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Abstract Morphometric measurement and roosting ecology of Pteropus medius were aimed to find out in Mansehra district of KP, Pakistan. Total 3149 numbers of bats were found in eight biological spots visited; Baffa Doraha, Darband, Dadar, Jallu, Hazara University, Garhi Habibullah Chattar Plain and Jabori, in total 299 numbers of different species of trees including; Morus alba, Pinus raxburghi, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Morus nigra, Grevillea robusta, Brousonetia papyrifera,Platanus orientalis, Ailanthus altissima, Hevea brasiliensis and Populus nigra. Morphometric features were measured and found vary according to sex of the bats. The average wing span, wing`s length from tip of wing to neck, from thumb to tip of wing and the body`s length from head and claws were recorded to be 102.98 cm, 49.07cm, 28.7 cm and 22.78 cm respectively in males while 93.67 cm, 44.83cm, 24.78cm and 22.78 cm respectively in female bats. Mean circumference of the body including wings and without wing were measured as 22.78 cm and 17.29 cm in males and that of female were 20.07 cm and 16.9 cm. Average length of thumb 3.64 cm, ear`s length 3.1 cm, snout 5.62cm, eye length were 1.07 cm for both sexes and length between the feet in extended position were16.3 cm. Generally different measurement of males bodies were found to be greater than female such as mean body surface area, mass, volume and pressure were found to be 2691.79 cm2, 855.7gm,1236.4 ml and 295.77 dyne/ c m 3for male and 2576.46 cm2, 852.71gm,1207 ml and 290.2 dyne/ c m 3 respectively for female. While weight and density for both males and females bats were same with mean of 8.59 newton and 0.701 g/m3. Findings of current reports can add valued information in literature about bats, which can be used for species identification and conservation.

and water management in the field. Therefore, its measurement has special importance. The surface soil has a great diversity in soil moisture and different methods were used to measure this property. Due to the problems of contact methods of soil moisture measurement, remote sensing has gained attention because of the possibility of analyzing and monitoring soil moisture on a large and global scale. In this research, satellite data and moisture measured in selected fields located in Hormoaz Abad Plain have been analyzed and compared. Sentinel-2 satellite data have been analyzed using the Google Earth Engine system. The results of this research showed that the use of triple indices in the OPTRAM model to estimate moisture is not very accurate, but the use of the EVI plant index has provided better results than the other two indices.

Abstract Any means to control gravity like electromagnetism is currently out of reach by many orders of magnitude even under extreme laboratory conditions. Some often poorly executed experiments or pseudoscience theories appear from time to time claiming for example anomalous forces from capacitors that suggest a connection between the two fields. We developed novel and high resolution horizontal-, vertical- and rotation-balances that allow to test electric devices completely shielded and remotely controlled under high vacuum conditions to perform the first in-depth search for such a coupling using steady fields. Our testing included a variety of capacitors of different shapes and compositions as well as for the first-time solenoids and tunneling currents from Zener diodes and varistors. A comprehensive coupling-scheme table was used to test almost all combinations including capacitors and solenoids with permittivity and permeability gradients as well as capacitors and varistors within crossed magnetic fields. We also tested a crossed-coil producing helical magnetic field lines as well as interactions between a pair of shielded toroidal coils to look for proposed extensions to Maxwell’s equations. No anomalous forces or torques down to the nano-Newton or nano-Newton-Meter range were found providing new limits many orders of magnitude below previous assessments ruling out claims or theories and providing a basis for future research on the topic.

Despite the knowledge of steel shear walls for many years, not much attention was paid to it. Steel shear walls without stiffeners and with stiffeners have been used in America in recent years. This system is 50% cheaper compared to the bending frame. After the events of September 11, a number of scientists were thinking of creating resistant and impervious structures against explosive and seismic loads economically by combining this system and the concrete shear wall system. Steel shear walls are easier to implement. Also, the accuracy of the work is at the level of normal executions, and by observing it, the reliability coefficient is many times higher than that other types of systems. The execution speed of steel shear walls is high, and because of this, the execution costs are reduced. Also, the efficiency of the shear wall system is more and more suitable than all the advantages of centralized bracing systems such as X and V shape and off-center steel bracing systems. The resistance against the overturning anchor caused by the lateral loads and the horizontal load of the floor is the most important task of the steel shear wall. The constituent members of the steel shear wall system include a steel plate wall, two boundary columns, and a floor horizontal beam. Also, the horizontal beams of the floor are used as transverse stiffeners in the sheet beam. The goal of centralizing the steel shear wall system is that the beams and columns remain in the elastic range. In this article, five-, ten-, and twenty-story buildings with steel shear walls were designed using the strip equivalent brace method in ETABS, and then seven acceleration maps far from the fault were selected, scaled, and modeled in ABAQUS software. The five-class model was compared with the non-centralized model. According to the results of the push-over analysis of the five-story steel shear wall model, the beams and columns remained in the elastic range in the self-centering model, and according to the hysteresis obtained from the push-over analysis of the steel shear wall, they have more energy consumption. The results showed that the drift, maximum drift, maximum displacement, and the ratio of the maximum acceleration value of the roof to the acceleration of the selected records in the self-centering steel shear wall have increased compared to the non-self-centering ones.

Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) plus bevacizumab (BEV) is the established therapy for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer, but there are concerns regarding the regimen’s complexity and hematotoxic effects, especially for patients with organ dysfunction, comorbidities, or a reduced performance status—groups often excluded from conventional clinical trials. Preliminary studies demonstrated that bi-weekly FTD/TPI + BEV may mitigate these hematotoxic effects compared with the conventional schedule without compromising efficacy. No clinical trials, however, have directly compared these two regimens. Therefore, we initiated the PRABITAS trial, a multicenter, randomized, phase III non-inferiority trial, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bi-weekly FTD/TPI + BEV compared with conventional FTD/TPI + BEV. This was designed as a pragmatic trial, a novel approach in clinical trials aiming to aid decision-making in daily practice by mimicking real-world clinical settings. The PRABITAS trial incorporates minimal eligibility criteria to include a more representative patient population, allows flexibility in intervention adherence and assessment, and employs streamlined data collection to reduce the burden on both patients and healthcare providers. The primary endpoint is overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Launched in December 2023, the trial aimed to enroll a total of 890 patients.

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic had a major impact on most medical services. Our aim was to assess the outcome of acute cholecystitis during the nationwide lockdown period. All patients admitted to our emergency department for AC were analysed. Patient characteristics, performance status, AC severity, treatment modality and outcome of AC were assessed during the lockdown period (Period II: 1 April 2020–30 November 2021) and compared to a historical control period (Period I: 1 May 2017–31 December 2018). AC admissions increased by 72.8% in Period II. Patients were younger (70 vs. 74 years, p = 0.017) and greater in number in the CCI 1 group (20.4% vs. 11.2%, p = 0.043) in Period II. The unplanned readmission rate (6.3 vs. 0%, p = 0.004) and the gallbladder perforation (GP) rate was higher (18.0 vs. 7.3%, p = 0.006) in Period II. Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) was more frequent (24.1 vs. 12.8%, p = 0.012) in Period II. In addition to a drop in patient age and CCI, a significant rise in the prevalence of acute cholecystitis, GP and unplanned readmissions was observed during the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PTGBD was more frequent during this period, whereas successful conservative treatment was less frequent.

ObjectiveSepsis and septic shock are major challenges and economic burdens to healthcare, impacting millions of people globally and representing significant causes of mortality. Recently, a large number of quality improvement programs focused on sepsis resuscitation bundles have been instituted worldwide. These educational initiatives have been shown to be associated with improvements in clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a multi-faceted quality implementing program (QIP) on the compliance of a “simplified 1-h bundle” (Sepsis 6) and hospital mortality of severe sepsis and septic shock patients out of the intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsEmergency departments (EDs) and medical wards (MWs) of 12 academic and non-academic hospitals in the Lombardy region (Northern Italy) were involved in a multi-faceted QIP, which included educational and organizational interventions. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock according to the Sepsis-2 criteria were enrolled in two different periods: from May 2011 to November 2011 (before-QIP cohort) and from August 2012 to June 2013 (after-QIP cohort).Measurements and main resultsThe effect of QIP on bundle compliance and hospital mortality was evaluated in a before–after analysis. We enrolled 467 patients in the before-QIP group and 656 in the after-QIP group. At the time of enrollment, septic shock was diagnosed in 50% of patients, similarly between the two periods. In the after-QIP group, we observed increased compliance to the “simplified rapid (1 h) intervention bundle” (the Sepsis 6 bundle – S6) at three time-points evaluated (1 h, 13.7 to 18.7%, p = 0.018, 3 h, 37.1 to 48.0%, p = 0.013, overall study period, 46.2 to 57.9%, p

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Team performance is one of the ways to deal with successive changes from the point of view of experts. Therefore, continuous changes in the work environment and daily work activities require sharing ideas and the need for continuous learning and entrepreneurship. Neglecting entrepreneurship has a negative effect on companies and by neglecting entrepreneurship, it is impossible to operate effectively in a dynamic environment. Therefore, in today's competitive world, companies will lose their competitiveness. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of team performance on the internationalization of digital startups through mediating role of entrepreneurship.METHODS: In terms of the purpose, it is applied and quantitative research. The research population is estimated to be 375 employees of 101 Iranian international digital startups in the field of technology and city services, which accounted for 10% of exports between 2021 and 2022. The sample size is estimated through Cochran's formula of 190 people. To collect data, a standard 5- point Likert scale questionnaire with 22 items was used. Finally, the data were analyzed by using Smart PLS 3 software.FINDINGS: The results showed that emotional commitment, creating an environment of innovation, and knowledge sharing through mediating role of entrepreneurship have a positive and significant effect on the internationalization of digital startups. The results of the research indicate positive relationships among Emotional Commitment (2.671) and with entrepreneurship mediating (2.927), Innovative environment (2.478) and with entrepreneurship mediating (2.697), and Knowledge sharing (2.707) and with entrepreneurship mediating (3.333) concerning the internationalization of digital startups. Therefore, these hypotheses were confirmed.CONCLUSION: The team performance of employees plays an important role in the survival and success of companies in the international sector. The knowledge that companies gain from other companies, especially during internationalization, can escalate their competitiveness in the global market. The performance of the team as the primary factor of learning and innovation facilitates trust among the company's employees.

Determining the actual evapotranspiration value and analyzing its temporal trend is essential for optimal water resources management in a basin. In the present paper, the actual evapotranspiration time series is simulated and its trend is analyzed according to the trend of climatic variables and land use in the Ajichi basin during the period of 2015-1987. The comprehensive SWAT model was set up, calibrated, and validated for the Ajichi basin. Also, the average of simulated actual evapotranspiration of crops (in wet years) was compared with similar values in the National Water Document. The results of the Mann-Kendall trend test showed that the annual rainfall in most meteorological stations had a decreasing trend and the rainfall trend in the ten stations decreased significantly. While the annual maximum temperature at all stations and the annual minimum temperature in most of them have significantly increased. Investigation of land use maps illustrated that the irrigated land area of the basin has increased by a 39% during the study period. According the study's results, the potential evapotranspiration of the basin has had a significant increasing trend with a rate of 2.54 mm per year. The results indicated that despite the increasing trend of potential evapotranspiration and irrigated land area, the actual evapotranspiration of the basin had a significant decreasing trend with a rate of 2.2 mm per year due to the decrease in rainfall.

The paper presents the design, implementation and experimental testing of a hybrid power supply of telecommunication and measuring equipment incorporated in remote measuring stations, which are an integral part of the global Surveillance, Alert and Warning System (SAWS) in the Republic of Serbia. In these systems, it is very important to provide autonomy of permanent, reliable and quality power supply. In this case, the power supply system is in effect based on the use of solar energy i.e., photovoltaic (PV), in combination with the mains power supply 230V, 50Hz. Solar power is the primary source of power during the day, while in night conditions the secondary power supply is a distribution power grid (more precisely, the distribution power which is used for supplying the night street lighting). This hybrid power system is realized with two controlled chargers (MPPT solar and mains with input power factor correction), battery bank 12V/110Ah with the corresponding system for its monitoring and secondary DC/DC power converters for supplying telecommunication and measuring electronic modules. The key implementation and experimental results obtained during the realization of a SAWS remote measuring station on the river Ub (municipality of Ub), will be presented in the paper.

Introduction Surface and groundwater conjunctively interact at different spatial or temporal scales within a plain. In many plain, surface and groundwater resources are used in combination in agriculture. Therefore, it is important to accurately predict the components of groundwater and surface water balance. Despite the rapid expansion of numerical models over the past two decades, there is still a need for comprehensive and integrated assessment of surface and groundwater components. In particular, the interconnection of both surface and groundwater models is important to connect both surface and groundwater, especially the water balance in the unsaturated root zone. In this study the effect of water recharge due to deep percolation from simultaneous supply of irrigation water from surface and groundwater sources, and rainfall from the SWAT model were used to simulate groundwater balance using the combined MDOFLOW-NWT model.Materials and Methods In this study, the effect of recharge values obtained from the SWAT model was analyzed to simulate the fluctuation of water table, and groundwater balance components using the integrated model of MODFLOW-NWT model in the Mahabad plain. One of the important steps in quantifying the impact of irrigation management, and the change in land-use on the surface and groundwater balance was the simulated recharge due to the deep percolation of rainfall and irrigation water. This was done by the SWAT model, and was used as the boundary condition to the MODFLOW-NWT model. Calibration and validation of groundwater model were also done by trial-and-error and automatic PEST methods. The simulation period was performed for 10 years from the hydrological year of 2009-2010 to 2018-2019, from which 6 and 4 years were used as the period for calibration and validation were from 2009-2010 to 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 to 2018-2019, respectively. Groundwater balance components are naturally different for different years. Therefore, the study was conducted for dry, wet, and normal years. Hydraulic conductivity and specific yield were the used as initial calibration parameters in the MODFLOW-NWT model.Results and Discussion The results showed a higher hydraulic conductivity and specific yield values for the aquifer was in the southern, central, and northeastern areas of the plain, and the lowest values were in the northern and near the outlet of the plain. After the calibration process, the results showed that an average, 9% of rainfall, and 36% of irrigated water percolate to the aquifer. These observations were confirmed based on a satisfactory and acceptable estimate of the water table level of the model for both calibration and validation periods. The statistical RMSE criteria for calibration and validation periods were 0.35 and 0.34 m, respectively. Also, the results of R2 and NSE criteria were estimated as 0.94 and 0.91 for the calibration period, and 0.93 and 0.89 for the validation period, which indicates that the model was properly calibrated and was well able to simulate groundwater level. The groundwater hydrographs developed from piezometers’ readings, show that the recharge values estimated by the SWAT model, considering the change in land use and irrigation management across the plain, were able to properly simulate groundwater level across the aquifer. Specifically, the studies showed a continuous drop in groundwater level created in the southern and southwestern regions of the aquifer (piezometers of Fakhrighah, Gorg tapeh, and Serah Haji Khosh) due to the presence of high-consumption crops such as apple and alfalfa, and the higher number of operation wells.ConclusionThe results of this study showed that the recharge values obtained from the calibrated SWAT model was crucial parameters for proper simulation of groundwater, and can significantly improve the model results. The results of the main components of the groundwater balance for different years showed that the amount of recharge due to the infiltration of rainfall, and irrigation were different for each year. Also, interactions between surface and groundwater resources vary from about 30 to 50 million cubic meters between years, indicating a significant interaction between the water resources. In general, the SWAT-MODFLOW-NWT model can be used as a practical tool for proper management of surface and groundwater resources under different management scenarios.

This study focused on integrating energy-saving education within the realms of natural science and religious, aligning with Islamic environmental values. Specifically, the aim was to create a teaching framework for instilling energy-saving values in Islamic secondary schools, integrating with the boarding school system (pesantren) guided by Islamic ethical principles. This research employed a descriptive case study approach in two Islamic school locations within Bandung Regency. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed using NVivo 12. Initially, a rich picture was used to depict the program’s setting, identify issues, and assimilate energy-saving Islamic values. The result was the synthesis of a triangular model, illustrating the internalization of Islamic ethical values related to energy conservation across science, religious subjects, and daily school activities. This model serves as a viable solution, particularly for Asian countries such as Indonesia, where the education system intertwines religious and scientific education in their curriculum, fostering students’ ecological awareness. The findings emphasize the need for competent educational stakeholders capable of innovatively integrating religion and science, possessing a solid understanding of energy conservation, to effectively implement these programs.

This paper has focused upon the synthesis, structure, hyperthermia and magnetic properties of the Mn–Zn particles prepared by a new combined ball milling and heating process. Normally, it is required that the partial pressure in the final sintering be controlled by the Mn–Zn ferrite preparation, yet in the current method the ferrite has been obtained with a nearly high purity. The nanocrystalline Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) powders were characterized using the X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Raman spectrometer (RS), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and specific absorption rate (SAR). The FTIR and Raman data confirmed the result of the XRD data and the presence of spinel structure. The zinc content affected the band lengths, cation distributions and particle sizes. The structural results revealed that as the Zn concentration increases, the particle size decreases and the other cations tend to go to the octahedral sites. The results demonstrated that the highest level of SAR corresponds to the efficient and non-toxic Mn0.75Zn0.25Fe2O4 due to the suitable particle size and noticeable saturation magnetization.

In drought risk management, the regional analysis of drought is significant. In this paper, this important issue is investigated by presenting the new hydrological regional drought index (RDI). For this purpose, the Ajichai basin was selected as the study area. First, the time series of the streamflow drought index (SDI) was calculated for each of the hydrometric stations in the basin f regional analysis of hydrological drought. Then, to determine the homogeneous regions in terms of hydrological drought, the k-means method was used for clustering analysis. Based on the clustering results, 6 Homogeneous regions were identified in the basin. For each of these regions, the time series of the RDI index was calculated from 1365 to 1393. The results showed that during the study period in each of the regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, mild Wet and mild drought has occurred at 82.1, 80.1, 78.9, 83.3, and 84.3 percent of regions, respectively. Also, the total percentage of drought events (moderate and high) is higher than the total percentage of wet events (moderate and high) in all regions. So, during the study period, the total percentage of drought events (moderate and high) is more than twice the total percentage of wet events (moderate and high) in regions 2 and 3.

Introduction: Soil erosion and sediment transportation decrease water resources, and cause many social and economic problems. On the other hand, sediment transportation by rivers causes problems such as water quality degradation, reservoirs sedimentation, redirect of rivers, or decrease in their transportability. Therefore, finding the proper methods in sediment yield study in watersheds is essential in planning and management of land and water resources. Climatic characteristics, physiography, geology, and hydrology of basins are the most effective factors in producing and transporting sediments according to several sources, but the role and impact of some factors are more pronounced than the others in different areas. As a result, the objective of this study was to investigate and identify the most important climatic, physiographic, geological, and hydrological factors in several watersheds of the northeastern part of Iran, by applying Gamma Test (GT) and principal component analysis (PCA) techniques.Materials and Methods: In this study, the data of discharge flow and suspended sediment concentration, and daily flow discharge recorded in 15 hydrometric stations in Mashhad and Neyshbour restricts and required maps were provided from the Regional Water Company of Khorasan Razavi, Iran. After drawing statistical bar graph period of suspended sediment, daily discharge, annual precipitation, and relatively adequate data, stations with the longest period and with the lowest deficit data were selected to determine the common statistical periods. Therefore, in this study, the time period of 1983-1984 to 2011-2012 was selected, and the run test was applied to control data quality and homogeneity. Then, the most effective factors of sediment yield were determined by principal component analysis (PCA) and Gamma Test (GT).Results and Discussion: The results of the principal component analysis showed that 90 percent of the first five components justify the changes. Among the factors, area and gross gradient of the mainstream from the first component, the average annual flow rate of mainstream, meandering waterways of the mainstream from second component, and drainage density of third component were identified as the most important influencing factors on suspended sediment production. Ninety superior combinations of 1500 proposed combinations were obtained by Gamma Test to evaluate the effects of each parameter on suspended sediment yield. To determine the order of importance of the entered parameters, first, Gamma Test was performed on all 12 parameters. Gamma values of all cases for each proposed combination were compared. The results showed that the impact of these statistics was lowered by eliminating high gamma parameters and the removal of low values. The data analysis revealed that the low levels of gamma and high accuracy of ratio to find the desired outputs from entries. By lowering the gradient, the complexity of the model was lowered and more suitable model was provided. As a result, high levels of gradient represented the complexity of the final model. The results of the percentage values of each of the 12 variables were considered among the superior equations for estimating the suspended sediment composition. In this regard, the mean annual discharge, main channel length, area, average annual rainfall, and percentage of the outcrop of erosion sensitive rocks with a total of 63 percent of the proposed equations were the most important factors affecting the sediment yield in the study area. The average height parameter of area, the average and gross slope of the mainstream had the lowest presence among the optimized compounds.Conclusion: Based on the results of the principal component analysis, the two factors of basin area and gross slope of the mainstream were selected as the most important factors affecting the amount of annual suspended sediment load, respectively. Based on the results of the Gamma Test, 12 main variables affecting suspended sediment load were identified and the effect of each of them on the production and transport of suspended sediment was determined. Based on the comparison of the results of the two methods of PCA and GT, it can be concluded that if the purpose of research or study is to prepare a model with the highest accuracy in estimating suspended sediment load, the 12-variable model of GT includes factors related to physiographical, geological, climatic and hydrological factors are suggested. However, if the preparation of a model with appropriate accuracy and a limited number of input variables is considered, a 5-variable model derived from the PCA method is proposed. At the same time, if the purpose is to prepare a model with the least input variables and their easy access and calculation and initial estimation of suspended sediments, a bivariate model (based on basin area and gross slope of the mainstream factors) resulting from PCA is proposed. According to the results of the present study, it can be concluded that the study of more parameters has provided grounds for evaluating their importance in sediment yield. Finally, due to the correlation of many parameters with each other, a limited number of parameters that have a more important role in suspended sediment estimation, were selected. Another finding of this study is the increase in the accuracy of the sediment model’s preparation due to achieving more important and effective parameters in sediment yield and identifying them in order to investigate the best sediment management measures in watersheds. It is suggested that similar research should be done in other watersheds with different conditions in terms of climatic conditions, topography, geology, and so on.

Does a supercurrent drag space-time or generate a gravitational field that can be measured in a laboratory environment? A number of theories suggest that space-time itself could be modeled as a superfluid, so a current of Cooper-pairs might couple to its surroundings differently compared to non-quantum matter. On the other hand, experiments appeared in the literature suggesting that a discharge through a high-Tc superconductor generates a force beam, which can be picked up by external sensors. We developed a unique facility to investigate if such a link exists with unprecedented accuracy. Instead of measuring with sensors far away from the superconductor, we built a very precise thrust balance that features a cryostat allowing to measure any anomalous force directly from the superconducting source. An onboard battery and a wireless-controllable power supply as well as strict coaxial current leads ensure that any magnetic interaction with its surroundings is below the measurement noise. Our tests were done for both BSCCO and YBCO superconductors with and without the presence of a magnetic field parallel to the current flow. No force was seen within our resolution of around 100 nN for currents up to 15 A. This puts strong limits on all proposed theories and experimental claims.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) kills approximately 1.6 million people yearly despite the fact anti-TB drugs are generally curative. Therefore, TB-case detection and monitoring of therapy, need a comprehensive approach. Automated radiological analysis, combined with clinical, microbiological, and immunological data, by machine learning (ML), can help achieve it., Methods: Six rhesus macaques were experimentally inoculated with pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lung. Data, including Computed Tomography (CT), were collected at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks., Results: Our ML-based CT analysis (TB-Net) efficiently and accurately analyzed disease progression, performing better than standard deep learning model (LLM OpenAI's CLIP Vi4). TB-Net based results were more consistent than, and confirmed independently by, blinded manual disease scoring by two radiologists and exhibited strong correlations with blood biomarkers, TB-lesion volumes, and disease-signs during disease pathogenesis., Conclusion: The proposed approach is valuable in early disease detection, monitoring efficacy of therapy, and clinical decision making., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and PEDOT-functionalized carbon nanoparticles (f-CNPs) were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization and pyrolysis methods. f-CNP-PEDOT nanocomposites were prepared by varying the concentration of PEDOT from 1 to 20% by weight (i.e., 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 wt%). Several characterization techniques, such as field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) analyses, as well as cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were applied to investigate the morphology, the crystalline structure, the N 2 adsorption/desorption capability, as well as the electrochemical properties of these new synthesized nanocomposite materials. FESEM analysis showed that these nanocomposites have defined porous structures, and BET surface area analysis showed that the standalone f-CNP exhibited the largest surface area of 801.6 m 2 /g, whereas the f-CNP-PEDOT with 20 wt% exhibited the smallest surface area of 116 m 2 /g. The BJH method showed that the nanocomposites were predominantly mesoporous. CV, GCD, and EIS measurements showed that f-CNP functionalized with 5 wt% PEDOT had a higher capacitive performance compared to the individual f-CNPs and PEDOT constituents, exhibiting an extraordinary specific capacitance of 258.7 F/g, at a current density of 0.25 A/g, due to the combined advantage of enhanced electrochemical activity induced by PEDOT doping, and highly developed porosity of f-CNPs. Symmetric aqueous supercapacitor devices were fabricated using the optimized f-CNP-PEDOT doped with 5 wt% of PEDOT as active material, exhibiting a high capacitance of 96.7 F/g at 1.4 V, holding practically their full charge, after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles at 2 A/g, thus providing the highest electrical electrodes performance. Hereafter, this work paves the way for the potential use of f-CNP-PEDOT nanocomposites in the development of high-energy-density supercapacitors.

Atrichia with papular lesions (APL) is a hair abnormality characterized by loss of hair on the scalp and rest of the body. In a few cases, hair loss is accompanied by the appearance of keratotic papules on the body. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Sequence variants in the HR (hairless) gene are responsible for this hair abnormality. Here, we present nine consanguineous families and one nonconsanguineous family with clinical manifestations of APL. Whole exome followed by Sanger sequencing and/or direct Sanger sequencing was performed to identify pathogenic variants. The study revealed seven novel pathogenic variants c.794del;p.(Pro265Argfs*98), c.2921-2936del;p.(Tyr974Leufs*16), c.2889C>A;p.(Cys963*), c.2689C>T;p.(Gln897*), c.3186_3187dup;p.(Gln1063Profs*43), c.560dup;p.(Tyr188Ilefs*131), c.2203+5G>C, c.2776+5G>A, and the previously reported variant c.1837C>T;p.(Arg613*) in HR in these families. The study not only expands the mutational spectrum in the HR gene but also highlights the unusual phenotypic findings and will facilitate genetic counseling of families with members showing various types of hair loss disorders in the local population., (© 2024 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

Background and Ams: Despite the evident public health impact, the extent and patterns of alcohol use in the Eastern Mediterranean countries remain understudied. The latest estimation for the last 12-month use of alcohol in the region was 2.9% in 2016 by the World Health Organization. We reviewed the main indicators for alcohol consumption in the region since 2010., Methods: We systematically searched on-line databases until September 2023, together with other global and regional sources for studies on the adult general population (aged ≥ 15 years) and young general populations (aged < 18 years) and studies on the treatment-seeking individuals with substance use in Eastern Mediterranean countries. Studies were included from 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen., Results: A total of 148 were included (n = 95 on the prevalence of alcohol use, n = 46 on the prevalence of alcohol use disorder, regular use and heavy episodic drinking, n = 35 on alcohol use pattern among people who use substances and one report on alcohol per capita consumption, n = 29 had data for more than one category). The pooled prevalence of the last 12-month alcohol use in the adult general population was 9.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 6.4-13.7] among males, 2.8% (95% CI = 1.3-5.5\) among females and 6.2% (95% CI = 3.9-9.6) in both sexes in the region, with notable subregional variations. Data on the prevalence of alcohol use disorder and heavy drinking were limited to several countries, with heterogeneous indicators. The pooled estimate of alcohol as the primary substance of use among treatment-seeking people who used substances was 16.9% (95% CI = 8.8-26.9)., Conclusions: More than 30 million adults in the Eastern Mediterranean region used alcohol in the last 12 months, with a prevalence of 6.2%. This is far fewer than the global estimate of 43% of the population aged 15 years and above, but is approximately two times more than the previous estimate (2.9%), reported by the World Health Organization in 2016, which might show an increasing trend., (© 2024 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Background: Considerable disease burden is attributed to injecting drug use (IDU). This regional systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of IDU and the characteristics of people who inject drugs in the 22 countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region., Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of IDU, estimation of the population size of people who inject drugs, the characteristics of people who inject drugs, commonly injected drugs, the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus in people who inject drugs, and opioid agonist treatment and needle and syringe programme services. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and the Index Medicus for the Eastern Mediterranean Region for documents published between Jan 1, 2010, and April 17, 2022, with no language restrictions. We also searched government reports, civil society information, and UN websites and databases for grey literature published between Jan 1, 2010, and April 17, 2022. Documents were eligible if they reported or estimated an indicator of interest, or reported enough data to permit calculation of the indicator. We extracted data from the eligible documents and calculated national and regional estimates., Findings: We identified 38 283 documents and included 201 documents in the systematic review. A total of 115 documents were included for the four outcomes for which meta-analyses were performed. The number of people who inject drugs was estimated as 864 597 (95% CI 641 909-1 205 255), amounting to a prevalence of 20·0 per 10 000 adults (95% CI 14·9-27·9) in the region. Among people who inject drugs, the prevalence of HIV was estimated as 19·22% (95% CI 12·86-26·36), hepatitis C virus as 44·82% (29·32-61·16), and hepatitis B virus as 2·66% (0·84-7·26). Countries varied greatly regarding the variables of interest and the availability of relevant data. Nine countries provided needle and syringe programme services and seven countries provided opioid agonist treatment services, mostly with very low, low, or unclear coverage., Interpretation: The prevalence of IDU in the Eastern Mediterranean region is lower than the global mean, particularly among women. The HIV infection rate is higher than the global mean, and the hepatitis C virus infection rate is lower than the global mean. Harm-reduction services are underdeveloped. Data collection on IDU and provision of services need improvement in the region., Funding: World Health Organization., Translations: For the Arabic, Farsi and French translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Morphometric measurement and roosting ecology of Pteropus medius were aimed to find out in Mansehra district of KP, Pakistan. Total 3149 numbers of bats were found in eight biological spots visited; Baffa Doraha, Darband, Dadar, Jallu, Hazara University, Garhi Habibullah Chattar Plain and Jabori, in total 299 numbers of different species of trees including; Morus alba, Pinus raxburghi, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Morus nigra, Grevillea robusta, Brousonetia papyrifera, Platanus orientalis, Ailanthus altissima, Hevea brasiliensis and Populus nigra. Morphometric features were measured and found vary according to sex of the bats. The average wing span, wing`s length from tip of wing to neck, from thumb to tip of wing and the body`s length from head and claws were recorded to be 102.98 cm, 49.07cm, 28.7 cm and 22.78 cm respectively in males while 93.67 cm, 44.83cm, 24.78cm and 22.78 cm respectively in female bats. Mean circumference of the body including wings and without wing were measured as 22.78 cm and 17.29 cm in males and that of female were 20.07 cm and 16.9 cm. Average length of thumb 3.64 cm, ear`s length 3.1 cm, snout 5.62cm, eye length were 1.07 cm for both sexes and length between the feet in extended position were16.3 cm. Generally different measurement of males bodies were found to be greater than female such as mean body surface area, mass, volume and pressure were found to be 2691.79 cm2, 855.7gm,1236.4 ml and 295.77 dyne/ c m 3 for male and 2576.46 cm2, 852.71gm,1207 ml and 290.2 dyne/ c m 3 respectively for female. While weight and density for both males and females bats were same with mean of 8.59 newton and 0.701 g/m3. Findings of current reports can add valued information in literature about bats, which can be used for species identification and conservation.

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging environmental health concern due to their widespread occurrence in food sources such as fish, meat, chicken, honey, sugar, salt, tea and drinking water, thereby posing possible risks to human health. This study aimed to observe the existence of MPs in the crop and gizzard of the farm chicken, a significant food source in Pakistan. Twenty-four chicken samples were taken from eight poultry farms across Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 1227 MP particles were found from 24 samples (crop and gizzards) originating from the 8 poultry farms. In all, 429 MP particles were found in 24 chicken crops, with a mean of 17.8 ± 12.1 MPs/crop. In contrast, 798 MP particles were found in 24 chicken gizzards, with a mean of 33.25 ± 17.8 MPs/gizzard. Comparatively larger particles, ranging between 300-500 µm, were more abundant (63%) than other considered sizes (300-150 µm [21%] and 150-50 µm [16%]). Additionally, fragments were the dominant type of shape in both sample types (crop [64%] and gizzard [53%]). The predominant colours of particles extracted from gizzards and crops were yellow (32%) and red (32%), respectively. Chemical characterisation of these particles detected four types of polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) at 51.2%, followed by low-density polyethylene (LDPE) at 30.7%, polystyrene (PS) at 13.6% and polypropylene homopolymer (PPH) at 4.5%. In conclusion, we provide evidence for MPs in the gizzards and crops of farmed chickens which may originate from contaminated poultry feed. Only a few studies have been reported globally to assess MPs ingestion in chickens. The current study is the first report from Pakistan. It could be a valuable addition to support MPs literature to establish a relationship between MPs contamination and intake through the food chain.

Drug use is an increasing global public health concern. We reviewed the prevalence and patterns of drug use, drug use disorders, and the extent of treatment services in 21 countries and one territory in the Eastern Mediterranean region from 2010 to 2022. Online databases were systematically searched on April 17, 2022, along with other sources for grey literature. The extracted data were analysed and used for synthesis at the country, subregional, and regional levels. The prevalence of drug use is higher in the Eastern Mediterranean region than global estimates, with cannabis, opium, khat, and tramadol among the main drugs used in the region. Data on the prevalence of drug use disorders were scarce and heterogeneous. Treatment facilities for drug use disorders are available in most countries, but opioid agonist treatment exists in only seven countries. There is a need to expand evidence-based and cost-effective care. Limited data exist, especially regarding drug use disorders, treatment coverage, and drug use among women and young people., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The management of sepsis in critically ill patients varies globally based on the availability of resources resulting in increased sepsis-related mortality rates in resource-restricted countries. We aimed to summarise evidence regarding components of sepsis protocols, compliance with implementing sepsis protocol, effects on lengths of stay and sepsis-related mortality, and facilitators and barriers to implementing sepsis protocols., Research Methodology: A systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. The quality was appraised using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practise model., Results: Six eligible studies reported using modified-sepsis protocols to recognise early warning signs of sepsis and manage sepsis in resource-restricted settings. Interventions comprised educational components and modified sepsis protocols (early sepsis screening tool and sepsis intervention bundle). Studies reported increased protocol compliance with education on and standardised sepsis protocols. While there was no significant impact on hospital lengths of stay, the sepsis-related mortality rates decreased by 22.6% even with partial implementation of the protocol. The primary challenge in implementing sepsis protocols in resource-restricted settings is the lack of resources necessary to complete every component of the protocol successfully., Conclusion: Simplified sepsis protocols are essential to improving sepsis-related mortality rates in resource-restricted settings, but adequate training of clinicians and modified protocols are necessary for successful implementation., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Purpose: Lack of education and awareness about cancer treatment may result in suboptimal care of patients with cancer. Unlike high-income countries, resource-limited countries lack the standardized training and scope of practice in oncology nursing. This quality improvement project was conducted to assess nurses' knowledge gain, retention of knowledge and clinical skill set, and feasibility of a blended learning approach in the care of adult oncology patients across four hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania., Method: We used a combination of computer-led eLearning sessions and face-to-face interactions over 12 months for cancer education to oncology nurses. Pre- and posttests with each training session were combined with face-to-face clinical skills training at beginning and completion of the course. A comprehensive postassessment was conducted immediately after the training, and at 6, 9, and 12 months to evaluate knowledge gain and retention., Conclusion: Of 21 participants across four sites, there was a statistically significant improvement in knowledge scores for 12 participants (P value < .05). The mean pre- and posttest results found significant differences across 10 sessions individually and cumulatively (P value < .01). Results from a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) test on comprehensive test results suggested that there was no significant difference in knowledge retention across 9 months (F(2, 30) = 1.648412, P > .05)., Implications for Nursing Practice: Blended learning is an effective tool in improving knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy for clinicians practicing in resource-limited countries. Developing a structured oncology training program has implications for bridging knowledge gaps among clinicians in resource-limited countries and promoting international knowledge exchange., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Wheat is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Even though wheat yields have increased considerably in recent years, future wheat production is predicted to face enormous challenges due to global climate change and new versions of diseases. CRISPR/Cas technology is a clean gene technology and can be efficiently used to target genes prone to biotic stress in wheat genome. Herein, the published research papers reporting the genetic factors corresponding to stripe rust, leaf rust, stem rust, powdery mildew, fusarium head blight and some insect pests were critically reviewed to identify negative genetic factors (Susceptible, S genes) in bread wheat. Out of all reported genetic factors related to these disease, 33 genetic factors (S genes) were found as negative regulators implying that their down-regulation, deletion or silencing improved disease tolerance/resistance. The results of the published studies provided the concept of proof that these 33 genetic factors are potential targets for CRISPR/Cas knockdowns to improve genetic tolerance/resistance against these diseases in wheat. The sequences of the 33 genes were retrieved and re-mapped on the latest wheat reference genome IWGSC RefSeq v2.1. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that pathogens causing the same type of disease had some common conserved motifs and were closely related. Considering the significance of these disease on wheat yield, the S genes identified in this study are suggested to be disrupted using CRISPR/Cas system in wheat. The knockdown mutants of these S genes will add to genetic resources for improving biotic stress resistance in wheat crop., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Taj, Sajjad, Li, Yasmeen, Mubarik, Kaniganti and He.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and risk of cancer in young adults., Methods: We utilized data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a nationally representative US telephone-based survey to identify participants in the age group of 18-55 years who reported a history of ASCVD. These patients were defined as having premature ASCVD. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to study the association between premature ASCVD and cancer including various cancer subtypes., Results: Between 2016 and 2019, we identified 28 522 (3.3%) participants with a history of premature ASCVD. Compared with patients without premature ASCVD, individuals with premature ASCVD were more likely to be Black adults, have lower income, lower levels of education, reside in states without Medicaid expansion, have hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and had delays in seeking medical care. Individuals with premature ASCVD were more likely to have been diagnosed with any form of cancer (13.7% vs 3.9%), and this association remained consistent in multivariable models (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 2.08 [1.72-2.50], P < 0.01); this association was significant for head and neck (21.08[4.86-91.43], P < 0.01), genitourinary (18.64 [3.69-94.24], P < 0.01), and breast cancer (3.96 [1.51-10.35], P < 0.01). Furthermore, this association was consistent when results were stratified based on gender and race, and in sensitivity analysis using propensity score matching., Conclusion: Premature ASCVD is associated with a higher risk of cancer. These data have important implications for the design of strategies to prevent ASCVD and cancer in young adults., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2021. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: This study determined and examined the knowledge and awareness of COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response measures by health care workers (HCWs) in Makkah city., Methods: This descriptive study used a quantitative method with a cross-sectional design. A survey (questionnaire) collected data from 251 HCWs working in 10 hospitals and 80 health care centers., Results: The total score for the knowledge level was high (range: 50-76, mean ± SD = 65.370 ± 4.805). There was a relationship between the participants' workplace and education levels to the nature of the disease ( p  = 0.009*, 0.037*, respectively). Job descriptions were related to the transmission of the disease ( p  = 0.003*). The participants' age groups and years of experience were also associated with their actions in suspected, probable, and confirmed cases ( p  = 0.015*, 0.03*, respectively). The HCWs' knowledge of precautionary measures was not related to their demographic data, except for the education level shown ( p  = 0.037*)., Discussion: A similar level of knowledge and awareness was detected in Saudi Arabia in Riyadh and Al-Jouf, the UAE, Vietnam, and Uganda. Further study is recommended to measure the factors affecting HCWs' knowledge and awareness during an epidemic situation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s), 2022.)

Thyroid abnormalities are well reported following childhood treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL). Limited information exists for adult patients and after modern treatments. We analyzed risks of thyroid disorders in 237 female participants treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital 1970-2015. Multivariable analyses of risk according to treatment and time-related factors, survival analyses, and Cox regression modeling were undertaken. Overall, 33.8% of patients reported thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism 30.0% and thyroid nodules 6.8%). Cumulative prevalence was 42.9% by 40 years follow-up. Risks were greatest after supradiaphragmatic radiotherapy (RR = 5.0, p  < 0.001), and increasing dose (RR = 1.03/Gy, p  < 0.001). There was no association with a chemotherapy agent. Risks of thyroid disease were as raised following adult as childhood treatment. There was no trend in risk by decade of supradiaphragmatic radiotherapy treatment. Risks of thyroid disease after supradiaphragmatic radiotherapy are as great after adult as childhood treatment and persist after more recent treatment periods.

Children with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) have an excellent chance of survival, however, current clinical risk stratification places as many as half of patients in a high-risk group receiving very intensive chemo-immunotherapy. TP53 alterations are associated with adverse outcome in many malignancies; however, whilst common in paediatric B-NHL, their utility as a risk classifier is unknown. We evaluated the clinical significance of TP53 abnormalities (mutations, deletion and/or copy number neutral loss of heterozygosity) in a large UK paediatric B-NHL cohort and determined their impact on survival. TP53 abnormalities were present in 54.7% of cases and were independently associated with a significantly inferior survival compared to those without a TP53 abnormality (PFS 70.0% vs 100%, p < 0.001, OS 78.0% vs 100%, p = 0.002). Moreover, amongst patients clinically defined as high-risk (stage III with high LDH or stage IV), those without a TP53 abnormality have superior survival compared to those with TP53 abnormalities (PFS 100% vs 55.6%, p = 0.005, OS 100% vs 66.7%, p = 0.019). Biallelic TP53 abnormalities were either maintained from the presentation or acquired at progression in all paired diagnosis/progression Burkitt lymphoma cases. TP53 abnormalities thus define clinical risk groups within paediatric B-NHL and offer a novel molecular risk stratifier, allowing more personalised treatment protocols., (© 2021. The Author(s).)