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Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease, and aging is a major risk factor. The accumulation of senescent vascular endothelial cells (VECs) often leads to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress and induces endothelial dysfunction, contributing to the occurrence and development of AS. Senescent cells can secrete a variety of pro‐inflammatory cytokines to induce the senescence of adjacent cells in a paracrine manner, leading to the transmission of signaling of cellular senescence to neighboring cells and the accumulation of senescent cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that several pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including IL‐17, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ, can induce the senescence of VECs. This review summarizes and focuses on the pro‐inflammatory cytokines that often induce the senescence of VECs and the molecular mechanisms of these pro‐inflammatory cytokines inducing senescence of VECs. Targeting the senescence of VECs induced by pro‐inflammatory cytokines may provide a potential and novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a single junction photoelectrode material having specific properties is essential and challenging for the efficient application in solar water splitting for oxygen production and a high value-added product, hydrogen. Moreover, the present material solutions based on binary metal oxides offer limited catalytic activity and hydrogen production efficiency. Therefore, it is paramount to develop and exploit a unique range of materials derived from ternary metal oxides with specifically engineered properties to advance in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Among the ternary oxides, copper vanadates offer promising characteristics, such as a narrow bandgap and catalytic surface properties along with favorable band edges for facile oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is considered the bottleneck step in performing overall water dissociation. Furthermore, the copper vanadates allow the tuning of the stoichiometry through which a wide range of polymorphs and materials could be obtained. This review provides a complete outlook on the range of copper vanadates and the established synthesis approach, morphology, crystal structure, band edge properties, and PEC characterizations. Mainly, the underlying charge dynamic properties, carrier path length, effect of doping, and influence of surface catalysts are discussed. The review concludes that the advancement toward obtaining low-bandgap materials is a main challenge to overcome the limitations for efficient water dissociation to OER and copper vanadates, which offer a promising solution with their unique properties and advantages. Importantly, intense and strategically focused research is vital to overcome the scientific challenges involved in copper vanadates and to explore and exploit new polymorphs to set new efficiency benchmarks and PEC water splitting solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium sulfide (In2S3) is a fundamental material for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications and a promising candidate for many technological applications because of its chemical stability, wide band gap energy, and photoconductive behavior. Indium sulfide films have been doped with various substances to enhance the high resistivity that is typically present in as-deposited In2S3 thin films. It depends on the value of the impurity concentration as a dopant, the structural, electrical, and optical characteristics of In2S3 thin films, such as crystal structure, crystallite size, morphology, surface roughness, band gap, dc conductance, resistivity, and transmittance characteristics, are influenced. The opto-electrical properties of In2S3 thin films can be modified by doping of different lanthanide or transition metals. The effects of various impurities incorporated in the physical properties of In2S3 are discussed and reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was to explore the potential effects and mechanism of naringenin against vascular senescence in atherosclerosis focusing on the SIRT1-mediated signalling pathway. Methods: Aged apoE−/− mice were administrated with naringenin continuously for three months. Lipid parameters in serum and pathological changes and associated protein expression in aorta were examined. In vitro, endothelial cells were treated with H2O2 to induce senescence. Key findings: Dyslipidemia, atherosclerotic lesion formation and vascular senescence were found in ApoE−/− mice, which were significantly ameliorated by naringenin treatment. Naringenin decreased reactive oxygen species overproduction and enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in aorta. It also decreased mitoROS production and increased protein expressions of mitochondrial biogenesis-related genes in aorta. Moreover, naringenin treatment enhanced aortic protein expression and activity of SIRT1. Meanwhile, naringenin increased deacetylation and protein expression of SIRT1's target genes FOXO3a and PGC1α. In vitro study, the benefits of naringenin on endothelial senescence, oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury as well as protein expressions and acetylated levels of FOXO3a and PGC1α were diminished in cells transfected with SIRT1 siRNA. Conclusions: Naringenin could ameliorate vascular senescence and atherosclerosis and the activation of SIRT1, with subsequent deacetylation and regulation of FOXO3a and PGC1α, is involved in this process. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use quantile vector autoregression (QVAR) to identify the connection between six variables related to digitalization (proxied by a number of Internet users and mobile cellular subscriptions), green technology development, green energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and economic complexity index from 1996 to 2019 in Vietnam. The dynamic connectedness of the system is 62% and 14% in the short and long term, respectively. Their connectedness is intense for highly positive and negative quantiles (over 80% quantile). In contrast, economic complexity transmits shocks in the short term and manifests itself even more in the long term. Green technology development is the central receiver of short- and long-term shocks. Besides, digitalization captured by a number of Internet users has switched from shock transmitters to shock receivers in the short term. Other metrics like mobile cellular subscriptions, green energy consumption, and CO2 emissions are mainly shock-receiver-driven. In the short term, there was volatility, especially from 2009 to 2013, due to unprecedented events like destructive changes in political, economic, and financial issues in the globe. Our findings are critical for economists and policymakers in promoting a country's digitalization, green technology performance, and green energy on the path toward sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, people have relaxed their vigilance against COVID-19 due to its declining infection numbers and attenuated virulence. However, COVID-19 still needs to be concern due to its emerging variants, the relaxation of restrictions as well as breakthrough infections. During the period of the COVID-19 infection, the imbalanced and hyper-responsive immune system plays a critical role in its pathogenesis. Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS) is a fatal complication of immune system disease, which is caused by the excessive activation and proliferation of macrophages and cytotoxic T cells (CTL). COVID-19-related hyperinflammation shares common clinical features with the above MAS symptoms, such as hypercytokinemia, hyperferritinemia, and coagulopathy. In MAS, immune exhaustion or defective anti-viral responses leads to the inadequate cytolytic capacity of CTL which contributes to prolonged interaction between CTL, APCs and macrophages. It is possible that the same process also occurred in COVID-19 patients, and further led to a cytokine storm confined to the lungs. It is associated with the poor prognosis of severe patients such as multiple organ failure and even death. The main difference of cytokine storm is that in COVID-19 pneumonia is mainly the specific damage of the lung, while in MAS is easy to develop into a systemic. The attractive therapeutic approach to prevent MAS in COVID-19 mainly includes antiviral, antibiotics, convalescent plasma (CP) therapy and hemadsorption, extensive immunosuppressive agents, and cytokine-targeted therapies. Here, we discuss the role of the therapeutic approaches mentioned above in the two diseases. And we found that the treatment effect of the same therapeutic approach is different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have unique band structure and show a great promise for optoelectronic and solar energy harvesting applications. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) processes are intensively studied employing these materials, due to their high specific surface area, and the possibility of surface modification by defect engineering/catalyst deposition. The PEC activity of different 2D and layered materials was scrutinized for water oxidation/reduction and for inorganic ion oxidation by a statistical analysis to reveal any specific trends. Furthermore, some frequently studied performance improvement strategies (i.e., heterojunctions, tunnelling, and co‒catalysts) are also discussed. Overall, exploring novel materials of 2D family, and new directions are both needed to initiate further discussions and additional research activity, which might enable to harness the full potential of these exciting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the extraction of vanadium (V) ions from an alkaline solution using a commercial quaternary ammonium salt and the production of metal vanadates through precipitation stripping were carried out. The crystallization of copper vanadates from the extracts was performed using a solution containing a copper(II) source in concentrated chloride media as a stripping agent. In an attempt to control growth, a stabilizing polymer (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP) was added to the stripping solution. The structural characteristics of the crystallized products, mainly copper pyrovanadate (volborthite, Cu3V2O7(OH)2·(H2O)2) nanoflakes and nanoflowers and the experimental parameter influencing the efficiency of the stripping process were studied. From the results, the synthesis of nanostructured vanadates is a simple and versatile method for the fabrication of valuable three-dimensional structures providing abundant active zones for energy and catalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great attention has been paid to the bilateral economic relations between India, Vietnam, and South Korea; however, only scant research has focused on the prospects of triangular economic cooperation among the three countries. Given the advantage and demand for the cooperation of each party, there is significant potential for trilateral economic cooperation among South Korea, Vietnam, and India. In this paper, we discover the prospects for their triangular economic cooperation in three aspects. First, this study examines the potential for cooperation in production networks and supply chains between the three countries in the context of reconfiguring the global value chains (GVCs), with a focus on the leading role of South Korean multinational enterprises (MNEs). Second, the study explores trilateral cooperation in the digital economy and connectivity, focusing on how South Korea and India can collaborate on investment projects in Vietnam. Third, this study discusses the rationale and possibility of forming a regional trade agreement (RTA) between the three countries. South Korea, Vietnam, and India have extant bilateral trade agreements between two of the three countries; however, there is no regional integration among the three countries discussed in specific. Considering the bilateral relations and domestic and external factors, the paper reckons that an RTA for starters between the three countries would be mutually beneficial to each of the corresponding economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A severe voltage sag on the wind‐farm grid side with doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) can induce a peak inrush current in the rotors and damage converters, resulting in wind‐turbine disconnection from the grid. To prevent this from happening, a variable‐step model predictive control (VS‐MPC) strategy is proposed for improving the wind turbines' ability to operate without disconnecting themselves from the grid when a fault occurs. First, the predictive‐control state‐space model of a doubly fed wind farm is established according to its working principle. Second, model predictive control (MPC) is applied on the rotor side of the DFIG to realize the rapid tracking of the rotor current to the reference value during low‐voltage ride‐through (LVRT) of the DFIG. Finally, a variable‐step size algorithm is introduced into the MPC controller to change the step size continuously during the LVRT period. This increases the control accuracy, realizing rapid attenuation of each transient component, whereby the wind‐farm LVRT capability is enhanced. The proposed control strategy was simulated and verified using MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results indicated that VS‐MPC can effectively handle LVRT, allowing the recovery of a wind farm that uses DFIGs and improving the performance of wind‐farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently complicates chronic kidney disease (CKD). The risk of all-cause mortality increases from 20% to 500% in patients who suffer both conditions; this is referred to as the so-called cardio-renal syndrome (CRS). Preclinical studies have described the key role of mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular and renal diseases, suggesting that maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis is a promising therapeutic strategy for CRS. In this review, we explore the malfunction of mitochondrial homeostasis (mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, oxidative stress, and mitophagy) and how it contributes to the development and progression of the main vascular pathologies that could be affected by kidney injury and vice versa, and how this knowledge may guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies in CRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid method for energy management on grid-connected MG system is proposed under this manuscript. Grid-connected MG system takes photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), battery. The proposed system is an integration of seagull optimization algorithm (SOA) and the radial basic functional neural network (RBFNN), thus it is named SOA-RBFNN. Here, in the grid-connected microgrid configuration, the necessary load demand is always monitored with RBFNN methodology. SOA optimizes the perfect match of the MG taking into account the predictable load requirement. The fuel cost, together with the power variation per hour of the electric grid, the operation and maintenance cost of microgrid system linked with grid, is described. The proposed model runs on the MATLAB/Simulink workstation and efficiency is investigated using existing techniques as AGO-RNN and MBFA-ANN. Statistical analysis, elapsed time, modeling metrics, and determination of optimal sample size for adjustment and validation of proposed and existing technique are evaluated. The efficiency values on the 100, 200, 500, and 1000 trails are 99.7673%, 99.7609%, 99.9099%, and 99.9373%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As conventional energy sources decrease and worldwide power demand grows, the appeal of photovoltaic (PV) systems as sustainable and ecofriendly energy sources has grown. PV system installation is influenced by geographical location, orientation, and inclination angle. Despite its success, weather conditions such as dust substantially influences PV module performance. This study provides a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the impact of dust characteristics on PV systems from three distinct perspectives. Firstly, the study looks at the dust properties in different categories: optical, thermal, physical, and chemical, highlighting their significant impact on the performance of PV systems. Secondly, the research reviews various approaches and equipment used to evaluate dust's impact on PV, emphasizing the need for reliable instruments to measure its effects accurately. Finally, the study looks at modeling and predicting the influence of dust on PV systems, considering the parameters that affect electrical, optical, and thermal behavior. The review draws attention to the need for further research into dust's properties, including thermal conductivity and emissivity. This analysis highlights the need for further research to develop a scientific correlation to predict the thermal behavior of PV in dusty environments. This paper identifies areas for further research to develop more efficient and effective methods for analyzing this influence and improving PV efficiency and lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heterojunction photocathode of CuO and CuBi2O4 grown on an FTO substrate (FTO/CuO/CuBi2O4) was synthesized using hydrothermal method followed by spin coating and annealing to overcome the bottlenecks encountered by CuO in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting application. The synthesis methods, morphological, structural properties, and composition of each sample under each synthesis condition are discussed in detail. The photocathode with 15 coating layers annealed at 450 °C exhibited the best PEC performance. Moreover, its current density reached 1.23 mA/cm2 under an applied voltage of − 0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl in a neutral electrolyte. Additionally, it exhibited higher stability than the bare CuO thin film. The bonding of CuBi2O4 on CuO resulted in close contact between the two semiconductors, helping the semiconductors support each other to increase the PEC efficiency of the photocathode. CuO acted as the electron-generating layer, and the CuBi2O4 layer helped minimize photocorrosion as well as transport the carriers to the electrode/electrolyte interface to accomplish the hydrogen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A green, rapid, and simple RP-UPLC method was developed and optimized by full factorial design for the simultaneous separation of oseltamivir phosphate, daclatasivir dihydrochloride, and remdesivir, with dexamethasone as a co-administered drug. The separation was established on a UPLC column BEH C18 1.7 µm (2.1 × 100.0 mm) connected with a UPLC pre-column BEH 1.7 µm (2.1 × 5.0 mm) at 25 °C with an injection volume of 10 µL. The detector (PDA) was set at 239 nm. The mobile phase consisted of methanol and ammonium acetate (8.1818 mM) in a ratio of 75.7: 24.3 (v/v). The flow rate was set at 0.048 mL min−1. The overall separation time was 9.5 min. The retention times of oseltamivir phosphate, dexamethasone, daclatasivir dihydrochloride, and remdesivir were 6.323 ± 0.145, 7.166 ± 0.036, 8.078 ± 0.124, and 8.572 ± 0.166 min (eight replicates), respectively. The proposed method demonstrated linearity in the ranges of 10.0–500.0 (ng mL−1) and 0.5–30.0 (µg mL−1) for oseltamivir phosphate, 50.0–5000.0 (ng mL−1) for dexamethasone, 25.0–1000.0 (ng mL−1) and 0.5–25.0 (µg mL−1) for daclatasvir dihydrochlorde, and 10.0–500.0 (ng mL−1) and 0.5–30.0 (µg mL−1) for remdesivir. The coefficients of determination (R2) were greater than 0.9999, with percentage recoveries greater than 99.5% for each drug. The limits of quantitation were 6.4, 1.8, 7.8, and 1.6 ng mL−1, and the limits of detection were 1.9, 0.5, 2.0, and 0.5 ng mL−1 for oseltamivir phosphate, dexamethasone, daclatasivir dihydrochloride, and remdesivir, respectively. The proposed method was highly precise, as indicated by the low percentage of relative standard deviation values of less than 1.2% for each drug. The average content and uniformity of dosage units in the studied drugs' dosage forms were determined. The average contents of oseltamivir phosphate, dexamethasone, daclatasivir dihydrochloride, and remdesivir were nearly 93%, 102%, 99%, and 95%, respectively, while the uniformity of dosage unit values were nearly 92%, 102%, 101%, and 97%. Two novel methods were established in this work. The first method was used to assess the stability of standard solutions. This novel method was based on the slope of regression equations. The second was to evaluate the excipient's interference using an innovative instrumental standard addition method. The novel instrumental standard addition method was performed using the UPLC instrument program. It was more accurate, sensitive, time-saving, economical, and eco-friendly than the classic standard addition method. The results showed that the proposed method can estimate the tested drugs' concentrations without interference from their dosage form excipients. According to the Eco-score (more than 75), the Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and the AGREE criteria (total score of 0.77), the suggested method was considered eco-friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metadherin (MTDH) and ubiquitin specific protease 7 (USP7) have been identified to involve in the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer (CC). USP7 is one of the deubiquitinating enzymes. Here, this study aimed to explore whether USP7 affected CC progression via interacting with MTDH and regulating its stability via deubiquitination., Methods: qRT-PCR and western blotting assays detected the levels of genes and proteins. Functional analysis was conducted using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, transwell, and tube formation assays, respectively. Proteins between USP7 and MTDH were identified by co-immunoprecipitation assay. A mouse xenograft model was established for in vivo analysis., Results: MTDH was highly expressed in CC tissues and cells, silencing of MTDH suppressed CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and macrophage M2 polarization. Mechanistically, USP7 directly bound to MTDH, and maintained its stability by removing ubiquitination on MTDH. CC tissues and cells showed high USP7 expression, and USP7 knockdown also inhibited CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and macrophage M2 polarization, and these effects mediated by USP7 knockdown were reversed by MTDH overexpression. Moreover, USP7 knockdown impeded CC growth in vivo by regulating MTDH., Conclusion: Collectively, USP7 promoted CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and macrophage M2 polarization in vitro, as well as tumor growth in vivo by regulating MTDH., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The amalgamation of novel drug delivery techniques and potential drugs is considered the most promising tool for the treatment of diseases. In our study, we have employed N-isopropyl acrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and acrylic acid (NIPAAM-VP-AA) copolymeric nanoparticles for delivering Ipomoea turpethum root extract. I. turpethum is a perennial herb (Convolvulaceae family) and has been used as medicine for ages. The present study was conducted to evaluate the safety of I. turpethum root extract-loaded NIPAAMVP-AA polymeric nanoparticles (NVA-IT) in Wistar rats. Methods: An acute oral toxicity study was conducted in accordance with OECD guidelines 423 for the testing of chemicals. Different doses of NVA-IT i.e., 5 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, and 2000 mg/kg were administered to female Wistar rats in a stepwise manner using oral gavage. The toxicity signs were thoroughly observed for the next 14 days. At the end of the study, the blood and vital organs were harvested for hematological, biochemical, and histopathological studies. Result: No mortality or pathological anomalies were observed even at the highest dose which exemplifies that the lethal dose would be more than 2000 mg/kg body weight (GSH category 5). Behavioral changes, biochemical parameters, and histopathology of vital organs were normal after NVA-IT administration. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that NVA-IT nanoparticles are non-toxic and can be considered for therapeutic use in different diseases, such as inflammation, CNS diseases, Cancer, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is to use MPPTs (maximum power point trackers) to extort maximum power from best configuration or combine renewable resources and energy storage systems that all work together in off-grid for electric vehicle charging. The grey wolf algorithm (GWO) searches the MPP at partial shading condition (PSC) with following two consideration one is high oscillations around GMPPs, and other is that they are unable to track the new GMPPs after it has changed positions because the seeking agents will be busy around the previous GMPPs captured. Hence, in this paper, the proposed research objective is to find solutions to these two difficulties. The issue of oscillations around GMPPs was handled by combining GWO with ANFISs (adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy inference system) to gently tune output produced power at GMPPs. ANFISs are distinguished by their near-zero oscillations and precise GMPPs capturing. The second issue called they are unable to track the new GMPPs after it has changed positions is addressed in this work by using novel initialization by GWOs (Grey wolf Optimizations). In the MATLAB-Simulink and experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested GWO-ANFIS MPPTs based off-grid station for EVs (Electrical Vehicle) battery charging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia regards the shift in the center of economic gravity to Asia, marked by the rise of China and India following the earlier Asian tigers, as a welcome phenomenon that can benefit its own economic development. However, while celebrating the economic dynamism of the Indo-Pacific region, Indonesia also views with great concern China's assertiveness in pursuing its claims over the whole of the South China Sea, as well as the re-emergence of major power rivalry, particularly between the United States and China as the incumbent and ascending superpower respectively, which can disrupt regional stability and prosperity. With its 'free and active' foreign policy doctrine Indonesia adheres to non-alignment, and as a matter of principle does not take sides in any great power competition. Indonesia's policy in managing regional uncertainty which offers both opportunities for cooperation and threats of conflicts can best be described as hedging plus to ensure both its strategic autonomy and agency. It entails engaging all sides to maximize benefits while mitigating risks at both the national level and through ASEAN. At the same time, as the world's largest archipelagic state straddling the Indian and the Pacific oceans, and the largest member of ASEAN, Indonesia carries out middle-power diplomacy by playing a leading role in promoting ASEAN-centric inclusive and cooperative wider East Asian multilateralism, helping to shape both the institutional and normative pillars of the International Order in the Indo-Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum dots and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) play an important role in the performance of the third-generation solar cell. In this work, the performance of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) with rGO/TiO2 composite photoanode is presented. Mixing of rGO was performed with a facile preparation technique by varying the ratio of rGO (0.1–1.0 wt%) to TiO2. The prepared electrode samples were characterized in order to understand the effect of rGO to the surface morphology, chemical composition and electron lifetime effect. It was observed that the addition of rGO increased the efficiency of QDSSC with maximum efficiency observed for sample having 0.5 wt% of rGO-added TiO2 electrodes. However, more rGO content did not contribute to the improved performance due to increased charge recombination rate. The internal resistance and electron lifetime of the samples are further discussed in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial inflammatory pathology that involves metabolic processes. Improvements in therapy have drastically reduced the prognosis of cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, a significant residual risk is still relevant, and is related to unmet therapeutic targets. Endothelial dysfunction and lipid infiltration are the primary causes of atherosclerotic plaque progression. In this contest, mitochondrial dysfunction can affect arterial wall cells, in particular macrophages, smooth muscle cells, lymphocytes, and endothelial cells, causing an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and intracellular lipid deposition. The detection and characterization of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is crucial for assessing mitochondrial defects and should be considered the goal for new future therapeutic interventions. In this review, we will focus on a new idea, based on the analysis of data from many research groups, namely the link between mitochondrial impairment and endothelial dysfunction and, in particular, its effect on atherosclerosis and aging. Therefore, we discuss known and novel mitochondria-targeting therapies in the contest of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water splitting using photoelectrochemical technology is an excellent way to generate clean hydrogen, for which TiO2 is regarded as the most promising photoanode because of its unique properties. The large band gap and high recombination rate of charge carriers, however, limit its solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. Herein, we fabricated the reduced TiO2 nanotubes by electrochemical anodization technique followed by hydrazine treatment to create oxygen vacancies (or Ti3+ sites) in the sample. The samples were then characterized by XRD and FESEM for structural and morphological analysis, validating the formation of Titania nanotube arrays (TNTA). Absorbance spectra of hydrazine-treated samples showed the absorption edge at about 447 nm, which corresponds to a band gap of 2.67 eV. This reduction in the band gap may be due to the introduction of Ti3+ states beneath the conduction band, as confirmed by XPS spectra. Photoluminescence spectra depicted the presence of oxygen vacancies in the hydrazine-treated sample. The hydrazine treatment, as a result of the introduction of Ti3+ states, enhanced the photocurrent density of the sample without affecting its photostability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work consists of developing a new hybrid FL-INC optimization algorithm for the solar water pumping system (SWPS) through a SEPIC converter whose objective is to improve these performances. This technique is based on the combination of the fuzzy logic of artificial intelligence and the incremental conductance (INC) technique. Indeed, the introduction of fuzzy logic to the INC algorithm allows the extraction of a maximum amount of power and an improvement in the efficiency of the SWPS. The performance of the system through the SEPIC converter is compared with those of the direct coupling to show the interest of the indirect coupling, which requires an adaptation stage driven by an optimal control algorithm. In addition, a comparative analysis between the proposed hybrid algorithm and the conventional optimization techniques, namely, P&O and INC Modified (M-INC), was carried out to confirm improvements related to the SWPS in terms of efficiency, tracking speed, power quality, tracking of the maximum power point under different weather changes, and pumped water flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HOXA9 functioning as a transcription factor is one of the members of HOX gene family, which governs multiple cellular activities by facilitating cellular signal transduction. In addition to be a driver in AML which has been widely studied, the role of HOXA9 in solid tumor progression has also received increasing attention in recent years, where the aberrant expression of HOXA9 is closely associated with the prognosis of patient. This review details the signaling pathways, binding partners, post-transcriptional regulation of HOXA9, and possible inhibitors of HOXA9 in solid tumors, which provides a reference basis for further study on the role of HOXA9 in solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study objective: Postoperative delirium (POD) is one of the serious postoperative complications in elderly patients, which is always related to long-term mortality. Anesthesia is often considered a risk factor for POD. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to assess the impact of different anesthesia methods and anesthetics on POD. Measurements: We searched for studies published in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) from inception to 18 March 2022. RevMan 5.3 and CINeMA 2.0.0 were used to assess the risk of bias and confidence. Data analysis using STATA 17.0 and R 4.1.2. STATA 17.0 was used to calculate the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) and provide network plots with CINeMA 2.0.0. NMA was performed with R 4.1.2 software gemtc packages in RStudio. Main results: This NMA included 19 RCTs with 5,406 patients. In the pairwise meta-analysis results, only regional anesthesia (RA) with general anesthesia (GA) vs. GA (Log OR: -1.08; 95% CI: -1.54, -0.63) were statistically different in POD incidence. In the NMA results, there was no statistical difference between anesthesia methods, and psoas compartment block (PCB) with bupivacaine was superior to the desflurane, propofol, sevoflurane, and spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine of POD occurrence. Conclusion: Our study indicated that RA and GA had no significant effect on POD, and there was no difference between anesthesia methods. Pairwise meta-analysis showed that, except for RA with GA vs. GA, the rest of the results were not statistically different. Besides, PCB with bupivacaine may benefit to reduce POD incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This publication presents the impact of PM10, PM2.5, and cloudiness on the power that is generated by photovoltaic panels—the actual photovoltaic power was measured. Weather parameters that were recorded by a weather station were taken into account, and the dependencies between the weather parameters and the power that was generated by PV panels were determined. This study was based on actual data from a solar cell set and was designed to allow a certain size of a PV system to be able to supply power to a given load. For the entire measurement year, data on PM10, PM2.5, cloudiness, and generated power were collected; by using a genetic algorithm, the influence of the environmental parameters on the power that was generated by the PV panels was calculated. The research shows the influence of anthropogenic factors on the power that is generated by PV panels. It was observed that PM2.5 and PM10 air pollution decreased the power by about 16% among the analyzed factors as they were related to cloudiness. The impact of the pollution was stable over the year in the analyzed location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is the most widely recognized endocrine disorder which is influencing a bigger populace on the planet. There are various causes of diabetes, such as physical inactivity, obesity, family history, race, and age. Diabetes mellitus is associated with some life-threatening complications, such as neuropathy, nephropathy, various eye diseases or retinopathy, and cardiovascular disorders. Many synthetic antihyperglycemic agents are available in the market for the treatment of diabetes and its complications. But, due to some serious side effects of these synthetic agents, people are opting for herbal remedies and, therefore, they are now becoming popular. Herbal remedies have lesser side effects and higher affordability and therefore can be preferably used over synthetic agents for a long-term disorder like diabetes mellitus. In the present study, scientific research and review studies on the topic were collected from Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and other relevant sources. The references of all the articles were screened manually for any additional information on popular polyherbal formulations in traditional Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Unani medicinal systems. It is found that these polyherbal formulations are studied for anti-diabetic potential. Furthermore, some are also investigated for mechanism of action of anti-diabetic effects. This review highlights various Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Unani polyherbal formulations commonly utilized in the management of diabetes mellitus along with their pre-clinical and clinical investigations, which will enhance the existing knowledge of the researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production through solar-driven water splitting is a promising approach and an alternative to the conventional steam reforming of natural gas and coal gasification. The growing energy demand and environmental degradation through carbon-emitting fossil fuels urge a transition in the usage of non-renewable to renewable sources of energy. The photocathodes in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting cell are essential for the direct evolution of hydrogen. Among the known photocathodes, Cu-based p-type semiconducting materials are the most promising photo-absorber materials owing to their low-cost, low toxicity, natural abundance, suitable bandgaps, and favorable band edges for reduction. Moreover, the chemical stability and the rate of recombination significantly limit the longevity, the PEC performance, and practical applicability of Cu-based photocathodes. To overcome these problems, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of the constraints, improvement strategies, and an assessment of current developments in order to construct and design highly stable and efficient photocathodes. Here, in this review we have summarized the development of Cu-based metal oxide and sulfide photocathodes with the significant operational challenges and strategies that have successfully been employed to enhance the PEC performance. Furthermore, the emphasis is placed on recent reports and future perspectives regarding emerging challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the use of the ideograph territorial sovereignty by the Times of India (TOI ; U.S./New Delhi editions) in its reports on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Using McGee's (1980) notion of ideograph and Entman's (1993) framing theory, it uncovers a discursive strategy used by elite media for swaying public opinion regarding international and domestic information flow when promoting its preferred "Indian" understanding of the BRI. This study reviews historical uses of the ideograph territorial sovereignty to establish an analysis of the TOI 's use of it. Then, following framing theory and a synchronic structure, I explore the ideograph in 40 collected TOI reports by contextualizing relationships supporting and surrounding it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, herbal nanomedicines have gained tremendous popularity for novel drug discovery. Nanotechnology has provided several advances in the healthcare sector, emerging several novel nanocarriers that potentiate the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of the herbal drug. The recent advances in nanotechnology with accelerated strategies of ophthalmic nanosystems have paved a new path for overcoming the limitations associated with ocular drug delivery systems, such as low bioavailability, poor absorption, stability, and precorneal drug loss. Ophthalmic drug delivery is challenging due to anatomical and physiological barriers. Due to the presence of these barriers, the herbal drug entry into the eyes can be affected when administered by following multiple routes, i.e., topical, injectables, or systemic. However, the advancement of nanotechnology with intelligent systems enables the herbal active constituent to successfully entrap within the system, which is usually difficult to reach employing conventional herbal formulations. Herbal-loaded nanocarrier drug delivery systems demonstrated enhanced herbal drug permeation and prolonged herbal drug delivery. In this current manuscript, an extensive search is conducted for original research papers using databases Viz. , PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science, etc. Further painstaking efforts are made to compile and update the novel herbal nanocarriers such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructure lipid carriers, micelles, niosomes, nanoemulsions, dendrimers, etc., which are mostly used for ophthalmic drug delivery system. This article presents a comprehensive survey of diverse applications used for the preventative measures and treatment therapy of varied eye disorders. Further, this article highlights the recent findings that the innovators are exclusively working on ophthalmic nanosystems for herbal drug delivery systems. The nanocarriers are promising drug delivery systems that enable an effective and supreme therapeutic potential circumventing the limitations associated with conventional ocular drug delivery systems. The nanotechnology-based approach is useful to encapsulate the herbal bioactive and prevent them from degradation and therefore providing them for controlled and sustained release with enhanced herbal drug permeation. Extensive research is still being carried out in the field of herbal nanotechnology to design an ophthalmic nanosystem with improved biopharmaceutical properties., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Current source topologies have several advantages compared to conventional voltage systems. Their inherent voltage-boosting function, intrinsic short-circuit protection, no electrolytic capacitor, direct-current control, continuous input current, and high reliability make them exceptional candidates for power generation systems, particularly for photovoltaic applications. This study provides an overview of the current source topologies for multi-stage photovoltaic grid-connected systems by comparing the number of components, performance, power-decoupling techniques, efficiency, and frequency operation. The overview reveals gain, performance, energy quality and lifetime improvements, thereby providing current source systems as an attractive alternative for renewable applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has been perceived as a normative power (by itself and some others) in the international system. Through this concept, the EU's policies and actions can be aligned with its identity, which is grounded in democratic values. Yet there is often a gap between those values and their practical implementation. The EU's 2021 Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific offers an opportunity to test how well it is positioned to advance democratic norms in the world's most economically dynamic and increasingly geo-politically contested region. This article argues that, while the Strategy reflects the EU's foundational democratic values, it lacks clarity regarding the primacy of those values. As currently framed, the Strategy leaves the EU facing key unresolved democratic dilemmas in its Indo-Pacific engagement. The article concludes that the efficacy of the Strategy as a vehicle for bolstering democracy in the region will hinge on how it is operationalised, which will require confronting these dilemmas and making hard choices, especially between interests and values. Such choices are exemplary of a more general conundrum for the EU as an international organisation with 27 members whose interests often constrain the pursuit of its role as a self-consciously normative actor in international affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel tungsten disulfide diselenide (WSSe) nanocomposite by a facile hydrothermal process with great capable photocatalytic efficiency for hydrogen evolution from water and organic compound removal was discussed. The WSSe nanocomposites form heterojunctions in order to inhibit the quick recombination rate of photo-induced electrons and holes. This is considered to be a useful method in order to enhance the capability of photocatalytic hydrogen production. The hydrogen production rate of the WSSe nanocomposites approaches 3647.4 μmol/g/h, which is 12 and 11 folds the rates of the bare WS2 and WSe2, respectively. Moreover, the excellent photocatalytic performance for Methylene blue (MB) removal (88%) was 2.5 and 1.8 times higher than those of the bare WS2 and WSe2, respectively. The great photocatalytic efficiency was owing to the capable electrons and holes separation of WSSe and the construction of the heterostructure, which possessed vigorous photocatalytic oxidation and reduction potentials. The novel one-dimensional structure of the WSSe heterojunction shortens the transport pathway of the photo-induced electrons and holes. It possesses the great capable photocatalytic efficiency of the hydrogen production and organic dye removal. This study offers an insight into the route of interfacial migration and separation for induced charge carriers in order to generate clean hydrogen energy and to solve the issue of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrophobic azo dye 6-hexyl-4-(2-thiazolylazo)resorcinol (HTAR, H2L) was studied as part of a system for the centrifuge-less cloud point extraction (CL-CPE) and spectrophotometric determination of traces of cobalt. The extracted 1:2 (Co:HTAR) complex, [CoIII(HL−)(L2−)]0, shows an absorption maximum at 553 nm and contains HTAR in two different acid–base forms. Optimum conditions for its formation and CL-CPE were found as follows: 1 × 10−5 mol L−1 of HTAR, 1.64% of Triton X-114, pH of 7.8, incubation time of 20 min at ca. 50 °C, and cooling time of 30 min at ca. −20 °C. The linear range, limit of detection, and apparent molar absorptivity coefficient were 5.4–189 ng mL−1, 1.64 ng mL−1, and 2.63 × 105 L mol−1 cm−1, respectively. The developed procedure does not use any organic solvents and can be described as simple, cheap, sensitive, convenient, and environmentally friendly. It was successfully applied to the analysis of artificial mixtures and real samples, such as steel, dental alloy, rainwater, ampoules of vitamin B12, and saline solution for intravenous infusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to develop a metaheuristic design for primary parameters and architectures of two models of artificial neural network (ANN) in predicting a cargo aircraft's exergo-emissions (exergy destruction ratio, rex,dest, and waste exergy ratio, rwex) at different flight stages. Hybrid genetic algorithm (GA)-ANN models have been accomplished utilizing real databases of rex,dest and rwex at various powers. Implementing a metaheuristics-based optimization on multilayer perceptron (MLP)-ANNs has produced the most favourable initial weights, step-size, biases, and training algorithm's back-propagation (BP) momentum rate in addition to optimum number of neurons in the hidden layer(s). In accordance with an error assessment, a close fit linking real data and rwex (linear correlation ratio, R, value of 0.999851) as well as rex,dest (R value of 0.999985) predicted values is found. In the rex, dest estimation model, the accuracy among single-hidden-layer networks has been confirmed to be higher; whereas, highly accurate testing outcomes have been obtained in two-hidden-layer networks as far as modeling of rwex is concerned. ANN models' optimization by GAs has increased the accuracy of the resulting models (R value of 0.999987 and 0.999869 for rex,dest and rwex, in that order ascertaining a drop-off in the testing stage errors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is one of the critical energy conversion techniques to prepare for future energy demands. Among the various trials to construct effective water splitting semiconductor photoelectrodes, In2O3/In2S3 heterostructures can be promising candidates for their advantageous properties in solar water oxidation. Herein, we synthesized In2O3 nanorods on FTO substrate through a direct glancing angle deposition method. Subsequently, the In2S3 layer was conformally coated on In2O3 nanorods through facile chemical bath deposition. As synthesized photoanodes of In2O3/In2S3 form type II junction, leading to considerable cathodic onset potential shift with the increased photocurrent density compared to pristine samples. To further enhance PEC properties, the interficial engineering strategies of the Co ion doping and the deposition of ultra-thin Al2O3 film were carried out. Co ion could facilitate the charge transfer in photoanodes through the increased surface area, and the 2 nm Al2O3 layer coated above the photoanode effectively worked as the passivation layer to stabilize the photoanodes in alkaline electrolytes environments. This work would contribute to developing efficient photoanodes through various nanoscale engineering strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The problems of energy shortages, environmental pollution and the ever‐increasing global population are creating serious concerns for mankind. For a sustainable future, it is essential to explore clean and renewable alternate energy sources. The green energy consumption model aims towards a future with a competent and sustainable hydrogen economy to fulfill the global energy demands. Water‐splitting is a promising method for clean hydrogen production. A highly active noble metal‐free catalyst is the main pre‐requisite, to make the process energy‐efficient and economical. An optimum catalyst lowers the energy required for the disassociation of water by driving down the overpotential of the process. Tungsten‐based materials are an considered effective catalyst for water‐splitting due to natural availability, environmental friendliness, high photostability, high electron mobility, large hole diffusion length and high catalytic activities. In recent years, a diverse range of tungsten‐based materials has been developed as photo/electro catalysts for water‐splitting. This review aims to present a comprehensive understanding and timely reference for the progress of tungsten‐based catalysts in this field. This study begins with the fundamental principle of water splitting and the properties of tungsten and its hybrids then moves on to different techniques for producing binary/ternary nanocomposites for overall water splitting. A comprehensive overview of the recent developments in tungsten‐based photo/electro catalysts for overall water splitting is then presented with the techniques to enhance the catalyst activity, such as morphological control, surface modification, heteroatom doping, and heterojunction construction. Finally, recommendations for the future are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children. With the gradual expansion of the incidence of JIA in the population, the pathogenesis and treatment of JIA were further explored and analyzed, and JIA has achieved some success in drug therapy. Data sources: A systemic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, the US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register, and the EU Clinical Trials Register. Through the searching of clinical trials of JIA in recent years, we summarized the progress of the clinical treatment of JIA. Results: The main treatment drugs for JIA include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biological agents. So far, a variety of biological agents targeting the cytokines and receptors involved in its pathogenesis have been gradually approved for JIA in many countries. The application of biological agents in JIA showed good efficacy and safety, bringing unprecedented experience to children and adolescents with JIA. Conclusions: The potential and advantages of biologic agents in the treatment of JIA are significant, and the application of biologic agents in the treatment of JIA will be more and more common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer inclusion membranes are a type of liquid membrane that is used to separate and extract cations and anions. For instance, these are used to separate toxic metal wastes from the environment. 1,10-Phenanthroline has been used as a preferred classic chelated ligand for transition metal ions. In this study, we prepared a cellulose tri-acetate (CTA) polymeric membrane containing 1,10-phenanthroline. We used a combination of CTA membrane with polyethylene glycol to extract metals from aqueous solutions using a two-compartment permeation cell having a feed and stripping solution. We used cobalt, nickel, copper, and cadmium metals to prepare the feed solution, whereas ammonia and tri-ethanolamine were used to prepare the stripping solution. Cadmium remains in the feed solution, whereas cobalt, nickel, and copper are transferred to the stripping phase. The extraction efficiencies of metals were found to be in the order Co > Ni > Cu. This method resulted in the extraction of 91% cobalt, 89% nickel, and 89% copper in an aqueous solution. In addition, the modified membranes were characterized for their compositional analysis and surface morphology. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to determine the presence of functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, pneumonia has been associated as a primary cause of mortality in children aged less than 5 years. Dihydrokaempferol (DHK) has been proposed for being correlated with the process of various diseases. Nevertheless, whether DHK has a role in the progression of infantile pneumonia remains unclear. This study aimed at exploring whether DHK was involved in the progression of infantile pneumonia., Methods: Human fibroblast cells WI-38 were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The viability of WI-38 cells was measured via Cell counting kit-8. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Western blot analysis revealed the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, Bax, and cleaved-caspase 3. Flow cytometry was applied for exploring the apoptosis of WI-38 cells. The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were assessed via enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay., Results: DHK modulated the viability of WI-38 cells in infantile pneumonia. Furthermore, we identified that DHK treatment inversely changed LPS induction-mediated elevation on the levels of inflammation biomarkers. Besides, DHK counteracted LPS-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in WI-38 cells. DHK also decreased LPS-induced elevation of WI-38 cells apoptosis and mediated the levels of apoptosis-associated indexes. Moreover, modulating sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) protein level was lowered by the induction of LPS, and was reversed by DHK treatment. In addition, DHK counteracted LPS induction-mediated elevation of p-p65 and phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit alpha (p-IκBα) protein levels., Conclusion: DHK alleviated LPS-induced WI-38 cells inflammation injury in infantile pneumonia through SIRT1/NF-κB pathway. The results shed light on the implications of DHK on the prevention and treatment of infantile pneumonia., Competing Interests: The authors stated that there was no conflict of interest to declare.

China and India have significant interests in the Gulf region. Their ties with the region are not limited to just the economic domain but, in fact, go beyond it to include the security and political domains. Consequently, to protect their interests, China and India have been pursuing various policies to engage with the region. These policies have been linked to their long-time spatial and positional rivalry in Asia. This article argues that the China–India rivalry in the Gulf region can be classified as a soft rather than hard rivalry. Unlike their rivalry in the Indian Ocean, seen as a hard rivalry, in which both powers are trying to contain and counter the power and presence of the other, the essence of their rivalry in the Gulf region is geared towards each power looking to strengthen its interest and not to directly undermine the interests of the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydrogen (H2), commonly named 'hydrogen,' is considered as a promising renewable fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide upon combustion. Nonetheless, since hydrogen is actually mainly produced from fossil fuels, sustainable methods such as water splitting are required. For that, metal oxide semiconductors have been explored as photoelectrode materials. In particular, post-transition metal oxide semiconductors such as gallium, indium, tin, lead, and bismuth have drawn attention due to of their unique properties, e.g. resistance to photocorrosion. Here, we review the properties, synthesis and recent developments of post-transition metal oxide semiconductors for water splitting. Gallium nitride nanowall network enhances photocurrent density up to 28 mA/cm2. Alloys of gallium and indium, in the form of indium gallium nitride, show photocurrent density of 32 mA/cm2 with strong photon absorption and exceptional corrosion resistance in aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic systems (PV) have been extensively used worldwide as a reliable and effective renewable energy resource due to their environmental and economic merits. However, PV systems are prone to several environmental and weather conditions that impact their performance. Amongst these conditions is dust accumulation, which has a significant adversative impact on the solar cells' performance, especially in hot and arid regions. This study provides a comprehensive review of 278 articles focused on the impact of dust on PV panels' performance along with other associated environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The review highlights the importance of modelling dust accumulation along with other ecological factors due to their interactive nature, and the differences between cleaning techniques and schedules effectiveness. Moreover, the study provides a review of statistical and artificial intelligence models used to predict PV performance and its prediction accuracies in terms of data size and complexity. Finally, the study draws attention to several research gaps that warrant further investigation. Among these gaps is the need for proper dynamic optimisation models for cleaning schedules and a more advanced machine and deep learning models to predict dust accumulation while considering environmental and ageing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various observers have emphasized a recalibration of India's stance towards the Middle East under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These accounts have generally highlighted Modi's public overtures toward Israel, including an unprecedented 2017 visit, as public signs of a break with India's traditional pro-Arab and pro-Palestine approach. Others have interpreted Modi's successive visits to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, and Oman as indicators of a new outreach to all relevant actors in the region. However, has this diplomatic balancing among regional stakeholders signalled a substantial foreign policy change? Can this apparent policy shift be attributed to the personal preferences of Modi? Or Can India's fluctuating Middle-East policy be explained by a wider number of fluid international and regional opportunities and constraints? Alternatively, can factors such as ideological and religious politics at the national and regional levels also help account for changes (or the absence thereof) in India's Middle-East policy? Building on foreign policy scholarship, this paper offers to derive theoretical understandings and expectations about Modi's role in (re)shaping this regional policy in order to problematizes the conventional understanding of Modi's engagement with the Middle East as a sign of substantial foreign policy change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonintrusive load monitoring (NILM) is crucial for extracting patterns of electricity consumption of household appliance that can guide users' behavior in using electricity while their privacy is respected. This study proposes an online method based on the transient behavior of individual appliances as well as system steady-state characteristics to estimate the operating states of the appliances. It determines the number of states for each appliance using the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) method and models the transition relationship among different states. The states of the working appliances are identified from aggregated power signals using the Kalman filtering method in the factorial hidden Markov model (FHMM). Thereafter, the identified states are confirmed by the verification of system states, which are the combination of the working states of individual appliances. The verification step involves comparing the total measured power consumption with the total estimated power consumption. The use of transient features can achieve fast state inference and it is suitable for online load disaggregation. The proposed method was tested on a high-resolution data set such as Labeled hIgh-Frequency daTaset for Electricity Disaggregation (LIFTED) and it outperformed other related methods in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few would question the changing landscape of international higher education, research and innovation (IHERI) or the increased complexities and interconnectedness of the relationships between and among countries of the world. But paradoxically, there is a lack of research on the intersection of these two evolving phenomenon. This article aims to address this by proposing the concept of knowledge diplomacy, instead of soft power, to understand the role of IHERI in building bilateral and multi-lateral relationships based on collaboration, reciprocity and mutuality of benefits. A definition and conceptual framework for knowledge diplomacy are proposed and examined in detail. Three IHERI initiatives – The Pan African University, the German Jordanian University and RENKEI – a research network between Japanese and UK universities – are examined to illustrate how the major elements and principles of the knowledge diplomacy framework can be applied. The article ends by posing questions about the future of knowledge diplomacy and the need for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]