7.7 % vs. 10 %) was noted (P = 0.139). Fibrous cap thickness was (50.19 ± 11.17 vs. 49.00 ± 10.71 mm, P = 0.71) and thin-cap fibroatheroma (96.2% vs. 95.0%, P = 1.0) in men and women respectively. Likewise no significant difference in presence of macrophages (42.3 % vs. 30 %, P = 0.76), microvessels (73.1% vs. 60 %, P = 0.52) and cholesterol crystals (92.3% vs. 80%, P = 0.38). Conclusion: No significant gender-based in-vivo differences could be discerned in ACS patients' culprit plaques morphology, characteristics, and underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary slow flow (SF) is an important complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) associated with poor prognosis. The aim was to assess grey-scale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and virtual histology (VH-IVUS) characteristics of culprit lesion in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A total of 295 consecutive patients with STEMI underwent coronary angiogram and IVUS. Following PCI, patients divided into two groups; SF (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction [TIMI] flow ≤ 2, n = 74) and normal flow (NF) (TIMI flow >2, n = 221). Coronary plaque burden and its composition in relation to SF were evaluated. On grey-scale IVUS, the plaque area (12.3 mm2vs. 11.5 mm2, p =.01), plaque volume (110.7 mm3vs. 99.8 mm3, p <.001), lesion external elastic membrane (EEM) cross-sectional area (14.9 mm2vs. 14.0 mm2, p =.011) and remodelling index (1.3 vs. 1.2, p =.043) were significantly higher in SF group. On VH-IVUS, absolute fibrous volume (48.1 mm3vs. 41.5 mm3, p ≤.001), fibrofatty volume (23.8 mm3vs. 18.6 mm3, p =.015), necrotic core volume (8.3 mm3vs. 5.5 mm3, p <.001), dense calcium volume (1.2 mm3vs. 0.6 mm3, p =.003) and thin cap fibroatheroma either single (30.1% vs. 16.1%, p <.001) or multiple (9.6% vs. 1.8%, p <.001) were higher in SF arm. In multivariable analysis, absolute necrotic core volume (odds ratio = 1.159; 95% CI 1.030–1.305, p =.015) was the only independent predictor of SF. Higher necrotic core volume as detected by VH-IVUS may be a potential risk factor for the development of coronary SF phenomenon in patients with STEMI after PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the sources of liquidity commonality in an emerging Asian market. Specifically, the demand side and supply side factors were tested in an order-driven Indian stock market. The results indicate that growth in the industrial production and bank credit reflecting the supply side variables are found to have significant influence on liquidity commonality. However, compare to the supply side, demand side factors reflecting the trading behaviour of domestic and foreign institutional investors exhibited higher influence. Study has further extended the literature by investigating the size and sectorial effects and found heterogeneous impact on commonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) is an invasive procedure and hence is distressing for awake patients, requiring adequate level of sedation and analgesia. Recent advancements have encouraged use of monitored anesthesia care (MAC), that allows the patient to tolerate unpleasant procedures while maintaining cardio-respiratory function. The main aim is to compare the effect of dexmedetomidine and propofol on the hemodynamics during ERCP, quality of sedation, recovery profile, and any side effects. A total of 100 patients were randomized by a computer-generated random number table into two groups of 30 patients each. The group P received continuous propofol infusion at a rate of 25-75 mcg/kg/min to achieve a Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) of 3-4 before starting the procedure. Group D received dexmedetomidine at loading dose of 1 μg/kg i.v. over 10 min followed by 0.5 μg/kg/h infusion until RSS reached 3-4. Results: The present study shows significant decrease in heart rate in group D (65.27 ± 4. 3 vs.77.27 ± 9.3) with more stable blood pressure values throughout than group P. There were episodes of transient desaturation in few patients in group P while no patient showed any signs of respiratory depression or desaturation in group D. The time to achieve Ramsay sedation score (RSS) 3-4 is significantly more in group D (11.4 ± 1.37 vs. 7.93 ± 1.32) with increased tendency to use rescue drug but shows better and early recovery. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is a better substitute to propofol for patients undergoing ERCP; however, use of adjunct may be necessary to decrease the need for rescue drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic activity of iron-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (FDT) supported on environmentally benign activated carbon (PAC) has been discussed. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite was investigated for the degradation of Congo red (CR) dye from aqueous solution under visible light (520 nm), and it was observed that 100% degradation for 20 ppm CR solution took place within 60 mins. The experimental data of photodegradation of CR using the FDT/PAC nanocomposite had the highest correlation with Langmuir Hinshelwood model and pseudo-first-order rate kinetics with an apparent rate constant of 0.05341 min−1 and half-life period of 12.97 mins, respectively. The thermodynamics study revealed that the degradation process is exothermic and spontaneous. The effect of interfering ions on the degradation of CR solution was also examined. The photocatalytic antibacterial activity of the nanocomposite was tested against two bacteria pathogens, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and it was found that for the concentration of 105 CFU ml−1, 100% photocatalytic inactivation was achieved for both Escherichia coli in 120 mins and Staphylococcus aureus in 75 mins under visible light irradiation. The total electrical energy consumed and operating cost were measured and the total operating cost was 312.50, 236.74, and 166.67 INR (Indian rupee) for 20 ppm, 60 ppm, and 100 ppm CR dye removal using 0.06 g FDT/PAC nanocomposite, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID19) has emerged as a global medical emergency in the contemporary time. The spread scenario of this pandemic has shown many variations. Keeping all this in mind, this article is written after various studies and analysis on the latest data on COVID19 spread, which also includes the demographic and environmental factors. After gathering data from various resources, all data is integrated and passed into different Machine Learning Models in order to check its appropriateness. Ensemble Learning Technique, Random Forest, gives a good evaluation score on the tested data. Through this technique, various important factors are recognized and their contribution to the spread is analyzed. Also, linear relationships between various features are plotted through the heat map of Pearson Correlation matrix. Finally, Kalman Filter is used to estimate future spread of SARS-Cov-2, which shows good results on the tested data. The inferences from the Random Forest feature importance and Pearson Correlation gives many similarities and few dissimilarities, and these techniques successfully identify the different contributing factors. The Kalman Filter gives a satisfying result for short term estimation, but not so good performance for long term forecasting. Overall, the analysis, plots, inferences and forecast are satisfying and can help a lot in fighting the spread of the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]