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Background: Adolescent pregnancy is associated with major health consequences for adolescent pregnant women including medications and oral health problems such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Pregnancy is a unique state of physical, hormonal, and metabolic changes that can result in an oral cavity imbalance. Changes in salivary components and a decrease in salivary flow rate caused by an increase in progesterone may compromise saliva's protective effects, resulting in dental caries. Objectives: To evaluate dental caries experience in adolescent pregnancy. Method: A sample including 80 pregnant ladies were recruited in this study and categorized into a study group involving 40 primigravida adolescent females aged (15-19)years old and a control group involving 40 primigravida women (20-32) years old who married at age 20 years or more, all of them in the second trimester of pregnancy. Unstimulated salivary samples were collected, salivary flow rate, pH, and dental caries experience were assessed. Saliva samples were analyzed to estimate salivary lactoferrin concentration. Results: The mean (±sd) of decayed surface of the study group was (11.850±0.669) compared to (9.425±1.015) of the control group (p=0.049) and the level of salivary lactoferrin of the study group was (8.071± 0.558) compared to (6.610±0.447) of the control group (p=0.044), while the mean (±sd) of salivary flow rate of the study group was (0.349±0.020) compared to (0.540±0.157) of the control group (p=0.231) and the mean (±sd) salivary pH was (5.935±0.053) ) compared to (5.995±0.153) of the control group (p=0.712). Conclusion: Adolescent pregnancy is linked to increased dental caries experience by altering salivary characteristics, including lactoferrin levels. Received: June, 2023 Accepted: Aug, 2023 Published: Jan..2024

درس في هذا البحث تأثير تراكيز مختلفة من زيت اللافندر، في نمو فطري Fusarium oxysporum وAcremonium strictum ، وقد أبدت جميع التراكيز المدروسة تأثيراً تثبيطياً واضحاً ضد هذين الفطرين. اختلفت الفعالية التثبيطية باختلاف التراكيز، وقد أبدت التراكيز (0.06 – 0.04 – 0.03 – 0.02- 0.01 ml/g) تثبيطاً بنسبة 100% ضد فطر A. strictum ، وبلغت نسبة التثبيط 64.51% عند التركيز 0.002غ/مل و58.04% و35.48% و12.90% عند التراكيز (0.004 0.002- 0.001 غ/مل)، وذلك في اليوم السابع من الحضن. كما وأبدت التراكيز (0.06 – 0.04 – 0.03 – 0.02- 0.01- 0.006 – 0.004 – 0.002 ml/g) تثبيطاً كاملاً ضد فطر F. oxysporum ، وعند التركيز 0.001 غ/مل كانت النسبة المئوية للتثبيط 38.82% ، وذلك في اليوم السابع من الحضن. بلغت قيمة التركيز القاتل ( MBC) لزيت اللافندر ضد فطر A. strictum 0.01 غ/مل، والتركيز المثبط (MIC) 0.02غ/مل، أما عند الفطر F. oxysporum فقد كانت قيمة التركيز المثبط (MIC) والقاتل MBC)) 0.002 غ/مل.

meticulously curated exhibits with themes such as sustainability and cultural exchange displayed in pavilions dedicated to individual countries. This research study uses biophilic or biomimetic design strategies to assess the sustainability practices employed in a group of pavilions at the Dubai Expo 2020 that employ biophilic and/or biomimetic design strategies. Biophilic philosophy emphasizes nature-based concepts to foster positive relationships between humans and living organisms, whereas biomimicry imitates natural processes/systems for building practices. Incorporating biophilic and/or biomimetic techniques into pavilion design provides visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience while displaying explicit sustainability principles that go beyond the event's existing architectural framework guidelines. The research evaluation process includes architectural structure designs, materials used during production/creation periods, energy efficiency measurements implemented, and sustainable water management plans based on natural ecological systems. It will also evaluate the adherence of each pavilion chosen to genuine sustainability values by analyzing the incorporation of nature-based concepts into its overall design for potential future reference applications. These techniques have significant potential to improve human health, reduce environmental impact, and encourage global resiliency when implemented beyond Dubai Expo 2020. In conclusion, the research aims to inspire sustainable designs well beyond the Dubai Expo 2020 by demonstrating how biophilic or biomimetic practices are crucial facilitators in constructing spaces that maximize human welfare without endangering the environment. It is also a foundational resource for architects and urban planners committed to advancing sustainable architectural practices through future development projects prioritizing human welfare and environmental protection.

BackgroundStress and anxiety during pregnancy are extremely prevalent and are associated with numerous poor outcomes, among the most serious of which are increased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight infants. Research supports that while in-person mindfulness training is effective in reducing pregnancy stress and anxiety, there are barriers limiting accessibility. ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to determine if mindfulness meditation training with the Headspace app is effective for stress and anxiety reduction during pregnancy. MethodsA longitudinal, single-arm trial was implemented with 20 pregnant women who were instructed to practice meditation via the Headspace app twice per day during the month-long trial. Validated scales were used to measure participant’s levels of stress and anxiety pre- and postintervention. Physiological measures reflective of stress (heart rate variability and sleep) were collected via the Oura Ring. ResultsStatistically significant reductions were found in self-reported levels of stress (P=.005), anxiety (P=.01), and pregnancy anxiety (P

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) coexisting with atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of hemorrhage and ischemia. The study aimed to determine the relationship between different CKD stages and clinical outcomes of patients suffering from both CKD and AF and to determine the predictors of outcome. Methods The data was derived from multicenter CRAFT trial (NCT02987062). We have conducted a retrospective analysis of hospital records of 2663 AF patients divided in three groups according to their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) which was

Thanks for All Mighty Allah creator of worlds and creating All Human Beings the Greatest Creator, and All Blessings for the Latest Messenger Mohammed and all his Good family. Holly Quran is considered the very purified phrases and the very corrective words at all, within its readings representing the real aspect of Arabic Grammar by which a reflex to be depended to be the basic of holding the complete and the full of Arab Language. In this context, I studied the point of view of Al Kassaie in writing the meanings of Holly Quran, that Book which was lost and had rewritten by Dr. Essa Shuhata. DR. Mahmood Fahmi Al Hujazi in his introduction for this Book after its scripts were deleted, that work represented a work that discovered a lost thing, it presented a book has description related to ancient time. The current research has an introduction addressed by the attitude of ancient towards Holly Quran readings additionally to three main chapters , the first chapter includes methods of AL KASAIE in Holly Quran readings , but the second chapter includes addresses by the attitude of AL KASAIE towards Holly Quran readings, but the third chapter includes and addressed by Samples of criticizing of AL KASAIE in correct Quran readings . After that I ended my research with several conclusions I mentioned to at the last of my own research.

Summary: Background: In patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), autoantibodies are associated with specific clinical phenotypes suggesting a pathogenic role of adaptive immunity. We explored if autoantibody profiles are associated with specific HLA genetic variants and clinical manifestations in IIM. Methods: We included 1348 IIM patients and determined the occurrence of 14 myositis-specific or –associated autoantibodies. We used unsupervised cluster analysis to identify autoantibody-defined subgroups and logistic regression to estimate associations with clinical manifestations, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1 alleles, and amino acids imputed from genetic information of HLA class II and I molecules. Findings: We identified eight subgroups with the following dominant autoantibodies: anti-Ro52, -U1RNP, -PM/Scl, -Mi2, -Jo1, -Jo1/Ro52, -TIF1γ or negative for all analysed autoantibodies. Associations with HLA-DRB1∗11, HLA-DRB1∗15, HLA-DQA1∗03, and HLA-DQB1∗03 were present in the anti-U1RNP-dominated subgroup. HLA-DRB1∗03, HLA-DQA1∗05, and HLA-DQB1∗02 alleles were overrepresented in the anti-PM/Scl and anti-Jo1/Ro52-dominated subgroups. HLA-DRB1∗16, HLA-DRB1∗07 alleles were most frequent in anti-Mi2 and HLA-DRB1∗01 and HLA-DRB1∗07 alleles in the anti-TIF1γ subgroup. The HLA-DRB1∗13, HLA-DQA1∗01 and HLA-DQB1∗06 alleles were overrepresented in the negative subgroup. Significant signals from variations in class I molecules were detected in the subgroups dominated by anti-Mi2, anti-Jo1/Ro52, anti-TIF1γ, and the negative subgroup. Interpretation: Distinct HLA class II and I associations were observed for almost all autoantibody-defined subgroups. The associations support autoantibody profiles use for classifying IIM which would likely reflect underlying pathogenic mechanisms better than classifications based on clinical symptoms and/or histopathological features. Funding: See a detailed list of funding bodies in the Acknowledgements section at the end of the manuscript.

In order to investigate the efficiency of stimulating stored seeds of Triticale (X Triticosecale wittmack) by α -amylase enzyme, a field experiment was carried out using split plot arrangements according to a randomized complete block design in three replications. The storage period of seeds 6 months, 1.5 years, and 2.5 years represented the main plots. The stimulation treatments was secondary plots included dry seeds (control), stimulated seeds with distilled water, 1 and 2 mg L-1 of α -amylase enzyme. The results showed a significant decrease in the percentage of emergence, plant leaf area, plant dry weight, number of tillers m-2, number of spikes m-2, weight of one thousand grains, and grain yield with the increasing of storage period. The enzyme concentration of 1 mg L-1 was the superior in % emergence (85.02), Plant leaf area (244.88) cm2, plant dry weight (2.087) g, number of tillers (448.8) tiller m-2, number of spikes (372.9) spike m-2, number of grains spike-1 (44.13) grain spike-1 and grain yield (5.842) ton h-1. However, there was on significant differences between the two concentration 1 and 2 mg L-1 of enzyme in leaf area, plant dry weight, 1000 grain weight and grain yield.

This paper explores the perspectives of Iraqi undergraduates studying consecutive and simultaneous interpreting (CI, SI) in the Department of Translation at Mustansiriyah University in Iraq following the sudden transition to the online environment due to Covid-19. The online mode of teaching and learning has never been adopted in Iraq before. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the challenges and opportunities that have emerged from this unprecedented experience of online learning. It does so by adopting a mixed-method approach combining an online survey and two online focus group sessions. We also conducted two online pilot experiments to test the feasibility of the Zoom app to teach CI and SI synchronously. The main findings of this study suggest that while a synchronous online learning environment would potentially contribute to enhancing interpreting skills, the online mode cannot totally replace actual classes in the Iraqi higher education context unless a rigorous infrastructure is first established.

Abstract Aims This study aimed to determine the impact of heart failure (HF) on clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and results We analysed data from Polish participants of the EURObservational Research Programme‐AF General Long‐Term Registry. The primary endpoint was all‐cause death, and the secondary endpoints included hospital readmissions, cardiovascular (CV) interventions, thromboembolic and haemorrhagic events, rhythm control interventions, and other CV or non‐CV diseases development during one‐year follow up. Overall, 688 patients with available data on HF were included into analysis; 51% (n = 351) had HF; of these 48% (n = 168) had reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 22% (n = 77) mid‐range EF (HFmrEF), and 30% (n = 106) preserved EF (HFpEF). Compared with patients without HF, those with HF had higher mortality rate (aHR 5.61; 95% CI 1.94–16.22, P

Background: mRNA technology has been used to manufacture the Pfizer vaccine; however, the side effects of Pfizer–BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among the general population remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential side effects of vaccination and the associated risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from April 2021 to September 2021 using an online questionnaire to collect data on the side effects after the first and second doses of the vaccine. Participants were classified into the two following groups: Those aged ≤39 and >39 years. Results: The most common side effects following the first dose (≤39 years vs. >39 years) were pain at the vaccination site, fatigue, severe pain at the vaccination site, and fever. Meanwhile, pain at the vaccination site, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and lethargy were the most common side effects following the second dose of vaccination in both groups. Side effects were more common in women at both doses. The most common reactions at first dose were fatigue, fever, tenderness, lethargy, and muscle pain, whereas fever, fatigue, headache, severe injection site pain, muscle pain, and lethargy were common after the second dose. None of the participants required intensive hospitalization; 4.2% of the participants in both age groups visited the clinics for minor management. Conclusion: Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a higher prevalence of local side effects in both sexes and age groups. The sex- and age-based differences warrant further rigorous investigation and standardized methodologies.

Introduction: Extraction of the impacted mandibular third molar is a common procedure in dentistry. Many complications may arise after this operation, the most common being pain, trismus, and swelling. Systemic medications have been used in an attempt to manage these problems, but because of their side effects, the need for non-medication treatment arises to treat these complications without side effects, such as cryotherapy, ice packs, low-level laser therapy, and ozone. Ozone is one of the most effective antimicrobials used in the dentistry field, and it also has a positive effect on soft tissue healing, activates cellular metabolism, and can react with blood components; for these reasons ozone is used to manage trismus, swelling, and pain after removal of the mandibular third molar. Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of topical ozone gel on complications from the extraction of the impacted mandibular third molar. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients were enrolled in the current study and were randomly divided into two equal groups. Preoperatively clinical examination included measurement of facial swelling measurements and maximum mouth opening. The position and configuration of the impacted lower third molar, the surrounding bone, the mandibular canal, and the neighboring tooth were all assessed using a panoramic X-ray. On days 2 and 7, after surgery, the facial swelling dimensions and maximum mouth opening were again assessed. Statistics were used to analyze results. Results: Findings indicate statistical significance for pain, but not for swelling or mouth opening. Conclusions: After lower third molar surgery, topical ozone gel helps reduce postoperative pain.

Stable isotope composition of δ2H and δ18O was investigated in the water resources of the Shwan sub-Basin northeast of Iraq. The study objects conceived the possible factors that affect the stable isotopes’ composition in precipitation additionally to achieve information concerning recharge processes and estimate the groundwater recharge sources. In this study, four precipitation samples were collected at the study area for the 2020–2021 hydrological year. Thirty-two groundwater samples and one surface water sample from Lesser Zab River (LZR) were collected during the same period for two sampling seasons. The results of observed meteorological data show a very small amount of precipitation for the sampling year. This year is considered a dry hydrological year with total annual precipitation of 100.62 mm compared with the previous 40 hydrological years with total annual precipitation of 325.43 mm. The isotopic composition in precipitation was highly varied as it primarily depends on environmental conditions. The depleted values are recognized with the increasing precipitation amount, whereas the enriched values were the most affected by evaporation. Back trajectory analysis revealed that stable isotopes in precipitation are primarily influenced by air masses and moisture sources. The sources of the trajectory that came from the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea would lead to variations in the values of precipitation stable isotope. Stable isotope values in groundwater showed that the samples for both periods are located between the East Mediterranean water line (EMWL) and global meteoric water line (GMWL) close to the local meteoric water line (LMWL) indicating that the groundwater recharge is mainly through precipitation. Groundwater recharges by an indirect recharge mechanism from the LZR, based on stable isotope similarity between depleted stable isotopes in groundwater and river water. The estimated groundwater recharge based on weighted oxygen isotopes is about 9.2% of annual rainfall infers that the recharge during the sampling year was very low. The low recharge value experiences dry weather conditions from low precipitation amounts besides increasing evaporation during the current study. HIGHLIGHTS The isotopic composition in precipitation of the study area was highly varied as it primarily depends on environmental conditions.; Back trajectory is much successful tool to investigate the air moisture source which revealed that stable isotopes in precipitation are primarily influenced by air masses and moisture sources.; The investigation of stable isotopes in groundwater indicated that precipitation is the primary source of groundwater recharge.;

This research attempts to trace the most significant development caused by the information revolution, namely "the Communication Technology" which reduced the distances between different urban communities, or within a single one, eliminated the geographical boundaries and the transformed the world into a global village. This led to the emergence of new forms and bodies to those urban communities; perhaps the most important is the fragmentation of the major cities and the emergence of (Satellite Cities) with global links, rather than hinterlands to the local capital cities as in the past. But in spite of the technological tide of communications and its inevitable impacts, it stays, with all its possibilities, a reaction that occurs only in one direction and within the limits of no more than sending and receiving nothing more. This is what Arab cities had seen in the recent stages of their change. Here arises the problem of the emergence of the communication act as a "Dogmatic" because the whole world revolved around the communications network ... Which in turn became the heart of the system of this era. In light of this problem, this research has sought to find the act parallel if not alternative that will fold the " Communication " between its wings, making it, the stage of the process of response and interaction surpassing the limits of sending and receiving. In other words the transition from importing technology to the process of contributing to its production. This only takes place through the investment of the Communications Technology to achieve that which is the highest and noblest, posed in this research by the "Communicativeness" between communities. To achieve this goal it took the building of the theoretical framework, in the light of which we put forward the hypothesis of the research that reads (Communication in its technological dimension and Communicativeness in its social dimension, both, play a role in the formulation of Satellite Cities of the twenty-first century through their essential impact on the physical, social and economic infrastructure development of those cities). The research, then, sought to test the validity of this hypothesis and draw conclusions and recommendations.

In this study, neural recurrent neural networks (RNN) have been used to forecast the price of dollars in Iraqi dinars, as it is clear that the government's efforts to control prices in the parallel markets, the commercial markets witnessed a decline in the exchange rate, but it rose again. Which indicates an economic problem that is still present in the country. Despite adjusting the exchange rate of the dinar, the dollar crisis in Iraq has not ended yet. Here we want to forecast the daily price of the dollar against Iraqi dinars for the common next 30 days. According to the results the RNN model have been performed for the data under consideration with different numbers of hidden layer and nodes. The best architecture for the RNN model was [1,10,1,1] using soft plus activation function, which gives the performance of 85% for the training dataset and (92% and 90%) for the testing and validation datasets respectively, with Mse (0.018, 0.000417, and 0.000477) for training, testing, and validation respectively at epoch 4. According to the results of the forecasted values which start from 15 May 2023 to 13 June 2023 the price of dollars will be between 1390 to 1435.

Synthesis and reporting of new nanoparticles with diverse properties is important in chemistry. A one-step, rapid and controllable synthesis of the new Fe3O4 surrounded in Ti-MOF nanostructures was carried out with microwave technology. After identifying and confirming the structure, Fe3O4 surrounded in Ti-MOF nanostructures was used as a suitable catalyst with high thermal resistance and recyclable in a three-component reaction of phenylhydrazine, malononitrile and aldehyde to synthesis novel pyrazole derivatives. Continuing investigations on Fe3O4 surrounded in Ti-MOF nanostructures, its antimicrobial properties were tested on Gram-positive bacterial species, Gram-negative bacterial species and fungi bacterial. Identification of Fe3O4 surrounded in Ti-MOF nanostructures with morphology and size distribution technique (SEM), surface area technique (BET), Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX/EDX mapping), and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) were performed. Synthesized pyrazole derivatives with Fe3O4 surrounded in Ti-MOF nanostructures than previously reported methods have less synthesis time and high efficiency. In antimicrobial properties high effects were observed based on MIC, MBC, and MFC values.

Candida auris, a newly-emerging Candida species, is a serious global health threat due to its multi-drug resistant pattern, difficulty to diagnose, and the high mortality associated with its invasive and bloodstream infections. Unlike C. albicans, and C. dubliniensis which can form true hyphae, C. auris grows as yeast or pseudohyphae and is capable of developing biofilms. The reasons for the inability of C. auris to form true hyphae are currently unknown. Metabolites secreted by microorganisms, including Candida, are known as important factors in controlling morphogenesis and pathogenesis. Metabolic profiling of C. auris and C. albicans cultures was performed using gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry (GC⁻MS). Compared to C. albicans, C. auris secreted several hyphae-inhibiting metabolites, including phenylethyl, benzyl and isoamyl alcohols. Furthermore, a biofilm-forming metabolite-tyrosol-was identified. On the other hand, several other biomarkers identified from C. auris but not from C. albicans cultures may be produced by the organism to overcome the host immune system or control fungal adaptations, and hence ease its invasion and infections. The results from this study are considered as the first identification of C. auris metabolic activities as a step forward to understand its virulence mechanisms.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of spousal communication and attitude toward family planning (FP) use among young mothers in the peri-urban area of Osun State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach – The study was limited to a primary cross-sectional dataset collected among 420 young mothers between the ages of 15 and 30 years residing in the peri-urban area of Osun State, Nigeria. The distribution of the use of FP across the socio-demographic, spousal communication and attitude was described, and multivariate logistic regression was used to assess FP use likelihood. The results were presented as crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was set at p-value

Dopamine in the ventral striatum conveys a complex reward-associated signal. This study demonstrates how dopamine reflects sustained reward availability, and rapidly signals unexpected changes in availability.

Abstract Background Treatment of acute myocardial infarction has been the subject of studies over the past years. However, the initial months after myocardial infarction are crucial from the perspective of the patient’s prognosis. It is extremely important to take care of all cardiovascular risk factors and undergo a full rehabilitation program. Telemedical solutions are becoming more and more relevant in everyday practice. We describe a protocol of a study evaluating the use of the mobile application “afterAMI” in patients after myocardial infarction. The app offers an educational mode, calendar, vital signs diary, medication reminders, medical history card, and healthcare professional contact panel. It offers several solutions, which individually proved to be effective and improve a patient’s prognosis. Despite general promising results from previous studies regarding telemedical tools, there is a paucity of evidence when it comes to prospective randomized trials. Our aim was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of a newly developed mobile application in the clinical setting. Methods A group of 100 patients with myocardial infarction on admission at the 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, will be recruited into the study. The project aims to assess the impact of the application-supported model of care in comparison with standard rehabilitation. At the end of the study, cardiovascular risk factors will be analyzed, along with rehospitalizations, the patients’ knowledge regarding cardiovascular risk factors, returning to work, and quality of life. In this prospective, open-label, randomized, single-center study, all 100 patients will be observed for 6 months after discharge from the hospital. Endpoints will be assessed during control visits 1 and 6 months after inclusion into the study. Discussion This project is an example of a telemedical solution application embracing everyday clinical practices, conforming with multiple international cardiac societies’ guidelines. Cardiac rehabilitation process enhancements are required to improve patients’ prognosis. The evidence regarding the use of the mobile application in the described group of patients is limited and usually covers a small number of participants. The described study aims to discuss whether telemedicine use in this context is beneficial for the patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04793425 . Registered on 11 March 2021.

درس في هذا البحث تأثير تراكيز مختلفة من زيت اللافندر، في نمو فطر Aspergillus niger، وقد أبدت جميع التراكيز المدروسة تأثيراً تثبيطياً واضحاً ضد هذا الفطر. اختلفت الفعالية التثبيطية باختلاف التراكيز، وقد أبدت التراكيز (0.06 – 0.04 – 0.03 – 0.02- 0.006 – 0.004 – 0.002 ml/g) تثبيطاً بنسبة 100% ضد فطر Aspergillus niger، وبلغت نسبة التثبيط 27.05 % عند التركيز 0.001 ml/g و3.52 % عند التركيز 0.0002 ml/g في اليوم السابع من الحضن. بلغت قيمة التركيز القاتل ( MBC) لزيت اللافندر ضد فطر Aspergillus niger 0.02 ml/g. كشفت التحاليل الكيميائية على جهاز الكروماتوغرافيا GC-MS وجود 39 مركباً مختلفاً في زيت اللافندر، وكانت المركبات التالية Linalool / 4-Terpineol / Camphor / Acetic acid linalool ester / Borneol / 1,8-Cineole / β-Farnesene / β-trans-Ocimene / dl-Limonene / Butanoic acid, hexyl ester هي الأكثر تركيزاً على الترتيب.

Sexual enhancement supplements (SESs) that have illegal additions of pharmaceuticals or analogues pose a significant health risk, particularly with long-term usage. When supplements are adulterated with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, dosages can vary widely and there may be an increase in adverse effects and drug–drug interactions which cannot be avoided. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate the public risk awareness toward SES and the associated adverse events as well as explore significant factors associated with knowledge and risk awareness. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted among University male students and staff at Ajman University, United Arab Emirates (UAE), using a self-administered survey via a web-based electronic link to explore key issues. A total of 1,101 male subjects participated in the study and completed the questionnaire. Four hundred and thirty-three(39.3%) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.2–44.5) participants reported using SES products. Of these, 137 (31.6%) [95% CI: 28.6–37.2] experienced adverse effects from SES product use. SES use was more prevalent among participants aged 60 to 69 years (odds ratio [OR]: 2.94; 95% CI: 1.63–5.28), diabetic patients (OR: 2.61; 95% CI: 1.75–3.90), hypertension patients (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.45–3.1), and those overweight or obese (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.44–2.35). This study indicates that SES is a popular practice among the UAE university staff and students. However, there is a need to implement risk awareness programs to raise public awareness regarding SES use and safety. Regulatory bodies are encouraged to provide additional advice on the proper use and possible risks of consuming SES.

It is becoming increasingly popular to manage agricultural wastes in an environmentally friendly manner and to take advantage of this waste by manufacturing a product with good properties and a high carbon percentage and then using it as a substitute for a variety of materials and fillers in several industrial and environmental applications. This process has become increasingly popular as awareness of environmental issues has grown. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the amount of carbon that was present in the sample. The physicochemical characteristics of biochars produced from sesbania stems that were pyrolyzed at a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius for a period of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 hours. The characterizations of biochar produced from sesbania are done by Energy dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. It was found that as the pyrolysis residence time grew, the yield of biochar and the functional groups decreased, however, the amount of fixed carbon content increased, and all these effects contribute to the volatile matters that are present in the material. SSB is going to be an invaluable resource for applications in which high carbon content is required, as well as for use as a filler in a variety of composites.

Shwan sub-Basin is one of the substantial groundwater sources in northern Iraq. Along with an increase in population, agricultural and industrial activities synced with the change in climate conditions, all could have a negative impact on the hydrochemistry of groundwater. Therefore, it becomes crucial to investigate the different processes that could affect hydrochemistry and water quality. Thirty-two groundwater samples were collected from wells distributed in the study area, and one surface water sample from Lesser Zab River, all water samples were gathered during two seasons. Hydrogeochemical model was performed on physiochemical analysis results by using PHREEQC software to understand the geochemical reactions occurring in groundwater. The results of the Saturated Index showed supersaturated values for calcite, aragonite and dolomite in groundwater samples during the first season in a percent of 84%. While the second season samples were supersaturated in percent of 40.6%, 37.5% and 46.8% for aragonite, calcite and dolomite minerals respectively. The Saturated Index shows supersaturated values of quartz mineral in most groundwater samples, which are sourced from the abundance of silicate minerals that are primarily included within the ambient rock materials of the tertiary and quaternary clastic aquifer system in the study region. The saturated index showed undersaturated values with most minerals of feldspar, halide and sulfate. However, these minerals were in a dissolution state, releasing significant amounts of Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, HCO3−, Cl⁻ and SO42− ions into the solution. Most of the groundwater samples were classified as earth-alkaline water with an increased portion of alkali with prevailing bicarbonate for two seasons, except the groundwater sample W2 was classified as earth-alkaline water with an increased portion of alkali with prevailing SO42⁻ and Cl⁻. The water quality for human drinking was evaluated using the water quality index (WQI). The values of WQI were from 51.9 to 99.2 and from 53.9 to 88.5 for the first and the second seasons respectively. WQI revealed that most of the samples were classified as poor to very poor water quality, except the Lesser Zab River sample for the second season was good water quality and the sample W2 for the first season was unsuitable for drinking purposes.

Curcuma longa (turmeric) is a plant that has been extensively utilized in traditional medicine for centuries. Turmeric has a long history of use in both food and traditional medicine for the treatment of ailments such as diarrhea, cancer, flatulence, and dyspepsia. In Palestine, this plant was cultivated for the first time. The objective of this study was to characterize the extract of C. longa and assess its antimutagenic activity against a variety of cancer cells. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were employed to identify the constituents of turmeric. The cytotoxic effects of C. longa were evaluated on cancer and normal cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium assay. The results revealed the presence of 10 components in turmeric extract as identified by GC–MS. The major constituents comprising 78% of the total constituents were α-zingiberene (27.51%), tumeron (19.44%), β-sesquiphellandrene (19.40%), and aromatic-tumeron (11.63%). HPLC analysis successfully separated the main constituent, curcumin (1.78%), along with two other curcumin derivatives. The cytotoxicity results demonstrated potent anticancer activity of the C. longa extract against HeLa and LX2 cell lines, with IC50 values of 46.84 ± 2.12 and 29.77 ± 1 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the plant extract at a concentration of 250 µg/mL exhibited over 95% inhibition against all tested cancer cell lines. These findings highlight the promising potential of turmeric as a natural source with powerful anticancer activities. Moreover, the extract may possess other biological activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which could be explored in future studies.

mHealth solutions optimize cardiovascular risk factor control in coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of mobile app AfterAMI on quality of life in patients after myocardial infarction. 100 participants were randomized (1:1 ratio) into groups: (1) with a rehabilitation program and access to afterAMI or (2) standard rehabilitation alone (control group, CG). 3 questionnaires (MacNew, DASS21 and EQ-5D-5L) were used at baseline, 1 month and 6 months after discharge. Median age was 61 years; 35% of patients were female. At 1 month follow up patients using AfterAMI had higher general quality of life scores both in MacNew [5.78 vs. 5.5 in CG, p = 0.037] and EQ-5D-5L [80 vs. 70 in CG, p = 0.007]. At 6 months, according to MacNew, the app group had significantly higher scores in emotional [6.09 vs. 5.45 in CG, p= 0.017] and physical [6.2 vs. 6 in CG, p = 0.027] aspects. The general MacNew quality of life score was also higher in the AfterAMI group [6.11 vs. 5.7 in CG, p = 0.015], but differences in EQ-5D-5L were not significant. There were no differences between groups in the DASS21 questionnaire. mHealth interventions may improve quality of care in secondary prevention, however further studies are warranted.

Background: There is limited information about acute bronchiolitis (AB) in the United Arab Emirates. The study aims to describe incidents, hospitalizations, and seasonal variation of AB among children less than 2 years. Methods: The retrospective data were collected for children ≤24 months who were admitted in the University Hospital Sharjah with AB from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Demographic characteristics, vital signs, management, admission data, cases seasonality, maternity history, and co-infections related to the cases were analyzed. Results: A total of 2496 AB cases were reported. Males and children more than 6 months were more infected than females and infants ≤ 6 month. Most of the cases were from emergency room, discharged within the same day and delivered by normal vaginal delivery. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the commonest cause of AB. Other etiological agents included influenza viruses, adenoviruses, Streptococcus spp., and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The seasonal variation peak of AB for the 2 years was found in the Autumn months, with a small peak reported in the beginning of Spring months. The number of AB cases in 2019 was greater than that in 2018. Conclusion: AB is a common reason for hospitalization among males and children more than 6 months during the Autumn season. RSV is the common responsible virus for hospital admissions and morbidity. Our results may guide effort toward healthcare provision and implementation of AB prevention.

Background: Acanthamoeba castellanii genotype T4 is the causative agent of the progressively increasing sight-threatening Acanthamoeba keratitis and central nervous system infections. Because of the increased prevalence and the ineffectiveness of the current antiamoebic drugs, we synthesized miltefosine poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (miltefosine PLGA NP) as a potential potent and biocompatible antiamoebic drug. The advantage to use PLGA NP is to preserve the cells from the toxic effect of miltefosine drug. In particular, miltefosine PLGA nanoformulation offers a better cellular uptake and a sustained drug release compared with the free drug that presents potent cytotoxicity at high concentrations against human colon cancer cell lines. Methods: The miltefosine NP were synthesized using a double emulsion-solvent evaporation method, characterized, and then assessed for their antiamoebic activity against A. castellanii belonging to the T4 genotype. Blank PLGA NP and miltefosine were used as controls. Results: Amoebicidal assays revealed that at 25 and 50 µM, unmodified miltefosine eradicated 83% and 93% of amoebae, respectively. At these same concentrations of 25 and 50 µM, the amount of miltefosine released form PLGA NP formulation was limited to 22.6%. However, it killed 36% and 56% of the protozoa, respectively. Thus, the efficacy of PLGA NP formulation was similar to that of the unmodified miltefosine. Both miltefosine and its PLGA NP significantly inhibited the pretreated amoebae (minimum inhibitory concentration 50% = 37.23 and 55.26 µM, respectively, compared with 147.2 µM of the blank NP; P < 0.05) and reduced amoebae-mediated host cell death. The blank NP and miltefosine NP exhibited minimal cytotoxicity against colon epithelial cell lines. In contrast, the unmodified miltefosine caused 37%, 71%, and 88% of cytotoxicity at 10, 25, and 50 µM, respectively. Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest that controlling the release of miltefosine from PLGA NP for a short time was almost as effective as miltefosine alone against A. castellanii genotype T4 while reducing host cell toxicity. Hence, this study demonstrates the feasibility of using PLGA NP for the treatment of Acanthamoebic infections.

Background: Selenium has an anti-diabetic action as it an insulin-mimetic and antioxidant nutrient. Selenoprotein P (SeP) is an extracellular glycoprotein, that was linked to insulin resistance (IR). Aim: To validate of serum SeP as a measure for insulin resistance in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Methods: This prospective case-control study included 45 children and adolescents with T1DM and 45 healthy children and adolescents. Serum SeP was measured by ELISA and compared to estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) as a measure of insulin resistance. Results: Mean ± SD of SeP level was higher in T1DM patients than control group (59.78 ± 59.38 ng/ml, 55.57 ± 7.6 ng/ml,respectively), this difference was statistically insignificant (p= 0.642). SeP demonstrated significant positive correlations with duration of diabetes (r=0.413, p=0.005), high density lipoproteins (r=0.496, p=0.001) and glycosylated hemoglobin (r=0.357, p=0.016). There were statistically significant differences in eGDR between cases and controls (7.78±3.08 mg/kg/min, 12.53±0.91mg/kg/min, respectively, (p= 0.001). There was no correlation between SeP level and eGDR values (IR indicator). Conclusion: Serum SeP level in T1DM patients was not indicative of IR. Higher serum SeP level are associated with longer duration and poor control of T1DM.

Background: Hypertension is Common and is a third on the list of chronic pediatric diseases (after asthma and obesity), Obesity on the Other hand is a growing problem worldwide and both are consider being major causes of morbidity and mortality in many countries, and can lead to long-term health risks in children. Objective: is to examine the association between blood pressure and Obesity in Baghdad primary school. Materials and Methods: cross sectional study, from January 1, 2016 to June 1, 2016. Clusters of 1044 children aged 6–12 years from primary schools in Baghdad were surveyed, excluding those who have cardio vascular, renal and endocrine diseases. Data on age, gender, height, weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were collected, body mass index has been measured. Classification of children was based on age and sex-specific BMI percentile groups as normal weight, overweight, and obese. Result: The overall prevalence of hypertension in the current study is 19.6%, (7.6%) prehypertension, (72.7%) normal, obesity prevalence is 19.1%,(15.4%) overweight and (61.6%) normal, after comparison between blood pressure values and age-sex-body mass percentile groups, the result revealed that blood pressure values were higher in obese groups (9.6%) than those in normal weight groups(6.3%) for both sex. Conclusion: Hypertension is not uncommon problem in 6–12 years old children and it is more prevalent in overweight and obese children Blood pressure should be routine and frequent checking in children, especially obese children.

An experiment was carried out at the Department of Field Crops laboratory, College of Agriculture, University of Tikrit, in order to know the effect of stimulating the stored seeds of triticale Farah cultivar by α -amylase enzyme using a complete random design (CRD) in a factorial experiment. The first factor was the storage periods of 6 months, 1.5 years and 2.5 years (S1,S2 and S3) and the second factor was α -amylase enzyme concentrations of 0 (dry seeds), seeds soaked in distilled water, 1 and 2 mg L-1 of the enzyme (C1,C2,C3 and C4). Results showed that increasing the storage period reduces the viability of seeds and their ability to germinate and seedling characters. The percentage of germination, plumule length, radicale, seedling vigor, plumule dry weight and radical dry weight reduced from 93.5%, 10.68 cm,11.05 cm, 2033.42, 0.1149 g and 0.1231 g in S1 treatment to 83.88%, 7.53cm, 7.5 cm, 1267.1, 0.0977 g and 0.1022 g in S3 treatment. The concentration 1 mg L-1 was superior in germination, plumule length, seedling vigor and plumule dry weight and the values were 92.44, 9.46cm, 1805.78 and 0.1111 g. However the concentration of 2 mg L-1 was superior in radical length and its dry weight. The best interaction was between storage period S1 and enzyme concentration C3 with values of 96.6%, 11.50 cm, 2212.33 and 0.1288 g for germination percentage, plumule length, seedling vigor and plumule dry weight and with the concentration C4 that recorded 11.67 cm and 0.1353 g for radical length and dry weight respectively.

Timing underlies a variety of functions, from walking to perceiving causality. Neural timing models typically fall into one of two categories—“ramping” and “population-clock” theories. According to ramping models, individual neurons track time by gradually increasing or decreasing their activity as an event approaches. To time different intervals, ramping neurons adjust their slopes, ramping steeply for short intervals and vice versa. In contrast, according to “population-clock” models, multiple neurons track time as a group, and each neuron can fire nonlinearly. As each neuron changes its rate at each point in time, a distinct pattern of activity emerges across the population. To time different intervals, the brain learns the population patterns that coincide with key events. Both model categories have empirical support. However, they often differ in plausibility when applied to certain behavioral effects. Specifically, behavioral data indicate that the timing system has a rich computational capacity, allowing observers to spontaneously compute novel intervals from previously learned ones. In population-clock theories, population patterns map to time arbitrarily, making it difficult to explain how different patterns can be computationally combined. Ramping models are viewed as more plausible, assuming upstream circuits can set the slope of ramping neurons according to a given computation. Critically, recent studies suggest that neurons with nonlinear firing profiles often scale to time different intervals—compressing for shorter intervals and stretching for longer ones. This “temporal scaling” effect has led to a hybrid-theory where, like a population-clock model, population patterns encode time, yet like a ramping neuron adjusting its slope, the speed of each neuron’s firing adapts to different intervals. Here, we argue that these “relative” population-clock models are as computationally plausible as ramping theories, viewing population-speed and ramp-slope adjustments as equivalent. Therefore, we view identifying these “speed-control” circuits as a key direction for evaluating how the timing system performs computations. Furthermore, temporal scaling highlights that a key distinction between different neural models is whether they propose an absolute or relative time-representation. However, we note that several behavioral studies suggest the brain processes both scales, cautioning against a dichotomy.

Objectives: Vaccines are one of the best interventions developed for eradicating COVID-19. This study aimed to provide evidence on Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine side effects. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between January and April 2021 to collect data on the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine among individuals in the United Arab Emirates. Demographic data, vaccination and the response of people unwilling to take the COVID-19 vaccine were reported. Results: Side effects post first vaccine dose of normal injection site pain, fatigue and headache were more common in participants aged ≤49 years versus >49 years, while pain at the vaccination site, fatigue, lethargy, headache and tenderness were the most common side effects post second dose in both groups. All side effects for both doses were more prevalent among participants aged ≤49 years. Side effects were more common in females compared with males for both doses. The most common reason for being unwilling to take the COVID-19 vaccine was that vaccines are not effective. Conclusion: Post-vaccination side effects for the first and second doses were mild and predictable, and there were no hospitalization cases; this data will help reduce vaccine hesitancy.