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Purpose of Review: The rising burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Africa is of great concern. Health data sciences is a rapidly developing field which has the potential to improve health outcomes, especially in low-middle income countries with burdened healthcare systems. We aim to explore the current CVD landscape in Africa, highlighting the importance of health data sciences in the region and identifying potential opportunities for application and growth by leveraging health data sciences to improve CVD outcomes. Recent findings: While there have been a number of initiatives aimed at developing health data sciences in Africa over the recent decades, the progress and growth are still in their early stages. Its maximum potential can be leveraged through adequate funding, advanced training programs, focused resource allocation, encouraging bidirectional international partnerships, instituting best ethical practices, and prioritizing data science health research in the region. Summary: The findings of this review explore the current landscape of CVD and highlight the potential benefits and utility of health data sciences to address CVD challenges in Africa. By understanding and overcoming the barriers associated with health data sciences training, research, and application in the region, focused initiatives can be developed to promote research and development. These efforts will allow policymakers to form informed, evidence-based frameworks for the prevention and management of CVDs, and ultimately result in improved CVD outcomes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Health data sciences can help mitigate high burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) management in South Asia by increasing availability and affordability of healthcare services. This review explores the current landscape, challenges, and strategies for leveraging digital health technologies to improve CVD outcomes in the region. Recent Findings: Several South Asian countries are implementing national digital health strategies that aim to provide unique health account numbers for patients, creating longitudinal digital health records while others aim to digitize healthcare services and improve health outcomes. Significant challenges impede progress, including lack of interoperability, inadequate training of healthcare workers, cultural barriers, and data privacy concerns. Summary: Leveraging digital health for CVD management involves using big data for early detection, employing artificial intelligence for diagnostics, and integrating multiomics data for health insights. Addressing these challenges through policy frameworks, capacity building, and international cooperation is crucial for improving CVD outcomes in region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explores the thermal performance and geometric optimization of radial heat sinks manufactured through selective laser melting process of AlSi10Mg material, primarily intended for cooling applications in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Few studies have systematically approached the geometric optimization of radial heat sink designs, particularly considering variable fin heights (both fin outer and fin inner height), in conjunction with other geometric parameters like fin length, fin thickness, and the number of fins tested across a broad spectrum of heat flux values. Through comprehensive experimentation and numerical simulations, the independent and combined impact of these considered key geometric parameters was investigated on the heat sink performance. The experimental design, guided by Response Surface Methodology, encompasses a wide range of heat flux levels, varying from 300 to 1800 W/m2, to ensure the broad applicability of the findings. The results underscore the significance of fin thickness, which notably influences the base temperature of the heat sink, particularly at higher heat flux levels. The interaction between heat flux and fin length also plays a pivotal role in base temperature control, with additional fins contributing to lower temperatures. Furthermore, it was revealed that higher fin outer heights, combined with lower fin inner heights, lead to superior heat sink performance, aligning with practical LED cooling requirements. The optimization process results in configurations that consistently maintain base temperatures below the critical 70 °C threshold, thus contributing to effective thermal management in LED devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor seedling germination and growth can result in large financial losses for farmers, thus, there is an urgent need for sustainable agricultural techniques to enhance seed germination and early growth. As an outcome, sustainable agriculture-which emphasizes the smart and effective utilization of resources-has gained popularity worldwide. At numerous levels, the field of nanotechnology is capable of significant benefit in achieving sustainable agricultural practices. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been shown to have biostimulatory properties and serve as effective solutions for addressing environmental and biotic stressors. The purpose of this study, investigating Salvadora persica halophytic leaf extract -synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (S-ZnONPs) as nano-priming agents to ensure okra seeds germinated under stress-free conditions. From an application perspective, we examined the effect of seed priming with varying concentrations of S-ZnO NPs (0, 20 and 40 ppm) for 18 and 24 h of soaking. Results indicated that the germination rate of hybrid variety improved with 20 ppm at 18 h, increasing by 58.22%, while mean germination time reduced by 24.62%. An enhancement trend was observed in the shoot, root length, shoot and root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight of hybrid variety at 20ppm with 18 h priming by 34.2, 84.3, 80.2, 47.4, 50.3, and 36.2%, respectively. However, chlorophyll pigments chl a, chl b, and carotenoids was significantly raised in desi variety by 42.4, 79.31, and 142.29% with 20 ppm at 18 h priming. Hydrogen per oxide decreased up to 87.8% with 40 ppm at 24 h in hybrid variety, while, in desi variety H2O2 was reduced 88.3% with 20 ppm at 24 h. Non enzymatic antioxidant activities such as ascorbic acid, was highly increased 130.6% in hybrid at 24 h priming with 20 ppm dose. Flavonoids raised in same variety by 166.1% with 20 ppm at 18 h. Proline content was increased by 144.5% with 40ppm at 18 h. Moreover, Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were significantly increased in both varieties with both levels of S-ZnO NPs and priming time. This cost-effective and environmentally safe technique to produce nanoparticles of different halophytic plants can maximize resource utilization, supporting sustainable agriculture by minimizing adverse environmental effects without compromising efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is among the South Asian countries mostly vulnerable to the negative health impacts of air pollution. In this context, the study aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence and its relationship with air pollutants including aerosol absorbing index (AAI), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide. Spatial scan statistics were employed to identify temporal, spatial, and spatiotemporal clusters of COPD. Generalized linear regression (GLR) and random forest (RF) models were utilized to evaluate the linear and non-linear relationships between COPD and air pollutants for the years 2019 and 2020. The findings revealed three spatial clusters of COPD in the eastern and central regions, with a high-risk spatiotemporal cluster in the east. The GLR identified a weak linear relationship between the COPD and air pollutants with R2 = 0.1 and weak autocorrelation with Moran's index = −0.09. The spatial outcome of RF model provided more accurate COPD predictions with improved R2 of 0.8 and 0.9 in the respective years and a very low Moran's I = −0.02 showing a random residual distribution. The RF findings also suggested AAI and SO2 to be the most contributing predictors for the year 2019 and 2020. Hence, the strong association of COPD clusters with some air pollutants highlight the urgency of comprehensive measures to combat air pollution in the region to avoid future health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the quick advancement of computer technology, the relevance of information has increased significantly for the banking sector. Protecting information security has consequently become a top priority for all banks. To solve this problem, a unique strategy is provided that extends an outranking technique named "ELiminating Et Choice Translating REality (ELECTRE)" in the context of a spherical cubic fuzzy (SCF) environment. The suggested SCF-ELECTRE-I technique employs concordance and discordance sets, as well as a directed decision graph to determine the optimal option. Accordingly, based on score and accuracy levels, three types of concordance and discordance sets are established, that is, weak, mid-range, and strong. Moreover, a multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) strategy is proposed for evaluating online banking security concerns by integrating these sets as an application of our suggested method. Finally, a comparison is conducted with a few existing symmetrical approaches in order to confirm its validity and dependability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For centuries, cannabinoids have been utilized for their medicinal properties, particularly in Asian and South-Asian countries. Cannabis plants, known for their psychoactive and non-psychoactive potential, were historically used for spiritual and remedial healing. However, as cannabis became predominantly a recreational drug, it faced prohibition. Recently, the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids has sparked renewed research interest, extending their use to various medical conditions, including cancer. This review aims to highlight current data on the involvement of cannabinoids in cancer signaling pathways, emphasizing their potential in cancer therapy and the need for further investigation into the underlying mechanisms. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed/MedLine, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase. The search focused on peer-reviewed articles, review articles, and clinical trials discussing the anticancer properties of cannabinoids. Inclusion criteria included studies in English on the mechanisms of action and clinical efficacy of cannabinoids in cancer. Cannabinoids, including Δ9-THC, CBD, and CBG, exhibit significant anticancer activities such as apoptosis induction, autophagy stimulation, cell cycle arrest, anti-proliferation, anti-angiogenesis, and metastasis inhibition. Clinical trials have demonstrated cannabinoids' efficacy in tumor regression and health improvement in palliative care. However, challenges such as variability in cannabinoid composition, psychoactive effects, regulatory barriers, and lack of standardized dosing remain. Cannabinoids show promising potential as anticancer agents through various mechanisms. Further large-scale, randomized controlled trials are essential to validate these findings and establish standardized therapeutic protocols. Future research should focus on elucidating detailed mechanisms, optimizing dosing, and exploring cannabinoids as primary chemotherapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensor limitations in capturing devices and environmental factors can result in radiance artifacts in rendered images. This paper presents an entropy-driven exposure interpolation framework in the context of large exposure-ratio fusion. The proposed framework generates intermediate exposure-corrected images through transmission map estimation to obtain initial radiance and illumination maps. Fusion weight maps, within a pyramidal framework, are derived from the transmission map and spatial entropy, thereby enhancing the visual quality of images while preventing color artifacts. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms several state-of-the-art multi-exposure fusion schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-focus image fusion has wide applications in the field of computer vision. This research work presents a two-fold multi-focus image fusion framework in spatial domain. Firstly, the salient features of the focused regions in multi-focus images are detected using Gaussian curvature filter (GCF) and range filtering. The initial focus detection map is then refined using morphological filters. Experiments have shown that the proposed method is fast and robust when compared with latest multi-focus fusion schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twitter's massive data has been intensively explored in the stock market research in recent years as it allows researchers to relate investor sentiment and investor attention to stock performance. However, narrowing down to celebrity-like CEOs, followed by millions, allows more insight to Twitter's usefulness when these CEOs tweet about their company or its products. This study focuses on the effects of such company-oriented tweets on CEOs' companies' stock performance and trading volume. More than 27,000 account-specific tweets are retrieved for 8 CEOs spanning to around 12 years. Event study analysis is performed for stock returns and trading volume change, as it is the most appropriate method used by researchers in similar studies. In the event of an aforementioned tweet, higher stock return volatility is observed in comparison to average volatility. Statistical tests reveal that stock returns and volumes are relatively higher for companies the next day of the said tweet, depicting a relationship between CEO's tweet content and stock performance of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyalomma anatolicum is a tick of significant one-health importance due to its role as a vector for various pathogens affecting humans, animals and the environment, such as Theileria annulata, which causes tropical theileriosis in cattle, leading to severe economic losses. When infected with pathogens like T. annulata, the salivary glands of H. anatolicum undergo gene expression changes, secrete modified proteins and activate immune responses, all of which facilitate pathogen survival and transmission by modulating the host immune response and optimizing conditions for pathogen development. Understanding these responses is crucial for developing control strategies for tick-borne diseases. To understand the interaction between H. anatolicum and T. annulata, we performed a differential gene expression analysis of H. anatolicum salivary glands. An average of approximately 25 million raw sequencing reads were generated in each replicate using Illumina Sequencing. The sequenced reads were de novo assembled and the assembled transcriptome yielded approximately 50,231 non-redundant transcripts after clustering with CD-HIT using a sequence identity of 95% and alignment coverage of 90%. The assembly quality was evaluated with BUSCO analysis and found to be 86% complete using the Arachnida dataset and then blasted against non-redundant protein sequence database from NCBI followed by counting of reads and differential expression analysis. Overall, around 2400 and 400 genes were found differentially expressed with logFC > 1 and logFC > 2 respectively at FDR < 0.05. Top up-regulated genes included Calpain, Papilin, Neprilysin, and Ankyrin repeat-containing protein. Top down-regulated genes included Scoloptoxin, and Selenoprotein S and other uncharacterized proteins. Many other up-regulated proteins with high significance were uncharacterized suggesting room for further H. anatolicum functional and structural characterization studies. To our best knowledge, this is the first study of H. anatolicum sialotranscriptome which greatly contributes to sialotranscriptome information not only as sequence database but also indicates the potential targets for development of vaccine against ticks and transmission-blocking vaccines against T. annulata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is a hazardous heavy metal that induces hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Thus, this study was planned to explore the ameliorating capacity of Aloe vera leaf gel extract (AV) and their conjugated silver nanoparticles (AVNP) against Cr (VI) induced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity. The organ indices, level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, malondialdehyde, total protein, and creatinine in blood serum were measured. The histopathological and micrometric analysis of the hepatic and renal tissue sections were studied. The hepatosomatic index was raised significantly (0.098 ± 0.13 g) in Cr treated group. The blood serum level of AST (484 ± 10.7 U/L), ALT (163 ± 5.5 U/L), ALP (336.7 ± 9.5 U/L), MDA (642.3 ± 28.3 U/L), and creatinine (4.0 ± 0.1 mg/dL) were increased significantly, whereas total protein level was declined (2.8 ± 0.3 g/dL) significantly in Cr exposed group. In the histopathological study, necrosis, disturbed hepatic cords, impaired glomeruli, and Bowman's capsule were noted. Micrometric data from the liver and kidney revealed a significant surge in the size of hepatocytes and their nuclei (1188.2 ± 467.7 µ2 and 456.5 ± 205.6 µ2) and CSA of glomeruli and Bowman's capsule (9051.8 ± 249.8 µ2 and 11,835.5 ± 336.7 µ2) in Cr (VI) exposed group, whereas the brush border (10.2 ± 4.0 µ) size declined significantly. The administration of AV and AVNP reduced the oxidative stress induced by Cr (VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress poses a significant environmental challenge that profoundly impacts wheat productivity. It disrupts vital physiological processes such as photosynthesis, by impeding the functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus and compromising plasma membrane stability, thereby detrimentally affecting grain development in wheat. The scarcity of identified marker trait associations pertinent to thermotolerance presents a formidable obstacle in the development of marker-assisted selection strategies against heat stress. To address this, wheat accessions were systematically exposed to both normal and heat stress conditions and phenotypic data were collected on physiological traits including proline content, canopy temperature depression, cell membrane injury, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate (at vegetative and reproductive stage and 'stay-green'. Principal component analysis elucidated the most significant contributors being proline content, transpiration rate, and canopy temperature depression, which exhibited a synergistic relationship with grain yield. Remarkably, cluster analysis delineated the wheat accessions into four discrete groups based on physiological attributes. Moreover, to explore the relationship between physiological traits and DNA markers, 158 wheat accessions were genotyped with 186 SSRs. Allelic frequency and polymorphic information content value were found to be highest on genome A (4.94 and 0.688), chromosome 1A (5.00 and 0.712), and marker Xgwm44 (13.0 and 0.916). Population structure, principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis also partitioned the wheat accessions into four subpopulations based on genotypic data, highlighting their genetic homogeneity. Population diversity and presence of linkage disequilibrium established the suitability of population for association mapping. Additionally, linkage disequilibrium decay was most pronounced within a 15–20 cM region on chromosome 1A. Association mapping revealed highly significant marker trait associations at Bonferroni correction P < 0.00027. Markers Xwmc418 (located on chromosome 3D) and Xgwm233 (chromosome 7A) demonstrated associations with transpiration rate, while marker Xgwm494 (chromosome 3A) exhibited an association with photosynthetic rates at both vegetative and reproductive stages under heat stress conditions. Additionally, markers Xwmc201 (chromosome 6A) and Xcfa2129 (chromosome 1A) displayed robust associations with canopy temperature depression, while markers Xbarc163 (chromosome 4B) and Xbarc49 (chromosome 5A) were strongly associated with cell membrane injury at both stages. Notably, marker Xbarc49 (chromosome 5A) exhibited a significant association with the 'stay-green' trait under heat stress conditions. These results offers the potential utility in marker-assisted selection, gene pyramiding and genomic selection models to predict performance of wheat accession under heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Informative image selection in laryngoscopy has the potential for improving automatic data extraction alone, for selective data storage and a faster review process, or in combination with other artificial intelligence (AI) detection or diagnosis models. This paper aims to demonstrate the feasibility of AI in providing automatic informative laryngoscopy frame selection also capable of working in real-time providing visual feedback to guide the otolaryngologist during the examination. Methods: Several deep learning models were trained and tested on an internal dataset (n = 5147 images) and then tested on an external test set (n = 646 images) composed of both white light and narrow band images. Four videos were used to assess the real-time performance of the best-performing model. Results: ResNet-50, pre-trained with the pretext strategy, reached a precision = 95% vs. 97%, recall = 97% vs, 89%, and the F1-score = 96% vs. 93% on the internal and external test set respectively (p = 0.062). The four testing videos are provided in the supplemental materials. Conclusion: The deep learning model demonstrated excellent performance in identifying diagnostically relevant frames within laryngoscopic videos. With its solid accuracy and real-time capabilities, the system is promising for its development in a clinical setting, either autonomously for objective quality control or in conjunction with other algorithms within a comprehensive AI toolset aimed at enhancing tumor detection and diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoNiCrAlY coatings are commonly employed in high-temperature oxidizing and corrosive environments because of their exceptional properties. The present study places emphases on the microstructural evaluation and corrosion behaviour of CoNiCrAlY coatings fabricated onto Inconel-718 nickel-based superalloy substrate by supersonic plasma spraying (SSPS) technique. The microstructure, phase composition and corrosion behaviour of the coating in 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated. According to the results, the SSPS coating revealed a lamellar structure with dispersed oxides in the γ-matrix, which resulted in higher hardness compared with Inconel-718 substrate. Electrochemical studies demonstrate that the supersonic plasma-sprayed CoNiCrAlY coatings display better corrosion resistance than Inconel-718 substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly one fifth of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) have cancer. When both of these conditions occur, especially in cases of cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT), patient management is often challenging. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics and event courses in patients affected by CVT with and without cancer. Consecutive patients with CVT from the ACTION-CVT cohort study were included if cancer status was reported. Risk factors as well as the clinical and radiological characteristics of patients were compared. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess variables associated with cancer. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, logistic regression analysis, and propensity score matching were used to investigate any association between cancer-related CVT and study outcomes (primary outcome at 3-months: recurrent VTE or major hemorrhage; recurrent VTE; major hemorrhage; recanalization status; all-cause-death). Overall, 1,023 patients with CVT were included, of which 6.5% had cancer. Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.28 per decade increase; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–1.52) and absence of headache (aOR 0.47; 95% CI 0.27–0.84) were independently associated with cancer. Patients with cancer had a higher risk of recurrent VTE or major hemorrhage (aOR 3.87; 95% CI 2.09–7.16), all-cause-death (aOR 7.56 95% CI 3.24–17.64), and major hemorrhage (aOR 3.70 95% CI 1.76–7.80). Recanalization rates, partial or complete, was not significantly different. CVT patients with cancer were more likely to be older, have no referred headache, and have worse outcomes compared to CVT patients without cancer. Highlights: Among 1,023 patients with cerebral vein thrombosis from the ACTION-CVT study, 6.5% had cancer. Older age and absence of headache were independently associated with cancer. Cancer patients had worse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: To summarize selected late-breaking science on cardiovascular (CV) disease prevention presented at the 2024 Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) conference. Recent Findings: The LIBerate-HR trial showed the efficacy and safety of lerodalcibep, a subcutaneous injection that prevents binding of Pro-Protein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin (PCSK) 9 to low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptors resulting in LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering in patients at very high risk or high risk of atherosclerotic CV disease (ASCVD). The AEGIS-II randomized patients with type 1 myocardial infarction (MI) with multivessel coronary artery disease and additional CV risk factors and found no benefit in major adverse CV events (MACE) with CSL112, an apolipoprotein A1 infusion shown to increase cholesterol efflux capacity. The Bridge-TIMI 73a trial showed a significant reduction in triglyceride (TG) levels with olezarsen, an antisense mRNA, in patients with moderate hyperTG with elevated CV risk. The BE ACTIVE trial showed significant improvement in step counts in patients given behavioral and financial incentives. The DRIVE study showed a significant increase in the prescription of either sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at elevated CV or renal risk with a remote team-based, non-licensed navigator and clinical pharmacist approach. The TACTiC trial showed increased and sustained use of statin therapy by patient-driven use of a web-based portal that calculated the ASCVD risk score and gave prompts. The VICTORIAN-INITIATE trial showed efficacy and safety in early use of inclisiran in patients with ASCVD who did not reach target LDL-C < 70 mg/dL despite maximally tolerated statin therapy. The ARISE-HF trial showed no difference in change of peak oxygen consumption with the use of an oral aldose reductase inhibitor, AT-001, in patients with well-controlled T2DM and diabetic cardiomyopathy with high-risk features compared to placebo. The PREVENT trial showed a significant reduction in target vessel failure at 2 years in patients with non-flow limiting vulnerable plaques with percutaneous coronary intervention and optimal medical therapy (OMT) compared to OMT alone. Summary: The late-breaking clinical science presented at the 2024 Scientific Session of the ACC paves the way for an evidence-based alternative to statin therapy and provides data on several common clinical scenarios encountered in daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrated two thulium-doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) configurations, each optimized through a multiparameter optimization algorithm. The two configurations being presented are dual-stage and bidirectional pumped TDFA setups. The selection of thulium-doped fiber lengths and pump powers in both configurations is assisted by the multiparameter optimization algorithm with the goal of maximizing gain. The bidirectional pumping generates a maximum gain of 47.07 dB, while the dual-stage pumping attains an even higher gain of 60.01 dB. Resultantly, the dual-stage pumping configuration appears as the better option. Therefore, an in-depth analysis is performed on a dual-stage TDFA configuration, characterized on system level within the framework of a 12 × 100 Gbps wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) system at channel spacing of 5 nm. The performance is assessed and compared specifically in the S-band in terms of gain, gain ripple, noise figure (NF), Q-factor and bit error rate. By configuring the input power per channel to an optimal value of − 30 dBm, a flat gain exceeding 49.62 dB is obtained with a gain ripple of 6.73 dB across the wavelength range of 1470–1525 nm. The impact of varying input power on gain and gain ripple is also investigated. Furthermore, low average NF of 4.52 dB is obtained. Additionally, a good Q-factor exceeding 10 dB is observed at each wavelength within the specified range. In summary, the research confirms the usefulness of the dual-stage TDFA configuration in improving the efficiency and reliability of optical communication networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut represents one of the largest interfaces for the interaction of host factors and the environmental ones. Gut microbiota, largely dominated by bacterial community, plays a significant role in the health status of the host. The healthy gut microbiota fulfills several vital functions such as energy metabolism, disease protection, and immune modulation. Dysbiosis, characterized by microbial imbalance, can contribute to the development of various disorders, including intestinal, systemic, metabolic, and neurodegenerative conditions. Probiotics offer the potential to address dysbiosis and improve overall health. Advancements in high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics, and omics have enabled mechanistic studies for the development of bespoke probiotics, referred to as next generation probiotics. These tailor-made probiotics have the potential to ameliorate specific disease conditions and thus fulfill the specific consumer needs. This review discusses recent updates on the most promising next generation probiotics, along with the challenges that must be addressed to translate this concept into reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Robotic donor nephrectomy (RDN) has emerged as a safe alternative to laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN). Having previously demonstrated comparable efficacy, this study aims to examine postoperative analgesia use (opioid and non-opioid) in the two groups. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 300 living donor nephrectomies performed at our center, comparing 150 RDN's with a contemporary cohort of 150 hand-assisted LDN's. In addition to clinical and demographic information, data on postoperative inpatient opioid and non-opioid analgesia (from patient's arrival to the surgical floor after surgery till the time of discharge) was collected. Opioid dosages were standardized by conversion to morphine milligram equivalents (MME). All patients were managed post-operatively under a standardized ERAS pathway for living donor nephrectomy patients. Results: There were no significant differences in donor age, gender, and BMI between RDN and LDN groups. Total post-operative opioid use (MME's) was significantly lower in RDN patients (RDN 27.1 vs. LDN 46.3; P < 0.0001). Breakdown of opioid use with post-operative (POD) day demonstrated significantly lower use in RDN group on POD1 (RDN 8.6 vs. LDN 17.0; P < 0.05), and POD2 (RDN 3.9 vs LDN 10; P < 0.05). RDN patients had a shorter post-operative length of stay (LOS) (RDN 1.69 days vs. LDN 1.98; P = 0.0003). There were no differences between groups in non-opioid medication use, complications, and readmission rates. Conclusion: RDN has comparable safety to hand-assist LDN and offers additional benefits of lower postoperative opioid requirement and a shorter hospital LOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the use of robotic objective performance metrics (OPM) to predict number of cases to proficiency and independence among abdominal transplant fellows performing robot-assisted donor nephrectomy (RDN). 101 RDNs were performed by 5 transplant fellows from September 2020 to October 2023. OPM included fellow percent active control time (%ACT) and handoff counts (HC). Proficiency was defined as ACT ≥ 80% and HC ≤ 2, and independence as ACT ≥ 99% and HC ≤ 1. Case number was significantly associated with increasing fellow %ACT, with proficiency estimated at 14 cases and independence at 32 cases (R2 = 0.56, p < 0.001). Similarly, case number was significantly associated with decreasing HC, with proficiency at 18 cases and independence at 33 cases (R2 = 0.29, p < 0.001). Case number was not associated with total active console time (p = 0.91). Patient demographics, operative characteristics, and outcomes were not associated with OPM, except for donor estimated blood loss (EBL), which positively correlated with HC. Abdominal transplant fellows demonstrated proficiency at 14–18 cases and independence at 32–33 cases. Total active console time remained unchanged, suggesting that increasing fellow autonomy does not impede operative efficiency. These findings may serve as a benchmark for training abdominal transplant surgery fellows independently and safely in RDN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research in the mobile app recommendation system (MARS) is steadily increasing due to the involvement of big data and social information. Few existing systems explore the possibility of social interaction information and generate accurate recommendations. However, the role of social network-based app recommendations and associated privacy issues are not fully explored because social information from the mobile phone is difficult to access. To refine and construct such a system, it is imperative to understand users' opinions on the type of social interaction information to be included and concerning privacy issues. To achieve this, we conducted a questionnaire survey. We collected data from 1,006 participants, and tested our hypothesis using PLS, Blindfolding, Bootstrapping, and Machine Learning approaches. After evaluation, we consolidate a final feature list related to social interaction and privacy aspects. For practical evaluation, we implemented a prototype using a few social features identified in the questionnaire phase. Our results indicate an increase in click rate up to 0.66. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic disorders, prevalent global health concerns, afflict a substantial portion of the world's population. These maladies result from an exaggerated immune system response to ordinarily innocuous substances, such as pollen, dust mites, and specific dietary components. Clinical manifestations of this heightened immune response include itching, swelling, and respiratory impairment, often accompanied by releasing mediators like histamine. The pathophysiological mechanisms of allergy disorders are intricate, arising from a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. While clinical presentations may vary, all allergy conditions share a common foundation in the dysregulated immune response to allergens. Result: The current aim of this study was to identify innovative anti-allergic agents capable of inhibiting histamine and effectively mitigating allergic reactions by utilizing the computer-aided drug design approach by discovery studio (DS) 2022 v 23.1.1 package. The overarching aim was identifying potential drug candidates targeting the active site within the histamine H1 receptor complex; therefore, a collection of 4000 small druggable compounds was curated from ZINC, PubChem, and DRUG BANK databases sources. Four compounds appeared as promising candidates after assessing docking scores and binding energies. Notably, Compound ID 34154, recognized as tymazoline, showed the highest affinity for the H1 receptor of 3RZE, suggesting it may be the most promising choice for more research. Further chemoinformatic and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) analyses were conducted to assess the drug-like qualities of this chosen molecule. In addition, bioisosteric substitution techniques were employed to enhance tymazoline's ADMET characteristics. Conclusion: Tymazoline shows strong binding affinity with 3RZE and verified all the drug-likeness criteria to inhibit the allergic disorders. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) studies corroborated tymazoline's potential as an anti-allergic agent, demonstrating contact between the ligand and the receptor that is well defined and stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the Einasto dark matter (DM) density parameterizations, this study explores the possibility of constructing DM black holes (BHs) within the formalism of the Starobinsky gravity model. This approach extends the solutions characterizing the non-commutative mini BHs and introduces DM as the fundamental material constituting the BH. Assuming an anisotropic fluid configuration, we demonstrate the existence of different BH models subject to the values of the Einasto index α and rescaled mass ξ . To achieve this, we begin by considering a de Sitter-like equation of state (EOS) wherein ε = - P r . Interestingly, the resulting BH solution not only shares a similar horizon structure with a Reissner-Nordström BH but also replaces the central singularity with a regular de Sitter core through the mechanism of quadratic f (R) corrections. We further explore the possibility of using a nonlocal EOS instead of the previous one. This alternative approach allows us to construct a fuzzy DM stellar droplet. However, the radial pressure P r remains negative in this case. More precisely, we explore the possibility of these findings informing the existence of moderately massive DM-BHs within the galactic structures. Such objects could have played a role in the early stages of galactic formation. Furthermore, we delve into the intriguing possibility of these moderately massive DM-BHs acting as the central objects within galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the exponential growth of online social networks as complex networks has presented challenges in expanding networks and forging new connections. Link prediction emerges as a crucial technique to anticipate future relationships among users, leveraging the current network state to address this challenge effectively. While link prediction models on monoplex networks have a well-established history, the exploration of similar tasks on multilayer networks has garnered considerable attention. Extracting topological and multimodal features for weighting links can improve link prediction in weighted complex networks. Meanwhile, establishing reliable and trustworthy paths between users is a useful way to create metrics that convert unweighted to weighted similarity. The local random walk is a widely used technique for predicting links in weighted monoplex networks. The aim of this paper is to develop a semi-local random walk over reliable paths to improve link prediction on a multilayer social network as a complex network, which is denoted as Reliable Multiplex semi-Local Random Walk (RMLRW). RMLRW leverages the semi-local random walk technique over reliable paths, integrating intra-layer and inter-layer information from multiplex features to conduct a trustworthy biased random walk for predicting new links within a target layer of multilayer networks. In order to make RMLRW scalable, we develop a semi-local random walk-based network embedding to represent the network in a lower-dimensional space while preserving its original characteristics. Extensive experimental studies on several real-world multilayer networks demonstrate the performance assurance of RMLRW compared to equivalent methods. Specifically, RMLRW improves the average f-measure of the link prediction by 3.2% and 2.5% compared to SEM-Path and MLRW, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on firm value and examines corporate diversification's role between EPU and firm value. We employ firm-level data for twenty-two countries from 2000 through 2020, which covers 364,433 firm-year observations of 29,709 unique firms and use index-based measures for EPU and corporate diversification. The results illustrate that EPU negatively impacts the firm value. However, corporate diversification positively moderates the adverse impact of EPU on the firm value by efficiently mitigating the effect of financial constraints. Further, the additional analysis shows that related and unrelated corporate diversification can be instrumental in alleviating the negative impact of high EPU on firm value in developed economies. In emerging economies, only unrelated diversification effectively deals with high EPU. The results are robust to subsampling, sensitivity, and endogeneity issues. Our study suggests a potential policy recommendation from a managerial perspective, that diversification helps to sustain the firm's value during uncertainty. Furthermore, Policymakers should recognize high policy uncertainty as a threat to business environment stability and take measures to reduce uncertainty and provide a more favorable environment for businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature stress influences plant growth, seed yield, and fatty acid contents by causing oxidative damage. This study investigated the potential of thiourea (TU) to mitigate oxidative stress and restoring seed oil content and quality in canola. The study thoroughly examined three main factors: (i) growth conditions—control and high temperature stress (35 °C); (ii) TU supplementation (1000 mg/L)—including variations like having no TU, water application at the seedling stage, TU application at seedling stage (BBCH Scale-39), water spray at anthesis stage, and TU application at anthesis stage (BBCH Scale-60); (iii) and two canola genotypes, 45S42 and Hiola-401, were studied separately. High temperature stress reduced growth and tissue water content, as plant height and relative water contents were decreased by 26 and 36% in 45S42 and 27 and 42% Hiola-401, respectively, resulting in a substantial decrease in seed yield per plant by 36 and 38% in 45S42 and Hiola-401. Seed oil content and quality parameters were also negatively affected by high temperature stress as seed oil content was reduced by 32 and 35% in 45S42 and Hiola-401. High-temperature stress increased the plant stress indicators like malondialdehyde, H2O2 content, and electrolyte leakage; these indicators were increased in both canola genotypes as compared to control. Interestingly, TU supplementation restored plant performance, enhancing height, relative water content, foliar chlorophyll (SPAD value), and seed yield per plant by 21, 15, 30, and 28% in 45S42; 19, 13, 26, and 21% in Hiola-401, respectively, under high temperature stress as compared to control. In addition, seed quality, seed oil content, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid were improved by 16, 14, and 22% in 45S42, and 16, 11, and 23% in Hiola-401, as compared to control. The most significant improvements in canola seed yield per plant were observed when TU was applied at the anthesis stage. Additionally, the research highlighted that canola genotype 45S42 responded better to TU applications and exhibited greater resilience against high temperature stress compared to genotype Hiola-401. This interesting study revealed that TU supplementation, particularly at the anthesis stage, improved high temperature stress tolerance, seed oil content, and fatty acid profile in two canola genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pea, member of the plant family Leguminosae, play a pivotal role in global food security as essential legumes. However, their production faces challenges stemming from the detrimental impacts of abiotic stressors, leading to a concerning decline in output. Salinity stress is one of the major factors that limiting the growth and productivity of pea. However, biochar amendment in soil has a potential role in alleviating the oxidative damage caused by salinity stress. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential role of biochar amendment in soil that may mitigate the adverse effect of salinity stress on pea. The treatments of this study were, (a) Pea varieties; (i) V1 = Meteor and V2 = Green Grass, Salinity Stress, (b) Control (0 mM) and (ii) Salinity (80 mM) (c) Biochar applications; (i) Control, (ii) 8 g/kg soil (56 g) and (iii) 16 g/kg soil (112 g). Salinity stress demonstrated a considerable reduction in morphological parameters as Shoot and root length decreased by (29% and 47%), fresh weight and dry weight of shoot and root by (85, 63%) and (49, 68%), as well as area of leaf reduced by (71%) among both varieties. Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid contents decreased under 80 mM salinity up to (41, 63, 55 and 76%) in both varieties as compared to control. Exposure of pea plants to salinity stress increased the oxidative damage by enhancing hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde content by (79 and 89%), while amendment of biochar reduced their activities as, (56% and 59%) in both varieties. The activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) were increased by biochar applications under salinity stress as, (49, 59, and 86%) as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants as, anthocyanin and flavonoids improved by (112 and 67%). Organic osmolytes such as total soluble proteins, sugars, and glycine betaine were increased up to (57, 83, and 140%) by biochar amendment. Among uptake of mineral ions, shoot and root Na+ uptake was greater (144 and 73%) in saline-stressed plants as compared to control, while shoot and root Ca2+ and K+ were greater up to (175, 119%) and (77, 146%) in biochar-treated plants. Overall findings revealed that 16 g/kg soil (112 g) biochar was found to be effective in reducing salinity toxicity by causing reduction in reactive oxygen species and root and shoot Na+ ions uptake and improving growth, physiological and anti-oxidative activities in pea plants (Fig. 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface roughness is one of the most critical attributes of machined components, especially those used in high-performance systems. Online surface roughness monitoring offers advancements comparable to post-process inspection methods, reducing inspection time and costs and concurrently reducing the likelihood of defects. Currently, online monitoring approaches for surface roughness are constrained by several limitations, including the reliance on handcrafted feature extraction, which necessitates the involvement of human experts and entails time-consuming processes. Moreover, the prediction models trained under one set of cutting conditions exhibit poor performance when applied to different experimental settings. To address these challenges, this work presents a novel deep-learning-assisted online surface roughness monitoring method for ultraprecision fly cutting of copper workpieces under different cutting conditions. Tooltip acceleration signals were acquired during each cutting experiment to develop two datasets, and no handcrafted features were extracted. Five deep learning models were developed and evaluated using standard performance metrics. A convolutional neural network stacked on a long short-term memory network outperformed all other network models, yielding exceptional results, including a mean absolute percentage error as low as 1.51% and anR2 value of 96.6%. Furthermore, the robustness of the proposed model was assessed via a validation cohort analysis using experimental data obtained using cutting parameters different from those previously employed. The performance of the model remained consistent and commendable under varied conditions, asserting its applicability in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Femoral stem fracture following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an infrequent but nevertheless devastating complication, with an increasing worldwide prevalence as demand for primary THA continues to increase. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for femoral stem fracture to help identify at risk patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on EMBASE, MEDLINE and AMED to identify relevant studies. Data regarding study design, source, population, intervention, and outcomes was collated. Data extraction was performed on a custom form generated using Cochrane recommended methodology and analysis of risk factors performed including odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 15 studies reporting a total of 402 stem fractures in 49 723 THAs were identified. The median time from index procedure to stem fracture was 68 months (IQR 42.5–118) whilst mean age at index surgery was 61.8 years (SD 6.9). Male gender (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 2.59–4.13, p < 0.001), patient weight above 80 kg (OR = 3.55, 95% CI = 2.88–4.37, p < 0.001), age under 63 years (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.01–1.49, p < 0.001), varus stem alignment (OR = 5.77, 95% CI = 3.83–8.7, p < 0.001), use of modular implants (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.56–2.44, p < 0.01) and undergoing revision arthroplasty (OR = 3.33, 95% CI = 2.70–4.1, p < 0.001) were significant risk factors for prosthetic stem fracture. A risk window of 15 years post-surgery was identified. Conclusions: This review concludes that patient weight, younger age, male sex, varus stem alignment, revision arthroplasty and use of modular stems are significant risk factors for femoral stem fracture. Modifying these risk factors where possible may help reduce incidence of femoral stem fracture in at risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of traditional plants has been tremendously increased due to their higher biological impact, minimal side effects, and comparatively low cost. Moreover, the emergence of antibacterial resistance is also shifting the scientific community to reconsider herbal remedies which provide relatively safer, cheap and biologically tolerable solutions. The present research was designed to fabricate the Mentha spicata conjugated silver nanoparticles (Me-AgNPs). Furthermore, the assessment of the bactericidal potential of Me-AgNPs against various bacterial strains was another motive behind this study. Fabricated NPs were characterized with the help of the UV-Visible spectrophotometric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Me-AgNPs showed a significant zone of inhibition (23 ± 0.2 mm) at 8 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and a 4.0 ± 0.2 mm zone of growth inhibition at 2 mg/mL against Aeromonas veronii. The stability of Me-AgNPs was assessed at various pH (4, 7 and 11) and temperatures (25 °C, 4 °C, 37 °C, 75 °C). The significant zones of inhibition (11.3 ± 0.3 mm, 8.3 ± 0.3mm, 14.3 ± 0.3 mm, and 7.6 ± 0.2 mm) were observed at pH 11 against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. Growth inhibition zones (14.0 ± 0.5 mm and 13.0 ± 0.5 mm) were also determined against B. subtilis and S. aureus at 25 °C. DPPH bioassay was conducted to find the antioxidant properties of Me-AgNPs. The highest (38.66 ± 0.2%) free radical scavenging activity was shown by Me-AgNPs at 4 mg/mL. Present study results concluded that biogenic Me-AgNPs have bactericidal as well as anti-oxidative potential. Moreover, these green synthesized Me-AgNPs could maintain their potency and stability at a wide range of pH and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative environmental technologies such as solar energy, hydroelectricity, waste-to-energy, and rainwater reuse sources have the potential to completely transform the modern world to reduce climate change and dependency on fossil fuels. This study aims to investigate the role of environmental innovative technologies on customers' experiences of hotels with a mediating role of sustainable intelligence. The study theorizes that environmental innovative technologies enhance customers 'experience and attitude towards hotels. The innovation diffusion theory is utilized as a main theoretical framework to address the research problem. The data was collected from tourists/visitors at top hotels with a usable sample size of 222 respondents. Survey results reveal that innovative technologies in the context of Environmental Responsibility and Economic Responsibility have a significant influence on Pro-Environmental Behaviour with the full mediating role of Sustainable Intelligence. These findings have important implications when implementing innovative technologies in the tourism industry to (1) improve customer satisfaction, experience, and attitude towards the hotels and destinations; (2) provide guidelines in tourism development policy and marketing; (3) help government agencies to effectively use pro-environmental technologies to change consumer attitude. After the investigation, some intriguing theoretical and practical conclusions have been made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental stress has become one of the major reasons for the failure of students or their poor performance in the traditional limited-duration examination system. In this study, we aim to find the relationship between the student's level of stress and the deterioration of their subsequent examination results. Furthermore, we want to explore if different EEG frequency bands can be used as biomarkers of stress levels. We collected EEG data from the students while they performed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task-based Mental Arithmetic Tasks (MAT). They performed tests of the same level of difficulty twice; once without any limitation of time (and/or feedback) and next under limited time followed by feedback to induce more stress. We observed that the average score of 95% in the untimed test was dropped to 78% in the case of a timed test and a substantial difference in spectral powers of beta, alpha, and theta frequency bands of EEG. We took this limitation of time as a stressor and comprised three classes based on three stress levels (relaxed during rest, low during an untimed test, and high during a timed test). We used two different deep learning frameworks to classify this data and an accuracy of 70.67% was achieved using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and 90.46% with convolutional neural networks (CNN). We found that time limitation increases the stress level of students and impairs performance, while EEG frequency bands converted to brainwave images, serve as potential biomarkers for stress detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water bodies are highly pollution-prone areas in which mercury (Hg) is considered as a major menace to aquatic organisms. However, the information about the toxicity of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) in a vital organ such as the liver of fish is still inadequate. This study aimed to assess the impact of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) exposure on the liver of Channa punctata fish over 15, 30, and 45 days, at two different concentrations (0.039 mg/L and 0.078 mg/L). Mercury is known to be a significant threat to aquatic life, and yet, information regarding its effects on fish liver remains limited. The results of this study demonstrate that exposure to HgCl2 significantly increases oxidative stress markers, such as lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyls (PC), as well as the levels of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) in the fish. Additionally, the transcriptional and protein analysis of specific genes and molecules associated with necroptosis and inflammation, such as ABCG2, TNF α, Caspase 3, RIPK 3, IL-1β, Caspase-1, IL-18, and RIPK1, confirm the occurrence of necroptosis and inflammation in the liver. Histopathological and ultrastructural examinations of the liver tissue further reveal a significant presence of liver steatosis. Interestingly, the upregulation of PPARα suggests that the fish's body is actively responding to counteract the effects of liver steatosis. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of oxidative stress, biochemical changes, gene expression, protein profiles, and histological findings in the liver tissue of fish exposed to mercury pollution in freshwater environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial oxidation of dried cattle dung cannot achieve temperatures necessary for endothermic reduction reactions in autothermal gasification, because of lower fixed carbon (FC) content and higher volatility of feedstock. This study comprehends a simplified and viable allothermal gasification of cattle dung in an integrated system. Solar photovoltaic (PV) induced air gasification of dried cattle dung was carried out in a small-scale tubular furnace, equipped with controlled operating systems. Characterization of cattle dung showed that it had a higher heating value (HHV) of 16 ± 0.01 MJ/kg, volatile content of 63% ± 1%wt, and FC of 15 ± 1%wt. Gasification was performed at variable power supply levels (W) of the solar PV system and corresponding temperatures with varying air–fuel equivalence ratios (ER = 0.21–0.3). The optimal fractions of hydrogen (13.26 ± 0.95%), carbon monoxide (14.39 ± 1.2%), and methane (2.15 ± 0.5%) were achieved at 1100 W, 800 °C, and 0.26 ER. The HHV of syngas was 4.89 ± 0.4% MJ/Nm3 at optimal process conditions with an average yield of 2.20 ± 0.001 m3/kg. Based on the solid residue and thermal conversion efficiencies, 82.67 ± 1.2% of biomass was converted to syngas and 66.70 ± 2% of biomass energy was extracted through gasification. This research provides a firm and novel foundation for a long term, efficient and cost-effective hybrid gasification system capable of handling a wide range of high-volume biowaste feedstock, particularly cattle dung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was undertaken with the aim of evaluating the ginger essential oil potential and its urea-loading efficacy in the preparation of control-releasing chitosan microspheres. The ginger oil for hydro-distillation was extracted by applying Clevenger apparatus, chemical composition was characterized by FTIR, and the GC-MS was used to identify the oil compounds. Urea-loaded chitosan microsphere formulations were formulated through modified emulsification and cross-linking procedure. The various factors and levels related to preparation of urea-loaded chitosan microspheres were evaluated using response surface test. The present study was also an effort to observe the yield and content of nitrogen. Additionally, FTIR and SEM were applied to characterize the microspheres. The results show the yield of ginger oil as 6.0%. Main compounds identified by GC-MS were gingerol, decanal, isoshogaol, octanal, and others. FTIR also showed that some typical bands appeared in ginger oil. The nitrogen content % in urea-loaded microspheres showed a significantly higher value in proportion to higher oil volume and cross-linking. However, by decreasing the amount of urea and enhancing acetic acid, nitrogen content was decreased. The lower oil concentrations improved the microsphere surface structure and morphology. Response surface analysis showed that the optimum preparation conditions are as follows: 2.094% of Span 80, 2.302% of acetic acid, and cross-linking agent ratio of formaldehyde to glutaraldehyde 1:8.15. Under these conditions, the theoretical value of nitrogen content of urea-loaded chitosan microspheres was 4.683%. According to release test, the urea diffused uniformly in the microspheres after 48 h. It is concluded that the use of ginger oil in control release of fertilizers is the right option in the formulations of control-releasing micro-fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As widely known, an intrauterine device (IUD) is a small, typically T-shaped contraceptive device that offers long-term reversible birth control. However, neglecting to remove the IUD can lead to severe complications. This case report showcases an exceptional instance that underscores the potential risks associated with retention of an IUD. Case presentation: This case report documents a 40-year-old female who failed to remove her intrauterine device for eight years. Upon her visit to our clinic, she presented with increased urinary frequency, burning micturition, dysuria, and discomfort while emptying her bladder. Medical review consisting of ultrasound (KUB) and X-ray pelvis revealed the intrauterine device had migrated and was encrusted with a stone. We used Holmium laser lithotripsy to break down the stone, before using cystoscope to manually remove the intrauterine device. She made a rapid recovery without any complications. Conclusions: In order to raise awareness about forgotten or misplaced IUDs and their complications, we are presenting a case of complete intravesical IUD migration at our clinic. This serves as an educational opportunity to shed light on this uncommon occurrence and emphasize the importance of timely removal and follow-up in patients using intrauterine devices (IUDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Focused review highlighting ten select studies presented at the 2023 American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions. Recent Findings: Included studies assessed semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in overweight or obese patients without diabetes (SELECT); dapagliflozin in patients with acute myocardial infarction without diabetes (DAPA-MI); effects of dietary sodium on systolic blood pressure in middle-aged individuals (CARDIA-SSBP); long-term blood pressure control after hypertensive pregnancy with physician guided self-management (POP-HT); effect and safety of zilebesiran, an RNA interference therapy, for sustained blood pressure reduction (KARDIA-1); recaticimab add-on therapy in patients with non-familial hypercholesterolemia and mixed hyperlipidemia (REMAIN-2); efficacy and safety of lepodisiran an extended duration short-interfering RNA targeting lipoprotein(a); safety and pharmacodynamic effects of an investigational DNA base editing medicine that inactivates the PCSK9 gene and lowers LDL cholesterol (VERVE-101); automated referral to centralized pharmacy services for evidence-based statin initiation in high-risk patients; and effects of intensive blood pressure lowering in reducing risk of cardiovascular events (ESPRIT). Summary: Research presented at the 2023 AHA Scientific Sessions emphasized innovative strategies in cardiovascular disease prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid surge in antibiotic resistance to pathogens has emerged as a grave threat to public health, globally. This multiple drug resistance (MDR) is directly linked to the high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide due to untreated microbial infections. Therefore, it is inevitable to identify some novel, efficient, and comparatively safer antimicrobial agents to rescue the declining health index. In this regard, nanomaterials with modified structure, size, and infinity have risen as the sole source to tackle the MDR either through ameliorating the efficacy of existing drugs or by triggering entirely new bactericidal mechanisms. Out of all the nanomaterials, metals, and metal oxide nanoparticles with biopolymer-induced reduction have fetched the attention of global researchers due to their significant and promising pathogen-killing ability without any hint of resistance. The current review covers the updated molecular modes of resistance development in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, comprehensively. This review also highlighted the detailed mode of action of various metallic nanoparticles (silver, zinc, copper, titanium, and cobalt) against MDR pathogens. Moreover, this review article thoroughly discussed the correlation between the mechanisms of resistance and alternative NPs bactericidal modes for better understanding for the readers. Last but not least, toxicity analysis is also explained for safe further use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalation of tit for tat tariffs between China and the USA has resulted in an unprecedented hike in the trade policy uncertainty (TPU). Such an increase in the volatility of the policy environment could be consequential for the whole economic structure, including financial markets. In this backdrop, we investigate the influence of TPU of these giant economies for the key financial markets, i.e., commodity (energy and non-energy), credit, and stock market by employing TVP-VAR connectedness approach for the period starting from Jan-2000 to Feb-2021. The results of the time-varying spillovers suggest that the contagion effects of the TPU are minuscule for the financial markets with the exception of certain periods, whereas the stock market played a dominant role followed closely by the commodity (non-energy) market. The spillovers were considerably heightened during the financial crisis of 2008 and COVID-19. Moreover, the financial crisis of 2008 acted as a trigger for the contagion across financial markets and the effects lasted for many years to come. Pairwise and net spillovers further show the dominance of contagion effects of the stock market while oil market remained on the receiving end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aimed at employing systematic analysis and bibliometric information to probe the emergence of the Future Time Perspective (FTP) study paradigm over the last fifty-five years. The scope and trajectory of the FTP field, common themes and future research lines across various clusters were mapped out to identify possible future research pathways that might significantly augment already knowledge and understanding established thus far. Authors have accomplished this by integrating bibliometric analysis with an extensive qualitative review of 648 articles published between 1956 and 2022. The content analysis and bibliometric analysis, aided by co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and thematic and conceptual mapping, were taken to identify recent developments, potential prospects, impactful authors and prominent nations and organizations. While bibliometric analysis allowed us to map the evolving structure of the FTP literature, it also aided the content analysis of emerged clusters, enabling us to visualize literature changes over time, link knowledge to practice, and present future research prospects across the clusters. The five research clusters and future research viewpoints concerning each cluster emerged and was unearthed that, despite the multiplicity of studies, the FTP literature has evolved around some distinct themes with a fundamental set of authors hailing from the USA, Germany, Netherlands, China and Canada. The evidence indicates that FTP is a multifaceted construct emerging as a distinct and independent research discipline with many fruitful areas for further academic, social, industrial/organizational psychological, and behavioral inquiry. The authors are mindful that the current study demonstrates the overall progression and prominence of FTP literature by employing bibliometric and content analysis techniques. The outcomes of this study might be helpful for research scholars in persuading their research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bio-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using Joshanda extract, a commercially available herbal formulation derived from a traditional medicinal plant, as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The as-synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) study, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. UV–Vis spectroscopy exhibited a prominent absorption peak at 430 nm, confirming the formation of AgNPs. DLS analysis revealed the size distribution of the nanoparticles, ranging from 80 to 100 nm, and zeta potential measurements indicated a surface charge of − 14.4 mV. The XRD analysis provide evidence for the presence of a face-centered cubic structure within the silver nanoparticles. FTIR analysis further elucidated the interaction of bioactive compounds from the Joshanda extract with the AgNPs' surface. Strong peaks at 765–829 cm−1 indicated C–Cl stretching vibrations of alkyl halides, while the stretching of alkenes C=C was observed at 1641 cm−1. Moreover, the presence of alcohols and phenol (OH) groups was identified at 3448 cm−1, suggesting their involvement in nanoparticle stabilization. The antimicrobial potential of the synthesized AgNPs was evaluated against both gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and gram-positive Streptococcus mutans using zone of inhibition assays. The AgNPs exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects against both types of bacteria. Additionally, AgNPs-treated groups demonstrated a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, indicating potential of as-synthesized AgNPs in disruption of the target microbial membranes. Furthermore, the as-synthesized AgNPs exhibited notable anti-biofilm properties by effectively hindering the development of mature biofilms. This study highlights the efficient green synthesis of AgNPs using Joshanda extract and also provides insights into their physico-chemical properties of as-synthesized nanoparticles. The demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, along with biofilm inhibition potential, underscores the promising applications of the as-synthesized AgNPs in the field of biomedical and environmental sciences. The study bridges traditional knowledge with contemporary nanotechnology, offering a novel avenue for the development of eco-friendly antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induction regimens for multiple myeloma (MM) commonly include bortezomib, which has typically been administered twice weekly despite studies demonstrating comparable efficacy and less peripheral neuropathy (PN) with once-weekly bortezomib. We aimed to analyze the real-world prevalence and efficacy of once-weekly versus twice-weekly bortezomib regimens in newly diagnosed MM. We analyzed 2497 US patients aged 18–70 years treated with commercial first-line bortezomib using nationwide Flatiron Health electronic health record-derived data, including 910 (36.4%) patients who received twice-weekly and 1522 (63.2%) who received once-weekly bortezomib. Once-weekly bortezomib use increased over time, from 57.7% in 2017 to 73.1% in 2022. Multivariate analysis identified worsened performance status and more recent year of diagnosis with higher odds of receiving once-weekly bortezomib. Real-world progression-free survival (median 37.2 months with once-weekly versus 39.6 months with twice-weekly, p = 0.906) and overall survival (medians not reached in either cohort, p = 0.800) were comparable. PN rates were higher in patients receiving twice-weekly bortezomib (34.7% versus 18.5%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, once-weekly bortezomib is clearly associated with similar efficacy and fewer toxicities compared to twice-weekly bortezomib. Our findings support once-weekly bortezomib as a standard-of-care regimen for newly diagnosed patients with MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The purpose of the S01–S05 series of end-capped modified donor chromophores is to amplify the energy conversion efficiency of organic solar cells. Using quantum chemical modeling, the photophysical and photoelectric characteristics of the S01–S05 geometries are examined. Method: The influence of side chain replacement on multiple parameters, including the density of states (DOS), molecular orbital analysis (FMOS), exciton-binding energy (Eb), molecular electrostatic potential analysis, dipole moment (μ), and photovoltaic characteristics including open circuit voltage (VOC), and PCE at minimal energy state geometries, has been investigated employing density functional theory along with TD-DFT analysis. The molar absorption coefficient (λmax) of all the proposed compounds (S01–S05) was efficiently enhanced by the terminal acceptor alteration technique, as demonstrated by their scaling up with the reference molecule (SR). Among all molecules, S04 has shown better absorption properties with a red shift in absorption having λmax at 845 nm in CHCl3 solvent and narrow energy gap (EG) 1.83 eV with least excitation energy (Ex) of 1.4657 eV. All created donors exhibited improved FF and VOC than the SR, which significantly raised PCE and revealed their great efficiency as OSC. Consequently, the results recommended these star-shaped molecules as easily attainable candidates for constructing extremely efficient OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical studies have shown that there may be a certain relationship between pathological changes of the myodural bridge complex (MDBC) and chronic headaches of unknown cause. But there is still a lack of experimental evidence to explain the possible mechanism. This study aims to further confirm this relationship between MDBC and chronic headaches and explore its potential occurrence mechanism in rats. Bleomycin (BLM) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was injected into the myodural bridge fibers of rats to establish the hyperplastic model of MDBC. After 4 weeks, the occurrence of headaches in rats was evaluated through behavioral scores. The immunohistochemistry staining method was applied to observe the expression levels of headache-related neurotransmitters in the brain. Masson trichrome staining results showed that the number of collagen fibers of MDBC was increased in the BLM group compared to those of the other two groups. It revealed hyperplastic changes of MDBC. The behavioral scores of the BLM group were significantly higher than those of the PBS group and the blank control group. Meanwhile, expression levels of CGRP and 5-HT in the headache-related nuclei of the brain were increased in the BLM group. The current study further confirms the view that there is a relationship between pathological changes of MDBC and chronic headaches of unknown cause. This study may provide anatomical and physiological explanations for the pathogenesis of some chronic headaches of unknown cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lipodystrophy is a relatively rare, complex disease characterised by a deficiency of adipose tissue and can present as either generalised lipodystrophy (GLD) or partial lipodystrophy (PLD). The prevalence of this disease varies by region. This study aimed to identify the genetic variations associated with lipodystrophy in the southern part of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: We conducted a retrospective study by recruiting nine patients from six families, recruiting the proband whole exome sequencing results or any other genetic test results, screening other family members using Sanger sequencing and analysing the carrier status of the latter. These patients were recruited from the Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic at Jazan General Hospital and East Jeddah Hospital, both in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Result: Eight patients were diagnosed with GLD, and one was diagnosed with PLD. Of the six families, four were consanguineously married from the same tribe, while the remaining belonged to the same clan. The majority of GLD patients had an AGPAT2 c.158del mutation, but some had a BSCL2 c.942dup mutation. The single PLD case had a PPARG c.1024C > T mutation but no family history of the disease. In all families evaluated in this study, some family members were confirmed to be carriers of the mutation observed in the corresponding patient. Conclusion: Familial screening of relatives of patients with rare, autosomal recessive diseases, such as lipodystrophy, especially when there is a family history, allows the implementation of measures to prevent the onset or reduced severity of disease and reduces the chances of the pathogenic allele being passed onto future generations. Creating a national registry of patients with genetic diseases and carriers of familial pathogenic alleles will allow the assessment of preventive measures and accelerate disease intervention via gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]