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The widespread use of social media and other online platforms has facilitated unprecedented communication and information exchange. However, it has also led to the spread of hate speech and poses serious challenges to societal harmony as well as individual well-being. Traditional methods for detecting hate speech, such as keyword matching, rule-based systems, and machine learning algorithms, often struggle to capture the subtle and context-dependent nature of hateful content. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the application of large language models (LLMs) like GPT-3, BERT, and their successors in hate speech detection. We analyze the evolution of LLMs in natural language processing and examine their strengths and limitations in identifying hate speech. Additionally, we address the significant challenges and explore how LLMs method can affect the accuracy and fairness of hate speech detection systems. By synthesizing recent research, this review aims to offer a holistic understanding of the current state-of-the-art methods in hate speech detection utilizing LLMs and to suggest directions for future research that could enhance the efficacy and equity of these systems.

Abstract One of the most common health concerns disturbing people within working years globally is diabetes mellitus (DM). One well-known consequence of DM is vascular damage, which can manifest as macro- and microangiopathy affecting the ocular retina. Therefore, Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a major sight-threatening complication of diabetic retinopathy (DR) worldwide. It is the most prevalent cause of significant vision impairment in diabetic patients. Long-term vision loss can be avoided by following early DME treatment guidelines in everyday life. Hence, there are various therapeutic approaches for DME management. Currently, the first-line treatment for DME is anti-VEGF family drugs, such as ranibizumab, brolucizumab, bevacizumab, and aflibercept. Nevertheless, relapses of the disease, inadequate response, and resistance during anti-VEGF therapy are still seen because of the intricate pathophysiological foundation of the disease. Consequently, there is an excellent requirement for therapeutic approaches to advance and become better at controlling diseases more satisfactorily and require fewer treatments overall. We conducted a thorough literature search in the current review to present a comprehensive overview of the primary data about the current DME therapeutic agents. We also covered the novel advances in DME management and probable future treatments being investigated and developed. This review recommended that Large clinical trials should afford sufficient evidence to support these innovative treatment modalities.

Potato is the most important short-season annual herbaceous crop. Small nucleus tuber seeds are difficult to germinate and emerge in the field. This research evaluated how potato nucleus tuber size impacts seed production and plant development. We used the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the first week of June to seed six potato nucleus tuber sizes: T1 (0.47 g), T2 (0.84 g), T3 (2.0 g), T4 (5.0 g), T5 (10 g), and T6 (25.0 g). Plants were 30 cm apart, and rows were 76 cm apart. All treatments significantly differed in terms of days to first germination, germination percentage, flowering, physiological maturity, number of main stems per plant, tuber weight, marketable tuber yield, size of large tuber, tuber starch content, and total starch yield. However, the interaction between treatment and environment had no effect on marketable tuber yield. This research found that treatment T1 had substantial outcomes in germination (22.5), blooming (67.5), and physiological maturity (107.1). Larger tubers T6 (25.0 g) contain more buds, which increases germination percentage (%), number of main stems, plant height, yield, and physiological parameters, outperforming other treatments. This research found that seed tuber size affects crop development. Plants from bigger seed tubers performed better than those from smaller seeds.

The primary goal of this paper is the possibility of improving spectroscopy analysis using a new mechanism that has the ability to detect small crystalline defects and the fast transitions that occur within electronic states, which contributes significantly to the development of various fields and applications of scientific knowledge. The working mechanism is summed up by obtaining two laser pulses with specific specifications within the x-ray range, by creating an executive program (SAMXFEL) using the MATLAB program for the purpose of simulation. This system allows the investigation of rapid changes in the structure of matter. By analyzing the simulation results, two pulses of electron lasers were obtained with wavelengths ranging from (0.316535, 0.114399) nm and powers (927686, 927683) watts, in addition to pulse durations within (1.05512, 0.38133) atto-seconds that ensures that the target material is protected from damage. The proposed system in this paper is mainly based on the spectral and spatial separation of the two pulses to interpret the scattered and diffracted X-rays. The spatial separation allows multiple X-ray pulses to be emitted from different angles of the sample. X-ray diffractography using multiple simultaneous pulses from different angles becomes possible without loss of photon energy generated by the spectrometer.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent disease, among the primary factors contributing to morbidity and death. One of its types is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) comprising 40%–50% of newly diagnosed HF cases. Despite the high prevalence of HFpEF, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the best drugs and treatment approaches to be used. However, the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors could be a promising treatment. Objectives: To examine SGLT2 inhibitors’ effect on hospitalization, cardiovascular death, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in HFpEF patients. Search methods: We conducted searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to July 2024. Selection criteria: We chose RCTs that examined the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors and placebo in individuals with higher than 40% ejection fraction (HFpEF). Data collection and analysis: The methodology for the systematic review and meta-analysis was in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Main results: We included 8 studies with 16,509 participants. Drugs examined in our paper included empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, sotogliflozin, and ertugliflozin. Various outcomes were analyzed in different papers. However, different SGLT2 inhibitors lead to a decreased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization and kidney injury. Our meta-analysis showed a decreased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization but not death due to cardiovascular causes or other causes. These results were regardless of baseline status of eGFR, systolic blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or flutter, diabetes mellitus, sex, body mass index, and nt-proBNP. The included studies were of moderate to high quality. Conclusion: For individuals with HFpEF, SGLT2 inhibitors have been proven to be a safe and effective medication. However, more studies are needed for longer durations, reporting adverse events, effects on exercise tolerance, and other secondary outcomes.

Abstract Covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is a form of cerebral dysfunction that affects 30–40% of patients with liver cirrhosis as a grave sequel of disease progression. Although being a silent condition, yet; CHE has been reported as seriously predictive for the development of overt hepatic encephalopathy. Covert hepatic encephalopathy is said to conclude grades (0 and 1) hepatic encephalopathy in West Heaven grading of hepatic encephalopathy, hence; inferring to discrete deficits in attention, cognition, and motor control, strongly associated with poorer quality of private and social aspects of the patients’ life. Clinical recognition of cases of CHE is such a tedious task that unluckily devoid of discernment. Worthwhile; the battery of neuropsychometric tests widely known as the only tool to identify CHE can give abnormal results without specifying the cause of brain dysfunction Therefore, dedicated history-taking and clinical evaluation of liver cirrhosis patients are still the cornerstones that should unify other diagnostic tools to identify those patients at risk of developing overt hepatic encephalopathy. Diagnosis of CHE is challenging and often neglected in clinical practice, so the aim of this review is to improve our approach to CHE and begin a unified effort for the advancement of CHE through studying easy, fast, and reliable psychometric diagnostic tests to meet our clinical needs.

Co-infection with dengue and salmonella typhi could lead to devastating consequences, and sometimes even result in deaths. This could lead to tremendous hazards not only to country’s economy but also overloading health-care centers. In this article, a fractional co-infection model for dengue, and two-strains (drug-sensitive and drug-resistant) of salmonella typhi is developed by implementing Caputo fractional derivative. Existence, uniqueness and stability of the model are proved by implementing Arzela Ascoli’s theorem, Banach fixed point theorem and Hyers-Ulam stability criteria, respectively. To control the diseases, control measures namely prevention control against dengue, u1(t), prevention control against drug-sensitive salmonella typhi, u2(t), and prevention control against drug-resistant salmonella typhi, u3(t), are introduced into the considered model. The optimality system for corresponding fractional optimal control problem is illustrated by employing Pontryagin’s maximum principle. The simulations of the model are performed by employing fractional Euler scheme to see the impact of control measures and fractional order on the respective diseases.

The mechanism underlying ischaemic heart disease (IHD) has been primarily attributed to obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, non-obstructive coronary arteries are identified in >50% of patients undergoing elective coronary angiography, recently leading to growing interest in the investigation and management of angina/ischaemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA/INOCA). INOCA is an umbrella term encompassing a multiple spectrum of possible pathogenetic entities, including coronary vasomotor disorders which consist of two major endotypes: coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) and vasospastic angina. Both conditions can coexist and be associated with concomitant obstructive CAD. Particularly, CMD refers to myocardial ischaemia due to reduced vasodilatory capacity of coronary microcirculation secondary to structural remodelling or impaired resting microvascular tone (functional) or a combination of both. CMD is not a benign condition and is more prevalent in women presenting with chronic coronary syndrome compared to men. In this setting, an impaired coronary flow reserve has been associated with increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. ANOCA/INOCA patients also experience impaired quality of life and associated increased healthcare costs. Therefore, research in this scenario has led to better definition, classification, and prognostic stratification based on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The development and validation of non-invasive imaging modalities, invasive coronary vasomotor function testing and angiography-derived indices provide a comprehensive characterisation of CMD. The present narrative review aims to summarise current data relating to the diagnostic approach to CMD and provides details on the sequence that therapeutic management should follow.

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a zooanthroponotic, nosocomial, and communi¬ty-associated pathogen that threatens livestock management and even public health. The goal of this investigation was to clarify the role of S. aureus in zoonotic illnesses. Besides that, a novel trial was conducted in the current Egyptian study using oil extracts such as cactus oil, tea oil, geranium oil, and thyme oil to demonstrate the susceptibility of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) iso¬lates to these organic oils in response to the alarming global concern regarding the decreased sus¬ceptibility of S. aureus to known antibiotics, which exacerbates control and treatment protocols. Material and Methods: A total of 110 samples (45 raw cattle milk samples, 35 Karish cheese samples, and 30 human sputum samples) were collected. The bacterium was identified via traditional culturing methods, Gram staining, and the application of several biochemical tests. After that, various kinds of known commercial antibiotics were used to detect the antimicrobial susceptibility (AMS) of the obtained isolates. Furthermore, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was performed to identify S. aureus (nuc gene) and MRSA (mecA gene), with further application of multiplex PCR for screening of all the obtained isolates for vancomycin resistance via targeting vanA, vanB, and vanC genes. Finally, the agar gel diffusion method was performed to assess the antibacterial activity of four plant extracts (cactus oil, tea oil, geranium oil, and thyme oil) against the obtained MRSA. Results: The culturing method revealed S. aureus positivity in raw cattle milk (13.33%), in Karish cheese (28.57%), and in human samples (20%). The obtained isolates showed mainly resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic and ampicillin antibiotics, while the dairy samples showed further resis¬tance against ceptaxime and an intermediate reaction against erythromycin. On the molecular side, PCR positivity was present in human samples (10%), raw cow milk (13.33%), and Karish cheese (14.29%). Nine of the fourteen PCR isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates. Comparing the four oil extracts against the acquired MRSA isolates, cactus oil extract proved to be the most effective. Conclusion: The study's results are highly promising as they support the notion that certain essential oils possess strong antimicrobial properties against zoonotic S. aureus, thereby reducing the excessive use of antibiotics in veterinary and medical settings. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2024; 11(2.000): 306-316]

This paper examines the behavioral patterns of the members of Aish Hatorah and compares them to the patterns of other new religious movements, which arose in the 1960's and 1970's. Aish Hatorah clearly behaves similarly to other new religious movements, which arose in the 1960's and 1970's, although it primarily differs from these other groups in that its theological views are part of the centuries-old tradition contemporarily given the name of Jewish Orthodoxy, and in that its outreach is conducted only towards other Jews. This latter difference is crucial primarily because most new religious movements engage in outreach towards all people without distinction of religious denomination or nationality. Aish Hatorah's two most discernible characteristics, which distinguish it from other Jewish outreach organizations, are its aggressive outreach strategy and its remarkable focus and success in raising organizational funds. Its outreach strategy, geared towards bringing Jews from various economic, educational, geographical, and denominational backgrounds towards an ultra-Orthodox understanding of Judaism, is highly developed and it has obtained well-publicized praise from famous personalities. These are among the factors, which have led the original small Jerusalem men's yeshiva, established in 1974 to develop into an affluent international organization.

This work aimed to synthesize and characterize a biocompatible hydrogel of alginate and chitosan enriched with iron sulfide nanocrystals. Three concentrations of iron sulfide nanocrystals (FeS2NCs) 0.03905, 0.0781, and 0.2343 mg/ml were used. Gel swelling was determined using phosphate-buffered saline solution at 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h. The microstructure, the morphology, and the elastic strength were determined by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and rheological studies, respectively. The functional groups were identified through Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Biocompatibility was determined in a murine model; after seven days of subdermal inoculation, histological sections stained with H&E were analyzed, and then histopathological features were evaluated. All the compounds obtained showed a loss modulus lower than the storage modulus. The 0.2343 mg/ml FeS2NCs hydrogel showed higher swelling than the control. In the in vivo evaluation, no adverse effects were found. The presence of FeS2NCs was well tolerated in the subcutaneous tissue of mice, according to histopathological analysis. The hydrogels synthesized with added FeS2NCs demonstrate a swelling ratio of 150 %, rheologically exhibiting gel-like behavior rather than viscous liquids. Furthermore, they did not present any adverse effects on the subcutaneous tissue.

Uptake of PrEP remains suboptimal, especially in the Southern United States. Same-day or “Rapid PrEP Initiatives” (RPIs) in sexual health centers (SHCs) could facilitate access and overcome barriers to PrEP. We studied the adaptation of an RPI from Denver, Colorado to an SHC in New Orleans, Louisiana. Through focus group discussions (FGDs) with local SHC staff and PrEP providers, we developed a preliminary RPI model. In 5 FGDs with SHC clients referred for or taking PrEP, we gathered adaptation recommendations and feedback on model acceptability, feasibility, and utility. Providers and clients voiced unanimous support for the RPI. Clients favored the ease of same-day PrEP initiation and emphasized a desire for navigational support, financial counseling, and integration of PrEP care with their other clinical needs. Clients recommended that SHC providers discuss PrEP and HIV with all patients, regardless of providers’ perception of risk. Next steps include small-scale implementation and evaluation.

In this work, Caputo fractional model for co-dynamics of two-strains (Alpha and Delta variants) of SARS-CoV-2 and tuberculosis (TB) is formulated. We investigates the basic mathematical analysis, existence of unique solution, stability analysis, sensitivity analysis and simulations of the proposed model. In the basic mathematical analysis, it is proved that the model’s solutions are non-negative, bounded and locally asymptotically stable at disease free equilibrium (DFE) point. The existence of unique solution is proved by using Banach fixed point theorem (BFPT). Stability analysis is carried out by employing Hyers–Ulam stability criteria. Sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the impact of the model parameters on the general dynamics of the model by implementing partial rank correlation coefficient (PRCC) technique. Simulations of the proposed model obtained from non-standard finite difference scheme (NSFDs) are compared with the simulations obtained from two-step Lagrange polynomial method (TLPM). It is concluded that NSFDs gives more accurate and realistic results than TLPM. To assess some control measures necessary for reducing the co-spread of both diseases, comparative simulations are carried out for the infected classes. Also, numerical assessments showed that preventive efforts against SARS-CoV-2 variants could results in the reduction of TB prevalence and the co-infection of both diseases.

This paper investigates the performance of five supervised machine learning algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LogR), decision tree (DT), multiple perceptron neural network (MLP-NN), and K-nearest neighbours (KNN) for predicting the water quality index (WQI) and water quality class (WQC) in the coastal aquifer of the Gaza Strip. A total of 2,448 samples of groundwater were collected from the coastal aquifer of the Gaza Strip, and various physical and chemical parameters were measured to calculate the WQI based on weight. The prediction accuracy was evaluated using five error measures. The results showed that MLP-NN outperformed other models in terms of accuracy with an R value of 0.9945–0.9948, compared with 0.9897–0.9880 for SVM, 0.9784–0.9800 for LogR, 0.9464–0.9247 for KNN, and 0.9301–0.9064 for DT. SVM classification showed that 78.32% of the study area fell under poor to unsuitable water categories, while the north part of the region had good to excellent water quality. Total dissolved solids (TDS) was the most important parameter in WQI predictions while and were the least important. MLP-NN and SVM were the most accurate models for the WQI prediction and classification in the Gaza coastal aquifer. HIGHLIGHTS Machine learning (ML) algorithms are used for predicting water quality index.; Prediction performance of LogR, DT, KNN, SVM, and MLP-NN are compared.; MLP-NN and SVM-based prediction and quality classification models performed better than other ML-developed models.; Gaza coastal aquifer is experiencing a severe deterioration in water quality, as it is currently unsafe for drinking purposes without adequate treatment.;

One of the most common health concerns disturbing people within working years globally is diabetes mellitus (DM). One well-known consequence of DM is vascular damage, which can manifest as macro- and microangiopathy affecting the ocular retina. Therefore, Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a major sight-threatening complication of diabetic retinopathy (DR) worldwide. It is the most prevalent cause of significant vision impairment in diabetic patients. Long-term vision loss can be avoided by following early DME treatment guidelines in everyday life. Hence, there are various therapeutic approaches for DME management. Currently, the first-line treatment for DME is anti-VEGF family drugs, such as ranibizumab, brolucizumab, bevacizumab, and aflibercept. Nevertheless, relapses of the disease, inadequate response, and resistance during anti-VEGF therapy are still seen because of the intricate pathophysiological foundation of the disease. Consequently, there is an excellent requirement for therapeutic approaches to advance and become better at controlling diseases more satisfactorily and require fewer treatments overall. We conducted a thorough literature search in the current review to present a comprehensive overview of the primary data about the current DME therapeutic agents. We also covered the novel advances in DME management and probable future treatments being investigated and developed. This review recommended that Large clinical trials should afford sufficient evidence to support these innovative treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entrapment of the sensitive reagent 5-(2′-bromophenylazo)-6‑hydroxy-pyrimidine-2,4‑dione (BPAHPD) in a silica sol-gel thin film coated on a glass substrate has been investigated for the development of a highly sensitive and selective optode for the determination of lead ions. The fabrication of thin films requires tetraethoxysilane as a precursor, a sol-gel pH of 2.75, a water: alkoxide ratio of 5:1, and a BPAHPD concentration of 4.0 × 10–4 M. The effect of sol-gel parameters on the optode's sensing performance was investigated. The fabricated optode is utilized for lead ion detection over a dynamic range of 4.00–144 ng mL–1 with detection and quantification limits of 1.20 and 3.95 ng mL–1, respectively. It gave repeatable results with relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 1.90% and 1.15% for lead concentrations of 40.0 and 80.0 ng mL–1, respectively, and a response time of two minutes. Through capturing BPAHPD in a sol-gel matrix and appropriately modifying the structure of doped sol-gel, interference studies have determined that lead exhibits a high degree of selectivity. To ascertain total lead, Pb4+ was reduced to Pb2+ using a few drops of 6.00 M hydrochloric acid and a freshly prepared sodium azide solution of 2.50 % (w/v). The optode can be easily regenerated with 0.15 M of nitric acid solution. The optode has complete reversibility. Optode detection of lead in diverse vegetable, food, biological, water, and soil samples yielded favorable results when compared to other techniques.

The free electron laser is considered one of these important and advanced inventions because it provides a laser beam within various wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. In any laser system device, several parameters must be available on which the efficiency and performance of the laser system are dependent. The Pierce parameter is one of the important parameters in measuring the performance quality of the free electron laser. In this paper, the simulation results were obtained using the MATLAB program to show the important effect of the Pierce parameter on the performance of the free electron laser system. The simulation results showed that the values of the Pierce parameter ranged between (0.01 - 0.03) for the laser beam with long wavelengths, while it ranged between (0.001-0.0001) for the short wavelengths. The results showed an increase in the efficiency values of the free electron laser system with increasing the values of the Pierce parameter, which represents the ratio between the saturation power and the power of the electron; therefore, it can be used as a specific threshold to measure the efficiency of the laser system. Additionally, the simulation of the Pierce parameter has a direct relation to the small signal gain per unit length.

In geostatistics, the detection of anomalous observations has a particular importance because of the changes they can create in environmental and geological patterns. Few methods for detecting such observations in univariate data have been proposed for the spatial case, namely sample influence function (SIF), kriging, Intrinsic Random Functions (IRF), and geostatistical functional data. This article reviews the main outlier detection procedures in the context of geostatistics, and due to the absence of a numerical comparison between them, this article obtained the cut-off points of these methods for three different variogram models, and evaluated their performance via a simulation study. The results show that for all detection methods and the three considered models, there is an inverse relationship between the level of contamination and power of performance. In addition, the SIF for the cubic variogram model outperforms the exponential and Matérn. Because of the peculiarities of the Gaza Strip, as regards Palestine water condition, and for illustration purposes, we consider real groundwater level data in the Gaza Coastal Aquifer, where a set of possible outliers were identified.

The new Scientific Decade 2013–2022 of IAHS, entitled “Panta Rhei—Everything Flows”, is dedicated to research activities on change in hydrology and society. The purpose of Panta Rhei is to reach an improved interpretation of the processes governing the water cycle by focusing on their changing dynamics in connection with rapidly changing human systems. The practical aim is to improve our capability to make predictions of water resources dynamics to support sustainable societal development in a changing environment. The concept implies a focus on hydrological systems as a changing interface between environment and society, whose dynamics are essential to determine water security, human safety and development, and to set priorities for environmental management. The Scientific Decade 2013–2022 will devise innovative theoretical blueprints for the representation of processes including change and will focus on advanced monitoring and data analysis techniques. Interdisciplinarity will be sought by increased efforts to connect with the socio-economic sciences and geosciences in general. This paper presents a summary of the Science Plan of Panta Rhei, its targets, research questions and expected outcomes. Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz Citation Montanari, A., Young, G., Savenije, H.H.G., Hughes, D., Wagener, T., Ren, L.L., Koutsoyiannis, D., Cudennec, C., Toth, E., Grimaldi, S., Blöschl, G., Sivapalan, M., Beven, K., Gupta, H., Hipsey, M., Schaefli, B., Arheimer, B., Boegh, E., Schymanski, S.J., Di Baldassarre, G., Yu, B., Hubert, P., Huang, Y., Schumann, A., Post, D., Srinivasan, V., Harman, C., Thompson, S., Rogger, M., Viglione, A., McMillan, H., Characklis, G., Pang, Z., and Belyaev, V., 2013. “Panta Rhei—Everything Flows”: Change in hydrology and society—The IAHS Scientific Decade 2013–2022.Hydrological Sciences Journal. 58 (6) 1256–1275. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are more likely to develop severe course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and experience increased risk of mortality compared to SARS-CoV-2 patients without CRC. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patients and analyse the demographic parameters, clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in CRC patients with COVID-19 illness. Methods For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched Proquest, Medline, Embase, Pubmed, CINAHL, Wiley online library, Scopus and Nature for studies on the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in CRC patients, published from December 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, with English language restriction. Effect sizes of prevalence were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sub-group analyses were performed to minimize heterogeneity. Binary logistic regression model was used to explore the effect of various demographic and clinical characteristics on patient’s final treatment outcome (survival or death). Results Of the 472 papers that were identified, 69 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis (41 cohort, 16 case-report, 9 case-series, 2 cross-sectional, and 1 case-control studies). Studies involving 3362 CRC patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (all patients were adults) were analyzed. The overall pooled proportions of CRC patients who had laboratory-confirmed community-acquired and hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections were 8.1% (95% CI 6.1 to 10.1, n = 1308, 24 studies, I 2 98%, p = 0.66), and 1.5% (95% CI 1.1 to 1.9, n = 472, 27 studies, I 2 94%, p

Abstract: The power and the size of the final spot of the laser beam reaching the target are very important requirements in most of the laser applications and fields such as medical, military, and scientific, so studying laser propagation in the atmosphere is a very important topic. The propagation of the laser beam through the atmosphere is subject to several attenuation processes that deplete the power and expand the beam. Through the simulation results of the free electron laser within the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum (400-700nm), it was found that the attenuation increases with decreasing wavelength. Laser propagation in the presence of rain and snow leads to a very large loss of power compared to propagation in normal weather conditions free of rain and snow. Atmosphere turbulence depends largely on changes in temperature, so the turbulence decreases with altitude from sea level, which makes laser work at high altitudes, such as the stratosphere, a good option with better results.

The predictive directional greedy routing (PDGR) protocol is widely utilized in highway settings within vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). However, PDGR encounters a notable challenge when packets lack a suitable vehicle directionally, leading to network disconnections. This triggers a shift to carry and forward recovery mode due to outdated neighbor information in the vehicle's neighbor table (VNT). To address this, our study proposes an improved fuzzy logic-based improved PDGR (IPDGR). This novel algorithm dynamically adjusts beaconing intervals based on real-time network dynamics. Through comprehensive evaluation using VANET simulators, IPDGR demonstrates superior performance compared to PDGR and directional greedy routing (DGR) protocols across various metrics including Inconsistency of vehicle's neighbor's table (IVNT), packet delivery ratio (PDR), routing path length (RPL), and number of hole problem occurrence (NHPO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) is generally known to influence outcome in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at normal altitudes. Less is known about specific relationships of PaCO2 levels and clinical outcomes at high altitudes. Methods: This is a prospective single-center cohort of consecutive patients with TBI admitted to a trauma center located at 2600 m above sea level. An unfavorable outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) score < 4 at the 6-month follow-up. Results: We had a total of 81 patients with complete data, 80% (65/81) were men, and the median (interquartile range) age was 36 (25–50) years. Median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission was 9 (6–14); 49% (40/81) of patients had severe TBI (GCS 3–8), 32% (26/81) had moderate TBI (GCS 12–9), and 18% (15/81) had mild TBI (GCS 13–15). The median (interquartile range) Abbreviated Injury Score of the head (AISh) was 3 (2–4). The frequency of an unfavorable outcome (GOSE < 4) was 30% (25/81), the median GOSE was 4 (2–5), and the median 6-month mortality rate was 24% (20/81). Comparison between patients with favorable and unfavorable outcomes revealed that those with unfavorable outcome were older, (median age 49 [30–72] vs. 29 [22–41] years, P < 0.01), had lower admission GCS scores (6 [4–8] vs. 13 [8–15], P < 0.01), had higher AISh scores (4 [4–4] vs. 3 [2–4], P < 0.01), had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health disease Classification System II scores (17 [15–23] vs. 10 [6–14], P < 0.01), had higher Charlson scores (0 [0–2] vs. 0 [0–0], P < 0.01), and had higher PaCO2 levels (mean 35 ± 8 vs. 32 ± 6 mm Hg, P < 0.01). In a multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–1.30, P < 0.01), AISh (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.55–21.0, P < 0.05), and PaCO2 levels (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10–1.53, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with the unfavorable outcomes. When applying the same analysis to the subgroup on mechanical ventilation, AISh (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.61–28.5, P = 0.017) and PaCO2 levels (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.13–1.78, P = 0.015) remained significantly associated with the unfavorable outcome. Conclusions: Higher PaCO2 levels are associated with an unfavorable outcome in ventilated patients with TBI. These results underscore the importance of PaCO2 levels in patients with TBI and whether it should be adjusted for populations living at higher altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful bioinspired design depends on practitioners’ access to biological data in a relevant form. Although multiple open-access biodiversity databases exist, their presentation is often adapted to life scientists, rather than bioinspired designers. In this paper, we present a new tool, “Bioinspire-Explore”, for navigating biodiversity data in order to uncover biological systems of interest for a range of sectors. Bioinspire-Explore allows users to search for inspiring biological models via taxa (species, genera, etc.) as an entry point. It provides information on a taxon’s position in the “tree of life”, its distribution and climatic niche, as well as its appearance. Bioinspire-Explore also shows users connections in the bioinspiration literature between their taxon of interest and associated biological processes, habitats, and physical measurements by way of their semantic proximity. We believe Bioinspire-Explore has the potential to become an indispensable resource for both biologists and bioinspired designers in different fields.