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This work aims to derive a mathematical model that describes the thermal conductivity of the elastic single jersey knitted fabric (SJKF) based on the loop geometry and the yarn and fibers inclination on the direction of heat flow, and to assist the manufactures of elastic SJKF to predict the thermal conductivity from the fabric construction parameters. The main fabric construction parameters in this model are yarn count, loop length, and spandex weight percent. To validate the proposed model, elastic SJKF samples were produced at two different counts and five levels of loop length and spandex weight percent. The thermal conductivity of these samples was measured and compared to the predicted values from the new model rather than the previous three models (Maxwell – Eucken 2, Schuhmeister, Militky models). From the results, it could be concluded that the values of thermal conductivity from the model are very closed to the experimental values; therefore, the new model could be used to predict the thermal conductivity of elastic SJKF.

Abstract The integration of supercapacitors as hybrid energy storage systems in electric vehicles has attracted the attention of many researchers and has been considered as a promising solution. Bidirectional DC/DC converters (BDDCs) play a fundamental role in HESS, as they manage the power flow by controlling currents and regulating the DC bus voltage. However, they encounter the challenge of uncertainties and high fluctuation power loads, necessitating the fast dynamics, stability, and high robustness of the controller. This paper proposes a novel hybrid proportional–integral and backstepping cascade controller to regulate the DC‐bus voltage under uncertainties and load variations, and to control the current references of the on‐boarded sources. To confirm the asymptotic stability of the whole system, a nonlinear stability analysis is conducted using the Lyapunov theorem. A power management strategy is applied to distribute the power loads and generate reference currents for the BDDCs controller. Simulations results under various driving cycles using MATLAB/Simulink demonstrate the superiority of the proposed controller compared to conventional proportional–integral and backstepping controllers. A real‐time controller‐hardware‐in‐the‐loop test bench is developed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

It is essential to achieve the optimum stretch for the 100% cotton woven compression bandage (WCB), particularly when producing short-stretch bandage (SSB). Since the SSB achieves a high level of working pressure (dynamic or walking) and a low level of resting pressure (supine or sleeping), this study evaluated the effect of ply twist on yarns extension that are being used as warp yarns in WCB. The proposed study investigated the commercial yarns available in the bandage market in addition to yarns spun at a wider range of ply twist. Moreover, the study analysed the influence of yarn material and bandaging technique on corresponding pressure at the ankle and mid-calf positions. Results revealed that the optimum twist for plied yarn should be at least 1800 turns per meter to produce highly extensible WCB. The experimental results of the uniaxial stress test concluded that the elasticity of 100% cotton short-stretch bandage followed the exponential behaviour whereas the cotton-polyamide-polyurethane long-stretch bandage behaved in a linear function due to the higher level of elastic recovery gained by polyurethane (Elastane) filament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a control strategy to optimize both the vehicle speed and gearbox position on curved roads with the aim of maximizing fuel economy. Previous studies have focused only on the vehicle speed optimization during cornering. Combining vehicle speed and gearbox position optimization can significantly maximize the energy-saving for an Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. The problem is formulated as two successive optimization problems. In the first one, based on the road map and traffic data, the vehicle’s optimal speed profile is calculated by minimizing the energy spent for the entire curve. In the second one, the gearbox position is optimized for fuel consumption minimization using realistic engine map. The presented control structure’s effectiveness was evaluated through co-simulation of Matlab/Simulink and CarSim in various driving scenarios. The results show that approximately 5.25% to 11.44 % of fuel savings can be achieved compared with a typical driver model.

Compression therapy using bandages or socks is the most common treatment for venous leg ulcers and edema. This article aims to compare the compression between long- and short-stretch bandages (LSB and SSB, respectively). Load-elongation curves, cyclic loading, and elastic recovery are investigated for both Cotton/Polyamide/Polyurethane and 100% bleached cotton bandages as LSB and SSB, respectively. Static (resting) and dynamic (working) pressures are measured on seven male legs, 31 ± 3.6 years old, using both two and three layers bandaging. Picopress pressure tests are performed on the ankle and mid-calf positions at gradual decreasing compression from the ankle to the knee. The deviation percentage between the experimental results by Picopress and theoretical calculations using Laplace's law and Al-Khaburi equations is compared. LSB recovered approximately 99% of its original length after stress-relaxation whereas SSB recovered only 93% of its original length after 5 days of cyclic load-relaxation. Moreover, SSB lost approximately 28.6% of its activity after wearing on the human leg for 5 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Chronic cough is a common respiratory symptom with an impact on daily activities and quality of life. Global prevalence data are scarce and derive mainly from European and Asian countries and studies with outcomes other than chronic cough. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of chronic cough across a large number of study sites as well as to identify its main risk factors using a standardised protocol and definition. Methods: We analysed cross-sectional data from 33,983 adults (≥40 years), recruited between Jan 2, 2003 and Dec 26, 2016, in 41 sites (34 countries) from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. We estimated the prevalence of chronic cough for each site accounting for sampling design. To identify risk factors, we conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis within each site and then pooled estimates using random-effects meta-analysis. We also calculated the population attributable risk (PAR) associated with each of the identifed risk factors. Findings: The prevalence of chronic cough varied from 3% in India (rural Pune) to 24% in the United States of America (Lexington,KY). Chronic cough was more common among females, both current and passive smokers, those working in a dusty job, those with a history of tuberculosis, those who were obese, those with a low level of education and those with hypertension or airflow limitation. The most influential risk factors were current smoking and working in a dusty job. Interpretation: Our findings suggested that the prevalence of chronic cough varies widely across sites in different world regions. Cigarette smoking and exposure to dust in the workplace are its major risk factors. Funding: Wellcome Trust.

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Industria Textila is the property of Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Textile si Pielarie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The design and integration of intelligent energy management systems in hybrid electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, leveraging industry 4.0 and renewable energy sources, is crucial for advancing sustainability, efficiency, and technological development. The innovative hybrid EV charging station described in this study uses a combination of fuel cells, batteries, and solar panels that run at 14 amps a piece at 240 volts. The system consists of five essential components that work together to transfer power wirelessly: an EV battery bank, a boost converter, an HF inverter, transfer coils, and a power supply. Two crucial phases make up the optimization process. In phase 1, the boost converter’s maximum power point is tracked and optimized to generate the most power possible by varying the duty cycle between 10% and 90%. In phase 2, the HF uses a class ϕ2 inverter at 30 MHz to synchronize with the resonant frequency of wireless power transfer coils. Zero-voltage switching is used by a digital signal processor card to carry out control for effective operations. By utilizing hybrid sources to optimize power transmission, this design improves the sustainability of EV charging options.

While cellulosic fibers have the third largest fibefs market-share, the production of viscose (as regenerated cellulosic fibers) was growing globally during the first decade of the 21st century with an average annual rate of 7%. Most of these fibers are used for apparel industry and it is necessary to study the performance of these materials in textile yarns. This study reports the results for characterizing two sets of viscose yarns with the same linear density (25 tex) that are produced at two different twist levels (409 and 877 twisum). Viscose fibers characteristics including cross-section, fineness, orientation, and tenacity were evaluated and correlated to the produced yarns' physical and mechanical properties. Yarn evenness, mass distribution, thin and thick places, yarn hairiness, as well as the tenacity were improved by increasing the twist multiplier. On the other hand, the productivity (kg/h) of these yarns was decreased for that increase in the twist multiplier. These results show the relation between the yarn quality and productivity, where improving the product's qualities might be associated with a decrease in industrial process productivity. Therefore, it is important to carry out similar studies to optimize the processing parameters according to the end use of the produced yarns and their required performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a fractional-order PD approach (F-oPD) designed to control a large class of dynamical systems known as fractional-order chaotic systems (F-oCSs). The design process involves formulating an optimization problem to determine the parameters of the developed controller while satisfying the desired performance criteria. The stability of the control loop is initially assessed using the Lyapunov’s direct method and the latest stability assumptions for fractional-order systems. Additionally, an optimization algorithm inspired by the flight skills and foraging behavior of hummingbirds, known as the Artificial Hummingbird Algorithm (AHA), is employed as a tool for optimization. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed design approach, the fractional-order energy resources demand-supply (Fo-ERDS) hyperchaotic system is utilized as an illustrative example.

This study, being realized in its totality in the groundwater of Ghis Nekor, which is located in the city of Al Hoceima in Northern Morocco, consists in analyzing the groundwater as to its suitability for human consumption, its physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics and their water quality index (WQI), as well as identifying the initial sources of contamination to conserve and protect them as required by the Moroccan water law taking into account, in particular, the strong demand of this type of water by the local population which suffers from the bad quality and high cost of tap water. Consequently, as an economic choice, the population opts for consuming well and spring water. The groundwater of Ghis Nekor is affected by a decline in water quality which has an anthropogenic cause. It could also be related to the dissolution of mineral constituents in the soil. To assess the bacteriological and physico-chemical quality of the groundwater in the Nekor watershed, significant elements of the water analyses compiled from seventeen springs scattered along the watershed were studied. The analyses showed that the water Ghis Nekor ground water has a very high level of mineralization reaching 1400 µS/cm. The majority of the samples are in chemical facies, such as sodium chloride, potassium or sodium sulfate, chloride, sulfate and calcium magnesium according to the Piper diagram that allowed to establish the dominant hydrochemical facies. Based on the principal component analysis (PCA) and the study of the extent of key portions, two important mineralization processes were identified: stone disintegration due to contact with water and nutrient input to revitalize the aquifer. Three homogeneous groups are produced via the hierarchical analysis technique (HCA). Bacteriological analysis of these water samples showed considerable contamination with fecal germs. Steps should be taken regularly to assess groundwater quality to mitigate pollution and protect water quality from further degradation.

La mouche de Hesse (Mayetiola destructor (Say) ; Diptera : Cecidomyidae) est de loin le principal insecte ravageur du blé (Triticum sp.) au Maroc. Les dommages causés par l'insecte peuvent entraîner la perte totale de la culture si de fortes infestations se produisent sur les jeunes stades de la culture. La technique de gestion la plus couramment pratiquée et la plus efficace pour contrôler les infestations par la mouche de Hesse est l'utilisation de variétés résistantes. Cependant, de tels moyens sont entravés par la dégradation rapide de la résistance, sachant que cette résistance est contrôlée par une relation gène pour gène. Afin d'assurer une bonne protection du blé et une résistance durable d'une variété donnée, une utilisation judicieuse et efficace des produits agrochimiques doit être encouragée. Pour ce faire, le traitement des semences au thiaméthoxame a été évalué sous infestation naturelle du blé par les ravageurs au Maroc. Les résultats ont indiqué que le thiaméthoxame en tant que traitement des semences est très efficace pour contrôler l'infestation de la mouche de Hesse. Il a réduit l'infestation de 78% par rapport aux parcelles non traitées. Autrement dit, le traitement des semences au thiaméthoxame est une technologie de contrôle simple, durable, précise, efficace, peu coûteuse et respectueuse de l'environnement et devrait donc être vulgarisée et adoptée. Cependant, les tactiques de lutte contre la mouche de Hesse sont plus efficaces et durables lorsqu'elles sont utilisées dans un programme de lutte intégrée contre les ravageurs (IPM).

Le charançon du pois (PLW) ou Sitone (Sitona lineatus (L.)) est l'un des principaux insectes ravageurs de la fève et de la fèverole au Maroc. Le Sitone utilise les pois et les féveroles comme hôtes pour sa reproduction et peut causer des dommages économiques à ces cultures. Les dommages économiques sont principalement causés par les larves. Les charançons adultes se nourrissent sur les plantules de fèves en mâchant les bords des feuilles et les points de croissance, ce qui produit des bords de feuilles dentées, caractéristique des morsures des adultes du Sitone. Les larves causent les dégâts les plus importants. Une fois que les larves éclosent, elles commencent à se nourrir du Rhizobium ou des nodules fixateurs d'azote des racines hôtes, entraînant une inhibition partielle ou complète de la fixation de l'azote par la plante. Ces dommages entraînent une mauvaise croissance des plantes et un faible rendement en grains, et peuvent rendre l'hôte plus sensible au stress hydrique et aux maladies via les infections secondaires. Les adultes se nourrissent des bords des feuilles et des points de croissance de nombreux autres légumineuses, notamment la luzerne, les haricots secs, le trèfle, les lentilles, les lupins et la vesce. Afin d'assurer une bonne protection de la fève contre les ravageurs, une utilisation judicieuse et efficace des produits agrochimiques doit être encouragée. Pour ce faire, le traitement des semences de fèverole au thiaméthoxame a été évalué sous infestation naturelle par les ravageurs au Maroc, sachant que le contrôle le plus efficace contre le sitone est obtenu avec des traitements insecticides des semences. L'expérimentation a été menée simultanément aux stations expérimentales de Douyet et Marchouch selon un dispositif en blocs aléatoires complets avec quatre répétitions, au cours de la campagne agricole 2021-2022. Les résultats ont indiqué que le thiaméthoxame en tant que traitement des semences est très efficace pour contrôler Sitona lineatus dans les conditions de Douyet (SAIS) et de Marchouch (ZAIR) pendant la saison 2021-2022 ; et il n'y avait pas d'interaction significative entre le site et le traitement pour la sévérité du Sitone. En moyenne, le traitement a réduit l'infestation de 91 % par rapport au témoin non traité. Autrement dit, le traitement des semences au thiaméthoxame est une technologie de contrôle simple, durable, précise, efficace, peu coûteuse et respectueuse de l'environnement de Sitona lineatus sur la Fèverole au Maroc et devrait ensuite être vulgarisée et adoptée. Cependant, les tactiques de lutte contre le Sitone sont plus efficaces lorsqu'elles sont utilisées dans un programme de lutte intégrée contre les ravageurs (IPM).

In this article, an artificial algorithm called hummingbirds optimization method, named AHA algorithm, is settled to extract accurately the parameters of PV modules under outdoor operational conditions. AHA is the main contribution in this work, regarding its efficiency and good performance in terms of standard deviation (StD), root mean square error (RMSE), sum of squared error (SSE), maximum number of iterations (MaxIt), particularly, for extracting parameter from modules operating in real conditions, and under different temperature and irradiance levels. The AHA is applied on a Polycrystalline-solar panel module type 320W-72P at real operating conditions and on a PV array of three polycrystalline PV modules connected in series. PV cells of the same modules are assumed operating under the same conditions where they share the same electric current and voltage values. In this last pattern, eight different scenarios are chosen. In the first five scenarios, the temperatures are (46.97, 44.23, 42.87, 40.59 and 30.60°C), and the irradiance varies, such as (910, 800.57, 614.13, 415.1 and 200.87W/m2), respectively. In the other three testing scenarios, the solar irradiance is equal (803 W/ m2), and the temperature differs, such as $\text{T}= 47.93\,\,^{\circ }\text{C}$ , 53.38 °C and 36.62°C. Lower values of root mean square errors (RMSE) are achieved ( $9.8602\times {10}^{-4}$ and $2.572533\times {10}^{-2}$ for RTC France PV cell and the 320W-72P module respectively) with 6000 iterations. Moreover, all the eight scenarios are lower than $7.245916\times {10}^{-2}$ for the last case study. Moreover, results show that we could recommend the AHA algorithm as an advanced and efficient method for dealing with real time parameter optimization of photovoltaic modules. In fact, a high closeness between the simulated and the experimental curves is achieved, which indicates the perfectness of this optimization method. Finally, the proposed AHA algorithm can be engaged as tools for the best designing of PV systems.

Nowadays, microgrids (MGs) are receiving a lot of attention. In an economical MG, the battery energy storage system (BESS) plays an important role. One of the biggest challenges in MGs is the optimal choice of the BESS that can lead to better performance of the MG, which will be more flexible, efficient, and effective than traditional power systems. In this paper, we present the modeling and simulation of different energy storage systems including Li-ion, lead-acid, nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel-metal hybrid (Ni-Mh), and supercapacitor (SC), for renewable energy applications, and more specifically for MGs. The results of simulation show that Li-ion batteries have a better response time than lead-acid batteries, Ni-Cd batteries, and Ni-Mh batteries and thus are more suitable for combination with supercapacitors. Li-ion batteries are the best option for fast-charging applications in MGs. The discharge phase ends with SOC ≤ ±94%, SOC ≤ ±95%, SOC = 95%, SOC < 95%, and SOC < 60%, respectively, for Li-ion, lead-acid, Ni-Cd, Ni-Mh, and supercapacitor. Moreover, the use of the battery management system (BMS) can significantly improve the performance of BESS, leading to higher levels of SOC and longer life span. The obtained results have shown that with an optimization algorithm for energy storage systems, more specifically for the battery-charging mode, the response time of BESSs can be further improved. The effect of ambient temperature has also been investigated on the functional capacities of the batteries. The obtained results demonstrated that extreme temperatures (80°C to −80°C) have a significant impact on battery performance and capacity, especially for Li-ion batteries, with a drop in capacity of up to 50% at −40°C. This highlights the importance of considering the ambient temperature in the design and operation of MGs. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the optimal selection of BESS and the impact of ambient temperature on their performance, which can help in the development of more efficient and reliable MGs.

This paper presents a study of an Intelligent Maximum Power Point Tracking (IMPPT) system for the Standalone PV system. The proposed MPPT technique is based on a fuzzy control concept (FLC). FLC is easy to design due it doesn’t require precise system knowledge and work well with the nonlinear systems; the obtained results were compared with the famous MPPT method (P&O). According to the obtained simulation results, the proposed method gave good results compared to the P&O technique, these results are shown by the low oscillation and rapid response of the proposed method, which provides the maximum transmission of power to the load.

In this paper, the least-squares channel estimation (LSCE) is investigated for Massive-Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (Ma-MIMO) OFDM systems based on pilot tones. The uplink (UL) transmission is considered, in which a channel estimation approach is proposed by forming a matrix equation with all the unknown channel parameters (UCPs) in one vector and estimating that vector by the least-square (LS). The mean square error (MSE) of the LSCE is computed. Flat fading and frequency-selective fading are evaluated for single and multiple OFDM symbols, concerning this MSE. The requirement of the pilot sequence is investigated in flat fading and frequency-selective fading. Besides, it is shown that the number of pilots exhibits desirable trade-offs between the base station (BS) antenna and channel taps. Rayleigh and Rician channel fading is considered to evaluate the system performance with different channel taps. Performances are compared in terms of Bit Error Rate (BER). Moreover, to enhance linear detector performance, nonlinear detectors are used. The requirement of pilot sequence and the increased receive diversity provide a lower BER for the nonlinear detector.

In this paper, a novel design of a Uniform Circular Array Massive-Multiple Input Multiple Output (UCA-mMIMO) system based on Spherical Wave (SW) is proposed in Uplink (UL) transmission. A three-dimensional (3-D) channel pattern is established and estimated, where channel orthogonality of multipolarized/unipolarized UCA-mMIMO systems is analyzed. Multipolarized and unipolarized systems are evaluated to decrease channel orthogonality. The Azimuth Angle of Arrival (AAoA) and Elevation Angle of Arrival (EAoA), as well as antenna spacing and cross-polarization discrimination, are taken into consideration. Using Monte Carlo simulation method, the results show that the multipolarized UCA-mMIMO system provides a better performance compared to the unipolarized UCA-mMIMO system in different situations. The proposed design is homely to be realized in real environment in conformance to the parameters analyzed; in order to confirm that it will be a very good choice

DC/DC converters are widely used in photovoltaic (PV) systems to track the maximum power points (MPP) of a photovoltaic generator (PVG). The variation of solar radiation (G) and PV cells temperature (T) affect the power efficiency of these DC/DC converters because they change the MPP, thus a sizing adaptation of the component values in these DC/DC converters is needed. Power loss in the inductor due to core saturation can severely degrade power efficiency. This paper proposes a new method that allows to adapt the inductor values according to the variable output power of the PV array in order to minimize losses and improve the converter power efficiency. The main idea is to replace the DC/DC inductor with a coupled inductor where the DC/DC inductor value is adjusted through an additional winding in the magnetic core that modulates the magnetic field inside it. Low current intensities from the PVG supply this winding through a circuit controlled by a fuzzy logic controller in order to regulate the second winding current intensity. Experimental results show a significant improvement of the power efficiency of the proposed solution as compared to a conventional converter.

In this paper, we propose an application of an algorithm, based on the T-S (Takagi-Sugeno) technique, to stabilize a quadrotor helicopter. After giving the nonlinear model of the vehicle, its representation by a T-S fuzzy model is discussed. Following this, a fuzzy controller is synthesized, which will guarantee the stability of the quadrotor. The proposed T-S controller is designed with measurable premise variables and the conditions of stability are given in terms of linear matrix inequality (LMI). Simulations and real-time experiments using a test-bed platform prove the performance of a PDC control algorithm to stabilize the vehicle robustly at a desired set point.

Despite the progress made in the development of targeted therapies, breast cancer (BC) continues to pose a significant threat to the health of women. Transcriptomics has emerged due to the advancements in high-throughput sequencing technology. This provides crucial information about the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in human cells, particularly long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), in disease development and function. When the control of these ncRNAs is disrupted, various illnesses emerge, including cancer. Numerous studies have produced empirical data on the function of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis and disease development. However, the roles and mechanisms of numerous lncRNAs remain unidentified at the molecular level because their regulatory role and the functional implications of abnormalities in cancer biology have yet to be thoroughly defined. The review gives an itemized summary of the most current developments in the role of lncRNA in BC, focusing on three main pathways, PI3K, MAPK, NF-kB, and hypoxia, and their resistance mechanisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no competing interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Breast cancer (BC) occupies the top spot among women on a global scale. The tumor has a significant degree of heterogeneity, displaying a notable prevalence of medication resistance, recurrence, and metastasis, rendering it one of the most lethal forms of malignant neoplasms. The timely identification, ongoing evaluation of therapeutic interventions, and accurate prediction of outcomes play crucial roles in determining the overall survival rates of women with BC. Nevertheless, the absence of precise biomarkers remains a significant determinant impacting the overall well-being and both the physical and emotional health of BC patients. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) exerts regulatory control over several genes and signaling pathways, hence assuming crucial roles in the development of neoplastic growth. Recently, research has indicated that the atypical expression of circulating lncRNAs in various biological bodily fluids has a noteworthy impact on the early detection, pathological categorization, staging, monitoring of therapy outcomes, and evaluation of prognosis in cases of BC. This article aims to assess the potential clinical utility of circulating lncRNAs in the context of BC focusing on specific primary signaling pathways; Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, TGF-β, and hedgehog (Hh), in addition to some therapeutic interventions., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Violence against children constitutes a significant public health problem globally., Aim: To document and compare media reports of violence against children before and during COVID-19, and measures taken by countries to address such violence., Methods: This comparative review covered news reports of violence against children from 1 January to 30 June of 2019 and 2020 in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region countries. A total of 823 articles published in Arabic and English, covering incidents, initiatives, opinions and views on all types of violence among children under 18 years of age were sourced using search engines and platforms and reviewed. News on incidents was analysed quantitatively while news on initiatives and opinions was analysed qualitatively., Results: Some 40.3% of the news reports was on incidents, followed by interviews or opinions (31.5%) and initiatives (28.2%). There were 1129 reports of violence against children from 1 January to 30 June of 2019 and 1880 for the same period in 2020. Reports of physical violence increased from 34% in 2019 to 40% in 2020, while reports of sexual violence decreased from 45% in 2019 to 37% in 2020. Views and opinion reports showed 0.4-1.1% alignment with the 7 INSPIRE strategies., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the incidence and reporting of violence against children across the region. It is essential to provide accurate and sensitive media coverage for incidences of violence against children so that survivors and at-risk children can receive adequate support and ensure that communities can tackle it appropriately., (Copyright: © Authors 2024; Licensee: World Health Organization. EMHJ is an open access journal. All papers published in EMHJ are available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)

Background: Road traffic injury is a major global health risk, however, under-reporting of road traffic crashes data and the use of different reporting systems have made it difficult to compare data across countries., Aim: To examine published and grey literature for better understanding of available health and non-health road traffic data systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of databases to identify studies reporting road traffic data systems in the EMR countries between 2011 and January 2022. We also searched grey literature on the websites of government, WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, regional economic commissions and other relevant institutions. We assembled the data in Microsoft Excel and presented the counts of data sources, data types and data quality., Results: We included 84 of 2238 studies accessed in this review. One-third of the publications was from the Islamic Republic of Iran while 10% was from Pakistan. Police databases were the primary sources of data in most of the studies (79%) while hospital and death registration systems together accounted for one-quarter of the databases. The most common indicators reported in the publications were deaths (61%), crashes (48%) and injuries (35%). Only 40% of the studies disaggregated their analyses by gender and 44% by age. No papers identified permanently linked data sources, although more than a quarter of the papers reviewed used some form of modelling or data mining., Conclusion: This scoping review highlights an over-reliance on police data, poor quality traffic data systems, and multiple stakeholders collecting similar data, leading to redundancy. EMR countries need to establish robust road safety data systems to provide data for relevant policies and interventions., (Copyright: © Authors 2024; Licensee: World Health Organization. EMHJ is an open access journal. All papers published in EMHJ are available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)

A serious consequence of diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy (DN) which causes gradual damage to the kidneys. Dietary changes, blood pressure control, glucose control, and hyperlipidemia are all important components of DN management. New research, however, points to microRNAs (miRNAs) as having a pivotal role in DN pathogenesis. Miniature non-coding RNA molecules such as miRNAs control gene expression and impact several biological processes. The canonical and non-canonical routes of miRNA biogenesis are discussed in this article. In addition, several important signaling pathways are examined in the study of miRNA regulation in DN. A deeper knowledge of these regulatory mechanisms would allow for a better understanding of the molecular basis of DN and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Finally, miRNAs show tremendous potential as DN diagnostic biomarkers and treatment targets, opening up promising avenues for further study and potential clinical use., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declaration of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest cancers associated with poor prognosis. The lack of reliable means of early cancer detection contributes to this disease's dismal prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are protein-free RNAs produced by genome transcription; they play critical roles in gene expression regulation, epigenetic modification, cell proliferation, differentiation, and reproduction. Recent research has shown that lncRNAs play important regulatory roles in PC behaviors, in addition to their recently found functions. Several in-depth investigations have shown that lncRNAs are strongly linked to PC development and progression. Here, we discuss how lncRNAs, which are often overlooked, play many roles as regulators in the molecular mechanism underlying PC. This review also discusses the involved LncRNAs in PC pathogenesis and treatment resistance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: Adherence to long-term adjuvant hormonal therapy in hormonal receptors (HR)-positive breast cancer is really challenging and can affect the survival outcome. The present study aims to assess rate of compliance with hormonal therapy and possible predictive factors in a single institute in Saudi Arabia., Patients &methods: We recruited patients with HR-positive breast cancer who presented to oncology outpatient clinics. Patients were assessed for compliance using a study questionnaire. Compliance was defined as taking ≥80% of prescribed doses of oral hormonal therapy. Different epidemiological, clinical, pathological and treatment data were checked in patients' medical records and correlated with compliance/interruption of hormonal therapy., Results: Among the 203 recruited patients, 95.1% were compliant with hormonal therapy, while it was interrupted in 16.7% of patients, and 58.1% reported missing intake of hormonal pills. Age >50 years, having permanent job and higher education level were significantly associated with non-compliance in univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, job status was the only independent predictor of non-compliance. The following parameters were significantly related to hormonal therapy interruption: marital status (single: 28.8% vs married patients: 12.6%, p = 0.01) and residence location (Makkah: 11.7% vs. outside Makkah: 25.3%, p = 0.019), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (No: 20.9%, Yes: 7.8%, p = 0.025) and N0 tumours (compared to node-positive patients, p = 0.008). On multivariate analysis, marital status, residence location and N-stage, maintained significance relation with hormonal therapy interruption., Conclusion: Compliance with hormonal therapy was high in the study cohort. Marital status, residence location, job status and N-stage may be related to interruption/compliance with hormonal therapy., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are effective therapeutics that preserve favorable actions of estrogens on bone and act as antiestrogens in breast tissue, decreasing the risk of vertebral fractures and breast cancer, but their potential in neuroprotective and procognitive therapy is limited by: 1) an increased lifetime risk of thrombotic events; and 2) an attenuated response to estrogens with age, sometimes linked to endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) dysfunction. Herein, three 3(rd) generation SERMs with similar high affinity for estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ) were studied: desmethylarzoxifene (DMA), FDMA, and a novel NO-donating SERM (NO-DMA). Neuroprotection was studied in primary rat neurons exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation; reversal of cholinergic cognitive deficit was studied in mice in a behavioral model of memory; long term potentiation (LTP), underlying cognition, was measured in hippocampal slices from older 3×Tg Alzheimer's transgenic mice; vasodilation was measured in rat aortic strips; and anticoagulant activity was compared. Pharmacologic blockade of GPR30 and NOS; denudation of endothelium; measurement of NO; and genetic knockout of eNOS were used to probe mechanism. Comparison of the three chemical probes indicates key roles for GPR30 and eNOS in mediating therapeutic activity. Procognitive, vasodilator and anticoagulant activities of DMA were found to be eNOS dependent, while neuroprotection and restoration of LTP were both shown to be dependent upon GPR30, a G-protein coupled receptor mediating estrogenic function. Finally, the observation that an NO-SERM shows enhanced vasodilation and anticoagulant activity, while retaining the positive attributes of SERMs even in the presence of NOS dysfunction, indicates a potential therapeutic approach without the increased risk of thrombotic events.

Hybrid nitrate drugs have been reported to provide NO bioactivity to ameliorate side effects or to provide ancillary therapeutic activity. Hybrid nitrate selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (NO-SSRIs) were prepared to improve the therapeutic profile of this drug class. A synthetic strategy for use of a thiocarbamate linker was developed, which in the case of NO-fluoxetine facilitated hydrolysis to fluoxetine at pH 7.4 within 7 hours. In cell culture, NO-SSRIs were weak inhibitors of the serotonin transporter, however, in the forced swimming task (FST) in rats, NO-fluoxetine demonstrated classical antidepressant activity. Comparison of NO-fluoxetine, with fluoxetine, and an NO-chimera nitrate developed for Alzheimer's disease (GT-1061), was made in the step through passive avoidance (STPA) test of learning and memory in rats treated with scopolamine as an amnesic agent. Fluoxetine was inactive, whereas NO-fluoxetine and GT-1061 both restored long-term memory. GT-1061 also produced antidepressant behavior in FST. These data support the potential for NO-SSRIs to overcome the lag in onset of therapeutic action and provide co-therapy of neuropathologies concomitant with depression.

The clinical benzothiophene SERM (BT-SERM), raloxifene, was compared with estrogens in protection of primary rat neurons against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Structure-activity relationships for neuroprotection were determined for a family of BT-SERMs displaying a spectrum of ERα and ERβ binding affinity and agonist/antagonist activity, leading to discovery of a neuroprotective pharmacophore, present in the clinically relevant SERMS, raloxifene and desmethylarzoxifene (DMA), for which submicromolar potency was observed for neuroprotection. BT-SERM neuroprotection did not correlate with binding to ER nor classical ER activity, however, both the neuroprotective SERMs and estrogens were shown, using pharmacological probes, to activate the same kinase signaling cascades. The antiestrogen ICI 182,780 inhibited the actions of estrogens, but not those of BT-SERMs, whereas antagonism of the G-protein coupled receptor, GPR30, was effective for both SERMs and estrogens. Since SERMs have antioxidant activity, ER-independent mechanisms were studied using the classical phenolic antioxidants, BHT and Trolox, and the Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective electrophile, sulforaphane. However, neuroprotection by these agents was not sensitive to GPR30 antagonism. Collectively, these data indicate that the activity of neuroprotective BT-SERMs is GPR30-dependent and ER-independent and not mediated by antioxidant effects. Comparison of novel BT-SERM derivatives and analogs identified a neuroprotective pharmacophore of potential use in design of novel neuroprotective agents with a spectrum of ER activity.