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Kumaravel Kaliaperumal,1 Emna Hidoussi Sakly,1,2 Alessandro Leite Cavalcanti,3 Abinaya Gayathri,1 Kumaran Subramanian,4 Nabil Nasraoui,5 Mohammad Aly Ibrahim,6 Salma Aly Ibrahim6 1Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India; 2Department of Dentistry, Hadj Ali Soua Hospital Ksar Hellal, Oral Health and OroFacial Rehabilitation Laboratory Research (LR12ES11), Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia; 3Department of Dentistry, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba – UEPB, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil; 4P.G.Research Department of Microbiology, Sri Sankara Arts and Science College (Autonomous), Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India; 5Dentistry-Endodontics, University of Monastir, Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, Department of Restorative Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia; 6Faculty of Medicine, University of Tanta, Tanta, EgyptCorrespondence: Emna Hidoussi Sakly, Email minoumd@gmail.comIntroduction: Root canal retreatment is carried out in cases where previous endodontic therapies failed and involves the removal of root canal filling materials, followed by cleaning, shaping, and obturating of the canals.Aims: : The objective of this study was to collect information regarding attitudes, methods, and materials employed during the non-surgical endodontic retreatment (NSER) by general dentists working in Sousse Governorate, Tunisia.Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 general dentists working in the Sousse Governorate, Tunisia, from May to November 2021. Data were collected by sending a structured questionnaire to the dental practitioners through email. All the data were analyzed by using the SPSS 10 computer software.Results: A total of 96 dentists responded to this survey. The response rate was 63.5%, with a female predominance (53.2.3%). 81.2% of the respondents performed at least one non-surgical endodontic retreatment (NSER) weekly. Our study revealed that the mandibular first molar is the tooth that most often requires endodontic retreatment (83.5%). Half of the participants never used the rubber dam during this procedure. Moreover, the majority of respondents (61.9%) simultaneously used manual files and rotary nickel-titanium instruments for root canal desobturation. Most of the dentists (69.57%) systematically use solvents during root canal desobturation.Conclusion: Our survey highlights that the majority of general dentists have adequate knowledge about endodontic retreatment. Nevertheless, dentists are yet to start the application of these newer strategies towards the management of endodontic failures.Keywords: nonsurgical endodontic retreatment, surveys, questionnaires, general practitioners

Clifford A Reilly,1 Makenna L Rice,2 Dylan J Parker,2 Philip P Goodney,3– 6 Jon D Lurie,3,4 Said A Ibrahim,7,8 Eric R Henderson2,4,6 1Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA; 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA; 3The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA; 4Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA; 5Heart and Vascular Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA; 6White River Junction VA Medical Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs, White River Junction, VT, USA; 7Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra University/Northwell Health, Hempstead, NY, USA; 8Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, USACorrespondence: Makenna L Rice, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Dr, Rubin 592, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA, Tel +1 831 247-1106, Fax +1 603 653-3581, Email Makenna.L.Rice@hitchcock.orgIntroduction: Decision aids are effective tools in facilitating patient-centered care and patient involvement in the decision-making process. Given unique barriers to providing patient-centered care for Veterans, implementation of decision aids may improve overall quality of care. We aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of video-based and pamphlet-based decision aid use in Veterans with knee osteoarthritis.Materials and Methods: Veterans considering treatment for knee osteoarthritis received either an online video-based aid, pamphlet-based aid, or both before their surgical consult. At their visit, patients completed written pre-visit and post-visit questionnaires. The pre-visit questionnaire included questions about the patient’s demographics, decision-making preferences, experiences using the assigned decision aids, and the Hip-Knee Decision Quality Instrument. The post-visit questionnaire assessed the patient’s overall experience with the decision-making process and how use of the decision aid influenced their discussion with the physician.Results: All 16 patients who received the pamphlet-based aid reviewed the decision aid before their visit, compared to only five of the 12 patients who received the video-based aid. Thirteen of 20 patients indicated that they preferred to share treatment decision-making with their physician. Seventeen of 20 patients believed they would feel comfortable questioning the treatment recommendation of their surgeon after decision aid use. Most patients reported a positive experience using their decision aid, regardless of modality, and found it easily comprehensible and useful in visit preparation. A preference for a pamphlet-based aid was expressed by the majority of patients.Conclusion: Veterans considering treatment for knee osteoarthritis are well prepared to engage in a patient-centered care experience. Most patients preferred sharing the decision-making process with their physician and felt comfortable questioning them about treatment recommendations. Decision aids helped Veterans feel more informed about their treatment options and improved engagement and discussion with their physician. Pamphlet-based aids were utilized more reliably than video-based aids.Keywords: patient-centered care, shared decision-making, decision aid, knee osteoarthritis, military service

Matthew J Sabatino,1,2 Clifford A Reilly,1 Samuel T Kunkel,1,2 Alexander J Titus,2,3 Dipak B Ramkumar,1,2 Philip P Goodney,2,4 Said A Ibrahim,5,6 Jonathan D Lurie,1,2 Eric R Henderson2,71Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA; 2The Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; 3Program in Quantitative Biomedical Sciences, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; 4Vascular Surgery Section, White River Junction VAMC, White River Junction, VT 05009, USA; 5Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; 6Center of Innovation for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP), VA Health Services and Research Development, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; 7Orthopaedic Section, White River Junction VAMC, White River Junction, VT 05009, USAPurpose: Due to the nature of military service, the patient–physician relationship in Veterans is unlike that seen in civilian life. The structure of the military is hypothesized to result in barriers to open patient–physician communication and patient participation in elective care decision-making. Decision quality is a measure of concordance between a chosen treatment and the aspects of medical care that matter most to an informed patient; high decision quality is synonymous with patient-centered care. While past research has examined how age and other demographic factors affect decision quality in Veterans, duration of military service, rank at discharge, and years since discharge have not been studied.Patients and methods: We enrolled 25 Veterans with knee osteoarthritis at a VA hospital. Enrollees completed a survey with demographic, military service, and decision-making preference questions and the Hip-Knee Decision Quality Instrument (HK-DQI), which measures patients’ knowledge about their disease process, concordance of their treatment decision, and the considered elements in their decision-making process.Results: The HK-DQI knowledge score had a significant, positive correlation with duration of military service (R2,=0.36, p=0.004). Rank at discharge and years since discharge did not show a significant correlation with decision quality (p=0.500 and p=0.317, respectively). The concordance score did not show a statistically significant correlation with rank, duration of service, and years since discharge (p=0.640, p=0.486 and p=0.795, respectively). Additionally, decision process score was not significantly associated with rank, duration of military service, and years since discharge (p=0.380, p=0.885, and p=0.474, respectively).Conclusion: Decision quality in Veterans considering treatment for knee osteoarthritis appears to be correlated positively with duration of military service. These findings may present an opportunity for identification of Veterans at most risk of low decision quality and customization of shared decision-making methods for Veterans by characteristics of military service.Keywords: Veterans, decision-quality, orthopaedics, knee osteoarthritis

Ahmed Nabih El-Shazly,1 Soha Abd El-Hady Ibrahim,1 Ghada Mohamed El-Mashad,2 Jehan H Sabry,3 Nashwa Said Sherbini11Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Banha, 2Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Kawm, 3Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Banha, Egypt Introduction: Zinc is an essential trace element for human nutrition, and its deficiency is associated with anorexia, poor food efficiency, growth retardation, and impaired neurological and immune systems. The zinc-deficiency rate is particularly high in many disease states, such as with end-stage renal disease patients undertaking hemodialysis. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of zinc supplementation on body mass index (BMI) and serum levels of zinc and leptin in pediatric hemodialysis patients. Patients and methods: This was a prospective clinical trial study in which 60 hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into two groups: group I received 50–100 mg zinc sulfate (equivalent to 11–22 mg elemental zinc) according to age, sex, and nutritional status of the child; and group II received placebo (cornstarch) twice daily for 90 days. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and serum zinc and leptin levels were determined by colorimetric test with 5-Br-3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, at days 0 and 90 of the study. Results: Zinc supplementation resulted in a significant increase in mean serum zinc level and BMI. Serum leptin decreased significantly after supplementation in children under hemodialysis. A significant negative correlation was observed between serum zinc and leptin levels as a result of zinc supplementation. Conclusion: There was an increase in serum zinc level and BMI and decreased serum leptin after zinc supplementation in children under hemodialysis. Keywords: serum zinc, serum leptin, hemodialysis, body weight

Context Male infertility contributes a lot to the causes of infertility among couples attending Gynaecology clinics in our environment. Objectives: To determine semen quality in male partners of infertile couples attending Gynaecology Clinic in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, and to describe the pattern of abnormality found among the semen samples. Methodology: Reports of semen samples submitted to the andrology laboratory of AKTH Kano, over a period of three years, were analysed Results: A total of 558 semen samples were analysed for semen quality out of 562 samples over the three-year period. Two hundred and eleven (37.8%) had normal semen quality or parameters, while 347 (62.2%) had abnormal semen quality or parameters. The abnormal semen parameters consisted of low sperm volume (25.8%), prolonged liquefaction time (27.2%), azoospermia (14.2%), oligozoospermia (39.4%), teratozoospermia (23.7%), asthenozoospermia (61.6%) and the combined defect of Oligo-Asthenozoospermia (12.8%),Oligo-teratozoospermia (6.0%), Asthenozo-teratozoospermia (5.2%), oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia (11.6%). Conclusion: The study showed that abnormal semen parameters are a major contributor of male factor infertility in our environment. Efforts geared towards preventing the contributory factors will go a long way in alleviating the agony of infertile couples due to male factors.

Gynaetresia is the occlusion of some part of the female genital tract especially occlusion of the vagina. It may be congenital or acquired. Acquired gynaetresia with cryptomenorrhoea usually presents with cyclical monthly pelvic or rectal pain but no bleeding per vagina. It may occur as a result of trauma to the female genital tract with secondary infection and adhesions. We present a case of acquired gynaetresia with secondary amenorrhoea in a twenty year old student of a secondary school in an urban centre, who presented at the gynaecological unit of Armed Forces' Specialist hospital with history of termination of eight weeks pregnancy at a chemist five months prior to time of presentation. Since then she has been having cyclical monthly lower abdominal pain but remained amenorrhoeic. The pain became severe that day hence she presented at the hospital. Findings at the surgery were dense adhesions in the vagina with complete obliteration of the cervix. She had adhesiolysis and cruciate incision and evacuation of about 600 ml of dark brown insipitated blood.

Abstract Background Oculocutaneous albinism type1 (OCA1) is caused by the TYR gene's homozygous and compound heterozygous variants. TKFC gene variants cause triokinase & FMN cyclase deficiency syndrome with variable multisystemic disorders. Objectives To determine the potential disease-causing variants in two deceased patients presenting atypical OCA1 features by demonstrating three generations for a single family. The two deceased neonates had severe skeletal abnormalities and fatal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We also explored the potential mechanisms for the causative relationship between TKFC and multisystem disorders. Patients and methods Due to the new emerging symptoms that weren’t reported before with the TYR gene, the following methods were performed: Sanger sequencing for the TYR gene, followed by whole exome sequencing, co-segregation, and computational analyses. Results Extensive parental consanguinity was found, and consequently an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance was prioritized. Upon performing sequencing and segregation data, the following has been confirmed: positive co-segregation of nonsense homozygous NM_000372.5:c.346C > T p.(Arg116*) variant in TYR gene and multisystem disease-missense homozygous NM_015533.4:c.598G > A p.(Val200Ile) variant in TKFC gene in the two affected index patients who deceased due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Using computational analysis, we found that c.598G > A p.(Val200Ile) pathogenicity has led to the failure of L2-K1 active site closure due to the potential differential fluctuation between valine and isoleucine residues. Subsequently, disruption of endogenous DHA phosphorylation was found. Two potential mechanisms exploring the causative relationship between TKFC gene and multisystem disorders have been suggested. Conclusions This study presented a first family with the co-existence of biallelic variants in TYR and TKFC genes associating severe skeletal abnormalities and lethal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Neither of these genes would have been pursued in the standard genetic counseling. Such discovery is paving the way for more efficient genetic counseling. Comparing TKFC results with literature data showed that our relevant expanded TKFC variant is the 3rd worldwide.

Expanding the use of 6xx aluminum alloy series in various industries is challenging due to the need for cost-effective welding processes and optimal settings to ensure high-quality joints. The present research focused on the comparison of joint performance of the pipes and plates using tungsten inert gas (TIG) and friction stir welding (FSW) The AA6082 alloy material is used for pipes and plates used in the study. Various techniques were utilized, including hardness and tensile tests, and microstructural examinations. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the surface fracture of the specimens that failed under tensile tension was also examined. The present research also included the economic impact on the welding processes used. Results demonstrated that the weld obtained using FSW was defects free whereas, internal flaws were seen in TIG welded samples. The hardness value increased over the base material (BM) for the FSW and TIG by 31–35% and 46-40%, respectively. The FSW joint was welded at a maximum UTS of 3 mm/min and a rotational speed of 3000 rpm. FSW can create the AA60682 flange joints more efficiently and effectively than fusion welding procedures like TIG processes in pipeline applications. For AA6082 flange joints, overall total cost comparisons between FSW and TIG were also made.

Çalışmada, hicrî 2. asrın son yarısı ile 3. asrın ilk üçte birlik döneminde yaşayan, hakkında hem olumlu hem de olumsuz değerlendirmelerin yapıldığı Süleymân b. Dâvûd eş-Şâzekûnî’nin hadis ilmindeki yerinin tespit edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Şâzekûnî, hadis meclislerinin ve rihlelerin yoğun bir şekilde yapıldığı bir dönemde yaşamış, ismi Yahyâ b. Maîn, Ali b. el-Medînî ve Ahmed b. Hanbel ile birlikte anılmıştır. Bir yandan “hâfız” olarak meşhur olmuşken diğer yandan cerh edilmiştir. Bu sebeple hakkında birbirine tezat oluşturan bilgi ve değerlendirmeler varit olmuştur. Şâzekûn kelimesi, Yemen’de bez ve büyük giysi ticaretiyle meşgul olanlara verilen bir addır. Süleymân b. Dâvûd babasının bu mesleğine izafeten Şâzekûnî nisbesiyle anılmıştır. O, Minkar b. Ubeyd b. Kays kabilesine mensup olduğu için el-Minkarî olarak da tanınmıştır. Basra’da doğup büyüdüğü için el-Basrî nisbesine de sahip olan Şâzekûnî’nin künyesi Ebû Eyyûb olup o, “hâfız” olarak şöhret bulmuştur. Şâzekûnî’nin vefat tarihi ve yeri hususunda ihtilaf edilmiştir. Bununla birlikte genel kabul gören görüşe, onun 234 yılında İsfahan’da vefat etmiş olduğu şeklindeki görüştür. Şâzekûnî’nin muasırları olan Abdürrezzâk, İbn Ebî Şeybe, Ebû Zür‘a ve daha başka muhaddisler onu; “ashâbü’l-hadis”, ahfezu’n-nâs, “ondan daha iyi hâfız görmedim” ve “hadis ilmini en iyi bilenimiz” olarak nitelemişlerdir. Şâzekûnî’nin hadis “hâfızı” olduğu tabakat kitaplarında da yer almıştır. İbn Sa‘d onun Basralı muhaddislerden sekizinci, Ebü’ş-Şeyh ise İsfahan muhaddislerinden beşinci tabakadan “hâfız” unvanıyla meşhur olduğunu kaydetmiştir. Zehebî, onu nadir yetişen; Süyûtî de hadisin bablarını ve inceliklerini en iyi bilen bir hâfız olarak tabakatında tanıtmıştır. Şîa’nın hadis kaynaklarında da bir râvi olarak yer alan Şâzekûnî, ilmî meclislere katılıp müzakere yapmak ve hadis yazmak için Kûfe, Basra, Bağdat ve İsfahan’a birçok rihle yapmıştır. Kütüb-i Tis‘a müellifleri içerisinde sadece Ahmed b. Hanbel, Feḍâʾilü’ṣ-ṣaḥâbe adlı eserinde hocası İbrâhim b. Muhammed senediyle ondan iki rivayet nakletmiştir. Mevcut hadis kaynakları içinde Şâzekûnî’den doğrudan hadis rivayet eden Ebû Ya‘lâ el-Mevsılî’dir. Taberânî ondan en fazla rivayet aktaran muhaddistir. Rûyânî, Ebû Avâne, Harâitî, Tahâvî, Âcurrî, Hâkim en-Nîsâbûrî, Ebû Nuaym, Beyhakî ve daha başka muhaddisler eserlerinde ondan rivayetler nakletmişlerdir. Şâzekûnî’nin büyük tepki çeken; “Ümeyye oğulları rüyamda minberime çıkan maymunlar ve domuzlar şeklinde bana gösterildi ve bu benim çok zoruma gitti, bunun üzerine Kadir Sûresi indirildi.” gibi “metrûk” ve “batıl” rivayetleri bulunmaktadır. Ona ait meşhur olmuş “İlim kendisiyle hamama girdiğin şeyden başka bir şey değildir.” gibi sözleri kaynaklarda yerini almıştır. Muhaddislerden Şâzekûnî’yi tümden tevsîk eden, İbn Hibbân’dır. Yahyâ b. Maîn, Ahmed b. Hanbel, Buhârî, Ebû Hâtim, Nesâî ve daha başkaları başka sebeplerle onu “zayıf” kabul etmişlerdir. Yaşadığı süreç ile ilgili bilgi veren kaynakları “bütüncül bir bakışla” ele aldığımızda onun kendi döneminde bazı hususlarda temayüz ettiği, ilerleyen yıllarda bu vasıflarına halel gelecek tutumlar sergilediği, kitaplarını kaybettiği için ezberden hadis rivayetinde hatalar yaptığı, hakkındaki bazı suçlamaların ise bir iddia olmaktan öteye geçemediği, bilerek hadis uydurmadığı, vehm sahibi bir râvi olduğu ve rivayetlerinin “i‘tibar” için alınabileceği anlaşılmaktadır. Şâzekûnî’nin mütkın bir hâfız olarak kayıtlara geçmesi, onun tek başına adalet sahibi bir râvi olduğu anlamına gelmemektedir. Bir unvan olarak kullanılan bu kelime, ta‘dîl lafzı olabilmesi için “sikatün hâfızün”, “sikatün âkilun hâfızün” gibi râvinin güvenilir olduğunu belirten başka lafızlarla gelmelidir. Nitekim “hâfız” unvanıyla meşhur olduğu halde cerh edilen; Ebû Muâviye, Muhammed b. Yûnus el-Küdeymî ve Ebû Bişr Ahmed b. Muhammed el-Mus‘abî gibi râviler de vardır.

Abstract Background In Africa, the relationship between childhood nutritional status and malaria remains complex and difficult to interpret. Understanding it is important in the improvement of malaria control strategies. This study aimed to assess the influence of nutritional status on the occurrence of multiple malaria episodes in children aged 6 to 59 months between 2013 and 2017 living in the village of Dangassa, Mali. Methods A community-based longitudinal study was conducted using cross-sectional surveys (CSSs) at the beginning (June) and end (November) of the malaria transmission season associated with passive case detection (PCD) at the Dangassa Community Health Centre. Children with asymptomatic malaria infection during cross-sectional surveys were selected and their malaria episodes followed by PCD. Malaria indicators in person-months were estimated using an ordinal-logistic model repeated on subjects during follow-up periods. Results The incidence rate (IR) during the period of high transmission (June to October), for 1 episode and for 2 + episodes peaked in 2013 with 65 children (IR = 95.73 per 1000 person-months) and 24 cases (IR = 35.35 per 1000 person-months), respectively. As expected, the risk of multiple episodes occurring during the period of high transmission was 3.23 compared to the period of low transmission after adjusting for other model parameters (95% CI [2.45–4.26], p = 0.000). Children with anaemia were at high risk of having multiple episodes (OR = 1.6, 95% CI [1.12–2.30], p = 0.011). However, the risk of having 2 + episodes for anemic children was higher during the period of low transmission (RR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.15–2.42], p = 0.007) compared to the period of high transmission (RR = 1.58, 95% CI [1.09–2.29], p = 0.016). The trend indicated that anemic and underweight children were significantly associated with multiple malaria episodes during the period of low transmission (p

Consumer behavior study has become relevant in the present marketing and sociology studies. Several characteristics, specificities, and factors influence the customer, especially the woman in her decision-making process, preferences, buying behavior, the products she buys, and the stores or retailers where she goes. In addition, the cognitive dissonance theory is mostly used to explain consumer behavior, focusing on the dilemmas faced during various stages of purchasing behavior. Hence, the study aims to investigate the state of cognitive dissonance after a buying decision was made for Tunisian women. Specifically, it provides an overview of the decision-making patterns of women and the stage of their reaction after the buying process according to their psychographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics. For this research, a quantitative survey was used as a method to collect primary data in Tunisia from 402 women. This questionnaire was conducted among the women who had recently purchased a luxury apparel product. A multidimensional scale was used to measure the magnitude of dissonance for females, besides two other constructs were additionally added which are the impulsive buying and the purchasing decision involvement. The results show that there is no significant difference in the levels of cognitive dissonance due to demographic factors such as age, marital status, and employee status for all women, while it had a positive bearing on emotional dissonance amongst all women. There is also no significant effect for the impulse buying and the purchase decision on post-purchase dissonance. The findings of this research indicate that most of the women were satisfied with their last purchases and therefore, the level of cognitive dissonance is low. Hence, one key aim of this research is to demonstrate the harmony within cognitive and behavioral systems that can be adjudged as a part of the human condition.

Assessment of water quality is imperative for informed decision-making, ecological preservation, and sustainable water resource management, particularly in light of escalating anthropogenic pollution. Traditional approaches often face complexities and inaccuracies in forecasting, necessitating advancements in modelling techniques. Machine learning methods, particularly deep learning, present promising avenues for accurate water quality estimation, albeit with challenges. This study aims to enhance water quality forecasting through the integration of deep learning, specifically Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) networks, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The objective is to address the limitations of existing methods by leveraging the synergies between deep learning and fluid dynamics simulations, thereby improving predictive accuracy and efficiency. By proposing a novel framework that combines Bi-LSTM networks with computational fluid mechanics, this study introduces an innovative approach to water quality assessment. The integration of these techniques offers a comprehensive solution to overcome the complexities inherent in traditional methods, promising greater reliability and efficiency in predicting water quality parameters. The study employs Bi-LSTM networks alongside CFD simulations to model contaminant movement and diffusion in water bodies, particularly focusing on the Yamuna River. Utilizing empirical data on Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), the framework aims to predict key factors influencing water quality. The ANSYS software, operating within a Windows environment, facilitates the execution of the proposed methodology. Evaluation of the proposed model demonstrates superior performance compared to traditional methods, exhibiting higher predictive reliability and lower margins of error. Through a comprehensive comparison study, the Bi-LSTM and CFD-based approach surpasses existing techniques in accurately forecasting water quality parameters, thus highlighting its efficacy and potential for practical application. The integration of Bi-LSTM networks with computational fluid dynamics presents a promising avenue for enhancing water quality evaluation. The study underscores the significance of leveraging advanced computational techniques to address the challenges associated with forecasting water quality, ultimately contributing to informed decision-making and sustainable water resource management.

Abstract Plasma-activated chemical transformations promise the efficient synthesis of salient chemical products. However, the reaction pathways that lead to desirable products are often unknown, and key quantum-state-resolved information regarding the involved molecular species is lacking. Here we use quantum cascade laser dual-comb spectroscopy (QCL-DCS) to probe plasma-activated NH3 generation with rotational and vibrational state resolution, quantifying state-specific number densities via broadband spectral analysis. The measurements reveal unique translational, rotational and vibrational temperatures for NH3 products, indicative of a highly reactive, non-thermal environment. Ultimately, we postulate on the energy transfer mechanisms that explain trends in temperatures and number densities observed for NH3 generated in low-pressure nitrogen-hydrogen (N2–H2) plasmas.

The goal of the investigation is to produce a cement mortar for building units and a high-performance ceramic tile adhesive by using V autoclaved aerated concrete as a partial substitute for cement. The combination consists of sand, crushed limestone, and polymeric additives. The experimental procedures were conducted utilizing contemporary laboratory equipment to facilitate the manufacturing of the product and the subsequent investigation of its characteristics, in accordance with the standards outlined in EN12004 and ASTM C1660. The laboratory tests carried out, which included splitting tensile strength, bonding strength, and open application duration, have demonstrated conformity to the product standards. The raw materials undergo many examinations prior to their utilization in the preparation process. The conducted tests encompassed chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, and viscosity evaluation. These experiments aimed to ascertain the mixing ratios and determine the optimal quantity of water required for the preparation procedure. A thickness of 3 mm was employed, rendering it very cost-effective and environmentally sustainable due to the utilization of recycled resources. This particular adhesive possesses supplementary characteristics, such as its self-sufficiency on the site, since it is readily used without the need for extra materials, requiring only the addition of the necessary amount of water. Extensive research has been conducted on a range of mix designs and particle sizes for raw materials, together with varying proportions of additives, to determine the optimal ratio that satisfies both criteria and cost considerations. The adhesion strength of the building units was determined to be 7 N/mm2, surpassing the specified value in ASTM C1660. This indicates that the material is deemed successful and meets the required specifications for its application as a mortar for building units, as per the standard stating that an adhesion strength test exceeding 5 N/mm2 is necessary. The evaluation of the characteristics of the material employed as tile adhesive mortar was conducted in accordance with the EN1348 standard, revealing satisfactory compliance with all specified criteria. The application duration of the tile adhesive exceeds 25 min, while its tensile strength surpasses 10 N/mm2, thereby meeting the criteria for classification as a Class A tile adhesive.

The present study investigates the research conducted on friction stir welding of aluminium alloys AA6061. The experiments were conducted under optimal parametric settings, and the specimens were subsequently subjected to post-processing techniques such as heat treatment and shot peening. The enhancement of weldment strength is contingent upon secondary processing, eliminating internal stress and improving surface qualities. Subsequently, the weldment will undergo mechanical testing and tribometer testing. The conventional testing protocol was implemented to assess the hardness, yield, and tensile strength. The wear and friction test examined the effects of various process factors. The load conditions were set at 10, 30, 50, and 70 N, while the sliding distance was set at 700 m and 1400 m. The experiments were carried out in dry sliding conditions at room temperature and the resulting data were recorded as average values. The welded AA6061 samples exhibited superior hardness and ultimate tensile strength, with the highest average values observed after heat treatment and subsequent shot peening. Attributed to the strengthening effect and achieving an ultra-fine grain size. The results of this inquiry indicate that the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the welded sample were significantly increased by heat treatment and shot peening. In particular, when compared to the as-welded AA6061 aluminium alloy sample, the sample's yield and ultimate tensile strength were 39.49 % and 38.7 % greater, respectively. The tribometer test revealed that a rise in load and sliding distance results in an increase in wear rate and a drop in the coefficient of friction. Under a load of 70 N and a sliding distance of 1400 m. s, the heat-treated and shot-peened AA6061 specimen showed a 27.3 % lower wear rate and a 29.6 % lower coefficient of friction compared to the as-welded AA6061 specimen.

To achieve a superior-quality weld, it is imperative to employ the appropriate welding parameters. In this study, the Taguchi-based technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method has been used to improve the welding parameters such as current, voltage, and travel speed for metal inert gas (MIG) welding on the AA6063 aluminum alloy. Experiments have been performed to assess the hardness and strength characteristics of the joints. The assignment of the specimen was determined by the TOPSIS algorithm, which considers the specimen's performance score. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach was performed to identify the parameter with the highest significance level. A mathematical model has been established using a regression equation to establish a relationship between performance scores' signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and process parameters. The optimal parameters for the butt joint welded using the MIG technique were determined to be a current of 120 A, a voltage of 20 V, and a travel speed of 3 cm/min. The ANOVA findings reveal that the current factor exhibits the highest level of statistical significance, accounting for 63 % of the observed variation. This was followed by voltage and travel speed, which contributed 24 % and 10.3 %, respectively. To ensure the validity of the findings, a confirmatory experiment was conducted using parameters optimized for analysis. The results of the confirmation indicate a strong alignment with the approach that was implemented.

The skin is an anatomical reservoir for African trypanosomes, yet the prevalence of extravascular parasite carriage in the population at risk of gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis (gHAT) remains unclear. Here, we conducted a prospective observational cohort study in the HAT foci of Forecariah and Boffa, Republic of Guinea. Of the 18,916 subjects serologically screened for gHAT, 96 were enrolled into our study. At enrolment and follow-up visits, participants underwent a dermatological examination and had blood samples and superficial skin snip biopsies taken for examination by molecular and immuno-histological methods. In seropositive individuals, dermatological symptoms were significantly more frequent as compared to seronegative controls. Trypanosoma brucei DNA was detected in the blood of 67% of confirmed cases (22/33) and 9% of unconfirmed seropositive individuals (3/32). However, parasites were detected in the extravascular dermis of up to 71% of confirmed cases (25/35) and 41% of unconfirmed seropositive individuals (13/32) by PCR and/or immuno-histochemistry. Six to twelve months after treatment, trypanosome detection in the skin dropped to 17% of confirmed cases (5/30), whereas up to 25% of unconfirmed, hence untreated, seropositive individuals (4/16) were still found positive. Dermal trypanosomes were observed in subjects from both transmission foci, however, the occurrence of pruritus and the PCR positivity rates were significantly higher in unconfirmed seropositive individuals in Forecariah. The lower sensitivity of superficial skin snip biopsies appeared critical for detecting trypanosomes in the basal dermis. These results are discussed in the context of the planned elimination of gHAT.

Background Zinc (Zn) content is of great importance in healthy human diet, crop productivity and stress tolerance in soils with zinc deficiency. The genes used to increase yield per unit area such as semi-dwarf 1 (sdw1) is commonly considered to reduce mineral content of grain. Methods In the present study, influence of sdw1.d, a widely used allele for short plant height in barley breeding, on zinc accumulation and tolerance to zinc deficiency were investigated. A near isogenic line of sdw1.d allele, its recurrent parent Tokak 157/37 and donor parent Triumph were grown in zinc-deficient and-sufficient hydroponic cultures. Two experiments were conducted until heading stage and physiological maturity. Results In zinc-deficient conditions, sdw1.d allele increased shoot dry weight by 112.4 mg plant−1, shoot Zn concentration by 0.9 ppm, but decreased root Zn concentration by 6.6 ppm. It did not affect grain characteristics, but increased grain Zn content. In zinc-sufficient conditions, sdw1.d allele increased shoot Zn content, and decreased root Zn content. sdw1.d did not affect grain weight but increased grain Zn concentration by about 30% under zinc-sufficient conditions. The results showed that sdw1.d allele has no negative effect on tolerance to zinc deficiency, and even promotes tolerance to zinc deficiency by more Zn translocation. It was revealed that sdw1.d allele improves Zn accumulation under both zinc-deficient and zinc-sufficient condition. The sdw1.d allele could contribute to solving the problems in plant growth and development caused by zinc-deficiency via improving tolerance to zinc-deficiency. It could also provide a better Zn biofortification.

In this research, the changes of wall shear stress (WSS) of flow blood affected by stenosis and grafted vessels are studied. For the simulation of non-Newtonian fluid, blood in this paper, the Carreau fluid model is used. The severity of the stenosis is considered to reduce the internal cross-sectional area of the host vessel by 30 %. In this paper, simulations are performed on the human body in sports, which are classified into anemia (LHD), normal (NHD) and high blood pressure (HHD). Results are presented in three sections including after stenosis region, transplantation section, and after transplantation region by calculating wall shear stress (WSS). It is reported that wall shear stress is increased after stenosis location due to immediate variation in the cross-section area when blood flows. To explain, Stenosis reduces the cross-section area of the vessel which causes flow contraction. Consequently, this phenomenon increases flow velocity in the central region of blood flow whereas, after passing from stenosis, blood flow is exposed to an abrupt expansion which causes flow back from the central region to wall vicinity in lateral regions of the vessel. Maximum amounts of wall shear stress are achieved at 280 Pa, 350 Pa, and 550 Pa for anemia, normal, and hypertensive individuals in order. However, the consequence of the mentioned phenomenon in hypertensive individuals is more severe than that of anemic ones. Therefore, the geometry of veins is very important in medical surgeries to prevent vessel failure, especially in stressful points of transplantation.

Artery stenosis occurs when blood vessels do not supply enough blood and oxygen due to blockage by a fatty mass called plaque. In this work, the influence of stenosis on the Nusselt number (Nu) for non-Newtonian blood flow is studied by the FVM method and using fluent software. Also, the artery is simulated based on the Lumen model. In this research, at first, it is assumed that stenosis severity increases as much as 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % of the internal cross-section area of the artery respectively while the radius is constant, then the stenosis severity is fixed at 40 %, and only radius of artery increases from 0.002 m to 0.0025, 0.0030, and 0.0035 m. The artery wall is affected by constant heat flux and Nusselt numbers in every stage as a significant parameter in each flow are calculated. It should be mentioned that the Nusselt numbers are achieved both in the direction of flow and perpendicular to one. The results show that an increase of stenosis severity from 20 % to 40 % and a decrease of the artery radius between 0.002 and 0.0035 m leads to Nusselt number enhancement due to acceleration of blood flow and increase of heat transfer while the maximum values of Nusselt number remain no change approximately. Therefore, influences of stenosis size on the thermal behavior of blood in the artery are not noticeable, and thermal risks are ignorable.

Background: Plantago major, historically renowned for its medicinal attributes across diverse cultures, has recently been under the research spotlight for its antihypertrophic scar effects. Aim: To investigate the efficacy of Plantago major extracts in the treatment of hypertrophic scars, particularly comparing the effects of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts. Methodology: Samples of the plant, procured from Baghdad's Al-Salihiya Neighbourhood in November 2021, underwent authentication at the Iraqi local Herbarium in the Al-Razi centre for alternative medicine. Using the Soxhlet apparatus, the dried plant material was extracted with methanol and subsequently partitioned with ethyl acetate. Both the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were later formulated into ointments. Results: The ointments were tested on hypertrophic scars induced in rats. Three groups of 12 rats each were used—ethyl acetate, methanol, and a control group using only Vaseline. Both extracts demonstrated efficacy in reducing scars, with the methanol extract showing more pronounced results. Conclusion: The methanol extract displayed superior outcomes, potentially attributable to its richer phytochemical content compared to the ethyl acetate extract.

Innovative building materials are the primary focus for researchers seeking to reduce energy consumption and advance global sustainability initiatives. This target could accomplished by addressing environmental issues and confronting the adverse impact of climate change. In this regard, this paper used a combined experimental and simulation approach to evaluate the effectiveness of lightweight geopolymer concrete (LWGC) incorporating industrial waste of aluminum powder (AP) and ferrosilicon waste powder (FWP) for reducing the energy consumption in the building envelop. Seven concrete mixes for LWGC were prepared using an air operator. Three mixtures contain 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 % AP (FA), and three mixtures contain 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 % FWP by weight of fly ash. The workability, unit volume weight, compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and microstructure analysis of the LWGC were examined. In addition, energy simulations were performed to evaluate their ability to reduce energy use in residential buildings. The inclusion of AP and FWP in LWGC resulted in a significant decrease in the density of the material, which amounts to 55 % for AP0.3 and 35 % for FWP0.3. The diameter of the LWGC pore structure increased as the Ca/Si ratio was reduced. The AP and FWP materials reduced energy consumption for building envelope elements such as external walls and roof insulation by 14.5 %, resulting in a 9.2 % overall reduction compared to the traditional concrete mix as a control sample.

The major arboviruses mainly belong to the Bunyaviridae, Togaviridae, and Flaviviridae families, among which the chikungunya virus and dengue virus have emerged as global public health problems. The main objective of this study was to develop specific, sensitive, and cost-effective molecular multiplex RT-PCR and RT-qPCR assays for the rapid and simultaneous detection of CHIKV and the four serotypes of DENV for arbovirus surveillance. Specific primers for all viruses were designed, and one-step multiplex RT-PCR (mRT-PCR) and RT-qPCR (mRT-qPCR) were developed using reference strains of the CHIKV and DENV serotypes. The specificity of the test for all the viruses was confirmed through sequencing. The standard curves showed a high correlation coefficient, R2 = 0.99, for DENV-2 and DENV-3; R2 = 0.98, for DENV-4; and CHIKV; R2 = 0.93, for DENV-1. The limits of detection were calculated to be 4.1 × 10−1 copies/reaction for DENV-1, DENV-3, and CHIKV and 4.1 × 101 for DENV-2 and DENV-4. The specificity and sensitivity of the newly developed mRT-PCR and mRT-qPCR were validated using positive serum samples collected from India and Burkina Faso. The sensitivity of mRT-PCR and mRT-qPCR are 91%, and 100%, respectively. The specificity of both assays was 100%. mRT-PCR and mRT-qPCR assays are low-cost, and a combination of both will be a useful tool for arbovirus surveillance.

Abstract The study presented in this paper has multiple objectives. First, a simulation model for partially naturally fractured reservoirs under solution gas drive is developed. The model considers the major key parameters controlling fluid flow in the reservoir, including fracture intensity and distribution, instantaneous gas/oil segregation due to vertical capillary continuity, gas/oil gravity drainage, and reinfiltration of the drained oil to the lower matrix. Once the model is well-established, it is used to study the reservoir performance under two recovery processes: primary depletion and gas injection. A detailed investigation of the sensitivity of the ultimate oil recovery to the fracture intensity, oil production rates, and gas injection rates is performed. The findings of this study indicate that the ultimate oil recovery of low-fracture intensity reservoirs subjected to the depletion drive process is insensitive to production rates. However, for moderate- to high-fracture intensity reservoirs and low production rates, the recovery increases with increasing fracture intensity. Conversely, for moderate- to high-fracture intensity reservoirs and high production rates, the recovery is not significantly affected. For the gas injection mechanism, it is found that the ultimate oil recovery is a function of both the fracture intensity and gas injection rate. Furthermore, three fracture intensity ranges are identified: low, medium, and high. For the low- and high-fracture intensity ranges, the recovery increases with increasing gas injection rates and fracture intensity. However, for the medium fracture intensity ranges, the recovery behaves differently. It increases at low gas injection rates and decreases at high injection rates as the fracture intensity increases. New equations relating the cumulative oil production to the production rates, gas injection rates, and fracture intensity are also presented.

Abstract Background Changes induced by monosodium glutamate (MSG) can negatively impact milk production and secretion, among other adverse effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MSG consumption on receptor gene expression and quantification of hormones and receptors, as well as oxidative stress biomarkers and other lactogenic parameters in lactating animals. Twenty-four female Wistar rats, nine weeks of age, were randomly assigned to four groups, each containing six rats, at parturition. The rats in groups II, III, and IV were given varying doses of monosodium glutamate (MSG); while, group I was given distilled water and served as the control. The experimental period lasted two (2) weeks. Results The groups administered with MSG showed a significant decrease in mammary PRLR gene expression (p

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a mobile app named “Hausar Kurma” in teaching English to Hausa-speaking hearing impairment students in Nigerian special schools. A single-subject design was used to evaluate the impact of the application. Evidence-based practices were employed to assess the performance of the educational tool and to ensure compliance with the gold standard. Various single-subject design methods, including the celeration line, binomial test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, were used. A sample of ten primary school students selected from a special education school was used in this study. A pretest examination was conducted, followed by eight weeks of training using the developed mobile app, and a posttest examination was carried out. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of evidence-based research for evaluating educational tools and their efficacy in special education. A higher number of data points above the celeration line indicated a significant improvement in participants’ academic performance. Additionally, the binomial test conducted after a 95% confidence interval yielded a probability of 0.0098, indicating a noteworthy enhancement in student performance. At the same time, a Wilcoxon signed rank test conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 27 on the pretest and posttest data yielded an effect size of 0.633, indicating a strong Cohen’s large effect classification. Similarly, the usability test conducted indicated a higher acceptance rate of the application by the users. The results of this study confirm the utility of the app and recommend its implementation in special schools to enhance English language instruction for hearing impairment and hard-of-hearing Hausa-speaking students in special education institutions.

Latent thermal energy storage systems are widely utilized to match the inequality between heat supply and demand. Despite these systems' wide range of uses in various applications, their high potential is limited by the slow charging rate. The target of this study is to augment the thermal performance of paraffin-based on triplex tube heat storage by dispersion of two different types of conductive mono nanoparticles (Al2O3, CuO) and hybrid Nano additives of various volume fractions (0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2%) into paraffin wax. The experimental work involves measurements and preparation of the considered Nano-PCM. The enthalpy porosity model and finite volume method simulated the melting process. The study also investigated the temperature and liquid fraction variations in the axial, radial, and angular directions throughout melting to aid in predicting heat transfer in the storage throughout the phase transition process of PCM. Results revealed that including 1.6% of hybrid nanoparticles in PCM can increase the stored energy by 5.97%. The results also indicated that the hybrid nano-PCM exhibits the best phase transition rate and energy recovery for all volume fractions compared to mono-nano-PCM. At 1.6% volume fraction, the storage efficiency can be improved up to 76.8%, 75.5%, and 73.63% for hybrid nano-PCM, Al2O3-PCM, and CuO-PCM, respectively.

One of the most present types of concrete in buildings is ultra-high-performance concrete. In contrast, large quantities of cement are consumed to achieve the required strength. To minimize the quantity of cement utilized in manufacturing ultra-high-performance concrete, this research aims to look at the usage of a unique agricultural waste as an alternative to cement. This study focuses on using agricultural waste as a partial cement alternative to reduce the amount of cement used in the production of ultra-high-performance concrete. This study employed basil plant ash as a partial substitution for ordinary Portland cement at 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, and 25 % by mass. basil plant ash was heat-treated at temperatures of 300 °C, 500 °C, 700 °C, 900 °C. The compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and sorptivity coefficient of ultra-high-performance concrete were investigated using 21 different mixes. In addition, microstructure characteristics as assessed using X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that treating basil plant ash at 700 °C contributed to achieving the best mechanical properties when it was utilized as a partial substitution for 20 % of the weight of ordinary Portland cement. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength were enhanced by 15.07 % and 20.39 %, respectively, compared with the control mix at 28 days. The thermo-gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope analyses are consistent with the obtained mechanical and durability characteristics. The outcomes of this investigation help shed light on the use of basil plant ash as a partial substitution at a level of 20 % of the weight of cement to produce ultra-high-performance concrete with high performance and lower cost.

The proposed expert opinion aimed to address the current knowledge on conceptual, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and to provide a guidance document to assist clinicians for the best practice in DPN care. The participating experts consider the suspicion of the disease by clinicians as a key factor in early recognition and diagnosis, emphasizing an improved awareness of the disease by the first-admission or referring physicians. The proposed “screening and diagnostic” algorithm involves the consideration of DPN in a patient with prediabetes or diabetes who presents with neuropathic symptoms and/or signs of neuropathy in the presence of DPN risk factors, with careful consideration of laboratory testing to rule out other causes of distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy and referral for a detailed neurological work-up for a confirmative test of either small or large nerve fiber dysfunction in atypical cases. Although, the first-line interventions for DPN are currently represented by optimized glycemic control (mainly for type 1 diabetes) and multifactorial intervention (mainly for type 2 diabetes), there is a need for individualized pathogenesis-directed treatment approaches for DPN. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) seems to be an important first-line pathogenesis-directed agent, given that it is a direct and indirect antioxidant that works with a strategy targeted directly against reactive oxygen species and indirectly in favor of endogenous antioxidant capacity for improving DPN conditions. There is still a gap in existing research in the field, necessitating well-designed, robust, multicenter clinical trials with sensitive endpoints and standardized protocols to facilitate the diagnosis of DPN via a simple and effective algorithm and to track progression of disease and treatment response. Identification of biomarkers/predictors that would allow an individualized approach from a potentially disease-modifying perspective may provide opportunities for novel treatments that would be efficacious in early stages of DPN, and may modify the natural course of the disease. This expert opinion document is expected to increase awareness among physicians about conceptual, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of DPN and to assist them in timely recognition of DPN and translating this information into their clinical practice for best practice in the management of patients with DPN.

هدف البحث إلى دراسة الاتجاه العام لتطوّر المساحة العمرانية في محافظة اللاذقية خلال الفترة (2001-2022)، ودراسة الآثار الاقتصادية والاجتماعية الناجمة عن التوسع العمراني على الأراضي الزراعية في المحافظة خلال الفترة المذكورة، حيث تمّ اعتماد التوسع العمراني كمتغير مستقل، ومساحة الأراضي الزراعية، قيمة الإنتاج الزراعي، نسبة العمالة الزراعية كمتغيرات تابعة وأُستخدِمَ المنهج التحليلي الوصفي في دراسة وتحليل السلاسل الزمنية لمتغيرات البحث من خلال الجداول والمتوسطات الحسابية، كما تمّ استخدام المنهج القياسي في تقدير معادلات الاتجاه العام لتطور المساحة العمرانية، المساحة المزروعة، الإنتاج الزراعي، والعمالة الزراعية باستخدام البرنامج الإحصائي (SPSS.20)، وبينت نتائج البحث وجود اتجاه عام متزايد للتوسع العمراني في محافظة اللاذقية ممثلاً بمساحة الأبنية والمرافق العامة، بالمقابل بينت هذه النتائج وجود اتجاه عام متناقص لمساحة الأراضي الزراعية، قيمة الإنتاج الزراعي، ونسبة العمالة الزراعية خلال الفترة المدروسة. كما أظهرت نتائج اختبار فرضية البحث وجود تأثير سلبي للتوسع العمراني على النشاط الاقتصادي والاجتماعي في محافظة اللاذقية، وبينت هذه النتائج وجود علاقة عكسية متوسطة دالة إحصائياً بين التوسع العمراني ومساحة الأراضي الزراعية في محافظة اللاذقية، كما بينت النتائج وجود علاقة عكسية قوية دالة إحصائياً بين التوسع العمراني من جهة، وقيمة الإنتاج الزراعي ونسبة العمالة الزراعية في المحافظة من جهة أخرى.

In this study, the ideal experimental design planning for the machining process was investigated. Two experimental designs were created by differentiating the parameter levels considered in the drilling process of stainless-steel. Close and far-level designs were obtained by creating 20% and 40% differences between the parameter levels. In the experimental system prepared according to the Taguchi method, surface roughness and cutting forces were measured as the output parameters. The results were analyzed statistically by optimization, analysis of variance and correlation analysis, and visually by chip morphology examination. According to the findings, it was determined that a 20% difference between the parameter levels was more appropriate in terms of experimental system stability, statistical data significance, and chip morphology.

Background and objective: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a common practice among patients, who experience functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID). Among the Saudi population, less is known about CAM use for FGID. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of CAM utilization for FGID amongst the Saudi population and determine the types of CAM used for treatment. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during February 2023 through social media platforms using questionnaires adopted from the literature. There were three sections in the questionnaire including demographic information, questions to determine the prevalence of CAM use for FGID, the types of FGID, and the types of CAM utilization, and questions on the sources of information about CAM. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to find factors associated with CAM use. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26. Results: A total of 828 people participated in this study. The overall prevalence of CAM use for FGID problems was 87.2 %. There were no significant differences in CAM use for FGID problems between men (87.5 %) and women (86.3 %) (P = 0.727). The most commonly used types of CAM for FGID were ginger (73.4 %), chamomile (66.6 %), mint (61.6 %), turmeric (59.0 %), anise (55.5 %), fennel (43.1 %), and Activia yogurt©️ (42.7 %). The most common FGID disorders for utilizing CAM were IBS (29.9 %), followed by constipation (29.8 %), dyspepsia (22.7 %), and bloating (17.0 %). In the multivariable regression, age, gender and employment status did not have an impact on the odds of using CAM. The subjects who had high school, university, and postgraduate education had significant odds ratios of CAM use (OR = 2.73; 95 % CI: 1.22–6.13), (OR = 4.18; 95 % CI: 2.03–8.58), and (OR = 20.85; 95 % CI: 5.51–78.80), respectively, compared to subjects who did not complete high school. Participants who had private insurance had a significant odds ratio (OR = 0.27; 95 % CI: 0.14–0.55) compared to governmental insurance. Conclusion: The use of CAM among the Saudi population is alarmingly high; however, the lack of standardized medical recommendations and treatment options may be the cause. Although there were no significant gender differences, participants with higher educational levels and private insurance coverage were more likely to use CAM for FGID. Patients suffering from FGID and limited access to medical advice and treatment options are vulnerable to being exposed to dubious and incredible information sources. Expanding access to preventative medical services, funding governmental medical websites to provide credible information, educating healthcare professionals about FGID, and conducting more research in safe and effective treatments for FGID is recommended.

The present work deals with the effect of penetration depth on welding T-joints through conventional friction stir welding (FSW) as well as underwater friction stir welding (UFSW). Various set of parameters have been used such as tool rotational speeds of 1000, 1400, and 1800 rpm, and depths of penetration, such as 6, 7, and 8 mm. In UFSW, lower heat generation prevents the development of complex intermetallic compounds and defects in welding. Additionally, in the weld region, a rapid cooling rate in UFSW generates fine microstructural particles. Mechanical and microstructural characteristics has been compared in both UFSW and FSW. There was a substantial grain size effect on mechanical properties. The stir zone shows comparatively finer grains with average grain size of 49.76 µm at 1800 rpm and 7 mm depth of penetration. It was seen that the tensile strength of UFSW was 189.9 MPa and the nugget zone hardness was 70 VHN, compared to the FSW that has 175.2 MPa and 62 VHN, respectively, obtained at a rotation speed of 1800 rpm and a travel speed of 60 mm/min. The joints tested at various penetration depths show a significant number of uniform and equiaxed dimples. The presence of ductile rupture and the formation of dimples suggest that the joints were effectively bonded and tested at different strain rates.

Background: Adherence to prescription medications is vital to the success of any treatment plan, especially for chronic health conditions, such as hypertension (HTN). Although there are different scales used in assessing adherence to prescription medications, most if not all, of those scales are not available in Arabic. The absence of essential assessment tools makes the appraisal of adherence to prescription medications very difficult for native Arabic speakers. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and validate the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy (CHBPT) scale, which is commonly used to assess adherence to antihypertensive medications, among a sample of Arabic-speaking patients with HTN. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study that took place at a university-affiliated hospital. It interviewed adult (≥18 years) patients with HTN who were visiting the primary care clinics between January and November 2020. Non-Arabic speakers, those under 18 years of age, individuals without a diagnosis of HTN, and patients without any previously filled prescription medications for HTN within the past three months were excluded. The forward–backward translation method was used after receiving permission from the originators of the questionnaire to translate their scale to Arabic. Test-retest and Cronbach alpha methods were used to assess the reliability. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation was used to examine the construct validity. Results: One hundred and forty-one patients consented and participated in the study. Most of the patients were ≥ 50 years old (75 %), male (72 %), and had another chronic health condition besides HTN (99 %). The translated scale had good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.83) and reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.9). The Kaiser-Meyer-Oklin was 0.82 indicating adequate sampling to conduct factor analysis; hence, three factors (e.g., subscales) were extracted similar to the original scale. The mean scores for appointment keeping, medication taking, and reducing sodium intake subscales, as well as for the overall scale were 5.62 ± 1.39, 33.94 ± 3.87, 9.73 ± 2.1, and 49.29 ± 5.21, respectively. Conclusion: The translated version of the Hill-Bone CHBPT scale has both good reliability and validity and will hopefully help healthcare providers assess and monitor HTN patients’ adherence to their antihypertensive medication regimens. Multicenter studies should be conducted to verify the validity and reliability of the translated questionnaire among different Arabic-speaking patient populations with HTN.

In the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD), timely identification is paramount for effective management, acknowledging its chronic and irreversible nature, where medications can only impede its progression. Our study introduces a holistic solution, leveraging the hippocampus and the VGG16 model with transfer learning for early AD detection. The hippocampus, a pivotal early affected region linked to memory, plays a central role in classifying patients into three categories: cognitively normal (CN), representing individuals without cognitive impairment; mild cognitive impairment (MCI), indicative of a subtle decline in cognitive abilities; and AD, denoting Alzheimer's disease. Employing the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset, our model undergoes training enriched by advanced image preprocessing techniques, achieving outstanding accuracy (testing 98.17 %, validation 97.52 %, training 99.62 %). The strategic use of transfer learning fortifies our competitive edge, incorporating the hippocampus approach and, notably, a progressive data augmentation technique. This innovative augmentation strategy gradually introduces augmentation factors during training, significantly elevating accuracy and enhancing the model's generalization ability. The study emphasizes practical application with a user-friendly website, empowering radiologists to predict class probabilities, track disease progression, and visualize patient images in both 2D and 3D formats, contributing significantly to the advancement of early AD detection.

تمّ تنفيذُ البحث في محافظة اللاذقية (مشتل الهنادي)، إذ يُعدّ من أهمّ المراكز الإنتاجية في المجال الزراعي، وتمّ إجراء الدراسة الاقتصادية في مركز لإنتاج غراس الزيتون، الذي يختصُّ بإنتاج أنواعٍ مختلفةٍ من غراس الزيتون: (الخضيري، الصوراني، الدرملي والسكري). هدف البحث إلى دراسة واقع إنتاج غراس الزيتون في مشتل الهنادي الزراعي خلال الفترة (2016-2021)، ودراسة الكفاءة الاقتصادية لإنتاج غراس الزيتون في المشتل، وذلك باستخدام أساليب التحليل الوصفي، وبالاعتماد على بيانات المشتل التي جمعت خلال عام 2021، متضمّنة خصائص المشتل وحساب التكاليف والإيرادات. بيَّنت النتائج أنّ إنتاج الغراس في مشتل الزيتون تزايد بشكل ملحوظ خلال الفترة المدروسة، وأنّ عملية إنتاج الغراس هي عملية مربحة بالنّظر إلى الأرباح الصّافية التي حققها المشتل حيث بلغت نسبة الربح 30%والكفاءة الاقتصادية 1.5، كما تبيّن ارتفاع نسبة الغراس المدورّة ضمن المشتل بشكل كبير. مما يشير إلى أنّ تسويق الغراس هو العامل الحاسم في تحديد محصلة العملية الإنتاجية. وهذا يتطلب إعادة النظر بخطة إنتاج الغراس كمّاً ونوعاً في مشتل الزيتون، وتخفيض الكميات المنتجة من الغراس، حتى يستطيع المشتل زيادة أرباحه بشكل أكبر مما هو في الوقت الحالي.

This study investigates the relationships between decent work, job satisfaction, workplace social courage, and intent to quit among job and career counselors in Turkiye’s IT sector employment agency. The research data was obtained from 408 job and career counselors at an IT sector employment agency in Turkiye. Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The study findings reveal a significant positive influence of decent work on job satisfaction. In contrast, job satisfaction is associated with a notable decrease in the likelihood of employees intending to quit their positions. Additionally, workplace social courage is crucial in reducing intent to quit. Furthermore, our research underscores the mediating roles of job satisfaction and workplace social courage in explaining the relationship between decent work and intent to quit. Intriguingly, it is noteworthy that higher levels of workplace social courage are unexpectedly linked to an increased intention to quit. Conversely, heightened job satisfaction is associated with an augmentation in workplace social courage. These findings carry substantial theoretical and practical implications, offering valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of decent work, job satisfaction, and social courage within the workplace context. These insights can contribute to avoiding intent to quit and minimizing turnover rates. Job satisfaction and social courage are two edge swords that organizations must cautiously follow up. This study emphasizes the significance of establishing a secure and nurturing work environment that fosters decent work, job satisfaction, and social courage.

This qualitative study aims to investigate the traits and factors influencing how 155 people in Türkiye perceive courage by relying on the Lay Theory of Courage. Data were gathered by asking participants to name the most courageous person they know and describe why they perceive that person as courageous. The collected data underwent content analysis. The results revealed that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, was the most frequently cited person as the most courageous, followed by family members, public figures, historical figures, self, generalizations (general figures), and acquaintances, respectively. Atatürk's courageous personality drove historic change, marked by unwavering commitment, remarkable achievements, and exceptional bravery. Participants view family members as courageous for various reasons, including resilience, sacrifice, moral choices, and pursuing dreams. Additionally, those who selected themselves as the most courageous do so because they confidently pursue their goals, make fearless decisions, and stand up to superiors in a system where self-reliance is essential. The study's findings provide insights into how courage is perceived in Turkish society and shed light on its symbolic meaning.

Objective: Quality of life (QoL) assessments are increasingly important for evaluating the well-being of children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). This study’s objective is to culturally adapt and validate the Turkish version of the OSA-18 questionnaire, a commonly used tool for assessing QoL in children with OSAS. Methods: The OSA-18 questionnaire was translated and culturally adapted for use in the Turkish-speaking population. The study was conducted with 180 participants, 100 boys and 80 girls, with a mean age of 6.16±2.14 years. The participants were divided into two groups. The patient group comprised individuals with symptoms of OSAS based on clinical evaluation, including anamnesis, physical examination, and video recording of apnea and snoring. The patient group underwent adenotonsillectomy and their caregivers completed the Turkish version of the OSA-18 scale postoperatively. The control group comprised 90 children who were similar to the patient group in terms of gender and age. These children had no major complaints such as snoring, apnea, fatigue during the day, irritability, or distraction. In the physical examination of this group, no major tonsillar or adenoid hypertrophy, which causes significant stenosis in the upper airway, was observed. Internal consistency, reliability, validity, responsiveness, and factor analysis were assessed. Results: The Turkish version of the OSA-18 questionnaire demonstrated excellent reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.929. The test-retest results were not statistically different. Validity was confirmed through a positive correlation between the OSA-18 score and external parameters, such as the Mallampati score, and tonsil and adenoid size. We found a statistically significant reduction in OSA-18 scores postoperatively, signifying a robust responsiveness to the intervention. Conclusion: Our study confirms the suitability of the Turkish OSA-18 questionnaire for assessing the QoL in children with OSAS. This quick and easy-to-use tool will be valuable for future research on Turkish-speaking children with OSAS, aiding in the evaluation of pediatric OSAS and QoL.

In this article, we aim to present details of the cochlear implantation procedure performed in a patient with Primrose syndrome, which is a rare genetic condition characterized by physical deformities, sensorineural hearing loss, and metabolic disorders. While its long-term prognosis is still under investigation, the absence of intraoperative and postoperative complications indicates promising findings. This designates cochlear implantation as a viable therapeutic approach for sensorineural hearing loss linked to Primrose syndrome. As cochlear implantation in cases with Primrose syndrome has not been discussed previously in the literature and our patient has recently been operated on, additional investigation is imperative to broaden the understanding of cochlear implant outcomes in this patient population.

Abstract This paper presents a method for analyzing constant-pressure drawdown test of infinite-conductivity fractured wells in bounded reservoirs. The presented method is based on the Tiab direct synthesis approach. The fracture and reservoir parameters are directly determined from the rate and rate derivative of the well test data. New equations describing the elliptical flow regime and the transition from the pseudoradial regime to the boundary-dominated regime of different rectangular reservoirs are also presented. The various flow regimes occurring during the well test are easily identified based on the shape of the plotted data and the slope of each flow regime. The unique features of the slopes of the various regimes and their intersection points are utilized to determine the fracture half-length, formation permeability, skin factor, well drainage area, and reservoir shape factor. Moreover, new equations defining the intersection points of the straight lines corresponding to different flow regimes are presented. These equations are very important for confirming the precision of the calculated results. A systematic process demonstrating the application of the proposed method to linear, elliptical, pseudoradial, and boundary-dominated regimes is well delineated. Comprehensive examples are presented to validate the efficiency of the proposed technique. The examples show that even if some of the flow regimes are not fully developed, the method can still be used to determine the formation and fracture properties using information obtained from the remaining flow regimes. This is one of several advantages of the proposed technique over conventional techniques.

In this paper, a biophysical fractional diffusive cancer model with virotherapy is thoroughly analyzed and analytically simulated. The goal of this biophysical model is to represent both the dynamics of cancer development and the results of virotherapy, which uses viruses to target and destroy cancer cells. The Caputo sense is applied to the fractional derivatives. We look at the governing model's existence and uniqueness. For analytical solutions, the Laplace residual power series approach is used. The study investigates the model's dynamic behavior, shedding light on the development of cancer and the effects of virotherapy. The research advances our knowledge of cancer modeling and treatment options. Numerical simulations show the agreement between the analytical results and the related numerical solutions, proving the usefulness of the analytical solution.

Abstract Introduction Although an essential frontline service in the prevention of child morbidity and mortality, there are indications that routine vaccinations have been disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed to compare vaccination coverage before COVID-19 in Mali in 2019 and during COVID-19 in 2020. Objective To compare vaccination coverages before COVID-19 in Mali in 2019 and during COVID-19 in 2020. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting and participants We collected routine immunization data from 2019 to 2020 of children under one year in the health district of Commune V in Bamako which includes twelve community health centers (CSCom). Results Considering all vaccines together, coverage in 2019 was higher than in 2020 (88.7% vs. 71,6%) (p

Abstract Cross-sensitivity limits accurate quantitative detection of species concentrations in all sensor technologies, including laser-based absorption techniques. Absorption sensors capture a signal that combines contributions from all interfering species at a given detection wavelength. Careful selection of the probed spectral line, broadband detection, or upstream separation can partially mitigate cross-sensitivity, however, weak or unidentified signal interference remains a challenge for accuracy. Here, we present a proof-of-principle study to overcome cross-sensitivity by taking advantage of the distinct optical saturation characteristics of different gas mixture components. By controlling the absorption contribution of a selected species by intentional optical saturation, simultaneous and quantitative detection of two interfering species becomes possible even without the need for spectral scanning, hence offering two species–one wavelength detection (2S1W) capability. Demonstrated with direct absorption and cavity-ringdown setups, the method offers a new, previously unexploited opportunity to further enhance laser-based analyzers for complex gas mixture analysis in environmental, medical, and technical applications.

Abstract Background Alport syndrome (AS) is the second most prevalent genetic cause of kidney failure, behind autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease, affecting at least one in 5000 individuals worldwide. AS is caused by COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 mutations. It is characterized as three distinct disorders of type IV collagen 3/4/5 based on a genetic evaluation: X-linked, autosomal, and digenic. About two-thirds of AS cases are X-linked (XLAS), 15% are autosomal recessive (ARAS), and 20% are autosomal dominant (ADAS). The spectrum of phenotypes associated with AS ranges from increasing renal disease with extrarenal abnormalities to isolated hematuria. Coinherited genetic mutations contribute significantly to clinical severity and variability. Methods In this study, an AS panel (COL4A3/COL4A4/COL4A5) and clinical exome sequencing (CES) were performed on 18 patients. Results Nineteen specific AS mutations, including 15 novel mutations, were found in these 18 cases, which included 17 Turkish families and 1 Syrian family. Digenic inheritance was observed in one patient, and eight coinherited genetic mutations were discovered. Conclusions This research reveals many novel AS mutations and shows robust genotype–phenotype heterogeneity in the disease. The results expand the clinical and molecular scope of AS and clarify the ADAS and digenic AS phenotypes, further enhancing our understanding of the complex nature of AS and its association with genetic modifiers. The data broaden the spectrum of AS-related gene mutations and provide new insights on genotype–phenotype correlations in AS.