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Egg white proteins (EWPs) are valuable ingredients in the food industry due to their unique functional properties, including gelling, foaming, and emulsifying. The gelation properties of EWPs are particularly important, as they serve as the foundation for many food applications. The denaturation and aggregation of EWPs lead to the formation of a dense three-dimensional gel network structure, which is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. EWPs' gels can be formed through physical and chemical methods, with heating being the most common approach. Researchers have recently explored novel processes to modify the gelation properties of EWPs, which have shown promising results. Importantly, EWPs are crucial components of various food formulations, including surimi and other meat- and plant-based food products. Previous studies have focused on the basic gelation properties of EWPs, but the effect of advanced technologies and intrinsic and extrinsic factors on their gelation potential have not been systematically reviewed. Hence, this review paper provides a systematic overview of the research around the gelation properties of EWPs and their application, serving as a guide for researchers and industry professionals to explore the versatility and value of EWPs as substantial food ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acenes or polyacenes are a group of organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons consisting of benzene ( C 6 H 6) rings that are linearly fused. They are also the building blocks of nanotubes and graphene and follow the general molecular formula C 4 n + 2 H 2 n + 4 . Due to the applications of polyacenes in optoelectronics, they are interesting for chemical and electrical engineering researchers. In this article, the general formulas for distance-based topological indices of Szeged, Mostar, and Padmakar-Ivan are determined by SMP-polynomials, which do not require edge counting and this formula work only by having the number of benzene rings in the composition of polyacenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-destructive testing of cooling passages has attracted a considerable interest due to the critical rule of these segments in the performance and endurance of different parts. In this research, the performance of active infrared thermography in the non-destructive inspection of cooling passages located inside the metallic bases has been investigated. Water vapour was selected as an excitation fluid so as to create the thermal contrast. Specimen material, hole depth, hole diameter and injection pressure were selected as the input parameters effecting on the thermal contrast. The results obtained via statistical analysis revealed that the hole depth and injection pressure have the noticeable influence on the dimensionless output temperature recorded with thermal camera. A 50% decrease in dimensionless temperature contrast has been revealed when the hole depth has become four times. Besides, a similar increase in injection pressure, elevated the above-mentioned parameter almost 20%. In contrast, the parameters of specimen material and hole diameter specified no perceptible effects. Moreover, infrared thermography with water-vapour excitation proved proper capability in detection of 60% and 80% blockage located inside the holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the performance of catalytic ozonation process (COP) with MgO@Fe3O4 magnetic nanocomposite for phenylamine removal from aqueous solution in a batch environment was evaluated. The features of the catalyst were determined by the FE-SEM, EDS, XRD, VSM and TEM techniques. The effect of several operating parameters such as solution pH, reaction time, catalyst dosage, ozone dose and the initial phenylamine concentrations was investigated in parallel with a single ozonation process (SOP). The effect of the scavengers was assessed. Possible mechanisms, by-products identification and pathway of degradation were also performed. The mineralisation rate was analysed with COD and TOC tests, respectively. The results indicated that the highest efficiency of phenylamine degradation (98.5%) and mineralisation with COD (74%) and TOC (51%) happens in the COP under the optimum conditions (pH = 11.0, reaction time = 30 min, catalyst dosage = 2.0 g/L, ozone dose = 0.38 g/h, phenylamine concentration = 10 mg/L), respectively. The experimental data were in good agreement with pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The toxicity of untreated phenylamine solution revealed that have higher acute toxicity for Daphnia magna than the phenylamine treated solution with COP. The hydroxyl radicals were dominant species during phenylamine degradation. The reusability of the catalyst was evaluated, indicating a 4.7% decrease in performance after six consecutive cycles of the process. As compared to SOP, a significant synergistic effect was observed between ozone and MgO@Fe3O4. It can be concluded that application of MgO@Fe3O4 in catalytic ozonation process is as a successful and promising method for phenylamine degradation of aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent catastrophic tsunamis, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Tohoku events, have underscored the need for resilient coastal infrastructure. Field investigations in the aftermath of these tsunamis have consistently identified local scour around structures as a critical factor contributing to their failure. Local scour refers to the erosion or removal of sediment in the vicinity of a structure, triggered by the unsteady water flow associated with tsunami inundation. The recognition of the significance of this phenomenon, juxtaposed with the current deficiency of detailed and systematic design guidelines that incorporate the ramification of local scour, has spurred advancements in this area of research. This study has meticulously reviewed state-of-the-art studies on tsunami-induced local scour around structures. The existing design guidelines have been critically assessed, pinpointing their limitations and areas that require further elucidation. Moreover, this critical analysis delineates the current knowledge gaps and outlines prospective directions for future research endeavors aimed at enhancing the resilience of coastal infrastructure, with a particular focus on mitigating the effects of local scour. This comprehensive review aims to deepen the understanding of tsunami-induced local scour and promote more effective, evidence-based design strategies to mitigate the risk of structural failure in high-risk coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travel agencies play a pivotal role in supporting tourists and fostering employment. This study examined the policies and strategies of travel agency managers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and their attitudes towards government policies as external business facilitators. Data were collected from 191 travel agency managers and analysed using SPSS software. The results indicate that, instead of implementing innovative approaches, managers primarily resorted to straightforward solutions such as downsizing employees, closing businesses, and cutting wages. Furthermore, the findings concerning government support, policies, and performance, as assessed by travel agency managers, demonstrate government inadequacies in financial, socio-cultural, and IT domains. Our findings have implications for tourism managers, decision-makers, and governments concerned with the future prosperity of tourism businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large eddy simulations of an open channel bend are performed at a variety of water depths and flow rates. The results at several cross sections are decomposed into sub-cells of secondary circulation using clusters of instantaneous vortices. The strength and position of the sub-cells are then modelled using decision trees, multiple linear regression, multi-layer perceptrons, and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems to obtain parametric models of secondary circulation development in a channel bend. The development of individual cells and total circulation is shown for an arbitrary flow condition using the model, as well as the dependence of all the circulation output variables on the input parameters of aspect ratio and Froude number. The positions of the sub-cells (but not their circulations) are largely independent of the Froude number, and the cross-stream position of the centre cell is found to behave linearly. The model with the best performance across all predicted variables is the ANFIS model without classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the topology and material optimization of an underactuated lower limb robot for gait rehabilitation of stroke survivors. Robot aided lower limb rehabilitation has been studied for the last three decades and a few over-actuated and underactuated robot designs have been proposed in the literature. Over-actuated robots give more controlled motions, whereas underactuated designs allow unconstrained naturalistic motions. Designing an underactuated robot is difficult as it must be lightweight and yet strong enough to scaffold human lower limbs during gait. In this research, a Stephenson III six-bar linkage is modified to be used as single-actuated lower limb robot. The proposed robot design couples two four-bar linkages in a driver-driven mode to provide motions, which are equivalent to the motions from a six-bar linkage. A digital twin of the underactuated robot is developed to conduct in-silico experiments and evaluate the use of three different materials namely, aluminum alloy, structural steel, and fiber reinforced carbon composite. Finite element analysis (FEA) modeling is carried out using the Ansys workbench to assess mechanical performance indices. In order to minimize the overall weight of the robot, structural optimization is carried out using a multi-mode single objective genetic algorithm. Functional and nonfunctional design requirements are formulated as constraints to be used during the optimization experiments. The topology and material optimization presented in this article provides insights into the robot design requirements and the optimization process. As a result of this process, a significant reduction in the robot weight is achieved without compromising the mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of shared e-scooters with public transit is a promising solution for urban mobility's first/last-mile challenge. This study explores spatiotemporal factors influencing this integration, using 35-day e-scooter trip data from Chicago. Employing a random-effect negative binomial approach, we modeled the frequency of e-scooter trips to access/egress to/from bus stops and train stations. Results indicate that weather conditions, design features like intersection density, and multimodal network density significantly influence usage. The transit system characteristics such as service frequency have a positive effect on the integration of e-scooters and trains while a similar effect for bus and e-scooter integration was not significant. Furthermore, safety-related variables such as accident and crime rates as well as demographic characteristics were also revealed to be significant factors in our study. These findings offer vital insights to urban planners and policymakers for infrastructure, safety enhancements, and interventions to encourage efficient e-scooter-public transit integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentration of aluminum (Al) in drinking water is a major intake source of it and can result in serious diseases. Rice straw (RS) as lignocellulosic biomasses has great potential to peak up metal ions from aqueous environment, however, feasibility of Al3+ removal by RS has not been investigated yet. The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of RS as a novel biosorbent for Al3+ from drinking water. Biosorption characteristics of RS were surveyed through several biological and physiochemical techniques. Additionally, isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies were evaluated using various common models. BET profiles revealed the presence of textural mesoporosity on heterogeneous surface, which leading to improve the biosorption capacity. SEM-EDS analysis confirmed the morphological changes as irregularly particles of Al3+ on external surface via physical mechanism. The results of bioassays and FTIR analysis showed carboxylic and hydroxyl groups in lignin and pectin as the main Al3+ binding site. The batch experimental results showed the maximum biosorption capacity of 283.09 mg/g and removal efficiency of 94.86% for Al3+ at biosorbent dosage of 0.05 g/100 mL, contact time of 50 min, pH 7.5, and temperature of 30 °C. The Freundlich model has the best match and suggests the biosorption process as a multi-layer. According to the results of free activation energy, biosorption process was also physical. As thermodynamic result, the biosorption behavior was found spontaneous and endothermic. Consequently, results showed RS as an economical biosorbent for reducing Al3+ of drinking water. Meanwhile, it can be considered as one of the most appropriate methods for management of rice paddies waste. This article provides a new interdisciplinary horizon at the border of plant biochemistry, agriculture, water treatment industry, and environmental protection. This study covers different aspects including biosorption, cell wall network as well as the usefulness of agricultural by-products in biosorption of Al-polluted drinking water. Findings of the present study revealed that rice straw cell wall polysaccharides have specific Al3+ binding sites, therefore can be effectively used in water treatment and reduce Al3+ content below the standard permissible limit of WHO (0.2 mg/L). This can be a foundation for future research to evaluate agricultural wastes management in the industry of water as natural biosorbent. This method also effectively converts RS from an unwanted agricultural waste to high-value products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The samples of greenhouse cucumbers were collected from the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market of Tabriz between June and December 2017. In the twenty-four cucumber samples (unwashed, washed, peeled), the residue of 18 organophosphates pesticides (OPPs) was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) following the modified QuEChERS method (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe). Chronic non-carcinogenic risk assessment from pesticide residues in the samples was also performed for age groups of adults (women and men) and children using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). Amongst the eighteen studied pesticides, eight pesticides including dimethoate, diazinon, methyl parathion, fenitrothion, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, ethion, and azinphos-methyl were detected. Pesticide residues were detected in 100% of unwashed, washed and peeled samples in the range of 0.08 to 0.37 mg.kg-1, 0.03 to 0.17 mg.kg-1 and 0.01 to 0.08 mg.kg-1, respectively. The maximum and minimum values were found for diazinon pesticides with 0.37 mg.kg-1 and profenofos and fenitrothion with 0.01 mg.kg-1. 100 % of samples contained at least three pesticide residues (dimethoate, diazinon, and methyl parathion), while 87.5% of the samples contained more pesticides residues. The residues of dimethoate, diazinon, and methyl parathion were above Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) in 100%, 83.33%, and 66.66% of samples, respectively. The identified residues were more than the EU MRLs and the IR MRLs in 100% and 95.83% samples, respectively. The mean reduction of pesticide residues in the washed and peeled samples was in the range of 37.74 to 56.52% and 66.66 to 92.30%, respectively. According to the performed risk assessment, there is no significant non-carcinogenic health risk due to the consumption of cucumber for the age group of adults. Hence, there is a considerable non-carcinogenic health risk to children due to the consumption of unwashed (HI = 2.22) and water-washed (HI = 1.36) greenhouse cucumbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to explore the global prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among firefighters. A systematical search was performed in three international academic databases (Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science). Overall, 31 articles were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of total MSDs in firefighters was identified as 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] [33, 50]). The prevalence of MSDs in neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, upper extremity and lower extremity was 9% (95% CI [7, 10]), 11% (95% CI [8, 15]), 8% (95% CI [5, 12]), 31% (95% CI [27, 34]), 13% (95% CI [9, 17]) and 16% (95% CI [14, 18]), respectively. No statistically significant relationship was observed between prevalence of MSDs and year of study, mean age, size of sample, duration of prevalence, region or income level. Demographic, occupational and medical condition factors were identified that can create these disorders among firefighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olive mill wastewaters (OMW) have complicated pollutants that are hard to treat as it contains high concentrations of refractory and toxic compounds, which is looking for practicable and economical treatment options. In this work, the remediation of OMW was conducted using the electro-Fenton process (EFP) with iron electrodes in the presence of per-sulphate (PS) to chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenol (TP) reduction after acid cracking step. The system performance were COD, Colour, and TP per cent removal while initial pH, voltage, reaction time, H2O2 dosage, electrical conductivity (EC) and dosage of PS were independent variables. Acid cracking of wastewater in pH 2.5 was used to reduce disturbing parameters to provide suitable condition for reaction. Acid cracking leads to mean removal of turbidity, COD, TP, colour up to 80%, 18%, 17% and 30%, respectively. It was found that parameters such as H2O2, pH, reaction time, voltage and EC in an optimum value increase the process efficiency. The optimum condition by EFP was obtained at a pH 2, H2O2 0.2 M, voltage 10 V and conductivity of 11,000 µS/cm for removing over 70% of COD and TP at 60 min. However, after adding low concentration of PS there was not any enhance in the efficiency of COD and TP due to plenty presence of scavengers in OMW. It could be concluded that the remediation of pretreated OMW with acid cracking using EFP may be considered as reliable pretreatment method with further modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to evaluate public transport access distribution based on a framework of vertical equity principles. In this method, traffic analysis zones (TAZs) are analyzed by comparing the estimated transit demand with the existing geographical distribution of the network's benefits (e.g., accessibility and mobility). The framework deploys the concept of connectivity power to measure the distribution of a transit system's supply. On the other hand, demand is measured by an exhaustive index, the weighted average of four social indicators, namely the number of low-income people, the population, the households without vehicles, and the disabled in the TAZs. These weights can differ from city to city depending on culture, politics, social behavior, and costs of effective parameters such as fuel, parking, and tickets in that particular city. The framework was applied to the comprehensive transit network of Tehran, Iran. Finally, diagonal and radical lines linking the city's southwest to its northeast are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is some evidence that sleep patterns and psychological health have worsened in the general population as a result of the COVID-19-pandemic. Persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) represent a particularly vulnerable population for COVID-19 infections and effects of restrictions. The present study investigated whether insomnia and depressive symptoms, as well as other MS-related symptoms (i.e. fatigue and paresthesia), changed from before to during the COVID-19-pandemic among persons with diagnosed MS. A sample of 90 Iranian females with MS (mean age; 37.62 years; median EDSS score: 2.5) completed a series of self-rating scales at two time points: Nine months before the COVID-19 outbreak in May 2019 (baseline) and then again during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020 (study end). Self-rating questionnaires covered sociodemographic and disease-related information, insomnia, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and paresthesia. Depressive symptoms increased over time with a significant p-value and medium effect size. Symptoms of insomnia increased over time (significant p-value, but small effect size), while no significant changes were observed in fatigue and paresthesia (very small effect sizes). The only predictor for insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic was insomnia before the COVID-19 pandemic; the only predictor for depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic was insomnia before the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic and its related social restrictions had significant effects on symptoms of depression and insomnia in this sample of Iranian women with MS, but had no effect on fatigue and paresthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death, disability, and mental health disorders. A wide range of bioactive lipids, cytokines, and chemokines drives the inflammatory response. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of buprenorphine on moderate Trauma Brain Injury (mTBI) in rats. In this study, 21 Wistar male rats weighing 230 ± 10 g were included. We trained cases by Morris water navigation task and mTBI induced by the pendulum. Then, buprenorphine treatment with 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight continued from day 8 to 21. Finally, by Micro-Computed Tomography, behavioral evaluation by the Morris aqueous riddle test and biochemical factors of inflammation were assessed. Severe subdural inflammation was more in the treatment group than in the control group. The behavior of Rats showed that in the buprenorphine group, the mean duration of finding the platform increased compared to the control and Sham groups. However, the groups had no significant differences (P > 0.05). Biochemically, buprenorphine increased prolactin and decreased cortisol compared to the control and trauma groups (P < 0.05). These results suggest that buprenorphine causes fewer changes in behavioral functions in rats' models of mTBI and, because of their positive effect changes on inflammation biomarkers, biochemical behavioral tests, and CT scan images, could be ideal analgesic agents for pre-clinical responses after TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please replcae the abstract with the following text:In this paper, a new isolated high step-down dc-dc topology based on buck converter is proposed. This structure reduces the amplitude of the voltage on the primary side of the transformer (which is an ideal type), which reduces the turn-ratio and leakage impedance. The recommended structure uses active clamped strategies to return the energy of leakage impedance and to repress voltage spikes. Under this condition, the overall efficiency of the converter can be enhanced impressively. The benefits of the proposed structure are simple structure, a simple control system that needs only two signals with a 180O phase shift, reduced power circuit components, the lower standing voltage of the semiconductor components in the high-voltage side, and a high conversion ratio. The proposed converter can be applied in low voltage (5V) applications with high input current such as computer applications. The operation modes of the recommended converter, designing of utilized circuit elements, steady condition analysis, and finally some experimental results of the built prototype of the recommended structure have been provided completely. The overall efficiency of the proposed topology at 250W is equal to 92%. Also, the amplitudes of input and output voltage are 380 V and 5 V, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have led to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the main active compounds of Thymus vulgaris (thymol (51.59%), p-cymene (15.41%), carvacrol (4.52%) and γ-terpinene (12.63%), Salvia officinalis; cis-thujone (38.05%), camphor (16.08%), 1,8-cineole (11.97%), trans-thujone (5.88%), camphene (4.79%), α -pinene (4.69%) and carvacrol (50.68%), γ-terpinene (34.44%) and α-terpinene (3.72%) in Satureja hortensis was determined. The highest EO contents (w/w %) was obtained in the plants of summer savory (2.05%), followed by the garden thyme (1.83%) and common sage (0.55%). It is necessary to identify the most effective compounds in order to extract or synthesise in pure form for future use in the pharmaceutical industry. Also, might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Available evidence indicates that junk foods, defined as unhealthy foods with high-calorie and low-nutrient value, negatively affect mental and metabolic health of children. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to clarify the association between junk food consumption and psychological distress in children and adolescents. Methods: A systematic literature search of relevant documents published in PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS was conducted up to 2022. All observation studies which assessed association of junk foods and psychological distress in children and adolescents were included. Random-effect model was used to pool odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) from individual studies. Subgroup meta-analysis was performed based on junk foods categories (sweet drinks, sweet snacks and snacks). Results: Data of 17 included articles on junk foods consumption in relation to depression, stress, anxiety, sleep dissatisfaction and happiness in children and adolescents were included in this systematic review. According to random effect model, the pooled OR in the highest vs. the lowest category of junk foods was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.35–1.95) for depression, 1.34 (95% CI: 1.16–1.54) for stress, 1.24 (95% CI: 1.03–1.50) for anxiety, 1.17 (95% CI: 1.05–1.30) for sleep dissatisfaction and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75–0.92) for happiness. In subgroup meta-analysis, there were significant associations between different types of junk foods and psychological distress (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed that junk foods consumption was associated with increased odds of psychological distress in children and adolescents. These findings support the current recommendation of decreasing junk foods intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dementia is characterized by a progressive cognitive decline that could be caused by several disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders that might overlap with dementia symptoms. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the ASD and ADHD symptoms in dementia patients referred to a memory clinic in Iran. We recruited 65 dementia patients and instructed them to fill out the autism quotient (AQ) and the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) questionnaires. Considering the cutoff points of AQ and CAARS questionnaires, 18.5% of participants were at higher risk of ASD, and 35.4% were at higher risk of ADHD. The results indicated that ADHD and ASD symptoms might be common comorbidities in patients with dementia which can increase the disease burden. Specialized ADHD and ASD screening tools in the elderly population with dementia are needed to prevent misdiagnoses due to symptom overlaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of the effects of sloping dry and wet immobile beds on downstream dam-break flows is of great importance given the destructive power of these flows. Such investigation can lead to the adoption of appropriate measures and timely control strategies. In this study, numerical simulations of experimental wave propagation were carried out using four models, i.e. k − ω -SST-RANS, realizable k − ε -RANS, Smagorinsky-LES, and k − ω -SST-DES on sloped beds, for the first time as its novelty, with respect to upstream water and different downstream tail-water depths. The k − ω -SST-DES exhibited the best performance in the simulation of wave peak patterns and mean velocities. Taylor diagrams showed that all models were similar in estimating the highest R values and lowest centered root-mean-square errors for dry beds. However, for wet beds with higher downstream tail-water depths, the CRMSE were higher. For lower depths, the standard deviations of the models were generally closer to those of the flume experimental measurements conducted by the experimental study. The present study has shed light on the levels of turbulence models' accuracy in simulation of dam-break flows on dry and wet sloping beds, and can be taken as a basis for further understanding of the flood flow behavior in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wall jets are important hydraulic flows that occur in relation to many civil engineering structures. Researchers have made efforts to study wall jet hydraulics in an unconfined field that can be described by the self-similarity theory. Herein, a highly turbulent submerged wall jet entering a confined basin was considered to investigate numerically. Attempts were made to give details of the flow structure in the confined basin using OpenFOAM, employing five turbulence closures: standard k–ε, realizable k–ε, RNG k–ε, standard k–ω, and k–ω SST. The simulated vertical profiles of velocity were compared with laboratorial measurements available in the literature to determine the best performance. It was found that, while dealing with cases of the wall jet entering a confined basin, the self-similarity hypothesis, which is widely used to describe wall jets in unconfined domain, failed to predict the evolution of the wall jet further downstream. In the regions near the jet entering, in which self-similarity dominated, all the turbulence models simulated the wall jet successfully and computed the same results. On the other hand, in the transition stage, which shows the evolution of wall jet profile to uniform profile, the k–ω SST turbulence model predictions had better agreement with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building detection and change detection using remote sensing images can help urban and rescue planning. Moreover, they can be used for building damage assessment after natural disasters. Currently, most of the existing models for building detection use only one image (pre-disaster image) to detect buildings. This is based on the idea that post-disaster images reduce the model's performance because of the presence of destroyed buildings. In this paper, we propose a siamese model, called SiamixFormer, which uses pre- and post-disaster images as input. Our model has two encoders and has a hierarchical transformer architecture. The output of each stage in both encoders is given to a temporal transformer for feature fusion in a way that query is generated from pre-disaster images and (key, value) is generated from post-disaster images. To this end, temporal features are also considered in feature fusion. Another advantage of using temporal transformers in feature fusion is that they can better maintain large receptive fields generated by transformer encoders compared with CNNs. Finally, the output of the temporal transformer is given to a simple MLP decoder at each stage. The SiamixFormer model is evaluated on xBD, and WHU datasets, for building detection and on LEVIR-CD and CDD datasets for change detection and could outperform the state-of-the-art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on telecommuting behavior. We seek to study the future of telecommuting, in the post-pandemic era, by capturing the evolution of observed behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. To do so, we implemented a comprehensive multi-wave nationwide panel survey (the Future Survey) in the U.S. throughout 2020 and 2021. A panel Generalized Structural Equation Model (GSEM) was used to investigate the effects of two perceptual factors on telecommuting behavior: (1) perceived risk of COVID-19; and (2) perceived telecommuting productivity. The findings of this study reveal significant and positive impacts of productivity and COVID-risk perception on telecommuting behavior. Moreover, the findings indicate a potential shift in preferences toward telecommuting in the post-pandemic era for millennials, employees with long commute times, high-income, and highly educated employees. Overall, a potential increase in telecommuting frequency is expected in the post-pandemic era, with differences across socio-economic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asbestos was mainly used in various industries. So, everyone can exposure to asbestos in the environmental and occupational settings. However, most of the countries banned using the asbestos, but asbestos exists in the structure of old buildings and industries. In this study, the concentration of asbestos in indoor and outdoor was evaluated using the systematic review and meta-analysis approach. Also, the probabilistic cancer risk of exposure to asbestos in the air was estimated by a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) using Crystal Ball software and the recommended method of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The research reports of databases show that all of the studies have belonged to Iran and Turkey. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled concentration of asbestos in the outdoor air of Iran and Turkey was 0.01 f/mL and 0.017 f/mL, respectively. The pooled concentration of asbestos in the outdoor air of traffic, urban and rural subgroups was 0.021 f/mL, 0.006 f/mL, and 0.017 f/mL, respectively. The pooled concentration of asbestos in the indoor air of Iran and Turkey was 1.777 f/mL and 0.403 f/mL, respectively. The pooled concentration of asbestos in the indoor air of rural and workplace subgroups was 0.538 f/mL and 1.593 f/mL, respectively. Risk assessment shows that the percentile 95% of cancer risk (CR) in Iran and Turkey due to inhalation exposure to asbestos in the indoor air was 1.01E-1and 2.01E-1, respectively. Also, the percentile 95% of CR in the rural and urban regions was 2.45E-1and 9.23E-1, respectively. According to EPA method, when CR is higher than E-4 value (1 in 10,000 f/mL) exposed population are at the considerable risk. The exposed population in Iran and Turkey were at the considerable cancer risk due to exposure asbestos. Therefore, risk management is necessary in Middle East countries especially, Iran and Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impacts of the sharing economy and vehicle automation on household vehicle ownership by considering the earning potential of household vehicles. While many studies have examined the impact of the sharing economy (namely ridesourcing) on vehicle ownership of ridesourcing customers, there is a gap in understanding its impact on vehicle ownership among ridesourcing suppliers. Data from an original survey are used to develop discrete choice models that evaluate the effects of earning potential, automation, and shared autonomous vehicle services on vehicle transaction decisions. The estimated models are applied to perform national-level simulations. It is found that, in comparison to a non-sharing economy context, individuals in the sharing economy tend to purchase more vehicles in times of income gain, and to preserve their fleets more readily in times of income loss. This study provides evidence that the sharing economy incentivizes some individuals to own more – not fewer – vehicles.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirically-derived relationships are mainly used to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) in water balance models. Due to a lack of effective factors and correct conceptual relationships, the resulting ET may be inaccurate. Therefore, a hydrological model was developed by combining water balance and bulk transfer theory, called semi-distributed coupled water balance and bulk transfer (SD-CWBT). According to it, a dynamic interrelationship between ET and soil moisture was correctly established to estimate ET via physical concepts. Global gridded ET retrievals, which provide the spatiotemporal distribution of ET at a global scale, including ECMWF Reanalysis v5-Land (ERA5-Land), TERRA, Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM), and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop), were employed to evaluate the model. The results indicated the SD-CWBT, with Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of [0.6, 0.95], [0.68, 0.96], and [12.61, 0.99] for the streamflow and groundwater level simulation, respectively, had better performance compared to the alternatives. Furthermore, the estimated spatiotemporal distributions of ET agreed well with the climatic-vegetation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed at the reliability and validity of the Persian version of the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP). This study was conducted on 130 people with dementia as well as 77 healthy elderlies. After translating the AASP into Persian, its content validity was determined based on 9 experts working in the same field. Cronbach's alpha and the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to assess the internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the Persian version of AASP. The two groups of people with dementia and healthy elderlies were compared in terms of scores in the four quadrants by performing an Independent t-test. All items in the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) received an acceptable score. The Cronbach's alpha score for different parts of AASP was also calculated (α between 0.894 and 0.916; p < 0.001). The test–retest reliability of sub-tests of AASP was excellent (ICC between 0.885 and 0.948; p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the healthy Elderlies and dementia persons for low registration, sensory avoiding quadrants (p < 0.05). The Persian version of the AASP questionnaire is a reliable and valid questionnaire for people with dementia in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an important role in regulating neuronal excitability. Four structurally related drugs to GABA including pregabalin (PGB), gabapentin (GBP), vigabatrin (VGB), and baclofen are used for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. These drugs are small aliphatic molecules having neither fluorescent nor strong absorbance in the ultraviolet/visible region; therefore, direct determination of these analytes by optical methods is difficult. Additionally, their high boiling point makes gas chromatography impossible. Accordingly, the amine or acid moiety in these drugs is derivatized in order to improve their selectivity and sensitivity during determination in the biological samples. This review focuses on derivatization based methods and their different reactions for determination of PGB, GBP, VGB, and baclofen in the biological samples and pharmaceutical preparations reported between 1980 and 2020. High-performance liquid chromatography methods coupled with different detectors are a commonly used methods for determination of GABA analogs after derivatization. These methods cover 38.89% of all developed methods for determination of GABA analogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The active factor along with light exercise can reduce static muscle work and increase muscle flexibility and endurance. Accordingly, this study aimed to design and prototype a new active footrest, implemented in conventional sitting workstations, and to test its usability among office workers. Methods. The steps taken to design and prototype the active footrest were: selection of an exercise appropriate for goals of ergonomic interventions; idea development; selection of the best conceptual design; design with SOLIDWORKS version 2016; and fabrication of a prototype. Afterward, usability of the active footrest prototype was assessed among 20 office workers (10 females) using field data by the system usability scale. Results. Upon completion of the design steps, the active footrest prototype was prototyped by taking into account design criteria (e.g., functionality, inclusive design, easy application and reduction of additional body movement), anthropometric data and mechanical properties. The participants rated the usability of the active workstation as 89 ± 8.21 (out of 100), indicating good usability results. Conclusion. In this study, an active footrest was designed and prototyped to perform knee extension exercise with the capability of being implemented in conventional sitting workstations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban flood resilience requires high-performance sewer systems, and multi-objective optimization methods are widely used to improve sewer system efficiency. A non-polynomial complete (NP complete) optimization problem may exist in urban sewer rehabilitation, which may cause low efficiency in optimizing large network systems. In this research, a sensitivity-based adaptive procedure (SAP) is proposed, which can be integrated with optimization algorithms. SAP was integrated with Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and Multiple Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) methods. We further used the Hydraulics and Risk Combined Model (HRCM), which is a risk-informed multi-objective optimization model designed for drainage system rehabilitation to validate the performance of SAP procedure. Results showed that SAP can improve the optimizing performance, and SAP-NSGA-II exhibited superior performance in solving the combined problems of pipe breakage and overflooding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the well-known benefits that autonomous technologies bring to supply chain and logistics, the adoption of such technologies remains a challenging task. This study seeks to investigate how firms that are associated with the generation of freight movements in Niagara Region (Canada) will respond to new autonomous technologies. Structural Equation Modeling was used to extract meaningful features from the dataset obtained from an extensive and in-depth survey. The survey was designed to help better understand firms' views regarding autonomous technologies. The results showed that firms with a higher percentage of e-commerce sales are more likely to adopt autonomous technologies. Results also showed that third-party logistics providers are likely to play an important role in facilitating a path to adoption. The number of product lines, the number of transportation assets, and the number of import countries are other important contributing factors that can affect firms' levels of interest in autonomous technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, Fe3O4 @SiO2 @Poly (DEMA -EGDMA-CO-VPBA) nanoparticles were prepared as a pH-sensitive nanocomposite for adsorption and controlled release of glycoproteins. The average size of particles was found to be 62.5 nm. The ability of these particles to isolate and enrich the glycoprotein Horseradish Peroxidase and nonglycoprotein of Bovine serum was investigated using analytical and spectroscopic methods. Accordingly, the maximum adsorption capacity of nanocomposite for Horseradish Peroxidase was about 129.8 mgg−1 under optimum pH of 9.3. High performance rate, low concentration needed for glycoprotein separation and enrichment and reusable up to five times, are other features of these particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between shift work and cognitive performance in nurses. Methods. The present before–after study included 35 female nurses 25–40 years old with similar mental and physical workload. Working memory, response time and attention were assessed using Wechsler and Stroop tests. The variables were measured at the beginning and the end of three working shifts (morning, afternoon and night). An interval of 3 days was considered for performing an after-shift test to eliminate the learning effect. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results. At the end of all three shifts, nurses' working memory (p = 0.039) and interference score (p = 0.04) were significantly decreased, but their response time was not significantly affected during a shift. The decrease in working memory after the night shift was significantly higher than after the morning and evening shifts (p < 0.001). Conclusion. The results of this study showed that shift work can affect some aspects of cognitive function (working memory and attention) in nurses, and this effect was more prominent after a night shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) and styrene have been reported in tire manufacturing. This research was designed to evaluate the exposure to BTEX and styrene and their health risks in tire manufacturing in Iran. The health risk estimation was done by the United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) method using the Monte-Carlo simulation. Results showed that the concentration of benzene in some units, such as cement making; cement spraying, and tire building was more than the standard level. The units of cement spraying and calendaring had the highest and lowest cancer and no-cancer risks, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now various surrogate safety measures (SSM) have been developed and research in this area is ongoing. However, it is unclear which indicators are able to reflect danger more accurately. This paper proposes a novel method of performance comparison by taking the advantage of statistical analyses of SSMs data. This analytical approach is inspired by the dominant behavior of drivers in car-following scenarios. Afterward, those indicators that previously identified as eligible are merged using a recently developed safety indicator, named collision probability (CP). The proposed method is applied to microscopic traffic data collected from the I-80 freeway in Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) project. The results indicated that the proposed framework helps screen SSMs and calculate the probability of rear-end collisions using a combination of the selected SSMs. The results might be helpful for improving the precision and accuracy of in-vehicle collision avoidance warning system and safety evaluations without crash data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. TBI can result in neuropsychiatric and cognitive problems as well as neurodegenerative pathologies that can appear right after or develop and persist years after injury. Method: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on patients who suffered from TBI three months to three years ago. The patients were randomized to placebo (n = 34) or K-Vie™ group (n = 46) for a treatment period of 3 months. The main primary outcomes include cognitive assessment in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test-Recognition Test (RAVLT), Wechsler adult intelligence Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and trail-making test part B (TMT-B). Assessments were performed at baseline and at the month 3 follow-up visit. Linear mixed models were carried out to evaluate cognitive changes from baseline across all cognitive assessment tests. Result: The current study showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in cognitive function of patients who were given K-Vie™ compared with placebo across the RAVLT, DSST and TMT-B performance assessments. A larger cohort would be beneficial to further confirm the clinical utility of K-Vie™ and assess its effects in acute phases of TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klebsiella pneumoniae is armed with a wide range of antibiotic resistance mechanisms that mostly challenge effective treatment. The aims of the current study were to identify the clinical strains of K. pneumoniaealso to determine their phenotypes and molecular characterization related to antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes. In this investigation, clinical specimens from different hospitals located in Tehran, Iran, were collected during a nine-month period (December 2018 to August 2019). The K. pneumoniae strains were isolated and identified through standard microbial and biochemical assays. Additionally, disk diffusion, combined disk, Modified Hodge Test (MHT) and PCR were performed for antibiotic resistance and virulence gene analysis, respectively. Eighty-four isolates of K. pneumoniae were subjected to the study. According to the combined disk and modified Hodge test results, 27 (52%) and 15 pathotypes (62.5%) out of resistant strains of isolated K. pneumoniae were detected as ESBL and KPC producers. The virulence genes of mrkD (94%) and magA (11%) were the highest and lowest among isolates, respectively. The high prevalence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in conjunction with a significant relationship between the strains revealed a high pathogenic capacity of the isolated pathotypes of K. pneumoniae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial tension (IFT) reduction and wettability alteration are major mechanisms to chemically enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) in carbonate reservoirs. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different surfactants on IFT and wettability alteration. Four different surfactants including ionic liquids and zwitterionic surfactants, namely [C12mim]Cl, TR-880, NX-2760, and NX-1510, were used in this study. Reservoir core samples, formation brine and crude oil from the Karanj oil field, located in Iran were used. The results showed that the tested surfactants are capable of reducing IFT significantly, changing the wettability to greater hydrophilicity, thus potentially facilitating oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery approach, carbon dioxide-aqueous brine system is one of the noticeable fluid systems for engineers. The solubility of carbon dioxide in aqueous system is one of the effective thermophysical properties in this approach. Due to this fact, an innovative least square support vector machine algorithm is evolved to predict carbon dioxide solubility based on salinity, pressure, and temperature. The outcomes of the analyses express that evolved method has great precision in prediction of carbon dioxide solubility. Furthermore, an innovative mathematical analysis is implemented to identify the effect of input parameters on carbon dioxide solubility. This novel investigation can be a reliable source for researchers who deal with carbon dioxide phase behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terbium (Tb) ions have a larger radius, versatile coordination geometry, and high affinity to ligands/drugs containing oxygen or hybrid oxygen-nitrogen atoms. Antenna effect, which is intramolecular energy transfer from the excited triplet states of ligand (donor) to emitting level of Tb ion (acceptor) in chelates leads to a strong narrow-band fluorescence with a large stokes shift, high quantum yields, and long decay times. Tb-drug complexes are of great importance regarding development of sensitive and selective detection methods for determination of drugs in biological samples and dosage forms, especially in combination with nanoparticles. Although, a lot of studies have been published on lanthanide- sensitized based systems, there are only limited reports about application of these systems for determination of pharmaceuticals in biological matrices. Therefore, this review study was conducted to focus on almost all Tb sensitized based-optical sensors/nanosensors developed for determination of pharmaceuticals during 2005−2019. The reported sensors/nanosensors are classified into two types of fluorescence and chemiluminescence-based sensors/nanosensors. Details of each reported study were carefully explained and relevant analytical parameters of the developed methods were also tabulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant immunodeficiency disease with mutation in C1 inhibitor gene (SERPING1) which deficient and dysfunction of C1-INH protein result in HAE type I or type II, respectively. The present study aimed to define the genetic spectrum of HAE type I and type II among Iranian patients. Thirty-four patients with clinical phenotype of recurrent edematous attacks in face, upper and lower limbs, hands, and upper airway entered the study. Mutations in SERPING1 were analyzed using PCR and Sanger Sequencing. In addition, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) was performed to discover large deletions or duplications in negative screening samples by Sanger. Twenty-three patients were diagnosed with HAE type I and 11 with HAE type II. Fourteen distinctive pathogenic variations including five frameshift (p.G217Vfs*, p.V454Gfs*18, p.S422Lfs*9, p.S36Ffs*21, p.L243Cfs*9), seven missense (p.A2V, p.G493R, p.V147E, p.G143R, p.L481P, p.P399H, p.R466C), one nonsense (p.R494*), and one splicing defect (C.51 + 2 T˃C), which three of these mutations were identified novel. However, no mutation was found in seven patients by Sanger sequencing and MLPA. Final diagnosis with mutation analysis of HAE after clinical evaluation and assessment of C1INH level and function can prevent potential risks and life-threatening manifestations of the disorder. In addition, genetic diagnosis can play a significant role in facilitating early diagnosis, pre-symptomatic diagnosis, early diagnosis of children, asymptomatic cases, and those patients who have the borderline biochemical results of C1-INH deficiency and/or C4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women usually have more flexibility in time and mode choice and it might be easier to attract them to public transportation (PT) systems. In addition, in developing countries, there are limitations for women in using transportation systems. By specifying effective factors on the popularity of PT systems among women, we can pursue two objectives in developing societies. The first achievement is a decrease in traffic congestion, and the second one is reducing gender discriminations in using PT systems. This study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) and a group of women, living in Tehran (Iran), were interviewed. Based on the results, women's characteristics have the greatest impact on the popularity of regular bus (RB). Especially, an increase in income, education, and availability of passenger cars can significantly reduce the popularity of RB systems. For Metro and BRT, women's characteristics, fare satisfaction, and waiting time have the greatest impact on their popularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a model to characterize changes in network traffic flows as a result of implementing connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology based on traffic network and built-environment characteristics. To develop such a model, first, the POLARIS agent-based modeling platform is used to predict changes in average daily traffic (ADT) under CAV scenario in the road network of Chicago metropolitan area as the dependent variable of the model. Second, a comprehensive set of variables and indicators representing network characteristics and urban structure patterns are generated. Finally, three machine learning techniques, namely, K-Nearest neighbors, Random Forest, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting, are used to characterize changes in ADT based on network characteristics under a CAV scenario. The estimated models are validated and are found to yield acceptable performance. In addition, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis tool is employed to investigate the impact of important features on changes in ADT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing the locations of traffic crash hotspots can provide us with valuable insights into the root causes of crash occurrence over the area under study. This knowledge helps decision-makers to better assess the risk associated with road crashes and, as a result, help them to propose more effective countermeasures in order to reduce the annual crash rate. Nonetheless, identifying the areas with the highest potential of crash occurrence is a complicated task. In this regard and within this study, five various types of hotspot identification techniques, consisting of Average Nearest Neighbor, Getis-Ord Gi*, Global Moran's I, kernel density estimation (KDE) and mean centre, were compared to each other, using three different performance measures, including Predictive Accuracy Index (PAI), Recapture Rate Index (RRI) and hit rate. According to the results, the most accurate model with the highest PAI values (PAI = 1.61 and 1.76), Moran's I, had the third-highest reliability value (RRI = 1.003). On the other hand, while the Gi* method was the most precise and reliable technique with the highest RRI value (RRI = 1.121), it showed the second-lowest accuracy (PAI= 0.83 and 0.74). Overall, it seems that Moran's I method is superior to other methods in locating hotspots, which is not only the most accurate technique but also precise enough to rely on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Noise and heat are the most important physical hazardous agents that can affect physiological parameters. This study investigated the independent and combined effects of noise and heat exposure on human saliva cortisol and blood pressure. Methods. In this experimental study, 72 students were exposed to noise (at sound pressure levels of 45, 75, 85 and 95 dB(A)) and heat (at wet bulb globe temperatures [WBGTs] of 22, 29 and 34 °C) for 30 min. Samples of saliva and blood pressure were taken before and after each independent and combined exposure. Results. The results revealed that the average saliva cortisol and blood pressure in male and female subjects increased significantly after independent exposure to noise at 95 dB(A) and a WBGT of 34 °C. The combined exposure to noise and heat increased saliva cortisol and blood pressure, which was statistically significant for three combinations of 95 dB(A) at 34 °C, 95 dB(A) at 29 °C and 85 dB(A) at 34 °C. Conclusions. Combined exposure to noise and heat could affect saliva cortisol and blood pressure in both male and female groups. Further studies are recommended to capture other combinations of physical hazardous agents, especially in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome low output voltage of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic arrays and fuel cells, a high step up SEPIC-based multi-input converter with dual coupled inductor is proposed. A new structure is presented in this paper, as an improved structure. This converter is based on combination of modified quadratic buck-boost converter, Dickson switched capacitor (DSC), and voltage multiplier modules (VMM). The high voltage gain can be achieved by adjusting the duty cycle and turn ratio of coupled inductor of VMM. This structure inherits all the advantages of the SEPIC converter such as step-up/down capability without inverting the polarity of regulated output voltage and using a bidirectional input port (in which an energy storage system (ESS) can be connected), and several unidirectional input ports. The load power can be flexibly divided among various power sources. Due to the buck-boost characteristics of the presented converter, it is suitable to charge-discharge the ESS. A coupled inductor (CI) is used to couple energy from input to the output equipped with the VMM. The usage of the DSC technique also enables the converter to obtain an additional double voltage gain while reducing the voltage stress on switches. Simulation results verify the performance of the proposed converter and feasibility of the control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have assessed the impact of policy uncertainty on consumption and investment in G7 countries. In this study, we assess its impact on domestic output in the same countries. Furthermore, we argue that its impact could be asymmetric, implying that increased uncertainty affects domestic output at a different rate than decreased uncertainty. Unlike consumption and investment, we find the unanimous outcome in all G7 countries that increased uncertainty hurts domestic output and decreased uncertainty boosts it, though significant long-run asymmetric evidence was found only in the cases of Canada, Japan, and the U.S. Thus, any policy aimed at reducing uncertainty will be growth-enhancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]