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Background and Aim: Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection caused by various Trypanosoma species, poses a significant threat to global livestock, affecting both human health and economic sectors. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, focusing on key ruminant species, including camels, cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Materials and Methods: A total of 240 blood samples, comprising 48 samples from each animal species (camel, cattle, buffaloes, goat, and sheep) were collected from three districts in Southern Punjab. The collected samples were subjected to thin smear microscopy, DNA extraction, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The molecular characterization was conducted using the TBR primer set, which targeted repeated satellite DNA regions and the cytochrome oxidase II gene of T. evansi. Results: About 22.08% (53/240) of overall samples were positive for trypanosomiasis, with prevalence rates being 23.75% (19/80), 21.25% (17/80), and 21.75% (17/80) for districts Muzaffargarh, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur, respectively. 5.83% (14/240) of samples tested for T. evansi using PCR were positive in the districts of Muzaffargarh 7.50% (6/80), Lodhran 5.00% (4/80), and Bahawalpur 5.00% (4/80). Among the animals tested, camels had the highest positivity rate. The microscopic examination confirmed infection rates of 45.83% (22/48) for camels, 18.75% (9/48) for cattle, 8.33% (4/48) for buffaloes, 18.75% (9/48) for goats, and 18.75% (9/48) for sheep (p < 0.001). PCR results did not reveal substantial differences (p < 0.05) in prevalence: camels 12.50% (6/48), cattle 6.25% (3/48), buffaloes 0% (0/48), goats 8.33% (4/48), sheep 2.08% (1/48); while distinct disparities were detected district-wise: Muzaffargarh 23.75% (19/80), Lodhran 21.25% (17/80), and Bahawalpur 21.25% (17/80). The PCR results for these districts were insignificantly different: 7.50% (6/80), 5% (4/80), and 5% (4/80). The microscopic infection rate in camels from Bahawalpur was 56.30% (9/16). The microscopic analysis in Buffaloes reported a 6.30% (1/16) infection rate, but PCR results indicated no infections (0%) in any district. A significant difference (p < 0.001) in identifying Trypanosoma species was found between positively and negatively tested animals in both microscopic and PCR methods. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the necessity of regularly using PCR-based screening for its superior sensitivity and specificity over traditional microscopy. The varying occurrence of trypanosomiasis among districts reflects the intricate nature of this diseases epidemiology in the region. Reducing economic losses from trypanosomiasis in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, requires targeted interventions, such as vector control measures and farmer education.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of paratuberculosis in cattle and buffaloes at twelve public dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods A total of 2,181 more than two-year-old animals (1,242 cattle and 939 buffaloes) were tested by avian tuberculin, i.e., killed purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Blood and fecal samples were collected from tuberculin positive animals. These samples were further processed by indirect ELISA. The data were analyzed using frequency analysis and logistic analysis procedures. Results The prevalence of paratuberculosis at public dairy farms was 3.8%, as determined by tuberculin+ELISA test. It varied from 0.71% to 13.5% with a 100% herd prevalence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that species, milk production, total animals, total small ruminants, and total buffaloes were significantly associated with the occurrence of paratuberculosis. Odd ratio analysis revealed that with a one-kilogram increase in body weight, there will be a 0.006% increase in disease occurrence. With the increase in one animal in small ruminants and buffaloes, there will be 0.008% and 0.42% greater chances of developing paratuberculosis, respectively. Bivariate logistic regression analysis of cattle and buffaloes revealed that farm number, age, and total number of cattle were significantly associated with the occurrence of paratuberculosis. A one-month increase in lactation length increases the chance of tuberculosis by 0.004%; similarly, a one-liter increase in milk production increases the chance of disease by 10%. With each additional buffalo in the herd, there will be a 0.007% greater chance for the occurrence of paratuberculosis. Conclusion This study concluded that tuberculin testing can be used in conjunction with ELISA to screen animals for paratuberculosis in countries with scarce resources, such as Pakistan. The efficacy of disease diagnosis can be improved by combining multiple tests.

Abstract Background Patients perceive effective patient-doctor communication as an important metric when evaluating their satisfaction with health systems. Hence, optimal patient-physician communication is fundamental for quality healthcare. High-income countries (HICs) have extensively studied patient-resident communication. However, there is a dearth of similar studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, we aimed to explore the current state of and barriers to practicing good patient-resident communication and explore possible solutions to mitigate these challenges at one of the largest Academic Medical Centers in an LMIC. Methods This study employed an exploratory qualitative study design and was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. Through purposive maximum variation sampling, 60 healthcare workers from diverse cohorts, including attendings, fellows, residents, and medical students, participated in eight focus group discussions. Results We identified three key themes from the data: Status-quo of residents’ communication skills and learning (Poor verbal and non-verbal communication, inadequate training programs, and variable sources of learning), Barriers to effective communication (Institutional barriers such as lack of designated counselling spaces, lack of resident insight regarding effective communication and deficits in intra-team communication), and the need for developing a communication skills curriculum (Design, implementation and scaling to other cohorts of healthcare workers). Conclusions Findings from this study show that multifaceted factors are responsible for inadequate patient resident-physician communication, highlighting the need for and importance of developing a formal communication skills training curriculum for residents. These insights can be used to create standardized training for equipping residents with adequate skills for effectively communicating with patients which can improve healthcare service delivery and patient outcomes.

Abstract Land transportation is a major source of heavy metal contamination along the roadside, posing significant risks to human health through inhalation, oral ingestion, and dermal contact. Therefore, this study has been designed to determine the concentrations of vehicular released heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, and Cu) in roadside soil and leaves of two commonly growing native plant species (Calotropis procera and Nerium oleander).Two busy roads i.e., Lahore-Okara road (N-5) and Okara-Faisalabad roads (OFR) in Punjab, Pakistan, were selected for the study. The data were collected from five sites along each road during four seasons. Control samples were collected ~ 50 m away from road. The metal content i.e. lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) were determined in the plant leaves and soil by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Significantly high amount of all studied heavy metals were observed in soil and plant leaves along both roads in contrast to control ones. The mean concentration of metals in soil ranged as Cd (2.20–6.83 mg/kg), Pb (4.53–15.29 mg/kg), Ni (29.78–101.26 mg/kg), and Cu (61.68–138.46 mg/kg) and in plant leaves Cd (0.093–0.53 mg/kg), Pb (4.31–16.34 mg/kg), Ni (4.13–16.34 mg/kg) and Cu (2.98–32.74 mg/kg). Among roads, higher metal contamination was noted along N-5 road. Significant temporal variations were also noted in metal contamination along both roads. The order of metal contamination in soil and plant leaves in different seasons was summer > autumn > spring > winter. Furthermore, the metal accumulation potential of Calotropis procera was higher than that of Nerium oleander. Therefore, for sustainable management of metal contamination, the plantation of Calotropis procera is recommended along roadsides.

Abstract Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels caused by inadequate insulin production, which subsequently leads to hyperglycemia. This study was aimed to investigate the antidiabetic potential of pyrazolobenzothiazine derivatives in silico, in vitro, and in vivo. Molecular docking of pyrazolobenzothiazine derivatives was performed against α-glucosidase and α-amylase and compounds were selected based on docking score, bonding interactions and low root mean square deviation (RMSD). Enzyme inhibition assay against α-glucosidase and α-amylase was performed in vitro using p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (PNPG) and starch substrate. Synthetic compound pyrazolobenzothiazine (S1) exhibited minimal conformational changes during the 100 ns MD simulation run. S1 also revealed effective IC50 values for α-glucosidase (3.91 µM) and α-amylase (8.89 µM) and an enzyme kinetic study showed low ki (− 0.186 µM, − 1.267 µM) and ki′ (− 0.691 µM, − 1.78 µM) values with the competitive type of inhibition for both enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylase, respectively. Moreover, studies were conducted to check the effect of the synthetic compound in a mouse model. A low necrosis rate was observed in the liver, kidney, and pancreas through histology analysis performed on mice. Compound S1 also exhibited a good biochemical profile with lower sugar level (110–115 mg/dL), increased insulin level (25–30 μM/L), and low level of cholesterol (85 mg/dL) and creatinine (0.6 mg/dL) in blood. The treated mice group also exhibited a low % of glycated haemoglobin (3%). This study concludes that S1 is a new antidiabetic-agent that helps lower blood glucose levels and minimizes the complications associated with type-II diabetes.

Hippuric acid is a biotransformation product in humans which is excreted through urine. Dietary intake of phenolic compounds increases its concentration in urine. Hippuric acid is experimentally proved to be a regulator of calcium oxalate super saturation in human urine and has a solvent effect on oxalate salts. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used analgesics employed in associated renal colic of urolithiasis. The objective of the present study was to chemically link hippuric acid through anhydride linkage to various NSAIDs to synthesize potential mutual prodrugs for urolithiasis and associated renal colic. Hippuric acid was linked to eleven NSAIDs through anhydride linkage by first synthesizing hippuryl chloride using oxalyl chloride as chlorinating agent, followed by its reaction with sodium salts of NSAIDs. Structures of obtained compounds were elucidated using UV spectrophotometry, FTIR spectrometry, 1H NMR and C-13 NMR spectrometry. Synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, in vivo acute toxicity, in vivo antiurolithic, in vivo analgesic and in vitro hydrolysis studies. Molecular docking analysis on TNF-α and COX-2 was carried out to determine target protein binding. Synthesized compounds showed stability at acidic pH which indicate potential gastro protective effect of synthesized conjugates. Compounds P9 an P6 showed maximum in vivo antiurolithic activity while P9 and P8 showed maximum in vitro antioxidant activity. All the conjugates except P2 showed significant analgesic activity which show that conjugation of hippuric acid to NSAIDs did not result in loss of analgesic potential. Docking studies showed better affinity with TNF-α as compared to COX-2.

Background: The treatment of choice for most esophageal strictures is esophageal dilatation but it has a low success rate. This study was conducted to determine the effect of topical mitomycin C as an adjunct to dilatation therapy in esophageal strictures among children. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan, from July 2022 to October 2023. Children aged 1-12 years and having esophageal strictures were included. A simple random sampling technique was adopted. Children in the Mitomycin C group received topical mitomycin C (2 mg/20 ml saline) during the endoscopy, whereas the placebo group received normal saline. The counts of dilatation sessions necessary in each group and the proportion of patients who were symptom-free after 12 months of therapy were noted (outcome). IBM-SPSS 26 was used for data analysis with p

Trade policy uncertainty might hamper trade flow, including the trade of green and renewable energy technologies. Therefore, this study aims to examine the asymmetric effects of trade policy uncertainty (TPU) on renewable energy consumption (REC) in China. To calculate the short- and long-term relationships between REC, TPU, national income, carbon footprints, and financial development, we used the nonlinear QARDL technique. The estimates reveal that an upsurge in TPU hurts REC in the short and long run. Conversely, a stable trade policy or a reduction in TPU increases REC in the long run. In the short run, a fall in TPU exerts no influence on REC. The findings further imply that various factors, including GDP, CO2 emissions, and financial development, contribute to long-term improvements in REC in China, both in the short and long run.

Bioremediation is a sustainable and worthy approach for remediating textile industrial wastewater, which poses severe extortions to human and environmental health due to its toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic nature. The present study employed Acinetobacter baumannii 1005 isolated from industrial wastewater to emphasize its degradation potential and to characterize the azoreductase (AZA) gene to assess and optimize the biodegradation of reactive blue 224 (RB-224) textile dye. A. baumannii showed significant decolorization against RB-224, resulting in a change in color. Under optimized conditions (pH 6, 37 °C, and 100 mg/L), A. baumannii exhibited 91 % decolorization of RB-224 being analyzed by UV–vis after 24 h of incubation. UV–vis spectroscopy and FTIR analysis have shown the efficiency of A. baumannii for degrading RB-224. In the UV spectrum, the shifting of the peak from560 nm to 400 nm confirmed the decolorization. In the FTIR spectrum, the shift of several significant peaks related to the functional groups S = O C-N, C–H, C = C, and N–H, corresponding to the structure of RB-224 dye along with the emergence of new peaks indicating the formation of metabolites after degradation. The Azoreductase (AZA) gene of ∼600 bp was amplified and cloned in a pTz57R/T cloning vector. Subsequently, the AZA gene was sequenced and submitted to NCBI for accession number. This study explored the potential of A. baumannii isolate suitable for the bio-remediation of textile dyes.

This research explores the dynamic relationships between ecological footprint, economic performance, financial development, energy usage, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in South Asian economies utilizing the panel data from 1971 to 2018. In panel data analysis, conventional methods generally ignore the issues of cross-sectional dependency and the heterogenous nature of cross-sectional units. The other concern with the existing research is that most of the studies ignore the significance of ecological footprint while evaluating financial development and FDI as sources of environmental changes. The long-term relationship among the indicators is tested utilizing the Westerlund cointegration test. The findings support both environmental Kuznets curve and pollution haven hypotheses for South Asian economies. Besides, the empirical findings suggest that financial development increases environmental conservation while energy usage substantially disrupts the environment of the selected south Asian nations. Additionally, the heterogeneous causality analysis reveals the causal relationships between the variables. Thus, overall results recommend that the South Asian economies need to boost economic growth without compromising the environment, decrease fossil fuel usage, enhance financial sector growth and incentivize environmentally friendly FDI to conserve the environment in the region.

Background: To make basic sciences easy and accessible to enhance their clinical importance. Objective: basic sciences in medical education have a pivotal role in forming foundation of a medical students. However, students have become disinterested because of the inaccessibility of the study system and methods. Through this study, an attempt was made to highlight this problem and find a suitable solution. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 265 students. Data were collected using a questionnaire that was analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Descriptive statistics were used for categorical and quantitative variables. The total scores on each subscale pertaining to basic science subjects, anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry were calculated. Results: Medical students reported mixed responses on the clinical significance of anatomy (moderate) and physiology (low to moderate), while biochemistry was reported to be the most clinically useful. More than 50% of the respondents considered the syllabus of the basic medical sciences to be vast, in contrast to their limited clinical usefulness. Traditional teaching of basic medical sciences as individual disciplines, unrelated to each other and other clinical subjects (7), made them very difficult to recall and applicable in clinical years of the students, included in our survey Conclusion: The majority of the respondents in our study were of the view that the knowledge of basic medical sciences is very important in order to become a good clinician, but the majority also thought that only working knowledge of these subjects is required in clinical years. Therefore, there is no need for deeper understanding of structures and functions.

This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis and science mapping of the publications emerging from the COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Pakistan. Bibliometrics and visualization techniques were used in this study. The data were collected from the Web of Science database with the "COMSATS University Islamabad" query in the affiliation category.A total of 26,841 documents were retrieved. VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, ScientoPy, and MS Excel software were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the number of publications, particularly articles, has progressively increased. COMSATS had the most national collaborations with Quaid-e-Azam University, and China was identified as the top-ranked country for international collaborations. Furthermore, Engineering was the most attractive area for the CUI authors. This study would guide the researchers regarding important research areas while conducting, collaborating, and submitting their research in international databases.

Abstract Management of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is a critical factor that can improve maize (Zea mays L.) production. On the other hand, high volatilization losses of N also pollute the air. A field experiment was established using a silt clay soil to examine the effect of sulfur-coated urea and sulfur from gypsum on ammonia (NH3) emission, N use efficiency (NUE), and the productivity of maize crop under alkaline calcareous soil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block (RCBD) with seven treatments in three replicates: control with no N, urea150 alone (150 kg N ha−1), urea200 alone (200 kg N ha−1), urea150 + S (60 kg ha−1 S from gypsum), urea200 + S, SCU150 (sulfur-coated urea) and SCU200. The results showed that the urea150 + S and urea200 + S significantly reduced the total NH3 by (58 and 42%) as compared with the sole application urea200. The NH3 emission reduced further in the treatment with SCU150 and SCU200 by 74 and 65%, respectively, compared to the treatment with urea200. The maize plant biomass, grain yield, and total N uptake enhanced by 5–14%, 4–17%, and 7–13, respectively, in the treatments with urea150 + s and urea200 + S, relative to the treatment with urea200 alone. Biomass, grain yield, and total N uptake further increased significantly by 22–30%, 25–28%, and 26–31%, respectively, in the treatments with SCU150 and SCU200, relative to the treatment with urea200 alone. The applications of SCU150 enhanced the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by (72%) and SCU200 by (62%) respectively, compared with the sole application of urea200 alone. In conclusion, applying S-coated urea at a lower rate of 150 kg N ha−1 compared with a higher rate of 200 kg N ha−1 may be an effective way to reduce N fertilizer application rate and mitigate NH3 emission, improve NUE, and increase maize yield. More investigations are suggested under different soil textures and climatic conditions to declare S-coated urea at 150 kg N ha−1 as the best application rate for maize to enhance maize growth and yield.

A survey of results on Grüss-type inequalities associated with a variety of fractional integral and differential operators is presented. The fractional differential operators includes, Riemann-Liouville fractional integral operators, Riemann-Liouville fractional integrals of a function with respect to another function, Katugampola fractional integral operators, Hadamard's fractional integral operators, $ k $-fractional integral operators, Raina's fractional integral operators, tempered fractional integral operators, conformable fractional integrals operators, proportional fractional integrals operators, generalized Riemann-Liouville fractional integral operators, Caputo-Fabrizio fractional integrals operators, Saigo fractional integral operators, quantum integral operators, and Hilfer fractional differential operators.

Objective: To assess the early complications of surfactant administration in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Study Design: Perspective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun to Dec 2021. Methodology: A total of 64 neonates admitted in ICU with gestational age 27-32 weeks requiring Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and surfactant administration were included. Neonatal complications after 24 hours of administration of surfactant and final outcome was recorded on a predesigned data collection tool. Results: Mean duration of stay on ventilator was 41.12±8.88 hours. Mean duration for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure was 43.59±22.70 hours. Second dose of surfactant was given to 34(53.1%) of neonates. Among neonates 25% suffered from pulmonary hemorrhage and 7.8% from bradycardia, 48(75%) were discharged and 16(25%) died. Conclusion: The mortality rate decreased in neonates after administration of surfactant. In future, we will implement surfactant in term neonates, diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome, in order to improve the survival of neonates and reduce complications.

OBJECTIVES To ascertain the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in individuals diagnosed with ischemic stroke. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Department of Medicine, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, after obtaining ethical approval. The study included 143 individuals who had evidence of ischemic stroke on a CT scan. These patients were assessed for the presence or absence of left ventricular hypertrophy using transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS The average age of the participants in the study was 57 years, with a standard deviation of 7.9 years. The sample consisted of 67.8% males and 32.2% females. The average BMI was calculated to be 25.3 + 3.3kg/m2, and 39.9% of the patients were from urban areas. Left ventricular hypertrophy was observed in 16.8% of patients who had experienced an ischemic stroke, with the greatest occurrence rate of 39.9% found in the age range of 50-60 years. There was no significant correlation observed between hypertension, diabetes, location of residence, age, and smoking. CONCLUSION Early and precise identification of the modifiable risk factors during the illness, followed by proper intervention, has the potential to decrease the incidence of debilitating stroke greatly. It is necessary to conduct large-scale population screening studies inside our local community. TTE should be carried out in all acute ischemic stroke patients to optimize the management of these patients.

This study, conducted in accordance with ASTM T321-14 standards, offers crucial insights into the behaviour of asphalt materials subjected to cyclic loading. For proper maintenance and pavement design, it is essential to understand the material response under different loading conditions. This study focuses on the four-point beam bending test to investigate the viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt pavement. The four-point beam bending test is a useful method for determining the material's ability to withstand cyclic loading and deformation, which the material experiences during field traffic conditions. The experimental setup involves subjecting asphalt samples to cyclic loading using a four-point bending apparatus. The imposed load causes the specimen to experience bending strains, representing the actual loading conditions that pavements endure. The data gathered during testing include stress, strain, and deformation properties under various loading conditions. The stress-strain response demonstrates the material's resilience to fatigue, with a gradual decrease in stiffness beyond 10,300 cycles. Fatigue failure criteria include a 50% reduction in initial stiffness for strain-controlled fatigue tests and cracking in stress-controlled tests. The dynamic modulus in a compressive-type, repeated load test follows a three-phase pattern, highlighting the impact of temperature and binder characterization methods on sample performance. The results provide information about the material's resilience to rutting and fatigue cracking, the most significant distresses indicated in asphalt pavements. The findings from this study contribute to an in-depth understanding of the viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt pavement and can aid in the development of improved design guidelines and maintenance strategies characterizing the material response to cyclic loading. Engineers and researchers can make better decisions on the durability and performance of asphalt pavements, resulting in more cost-effective and sustainable road infrastructure.

With the emergence of a green environment and green business, the banking sector has also enforced green practices. This study aims to explore the impact of motivational factors and green behaviors on the environmental performance of banking sector employees. This is a quantitative study and data has been collected through a cross-sectional survey of the questionnaire in the banking sector. 300 questionnaires were distributed to the bank employees. PLS-SEM was used to find the statistical results. The study finds a positive impact of Extrinsic motivation and Intrinsic motivation on Employee Environmental Performance, the mediating effect of Task-related Green Behaviors was also found to be positive. The study does not support the effect of Voluntary Green Behaviors on Employee Environment Performance and its mediating effect was also not supported. The study findings and deep knowledge of the impact of motivational and behavioral employee environmental performance on banking sector employees have provided new directions for researchers and policymakers. This study will help the policymakers in strategically developing rewarding policies for the employees that would definitely create a positive impact on performance. The results of the study have provided empirical confirmation of employees’ motivational needs and their impact on green behaviors that collectively impact employee environmental performance.

BackgroundHereditary neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are prevalent in poorly prognostic pediatric diseases, but the pathogenesis of NDDs is still unclear. Irregular myelination could be one of the possible causes of NDDs.Case presentationHere, whole exome sequencing was carried out for a consanguineous Pakistani family with NDDs to identify disease-associated variants. The co-segregation of candidate variants in the family was validated using Sanger sequencing. The potential impact of the gene on NDDs has been supported by conservation analysis, protein prediction, and expression analysis. A novel homozygous variant DOP1A(NM_001385863.1):c.2561A>G was identified. It was concluded that the missense variant might affect the protein-protein binding sites of the critical MEC interaction region of DOP1A, and DOP1A-MON2 may cause stability deficits in Golgi-endosome protein traffic. Proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin-associate glycoprotein (MAG) could be targets of the DOP1A-MON2 Golgi-endosome traffic complex, especially during the fetal stage and the early developmental stages. This further supports the perspective that disorganized myelinogenesis due to congenital DOP1A deficiency might cause neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).ConclusionOur case study revealed the potential pathway of myelinogenesis-relevant NDDs and identified DOP1A as a potential NDDs-relevant gene in humans.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms are most common type of genetic variation in human genome. Analyzing genetic variants can help us better understand the genetic basis of diseases and develop predictive models which are useful to identify individuals who are at increased risk for certain diseases. Several SNP analysis tools have already been developed. For running these tools, the user needs to collect data from various databases. Secondly, often researchers have to use multiple variant analysis tools for cross validating their results and increase confidence in their findings. Extracting data from multiple databases and running multiple tools at a time, increases complexity and time required for analysis. There are some web-based tools that integrate multiple genetic variant databases and provide variant annotations for a few tools. These approaches have some limitations such as retrieving annotation information, filtering common pathogenic variants. The proposed web-based tool, namely IPSNP: An Integrated Platform for Predicting Impact of SNPs is written in Django which is a python-based framework. It uses RESTful API of MyVariant.info to extract annotation information of variants associated with a given gene, rsID, HGVS format variants specified in a VCF file for 29 tools. The results are in the form of a CSV file of predictions (1) derived from the consensus decision, (2) a file having annotations for the variants associated with the given gene, (3) a file showing variants declared as pathogenic commonly by the selected tools, and (4) a CSV file containing chromosome coordinates based on GRCh37 and GRCh38 genome assemblies, rsIDs and proteomic data, so that users may use tools of their choice and avoiding manual parameter collection for each tool. IPSNP is a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians and it can help to save time and effort in discovering the novel disease-associated variants and the development of personalized treatments.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the severity of hand injury with anxiety and depression. Study design: Cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Psychiatry and Plastic Surgery, Combined Military Hospital, Multan Pakistan, from Jul 2021 to May 2022. Methodology: We consecutively included 104 patients. The patients were given a specifically designed proforma to assess the parameters. Hand injury severity was assessed using the Hands injury severity scoring system. In contrast, the presence of anxiety and depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: The mean age of the patients was 33.19±4.14 years; 97(93.3%) were males, and 95(91.3%) were married. 44 patients (42.3%) belonged to the wood trade, 25 farmers (24%), building trade 23(22.1%), and 10(9.6%) belonged to the metal trade. 68(65.4%) sustained a combination type of injury, 15(14.4%) had injury and 14(13.5%) had crush injuries. Of 53(51.0%), axe was the cause, 21(20.2%) was due to saw, and 16(15.4%) were due to metal when the severity of hand injury was compared for correlation with anxiety levels (p=0.188) and level of depression (p=0.413). Conclusion: Results of this study highlight that the presence of anxiety is more than depression after hand injury but not significantly correlated.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to find the frequency of indications for Transthoracic echocardiography and its impact on non-cardiac patient management in Peshawar, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study was conducted in Medical B Ward, Department of Internal Medicine at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, Pakistan, over six months from July to 31st December 2020. A non-consecutive probability sampling technique was used. The sample size was calculated using an Openepi calculator, keeping 25.9 % as the frequency of requesting heart failure as an indication of echocardiography, 6.15 % as the confidence limit, and 95 % as a confidence interval. RESULTS A total of 195 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 483 years, with 59% females and 41% males. The major indication for TTE was assessing left ventricular systolic function in 146 (75%) patients and then finding the cause of the observed arrhythmias in 15 (7.5%) patients. A major proportion (95%) of the evaluated patients had no major change in the ongoing management plan following TTE. The working diagnosis in evaluated patients was changed by 12.7%, whereas new management plans were devised in only 4.9% of the cases. CONCLUSION Designing a randomized study to fully elaborate on the utility of TTE in patients admitted to acute medical wards while trying to address all confounding variables is an extremely difficult task.

Abstract Carotenoid cleavage oxygenase (CCO) is an enzyme capable of converting carotenoids into volatile, aromatic compounds and it plays an important role in the production of two significant plant hormones, i.e., abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactone (SL). The cucumber plant genome has not been mined for genomewide identification of the CCO gene family. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis to identify and thoroughly examine the CCO gene family within the genomic sequence of Cucumis sativus L. A Total of 10 CCO genes were identified and mostly localized in the cytoplasm and chloroplast. The CCO gene is divided into seven subfamilies i.e. 3 NCED, 3 CCD, and 1 CCD-like (CCDL) subfamily according to phylogenetic analysis. Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) analysis revealed the elements associated with growth and development as well as reactions to phytohormonal, biotic, and abiotic stress conditions. CCOs were involved in a variety of physiological and metabolic processes, according to Gene Ontology annotation. Additionally, 10 CCO genes were regulated by 84 miRNA. The CsCCO genes had substantial purifying selection acting upon them, according to the synteny block. In addition, RNAseq analysis indicated that CsCCO genes were expressed in response to phloem transportation and treatment of chitosan oligosaccharides. CsCCD7 and CsNCED2 showed the highest gene expression in response to the exogenous application of chitosan oligosaccharides to improve cold stress in cucumbers. We also found that these genes CsCCD4a and CsCCDL-a showed the highest expression in different plant organs with respect to phloem content. The cucumber CCO gene family was the subject of the first genome-wide report in this study, which may help us better understand cucumber CCO proteins and lay the groundwork for the gene family's future cloning and functional investigations.

Abstract Background Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) is a disease of the reproductive age group with an incidence rate of

This paper presents an extensive review of some recent results on fractional Ostrowski-type inequalities associated with a variety of convexities and different kinds of fractional integrals. We have taken into account the classical convex functions, quasi-convex functions, (ζ,m)-convex functions, s-convex functions, (s,r)-convex functions, strongly convex functions, harmonically convex functions, h-convex functions, Godunova-Levin-convex functions, MT-convex functions, P-convex functions, m-convex functions, (s,m)-convex functions, exponentially s-convex functions, (β,m)-convex functions, exponential-convex functions, ζ¯,β,γ,δ-convex functions, quasi-geometrically convex functions, s−e-convex functions and n-polynomial exponentially s-convex functions. Riemann–Liouville fractional integral, Katugampola fractional integral, k-Riemann–Liouville, Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals with respect to another function, Hadamard fractional integral, fractional integrals with exponential kernel and Atagana-Baleanu fractional integrals are included. Results for Ostrowski-Mercer-type inequalities, Ostrowski-type inequalities for preinvex functions, Ostrowski-type inequalities for Quantum-Calculus and Ostrowski-type inequalities of tensorial type are also presented.

Abstract The flashover strength of epoxy (EP) insulations in the High voltage direct current applications of future energy grids can be improved by tailoring their surface condition. This work aims to improve the DC surface flashover characteristics of EP after being treated with sandpaper of different gradings. Samples with virgin EP and homogenously modified EP considering varying surface roughness (Ra = 0.54, 3.16, 5.24, and 8.35 μm) are prepared. Different experimental characterisations, such as water contact angle, surface intrinsic conductivity, surface voltages, flashover strength, and trap distributions are conducted and evaluated to analyse the difference between virgin and treated EP. Moreover, based on the obtained experimental results of homogenously treated EP and theoretical analysis, the concept of surface functionally graded materials (SFGMs) is put forward. The flashover voltages of homogenously treated EP are augmented significantly compared to virgin EP regardless of the voltage polarity and enhanced by enhancing the surface roughness. The sample TModel‐C with SFGM design shows a 45.02% and 43.75% improvement in the negative and positive flashover voltages than that of the virgin EP. In the end, COMSOL simulations are conducted to justify the experimental findings and to analyse the difference between virgin and modified samples in terms of electric field distribution.

A review on Hermite-Hadamard type inequalities connected with a different classes of convexities and fractional differential operators is presented. In the various classes of convexities it includes, classical convex functions, quasi-convex functions, p-convex functions, strongly-m-convex functions, strongly-(θ,m)-convex functions, (s, m)-convex functions, (θ, h- m)-convex functions, strongly (θ, h- m)-convex functions, (h, m)-convex functions of the second type, m-convex functions, h-convex functions, (h,m)-convex functions, relative-convex functions, exponentially (θ, h- m)-convex functions, harmonically h-convex functions and geometric-arithmetically s-convex functions. In the fractional differential operators it includes, Caputo fractional derivative, k-Caputo fractional derivative and Hilfer fractional derivative.

This research explored the potential of marble wastewater (MWW) in cement paste and mortar production, addressing water scarcity, sustainable growth, and resource management. It investigated the physico-mechanical properties and microstructure of cement materials incorporated with varying amounts of MWW. In this study, we utilized tap water and MWW for mortar quality testing, focusing on parameters including setting times, water absorption, and mechanical strength. The viability of MWW in concrete formulations was confirmed by its acceptable total dissolved solids and alkalinity levels. A comprehensive experimental program determined that using marble wastewater in place of tap water reduced the quantity of water required for cement consistency and generated slightly higher compressive strengths (2, 3, 4, and 6%) after 28 days of curing. Analytical techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), were employed for molecular and microstructural analyses, which revealed that MWW had a significant influence on portlandite development and CSH formation at higher replacement levels. In short, this research highlights the feasibility of using MWW in cement products, contributing to sustainable water resources, and industrial waste management and utilization.

Underwater imaging presents unique challenges, notably color distortions and reduced contrast due to light attenuation and scattering. Most underwater image enhancement methods first use linear transformations for color compensation and then enhance the image. We observed that linear transformation for color compensation is not suitable for certain images. For such images, non-linear mapping is a better choice. This paper introduces a unique underwater image restoration approach leveraging a streamlined convolutional neural network (CNN) for dynamic weight learning for linear and non-linear mapping. In the first phase, a classifier is applied that classifies the input images as Type I or Type II. In the second phase, we use the Deep Line Model (DLM) for Type-I images and the Deep Curve Model (DCM) for Type-II images. For mapping an input image to an output image, the DLM creatively combines color compensation and contrast adjustment in a single step and uses deep lines for transformation, whereas the DCM employs higher-order curves. Both models utilize lightweight neural networks that learn per-pixel dynamic weights based on the input image’s characteristics. Comprehensive evaluations on benchmark datasets using metrics like peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and root mean square error (RMSE) affirm our method’s effectiveness in accurately restoring underwater images, outperforming existing techniques.

Medicinal plants have been a part of human history for thousands of years and are still used as healthcare throughout the world. The current research aims to explore the chemical constituents of the methanol soluble extract (LC-Me) and petroleum ether soluble fraction (LCM-PES) from the leaves of Lantana camara Linn by GC/ GC-MS. This chemical analysis revealed the existence of 16 and 23 phytoconstituents in LC-Me and LCM-PES respectively. The major constituents in LC-Me were found to beethyl 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate (31.9%), hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (12.6%), n-hexadecanoic acid (11.1%), linoleic acid ethyl ester (9.1%), squalene (8.7%), di-n-octyl phthalate (6.2%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- (4.2%), (E)-9-octadecenoic acid ethyl ester (2.7%) andcyclopropanebutanoicacid,2-[[2-[[2-[(2-pentylcyclopropyl)methyl]cyclopropyl]methyl]cyclopropyl]methyl]-, methyl ester (2.3%). The chief bioactive compounds in petroleum ether soluble fraction were found to beandrost-8-en-3-ol, 4,4,14α-trimethyl-17-(2-bromo-1-methylethyl (57.9%), 14,17-nor-3,21-dioxo-β-amyrin, 17,18-didehydro-3-dehydroxy- (13.0%), barringtogenol B (2.5%), olean-12-ene-3,16,21,22,28-pentol, 21-(2-methyl-2-butenoate), [3β,16α,21β(Z),22α]-(1.7%),perhydrocyclopropa[e]azulene-4,5,6-triol, 1,1,4,6-tetramethyl (1.7%), ethyl iso-allocholate (1.6%) and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisooctyl ester (1.6%). Both the extract and its fraction have exhibited very significant antibacterial, antifungal,mosquito repellent and larvicidal propertiesoriginated by numerous bioactive metabolites. Twenty eight (20 Gram-positive and 8 Gram-negative) bacteria were tested against LC.Me and LCM-PESwith noteworthy zone of inhibition.The significant in vitro antifungal activity was observed against fifteen fungi in LC-Me and LCM-PES. Very robust initial repellency was observed for LC-Me and LCM-PES (94% and 80% respectively) against the dengue-carrying mosquito (Aedes aegypti) at 2% concentration. The extract and its fraction were also found to be an efficient larvicidal agent against fourth-stage larvae of Aedes aegypti. The effective larvicidal property was noted in methanol soluble extract as compared topetroleum ether soluble fraction and standard with LC50value of 20 and 400 ppm respectively.

IntroductionThis study delves into the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) in a Metropolitan area over three decades (1991–2021) and extends its scope to forecast future scenarios from 2031 to 2051. The intent is to aid sustainable land management and urban planning by enabling precise predictions of urban growth, leveraging the integration of remote sensing, GIS data, and observations from Landsat satellites 5, 7, and 8.MethodsThe research employed a machine learning-based approach, specifically utilizing the random forest (RF) algorithm, for LULC classification. Advanced modeling techniques, including CA–Markov chains and the Land Change Modeler (LCM), were harnessed to project future LULC alterations, which facilitated the development of transition probability matrices among different LULC classes.ResultsThe investigation uncovered significant shifts in LULC, influenced largely by socio-economic factors. Notably, vegetation cover decreased substantially from 49.21% to 25.81%, while forest cover saw an increase from 31.89% to 40.05%. Urban areas expanded significantly, from 7.55% to 25.59% of the total area, translating into an increase from 76.31 km2 in 1991 to 258.61 km2 in 2021. Forest area also expanded from 322.25 km2 to 409.21 km2. Projections indicate a further decline in vegetation cover and an increase in built-up areas to 371.44 km2 by 2051, with a decrease in forest cover compared to its 2021 levels. The predictive accuracy of the model was confirmed with an overall accuracy exceeding 90% and a kappa coefficient around 0.88.DiscussionThe findings underscore the model’s reliability and provide a significant theoretical framework that integrates socio-economic development with environmental conservation. The results emphasize the need for a balanced approach towards urban growth in the Islamabad metropolitan area, underlining the essential equilibrium between development and conservation for future urban planning and management. This study underscores the importance of using advanced predictive models in guiding sustainable urban development strategies.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anaemia, using an iron profile as the gold standard in patients presenting with hypochromic microcytic anaemia. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pediatrics, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Dec 2021 to May 2022. Methodology: Data was collected from 163 patients with hypochromic microcytic anaemia. Red cell indices were noted for each patient and recorded on a defined proforma. Results: The mean age of the patients was 8.23±3.57 years. 85(52.1%) patients were males and 78(47.9%) were females. Moreover, out of 163 patients, the specificity, sensitivity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of the Mentzer index for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia were 90.1%, 90.1%, 84.6%, 93.8%, and 90.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The cell-count-based indices, especially the Mentzer index, are reliable and available methods for diagnosing iron deficiency anaemia. They have an accurate discrimination ability.

A skilled workforce is essential for producing high quality construction work, efficiently and effectively. This paper is formulated to improve the understanding and knowledge surrounding the skill shortage currently being faced within the UK, and the significant impact it is having on quality management. It surrounds around each main area, and the impacts of recent years: Brexit, Covid-19 and ageing workforce. A mixed method approach was applied to collect data from the quantitative and qualitative sources. The quantitative survey data was collected through snowball sampling from the 130 construction professionals working the UK construction industry. Moreover, a case study has been conducted on a large-scale construction project located in the Northeast of England where the outcome of these issues can be seen in all aspects of the work. Training and development are the fundamental issues highlighted during the literature review and then subsequently expressed by participants of the surveys. In addition, the moderation analysis also provides the important role of training and development in reducing the negative impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit towards quality management. However, it was also revealed that the training and development are not useful for the aging workforce in combating the skilled shortage challenges towards quality management system in the construction industry. This research will allow the industry to understand the need for a skilled workforce and how it benefits the quality management elements of a construction project.

Background: Human health is seriously threatened by particulate matter (PM) pollution, which is a major environmental problem. A better indicator of biological responses to PM exposure than its mass alone is the PM ''oxidative potential (OP),'' or ability to oxidize target molecules. When reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated in the OP in excess of the antioxidant capacity of body due to PM components such metals and organic species, it causes inflammation, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), proteins, and lipids damage. Method: The samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are collected from the brick kiln site and the roadside in Lahore, Pakistan. The organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were estimated by carbon analyzer (DRI 2001A) using the thermal/optical transmittance (TOT) protocol. The water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) concentration was determined using a total organic carbon analyzer (Shimadzu TOC-L CPN). Ion chromatography (Dionex ICS–900) with a conductivity detector was used to analyze the water-soluble anions (Cl−, NO3−, and SO42−) and cations (NH4+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+). Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (iCAP TQ ICP-MS, Thermo Scientific) was used to determine the concentrations of metals in the solution. The dithiothreitol (DTT) consumption rate was calculated using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 412 nm. Results: The mean concentrations of PM2.5 at the brick kiln site and roadside reported are 509.3 ± 32.3 μg/m3 and 467.5 ± 24.9 μg/m3, and the average OC/EC ratio is 1.9 ± 0.4 and 2.1 ± 0.1. primary organic carbon (POC) contributed more to OC than secondary organic carbon (SOC), which indicated the dominance of primary combustion sources. The anion equivalent (AE) to cation equivalent (CE) ratio indicated that PM2.5 is acidic at both sites due to the dominance of NO3− and SO42−. The DTT consumption rate normalized by PM2.5 mass (DTTm) and DTT consumption rate normalized by air volume (DTTv) of PM2.5 at the roadside samples are higher than at the brick kiln site due to the higher contribution of ionic species to the mass of PM2.5. Carbonaceous species of PM2.5 at both sampling sites are significantly correlated with DTTv of PM2.5, while metallic species behaved differently. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values (lung cancer) of As and Cr at both sampling sites, while the ILCR value of Cd at the roadside samples is exceeding the permissible limits for adults and children. The lifetime average daily dose (LADD) value for adults is higher than that for children, indicating that children are less vulnerable to metals. Conclusion: The concentration of PM2.5 at both sampling sites were exceeding the permissible limits of Pakistan’ National Environmental Quality Standard (NEQS) and posing risk to the health of the local population. The POC and SOC contribution to OC at the brick kiln site and roadside in Lahore were 84.6%, 15.4% and 84.4%, 15.6%. POC at both sampling sites were the dominant carbon species indicating the dominance of primary combustion sources. The residence of Lahore poses the lung cancer risk due to Cr, As, and Cd at both sampling sites. The results of this study provide important data and evidence for further evaluation of the potential health risks of PM2.5 from brick kiln site and road side in Pakistan and formulation of efficient air-pollution control measures.

Abstract Bio‐active food coating having natural antioxidants has attained great attention these days. Polysaccharides extracted from bacteria, fungi, and plants are considered rich in antioxidant biomolecules. Chickpea hull which is a food waste material contains a substantial quantity of antioxidants and bioactive compounds. In this study, chitosan (CS)‐based chickpea hull polysaccharides (CHPS) edible coating of cherry tomatoes was successfully fabricated. Cherry tomatoes were characterized in terms of physico‐chemical characteristics and shelf life. In comparison to the control, it was discovered that the CS‐incorporated CHPS coatings were successful at lowering the respiratory activity, total soluble solids, total polyphenols, firmness, weight loss, lycopene content, and vitamin C as well as improving the fruit's overall acceptability. The dose dependence of each of these effects was noticed. Conclusively, using CS‐incorporated CHPS coatings could preserve the shelf life of cherry tomatoes. A useful and different approach to enhance the postharvest quality of cherry tomatoes is to utilize CS‐CHPS composite coatings.

This study investigated the virulence potential and antibiotic susceptibility analysis of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups, which are significant cause of food borne diseases. A study collected 800 samples of dairy bovine raw milk through various sources, 500 from milk shops, 200 from dairy farms, 26 from milk collection centers, and 74 from street vendors. Using a standard method, E. coli was detected in 321 out of the 800 samples collected. Out of the 321 E. coli-positive samples isolated, 148 were identified as STEC using selective media, specifically Cefixime Tellurite Sorbitol MacConkey's Agar (CT-SMA). Out of the 148 positive samples, 40 were confirmed as STEC non-O157 strains using multiplex PCR, indicating a prevalence of 5% (40 out of 800 samples). STEC isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and all isolates were resistant to at least one or more antimicrobials tested through the disk diffusion method, revealed high resistance to Amoxicillin 100%, Ceftriaxone 50%, and Penicillin 44.5%, and notably 44% of the strains exhibited Streptomycin resistance, while Enrofloxacin 55%, Florfenicol 50% and Norfloxacin 44%, demonstrated the highest susceptibility. Out of 40 STEC non-O157, twelve were subjected to Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) sequencing through Illumina Inc. MiSeq platform's next-generation sequencing technology, United States. The genome investigation evidenced the persistence of twelve serotypes H4:O82, H30:O9a, H4:O82, H16:O187, H9:O9, H16:O113, H30:O9, H32:O, H32:O, H32, H32, and H38:O187, linked to the potential infections in humans. Conclusion: STEC isolates showed resistance to multiple antimicrobials, raising concerns for both animal and public health due to widespread use of these drugs in treatment and prevention. The study contributes new insights into monitoring STEC in raw milk, emphasizing the critical role of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for genotyping and sequencing diverse isolates. Still a deficiency in understanding STEC pathogenesis mechanisms, ongoing surveillance is crucial for safeguarding human health and enhancing understanding of STEC genetic characteristics.

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) have become an immensely popular tool for health assessment and fault diagnosis of rolling element bearings. The advantages of an HMM include its simplicity, robustness, and interpretability, while the generalization capability of the model still needs to be enhanced. The Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence can be used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation, and Stacking provides a novel training strategy. Therefore, the HMM-based fusion method and ensemble learning method are proposed to increase the credibility of quantitative analysis and optimize classifiers respectively. Firstly, vibration signals captured from bearings are decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), and then the Hilbert envelope spectra of main components are obtained; Secondly, multi-domain features are extracted as model input from preprocessed signals; Finally, HMM-based intelligent health assessment framework and fault diagnosis framework are established. In this work, the life cycle health assessment modeling is performed using a few training samples, the bearing degradation state is quantitatively evaluated, normal and abnormal samples are effectively distinguished, and the accuracy of fault diagnosis is significantly improved.

The aim of this research is to explore the factors influencing housing prices in Pakistan. The author used monthly time series data for the period from 2011 to 2020, which were obtained from different sources: housing prices data from zameen.com, Karachi interbank offered rate (KIBOR) as a proxy for monetary policy, consumer price index as a proxy for inflation, and exchange rate data from the State Bank of Pakistan. Various methods, such as autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL), comparative analysis and deductive analysis were employed. Before using the ARDL technique, a proper lag length was selected, which turned out to be 11 months. Various diagnostic tests indicated model stability with no autocorrelation or structural breaks. The author concluded that the KIBOR rate negatively affected housing prices, while inflation and exchange rates affected house prices positively.

In this article, we aim to introduce and explore a new class of preinvex functions called $ \mathfrak{n} $-polynomial $ m $-preinvex functions, while also presenting algebraic properties to enhance their numerical significance. We investigate novel variations of Pachpatte and Hermite-Hadamard integral inequalities pertaining to the concept of preinvex functions within the framework of the Caputo-Fabrizio fractional integral operator. By utilizing this direction, we establish a novel fractional integral identity that relates to preinvex functions for differentiable mappings of first-order. Furthermore, we derive some novel refinements for Hermite-Hadamard type inequalities for functions whose first-order derivatives are polynomial preinvex in the Caputo-Fabrizio fractional sense. To demonstrate the practical utility of our findings, we present several inequalities using specific real number means. Overall, our investigation sheds light on convex analysis within the context of fractional calculus.

This research addresses the issue of an individual's ability to drive and especially of those individuals that are questionably demented (dementia is suspected) or are in a state of very mild dementia and are therefore the most difficult to identify. A methodology has been developed for categorization of drivers by considering three driving performance indices/parameters simultaneously. This novel approach precluded the previous technique whereby only a single driving performance index (an omnibus approach without the ability to discriminate between normal driving behavior and risky driving habits primarily due to cognitive decline) is considered. Driving performance of 28 young and 28 old drivers was gauged by 24 driving performance parameters through two designed drives on driving simulator. Normal Mixture Model Cluster Analysis was used in the performance-based categorization of drivers. It was found that out of a total of 56 drivers, 8 turned out to be "poor drivers". Results from neuropsychological/cognitive tests showed on average lower cognitive performance for the "poor drivers" group. This methodology will preclude the need for measurement of driving skills through driving instructors.

In fluctuating thermal conditions, the survival challenge for insects is particularly difficult because their physiological activities depend upon environmental temperature. The extreme temperature or heat stress leads to the insect species' extinction and evolution in adaptation strategies. Upon extreme heat, many insect species cannot survive, because they do not possess sufficient heat tolerance during gradual heat stress in their habitat. In the current review, we demonstrated the physiological process which triggers responses toward heat stressed environments and engenders the heat tolerance capacities in ectothermic insects including the nervous system response to detect heat, metabolic mechanism in response to heat stress, silk shelters behavior during thermal changes, host plant preferences, microhabitat selection, thermoregulatory behavior and thermal acclimation response under the heat stress. This review highlighted that besides the insect’s responses regulated by varied physiological mechanisms, heat shock proteins (HSPs) still needs proper investigations. Entrenched in geographical distributions and microhabitat selection, we discussed the adaptation strategies and physiological and behavioral mechanisms that evolved due to heat stress. Many insect species cope with heat stress with the help of phenotype plasticity and genetic variations. The plasticity mechanisms are not sufficient alone to avoid extreme temperatures in insect populations. There is still need to explore how insects respond to thermal changes by using advanced genetic variation methods in both hot and cold-adapted insect species. This review enriched the new insight to improve the researcher’s understanding of distinct responses and evolutionary consequences of insect responses and thermal adaptations under the changing climate.

Abstract Regular blood transfusion is the mainstay of treatment in transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT); however, transfusions culminate in an array of serious complications. Therefore, a single-arm, non-randomized clinical trial was conducted in hydroxyurea refractory TDT patients to explore the long-term safety and efficacy of thalidomide. The primary outcomes for efficacy were rise in hemoglobin (Hb) level and changes in transfusion frequency. Whereas, several clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed for safety of thalidomide. Secondary outcomes included changes in serum ferritin, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum uric acid, red blood cell indices, and size of liver and spleen. A total of 532 patients were followed for a period of 30 months. Significant increase in mean Hb level was identified at 6 months (1.4 g/dL, p ≤ 0.001) and 30 months (2 g/dL, p ≤ 0.001) in comparison with baseline. A total of 408 (76.7%) patients responded to thalidomide therapy (excellent responders 25.8%, good responders 31%, and partial responders 19.9%) and attained transfusion independence within 6 months of therapy. A significant decline in mean ferritin, LDH level, liver size, and spleen size was observed. No unfavorable effects were observed on kidney and liver functions. Mild adverse events were reported in 48 (9%) patients and serious adverse events, including cerebral vascular accident and portal vein thrombosis were reported in two patients each. This study concludes that thalidomide is an effective and well-tolerated drug that can improve Hb levels and reduce transfusion burden in hydroxyurea refractory TDT patients. Trial registration: This trial is registered at http://www.clinicaltrial.gov as # NCT03651102.

Abstract Craniosynostosis is characterized by the premature fusion and ossification of one or more of the sutures of the calvaria, often resulting in abnormal features of the face and the skull. In cases in which growth of the brain supersedes available space within the skull, developmental delay or cognitive impairment can occur. A complex interplay of different cell types and multiple signaling pathways are required for correct craniofacial development. In this study, we report on two siblings with craniosynostosis and a homozygous missense pathogenic variant within the IL11RA gene (c.919 T > C; p.W307R). The patients present with craniosynostosis, exophthalmos, delayed tooth eruption, mild platybasia, and a basilar invagination. The p.W307R variant is located within the arginine-tryptophan-zipper within the D3 domain of the IL-11R, a structural element known to be important for the stability of the cytokine receptor. Expression of IL-11R-W307R in cells shows impaired maturation of the IL-11R, no transport to the cell surface and intracellular retention. Accordingly, cells stably expressing IL-11R-W307R do not respond when stimulated with IL-11, arguing for a loss-of-function mutation. In summary, the IL-11R-W307R variant, reported here for the first time to our knowledge, is most likely the causative variant underlying craniosynostosis in these patients.

Abstract In vehicle‐to‐grid (V2G) networks, electric vehicle (EV) batteries have significant potential as storage elements to smooth out variations produced by renewable and alternative energy sources and to address peak demand catering to smart grids. State estimation and management are crucial for assessing the performance of EV batteries. Existing approaches to these tasks typically do not include the effect of various parameters like route type, environmental conditions, current, and torque to estimate the state of charge (SoC) of EV batteries. In experiments, it is observed that the overall driving cost is affected by these parameters. A new method based on deep reinforcement learning is proposed to estimate and manage the SoC of nickel‐metal hybrid batteries, with an emphasis on the realisation of the parameters that affect a battery's health. The proposed deep deterministic policy gradient‐based SoC estimation and management for EV batteries, under the effect of battery parameters, are compared with the existing state‐of‐the‐art models to validate their usefulness in terms of overall battery life, thermal safety, and performance. The proposed method demonstrates an accuracy of up to 98.8% in SoC estimation and overall driving cost with less convergence time as compared to the state‐of‐the‐art models for EV batteries.

Abstract The response surface technique was applied to produce synbiotic yogurt containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and aloe vera gel (AVG) with high functionality (antioxidant and antimicrobial characters), superior physicochemical properties, and desirable sensory attributes. The experiments were planned around a central composite design (CCD) with two independent variables: AVG concentration (0–5%, w/w) and storage time (1–28 days). The AVG concentration and storage time significantly improved the viability of L. rhamnosus up to 7.9 cfu/g during the shelf life which is a practical limit for a probiotic. It enhanced the yogurt’s antioxidant and antipathogenic activity, proteolytic content, water-holding capacity, and sensory aspects. High concentrations of AVG reduced the yogurt’s desirable textural aspects (hardness and gumminess) except for firmness and adhesiveness and to some degree the sensory properties as well. The results showed that adding 5% AVG to probiotic yogurt produced a functional food with 68% desirability that retained its beneficial properties for at least 14 days under refrigerated storage. Graphical Abstract