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Abstract This paper proposes a total fusion of blockchain and AI tech for tomorrow’s viable, rich in diversity and transparent fisheries. It outlines the main goal of tackling overfishing challenges due to lack of transparency and biodiversity depletion in the fisheries sector. With the use of blockchain technology, we can ensure that all fishery products are safely traced from their harvest up to when they get to the market— at the same time, AI algorithms are used in monitoring fish populations and predicting them plus decision-making processes which should be enhanced thus promoting bio-diversity and ensuring sustainability of fish stocks. Results show promise on using both technologies together: improving sustainability plus transparency in fisheries which would promote more fish biodiversity, while others including using an artificial intelligence system have not been confirmed yet by observations. The conclusion underscores the transformative nature of these technologies as having great implications towards fisheries management; this implies that there is a need for future observational studies aimed at validating such other findings.

Introduction: Aneurysms of the splenomesenteric artery variant are extremely rare with an unusual location; making its management approach challenging. Case presentation: We report a case of splenomesenteric artery aneurysms that was managed in an endovascular approach in a 56-year-old gentleman with co-morbidity, obesity and anticoagulation treatment. A computed tomography investigating a left flank pain found a left sub-capsular renal hematoma and an incidental finding of a fusiform splenic artery aneurysm originating from the SMA measuring 3.2 × 3.4 cm. An endovascular intervention was performed by combining an embolization of the aneurysm and emplacement of stent graft at the superior mesenteric artery to isolate the aneurysm and prevent coil migration. The patient was discharged at day 2 post-operatively with excellent clinical and radiographic findings upon follow-ups. Discussion: Splenomesenteric artery aneurysms is rare as there are 47 published cases reported in the literature. They may present with abdominal pain, back pain, flank pain or discovered incidentally. Its open surgical management approach pose various potential difficulties due to its retropancreatic location. Other approaches were proposed in the literature including laparoscopic and endovascular managements. Conclusion: An appropriate endovascular management can be more feasible and suitable approach management of splenomesenteric artery aneurysms in patients with complicated medical condition.

This research conducts a comparative analysis of Faster R-CNN and YOLOv8 for real-time detection of fishing vessels and fish in maritime surveillance. The study underscores the significance of this investigation in advancing fisheries monitoring and object detection using deep learning. With a clear focus on comparing the performance of Faster R-CNN and YOLOv8, the research aims to elucidate their effectiveness in real-time detection, emphasizing the relevance of such capabilities in fisheries management. By conducting a thorough literature review, the study establishes the current state-of-the-art in object detection, particularly within the context of fisheries monitoring, while discussing existing methods, challenges, and limitations. The findings of this study not only shed light on the superiority of YOLOv8 in precise detection but also highlight its potential impact on maritime surveillance and the protection of marine resources.

This paper presents a planar CPW-fed Ultrawideband (UWB) antenna with two independently tunable notch bands. The proposed design consists of a modified Rhombus-shaped monopole structure that is integrated with a dual band-stop filter based on hexagonal split ring resonators (HSRR). The antenna is capable of suppressing multiple frequency bands within ultrawideband range (3.1–11 GHz) such as WLAN and X-band downlink satellite communication frequency bands with an independent tunable mechanism to fulfill the on-demand band rejection. The frequency reconfigurability of the two notch bands is obtained by loading the hexagonal filter arms with two varactor diodes (for each band). Details of antenna design steps and reconfigurability mechanism are illustrated. The notch band element is explained using equivalent circuit model and surface current distribution at lower and higher notch frequency bands. A prototype of the proposed design is printed on the RO4003C (ϵr = 3.55) substrate printed circuit board (PCB) and tested to authenticate the performance. The proposed antenna volume is 21.5 Image 1 48 Image 1 1.524 mm3 and demonstrates an omnidirectional radiation pattern in E and H planes with an average gain of 3.7 dBi across the operational passbands, while a sharp reduction in gain of -6.8 dBi and -3.5 dBi is achieved at the lower and higher notch bands, respectively. Continuous tuning is achieved experimentally from 5.08 to 5.77 GHz and 7.75 to 8.52 GHz for the lower and higher notch bands, respectively. Excellent agreement is observed between the simulated and measured results. Application areas include radio-frequency identifications, ground-penetrating radar, and wireless communications.

IntroductionComorbidities of mental disorders and chronic physical conditions are a common medical burden reported among Western countries. National estimates of such comorbidities among the general population of Arab countries like Saudi Arabia are unknown. This study examined the prevalence of lifetime chronic physical conditions among the Saudi general population with DSM-IV 12-month mental disorders, and the associations with disability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).MethodsThe Saudi National Mental Health Survey, a cross-sectional household study – part of the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Consortium – was conducted between 2013–2016 in the KSA, with 4,001 Saudi citizens aged 15–65 (response rate 61%). The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 was used to assess prevalence of lifetime chronic physical conditions and 12-month mental disorders; disability was measured in terms of days out of role.ResultsThe prevalence of any comorbid 12-month mental disorder among those with chronic physical conditions was 24%. Major depressive disorder, social phobia, and adult separation anxiety disorder were the most common comorbid mental disorders across all chronic physical conditions. Gender, education, income, urbanicity, region, and employment were associated with the presence of any chronic physical condition. Respondents with mental / physical comorbidities had 2.97 days out of role (on average) in the last 30 days.ConclusionComorbidities of mental disorders and chronic physical conditions are common among Saudis. National efforts are needed to increase awareness of such comorbidities among the general population, and develop prevention and treatment services tailored to the needs of individuals at-risk for comorbidities.

In this paper, a novel approach to monitoring the healing process of bone fractures using a compact textile monopole antenna integrated into a wearable device. A planar wearable textile ultra-wideband monopole (TUM) antenna is proposed as a sensing element. The antenna is fabricated on the jeans fabric with a thickness of 1 mm, an overall size of $18\times19$ mm2, and operates in an ultra-wideband frequency range (3.22-10.9 GHz). The human arm tibia model is developed in a full-wave simulator in order to estimate the radiation exposure caused by the antenna at near and far field distances. At both field distances, the average specific absorption rate (SAR) values of the model are below the FCC limit. The proposed antenna is experimentally tested on a donor bovine tibia. The proposed system utilizes Unsupervised machine learning (ML) techniques to analyze the received signals from the antenna and provide real-time feedback on the progression of bone fracture healing. The compact and flexible nature of the textile antenna allows for comfortable and unobtrusive wear, making it suitable for long-term monitoring. The integration of Unsupervised ML techniques enables automated analysis of the received signals, eliminating the need for manual interpretation. This work aims to improve the monitoring and assessment of bone fracture healing, leading to more effective treatment strategies and faster recovery times. The experimental results and comparison study with previous literature show that the proposed TUM antenna has several advantages and is suitable for diagnosing bone fractures.

This paper presents a design of a $4 \times 4$ circularly polarized (CP) patch antenna array based on gap waveguide (GW) sequential feeding network. The proposed antenna single element consists of an aperture coupled circular patch antenna. A two-level sequential feeding network, that is used to enhance the polarization bandwidth, is designed, and investigated. The GW technology is employed to decrease the feeding network loss; and consequently, to achieve a low-loss antenna array. The antenna input port is a standard waveguide (WR-28), and it is coupled to the GW-based feed network using an appropriate transition. The proposed array is printed on RT5880 substrate, (with a relative permittivity of 2.2). The measured and simulated results show that both input $\vert \text{S}_{11}\vert $ and axial ratio bandwidths are greater than 30% over the frequency range of 25.8-35 GHz. The maximum gain is 18 dBic. The proposed work is considered a great choice for millimeter-wave applications.

Abstract Due to recent advancements in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) cameras, transferring high resolution images and videos are possible in wireless capsule endoscopy. High-data-rates communication is required for such data, which is possible using multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antennas. In this paper, a low-sized, compact, high-data-rate, highly isolated two-element MIMO antenna with a large bandwidth has been proposed at 2.45 GHz for wireless capsule endoscopy. The geometry of the antenna ( $$5\times 4.2 \times 0.12\,\hbox {mm}^{3}$$ 5 × 4.2 × 0.12 mm 3 ) is kept small using meandered geometry, defected ground structure, and high permittivity of the substrate. A wider bandwidth of 620 MHz (2.15–2.77 GHz) is achieved by exciting dual-modes of the antenna using defected ground structure. Furthermore, a lower mutual coupling between the antennas (30.1 dB at 2.45 GHz) is realized, despite the small edge-to-edge gap of 0.5 mm, using combination of defected ground structure and I-shaped stub. Keeping in mind of system level configuration, this antenna is simulated and measured inside a capsule device by considering effects of the other components and the device itself. The practical measurements are performed by inserting the capsule device (containing the MIMO antenna) inside minced meat. To check the safety and effectiveness of the proposed MIMO antenna, it’s specific absorption rate (SAR) and link budget are calculated and validated. In addition, the $$2\times 2$$ 2 × 2 channel specifications are verified which shows satisfactory performance. This antenna has high channel capacity ( $$\approx 8.2 \,\hbox {bps/Hz}$$ ≈ 8.2 bps/Hz at $$\hbox {SNR} = 20 \,\hbox {dB}$$ SNR = 20 dB ) than single-input-single-output (SISO) antennas, thus, is a suitable choice for high-data-rate capsule endoscopic devices. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first implantable MIMO antenna reported so far with such lower dimension and wider bandwidth.

Recent pharmacological studies demonstrate a role for zinc (Zn2+) in shaping intracellular calcium (Ca2+) dynamics and vice versa in excitable cells including neurons and cardiomyocytes. Herein, we sought to examine the dynamic of intracellular release of Ca2+ and Zn2+ upon modifying excitability of primary rat cortical neurons using electric field stimulation (EFS) in vitro. We show that exposure to EFS with an intensity of 7.69 V/cm induces transient membrane hyperpolarization together with transient elevations in the cytosolic levels of Ca2+ and Zn2+ ions. The EFS-induced hyperpolarization was inhibited by prior treatment of cells with the K+ channel opener diazoxide. Chemical hyperpolarization had no apparent effect on either Ca2+ or Zn2+. The source of EFS-induced rise in Ca2+ and Zn2+ seemed to be intracellular, and that the dynamic inferred of an interplay between Ca2+ and Zn2+ ions, whereby the removal of extracellular Ca2+ augmented the release of intracellular Ca2+ and Zn2+ and caused a stronger and more sustained hyperpolarization. We demonstrate that Zn2+ is released from intracellular vesicles located in the soma, with major co-localizations in the lysosomes and endoplasmic reticulum. These studies further support the use of EFS as a tool to interrogate the kinetics of intracellular ions in response to changing membrane potential in vitro.

Background: Porcelain combined with zirconia core substructure has low fracture toughness. Nanoparticles are incorporated into the porcelain to boost its mechanical properties. Aims: To evaluate the effect of the incorporation of silver oxide and titanium oxide nanoparticles into porcelain powder on the bond strength of porcelain veneer to zirconia core. The flexural strength of nanoparticles-modified porcelain was also evaluated. Materials and Methods: The flexural strength of feldspathic porcelain was measured (according to ISO specifications number 6872) after the incorporation of silver and titanium oxide nanoparticles. For measuring the bond strength at the porcelain-zirconia interface, 70 bars (4 × 4 × 12 mm) of zirconia were cut and fired in a furnace. The control and nanoparticles-modified porcelain powders were built up on the zirconia bars and fired to create veneers of 3 mm height, 4 mm width and 4 mm thickness. The porcelain veneers were de-attached from the zirconia core by the universal testing machine. The failure load was recorded to calculate the bond strength. Statistical Analysis: The data were analysed with one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test. Results: The addition of 0.5–1.5% silver oxide nanoparticles to feldspathic porcelain increased the flexural strength. The addition of 1.0–4.0% titanium oxide nanoparticles to feldspathic porcelain increased the flexural strength. Either 0.5–1.0% silver oxide or 3.0–4.0% titanium oxide nanoparticles in feldspathic porcelain increased the shear bond strength to zirconia core. Conclusion: The flexural strength of porcelain veneer and the bond strength at porcelain-zirconia interface can be improved by adding either 0.5% silver oxide nanoparticles or 4% titanium oxide nanoparticles to porcelain powder.

There have been multiple reports of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after discharge; however, information on the characteristics of such cases is limited. In this case report, we aimed to identify clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients who had a repeat positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed data of 22 COVID-19 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing after two consecutive negative PCR results following discharge from hospitals. The interval between the two positive tests in the episodes of COVID-19 ranged from 4 to 117 days. More than one-third of the cases were healthcare workers (HCWs) and one-third of them had comorbidities. The main symptoms were cough and fever, and we noticed that males experienced more symptoms and signs of COVID-19 than females. Individuals with repeat SARS-CoV-2 positivity tend to experience milder illness during the second episode than the first episode. To confirm the reinfection of SARS-CoV-2, the results of other tests, such as viral culture and immunological assays of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), need to be considered. Recovered COVID-19 patients should continue social distancing, using face masks, and practicing hand hygiene, especially HCWs who are more likely to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are found in a range of commercial products due to their proven antibacterial properties. The unused silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) may make its way into the soil via biosolids that come from wastewater treatment or the effluent that comes from industrialisation processes, where it could be harmful to the organism that live in terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, silver ions are one of the most toxic forms of heavy metal released from dissolved silver nitrate (AgNO3) and AgNPs through dissolution or oxidation. The study examined the effect of engineered AgNPs, and AgNO3 on earthworms which are one of the most important bioindicator for determining toxicity in soil environment. Epigeic earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae was exposed to soils spiked with equivalent concentrations of AgNPs or AgNO3 at 0, 10, 100, and 200 mg kg−1 in soil for 56 days of experiments. The survival and growth rate was recorded at 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th days and accumulation of Ag in earthworm tissue at 14th and 28th days, antioxidant enzymes at 28th days and reproduction at 56th days of experiment. Further, a short-term exposure of AgNPs and AgNO3 was conducted to observe avoidance behaviour after 48 h of exposure. The result indicated that survivability was relatively low on exposure of AgNO3 (83.3%) than AgNPs (86.7%) in 200 mg kg−1 spiked soils, besides the growth was inhibited in both AgNPs (3.68%) and AgNO3 (3.25%) at 28th days. The uptake of Ag from AgNO3 in the earthworm tissue was slightly higher than uptake of Ag from AgNPs and it showed concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on reproduction. In AgNO3 spiked soil, a high level of the Malondialdehyde (MDA) based lipid peroxidation and increased activity of antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) was observed than AgNPs spiked soil. Similarly, glutathione (GSH), a cofactor for GPx and GST enzymes, was lower in AgNO3-spiked soil than in AgNPs-spiked soil. In terms of avoidance behaviour, there was no discernible difference between the distribution of earthworms in AgNPs and AgNO3 after 48 h. The study found E. eugeniae exhibits concentration-dependent alterations in its competence to survive, antioxidant enzymes, and reproduction. AgNO3 was found to be more sensitive than AgNPs in the study. The research investigates the effect of AgNPs on earthworms in the soil ecosystem since this understanding is crucial for a comprehensive evaluation of AgNPs' environmental consequences.

In this paper, two bandpass filters—one with a dual-band response and the other with a wideband response—were designed, implemented, and experimented with. The filters are based on the novel combination of series coupled lines and tri-stepped impedance stubs. However, coupled lines along with tri-stepped impedance open stubs (TSIOSs) give a third-order dual passband response. The advantage of dual-band filters using coupled lines and TSIOSs is that they have wide passbands that are close together and separated by a single transmission zero. In contrast, the inclusion of tri-stepped impedance short-circuited stubs (TSISSs) instead of TSIOSs provides a fifth-order wide passband response. The advantage of wideband bandpass filters using coupled lines and TSISSs is that they have a very good selectivity factor. Theoretical analysis was carried out to validate both filter configurations. The tested bandpass filter using coupled lines and TSIOS units had two close wide passbands operating at 0.92 and 1.52 GHz center frequencies, respectively. The dual-band bandpass filter was implemented to operate in GSM and GPS applications. The first passband had a 3 dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 38.04%, while the second passband had a 3 dB FBW of 22.36%. The experimental result of the wideband bandpass filter (with coupled lines and TSISS units) had a center frequency of 1.51 GHz with a 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 62.91% and a selectivity factor of 0.90. A good congruence was demonstrated between the full-wave simulated and tested results for both filters.

This article presents a flexible miniaturized wideband branch-line coupler printed on a biodegradable paper substrate. The proposed design consists of a combination of series transmission lines and shunt open-stubs along with the meandering technique as a substitute to the conventional quarter-wavelength transmission line (QWTL). The horizontal QWTLs of the traditional three-section branch-line coupler are replaced by a proposed equivalent structure, and the vertical QWTLs have been meandered. The developed prototype occupies an area of $0.04~\lambda _{\mathrm {g}}^{2}$ , and has been tested where the measurements agree well with the simulations, and the obtained fractional bandwidth is greater than 60% at 0.9 GHz operating frequency. In addition, for flexibility analysis, the prototype is bent in different directions, and the tested results are obtained and compared to the flat design. The proposed device can be used in antenna feeding networks, microwave and conformal applications that require both compact size and frequency wideband response simultaneously.

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a highly resistant disease and is challenging to treat. Patients with recurrent attacks of the disease despite surgical management can benefit from biologics as adjunct therapies. Dupilumab has shown promising endpoints in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). This case series reports 4 patients with resistant AFRS concomitant with asthma, for which dupilumab therapy was administered. Long-term follow-ups showed that dupilumab improved the symptoms and improved the results of objective tools such as imaging and pulmonary function test.

This research focuses on material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness during electrochemical grinding (ECG) for stainless steel 316. The effect of applied current, electrolyte concentration, gap size and spindle speed on machining performances has been studied. Where applied current used are (10, 20, 30, 40) A, electrolyte concentration used (100, 150, 200, 250) g/l, gap size used (0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) mm and spindle speed used (75, 150, 180, 280) rpm. Through the Taguchi design based experimental study the characteristic features of the ECG process are discussed. Where the maximum MRR can be obtained at 40 A of the current, 250 g/l of the concentration, 0.2 mm of the gap and 180 rpm of spindle speed. The best surface roughness can be obtained at 10 A of the current, 200 g/l of the concentration, 0.4 mm of the gap and 280 rpm of spindle speed..

This paper presents a miniaturized circularly polarized multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for wearable biotelemetric devices. The proposed MIMO antenna consists of four elements, which are placed orthogonally to the adjacent elements. The proposed antenna has a wideband response [10-dB bandwidth of 2210 MHz (fractional bandwidth (FBW) = 92.08%) in free space and 10-dB bandwidth of 2200 MHz (FBW = 91.66%) when worn on human-body], this frequency range covers the important and unlicensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band (2.40-2.48 GHz). The antenna exhibits a wideband 3-dB circularly polarized bandwidth of 1300 MHz (FBW=54.16%) and 1040 MHz (FBW=43.33%) in free space and when worn on the body, respectively. The optimized antenna in free space (on-body) has an envelop correlation coefficient (ECC) less than 0.21 (0.23), a diversity gain (DG) greater than 9.77 dB (9.71 dB), a multiplexing efficiency (ME) greater than -0.85 dB (-0.63 dB), and a channel capacity loss (CCL) less than 0.13 bps/Hz (0.13 bps/Hz). The stable radiation, high gain, high efficiency, and good MIMO properties in free space and on human-body make the proposed antenna a suitable choice for use in high data wearable biotelemetric devices.

This paper presents a wideband, low-profile and semi-flexible antenna for wearable biomedical telemetry applications. The antenna is designed on a semi-flexible material of RT/duroid 5880 (Er = 2.2, tanδ = 0.0004) with an overall dimensions of 17 mm × 25 mm × 0.787 mm (0.2λ0 × 0.29λ0 × 0.009λ0). A conventional rectangular patch is modified by adding rectangular slots to lower the resonant frequency, and the partial ground plane is modified to enhance the operational bandwidth. The final antenna model operates at 2.4 GHz with a 10-dB bandwidth (fractional bandwidth) of 1380 MHz (59.7 % at the centre frequency of 2.4 GHz). The proposed antenna maintains high gain (2.50 dBi at 2.4 GHz) and efficiency (93 % at 2.4 GHz). It is proved from the simulations and experimental results that the antenna has negligible effects in terms of reflection coefficient, bandwidth, gain, and efficiency when it is bent. Moreover, the antenna is simulated and experimentally tested in proximity of the human body, which shows good performance. The proposed wideband antenna is a promising candidate for compact wearable biomedical devices.

In this paper, an analytical model of a proposed low-cost high efficiency NPN silicon-based solar cell structure is presented. The structure is based on using low cost heavily doped commercially available silicon wafers and proposed to be fabricated by the same steps as the conventional solar cells except an extra deep trench etch step. Moreover, the cell has been engineered to react to the UV spectrum, resulting in a greater conversion performance. The presented analytical model takes the electrical and optical characteristics into account. Thus, the influence of both physical and technological parameters on the structure performance could be easily examined. Consequently, the optimization of the structure performance becomes visible. To inspect the validity of the analytical model, a comparison of the main performance parameters resulting from the model results with TCAD simulations is carried out, showing good agreement.

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to morbidity and mortality. SARS-CoV-2 infects the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The immune system’s response plays a significant role in viral progression. This article develops and analyzes a system of partial differential equations (PDEs), which describe the in-host dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 under the effect of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and antibody immune responses. The model characterizes the interplay between six compartments, healthy epithelial cells (ECs), latent infected ECs, active infected ECs, free SARS-CoV-2 particles, CTLs, and antibodies. We consider the logistic growth of healthy ECs. We first investigate the properties of the model’s solutions, then, we calculate all steady states and determine the conditions of their existence and global stability. The global asymptotic stability is examined by constructing Lyapunov functions. The analytical findings are supported via numerical simulations.

Objectives: More than half of the world's population live in areas potentially at risk of acquiring dengue fever (DF). Evaluation of awareness and health beliefs regarding DF among the general population is important for devising disease control strategies. This study assessed knowledge, health beliefs, and preventive practices against DF in different dengue endemic districts of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A Cross-sectional study was conducted in three dengue-endemic districts of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The community members residing in these areas were randomly selected by multistage stratified random sample method and interviewed individually using a structured validated questionnaire. Overall mean scores were calculated for knowledge, practices, and Health Belief Model (HBM) construct. Bivariate analysis using a chi-square test and multivariate regression analysis were performed to test the association between DF knowledge, practices, and predictors. Results: Around 61% (mean = 11.18) and 52% (mean = 5.17) individuals had adequate DF knowledge and practices, respectively. Multivariate regression showed perceived mosquito control benefits (OR=1.857, 95% CI=1.078-3.199, p=0.026) and perceived barriers (OR=0.532, 95% CI=0.305-0.926, p=0.026) as significant predictors for adequate dengue knowledge. For dengue preventive practices the only predictor was their perception of mosquito control benefit (OR=1.864, 95% CI=1.109-3.134, p=0.019). Conclusion: Overall, DF knowledge and practices were rather limited in selected dengue endemic districts of Jeddah. Adequate knowledge leads to satisfactory dengue preventive practices. Health beliefs remain significant predictors of both knowledge and dengue prevention practices. Findings suggest that HBM constructs can be integrated as ways of motivating for the adoption of preventive practices against DF.

Background: Saudi Arabia being a major pilgrimage center with an annual turnover of millions of pilgrims from all over the world has a high risk for transmission of infections; Ebola virus disease (EVD) being one of them. Health care workers (HCWs) are particularly vulnerable to these infections. The objectives of this research were to assess the overall knowledge and infection control practices of HCWs about EVD, and to evaluate and compare the role of pre deployment Hajj training of HCWs assigned Hajj duties with those HCWs who did not receive this training. Methods: Through a comparative cross sectional study design a randomly selected representative sample of HCWs who performed Hajj duties in 2015 were compared with those who were not part of Hajj. Participants were taken from different Makkah and Jeddah region hospitals. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to assess EVD awareness of 1216 HCWs. Chi square test was applied to check the association between the two groups using SPSS 22. Results: Overall, medical practitioners had a higher level of knowledge (76.5%) about EVD (in-terms of average correct answers) compared to nurses (59.6%) and other HCWs (56.7%). There was relatively poor knowledge about the EVD management, the Ebola cases fatality rate and the risk of the health care workers from this infectious disease. However, it was obvious that the HCWs who performed Hajj duties and underwent pre-deployment training had more knowledge and better practices about EVD compared to the Non Hajj HCWs and the difference was statistically significant (p

A hybrid dual-band antenna, consisting of an L-shaped radiating slot and a cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (CDRA) is proposed, simulated and experimentally validated in this paper. The microstrip transmission line excites the fundamental mode (TM10) of the slot that generates the lower frequency resonant band (2.4 GHz) and slot below the CDRA excites HEM11 mode of the CDRA to generate higher frequency band (5.8 GHz). The slot and CDRA modes are quasi-independent of each other and the resonant frequency of both modes can be adjusted quasi-independently. An equivalent circuit model of the independent modes and hybrid system is extracted to show the real behaviour of the modes and overall system. The on-body analysis of the antenna shows that the antenna is suitable for use in wearable biomedical devices.

This paper presents a single-feed planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) that operates at three resonant frequencies within the LTE frequency range which would result in the enhancement of the antenna bandwidth and the increase of the data-rate speed. The antenna is designed to satisfy the requirements of carrier aggregation systems (intraband non-contagious type) cell-phone applications. The three resonant frequencies are independently tunable within the low-band (0.7-1 GHz), mid-band (1.6-2.1 GHz), and highband (2.1-2.7 GHz), respectively, using varactor diodes as tuning devices. Each varactor diode represents a variable capacitor controlled by biasing dc voltage. A parallel LC harmonic-trap filter is built inside the antenna to suppress the harmonics generated by the low-band resonance, which enhances the tuning capabilities at the high-band. The antenna has a size of 375 mm2, which is considered to be a low-profile design and placed on a 100 × 66 × 3.154 mm3 RO4003C (εr = 3.55) printed circuit board. The measured antenna radiation patterns in each band are nearly isotropic as expected from the PIFA and the measured antenna radiation efficiency is 25-80% within the entire LTE frequency bands.

The security and privacy concerns in vehicular communication are often faced with schemes depending on either elliptic curve (EC) or bilinear pair (BP) cryptographies. However, the operations used by BP and EC are time-consuming and more complicated. None of the previous studies fittingly tackled the efficient performance of signing messages and verifying signatures. Therefore, a chaotic map-based conditional privacy-preserving authentication (CM-CPPA) scheme is proposed to provide communication security in 5G-enabled vehicular networks in this paper. The proposed CM-CPPA scheme employs a Chebyshev polynomial mapping operation and a hash function based on a chaotic map to sign and verify messages. Furthermore, by using the AVISPA simulator for security analysis, the results of the proposed CM-CPPA scheme are good and safe against general attacks. Since EC and BP operations do not employ the proposed CM-CPPA scheme, their performance evaluation in terms of overhead such as computation and communication outperforms other most recent related schemes. Ultimately, the proposed CM-CPPA scheme decreases the overhead of computation of verifying the signatures and signing the messages by 24.2% and 62.52%, respectively. Whilst, the proposed CM-CPPA scheme decreases the overhead of communication of the format tuple by 57.69%.

The privacy and security vulnerabilities in fifth-generation (5G)-enabled vehicular networks are often required to cope with schemes based on either bilinear pair cryptography (BPC) or elliptic curve cryptography (ECC). Nevertheless, these schemes suffer from massively inefficient performance related to signing and verifying messages in areas of the high-density traffic stream. Meanwhile, adversaries could launch side-channel attacks to obtain sensitive data protected in a tamper-proof device (TPD) to destroy the system. This paper proposes a Chebyshev polynomial-based scheme for resisting side-channel attacks in 5G-enabled vehicular networks. Our work could achieve both important properties of the Chebyshev polynomial in terms of chaotic and semi-group. Our work consists of five phases: system initialization, enrollment, signing, verification, and pseudonym renew. Moreover, to resist side-channel attacks, our work renews periodically and frequently the vehicle’s information in the TPD. Security analysis shows that our work archives the privacy (pseudonym identity and unlikability) and security (authentication, integrity, and traceability) in 5G-enabled vehicular networks. Finally, our work does not employ the BPC or the ECC; its efficiency performance outperforms other existing recent works, making it suitable for use in vehicular networks.

Newly introduced provisional crowns and fixed dental prostheses (FDP) materials should exhibit good physical and mechanical properties necessary to serve the purpose of their fabrication. The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the articles comparing the physical and mechanical properties of 3D-printed provisional crown and FDP resin materials with CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Designing/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) milled and conventional provisional resins. Indexed English literature up to April 2022 was systematically searched for articles using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE-PubMed, Web of Science (core collection), Scopus, and the Cochrane library. This systematic review was structured based on the guidelines given by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The focused PICO/PECO (Participant, Intervention/exposure, Comparison, Outcome) question was: ‘Do 3D-printed (P) provisional crowns and FDPs (I) have similar physical and mechanical properties (O) when compared to CAD/CAM milled and other conventionally fabricated ones (C)’. Out of eight hundred and ninety-six titles, which were recognized after a primary search, twenty-five articles were included in the qualitative analysis, and their quality analysis was performed using the modified CONSORT scale. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, only twelve articles were included for quantitative analysis. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that 3D-printed provisional crown and FDP resin materials have superior mechanical properties but inferior physical properties compared to CAD/CAM milled and other conventionally fabricated ones. Three-dimensionally printed provisional crowns and FDP materials can be used as an alternative to conventional and CAD/CAM milled long-term provisional materials.

With the emergence of one of this century’s deadliest pandemics, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has an enormous effect globally with a quick spread worldwide. This made the World Health Organization announce it as a pandemic. COVID-19 has pushed countries to follow new behaviors such as social distancing, hand washing, and remote work and to shut down organizations, businesses, and airports. At the same time, white hats are doing their best to accommodate the pandemic. However, while white hats are protecting people, black hats are taking advantage of the situation, which creates a cybersecurity pandemic on the other hand. This paper discusses the cybersecurity issues at this period due to finding information or finding another related research that had not been discussed before. This paper presents the cybersecurity attacks during the COVID-19 epidemic time. A lot of information has been collected from the World Health Organization (WHO), trusted organizations, news sources, official governmental reports, and available research articles. This paper then classifies the cybersecurity attacks and threats at the period of COVID-19 and provides recommendations and countermeasures for each type. This paper surveys the cybersecurity attacks and their countermeasures and reports the ongoing cybersecurity attacks and threats at this period of time. Moreover, it is also a step towards analyzing the efficiency of the country’s infrastructure as well as hackers and criminals’ social behavior at the time of the pandemic.

In this work, an optimization of the InGaP/GaAs dual-junction (DJ) solar cell performance is presented. Firstly, a design for the DJ solar cell based on the GaAs tunnel diode is provided. Secondly, the used device simulator is calibrated with recent experimental results of an InGaP/GaAs DJ solar cell. After that, the optimization of the DJ solar cell performance is carried out for two different materials of the top window layer, AlGaAs and AlGaInP. For AlGaAs, the optimization is carried out for the following: aluminum (Al) mole fraction, top window thickness, top base thickness, and bottom BSF doping and thickness. The electrical performance parameters of the optimized cell are extracted: JSC=18.23 mA/cm2, VOC=2.33 V, FF=86.42%, and the conversion efficiency (ηc) equals 36.71%. By using AlGaInP as a top cell window, the electrical performance parameters for the optimized cell are JSC=19.84 mA/cm2, VOC=2.32 V, FF=83.9%, and ηc=38.53%. So, AlGaInP is found to be the optimum material for the InGaP/GaAs DJ cell top window layer as it gives 4% higher conversion efficiency under 1 sun of the standard AM1.5G solar spectrum at 300 K in comparison with recent literature results. All optimization steps and simulation results are carried out using the SLVACO TCAD tool.

The mathematical modeling and analysis of within-host or between-host coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) dynamics are considered robust tools to support scientific research. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of COVID-19. This paper proposes and investigates a within-host COVID-19 dynamics model with latent infection, the logistic growth of healthy epithelial cells and the humoral (antibody) immune response. Time delays can affect the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection predicted by mathematical models. Therefore, we incorporate four time delays into the model: (i) delay in the formation of latent infected epithelial cells, (ii) delay in the formation of active infected epithelial cells, (iii) delay in the activation of latent infected epithelial cells, and (iv) maturation delay of new SARS-CoV-2 particles. We establish that the model’s solutions are non-negative and ultimately bounded. This confirms that the concentrations of the virus and cells should not become negative or unbounded. We deduce that the model has three steady states and their existence and stability are perfectly determined by two threshold parameters. We use Lyapunov functionals to confirm the global stability of the model’s steady states. The analytical results are enhanced by numerical simulations. The effect of time delays on the SARS-CoV-2 dynamics is investigated. We observe that increasing time delay values can have the same impact as drug therapies in suppressing viral progression. This offers some insight useful to develop a new class of treatment that causes an increase in the delay periods and then may control SARS-CoV-2 replication.

Recently, the demand for reliable and high-speed wireless communication has rapidly increased. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is the newest competitor against other modulation schemes used for this purpose. OFDM is mostly used for wireless data transfer, although it may also be used for cable and fiber optic connections. However, in many applications, OFDM suffers from burst errors and high bit error rates. This paper presents the utilization of a helical interleaver with OFDM systems to efficiently handle burst channel errors and allow for Bit Error Rate (BER) reduction. The paper also presents a new interleaver, FRF, the initial letters of the authors’ names, for the same purpose. This newly proposed interleaver summarizes our previous experience with many recent interleavers. Fast Fourier transform OFDM (FFT-OFDM) and Discrete Wavelet Transform OFDM (DWT-OFDM) systems are used to test the efficiency of the suggested scheme in terms of burst channel error removal and BER reduction. Finally, the general complexity of the FRF interleaver is different from that of the helical interleaver in terms of hardware requirements. The performance of the proposed scheme was studied over different channel models. The obtained simulation results show a noticeable performance improvement over the conventional FFT-OFDM and the FFT-OFDM systems with the helical interleaver. Finally, the disadvantage of the proposed FRF interleaver is that it is more complex than the helical interleaver.

Feeding IC engines with hydrogen-rich syngas as an admixture to hydrocarbon fuels can decrease pollutant emissions, particularly NOx. It offers a potential technique for low-environmental impact hydrocarbon fuel use in automotive applications. However, hydrogen-rich reformate gas (syngas) production via fuel reforming still needs more research and optimization. In this paper, we describe the effect of a plasma torch assembly design on syngas yield and composition during plasma-assisted reforming of gasoline. Additionally, erosion resistance of the cathode-emitting material under the conditions of gasoline reforming was studied, using hafnium metal and lanthanated tungsten alloy. The gasoline reforming was performed with a noncatalytic, nonthermal, low-current plasma system in the conditions of partial oxidation in an air and steam mixture. To find the most efficient plasma torch assembly configuration in terms of hydrogen production yield, four types of anode design were tested, i.e., two types of the swirl ring, and two cathode materials while varying the inlet air and fuel flow rates. The experimental results showed that hydrogen was the highest proportion of the produced syngas. The smooth funnel shape anode design in Ring 1 at air/fuel flow rates of 24/4, 27/4.5, and 30/5 g/min, respectively, was more effective than the edged funnel shape. Lanthanated tungsten alloy displayed higher erosion resistance than hafnium metal.

Electrochemical Grinding (ECG) process is a mechanically assisted electrochemical process for material processing. The process is able to successfully machine electrically conducting harder materials at faster rate with improved surface finish and dimensional control. This research studies the effect of applied current, electrolyte concentration, spindle speed and the gap between workpiece and tool on hardness and material removal rate during electrochemical grinding for stainless steel 316. The characteristic features of the electrochemical grinding process are explored through Taguchi-design-based experimental studies. The better hardness can be obtained at 10 A of the current, 150 g/l of the electrolyte concentration, 0.3 mm of gap and spindle speed of 180 rpm, and the maximum material removal rate can be obtained at 40 A of the current, 250 g/l of the concentration, 0.2 mm of a gap and 180 rpm of spindle speed.

A novel wideband high-power single-pole two-throw (SP2T) switch based on gap waveguide technology is presented in this article. The proposed switch has a SP2T structure and consists of three standard WR62 waveguide ports. Due to the advantage of gap waveguide technology, the switch design structure requires no electrical contact between its different parts, and the leakage of the electromagnetic wave is suppressed. The proposed switch has an air gap between its parts. As a result, the sliding part of the switch can be moved freely to change the switch states. Consequently, a low-precision and low-cost fabrication can be utilized. The simulation and measurement of the proposed switch indicate that a 50% operating frequency bandwidth covering the range of 12–20 GHz can be achieved. The switch input return-loss is better than 15 dB within the frequency bandwidth, whereas the insertion loss and isolation levels of the proposed design are above 0.15 dB and better than 65 dB, respectively.

Background: In contrast to fetal scar tissue, adult scar tissue presents with visible scarring. Topical silicone creams have been shown to improve the appearance of scars. This case series compares the genetic expression of post-surgical scar tissues that received topical scar treatment with silicone cream, SKN2017B, or no treatment. SKN2017B is a recently formulated silicone-based scar cream that contains selective synthetic recombinant human growth factors, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C. We hypothesise that scars treated with silicone-based scar creams have a more favourable genetic expression resembling a well-healing scar. Methods: Women who had undergone an abdominoplasty were included in this investigation and randomly assigned to treat part of the scar with topical silicone, another part with SKN2017B, and to leave a third part untreated. After four weeks, punch biopsies were taken and the RNA sequenced. Healthy abdominal skin was biopsied as baseline data. Genes of interest were identified and median values were calculated for the samples. Results: SKN2107B-treated scars demonstrated the lowest collagen type I to collagen type III ratio. Other key genes of interest in wound healing showed the lowest (favourable) expression of fibroblast activation protein alpha, lysyl oxidase and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein; the highest (favourable) expression of fibronectin type III domain containing 1 and matrix metallopeptidase 9 were found in scars treated with SKN2017B. Conclusion: The results of this small case series demonstrate a trend that those scars treated with topical silicone cream, notably SKN2017B, display the most favourable gene expression for wound healing.

A central authority, in a conventional centralized energy trading market, superintends energy and financial transactions. The central authority manages and controls transparent energy trading between producer and consumer, imposes a penalty in case of contract violation, and disburses numerous rewards. However, the management and control through the third party pose a significant threat to the security and privacy of consumers’/producers’ (participants) profiles. The energy transactions between participants involving central authority utilize users’ time, money, and impose a computational burden over the central controlling authority. The Blockchain-based decentralized energy transaction concept, bypassing the central authority, is proposed in Smart Grid (SG) by researchers. Blockchain technology braces the concept of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy transactions. This work encompasses the SolarCoin-based digital currency blockchain model for SG incorporating RE. Energy transactions from Prosumer (P) to Prosumer, Energy District to Energy District, and Energy District to SG are thoroughly investigated and analyzed in this work. A robust demand-side optimized model is proposed using Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to maximize Prosumer Energy Surplus (PES), Grid revenue (GR), percentage energy transactions accomplished, and decreased Prosumer Energy Cost (PEC). Real-time averaged energy data of Australia are employed, and a piece-wise energy price mechanism is implemented in this work. The graphical analysis and tabular statistics manifest the efficacy of the proposed model.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a halophytic crop that shows resistance to multiple abiotic stresses, including salinity. In this study we investigated the salinity tolerance mechanisms of six contrasting quinoa cultivars belonging to the coastal region of Chile using agro-physiological parameters (plant height (PH), number of branches/plant (BN), number of panicles/plant (PN), panicle length (PL), biochemical traits (leaf C%, leaf N%, grain protein contents); harvest index and yield (seed yield and plant dry biomass (PDM) under three salinity levels (0, 10, and 20 d Sm−1 NaCl). The yield stability was evaluated through comparision of seed yield characteristics [(static environmental variance (S2) and dynamic Wricke’s ecovalence (W2)]. Results showed that significant variations existed in agro-morphological and yield attributes. With increasing salinity levels, yield contributing parameters (number of panicles and panicle length) decreased. Salt stress reduced the leaf carbon and nitrogen contents. Genotypes Q21, and AMES13761 showed higher seed yield (2.30 t ha−1), more productivity and stability at various salinities as compared to the other genotypes. Salinity reduced seed yield to 44.48% and 60% at lower (10 dS m−1) and higher salinity (20 dS m−1), respectively. Grain protein content was highest in NSL106398 and lowest in Q29 when treated with saline water. Seed yield was positively correlated with PH, TB, HI, and C%. Significant and negative correlations were observed between N%, protein contents and seed yield. PH showed significant positive correlation with APL, HI, C% and C:N ratio. HI displayed positive correlations with C%, N% and protein content., All measured plant traits, except for C:N ratio, responded to salt in a genotype-specific way. Our results indicate that the genotypes (Q21 and AMES13761) proved their suitability under sandy desert soils of Dubai, UAE as they exhibited higher seed yield while NSL106398 showed an higher seed protein content. The present research highlights the need to preserve quinoa biodiversity for a better seedling establishment, survival and stable yield in the sandy desertic UAE environment.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the epidemiology of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2012 when the first MERS-CoV was confirmed up to July 2015. Methods: MERS-CoV data were obtained from the Saudi Ministry of Health for the period 2012 to July 2015. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results regarding the risk factors and mortality of MERS-CoV infection. Results: In this series, the risk factors and outcomes of 939 cases of MERS-CoV occurring in the last 3 years are described. The majority of the affected patients were aged ≥40 years (n = 657; 70%). Of the 657 patients aged ≥40 years, 377 (57.3%) died. Conclusions: The case-fatality ratio was found to increase significantly with age. It ranged from 12.5% in those aged ≤19 years to 86.2% in those aged ≥80 years. The results confirmed the association between severe MERS-CoV illness and patients with a pre-existing health morbidity. The duration from symptom onset to admission was not statistically associated with the disease outcome.

ABSTRACT Aims: The thickness of Co-Cr metal beneath the ceramic in the metalo-ceramic system can affect the color parameters. This study investigated the effect of different thicknesses of Co-Cr plate on the color parameters. Materials and method: Thirty square Co-Cr samples were made (10x10)mm length, width, respectively with varying thickness (0.3, 0.5, 1)mm, two shades (A1, A3.5) of ceramic build on the metal squares five of each thickness, and they were tested by colorimeter to measure the color parameters. Results: Mean L*value of 0.3mm metal thickness of both shades have shown a significant increase on expense of other thicknesses at (P>0.05). Conclusions: L* values were increased with the decrease in the metal thickness to a value near the opaque layer thickness, and decreased with the increase of metal thickness up to five folds of opaque layer thickness, metal thickness had no effect on the means of a*b* values.

Ibrahim Birma Bwatanglang,1,2 Faruq Mohammad,3 Nor Azah Yusof,1,3 Jaafar Abdullah,1 Mohd Zobir Hussein,3 Noorjahan Banu Alitheen,4 Nadiah Abu4 1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria; 3Institute of Advanced Technology, 4Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: In this study, we synthesized a multifunctional nanoparticulate system with specific targeting, imaging, and drug delivering functionalities by following a three-step protocol that operates at room temperature and solely in aqueous media. The synthesis involves the encapsulation of luminescent Mn:ZnS quantum dots (QDs) with chitosan not only as a stabilizer in biological environment, but also to further provide active binding sites for the conjugation of other biomolecules. Folic acid was incorporated as targeting agent for the specific targeting of the nanocarrier toward the cells overexpressing folate receptors. Thus, the formed composite emits orange–red fluorescence around 600 nm and investigated to the highest intensity at Mn2+ doping concentration of 15 at.% and relatively more stable at low acidic and low alkaline pH levels. The structural characteristics and optical properties were thoroughly analyzed by using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, ultraviolet-visible, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Further characterization was conducted using thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The cell viability and proliferation studies by means of MTT assay have demonstrated that the as-synthesized composites do not exhibit any toxicity toward the human breast cell line MCF-10 (noncancer) and the breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) up to a 500 µg/mL concentration. The cellular uptake of the nanocomposites was assayed by confocal laser scanning microscope by taking advantage of the conjugated Mn:ZnS QDs as fluorescence makers. The result showed that the functionalization of the chitosan-encapsulated QDs with folic acid enhanced the internalization and binding affinity of the nanocarrier toward folate receptor-overexpressed cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that due to the nontoxic nature of the composite, the as-synthesized nanoparticulate system can be used as a promising candidate for theranostic applications, especially for a simultaneous targeted drug delivery and cellular imaging. Keywords: Mn:ZnS, quantum dots, theranostics, folic acid, cancer diagnosis, fluorescence imaging

In this study, we explore the use of electrically active graphene foam as a scaffold for the culture of human-derived neurons. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cortical neurons fated as either glutamatergic or GABAergic neuronal phenotypes were cultured on graphene foam. We show that graphene foam is biocompatible for the culture of human neurons, capable of supporting cell viability and differentiation of hESC-derived cortical neurons. Based on the findings, we propose that graphene foam represents a suitable scaffold for engineering neuronal tissue and warrants further investigation as a model for understanding neuronal maturation, function and circuit formation.

Introduction: Cleanliness of the canal space is the ultimate goal of its preparation. Nevertheless, some portion of the canal walls are left un-instrumented during preparation. Therefore, the aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate the cleanliness of un-instrumented canal walls after root canal preparation for the presence or absence of debris and smear layer. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 single-rooted extracted teeth were prepared with the crown-down technique using Protaper universal rotary file system. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was used to scan the specimens before and after instrumentation. The un-instrumented area was measured and localized. The roots were split longitudinally and then subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of debris and smear layer in the instrumented and un-instrumented areas of the canal were evaluated by analysing the SEM images with a five-score evaluation system based on the reference photographs. Results: High levels of root canal cleanliness (≤ score 2) were found for the instrumented areas were detected (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Under the condition of this study, un-instrumented areas of the canal were less clean in comparison to instrumented portion.

Mutations in WD40-repeat protein 62 (WDR62) are commonly associated with primary microcephaly and other developmental cortical malformations. We used human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) to examine WDR62 function during human neural differentiation and model early stages of human corticogenesis. Neurospheres lacking WDR62 expression showed decreased expression of intermediate progenitor marker, TBR2, and also glial marker, S100β. In contrast, inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling during hPSC neural differentiation induced upregulation of WDR62 with a corresponding increase in neural and glial progenitor markers, PAX6 and EAAT1, respectively. These findings may signify a role of WDR62 in specifying intermediate neural and glial progenitors during human pluripotent stem cell differentiation.

We investigated a case of human infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) after exposure to infected camels. Analysis of the whole human-derived virus and 15% of the camel-derived virus sequence yielded nucleotide polymorphism signatures suggestive of cross-species transmission. Camels may act as a direct source of human MERS-CoV infection.

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the biological activities of three soldering materials used for joining Co-Cr joints (iron, stainless steel, and brass) on the tissue of the Rabbit. Materials and Meth-ods: Nine specimens of each iron, stainless steel, and brass where made as cylinders (3mm x 2.5mm). The middle part was made of the brazing materials and the upper and lower parts were made of Co-Cr. These specimens where implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the rabbit, after two weeks the animals where sacrificed and biopsies where made and examined under microscope by three oral pathologists. Results: Stainless steel implants were the most biocompatible material among the three materials used as brazing materials. Stainless steel sites had insignificant differences with the control sites. Significant difference was found between the iron implanted sites and the control group. This result found by two viewers (A, and M), while the third viewer (Z) found no significant difference between the control group, and the iron implanted sites. Significant difference was found between the brass implanted sites and the control group, this result was found by the three viewers (A, M, and Z). Conclusions: The stainless steel had the most favorable tissue response among the three soldering materials, iron is in the second rank, and brass showed unfavorable tissue response due to release of Cu.

Scarcity of irrigation water and increasing soil salinization has threatened the sustainability of forage production in arid and semi-arid region around the globe. Introduction of salt-tolerant perennial species is a promising alternative to overcome forage deficit to meet future livestock needs in salt-affected areas. This study presents the results of a salinity tolerance screening trial which was carried out in plastic pots buried in the open field for 160 buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) accessions for three consecutive years (2003-2005). The plastic pots were filled with sand, organic, and peat moss mix and were irrigated with four different quality water (EC 0, 10, 15, and 20 dS m-1). The results indicate that the average annual dry weights (DW) were in the range from 122.5 – 148.9 g pot-1 in control; 96.4 – 133.8 g pot-1 at 10 dS m-1; 65.6 – 80.4 g pot-1 at 15 dS m-1, and 55.4- 65.6 g pot-1 at 20 dS m-1. The highest DW (148.9 g pot-1) was found with accession 49 and the lowest with accession 23. Principle component analysis shows that PC-1 contributed 81.8 % of the total variability, while PC-2 depicted 11.7% of the total variation among C. ciliaris accessions for DW. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that a number of accessions collected from diverse regions could be grouped into a single cluster. Accessions 3, 133, 159, 30, 23, 142, 141, 95, 49, 129, 124, and 127 were stable, salt tolerant, and produced good dry biomass yield. These accessions demonstrate sufficient salinity tolerance potential for promotion in marginal land and arid regions to enhance farm productivity and reduce rural poverty.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of laser welding and arc welding on the ultimate tensile strength, radio-graphic appearance of the joints, and microscopic porosities in the fractographs. Four joining methods have been used, laser welding, and arc welding using three types of electrodes (iron, stainless steel, and brass). Effect of surface roughness on the aforementioned properties was evaluated. Materials and Methods: Three specimens as-cast control group, seventy two specimens were treated by polishing, laser, and sandblasting, and joined with the four joining methods. Joints examined by radiograph and porosities were measured by Dimax software program, their ultimate tensile strength, and strain was tested, and the microscopic porosities in the fractographs were measured using AutoCAD software program. Three cobalt chromium bars from the third group were joined to three stainless steel bars from the fourth group of the same diameter to test the ultimate tensile strength, and strain of the dissi-milar alloys. Results: Laser welded and brass soldered joints had significantly lower ultimate tensile strength and strain when compared to the control group, while the iron, and stainless steel soldered joints had insignificant differences in the ultimate tensile strength and strain when compared to the control group. Results shown that the iron and stainless steel soldered samples fractured in the heat affected zone while the brass soldered and laser welded samples fractured in the weld zone. The iron and stainless steel soldered joints had superior mechanical properties when compared with the control group. Laser welding of dissimilar alloys had the lowest mechanical properties among all techniques. Conclusions: revealed that laser welding was the most precise technique used in the current study. Weld fractures shown less tensile strength average and more brittle behavior. Radiographic properties had no influence on the mechanical properties of the joints.