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Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and cerebral protection (CP) management might determine the outcome of the patient. CP in severe TBI is to protect the brain from further insults, optimise cerebral metabolism and prevent secondary brain injury. This study aimed to analyse the short-term Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at the intensive care unit (ICU) discharge and a month after ICU discharge of patients post CP and factors associated with the favourable outcome. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study from January 2021 to January 2022. The short-term outcomes of patients were evaluated upon ICU discharge and 1 month after ICU discharge using GOS. Favourable outcome was defined as GOS 4 and 5. Generalised Estimation Equation (GEE) was adopted to conduct bivariate GEE and subsequently multivariate GEE to evaluate the factors associated with favourable outcome at ICU discharge and 1 month after discharge. Results: A total of 92 patients with severe TBI with GOS of 8 and below admitted to ICU received CP management. Proportion of death is 17% at ICU discharge and 0% after 1 month of ICU discharge. Proportion of favourable outcome is 26.1% at ICU discharge and 61.1% after 1 month of ICU discharge. Among factors evaluated, age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99; P = 0.004), duration of CP (OR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.84; P = 0.014) and hyperosmolar therapy (OR = 0.41; CI 95%: 0.21, 0.83; P = 0.013) had significant association. Conclusion: CP in younger age, longer duration of CP and patient not receiving hyperosmolar therapy are associated with favourable outcomes. We recommend further clinical trial to assess long term outcome of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of transcatheter heart valve (THV) choice in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Background: The management congestive heart failure with combined LV systolic dysfunction and severe aortic stenosis (AS) is challenging, yet transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as a suitable treatment option in such patients. Head‐to‐head comparisons among the balloon‐expandable (BEV) and self‐expandable (SEV) THV remain limited in this subgroup of patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, we included patients with severe AS with LV systolic dysfunction (LVEF ≤40%) who underwent TAVR at four high volume centers. Two thousand and twenty‐eight consecutive patients were analyzed, of which 335 patients met inclusion criteria. One hundred fourty‐six patients (43%) received a SEV, and 189 patients (57%) received a BEV. Results: Baseline characteristics were similar except for a higher proportion of females in the SEV group. The primary composite endpoint of in‐hospital mortality, moderate or greater paravalvular (PVL), stroke, conversion to open surgery, aortic valve reintervention, and/or need for permanent pacemaker (PPM) was no different among THV choice. There was more PVL in the SEV group, but higher transaortic gradients in the BEV group. Clinical outcomes and quality of life measures were similar up to 1 year follow‐up. Conclusion: The choice of THV in patients with severe AS and systolic dysfunction must be weighed on a case‐by‐case basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of Insulin Resistance (IR) as well as glucose intolerance are advised among Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) cases. Objective: To study the rate of IR among infertile women with PCOS at Zagazig University Hospitals. Subjects and Methods: the study was conducted on 60 infertile women with age from 18 to 35 years old as cross sectional trial, at Clinical Pathology Department and outpatient clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Zagazig University Hospitals with calculation the frequency of insulin resistant among infertile women with polycystic ovaries. Results: The prevalence of IR among the studied cases was 60%. body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and presence of hirsutism differed significantly between both studied groups. Testosterone levels and FBI were significantly higher among IR cases compared to non IR cases. Conclusion: incidence of insulin resistance is around 60% in PCOS infertile cases. Clinically, the G/I ratio may be beneficial in identifying insulin-resistant PCOS women and choosing those most likely to benefit from therapy interventions that increase insulin sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of underwater immersion lights outfitted with CCTV is a technological innovation that is expected to solve the inadequacies of the acoustic work system while also improving the existing underwater immersion light work system. Underwater Fish Lamp Plus (UFLPlus) technology can attract attention and directly monitor the condition of fish in the sea from the boat. The purpose of this study was to understand how the UFLPlus was designed and constructed; to test its performance using lamplight, waterproof, and immersion tests; to learn how the light distribution pattern is formed; and to learn the state of the catch. The study was separated into two phases: the design and fabrication of UFLPlus, and numerous laboratory-scale experiments and outdoor trials with boat lift net fishing gear. The results reveal that UFLPlus performed effectively in the field after all of its physical components were tested in the laboratory, and that the values of light intensity and light distribution patterns are still in accordance with the level of adaptation to light reception on the fish retina. During the trial catch, 62 kg of anchovy (Stolephorus sp.), 27 kg of ponyfishes (Leiognathus sp.), 32.5 kg of fringe-scale sardinella (Sardinella fimbriata), and 17.5 kg of yellow-stripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) were caught. UFLPlus was capable of functioning as an underwater immersion lamp that attracts fish attention and directly monitors the arrival of fish in the water in the fishing area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hadith judgment implies checking the validity of Hadith to decide whether it is correct (trustworthy) or false (bogus). "Matn" and "Isnad" are the main constituents of Hadith; "Matn" is the sayings of the prophet, whereas "Isnad" represents the narrators' series. The first step of Hadith judgment is the extraction of narrators' names, after that, the rules of judgment, which were set out by Hadith's scientists, could be implemented, three of these rules are particularly related to the narrators' series, and these rules are continuity of the transmission chain, the trustworthiness of the narrators, and the preciseness of the narrators. Therefore, to check the authenticity of Hadiths, the three conditions must be satisfied, and to do so, the narrators' names must be extracted first. Isnad contains many words and phrases called "Isnad-Phrases"; these phrases have many types or categories called part of Isnads (POIs) like Narrator-Name, Prophet-Name, and Received-Method. A lot of computational research studies suggest serving Hadith sciences by extracting the narrators' names and other POIs using various approaches. This study presents a new hybrid approach founded on the hidden Markov model (HMM) and gazetteer lists to process "Isnad." The approach objective is to expect all POIs in the Isnad including narrators' names. The experiments carried on 1,000 Hadiths from "Sahih Muslim": 900 Hadiths as training dataset and 100 Hadiths as testing dataset, and the results show a noteworthy accuracy for the proposed hybrid approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a common complication of all leukemia subtypes, but it is an especially prominent feature of Acute Myeloid Leukemias (AML). DIC complicating AML can lead to a variety of complications, however, its association with acute cardiovascular complications has not been reported before. National Inpatient Sample Database was used to procure individuals with AML, and baseline demographics and comorbidities were collected using ICD-10-DM codes. Patients were stratified into those with and without DIC. Greedy propensity matching using R was performed to match the two cohorts in 1:1 ratio on age, gender, and fifteen other baseline comorbidities. Univariate analysis pre and post-match along with binary logistic regression analysis post-match were used to analyze outcomes. Out of a total of 37,344 patients with AML, 996 had DIC. DIC patients were younger, predominantly males, and had lower prevalence of baseline cardiovascular comorbidities. DIC patients had statistically significant higher mortality (30.2 % vs 7.8 %), acute myocardial infarction (5.1 % vs 1.8 %), acute pulmonary edema (2.3 % vs 0.7 %), cardiac arrest (6.4 % vs 0.9 %), and acute DVT/PE (6.6 % vs 2.7 %). Logistic regression model after matching showed similar outcomes along with significantly higher rates of acute heart failure in DIC patients. These findings highlight the importance of close cardiovascular monitoring and prompt recognition of complications in AML patients with DIC. The underlying mechanisms involve a complex interplay of procoagulant factors, cytokine release, and endothelial dysfunction. Further studies are needed to develop targeted interventions for prevention and management of these complications. • AML patients with DIC have higher rates of acute cardiovascular complications. • Mortality rates are significantly higher in AML patients with DIC. • DIC complications in AML go beyond the typical focus on hematologic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this research is to address knowledge dimension of human capital in insurance sector in Jordan. There is an urgent need for studies on human capital, including intellectual capital (IC). After a thorough review of the research literature, the researchers were able to develop a questionnaire to apply to insurance companies in Jordan. In this study, the sample of 30 companies has been randomly selected from Amman, Zarqa, and Irbid in the insurance sector in Jordan. Means, SD, ANOVA analysis, and "Tukey Test" were used. Multiple regression was extracted for the first hypothesis, for subhypothesis simple regression is used. For the correlation indicator, we used Multicollinearity, finally Stepwise Regression was used. The values of the calculated t‐ratios for the staff position show that the nonsupervisory staff feel more than the supervisory staff in Staff Recruitment and Job Environment variables. And the supervisory staff feel more than the nonsupervisory staff in Staff Development. The values of the calculated t‐ratios for the gender show that the male staff feel more than the female staff in Staff Recruitment and Job Environment variables. And the female staff feel more than the male staff in Staff Development. The values of the calculated F‐ratios for each of the factors affecting knowledge dimension of the investment in human capital high and it can be concluded that there is significant statistical evidence that differences between factors exist according to the staff Work Place in variables Staff Recruitment, Job Environment, and Staff Development. Result of the test showed that staff who's working in Irbid feel in Staff Recruitment variable more than staff who's working in Zarqa. And the staff who's working in Zarqa feel in Staff Development variable more than staff who's working in Amman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yogurt is an ideal source of gut microbes. Newly formulated six yogurt samples apart from control were prepared using 10 % and 20 % of coconut milk as partial substitute of milk; followed by incorporation of date molasses (10 %, 15 % and 20 %). Samples were analyzed for physicochemical properties such as moisture, ash, fat, protein, total solids (TS), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, titratable acidity, total phenolic contents (TPC) along with microbial and sensory properties. pH, acidity and microbiological characteristics were examined on the 1st and 7th day (refrigeration at 4°C). A significant (p<0.05) decrease in moisture content (ranged- 69.06% to 76.12%) in enriched samples was observed in comparison with control (80.33%). Significant (p<0.05) positive effect of treatment in TS, TSS, fat, protein, ash and TPCs of yogurt samples had been noticed. pH and acidity for each treatment level were not significant (p<0.05) in paired comparison (1st day and 7th day) but the significant effect of treatments in pH and acidity (p<0.05) was marked. The total coliform count was observed as nil in control and experimental yogurt at 1st and 7th day (storage at 4°C). For all developed samples, total viable bacteria count at 7th day was significantly higher than that of at 1st day (p-value < 0.05). However, these results were significantly lower than in controlled sample. Yogurt formulated using 10% coconut milk followed by 20% date molasses revealed significant higher value for taste, flavor and overall acceptability (p<0.05) but color and texture change were not significant (p<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growth of the chemical industry over the last decade, the need for cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) alternatives to petrochemicals of ever-increasing cost has grown steadily. Oleochemicals and biodiesel (OC/BD) are considered as green alternatives to petroleum derivatives, because they come from renewable oils and fats. OC/BD are currently produced by the traditional energy intensive chemical catalyzed methods, which have several economic and environmental drawbacks. For these reasons, the enzymatic production of OC/BD has attracted a growing attention for their greener pathway with respect to the chemically catalyzed processes. Lipase-catalyzed processes have a low energy requirement, since reactions are performed under atmospheric pressure and mild temperature and without the creation of side reactions. Furthermore, utilization of enzyme catalysts offers many advantages such as reducing the initial capital investment due to simplified downstream processing steps. Despite all the previous advantages, however, the high cost of lipases restricted their large-scale utilization. In the past decade, efforts have been made to reduce the cost of the enzymatic-catalyzed synthesis of OC/BD. However, most previous studies have studied only the technical feasibility of the lipase-catalyzed reactions and overlocked the economic viability. This review critically discusses the factors affecting the promotion of the economic feasibility of the enzymatic processes from the lab to large scale. These include reactor configuration, type of feedstock, conditions optimization, immobilization, lipase-producing microorganisms, and substrate diversification. In addition, this review reports the recent advances in lipase-catalyzed production of fatty acids, fatty esters, monoglycerides, and biodiesel in the lab as well as in the large-scales. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first review article reports the recent global progress achieved in both lab- and large-scale for the enzymatic production of OC/BD. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is reporting the synthesis and characterization of NiO–Co3O4/rGO nanohybrid for nanocomposite for nonenzymatic glucose sensing. The prepared nanohybrids sample was characterized by X-rays diffraction (XRD), fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD analysis exhibited the cubic crystalline phase for both NiO and Co3O4 in the binary composite. The vibrational mode of NiO and its nanohybrid with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was defined using FTIR spectral analysis. SEM images of the nanoparticles depicted a non-spherical pattern randomly distributed throughout the whole matrix. The prepared sensor exhibited promising results for glucose sensitivity (345 μA mM) with a wide range of linear response from 1.23 × 10-4 mM to 10 mM and a low limit of detection of 0.13 μM. Further, the interference study was also performed using 100 µM fructose (FR), lactose (LA), uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA) and results exposed that these interfering species has not affected glucose determination. The obtained results suggested that the nanohybrid has enormous potential to act as a credible sensor for the determination of glucose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic production of glycerin monolaurate (GML) was carried out by lipase catalysed esterification of lauric acid and glycerin in a solvent-free media. Response surface methodology (RSM), based on 5-level and 3-variable composite design, was employed to study the interactive effects of reaction temperature (48–60 °C), enzyme load (1–4% w/w), and glycerin to lauric acid molar ratio (1:1–4:1) on glycerin laurate yield. The optimum conditions obtained were a temperature of 60 °C, an enzyme load of 4%, and a glycerin to lauric acid molar ratio of 4:1. The maximum predicted and experimental conversion values were 92.26% and 93.23%, respectively. Utilisation of Lipozyme RM IM (Rhizomucor miehei lipase) allowed the formation of a mixture consisting of 50% monoglyceride, 34.6% diglyceride and 8.4% triglyceride, which fulfills the requirements established by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use as a food emulsifier. In addition, the Lipozyme RM IM maintained more than 90% of its original activity after being used for six cycles. Finally, an economic study was performed to interrogate the feasibility of the proposed enzymatic manufacturing process. The obtained results were compared with the traditional catalysed chemical process. The economic feasibility study revealed that the needed amount of Lipozyme RM IM was 2.5 kg/t of feedstock. The high conversion achieved in a short reaction time (1 h), as well as the proven operational stability of Lipozyme RM IM, revealed a promising potential for this green and sustainable route in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A schematic diagram of the synthetic procedure of the sonicated SnZrSi oxide catalysts to form mesoporous (SiO 2 /SnZrO 4), and the set-up of esterification and transesterification processes. [Display omitted] • Novel (0.05–0.4 mol%) SiO 2 /ZrSnO 4 solids were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted co-precipitation method. • The silica impact with different percentages on physico-chemical properties of the as- synthesized catalysts were studied. • The efficiency of the mesoporous (SnO 2 /ZrSiO 4) was compared with ZrSnO 4 by esterification/transesterification processes. • The active sites responsible for the mechanism of esterification process were emphasized by the computational study. • The kinetic, mechanism, thermodynamic and reusability studies were performed. A set of unprecedented (mesoporous SnO 2 /ZrSiO 4) solids has been synthesized via the ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation path. The impact of silica dopant content (ranged between 0.05 and 0.4 mol%) on the characterization evolution of the sonicated ZrSnO 4 interface and their biodiesel production efficiency were examined. Physio-chemical characteristics of the synthesized catalysts were analyzed by XRD, SEM-EDS, TEM, TGA-DTG, N 2 adsorption–desorption analysis, NH 3 -TPD, UV–Visible/ DR, and FT-IR before and after pyridine adsorption. The obtained results revealed the formation of reconstructed rutile-SnO 2 and zircon as new active phases by calcination at 500 °C, good morphology with mesoporous structure, and significant increase in the S BET , pore volume, interesting optical behavior, and exhibited different acidic properties. The impacts of reaction temperature, silica dopant content, fatty acid type and calcination temperature on the biodiesel % were examined. The tertiary oxide catalysts were gainful for the biodiesel production. The optimum catalyst (0.2 % SiO 2 /ZrSnO 4) had the biggest number of both strong Brönsted and Lewis acid sites compared to the doped and undoped catalysts, so, its maximum yield at optimum conditions for esterification of palmitic acid reaction was 90.2 % and can be reused until the fifth run with giving excellent yield for biodiesel production. But, for the transesterification of soybean oil reaction with methanol was maxima at 88% for (0.4 % SiO 2 /ZrSnO 4) sample. The kinetic, mechanism studies and thermodynamic parameters were estimated. The important role of the doped silica molecules in the mechanism of the esterification process was emphasized by the computational chemistry study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite Solar Cells (PSC) are the fastest-growing generation of solar cells due to their high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) in a short period of time, simple synthesis process, high open-circuit voltage, and low cost. However, perovskite stability and the use of the toxic heavy metal of lead (Pb) are two significant challenges that still haunt the development of perovskite-based solar cells. This paper focuses on distinguishing and optimizing several key layers in the PSC structure; Electron Transport Layer (ETL), the absorber layer, and Hole Transport Layer (HTL) by conducting studies on the influence of various parameters towards the solar cell performance using SCAPs software device simulation. Moreover, distinct types of metal back contact also have been studied. In this simulation, it is found that each layer affects the performance of PSC and proves that the optimization of each layer effectively improves the performance of the PSC. Remarkable results of the optimized structure have achieved impressive PSC performance with J SC (29.516 mA / cm 2 ), V OC (1.3088 V), FF (73.26), and PCE (28.30%) by the parametric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The G antigen of Rh blood group system is present in almost all D-positive or C-positive red cells but absent from red cells lacking D and C antigens. The differentiation of anti-D and anti-C from anti-G is not necessary for routine transfusion; however, during pregnancy, it is important because anti-G can masquerade as anti-D and anti-C with initial antibody testing. The false presence of anti-D will exclude the patient from receiving anti-D immunoglobulin (RhIG) when the patient actually is a candidate for RhIG prophylaxis. Moreover, patients with positive anti-D or anti-G are at risk of developing hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn and need close monitoring. Thus, proper identification allows the clinicians to manage patients properly. This case report highlights a rare case of anti-G together with anti-D and anti-C in a pregnant woman. This report disseminates knowledge on identification of anti-G and its importance in pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Android platform has become the most popular smartphone operating system, which makes it a target for malicious mobile apps. This paper proposes a machine learning-based approach for Android malware detection based on application features. Unlike many prior research that focused exclusively on API Calls and permissions features to improve detection efficiency and accuracy, this paper incorporates applications' contextual features with API Calls and permissions features. Moreover, the proposed approach extracted a new dataset of static API Calls and permission features using a large dataset of malicious and benign Android APK samples. Furthermore, the proposed approach used the Information Gain algorithm to reduce the API and permission feature space from 527 to the most relevant 50 features only. Several combinations of API Calls, permissions, and contextual features were used. These combinations were fed into different machine-learning algorithms to show the significance of using the selected contextual features in detecting Android malware. The experiments show that the proposed model achieved a very high accuracy of about 99.4% when using contextual features in comparison to 97.2% without using contextual features. Moreover, the paper shows that the proposed approach outperformed the state-of-the-art models considered in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about Yellowfin Tuna fishing grounds is needed to develop the capture fisheries sector, which could be obtained through satellite multi-sensor mapping techniques. Fishermen often have difficulty determining where the fish are and when they can be caught in abundance. Knowing this information would sufficiently reduce operating costs. Mapping the fishing ground of Yellowfin Tuna would also avoid overfishing due to the concentration of fishing boats in one particular location, thus allowing the operation to be more effective and efficient. The long-term aim of this research is to improve the welfare of fishermen in the Wakatobi district, Southeast Sulawesi, while the short-term goal is to map the fishing ground of Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) with the application of multi-sensor satellite technology to detect upwellings. The benefits of this research are cost savings for the fishermen and providing a reference for the arrangement of management strategies of Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) for sustainablity and continuity. This study indicated that the average sea surface temperature in the west was 29.79°C, in the west-east an average of 29.70°C, in the east an average of 27.40°C and the east-west an average of 29.13°C. Chlorophyll-a in both the west and the west-east averaged 0.15 mg m−3, in the east 0.27 mg m−3 and in the east-west 0.21 mg m−3. High temperatues started in December and continued until February in the Wakatobi region, which moved from west to east. Low temperature moved from east to west from June until August. Fronts occured arround Kaledupa and Koromaha reef in December, January and February, as well as in March, April and May around Kaledupa reef and Runduma Island. In June, July, August, September, October and November fronts were observed around Kapota reef, Kaledupa reef, Koromaha reef and Koka reef. Upwelling occured in Kapota reef, Kaledupa reef and Koka reef in June, and in July and August around Runduma Island, Kapota reef, and Kaledupa reef. Furthermore, upwelling in Kapota reef, Wangi-wangi Island, and Kaledupa reef was observed in September. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Perovskite solar cells have shown remarkable performance and improvements in terms of solar cell efficiency. The ETL material is one of the important components in perovskite solar cells in conducting electrons to produce current. Here, ZnO was used as ETL material in a perovskite solar cell using the SCAPS 1D simulation software. The ZnO ETL showed poor cell efficiency due to its reaction with the perovskite material. A small amount of Al doped into ZnO was introduced to enhance the physiochemical properties of the ZnO against perovskite materials. Al concentrations were varied between 1 and 4 mol% to observe the effect on cell efficiency. Compared with a conventional ZnO ETL solar cell with 0 mol% Al perovskite, the Al-doped based solar cell showed better performance. Meanwhile, perovskite solar cells with 1 mol% Al-doping and appropriate layer thickness showed the best cell performance in improving the charge transport mechanism, resulting in increased cell efficiency. Thus, the parameters studied can be a guide in the fabrication process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Device‐related infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with high mortality, resulting in a growing emphasis on identifying and managing comorbidities that increase the risk of IE in these patients. Psoriasis is increasingly being recognized as having multiple cardiovascular manifestations. However, little is known about the impact of psoriasis on IE risk in patients with permanent pacemakers (PPM). Our study aimed to assess whether psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of developing IE in patients with PPM.The National Inpatient Sample database was utilized to extract patients with PPM. The presence of psoriasis stratified patients. Demographic and comorbidity data were collected. 1:10,000 propensity matching for IE risk factors was performed to examine independent associations between psoriasis and IE.Of 437,793 patients, 45 had psoriasis. Psoriasis patients had higher IE rates (4.4% vs. 0.6%; P < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, psoriasis was associated with a 7.2‐fold high IE risk (OR: 7.2 [1.7–30.2]; P < 0.01). Post‐match analysis showed an 8.3‐fold IE risk in psoriasis patients (OR: 8.3 [2.0–34.4]; P < 0.001).Psoriasis was independently associated with elevated IE risk in patients with PPM. Further studies are required to corroborate these findings, which will have implications for IE prophylaxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A major worldwide health issue is the rising frequency of resistance of bacteria.Drug combinations are a winning strategy in fighting resistant bacteria and might help in protecting the existing drugs.Monolaurin is natural compound extracted from coconut oil and has a promising antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus.aureus. This study aims to examine the efficacy of monolaurin both individually and in combination with β-lactam antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Methods: Agar dilution method was used for determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of monolaurin against S.aureus isolates. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to detect morphological changes in S.aureus after treatment with monolaurin. Conventional and Real-time Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to detect of beta-lactamase (blaZ) gene and its expressional levels after monolaurin treatment. Combination therapy of monolaurin and antibiotics was assessed through fractional inhibitory concentration and time-kill method. Results: The antibacterial activity of monolaurin was assessed on 115 S.aureus isolates, the MIC of monolaurin were 250 to 2000 µg/ml. SEM showed cell elongation and swelling in the outer membrane of S.aureus in the prescence of 1xMIC of monolaurin. blaZ gene was found in 73.9% of S.aureus isolates. RT-PCR shows a significant decrease in of blaZ gene expression at 250 and 500 µg/ml of monolaurin. Synergistic effects were detected through FIC method and time killing curve. Combination therapy established a significant reduction on the MIC value. The collective findings from the antibiotic combinations with monolaurin indicated synergism rates ranging from 83.3% to 100%.In time-kill studies, combination of monolaurin and β-lactam antibiotics produced a synergistic effect. Conclusion: This study showed that monolaurin may be a natural antibacterial agent against S. aureus, and may be an outstanding modulator of β-lactam drugs. The concurrent application of monolaurin and β-lactam antibiotics, exhibiting synergistic effects against S. aureus in vitro, holds promise as potential candidates for the development of combination therapies that target particularly, patients with bacterial infections that are nearly incurable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a systematic study of the structural, electronic and magnetic properties for double-perovskite Sr 2 BUO 6 (B = Mn, Ni, and Zn) compounds using density functional theory via Full-Potential Linearized-Augmented-Plane-Wave approach (FP-LAPW). We calculated lattice constants; partial and total spin polarized density of states in addition to charge density. Our structural study shows that the compounds have cubic symmetry. A half metallic ferromagnetic behavior is found in Sr 2 MnUO 6 which can be promising in spintronic applications, while both of Sr 2 NiUO 6 and Sr 2 ZnUO 6 showed a semi-conducting behavior; our investigation also manifested the nonmagnetic behavior of Sr 2 ZnUO 6 , as expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Security is one of the major issues in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), as poor security disrupts the entire network and can have a significant effect on data transmission. WSNs need safe data transmission at a high rate while maintaining data integrity. By modifying the Z-MAC protocol and merging it with IHOP and elliptic-curve encryption techniques, the present research produced a novel protocol that enables safe data transfer. Additionally, the paper examined the IHOP technique for secure data transfer based on the Z-MAC protocol, which offers a simple and efficient key generation mechanism based on a hierarchical key management architecture. Additionally, the Z-MAC protocol offered low contention, high throughput, reduced latency, low power consumption, and increased efficiency. One of the most major applications of the Secure Z-MAC protocol may be the Vehicle Area Network, which would help in increasing highway automobile traffic while simultaneously enhancing individual safety and minimizing accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste heat recovery holds significant importance in the context of natural gas power plants, as it facilitates the utilization of energy loss, leading to enhanced overall performance and mitigating adverse environmental effects. By harnessing and employing waste heat, power plants possess the capability to modify and optimize their operation, making a substantial contribution toward sustainable power/energy generation. Therefore, this study proposes a novel and eco-friendly approach to utilizing the flue gas emitted by a natural gas power plant. In addition to recovering waste heat, this method involves harnessing the flue gas for methanol production. The proposed system consists of an organic Rankine cycle, and absorption chiller, heating provider units, an electrolyzer for hydrogen generation, and a methanol synthesis unit. The novel method is implemented through computer-aided simulation using the Aspen HYSYS software and is subjected to an extensive analysis encompassing energy, exergy, environmental, and economic viewpoints. The simulation results exhibit producing 2712 kg/h of methanol with a purity of 99.97 mol%, 395.67 kg/s of hot water, 378 kg/s of chilled water, and 12253.57 kW of power. In this process, the energy and exergy efficiencies are 94.35% and 31.74%, respectively. Parametric study results demonstrate that reducing the gas turbine pressure and increasing the working fluid temperature in the evaporator of the absorption chiller cycle leads to improved exergy efficiency. Moreover, the multigeneration scenario shows a carbon dioxide footprint of 0.1564 kg/kWh and a total unit cost of product of 0.0485 $/GJ. • Modification of a natural gas power plant by heat recovery and flue gas utilization. • Innovative CCHP-methanol generation application combined with a natural gas power plant. • Aspen HYSYS software is used to simulate the model and conduct a multi-variable study. • The whole system shows energy and exergy efficiencies of 94.35% and 31.74%. • Multigeneration scenario shows CO 2 footprint of 0.1564 kg/kWh and TUCP of 0.0485 $/GJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a closed-loop strategy for the management and valorization of winery waste was proposed. The exhausted pomace and grape stalks that are typically obtained from white wine industries were used as a source of simple sugars, namely, glucose and fructose, and of lignocellulosic feedstock for the preparation of selective catalysts for the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) production from fructose. A novel synthetic procedure was developed for the synthesis of iron-sulfonated magnetic biochar catalysts (Fe-SMBCs). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), BET surface area, porous structure analysis and determination of total amount of acid sites were performed in order to characterize the physico-chemical properties of the synthesized systems. Then, these heterogeneous catalysts were successfully tested via the dehydration of simple sugars into 5-HMF by using methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and gamma valerolactone (GVL) as co-solvents. The optimum 5-HMF yield of 40.9 ± 1.1%mol with a selectivity of 59.8 ± 2.6%mol was achieved by adopting the following optimized conditions: 0.1 g of catalyst, volume ratio of GVL to H2O = 2 to 1, 403 K, 6 h. In addition, the catalyst was easily recycled using an external magnetic field and used for at least five reaction cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, microbial carotenoids have emerged as a promising alternative for the pharmaceutical and food industries, particularly in promoting human health due to their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Microbial carotenoids, particularly those produced by yeast, bacteria, and microalgae, are synthesized intracellularly, requiring the use of solvents for their effective extraction and recovery. The conventional use of toxic volatile organic solvents (VOCs) like hexane, petroleum ether, and dimethyl sulfoxide in the extraction of microbial carotenoids has been common. However, ongoing research is introducing innovative, non-toxic, environmentally friendly tailor-made solvents, such as ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvents (DES), indicating a new era of cleaner and biocompatible technologies. This review aims to highlight recent advancements in utilizing IL and DES for obtaining carotenoids from microorganisms. Additionally, we explore the utilization of in silico tools designed to determine the solubilities of microbial carotenoids in tailor-made DES and ILs. This presents a promising alternative for the scientific community, potentially reducing the need for extensive experimental screening of solvents for the recovery of microbial carotenoids in the separation processing. According to our expert perspective, both IL and DES exhibit a plethora of exceptional attributes for the recovery of microbial carotenoids. Nevertheless, the current employment of these solvents for recovery of carotenoids is restricted to scientific exploration, as their feasibility for practical application in industrial settings has yet to be conclusively demonstrated. Key points: • ILs and DES share many tailoring properties for the recovery of microbial carotenoids • The use of ILs and DES for microbial carotenoid extraction remains driven by scientific curiosity. • The economic feasibility of ILs and DES is yet to be demonstrated in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, microbial carotenoids have emerged as a promising alternative for the pharmaceutical and food industries, particularly in promoting human health due to their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Microbial carotenoids, particularly those produced by yeast, bacteria, and microalgae, are synthesized intracellularly, requiring the use of solvents for their effective extraction and recovery. The conventional use of toxic volatile organic solvents (VOCs) like hexane, petroleum ether, and dimethyl sulfoxide in the extraction of microbial carotenoids has been common. However, ongoing research is introducing innovative, non-toxic, environmentally friendly tailor-made solvents, such as ionic liquids (IL) and deep eutectic solvents (DES), indicating a new era of cleaner and biocompatible technologies. This review aims to highlight recent advancements in utilizing IL and DES for obtaining carotenoids from microorganisms. Additionally, we explore the utilization of in silico tools designed to determine the solubilities of microbial carotenoids in tailor-made DES and ILs. This presents a promising alternative for the scientific community, potentially reducing the need for extensive experimental screening of solvents for the recovery of microbial carotenoids in the separation processing. According to our expert perspective, both IL and DES exhibit a plethora of exceptional attributes for the recovery of microbial carotenoids. Nevertheless, the current employment of these solvents for recovery of carotenoids is restricted to scientific exploration, as their feasibility for practical application in industrial settings has yet to be conclusively demonstrated. Key points: • ILs and DES share many tailoring properties for the recovery of microbial carotenoids • The use of ILs and DES for microbial carotenoid extraction remains driven by scientific curiosity. • The economic feasibility of ILs and DES is yet to be demonstrated in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although rare, severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares requiring hospitalization account for most of the direct costs of SLE care. New machine learning (ML) methods may optimize lupus care by predicting which patients will have a prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS). Our study uses a machine learning approach to predict the LOS in patients admitted for lupus flares and assesses which features prolong LOS. Methods: Our study sampled 5831 patients admitted for lupus flares from the National Inpatient Sample Database 2016–2018 and collected 90 demographics and comorbidity features. Four machine learning (ML) models were built (XGBoost, Linear Support Vector Machines, K Nearest Neighbors, and Logistic Regression) to predict LOS, and their performance was evaluated using multiple metrics, including accuracy, receiver operator area under the curve (ROC-AUC), precision-recall area under the curve (PR- AUC), and F1-score. Using the highest-performing model (XGBoost), we assessed the feature importance of our input features using Shapley value explanations (SHAP) to rank their impact on LOS. Results: Our XGB model performed the best with a ROC-AUC of 0.87, PR-AUC of 0.61, an F1 score of 0.56, and an accuracy of 95%. The features with the most significant impact on the model were "the need for a central line," "acute dialysis," and "acute renal failure." Other top features include those related to renal and infectious comorbidities. Conclusion: Our results were consistent with the established literature and showed promise in ML over traditional methods of predictive analyses, even with rare rheumatic events such as lupus flare hospitalizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer ranks as the second most common malignancy in males. Prostate cancer progressing on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) have been at the forefront of the treatment of CRPC. We aim to better characterize the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic CRPC patients treated with PARPis. A systemic review search was conducted using National Clinical Trial (NCT), PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Central Cochrane Registry. The improvement in overall survival was statistically significant, favoring PARPis (hazard ratio (HR) 0.855; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.752–0.974; p = 0.018). The improvement in progression-free survival was also statistically significant, with results favoring PARPis (HR 0.626; 95%CI 0.566–0.692; p = 0.000). In a subgroup analysis, similar results were observed where the efficacy of PARPis was evaluated in a subgroup of patients without homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutation, which showed improvement in PFS favoring PARPis (HR 0.747; 95%CI 0.0.637–0.877; p = 0.000). Our meta-analysis of seven RCTs showed that PARPis significantly increased PFS and OS when used with or without antihormonal agents like abiraterone or enzalutamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy losses during the peri-implantation period cause a negative impact on the reproductive and economic performance of dairy herds. In this study, we investigated the possible immunological factors which may contribute to pregnancy loss during the peri-implantation period under different seasons of tropical conditions. Eighteen Karan Fries cows, six cows in each season (W: winter; HH: hot-humid; HD: hot-dry) were selected. These cows exhibited heat and were brought for artificial insemination (AI; day 0). Blood was collected on days 0, 10, 14, 16, 18, 21 and 28 post-AI. Pregnancy was confirmed by non-return to heat, progesterone assay and ultrasonography. Blood neutrophils were isolated and tested for their number, myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentrations and expression of cell adhesion molecules (CD11b, CD14, CD25, CD47), interferon tau stimulated genes (ISG15, MX1, OAS1) and chemokine receptors (CXCR1, CCL2). Plasma cortisol, progesterone, IL-2 and IL-10 were also estimated. Neutrophil number, MPO levels, the relative expression of various neutrophil receptors and plasma IL-2 were low between days 14–21 post-AI in all seasons. However, plasma cortisol and IL-10 were higher during the same period. The inflammatory activity of neutrophils, plasma IL-2 and cortisol were highest in HH, intermediate in HD and lowest in W season. However, plasma progesterone and IL-10 were highest in W season and lowest in HH season. Our results show that blood neutrophils sense the implanting embryo and downregulate their activity to ensure successful implantation; however, under harsh environmental conditions, it is a great challenge for the immune system to maintain such balance and thus it may negatively affect the outcome of pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyoid bone measurements have been proposed to vary between different genders and age groups. The aim of the study is to study hyoid morphometrics among Jordanian patients. 3D-CT scans of 637 patients were analyzed. Ten parameters of hyoid bone were measures, including the anteroposterior length, length of greater horns (right and left), height of greater horns (right and left), width of hyoid body, height of hyoid body, the distance between the midpoints of the posterior ends of the greater horns of the hyoid bone, the angle between right and left greater horns, and the distance of the hyoid bone to the vertebral column. Also, vertebral level, fusion rank, morphology of hyoid body lingula, and shape of hyoid bone were documented. All hyoid dimensions were longer in males, but greater horns angle was wider in females. In patients younger than 30 years, the parameters are the smallest with the widest angle. The distance from hyoid to vertebral column is higher in males (30-49) years of age. No fusion between hyoid body and greater horns was observed in patients younger than 10 years, but fusion (unilateral or bilateral) was found in only 73.2 % of patients = 70 years. The hyoid was mostly at vertebra C3 level and "U" shaped. The lingula shape was mostly "Scar" in males (especially = 50 years) and "Nothing" in females (especially < 50 years). The maximum growth of hyoid dimensions is before age of 30 years. Fusion between hyoid body and greater horns was not seen in patients younger than 10 years. Otherwise, the hyoid features failed to predict age or gender in our sample. Furthermore, 3D-CT scan is an excellent tool to assess the anatomy of head and neck region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]