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The research focused on the quaternary Heusler alloys CoFeXGe (with X being Hf or Ta) using a first principles approach via density functional theory and the Wien2k code. The alloys demonstrated a stable ferromagnetic ground state and exhibited negative formation energies, suggesting their experimental synthesis feasibility. Investigation of the electronic properties revealed that both materials are half‐metallic ferromagnets. The calculated indirect band gaps of CoFeHfGe and CoFeTaGe are 1.46 and 0.77 eV, respectively. The mechanical stability of the materials was confirmed through elastic constants analysis. To gain insights into the materials optical behavior and their potential applications in photonics and related fields, correlation of interband optical transitions with electronic band structure was carried out. Finally, Boltzmann transport theory was utilized to evaluate the thermoelectric potential of these alloys over a temperature range extending from 100 to 1000 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social assistance programmes are crucial in alleviating poverty, reducing inequality, and addressing social exclusion. The efficacy of these programmes hinges on the precision and efficiency of their targeting methods. Governments, especially in developing countries, can enhance the impact of social assistance programmes and ensure equitable resource distribution by accurately identifying the right individuals or households. This paper proposes two approaches to targeting beneficiaries of social benefits in Tunisia, including cash transfers and healthcare programmes. The first approach, a Mixed Means Test, extends the Proxy Means Test model by integrating individual/household assessments with explicit geographical targeting methods. The second is a multidimensional targeting strategy that explicitly considers the various deprivations faced by the households. Utilising data from the 2015 National Survey on Household Budget, Consumption, and Standard of Living, our results indicate that the targeting performance of the Mixed Means Test surpasses existing programmes both nationally and regionally, notably minimising inclusion and exclusion errors in the poorest regions of Tunisia. However, the multidimensional targeting approach identifies a higher number of potential beneficiaries compared to the current selection process in Tunisia. Including these households in social programmes may be hindered by limited monetary resources and the country's financial constraints. To address this, the multidimensional targeting approach enables the categorisation of potential beneficiaries into three mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive groups based on their degree of deprivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergic diseases including food allergy, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis are increasing. Nutritional intake may play a role in this increase. Systematic reviews indicate that intake of specific nutrients and foods does not prevent allergic diseases. The role of the overall diet as measured by dietary patterns (Diet diversity, Dietary inflammatory index, Mediterranean diet score, Healthy eating index, Maternal diet index, ultra‐processed food dietary patterns, and others) have not been systematically reviewed. We aim to investigate the association between overall maternal dietary intake during pregnancy and offspring allergy outcomes. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, OVID Medline, Web of Science, and Embase. Studies with publication dates up to November 28, 2024, will be eligible. We will perform our last search on November 28, 2024. There will be no restrictions by geographical location but only studies published in English will be included. Risk of bias in the included studies will be assessed using the ROBINS‐I Cochrane assessment tool. Data will be discussed and narratively, and studies that present comparable data will be used in meta‐analyses with a random effects model. Data will be discussed and narratively, and studies that present comparable data will be used in meta‐analyses with a random effects model. The results of this systematic review and meta‐analysis will be published in a peer‐reviewed journal. Systematic reviews provide methodology for objective evidence synthesis. The systematic review will provide useful information regarding the role of maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and their association with offspring allergy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a significant public health problem. More than 50 million people worldwide live with epilepsy, and over three‐quarters of them are in low‐ and middle‐income countries. The situation in Chad regarding people with epilepsy is challenging to assess, starting from the shortage of scientific data, the inadequacy of technical facilities, the lack of human resources, and the inadequacy of government action. The Ministry of Health and Chadian Society of Neurology are looking forward to prioritizing epilepsy as well as improving the living conditions of persons with this disease. The epilepsy treatment issue is also problematic. Most of the patients are either off treatment or under‐medicated. Few antiseizure medications (ASMs) are available, notably carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and valproic acid. Epilepsy remains little‐known and does not seem to be a priority for decision‐makers. We describe the current situation in Chad, to improve the conditions under which epilepsy is treated. Plain Language Summary: Epilepsies is a chronic brain problem that is common in poorer settings. The daily lives of people with epilepsy are chaotic in Chad. The challenges are numerous, particularly those related to health infrastructures, due to the lack of adequate diagnostic means and the lack of neurologists. The cultural and language challenges, especially since epilepsy is still considered the devil's disease and the name differs according to the dialects. Stigmatization is also frequent and is often responsible for school dropout, refusal, or dismissal from work. Care and prevention are daily challenges that require government action. Social coverage is insufficient and almost absent in rural areas. It is urgent to prioritize epilepsy in future action plans and also to increase awareness of the conditions to overcome these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of new environmentally friendly recyclable photosensitizers is key to develop future applications in photooxidation chemistry. We report here the evaluation of a set of differently substituted biobased hydroxyanthraquinones in the context of visible light mediated singlet oxygen (1O2) photochemistry. This class of compounds is efficiently immobilized on alumina supports, which offers a simple way of removing them from the reaction mixture downstream. An integrated process using a flow reactor with a fixed catalytic bed is also evaluated and its performance is compared with homogeneous conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the efficacy of Inula Racemosa leaves in the adsorption of Brilliant Cresyl Blue (BCB) from aqueous solutions. The study uses both experimental and theoretical research, including Density Functional Theory (DFT), to gain a better understanding of how the adsorbent and Brilliant Cresyl Blue molecules interact with each other. We determined the point zero value of the charged powder of Inula Racemosa and characterized the functional groups using FTIR spectroscopy. The experimental results indicate a significant ability of our adsorbent to adsorb the cationic dye Brilliant Cresyl Blue, and we have identified optimal conditions for its effective removal. The results suggest that the most effective amount of our biosorbent was 0.1 g. The equilibrium period for biosorption was 10 min, and the biosorbent capacity for biosorption improved with increasing pH. The Pseudo‐second‐order model accurately predicts the retention of Brilliant Cresyl Blue using Inula Racemosa. The Freundlich model was found to be better suitable for analyzing the isotherm data, revealing a maximum adsorption capacity of 3.49 mg g−1, achieving an efficiency removal of 89.95 %. We compared Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations with experimental observations to validate the theoretical predictions and improve our understanding of the adsorption mechanism. Docking simulations show how the molecules of Inula Racemosa and Brilliant Cresyl Blue interact with each other, including the interactions of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptic ulcer disease remains a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder worldwide. Current treatments often have limitations, sparking interest in alternative therapies from medicinal plants. This review examines the gastroprotective potential of 54 North African medicinal plants against peptic ulcers. An extensive literature search was conducted, focusing on plants with preclinical and clinical evidence of anti‐ulcer efficacy and documented use in North African traditional medicine. The review identified several promising plant species, such as licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), olive (Olea europaea), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Aloe vera, and black seed (Nigella sativa), along with their bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. These compounds exhibit gastroprotective properties through multiple mechanisms, such as enhancing the gastric mucosal barrier, inhibiting acid secretion, displaying antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects, promoting ulcer healing, and combating Helicobacter pylori infection. The evidence presented includes in vitro assays, animal models, and some clinical studies. While many of the 53 plants reviewed demonstrated significant anti‐ulcer effects compared to standard drugs, further clinical research is needed to establish efficacy and safety in humans. The synergistic actions of phytochemical mixtures in medicinal plant extracts likely contribute to their therapeutic potential. This review highlights the role these North African medicinal plants may play in the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcers and identifies promising candidates for further research and development of evidence‐based botanical therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is the most common neurocutaneous disorder in the United States. Due to a nonfunctional mutation in the NF1 gene, the disorder may initially present with café‐au‐lait spots and later numerous neurofibromas across the body. Epilepsy is a rare comorbidity of NF1, with an incidence of just 4%–7%. While abnormal electroencephalograms have been seen in up to 25% of NF1 patients, very few studies have investigated the association between epilepsy and the NF1 patient profile. This study was aimed at evaluating the associations between epilepsy and demographics, comorbidities and healthcare outcomes in NF1 patients. The 2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was retrospectively queried for patients with NF1 using ICD‐10 PCS codes. Chi‐square tests were used in univariable analysis to compare patients within this cohort with and without epilepsy. Regression analysis was used in multivariable analysis to identify comorbidities that were predictors of epilepsy and the effect of comorbidities on outcomes. 4635 patients with NF1 were identified, of which 655 (14.1%) had epilepsy and 3980 (85.9%) did not. The NF1 patient population with epilepsy was largely comprised of White males of lower household income in larger urban/teaching hospitals and who used Medicare or Medicaid. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that malignant brain neoplasms, paralytic ileus, scoliosis, pregnancy complications, paralysis, other neurological disorders, metastatic cancer, coagulopathy, drug abuse and hypertension were predictors of developing epilepsy in NF1 patients. Additionally, epilepsy in NF1 patients was associated with a shorter length of stay, lower total charges and fewer total procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis, a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder, encompasses various subtypes, including guttate, pustular, erythrodermic, and the most common type, plaque psoriasis. Irrespective of the subtype, psoriasis can manifest with multisystemic presentations, including psoriatic arthritis, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, malignancies, chronic kidney disease (CKD), psychiatric illness, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Many comorbidities and concomitant conditions must be considered when selecting the most appropriate therapy for a patient (Kaushik et al., 2019 and Monks et al., 2021) . Ongoing clinical trials and the development of new therapeutic targets contribute to the continuous improvement of available treatment options. Given the dynamic landscape of therapies, particularly when managing complex patients with multiple comorbidities, dermatologists are constantly challenged with the task of adeptly tailoring treatments to each psoriasis patient. This article systematically reviews the current evidence, presenting it as an updated Psoriasis Decision Tree to assist physicians in selecting tailored treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious games (SGs) are valuable tools for learning, training, and improving skills in various domains because they engage and motivate players to achieve planned processes to reach objectives. Several works provided methods, models, and frameworks to support SG development. However, designers, developers, teachers, and researchers face challenges in creating SG with entertainment and learning balance, and many designed games still do not fulfill the main intended objectives. This paper introduces an approach, called SGDA‐IE with phases and steps to follow during the entire SG design process. It was built on literature review and SG design challenges designers need to consider from the early stages when creating SG. The proposed approach is founded on three perspectives: software engineering best practices, video game industry practices, and SG success factors and provides means to overcome the investigated design challenges. These are characteristics taxonomy model, requirements specification approach, and artifacts iterative evaluation by designer, domain expert, and players. To assess our approach efficacy, we conceived a health, safety, and environment (HSE) training SG for workers on fuel storage sites and petroleum installations. The feedback received is positive and indicates a favorable specification method of the SG, effective participatory design, and control over requirements evolution. The SG playtesting reveals a significant involvement of participants and efficient tracking of the knowledge acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The glymphatic clearance pathway is a waste clearance system that allows for removal of soluble proteins such as amyloid β (Aβ) from the brain. Higher Aβ levels are associated with cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). Diffusion tensor imaging‐along the perivascular space (DTI‐ALPS) is an imaging measure proposed to indirectly measure glymphatic function. Objectives: Evaluate differences in DTI‐ALPS‐index between PD and healthy controls (HC) and characterize relationships between this proposed measure of glymphatic clearance, cognition, and disease severity in PD. Methods: PD (n = 32) and HC (n = 23) participants underwent brain imaging to assess DTI‐ALPS. PD participants were classified as PD‐normal cognition (PD‐NC; n = 20) or PD‐mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI; n = 12) based on a Level II comprehensive cognitive assessment. A subgroup of PD participants (n = 21) returned for annual assessments for up to 4 years after baseline. Longitudinal outcomes included changes in performance on the comprehensive cognitive assessment and changes in the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS‐UPDRS). Results: PD participants had lower DTI‐ALPS‐index compared to HC. PD participants classified as PD‐MCI had significantly lower DTI‐ALPS‐index compared to PD‐NC. Lower DTI‐ALPS‐index at baseline was associated with longitudinal cognitive decline and worse longitudinal disease severity. Conclusions: Glymphatic clearance, as measured with DTI‐ALPS, has potential to serve as a marker of longitudinal disease progression. Interventions targeting glymphatic function should be explored for potential to slow cognitive decline in PD. © 2024 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focuses on the effect of Juniperus communis extract on the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from camel milk in the region of El Oued (Algeria). Chromatographic analysis by HPLC was carried out to detect the most important compounds extracted from the plant. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using the colorimetric procedures Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride. The probiotic properties were studied and evaluated in vivo with Juniperus communis extracts after isolating strains from camel's milk and identifying them using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Chromatographic profiles of the phenolic compounds revealed that Juniperus communis extract is rich in quercetin. After conducting chemical analyses of polyphenols and flavonoids, the results demonstrated a high content of phenolic compounds in Juniperus communis extracts (polyphenols: 103.80 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g E. flavonoids: 15.85 ± 0.80 mg QE/g E). Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates belong to Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus safensis strains. The combination of Juniperus communis and Bacillus safensis restored the healthy intestine wall structure and returned the blood biochemical parameters to normal values. It was found that the mixture enhanced anti‐inflammatory effectiveness by reducing erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C‐reactive protein values. Juniperus communis has a high polyphenol and flavonoid content which can have a considerable impact on Bacillus safensis probiotic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross‐border trade is critical to livelihoods and food security in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), but bribery remains one of the main barriers to economic growth in the region. Does corruption affect intra‐African trade? We address this issue by considering the bilateral trade among 48 sub‐Saharan African countries from 2000 to 2018, which are subject to a high level of corruption. Using a gravity model, the results show that corruption has a positive impact on exports and a negative impact on imports of global, primary, and manufactured goods. However, the difference in the level of corruption between country pairs is negatively and significantly associated with intra‐African trade in manufactured goods. Therefore, to promote the corruption‐free environment needed to facilitate the African Free Trade Agreement, it is essential for policymakers in sub‐Saharan African countries to combat corruption to boost intra‐African trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we estimate and decompose the public–private wage differentials for urban areas, using the 2012 Tunisia urban youth survey. Oaxaca decomposition results suggest that, on average, public sector workers earn more than their private counterparts. Additionally, the results indicate that a substantial part of the conditional gap in urban areas can be attributed to observed characteristics. Human capital, particularly education, are the main reason behind the observed log‐wage advantages. Using unconditional quantile decomposition, our findings reveal that, for urban areas, the discrimination effect becomes more pronounced at the upper quantiles of the wage distribution. Separate analyses by gender and educational levels show that male workers across both sectors receive higher compensation than their female counterparts, with a more pronounced gender gap in private sector. Less educated workers are compensated much more in the public sector than in the private sector, while the wage differential for skilled workers decreases rapidly through the distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of the existing results in the literature shows that several of the results on variational inequality problem were established under some stringent conditions and employed some form of linesearch technique even in the framework of Hilbert spaces. However, due to the loop nature of the linesearch technique, the implementation of such algorithms might be economically nonviable. In this article, we study the pseudomonotone variational inequality problem. We propose a new inertial‐like Tseng's extragradient method with non‐monotonic self‐adaptive step size that does not involve any linesearch technique for finding the solution of the problem in reflexive Banach spaces. Under some mild conditions, we prove a strong convergence result for the proposed method without the sequentially weakly continuity condition often assumed by authors to guarantee convergence when studying the pseudomonotone variational inequality problems. Moreover, we apply our result to study a constrained convex minimization problem. Finally, we present several theoretical and real applications to optimal control numerical experiments to illustrate and show the performance of our method in comparison with related methods in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male infertility is a significant global issue affecting 60–80 million people, with 40%–50% of cases linked to male issues. Exposure to radiation, drugs, sickness, the environment, and oxidative stress may result in testicular degeneration. Carbohydrate‐based polymers (CBPs) restore testis differentiation and downregulate apoptosis genes. CBP has biodegradability, low cost, and wide availability, but is at risk of contamination and variations. CBP shows promise in wound healing, but more research is required before implementation in healthcare. Herein, we discuss the recent advances in engineering applications of CBP employed as scaffolds, drug delivery systems, immunomodulation, and stem cell therapy for testicular regeneration. Moreover, we emphasize the promising challenges warranted for future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The push for reparations for Africans and people of African descent extends back generations, yet has gained substantial momentum since 2020 — a global inflection point that exemplified the polycrises facing the planet, including the global COVID‐19 pandemic, worldwide uprisings against state and police violence in response to the murder of George Floyd in the United States, stark income inequality, and multiple natural disasters. Against this backdrop, reparations advocacy became more visible and gained traction. This article explores the enabling factors that have contributed to this heightened visibility and the dynamics that have created a more global reparations agenda. It also provides a roadmap with emergent areas of caution and guidance for reparations advocates as they advance the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sine cosine algorithm (SCA), a meta‐heuristic optimization method, is used in this study to provide a precise linear and elliptical antenna array design for synthesizing the ideal far‐field radiation pattern in the fifth‐generation (5G) communication spectrum. The wireless communication system will undergo dramatic changes thanks to the forthcoming 5G technology, which offers exceptionally high data rates, increased capacity, reduced latency, and outstanding service quality. The most important component of 5G communications is an accurate antenna array design for an optimum far‐field radiation pattern synthesis with a suppressed sidelobe level (SLL) value and half power beam width (HPBW). While long‐distance communication necessitates a low HPBW, the entire side lobe area needs a suppressed SLL to prevent interference. The SCA is used in this case to the optimal feeding currents applied to each array member in the design examples of the concentric circular antenna arrays (CCAA) discussed in this article. It shows the litheness and attainment of the propound algorithm named SCA, chosen CCAAs with three rings and varying amounts of components or antenna array sets those are stated as follows: Set I (4, 6, 8 elements), Set II (8, 10, 12 elements), Set III (6, 12, 18 elements), Set IV (8, 14, 20 elements) with and without the center element are amalgamate. Apply the PSO, Jaya, and SCA optimization algorithms for all four Sets of antenna arrays and compare the attained results; the SLL values achieved by the SCA technique are contrasted with those of other current optimization techniques. The outcomes of all examinations reveal that the SCA algorithm achieved a superior SLL reduction over other optimization techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with intellectual disabilities are living longer and are increasingly diverse, with health and care needs that are varied and complex. Without changes to funding, services have found it difficult to respond to needs and wishes. Method: A descriptive mixed methods design study, data were collected through questionnaire, focus groups and individual interviews from intellectual disability service managers, direct care staff and older people with intellectual disabilities and family members. Results: Continued reticence on the part of some community healthcare providers to treat people with intellectual disability was noted. Although some service innovations were noted, housing, staffing levels, staff mix and the timely provision of equipment were all reported to impact the ability of services to respond to changing needs. Current per‐capita funding practices were reported as unresponsive to growing age‐related complexity and fundamentally unsustainable. Conclusions: The health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disabilities are compounded as they age with complex age‐related health needs. There is an urgent need for revision of the service model in Ireland and instigation of flexible and responsive approaches to funding. Accessible summary: More people with intellectual disabilities are living into old age and may experience age related ill health.In this study, we interviewed older people with intellectual disability, family members and staff and managers in intellectual disability services. We also surveyed staff from the services.We found that there is a concern that as people with intellectual disability age and have different health and social needs, the way that services are provided and staffed may no longer suit the needs of the individuals.Most intellectual disability services are now based in the community and most staff are social care rather than healthcare staff and may not have the skills and experience to provide care to older adults with healthcare needs. Accommodation in the community may not be suitable for older adults with healthcare needs.A new model of care and different model of funding intellectual disability services is needed to meet the needs of older people with intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otolith shape is often used as a tool in fish stock identification. The goal of this study was to experimentally assess the influence of changing temperature and ontogenic evolution on the shape component of the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) otolith during early‐life stages. A total of 1079 individuals were reared in a water temperature of 16°C up to 232 days post hatch (dph). During this experiment, several specimens were transferred into tanks with a water temperature of 21°C to obtain at the end of this study four different temperature treatments, each with varying ratios between the number of days at 16 and 21°C. To evaluate the otolith morphogenesis, samples were examined at 43, 72, 86 and 100 dph. The evolution of normalized otolith shape from hatching up to 100 dph showed that there were two main successive changes. First, faster growth in the antero‐posterior axis than in the dorso‐ventral axis changed the circular‐shaped otolith from that observed at hatching and, second, increasing the complexity relating to the area between the rostrum and the anti‐rostrum. To test the effect of changing temperature, growing degree‐day was used in three linear mixed‐effect models. Otolith morphogenesis was positively correlated to growing degree‐day, but was also dependent on temperature level. Otolith shape is influenced by environmental factors, particularly temperature, making it an efficient tool for fish stock identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is the material of choice for photocatalytic and electrochemical applications owing to its outstanding physicochemical properties. However, its wide bandgap and relatively low conductivity limit its practical application. Modifying TiO2 with carbon species is a promising route to overcome these intrinsic complexities. In this work, we propose a facile method to modify TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) based on the remnant organic electrolyte retained inside the nanotubes after the anodization process, that is, without removing it by immersion in ethanol. Carbon‐modified TiO2 NTs (C‐TiO2 NTs) showed enhanced H2 evolution in photocatalysis under UV illumination in aqueous solutions. When the C‐TiO2 NTs were subjected to UV light illumination, the carbon underwent modification, resulting in higher measured photocurrents in the tube layers. After UV illumination, the IPCE of the C‐TiO2 NTs was 4.4‐fold higher than that of the carbon‐free TiO2 NTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the prognostic impact of EGFR and CASP8 gene mutations in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) through a retrospective multistudy analysis. The study compares survival outcomes of cSCC patients with the most commonly mutated genes, highlighting significantly worse prognoses for patients with EGFR mutations compared to other common gene drivers. The findings suggest that EGFR mutations have a substantial impact on cSCC patient survival outcomes, reinforcing the poor prognosis associated with these mutations. Additionally, the study sheds light on the poorer prognosis of CASP8 mutations compared to CDKN2A mutations, indicating that CASP8 mutations could display one of the poorest prognoses among all common cSCC gene mutations, second only to EGFR. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Early identification of subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) may improve patient care if it predicts cognition-related functional impairment (CFI). Objectives: The aim was to determine the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between SCC and CFI in PD. Methods: Data were obtained from Fox Insight, an online longitudinal study that collects PD patient-reported outcomes. Participants completed a PD Patient Report of Problems that asked participants for their five most bothersome disease problems. SCCs were placed into eight categories through human-in-the-loop curation and classification. CFI had a Penn Parkinson’s Daily Activities Questionnaire (PDAQ-15) score ≤49. Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan–Meier survival analyses determined if baseline SCC was associated with incident CFI. Results: The PD-PROP cohort (N = 21,160) was 55.8% male, mean age was 65.9 years, and PD duration was 4.8 years. At baseline, 31.9% (N = 6750) of participants reported one or more SCCs among their five most bothersome problems, including memory (13.2%), language/ word finding (12.5%), and concentration/attention (9.6%). CFI occurred in 34.7% (N = 7332) of participants. At baseline, SCC was associated with CFI (P-value <0.001). SCC at baseline was associated with incident CFI (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.58 [95% confidence interval: 1.45, 1.72], P-value <0.001), as did cognitive impairment not otherwise specified (HR = 2.31), executive abilities (HR = 1.97), memory (HR = 1.85), and cognitive slowing (HR = 1.77) (P-values <0.001). Kaplan–Meier curves showed that by year 3 an estimated 45% of participants with any SCC at baseline developed new-onset CFI. Conclusions: Self-reported bothersome cognitive complaints are associated with new-onset CFI in PD. Remote electronic assessment can facilitate widespread use of patient self-report at population scale. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spasticity of flexor digitorum profundus is frequently managed with botulinum toxin injections. Knowledge of the 3D morphology and intramuscular innervation of the digital bellies of flexor digitorum profundus is necessary to optimize the injections. The purpose of this study was to digitize and model in 3D the contractile and connective tissue elements of flexor digitorum profundus to determine muscle morphology, model and map the intramuscular innervation and propose sites for botulinum toxin injection. Fiber bundles (FBs)/aponeuroses and intramuscular nerve branches were dissected and digitized in 12 formalin embalmed cadaveric specimens. Cartesian coordinate data were reconstructed into 3D models as in situ to visualize and compare the muscle morphology and intramuscular innervation patterns of the bellies of flexor digitorum profundus. The 3rd, 4th and 5th digital bellies were superficial to the 2nd digital belly and located adjacent to each other in all specimens. Each digital belly had distinct intramuscular innervation patterns. The 2nd digital belly received intramuscular branches from the anterior interosseus nerve (AIN). The superior half of the 3rd digital belly was innervated intramuscularly by the ulnar nerve (n = 4) or by both the anterior interosseus and ulnar nerves (n = 1). The inferior half of the belly received dual innervation from the anterior interosseus and ulnar nerves in 2 specimens, or exclusively from the AIN (n = 2) or the ulnar nerve (n = 1). The 4th digital belly was innervated by intramuscular branches of the ulnar nerve. One main branch, after coursing through the 4th digital belly, entered the lateral aspect of the 5th digital belly and arborized intramuscularly. The morphology of the FBs, aponeuroses and intramuscular innervation of the digital bellies of FDP were mapped and modelled volumetrically in 3D as in situ. Previous studies were not volumetric nor identified the course of the intramuscular nerve branches within each digital belly. Based on the intramuscular innervation of each of the digital bellies, one possible optimized botulinum toxin injection location was proposed. This injection location, at the junction of the superior and middle thirds of the forearm, would be located in dense nerve terminal zones of the anterior interosseus and ulnar nerves. Future anatomical and clinical investigations are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these anatomical findings in the management of spasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Favipiravir is an antiviral drug used for the treatment of virus‐based diseases such as influenza. In this context, the development of a reliable liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of the drug and its impurities is necessary, particularly following the COVID‐19 pandemic. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an inertial ODS column using gradient elution with a buffer containing triethylamine in high‐performance liquid chromatography water and adjusting its pH with formic acid. The mixture of buffer and acetonitrile was used as a mobile phase with a flow rate of 1 ml/min at ambient temperature. The separation of favipiravir and its related impurities from remdesivir as an internal standard was achieved. The results indicated that all the variables, like precision, accuracy, linearity, matrix effect and stability, were successfully achieved within the limits of US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. This study could provide a new protocol for the development of new analytical methods for the detection of favipiravir and its impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In utero/peripartum antiretroviral therapy (IPA) exposure type was examined in relationship to mental health symptoms among 577 children with perinatally acquired HIV (CPHIV), children perinatally HIV exposed but uninfected (CHEU), and children HIV unexposed uninfected (CHUU). IPA exposure was categorized for CPHIV and CHEU as none, single‐dose nevirapine with or without zidovudine (sdNVP±AZT), sdNVP+AZT+lamivudine (3TC), or combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Anxiety and depressive symptoms were reported at baseline, 6‐, and 12‐month follow‐up per behavioral assessment system for children. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to estimate differences (b) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for IPA exposure types versus CHEU without IPA exposure. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were lower in CHUU relative to CHEU and CPHIV but did not differ between CPHIV and CHEU. CHEU with sdNVP±AZT exposure had greater anxiety (b = 0.51, 95% CI: [0.06, 0.96]) and depressive symptoms (b = 0.48, 95% CI: [0.07, 0.89]) than CHEU without IPA exposure. CHEU with sdNVP+AZT+3TC exposure had higher anxiety (b = 0.0.45, 95% CI: [0.03, 0.86]) and depressive symptoms (b = 0.72, 95% CI: [0.27, 1.17]) versus CHEU without IPA exposure. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were not different for CHEU and CPHIV exposed to cART (b = 0.12–0.60, 95% CI: [−0.41, 1.30]) and CHEU and CHUU (b = −0.04 to 0.08, 95% CI: [−0.24, 0.29]) without IPA exposure. Among CHEU, peripartum sdNVP±AZT and sdNVP+AZT+3TC but not cART compared to no IPA exposure was associated with clinically important elevations in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Monitoring of mental health trajectory of HIV‐affected children considering IPA is needed to inform mental health interventions. Patient Contribution: Caregivers and their dependents provided consent for participation and collaborated with study team to identify mutually convenient times for protocol implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between periodontal status, tooth loss and diabetes among community‐dwelling adults aged 50 years and over in Ireland. Methods: From respondents who attended a health assessment in Wave 3 of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), an opportunistic sample was selected for an oral health examination. The oral health examination criteria were used in previous Irish surveys and WHO recommendations. For diabetes, the self‐reported and objectively measured data on diabetes for the same cohort from Wave 3 to Wave 5 of TILDA was used. Multinomial regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between diabetes and tooth loss and tooth loss and incident diabetes, controlling for other covariates. Results: Out of the 3111 people who were offered an oral health assessment 2539 were examined. For the purposes of analysis, the adults below 50 years of age (n = 31) and those with an incomplete oral health assessment (n = 4) were omitted from the sample. The final sample consisted of 2504 people, giving a response rate of 80.5%. Among the study sample, 9.9% (n = 249) were edentate; 35.7% (n = 895) had 1–19 teeth and 54.4% (n = 1360) had ≥20 teeth. From the sample of 2504 adults, 2358 had HbA1c results and 8.4% (n = 198) of these had diabetes according to the TILDA criteria. Multinomial regression analysis showed that diabetes was associated with tooth loss. Diabetes at Wave 3 was associated with a higher rate of being edentate (PR 2.12, 95% CI 1.27–3.52) relative to having ≥20 teeth while controlling for the effect of age, gender, education level, area of residence, body mass index (BMI) and smoking. Furthermore, having 1–19 teeth at Wave 3 was associated with incident diabetes over a 4‐year follow‐up (OR 1.94, 1.00–3.75). There was no evidence of an association between diabetes and periodontal status as measured in this sample. Conclusion: The results suggested that diabetes was associated with tooth loss and that this relationship may be bi‐directional among community‐dwelling adults aged 50 years and over in Ireland, but they do not support a relationship between diabetes and periodontal status in this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Metformin is widely considered a first‐line antiglycemic agent due to its cost‐effectiveness and favorable adverse effect profile. However, its use is prohibited in patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m2, due to the risk of potentially lethal metformin‐associated lactic acidosis (MALA). We sought to evaluate MALA cases and outcomes at our institution. Methods: In this observational, retrospective case series, we reviewed our EMR for all patients who had a metformin level drawn between January 2013 and May 2022 to identify individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for MALA. We evaluated risk factors for MALA, the relationship between metformin level, blood pH, serum bicarbonate, and lactate level and clinical outcomes of ventilator dependency, renal replacement therapy requirement, renal recovery in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients, and survival. Findings: A total of 107 patients had metformin levels drawn, of which 19 patients met the diagnostic criteria for MALA. In our case series, MALA was primarily seen in AKI (15 patients) secondary to dehydration and sepsis, followed by end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) (4 patients). Intubation was required in 17 patients, of whom 8 were successfully extubated after a mean duration of 14 days. Sixteen patients received renal replacement therapy (RRT). Intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) was performed in nine, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in four, and sequential therapy of IHD and CRRT in three patients. Seven patients, all in the AKI group (46.7%), died while all ESRD patients survived, accounting for an overall mortality rate of 36.8%. Among the eight surviving AKI patients, four had complete renal recovery with renal function returning to baseline, three had partial renal recovery, and one continued to require IHD at the time of discharge to a rehabilitation facility. Discussion: MALA may be an underrecognized entity. A high level of clinical suspicion leading to prompt and aggressive treatment with RRT may improve mortality rates. Provider and patient education is of paramount importance for safe use of metformin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Every year on June 8th, the globe observes World Brain Tumor Day to raise awareness and educate people about brain cancer, encompassing both noncancerous (benign) and cancerous (malignant) growths. Research in the field of brain cancer plays a vital role in supporting medical professionals. In this context, augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a valuable tool, enabling surgeons to visualize underlying structures and offering a cost‐effective and time‐efficient alternative. Our study focuses on the efficient segmentation of brain tumor classes using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and incorporates a three‐stage approach: preprocessing, segmentation, and 3D reconstruction & AR display. In the preprocessing stage, a Gaussian filter is applied to mitigate intensity heterogeneity. Segmentation and detection are achieved using active geometric contour models, complemented by morphological operations. To establish 3D brain tumor reconstruction, a genuine scene is virtually integrated using 3D Slicer software. The proposed methodology was validated using a genuine patient dataset comprising 496 MRI scans obtained from the local Bab El Oued university hospital center. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in achieving accurate 3D brain tumor reconstruction, efficient tumor extraction, and augmented reality visualization. The obtained segmentation results showcased an impressive accuracy of 98.61%, outperforming existing state‐of‐the‐art methods and affirming the efficacy of our proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the potential association of chronic use of omeprazole with the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures (OF) in community‐dwelling elderly subjects. Methods: The cohort consisted of community‐dwelling residents aged >65 years registered with a large health maintenance organization in Israel between January 2002 and December 2016. Data were retrospectively collected from the electronic medical files on demographics, parameters known to be associated with OF, diagnoses of osteoporotic hip, wrist, and vertebral fractures, and chronic use of omeprazole (>11 prescriptions/year). Time to OF/death/end of study was calculated from the beginning of the study (2002). The risk of fractures in the chronic users of omeprazole was analyzed by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results: In total, 46 805 subjects were included (41% men), mean age 83.4±6.4 years, of whom 10 272 (21.9%) were chronic users of omeprazole. During 14 years of follow‐up, OF were diagnosed in 414 (4.0%) omeprazole users and 1007 (2.8%) omeprazole nonusers (p < 0.001). In a Cox regression model adjusted for age and gender only, chronic use of omeprazole was associated with a 16% excess of OF. However, when parameters known to be associated with OF were entered into the multivariate Cox regression model, chronic use of omeprazole was not found to be an independent risk factor for OF, either overall (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.965, 95% confidence interval 0.86–1.08, P =.55) or specifically, in the ≥85 years age group (adjusted hazard ration = 0.780, 95% confidence interval 0.635–0.958, P <.05) in which an inverse correlation between omeprazole use and OF, was demonstrated. Conclusions: Chronic use of omeprazole was not associated with the occurrence of OF in elders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrographis paniculata, commonly known as green chiretta, is a traditionally used plant in India, China, and Southeast Asian countries for its varied health benefits including immune health. The objective of the present study was to assess the safety of AP‐Bio®, a standardized A. paniculata extract in Sprague Dawley rats by following the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test guidelines of acute and 90‐day repeated dose sub‐chronic toxicity studies. AP‐Bio® did not show any treatment‐related clinical signs of toxicity or mortality during the 14‐day observation period in animals tested in the single‐dose acute oral toxicity study up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight. In the 90‐day repeated dose sub‐chronic oral toxicity study, no treatment‐related adverse clinical signs were observed in any of the treated groups (300, 600, and 900 mg/kg). All treated animals showed usual weight gain and comparable feed intake. The ophthalmoscope examination did not reveal any abnormalities. Also, no toxicologically significant changes were observed in urinalysis, hematology, and blood chemistry parameters. Absolute organ weights and relative organ weights of vital organs did not differ significantly compared to control. Gross and histopathological findings did not show any remarkable and treatment‐related changes. Results of the safety evaluation showed the median lethal dose (LD50) of AP‐Bio® was found to be more than 5000 mg/kg rat body weight and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of AP‐Bio® was found to be 900 mg/kg rat body weight. The safety of AP‐Bio®, a standardized Andrographis paniculata extract, was assessed in Sprague Dawley rats by following the OECD guidelines of acute and sub‐chronic toxicity studies. The safety evaluation showed that the LD50 cut‐off value of AP‐Bio was determined to be ⟩5000 mg/kg rat body weight from the acute oral toxicity study. No treatment‐related toxicity was observed in the sub‐chronic toxicity study, and the NOAEL of AP‐Bio® was found to be 900 mg/kg rat body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of relatively higher dose of zinc oxide nanoparticles in brain was reported to produce neurotoxicity. Indeed, nanoparticles have a high ability to penetrate biological membranes and be uptaken by cells, which may cause cell disorders and physiological dysfunctions. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, whether oral administration of saffron extract, in rats, can protect from neurotoxicity and behavioural disturbances induced by chronic administration of ZnO‐NPs. Daily oral administration of ZnO‐NPs was performed for 21 consecutive days to induce oxidative stress‐like situation. Then after the saffron extract was concomitantly administrated in several rat groups to overcome the nanotoxicological effect induced by ZnO‐NPs. In the frontal cortex, the hippocampus and the cerebellum, ZnO‐NPs induced a H2O2‐oxydative stress‐like effect reflected in reduced enzymatic activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S‐transferase, and decreased acetylcholinesterase activity. In addition, increased levels of proinflammatory interleukins IL‐6 and IL‐1‐⍺ occurred in the hippocampus, reveal the existence of brain inflammation. The concomitant administration of saffron extract to animals exposed to ZnO‐NPs prevented the enhanced anxiety‐related to the behaviour in the elevated plus‐maze test, the open field test and preserved spatial learning abilities in the Morris water maze. Moreover, animals exposed to ZnO‐NPs and saffron showed abnormal activity of several antioxidant enzymes as well as acetylcholinesterase activity, an effect that may underly the preserved anxiety‐like behaviour and spatial learning abilities observed in these animals. Saffron extract has a potential beneficial therapeutic effect: antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of dementia in India is approximately 7.4% among those aged 60 years and older, yet little is known about genetic risk factors for dementia in this population. Examining genetic variants at higher frequency in India than other ancestries (i.e., Indian enriched variants) presents an opportunity to detect genetic effects which might be unique to the Indian population and/or underpowered for detection in other ancestral groups. We examined associations between Indian‐enriched variants and cognitive outcomes in 2680 older adults from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India ‐ Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia (LASI‐DAD) to identify potentially novel variants that may influence cognitive aging and dementia. Method: Using whole‐genome sequence (WGS) data, we identified 4.8M Indian‐enriched variants, including 4.2M rare variants (0.2%5; and 600K common variants (MAFLASI‐DAD≥5%, and MAFLASI‐DAD /MAFEA>3). We conducted single‐variant association tests for all Indian‐enriched variants with the Hindi Mental State Exam (HMSE) score, a general cognitive function score, and five cognitive domain scores. Given the potential for heterogeneity between sexes, we also added variant‐by‐sex interaction terms to test the joint effects of variants and variant‐by‐sex interactions. In all analyses, we controlled for age, sex, state, education, literacy, rural/urban status, the first 10 genetic principal components, and genetic relatedness. Result: At 5% false discovery rate, 11 variants were associated with one or more cognitive outcomes, including rs118075114, an intronic variant of CA12 that is in a known risk locus for Alzheimer's disease in European ancestry. Joint models identified an additional 17 variants with a sex‐specific association with HMSE score (11 in females and 6 in males). Although the identified variants are rarely reported in the literature, partly because they are almost absent in European populations and elsewhere, several of the loci have been associated with neuropsychiatric traits and dementia risk factors such as diabetes, blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the potential of LASI‐DAD WGS to identify Indian‐enriched variants that are associated with cognition at older ages. Future studies are warranted to replicate and understand the functional relevance of the identified variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical scrapie is a contagious prion disease of sheep and goats. It is endemic in many countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. In Africa, imported scrapie cases have been described in South Africa and Kenia in the past. More recently, several cases have been reported from different regions of Libya, based on clinical signs and histological lesions. Here, we report the results of thorough investigations carried out on a suspect case of scrapie in a 6-year-old Barbarine sheep, born, and bred in Tunisia, showing behavioral changes, weight loss, itching, skin lesions, wool loss, and motor incoordination. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed spongiform change in several brain areas with associated pathological prion protein deposition. Western blotting confirmed the diagnosis and showed a classical scrapie-like molecular pattern of PrPres, different from atypical scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in small ruminants. Sequence analysis of the prion protein gene showed that the animal carried the ARQ/ARQ genotype, one of the most susceptible to classical scrapie. The inoculation of sheep brain homogenate in a susceptible rodent model proved the experimental transmissibility of the disease. These results demonstrate the circulation of classical scrapie in Tunisia and confirm its presence in North Africa, indicating the need to improve epidemiological surveillance and diagnostic capacity for prion diseases in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To valorize abundant, unexploited, and low‐cost agro‐industrial by‐products, olive pomace is proposed as a sustainable and renewable raw material for cellulose microfibers (CMFs) production. In this study, CMFs were extracted from olive pomace using alkaline and bleaching treatments and characterized in terms of morphological, structural, and thermal properties. Afterward, the reinforcing capability of microfibers was examined using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a polymer matrix by the solvent casting process. The effects of CMF loading (1%, 3%, 5%, and 10%) on the composites' mechanical, physical, morphological, and thermal properties were assessed. CMF incorporation led to a decrease in moisture content (MC), water solubility (WS), and water vapor permeability (WVP) and an increase in tensile strength (TS), stiffness and transparency values, and thermal stability of CMC films. Increasing CMF content to 5%, increased the TS and elasticity modulus by 54% and 79%, respectively, and reduced the WVP and light transmissivity at 280 nm, by 22% and 47%, respectively. The highest water, moisture, light barrier, and mechanical properties of composites were reached at 5% CMFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use during the perinatal period and while parenting can pose a significant risk to children's safety and well‐being. Mothers who have experienced child maltreatment are more likely to use substances than mothers without a history of maltreatment. This study explores how child welfare social workers experience supporting young, maltreated mothers struggling with substance use to prevent the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with four social workers working with young mothers with a history of maltreatment and substance use. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed two themes: (1) grappling with system challenges and (2) supporting strategies for disrupting intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. The results highlight the need for systemic changes around support for social workers who work with young mothers who use substances and have a history of maltreatment, and substance use treatment and mental health programs themselves. Mothers need access to prenatal programs that are trauma‐informed, non‐judgemental and that support participants' basic needs and parenting skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While low bone density is a major burden on US health system, current osteoporosis screening guidelines by the US Preventive Services Task Force are limited to women aged ≥65 and all postmenopausal women with certain risk factors. Even within recommended screening groups, actual screening rates are low (<26%) and vary across socioeconomic groups. The proposed model can opportunistically screen patients using abdominal CT studies for low bone density who may otherwise go undiagnosed. Purpose: To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model for opportunistic screening of low bone density using both contrast and non‐contrast abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) exams, for the purpose of referral to traditional bone health management, which typically begins with dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Methods: We collected 6083 contrast‐enhanced CT imaging exams paired with DXA exams within ±6 months documented between May 2015 and August 2021 in a single institution with four major healthcare practice regions. Our fusion AI pipeline receives the coronal and axial plane images of a contrast enhanced abdominopelvic CT exam and basic patient demographics (age, gender, body cross section lengths) to predict risk of low bone mass. The models were trained on lumbar spine T‐scores from DXA exams and tested on multi‐site imaging exams. The model was again tested in a prospective group (N = 344) contrast‐enhanced and non‐contrast‐enhanced studies. Results: The models were evaluated on the same test set (1208 exams)—(1) Baseline model using demographic factors from electronic medical records (EMR) ‐ 0.7 area under the curve of receiver operator characteristic (AUROC); Imaging based models: (2) axial view ‐ 0.83 AUROC; (3) coronal view‐ 0.83 AUROC; (4) Fusion model—Imaging + demographic factors ‐ 0.86 AUROC. The prospective test yielded one missed positive DXA case with a hip prosthesis among 23 positive contrast‐enhanced CT exams and 0% false positive rate for non‐contrast studies. Both positive cases among non‐contrast enhanced CT exams were successfully detected. While only about 8% patients from prospective study received a DXA exam within 2 years, about 30% were detected with low bone mass by the fusion model, highlighting the need for opportunistic screening. Conclusions: The fusion model, which combines two planes of CT images and EMRs data, outperformed individual models and provided a high, robust diagnostic performance for opportunistic screening of low bone density using contrast and non‐contrast CT exams. This model could potentially improve bone health risk assessment with no additional cost. The model's handling of metal implants is an ongoing effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cellulose-based nanocomposite films having trimetallic (Bi, Fe, and Sn) nanoparticles were prepared by green adaptive methodology using Terminalia arjuna leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Then, they were characterized by FTIR and SEM. The color change of microcrystalline cellulose films revealed the formation of the trimetallic (Bi, Fe, Sn) nanoparticles. Characteristics absorption peaks for reducing functional groups indicated the presence and role of the plant material used; moreover, the presence of various bands in FTIR spectra below 1000 cm−1 was indicative of the formation of (Bi, Fe, and Sn) nanocomposites. These synthesized nanomaterials were also tested for their antimicrobial potency against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Positive outcomes designated their potential to be adopted for biomedical applications and in food packaging as an alternative of synthetic plastics to control pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the relationship between agglomeration economies (urbanization, specialization, and diversity) and firm‐level performance during a period of deep economic downturn (2011–2018). We use data from the National Survey of Economic Activities for eight Tunisian manufacturing industries to explore which agglomeration externalities matter most for firm performance after the revolution. The analysis considers, in addition, the role played by selected firm‐specific characteristics. The empirical results, based on a multilevel analysis approach, sanction the importance of firm‐specific determinants of productivity and exporting. They also indicate that only specialization externalities have a positive and significant effect on firms' performance. The replicate results during a period of economic stability (1998–2004) show, however, that specialization and urbanization economies are both relevant predictors of firms' productivity and that more productive firms, in particular the smaller ones, are better able to benefit from agglomeration. This finding has not been confirmed for the post‐revolutionary period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the uniform exponential decay of the energy for a fully discretization of the 1‐D wave equation has been studied with a punctual interior damping at ξ$$ \xi $$(ξ∈(0,1))$$ \left(\xi \in \left(0,1\right)\right) $$. It is known that the usual scheme obtained with a space discretization is not uniformly exponential decaying. In this direction, we have introduced an implicit finite difference scheme that differs from the usual centered one by additional terms of order h2$$ {h}&amp;#x0005E;2 $$ and δt2$$ \delta {t}&amp;#x0005E;2 $$ (where h$$ h $$ and δt$$ \delta t $$ represent the discretization parameters). In this approach, the fully discrete system was decomposed into two subsystems, namely conservative and nonconservative. According to the literature, it has been noted that under a numerical hypothesis on ξ$$ \xi $$, a uniform observability inequality holds for a conservative system. The uniform exponential decay of the energy for the damped system was proved via the application of the observability inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides have been used to kill pests such as insects, fungi, rodents, and unwanted plants. As these compounds are potentially toxic to the target organisms, they could also be harmful to human health and the environment. Several chronic adverse effects have been identified even after months or years of exposure. The adverse effects of pesticides on the agricultural ecosystem have been a matter of concern in recent decades. In this review, we present an overview of the studies, including our previous studies, monitoring currently used pesticides in the Tunisian agricultural soils that belong to the class of insect growth regulators (IGRs). Triflumuron (TFM) is a benzoyl phenyl urea insecticide belonging to the class of IGRs. TFM is widely used around the world to increase crop yield by protecting them from damage caused by insects. TFM works by inhibiting the synthesis of chitin, an essential part of the insect cuticle, making it susceptible to pathogens and deformities. Consequently, insects become more susceptible to pathogens and malformations. However, studies revealing its toxicity and its mode of action in mammalian systems remain very limited. The aim of this review is to better inform the community about the impact of TFM on crops, the environment, and human beings by summarizing its toxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the presence of brain and systemic inflammation in subjects newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD). Background: Evidence for a pathophysiologic role of inflammation in PD is growing. However, several key gaps remain as to the role of inflammation in PD, including the extent of immune activation at early stages, potential effects of PD treatments on inflammation and whether pro‐inflammatory signals are associated with clinical features and/or predict more rapid progression. Methods: We enrolled subjects with de novo PD (n = 58) and age‐matched controls (n = 62). Subjects underwent clinical assessments, including the Movement Disorder Society‐United Parkinson's Disease rating scale (MDS‐UPDRS). Comprehensive cognitive assessment meeting MDS Level II criteria for mild cognitive impairment testing was performed. Blood was obtained for flow cytometry and cytokine/chemokine analyses. Subjects underwent imaging with 18F‐DPA‐714, a translocator protein 18kd ligand, and lumbar puncture if eligible and consented. Results: Baseline demographics and medical history were comparable between groups. PD subjects showed significant differences in University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living, Scales for Outcomes in PD autonomic dysfunction, and MDS‐UPDRS scores. Cognitive testing demonstrated significant differences in cognitive composite, executive function, and visuospatial domain scores at baseline. Positron emission tomography imaging showed increased 18F‐DPA‐714 signal in PD subjects. 18F‐DPA‐714 signal correlated with several cognitive measures and some chemokines. Conclusions: 18F‐DPA‐714 imaging demonstrated increased central inflammation in de novo PD subjects compared to controls. Longitudinal follow‐up will be important to determine whether the presence of inflammation predicts cognitive decline. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]