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South Sulawesi is one of the largest rice production centers in Indonesia. Several important diseases of rice plants, such as those caused by viruses and phytoplasmas, can be transmitted by insect vectors, especially leafhoppers and stem plant. Symptoms of diseases caused by viruses and phytoplasmas are quite diverse but visually similar and difficult to distinguish. This study aims to analyze the presence of phytoplasma associated with white-backed planthopper which are commonly found in rice plantations. The research method used is by conducting surveys and explorations of insect samples in six villages in Sidrap District. White-back planthoppers found on rice plantations showing symptoms of yellowing and stunted leaves were sampled for further analysis, including total DNA isolation of insects, standard PCR amplification for insect and Nested-PCR for phytoplasma identification, gene sequencing for both amplicons, and nucleotide analysis using BLAST method and Mega X program. The PCR with CO1 primer successfully amplified a 700 bp amplicon from insects, whereas nested-PCR using fP1/rP7 primers followed by m23SR/R16F2n amplified phytoplasma supposedly around 1800 bp and 1250 bp of 16S RNA gene, respectively. The DNA sequencing analysis results indicate that the insect samples were identified as 83% Sogatella vibix species based on homology percentage analysis using BLAST and Mega X Program. As for the phytoplasma, it leans more towards the 16SrI group or Candidatus phytoplasma asteris (Aster yellows phytoplasma) with a homology percentage of 99%.

Abstract Background Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), known as fall armyworm (FAW), is a wide-scale invasion pest that resulted in crop yield loss and certainly caused critical economic damage. Therefore, several control strategies such as the application of entomopathogen agent to control the population can be applied. The study aimed to designate and identify the candidate entomopathogens fungi (EPF) from South Sulawesi to control FAW. Results The research was conducted in several stages: field exploration, isolation, purification, bioassay, and morphological or genetical identification of selected fungi. The identification found out that: Sarocladium strictum, Talaromyces purpureogenus, and Aspergillus terreus had significant mortality percentages and incubation time in killing FAW. The highest mortality percentage was obtained in the case of the A. terreus (MLN8) isolate with an average mortality of 83.33% (2 days after incubation); A. terreus (4b) with an average mortality of 76.67% (4 days after incubation); both S. strictum (3) and T. purpureogenus (2B) required 3 and 5 days to control FAW, respectively, with 73% mortality percentage. Conclusion Ultimately, the exploration of several areas in South Sulawesi discovered potential EPF to suppress the FAW population biologically. Therefore, the identification of those EPFs contributes to FAW strategies control and the development of biopesticides.

In the last decade, the detection and attribution science that links climate change to extreme weather and climate events has emerged as a growing field of research with an increasing body of literature. This paper overviews the methods for extreme event attribution (EEA) and discusses the new insights that EEA provides for infrastructure adaptation. We found that EEA can inform stakeholders about current climate risk, support vulnerability-based and hazard-based adaptations, assist in the development of cost-effective adaptation strategies, and enhance justice and equity in the allocation of adaptation resources. As engineering practice shifts from a retrospective approach to a proactive, forward-looking risk management strategy, EEA can be used together with climate projections to enhance the comprehensiveness of decision making, including planning and preparing for unprecedented extreme events. Additionally, attribution assessment can be more useful for adaptation planning when the exposure and vulnerability of communities to past events are analyzed, and future changes in the probability of extreme events are evaluated. Given large uncertainties inherent in event attribution and climate projections, future research should examine the sensitivity of engineering design to climate model uncertainties, and adapt engineering practice, including building codes, to uncertain future conditions. While this study focuses on adaptation planning, EEA can also be a useful tool for informing and enhancing decisions related to climate mitigation.

This study investigates the linguistic landscape of Kotabaru Malang Train Station through qualitative analysis of 41 signs, employing photographic documentation to capture linguistic features and functions. It reveals a prevalence of bilingual signage (Indonesian-English), emphasizing inclusivity and global connectivity. Sign functions include direction, information, advertising, disease prevention, prohibition, and warning, enhancing operational efficiency and passenger safety. Local identity is showcased through signage promoting Malang’s cultural heritage, fostering community pride and visitor engagement. Beyond station management, implications for urban planning and language policy highlight strategies for cultural sustainability and inclusive communication in public spaces. Investigating urban cultural not only enriches the understanding of societal diversity, but also informs inclusive urban development practices and effective public communication strategies. Future research could investigate how changes in government language policies and the integration of digital technologies impact the linguistic landscape and effectiveness of signage at transportation hubs.

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the fungus Aspergillus carbonarius in the synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) from copper chloride solution, with the characterization of these nanoparticles and the demonstration of their effectiveness in inhibiting the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum causing tomato root rot disease. The results indicated that the treatment of copper chloride solution at 150 mM with A. carbonarius filtrate led to the production of CuNPs which characterized by a color change from blue to green, with the highest absorbance observed at 300 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed the crystalline structure with peaks at angles 28.47286, 47.43258, and 56.20644 ◦ corresponding to (111), (220), and (311) planes, respectively, matching the JCPDS card number 01-081-1841. Scanning electron microscopy images showed cubic, pyramidal, and prismatic shapes with dimensions ranging from 15 - 84.291 nm. In laboratory experiment, CuNPs inhibited the growth of the pathogenic fungus, with an inhibition zone of 1.6 cm, compared to copper chloride which recorded 0.9 cm. In the field, , the treatment of CuNPs led to an increase in the stress resistance indicators, reaching the highest values for CuNPs when combined with the fungicide Medazim in the American tomato cultivar. The concentrations of total phenols and glutathione in this treatment were 2.56 mg/g and 0.322 µg/g, respectively. The lowest concentration of proline was recorded as 4.31 µg/g in the treatment involving CuNPs against the fungal infection. CuNPs with the fungicide medazim, significantly outperformed other treatments, registering lowest disease severity at 12.22% in the American cultivar, compared to the highest disease severity was recorded in the treatment with the pathogenic fungus alone, reaching 91.16% in the Dutch cultivar. CuNPs significantly increased tomato fruit weight, both in healthy and infected plants. The American, Turkish, and Dutch tomato cultivars infected with the pathogenic fungus and treated with under + medazim showed higher productivity, reaching 6432.55, 6334.34, and 6305.73 g.plant-1, compared to the lowest productivity in the treatment of these cultivars with the pathogenic fungus, reaching 1008.34, 977.45, and 833.78 g.plant-1, respectively

Introduction: Islamic banking is a type of banking or banking activity that is consistent with the rules of Islam and naturally emphasizes moral issues. The purpose of this study is to examine the ideals of professional ethics in Islamic banking in Iran. Material & Methods: According to the purpose of the present research, it is an applied research type and according to the method of data collection, it is a non-experimental research type of correlation research and structural equation modeling. The statistical population included the managers of the Agricultural Bank, who were selected by a complete sampling of 430 people. The instrument was a questionnaire. Finally, the data were analyzed by structural equation method. Results: The results show that there is a significant and positive relationship between the two dimensions of organizational structure and the ideas of professional ethics, as well as between the legal, public, free and royal thinking styles of managers and the ideas of professional ethics. While there is a significant and negative relationship between conservative thinking style and ideals of professional ethics. Conclusion: The presence of moral values in the banking industry means the elimination of all criminal operations including fraud, bribery and corruption, and it is undoubtedly influenced by the thinking styles of employees and managers and organizational variables.

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic. Changes in haematological variables in patients with COVID-19 are emerging as important features of the disease. These changes in haematological variables may provide significant clues in the prognosis post Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Aim: To determine the significance of various haematological variables in cardiac outcomes post SARS-CoV-2 infection. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted at Prince Faisal bin Khalid Cardiac Centre, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi between March 2021 and October 2021. A total of 59 patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 with or without cardiac complaints were involved. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded. Leukocyte counts, Neutrophil Counts, Lymphocyte counts, Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), platelet counts, Prothrombin Time (PT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), and D-Dimer were assessed and compared between subjects who developed Cardiovascular Complications (CVC+ group) and the subjects who did not develop CVC post SARS-CoV-2 infection (CVCgroup). Statistical analyses were performed using R scripting language and R Studio (version 1.2.5033, Orange Blossom). For continuous variables, t-test (for normally distributed) and MannWitney U test (for non normally distributed) were employed. For categorical data, Chi-square test (c2 ) was used. A p-value

Background: By recognizing and comprehending the obstacles that prevent low vision devices (LVDs) from being used effectively, the burden of blindness can be reduced. Objective: To find the barriers to the utilization of low-vision devices (LVDs) among non-users in patients with low vision. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the low vision department of Al-Shifa Trust Eye hospitals in Rawalpindi, Pakistan for a duration of six months from July 2021 to December 2021. Low-vision individuals with visual acuity ˂6/18 fulfilling the criteria of low vision and prescribed low-vision devices over the period of 6 months but not using them were included in this study. A total of n=420 patients were evaluated for eligibility, out of which n=255 were prescribed low-vision devices due to low vision. The data was collected on the self-structured questionnaire in accordance with the tenets of Helsinki’s declaration. Results: Out of n=255, a total of n=105 were using (acceptance) and n=150 were not using (non-acceptance) the LVDs. Out of 15 possible barriers, fear of being perceived as blind N=120(80%) is the major cause of non-acceptance of devices among low-vision individuals. It was followed by difficulty in handling low-vision devices n=106(70.7%) and low affordability n=106(70.7%). While fear of loss of job 2(1.3%) was selected as the least occurring problem in non-acceptance of devices. Conclusions: Leading barriers included stigma, lack of information, concern over losing one's job, fear of being viewed as blind, and low necessity. Keywords: blindness; low vision; low-vision devices.

Semantic segmentation of Remote Sensing (RS) images involves the classification of each pixel in a satellite image into distinct and non-overlapping regions or segments. This task is crucial in various domains, including land cover classification, autonomous driving, and scene understanding. While deep learning has shown promising results, there is limited research that specifically addresses the challenge of processing fine details in RS images while also considering the high computational demands. To tackle this issue, we propose a novel approach that combines convolutional and transformer architectures. Our design incorporates convolutional layers with a low receptive field to generate fine-grained feature maps for small objects in very high-resolution images. On the other hand, transformer blocks are utilized to capture contextual information from the input. By leveraging convolution and self-attention in this manner, we reduce the need for extensive downsampling and enable the network to work with full-resolution features, which is particularly beneficial for handling small objects. Additionally, our approach eliminates the requirement for vast datasets, which is often necessary for purely transformer-based networks. In our experimental results, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in generating local and contextual features using convolutional and transformer layers, respectively. Our approach achieves a mean dice score of 80.41%, outperforming other well-known techniques such as UNet, Fully-Connected Network (FCN), Pyramid Scene Parsing Network (PSP Net), and the recent Convolutional vision Transformer (CvT) model, which achieved mean dice scores of 78.57%, 74.57%, 73.45%, and 62.97% respectively, under the same training conditions and using the same training dataset.

Design of cropping method and type of variety are one of the most important factors in increasing soybean productivity and the level of pest attack and predator populations. This study aims to determine the most effective planting method and variety types in an effort to increase soybean productivity in rainfed lowland areas in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The design used in this study was the split plot design, and the varieties (PU) used were as follows: (1) Detap-1, (2) Devon-1, and (3) Derap-1. However, the subplot (AP) was a planting method and three replicates: (1) farmer’s transplanting method (transplanting row: 20 cm × 20 cm), (2) method of transplanting double rows, and (3) method of transplanting three rows. The results showed that the highest number of branchesper plant was observed in the Legowo three planting method with the Detap-1 variety. The lowest level of leaf damage due to Spodoptera litura attack was observed in the Legowo double rows planting method with the Devon-1 variety (11.07%), and the highest level of leaf damage was observed in the jajar horn planting method (farmer’s method) with the Derap-1 variety (16.47%). The level of pod damage due to Etiella zinckenella attack was the lowest on Legowo three planting method on the Derap-1 variety (9.47%) and the highest on the Legowo double rows planting method on the Detap-1 variety (14.26%). The level of pod damage due to attack by pod-sucking pest Riptortus linearis was the lowest on Legowo three planting method on the (Derap-1) variety (8.02%) and the highest on the pod-sucking pest Riptortus linearis on the Devon-1 variety (13.43%). The length of the trichomes on soybean leaves was the highest on the Devon-1 variety (30.93%) and the lowest on Derap-1 (24.81). The highest number of trichomes on soybean leaves was on the Derap-1variety (57.67) and the lowest on the Devon-1 variety (32.20). The highest length of trichomes was on soybean pods on Detap-1 (29.11) and the lowest on Devon-1 (26.52), while the highest number of trichomes in soybean pods was on Devon-1 (222.47) and the lowest on Derap-1 (148.40). The highest seed yield was observed in Legowo three panting method with Derap-1 and Devon-1 varieties (2.02–2.08 t ha−1).

Abstract Production and utilization of grey and blue hydrogen is responsible for emission of millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) across the globe. This increased emission of CO2 has severe repercussions on the planet earth and in particular on climate change. Here in, we explored advance bimetallic (BM) CuO/Ag and trimetallic (TM) CuO/Ag/NiO based nanoporous materials supported with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) via sol–gel route. The explored nanocatalysts were characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Raman spectroscopic techniques. These advance nanocatalysts were evaluated for the green hydrogen production through electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. The catalysts exhibited an exceptional catalytic performance, the onset potential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was determined to be − 0.9 V BMSiNPs-GCE and − 0.7 V (vs Ag/AgCl) for TMSiNPs-GCE, whereas η@10 for BMSiNPs-GCE and TMSiNPs-GCE is − 1.26 and − 1.00 V respectively. Significantly, the TMSiNPs composite and the BMSiNPs composite exhibited superior photochemical H2 evolution rates of 1970.72 mmol h−1 g−1 and 1513.97 mmol h−1 g−1, respectively. The TMSiNPs catalyst presents a highly promising material for HER. This study reveals a cost-effective approach to develop sustainable and resourceful electrocatalysts for HER.

Enteroviruses are RNA viruses that initiate infections through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and are associated with enteric illness in individuals of all ages. Most serious infections of enteroviruses are in infants and young children where it is the common cause of aseptic meningitis and other systemic diseases, leading to a high mortality rate. Enteroviruses belong to the small non-enveloped family of the Picornaviridae family. The virus can spread mainly through fecal–oral and respiratory routes. In the Arabian Gulf countries, the incidence of enteroviral infections is only restricted to a few reports, and thus, knowledge of the epidemiology, characteristics, and pathogenesis of the virus in the gulf countries remains scarce. In this minireview, we sought to provide an overview of the characteristics of enterovirus and its pathogenesis, in addition to gathering the reports of enterovirus infection prevalence in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. We also present a summary of the common methods used in its detection.

The innate immune system, particularly the interferon (IFN) system, constitutes the initial line of defense against viral infections. IFN signaling induces the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), and their products frequently restrict viral infection. Retroviruses like the human immunodeficiency viruses and the human T-lymphotropic viruses cause severe human diseases and are targeted by ISG-encoded proteins. Here, we discuss ISGs that inhibit the translation of retroviral mRNAs and thereby retrovirus propagation. The Schlafen proteins degrade cellular tRNAs and rRNAs needed for translation. Zinc Finger Antiviral Protein and RNA-activated protein kinase inhibit translation initiation factors, and Shiftless suppresses translation recoding essential for the expression of retroviral enzymes. We outline common mechanisms that underlie the antiviral activity of multifunctional ISGs and discuss potential antiretroviral therapeutic approaches based on the mode of action of these ISGs.

Introduction: Human Rotavirus Virus (HRV) is amongst the common enteric viral diarrheal diseases that indirectly or directly influence school-going children in low-income countries. Inadequate information exists on the presence of rotavirus, with reference to drinking water supplies of primary schools in Sindh, Pakistan. Aims & Objectives: We estimated the risk of rotavirus-associated diarrhea through drinking water. The study further compared the HRV-associated risk of diarrheal disease by a type of water source. Place and Duration of Study: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in ten representative districts of Sindh from February 2022 to December 2022. The samples for drinking water were collected from primary schools of ten representative districts of Sindh. This study was a part of the WASH Project funded by USAID (USPCASW Seed Grant P-II) Material & Methods: We selected 425 samples of drinking water from primary schools based on pre-defined selection criteria. We used a Quantitative Microbial Risk Analysis using indicator organisms, i.e., E. coli, to predict the possible health risks of rotavirus. Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 26. The graphs were developed using Arc GIS version 3. Morbidity and mortality were predicted using the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QAMRA) model. Results: Our data revealed that the highest daily risk of HRV-associated diarrhea amongst school children was 11 per 10,000 schoolchildren, resulting in 8.4% annual risk, and the minimum risk was estimated to be 1 in 10,000 children. The burden of diseases for rotavirus using the QAMRA model revealed the severity of the diarrhea. Majority of the children presented with mild diarrhea (86%) followed by severe, and the probability of death was less than

Chromium (Cr) is classified as an ecological toxin, and irrigation of soil with raw industrial effluents causes its concentration in soil and plants to reach fatal levels. Due to reduced metal mobility caused by organic amendment and availability of food for microbial activity, use of Cr-tolerant rhizobacteria in conjunction with compost has proven to be useful in supporting growth and survival of plants. We checked the simultaneous effects of rhizobacteria and compost on spinach (Spinacia oleracea) growth, physiology, biochemistry as well as uptake of Cr. Plants were treated with compost (1 % w/w) and subsequently inoculated with two different PGPR strains under Cr contamination. Among tested inoculants , inoculation of 'JS2′ strain along with compost significantly ameliorated the adverse effects of Cr on spinach, and improved root and shoot lengths (84 and 197 %), as well as their dry (104 and 89 %) and fresh (89 and 167 %) weights , along with chlorophyll content (84 %) as compared to relative control. In addition, combined application led to a significant increase in antioxidant activities, such as SOD (128 %), CAT (40 %), POD (73 %) and APX (57 %) concomitant with decreased MDA contents (68 %). Data regarding Cr movement from soil to roots and aboveground plant parts, as well as the results of translocation and bioconcentration factors, revealed that combined application of PGPR and compost reduced Cr entry to aboveground plant parts and led to its phytostabilization. Hence, compost and Cr-tolerant PGPR can efficiently immobilize Cr in soil, and reduce its harmful effects on spinach growth, physiology and other important attributes.

Background & Objective: Despite the fact that knowledge enhancement workshops are held in medical sciences universities of the country, studies have shown that the status of programs and activities related to these workshops have not been evaluated. In this regard, the present study aimed to describe the experiences of faculty members from knowledge enhancement workshops held at Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Materials & Methods: This inductive qualitative study was performed based on conventional content analysis from October 2021 to May 2022. The required data were collected through 18 in-depth semi-structured and in-person interviews with 16 faculty members of Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected by purposive sampling method and the sampling continued until data saturation. The data were analyzed in MAXQDA software (version 10) using the Braun and Clarke method. Results: The interviews were divided into more than 401 open codes, 31 subcategories, 14 categories, and 2 main categories (themes). The themes that emerged included "challenges and weaknesses" and "solutions to improve the workshops". The theme of challenges and weaknesses was divided into eight categories, including the topic needs assessment, appropriateness of the content, methods of holding and teaching, registration in workshops, the time of workshops, the place of workshops, evaluation methods, and instructors of workshops. Moreover, the theme of solutions was divided into six categories, namely improvement of the selection process of instructors, usage of the capable and expert selection process of instructors, improvement of the topic needs assessment methods, modification of content matters, facilitation of information channels, and improvement of the categorization evaluation system. Conclusion: The main goal of knowledge enhancement workshops is to improve the abilities of professors. Therefore, paying attention to the challenges, weaknesses and providing solutions can improve the quality of these workshops and also encourage the faculty members to participate in them.

This study aims to determine the effect of resistance band training on leg muscle strength in volleyball athletes at the Muhammadiyah University of Palopo. The method used in this research is a one-group pre-test post-test design experiment with a quantitative approach from the results of a study that has been carried out on the effect of resistance band training on leg muscle strength in volleyball athletes at the Muhammadiyah University of Palopo. Moreover, the results of data processing with statistical analysis, the results of this study are sig values, namely 0.000

The interferon-induced host cell protein Shiftless (SFL) inhibits −1 programmed ribosomal frameshifting (−1PRF) required for the expression of HIV-1 Gal-Pol and the formation of infectious HIV-1 particles. However, the specific regions in SFL required for antiviral activity and the mechanism by which SFL inhibits −1PRF remain unclear. Employing alanine scanning mutagenesis, we found that basic amino acids in the predicted zinc ribbon motif of SFL are essential for the suppression of Gag-Pol expression but dispensable for anti-HIV-1 activity. We have shown that SFL inhibits the expression of the murine leukemia virus (MLV) Gag-Pol polyprotein and the formation of infectious MLV particles, although Gag-Pol expression of MLV is independent of −1PRF but requires readthrough of a stop codon. These findings indicate that SFL might inhibit HIV-1 infection by more than one mechanism and that SFL might target programmed translational readthrough as well as −1PRF signals, both of which are regulated by mRNA secondary structure elements.

This study was designed to investigate the associations among motives and physical activity behaviors and health in urban college students in China. Eight hundred and eighty-seven college students (521 females; M[subscript age] = 20.51, SD = ± 1.67) were recruited from four universities in South and South-central China. Participants' motives (i.e., interest/enjoyment, competence, appearance, fitness, social) toward to physical activity behaviors were measured by the established Motives for Physical Activities Measure (Ryan et al., 1997), while physical activity behaviors were assessed via the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaires for Chinese (Macfarlane et al., 2007). The data were collected in June 2016 and 2017. Participants' total metabolic equivalent (METs) was calculated as the outcome of physical activity behaviors. On average, participants reported 412 METs (SD = 290.82) of physical activity for the prior week. Correlation analysis suggested that all motive components were moderately or highly correlated with one another (r = 0.37 -0.74; p < 0.01), and these variables were significantly, yet modestly, related to physical activity behaviors (r = 0.12 -0.24; p < 0.05). Regression analyses further indicated that the whole model explained 24.5% of the variance [F (5, 394) = 5.02, p < 0.01] when using motives to predict physical activity behaviors. Interestingly, participants' interest/enjoyment was the only significant and positive predictor for their physical activity (ß= 0.23, p < 0.01). Findings suggest that Chinese college students were relatively physically active on a weekly basis. Students' interest/enjoy toward physical activity is a very important motive in promoting physical activity behavior among this population. Health professionals and educators are encouraged to offer a variety of interesting and enjoyable activities for Chinese college students with the goal of helping this population develop and maintain a physically active lifestyle.

ChatGPT, a groundbreaking natural language processing technology released a few months ago, has attracted significant attention due to its remarkable capabilities. This AI milestone has urged researchers, industry, decision-makers, and governments to examine this technology, including its implications, threats, and benefits. Despite the short period since its release, several researchers have examined ChatGPT from different perspectives. This paper presents a comprehensive review of ChatGPT, highlighting its technical novelties compared to previous models and analyzing existing research from various perspectives. We followed a rigorous methodology to conduct a critical review of existing research on ChatGPT and developed a taxonomy for the different areas of study. Additionally, we identify future challenges and research trends associated with ChatGPT. Our paper is the first critical review of ChatGPT literature, providing valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers. This paper is a reference for researchers seeking to advance research on ChatGPT, including its applications and development.

Tick-borne maladies of canines are increasing in sub-tropical and tropical areas around the globe. Theileriosis is an emerging issue in canines, especially dogs but the data regarding the disease prevalence in Asian countries is scarce. Therefore, the current study was designed to check the molecular prevalence of Theileria spp. in dogs of Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 102 dog blood samples were initially screened by microscopy and later on by PCR. The results revealed that 10.78% (11/102) and 6.86% (7/102) of pet dogs were found positive by PCR and microscopy, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed the sequences resemblance up to 98-99% with cytb gene fragments of Theileria annulata isolates from Iran, India, Turkey, Sudan, China, and Tunisia. Assumed risk factors revealed a significant (P

Abstract Background COVID-19 preventive measures required a drastic shift to online teaching-learning in most of countries. Institutions used different combinations of live online lectures (synchronous) requiring students to attend the class in real-time, as well as recorded lectures uploaded by the instructors to be accessed by students as per their own convenience (asynchronous). We undertook this study to assess and compare the perceptions of students regarding their learning experiences in the synchronous versus asynchronous mode of instruction using their teaching-learning during the compulsory online mode of instruction at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study received responses from 122 final-year medical students studying at the College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. An online 5-point Likert scale-based questionnaire was used to collect data regarding experience and perception towards synchronous and asynchronous learning. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Result All the students found both synchronous and asynchronous learning to be equally satisfying, enjoyable and comfortable. No statistically significant difference was found when both the methods were analyzed for enhancement of knowledge. The students opined that asynchronous learning helped them manage their time better whereas synchronous learning encouraged more interaction during the live lectures. Conclusion Overall, the students' perceptions regarding both synchronous and asynchronous online learning were positive. As both methods have their advantages/limitations, a mix of both synchronous and asynchronous methods may be adopted depending upon the content of the topic and the desired learning outcomes.