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Abstract The health advantages of Ramadan fasting, a time-restricted eating from dawn to dusk, have garnered attention. Nevertheless, prior observational studies have found inconsistent findings because of challenges regulating variables such as sleep patterns, dietary habits, and physical activity. This study sought to investigate the impact of the Ramadan fasting model (RFM) on longevity and metabolic biomarkers in obese and non-obese rats. For 12 weeks, 48 male Wistar albino rats were separated into two groups and fed either a standard or a high-fat diet (HFD). During the final four weeks, rats in each group were separated into four subgroups to investigate the effect of RFM with/without training (on Treadmill) or glucose administration on the biomarkers of interest. The HFD groups subjected to RFM had significantly lower Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) serum, whereas AMPK, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative stress serum levels were significantly higher. All groups reported decreased serum levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) compared to the HFD control group. Furthermore, the Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) results indicated a significant elevation in the TP53 gene expression in groups subjected to RFM. The data indicate that RFM can improve longevity and metabolic biomarkers and reduce pro-inflammation and oxidative stress. Also, RFM improves anti-inflammatory and antioxidant markers in HFD-induced obese rats.

Abstract Social media has emerged as a dominant platform where individuals freely share opinions and communicate globally. Its role in disseminating news worldwide is significant due to its easy accessibility. However, the increase in the use of these platforms presents severe risks for potentially misleading people. Our research aims to investigate different techniques within machine learning, deep learning, and ensemble learning frameworks in Arabic fake news detection. We integrated FastText word embeddings with various machine learning and deep learning methods. We then leveraged advanced transformer-based models, including BERT, XLNet, and RoBERTa, optimizing their performance through careful hyperparameter tuning. The research methodology involves utilizing two Arabic news article datasets, AFND and ARABICFAKETWEETS datasets, categorized into fake and real subsets and applying comprehensive preprocessing techniques to the text data. Four hybrid deep learning models are presented: CNN-LSTM, RNN-CNN, RNN-LSTM, and Bi-GRU-Bi-LSTM. The Bi-GRU-Bi-LSTM model demonstrated superior performance regarding the F1 score, accuracy, and loss metrics. The precision, recall, F1 score, and accuracy of the hybrid Bi-GRU-Bi-LSTM model on the AFND Dataset are 0.97, 0.97, 0.98, and 0.98, and on the ARABICFAKETWEETS dataset are 0.98, 0.98, 0.99, and 0.99 respectively. The study’s primary conclusion is that when spotting fake news in Arabic, the Bi-GRU-Bi-LSTM model outperforms other models by a significant margin. It significantly aids the global fight against false information by setting the stage for future research to expand fake news detection to multiple languages.

Background: Surgical residency training is prominently demanding and stressful. This can affect the residents' wellbeing, work-life balance and increase the rates of burnout. We aimed to assess rates of satisfaction and burn-out among GS residents in the national training programs and provide a subsequent in-depth analysis of the potential reasons. Method: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted using an online survey and virtual interviews. The validated abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) was used to assess burnout while satisfaction was assessed via 5-points Likert scale. Results: After excluding incomplete responses from the total 74 received, 53 were analyzed. The average participant age was 27.4 ± 2 years, with females comprising 52 % of the sample. Junior residents made up 58.5 %, and nearly half −45 %- considered quitting GS training. Moderate to high burnout rates were noted on each aMBI subscale, ranging from 41.7 % to 62.5 %. The majority of residents expressed dissatisfaction with the level of research engagement (81.1 %), supervision, and mentorship. However, operative exposure was a source of satisfaction. Dissatisfaction rates with intra-operative learning, academia, teaching, and clinical exposure were 62.3 %, 52.8 %, 50.9 %, and 35.8 %, respectively. Interviews revealed surgical case flow and a friendly work environment as major satisfaction sources. Conversely, lack of academic supervision and suboptimal hands-on training were major dissatisfaction sources. Conclusion: Dissatisfaction and burn-out is prevalent among national GS training programs. Sub-optimal educational delivery and low-quality hands-on operative exposure -rather than lack of exposure to cases- seem to be the culprit.

In this investigation, we focused on the synthesis and characterization of CsCaF3 compound doped with europium (Eu3+) ions using a solid-state route. To analyze the crystal structure of the synthesized phosphors, X-ray diffraction analysis was employed. Additionally, the doped sample underwent examination of surface morphology and elemental composition through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and EDAX mapping. The color of the pure and doped CsCaF3 sample was quantified and fitted using Color coordinate graph by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE). The red emission on the doped CsCaF3 compound was detected at 465 nm, which is the transition from 5D0 to 7Fj (j = 0, 1, 2, and 3). The 0.5 mol. % Eu3+ doped CsCaF3 sample was found to have a color purity of 81% and an associated color temperature of 1660 K, indicating its suitability for aesthetic lighting applications. Furthermore, thermoluminescence study, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and effective atomic number (Zeff) calculations were conducted to provide valuable information for potential radiation dosimetry applications.

Purpose – The main objective of the present research is to investigate the benefits of using geogrid reinforcement in minimizing the rate of deterioration of ballasted rail track geometry resting on soft clay and to explore the effect of load amplitude, load frequency, presence of geogrid layer in ballast layer and ballast layer thickness on the behavior of track system. These variables are studied both experimentally and numerically. This paper examines the effect of geogrid reinforced ballast laying on a layer of clayey soil as a subgrade layer, where a half full scale railway tests are conducted as well as a theoretical analysis is performed. Design/methodology/approach – The experimental tests work consists of laboratory model tests to investigate the reduction in the compressibility and stress distribution induced in soft clay under a ballast railway reinforced by geogrid reinforcement subjected to dynamic load. Experimental model based on an approximate half scale for general rail track engineering practice is adopted in this study which is used in Iraqi railways. The investigated parameters are load amplitude, load frequency and presence of geogrid reinforcement layer. A half full-scale railway was constructed for carrying out the tests, which consists of two rails 800 mm in length with three wooden sleepers (900 mm × 90 mm × 90 mm). The ballast was overlying 500 mm thick clay layer. The tests were carried out with and without geogrid reinforcement, the tests were carried out in a well tied steel box of 1.5 m length × 1 m width × 1 m height. A series of laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the response of the ballast and the clay layers where the ballast was reinforced by a geogrid. Settlement in ballast and clay, was measured in reinforced and unreinforced ballast cases. In addition to the laboratory tests, the application of numerical analysis was made by using the finite element program PLAXIS 3D 2013. Findings – It was concluded that the settlement increased with increasing the simulated train load amplitude, there is a sharp increase in settlement up to the cycle 500 and after that, there is a gradual increase to level out between, 2,500 and 4,500 cycles depending on the load frequency. There is a little increase in the induced settlement when the load amplitude increased from 0.5 to 1 ton, but it is higher when the load amplitude increased to 2 ton, the increase in settlement depends on the geogrid existence and the other studied parameters. Both experimental and numerical results showed the same behavior. The effect of load frequency on the settlement ratio is almost constant after 500 cycles. In general, for reinforced cases, the effect of load frequency on the settlement ratio is very small ranging between 0.5 and 2% compared with the unreinforced case. Originality/value – Increasing the ballast layer thickness from 20 cm to 30 cm leads to decrease the settlement by about 50%. This ascertains the efficiency of ballast in spreading the waves induced by the track.

IntroductionThe cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus Fab., is the most economically important storage pest of cowpeas, causing up to 100 percent grain losses within six months of storage. To sustainably resist weevil damage, the cowpea cultivar IT86D-1010 was genetically modified via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to produce event CSI-32, which expresses the kidney bean alpha-amylase inhibitor 1 (αAI-1) protein exclusively in the seed, providing suppression of weevil development.MethodsTrials were conducted in Ghana and Nigeria during the 2023 growing season to assess the performance in the field and in post-harvest storage of this transgenic event (CSI-32) and of four check lines: the non-transformed parental line (IT86D-1010) and three released varieties (SAMPEA 7, SAMPEA 20-T and IT13K-1070-2). Data collected from the field trials comprised plant growth parameters, pest infestations and damage, and grain yield. Harvested grain from each replicated entry was used in a storage assessment of bruchid resistance following artificial infestation with laboratory-reared cowpea weevils. Data were collected on egg oviposition, adult emergence, and grain damage as well as computation of median development period and Dobie’s susceptibility index for each entry.Results and discussionThe agronomic performance and phenotypic characteristics of event CSI-32 were very similar to its parental counterpart and the other compared varieties. However, event CSI-32 exhibited complete suppression of weevil emergence and resistance to seed damage over the four-month period of the post-harvest study.ConclusionsThis work represents the first field study of genetically modified cowpea expressing the αAI-1 protein. It demonstrates how a biotechnology solution to mitigate significant economic losses during cowpea storage, offers great potential for cowpea improvement programs.

This research focuses on reducing noise in 3D laser printers, commonly used in businesses and home offices. By fine-tuning printer components and analyzing noise levels, the primary goal is to minimize the noise produced by a 3D laser printer. The study involves modifying various printer parts and using a Raspberry Pi 4 as an AI control system. Noise reduction is tested by adjusting the speed and acceleration of the machine while maintaining precision. A sound level meter and analysis program are employed to measure and analyze the noise levels. Results indicate that altering components, such as stepper motor drivers, significantly reduces noise. Findings suggest that further noise reduction can be achieved through additional component tuning and noise insulation strategies. This approach improves the user experience by providing a quieter operation and enhances the overall performance and efficiency of 3D laser printers. By focusing on minimizing noise, this research provides practical solutions for creating quieter and more efficient 3D laser printers, benefiting both businesses and home offices. Insights from this study can be applied to develop advanced 3d laser printers with optimized noise levels.

Otostegia fruticosa (Forssk.) is a shrub of the Lamiaceae family with a wide geographic distribution in Saudi Arabia, Western and Eastern Africa, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. The current study provides an overview of recent developments in the knowledge of O. fruticosa’s ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and phytochemical properties. In folkloric medicine, it has been used since ancient times for gastrointestinal disorders, oral health, ocular irritation, antiparasitic, diarrhea, tonsillitis, arthritis, respiratory complications, and sunstroke treatment. Pharmacological investigations of its antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, analgesic, larvicidal, nephroprotective, and other effects further validated its folklore practice. A range of diterpenoids, triterpenes, flavonoids, and essential oils have been found in O. fruticosa, according to phytochemical studies, which are thought to be responsible for the pharmacological effects of this plant species. This scientific review summarizes the most important secondary metabolites isolated from the O. fruticosa. It also summarizes the biological activities, providing insights into further scientific exploration.

Reconstruction of complex chest wall defects is often challenging for plastic surgeons as it demands both framework repair and stable soft tissue cover to protect internal organs. There are many synthetic and autologous options for skeletal reconstruction, and latissimus dorsi (LD) is the workhorse flap for soft tissue reconstruction. However, for larger chest wall defects, the availability of a skin paddle in the LD flap is a problem. Multiple modifications of skin harvest methods have been reported to overcome this problem. One of them is the kiss flap or double skin paddle technique, which is widely reported in the reconstruction of breasts, but has limited evidence of its use in chest wall defects. We present a case of composite anterior chest wall defect, which is covered by polypropylene mesh and a double skin paddle LD flap.

A twelve week feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the replacement of fishmeal (FM) with poultry by-product meal (PBM) in practical diets for European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax with an average initial weight of 0.89 g. Five isocaloric (5.1 kcal lipid g−1) and isonitrogenous (451 g protein kg−1) diets were formulated with PBM replacing FM at levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. The experiment was carried out in 30-in. nylon mesh net cages (hapas). At the termination of the trial, growth performance including final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and protein growth rate of diets containing up to 75% PBM were comparable to those of the control group, whereas the diet with 100% PBM resulted in a significantly lower values (p

Reproductive biotechnology requires successful and efficient cryopreservation of semen since it is a crucial technique for artificial insemination, which preserves and multiplies the superior genetic origins of animals. Propolis, a natural antioxidant produced by honeybees, was examined in this study. Tris-citric-glucose-soybean lecithin extender supplemented with propolis ethanolic extract (P, μg/mL) at 0 (Control), 25 (T1), 50 (T2), 100 (T3), and 200 (T4) was used. The extended semen, prepared in a 1:20 ratio (semen: extender) at 37 °C, was equilibrated for 2 hours at 5 °C and packaged in straws (0.25 ml) before storage in liquid nitrogen at -196 °C. Visual characteristics (e.g., motility, livability, abnormality), DNA integrity, lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant capacity of semen after thawing with P extract were thoroughly investigated. The results revealed that the low concentration (T1, 25 and T2, 50 µg/ml P) decreased lipid peroxidation, apoptotic sperm, improved sperm characteristics, and maintained the highest sperm cell viability. This resulted in improved reproductive performance and DNA integrity during cryopreservation of Ossimi ram semen. However, the high concentration (T3, 100 and T4, 200 µg/ml P) had the opposite effect and showed a low impact on maintaining cryopreserved Ossimi ram semen. In conclusion, Propolis shows potential for enhancing cryopreservation efficiency, but an optimal dosage is crucial to avoid adverse effects.

Background: Despite its significant prevalence worldwide, atopy and allergic diseases continue to need more studies, with a need for published articles describing the prevalence of atopy and allergic diseases in Saudi society. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of atopic dermatitis diseases among college students at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. Methods: The Cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia among college students at Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh based on self-report Asthma and Allergies questionnaires (ISSAC questionnaire, atopic dermatitis part). Results: Seven hundred ninety-seven (797) students from 11 colleges participated in the study. About half (47.6%) aged between 21 and 24, and 73.7% were females. More than one-third (34.8%) had atopic dermatitis during the last six months, while 30.7% of the participants reported having itchy rash in the past 12 months, and 33.8% were diagnosed with eczema in any life interval. Age is not one of the significant factors affecting the prevalence of atopic dermatitis. However, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis slightly increases with age (P = 0.062). Atopic dermatitis was significantly higher among female students (39.7%) than 21.0% among male students (P = 0.000). College level nor GPA had no significant impact on the prevalence of atopic dermatitis (P = 0.238 and 0.884, respectively). Conclusion: Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University students have a high prevalence of atopic dermatitis, which may indicate a higher prevalence of allergens. Females and older participants were more liable to reported atopic dermatitis.

Abstract The accurate classification of road surface conditions plays a vital role in ensuring road safety and effective maintenance. Vibration-based techniques have shown promise in this domain, leveraging the unique vibration signatures generated by vehicles to identify different road conditions. In this study, we focus on utilizing vehicle-mounted vibration sensors to collect road surface vibrations and comparing various data representation techniques for classifying road surface conditions into four classes: normal road surface, potholes, bad road surface, and speedbumps. Our experimental results reveal that the combination of multiple data representation techniques results in higher performance, with an average accuracy of 93.4%. This suggests that the integration of deep neural networks and signal processing techniques can produce a high-level representation better suited for challenging multivariate time series classification issues.

Abstract Social networks are popular for advertising, idea sharing, and opinion formation. Due to COVID-19, coronavirus information disseminated on social media affects people’s lives directly. Individuals sometimes managed it well, but it often hampered daily activities. As a result, analyzing people’s feelings is important. Sentiment analysis identifies opinions or sentiments from text. In this paper, we present an effective model that leverages the benefits of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) to categorize Arabic tweets using a stacked ensemble learning model. First, the tweets are represented as vectors using a word embedding model, then the text feature is extracted by CNN, and finally the context information of the text is acquired by BiLSTM. Aravec, FastText, and ArWordVec are employed separately to assess the impact of the word embedding on the our model. We also compare the proposed method to various deep learning models: CNN, LSTM, and BiLSTM. Experiments are performed on three different Arabic datasets related to COVID-19 and vaccines. Empirical findings show that the proposed model outperformed the other models’ results by achieving F-measures of 76.76%, 87.%, and 80.5% on the SenWave, AraCOVID19-SSD, and ArCovidVac datasets, respectively.

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic rheumatic autoimmune condition that can cause a wide range of symptoms and problems that may affect the health-related quality of life. The main objective of the study was to assess the SLE burden by exploring the effect of the disease on health-related quality of life. The study consisted of 29 female SLE patients and 27 healthy female controls; they were matched for age and parity. A 36-item Short Form health survey questionnaire (SF-36) was used to collect data from participants through face-to-face interviews and to assess their health-related quality of life. SF-36 summary scores for the physical and mental components were decreased in the studied patients compared with controls; PCS was 28.81 ± 16.63, 77.25 ± 15.75 for cases and controls, respectively; and MCS was 32.75 ± 18.69, and 78.75 ± 10.63 for cases and controls, respectively (p

Abstract In this study, we developed a novel nanocomposite, polyurethane foam impregnated with zero-valent iron nanoparticles (PU@nZVI), for the effective removal of chromium(VI) from various water sources. The characterization of nanocomposite (PU@nZVI) was performed by XRD, SEM–EDS, TEM and FT-IR techniques. Using the response surface methodology, we optimized the removal conditions, achieving an optimal pH of 2 and a dose of 0.5 g/L. The PU@nZVI demonstrated an excellent maximum adsorption capacity of 600.0 mg/g for Cr6+. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were best described by the pseudo-second-order model and the Freundlich isotherm, respectively. Significantly, the nanocomposite removed 99.98% of Cr6+ from tap water, 96.81% from industrial effluent, and 94.57% from treated sewage wastewater. Furthermore, the PU@nZVI maintained its efficiency over five adsorption–desorption cycles, highlighting its reusability. These results suggest that the PU@nZVI nanocomposite is a highly efficient and sustainable option for chromium(VI) removal in water treatment applications.

An extended version of (3+1)-dimensional non-linear Schrödinger equation that has a cubic–quintic nonlinear component under the stochastic effects is examined in this investigation. Several stochastic exact solutions of this model is acquired through the application of the improved modified extended tanh-function scheme (IMETFS). This method offers a practical and effective approach to finding precise solutions to several kinds of nonlinear partial differential equations. In addition, these solutions include stochastic soliton solutions (bright, singular, combo dark-singular), and exact solution such as singular periodic, Jacobi elliptic function, Weierstrass elliptic doubly periodic solution, rational, and exponential functions. Since it is the first study of its sort to examine multiplicative white noise’s impacts in this particular setting, it offers fresh insights and innovative research approaches for the field’s future studies. The work adds much to our understanding of soliton theory and how it relates to optical fiber technology while illuminating hitherto unknown facets of multiplicative white noise. To illustrate the impact of the noise, a few recovered solutions with varying noise strengths are given graphically as examples.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquid salts that exist at or below ambient temperatures and are composed of ion pairs. They offer promising alternatives to toxic, hazardous, highly flammable, and volatile solvents in various applications such as solution preparation, dispersion, gel formation, composites, and polymer melts. ILs possess unique and interesting characteristics, including excellent chemical and thermal stability and low vapor pressures. Understanding the rheological properties of ILs is essential to optimizing IL performance. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the rheological properties of two ionic liquids, NHexylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate (HPyBF4) and NHexylpyridinium bromide (HPyBr), under different shear rates, temperatures, and pressures. Rheological measurements were performed under varying controlled pressure and temperature conditions. The experimental investigation covered a pressure range of 689–12,411 kPa [100–1800 psi] and a temperature range from room temperature up to 522 kelvin (K) [480°F]. The primary objective is to explore and compare the flow behavior and viscoelastic characteristics of HPyBF4 and HPyBr under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. The experimental data showed that HPyBF4 and HPyBr exhibited shear-thinning behavior, and pressure had an insignificant effect on rheology compared to the temperature effect. Under the same testing conditions, HPyBr showed higher shear stress and viscosity than HPyBF4. This research significantly contributes to the improved understanding of the rheological behavior of these specific ionic liquids and their suitability for diverse industrial and scientific applications, particularly in high-pressure and high-temperature environments.

E. coli responsible for urinary tract infections (UTI) became resistant to obtainable therapies. So, nanotechnology appears currently as promising innovation among various strategies under development. In the present study we evaluate the antimicrobial effects of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles against E. coli isolated from UTI. Biofilm production and expression of quorum sensing genes luxS and motA were performed on E. coli treated with the nanoparticles. luxS and motA genes were detected in the tested E. coli. All isolates produced strong, moderate and weak biofilm. All isolates had a weak biofilm formation and decreased gene expression for luxS and motA genes after treatment with CuO, ZnO and their mixture. Besides, CuO and ZnO had non-toxic effects on Human Dermal Fibroblasts and neonatal normal cells. In conclusion, the mixture of CuO and ZnO had a role in decreasing the gene expression of luxS and motA genes more than each alone.

Aim of study: This study assessed the effectiveness of community-based interventions, health awareness, and treatment in controlling schistosomiasis among schoolchildren to improve policies and strategies. Methods: This pre- and post-intervention study was conducted in an Al-Alaqa male primary school, and systematic simple random sampling was used to investigate 237 participants, which resulted in 132 (55.7%) infected students. The infected and noninfected students (580 students) were treated by delivering the praziquantel doses immediately after the results; after 4 weeks, the infected students received the second dose. After 6 months, the rates were investigated again, and all procedures were performed after the height and weight of the students were recorded according to the protocol. Health education was provided for all participants using posters and leaflets. The data were collected via a questionnaire and urine test. The data were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), and ANOVA and t-tests were used to determine the significant differences between the variables. Results: A urine investigation was conducted on 237 students; 132 (55.7%) had positive results which showed marked improvement and the prevalence in the school decreased to 3.8% after the intervention. The researcher found strong evidence of a relationship between the prevalence of schistosomiasis before the intervention and availability of water in the home (chi-square = 18.331, df = 1, p value = 000). ANOVA showed strong statistical significance (0.002 and F = 6.564) between the mean score of student age and reasons behind going to the pond. Conclusion: This study concluded that mass chemotherapy and treatment were highly effective when associated with a health program intervention. Mass chemotherapy alone may reduce the prevalence of disease for a short time. Recommendation: Community-based interventions should be applied in schools with an emphasis on health education programs through the training of schoolteachers on investigations for schistosomiasis, treatment with praziquantel, and the provision of materials (microscopes, reagents, and drugs).

Utilizing plant extracts in the green synthesis of bimetallic nanoalloys receives more attention due to its eco-friendly, cheap, single-step, easy-handling method, producing highly active and biocompatible nanoalloys. Therefore, the aqueous extract of ginger rhizome was used to form bimetallic gold/silver (Au/Ag) nanoalloys. There were 37.3 mg.g−1 of total soluble carbs, 0.75 mg.g−1 of proteins, and 0.03 mg.g−1 of phenolic compounds quantified in ginger rhizome. The production of BAu/Ag-NPs relies on these components. The as-formed BAu/Ag-NPs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The results showed that the peak surface plasmon resonance (SPR) occurred between 440 and 545 nm. The existence of several functional groups involved in the reduction and stability of the generated nanoalloys was shown by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR). The nanoalloys, with an average size of 49.1 ± 16.2 nm, were observed to be spherical using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) indicated that the synthesized nanoalloy mainly consisted of Au and Ag ions, which made up (31.2 % and 47.1 %) and (45.9 % and 28.6 %) of the sample’s atomic and weight percentages, respectively. The crystallography of the nanoalloys was confirmed using XRD analysis. When examined for their capacity to suppress viral replication, the synthesized nanoalloys showed remarkable results, with 78.2 % inhibition against HAV and 69.6 % against Cox-B4. In addition, the anticancer activity of nanoalloys against oral epithelial cells (OEC), MCF7 adenocarcinoma cells, and HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells was investigated using the MTT assay method. While the nanoalloys exhibited moderate toxicity towards normal OEC (IC50: 502.5 ± 2.8 g.mL−1), they showed substantial cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, MCF7 and HepG2, with IC50 values of 212.6 ± 4.4 and 117.9 ± 6.6 µg.mL−1, respectively. According to these data, BAu/Ag nanoalloys show potential as antiviral and anticancer drugs that selectively kill cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31 (COMPASS-31) is an easy-to-use screening tool for the evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in various diseases affecting neural function but has rarely been used in the assessment of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the COMPASS-31 score in detecting dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system in patients 3 months after COVID-19 infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine subjects were recruited and grouped into 2: (a) controls (n = 31) who had never had positive polymerase chain reaction results for COVID-19 before and (b) the post-COVID-19 patients (n = 28) who had confirmed COVID-19 infection 3–6 months before recruitment. COMPASS-31 questionnaire was utilized to evaluate subjective symptoms or evidence of autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was assessed objectively by cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs) and heart rate variability (HRV). For comparison of quantitative variables between two groups, t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate, were used. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), negative likelihood ratio (LR), and positive LR were used as measures of diagnostic accuracy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the overall accuracy of COMPASS-31. RESULTS: The median COMPASS score was found to be significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants than controls (15.5 vs. 10, P = 0.021). The median total CART score was also significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants (0 vs. 1, P < 0.001). Out of 6 domains of the COMPASS score, the median value for orthostatic dysfunction was found to be significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants than controls (12 vs. 0, P = 0.008). There was significantly fair accuracy of the COMPASS score with an area under the receiver operating curve 0.68 (0.54–0.82) following the total CART score ≥2 as the gold standard in the diagnosis of autonomic dysfunction (P = 0.021). The best cutoff point of the total COMPASS score was 12.5, where the optimal values of sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were achieved. Nonsignificant and weak correlations between CARTs, HRV parameters, and COMPASS score were found. CONCLUSION: COMPASS-31 could be used as a user-friendly screening tool to detect autonomic dysfunction in post-COVID-19 cases with acceptable sensitivity and specificity.

The aim of this experiment was to assess the potential benefits of supplementing coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the diet of Liza ramada, with a focus on growth promotion, enhanced feed utilization, improved digestive enzyme activity, bolstered antioxidant defenses, and overall health. Five diets were prepared, maintaining consistent levels of lipids (7%) and protein (32%). These diets featured equivalent raw materials but varied in their CoQ10 content (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg CoQ10/kg diet). Initial fish weight averaged 90.89±0.41 g, and each diet was administered to fish in triplicate tanks over a 60-day feeding period. Surprisingly, the diet with 80 mg/kg of CoQ10 showed the most substantial increases in weight gain (131.23±1.82 g), specific growth rate (1.40±0.01%/day), and a more favorable feed conversion ratio (1.73±0.01), outperforming the 60, 40, and 20 mg/kg CoQ10 diets. Additionally, 40 and 60 mg/kg CoQ10 diets demonstrated substantial improvements in digestive enzyme activity [protease (22.30±0.80 and 21.34±0.77, U/ mg), amylase (19.90±0.65 and 20.15±0.43, U/ mg), and lipase (27.04±0.80 and 27.41±0.87, U/ mg)], antioxidant markers [superoxide dismutase (14.01±0.27 and 14.44±0.62, U/ mg), catalase (1.19±0.04 and 1.20±0.04, U/ mg), and glutathione peroxidase (3.27±0.14 and 3.47±0.16, U/ mg)], and immune responses [lysozyme (302.12±3.18 and 294.25±7.64, U/ ml), bactericidal activity (5.00±0.04 and 6.03±0.14, U/ ml), respiratory burst using nitroblue tetrazolium (0.55±0.01 and 0.55±0.01, U/ ml), and alternative complement pathway activities (58.29±1.01 and 58.74±0.80, U/ ml)] in L. ramada (p < 0.05). Histological evaluations of the liver and intestine indicated structural enhancements, particularly in the 60 and 80 mg/kg CoQ10 groups, suggesting potential benefits for organ health. CoQ10 supplementation did not affect the survival rate and biochemical parameters [albumin, glucose, total protein, globulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, urea, and creatinine] (p > 0.05). These findings underscore the potential of CoQ10 as a valuable dietary additive to enhance the growth and overall health of L. ramada, with recommended inclusion levels of CoQ10 falling between 60 and 80 mg/kg.

The aim of the present quantitative assessment of the phytoplankton community along the Garmat-Ali River and to establish its relationship with the physical and chemical factors based on the changes occurring in the aquatic environment in Basra Governorate, including the decreasing of fresh water, this is due to the low discharge of fresh water coming from the upstream countries, rise in temperatures due to global warming, increased salt concentrations and other factors. Four locations were chosen in the region: Al-Najibiya, Al-Mashhab, Al-Salal and Al-Nagara station. The samples were collected quarterly in 2022. The results of the environmental variables showed that the water temperature was ranging from 11.8 - 33.4 °C, salinity from 2.6 - 9.5 PSU, hydrogen ion concentration -pH- from 7.3-8.6, dissolved oxygen from 1.6-11.7mg/l. total dissolved solids from 2350-9871 ppm, turbidity from 1.39-76.8 NTU, reactive phosphate from 0.01-0.21 mg/l. reactive nitrate from 0.51-19.9mg/l. and chlorophyll-a-from8.62-41.06mg/m3. Statistical analysis of the physical and chemical parameters was performed using SPSS statistics v.19 for one-way analysis of variance. Quantitative data showed that the total numbers of phytoplankton at all the study sites and in all seasons was 120120 cell/l. Al-Salal site showed the highest numerical density of 15,000 cell/l. in spring, while Al-Najibiya site represent the lowest numerical density of 2,500 cell/l. in winter.

Background: Healthcare professionals are required to work effectively together to deliver the best healthcare services. Without awareness of other healthcare professionals’ roles and responsibilities, interprofessional practice (IPP) cannot be optimally achieved. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate healthcare professionals’ awareness of audiology and speech-language pathology (SLP) services in Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study consisted of two parts. The content of a 20-item paper questionnaire was firstly validated. The full-scale study addressed the aim through distributing questionnaire items among potential participants. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used. Results: A total of 403 participants completed the questionnaires for the main study. Most of the participants were Saudi citizens (84.1%), aged 18 years – 40 years (84.8%) years, and lived in Riyadh region (76.2%). Allied health professionals (40.2%), physicians (22.6%), nursing (15.4%) and dentistry (11.2%) were the main group of participants working mainly at governmental hospitals (69.2%). Of the total participants, 92.6% and 95.3% reported being fully aware of the services provided by audiologists and SLPs, respectively. No statistically significant association between the specialty of participants and their familiarity with the scope of practice for SLPs and audiologists was determined. Conclusion: Our study examined healthcare professionals’ awareness of audiology and SLP services and revealed a high level of awareness. Contribution: The existed level of awareness is expected to facilitate IPP and enhance the quality of care. Still, awareness campaigns about audiology and SLP services are needed to address the existing lack of knowledge among some healthcare professionals.

Abstract Following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, some patients develop lingering neurologic symptoms of post‐acute sequelae of COVID‐19 (PASC) that commonly include fatigue and “brain fog.” PASC symptoms are also linked with reduced growth hormone (GH) secretion, but GH treatment has not been tested to relieve symptoms. We enrolled 13 adults with neurologic PASC symptoms and peak stimulated GH secretion less than 10 ng/mL (glucagon stimulation) in a pilot study to receive 9 months of daily GH injections and an additional 3 months of off‐treatment assessment. We compared peak stimulated GH secretion at baseline and 12 months and assessed measures of cognition, metabolism, body composition, and physical performance over the first 6 months of treatment. Patient‐reported outcomes of fatigue, quality of life, sleep, and mood were recorded at baseline and compared with timepoints at 6, 9, and 12 months. GH treatment was associated with significantly improved scores for Brief Fatigue Inventory, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory, Quality of Life Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults, Profile of Mood States, and Beck Depression Inventory‐II, with no significant change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Six months of adjunct GH treatment was not associated with significant changes in cognition, body composition, resting energy expenditure, or physical performance. Peak stimulated GH secretion was not altered at 12 months following 9 months of GH treatment. GH treatment significantly improved neurologic symptoms in PASC patients but cognition, sleep, and physical performance were not significantly altered.

Background: The ability of minor subpopulations among clonal populations to survive antibiotics is referred to as bacterial persistence. It is believed that persisters come from latent cells, where antibiotic target areas are less active and incapable of being affected. Objective: 112 clinical Escherichia coli isolates were acquired out of diverse medical samples and genetically identified using the uspA gene, which is part of the housekeeping genes. Methods: The examination of persister cells was carried out by subjecting isolates of E. coli in the exponential phase with high dose of ciprofloxacin (20 fold MIC) and calculating the surviving persister cells using CFU (colony forming units) counts. The detection and measurement of bacterial filament production was done using scanning electron and light microscopy. Results: Results showed that the bacterial filament cells kept on lengthen but cease to divide (no septa formation) at sub-minimal inhibitory doses of ciprofloxacin. Persistent isolates were shown to exhibit a wide range of form and size variations, with cells up to 4.5 times longer than usual. Conclusions: The results showed the importance of antibiotic stress on persisted cells that result in the production of filaments as a means of survival and the need to examine these rare phenotypic variations. These occurrences may be the beginning of the spread of bacterial resistance.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a significant opportunistic pathogen responsible for various nosocomial infections in humans. The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains poses a significant challenge in clinical settings, necessitating a deeper understanding of factors influencing antimicrobial resistance. Objective: This research aimed to investigate the impact of pH variation on the resistance patterns of multi-resistant K. pneumoniae isolated from Iraqi patients with urinary tract infections and wound infections against different antibiotics. Methods: Forty K. pneumoniae isolates were obtained from urine samples and wound swabs, and their identification was confirmed using the VITEK ® 2 compact system and molecular identification of the rpoB housekeeping gene. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby Bauer’s disk diffusion method under varying pH conditions (pH 5, 7, 9, and 11) at 37°C for 18 to 24 hours. Results: The study findings indicated that K. pneumoniae isolates exhibited differential susceptibility to antibiotics based on pH conditions. Cefotaxime demonstrated increased efficacy under alkaline pH, while tetracycline showed optimal efficacy under acidic conditions. However, ciprofloxacin displayed resistant phenotypes at acidic pH 5 and either resistant or intermediate phenotypes at alkaline pH 9. Conclusions: The results suggest a potential influence of pH on the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of K. pneumoniae isolates. Understanding the role of pH in antimicrobial resistance can inform strategies for better managing infections caused by multi-resistant pathogens. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and implications for clinical practice.

Cementing around the casing in oil and gas wellbores provides multiple benefits such as proper zonal isolation, casing support, and prevention of fluid migration. Wellbore cement is an important part of the completion and abandonment process. However, wellbore cement has some drawbacks such as micro-annuli formation or loss of zonal isolation. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to improve the characteristics of wellbore drilling fluids but have not been used extensively in cement. The objective of this paper is to show the effect of NPs’ concentration on wellbore cement characteristics such as thickening time, viscosity, and fluid loss properties. Nanoparticle barite and magnetite were added to heavy cement and bentonite was added to light cement in intervals of 1, 3, and 5 % by weight of cement to test the resulting cement characteristics. The results showed that the thickening time increased for all concentrations of nanoparticles, except for the 5 % magnetite. The resulting yield stress of both cement mixtures increased for all concentrations of nanoparticles. The viscosity for all concentrations of nanoparticles in the heavy cement was greater than the control case, while no change in viscosity was seen with the light cement. Fluid loss generally decreased by increasing nanoparticle concentrations for both heavy and light cement. The results of this work in combination with results from the literature show that the addition of barite, magnetite, or bentonite nanoparticles can enhance wellbore cement without diminishing the pumpability and curing time.

Bimatoprost (BIM) is a prostaglandin F2α analogs originally approved for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Recent studies have highlighted its potential to boost hair growth. The objective of this investigation is to challenge the potential of spanlastics (SLs) as a surfactant-based vesicular system for promoting the cutaneous delivery of BIM for the management of alopecia. BIM-loaded spanlastics (BIM-SLs), composed of Span as the main vesicle component and Tween as the edge activator, were fabricated by ethanol injection method. The formulated BIM-SLs were optimized by 23 full factorial design. The optimized formula (F1) was characterized for entrapment efficiency, surface charge, vesicle size, and drug release after 12 h (Q12h). The optimized formula (F1) exhibited high drug entrapment efficiency (83.1 ± 2.1%), appropriate zeta potential (−19.9 ± 2.1 mV), Q12h of 71.3 ± 5.3%, and a vesicle size of 364.2 ± 15.8 nm, which favored their cutaneous accumulation. In addition, ex-vivo skin deposition studies revealed that entrapping BIM within spanlastic-based nanogel (BIM-SLG) augmented the dermal deposition of BIM, compared to naïve BIM gel. Furthermore, in vivo studies verified the efficacy of spanlastic vesicles to boost the cutaneous accumulation of BIM compared to naive BIM gel; the AUC0-12h of BIM-SLG was 888.05 ± 72.31 μg/mL.h, which was twice as high as that of naïve BIM gel (AUC0-12h 382.86 ± 41.12 μg/mL.h). Intriguingly, BIM-SLG outperforms both naïve BIM gel and commercial minoxidil formulations in stimulating hair regrowth in an androgenetic alopecia mouse model. Collectively, spanlastic vesicles might be a potential platform for promoting the dermal delivery of BIM in managing alopecia.

For early-stage hormone receptor (HR)-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer, tools to estimate treatment benefit include free and publicly available algorithms (e.g., PREDICT 2.1) and expensive molecular assays (e.g., Oncotype DX). There remains a need to identify patients who de-rive the most benefit from molecular assays and where this test may be of poor value. In this multicenter prospective cohort study, we evaluated whether use of PREDICT 2.1 would impact physician decision making. For the first 6 months of the study, data on physician use of both PREDICT 2.1 and Oncotype DX ordering were collected on all newly diagnosed patients eligible for molecular testing. After 6 months, an educational intervention was undertaken to see if providing physicians with PREDICT 2.1 results affects the frequency of Oncotype DX requests. A total of 602 patients across six cancer centers in Ontario, Canada were recruited between March 2020 and November 2021. Providing PREDICT 2.1 results and an educational intervention did not alter the ordering of an Oncotype DX. For patients with low clinical risk, either by clinico-pathologic features or by PREDICT 2.1, the probability of obtaining a high Oncotype DX recurrence score was substantially lower compared to patients with high-clinical-risk disease. The introduction of an educational intervention had no impact on molecular assay requests. However, routine ordering of molecular assays for patients with low-clinical-risk disease is of poor value.

Ahmed Albushtra,1 Abdulsalam Hadi Mohsen,2 Khaled Ali Alnozaili,3 Faisal Ahmed,4 Younes Mohsen Ali Abdu Aljobahi,1 Fawaz Mohammed,1 Mohamed Badheeb5 1Department of Orthopedic, School of Medicine, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen; 2Department of Orthopedic, School of Medicine, Aden University, Aden, Yemen; 3Department of Orthopedic, School of Medicine, 21 September University, Sana’a, Yemen; 4Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen; 5Department of Internal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USACorrespondence: Faisal Ahmed, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen, Tel/Fax +967 4428950, Email fmaaa2006@yahoo.comBackground: External fixation is one of the most often utilized treatment options for complicated tibial diaphyseal fractures (TDF). The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of unilateral external fixators as primary and definitive therapy for complex TDF in a resource-limited setting.Materials and Methods: A retrospective study between June 2016 and March 2021 included 110 subjects with TDF who were treated with an external fixator as definitive fixation in hospitals affiliated with Ibb University. The patient’s demographic characteristics, complications, and outcomes were gathered and analyzed. Factors associated with pin site infection were also investigated.Results: The mean age was 42.1 ± 10.1 years, with 92.7% being male. Rural residents accounted for 22.7%. Smoking and diabetes mellitus were present in 27.3% and 30.0%, respectively. General complications occurred in 12.0%, with pulmonary embolism being the most common at 4.5%. Orthopedic complications included pin-track infections in 27.3% (30) and osteomyelitis in 1.8% (2). Pin site infections required medical treatment in 21 cases and external fixator changes in five. Two cases each needed several debridements for osteomyelitis and soft tissue. Full union occurred in 79.1% (87) over 23.1 ± 3.2 weeks and final alignment in 97.3% (107) over 34.8 ± 4.8 weeks. Malunions occurred in 1.8% (2), and one case had hypertrophic nonunion. Factors like rural residency, smoking, diabetes, open fractures, worst fracture grade (Gustilo and Anderson type C), and general complications occurrence significantly correlated with pin site infection (all p-values < 0.05).Conclusion: A unilateral external fixator as a primary and definitive treatment is a viable, simple, and effective option for TDF with a high success rate even in a resource-limited setting. In this study, residents in rural areas, smoking, diabetes, open fracture, worst fracture grade, and general complication occurrence were associated with pin site infection occurrence.Keywords: external fixation, definitive treatment, tibial fractures, pin tract infection

With the increasing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EVs), the demand for electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) has grown significantly. Selecting an appropriate charging station based on user preferences is essential for a satisfactory charging experience. Existing EVCS selection solutions often focus solely on distance or cost, neglecting other crucial factors such as charging time, waiting time, and available facilities. To address these challenges, we propose the Personalized Charging Station Selection Scheme (PC3S), which integrates Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP) and Multi-attribute Decision Making (MADM) theory. FAHP is used to handle imprecise and uncertain user preferences, interdependencies among criteria, and to determine the weights of each selection criterion. MADM, specifically TOPSIS, ranks alternative charging stations with respect to each criterion and calculates their weighted priorities. The charging stations are then ranked in ascending order by priority. We developed a mathematical model of our proposed scheme and implemented a numerical example based on a real dataset from the US Department of Energy. MATLAB was used to evaluate PC3S effectiveness using three different scenarios: travel distance-based, price-based, and a random scenario. The performance analysis of PC3S showed that it outperformed other approaches like ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, VIKOR, SAW, and BlockEv in terms of accuracy (over 97%, 95%, and 95.5%) and ranking abnormality (less than 5%, 8%, and 9%) across all three scenarios. By considering user preferences and properly ranking alternative charging stations, our scheme enhances user experience and facilitates a more customized and efficient charging station selection process, potentially leading to wider adoption of EVs.

The motivation of this study was to solve the high $\rm I_{D,off}$ problem in 8 Volt N-channel MOSFET. We experimented with implanting nitrogen into LDD at various doses. As a result, $\rm I_{D,off}$ increases and $\rm BV_{DSS}$ decreases as the dose increases. When it exceeds 1.0E15 cm $^{-2}$ , the occurrence of tail-type $\rm I_{D,off}$ and $\rm BV_{DSS}$ that deviate from the normal distribution increases. Implanted nitrogen enhances the diffusion of dopants in the LDD bulk but suppresses it on the silicon surface. As a result, the depletion curvature at the LDD edge becomes a negative shape and increases the electric field. We performed the same experiment on logic MOSFETs to comprehensively analyze other electrical effects. Nitrogen improves the HCI immunity of MOSFETs but degrades for 2.5 Volt and 8 Volt MOSFETs when the dose is above 1.0E15 cm $^{-2}$ . The short-channel effect of 2.5 Volt MOSFET is insensitive to nitrogen but is suppressed in CORE MOSFET when the dose is over 1.3E15 cm $^{-2}$ . Nitrogen changes $\rm I_{D,sat}$ through interactions with co-implanted species and nitrogen dose. As a result, nitrogen co-implanted with phosphorus shows a parabolic-like $\rm I_{D,sat}$ trend. However, in the case of CORE MOSFET implanted with arsenic, $\rm I_{D,sat}$ does not show a parabolic-like trend but increases continuously. This experiment did not find much benefit from nitrogen implantation for 2.5 Volt and 8 Volt MOSFETs. For all MOSFETs, it is recommended that the nitrogen dosage not exceed 1.0E15 cm $^{-2}$ .

Abstract Stroke is a major global disability cause, and genetic variables for multifactorial illnesses like stroke are crucial for precision medicine. The purpose of this study is to see if genetic variants in the MTHFR gene are associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke among the Egyptian population. A case–control study was conducted at Mansoura University Hospital, involving 100 stroke patients and 150 healthy volunteers as the control group. Peripheral blood genomic DNA was isolated and single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped using ARMS-PCR. The CT and TT genotypes of the C677T gene polymorphism exhibited substantial risks for having stroke disease [(OR 3.856; P ≤ 0.001); (OR 4.026; P ≤ 0.001), respectively]. The T allele was significantly more prevalent among patients compared to controls. (OR 2.517; (P = 0.001)). The over-dominant and dominant models demonstrated a substantial relationship between stroke groups at risk of developing stroke but not the Recessive model. An extensive connection was found between the MTHFR A1298C and stroke danger in three different inheritance models: dominant (CC + CA vs. AA), over-dominant (AA + CC vs AC), and allelic (C allele) (P 0.05 for each) except the CC genotype that was significantly associated with lower levels of TC and HDL when compared to CT + TT genotypes. The study evaluates a strong link among MTHFR mutations in genes and the probability to get stroke. The research significantly supports the use of MTHFR ((rs1801133) and (rs1801131) variations in stroke prediction.

The increasing age of our society is connected to a rising number of people suffering from disorders. One such disorder is Parkinson’s disease (PD). Predictions indicate that the number of individuals affected by PD will more, than double in the future. Neurologists and data scientists consider handwriting as one of the motor symptoms of PD and recognize it as a valuable resource for detecting this disorder. Within this framework, we introduce an innovative system for Parkinson’s disease detection, which encompasses several key stages. The process commences with data augmentation and preprocessing, subsequently leading to the segmentation of online handwriting into Beta strokes. Following that, feature extraction is carried out utilizing the Beta-elliptical approach and the fuzzy perceptual detector. Finally, we employ bidirectional long short-term memory (BLSTM) for the classification task. To assess the performance of our system, we created a new online Arabic handwriting dataset designed for detecting Parkinson’s disease. The results we obtained affirm the efficacy of our proposed system. Through comprehensive evaluations conducted on the PaHaW dataset, we achieved good accuracy, thereby highlighting that our system surpasses the performance of existing systems.

Origami, the art of paper folding, addresses traditionally conflicting requirements for designing both powerful and low-cost haptic interfaces. As of today, there are no comprehensive reviews that cover origami-inspired haptic actuation, sensing, design processes, and fabrication. To fill this void, this paper summarizes existing origami-inspired haptic technologies in terms of workspace, degrees of freedom (DoF), power consumption, control methods, sensing, and actuation. The paper also presents an iterative design process for pattern generation and origami-inspired haptic characterization. Using this design process, we demonstrate a case study that involves the design, development, and evaluation of a novel syringe haptic interface for dental simulation. Our main findings suggest that origami-inspired haptics need more mathematically optimized and versatile design, as well as novel materials that offer a room for embedded sensing and actuation.

Type 2 diabetes is common globally. Pioglitazone (PGZ) is an oral TZD antidiabetic, whereas chromium-picolinate (Cr-PL) and Cr-glucose tolerance factor (Cr-GTF) are useful type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) supplements. Cr-PL/GTF antioxidants cure T2DM. They may fail in diabetes with or without insulin-sensitizing medications. It examined how Cr-PL, Cr-GTF, PGZ, and their combination affected glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Sixty-three adult Sprague-Dawley rats (220–300 g) were selected, and nine rats were randomly assigned to a normal nondiabetic group. In contrast, 54 rats were randomly split into 9 rats per each of the 6 major groups and injected intraperitoneally with 40 mg/kg STZ to induce T2DM. Rats were administered PGZ = 0.65 mg/kg (rat weight)/day, Cr-PL = 1 mg/kg, Cr-GTF = 1 mg/kg, and their combinations (PGZ + Cr-PL and Cr-GTF) daily for 6 weeks per intervention. The PGZ + Cr-PL and PGZ + Cr-GTF groups had substantially lower insulin levels than the PGZ group (13.38 ± 0.06, 12.98 ± 0.19 vs. 14.11 ± 0.02, respectively), with the PGZ + Cr-GTF group having the lowest insulin levels (12.98 ± 0.19 vs. 14.11 ± 0.02, 13.38±0.06, respectively). Intervention substantially reduced HOMA-IR in the PZ + Cr-PL and PZ + Cr-GTF groups compared to PGZ (7.49 ± 0.04, 6.69 ± 0.11 vs. 8.37 ± 0.04, respectively). This research found that combining PGZ with Cr-GTF resulted in considerably lower HOMA-IR levels than the PGZ and Cr-PL groups (6.69 ± 0.11 vs. 8.37 ± 0.04, 7.49 ± 0.04, respectively). Both Cr-PL and Cr-GTF may control T2DM. Both Cr complexes improved T2DM biomarkers more than the control diabetic group without medication. PGZ alone and PGZ + Cr-PL had less pharmacological synergy than Cr-GTF and PGZ in altering insulin and HOMA-IR blood levels. These encouraging discoveries need more study.

Adapted European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) larvae at 25 days post-hatching (dph) with a primary weight and length of 23 mg and 9.92 mm, start the weaning up to 46 dph using the weaning micro-diet (54% crude protein from fish meal, powder milk, and poultry egg) concurrently with Artemia enriched with fortification emulsions (0.6 g/L) of DHA selco® as a control group (DHAS) or Fish oil + 20% Vitamin C (FOVC), or Fish oil + 20% Vitamin E (FOVE), or Fish oil + 10% Vit. C +10% Vit. E (FOCE), or Fish oil only (FO). At 46 dph, groups of larvae fed enriched Artemia with DHAS and FOVE exhibited the highest final body weight, weight gain, average daily gain, specific growth rate, feed intake, protein efficiency ratio, and survival% as well as the lowest feed conversion ratio. Meanwhile, larvae in FOVC displayed the lowest final body weight, total length, weight gain, average daily gain, specific growth rate, feed intake, protein efficiency ratio, and survival% as well as the highest feed conversion ratio. Gastrointestinal histological assessment exhibited no pathological alteration as well as an improvement in the structure with DHAS, FOVE, FOVC, and FOCE co-additives compared to FO. Glutathione peroxidase enzyme (GPx) recorded the highest rates (P < 0.05) in groups fed Artemia supplemented with DHAS and FOVE followed by FOCE and FOVC. While the lowest record for GPx activity was noted in the FO group. In conclusion, Using augmented Artemia nauplii with fish oil + vitamin E in single or in companion with vitamin C as cheap antioxidants support D. labrax larval growth, survival, and antioxidant efficacy during the critical weaning period.

A 56-day feeding period was performed to investigate the possible impacts of dietary nano curcumin (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm) on the growth, nutrient utilization, non-specific immune parameters, antioxidants in Nile tilapia under chronic low temperature (21.02 ± 0.11 °C). Fishes (n = 225; Initial weight = 4.39 ± 0.08 g/fish) were randomly stocked at 15 fish/tank for five experimental groups in triplicates. Under low-temperature circumstances, dietary curcumin in nano form showed no notable alteration in growth variable, nutrient efficiency, digestive enzymes efficiency, biometric indices, survival rates, and hematological components. Meanwhile, the serum of fishes with nano curcumin diets under low-temperature stress displayed higher total protein as well as lower glucose, cortisol, and total cholesterol compared with the control group. Moreover, fish fed nano curcumin diets displayed higher lysozyme and bactericidal activities compared to the control group and the best performance was found at dietary nano curcumin level of ≥100 ppm. Also, groups fed the basal diet demonstrated the poorest antioxidant capacity, and the best superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) existed in fish with nano curcumin diets while the best catalase (CAT) efficiency occurred at higher nano curcumin levels ≥100 ppm. In addition, higher counts of intestinal microbiota in terms of total bacterial count (TBC), total yeast and molds count (TYMC), and coliform were noticed in fish consumed the basal diet compared to groups fed on nano curcumin diets. In conclusion, incorporating nano curcumin at a level of ≥100 mg/kg diet (particularly at 150 mg/kg) improved a non-specific immune response, antioxidant, and healthier gastrointestinal microbiota in Nile tilapia under chronic low-temperature stress.

Abstract An eight-week trial was designed to explore the dietary effects of commercially purchased exogenous bile acids (BAs) on growth, whole-body composition, lipid profile, intestinal digestive enzymes, liver function enzymes, oxidative stress biomarkers, and serum immunity of thinlip mullet, Liza ramada. Four triplicate groups (10.50 ± 0.05 g) were fed four soybean meal (SBM)-based diets supplied with several BAs levels at 0 (control), 50, 130, or 350 mg/kg feed. Results indicated that the growth was significantly increased in groups fed BAs-based diets, especially at 130 mg/kg feed. The body composition analysis showed that feeding fish on diets supplied with BAs up to 130 mg/kg decreased moisture (%) alongside increased crude protein (%). However, the body composition of fish fed a diet with 350 mg BAs/kg had the lowest moisture (%) and the highest crude protein (%). Moreover, there were significant increases in the intestinal (protease, α-amylase, and lipase) enzyme activities in the groups supplied with BAs up to 130 mg BAs/kg. Liver function enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzyme activities) were significantly decreased in BAs-supplemented groups compared to those fed the BAs-free group. On the other hand, the control group had higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein alongside the lower high-density lipoprotein than BAs-supplemented groups, especially at 350 mg BAs/kg feed. BAs significantly decreased hepatic malondialdehyde concentrations and increased the activity of hepatic catalase, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity compared with those reared on the control diet. Serum lysozyme, respiratory burst, and alternative complement activities were significantly increased in BAs-supplied groups, particularly in the group supplied with 130 mg BAs/kg compared to those fed on the control diet. Accordingly, our findings recommend that including 130 mg BAs/kg in an SBM-based diet enhanced the growth, digestive enzyme activities, and liver functions, alleviated oxidative stress, boosted serum immunity, and lowered lipid metabolites in thinlip mullet. These findings will be beneficial for improving the quality of feed prepared for feeding mullets and an effective alternative strategy to support mullet farming.

Abstract This study investigated the dietary effects of coated l-ascorbic acid (LA) on growth, feed utilization, survival, serum biochemical indices, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal and hepatopancreatic histology of the pre-adult red swamp crayfish. Four isoproteinous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain several LA levels as 0, 1300, 1600, and 1900 mg/kg and designated as control (LA0), LA13, LA16, and LA19, respectively. However, the analyzed LA concentrations in diets were 0.00, 199.57, 360.45, and 487.50 mg/kg in LA0, LA13, LA16, and LA19, respectively. Triplicate treatments of crayfish (21.60 ± 0.14 g) were fed the test diets and reared in fiberglass tanks with a density of 20 individuals per each for eight weeks. Results revealed that all LA treatments had significantly enhanced growth performance compared to the control. Of interest, the LA16 treatment recorded the highest final tank biomass, biomass gain, total feed intake, condition factor, and muscle yield among the other treatments. The tank feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased in LA treatments compared to the control. Moreover, dietary LA16 and LA19 had significantly higher survival rates (93.3%) compared to (85.0%) in the LA0 group. All dietary doses of LA significantly increased serum parameters (total protein, albumin, globulin, lysozyme activity) and respiratory burst activity compared to the LA0 treatment. Dietary LA16 significantly boosted the hepatopancreatic antioxidant capacity, manifested by decreased malondialdehyde concentrations, increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities, and reduced glutathione content compared to the LA-free diet. A normal histoarchitecture of the hepatopancreatic tubules was found in all LA treatments except with some minor degenerative changes in the tubular lumen, and hepatopancreatic cells associated with enlarged nuclei were found in the LA19. However, normal intestinal histoarchitecture was found in all treatments with no recorded intestinal lesions. Of interest, the polynomial regression performed on the analyzed LA concentrations suggested that 380 mg/kg would be suitable to provide maximal biomass gain for pre-adult crayfish. In conclusion, results revealed that coated LA could enhance the growth, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of pre-adult red swamp crayfish, suggesting its potential as a functional and necessary micronutrient for crayfish diets.

الملخص: أهداف البحث: يعرف قلع الأسنان بأنه إزاحة كاملة للأسنان من التجويف السنخي وأفضل علاج هو إعادة زرع السن. يؤثر حليب الأم على صحة الجسم ونموه وتطوره المرتبط بوجود مكونات غذائية دقيقة وكبيرة. صممت الدراسة لتسجيل تأثير اللبأ البشري كوسيط تخزين على نجاح إعادة زرع السن. طريقة البحث: تم إشراك ثلاثين من ذكور الجرذان البالغة في قلع القاطع الأيسر العلوي ووفقا لوسط تخزين الأسنان المقتطعة لإعادة الزرع، تم تقسيم الجرذان إلى 3 مجموعات. مجموعة محلول هانك ومجموعة مياه الصنبور ومجموعة اللبأ. تم إجراء اختبار الجدوى باستخدام 3- (4،5-ثنائي ميثيل ثيازول-2-يل) -2،5-ثنائي فينيل -2 لفحص المواد والتقييم النسيجي، وقدر التحليل النسيجي في فترة 45 يوما بعد الجراحة لتحديد نخر اللب، والتطعيم اللثوي، والنسبة المئوية للمنطقة التي تمت إعادة امتصاصها وربط الرباط اللثوي. النتائج: أظهر وسط اللبأ نسبة مئوية أعلى من صلاحية الخلية متبوعا بمحلول هانك مع قيمة فرق كبيرة. أظهرت النتائج النسيجية للسن المخلوع المعاد زرعه والذي تم غرسه في ماء الصنبور كوسيط تخزين ارتشاف جذر خارجي وداخلي واضح. نخر اللب وتلطخ الرباط اللثوي مع وجود اختلافات كبيرة في القيم مقارنة بمحلول هانك ومجموعات اللبأ. بينما تظهر مجموعة اللبأ رباطا جديدا معاد ربطه جيدا مع اللب الطبيعي ولا يوجد دليل على ارتشاف الجذر. الاستنتاجات: يتم تقليل فقدان الأسنان إلى الحد الأدنى باستخدام اللبأ البشري كوسيط تخزين في إعادة زرع الأسنان المخلوعة بعد فترة ساعة واحدة مقارنة بمحلول هانك والماء. Abstract: Objectives: Tooth avulsion is defined as total tooth displacement from the alveolar socket; the best treatment is replantation of the tooth. Human milk influences body health, growth, and development related to the presence of micro and macro nutrient components. This study assessed the effects of human colostrum as a storage medium on the success of tooth replantation. Methods: The upper left incisor of 30 adult male Wistar rats was extracted, and the rats were divided into three groups according to the storage medium of the extracted tooth for replantation: Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), tap water, and colostrum groups. The MTT cell viability assay was conducted, and histological evaluation and histomorphometric analyses were performed on postoperative day 45 for identification of pulp necrosis, periodontal hyalinization, percentage of resorbed area, and the periodontal ligament attachment. Results: The colostrum medium showed a higher percentage of cell viability followed by HBSS with statistical significance. Histological findings of the replanted avulsed tooth that soaked in tap water as storage medium showed obvious external and internal root resorption. Pulp necrosis and periodontal ligament hyalinization and with a significant differences values in comparison to HBSS and colostrum groups (p > 0.05), whereas the colostrum group showed new well-reattached periodontal ligament with normal pulp and no evidence of root resorption. Conclusion: Tooth loss is minimized by using human colostrum as storage medium in replantation of an avulsed tooth after a 1 h period compared to HBSS and water.

ABSTRACTIntroduction According to a substantial body of research, electrolyte abnormalities are a common manifestation in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and are associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate electrolyte imbalances in COVID-19 patients and assess their relation to mortality.Methods Adult COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Security Forces Hospital in Saudi Arabia from June 8th till August 18th, 2020 were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. We examined baseline characteristics, comorbidities, acute organ injuries, medications, and electrolyte levels including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, bicarbonate, phosphate, and magnesium on ICU admission, as well as every following day of ICU stay, until death or discharge. Patients were stratified according to survival, and differences in variables between groups were compared using Mann-Whitney’s U test or Fisher’s exact test. Longitudinal electrolyte profiles were modeled using random intercept linear regression models.Results A total of 60 COVID-19 patients were enrolled. Compared to survivors, non-survivors had significantly higher sodium and phosphate on admission and death, higher potassium and magnesium at death, and significantly lower calcium at death. Abnormalities in admission levels of chloride and bicarbonate were also more frequently observed in non-survivors. Furthermore, in the deceased group, we observed a daily increase in potassium and phosphate levels, and a daily decrease in sodium and chloride. Finally, calcium increased in non-survivors over time, however, not as significantly as in the survivor group.Conclusion Admission levels of electrolytes and changes over the course of ICU stay appear to be associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Many researchers are focusing on screening the biological activities of plants owing to their safety and possible pharmacological actions. Consequently, we aimed to explore the antiproliferative and cytotoxic properties of Cycas media methanolic extract on HepG2 cell lines. Moreover, we also explore the antitumor action against the experimentally induced solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) model and investigate the possible involved molecular mechanisms. Also, the antibacterial action of the extract was elucidated. Different concentrations of the extract were incubated with HepG2 to determine cytotoxicity, followed by cell cycle analysis. The in vivo experiment was accomplished by grouping the animals into four different groups (n = 10); normal control, SEC, C. media 100, and C. media 200. The extract was administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg. Tumor volume, tumor inhibition rate, toxicity profile, and antioxidant biomarkers were determined. Moreover, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was investigated as a possible underlying antitumor mechanism. The tumor control group showed a remarkable upregulation for PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR, along with downregulation for the antioxidant SOD and GPX4, as well as decreased levels of GSH and MDA. C. media extract reversed these parameters to a significant level and the higher dose showed a superior antitumor effect. C. media extract showed antiproliferative effects against HepG2 cells, along with a suppressive action on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and an antioxidant effect. Additionally, C. media had antibacterial consequences against S. aureus isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations from 32 to 128 µg/mL. It also caused a noteworthy growth delay as well as a notable reduction in the membrane integrity of S. aureus isolates. These beneficial outcomes suggest C. media to have potential antitumor and antibacterial activities.

Background: Heavy metals can cause serious health problems that affect different organs. Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental contaminant known for its toxicological consequences on different organs. Hepatotoxicity is a serious effect of exposure to Cd with oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation playing a central role. Diallyl disulfide (DADS), an organo-sulfur compound found in garlic, is known for its cytoprotective and antioxidant effects. In this study, the effect of DADS on Cd-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and liver injury was investigated. Methods: DADS was supplemented for 14 days via oral gavage, and a single intraperitoneal dose of Cd (1.2 mg/kg body weight) was administered to rats on day 7. Blood and liver samples were collected at the end of the experiment for analyses. Results: Cd administration resulted in remarkable hepatic dysfunction, degenerative changes, necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells, collagen deposition and other histopathological alterations. Cd increased liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) (p < 0.001), upregulated toll-like receptor (TLR)-4, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), pro-inflammatory mediators, and caspase-3 (p < 0.001) whereas decreased glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzymes (p < 0.001). Cd downregulated peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), a transcription factor involved in inflammation and OS suppression (p < 0.001). DADS ameliorated liver injury and tissue alterations, attenuated OS and apoptosis, suppressed TLR-4/NF-κB signaling, and enhanced antioxidants. In addition, DADS upregulated PPARγ in the liver of Cd-administered rats. Conclusions: DADS is effective against Cd-induced hepatotoxicity and its beneficial effects are linked to suppression of inflammation, OS and apoptosis and upregulation of PPARγ. DADS could be valuable to protect the liver in individuals at risk of Cd exposure, pending further studies to elucidate other underlying mechanism(s).