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Background: Suicide is a major public health concern and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. People with an at-risk-mental-state (ARMS) for psychosis are more vulnerable to psychiatric co-morbidity and suicide, however, there are limited data from low-middle-income countries. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation along with sociodemographic and clinical correlates of suicidal ideation in individuals with ARMS from Pakistan., Method: Participants between the age of 16 and 35 years who met the criteria for ARMS based on the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental State (CAARMS), were recruited from the community, general practitioner clinics and psychiatric units across Pakistan (n = 326). Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Social-Occupational-Functional-Assessment-Scale (SOFAS) were administered to participants., Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in the sample at baseline were 91.1% (n = 297) and 61.0% (n = 199), respectively. There were significant mean differences between groups (mean difference [95% CI]; p-value) without suicidal ideation and with suicidal ideation on measures of MADRS (-5.47 [-7.14, -3.81]; p < .001), CAARMS non-bizarre ideas (-0.29 [-0.47, -0.11]; p = .002) and perceptual abnormalities (-0.23 [-0.41, -0.04]; p = .015)., Conclusion: These findings indicate that suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in individuals with ARMS in Pakistan. Given the pivotal developmental stages that ARMS presents, and the poor outcomes associated with co-morbid depression, there is an urgent need to prioritize the development of low-cost and scalable evidence-based interventions to address psychiatric comorbidity and suicidality in the ARMS population in Pakistan., (© 2023 The Authors. Early Intervention in Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Standardized welfare assessment protocols are crucial to enhance animal welfare; up to date, there is no data on the level of welfare of camels kept under pastoralism. A tailored protocol for measuring welfare in dromedary camels kept under nomadic pastoralist conditions was recently developed, drawing from the currently available welfare protocol for dromedary camels kept in intensive systems. This study, therefore, aimed to apply the newly developed tailored protocol and assess the welfare of dromedary camels kept under pastoralism in the Southern Punjab Province of Pakistan. A total of 44 welfare indicators (animal-, resource, and management-based measures) aligning with animal welfare principles ("Good Feeding", "Good Housing", "Good Health", and "Appropriate Behavior") were gathered into two assessment levels: "Caretaker-Herd level" and "Animal level". Data were collected in 2023 in the Cholistan desert in the southern Punjab province. Fifty-four herds were evaluated for a total population of 1,186 camels, of which 510 (495 females and 15 males; average age: 5–6 years old) were assessed at the animal level. The indicators were scored and aggregated to obtain Principle Aggregated Indexes (PAIs) and a total Welfare Index (TWI). Using the PAIs classification, 4 herds were categorized as excellent, 42 satisfactory, and 8 unsatisfactory. Total Welfare Index (TWI) varied from 55.7 to 82.2, and the thresholds for classification into tertiles were 65.4 and 70.6. Good feeding and Good housing were the most problematic PAIs, with Good feeding as the most influential variable for classification into welfare categories. As expected, camels kept under pastoralism had a higher level of welfare than those reported in the literature for intensive systems, especially concerning the Appropriate Behavior principle. Our findings are a first step in proposing welfare standards for dromedary in Pakistan and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of connected networks, distance-based parameters, particularly the partition dimension of graphs, have extensive applications across various fields, including chemistry and computer science. A notable variant of the partition dimension is the fault-tolerant resolving partition, which is critical in computer science for networking, optimization, and navigation tasks. In networking, fault-tolerant partitioning ensures robust communication pathways even in the event of network failures or disruptions. In optimization, it aids in developing efficient algorithms capable of withstanding errors or changes in input data. In navigation systems, fault-tolerant partitioning supports reliable route planning and navigation services under uncertain or dynamic conditions. This paper focuses on the fault-tolerant partition dimension within the specific context of the cycle with chord graphs, exploring its properties and implications for enhancing the robustness and reliability of networked systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is a developing country that has growing responses in the demand of livestock products by increases with population dynamically. In Punjab, Cholistan is an arid and hottest place which considered as notable supply line for mutton and livestock products. The main source of income of nomad pastoralists of Cholistan desert is the livestock rearing including sheep, goats, cattle and camels. Basically, desert of Cholistan is divided into two parts includes greater and lesser Cholistan. Majority of families with their animals are residing in "Toba", it is a source of fresh water made by during natural rainy season is self-made ponds. This study pertains to livestock management practices and marketing pattern in greater and lesser regions of Cholistan desert. For this purpose, field survey was conducted for data collection from representative families residing in the 24 randomly selected "Tobas". A total of 384 households were interviewed through the semistructured questionnaire. Population of cattle and donkey were significantly higher observed in greater Cholistan as compared to lesser Cholistan at household and Toba levels. Camel population was significantly higher reported in lesser Cholistan than the greater Cholistan. Numbers of sold animal were higher (622) in lesser Cholistan compared with greater Cholistan (790). Peak milk production, total milk production and total milk sold liters/day of cattle was significantly higher in greater Cholistan as compared to lesser Cholistan. Simialry, peak and total milk production (liters per animal/day) of camel was more in lesser cholistan as compared to greater Cholistan. Higher percentage of female involvement in livestock was observed more in greater Cholistan as compared to lesser Cholistan. It is concluded that the livestock is the main source of income in region of Cholistan. The scarcity of feed availability and conventional livestock trade methods are the main obstacles to the development livestock production and subsequent improvement in the livelihoods of the farmers. This study will helps in the planning for efficient and sustainable improvements in livestock economy of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has presented unprecedented stressors and difficulties for healthcare professionals. This study explored the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorders and burnout among radiology practitioners and interns in various hospitals in Saudi Arabia after the end of the COVID-19 global public health emergency. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 230 radiology practitioners and interns was conducted between October and November 2023. This study utilized the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS-MP) 22-item questionnaire, employing a non-probability convenience sampling method. The average scores of the individual components constituting the GAD-7 scale and each burnout scale were calculated, and statistical analyses were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H nonparametric tests. Results: Of 382 radiology practitioners and interns, 230 (60.2%) responded to the survey. Notably, 42.6% of the participants reported experiencing GAD. Regarding burnout, 82.3% were at moderate-to-high risk for emotional exhaustion, 93.5% for depersonalization, and 52.1% for personal achievement. The 31-40 years age group showed significantly higher burnout rates (p = 0.001) compared with the other age groups. Those with more than three years of experience had notably higher emotional exhaustion scores (p = 0.002) and a nearly significant increase in depersonalization scores (p = 0.051) than those with less experience. Discussion: Our study revealed that 42.6% of radiology practitioners and interns experienced GAD, with the majority facing significant burnout. Furthermore, our research indicates a decline in GAD levels among radiology practitioners and interns compared with the peak COVID-19 pandemic period. It also showed a significant increase in both the incidence and severity of burnout, surpassing prepandemic levels in a comparable cohort. These findings emphasize the pressing challenges of GAD and burnout among healthcare workers, especially radiology professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An e partition X of the vertex set V (H) of a connected graph H is the collection of e number of ordered disjoint subsets of V (H), denoted as X = {X1,X2,: ::, Xe}. The representation of a vertex u is a distance vector r(ujX) = (d(u,X1), d(u,X2),: ::, d(u,Xe)), where d(u,Xi) is the distance of u from Xi. Any ordered e partition X is referred as resolving partition if representations of all the vertices are distinct. The smallest integer e is referred as the partition dimension of the graph. The advancement in the concept of partition dimension is fault-tolerant partition dimension where the representations are distinct at two places for each pair of vertices. In this paper, we compute the partition dimension and fault-tolerant partition dimension of some planar graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing use of titanium alloys has led to the gradual replacement of traditional processing methods by laser cutting technology, making it the preferred method for processing titanium alloy plates due to its high efficiency, precision, and adaptability. In this review, the characteristics of laser cutting technology and its application in titanium alloy plate processing are summarized, outlining several aspects of the cutting process, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the material after cutting, along with simulation predictions. Previous research categorized laser-cutting input parameters into beam parameters and process parameters, with the commonly used parameters being the laser power, cutting speed, and gas pressure. Various parameter combinations can achieve different cutting qualities, and seven indices can be used to evaluate the cutting process, with the surface roughness and slit width serving as the most common indices. Different auxiliary gases have shown a significant impact on the laser cutting quality, with commonly used gases consisting of nitrogen, argon, and air. Argon-assisted cutting generally results in better surface quality. Due to the rapid temperature change, the titanium alloy microstructure will undergo a non-diffusive martensitic phase transformation during laser cutting, producing a heat-affected zone. Experimental studies and simulations of the mechanical properties have shown that the occurrence of a martensitic phase transformation increases the hardness and residual tensile stress of the material, which reduces the fatigue strength and static tensile properties. In addition, studies have found that the more streaks appear on the cut surface, the lower the fatigue strength is, with fatigue cracks arising from the stripes. Hence, the established analytical solution model and three-dimensional finite element model can effectively predict the temperature distribution and residual stress during the cutting process. This can provide a better understanding of the high residual stress characteristics of the cutting edge and the stripe formation mechanism, allowing researchers to better explore the mechanism of laser cutting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the hot-air drying of caraway seeds was enhanced using two nonthermal physical field technologies: cold plasma (CP) and ultrasonic waves (US). Air drying temperatures of 35, 45, and 55 °C with CP pretreatment exposure times (CPt) of 25 and 50 s were used. When convective drying was accompanied by US, power levels (USp) of 60, 120, and 180 W were applied. Experimentally, the most effective contribution was found by using both CP pretreatment (25 s) and US (180 W), in which the maximum decreases of 31% and 39% were estimated for the drying period and specific energy consumption, respectively. The total color change, the rupture force, TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity were also estimated for evaluating the quality of dried products. In a CP-US-assisted drying program (25 s, 180 W), the minimum change in color and the rupture force were found to be 6.40 N and 20.21 N, respectively. Compared to the pure air drying, the combined application of CP and US resulted in a mean increase of 53.2, 43.6, and 24.01% in TPC, TFC, and antioxidant capacity of extracts at the temperature of 35 °C. Based on the response surface methodology (RSM) approach and obtained experimental data, accurate mathematical predictive models were developed for finding the optimal drying condition. The optimization process revealed that 39 °C, 180 W, and 23 s resulted in a desirability of 0.78 for drying caraway seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To give e-learners enough freedom during their learning experiences, interactive learning, or "e-learning" as it is more commonly known, uses information and communication technologies. Because it provides e-learners with several benefits, e-learning has garnered a lot of attention in the education sector during the COVID-19 epidemic. This study's primary goal is to assess how internet connection (ICS) and service quality (SVQ) affect e-learner satisfaction (ELS). This study assessed the effects of factors (service quality and internet connection) on e-learner satisfaction in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. The investigation was carried out using a quantitative technique. Information was acquired from Saudi Arabian universities. A total of 350 questionnaires were reviewed. The relationship between factors (service quality and internet connection) and their effect on the satisfaction of e-learners was examined using structural equation modeling (AMOS SEM). The study's results demonstrated that factors including SVQ and ICS have a positive effect on how satisfied e-learners are. This article recommends that responsible authorities pay special attention to ensuring quality and existing regulations and standards to address the issues that could affect ELS with e-learning in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of the best properties of Polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) has resulted in the development of commercially available PC/ABS blends that have been found to be useful in many molding applications. PC has excellent mechanical and optical properties, but predominant use of bisphenol A in PC synthesis raises concerns regarding its potential environmental harm. In this study, we have studied the alternative for the PC/ABS blend by replacing PC with the bio-based PC and ABS with the Acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA). A blend of bio-based PC and ASA was prepared by the melt blending techniques and investigated mechanical, thermal, and degradation (hydrolytic and soil burial degradation) properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic position of the genus Gazalina Walker remained ambiguous and it continuously reshuffled its position in the family Notodontidae and subfamily Lymantriinae of family Erebidae. The present study has been carried out to elucidate its taxonomic position in accordance with the morphological, molecular, larval, and behavioural characteristics of its species. A detailed account of two species namely Gazalina chrysolopha (Kollar) and Gazalina apsara (Moore), the type species of this genus, has also been given. The CoI sequence of Gazalina chrysolopha (MH795522) and Gazalina apsara (MH790288) from the present study were compared with the available reference sequences in Genbank by using BLAST. Its placement under the subfamily Thaumetopoeinae of the family Notodontidae has been justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extracellular matrix (ECM) has been demonstrated to be dysregulated and crucial for malignant progression in gastric cancer (GC), but the mechanism is not well understood. Here, that discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1), a principal ECM receptor, is recognized as a key driver of GC progression is reported. Mechanistically, DDR1 directly interacts with the PAS domain of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), suppresses its ubiquitination and subsequently strengthens its transcriptional regulation of angiogenesis. Additionally, DDR1 upregulation in GC cells promotes actin cytoskeleton reorganization by activating HIF‐1α/ Ras Homolog Family Member A (RhoA)/Rho‐associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) signaling, which in turn enhances the metastatic capacity. Pharmacological inhibition of DDR1 suppresses GC progression and angiogenesis in patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) and organoid models. Taken together, this work first indicates the effects of the DDR1‐HIF‐1α axis on GC progression and reveals the related mechanisms, providing experimental evidence for DDR1 as a therapeutic target for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serverless computing is a new cloud computing model suitable for providing services in both large cloud and edge clusters. In edge clusters, the autoscaling functions play a key role on serverless platforms as the dynamic scaling of function instances can lead to reduced latency and efficient resource usage, both typical requirements of edge-hosted services. However, a badly configured scaling function can introduce unexpected latency due to so-called "cold start" events or service request losses. In this work, we focus on the optimization of resource-based autoscaling on OpenFaaS, the most-adopted open-source Kubernetes-based serverless platform, leveraging real-world serverless traffic traces. We resort to the reinforcement learning algorithm named Proximal Policy Optimization to dynamically configure the value of the Kubernetes Horizontal Pod Autoscaler, trained on real traffic. This was accomplished via a state space model able to take into account resource consumption, performance values, and time of day. In addition, the reward function definition promotes Service-Level Agreement (SLA) compliance. We evaluate the proposed agent, comparing its performance in terms of average latency, CPU usage, memory usage, and loss percentage with respect to the baseline system. The experimental results show the benefits provided by the proposed agent, obtaining a service time within the SLA while limiting resource consumption and service loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection affects the hepatic, neurologic, hematopoietic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other organs, resulting in a high mortality rate and long-term sequelae. It may cause acute or chronic hepatitis, or even lead to hepatic cirrhosis. Valganciclovir (VGCV) is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for congenital CMV infection, without any serious adverse effects. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical, biochemical, and virological profiles of infants with CMV with intrahepatic cholestasis and to determine the outcomes with or without treatment with VGCV. Methods: Twenty infants aged <6 months diagnosed with congenital CMV infection with evidence of intrahepatic cholestasis were included in this study. Randomization was used to divide the study participants into 2 groups. The control group (n=10) was treated with only supportive management, and the intervention group (n=10) was treated with oral VGCV at 16 mg/kg/dose 12 hours a day for 6 weeks plus supportive treatments. Physical examinations and biochemical, serological, and virological tests were performed at the time of diagnosis and at the end of 6 weeks and 6 months. Results: The control and intervention groups were compared in terms of clinical and laboratory parameters such as jaundice, dark urine, pale stool, hepatomegaly, total bilirubin, aminotransferases, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and CMV polymerase chain reaction load, which showed a significant reduction after treatment in the intervention group ( p<0.05) with oral VGCV, with very few side effects, whereas the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion: Oral VGCV can be used to effectively treat CMV infection with intrahepatic cholestasis without notable side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caliciviruses have positive-sense RNA genomes, typically with short 5′-untranslated regions (5′UTRs) that precede the long open reading frame 1 (ORF1). Exceptionally, some avian caliciviruses have long 5′UTRs containing a picornavirus-like internal ribosomal entry site (IRES), which was likely acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Here, we identified numerous additional avian calicivirus genomes with IRESs, predominantly type 2, and determined that many of these genomes contain a ~200–300 codon-long ORF (designated ORF1*) that overlaps the 5′-terminal region of ORF1. The activity of representative type 2 IRESs from grey teal calicivirus (GTCV) and Caliciviridae sp. isolate yc-13 (RaCV1) was confirmed by in vitro translation. Toeprinting showed that in cell-free extracts and in vitro reconstituted reactions, ribosomal initiation complexes assembled on the ORF1* initiation codon and at one or two AUG codons in ORF1 at the 3′-border and/or downstream of the IRES. Initiation at all three sites required eIF4A and eIF4G, which bound to a conserved region of the IRES; initiation on the ORF1* and principal ORF1 initiation codons involved eIF1/eIF1A-dependent scanning from the IRES's 3′-border. Initiation on these IRESs was enhanced by the IRES trans-acting factors (ITAFs) Ebp1/ITAF45, which bound to the apical subdomain Id of the IRES, and PTB (GTCV) or PCBP2 (RaCV1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of hospital-acquired infections and exhibits a strong resistance to antibiotics. An alternative treatment option for bacterial infections is the use of bacteriophages (or phages). In this study, two distinct phages, VB_PaD_phPA-G (phPA-G) and VB_PaN_phPA-Intesti (phPA-Intesti), were used as single suspensions or in a phage cocktail to inactivate the planktonic cells and biofilms of P. aeruginosa. Preliminary experiments in culture medium showed that phage phPA-Intesti (reductions of 4.5–4.9 log CFU/mL) outperformed phPA-G (reductions of 0.6–2.6 log CFU/mL) and the phage cocktail (reduction of 4.2 log CFU/mL). Phage phPA-Intesti caused a maximum reduction of 5.5 log CFU/cm2 in the P. aeruginosa biofilm in urine after 4 h of incubation. The combination of phage phPA-Intesti and ciprofloxacin did not improve the efficacy of bacterial inactivation nor reduce the development of resistant mutants. However, the development of resistant bacteria was lower in the combined treatment with the phage and the antibiotic compared to treatment with the antibiotic alone. This phage lacks known toxins, virulence, antibiotic resistance, and integrase genes. Overall, the results suggest that the use of phage phPA-Intesti could be a potential approach to control urinary tract infections (UTIs), namely those caused by biofilm-producing and multidrug-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent mobile image sensing powered by deep learning analyzes images captured by cameras from mobile devices, such as smartphones or smartwatches. It supports numerous mobile applications, such as image classification, face recognition, and camera scene detection. Unfortunately, mobile devices often lack the resources necessary for deep learning, leading to increased inference latency and rapid battery consumption. Moreover, the inference accuracy may decline over time due to potential data drift. To address these issues, we introduce a new cost-efficient framework, called Corun, designed to simultaneously handle multiple inference queries and continual model retraining/fine-tuning of a pre-trained model on a single commodity GPU in an edge server to significantly improve the inference throughput, upholding the inference accuracy. The scheduling method of Corun undertakes offline profiling to find the maximum number of concurrent inferences that can be executed along with a retraining job on a single GPU without incurring an out-of-memory error or significantly increasing the latency. Our evaluation verifies the cost-effectiveness of Corun. The inference throughput provided by Corun scales with the number of concurrent inference queries. However, the latency of inference queries and the length of a retraining epoch increase at substantially lower rates. By concurrently processing multiple inference and retraining tasks on one GPU instead of using a separate GPU for each task, Corun could reduce the number of GPUs and cost required to deploy mobile image sensing applications based on deep learning at the edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is caused by abnormal blood vessel dilation and subsequent rupture, resulting in blood pooling in the subarachnoid space. This neurological insult results in the activation of the inflammasome, a multiprotein complex that processes pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-1 cytokines leading to morbidity and mortality. Moreover, increases in inflammasome proteins are associated with clinical deterioration in many neurological diseases. Limited studies have investigated inflammasome protein expression following aSAH. Reliable markers of the inflammatory response associated with aSAH may allow for earlier detection of patients at risk for complications and aid in the identification of novel pharmacologic targets. Here, we investigated whether inflammasome signaling proteins may serve as potential biomarkers of the inflammatory response in aSAH. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from fifteen aSAH subjects and healthy age-matched controls and hydrocephalus (CSF) no-aneurysm controls were evaluated for levels of inflammasome signaling proteins and downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines. Protein measurements were carried out using Simple Plex and Single-Molecule Array (Simoa) technology. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated using receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) to obtain information on biomarker reliability, specificity, sensitivity, cut-off points, and likelihood ratio. In addition, a Spearman r correlation matrix was performed to determine the correlation between inflammasome protein levels and clinical outcome measures. aSAH subjects demonstrated elevated caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein with a caspase recruiting domain (ASC), IL-18 and IL-1β levels in serum, and CSF when compared to controls. Each of these proteins was found to be a promising biomarker of inflammation in aSAH in the CSF. In addition, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β were found to be promising biomarkers of inflammation in aSAH in serum. Furthermore, we found that elevated levels of inflammasome proteins in serum are useful to predict worse functional outcomes following aSAH. Thus, the determination of inflammasome protein levels in CSF and serum in aSAH may be utilized as reliable biomarkers of inflammation in aSAH and used clinically to monitor patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serverless computing has become very popular in recent years due to its flexibility and cost efficiency. Serverless computing is a cloud computing model that allows developers to write and deploy code without managing the underlying infrastructure. Serverless computing has been welcomed due to its scalability, affordability, and ease of use. However, memory orchestration in serverless computing can be challenging due to the ephemeral nature of serverless functions, which are short-lived and stateless. This article has reviewed memory orchestration mechanisms and then presented a classification of memory orchestration mechanisms in serverless computing, which are classified into three main methods: Machine learning-based approach, Heuristic-based approach, and framework-based approach. The advantages and disadvantages of each mechanism as well as the challenges and performance metrics affecting their effectiveness have been investigated. Each memory orchestration approach, whether heuristic-based, framework-based, or machine learning-based, has its own advantages and disadvantages. Different mechanisms are suitable for different use cases. Therefore, it is important to carefully evaluate the trade-offs between performance, cost, and complexity when choosing a memory orchestration mechanism. Finally, the paper identifies several future research directions for memory orchestration in serverless computing, which include developing memory orchestration mechanisms and dynamic memory management, integrating memory orchestration mechanisms with other resource management mechanisms, security, memory sharing, compression, pricing, and investigating the relationships between memory orchestration with cost and performance in serverless computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge computing is one of the technological areas currently considered among the most promising for the implementation of many types of applications. In particular, IoT-type applications can benefit from reduced latency and better data protection. However, the price typically to be paid in order to benefit from the offered opportunities includes the need to use a reduced amount of resources compared to the traditional cloud environment. Indeed, it may happen that only one computing node can be used. In these situations, it is essential to introduce computing and memory resource management techniques that allow resources to be optimized while still guaranteeing acceptable performance, in terms of latency and probability of rejection. For this reason, the use of serverless technologies, managed by reinforcement learning algorithms, is an active area of research. In this paper, we explore and compare the performance of some machine learning algorithms for managing horizontal function autoscaling in a serverless edge computing system. In particular, we make use of open serverless technologies, deployed in a Kubernetes cluster, to experimentally fine-tune the performance of the algorithms. The results obtained allow both the understanding of some basic mechanisms typical of edge computing systems and related technologies that determine system performance and the guiding of configuration choices for systems in operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant advancements in ocular drug delivery, challenges persist in treating posterior segment diseases like macular edema (ME) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Suprachoroidal (SC) injections are a promising new method for targeted drug delivery to the posterior segment of the eye, providing direct access to the choroid and retina while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. This review examines the anatomical and physiological foundations of the SC space; evaluates delivery devices such as microcatheters, hypodermic needles, and microneedles; and discusses pharmacokinetic principles. Additionally, advancements in gene delivery through SC injections are explored, emphasizing their potential to transform ocular disease management. This review also highlights clinical applications in treating macular edema, diabetic macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, choroidal melanoma, and glaucoma. Overall, SC injections are emerging as a promising novel route for administering ophthalmic treatments, with high bioavailability, reduced systemic exposure, and favorable safety profiles. Key therapeutic agents such as triamcinolone acetonide, dexamethasone, AAV-based gene therapy, and axitinib have shown promise. The field of suprachoroidal injection is progressing rapidly, and this review article, while attempting to encapsulate most of the published preclinical and clinical studies, mainly focuses on those that are published within 2023 and 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) or region (IDR) lacks or has little protein structure but still maintains function. This lack of structure creates flexibility and fluidity, allowing multiple protein conformations and potentially transient interactions with more than one partner. Caliciviruses are positive-sense ssRNA viruses, containing a relatively small genome of 7.6–8.6 kb and have a broad host range. Many viral proteins are known to contain IDRs, which benefit smaller viral genomes by expanding the functional proteome through the multifunctional nature of the IDR. The percentage of intrinsically disordered residues within the total proteome for each calicivirus type species can range between 8 and 23%, and IDRs have been experimentally identified in NS1-2, VPg and RdRP proteins. The IDRs within a protein are not well conserved across the genera, and whether this correlates to different activities or increased tolerance to mutations, driving virus adaptation to new selection pressures, is unknown. The function of norovirus NS1-2 has not yet been fully elucidated but includes involvement in host cell tropism, the promotion of viral spread and the suppression of host interferon-λ responses. These functions and the presence of host cell-like linear motifs that interact with host cell caspases and VAPA/B are all found or affected by the disordered region of norovirus NS1-2. The IDRs of calicivirus VPg are involved in viral transcription and translation, RNA binding, nucleotidylylation and cell cycle arrest, and the N-terminal IDR within the human norovirus RdRP could potentially drive liquid–liquid phase separation. This review identifies and summarises the IDRs of proteins within the Caliciviridae family and their importance during viral replication and subsequent host interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a highly effective rescue treatment for patients with acute exacerbation of neuroimmunological disease that removes circulating autoantibodies and inflammatory components from the bloodstream. The aims of this study are to explore the safety and the effectiveness of TPE in patients with autoimmune neurological disorders. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the frequency of adverse events (AEs) and the effectiveness of TPE using the modified Ranking Scale (mRS) in patients with acute neurological flares who underwent TPE at the University Hospital of Palermo. Results: Of 59 patients, the majority underwent TPE due to multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse. In 23.7% of cases, TPE was performed before obtaining a definite diagnosis due to the severity of the clinical presentation. After TPE, the mRS score was globally reduced (p < 0.0001), and this effect was marked in patients with MS, Guillain–Barré syndrome, and myasthenia gravis crisis but not in those with paraneoplastic syndromes. Circulating pathogenetic antibodies, younger age, and the early use of TPE were factors strongly associated with TPE effectiveness. The overall safety profile of TPE was satisfactory with an AE frequency of 15%. Conclusions: These results highlight the early use of TPE in patients with circulating pathogenetic antibodies as well as its favorable safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article provides a comprehensive overview of various methods for the synthesis of substituted naphthalene derivatives. Naphthalene is a versatile organic compound with applications in materials chemistry, electronics, and medicine. The synthesis of naphthalene involves metal-catalyzed reactions, such as palladium-catalyzed carboannulation, and yields derivatives with diverse substituents. These derivatives have medicinal importance and exhibit a wide range of therapeutic activities. The article discusses different metal-catalyzed reactions, their mechanisms, and examples of reactions. It also highlights the need for more environmentally friendly approaches to naphthalene synthesis. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which is widely used in clinical practice, is aimed at improving nerve function impairment after brain injury. Meanwhile, the effects of music therapy on brain function are unclear. This retrospective study was conducted to explore the application effect of HBOT combined with music therapy on patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods: For this retrospective study, 130 patients with aSAH after HBOT were selected from our hospital from June 2021 to June 2022. The patients were divided into the observation (n = 70) and control (n = 60) groups based on whether they received music therapy. Comparisons were made on general demographic data, blood flow rate in median cerebral artery (MCA), cerebral vasospasm (CVS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), activities of daily living (ADL) score, Self-Rating Depressive Scale (SDS), and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) of patients. Results: Baseline data between the two groups showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). After management, patients in the observation group presented significantly lower SAS and SDS scores (P < 0.05), lower blood flow rate in MCA, CVS and NIHSS scores (P < 0.05), and higher ADL scores than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The combination of HBOT and music therapy can considerably improve cerebral neurological deficits, slow down cerebral arterial blood flow, promote the recovery of postoperative cerebral function in aSAH patients, and improve anxiety and depression and the patients' ADL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress resulting from reactive oxygen species (ROS) is often considered to be the leading cause of interstitial cystitis (IC), which is a chronic inflammatory disease. Antioxidants have been proven to have promising therapeutic effects on IC. In this study, we present an antioxidant intervention for IC by introducing curcumin-loaded cerium oxide nanoparticles (Cur-CONPs). Recognizing oxidative stress as the primary contributor to IC, our research builds on previous work utilizing cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) for their outstanding antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, given the need to effectively relieve acute inflammation, we engineered Cur-CONPs to harness the short-term radical-scavenging antioxidant prowess of curcumin. Through in vitro studies, we demonstrate that the Cur-CONPs exhibit not only robust antioxidant capabilities but also superior anti-inflammatory properties over CONPs alone. Furthermore, in vivo studies validate the therapeutic effects of Cur-CONPs on IC. Mice with IC subjected to the Cur-CONP treatment exhibited improved micturition behaviors, relief from pelvic pain sensitivity, and reduced expression of inflammatory proteins (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, Cox2). These findings suggest that the synergistic antioxidant properties of the Cur-CONPs that combine the sustained antioxidant properties of CONPs and acute anti-inflammatory capabilities of curcumin hold promise as a novel treatment strategy for IC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a likely prerequisite for multiple sclerosis (MS) but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated antibody and T cell responses to EBV in persons with MS (pwMS), healthy EBV-seropositive controls (HC) and post-infectious mononucleosis (POST-IM) individuals up to 6 months after disease resolution. The ability of EBV-specific T cell responses to target antigens from the central nervous system (CNS) was also investigated. Methods: Untreated persons with relapsing-remitting MS, POST-IM individuals and HC were, as far as possible, matched for gender, age and HLA-DRB1*15:01. EBV load was determined by qPCR, and IgG responses to key EBV antigens were determined by ELISA, immunofluorescence and Western blot, and tetanus toxoid antibody responses by multiplex bead array. EBV-specific T cell responses were determined ex vivo by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and cross-reactivity of in vitro-expanded responses probed against 9 novel Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viruses expressing candidate CNS autoantigens. Results: EBV load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was unchanged in pwMS compared to HC. Serologically, while tetanus toxoid responses were unchanged between groups, IgG responses to EBNA1 and virus capsid antigen (VCA) were significantly elevated (EBNA1 p = 0.0079, VCA p = 0.0298) but, importantly, IgG responses to EBNA2 and the EBNA3 family antigens were also more frequently detected in pwMS (EBNA2 p = 0.042 and EBNA3 p = 0.005). In ex vivo assays, T cell responses to autologous EBV-transformed B cells and to EBNA1 were largely unchanged numerically, but significantly increased IL-2 production was observed in response to certain stimuli in pwMS. EBV-specific polyclonal T cell lines from both MS and HC showed high levels of autoantigen recognition by ICS, and several neuronal proteins emerged as common targets including MOG, MBP, PLP and MOBP. Discussion: Elevated serum EBV-specific antibody responses in the MS group were found to extend beyond EBNA1, suggesting a larger dysregulation of EBV-specific antibody responses than previously recognised. Differences in T cell responses to EBV were more difficult to discern, however stimulating EBV-expanded polyclonal T cell lines with 9 candidate CNS autoantigens revealed a high level of autoreactivity and indicate a far-reaching ability of the virus-induced T cell compartment to damage the CNS. Author summary: Previous infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is likely required for multiple sclerosis (MS) which occurs when the immune system damages the brain. How EBV contributes to this process is unknown, but some research suggests that immune responses to EBV may react to proteins in the brain that mimic virus proteins. We investigated T-cell and antibody responses to EBV in people with MS (pwMS) and, as controls, people persistently infected with EBV who acquired the virus either silently or symptomatically. pwMS had more frequent antibody responses to several viral proteins, including EBNA1, EBNA2, EBNA3A, EBNA3B and VCA, but their EBV viral load was similar. T cell responses to EBV-transformed B-cells and EBNA1 were only slightly different in pwMS compared to controls. However, T-cell lines from pwMS and healthy individuals, established using each person's own EBV-infected B-cell line, could also respond to multiple brain proteins. T-cell responses to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) were particularly common and we isolated T-cells that cross-recognised MOG and EBNA1. Our findings suggest that adaptive immune responses to EBV–which would normally fight EBV infection–are dysregulated in MS and can also target multiple proteins in the brain, indicating their likely involvement in disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serverless computing lifts the burden of infrastructure maintenance from application developers and also reduces the usage cost of cloud/edge computing platforms. However, the pay-as-you-go pricing model offered by serverless computing complicates the task dispatching problem in serverless computing systems. Specifically, when the pay-as-you-go pricing model is adopted, the task response latency is not simply the task execution latency, but the cold-start latency and the container image downloading latency should also be considered as part of the task response latency. In this paper, we focus on the joint task dispatching and bandwidth allocation problem with hard deadlines in distributed serverless edge computing systems. To maximize the overall profit, a new algorithm called PN-GRD is presented. PN-GRD first uses a Pointer Network model that is well trained offline to inference a task permutation, which is used to determine the task priority. Then, multiple edge node selection steps are carried out to select an edge node for each task according to the task priority. The final task dispatching and bandwidth allocation is obtained once the best edge node for every task is chosen or none of the edge nodes is suitable to run a task. We validate the performance of PN-GRD through simulations. The results show that PN-GRD outperforms practical baselines in terms of the average overall profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was conducted to investigate and compare the performance of organic living mulches (legumes cover cropping) with conventional weed control practices in maize crop. The experiment was carried at the New Developmental Farm, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar during Rabi season 2021, using Randomized complete block (RCB) design with ten treatments, replicated three times. Data was recorded on days to 50 % tasseling, silking, and maturity, plant height, fresh weed biomass, dry weed biomass, weed species composition, biological yield, thousand grain weight, grain yield, harvest index and cost benefit ratio. The results showed that both the herbicides (Atrazine and Stomp 300 EC) were effective in weed control having lowest fresh weed biomass of 29.31 and 32.65 kg ha-1, respectively. Maximum biological yield (8309.7 kg ha-1) was recorded in cowpea as living mulch while minimum biological yield (5909 kg ha-1) was recorded in control treatment. Similarly, maximum grain yield (2883.3 kg ha-1) was recorded in mung-bean as living mulch and minimum grain yield (2364.7 kg ha-1) was recorded in cucumber used as living mulch. Similarly maximum days to maturity (129.67) was noted in water melon, followed by cowpea as living mulch took (117.67). Maximum number of grains were recorded in cowpea (270.33), while minimum number of grains were recorded in control. Cost benefit ratio revealed that hand weeded treatment excelled among all the other applied treatments with a ratio of (1: 5.44) followed by water melon mulch having ratio of (1: 5.04) and Stomp 330 EC (1: 3.74). It is concluded that herbicides followed by living mulches of cowpea and mungbean significantly improved growth and yield attributes of maize crop. Whereas, the cost-benefit analyses revealed that hand weeding and watermelon mulch were the most economical. However, for sustainable maize cultivation integration of hand-weeding and legume mulches is the best choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Dysregulation of proteolysis underlies diseases like cancer. Protease inhibitors (PIs) regulate many biological functions and hence have potential anticancer properties. With this background, the current study aimed to identify the PI from natural sources such as plants and microbes against trypsin (a protease), which was assayed against casein, using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer-based methodology. Materials and Methods: PI extracted from a few plants and microbial samples were screened for their PI activity against trypsin. The PI from the most promising source in our study, Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Hook. f. and Thoms. stem, was partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by dialysis. The PI activity of the partially purified inhibitor was analyzed against chymotrypsin and collagenase enzymes, and the cytotoxic effect of the PI was checked on HepG2 (liver carcinoma) cells by MTT-[3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide]-assay. Liquid Chromatograography Mass Spectrometry-based proteomic studies were performed on HepG2 cells to understand the signaling pathways affected by the PIs in the liver cancer cell line. Results: Among the samples tested the PIs from T. cordifolia stem extract had the highest inhibitory activity (72.0%) against trypsin along with cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. After partial purification by 80.0% ammonium sulfate precipitation, PI had increased inhibitory activity (83.0%) against trypsin and enhanced cytotoxicity (47.0%) to HepG2 cells. Proteomic analysis of the PI-treated HepG2 cells revealed that BAG2 and FAT10 signaling pathways were affected, which may have caused the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Conclusion: PI from T. cordifolia stem has promising anticancer potential and hence can be used for further purification and characterization studies toward cancer drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cybersecurity is a crucial concern for local governments as they serve as the primary interface between public and government services, managing sensitive data and critical infrastructure. While technical safeguards are integral to cybersecurity, the role of a well-structured policy is equally important as it provides structured guidance to translate technical requirements into actionable protocols. This study reviews local governments' cybersecurity policies to provide a comprehensive assessment of how these policies align with the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, which is a widely adopted and commonly used cybersecurity assessment framework. This review offers local governments a mirror to reflect on their cybersecurity stance, identifying potential vulnerabilities and areas needing urgent attention. This study further extends the development of a cybersecurity policy framework, which local governments can use as a strategic tool. It provides valuable information on crucial cybersecurity elements that local governments must incorporate into their policies to protect confidential data and critical infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In virology, the term reverse genetics refers to a set of methodologies in which changes are introduced into the viral genome and their effects on the generation of infectious viral progeny and their phenotypic features are assessed. Reverse genetics emerged thanks to advances in recombinant DNA technology, which made the isolation, cloning, and modification of genes through mutagenesis possible. Most virus reverse genetics studies depend on our capacity to rescue an infectious wild-type virus progeny from cell cultures transfected with an "infectious clone". This infectious clone generally consists of a circular DNA plasmid containing a functional copy of the full-length viral genome, under the control of an appropriate polymerase promoter. For most DNA viruses, reverse genetics systems are very straightforward since DNA virus genomes are relatively easy to handle and modify and are also (with few notable exceptions) infectious per se. This is not true for RNA viruses, whose genomes need to be reverse-transcribed into cDNA before any modification can be performed. Establishing reverse genetics systems for members of the Caliciviridae has proven exceptionally challenging due to the low number of members of this family that propagate in cell culture. Despite the early successful rescue of calicivirus from a genome-length cDNA more than two decades ago, reverse genetics methods are not routine procedures that can be easily extrapolated to other members of the family. Reports of calicivirus reverse genetics systems have been few and far between. In this review, we discuss the main pitfalls, failures, and delays behind the generation of several successful calicivirus infectious clones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of study was to propose the appropriate model for forecasting the area and production of rice crops in Pakistan. The data for the rice area and production was taken for the agriculture statistics from 1947 to 2020 from the official website, Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan. The conventional ARIMA methodology was applied initially to forecast the rice area and production by using the proposed ARIMA(1,1,0) model. Then ARIMA, ETS, TBATS, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and ARIMA-ETS, ARIMA-TBATS and ARIMA-ANN hybrid model were compared. It was observed that ARIMA(1,1,0) model was best for forecasting the production of rice than all other seven models with the lowest value of RMSE = 401.90 (tons) and MAE = 250.32. For forecasting the rice area, the ARIMA-ANN model was selected because it showed the lowest value of RMSE = 121.89 (Ha) and MAE = 85.82 among all the models. Rice area and production was forecast from 2021 to 2030 by the proposed models, which show that the average prediction of rice production is 7879.96 tons while the rice area would be 3010.82 hectare for the next ten years. It shows that area will be increased by 2.11 percent and rice production will be increased by 11.97 percent upto 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of finding the metric dimension of circulant graphs with t generators 1 , 2 , ... , t (and their inverses) has been extensively studied. The problem is solved for t = 2 , 3 , 4 , and some exact values and bounds are known also for t = 5 . We solve all the open cases for t = 5 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cholistani cow is considered one of the milch breeds of Zebu cattle. Despite being heat and tick-resistant, it has not yet gained much popularity among Pakistan dairy farmers due to its long calving interval. This study aimed to understand the basic reproductive physiology of Cholistani cows using sonography and reproductive biotechnologies such as estrus synchronization and timed artificial insemination to improve reproductive efficiency. In experiment 1, six Cholistani cows with mixed parity 3.20 ± 1.30 and weighing 400 kg were selected to monitor ovarian dynamics on alternate days by the same sonographer from the onset of heat through ovulation until the next ovulation. Experiment 2 measured the effect of estrus synchronization methods, controlled internal drug release-gonadotropin-releasing hormone (CIDR-GnRH, n = 31) and Ovsynch (OVS, n = 32) on various reproductive parameters. The mean estrous cycle length was 19.81 ± 0.56 days with two follicular waves. The mean interovulatory interval was 20.80 ± 0.52 days, with a preovulatory follicular size of 13.83 ± 2.37 mm. Estrus response was higher (p > 0.05) in controlled internal drug release (CIDR)-GnRH (93.54%) than in OVS (84.37%) cows. Similarly, ovulation and conception rates were higher in CIDR-GnRH (91.66% vs. 68.42%) than in OVS cows (41.37% vs. 33.33%), respectively. In conclusion, CIDR-GnRH results in a better estrus response, higher ovulation rate, and subsequently greater conception rate than OVS in Bos indicus dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has achieved significant milestones in cybersecurity. KSA has maintained solid regulatorymechanisms to prevent, trace, and punish offenders to protect the interests of both individual users and organizations from the online threats of data poaching and pilferage. The widespread usage of Information Technology (IT) and IT Enable Services (ITES) reinforces security measures. The constantly evolving cyber threats are a topic that is generating a lot of discussion. In this league, the present article enlists a broad perspective on how cybercrime is developing in KSA at present and also takes a look at some of themost significant attacks that have taken place in the region. The existing legislative framework and measures in the KSA are geared toward deterring criminal activity online. Different competency models have been devised to address the necessary cybercrime competencies in this context. The research specialists in this domain can benefit more by developing a master competency level for achieving optimum security. To address this research query, the present assessment uses the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Fuzzy-DMTAEL), Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F.AHP), and Fuzzy TOPSIS methodology to achieve segment-wise competency development in cybersecurity policy. The similarities and differences between the three methods are also discussed. This cyber security analysis determined that the National Cyber Security Centre got the highest priority. The study concludes by perusing the challenges that still need to be examined and resolved in effectuating more credible and efficacious online security mechanisms to offer a more empowered ITES-driven economy for Saudi Arabia. Moreover, cybersecurity specialists and policy makers need to collate their efforts to protect the country's digital assets in the era of overt and covert cyber warfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the impact of depression on the academic outcomes of university-going students. For this purpose, a questionnaire called the "Depression Screening Test" based on a five-point Likert scale developed by Ivan Goldberg in 1993 was adopted. Academic performance was measured using the students' cumulative grade point average (CGPA). A sample of 101 respondents has been collected via purposive sampling technique. Changes in depression explain 37.8 per cent of changes in the students' performance, which is significant at a 1 per cent level of significance. Moreover, the regression analysis depicts that a unit change in depression has an adverse impact of 0.426 units change in the CGPA, which is significant at a 1 per cent significance level. It is recommended that universities must have a psychologist on board who facilitates the students to dilute the depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress and burnout are widespread problems among radiological personnel Individual and organizational resilience and mindfulness offer protection against burnout. Aim: To investigate the level of resilience and mindfulness among radiological personnel, the associations between organizational resilience, individual resilience, and mindfulness, and how these factors impact the quality of care provided in radiological departments. Methods: An online questionnaire consisting of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Benchmark Resilience Tool, and questions regarding burnout, and quality and safety was used. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation and standard multiple regression. Results and Conclusion: Few participants considered burnout a significant challenge. Individual and organizational resilience were low (30.40 ± 4.92 and 63.21 ± 13.63 respectively), and mindfulness was high (4.29 ± 0.88). There was a significant correlation between individual and organizational resilience (p = 0.004), between individual resilience and mindfulness (p = 0.03), and between organizational resilience and mindfulness (p = 0.02). Individual and organizational resilience affect each other. However; neither significantly affect quality and safety, nor mindfulness [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a relatively common comorbidity of connective tissue diseases. It often represents a neurological presentation of systemic diseases, while complications of systemic treatment of systemic connective tissue diseases cause some cases. This paper presents the current division and contemporary diagnostic and therapeutic strategies focusing on the most common systemic rheumatic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangosteens can develop a postharvest physiological disorder, called "hardening", which affects their marketability and is not detectable using visual inspection. The hardening disorder of mangosteens was determined by firmness value using the texture analyzer. Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) in the region of 935–1720 nm was tested as a possible rapid and non-destructive method to detect this disorder. The spectra from a region of interest of mangosteens were acquired and used for analysis. Calibration models for firmness of a similarly sized group and a mixed-size group were established using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machine regression (SVMR). Chemometric algorithms were investigated in order to determine the optimal conditions for establishing the models for firmness. The optimum model was obtained when the fruit were graded into similarly sized groups. Using partial least squares regression (PLSR), the correlation coefficient of prediction (Rp) was 0.87 and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) was 6.25 N. The predictive images for firmness of the fruit were created by interpreting predicted firmness visualized as colors in every pixel. From the data, it was concluded that NIR-HSI can potentially be used to visualize hardening of individual mangosteens based on their predictive images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: We performed recent literature review with the aim to address the updates in diagnosis and management of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Recent Findings: There are multiple recently published studies that collectively lead to an organized stepwise plan for diagnosis and management of IC/BPS. Summary: IC/BPS is a common health condition that can be managed efficiently if the appropriate steps are taken in diagnosis and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]