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There are many determinants of malnutrition among school-going children. These include poverty, illiteracy and inadequate diet. To assess the nutritional status of primary and high school children in an urban area of Kohat. A cross-sectional study was performed in a primary and high school of Government sector in the rural area of Kohat. A total of 750 children between the ages of 4-15 years were studied. A total of 750 children between the ages of 4-15 were analyzed for this study. Out of 750 school-going students, 300(40%) were found positive, and 450(60%) were found normal according to age. Gender-wise analysis shows that in male students 105 were found positive for stunting and 75 male students were underweight. In overall female students, 69 were found stunting and 51 were found underweight. According to the age group between 4 to 10 years 45 female students were found stunting and 30 were found underweight. While in the age of 11 to 15 years 24 students were stunting and 21 students were underweight. Gender wise prevalence of stunted and underweight showed more boys than girls. A lot more efforts are required in economic, educational, and media to improve the nutritional condition of the new generation of Kohat, Pakistan.

Background: Foodborne diseases are verry common and easily spread, among strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Clostridium spp. Purpose: To isolate and characterize foodborne pathogenic bacteria and fungi in various foodstuffs. Method: A total of 260 samples (130 each from Peshawar and Mardan) were collected and analyzed. Only 61 tested positive for various types of bacterial and fungal pathogens. Then evaluated for their antibiotic/anti-fungal sensitivity patterns towards a panel of selected antibiotics and anti-fungal. Result: The Gram-positive isolates showed the highest resistance to methicillin (79%) and amoxicillin (63%), most sensitive to ceftriaxone (88%), levofloxacin (86%), and cefotaxime (77%). Intermediate activities were exhibited by azithromycin (50%) and vancomycin (55%). In terms of the Gram-negative bacteria, the best activities were shown by ciprofloxacin (100%), cefoxitin (100%), chloramphenicol (100%), and ceclor (100%). Intermediate activity was discovered for cefixime (50%), cefuroxime (50%), and linezolid (50%). Three anti-fungal drugs (fluconazole, voriconazole, and nystatin) were used to assess their potency against the fungal pathogens. Mucor spp. proved relatively more susceptible to all anti-fungal drugs. The only Fusarium spp. isolate was highly resistant to all anti-fungal in this research. Conclusion: The prevalence of Gram-positive bacteria is greater than Gram-negative bacteria in the current study. The frequency of fungal pathogens was relatively high in both raw and ready-to-eat foods, while packaged foods were free from fungal contamination. We recommend that appropriate safety when handling and cooking food. Moreover, food products should be screened for different pathogenic microbes.

Abstract Physical activity can worsen migraine, leading to reduced activity levels in adults with chronic migraine. This study investigated the change in average steps per day, as a surrogate marker of physical activity, in adults with chronic migraine successfully treated with monoclonal antibodies against calcitonin gene-related peptide or its receptor. Data were obtained from adults with chronic migraine, who were classified as responders to preventive treatment with monoclonal antibodies. The primary endpoint was the difference in a mean number of steps per day between the 3 months prior to treatment initiation and the first 3 months after treatment initiation. The secondary endpoint was the correlation between the change in steps per day and the change in monthly migraine days. Twenty-two (20 females) participants with a median age of 48.5 years were enrolled. The median number of steps per day increased from 4421 at baseline to 5241 after treatment (P = 0.039). We found a positive correlation between the increase in steps per day and the treatment response (P = 0.013). In conclusion, an increase in physical activity, based on steps per day, positively correlated with treatment response to monoclonal antibodies. Automatically registered daily step count data might be used to monitor physical activity as a response to preventive treatment in adults with chronic migraine.

Anemia and malnutrition are global health problem among all nutritional disorder with high morbidity and mortality in school aged children. Therefore the aims of the study assist the prevalence and risk factors of anemia, and malnutrition among school-going children of District Swabi Pakistan. A total of 600 school aged children of aged 4-15 years were included in the study in 2023. Hematocrit level was obtained using a centrifuge microhematocrit, and converted to hemoglobin using standard conversion. Nutritional status was determined by the anthropometric measurements, and demographic characteristics were obtained by questionnaire. Anemia and malnutrition were defined according to the World Health Organization standards. In current research work 600 children were selected for the assessment of nutritional status in which 105(17.5%) were found malnutrated. Moderate frequency of assessment were found among anemia 25(23.80%), stunting 22(21%) and underweight 18(17%) respectively. High frequency was found in malnutrition 40(38%) while very low frequency was seen in wasting 2(1.90%). Gender wise assessment of the students shows that the nutritional deficiencies were slightly high in male as compare to female students in comparison of Anemia, Malnutrition, Stunting, and Underweight and in wasting respectively. Aged group wised assessment of the students shows that the nutritional deficiencies were slightly high in low aged student (4-7 years) as compare to 8-11 years and 12-15 years in both gender. Among them Malnutrition were very high leading by Anemia while Underweight and wasting of very low frequency respectively.

Abstract Background Large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channels have been implicated in the neurobiological underpinnings of migraine. Considering the clinical similarities between migraine and persistent post-traumatic headache (PPTH), we aimed to examine whether MaxiPost (a BKCa channel opener) could induce migraine-like headache in persons with PPTH. Methods This is a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study from September 2023 to December 2023. Eligible participants were adults with PPTH after mild traumatic brain injury who reported having no personal history of migraine. The randomized participants received a single dose of either MaxiPost (0.05 mg/min) or placebo (isotonic saline) that was infused intravenously over 20 minutes. The two experiment sessions were scheduled at least one week apart to avoid potential carryover effects. The primary endpoint was the induction of migraine-like headache after MaxiPost as compared to placebo within 12 hours of drug administration. The secondary endpoint was the area under the curve (AUC) values for headache intensity scores between MaxiPost and placebo over the same 12-hour observation period. Results Twenty-one adult participants (comprising 14 females and 7 males) with PPTH were enrolled and completed both experiment sessions. The proportion of participants who developed migraine-like headache was 11 (52%) of 21 participants after MaxiPost infusion, in contrast to four (19%) participants following placebo (P = .02). Furthermore, the median headache intensity scores, represented by AUC values, were higher following MaxiPost than after placebo (P < .001). Conclusions Our results indicate that BKCa channel opening can elicit migraine-like headache in persons with PPTH. Thus, pharmacologic blockade of BKCa channels might present a novel avenue for drug discovery. Additional investigations are nonetheless needed to confirm these insights and explore the therapeutic prospects of BKCa channel blockers in managing PPTH. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05378074.

Abstract Scientists and engineers encounter considerable environmental and economic obstacles stemming from the depletion of crude oil or petroleum fossil fuel reservoirs. To mitigate this challenge, alternative solutions like bio-oil-modified binder derived from biomass have been innovated. This research aims to examine the feasibility of using bio-oil-modified binder obtained from cotton stalk waste as a modifier. Various mechanical and physical tests, including penetration, softening point, ductility, and dynamic shear rheometer tests, were conducted on asphalt binder incorporating 5% and 10% bio-oil-modified binder. Wheel tracker, four-point beam fatigue, and dynamic modulus tests were used to evaluate asphalt mixture performance, including rutting, fatigue, and dynamic stiffness. A rolling bottle test (RBT) and asphalt binder bond strength (BBS) were used to assess moisture susceptibility. A bio-oil-modified binder enhanced ductility and penetration characteristics while reducing the softening point. With the addition of a bio-oil-modified binder, stiffness was reduced in parameters such as complex shear modulus and phase angle. In fact, for both specimens containing 5% and 10% bio-oil-modified binder, statistically significant differences were observed among the measured samples. As a result of this reduced stiffness, the modified asphalt binder is more suitable for low-temperature applications. Additionally, 5.8% increased at 10% and 3.1% at 5% CS. Bio-oil-modified binder, compared to virgin mixtures, supports equal rut resistance. However, the RBT and BBS tests revealed that the addition of bio-oil-modified binder increased the susceptibility of conventional asphalt binder to moisture. The findings suggest that bio-oil-modified binder can enhance asphalt binder properties in low-temperature regions, but further research is needed to improve moisture resistance.

This article discusses the simultaneous influence of thermophoresis, Brownian motion, and the dispersion of nanoparticles on thermal enhancement in non-Newtonian fluid existing over a surface stretching with non-uniform velocity. The modeled problems describing the transport of heat by the fluid are boundary value problems and are solved by the finite element method (FEM). The mesh-free analysis is done and accuracy is checked. The numerical solutions are computed and used for depicting flow field behaviors. It is visualized that Cu− Prandtl fluid and Cu−Al2O3− Prandtl fluid flow are affected in opposing ways by Prandtl and elastic factors. As a result, momentum in the Newtonian fluid does not penetrate as quickly as that does in Prandtl fluid. The Brownian motion parameter is responsible for a decrease in the Nusselt number whereas the thermophoresis parameter causes a decrease in the Sherwood number. Thus, it is essential to note that the wall heat transfer rate in the fluid can be enhanced by making arrangements to reduce Brownian motion. Similarly, wall mass flux can be controlled through the thermophoresis parameter. Nusselt and Sherwood number has shown an increasing tendency when the Prandtl parameter is increased. Thus, fluids with higher Prandtl fluid parameters are suitable for higher wall heat and mass fluxes. The temperature of mono and hybrid nano-Prandtl fluids is increased by caused by thermophoresis and Brownian motion.

The present work aimed to highlight an efficient, readily accessible, and cost-effective adsorbent derived from Dalbergia sissoo (DS) leaf powder for removing the environmentally hazardous dye “alizarin red S” (ARS) from hydrous medium. A variant of the adsorbent is activated via sulfuric acid and composited with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (DSMNC). Both adsorbents are thoroughly characterized using techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, point of zero charge, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, which show that they have a porous structure rich in active sites. Different adsorption conditions are optimized with the maximum removal efficiency of 76.63% for DS and 97.89% for DSMNC. The study was highlighted via the application of various adsorption isotherms, including Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich, to adsorption data. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models were utilized to investigate the kinetics and mechanism of adsorption. The Freundlich model and pseudo-second-order kinetics exhibited the best fit, suggesting a combination of physical interactions, as confirmed by the D–R and Temkin models. The dominant adsorbate–adsorbent interactive interactions responsible for ARS removal were hydrogen bonding, dispersion forces, and noncovalent aromatic ring adsorbent pi-interactions. Thermodynamic parameters extracted from adsorption data indicated that the removal of the mutagenic dye “ARS” was exothermic and spontaneous on both DS and DSMNC, with DSMNC exhibiting higher removal efficiency.

Abstract Background Phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE-3) inhibition have been implicated in the neurobiologic underpinnings of migraine. Considering the clinical similarities between migraine and persistent post-traumatic headache (PPTH), we aimed to ascertain whether PDE-3 inhibition can elicit migraine-like headache in persons with PPTH. Methods We tested cilostazol, which inhibits PDE-3, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study involving persons with PPTH attributed to mild traumatic brain injury. The randomized participants were allocated to receive oral administration of either 200-mg cilostazol or placebo (calcium tablet) on two separate experiment days. The primary end point was the incidence of migraine-like headache during a 12-hour observation window post-ingestion. The secondary endpoint was the area under the curve (AUC) for reported headache intensity scores during the same observation window. Results Twenty-one persons underwent randomization and completed both experiment days. The mean participants’ age was 41.4 years, and most (n = 17) were females. During the 12-hour observation window, 14 (67%) of 21 participants developed migraine-like headache post-cilostazol, in contrast to three (14%) participants after placebo (P =.003). The headache intensity scores were higher post-cilostazol than after placebo (P

Over the past few decades, the increased use of energy resources has led to an increase in electricity demand, which has compounded a constant shortage of nonrenewable energy resources. However, dust accumulation, humidity levels, temperature, and bird droppings can negatively affect the efficiency of PV systems. Bird droppings can cause shading areas and hot spots on PV cells, gradually reducing their performance. This study aims to investigate the impact of bird droppings and soiling on photovoltaic panels by developing an experimental setup. An experimental setup comprises two PV panels with monitoring and data logging sensors. During the cleaning process, one panel will be compared with a panel affected by bird droppings and soiling. The experiment was conducted for 25 days in a dusty and humid environment, affecting approximately 30% of the PV panel area by bird droppings. As a consequence, the panel's output decreased by 35%. In order to predict when the PV panel becomes completely opaque, resulting in zero power, after the experiment has been conducted, multiple linear regression techniques have been applied that show the whole panel will cover up in 82 days with bird droppings having a covering area of 128500 mm2. The experimental investigation concluded that bird dropping and soiling can significantly impact PV panel output degradation. Regular cleaning patterns will help to ensure efficient operation and maximize electricity generation.

The rapid design of advanced materials depends on synthesis parameters and design. A wide range of materials can be synthesized using precursor reactions based on chelated gel and organic polymeric gel pathways. The desire to develop high-performance lithium-ion rechargeable batteries has motivated decades of research on the synthesis of battery active material particles with precise control of composition, phase-purity, and morphology. Among the most common methods reported in the literature to prepare precursors for lithium-ion battery active materials, sol-gel is characterized by simplicity, homogeneous mixing, and tuning of the particle shape. The chelate gel and organic polymeric gel precursor-based sol-gel method is efficient to promote desirable reaction conditions. Both precursor routes are commonly used to synthesize lithium-ion battery cathode active materials from raw materials such as inorganic salts in aqueous solutions or organic solvents. The purpose of this review is to discuss synthesis procedure and summarize the progress that has been made in producing crystalline particles of tunable and complex morphologies by sol-gel synthesis that can be used as active materials for lithium-ion batteries.

In the cybersecurity industry, where legitimate transactions far outnumber fraudulent ones, detecting fraud is of paramount significance. In order to evaluate the accuracy of detecting fraudulent transactions in imbalanced real datasets, this study compares the efficacy of two approaches, random under-sampling and oversampling, using the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE). Random under-sampling aims for fairness by excluding examples from the majority class, but this compromises precision in favor of recall. To strike a balance and ensure statistical significance, SMOTE was used instead to produce artificial examples of the minority class. Based on the data obtained, it is clear that random under-sampling achieves high recall (92.86%) at the expense of low precision, whereas SMOTE achieves a higher accuracy (86.75%) and a more even F1 score (73.47%) at the expense of a slightly lower recall. As true fraudulent transactions require at least two methods for verification, we investigated different machine learning methods and made suitable balances between accuracy, F1 score, and recall. Our comparison sheds light on the subtleties and ramifications of each approach, allowing professionals in the field of cybersecurity to better choose the approach that best meets the needs of their own firm. This research highlights the need to resolve class imbalances for effective fraud detection in cybersecurity, as well as the need for constant monitoring and the investigation of new approaches to increase applicability.

Abstract Objective To explore and critically appraise the evidence supporting the role of estrogen withdrawal in menstrual migraine. Main body Menstrual migraine, impacting about 6% of reproductive-age women, manifests as migraine attacks closely related to the menstrual cycle. The estrogen withdrawal hypothesis posits that the premenstrual drop in estrogen levels serves as a trigger of migraine attacks. Despite its wide acceptance, the current body of evidence supporting this hypothesis remains limited, warranting further validation. Estrogen is believed to exert a modulatory effect on pain, particularly within the trigeminovascular system – the anatomic and physiologic substrate of migraine pathogenesis. Nevertheless, existing studies are limited by methodologic inconsistencies, small sample sizes, and variable case definitions, precluding definitive conclusions. To improve our understanding of menstrual migraine, future research should concentrate on untangling the intricate interplay between estrogen, the trigeminovascular system, and migraine itself. This necessitates the use of robust methods, larger sample sizes, and standardized case definitions to surmount the limitations encountered in previous investigations. Conclusion Further research is thus needed to ascertain the involvement of estrogen withdrawal in menstrual migraine and advance the development of effective management strategies to address unmet treatment needs.

Due to the lack of symmetry property for the quasi metrics, we have considered left and right versions of best proximity points of multivalued mappings of quasi metric spaces. Further we consider the problem of existence of semi (left and right) best proximity points of generalized multivalued contractions of quasi metric spaces via various versions of so called $ p- $property. Some examples are given to explain the results.

The pavement recycling method is one of the practical ways to integrate sustainable development into transportation infrastructure, and it has been adopted worldwide. The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in new asphalt highways is limited due to the ageing effects caused by UV damage and weathering on the asphalt binder. To address this issue, waste vegetable oil (WVO) and waste engine oil (WEO) have been proposed as potential rejuvenating agents to enhance the recyclability of pavements containing RAP. This study evaluated the effectiveness of WEO and WVO as chemical rejuvenating agents through various tests on both aged and virgin asphalt binders. The tests included measurements of ductility, fire, and flash points, softening points, and penetration. The results indicate that the addition of WEO and WVO can improve the low-temperature properties of asphalt binders when mixed with RAP, resulting in reduced stiffness. The mixture containing WEO and WVO exhibited improved stability compared to the control, suggesting enhanced flow with increasing waste oil content in comparison to aged binder, albeit with slightly reduced flow compared to the virgin binder. This study demonstrates the potential of WEO and WVO as recycling agents to enhance the performance of bituminous mixes incorporating RAP.

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of incorporating crumb rubber (CR) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) additives, ranging from 0% to 5% by weight of bitumen, on the performance of a bituminous concrete mixture using the wet process. Laboratory experiments, including the Marshall test, were conducted to establish the optimum bitumen content (OBC) for the hot mix. The study focuses on determining the optimal proportions of CR and SBR to achieve maximum strength. The results show that increasing the proportions of both CR and SBR leads to significant improvements in strength, with the maximum stability recorded at 16.14 kN and a flow of 1.23 mm for a mix containing 5% CR and 4% SBR. The findings further suggest an inverse relationship between CR content and strength, while an increasing SBR content enhances strength. Consequently, the optimal proportions for incorporating CR and SBR additives are identified as 5% and 4%, respectively.

In this work, we introduce a new type of multivalued fuzzy proximal quasi-contraction. These are generalized contractions which are a hybrid of H-contractive mappings and quasi-contractions. Furthermore, we establish the best proximity point results for newly introduced fuzzy contractions in the context of fuzzy b-metric spaces. Fuzzy b-metric spaces are more general than fuzzy metric spaces and are linked with the cosine distance, which is used in various contexts of artificial intelligence to measure the similarity between elements of a vector space.

We consider a class of metrics which are equivalent to the Hausdorff metric in some sense to establish the well-posedness of fixed point problems associated with multifunctions of metric spaces, satisfying various generalized contraction conditions. Examples are provided to justify the applicability of new results.

BackgroundFollowing the promising pre-marketing placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials of fremanezumab, post-marketing studies are necessary to verify efficacy and tolerability in various real-world settings. The present study assessed real-world efficacy and safety of fremanezumab.MethodsA 3-month, single-center, prospective, observation study of adults with chronic migraine who were treated with monthly subcutaneous injections of 225 mg fremanezumab in Denmark. The primary outcome was defined as proportion of patients who achieved ≥30% reduction in monthly migraine days (MMDs) from baseline to weeks 9–12. Among secondary outcomes were ≥50 and ≥75% responder rates and the proportion of patients reporting adverse events.ResultsA total of 91 patients with chronic migraine were enrolled and received at least one dose of fremanezumab of whom 89 patients (98%) completed the 3-months treatment period. At baseline, the mean (SD) number of monthly headache days was 24.3 ± 5.8 and mean number of MMDs was 18.5 ± 7.4. The number of patients who achieved ≥30% reduction in MMDs from baseline to weeks 9–12 was 58 (65%), while 45 (51%) and 21 (24%) had ≥50 and 75% reduction in MMD, respectively. Twenty-one patients (23%) reported adverse event, in which the most common were constipation (4.4%), fatigue (4.4%) and dizziness (3.3%). No serious adverse events were reported.ConclusionIn adult chronic migraine patients with previous failure of conventional oral migraine preventives, fremanezumab was found to be effective and well-tolerated.

The battery pack is at the heart of electric vehicles, and lithium-ion cells are preferred because of their high power density, long life, high energy density, and viability for usage in relatively high and low temperatures. Lithium-ion batteries are negatively affected by overvoltage, undervoltage, thermal runaway, and cell voltage imbalance. The minimisation of cell imbalance is particularly important because it causes uneven power dissipation by each cell and, hence, temperature distribution that adversely impacts the battery lifetime. Several papers in the literature proposed advanced cell-balancing techniques to increase the effectiveness of basic cell-balancing approaches, reduce power losses, and reduce the number of components in balancing circuits. The new developments and optimisations over the last few years have been particularly intense due to the increased interest in battery technologies for several end-use applications. This paper reviews and discusses recent cell-balancing techniques or methods, covering their operating principles and the optimised utilisation of electrical components.

Abstract Objective To ascertain whether intravenous infusion of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) can induce migraine-like headache in people with persistent post-traumatic headache attributed to mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and no pre-existing migraine. Methods A non-randomized, single-arm, open-label study at a single site in Denmark. Eligible participants were aged 18 to 65 years and had a known history of persistent post-traumatic headache attributed to mild TBI for ≥ 12 months. All participants received continuous intravenous infusion of CGRP (1.5 µg/min) over 20 min. A headache diary was used to collect outcome data until 12 h after the start of CGRP infusion. The primary end point was the incidence of migraine-like headache during 12-hour observational period. Results A total of 60 participants completed the study protocol and provided data for the analysis of the primary end point. The median age was 32.5 (IQR, 25.5–43.0) years; 43 participants (72%) were female. Following CGRP infusion, 43 (72%) of 60 participants developed migraine-like headache during the 12-hour observational period. The median time to peak headache intensity was 40 min (IQR, 20–60), and the median peak headache intensity was 6 (IQR, 5–8) on the 11-point numeric rating scale. Conclusion Intravenous infusion of CGRP is a potent inducer of migraine-like headache in people with persistent post-traumatic headache attributed to mild TBI. This observation underscores the importance of CGRP in the genesis of migraine-like headache that is often experienced by individuals who are afflicted by persistent post-traumatic headache. Further research is warranted to ascertain whether other signaling molecules also contribute to the disease mechanisms underlying post-traumatic headache.

This paper deals with the existence of non-empty fixed point sets of newly introduced generalized set-valued F-contractions of b-metric spaces. Some illustrative examples show that the new results in this paper generalize properly, unify and extend some related results in the existing literature. Moreover, we extract some important consequences of the results in b-metric spaces. Particularly, by setting b-metric constant equal to one, we obtain some specific cases showing notable enhancement of existing results yet in metric spaces.

This study aim to synthesize new 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives incorporating mefenamic acid as promising α-glucosidase and urease inhibitors, potentially leading to the treatment of postprandial hyperglycemia as well as H. pylori related disorders. In this regards, we have designed a series of Mefenamic acid derivatives. The synthetic compounds were structurally elucidated through 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HR-EIMS analysis. The biological evaluation of these derivatives against α-glucosidase and urease enzyme depicted some novel derivatives with potent inhibition against the said enzymes. All the derivatives exhibited potent inhibition against α-glucosidase enzymes with IC50 ranging from 25.81 ± 1.63–113.61 ± 1.31 µM against standard drug acarbose (IC50 = 375.82 ± 1.76 µM) while with respect to urease these derivatives possessed inhibitory potential varied between IC50 = 8.04 ± 1.01–58.18 ± 1.03 µM against the standard thiourea (IC50 = 21.0 ± 1.76 µM). The cell viability results revealed that all of the derivatives were found least cytotoxic. Furthermore, molecular docking studies of the most potent derivatives identify number of key features involved in binding interactions between potential inhibitors and the enzyme's active site.

The damage inflicted to silicon nanowires (Si NWs) during the HF vapor etch release poses a challenge to the monolithic integration of Si NWs with higher-order structures, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This paper reports the development of a stencil lithography-based protection technology that protects Si NWs during prolonged HF vapor release and enables their MEMS integration. Besides, a simplified fabrication flow for the stencil is presented offering ease of patterning of backside features on the nitride membrane. The entire process on Si NW can be performed in a resistless manner. HF vapor etch damage to the Si NWs is characterized, followed by the calibration of the proposed technology steps for Si NW protection. The stencil is fabricated and the developed technology is applied on a Si NW-based multiscale device architecture to protectively coat Si NWs in a localized manner. Protection of Si NW under a prolonged (>3 h) HF vapor etch process has been achieved. Moreover, selective removal of the protection layer around Si NW is demonstrated at the end of the process. The proposed technology also offers access to localized surface modifications on a multiscale device architecture for biological or chemical sensing applications.

This paper deals with the existence and uniqueness of the best proximity points of nonself-mappings in the context of non-Archimedean fuzzy metric spaces. The existence of different proximal quasi-contractive mappings allowed us to generalize some results concerning the existence and uniqueness of the best proximity points in the existing literature. Moreover, an application in computer science, particularly in the domain of words has been provided.

The automation of the manufacturing processes of thermoplastic composite laminates has become dependent on open mold processes such as automated tape placement (ATP), which couples tape layering with in situ consolidation. The manufacturing parameters of ATP open mold processes, which comprise processing time, consolidation pressure and temperature, affect the bond strength between the plies and the quality of the laminates produced. Therefore, the effect of the manufacturing parameters should be characterized. This work experimentally evaluates the feasibility of fabricating thermoplastic laminates using an open mold process that reasonably models that of ATP. Glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene laminates are fabricated from unidirectional tapes under different consolidation periods, pressures, and temperatures. The bond quality in the produced laminates is assessed by measuring their interlaminar shear strength, which is measured using a short beam standardized shear test in conjunction with digital image correlation. Results show that consolidation can occur at temperatures slightly below the composite tapes’ complete melting temperature, and consolidation times between 7 and 13 min can result in acceptable bond strengths. The results confirmed the feasibility of the process and highlighted its limitations. Analysis of variance and machine learning showed that the effect of process parameters on interlaminar shear strength is nonlinear.

A solid-solution cathode of LiCoPO4-LiNiPO4 was investigated as a potential candidate for use with the Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) anode in Li-ion batteries. A pre-synthesized nickel–cobalt hydroxide precursor is mixed with lithium and phosphate sources by wet ball milling, which results in the final product, LiNiyCo1−yPO4 (LNCP) by subsequent heat treatment. Crystal structure and morphology of the product were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Its XRD patterns show that LNCP is primarily a single-phase compound and has olivine-type XRD patterns similar to its parent compounds, LiCoPO4 and LiNiPO4. Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis, however, indicates that Ni doping in LiCoPO4 is unfavorable because Ni2+ is not actively involved in the electrochemical reaction. Consequently, it reduces the charge storage capability of the LNCP cathode. Additionally, ex situ XRD analysis of cycled electrodes confirms the formation of the electrochemically inactive rock salt-type NiO phase. The discharge capacity of the LNCP cathode is entirely associated with the Co3+/Co2+ redox couple. The electrochemical evaluation demonstrated that the LNCP cathode paired with the LTO anode produced a 3.12 V battery with an energy density of 184 Wh kg−1 based on the cathode mass.

In this paper, we discuss the existence of best proximity points of new generalized proximal contractions of metric spaces. Moreover, we obtain a completeness characterization of underlying metric space via the best proximity points. Some new best proximity point theorems have been derived as consequences of main results in (partially ordered) metric spaces.

BackgroundPituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) provoked cluster headache attacks in individuals with episodic cluster headache during their active phase and individuals with chronic cluster headache. In this study, we investigated whether infusions of PACAP and VIP caused alterations in plasma levels of VIP and their potential contribution to induced cluster headache attacks.MethodsParticipants received either PACAP or VIP infusion for 20 min on 2 separate days with an interval of at least 7 days in between. Blood collection was performed at T0, T20, T30, and T90. Plasma levels of VIP were measured using a validated radioimmunoassay method.ResultsBlood samples were collected from participants with episodic cluster headache in the active phase (eCHA, n = 14), remission (eCHR, n = 15), and from participants with chronic cluster headache (cCH, n = 15). Baseline levels of VIP did not differ among the three groups (p = 0.1161). During PACAP infusion, mixed-effects analysis revealed a significant increase in plasma levels of VIP in eCHA (p = 0.0300) and eCHR (p = 0.0058) but not in cCH (p = 0.2930). We found no difference in the increase of plasma VIP levels between patients who developed PACAP38- or VIP-induced attacks.ConclusionCluster headache attacks induced by PACAP38 or VIP infusion are not associated with changes in plasma levels of VIP. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of VIP and the parasympathetic system in cluster headache.Clinical trial registrationThe parent study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03814226).

Highlights The current technology evolution and advancements in 3DP-NMEHs were evaluated. Categorization and comparison of 3DP-NMEHs were performed in terms of inputs and energy conversion. The emerging applications of 3DP-NMEHs were discussed briefly. The potential challenges confronted by 3DP-NMEHs and respective recommendations were summarized. Sustainable use of recyclable waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic was proposed.

Inflammation is the immune system's adaptive response to tissue dysfunction or homeostatic imbalance, inducing fever, pain, physiological and biochemical changes via the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as diclofenac acid and naproxen, are the most common inhibitors of the COX pathway. These drugs, however, are currently being studied as LOX inhibitors as well. Therefore, in the present study, a novel series of diclofenac acid and naproxen-bearing hydrazones 7(a-r) were designed, synthesized, and characterized by different spectroscopic methods like 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and HRMS (EI) analysis. All these synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory potential against the Soybean 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) enzyme. These compounds exhibited varying degrees of inhibitory potential ranging from IC50 4.61 ± 3.21 μM to 193.62 ± 4.68 μM in comparison to standard inhibitors quercetin (IC50 4.84 ± 6.43 μM) and baicalein (IC50 22.46 ± 1.32 μM). The most potent compounds in the series were compounds 7c (IC50 4.61 ± 3.21 μM), and 7f (IC50 6.64 ± 4.31 μM). These compounds were found least cytotoxic and showed 96.42 ± 1.3 % and 94.87 ± 1.6 % viability to cells at 0.25 mM concentration respectively. ADME and in silico studies supported the drug-likeness and binding studies of the molecules with the target enzyme.

In order to generalize classical Banach contraction principle in the setup of quasi-metric spaces, we introduce Suzuki-type contractions of quasi-metric spaces and prove some fixed point results. Further, we suggest a correction in the definition of another class of quasi-metrics known as Δ-symmetric quasi-metrics satisfying a weighted symmetry property. We discuss equivalence of various types of completeness of Δ-symmetric quasi-metric spaces. At the end, we consider the existence of fixed points of generalized Suzuki-type contractions of Δ-symmetric quasi-metric spaces. Some examples have been furnished to make sure that generalizations we obtain are the proper ones.

Highly conductive Mo2C networks were embedded with uniformly stacked MoS2 nanosheets via a hydrothermal reaction. The fabricated interfacial MoS2@Mo2C hybrid nanostructures were systematically ascertained by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM-EDS and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Further, the high-magnification TEM image reveals the fingerprint-structured grains stacked on the MoS2 lattice, while its high-resolution zoom-in image proves the lattice arrangements. The enhanced BET area of 7.21 m2 g−1 is found for the MoS2@Mo2C hybrid compared to the MoS2 (2.04 m2 g−1) and Mo2C (0.83 m2 g−1). The designed MoS2@Mo2C nano-architecture anode provided the rescindable capacity of 210 mAh g−1 at a 50 mA g−1 current density for lithium ion batteries. In addition, MoS2@Mo2C retained a capacity of 150 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 50 mA g−1 with more than 98% of Coulombic efficiency, indicating outstanding cycling stability. The fabricated MoS2@Mo2C hybrid produced improved behavior, compared with that of the bare Mo2C and MoS2 anode. The exceedingly conductive nature of Mo2C and its well interacted relation with the MoS2 nanoparticles which prevented the restacking of MoS2 sheets thereby facilitated fast electron/ion transfer, yielding excellent rate capability. The unique hierarchical structural of MoS2@Mo2C makes it a prospective material for high-performing lithium ion battery anode.

Antibodies blocking the calcitonin gene-related peptide have revolutionized episodic and chronic migraine treatment. However, their applicability to non-cephalic pain conditions, such as osteoarthritis is yet unknown. Osteoarthritis remains a clinical challenge, associated with high disability and limited treatment options. Like migraine, neuropeptides including calcitonin gene-related peptide are involved in its pathophysiology. We present the first case of a patient, a 73-year-old female with osteoarthritis who received monthly treatment for her chronic migraine with 140 mg subcutaneous erenumab, a monoclonal antibody against the receptor of calcitonin gene-related peptide. Though the migraine was unresponsive, the patient arthritic symptoms improved drastically during treatment period with erenumab; daily pain decreased from VAS 7 to 2 and walking distance doubled from 1000 meters to 2000 meters. The arthritic symptoms relapsed after discontinuation of erenumab. Erenumab could potentially have beneficial effects on symptoms of osteoarthritis. Future studies investigating these effects are warranted.

Abstract In this new world of fluid technologies, hybrid nanofluid has become a productive subject of research among scientists for its potential thermal features and abilities, which provides an excellent result as compared to nanofluids in growing the rate of heat transport. Our purpose here is to introduce the substantial influences of magnetic field on 2D, time-dependent and stagnation point inviscid flow of couple stress hybrid nanofluid around a rotating sphere with base fluid is pure blood, $${\text{TiO}}_{2} \,\,{\text{and}}\,\,{\text{Ag}}$$ TiO 2 and Ag as the nanoparticles. To translate the governing system of partial differential equations and the boundary conditions relevant for computation, some suitable transformations are implemented. To obtain the analytical estimations for the corresponding system of differential expression, the innovative Optimal Homotopy Analysis Method is used. The characteristics of hybrid nanofluid flow patterns, including temperature, velocity and concentration profiles are simulated and analyzed in detail due to the variation in the evolving variables. Detailed research is also performed to investigate the influences of relevant constraints on the rates, momentum and heat transport for both $${\text{TiO}}_{2} + {\text{Ag}} + Blood$$ TiO 2 + Ag + B l o o d and $${\text{TiO}}_{2} + Blood$$ TiO 2 + B l o o d . One of the many outcomes of this analysis, it is observed that increasing the magnetic factor will decelerate the hybrid nanofluid flow velocity and improve the temperature profile. It may also be demonstrated that by increasing the Brownian motion factor, significant improvement can be made in the concentration field of hybrid nanofluid. The increase in the nanoparticle volume fraction from 0.01 to 0.02 in the case of the hybrid nanofluid enhances the thermal conductivity from 5.8 to 11.947% and for the same value of the nanoparticle volume fraction in the case of nanofluid enhance the thermal conductivity from 2.576 to 5.197%.

Psychological distress is a generic term which refers to “feeling of emotional strain” that affects our normal mental and physical functioning. The aim of this study is to investigate the psychological distress perceived by the Pakistani students living in quarantine and to determine risk and protective factors, including knowledge of COVD-19, among this population. It is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from February to May 2020. Students enrolled at different colleges and universities of Pakistan participated in this survey. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is computed for comparing knowledge scores of participants having different levels of psychological distress. A total of 937 participants completed the survey questionnaire, with slightly more male respondents (60.6%) than female (39.4%). The average age of survey participants is 22.0 years (SD = 3.01), with majority (76.2%) belonging to urban areas. The mean COVID-19 knowledge score is 8.91 (SD = 1.69, range: 1–12), suggesting an overall 74.25% precision rate for this knowledge test for individual participant. The participants scored least knowledge regarding the disease transmission, showing a percentage correctness of only 40%. Majority of the participants (57.3%) are likely to be well, while others (42.7%) have shown symptoms of mental distress. The analysis reveals that participants with moderate mental distress (M = 8.81, SD = 2.37) and those with severe mental distress (M = 8.75, SD = 2.69) scored lower than participants who were likely to be well (M = 9.49, SD = 1.71). Our study concludes that a higher knowledge base regarding the disease will help to mitigate distress levels. Our study suggests that in order to deal with this pandemic effectively, the knowledge regarding COVID-19 should be properly conveyed to general public. It is need of the hour to address mental issues of the population aggressively along with providing awareness about COVID-19.

This paper presents a solution to overcome the locust attack issue on crops. Locusts and grasshoppers are among the most hazardous farming nuisances. Pesticides can harm non-target species and dirty the climate. Locusts are known to reproduce quickly and are capable of eating food of their own body weight on a daily basis. These hungry insects can eat the same amount of food that 35,000 human beings would be capable of eating. This setup will control the locust swarm by having a nontoxic solution. The setup consists of high voltage capacitor-based fencing that is used to spread an electric field that kills the locust sufficiently, ultraviolet light is also attached to attract the locust on a single point, and controlling and checking framework has been done using an android application. Different sensors are installed to measure the real-time data from the field location. The setup is solar-powered completely which makes it standalone and self-sustainable. An android application is also developed to operate and monitor the setup remotely.

Heat and mass transfer have numerous industrial applications. The classical heat and mass transfer laws (Fourier and Fick laws) do not predict thermal and solute relaxation time phenomena. However, in this article, generalized modeling related to simultaneous heat and mass transfer in non-Newtonian fluid in the presence of chemical reaction and heat generation is presented and models are numerically solved by the finite element method (FEM). Hybrid nanoparticles Ag andFe3O4 are considered and novel correlations are inserted during numerical simulations. The present results have a good agreement with already published benchmark. Thermal relaxation time is the characteristics of the fluid due to which it avoids or tries to avoid the thermal changes. The fluid with thermal relaxation characteristic tries to restore the thermal equilibrium and hence the temperature of the fluid is decreased. The solute relation is incorporated in the concentration equation from generalized Fick's law and solute relaxation time has shown a decreasing tendency in the concentration field. The solute boundary layer region can be controlled via an increase in the solute relaxation parameter. Ohmic dissipation in hybrid nanofluid Ag−Fe3O4− Prandtl fluid) is stronger than that in mono nanofluid (Ag− Prandtl fluid). Hybrid nanofluid (Ag−Fe3O4− Prandtl fluid) produces more heat due to Joule heating than that produced by mono nanofluid (Ag− Prandtl fluid).

Adverse atmospheric conditions and health hazards originated due to the discharge of particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) are the fundamental challenges to the researchers working on diesel engine. The solution is to develop cleaner technologies to abate emissions from diesel engine exhaust. In this paper, a novel hybrid emission control unit composed of counter flow heat exchanger (HE), oil bath cleaning unit (OBCU) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), the combination abbreviated as HE-OBCU-EGR unit, was designed, fabricated and implemented on the exhaust manifold of Massey Ferguson (MF-260) tractor engine to reduce the regulated gaseous emissions. An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of HE-OBCU-EGR unit on the emissions of a four-stroke, three cylinder diesel engine equipped with an eddy-current dynamometer. The tests were conducted on engine speed of 1400 to 2000 rpm with an interval of 100 rpm at full load. The AVL DiTEST and AVL smoke meter were used to analyze the emissions including soot concentration (SC), pollution level (PL), filter smoke number (FSN), HC, NOx and CO. The results obtained with HE-OBCU-EGR unit revealed 44.9%, 29.2%, 26.3%, 42.9% and 24.8% reduction in SC, PL, FSN, HC and NOx emissions, whereas CO emissions were increased by 14.3% due to limited supply of oxygen from EGR. Results revealed that HE-OBCU-EGR unit may help to minimize the emissions of HC, SC, PL, FSN and NOx but is not suitable to control CO emissions. To minimize the emissions of CO, this technology can be superposed with turbocharger or supercharger to enhance the availability of O2 in the combustion chamber.

Introduction/purpose: This paper presents coincidence and common fixed points of Suzuki type ሺߙ ∗െ ߰ሻ െ multivalued operators on b-metric spaces. Methods: The limit shadowing property was discussed as well as the wellposedness and the Ulam-Hyers stability of the solution for the fixed point problem of such operators. Results: The upper bound of the Hausdorff distance between the fixed point sets is obtained. Some examples are presented to support the obtained results. Conclusion: The application of the obtained results establishes the existence of differential inclusion. / Введение/цель: В данной статье представлены совпадения и общие неподвижные точки многозначного отображения типа Судзуки в b-метрических пространствах. Методы: Обсуждаются предельные свойства, корректность и устойчивость решенийзадачс неподвижной точкой таких отображений по методу Улама-Хайерса. Результаты: Получена верхняя граница расстояния Хаусдорфа между неподвижными точками множеств. В качестве доказательства полученных результатов, в статье приведено несколько примеров. Выводы: Применение полученных результатов доказывает существование дифференциальных включений. / Uvod/cilj: U radu su predstavljene koincidentne i zajedničke fiksne tačke Suzukijeve vrste višeznačnog preslikavanja na b-metričkim prostorima. Metode: Analizirana su granična svojstva, dobra postavljenost i Ulam-Hierova stabilnost rešenja za fiksni problem višeznačnih preslikavanja. Rezultati: Dobijena je gornja granica Hauzdorfovog rastojanja između fiksnih tačaka skupova. Navedeni su primeri koji podržavaju dobijene rezultate. Zaključak: Primenom predstavljenih rezultata ustanovljena je egzistencija diferencijalne inkluzije.

IntroductionThe activation of perivascular fibers and the consequent release of vasoactive peptides, including the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), play a role in migraine pathogenesis. A 2-h infusion of VIP provoked migraine, but the mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated whether 2-h infusion of VIP caused alterations in plasma levels of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and whether any changes might be related to the induced migraine attacks.Materials and MethodsWe enrolled individuals with episodic migraine without aura and healthy participants to randomly receive a 2-h infusion of either VIP (8 pmol/kg/min) or placebo (sterile saline) in two randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trials. We collected clinical data and measured plasma levels of VIP and CGRP at fixed time points: at baseline (T0) and every 30 min until 180 min (T180) after the start of the infusion.ResultsBlood samples were collected from patients with migraine (n = 19) and healthy individuals (n = 12). During VIP infusion, mixed effects analysis revealed a significant increase in plasma CGRP (p = 0.027) at T30 (vs. T180, adjusted p-value = 0.039) and T60 (vs. T180, adjusted p-value = 0.027) in patients with migraine. We found no increase in plasma CGRP during VIP-induced migraine attacks (p = 0.219). In healthy individuals, there was no increase in plasma CGRP during VIP (p = 0.205) or placebo (p = 0.428) days.DiscussionPlasma CGRP was elevated in patients with migraine during a prolonged infusion of VIP, but these alterations were not associated with VIP-induced migraine attacks. Given the exploratory design of our study, further investigations are needed to clarify the role of CGRP in VIP-induced migraine.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03989817 and NCT04260035.

We prove a version of the Ekeland Variational Principle (EkVP) in a weighted graph G and its equivalence to Caristi fixed point theorem and to the Takahashi minimization principle. The usual completeness and topological notions are replaced with some weaker versions expressed in terms of the graph G. The main tool used in the proof is the OSC property for sequences in a graph. Converse results, meaning the completeness of weighted graphs for which one of these principles holds, are also considered.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of air pollutants including carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrous oxide (NO2) over the period 1975 to 2020 on ecological footprint, Forest area and cropland. The study used GDP and trade openness as control variable in establishing the long run and short relationship between air pollutants and ecological footprint and its sub-components. The study used Johannsson co-integration and error correction model co-integrating relationship and elasticities. The study found that there exist at least three cointegrating equations for ecological footprint and forest area while four cointegrating equation for cropland. The results shows that model CO2, NO2 and TOP reduces the pressure on EF in long run while NOx and GDP damage the EF by utilizing more natural resources during production of goods and services. However, CO2 concentration increases as forest area increases while NOx damage the cropland. The ECM shows that speed of adjustment is 90% for forest area and 50% and 40% for EF and cropland respectively. Carbon overdose is mainly caused by fossil fuel burning and forest destruction, which continuously accumulates as a result of industrialization. The study found that pollutants, such as CO2, NO2 and NOx also potential to damage ecosystems and only clean air is a desirable policy option for green economy.

In this article, we introduce a new type of generalized multivalued Hardy and Roger’s type proximal contractive and proximal cyclic contractive mappings of b-metric spaces and develop some results for the existence of best proximity point(s). Moreover, we obtain some results for the existence and uniqueness of best proximity points for single-valued mappings. Examples are given to explain the main results.

This paper deals with the existence of an optimum solution of a system of ordinary differential equations via the best proximity points. In order to obtain the optimum solution, we have developed the best proximity point results for generalized multivalued contractions of b-metric spaces. Examples are given to illustrate the main results and to show that the new results are the proper generalization of some existing results in the literature.

In this paper, we introduce three classes of proximal contractions that are called the proximally λ−ψ−dominated contractions, generalized ηβγ−proximal contractions and Berinde-type weak proximal contractions, and obtain common best proximity points for these proximal contractions in the setting of F−metric spaces. Further, we obtain the best proximity point result for generalized α−φ−proximal contractions in F−metric spaces. As an application, fixed point and coincidence point results for these contractions are obtained. Some examples are provided to support the validity of our main results. Moreover, we obtain a completeness characterization of the F−metric spaces via best proximity points.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the antenatal knowledge and preferred information seeking behavior of pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics of Allied Hospitals of Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi. METHODOLOY: This was a multi-centered based cross-sectional design study. This study was conducted in the antenatal care clinics of three allied hospitals of Rawalpindi medical University, Rawalpindi. A total of 400 pregnant women in third trimester of pregnancy, attending antenatal care clinics were included in the study through consecutive sampling. Antenatal knowledge was assessed by a valid (scale-content validity index=1.00) and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha=0.90) questionnaire developed for this purpose. SPSS 22 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Out of 400 pregnant women, majority 148 (37%) were in the age group of 23-27 years. Mean age was 26.5±4.8 years. Mean antenatal knowledge score was 28±6.2. Two hundred and sixty-eight (67%) women had poor (˂70% score), ninety-six (24%) had adequate (70%-80% score) and thirty-six (9%) had good (˃80% score) level of antenatal knowledge. Three hundred and sixty (90%) women had poor nutritional and gestational weight gain knowledge. Antenatal knowledge scores were significantly associated with education, number of antenatal care visits, locality and monthly household income. One to one education was preferred format by most (53%) of women. Doctors were the preferred source of information by 80% of the participants. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicate that most of the pregnant women lack the adequate antenatal knowledge while one to one education given by doctors was the preferred mode of health education by the majority of the participants.

Soft set theory has evolved to provide a set of valuable tools for dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a variety of data structures related to real-world challenges. A soft set is characterized via a multivalued function of a set of parameters with certain conditions. In this study, we relax some conditions on the set of parameters and generalize some basic concepts in soft set theory. Specifically, we introduce generalized finite relaxed soft equality and generalized finite relaxed soft unions and intersections. The new operations offer a great improvement in the theory of soft sets in the sense of proper generalization and applicability.